Chris Kunitz

[systemsgo]

I see a lot of discussion on where we think he will play vs. where we think he should play. But not so much about what we think his play is going to be like. Do most of use think he's going to rebound, fall off a cliff, stay as bad or...?

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[Asuna]

Go away Kuni

 

[Coastal Kev]

Farts

 

[Penguinzilla*]

I predict a huge rebound year. He'll be 2nd in goals with 81 behind Kessel's 105.

 

[Black Label]

I voted that he will be slightly better. But I really think it depends where he plays in the lineup. If he plays third line minutes he has a better chance of lasting through the season. If he plays in the top six for the whole season I can see him being about the same he was last year.

 

[Fordy]

he will be garbage, again, as he has been for 1+1/2 seasons and 2 playoff runs. don't fool yourselves

 

[Ugene Magic]

I voted that he will be slightly better. But I really think it depends where he plays in the lineup. If he plays third line minutes he has a better chance of lasting through the season. If he plays in the top six for the whole season I can see him being about the same he was last year.

There's a difference being leaned on for sake of injuries (his own included) and a pretty stacked top 6 compared to before. Having everyone healthy alone reduces his load.

That's a difference from skating up hill to down hill.

 

[Shady Machine]

Slightly better than last year if played in the proper role. If played like a top offensive player it will be ugly.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Depends how he's used. In a top 6 role, he'll start the year better and likely fall off another cliff later in the year. On the third line, I think he can be effective for us.

 

[kodoshin]

I fear he's done for. I hope he proves me wrong, but I have a feeling that by the trade deadline he'll have had such a disaster of a campaign that moving him will become quite difficult.

 

[Jacob]

Depends where he plays. I think he'll be a solid contributer in a 3rd line role with maybe spot duty in the top 6 in the case of injuries or whatnot, but if he's in the top-6 all season he'll be out of place.

 

[Coastal Kev]

You see, this profession is filled to the brim with unrealistic **********. ********* who thought their ass would age like wine. If you mean it turns to vinegar, it does. If you mean it gets better with age, it don't.

 

[td_ice]

I'll take past their prime athletes for $500 Alex.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I'll take past their prime athletes for $500 Alex.

We can get by with Kunitz past his prime. That was the end of 2014 and the start of last season. Its not ideal, but he was still playing NHL caliber hockey. What we can't get by with is fallen-off-a-cliff Kunitz from the end of last season.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

He could be anywhere from slightly better than last season to worse than last season. I don't expect a significant improvement and think that most likely won't be better than last season. They'll use him the wrong way to make him a serious problem.

 

[Ogrezilla]

He could be anywhere from slightly better than last season to worse than last season. I don't expect a significant improvement and think that most likely won't be better than last season. They'll use him the wrong way to make him a serious problem.

which part of last season? He put up 40 points last year, but that really doesn't tell the story of his year. If he can do that again this year, but spread much more consistently over the season on the 3rd line, I'll be happy. If he scores 40 but 30 of that is before new years again, then I'll be much less happy.

Basically, I will be happy if he can be a mediocre player all year long. That would be a better season than he had last year.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

I don't think he will be as good as pre Olympics but I also don't think he will be as bad as he was last year. Something in between, just hope he rebounds from last year since it looks like he isn't going anywhere!

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

I think he's going to produce at a 45-50 point pace in a prominent offensive role. He'll be in the top 6 and get spot 1st unit PP duty.

That's not to say I think he'll be good. He'll simply collect his share of points on account of being placed in a very enviable situation.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

I want him and his $3 Million gone and off the books, but if he is still here I hope he plays on the 3rd line and has a decent year. If he's in the top 6 without earning it I am going to spend most of the season drinking heavily.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

which part of last season? He put up 40 points last year, but that really doesn't tell the story of his year. If he can do that again this year, but spread much more consistently over the season on the 3rd line, I'll be happy. If he scores 40 but 30 of that is before new years again, then I'll be much less happy.

Basically, I will be happy if he can be a mediocre player all year long. That would be a better season than he had last year.

I meant his season as a whole, I expect that a similar pattern will be followed.

Being on the 3rd line would help but he'll spend too much time in the top 6 for that to help.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I meant his season as a whole, I expect that a similar pattern will be followed.

Being on the 3rd line would help but he'll spend too much time in the top 6 for that to help.

I pretty much agree, yeah.

 

[mpp9]

I think the team's top 6 will be good enough to hide his deficiencies. Not saying he should be there, but in a 2nd line role and/or playing opposite of Kessel, he only needs to be decent. If he can't be that at his salary, he should be dumped for what you can get.

 

[Rectify]

I don't think he will be as horrible as last season, but either way he has lost a significant step the past few years. Unfortunately, he is the best option to round out our top-6 at the moment, so it's sink or swim.

It looks like they are taking the "wait and see" approach with him, which means they most likely will be looking for another top-6 forward come TDL.

 

[BumFortyOne]

I think the team's top 6 will be good enough to hide his deficiencies. Not saying he should be there, but in a 2nd line role and/or playing opposite of Kessel, he only needs to be decent. If he can't be that at his salary, he should be dumped for what you can get.

This. As long as Perron is played at LW opposite Hornqvist, having Kunitz as the LW opposite Kessel isn't the worst situation. He'll truly be the third wheel on a line for the first time since Kunitz-Malkin-Neal, which should help assuming he rebounds somewhat.

The biggest killer is if he is seeing top PP time. I don't want to see Kunitz on the PP at all this season. He'll get plenty of even strength minutes if he's on whatever line Kessel is on. Then Hornqvist should be net front on the first PP unit and Plotnikov for the second.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

This. As long as Perron is played at LW opposite Hornqvist, having Kunitz as the LW opposite Kessel isn't the worst situation. He'll truly be the third wheel on a line for the first time since Kunitz-Malkin-Neal, which should help assuming he rebounds somewhat.

The biggest killer is if he is seeing top PP time. I don't want to see Kunitz on the PP at all this season. He'll get plenty of even strength minutes if he's on whatever line Kessel is on. Then Hornqvist should be net front on the first PP unit and Plotnikov for the second.

idk, if he's opposite Kessel then he's going to have to be in the puck retriever role and I question if he'd do that. Either because of the effort required or lacking the legs for it, I distinctly remember him looking at loose pucks and someone else having to go do it last season. There was a great PP moment where Hornqvist had to go do it after seeing that Kunitz wasn't, iirc. He'd also have to be on it defensively and not killing plays and flubbing shots all over, even as a third wheel. And, you know, not standing around waiting for the puck so he can 'snipe'.

The PP is going to be stupid again. Like Crosby and Malkin on PP1 and Kessel on PP2 for balance, which might not be the stupidest thing ever but Tocchet will then make stupid personnel decisions around that. Kunitz will get PP time no matter what.