Free Agent Frenzy

[thesportsbuff]

New blog up about TC: http://thesportsbuff.com/?p=360

 

continue to rip

[static70]

New blog up about TC: http://thesportsbuff.com/?p=360

 

continue to rip

No rip on your articles facts, its "your" opinion of Connolly and his value to the organization on the ice that I take issue with.

In order to be considered a real asset for this team, he needs to be a clutch player, he is not. Putting his injuries aside for the moment, you really needed to address his presence on the ice other than his stats.

Clutch situations is where he will need to flourish IMO, and he has not done so, ever, in his career.

[thesportsbuff]

No rip on your articles facts, its "your" opinion of Connolly and his value to the organization on the ice that I take issue with.

In order to be considered a real asset for this team, he needs to be a clutch player, he is not. Putting his injuries aside for the moment, you really needed to address his presence on the ice other than his stats.

Clutch situations is where he will need to flourish IMO, and he has not done so, ever, in his career.

 

Game 1, Ottawa series, 2006. No doubt in my mind if we lose that game the entire series is different. Not only did Connolly score the game tying goal with seconds ticking away, but scored earlier in the game and set up Roy (i think twice, maybe just once). That's pretty clutch imo. So you can't say that he's NEVER done it.

 

I'll admit he's not a Chris Drury, but name some Sabres on our roster who are "clutch." You could make a case for Ryan Miller, but outside of the aforementioned 06 playoffs, he hasn't really shown it either. In fact, he showed quite the opposite this past post season.

 

I don't think 'clutch factor' is really a good way to judge a player's value.

[SwampD]

Tim Connolly has never scored 20 goals in a season. EVER!!

I don't care If it is because of injury or lack of sac.

 

That's not a guy you put the hopes of a team on.

[deluca67]

Tim Connolly has never scored 20 goals in a season. EVER!!

I don't care If it is because of injury or lack of sac.

 

That's not a guy you put the hopes of a team on.

Connolly is the poster child for Status Quo. Connolly would probably be better off playing for another team. He is a player that will never be accepted by the fans and will always be one of this franchises greatest disappointments. The trade that brought Connolly to the Sabres will always be considered one of the worst in franchise history. His first couple of years were a tremendous disappointment. Followed by a series of injuries. Yet somehow Status Quo inexplicably re-signs him for $9 million dollars.

 

Connolly does have value to the Sabres. That value is the cap space Connolly takes up. The $4.5 mil is far more valuable than anything Connolly can produce on the ice.

[Eleven]

Tim Connolly = Paul Cyr.

[FogBat]

Game 1, Ottawa series, 2006. No doubt in my mind if we lose that game the entire series is different. Not only did Connolly score the game tying goal with seconds ticking away, but scored earlier in the game and set up Roy (i think twice, maybe just once). That's pretty clutch imo. So you can't say that he's NEVER done it.

 

I'll admit he's not a Chris Drury, but name some Sabres on our roster who are "clutch." You could make a case for Ryan Miller, but outside of the aforementioned 06 playoffs, he hasn't really shown it either. In fact, he showed quite the opposite this past post season.

 

I don't think 'clutch factor' is really a good way to judge a player's value.

Well, every wannabe star has flashes of brilliance from time to time. It's just very difficult for most Sabres fans to look at Connolly as being a serious contributor. Getting knocked around the head a few times doesn't help, but neither does wasting $9M over 2 years on a player who has a tendency to get his cage rattled every once in a while.

[thesportsbuff]

Well, every wannabe star has flashes of brilliance from time to time. It's just very difficult for most Sabres fans to look at Connolly as being a serious contributor. Getting knocked around the head a few times doesn't help, but neither does wasting $9M over 2 years on a player who has a tendency to get his cage rattled every once in a while.

 

Thumbs up on the avatar :thumbsup:

 

How can you not look at Connolly as being a serious contributor? Did nobody watch Sabres games the last year and a half? Connolly scored two less goals in half a season than Pominville did the whole 2008-09 campaign, and don't give me that "Pominville also plays defense" excuse. Connolly was a +12 and played only the second half the season, IE the half that 50% of the games were Lalime and Tellqvist in the net practically handing out goals to the other team (Jason: -4). Last year Connolly out-scored Pommer in terms of points (Pommer had 7 more goals) in nine less games, and was a +10 compared to Pommer's +13. Pretty much dead even. If you want to talk about bad contracts, look no further than Pominville. Connolly has missed maybe ten or eleven games since he was awarded his contract in March of '09. He has done nothing BUT contribute, and you guys refuse to give him any credit because he dealt with some injuries over the last few years.

[FogBat]

Thumbs up on the avatar :thumbsup:

 

How can you not look at Connolly as being a serious contributor? Did nobody watch Sabres games the last year and a half? Connolly scored two less goals in half a season than Pominville did the whole 2008-09 campaign, and don't give me that "Pominville also plays defense" excuse. Connolly was a +12 and played only the second half the season, IE the half that 50% of the games were Lalime and Tellqvist in the net practically handing out goals to the other team (Jason: -4). Last year Connolly out-scored Pommer in terms of points (Pommer had 7 more goals) in nine less games, and was a +10 compared to Pommer's +13. Pretty much dead even. If you want to talk about bad contracts, look no further than Pominville. Connolly has missed maybe ten or eleven games since he was awarded his contract in March of '09. He has done nothing BUT contribute, and you guys refuse to give him any credit because he dealt with some injuries over the last few years.

YW.

 

As for Connolly, like I said, it's very difficult for most Sabres fans to take Connolly as a serious contributor. Obviously, you see something in him that most of us don't. Maybe he finally recovered from being charged by a bull in a china shop. Time will tell, but most of us aren't putting much stock in him.

 

Even with the numbers comparison you presented for all to see, you even have to admit that he's definitely not an elite player, and there's NFW he's HHOF material.

[thesportsbuff]

YW.

 

As for Connolly, like I said, it's very difficult for most Sabres fans to take Connolly as a serious contributor. Obviously, you see something in him that most of us don't. Maybe he finally recovered from being charged by a bull in a china shop. Time will tell, but most of us aren't putting much stock in him.

 

Even with the numbers comparison you presented for all to see, you even have to admit that he's definitely not an elite player, and there's NFW he's HHOF material.

 

I didn't say he's an elite player, but he's clearly better than he was in the pre-lockout seasons. All I'm saying is that injuries happen, they're part of the game, but the chances of Connolly getting hurt again just aren't that great, and when he's healthy he's one of the teams most productive players, albeit a little under the radar. Hopefully we'll find out this year.

[SabresneedaCup]

i agree with jack. connolly is very frustrating at times, but what player isnt. yeah the injuries over the years suck, but last year it seemed like he was done getting injured all the time. except when he broke his foot in the playoffs thats just bad timing. either way, connolly is the most talented player the sabres have, there is no doubt there. i also read that if connolly doesnt get 20 goals it means hes no good. that makes no sense. connolly is a playmaker not a goal scorer. and why does a player have to be clutch to be a good hockey player? that makes no sense either. even the very best players in the league arent clutch sometimes. i dont understand the reasons as to why people dislike connolly, except maybe for the injury problems.

[SwampD]

i agree with jack. connolly is very frustrating at times, but what player isnt. yeah the injuries over the years suck, but last year it seemed like he was done getting injured all the time. except when he broke his foot in the playoffs thats just bad timing. either way, connolly is the most talented player the sabres have, there is no doubt there. i also read that if connolly doesnt get 20 goals it means hes no good. that makes no sense. connolly is a playmaker not a goal scorer. and why does a player have to be clutch to be a good hockey player? that makes no sense either. even the very best players in the league arent clutch sometimes. i dont understand the reasons as to why people dislike connolly, except maybe for the injury problems.

You didn't actually read that.

 

Connolly may be the most talented guy on the team. In fact, I think he absolutely is. But that certainly doesn't make him the best hockey player on the team. That makes him all the more frustrating. He should be better and it appears that his effort level is the only thing keeping him from being elite.

[SabresneedaCup]

You didn't actually read that.

 

Connolly may be the most talented guy on the team. In fact, I think he absolutely is. But that certainly doesn't make him the best hockey player on the team. That makes him all the more frustrating. He should be better and it appears that his effort level is the only thing keeping him from being elite.

i can agree with this, but can we ever honestly know how hard a player is really trying? i think he tries, just not hard enough, it seemed like he tried in the playoffs, i saw him trying to hit people.

[static70]

Tim Connolly = Paul Cyr.

The only difference is I actually like Cyr. Just met him again at the N.T. gym for an alumni basketball game. Great guy.

[SwampD]

i can agree with this, but can we ever honestly know how hard a player is really trying? i think he tries, just not hard enough, it seemed like he tried in the playoffs, i saw him trying to hit people.

Yes. Yes we can. And he doesn't. How many more replays do you need to see where he is standing straight up while backchecking, allowing the trailing forward (or Chara in the case of these playoffs) to get a shot off uncontested right in front of Miller.

[SabresneedaCup]

Yes. Yes we can. And he doesn't. How many more replays do you need to see where he is standing straight up while backchecking, allowing the trailing forward (or Chara in the case of these playoffs) to get a shot off uncontested right in front of Miller.

saying a player trys or not is completely based off opinion. theres no way you can ever honestly know. and is that why people dont like connolly? cause hes a bad back checker? plenty of players are bad back checkers but are still good players.

[SwampD]

saying a player trys or not is completely based off opinion. theres no way you can ever honestly know. and is that why people dont like connolly? cause hes a bad back checker? plenty of players are bad back checkers but are still good players.

Good players skate hard in both directions.

 

 

Even though I've given many, I don't really need a reason to not like Connolly. I look forward to the day when he is not a Sabre. He is Gray Cloud.

[SabresneedaCup]

Good players skate hard in both directions.

 

 

Even though I've given many, I don't really need a reason to not like Connolly. I look forward to the day when he is not a Sabre. He is Gray Cloud.

well i dont have a problem with your opinion, i disagree with it. connolly makes this team better, if hes not on it we are defiantely a crappier team. good players skate hard in both directions? yeah thats true, but if they dont backcheck it doesnt mean they are a bad player. daniel briere did not back check. is he a great player? yes. and i think if connolly played wing, hed be better.

[static70]

well i dont have a problem with your opinion, i disagree with it. connolly makes this team better, if hes not on it we are defiantely a crappier team. good players skate hard in both directions? yeah thats true, but if they dont backcheck it doesnt mean they are a bad player. daniel briere did not back check. is he a great player? yes. and i think if connolly played wing, hed be better.

I agree Connolly makes "this" team better. But, if Darcy were to bring in a Savard type center, Connolly is very expendable IMO. He is the first one I'd like to see gone from this team. Not that I hate the guy, I just am of the opinion that he isn't the right player for a Cup run is all.

[SabresneedaCup]

I agree Connolly makes "this" team better. But, if Darcy were to bring in a Savard type center, Connolly is very expendable IMO. He is the first one I'd like to see gone from this team. Not that I hate the guy, I just am of the opinion that he isn't the right player for a Cup run is all.

why is he not the right player for a cup run? maybe he shouldnt be leading the team but how is he not the right player for a cup run? this doesnt make sense.

[static70]

why is he not the right player for a cup run? maybe he shouldnt be leading the team but how is he not the right player for a cup run? this doesnt make sense.

Like I said, its just my opinion, but he was unable to contribute to the teams run this past playoffs. I just don't see Connolly as the center this team needs on line 2. I think Jack gave an example on his clutch performance abilities, and I respect that Jack is of the opinion that Connolly, since he has maintained his health, has contributed. I just don't see him as a real component to a Cup run is all, and Jack did add he scored the goal that tied the game against Ottawa, but thats comparing Apples to Oranges. Drury and Briere aren't here anymore, and that puts more emphasis from opposing teams on Connolly. I don't believe he can pull through is all.

[SabresneedaCup]

Like I said, its just my opinion, but he was unable to contribute to the teams run this past playoffs. I just don't see Connolly as the center this team needs on line 2. I think Jack gave an example on his clutch performance abilities, and I respect that Jack is of the opinion that Connolly, since he has maintained his health, has contributed. I just don't see him as a real component to a Cup run is all, and Jack did add he scored the goal that tied the game against Ottawa, but thats comparing Apples to Oranges. Drury and Briere aren't here anymore, and that puts more emphasis from opposing teams on Connolly. I don't believe he can pull through is all.

i completely disagree. connolly definately has attributes that most team would like.

[SwampD]

i completely disagree. connolly definately has attributes that most team would like.

Most teams want a floating sourpuss who takes shifts off and is often injured? Who knew? :lol:

[SabresneedaCup]

Most teams want a floating sourpuss who takes shifts off and is often injured? Who knew? :lol:

whats floating? more than half of the nhl is sourpuss. you dont have a clue if he takes shifts off, and barring injuries, hes a good player.

[SwampD]

whats floating? more than half of the nhl is sourpuss. you dont have a clue if he takes shifts off, and barring injuries, hes a good player.

That's what I've heard.