Carl Gunnarsson v.

Team 4

Representing: the Player

Table of Contents

I - Team and Injury History...... 1

II - Stastical Review and Career Performance...... 2

III - Valid Comparable Players...... 4

i - Mr. ...... 4

ii - Mr. Kyle Quincey...... 6

iii - Mr. Dan Girardi...... 7

IV - Conclusion...... 8

This is the matter of a salary arbitration involving Mr. ("Mr. Gunnarsson" or "the Player") and the Toronto Maple Leafs ("the Maple Leafs" or "the Club") pursuant to article

12 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA.1 Mr. Gunnarson recently completed a 2-year contract with the Maple Leafs that provided for a salary of $1.4 million in 2011-2012 and $ 1.25 million in 2012-2013.2 Mr. Gunnarsson contends that a review of his performance throughout his NHL career and of his platform year under the criteria enlisted at article

12.9(g) of the CBA entitles him to a contract worth more than the established midpoint of $3.15 million.

I. Team and Injury History

Mr. Gunnarsson is a 26-year old 6'2", 196lbs defenseman who has completed 4 seasons and

224 regular season games in the NHL. The Maples Leafs, with whom Mr. Gunnarsson has played with for the entirety of his career, selected him in the seventh round of the 2007 draft.3

In November 2009-2010, Mr. Gunnarsson had a strong NHL debut before a hyper-extended elbow versus Buffalo in December forced him out for 22 games. In 2010-2011 he played in 68 games for the Maple Leafs and asserted himself as a future top four defenseman. The 2011-2012 season saw Mr. Gunnarsson increase his TOI considerably but he would miss one match from a hand injury at the end of November, three from an ankle injury caused by a collision at practice as well as the last two games of the season due to a separated shoulder. This past year Mr. Gunnarsson missed three and eight games due to a lingering hip and groin injury.4

Though a late round pick, Mr. Gunnarsson has been able to engrain himself as an important piece of the Club's system. A review of the Player's statistical performance over his career and his

1 http://cdn.agilitycms.com/nhlpacom/PDF/NHL_NHLPA_2013_CBA.pdf 2 http://capgeek.com/player/1212 3 http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474125#&navid=nhl-search 4 http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=5218 platform year will show how Mr. Gunnarsson has been able to secure a position on the top defensive pairing due to his reliability as a stay at home defenseman with some offensive upside.

II. Statistical Review and Career Performance

Career Statistics5 Season GP G G/gp A Pts Pts/g S S% 09-10 43 3 0.07 12 15 0.349 45 6.7 10-11 68 4 0.06 16 20 0.294 69 5.8 11-12 76 4 0.05 15 19 0.25 152 4.5 12-13 37 1 0.03 14 15 0.415 71 3.6 Total 224 12 0.05 57 69 0.308 337 5.2 BkS Hits TOI/gp PPTOI/GP SHTOI/GP PIM +/- 09-10 77 46 21:26 1:51 2:46 10 +8 10-11 120 63 18:14 1:20 2:36 14 -2 11-12 152 114 21:42 1:12 2:38 20 -9 12-13 71 8 21:16 0:45 2:34 14 +5 Total 420 301 ------58 +2

Over the two year to platform period, Mr. Gunnarsson has played as a top four defender for the club and locked up a position on the top defensive pairing in 2012-2013.6 He finished third on the team in TOI/game in his platform year and was second on the team in the 2012 season while finishing 2nd on the team in shifts per game over the same period. This is partially explained by his killing duties as he had the second most SHO TOI amongst Maple Leaf defenseman in 2013,

2012 and 2011.7 The fact that Mr. Gunnarsson was, more than any other defenseman on the Club over the last 2 years, used primarily in even strength or short handed situations is a testament to his value as a shutdown defenseman. Mr. Gunnarson's contributions short handed helped reinvigorate the Club's penalty killing unit which finished 2nd in 2013 after finishing 3rd worse in 2012.8

Whether short handed or five-on-five, it is obvious that the Maple Leafs have been able to effectively

5 http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474125#&navid=nhl-search 6 http://www.leftwinglock.com/line- combinations/index.php?season=2012&team=TOR&strength=EV&playertype=D&gametype=ALL#A 7http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20122013&gameType=2&team=TOR&position=S&country=&status= &viewName=summary 8 http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm assign Mr. Gunnarsson to opponents' best lines. Commanding over twenty minutes per game as a top defenseman over the last two years, it is clear the Mr. Gunnarsson has become an integral part of the

Club's defensive strategy and their overall success.

Mr. Gunnarsson has also become adept at using his body to neutralize opponents. Mr.

Gunnarson's physicality does not express itself in collecting penalty minutes, for which he takes very few, but rather through shot blocking and hits. In 2012 he ranked first on the Maple Leafs and 23rd in the league for blocked shots, while finishing 3rd and 60th respectively in 2013.9 Even though he missed 14 games in 2010-2011, he still finished 4th on the Maple Leafs with 120 blocked shots. Mr.

