Tim Connolly is a good player

[Erndog]

It's only been 10 games, but you can certainly see the talent this dude has.

He's very slick, has great vision, great hands... he's one of those guys who can make you jump out of your seat with a play that looks like it came out of nowhere (aka the Carolina game... the falling pass against Pitts, etc.).  Surprisingly, he's also not afraid to get in front of the net (albeit, mostly on the man advantage).

The problem is, and always has been obviously his injuries and subsequently questioning his desire because of it but there is absolutely no denying his skill.  This dude can play.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

He's actually quicker than I had remembered also.

 

[Zee]

Staying healthy is key obviously.  He's been a good addition when he's played, and it's a shrewd signing by Burke.  Only a 2 year deal which gives the Leafs an easy out if his injuries continue to plague him, compare that to another free agent signing from this past summer Ville Leino who got insane contract length from Buffalo (same money as Connolly but for 6 seasons) -- Leino has 2 goals, 5 points in 20 games played.  Connolly has outproduced him in half the games played.

 

[cw]

TSN: SIEGEL: CONNOLLY IMPARTING WISDOM ON MAPLE LEAFS
Quiet and laid-back in demeanor, Connolly is subtly imparting his years of wisdom ? and that of former teammates Drury and Briere ? into the minds of one of the NHL's youngest teams. Now in his third NHL season, Tyler Bozak has been carefully studying the finer points of Connolly's game, plucking tips and tools of the trade, especially in the defensive zone.

"He's helped me a lot actually," said Bozak, capably filling Connolly's spot alongside Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul with six points in the last six games. "There's lot of stuff that I would never even think about that he'll bring up with me. It's just tiny, little things throughout the game that maybe I gain a second of open-ice that I wouldn't even thought would help. He sees stuff like that.

"When I come off from a shift he'll tell me about it or even after a game or at a practice and we're just skating around there'll be little pointers that he can help me with.

"I'm always searching for him on the ice at practice asking him for advice and stuff like that."

Tim could be construed in competition with Bozak for the top line. Tim has been under considerable media heat for getting injured (whether you agree with that or not). So for him to take Bozak under his wing and help him at every turn is a real credit to Connolly in my opinion when top line ice time could help take the heat from the fans and media off him.

Here's another article on it:
TO Sun: The Leafs better not break up the top two lines

He's obviously offensively skilled. He's put up a ppg pace in the games he's played.

But the thing that seems to get overlooked is his two way play. He's better defensively than I expected - and maybe the best two way center the Leafs have. He's even elevated his faceoffs to 51% which I didn't expect as from his stats, he's never been great on faceoffs.

If he got injured in the next game and got lost for the balance of the season, I still wouldn't fault Burke for taking the chance. There was no UFA center after Richards and they were desperate for help.

Anyway, it's great to see the professional team first attitude and effort he's brought to the team. Hopefully, his luck will turn and he'll avoid injuries.

 

[Bender]

TSN: SIEGEL: CONNOLLY IMPARTING WISDOM ON MAPLE LEAFS
Quiet and laid-back in demeanor, Connolly is subtly imparting his years of wisdom ? and that of former teammates Drury and Briere ? into the minds of one of the NHL's youngest teams. Now in his third NHL season, Tyler Bozak has been carefully studying the finer points of Connolly's game, plucking tips and tools of the trade, especially in the defensive zone.

"He's helped me a lot actually," said Bozak, capably filling Connolly's spot alongside Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul with six points in the last six games. "There's lot of stuff that I would never even think about that he'll bring up with me. It's just tiny, little things throughout the game that maybe I gain a second of open-ice that I wouldn't even thought would help. He sees stuff like that.

"When I come off from a shift he'll tell me about it or even after a game or at a practice and we're just skating around there'll be little pointers that he can help me with.

"I'm always searching for him on the ice at practice asking him for advice and stuff like that."

Tim could be construed in competition with Bozak for the top line. Tim has been under considerable media heat for getting injured (whether you agree with that or not). So for him to take Bozak under his wing and help him at every turn is a real credit to Connolly in my opinion when top line ice time could help take the heat from the fans and media off him.

Here's another article on it:
TO Sun: The Leafs better not break up the top two lines

He's obviously offensively skilled. He's put up a ppg pace in the games he's played.

But the thing that seems to get overlooked is his two way play. He's better defensively than I expected - and maybe the best two way center the Leafs have. He's even elevated his faceoffs to 51% which I didn't expect as from his stats, he's never been great on faceoffs.

If he got injured in the next game and got lost for the balance of the season, I still wouldn't fault Burke for taking the chance. There was no UFA center after Richards and they were desperate for help.

Anyway, it's great to see the professional team first attitude and effort he's brought to the team. Hopefully, his luck will turn and he'll avoid injuries.

Seeing as the top two lines are clicking now, what do you do with Grabovski and Lombardi when they come back?

