Carl Gunnarsson

[Brian39]

It is bad asset management to put yourself in a position where you are forced to move assets because of the salary cap. Extending Gunnarsson would do that when we have extensions to Shattenkirk and Parayko just around the corner. Tying up that money next season would also limit our ability to improve our offense.

If Shattenkirk is signing an extension, then we can expect Parayko to replace Gunnarsson on the left side.

I disagree with your premise. Moving an asset for a discount is better than letting him walk for nothing. So long as the asset is on a good contract, we wouldn't have to pay a team to take him off of our hands. There would be plenty of buyers for Gunnar at $3.3 mil. He is a legitimate 2nd pairing D man, which costs much more than that in UFA. Over half the league needs D, so that contract would be easy to move.

I see where you are coming from about tying up cap next year, but re-signing Gunnar shouldn't make any difference in extending Shatty or Parayko. Parayko will get extended without question. If the Blues think Shatty is worth the money, they will give it to him and move Gunnar. If not, they will let him walk.

 

[Alklha]

I disagree with your premise. Moving an asset for a discount is better than letting him walk for nothing. So long as the asset is on a good contract, we wouldn't have to pay a team to take him off of our hands. There would be plenty of buyers for Gunnar at $3.3 mil. He is a legitimate 2nd pairing D man, which costs much more than that in UFA. Over half the league needs D, so that contract would be easy to move.

I see where you are coming from about tying up cap next year, but re-signing Gunnar shouldn't make any difference in extending Shatty or Parayko. Parayko will get extended without question. If the Blues think Shatty is worth the money, they will give it to him and move Gunnar. If not, they will let him walk.

And if Gunnarsson gets injured at the end of next season and is out for 6 months? It isn't a likely scenario, but it is an unnecessary risk for a modest return.

Also, it isn't a scenario where Shattenkirk is getting his deal at the end of next season. His extension likely gets done in May/June and signed in July this year, and we know our costs going forward.

The money is better spent on our forwards, because our defensive depth should allow us to absorb the loss of Gunnarsson pretty easily.

 

[Stealth JD]

And if Gunnarsson gets injured at the end of next season and is out for 6 months? It isn't a likely scenario, but it is an unnecessary risk for a modest return.

Also, it isn't a scenario where Shattenkirk is getting his deal at the end of next season. His extension likely gets done in May/June and signed in July this year, and we know our costs going forward.

The money is better spent on our forwards, because our defensive depth should allow us to absorb the loss of Gunnarsson pretty easily.

What defensive depth? Lindbohm, Dunn & Walman? Guys who aren't yet, nor may ever be better than Gunnarsson is right now? By all means....lets let a competent, veteran, NHL D-man walk because we may eventually have a prospect who becomes better than him in the next three years...maybe. Or better yet, let him walk because Shattenkirk and Parayko need raises...despite the fact that the Blues have ample room to sign everyone, considering a couple of the forwards have no chance of coming back.

If the Blues can sign Gunnarsson to a reasonable contract, it's a no brainer. Then you make room for a youngster if and when they displace somebody by trading from an actual position strength and depth. You don't let depth walk for nothing and hope something better is in the pipeline.

 

[Alklha]

What defensive depth? Lindbohm, Dunn & Walman? Guys who aren't yet, nor may ever be better than Gunnarsson is right now? By all means....lets let a competent, veteran, NHL D-man walk because we may eventually have a prospect who becomes better than him in the next three years...maybe. Or better yet, let him walk because Shattenkirk and Parayko need raises...despite the fact that the Blues have ample room to sign everyone, considering a couple of the forwards have no chance of coming back.

If the Blues can sign Gunnarsson to a reasonable contract, it's a no brainer. Then you make room for a youngster if and when they displace somebody by trading from an actual position strength and depth. You don't let depth walk for nothing and hope something better is in the pipeline.

Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Parayko - Shattenkirk
Edmundson - Bortuzzo
Lindbohm - Schmaltz

And that isn't taking into account the fact we will sign at least one other veteran for depth, likely sign 2. Gunnarsson at $3.3m on a multiyear contract is not a big enough upgrade on the veteran players that we'd likely get much cheaper on a 1 year deal to warrant the commitment. So no, there are no youngsters getting forced into the team.

 

[Stealth JD]

Bouwmeester - Pietrangelo
Parayko - Shattenkirk
Edmundson - Bortuzzo
Lindbohm - Schmaltz

And that isn't taking into account the fact we will sign at least one other veteran for depth, likely sign 2. So no, there are no youngsters getting forced into the team.

Why would the Blues sign a veteran (or two) for depth but let one (would would undoubtedly be better) walk? To save $2M/year? Nobody is advocating giving Gunnarsson $5M/year on a long-term deal. This notion that the Blues can't afford to resign him because...they can't, is nonsense. Neither Edmundon, nor Bortuzzo, nor Lindbohm nor Schmaltz are capable of giving the Blues the quality minutes that Gunnarsson is playing. And to downgrade for the sake of the prospects is bad asset management when a solid, affordable vet could be traded many times over.