Gunnarsson does not shy away from contact; rather, he frequently sacrifices his body to effectively eliminate scoring opportunities while avoiding needless penalties. An improvement of +14 this past year reflects Mr. Gunnarson's development into a reliable defenseman. It is also indicative of his overall contribution to the Club that while playing top minutes over the last two years, the teams goals against per game dropped from 3.16 (2nd worst in the league) to 2.67 (17th best in the league.)10

It is important not to forget when considering Mr. Gunnarsson's contributions that he is frequently paired with Mr. Phaneuf, who had a league leading 53 giveaways in 2013 and 76 in 2012.11

Lastly, Mr. Gunnarsson can still be called on to contribute to the Club's offense. Considering his role as a stay at home defenseman, the fact that he has never been below 0.25 points/game is significant, especially receiving little power play time. Mr. Gunnarsson had his highest point total in

2011 with 20, and was a point short of matching it in 2012 with 19. He had 15 points in 2013 though his per game average, if extrapolated over a full length season, shows that Mr. Gunnarsson would have been on pace for a 34 point season. While it may seem an ambitious increase, it is quite reasonable considering he continues to develop into a well-rounded player while playing on the top

9http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20132ALLSASALL&sort=blockedShots&viewName=rtssPlayerStat 10 http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm 11http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20132ALLSASALL&sort=giveaways&viewName=rtssPlayerStats pairing. Though his shooting percentage has dropped, Mr. Gunnarsson has arguably become a more selective shooter while re-enforcing his commitment to minimizing turnovers and maintaining possession.

At 26 Mr. Gunnarson is reaching his prime for a defenseman, it is very reasonable to expect another year of progress as he commands top minutes and continues to emerge as a defensive stalwart. Considering career trends, Mr. Gunnarsson will continue to show up on the box score while stifling the best players in the NHL through shot blocking and rugged puck management. Averaging over twenty minutes per game in his platform year Mr. Gunnarsson has proven to be an indispensable mainstay on the Club's blue line who can contribute in every area of the rink.

Contrasted with pertinent comparable players, it is evident that Mr. Gunnarsson's dependable and physical brand of hockey is deserving of more than $3.15 million per year.

III. Valid Comparable Players

Valid comparable players are defenseman who had qualified for arbitration status following the

2012 and 2013 seasons, as well as Mr. Daniel Girardi who qualified after 2010. Blue liners were then filtered out to include players who most resembled Mr. Gunnarsson's age, experience and level of contribution to their respective organizations over their career and platform year. i. Kevin Shattenkirk

Career Statistics12 Season GP G G/GP A Pts Pts/GP S S% 10-11 72 9 0.13 34 43 0.59 108 8.3 11-12 81 9 0.11 34 43 0.53 178 5.1 12-13 48 5 0.10 18 23 0.48 84 6.0 Total 201 23 0.11 86 109 0.54 373 6.2 BkS Hits TOI/GP PPTOI/GP SHTOI/GP PIM +/- 10-11 64 51 19:50 3:05 0:17 36 -4

12 http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474031&view=stats 11-12 103 72 21:36 2:51 1:55 60 20 12-13 59 55 28.1 0:45 2:34 20 2 Total 258 193 ------116 +18

Mr. Kevin Shattenkirk is a 5'11, 207lb defenseman who, at the age of 24, signed a 4-year contract worth an annual average value of $4.25 million with the Saint-Louis Blues during the 2013 offseason.13 Mr. Shattenkirk has played in a total of 201 games with the and the

St. Louis Blues. Over his career Mr. Shattenkirk has developed a reputation as a more offensive minded player than Mr. Gunnarsson but a comparison of their average points per game in their platform year shows that Mr. Gunnarsson's offensive abilities are trending towards those of Mr.

Shattenkirk. It should also be noted that Mr. Shattenkirk's offensive success over the last two years is correlated to his superiour plus/minus and shot totals as well as time spent on the power play. Mr.

Shattenkirk is a solid defenseman, but his plus/minus is certainly skewed by a tremendous 2011-

2012 season, and by the fact that the St. Louis Blues averaged 1.89 goals against per game (first in the league) in 2011-2012 and 2.38 in 2012-2013 (8th in the league.)14

Mr. Gunnarsson and Mr. Shattenkirk have both averaged minutes of top defensemen whether at even strength or on special teams. Mr. Gunnarsson has been more likely to use his body for shot blocking, as his required for his style of play, while still receiving fewer penalty minutes than Mr.

Shattenkirk. Both players each play with their own distinct style, they make equally critical contributions to their teams. Mr. Gunnarsson may lack the same scoring ability of Mr. Shattenkirk, though Mr. Gunnarsson is trending upwards, and he more than makes up for offensive shortfalls with strong defense. As he continues to improve his scoring and maintains his strengths in other facets of his game, Mr. Gunnarsson warrants payment superiour to $3.15 million.