 

[cw]

Seeing as the top two lines are clicking now, what do you do with Grabovski and Lombardi when they come back?

I'd worry about that when they return. By the time Grabbo gets back, one of them could be on the shelf.

Lombardi can take the time to properly heal up (if he even makes it back this season). He's also versatile enough to play the wing.

One of the top two lines will inevitably cool off for a spell.

It's likely a nice problem to have.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

No one questioned his talent. Everyone questioned his durability.

 

[cw]

Lombardi can take the time to properly heal up (if he even makes it back this season).

Just saw this:
Jonas Siegel via twitter: Leafs coach Ron Wilson guessed that forward Matthew Lombardi is 3 1/2 to 4 weeks away.

Maybe Lombardi isn't injured as bad as I thought or they figure he can't do much more damage to his shoulder prior to inevitable surgery ... ??

 

[Zee]

Lombardi can take the time to properly heal up (if he even makes it back this season).

Just saw this:
Jonas Siegel via twitter: Leafs coach Ron Wilson guessed that forward Matthew Lombardi is 3 1/2 to 4 weeks away.

Maybe Lombardi isn't injured as bad as I thought or they figure he can't do much more damage to his shoulder prior to inevitable surgery ... ??

That's what I heard initially.  He could either opt to have surgery right away or wait until after the season.  They said he could still play this season without the surgery but it's something that needs to eventually get fixed.

 

[Peter D.]

No one questioned his talent. Everyone questioned his durability.

Precisely.  He has always had the talent to be considered in the top tier in the league in that category.  He has some of the softest hands, and as a result is one of the best passers, in the entire league. 

Unfortunately, he is in and out of the lineup too often to realize it over a consistent period. 

I wasn't fond of his signing (more the money aspect) based on his durability, but knew full well if he could be relatively healthy he'd reward the team with some great play.

 

[maplesyrup]

I wasn't fond of his signing (more the money aspect) based on his durability, but knew full well if he could be relatively healthy he'd reward the team with some great play.

Exactly my feeling.

 

[freer]

I think whether he is hurt or not, he has a positive effect on Bozak, who IMO is playing better now then he did in his rookie season.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

I think whether he is hurt or not, he has a positive effect on Bozak, who IMO is playing better now then he did in his rookie season.

One thing that worries me about Bozak is that he was absolutely useless when he was on the 3rd line this season.

 

[Zee]

Timmay!!!

 

[freer]

I think whether he is hurt or not, he has a positive effect on Bozak, who IMO is playing better now then he did in his rookie season.

One thing that worries me about Bozak is that he was absolutely useless when he was on the 3rd line this season.

I think that will all depend on who is on the third line. IMO if there are some offensive players on the line, Lombari, Frattin etc... He will be able to do alright. This is presently not a bad problem because of injuries. Also IMO I can see either Connolly or Grabs injuried some other times during the season, so I dont see Bozak staying on the third line too often.

 

[Zee]

I think whether he is hurt or not, he has a positive effect on Bozak, who IMO is playing better now then he did in his rookie season.

One thing that worries me about Bozak is that he was absolutely useless when he was on the 3rd line this season.

I think that will all depend on who is on the third line. IMO if there are some offensive players on the line, Lombari, Frattin etc... He will be able to do alright. This is presently not a bad problem because of injuries. Also IMO I can see either Connolly or Grabs injuried some other times during the season, so I dont see Bozak staying on the third line too often.

Like mentioned before it's a nice problem to have.  As long as we can have defensively reliable forwards on the 3rd line who can contribute a bit offensively, we'll be ok regardless of who we fill the lineup with.  Guys like Frattin, Bozak, Armstrong, Lombardi have all shown they can play that role effectively.  Frattin might even have more upside offensively which would add a nice element to the 3rd line.

 

[Champ Kind]

No one questioned his talent. Everyone questioned his durability.

Not entirely true.  I can specifically recall people on this board saying that Connolly's high draft status should be qualified because he was "picked by Milbury".

Erndog has it right, Connolly is a player.

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

I wonder if his recent surge has anything to do with the power of the Wendel handle bar mustache.

 

[lc9]

Maybe Lombardi isn't injured as bad as I thought or they figure he can't do much more damage to his shoulder prior to inevitable surgery ... ??

This correct. The damage is done.  Only thing that can happen now is for the shoulder to dislocate again, which is possible because the muscles are weakened and stretched.  But he should be fine, then have the surgery (on the labrum I suspect) after the season.  Won't be any worse for the wear.

 

[bustaheims]

Not entirely true.  I can specifically recall people on this board saying that Connolly's high draft status should be qualified because he was "picked by Milbury".

If anyone said that, they have no idea what they're talking about. Despite everything else about him as a GM, Milbury was good at one thing - he drafted very well. On top of that, based on the careers of the rest of the guys drafted in the 1999 Entry Draft, Connolly was picked pretty much exactly where he should have been.