TSN: Polak on the Block

[Swayze*]

Meh ... at around 3M per year for two years, Polak was Nonis' 17 most terrible personnel decision.

True

You wonder how he became a gm

I mean really. I'd take any seasoned hfer over him

Honestly

 

[burpsalot]

Teams have been interested in Polak pretty well ever since we got him. He's the type that will sacrifice himself & will be happy to make his opponents pay for entering his territory. I think he could add a lot to Edmonton.

I would say a 3rd round would be a minimum if we want to trade him & a 2nd would be a minimum if a team comes looking for him.

 

[Swayze*]

Gunnar was 10x better

Salary rentention and pick

 

[Budsfan]

Teams have been interested in Polak pretty well ever since we got him. He's the type that will sacrifice himself & will be happy to make his opponents pay for entering his territory. I think he could add a lot to Edmonton.

I would say a 3rd round would be a minimum if we want to trade him & a 2nd would be a minimum if a team comes looking for him.

I agree, he's not as bad as people make him out to be, RHD and Edmonton may be a good fit for him.

 

[Ovate]

Ya

If you're laughing at the idea that he looks worse under Babcock's system, then do you have a better reason for suggesting why his play dropped from last year to this year? Or do you just use smilies when you don't have an argumen?

 

[91Kadri91*]

If you're laughing at the idea that he looks worse under Babcock's system, then do you have a better reason for suggesting why his play dropped from last year to this year? Or do you just use smilies when you don't have an argumen?

It's dropped, but it's hard to say how much of it is due to SSS. He was, after all, abysmal last season too.

 

[ponder]

I personally like Polak, and would rather hold on to him. 29 isn't that old, seems like a solid locker room guy, and I like his game. Very strong and hard hitting, quite fast for his size, solid defensively with a hard shot. Nothing spectacular, but a really good bottom pairing dman, the kind of guy we'd want if roster can get competitive in the next few years. Nobody is going to look good on our current roster, but Polak is a good player who can fill a clear, useful role on a good team.

If we deal him it better be for an actual asset, not just some random dump. Dealing solid players for scraps is always a bad idea, just because you suck doesn't mean you have to shoot yourself in the foot even more. Remember when we shipped out guys like Steen and Stralman for crap, in the name of "shaking things up"? Trades should be made with a clear path towards getting better, not just "we suck, and don't know what to do, so let's trade our solid players for garbage, because maybe that'll help somehow?"

 

[King85Kong]

I know, that's why I wrote what I said. I was being sarcastic too.

Thought you did.

 

[Swayze*]

If you're laughing at the idea that he looks worse under Babcock's system, then do you have a better reason for suggesting why his play dropped from last year to this year? Or do you just use smilies when you don't have an argumen?

Blaming his poor play on the coach is a joke

He was poor last year and its continued

Using a world class accomplished coach as a scapegoat is a complete joke

 

[Swayze*]

I personally like Polak, and would rather hold on to him. 29 isn't that old, seems like a solid locker room guy, and I like his game. Very strong and hard hitting, quite fast for his size, solid defensively with a hard shot. Nothing spectacular, but a really good bottom pairing dman, the kind of guy we'd want if roster can get competitive in the next few years.

If we deal him it better be for an actual asset, not just some random dump. Dealing solid players for scraps is always a bad idea, just because you suck doesn't mean you have to shoot yourself in the foot even more. Remember when we shipped out guys like Steen and Stralman for crap, in the name of "shaking things up"? Trades should be made with a clear path towards getting better, not just "we suck, and don't know what to do, so let's trade our solid players for garbage, because maybe that'll help somehow?"

Oh my lord

 

[SeaOfBlue]

The trouble is he's a stay at home defenseman who has trouble defending.

Still, he's a RH D-man and those are generally in demand. Wouldn't be surprised to get a few mid round picks (3rd or later) for him.

He doesn't have trouble defending. He's been excellent on the PK (93 SV% with him on the ice), but it's 5-on-5 where he's been struggling... That may be on Marincin. Marincin has not had the most magnificent starts to a season: He's only averaged 14 minutes a night (crap for a defenseman), but yet 23% of shots on net when he's on the ice are goals. That is beyond awful. Compare that to 10% for Polak, which is alright for a defensive defenseman, but considering his excellent PK numbers, should be much higher.

