Carl Gunnarsson: Untapped Offensive Potential?

[Purity*]

Terrific defensemen for his price IMO... I think he actually does have some offensive skills to him, his shot is fairly weak but his passing can be very impressive, I've seen him make a couple nice pinches to keep the play alive this season.


Any time I see someone hating this guy I ... the fact that he can even play the top pairing and not look out of place is amazing in and of itself. I think we'd see his offensive skills flourish a little bit if we can somehow acquire another D-man in the off-season and relegate him to the second pairing. If he can handle top lines, second line should be virtually no issue for him at all to shut down.

 

[Tak7]

He's very underrated but he'll never be a defender that gets many points, and that's more then OK.

We need him to be a rock defensively and on the PK. I think he's shown that he can be just that.

Severely under appreciated sometimes.

This is such a homer opinion. It's nuts. He's not underrated

He's rated perfectly - he's a top 4 guy, and more than likely a top 6 shut-down guy on a very good team. Nothing more. He's played top pairing minutes/matchups here for a while now, under two different coaching regimes, and has struggled. He's been played out of his depth here.

 

[TheJet11]

I could care less about Gunnarsson's offensive potential. I love his defense.

Over the past 9 games, Dion Phaneuf is -9. Gunnarsson is EVEN. These guys play together a great majority of the time but evidently Dion doesn't fare well without Gunnar to prop him up.

 

[BonMorrison]

Carl is definitely underrated around here, some of you actually think he's a bottom pairing defenseman but realistically he could be on the 2nd pair of every team in the league and not look out of place.

 

[ACC1224]

Carl is definitely underrated around here, some of you actually think he's a bottom pairing defenseman but realistically he could be on the 2nd pair of every team in the league and not look out of place.

Obviously some peoples reality differs from others. You saying it so doesn't make it correct either.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Carl is definitely underrated around here, some of you actually think he's a bottom pairing defenseman but realistically he could be on the 2nd pair of every team in the league and not look out of place.

Count me in as one of those.

 

[JGuardz]

Gunnarsson has one of the highest hockey IQ's on the team, probably 2nd on the blue line (Only behind Rielly).

 

[blueberrie]

This is such a homer opinion. It's nuts. He's not underrated

He's rated perfectly - he's a top 4 guy, and more than likely a top 6 shut-down guy on a very good team. Nothing more. He's played top pairing minutes/matchups here for a while now, under two different coaching regimes, and has struggled. He's been played out of his depth here.

I wouldn't say he's struggled, he's leading the team in +/- playing those tough matchups. Agreed he'd be better suited for a middle pairing, but he's above your average bottom pairing D.

I think untapped offensive potential is a little generous though, it's just not part of his game. He only jumps in at the highest percentage chances and the rest of the time quietly goes about his job and is a steady defencemen. If we had a Gunnarsson on each pairing, our D would be pretty respectable IMO.

 

[Tak7]

I wouldn't say he's struggled, he's leading the team in +/- playing those tough matchups. Agreed he'd be better suited for a middle pairing, but he's above your average bottom pairing D.

I think untapped offensive potential is a little generous though, it's just not part of his game. He only jumps in at the highest percentage chances and the rest of the time quietly goes about his job and is a steady defencemen. If we had a Gunnarsson on each pairing, our D would be pretty respectable IMO.

Middle pairing is fair for Gunnarsson.

I just have a look at strong defensive teams in the league, like Boston, LA, St. Louis, or Chicago, and have a hard time seeing where Gunnar fits into those teams other than a bottom pairing/7th guy.

 

[CelticDruid]

If i had to choose between #3 and Gunnnarson, i would pick the latter everyday of the week. His overall play is way better. No bone slamming hits, but he takes his man out most times with authority.

Its a shame that he gets so little attention compared to his partner who is average at best.

 

[Tak7]

If i had to choose between #3 and Gunnnarson, i would pick the latter everyday of the week. His overall play is way better. No bone slamming hits, but he takes his man out most times with authority.

Its a shame that he gets so little attention compared to his partner who is average at best.

Wha!?

What more attention do you want Gunnarsson to get?

On one hand you are praising him, and on the other hand you want more of the spotlight on him? For what - criticism?

Dion Phaneuf is probably a good #2 Dman in this league, but he needs a solid partner to help him. Gunnar isn't that guy.

 

[Joey Hoser]

He's definitely started trying to jump up into the play a bit this year. He hasn't produced much but hasn't gotten burned yet either. I'm ok with him experimenting a bit more, but I wouldn't want to see him try too hard. He doesn't need it to be an effective defenceman.

 

[ACC1224]

Wha!?

What more attention do you want Gunnarsson to get?

On one hand you are praising him, and on the other hand you want more of the spotlight on him? For what - criticism?

Dion Phaneuf is probably a good #2 Dman in this league, but he needs a solid partner to help him. Gunnar isn't that guy.

