Is This Tim Connolly's Year?
by Rafal Ladysz on Nov 10, 2009 1:31 PM EST
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PrintAndrei Markov, Ilya Kovalchuk, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin, Roberto Luongo, Marc Savard, Sergei Gonchar, Johan Franzen, Simon Gagne, Sheldon Souray, Cam Ward, Eric Staal, Milan Lucic, Devin Setoguchi, Chris Drury and Daniel Sedin.
Quite the compilation wouldn't you say? With the list of injured NHL stars growing by the week day, it's almost surprising that Tim Connolly hasn't been affected in any way, shape or form. The often delicate center is leading Buffalo in points (13) through 14 contests appearing perfectly fit.
Connolly's health is extremely vital to this organization's success. An elite puck-handler, the 28-year-old is creative, owns outstanding vision, prompt movement and soft hands. If it comes down to a single player covering him, chances are he'll make them look like an amateur.
On the powerplay, he is dangerous because of his aptitude of finding the open man, firing a shot in search of a deflection and the patience he displays. He's useful on the penalty kill as well eliminating crucial seconds with his slick movement.
His injury woes began in 2005/2006 and although Connolly totaled a career-high 55 points, it was in just 63 games. Over the next three seasons, a concussion followed by a bone spur, cracked vertebrae and a broken rib held him to 98 combined matches where he managed 88 points.
With a complete schedule played, there's no doubt Connolly can be an 80-point producer and possibly more. However, his body is always cause for concern and he must get a full year under his belt without issues.
Signed to a two-year contract last March, Sabres fans are hoping this is the season that see's Connolly play 80 games for the first time since 2003. Lord knows he's overdue.
This is a fanpost written by a member of the community, it doesn't necessarily express the views or opinions of Die by the Blade
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I just hope you didn’t jinx him. I have always been a big fan of Tim Connolly. He is one of the most talented players I have seen play. I still think he is capable of more than we have seen and we have seen a lot out him. I pray he stays healthy.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
Nice piece here Rafal…
An elite puck-handler, the 28-year-old is creative, owns outstanding vision, prompt movement and soft hands.
There are times where I think he’s in the top five puck handlers that I’ve ever seen. I almost wonder if he has too much talent, if that makes any sense.
It does make sense
I often think he has too much talent as well. He does things that leave his team mates in awe and that can be bad.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 11, 2009 9:19 AM EST up reply actions
It’s funny all of these players getting injured yet guys like Connolly and Gaborik remain healthy. In Buffalo, he is hands down the most talented player aside from Miller. I’ve seen him make defenseman look silly numerous times. That goal i linked against Ottawa in the 2006 playoffs remains my favourite. Thanks for the comments.
Just FYI...
I am an indie filmmaker from the southtowns, and I am going to be releasing a video titled “Tim Connolly 2005-09 Highlights” sometime in the next 2 weeks.
I have 2 full length films to finish by the end of the year, but after seeing a bunch of decent to below-average Connolly highlight reels on YouTube, I decided to start this little side project to see what I could do with it.
It’s turning out nicely, I’ll keep you guys informed when it comes out on YouTube. Peace.
I'm tempted to just "yawn" here...
But, I won’t. Instead I’ll wish you well on the project. I myself would hope you’d be kind enough to give us here a sneak preview before it hits youtube. Also, I really hope you have two goals of his that were vaguely similiar. Both had him coming down the left wing against the Leafs, turning a defensemen or two into a pretzel, and then making the goalie look foolish. I wish I good give out more info on the goals, but I can’t. And, I’m too darn lazy to look ’em up.
yes........
I know exactly which one you are talking about, and it’s already in it. They were wearing their awesome red third jerseys at the time.
The trouble with getting all the footage from this off the internet it that 90% of it has horrible audio and visual quality, or someone put some gay music over imporant highlights. There were 5 or 6 awesome Connolly plays that I can’t use in the video because the quality was so bad, which is really sad. I’ve had to track stuff down from youtube, to the Sabres website archives…. it’s been a royal b|tch. In fact, I put an ad on craigslist calling for anyone who has footage of his 05/06 playoff goals, and I already found a few which is cool. I pretty much traded beer for the footage, lol. At least I know how to get a project done.
