TSN: Leafs' Connolly placed on waivers - McKenzie: Cleared waivers.

[Polk High]

Nonis signed Connolly, not Burke.

Burke was in the Middle East. Nonis was doing the wheelin-and-dealin'. Just to reassure that your facts are straight.

Although Nonis did the physical work I'm pretty sure that Burke would have directed him to sign Connolly, and probably told him the max he would want him signed for as well.

 

[darty]

Nonis signed Connolly, not Burke.

Burke was in the Middle East. Nonis was doing the wheelin-and-dealin'. Just to reassure that your facts are straight.

Do we know one way or another who is ultimately responsible for the signing?

Maybe Burke told Nonis to offer Connolly this much at this term and sign him if he takes it before he left on his trip. Maybe one of the other management guys was pushing for Connolly and Burke/Nonis decided to trust their judgment.
Maybe the silver fox advised them to go for Connolly

 

[ULF_55]

This has to mean Kadri time is finally here.
With him being pretty hard on Kadri yesterday then clearly opening up a spot for him today.

Trading Bozak for Lu becomes kind of harder now too.

Thank goodness.

No more excuses.

 

[Keeping it Blue]

Are you sure about that? Burke brought these guys in. Burke is loyal to a fault with his players and coaches that he "brings" in.

He bought out Burke-ordained Todd Bertuzzi just one year after signing him to an 8 million dollar deal. But don't let the facts get in the way.

Yeah the same guy that he allowed Wilson to run out of town. The guy that in all likelihood wouldn't have re-signed with Burke - and you'd be looking trading Brett Lebda for 3.5M in Lombos salary LOL

That Franson yes.

You realize that GMs were not aloud to sign players during the lockout? It's amazing Burke was expected to make all moves the second after the MoU.

Honestly, what's the point in digging up the past?

Yup its not a good idea to make room for Kadri/Frattin on our roster - but inside play Tim Connolly and Lombardi? Give your head a shake. This isn't about money - this is about icing the most competitive roster.

I'm fairly sure you missed the poster's point. Ulf cleared it up for you a few more posts below.

A buyout of connolly wouldn't even count as one of the amnesty buyouts since connolly is a ufa before next season.

but a buyout doesn't give us any benefit anyways. We lose a useful player, save no capspace, and get no benefit at all.

Now this is interesting. This would mean a buyout would be very unlikely. Are you even aloud to do non-amnesty buyouts at the moment? John is correct thought, he's not been placed on unconditional waivers.




I don't think either of these moves would have not been done with Burke at the helm. Frankly, there is no reason to release him from a GM's point of view. This has to be at the recommendation of Carlyle.

I really hope they don't buy him out. Maybe someone will take him for half price (I know re-entry is gone, I mean in a trade while retaining half salary)

 

[TrueBlue86]

Nonis signed Connolly, not Burke.

Burke was in the Middle East. Nonis was doing the wheelin-and-dealin'. Just to reassure that your facts are straight.

it's more complicated than that

even if he did sign connolly it was under burke's command and to fit him in burke's vision for the team

burke was the #1 guy and his team IMO

 

[Anthrax442]

Send his ass to Marlies. Let him do some good there.

 

[Yosho]

Although Nonis did the physical work I'm pretty sure that Burke would have directed him to sign Connolly, and probably told him the max he would want him signed for as well.

Do we know one way or another who is ultimately responsible for the signing?

Maybe Burke told Nonis to offer Connolly this much at this term and sign him if he takes it before he left on his trip. Maybe one of the other management guys was pushing for Connolly and Burke/Nonis decided to trust their judgment.
Maybe the silver fox advised them to go for Connolly

True, we'll never know. Let's just not get too comfortable putting all of these mistakes solely on Burke. Nonis had quite a bit of influence on what happened.

 

[feeel10]

well... with lombardi and connoly both off.. whats our line up going foward ? I'm happy Nonis is opening spots for players who deserved it.. but arent we lacking depth right now? What happens if injuries hit our foward group.. right now our line up looks like:
lupul-bozak-kessel
JVR-grabo-kulemin
MAC-kadri-frattin
komarov-MCclement-brown
steckel and connoly as a callup if he clears waivers..

Am I missing someone?

 

[-DeMo-]

really surprised we could get a 4th or 3rd for Lombardi and nothing for Connolly via trade. Connolly clearly was the better player last year could still be a decent 3rd line and top 6 replacement player. whereas Lombardi looked done last year.

 

[colchar]

I look forward to Tim Connolly joining Jonas Gustavsson as ex-Leafs who will excel elsewhere now. I'd say around 50-60 points from Tim.

He hit 65 points once in his career and 55 in another year but, other than those two seasons, he has never even hit 50 but now, just because he is an ex-Leaf, he will all of a sudden become a 50-60 point guy? Right....

 

[Polk High]

True, we'll never know. Let's just not get too comfortable putting all of these mistakes solely on Burke. Nonis had quite a bit of influence on what happened.

Agreed, Nonis must have had some input but the final decision was ultimately Burke's.

