Confirmed with Link: [TOR/STL] Leafs trade Carl Gunnarsson and 94th pick for Roman Polak - PT II

[Jack Bauer]

Gunnarsson's hip was always an issue with him. Don't understand the person who says it wasn't until we traded him.

Agree, it seemed to be more of a factor as the 82 game season wore on.

I'm sure surgery will help, but hip injuries and hockey players never usually end well. Usually it begins to limit mobility and leads to a shortened career.

Nobody can honestly say they watched this team last season and think Gunnar was the same in game 82 as he was in game 1. Being a 'homer' has nothing to do with acknowledging the only reason we were looking to move him was the risk of him not coming back fully from the surgery.

He should have a great season or 2 in St. Louis as long as he stays healthy but in the West that will be really tough.

 

[Deebo]

Gunnarson has been good enough to play for Team Sweden, and has, thus it is the correct terminology. Gunnarson's in his prime years of his career, so I expect him to continue to be able to do so if he is healthy and if he wants to.

Polak was good enough to play for Czech Republic, at an actual best on best tournament (2010 Olympics) not only the World Championships like Gunnarsson.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Polak was good enough to play for Czech Republic, at an actual best on best tournament (2010 Olympics) not only the World Championships like Gunnarsson.

Would he be good enough to play for Sweden? Doubt it.

 

[Deebo]

Would he be good enough to play for Sweden? Doubt it.

At the worlds, probably. at the Olympics, No.

Gunnarsson wasn't good enough for the Olympics either though.

 

[Frelimo]

Gunnarson has been good enough to play for Team Sweden, and has, thus it is the correct terminology. Gunnarson's in his prime years of his career, so I expect him to continue to be able to do so if he is healthy and if he wants to.

Gunnarson has never played for Sweden in a best-on-best competition (I.e., Olympics, World Cup). He's played in the World Championships and World Juniors, so to say he has been good enough to play top-pairing for Sweden is quite misleading, it's top-pairing when you take away their top-pairing players.

 

[egd27]

Would he be good enough to play for Sweden? Doubt it.

Perhaps Polak could make the Swedish squad for the World Championships like Gunnarson did.

I mean after all, how hard can it be to make a WC roster if your buddy Kadri can make the Canadian team?

 

[crump]

Gunnar's hip surgery sounds awful..

"I was born with something on the joint that was causing some impingement, so we shaved it down and then repaired the labrum tear," he said. "It is a struggle sometimes, but in the long run, I think it's going to be the best thing for me, get back healthy and not have to deal with those kind of problems during the season. If I can just be 100 percent healthy for the full season, it's going to improve my game a lot."

Hope he returns to 100%.

 

[bleedblue1223]

So, how has Polak been for you guys? After a few games, you probably have a better idea of who you got. Physical beast, good skater, and a bomb that literally never hits the net. Definitely miss having that guy around.

 

[Amadeus]

So, how has Polak been for you guys? After a few games, you probably have a better idea of who you got. Physical beast, good skater, and a bomb that literally never hits the net. Definitely miss having that guy around.

I like him. Is he great? No, but he's really solid. He works very hard at the corners and its been refreshing seeing that.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I like him. Is he great? No, but he's really solid. He works very hard at the corners and its been refreshing seeing that.

Good, glad he's doing what he's been doing.

 

[hotpaws]

Good, glad he's doing what he's been doing.

he's been okay but far from the player we traded him for ( that's not his fault however )

when you do you expect Gunner back ?

 

[Savvy]

So, how has Polak been for you guys? After a few games, you probably have a better idea of who you got. Physical beast, good skater, and a bomb that literally never hits the net. Definitely miss having that guy around.

It's pretty obvious so far he's missing the system that was in place in St. Louis. You can see him wanting to stand in quite a bit and hesitating on his decision when he doesn't see the third man high and it's cost him a few times already. I don't blame that on him as much as I blame that on very poor systems hockey. Have to admit it would be nice if he had a better ability to read the play around him though. Still think when Gunnarsson gets back this will look pretty bad in a heads up situation for the Leafs but they did fill a need on the backend.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

So, how has Polak been for you guys? After a few games, you probably have a better idea of who you got. Physical beast, good skater, and a bomb that literally never hits the net. Definitely miss having that guy around.

He's been paired with Robidas quite a bit, which I honestly don't understand why.

But when they aren't together he is solid, nothing special, but a good #5.

 

[bleedblue1223]

he's been okay but far from the player we traded him for ( that's not his fault however )

when you do you expect Gunner back ?

He's getting evaluated today in Nashville by the people who did the surgery, so we should know by the end of the day if he is cleared or not. Should play in our upcmoing Cali trip with Pietrangelo.

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's pretty obvious so far he's missing the system that was in place in St. Louis. You can see him wanting to stand in quite a bit and hesitating on his decision when he doesn't see the third man high and it's cost him a few times already. I don't blame that on him as much as I blame that on very poor systems hockey. Have to admit it would be nice if he had a better ability to read the play around him though. Still think when Gunnarsson gets back this will look pretty bad in a heads up situation for the Leafs but they did fill a need on the backend.

That has always been his weakness. One reason why I think our system was perfect for him because we defended as a 5 man group in tight. In a system where the gaps are bigger, that part of his game could be exposed.

 

[hotpaws]

That has always been his weakness. One reason why I think our system was perfect for him because we defended as a 5 man group in tight. In a system where the gaps are bigger, that part of his game could be exposed.

he's also getting exposed for his lack of puck skills

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I said at the time I didn't like the trade, if it were Gunnar for Polak straight up it would have been more palatable, but adding in a 4th rd pick(used to pick the #1G Euro goalie in the draft) and cap relief really speaks to what kind of management team we have in place at the moment.

 

[Frelimo]

I don't think we should have had to give up more than Gunner for him, but Polak has been as advertised so far. He has some weaknesses for sure, but provides an element of nastyness no one else on the back end really provides, which makes him important. He's an upgrade on Gleason that's for sure, but of course we didn't trade Gleason for him.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Plays with an edge, is physical, can skate. A bit too risky at the moment which he wasn't really in St Louis, but I think he'll calm down.

I'm not surprised to see how there are parts of the fanbase already turning against him. I'm not sure I've seen one defensive D-man who has been appreciated here in Toronto for as long as I can remember.

 

[qmjhlisles]

I don't understand the love in leafland for Gunnar guy was brutal. Soft as butter and just terrible.

 

[dubey]

I don't understand the love in leafland for Gunnar guy was brutal. Soft as butter and just terrible.

He had nice cheek bones and jawline

 

[Frelimo]

Plays with an edge, is physical, can skate. A bit too risky at the moment which he wasn't really in St Louis, but I think he'll calm down.

I'm not surprised to see how there are parts of the fanbase already turning against him. I'm not sure I've seen one defensive D-man who has been appreciated here in Toronto for as long as I can remember.

Yushkevich, Markov, Smith.

I remember all of them being appreciated, maybe my memory deludes me though.

 

[ponder]

I like him. Hits, works hard, and a pretty good skater too. He's a role player, but plays that role well, and brings some much needed toughness to our d.

 

[Murphy Blue]

I like Polak so far, he's really brought out good things in Percy. He brings an edge, and he's got an unselfish - team first attitude. Jumps into the play when he can, and does't get caught up ice too often when doing it. Smart player, good pickup.

 

[FreeBird]

I said at the time I didn't like the trade, if it were Gunnar for Polak straight up it would have been more palatable, but adding in a 4th rd pick(used to pick the #1G Euro goalie in the draft) and cap relief really speaks to what kind of management team we have in place at the moment.

Looks like a Steen trade all over again, can't be