Matthew Lombardi update/information thread

[bustaheims]

Yeah, that fits. Although that was so early there wasn't a ton to compare it to.

True, and, all the other injuries he suffered certainly didn't help either.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Didn't McCauley have a bad concussion?

As a Leaf? I don't remember any that cost him any serious playing time. In his first season in LA, yeah, he had a career ender.

I don't remember how many games it was, but I thought it was bad, as Wayne just said, they had to make him that special helmet. 9 games rings a bell for some reason.

 

[riff raff]

Please remember Kaberle had a bad concussion against the glass some years ago and was out for quite a while but came back without symptoms.

See, I thought Kaberle was never quite the same after that concussion.

 

[Bender]

@mirtle: Wilson suggests Matt Lombardi could start the season on the fourth line and work his way up as he recovers.

 

[iwas11in67]

Please remember Kaberle had a bad concussion against the glass some years ago and was out for quite a while but came back without symptoms.

See, I thought Kaberle was never quite the same after that concussion.

I agree with rr. Trade talks didn't help either.

 

[cw]

Please remember Kaberle had a bad concussion against the glass some years ago and was out for quite a while but came back without symptoms.

See, I thought Kaberle was never quite the same after that concussion.

I agree with rr. Trade talks didn't help either.

To me, it was a bit of a chicken & egg debate as well. Kaberle was close to a ppg in 2010 first half and Wilson chopped his ice time. I'm not saying Kaberle was perfect defensively and didn't deserve some of what he got. But  I continue to feel some of it related to Wilson and his poor record in Toronto - particularly with special teams. Loss of ice time contributed to a drop in Kaberle's performance under Wilson.

I do feel Kaberle's skating declined in his later years as a Leaf.

 

[ZBBM]

Please remember Kaberle had a bad concussion against the glass some years ago and was out for quite a while but came back without symptoms.

See, I thought Kaberle was never quite the same after that concussion.

I agree with rr. Trade talks didn't help either.

To me, it was a bit of a chicken & egg debate as well. Kaberle was close to a ppg in 2010 first half and Wilson chopped his ice time. I'm not saying Kaberle was perfect defensively and didn't deserve some of what he got. But  I continue to feel some of it related to Wilson and his poor record in Toronto - particularly with special teams. Loss of ice time contributed to a drop in Kaberle's performance under Wilson.

I do feel Kaberle's skating declined in his later years as a Leaf.

I agree that the Janssen hit, despicable as it was, didn't have any detrimental effect on his play IMO.

I don't understand your last assertion, though.  His skating is still silky smooth.  Nobody brings it out of their own end like he does.  I don't see any diminution myself.

 

[maplesyrup]

@mirtle: Wilson suggests Matt Lombardi could start the season on the fourth line and work his way up as he recovers.

I mentioned it in another thread but my gut feeling is he'd be better off for the full 14 day conditioning stint in the "A" first... Obviously, I could be wrong.

 

[McPwnage]

Please remember Kaberle had a bad concussion against the glass some years ago and was out for quite a while but came back without symptoms.

See, I thought Kaberle was never quite the same after that concussion.

I agree with rr. Trade talks didn't help either.

To me, it was a bit of a chicken & egg debate as well. Kaberle was close to a ppg in 2010 first half and Wilson chopped his ice time. I'm not saying Kaberle was perfect defensively and didn't deserve some of what he got. But  I continue to feel some of it related to Wilson and his poor record in Toronto - particularly with special teams. Loss of ice time contributed to a drop in Kaberle's performance under Wilson.

I do feel Kaberle's skating declined in his later years as a Leaf.

I agree that the Janssen hit, despicable as it was, didn't have any detrimental effect on his play IMO.

I don't understand your last assertion, though.  His skating is still silky smooth.  Nobody brings it out of their own end like he does.  I don't see any diminution myself.

Jake Gardiner brings it out better than Kaberle ever did, end to end brilliance

 

[bustaheims]

I mentioned it in another thread but my gut feeling is he'd be better off for the full 14 day conditioning stint in the "A" first... Obviously, I could be wrong.

