Line-up changes

[Bender]

Wow. Sorry Sarge, your hate for Connolly is unreal. Who makes going from 3rd line centre to 2nd line winger a bad thing?

edit: 1000 posts

Well, he better make the most of it. I think the coaching staff is throwing him a large bone here because in my opinion, he's not there on merit.

Because Kulemin has been producing up to his standards, right?

This is what I meant when there are other players on the team that are underproducing as well. Over focusing on TC isn't really fair, especially when there is no comparison made to other players on the team who aren't producing either.

Kulemin, Lombardi, MacArthur, Connolly, Armstrong are all either having rough years or are under producing. To point to Connolly only doesn't make much sense to me.

I agree with your general point but IMO Connolly has been all but a ghost. Kulemin as an example is noticed every game for at least attempts to score as well as some pretty nice defensive efforts. Connolly? Not so much.

Sure, but Connolly isn't a one trick pony "if he isn't scoring he's useless" player based on Busta's analysis of the PK. Kulemin is in the same spot as Frattin right now: Doing all the little things, but it doesn't really matter too much if he's not contributing. I think there's a bit too much emphasis placed on those kind of visual things. To me playing physical doesn't always mean you're playing well, and playing a quiet game doesn't mean you're playing poorly.

For me I think Kulemin has been more disappointing than Connolly.

I think Kulemin is contributing though.  There have been so many plays resulting in goals for Grabovski or MacArthur where Kulemin doesn't get an assist but where he is the guy making the screen, or he did something else along the way.

In some cases, and this really requires watching the player every game, the stats mislead you - look at Gagner's 8 point night: one of his assists in that game was after he GAVE THE PUCK AWAY to Chicago, who then gave it away to the Edmonton D and then the D scored.  Gagner got an assist for giving the puck away.

Obviously just one example that you can't draw a big conclusion from, but just for emphasis. 

I dunno, he's just reminding me of ol' stone hands Polkahonsky right now

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I dunno, he's just reminding me of ol' stone hands Polkahonsky right now

He's just having an incredibly snakebit season - like the things that went well for him before offensively, are just going the opposite way this season.  He's got the history of doing it, so we'll need longer to see if the previous years were the real deal or a fluke.  But I still see the same consistent effort out of the guy, and I don't think he forgot how to score - he's just hitting the post instead of the net for whatever reason.  We all know prolonged slumps can snowball out of control, it sucks for us and it must be insanely frustrating for him.

 

[maplesyrup]

You would actually trade a 31 year old Connolly for a 39 Year old Jason Blake? The same guy who had 32pts last year? The same guy who's been injured for the majority of this year? The same guy who is small, gets bumped off the puck, who's only move is to skate around the net and miss, who is a complete defensive black hole? For almost the same money??

Again, you can criticize him all you want, and that's fine, but when you'd rather have Jason "Old Man" Blake over TC then, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, then your criticism goes from pointed to completely irrational.

I absolutely would because I feel Blake would probably contribute as muck to this team as Connolly is and trading for Blake today assures neither guy is a Leaf next year which in my opinion is a good thing.

 

[maplesyrup]

Wow. Sorry Sarge, your hate for Connolly is unreal. Who makes going from 3rd line centre to 2nd line winger a bad thing?

edit: 1000 posts

Well, he better make the most of it. I think the coaching staff is throwing him a large bone here because in my opinion, he's not there on merit.

Because Kulemin has been producing up to his standards, right?

This is what I meant when there are other players on the team that are underproducing as well. Over focusing on TC isn't really fair, especially when there is no comparison made to other players on the team who aren't producing either.

Kulemin, Lombardi, MacArthur, Connolly, Armstrong are all either having rough years or are under producing. To point to Connolly only doesn't make much sense to me.

It's possible you've missed the potss where I point to Kulemin and Armstrong as performing well without the puck and being engaged physically. I can see something tangible there. Moreover, Mac has what? 17 goals? I don't see much reason to harp on him though he could be doing a touch better I suppose... and Lombardi? As busta points out is coming off a major injury so I think it's unfair of you'd think I'd point to him as a problem.

Look, Kulemin is struggling but so is Connolly... However, one is stronger defensively. I see no reason why Kulemin should be losing his gig to him.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

You would actually trade a 31 year old Connolly for a 39 Year old Jason Blake? The same guy who had 32pts last year? The same guy who's been injured for the majority of this year? The same guy who is small, gets bumped off the puck, who's only move is to skate around the net and miss, who is a complete defensive black hole? For almost the same money??