13 http://capgeek.com/player/1705 14 http://www.nhl.com/ice/teamstats.htm ii. Kyle Quincey

Career Statistics15 Season GP G G/GP A Pts Pts/GP S S% 08-09 72 4 0.06 34 38 0.53 150 2.7 09-10 79 6 0.08 23 29 0.37 139 4.3 10-11 21 0 0.00 1 1 0.05 39 0 11-12 72 7 0.10 19 26 0.36 168 4.0 Total 244 17 0.06 77 95 0.39 496 3.4 BkS Hits TOI/GP PPTOI/GP SHTOI/GP PIM +/- 08-09 75 116 20:59 3:31 1:11 63 -5 09-10 143 115 23:37 3:07 2:42 76 9 10-11 26 28 19:35 2:11 1:57 18 -5 11-12 94 101 22:21 2:21 2:18 89 -1 Total 338 360 ------246 -2

Kyle Quincey avoided arbitration after the 2011-2012 season by agreeing to a 2-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings that averages $3.775 million per year.16 Signed a month before his 27th birthday, Mr. Quincey had played 244 games prior to signing compared to Mr. Gunnarsson 's 224.

Both have played top four if not top two, minutes over the last four years and while Mr. Quincey plays with a bit more offensive flair, their points per game average and shooting percentage is relatively similar. Mr. Quincey has a tendency to shoot more often and has more opportunities playing on the power play.

Mr. Quincey and Mr. Gunnarsson both have excellent defensive habits and often implicate their body into shutting down opponents, with Mr. Quincey taking almost four times as many penalties as Mr. Gunnarsson. Over twenty additional games Mr. Quincey only has 59 more hits than

Mr. Gunnarsson, while the latter has accumulated 82 additional blocked shots in fewer games.

Reaching their platform years, both had had similar injury histories. Each suffered minor smaller injuries and one significant injury while otherwise being able to remain healthy. Mr. Gunnarsson's statistics also seem more constant, whereas Mr. Quincey's performance has been more erratic and

15 http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8470724#&navid=nhl-search 16 http://capgeek.com/player/1008 less impressive than what he was able to achieve in his first full season. Nevertheless, Mr. Quincey was fairly remunerated with a contract worth $3.775 million AAV for sharing many of the same qualities as Mr. Gunnarsson. Considering their equal penchant for smothering the opposition while contributing offensively, Mr. Gunnarsson's contract should be greater than the $3.15 million AAV midpoint. iii. Dan Girardi

Career Statistics17 Season GP G G/GP A Pts Pts/GP S S% 06-07 34 0 0 6 6 0.13 33 0.0 07-08 82 10 0.12 18 28 0.34 147 6.8 08-09 82 4 0.05 18 22 0.27 122 3.3 09-10 82 6 0.07 18 24 0.07 108 4.6 Total 280 20 0.07 60 80 0.27 410 4.9 BkS Hits TOI/GP PPTOI/GP SHTOI/GP PIM +/- 06-07 41 36 15:49 0:08 1:50 8 7 07-08 123 179 21:11 2:49 2:32 14 0 08-09 82 207 21:31 2:18 2:26 53 -14 09-10 180 178 21:28 0:19 3:32 53 -2 Total 426 600 ------128 -9

Three seasons ago the and Mr. Ryan Girardi, then 25 years old, signed a 4- year contract paying $3.325 million per year AAV.18 The agreement occurred outside the preferred timeframe and includes a premium paid for free agent years. Nevertheless, Mr. Girardi is perhaps the most appropriate comparable as he and Mr. Gunnarsson share a similar style of defense. Over the four year to platform term both players earned top pairing minutes and were expected to dominate opponents through solid back checking and physical hockey in their own zone. They made similar, though generally limited, contributions on the power play while entrenching spots on the top penalty- killing unit. Both are excellent shot blockers and use their body, though Mr. Girardi delivered more

17 http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471958#&navid=nhl-search 18 http://capgeek.com/player/1814 checks while receiving more penalty minutes. Mr. Gunnarsson does provide a bit more offense, beating out Mr. Girardi in point per game averages and shooting percentage.

Both players play critical roles on their respective blue lines, each with a clear focus on strong defensive play. A sum close or equal to Mr. Girardi's $3.325 AAV would be most appropriate considering both players are excellent examples of top line defensive defensemen who can also help their respective Clubs get on the board.

IV. CONCLUSION

The outstanding positional play of Mr. Gunnarsson and his offensive potential are a rare combination. Over four years, Mr. Gunnarsson has quietly emerged as a true defensive stalwart who can be consistently handle top pairing responsibilities, at either end of the ice, whether playing even strength or shorthanded. He plays physical hockey and effectively uses his body to shutdown top lines. Mr. Gunnarsson's strengths have helped the Maple Leafs make the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and helped them drastically lower their goals allowed per game. His offensive production is also continuing to evolve, and a jump in his offensive production should be expected. Considering the dependability of Mr. Gunnarsson relative to the worth of comparable players, it should be ruled equitable for Mr. Gunnarsson to receive a contract averaging greater than the $3.15 million midpoint.