The video shows not only goals, but great passing and other plays. I can’t say I’ll include his “behind the back” moves that didn’t result in a goal; so many videos on YouTube show them and it makes it look like he can’t finish the move. If there’s extra space, I’ll include those.
You have to be kidding.
Tim Connolly is terrible.
The evidence:
1) He has only scored more than 15 goals twice in his entire career, 50 points just once.
2) He has played only 331 of 664 games with the Sabres (not counting playoffs), despite getting paid $4.5 million.
3) He has been a career negative player in the plus/minus count despite his ‘prolific’ scoring.
4) He never hits.
5) He never plays with heart, which, as you know, counts in Buffalo.
I could go on and on, but this is a pretty good start. He has to be the only NHL player in history to get $4.5 million per year for playing half his team’s games and scoring just 15 goals.
I have watched every game this year and specifically tried to track how often Connolly gives the puck away. It seems that he does so more than any other forward and perhaps just behind Sekera and Lydman for the team lead. Perhaps. If one counts giveaways when the Sabres are on the PP, he is clearly the leader.
Why don’t the Sabres get rid of this guy? Why are the Sabres so high on him? Clarke MacArthur is going to beat his production and have a better +/- and play more games and yet get 1/3 of the money. Why don’t the Sabres use that money more wisely, for example; another top defenseman or another quality scoring threat?
There is no denying that Connolly has had some injury issues, okay…many injury issues. That is really the only part of your argument that is valid. Spinning the stats to make a point is not going to fool anyone.
1) He has only scored more than 15 goals twice in his entire career, 50 points just once.
That is technically correct but he had 19 goals and 47 points in 48 games. He had 40 points in 48 games the year before that.
3) He has been a career negative player in the plus/minus count despite his ‘prolific’ scoring.
This is just flat out wrong. He was a negative player his two seasons with the Islanders and once with the Sabres, 2002 when the team was pathetic. He was a plus player the last four seasons and last year, only Stafford had a better plus/minus.
4) He never hits.
Neither did Wayne Gretzky. Connolly is not Gretzky but he is an offensive skill player and not a grinder.
5) He never plays with heart, which, as you know, counts in Buffalo.
Mot even worth arguing because it’s not something that can be proven.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 14, 2009 11:57 PM EST up reply actions
Yup, you called it.
Tim Connolly is terrible. He’s leading the team in points, who does that?? The guy is a bum.
No Spin
Those are the facts; there is no spin. And comparing TC to WG is like comparing a punch bug to a Formula One car.
Last night against Philly was a prime example:
1) Lots of PP mins, no points.
2) No hits
3) And then, when the game could have been put away, he turned the puck over FOUR consecutive times in under 50 seconds that led directly to a shorty that put the Flyers right back into the game.
He’s a more expensive, less successful version of Max Afginogenov.
You can respond directly to another person’s comment by hitting the “reply” button. Then again, it doesn’t surprise me that someone who’s making the arguments you’re making would have trouble figuring that out.
You give 5 pieces of “evidence” – 2 are just flat out wrong, 2 are irrelevant, and the last one is that he has had unfortunate luck with injuries, which is in fact the only thing you said that made any sense.
"We want to win immediately. To say you're building is an incomplete sentence. ... You're building for a future coach and general manager."
-Marv Levy
Now...Now
I don’t agree with his points either but we should refrain from personal attacks. We are all entitled to our opinion and that is what makes sports so much fun.
With that being said…I 100% agree with you. The points made about Connolly seem to be more of a personal vendetta than actual fact.
D.O.
www.diebytheblade.com - An SB nation destination for Sabres fans everywhere
by David Oleksy on Nov 15, 2009 8:47 PM EST up reply actions
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