Gustav Forsling

[Hawkaholic]

Rutta had a groin injury during camp. And it's highly likely he's not 100% yet. He looked great, and easily a good #5 last year before injury, with the ability to play some top 4 minutes if needed. Not sure how that one is a bad signing.

Gus is overpaid, but he's still a serviceable bottom pairing guy. And far better than Manning. Manning is the only bad signing. And it hasn't taken long to realize that.

Let's hope he plays better soon, because he has been awful to start the year. He did look good last year, but then he looked awful, as bad as he has this year.
So far, he looks like he did last year for the last half, that's why it looks like a bad signing right now. If he improves, I'd change my position on that, but not until then.

I just don't like Gus at all, he looks like Rundblad out there, with slighlty a bit more upside offensively.
No arguments about Manning being terrible from me. Just think his game suits Murphys better than Gus' does.

 

[BK]

Gus is nothing like Rundblad though as he skates really well and is not afraid of contact. Rundblad had high offensive upside as he had a really good shot and was fine in the offensive zone. His issue was he was afraid and bad in the defensive zone. I might be misinterpreting what you are saying.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Let's hope he plays better soon, because he has been awful to start the year. He did look good last year, but then he looked awful, as bad as he has this year.
So far, he looks like he did last year for the last half, that's why it looks like a bad signing right now. If he improves, I'd change my position on that, but not until then.

I just don't like Gus at all, he looks like Rundblad out there, with slighlty a bit more upside offensively.
No arguments about Manning being terrible from me. Just think his game suits Murphys better than Gus' does.

Concussion and injuries were the same thing that happened to him last year. And towards the end of the season he started to look much better. Seems like he just takes longer to heal back to 100% and find his game again? I wouldn't mind him being used as a deadline trade chip like Kempny was, though.

 

[AmericanDream]

Rutta has been my least favorite dman so far, I like him even less than Manning right now...but obviously I am giving him benefit of the doubt with coming back from a few injuries so patience for another few weeks will be needed. If he keeps looking like this when Forsling comes back, then an easy choice will be made of moving on from him one way or another. I like his upside and potential and think he still has a solid role here, if not, he is on a 1 year deal that any playoff team wouldnt mind adding at the deadline for a pick..

 

[BobbyJet]

Gus is nothing like Rundblad though as he skates really well and is not afraid of contact. Rundblad had high offensive upside as he had a really good shot and was fine in the offensive zone. His issue was he was afraid and bad in the defensive zone. I might be misinterpreting what you are saying.

Gus is no Rundblad that's for sure but I would question his willingness to mix it up in the defensive zone. He also loses more puck battles than he wins.

 

[BK]

Gus is no Rundblad that's for sure but I would question his willingness to mix it up in the defensive zone. He also loses more puck battles than he wins.

He does lose more than he wins but he does not hesitate to get in there.

 

[piteus]

He does lose more than he wins but he does not hesitate to get in there.

I'm okay with Gus. He's a perfectly fine bottom pairing DMen. He just needs to stop with his brain farts. He's always good for 1 or 2 per game.

 

[clydesdale line]

Gus actually has a brain/hockey I.Q. to be compared to Rundblad. That's not even accounting his superior skating. Dumb comparison.

 

[Hawkaholic]

My comparison with Rundblad was decent in the offensive zone, but terrible in every other zone. That is true from what I have seen with Gus. I like his game inside the ops blueline, but that's about it.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Concussion and injuries were the same thing that happened to him last year. And towards the end of the season he started to look much better. Seems like he just takes longer to heal back to 100% and find his game again? I wouldn't mind him being used as a deadline trade chip like Kempny was, though.

I mean, you could use that as an excuse, Im just not sure I am buying it.

And it kind of is a bad signing either way, as he will be on the outside looking in when Murphy is healthy, and that's a 2.3mil cap hit sitting on the bench. Not ideal.

 

[piteus]

My comparison with Rundblad was decent in the offensive zone, but terrible in every other zone. That is true from what I have seen with Gus. I like his game inside the ops blueline, but that's about it.

Sorry ... I'm getting confused calling Forsling ... "Gus."

Gustafasson is a good bottom paring DMen who always good for 1 to 2 brain farts.

Forsling is extremely skilled who needs to be stronger on and off the puck. He has the talent to be a #4 DMen if he gets tougher and stronger.

I think it's terribly unfair to compare Forsling to Rundblad. Forsling is a legit NHL player. Rundblad belongs in Europe.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Sorry ... I'm getting confused calling Forsling ... "Gus."

Gustafasson is a good bottom paring DMen who always good for 1 to 2 brain farts.

Forsling is extremely skilled who needs to be stronger on and off the puck. He has the talent to be a #4 DMen if he gets tougher and stronger.

