Chris Kunitz Appreciation

[Ogrezilla]

Christ Kunitz is a stud. Has been a stud since the cup run. People *****ing about him are the same idiots that think we can trade Letang, Orpik, and Nisky and still ice a competitive team.

Nobody wants to trade all of them.

 

[Gurglesons]

Nobody wants to trade all of them.

Obviously, you're not ever really bored at work and pass the time reading the ridiculous line ups in the trade speculation thread.

It is like how the constant sentiment that our team is going to suck once the injuries are done.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Obviously, you're not ever really bored at work and pass the time reading the ridiculous line ups in the trade speculation thread.

It is like how the constant sentiment that our team is going to suck once the injuries are done.

no, I do. And literally nobody wants to do that. Some people would trade Orpik and Niskanen, but I have never seen someone make a legitimate post about trading all 3. Or Letang and Niskanen both. Its pretty clear Niskanen would fill in for a lot of Letang's spots if Letang was moved.

As for the other part, I think there's legitimate reason to think Glass becoming healthy could make us a worse team. He is a worse player than anyone in the current line-up and he will play over them regardless. Otherwise, guys coming back will clearly help the roster. The question is whether or not we go back to playing unstructured hockey.

 

[Gurglesons]

no, I do. And literally nobody wants to do that. Some people would trade Orpik and Niskanen, but I have never seen someone make a legitimate post about trading all 3. Or Letang and Niskanen both. Its pretty clear Niskanen would fill in for a lot of Letang's spots if Letang was moved.

I'm too bored looking up the line ups. I recently saw one that thought improving this team was getting rid of Orpik and Nisky and replacing their cap hits with Cammy from the Flames.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'm too bored looking up the line ups. I recently saw one that thought improving this team was getting rid of Orpik and Nisky and replacing their cap hits with Cammy from the Flames.

I don't really like Cammy, but the idea of moving Orpik and Nisky for a wing upgrade being a net positive is certainly not too farfetched when we get healthy. Neither belong in our top 4 when we are healthy, so if moving them allows us to upgrade the forward top 6 then I think it makes sense. That said, I would ideally like Niskanen to be our 3rd pairing right D beside Despres. But if it lets us get a top 6 wing, I would gladly play Bortuzzo in that spot instead.

As for Orpik, well I don't want him playing over Scuderi, Maatta or Despres on the left side of our defense. If we don't trade him, Despres is either going to sit or somebody will be playing out of position.

 

[Captain Hook]

I don't really like Cammy, but the idea of moving Orpik and Nisky for a wing upgrade being a net positive is certainly not too farfetched when we get healthy. Neither belong in our top 4 when we are healthy, so if moving them allows us to upgrade the forward top 6 then I think it makes sense. That said, I would ideally like Niskanen to be our 3rd pairing right D beside Despres. But if it lets us get a top 6 wing, I would gladly play Bortuzzo in that spot instead.

As for Orpik, well I don't want him playing over Scuderi, Maatta or Despres on the left side of our defense. If we don't trade him, Despres is either going to sit or somebody will be playing out of position.

Scuderi can play the right side. He played there with Hal Gill in 2009.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Scuderi can play the right side. He played there with Hal Gill in 2009.

Ok, so do you trade Niskanen, Martin or Letang then? Because you don't sit any of those three guys to make a spot for Orpik.

Trick question. If we don't trade anybody, Despres is going to be in the AHL or the press box. And considering he's a better hockey player than Orpik, that bothers me. Thus, I think we should trade somebody -- preferably Niskanen or Orpik since they have no spot here long term. Because he's the worse player of the two while also clearing the most cap space, I would trade Orpik. But if we end up with a defense of

Maatta - Letang
Despres - Martin
Orpik - Scuderi

I won't be too upset. Even though

Scuderi - Letang
Maatta - Martin
Despres - Niskanen

is a more balanced, and really just superior line-up.

 

[Captain Hook]

Ok, so do you trade Niskanen, Martin or Letang then? Because you don't sit any of those three guys to make a spot for Orpik.

Trick question. If we don't trade anybody, Despres is going to be in the AHL or the press box. And considering he's a better hockey player than Orpik, that bothers me. Thus, I think we should trade somebody. Because he's the worse player of the two while also clearing the most cap space, I would trade Orpik

I was just saying Scuderi has experience playing both sides. I still think someone will have to be traded. There's just not enough room for all these guys. I'd trade any of the D depending on the return. Maatta is probably the only D-Man I think they'd be crazy to move.

 

[Gurglesons]

I don't really like Cammy, but the idea of moving Orpik and Nisky for a wing upgrade being a net positive is certainly not too farfetched when we get healthy. Neither belong in our top 4 when we are healthy, so if moving them allows us to upgrade the forward top 6 then I think it makes sense. That said, I would ideally like Niskanen to be our 3rd pairing right D beside Despres. But if it lets us get a top 6 wing, I would gladly play Bortuzzo in that spot instead.

As for Orpik, well I don't want him playing over Scuderi, Maatta or Despres on the left side of our defense. If we don't trade him, Despres is either going to sit or somebody will be playing out of position.

If we get Cammalleri on this roster, I'll stab myself.

Anyway, this thread is about Christ Kunitz. Lets look at cool **** he has done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DpN6MElVCA

sock monkey hat trick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GoT3rFX7eU

putting hartnells face into the ice in '12.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5QD2ogqF0k

Game 3 OT winner against the Isles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3B7Qt_bu9E

youthful kuni

 

[Honour Over Glory]

At which point does Despres have to clear waivers? It's a number of games or years or something right?

