Confirmed with Link: [TOR/STL] Leafs (retain $200k ?) trade Carl Gunnarsson and 94th pick for Roman Polak

[garce]

Well it could very likely...liked him a lot, but love the Leafs, so onward and upward!

I liked Gunnar too, he wasn't great but sure wasn't terrible, a good middling pro. From what I've seen Polak is a average pro as well but with a somewhat different skill set that suits the Leafs better at this time. Carl will do well in STL likely playing easier minutes and I wish him well. Hopefully Polak can come in and play with one of the younger puck movers and allow them to wheel. Ideally a suitable partner can be brought in for Phaneuf.

 

[91Stammer*]

Nonis actually mentioned post-trade that Polak would be able to make our defense tougher without relying on a young player like Granberg to fill that role as a rookie.

That indicates that we are probably gonna see Granberg on leafs this season. I am pumped already.

PK1: Gleason - Polak
PK2: Phaneuf - Granberg

PP1: Gardiner - Rielly
PP2: Phaneuf - forward

5v5
Rielly - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Polak
Gleason - Granberg
whatever

 

[Muston Atthews]

so do groins - do you trade bernier too?

The calibers of Gunnarsson and Bernier are completely different

 

[Feenom]

All the talk about stuff that may or may not happen and this is all Nonis can do? Welcome the new boss....same as the old boss.

 

[Muston Atthews]

All the talk about stuff that may or may not happen and this is all Nonis can do? Welcome the new boss....same as the old boss.

It is June 28th...

 

[Cor]

It is June 28th...

Nah, off-season is over, can't believe this is all Nonis did

 

[Feenom]

Ok ok so we will add assisitant coaches, wow. There is July 1st but don't see anything big coming in, I hope I am so wrong.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Ok ok so we will add assisitant coaches, wow. There is July 1st but don't see anything big coming in, I hope I am so wrong.

Who's winning the Cup next year?

 

[Feenom]

Who's winning the Cup next year?

lol not us for sure.

 

[ThrillinPhil]

Why is Carl Gunnarsson suddenly appreciated on HF now? I never seen people call Gunnar a Top 4 Defenseman until today.

 

[ConnorTO]

roman poo poo

 

[Hanta Yo]

Why is Carl Gunnarsson suddenly appreciated on HF now? I never seen people call Gunnar a Top 4 Defenseman until today.

It's a love fest on the main board for him; funny it only happens when a Leaf all of a sudden becomes an ex-Leaf.

As far as I'm concerned, player wise it's close to a lateral move. Both have the upper/lower hand on the other player in certain departments. Ideally with this D core, we would have added someone like Polak while keeping Gunnarsson. Based on what Nonis said, Gunnarsson enters St. Louis with what appears with some health concerns. The addition of a pick/retaining of salary is what tips the scales towards St. Louis's favor.

 

[Semantics]

Why is Carl Gunnarsson suddenly appreciated on HF now? I never seen people call Gunnar a Top 4 Defenseman until today.

You haven't been paying attention all year. He got plenty of praise during the season and has been considered a solid top 4 guy for some time now.

 

[Squiffy]

Lovely trade. Addresses area of weakness. I am thrilled I will never again have to see Gunnar on our top pairing. That has driven me nuts for years. No where near a top pairing guy. This pleases me on so any levels.

1) on the simplest level a R shot
2) this move can be made because we have younger, higher potential guys to play that spot. This is good.
3) a third pairing d has been replaced by a third pairing d that suits the role better
4) Gunnar's skill set was redundant at this point

None of this is to rag on Gunnar, tho long a target of mine, good luck to him. Not his fault he had to be placed on the top pairing where he didn't belong. Nor did he disgrace himself there or anything, to me he was just symbolic of our d depth deficiencies.

Welcome Polak.

Expecting Franson back now to..

 

[socko]

Why is Carl Gunnarsson suddenly appreciated on HF now? I never seen people call Gunnar a Top 4 Defenseman until today.

I've heard from lots of Leaf fans that he's not a top pairing guy but I can't recall anyone saying he's not a top 4 guy. And it's Phaneuf who takes all the criticism, Gunnar got very little. The thing is he could play on a top pairing and do an alright job. I don't think this Polak guy can. So that is a downgrade in my opinion. I'm seeing all of this as symptoms of a larger problem though. David Nonis sucks. And I don't believe in treating the symptoms, go after the source of the virus.

 

[Murphy Blue]

There's no f'ing way that Gunnarsson is a top 4 d-man on a Stanley Cup contender. So, whatever you guys want to say to make you sleep better tonight knowing that you can bash the Leafs brass for making this move, go ahead. Moving Gunnar for Polak is a solid move. You got two young offensively gifted defence-men, and you need a guy like Polak to give them room to maneuver.

