TSN: Polak on the Block

[Purity*]

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.

I wouldn't call Gunnar a top-pairing defensemen but he's definitely way better than Polak.

Leafs lost that deal, no question about it.

 

[Menzinger]

Yeah, I liked Gunner and wasn't a big fan of the trade but:

Gunner was a 5/4 defensemen with injury issues + a pick and salary retention for a decent #5 guy isn't a disaster of a trade, but it was poor asset management.

I'll be ecstatic if they can get anymore above a 3rd for Polak.

 

[Morbo]

Hosed lol

Plays 60 games last year

"healthy"

lol

"lol"?

and I said right now. right now he looks pretty healthy. everyone knew he had a hip issue and was still recovering from it last season. that injury persisting was and is the only possible shred of hope for this trade. Polak stinks.

 

[Super Mega]

not going to debate how good the trade was 2 years later but at the very least they should have moved him once it was clear this team wasn't remotely competing.

he was a toughness stop gap that had value and who's current value is pretty low right now.

 

[dubey]

"lol"?

and I said right now. right now he looks pretty healthy. everyone knew he had a hip issue and was still recovering from it last season. that injury persisting was and is the only possible shred of hope for this trade. Polak stinks.

Lupul has played in all of Toronto's regular season games too

Also healthy I guess

 

[zeke]

terrible, terrible player.

he doesn't deserve to be in even our lineup.

 

[shelf]

Yeah, I liked Gunner and wasn't a big fan of the trade but:

Gunner was a 5/4 defensemen with injury issues + a pick and salary retention for a decent #5 guy isn't a disaster of a trade, but it was poor asset management.

I'll be ecstatic if they can get anymore above a 3rd for Polak.

Eric Brewer got a 3rd round pick last year. I think Polak should be able to get a bit more than that.

 

[leafs in five]

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

 

[67Cup]

Eric Brewer got a 3rd round pick last year. I think Polak should be able to get a bit more than that.

True, the Ducks traded a 3rd rounder to Tampa Bay for Brewer about a year ago. Later in the season, however, the Ducks basically paid the Leafs a 5th rounder to take him off their hands. So the present value of Polak is more similar to Brewer's in which of those trades?

 

[Finnish your Czech]

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

Marincin is our worst defender

 

[leafs in five]

True, the Ducks traded a 3rd rounder to Tampa Bay for Brewer about a year ago. Later in the season, however, the Ducks basically paid the Leafs a 5th rounder to take him off their hands. So the present value of Polak is more similar to Brewer's in which of those trades?

Ducks traded a 2nd for Bieksa too.

hoping Polak can get a 3rd. there are a lot of dumb GMs left. wish we would have offered him to Anaheim in the summer or something.

 

[SprDaVE]

Meh I don't mind Polak. I like what he brings and we don't have much of that on the team.

With that said, he should have been traded last season. No idea why they thought keeping him for this season would be good. His value was really good and a few teams wanted him. We didn't sell high and now here we are.

Hopefully we can still get something good for him. I would hope a 2nd or 3rd round pick at the very least.

Also, Polaks name shouldn't be the only name up on the block. Half this team should be.

 

[namttebih]

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

It's not his cap hit. It was an awful, unneeded trade.

 

[Nithoniniel]

As he's looking right now, he's basically a PK specialist. I liked him more last season, this year he has looked lost so far. Could be the system, but that's not changing.

Trading him should be the right decision, in my opinion.

Plus, a clean shaved Polak is just wrong.

 

[deletethis]

I have no doubt that Polak could be modestly effective with the right type of team style. Babcock's system is a bad fit for Polak. Some team that perceives their defense as soft and/or is still obsessed with the right/lefthanded thing with their defensemen surely will pay a price for Polak.

 

[ACC1224]

As he's looking right now, he's basically a PK specialist. I liked him more last season, this year he has looked lost so far. Could be the system, but that's not changing.

Trading him should be the right decision, in my opinion.

Plus, a clean shaved Polak is just wrong.

This for me as well.

I don't get why some feel the need to over exaggerate Gunnar's abilities because Polak has struggled. Neither are anything special.