I think it's terribly unfair to compare Forsling to Rundblad. Forsling is a legit NHL player. Rundblad belongs in Europe.

Gus for me is Gustafsson, I never understood Gus as a nickname for Forsling.

 

[migi]

Please dont use Gus if talking about Forsling.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Please dont use Gus if talking about Forsling.

Agreed. Does anyone have their first name as a nickname? Do we say Pat, or Jon?

 

[piteus]

Gus for me is Gustafsson, I never understood Gus as a nickname for Forsling.

Me too ... except this is a Forsling thread. So I got confused.

No more using Forsling's full name. It's confusing. The Swedes and Finns are killing me.

 

[SotasicA]

Sorry ... I'm getting confused calling Forsling ... "Gus."

No-one did. They are referring to Gustafsson. The talk derailed a bit from Forsling to Gus.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Gustafsson isnt terrible in his own zone though. He’s replacement level. And he drives possession and has good vision and passing ability. Seems like once a game he’s springing somebody for a partial breakaway

 

[Toews2Bickell]

Sorry ... I'm getting confused calling Forsling ... "Gus."

Gustafasson is a good bottom paring DMen who always good for 1 to 2 brain farts.

Forsling is extremely skilled who needs to be stronger on and off the puck. He has the talent to be a #4 DMen if he gets tougher and stronger.

I think it's terribly unfair to compare Forsling to Rundblad. Forsling is a legit NHL player. Rundblad belongs in Europe.

Sort of funny because the way you describe Forsling as extremely skilled is how I view Gustafsson. I’ve seen way more skill from Gus than any Hawks defenseman so far...

 

[ChiHawks10]

Sort of funny because the way you describe Forsling as extremely skilled is how I view Gustafsson. I’ve seen way more skill from Gus than any Hawks defenseman so far...

I'm sorry, but Joker's skill has been on full display far more than Gus's "skill".

 

[AmericanDream]

not sure if people remember him, but does anyone else see some of Sergei Zubov in Joker's game??? Zubov wasn't really elite at anything, just well above average at everything!! I see many similar traits very early on here with Joker and Zubov, I would be happier than a pig in shit if Joker has the career of Zubov. The one thing that Zubov right now clearly has an advatage is in his shot and physical play...Zubov would hammer people out there, never got enough credit for it, but I think Joker will get stronger and his shot will benefit from it as well as some physicality too.

 

[piteus]

Sort of funny because the way you describe Forsling as extremely skilled is how I view Gustafsson. I’ve seen way more skill from Gus than any Hawks defenseman so far...

I think both Forsling and Gus are skilled. Gus just takes more risk. Forsling is more steady. Bottomline: they both need more experience. I think Forsling has more upside. However, I think fans are way too tough on Gus. If Gus can cut out the major mistakes, he is not half bad.

 

[AmericanDream]

I think both Forsling and Gus are skilled. Gus just takes more risk. Forsling is more steady. Bottomline: they both need more experience. I think Forsling has more upside. However, I think fans are way too tough on Gus. If Gus can cut out the major mistakes, he is not half bad.

honestly, Gus reminds me some of Jake Gardiner..as long as you let him play through his mistakes, he can turn into a pretty solid defensemen. Gardiner takes so much shit on this board from Leafs fans, but if you watch the guy he is exactly the type of defensemen teams are trying to draft and develop right now.

he walks a tight rope on his plays, that is the style of the new NHL...sometimes you look great and other times you look like hammered shit...Gus has that same style as well, when he pulls it off he looks wonderful, when he doesn't well you know the rest. I think Q knows at this moment there is no other options, so let the kid learn and swim out there and encourage him pushing the needle but as smart as possible. do not sit him every time he f***s up, give him a chance to go back out there and make a play that erases a mistake...that is what Toronto did with Gardiner who isn't perfect but is exactly what this team needs right now.

 

[Toews2Bickell]

@AmericanDream i’m sort of surprised Q continues to play Gus because he definitely is a risk taker. Gus never sees a rush he doesn’t want to join.

 

[AmericanDream]

@AmericanDream i’m sort of surprised Q continues to play Gus because he definitely is a risk taker. Gus never sees a rush he doesn’t want to join.

I am pleasantly surprised with much of his choices outside of Hayden. I thought Gus would have zero shot with Davidson here, but that hasn't happened. Gus is obviously on a leash and rightfully so, if he shits the bed more than making it, then you can go to the pen and call in Davidson, but for now Q has stuck with Gus and actually let him be the player he is - I can give him credit for that and he is doing it with most of the guys as the lines are generally staying the same for once outside of your normal 3rd/4th line tweaks...

 

[BobbyJet]

Yeah... and not only Gus. The defense should be activated, preferably along with the postional play of the forwards that should go with it.

In general, I am pleasantly surprised at what I've seen so far. That said, there's plenty of room for improvement, beginning with both ST's.