Well, there's still 10 days until the season, and he'd been clear for everything but contact for enough time now to be in game shape by the season opener, so, the conditioning stint isn't going to do much for him. Also, considering the Leafs only play 2 games in the first 9 days and 3 games in the first 11 days of the season, he pretty much has 3 full weeks to get up to speed before things kick into high gear.

 

[Stronger Than All]

This is an extra reason to be excited for the season to start IMO.  A guy we weren't sure that would ever play comes back that we got for nothing.  Maybe he'll get a nice reception if he's announced at the home opener.

 

[maplesyrup]

I mentioned it in another thread but my gut feeling is he'd be better off for the full 14 day conditioning stint in the "A" first... Obviously, I could be wrong.

Well, there's still 10 days until the season, and he'd been clear for everything but contact for enough time now to be in game shape by the season opener, so, the conditioning stint isn't going to do much for him. Also, considering the Leafs only play 2 games in the first 9 days and 3 games in the first 11 days of the season, he pretty much has 3 full weeks to get up to speed before things kick into high gear.

Fair enough... considering the 3 in 11.

 

[Kessel Run]

I mentioned it in another thread but my gut feeling is he'd be better off for the full 14 day conditioning stint in the "A" first... Obviously, I could be wrong.

Well, there's still 10 days until the season, and he'd been clear for everything but contact for enough time now to be in game shape by the season opener, so, the conditioning stint isn't going to do much for him. Also, considering the Leafs only play 2 games in the first 9 days and 3 games in the first 11 days of the season, he pretty much has 3 full weeks to get up to speed before things kick into high gear.

Fair enough... considering the 3 in 11.

The contact is the big thing though. That's pretty much make or break. If he suffers a setback there he could be out for a lot longer..

 

[Moot Point]

What sort of conditioning is he going to be in?  Lombardi has not done anything for a full year.  It's going to take some time to get back into shape.

 

[The Red Polar Bear]

I think that they should play him in those first 2-3 games, then "if he's not fully ready" (read: do it anyways), send him for the 14 days conditioning stint. Give him five weeks total.

 

[Bullfrog]

Jake Gardiner brings it out better than Kaberle ever did, end to end brilliance

My word! Lets not put any pressure on Gardiner yet to perform as well as one of the defensemen who was/is one of the best in the entire league at lugging the puck up ice.

 

[Bender]

Lombardi is cleared for contact practice. Hopes to get in to one of the final pre-season games.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/mapleleafs/article/1059950--leaf-lombardi-passes-big-test?bn=1

The one weird thing though is that no one expected such a speedy recovery from him... this sounds a bit odd to me for a guy who's been out for a year.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Lombardi is cleared for contact practice. Hopes to get in to one of the final pre-season games.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/nhl/mapleleafs/article/1059950--leaf-lombardi-passes-big-test?bn=1

The one weird thing though is that no one expected such a speedy recovery from him... this sounds a bit odd to me for a guy who's been out for a year.

Concussions aren't like other injuries with timetables though.  It's whenever the player stops experiencing the symptoms.  Could happen anytime, really.

 

[bustaheims]

Concussions aren't like other injuries with timetables though.  It's whenever the player stops experiencing the symptoms.  Could happen anytime, really.

That, and it's also been almost a year since the hit that gave him the concussion, so, it's not like it's a miracle recovery either. He was clearly further along in the process than we were lead to believe.

 

[princedpw]

Concussions aren't like other injuries with timetables though.  It's whenever the player stops experiencing the symptoms.  Could happen anytime, really.

That, and it's also been almost a year since the hit that gave him the concussion, so, it's not like it's a miracle recovery either. He was clearly further along in the process than we were lead to believe.

However, it seems like truly no one knew what would happen.  Otherwise, it is hard to imagine that Nashville would have made the deal that they made ... unless of course there was a Lebda bidding war that none of us knew about.  Yeah, that seems likely.