Cundari

[DatDude44]

I don't know much about this guy but all i've heard from people is that he's our best defensemen in the AHL and had a strong year last year as well. Not to mention he was in the all star game this year

Could he potentially be our 7th defensemen next year? That of course is if we don't resign redden or woywitka.

I just want to know from people who know about this guy/ seen him play if he has the potential to push russell for that 3rd pairing slot with Polak next year

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[stlweir]

He had a strong rookie year, struggled last year but is back to playing well this year.

 

[moolah3i4]

He reminds me of Tootoo as of size wise.. He's 5'9 200.. Big kid.

 

[Hooliganx3]

He reminds me of Tootoo as of size wise.. He's 5'9 200.. Big kid.

From what I recall he stirs up his share of crap as well. But he doesn't turtle like Tootoo.

 

[stlweir]

Is it fair to say he has passed Fairchild as a prospect this season?

 

[Travelling Blue]

I wasn't able to provide a link, but i copied and pasted a recent writeup from Dobber Sports on "Emerging Salary Cap Bargains". it kind of sums up his play>>>

Cap Hit: $538,888
Years Left:1
AHL Team: Peoria


GP: 36
G: 3
A:15
PTS:18
PIM:50



If you are looking for a more unknown version of Clendening and Acolatse, then Mark Cundari is your guy. It would appear that he is somewhat buried behind the team’s blueline depth at the NHL level but he leads all Peoria defensemen with 18 points and has clearly outplayed fellow prospect Cade Fairchild who had been knocking at the door for a promotion to the NHL.



Cundari is a bit undersized – 5-10 and around 200 pounds – but his ability to put up points and play with a physical edge cannot go unnoticed, both by the Blues’ staff and by fantasy owners. Should he make the jump full-time you can expect decent secondary point totals along with a lot of hits and PIM.



Previous posts from Eric Daoust

 

[SirPaste]

Cundari wont ever make it in the NHL, he has never impressed me

 

[RandallRitchey]

Cundari could make a good third pairing guy but I wouldn't imagine him anymore than that.

 

[Polaris]

Seeing as how he was an undrafted free agent pickup (if memory serves me correctly), third-pairing/depth-level defensemen isn't too shabby of a career arc for him. He'd be a damn fine 7th guy if he lives up to his potential - a bit of offensive skill and a bit of gritty feistiness sounds good to me.

 

[Multimoodia]

He needs Mike Weaver to teach him how to be positionally sound and play as an undersized guy.

If he would get to the defensive level of Weaver, Cundari would be a perfect 6th/7th defenseman.

 

[BlueOil]

He needs Mike Weaver to teach him how to be positionally sound and play as an undersized guy.

If he would get to the defensive level of Weaver, Cundari would be a perfect 6th/7th defenseman.

Agree that if he was sound positionally like Weaver he'd be on an NHL team.

That said, unless he figures that out, he's likely a good AHL defenseman call up for his career.

 

[DatDude44]

understandable. I know this is kind of a useless thread but i just wanted to hear what u guys thought about him since it looks like he's the next guy in line to get called up if cole/ russell got hurt to be our 7th dman if redden for some reason didn't play idk. Im just a fan of undrafted players that prove it at the professional level than hopefully get called up eventually.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I don't know much about this guy but all i've heard from people is that he's our best defensemen in the AHL and had a strong year last year as well. Not to mention he was in the all star game this year

Could he potentially be our 7th defensemen next year? That of course is if we don't resign redden or woywitka.

I just want to know from people who know about this guy/ seen him play if he has the potential to push russell for that 3rd pairing slot with Polak next year

I don't know where you got that Cundari had a strong year last year as he was pretty dreadful last season but he did have a pretty good rookie season for the Rivs and has rebounded nicely this season, his 3rd pro season.

I'd say he and Fairchild are pretty even in terms of long-term potential. Cundari looks better today but Fairchild looked better last season (Fairchild is going through a sophomore slump this season like Cundari did last season). If I had to choose a player for a call-up today it would be Cundari. If I had to choose which one is more likely to have the longer/better NHL career when it's all said and done, I choose Fairchild by a hair. Basically, I believe in Fairchild and think he'll bounce back like Cundari has. I don't really see either being true contenders for the top-6 or top-7 for next season though.

