Most improved player this season

[ACC1224]

Poor Riemer. No love in leaf nation anymore.

You feel Reimer is the Most Improved Player this year?

 

[Al14]

You feel Reimer is the Most Improved Player this year?

 

[Purity*]

Bozak and Gunnarsson.

It's amazing how many people still don't like to acknowledge how good Gunnar has been.

The rise of Bozak now puts Gunnar as the most under-appreciated player in the lineup. He doesn't even look out of place against other team's top lines, and he only costs 3 million. I'm not sure if people realize how sweet that is, Phaneuf has been tried with every partner and Gunnar is always the best one.

 

[ForSpareParts*]

You feel Reimer is the Most Improved Player this year?

I should just edit that to:

Poor Reimer.

 

[ALEXJD93]

Bozak, but the more interesting thing will be to see if he maintains it, still don't think he's a 1C, but I definitely have a higher opinion of him than I did before

Also lets not forget, THIS season by Bozak is the outlier of his career, remember what happened the last time people took a players career year as gospel *COUGH COUGH* Clarkson, so I hope he can keep it up, cause I don't mind being wrong if it means the club is winning

 

[ACC1224]

I should just edit that to:

Poor Reimer.

You make little sense or are you being deliberately cryptic?

 

[McMatthews]

Bozak
JVR

 

[Primary Assist]

could easily be Bozie, but I wanted to give a vote and shoutout to big captain Dion for really stepping his game up this season. He's had a few bad bounces come his way and end up in our net, but for the most part I've never been more impressed with his defensive play. The guy is an absolute rock back there.

 

[Community]

Before this year I thought JVR was over-rated and Lupul was a much better player (offensively at least)... now I still agree that before this year Lupul was our second best forward, but now.... wow. JVR has tried a lot of new things, has EXPLOSIVE speed, and can also power through players. JVR seems to be learning from Kessel and playing more like him (using his speed to get around players, being creative, and he is much better at passing so he's not just a shoot first player anymore. Add that skillset to his frame and you can tell he is an amazing player. JVR is having a great year, but he should have more points with how good he's looked IMO, look for another big year for him next year with a career high in point totals.

Having said that, Bozaks change from last year is just as impressive, if not more-so. Phaneuf's been amazing, but I think he's starting to get tired (he plays huge minutes, gives 110% effort, and his point totals haven't been indicative of his play IMO --> they should be higher). Bernier's improvement is hard to gauge as, by LA fan account, he's been just as good as he was last year... he's just getting a chance this year to be the #1.

Edit: I'm still gonna go with one of Bozak or Phaneuf, JVR's improvement has just been the most noticeable (he's much more flashy now). JVR's flip and retrieve play is absolutely ludicrous.... The ability to flip the puck like that at high speed is phenomenal, to be able to get around the defender and get it back? That would be hard for most forwards to do against Komisarek.... JVR did it against McDonagh.... speechless

 

[BonMorrison]

The fact that Gunnarsson was able to pull out two decent games from Franson when they were briefly paired during Phaneuf's suspension speaks wonders at how good Gunnarsson is.

 

[ECanuck]

Phanoooooooof. He has cut down his goofy play to a minimum.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

Of the options, definitely Bozak. He went from being considered an overpaid 2nd/3rd line centre to a legitimate 1st line centre on one of the most productive lines in the NHL (also 13th in P/G among centres who've played 20+ games...way ahead of Ribeiro, Roy, Grabovski, etc.). At the beginning of the season, our biggest need was widely accepted to be a true 1st line centre; now it's probably a top-4 defensive defenseman or a depth winger.

To go off the board, I might throw Raymond's name up there. Here's a guy who almost didn't get an NHL contract and is now on pace for 23 goals, 47 points (while getting paid $1M).

 

[happyaccident]

Gunnarson is sure and steady again but this is just more his normal level after he was hampered by injuries last season. JVR keeps developing but it's not really a surprise, everybody knows this guy's ceiling is the sky.
Bozak's been a revelation since his injury, the guy has gone from 3rd line center to legit 1st liner. I love the way he's playing and I really enjoy watching him, he's seeing the ice so well and he's making plays all over.
When a guy goes from a 5.5/10 to an 8.5/10 overnight, you have to wonder how long it's going to last, I just hope it's not a one and done situation.

 

[The_Chosen_One]

The fact that Gunnarsson was able to pull out two decent games from Franson when they were briefly paired during Phaneuf's suspension speaks wonders at how good Gunnarsson is.

Gunnarsson is solid. We should be giving him a permanent spot on our mid-pairing. One of Franson, Gardiner, or Rielly could be his partner with Dion going with one of the youngsters.

 

[MakeTheIronSing]

JvR is getting better and better. He's not at his ceiling as far as I'm concerned.

If he becomes a top quality defender as well, he is a perennial all-star.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Bozak or JVR.

Went with Bozak

 

[Sundinisagod]

Gunnarson is sure and steady again but this is just more his normal level after he was hampered by injuries last season. JVR keeps developing but it's not really a surprise, everybody knows this guy's ceiling is the sky.
Bozak's been a revelation since his injury, the guy has gone from 3rd line center to legit 1st liner. I love the way he's playing and I really enjoy watching him, he's seeing the ice so well and he's making plays all over.
When a guy goes from a 5.5/10 to an 8.5/10 overnight, you have to wonder how long it's going to last, I just hope it's not a one and done situation.

Hence why I left Gunnar off the poll. I was looking for players who've taken their game to another level, with Gunnar it was more of a rebound season imho...but yeah he's been great.