Tim Connolly

[Figster]

I have seen Tim Connolly lose the puck more than any Sabre I have ever watched and its odd Connolly has not been benched for his sloppy play. I realize on occasion Connolly has a decent game, but in my opinion the bad out weighs the good. He tries to get cute way to often resulting in puck give away more often then not.

 

I was curious if other folks get the same impression.

[Eleven]

I don't think the bad outweighs the good, but I do think he has been overrated, mostly in the past few seasons. I don't think people rate him quite as highly right now as they once did.

[Stoner]

I have seen Tim Connolly lose the puck more than any Sabre I have ever watched and its odd Connolly has not been benched for his sloppy play. I realize on occasion Connolly has a decent game, but in my opinion the bad out weighs the good. He tries to get cute way to often resulting in puck give away more often then not.

 

I was curious if other folks get the same impression.

 

Can't disagree with your assessment of his play so far. We're kind of getting to the nitty gritty of "accountability." Two very 08-09 games in a row. If Ruff benched a Roy or a Connolly or one of his top defensemen who struggled the last two games, it would be a huge statement.

[inkman]

I have seen Tim Connolly lose the puck more than any Sabre I have ever watched and its odd Connolly has not been benched for his sloppy play. I realize on occasion Connolly has a decent game, but in my opinion the bad out weighs the good. He tries to get cute way to often resulting in puck give away more often then not.

 

I was curious if other folks get the same impression.

You must be one of the people who rated him highly to begin with.

[Figster]

You must be one of the people who rated him highly to begin with.

 

 

I do still have high hopes for Tim Connolly, but I'm not sure he will ever live up to my expectations.

[carpandean]

It's funny, I was one of the people saying that his contract was a big mistake, but in the first couple of games, I noticed him doing a lot of little things (back checking hard, etc.) very well. I almost posted that I was wrong. Then, over the past few games, I've noticed him doing not-so-little things (coughing up the puck, etc.) far too often. He has his moments where he looks great, but just as many where he does not. Kind of epitomizes this team.

[buffalonian]

Im pretty sure over the past 5 seasons, he has been a few points shy of being a point per game player. Regardless of the amount of games he has played (or hasn't), he is a pretty consistent player in terms of points he produces while playing. I don't think he's overrated at all.

[SteamRoller72]

He is a creative, offensive enigma.

He is a point per game player when healthy.

His play has been no better, no worse than Derek Roy's at this stage of the young season.

 

Both are turnover machines and sub-par face off men with tremendous offensive talent.

[buffalonian]

But i don't think a few turnovers at the start of the season is enough to justify calling him overrated. This has never been a major problem for him before nor do I think it will continue to be one.

[VansTheMans]

I'll say one thing about Connolly:

 

I feel that he isn't a game changing forward. To me, it seems as if many of his points come at unimportant times. He puts up his numbers when the game is already sealed.

 

He has a tremendous set of hands and has the ability to make some very nice plays.

 

Having said that, I would gladly trade Connolly for another center. I would love to see Ryan Kesler on this Sabres squad. :thumbsup:

[carpandean]

Both are turnover machines and sub-par face off men with tremendous offensive talent.

Since the lockout:

 

Tim Connolly

2005-06: 359/844 (42.5%)

2006-07: 6/13 (53.8%)

2007-08: 222/463 (47.9%)

2008-09: 229/544 (42.1%)

2009-10: 34/76 (44.7%)

 

Derek Roy

2005-06: 387/807 (48.0%)

2006-07: 548/1129 (48.5%)

2007-08: 713/1393 (51.2%)

2008-09: 745/1469 (50.7%)

2009-10: 37/74 (50.0%)

 

I wouldn't exactly put their faceoff abilities in the same category.

[inkman]

Having said that, I would gladly trade Connolly for another center. I would love to see Ryan Kesler on this Sabres squad. :thumbsup:

Why would anyone want him for more than a bag of pucks? He's not a difference maker and at this point looks to be an injury prone PP specialist.

[wjag]

He is like many Sabres, streaky. He can get on a roll for a few games and then all but disappear for a few more.

[LabattBlue]

Since the lockout:

 

Tim Connolly

2005-06: 359/844 (42.5%)

2006-07: 6/13 (53.8%)

2007-08: 222/463 (47.9%)

2008-09: 229/544 (42.1%)

2009-10: 34/76 (44.7%)

 

Derek Roy

2005-06: 387/807 (48.0%)

2006-07: 548/1129 (48.5%)

2007-08: 713/1393 (51.2%)

2008-09: 745/1469 (50.7%)

2009-10: 37/74 (50.0%)

 

I wouldn't exactly put their faceoff abilities in the same category.

Those are pathetic faceoff numbers for Connolly. The only excuse for being that bad is because you just don't care about getting better. You can't make me believe that if a player worked during an offseason with a faceoff "guru", that he couldn't get his percentage up to at least 50%.

