Is Gunnarsson only playing this year because he's RFA?

[LeafOfBread]

It's clear he's not 100%. He's not the same silky smooth, calm Gunnar we've seen. He's making rookie-ish mistakes and has had some pretty bad turnovers.

I wonder, if he was locked up, would he have properly healed and maybe gotten surgery or sat out?

I feel like he's forcing himself in the line-up because it's a contract year and he needs to sign a new deal.

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[dubplatepressure]

Playing hurt or not at 100% is part of the game. I expect Lupul is also not 100%. Suck it up. He needs to be better.

 

[Stephen]

It shouldn't be up to him. Blame Carlyle.

 

[dubplatepressure]

It shouldn't be up to him. Blame Carlyle.

I have indigestion. Blame Carlyle.

 

[Rare Jewel]

RFA btw.

 

[Warden of the North]

I ahve no idea what its going on.

He was by a mile our best defensive dman last season. It looks like he rode a motorcycle over the cliff.

 

[shaner8989]

Leafs fans have been wayyyyyyy to high on this guy for way to long. Hers really bad. Time for him to get the **** out imo

 

[Stephen]

I have indigestion. Blame Carlyle.

Gunnarsson can't "insert himself" into any lineup. It's up to Carlyle.

 

[Stephen]

I ahve no idea what its going on.

He was by a mile our best defensive dman last season. It looks like he rode a motorcycle over the cliff.

Luke Schenn disease. In reality, none of them are that good, but just look good compared to other Leaf defensemen.

 

[Kb21]

He will return to form once he gets healthy. Wish he took the season off. He's only an rfa this summer.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Gunnarsson can't "insert himself" into any lineup. It's up to Carlyle.

If Gunnar says he's 100%, you expect Carlyle to ... read his mind. Got it.

 

[JackJ]

Change the title to RFA.

 

[Leafssss]

Gunnarsson at 75% is still better than half this defence

 

[Predaleafs]

Luke Schenn disease. In reality, none of them are that good, but just look good compared to other Leaf defensemen.

I wouldnt say that he is apart of the cheerleader (looks good by association of bad) effect. He is a steady stay at home defenceman. I wouldnt say hes a top defender or our best defender but he is a #3-4 defender. Hes good at alot but not great at many. Very much like a Hal Gill, not style play, just the way they are both solid defenders who dont catch anyones eye

 

[Kurisu]

at least you can lock him up cheap with the way he's playing.

 

[Stephen]

If Gunnar says he's 100%, you expect Carlyle to ... read his mind. Got it.

No, I expect Carlyle to be able to look at individual performances and know when to sit out a guy because his play isn't up to par, whether it's injury or just not ready to play.

 

[BayStBullies]

A year ago everyone here thought he was one of the top 4.

This is getting ridiculous. Stop changing your minds...

 

[G51 K81*]

Gunnarsson at 75% is still better than half this defence

Hes been our worst dman.

He set a record for most giveaways in a game last night.

 

[LeafOfBread]

A year ago everyone here thought he was one of the top 4.

This is getting ridiculous. Stop changing your minds...

He is a top 4 d-man. And tbh, he looked half-decent on the left side in the final period.

He's still better injured than some of the other guys are healthy, I just wonder though what would happen if he had been signed to a deal already?

Most guys would just heal properly, unless it was the playoffs.

 

[zeke]

People are crazy. gunnar is playing very well.

 

[JAMmer124]

Hes been our worst dman.

He set a record for most giveaways in a game last night.

Everyone has a rough game here and there.


And no, he's not our worst dman. He's better than Holzer by a mile, and a helluva lot better than Kostka too. And that's just basing off of this year, perhaps the worst so far in his career and he's likely not 100%.

 

[BonMorrison]

Gunnarsson is awesome and still has more upside. He's a quality top 4 defenseman on any team. He is having a rough year though but that's obviously due to his injury. Last year, we were all super high on the guy and argued he was close to being a top 2 defenseman. Stop flip flopping.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

He also hasn't been playing with our best dman in Phaneuf a lot of this year.

His role when playing with Phaneuf was very simple because Gunnarson isn't counted on to add any offence, just to hang back, make the simple outlet pass and doesn't have to cover as much as he has had to most of this season because Phaneuf covers so much ice because nobody wants to cut into the middle of the ice and get rocked by one of the best open ice hitters in the game.

 

[G51 K81*]

Gunnarsson is awesome and still has more upside. He's a quality top 4 defenseman on any team. He is having a rough year though but that's obviously due to his injury. Last year, we were all super high on the guy and argued he was close to being a top 2 defenseman. Stop flip flopping.

Arguably a top 2 D-man on arguably the worst defensive team in the league is nothing to be impressed about.

He's not above average at anything.

 

[Doshy]

People are crazy. gunnar is playing very well.

He was brutal last night.

But other than that he's been okay.