Again, you can criticize him all you want, and that's fine, but when you'd rather have Jason "Old Man" Blake over TC then, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, then your criticism goes from pointed to completely irrational.

I absolutely would because I feel Blake would probably contribute as muck to this team as Connolly is and trading for Blake today assures neither guy is a Leaf next year which in my opinion is a good thing.

On pace for less points, and plays no PK time whatsoever, is equivalent to contributing as much as Connolly how?

 

[maplesyrup]

You would actually trade a 31 year old Connolly for a 39 Year old Jason Blake? The same guy who had 32pts last year? The same guy who's been injured for the majority of this year? The same guy who is small, gets bumped off the puck, who's only move is to skate around the net and miss, who is a complete defensive black hole? For almost the same money??

Again, you can criticize him all you want, and that's fine, but when you'd rather have Jason "Old Man" Blake over TC then, and I mean this in the nicest possible way, then your criticism goes from pointed to completely irrational.

I absolutely would because I feel Blake would probably contribute as muck to this team as Connolly is and trading for Blake today assures neither guy is a Leaf next year which in my opinion is a good thing.

On pace for less points, and plays no PK time whatsoever, is equivalent to contributing as much as Connolly how?

Alright... I concede Connolly might be the better player but I don't think it's by a landslide. I don't think Connolly is a lights out penalty killer and I think if the opportunity arises for Burke to purge himself of Connolly and his cap hit for next year he should. 

 

[Deebo]

Siegel says Kieth Aulie will come up and step right into the line-up, I guess that means Komisarek will remain in the press box.

 

[Erndog]

Siegel says Kieth Aulie will come up and step right into the line-up, I guess that means Komisarek will remain in the press box.

Aulie paired with Phaneuf?

It's funny... he always goes from AHLer to top pairing NHLer when he gets recalled. 

Komisareks time here is obviously up (too bad his contract isn't).

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Siegel says Kieth Aulie will come up and step right into the line-up, I guess that means Komisarek will remain in the press box.

So, Gunnarsson is hurt bad? Or do we even know anything more?

 

[Mikhail Bloodnovsky]

Siegel says Kieth Aulie will come up and step right into the line-up, I guess that means Komisarek will remain in the press box.

Wow, this Komisarek deal is looking worse everyday.

 

[Deebo]

Siegel says Kieth Aulie will come up and step right into the line-up, I guess that means Komisarek will remain in the press box.

So, Gunnarsson is hurt bad? Or do we even know anything more?

IR, at least 7 days.. also according to Siegel, some kind of ankle injury.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

IR, at least 7 days.. also according to Siegel, some kind of ankle injury.

Thanks. Sounds like a sprain, but I would imagine it will take more than 7 days to heal, or at least that's been my experience.

 

[Deebo]

Now Hendricks says Komisarek will get back in

Edit: Siegel now also reporting Komisarek will play.

 

[maplesyrup]

IR, at least 7 days.. also according to Siegel, some kind of ankle injury.

Thanks. Sounds like a sprain, but I would imagine it will take more than 7 days to heal, or at least that's been my experience.

Sounds relatively minor... Thank God.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Sounds relatively minor... Thank God.

Yeah, hopefully that is true.

 

[ZBBM]

Now Hendricks says Komisarek will get back in

Edit: Siegel now also reporting Komisarek will play.

Good grief, I'd hope so.  To have had Aulie leapfrog him is tantamount to saying, "You're Fingered, Mikey."

 

[Zee]

Gunnarson out, Komisarek in?  We are so screwed.

 

[freer]

is it a bad thing if I want a player to get hurt again. I remember when everyone made fun of how slow Allison was. I compare Connolley to him. But he scored 18 goals and had 62 pts and only cost us 1.5 mil. I hope he falls down and they have to call Kadri back up. Sorry if I affended anyone with this post

 

[maplesyrup]

Well this helps...

David Alter @DavidAlter590
Keith Aulie assigned to the #Marlies, paving the way for Gunnarsson's return tomorrow. #Leafs

 

[L K]

Well this helps...

David Alter @DavidAlter590
Keith Aulie assigned to the #Marlies, paving the way for Gunnarsson's return tomorrow. #Leafs

Phew.  I really hope Rosehill was repeatedly lashed and locked in the dungeon.  Even if it was a nothing play, it irks me somewhat that a guy who really shouldn't be getting an NHL paycheck injured one of our best defensemen.