Make no mistake though that if the Blues need a d-man from Peoria, it's very likely going to be Jeff Woywitka. Cundari and Fairchild have decent NHL potential (I'd say 3rd pairing potential) but Woywitka's the best option today IMO. The D core in Peoria has been largely unimpressive this season though. Besides Fairchild struggling, Chorney hasn't been doing overly well either (good offensive instincts but sucks defensively...which is sort of important for a d-man), Shields is a decent AHL d-man but I don't really see much of any NHL potential there and Ponich is struggling just to not continually be sent down to the ECHL. I'm pretty sure they called Ponich "Tree" in juniors not because of his height but because he's about as mobile as a tree! Scott Ford and Brent Regner are good AHL vets to have but they don't really have NHL potential. They'd probably be ok as an injury fill-in for a game or two though.

 

[Celtic Note]

I don't know where you got that Cundari had a strong year last year as he was pretty dreadful last season but he did have a pretty good rookie season for the Rivs and has rebounded nicely this season, his 3rd pro season.

I'd say he and Fairchild are pretty even in terms of long-term potential. Cundari looks better today but Fairchild looked better last season (Fairchild is going through a sophomore slump this season like Cundari did last season). If I had to choose a player for a call-up today it would be Cundari. If I had to choose which one is more likely to have the longer/better NHL career when it's all said and done, I choose Fairchild by a hair. Basically, I believe in Fairchild and think he'll bounce back like Cundari has. I don't really see either being true contenders for the top-6 or top-7 for next season though.

Make no mistake though that if the Blues need a d-man from Peoria, it's very likely going to be Jeff Woywitka. Cundari and Fairchild have decent NHL potential (I'd say 3rd pairing potential) but Woywitka's the best option today IMO. The D core in Peoria has been largely unimpressive this season though. Besides Fairchild struggling, Chorney hasn't been doing overly well either (good offensive instincts but sucks defensively...which is sort of important for a d-man), Shields is a decent AHL d-man but I don't really see much of any NHL potential there and Ponich is struggling just to not continually be sent down to the ECHL. I'm pretty sure they called Ponich "Tree" in juniors not because of his height but because he's about as mobile as a tree! Scott Ford and Brent Regner are good AHL vets to have but they don't really have NHL potential. They'd probably be ok as an injury fill-in for a game or two though.

I agree strongly on most of these points.

Cundari and Fairchild do have NHL potential, but I doubt it is 3rd pairing NHL potential on a Cup caliber team. More likely 3rd pairing guys on a fighting for a playoff spot or lesser team.

I never really believed Shields would amount to an NHL player, but I am a little surprised Ponich is struggling to stay in the AHL.

 

[DatDude44]

I don't know where you got that Cundari had a strong year last year as he was pretty dreadful last season but he did have a pretty good rookie season for the Rivs and has rebounded nicely this season, his 3rd pro season.

I'd say he and Fairchild are pretty even in terms of long-term potential. Cundari looks better today but Fairchild looked better last season (Fairchild is going through a sophomore slump this season like Cundari did last season). If I had to choose a player for a call-up today it would be Cundari. If I had to choose which one is more likely to have the longer/better NHL career when it's all said and done, I choose Fairchild by a hair. Basically, I believe in Fairchild and think he'll bounce back like Cundari has. I don't really see either being true contenders for the top-6 or top-7 for next season though.

Make no mistake though that if the Blues need a d-man from Peoria, it's very likely going to be Jeff Woywitka. Cundari and Fairchild have decent NHL potential (I'd say 3rd pairing potential) but Woywitka's the best option today IMO. The D core in Peoria has been largely unimpressive this season though. Besides Fairchild struggling, Chorney hasn't been doing overly well either (good offensive instincts but sucks defensively...which is sort of important for a d-man), Shields is a decent AHL d-man but I don't really see much of any NHL potential there and Ponich is struggling just to not continually be sent down to the ECHL. I'm pretty sure they called Ponich "Tree" in juniors not because of his height but because he's about as mobile as a tree! Scott Ford and Brent Regner are good AHL vets to have but they don't really have NHL potential. They'd probably be ok as an injury fill-in for a game or two though.

I think I meant rookie season. For some reason it was going through my head that he was a rookie last year