 

[Alklha]

Why would the Blues sign a veteran (or two) for depth but let one (would would undoubtedly be better) walk? To save $2M/year? Nobody is advocating giving Gunnarsson $5M/year on a long-term deal. This notion that the Blues can't afford to resign him because...they can't, is nonsense. Neither Edmundon, nor Bortuzzo, nor Lindbohm nor Schmaltz are capable of giving the Blues the quality minutes that Gunnarsson is playing. And to downgrade for the sake of the prospects is bad asset management when a solid, affordable vet could be traded many times over.

Like it has been so easy to trade Oshie and Berglund. I don't think people realise how difficult it is to trade salary without taking salary in return. The Leafs were giving away a top pairing defenseman, albeit overpaid, and still had to take a bunch of crap.

As for your assertion that none of those players are capable, none of them would be being asked to play that role. The moment we extend Shattenkirk, then we are basically committing to either trading Pietrangelo or Parayko, or we are moving Parayko to the left side.

The issue isn't about whether or not we can afford to sign him, we can next season and can't beyond that, the issue is whether that is the best use of the cap space we'll have available. Which I don't believe it is when we look at our group of forwards.

But, we could just wait until after the draft and see if Stamkos is interested in signing here. If he isn't, then extending Gunnarsson isn't that big of a deal depending on the cap rise.

 

[David Dennison]

The Bouwmeester deal is really the one hamstringing us on the back end. 5.4m for the next 3+ years, but he hasnt produced since the first half of 2013-2014. 38 points in his last 181 games including the playoffs while averaging 23-24 minutes a game during that time and playing with Petro regularly.

He hasnt been horrible and plays the tough minutes, but how much more valuable is he than someone like Gunnarson over the past 1.5 seasons? Id argue not very much. Its gonna suck if we lose Shatty because we got a 34 year old Bouwmeester with a couple of years left on his deal.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

The Bouwmeester deal is really the one hamstringing us on the back end. 5.4m for the next 3+ years, but he hasnt produced since the first half of 2013-2014. 38 points in his last 181 games including the playoffs while averaging 23-24 minutes a game during that time and playing with Petro regularly.

He hasnt been horrible and plays the tough minutes, but how much more valuable is he than someone like Gunnarson over the past 1.5 seasons? Id argue not very much. Its gonna suck if we lose Shatty because we got a 34 year old Bouwmeester with a couple of years left on his deal.

I think the difference between Gunnarson and Bo is bigger than people think. Granted, Gunnar is playing well for his contract but I think JayBo playing the tough minutes goes unnoticed. I don't think Gunnarsson would be as strong as he's been consistently playing on the PK and against top lines.

 

[Stealth JD]

Coburn just got $3.7M per, for 3-years from Tampa. I would think that would be a comparable contract for Gunnarsson. A bit rich for my liking...but I'm not confident in the kids forcing him out quite yet.

 

[Ranksu]

Coburn just got $3.7M per, for 3-years from Tampa. I would think that would be a comparable contract for Gunnarsson. A bit rich for my liking...but I'm not confident in the kids forcing him out quite yet.

If Gunnar get 3.7mill.$ x 3 years. Another thread you are barking we lost kids, telling Lehterä and Stastny are garbage and want more prospect to Blues and still you are willing to give him 3.7mill.$ x 3 year deal. Shutdown for youngs.

 

[Stealth JD]

If Gunnar get 3.7mill.$ x 3 years. Another thread you are barking we lost kids, telling Lehterä and Stastny are garbage and want more prospect to Blues and still you are willing to give him 3.7mill.$ x 3 year deal. Shutdown for youngs.

wut?

where am i "barking we lost kids"?

Nowhere have i said Lehtera and Stastny are garbage. I said combined they aren't worth what they're being paid.

I admitted that would be more than I'd want to pay him...but I don't think Lindbohm, Walman or Dunn are ready to take his job, so unless the Blues have some other plan for upgrading on Carl's roster spot, I don't see how they can just let him walk.

 

[KirkOut]

Gunnarson had been really good this year. I'd take him back on a 2 year / 3 mil contract easily

 

[Alklha]

Coburn just got $3.7M per, for 3-years from Tampa. I would think that would be a comparable contract for Gunnarsson. A bit rich for my liking...but I'm not confident in the kids forcing him out quite yet.

Coburn is more valuable, but he is also taken a significant discount on that contract.

Even if the cap remains the same, which looks optimistic, then we can't really afford to give Gunnarsson $3m unless we are trading other players. Schwartz gets $6m, Sobotka returns and we give Gunnarsson $3m and we've got $6m to fill 6 roster spots. They are mainly depth spots, but we've not really replaced Backes or Brouwer.

 

[Vincenzo Arelliti]

Stastny on a 4-year deal costs a fair 7M. Lehtera on a 3-year deal eating UFA years costs a fair 4.7M. If either player improves, it's a good deal.