I want to see what Polak can do with someone like Hunwick. I think that would be a pretty good pairing. Polak excels at the things Hunwick somewhat struggles with and vice-versa. They probably won't put up many points (not that we expected either of them too), but it would definitely be a reliable defensive pairing.

Then I would put Corrado with Rielly and see how that turns out, letting Marincin sit on the bench with Harrington back to the AHL. If Corrado does not turn out very well, I may consider bringing Harrington back up, but I doubt Corrado will be a worse option. Harrington could be brought back up when Polak is traded.

 

[trellaine201]

That turned into a bad deal eh

 

[dubey]

It looks like Gunnarsson is healthy, so yeah we officially got hosed on that deal.

who do you think Babcock would rather have right now?

Hosed lol

Plays 60 games last year

"healthy"

lol

 

[Bomber0104]

That turned into a bad deal eh

This is surprising to you?

Pretty much everyone knew this trade was a fleecing from the moment it happened.

We traded a top pairing defenceman for a third pairing one, with salary retained. Can it possibly get any more lopsided then that?

Actually...it can. We threw in a draft pick as well

Anyone who was watching the Leafs at the time knew that Gunnar was the rock that solidified this team's defence. He covered Dion the entire time and as soon as he left he was exposed for the useless pylon he is.

The injury excuse was total BS as well. All trades in the NHL are only completed barring a physical, and if Gunnar failed then the trade would have been nixed. Amazing how people fell for the spin doctoring.

 

[Swayze*]

Hosed lol

Plays 60 games last year

"healthy"

lol

Gunnar was playing top mins for us

We gave him up plus a pick and salary retention for a #6 d man

Stop laughing

 

[Gallagbi]

He doesn't have trouble defending. He's been excellent on the PK (93 SV% with him on the ice), but it's 5-on-5 where he's been struggling... That may be on Marincin. Marincin has not had the most magnificent starts to a season: He's only averaged 14 minutes a night (crap for a defenseman), but yet 23% of shots on net when he's on the ice are goals. That is beyond awful. Compare that to 10% for Polak, which is alright for a defensive defenseman, but considering his excellent PK numbers, should be much higher.

He was bad last year with Gardiner and Rielly too. It isn't partner issue, it's Polak.

 

[dubey]

Gunnar was playing top mins for us

We gave him up plus a pick and salary retention for a #6 d man

Stop laughing

You could probably play top mins for the Leafs assuming you can skate

 

[Bomber0104]

You could probably play top mins for the Leafs assuming you can skate

Is that so? Wow. You sure know a lot about what it takes to be a defenceman in the NHL.

Tell me something else...

How is Luke Schenn stacking up against PK Subban and Erik Karlsson these days, dubey?

 

[KGL]

You could probably play top mins for the Leafs assuming you can skate

Considering Holzer and Kostka also played our top pairing, I agree with this.
Although I did like Gunnar, and I certainly liked him more than Polak.

Anyway, I think Polak is gone soon. LA and Columbus could be good fits for him, both are apparently looking for defence and he plays the style of hockey they like. One of them would be my bet for sure.

 

[dballislife2]

got rid of our worst forward, now our worst D...i dont like it

 

[93LEAFS]

Pretty sure anyone over 23 on this team is available in return for an adequate return of prospects. No shock a bottom 4, 29 year old D is.

 

[Ovate]

Blaming his poor play on the coach is a joke

He was poor last year and its continued

Using a world class accomplished coach as a scapegoat is a complete joke

I think Babcock is the best coach in the world, but that doesn't mean all players will do better under him.

His play last year was good enough to get offers of a 2nd around the deadline. His play this year is bad enough that we'd be lucky to get a 3rd.

 

[JackJ]

Will happen before Corrado returns

 

[dubey]

Is that so? Wow. You sure know a lot about what it takes to be a defenceman in the NHL.

Tell me something else...

How is Luke Schenn stacking up against PK Subban and Erik Karlsson these days, dubey?

You tell me - didn't he get first pairing minutes too?

 

[Leafs at Knight]

got rid of our worst forward, now our worst D...i dont like it

This.