 

[Joey Hoser]

There's no f'ing way that Gunnarsson is a top 4 d-man on a Stanley Cup contender. So, whatever you guys want to say to make you sleep better tonight knowing that you can bash the Leafs brass for making this move, go ahead. Moving Gunnar for Polak is a solid move. You got two young offensively gifted defence-men, and you need a guy like Polak to give them room to maneuver.

Well, Blues fans seems convinced they acquired him to play with Shattenkirk in their top four and I'd call St. Louis a contender, so...

 

[ULF_55]

There's no f'ing way that Gunnarsson is a top 4 d-man on a Stanley Cup contender. So, whatever you guys want to say to make you sleep better tonight knowing that you can bash the Leafs brass for making this move, go ahead. Moving Gunnar for Polak is a solid move. You got two young offensively gifted defence-men, and you need a guy like Polak to give them room to maneuver.

Polak isn't a top 4 d-man on a contender.

He's a 3rd. pairing defender on a contender ... history shows that.

I'm quite okay with the deal.

I think Nonis rolled over, but I see how Polak can help.

Franson is garbage though.

 

[Feenom]

I've heard from lots of Leaf fans that he's not a top pairing guy but I can't recall anyone saying he's not a top 4 guy. And it's Phaneuf who takes all the criticism, Gunnar got very little. The thing is he could play on a top pairing and do an alright job. I don't think this Polak guy can. So that is a downgrade in my opinion. I'm seeing all of this as symptoms of a larger problem though. David Nonis sucks. And I don't believe in treating the symptoms, go after the source of the virus.

yep its always pick on the Captain for the defensive zone lapses which happened all the time to all of the Dmen. Carlyle is to blame as well but I don't like that the Leafs added an extra pick and eat 200k. 1 for 1 was ok, Gunnar will benefit from this deal careerwise because now he will find out how a real team plays defense.

 

[Murphy Blue]

Well, Blues fans seems convinced they acquired him to play with Shattenkirk in their top four and I'd call St. Louis a contender, so...

Blues were a contender this year, they will look much different at the beginning of next year. Though they could still be good, we'll have to wait and see

 

[Murphy Blue]

Polak isn't a top 4 d-man on a contender.

He's a 3rd. pairing defender on a contender ... history shows that.

Agreed, and Nonis claimed to have picked him up for a bottom pairing role, effectively making room on the top lines for Rielly and Gardiner. Those two deserve more minutes, here's to hoping they are ready for the big-time

 

[Mess]

Well, Blues fans seems convinced they acquired him to play with Shattenkirk in their top four and I'd call St. Louis a contender, so...

Well STL was the 3rd best defensive team last year in terms of goals against.

They must have made this move being a contender in hopes of improvement, otherwise it was very kind of them to downgrade their own team through this trade to help our Leafs out at their expense.

Gunnarsson was our best +/- player at +12 and in fact the only Leaf player in double digits playing on the top pairing most of the season on a team that finished 5th worst in goals against. Polak was only a +3 and 13th on the Blues on a team that was near the top of the league in defense.

 

[Murphy Blue]

Well STL was the 3rd best defensive team last year in terms of goals against.

They must have made this move being a contender in hopes of improvement, otherwise it was very kind of them to downgrade their own team through this trade to help our Leafs out.

You have to think the consensus on the bargaining table was that Polak was the better player though? With the 3rd round draft pick going the other way you have to assume that Polak's value was higher on both sides of the table

 

[p.l.f.]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=455947

sounds like theyre prepared to go with this:

gardiner - phaneuf
reilly - polak
gleason - -----

 

[Commander Clueless]

Lovely trade. Addresses area of weakness. I am thrilled I will never again have to see Gunnar on our top pairing. That has driven me nuts for years. No where near a top pairing guy. This pleases me on so any levels.

1) on the simplest level a R shot
2) this move can be made because we have younger, higher potential guys to play that spot. This is good.
3) a third pairing d has been replaced by a third pairing d that suits the role better
4) Gunnar's skill set was redundant at this point

None of this is to rag on Gunnar, tho long a target of mine, good luck to him. Not his fault he had to be placed on the top pairing where he didn't belong. Nor did he disgrace himself there or anything, to me he was just symbolic of our d depth deficiencies.

Welcome Polak.

Expecting Franson back now to..

While this is all a good point, the question becomes who will take Gunnar's spot? Surely Polak won't be relied on for top pairing.

Some will agree with you and say Rielly and Gardiner, but I don't think either is ready for that....

I'm sensing another move coming. Boyle? Yandle maybe?