Neither of these contracts are holding us back in any way (Stastny leaves when Fabbs needs a new contract), and unless the cap decreases and nearly everyone wants max contracts, neither of these cap hits are getting in the way of doing anything (including signing Shatty and Stamkos to max deals).

I wish Stastny would produce more, but he plays best behind the net (something we are just now trying to utilize) and we don't have the players for him in front of the net unless Backes can play RW with him.

Lehtera spent most of the year playing as a 3C and we give Stastny all the credit in the world for having to play with Berglund and Jaskin last year. Lehtera hasn't done poorly at all, and is a huge part of the STL line's success. Given the circumstances (and his off-season injury) it's kind of impressive he hasn't done much worse.

Both players play well defensively and both players are important for life after Backes (Stastny defensively and Lehtera offensively at the very least), and we knew that when we signed Stastny that this would be the writing on the wall for Backes as a UFA.

There's no way we could have gone forward without either of these guys as that would force us to overpay Backes (you complain about Stastny now, just wait until Backes is making .5M less and is wearing down on a long-term deal), and we'd be without any type of replacement or cap room for a declining Backes. By grabbing both of these players, we extended our current window further than the window of our old core (Backes, Oshie, Berglund, Bouwmeester, Steen).

While I would love for Stastny and Lehtera to score more, I would also like the rest of the team to do better (you know, the guys that typically have to bury the chances these two players feed them). If they were on a different team, I see them both putting up 10 more points easily.

In general, I don't really have many complaints for either of them, and next year will be the year that I will expect them to outproduce what they have done over the last two.

EDIT: WRONG THREAD?

 

[2 Minute Minor]

If Gunnar get 3.7mill.$ x 3 years. Another thread you are barking we lost kids, telling Lehterä and Stastny are garbage and want more prospect to Blues and still you are willing to give him 3.7mill.$ x 3 year deal. Shutdown for youngs.

I'd re-sign Gunnarrson for a 3 year deal. If he gets displaced by a better rookie (I would hope that happens) the Blues can deal him. A contract in the 3-3.5 range would be great.

I'd prefer if the young players force their way into the line-up like how Fabbri and Parayko have. I was watching the last game, and down by a goal with the goalie pulled I saw two rookies out there on the ice. They're getting trusted minutes, and they've earned them.

Lindbohm, Schmaltz, whoever, shouldn't be penciled in over Gunnarson until they PLAY BETTER than Gunnarson. And if they do, then the team can make a trade to create space. I could also see Gunnarson transition into the 7th man role when that happens.

 

[Ranksu]

I think if and when Gunnar walks guys like Lindbohm/Schmaltz could be our 7th dman call-up.

Jbo - Pietro
Shattery - Parayko
Edmundson - Bortuzzo

Lindbohm
Schmaltz

I think we don't need Gunnar anymore, 'cus Parayko can fill-in top4 spot already.


And @Alklha sum up perfectly is Gunnar resign correct move on cap wise and will it help our offence?

 

[Stealth JD]

way to celebrate the new contract with the great set-up on the game-tying goal. CG has been solid since December, and fits very well with the makeup of this team. very happy with this signing.

<merge?>

 

[MissouriMook]

I'd re-sign Gunnarrson for a 3 year deal. If he gets displaced by a better rookie (I would hope that happens) the Blues can deal him. A contract in the 3-3.5 range would be great.

Um, spooky! Are you Doug Armstrong?

 

[2 Minute Minor]

Um, spooky! Are you Doug Armstrong?

No, Armstrong got a lower salary than I expected. (I heard maybe there is NTC in there, which accounts for the lower salary.)

Its a smart deal for a guy who has played well in his role (when he isn't trying to rehab from an injury/surgery). If he's durable through this stretch, it will be a great contract.

The defense I see next year:

Bouw - Pietro
Gunnar - Parayko
Edmundson - Bortuzzo
Lindbohm (or another cheap veteran that beats him out in camp).

Guys like Schmaltz are fighting to be the first call-up. Also, Gunnarsson and Bouwmeester may swap spots depending.

Shattenkirk is traded. I don't think the scenarios of trading him for futures is realistic. The Blues will get salary coming back. Teams that benefit most from Shattenkirk are in a competitive window, but they usually don't have room to add that much salary without sending some back. So I see a promising prospect and a lower profile roster veteran forward coming back.

The alternative is the Blues adding to the trade and getting back a high profile forward.

 

[Ranksu]

Boom Boom Gunnar, long way he has come.

Toronto Maple Leafs acquire	Date	St. Louis Blues acquire
Roman Polak [TBODY] [/TBODY]	June 28, 2014	2014 4th round pick Carl Gunnarsson [TBODY] [/TBODY]

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

4th round pick comes Ville Husso

 

[Ranksu]

Carl Gunnarsson reflects on the Blues Stanley Cup win - Sportsnet.ca

 

[ChuckLefley]

One of the most underrated players on recent Blues teams. I have one of his game worn jerseys. I’m probably the only one! LOL