 

Forget faceoff numbers...We haven't seen a lot of Connolly in recent years, but this years version other than being healthy, doesn't seem the same.

[SteamRoller72]

Since the lockout:

 

Tim Connolly

2005-06: 359/844 (42.5%)

2006-07: 6/13 (53.8%)

2007-08: 222/463 (47.9%)

2008-09: 229/544 (42.1%)

2009-10: 34/76 (44.7%)

 

Derek Roy

2005-06: 387/807 (48.0%)

2006-07: 548/1129 (48.5%)

2007-08: 713/1393 (51.2%)

2008-09: 745/1469 (50.7%)

2009-10: 37/74 (50.0%)

 

I wouldn't exactly put their faceoff abilities in the same category.

 

Like I stated earlier...sub-par. Average face off men prone to turnovers.

[inkman]

We haven't seen a lot of Connolly in recent years, but this years version other than being healthy, doesn't seem the same.

It's The Skill. B-)

[carpandean]

Both are turnover machines and sub-par face off men with tremendous offensive talent.

Like I stated earlier...sub-par. Average face off men prone to turnovers.

I stand by point. You initially said that both are sub-par face off men, which Connolly is and Roy is not (he's better than sub-par.) Now, you say that both are average face off men, which Roy is and Connolly is not (he's worse than average.)

 

There tends to be a face off specialist on each team, who is often a third or even fourth liner (ours is Gaustad, but there are other guys like Zigomanis, Malhotra, Moore, etc., who are consistently up there.) Those players tend to be in the 53%-60% range. Very few real scoring-line centers are up in that group (guys like Brind'Amour, Datsyuk and Thornton are the exceptions.) Most scoring-line centers are in the 47%-53% range, where Roy has consistently been. Very few are below 48% and Connolly has been well below that for most of his career.

[Skibum]

The season is young - give the guy a few more games to get it together. He was the best player on the team for a lot of games last year. You can't judge a player's entire career on how he plays the first six games of a season.

[rickshaw]

I'll say one thing about Connolly:

 

I feel that he isn't a game changing forward. To me, it seems as if many of his points come at unimportant times. He puts up his numbers when the game is already sealed.

 

He has a tremendous set of hands and has the ability to make some very nice plays.

 

Having said that, I would gladly trade Connolly for another center. I would love to see Ryan Kesler on this Sabres squad. :thumbsup:

 

 

Kesler will not be going anywhere. Vancouver loves him. The people love him and I would imagine he will be locked up for a very long time. He's a beauty and you're right, Buffalo fans would love him, but he's not going anywhere.

 

As for Connolly, there is no disputing that he's very talented and whether you like it or not, the team wins more with him in the lineup than without.

[carpandean]

As for Connolly, there is no disputing that he's very talented and whether you like it or not, the team wins more with him in the lineup than without.

Well, yeah, but when we take him out, it usually involves moving Hecht up to scoring-line center. Not really sure that says too much about his ability. When I close my eyes, I don't walk as straight, either. Doesn't mean that I have particularly good eyes.

[nfreeman]

I've been as big a TC supporter as anyone, but I haven't liked his first 6 games much at all. A few flashes here and there and some numbers, but overall not much to write home (or here) about. Something is missing on that TC-Pommer line. The easy answer is to say that it's hitting/physicality, but there are plenty of scoring lines that aren't physical.

 

I think perhaps it's more a matter of determination -- there are just too many shifts where a pass goes awry, the opposing D works it out of the corner, and then they're out of the zone. They do reasonably well on the backcheck, but there doesn't seem to be any intensity in the offensive zone. There's no pressure on the forecheck, and there's no pressure from skilled passing or shooting, because they aren't connecting on those plays.

 

Bottom line is that TC hasn't emerged as a true #1 center this year. Although his ice time might indicate that role, it's been more by default (since Roy is the only other candidate and he's played worse than TC) than by TC seizing the job. He might still get there, but as of now the team needs more out of him.

[rickshaw]

He might still get there, but as of now the team needs more out of him.

 

Correct

[todzilla]

I'm still optomistic. If the PP was finishing some of their good chances in a few of these games, he might be at an assist per game. He's dangerous with the puck and keeps teams from being aggressive on the PK. If he stays healthy, he'll be fine.

[Figster]

I'm still optomistic. If the PP was finishing some of their good chances in a few of these games, he might be at an assist per game. He's dangerous with the puck and keeps teams from being aggressive on the PK. If he stays healthy, he'll be fine.

 

 

I'm also still optimistic, however it seems like Tim Connolly has been playing the same way as long as I can remember. With a coach like Lindy Ruff, it seems like Lindy could have toned Connolly down a little by now and taught him to take care of the puck better.

[UncleWally]

This comes from a boob who believes Trent Edwards is a better QB than Jim Kelly. :blink: (It's been documented on TSW)

 

With that little nugget, I can't agree or believe anything this dog/cat has to say.

 

 

 

Ellis light's the lamp :thumbsup: