Let's Go Blues

dmiles2186 wrote:I also read that Gunnarsson played more minutes than Polak, and because he was paired with Phaneuf, he was playing other teams' top guys quite a bit. Numbers aside, we traded a 2nd/borderline 3rd pair Dman for a 2nd pair Dman and a pick to boot. On paper, that's a win. But I'm going to miss Polak. That guy was a beast for us. We'll always have this...

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(Frank) yeah. The Sobotka tackle is just as great as Polak's fight. If they ever trade Boat...... I don't know what I would do

You will be missed greatly, Polak

I'm cool with this deal, but it's not what I was hoping for. We'll see when free agency hits what materializes but they better the hell get themselves a #1 center... and he didn't come from the draft, that's for shit sure. Maybe someday, but not today.

What about gunnarsons hip?

I just read an article about the trade in a swedish newspaper, where they interviewed Gunnarsson about the trade. I took the liberty of translating it for you:

- I'm having mixed emotions right now and a lot of thoughts are going through my mind. Also, there's a lot of things that need to be taken care of (when you get traded). On the bright side I'm leaving for a hell of a team, with a few swedes that I know. Patrik Berglund and Alexander Steen. And Joakim Lindström is going to be there as well, so that'll be fun.

You didn't see this coming?

- No, it was totally out of the blue. Especially since I just had the surgery. I definitely didn't expect this.

Why do you think the trade happened?

- Brendan Shanahan just took over and I guess he wants to put his mark on the team right away. But I don't know if it was Toronto or St Louis who was pushing for this deal to happen.

What do you have to say about the St Louis Blues team?

- A top team in the league, always hard to play against. It will be fun to play there.

What are you going to miss about Toronto?

- I've been with the Maple Leafs for five years now, and I'll miss my teammates, my friends in the city as well as the fans and even the media. Everyone has been really nice to me. I'm one of the players who's been here the longest and after five seasons I'm really gonna miss Toronto.

How's the hip?

- Allright, I'm in phase with my rehab and hope to be ready for the premiere in October.


Obviously it's never fun to be traded against your will, but he doesn't seem to be overly excited about coming here. I also read that his first reaction to the trade was that "it sucks". Maybe just a phrase spoken in frustration and shock, but nevertheless, I hope he'll be more satisfied with it when he shows up for camp in September. Hopefully all those swedes will help him settle in quickly. I wouldn't count on his buddy the Bergdog being here by then though...

Thanks for the translation. I don't blame him at all for having mixed reactions. After Toronto drafted William Nylander on Friday, Gunnarsson sent his fellow Swede a welcome to the organization on Twitter. A day later, he gets traded, so the sting is understandable. It totally came out of nowhere, and having just undergone hip surgery I'm sure he feels the Leafs viewed him as damaged goods. We'll see how it works out.

I'll miss Polak for the San Jose fight and his propensity to stick up for his teammates. Also, he was an entertaining interview on the radio post game shows with his broken English and brutal honesty. Here's hoping he ends up with a nice career up there.

I don't think Gunnarsson will score many more goals than Polak, but he's known for his skating and moving the puck. Even in Bouwmeester's first game here, it was refreshing to see a swift footed defenseman wear a Blues jersey after what we were used to. You always love to see a D man get on the stat sheet, but as long as he can still skate well and accelerate play up the ice, this could be a damn good trade.

Well I'm waiting to evaluate all of this at the end of the offseason because I can't really fathom it now. I'd have preferred to give Polak for the pick, clear the salary and give his minutes to Cole who seems-like Gunnarson-to be only marginally if at all different from Polak in terms of talent/effectiveness. I don't like acquiring damaged goods personally but whatever on that. I'm not a doctor, and presumably the brass got the ok from the medical staff to do this.

I can't see how the moves so far address the team's shortcomings. THAT'S WHY WE'RE READING INTO THINGS, ARMY!!!

It doesn't matter how swift footed Gunnarsson (or anyone else for that matter) is, Hitchcock's system is one that wears down the team by the time it matters. It's the same thing that happened to the Rags when Tortorella was coaching them. Great regular season, postseason meltdown.

What this team needs is a much more hybrid system that maybe they give up more goals but also score more goals and not wear everyone down over the long haul.

ecbm wrote:I can't see how the moves so far address the team's shortcomings. THAT'S WHY WE'RE READING INTO THINGS, ARMY!!!

It addresses the need to have a lefty shot to pair with Shattenkirk, which has been stated.

glen a richter wrote:It doesn't matter how swift footed Gunnarsson (or anyone else for that matter) is, Hitchcock's system is one that wears down the team by the time it matters. It's the same thing that happened to the Rags when Tortorella was coaching them. Great regular season, postseason meltdown.

What this team needs is a much more hybrid system that maybe they give up more goals but also score more goals and not wear everyone down over the long haul.

