I'm not trying to argue with you on opinion or what could happen, and I'm not a Kunin apologist. I'm simply pointing out that Grier called out only a few players as playing his kind of Sharks hockey. He said, "Kunny is the kind of player who's always in the fight every day, and represents what we're trying to build here. I wish he fought less, but he's out there battling every day." Combined with the sometimes-A, That doesn't sound like a guy that Grier's going to move on from at RFA. He didn't give that clear a message about anyone else in his locker room clear out interview.
Grier said he could see Zadina staying because there's potential if he figures out mentally how to play a complete game and not worry about points -- that's a player I could see him moving on from if the chips fall the right way. But absent us signing Macklin and Smith and signing/trading for a really solid established top/middle 6 vet in the offseason, or grier trying to play 4D chess to pump Kunin's value which seems pretty silly, I think Kunin is in the plans.