This is really what it comes down to.

 

[Purity*]

Wha!?

What more attention do you want Gunnarsson to get?

On one hand you are praising him, and on the other hand you want more of the spotlight on him? For what - criticism?

Dion Phaneuf is probably a good #2 Dman in this league, but he needs a solid partner to help him. Gunnar isn't that guy.

Dude, he only costs 3M, why the hell would he need to be that partner for Dion? He would make a terrific shutdown D-man for an actual #1 like Weber, Piets or Doughty.

 

[abhanot]

16 points at even-strength compared to 17, 14, and 14 for Gardiner, Rielly, and Franson respectively. Keeping in mind he typically plays tougher defensive minutes, it is surprising to see that he's ahead of two of them and only 1 back of Gardiner.

Thats not an anomaly either, he was 2nd among dmen for ES pts last season (1 behind Franson). If Franson were traded this offseason, I think Gunnarsson could fill in pretty well on a 2nd PP unit (with one of Rielly/Gardiner moving up onto the top unit). Dont expect big goals, but he's smart and he can move the puck.

With the right minutes, I think he could put up ~30 points, which is good secondary support from the blueline.

This.

 

[jimmycarter]

who pissed off gunnarsson?

i like angry gunnarsson.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

No.
Hjalmarsson does basically everything better.

I'd have to agree. Both are quite similar (puck moving types), though, but Hjalmarsson is better. He seems to have much more effective passing ability, but then again, he is being paired with someone like Oduya. I think Gunnarsson would look much better if he played with an actual PMD.

Chicago's shut down pair doesn't resemble a fast-skating one ( i.e. Kieth - Seabrook) or a more physical one ( i.e. Chara - Hamilton). It's more a puck-moving one and one that's more balanced.

 

[CelticDruid]

Wha!?

What more attention do you want Gunnarsson to get?

On one hand you are praising him, and on the other hand you want more of the spotlight on him? For

what - criticism?

Why would i praise him and expect criticism?

Your words not mine

Dion Phaneuf is probably a good #2 Dman in this league, but he needs a solid partner to help him. Gunnar isn't that guy.

Your opinion, not mine .

 

[pacdunes]

Reality - #4 defender on any NHL team
Presently - #2 defender on the Leafs

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Reality - #4 defender on any NHL team
Presently - #2 defender on the Leafs

Exactly Gunnarson should be a weak # 3, good # 4 or very good # 5 Dman.

But on Toronto he is asked to be the # 2 or 2B depending on if people want to say Gardiner is actually our # 2.

Gunnarson is no longer underrated. If anything he has become overrated in Leafs land.

I like what Gunnarson brings and especially at this price tag but this is as good as he's going to get and he's 2 years till free agency and is the perfect type of player who isn't necessary in the long term but could net a good return.

I hope we trade high on his value next season instead eventually letting him overprice him himself as a UFA or simply walk for no compensation (i.e. Grabo, CMac).

 

[Stephen]

There is zero untapped potential in Gunnarsson.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Gunner is the only rock we have on defense, and has been clutch with key goals and key plays this season. He is more important than any defencemen on this team IMO. Teams win cups with D like him. IMO he is just as good as Hjalmarsson.

Whoa... I can respect people liking him because he does make safe plays sometimes, but he also makes a fair share of boneheaded plays.

Last year when everyone was freaking out over Mike Kostka, I was lauding Kostka, because although he makes mistakes (which actually a good portion were good passes that were mis-handled by the forwards, or the forwards were out-of-position for what should've been standard set-plays) with Gunnasson you get the same inconsistent defensive lapses, but with literally zero offensive production.

IMO I don't see Gunnarsson as a useful player on this Leafs team.

Phaneuf does 99% of the work, and his defensive partner is an afterthought. Phaneuf's stats have been largely the same over his tenure here in Toronto with a variety of partners.

Kostka, Gunnarsson, Aulie, Holzer...

I mean, therese guys are all considered 6th, 7th slot dmen on other teams, yet they all get paired with Phaneuf. Yet people think it's Gunnarsson who is the reliable defensive player on this team??

I don't understand how...

Do people even make objective evaluations on these players anymore, or is there some Leaf idea trough I'm not aware of that I should be drinking out of...?

 

[ForSpareParts*]

No. Just no.

I like him, but it would be gut wrenching to see the Leafs try to play him as a PP specialist.

 

[KuleminFan41]

I remember it wasn't that long ago, not even a couple months , people thought he sucked and wanted to trade the guy lol my have times changed

 

[Stephen]

I remember it wasn't that long ago, not even a couple months , people thought he sucked and wanted to trade the guy lol my have times changed

He doesn't suck that much, but where would he fit in on San Jose or Boston? I would assume he'd be rotated in and out of the lineup on the third pairing.