 

[Ogrezilla]

Kunitz is a beast.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Yes yes, Kunitz is best bro...best.


Now that question...

 

[High Flying Birds]

No problem with Kunitz. He does a little bit of everything. And he does it pretty damn good. Ideally, he'd be the third wheel on the first line but we just don't have the winger depth for that to happen at the moment. Hopefully his skating doesn't tail off too considerably as he approaches his mid-30's.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Our expectations for Kunitz when we got him were a streaky, physical 20g a year guy. He's got 20 goals through less than half a season now, and he's got a 17.5% shooting percentage so far to lead the team and has played every game.

You can ask no more of this man, and I appreciate him!

If you add up the Kunitz and Dupuis deals, you've got reasonable return on that 7.5 mil. So just think of it that way when you get angry at Pascal (or Shero).

 

[wgknestrick]

No problem with Kunitz. He does a little bit of everything. And he does it pretty damn good. Ideally, he'd be the third wheel on the first line but we just don't have the winger depth for that to happen at the moment. Hopefully his skating doesn't tail off too considerably as he approaches his mid-30's.

There are only a handful of wingers that are better than Kuny. He wouldn't be a 3rd wheel with any winger that we could legitimately acquire. Kunitz is better than most people realize.

Over the last 3 years, he has the 9th highest pt/min in the league....and 2 of those players ahead of him are already on this team. Hell there are ONLY 4 players that currently have more goals than him.

Be thankful for the players we have.

 

[Ogrezilla]

There are only a handful of wingers that are better than Kuny. He wouldn't be a 3rd wheel with any winger that we could legitimately acquire. Kunitz is better than most people realize.

Over the last 3 years, he has the 9th highest pt/min in the league....and 2 of those players ahead of him are already on this team. Hell there are ONLY 4 players that currently have more goals than him.

Be thankful for the players we have.

In talking about Kunitz, I think of him being a 3rd wheel more in style than in quality. He isn't someone who can carry the play.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

At which point does Despres have to clear waivers? It's a number of games or years or something right?

There's limits for both, but he'll hit the years limit next season regardless. He has:

1 year
(or)
84 NHL games

Left before he becomes waiver-eligible

So effectively he will be waiver exempt until next year.

 

[wgknestrick]

In talking about Kunitz, I think of him being a 3rd wheel more in style than in quality. He isn't someone who can carry the play.

Remember last year when we got the "legendary" Igilna? He wasn't nearly as good as the players we already had, despite all the wet pants from the posters here.

 

[66-30-33]

I love watching Kunitz score! He loves the dirty goals and the man can shoot the puck from other places, or score pretty goals. He's the 3rd wheel i hope to keep on the 1st line, the other wing spot needs to be for a trade. The guy has good chemistry with both our Centers, he's the kind of player that can play better with awesome players, which not everyone can do. He did it in Anaheim, he does it with Pens. The guy is on pace for 40 goals and unless something happens like injury or huge slump or our stars will both be injured he's getting those 40 goals. Needs only 20 more in 45 more games which is easily doable.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

I'm too bored looking up the line ups. I recently saw one that thought improving this team was getting rid of Orpik and Nisky and replacing their cap hits with Cammy from the Flames.

I made a post like that. You can flip Nisky and Orpik for futures, and flip some of said futures for Cammy, and end up with him on Sid's RW, and a D corp of:

Scuderi - Letang
Maatta - Martin
Despres - Bortuzzo
Engo/Dumo

I think that's an improvement on the current healthy lineup. If you trade both of Nisky and Orpik, you can't trade any other D though.

We probably won't trade any more than 1 D-man though, at least no more than 1 vet D.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

For the love of god, I hope Scuderi and Martin really take Letang under their wing and help him. If he's studying that much video and practicing hard...

It reminds me of this - If you tell someone, did you hear what I said? And they say yes, ask them again if they understood, chances are, they didn't.

Something to that extent. I mean Letang is probably watching and listening, but maybe not understanding the best way he could.

 

[Vujtek]

In his last 82 games Kunitz has scored 41 goals and assisted 46 goals.

Plenty of reason to appreciate Kunitz. He was a very good player for the first three seasons here but has taken his game to another level after the lockout. His contract is a bargain - one of the best in the whole league.

 

[Rocket of Russia]

Unlike Dupuis, Chris Kunitz has been a top 6 forward on two separate teams and for the majority of his career.

Make that essentially 3 teams worth of top lines because he was excellent on the KMN line which was the best line in hockey at the time it existed. $3.85m is a great signing.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

For the most part, Kunitz has never been my issue on that line. It's the doofus on the other wing that will remain nameless that makes me grind my teeth when I see him next to Sid every game.

Kunitz is back to burying his chances like he was last season during the lockout shortened year. I hope he can continue this hot hand into the playoffs.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

For the most part, Kunitz has never been my issue on that line. It's the doofus on the other wing that will remain nameless that makes me grind my teeth when I see him next to Sid every game.

Kunitz is back to burying his chances like he was last season during the lockout shortened year. I hope he can continue this hot hand into the playoffs.

If only we had a playmaking winger to feed Kuni and Sid passes who was strong on the boards. Oh and make him dirt cheap for the forseeable future while we're dreaming.