I didn't think the Blues looked worn down against the Hawks. They actually looked quite good, aside from game #6. They just couldn't bury their chances.

I agree, Curt. I thought we had plenty of jump in the series - we just couldn't finish our chances. We created well, just failed to convert. The futility on the PP was the most glaring, imo.

I like this move, although I like Polak. I feel like this is an upgrade for a reasonable price.

I can't fault the GM for trying here. The move doesn't make much sense to me from Toronto's perspective though. I don't know what I am missing about their perceived needs.

not_a_wings_fan wrote:I agree, Curt. I thought we had plenty of jump in the series - we just couldn't finish our chances. We created well, just failed to convert. The futility on the PP was the most glaring, imo.

I like this move, although I like Polak. I feel like this is an upgrade for a reasonable price.

I can't fault the GM for trying here. The move doesn't make much sense to me from Toronto's perspective though. I don't know what I am missing about their perceived needs.

Yea it seems like a strange trade for Toronto. Let's not forget we also got a pick out of the deal, which we used to get what some considered the best goaltender in the draft. Who knows if he'll pan out, but adding assets with large upside never hurts. Most people labeled us winners of this trade with just the players involved, the additional pick was kind of gravy.

not_a_wings_fan wrote:I can't fault the GM for trying here. The move doesn't make much sense to me from Toronto's perspective though. I don't know what I am missing about their perceived needs.

Shanahan still Bleeds Blue

dmiles2186 wrote:

ecbm wrote:I can't see how the moves so far address the team's shortcomings. THAT'S WHY WE'RE READING INTO THINGS, ARMY!!!

It addresses the need to have a lefty shot to pair with Shattenkirk, which has been stated.

Did Shattenkirk not playing with a left-handed shot strike you as a significant problem last season? Never really occurred to me. I think the thing Army actually wanted here was the draft pick-and I have no problem with that especially considering the Blues' D prospects. Still leaves me to speculate as to what the front office has planned to address needs...

I also second Glen's comment above. I thought the Blues did look worn out late in the season and in the playoffs, and I do think Hitch's "chase, chase, chase" system has something to do with that. That could partly explain all the wayward shots and instances of handling the puck too long vs. CHI.

since we weren't expecting anything a D really, I wonder if there's any chance we move Leopold and either sign or acquire a different guy for our 3rd pairing. Is Mark Fayne a pipe dream?

This trade f*****g blows. We trade the guy who has had the most memorable fight in the last ten years? Really? F*****g really?

And for some f*****g pansy?

Just powerflush this franchise into the shitter already. I hope this team moves to motherfucking Nunavut.

goon attack wrote:This trade f*****g blows. We trade the guy who has had the most memorable fight in the last ten years? Really? F*****g really?

And for some f*****g pansy?

Just powerflush this franchise into the shitter already. I hope this team moves to (Frank) Nunavut.

Gunnersson had more hits than Polak last year...and he had a bad hip most of the year.
Just sayin'.

cprice12 wrote:

goon attack wrote:This trade f*****g blows. We trade the guy who has had the most memorable fight in the last ten years? Really? F*****g really?

And for some f*****g pansy?

Just powerflush this franchise into the shitter already. I hope this team moves to (Frank) Nunavut.

Gunnersson had more hits than Polak last year...and he had a bad hip most of the year.
Just sayin'.

I've always had a problem with how hits are calculated as a statistic. Plus, it's a stat that suggests they're all the same in terms of affect-like goals-which they aren't. Gunnarson is listed at 185lbs, he probably actually weighs less. I'm not so much worried about fights as having a defenseman who could move a guy out of the low slot. I've watched Gunnarson enough to know he isn't that guy.

this team is now much softer than it was a few months ago. With Stewart and Polak gone, we lost to legit badasses.


The only way to succeed with a team this pansified is to have ultra talent, which we don't. I love the Stastny signing, but this team is shaky right now if you ask me. more grit needed both up front and on D.

Jettison Berglund immediately for someone, anyone with some consistency and balls, I say.

goon attack wrote:this team is now much softer than it was a few months ago. With Stewart and Polak gone, we lost to legit badasses.


The only way to succeed with a team this pansified is to have ultra talent, which we don't. I love the Stastny signing, but this team is shaky right now if you ask me. more grit needed both up front and on D.

Honestly, grit shouldn't be difficult to add...so long as it isn't Butcher and Quinn for Courtnall, Momesso, Drake, & Ronning.

Sutter wanted more toughness for the playoffs...and that move sucked.

I don't get the Stewart and grit comment. He was invisible on the ice most nights and shied away from contact most of the time. He no doubt has a lot of talent and can be tough/gritty, but he didn't display either near often enough for me to want him back to add to our "toughness" or "grit".