Pretty funny those who weep at the loss of Gunnar.

 

[buttman*]

I've watched Edmonton play this year and he would easily make that lineup.

 

[Primary Assist]

Keep in mind that Polak was shut down for season ending hernia surgery just a week after the deadline last year, and he was probably playing hurt well before that. I wouldn't be surprised if upper management was afraid he wouldn't pass a physical after being traded.

 

[Daisy Jane]

As he's looking right now, he's basically a PK specialist. I liked him more last season, this year he has looked lost so far. Could be the system, but that's not changing.

Trading him should be the right decision, in my opinion.

Plus, a clean shaved Polak is just wrong.

i know. it's very unsettling.

 

[Daisy Jane]

This for me as well.

I don't get why some feel the need to over exaggerate Gunnar's abilities because Polak has struggled. Neither are anything special.

Pretty funny those who weep at the loss of Gunnar.

that's my biggest gripe when people bring this up.

The only loss in the whole trade is that we lost a 4th round pick. (who is Husso, who is a v. good goalie, but there is no indication what so ever, that the Leafs would have picked him).


Gunnar is vanilla ice cream.
Polak is vanilla ice cream.

both good, but it's not like it's chocolate chip cookie dough or anything like that. regardless of what happens with Polak (ie: trade or he simply walks at the end of the season)..doesn't matter. because Gunnar isn't that special, and him being here wouldn't really make a modicum of difference because it's not like he's alighting the Blues on fire or anything. in this case having the "better" player is moot.

 

[thewave]

that's my biggest gripe when people bring this up.

The only loss in the whole trade is that we lost a 4th round pick. (who is Husso, who is a v. good goalie, but there is no indication what so ever, that the Leafs would have picked him).


Gunnar is vanilla ice cream.
Polak is vanilla ice cream.

both good, but it's not like it's chocolate chip cookie dough or anything like that. regardless of what happens with Polak (ie: trade or he simply walks at the end of the season)..doesn't matter. because Gunnar isn't that special, and him being here wouldn't really make a modicum of difference because it's not like he's alighting the Blues on fire or anything. in this case having the "better" player is moot.

Actually Gunnar is a pretty adept 4-5 D. Polak is 6-7 spare part with physical presence.

He's not the special sauce but, more than vanilla.

 

[Nithoniniel]

This for me as well.

I don't get why some feel the need to over exaggerate Gunnar's abilities because Polak has struggled. Neither are anything special.

Pretty funny those who weep at the loss of Gunnar.

Yeah. Gunnar might be a better player, but he's still no more than a complementary piece. We traded meh for meh. The only thing that irks me is the extra pick and salary retention.

i know. it's very unsettling.

That's probably why he's got no self-confidence right now. The bear has lost its fur.

Actually Gunnar is a pretty adept 4-5 D. Polak is 6-7 spare part with physical presence.

He's not the special sauce but, more than vanilla.

Think it would be more accurate to say that Gunnar is a 4-5D, while Polak is a 5-6D. Polak has also been better at the PK than the Gun.

 

[Banic]

Actually Gunnar is a pretty adept 4-5 D. Polak is 6-7 spare part with physical presence.

He's not the special sauce but, more than vanilla.

Actually Polak has been a bottom pair minimum for the last 7 years (not a 7th spare). He's a quality 5-6, if not average 4th on many teams, as proven on STL. He's also a right handed shot (a rarity). This is such a short sighted post based off of a very small sample size involving a new coach and new system.

I agree we lost the trade, but by such a small insignificant margin.

 

[thewave]

Yeah. Gunnar might be a better player, but he's still no more than a complementary piece. We traded meh for meh. The only thing that irks me is the extra pick and salary retention.



That's probably why he's got no self-confidence right now. The bear has lost its fur.



Think it would be more accurate to say that Gunnar is a 4-5D, while Polak is a 5-6D. Polak has also been better at the PK than the Gun.

That's what I said. Gunnar isn't Vanilla and is a 4-5d

 

[TMLegend]

Only player on the defense with a backbone to speak of. I can't wait until we employ a whole defense of Carl Gunnarsson types who are marshmellow soft in their own and shies away from contact in the corners.