Leafs building around Phaneuf? Roman Polak acquired from the Blues
By Rob McPhee
HometownHockey.ca
Polak is a 28 year old right handed defenceman that will fill multiple needs on the Blue and White defence. Polak is a true stay at home defenceman; something the Leafs needed. With the addition of another right handed shot, this also brings into question what Cody Franson’s future with the team may be.
Toronto - June 29, 2014 - After a surprisingly quiet 1st round to the Draft for Leafs fans, the Leafs start off day two with a trade. The Leafs have traded Carl Gunnarsson, and the 94th overall pick in the draft to the St. Louis Blues for defenceman Roman Polak.
Polak is a 28 year old right handed defenceman that will fill multiple needs on the Blue and White defence. Polak is a true stay at home defenceman; something the Leafs needed. With the addition of another right handed shot, this also brings into question what Cody Franson’s future with the team may be.
This move raises more questions than it answers for Leaf fans, as it appears to be a lateral move. Both players involved operate as shutdown defensemen, playing similar minutes. However Polak is a substantially bigger body, which could ease the pressure on captain Dion Phaneuf. If Polak is to play with Dion on the Leaf’s top pairing, it would also enable Dion to play on his more comfortable left side.
It’s worth noting that Polak played in St. Louis’s bottom pairing, while Gunnarsson played on the Leaf’s top pairing. This may not be the best indicator of Polak’s ability however given the star studded defence that St. Louis possess. The only true way to evaluate him will be to wait until he has ample time playing with Toronto’s top lines, as opposed to playing the majority of his minutes with St. Louis’s third and fourth lines.
A 4th round pick and Gunnarsson is a steep price to pay for adding 30 lbs to your defense, however progress cannot happen without change. Polak could be a key piece for the Leaf’s next year, and probably will have to be if they want to succeed. Only time will tell who won this trade, but Blues fans have to be feeling good with this news. As for the Leafs, it would appear that Tim Leiweke and Co. are not afraid to shake things up, something Leaf faithful have been wanting since April.
@RobMcPhee
Rob was born in Toronto's East end and has been a Maple Leaf fan his entire life. He is currently a student at York University in Toronto and is studying writing. He has always loved the blues and sports of all kind. If you have any questions, feel free to contact him at rmcphee@hometownhockey.ca
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