 

[LeafsMonster]

True. I don't know how lombo got a pick and connolly got nothing. Connolly can rebound on another team and be pretty good.

 

[Mess]

2 years. It was a good signing.

Define good?

If placing the player on waivers and potentially buying him out if he clears is considered good for only a 2 year deal, then what is your definition of bad?

Dumping a player you want rid of certainly puts a strain on "good" if you ask me.

Good is the description attached to the cleanup job underway, not the acquiring job.!!!

 

[Polk High]

really surprised we could get a 4th or 3rd for Lombardi and nothing for Connolly via trade. Connolly clearly was the better player last year could still be a decent 3rd line and top 6 replacement player. whereas Lombardi looked done last year.

Lombardi fit in well with Phoenix before and they are probably hoping it will work out again. I don't think he would have gotten us a pick from any other teams.

 

[thebear]

Lombardi got a pick specifically from phoenix because he had a career year in Phx a few years back, so they feel they know what they are getting and feel Lombardi can get that level of play back. Doubt there was much interest in Lombardi from any other teams.

 

[TootooTrain]

Right what was Brian doing? Buying his time? LOL No way he would have waived Connolly in his last year after just signing him ... Brian was incapable of accepting failure - we'd be riding BOTH Lombo/Connolly into the season - and Franson would not have re-signed.

Thank god for Nonis/Cope saving this franchise.

He traded a 13th forward and put another on waivers. Let's relax a little but huh.

You're right about one thing though Burke would never have done this but not for the reason you stated. He's a loyal guy, sometimes to his own demise. Once he adds "his guys" to the team, he will do everything other than cutting/trading them.

 

[Budsfan]

well... with lombardi and connoly both off.. whats our line up going foward ? I'm happy Nonis is opening spots for players who deserved it.. but arent we lacking depth right now? What happens if injuries hit our foward group.. right now our line up looks like:
lupul-bozak-kessel
JVR-grabo-kulemin
MAC-kadri-frattin
komarov-MCclement-brown
steckel and connoly as a callup if he clears waivers..

Am I missing someone?

Practice Lines

Forwards:
Lupul - Bozak - Kessel
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
van Riemsdyk - Kadri - Komarov
Brown - McClement - Orr
Steckel - Frattin

Defence:
Kostka - Phaneuf
Gunnarsson - Komisarek
Liles - Franson

Goaltenders:
Reimer
Scrivens

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/icechips/

 

[colchar]

Is there a need to clear cap room in Toronto... other than for a trade?
...or is Nonis simply cleaning up Burke's messes, to streamline the kids into the depth/line up etc.

They save virtually nothing in cap room. This is not about money, it is about a roster spot.

 

[Cor]

He hit 65 points once in his career and 55 in another year but, other than those two seasons, he has never even hit 50 but now, just because he is an ex-Leaf, he will all of a sudden become a 50-60 point guy? Right....

I have Lombardi down to get an 80 point season

 

[TMLife*]

Buffalo could probably use Connolly back? With their depleted center depth he could fit right in

 

[BlueBaron]

Are you sure about that? Burke brought these guys in. Burke is loyal to a fault with his players and coaches that he "brings" in.

This is starting to look like the whole Kadri debacle was Burke blindly or just too loyal to Wilson, who didn't like the kid - for whatever excuse (lack of defensive capabilities). So Burke brings in the likes of Lombardi, Timmy C, Steckel, even guys like Rickard Wallin ... which created the illusion that Nazem wasen't ready...and we have to bring in more capable bodies to "fill the role(s)".

Gross. I wasen't impressed with Dave Nonis' tenure in Vancouver...but he's starting down the right path thus far.... He's getting rid of the dead weight.... I just hope he doesn't bring in dead weight. I think Carlyle and Nonis have a great relationship and hopefully Nonis will listen to Carlyle when it comes down to who should stay/go.

Yet he traded schenn and bought out armstrong ?

 

[TYayo]

The end of L.A.C.K....Komi must be sweating bullets lol

Wouldn't be surprised if Buffalo (Very Young down the middle...familiar) or Van (Injuries) don't take a flyer on him with only 1 year left on contract and this years Cap still high

 

[EucaLEAFtys]

Let's revisit this after Nonis brings in his own garbage contracts.

Of course, you must be assuming that Nonis will be in the GM seat long enough to do something that stupid.

I, however, don't. Either way, I highly doubt he could do any worse than Burke did.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Dunno bout that Mess,

Connolly was signed to buy the kids some time to continue developping in the AHL.

GM thinks kids are now ready, stop-gap C goes bye-bye. He fulfilled his destiny.

Also Twitter suggests it won't be a buyout. May go trade route if no one claims him on waivers.

Makes more sense to do that. He has cap dump value.

 

[Fire Lindy]

Buffalo could probably use Connolly back? With their depleted center depth he could fit right in

No chance..guy has bad worth ethic and is just an injury risk now, that's why we got rid of him. Buffalo fans/media would completely lose their minds if the Sabres brought back Hecht AND Connolly