HF - Flyer's Player Profile - Tim Connolly

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Mandaou

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Mar 6, 2002
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Second HF Flyers edition.

Dec05.

FLYER PLAYER PROFILE – CONNOLLY 6’1’ 200 pds, 1st Rd (5th overall) NYI 1999

Tim Connolly struggled to meet heavy expectations after being selected 5th overall by the NYI in the 1999 draft. Blessed with an overabundance of talent, Connolly exploded on the scene and displayed tremendous stick handling, vision and playmaking ability. As a rookie he put up 34 points on a weak NYI team. However, after an impressive start in NY, Connolly struggled in his second season but still produced 41 points.

In 2001 the Islander’s traded Connolly to Buffalo along with Tyler Pyatt for Michael Peca. As a Sabre, Connolly improved his production to 45 points on a team that was not offensively gifted but much more was expected of him after the trade for fan favourite Michael Peca. Fans and media started blaming Connolly for their misfortune and the added pressure resulted in Connolly having his worst season in the NHL in 2002-03 as he finished with 25 points.

The following season, Connolly hired personal trainers and worked on his game in the offseason but he suffered a severe concussion in training camp, which caused him to miss the season. The “lockout†season followed and anxious to play competitive hockey Connolly went overseas and restarted his career with a good showing in the Swiss league.

Fast forward to the start of the 2005-06 season; there was much debate in the Buffalo organization on whether to release Connolly outright before training camp and not offer him a contract as he was scheduled to earn over $1 million dollars. Buffalo management still swayed by Tim’s tremendous talents decided to offer him a one-year deal. Connolly accepted and has not disappointed.

After a slow start, Connolly has 23 points in his last 26 games and according to Buffalo media and scouts was deserving of an Olympic spot on the US team, outplaying many of the players selected, including teammate Chris Drury, Doug Weight and Keith Tkachuk and other US veteran players.
Connolly’s snubbing from the US Olympic team in Turin could have resulted in not been placed on the preliminary list that was submitted in the fall to place candidates in the Olympic drug-testing pool. Team USA did not reveal its list like other countries so Connolly does not now if he was eligible. At the time, nobody expected Connolly to break through after all the challenges he’s had to overcome the last few years.
Certainly Connolly’s play could not have been at issue, as he’s doing everything for Buffalo this season. He’s the point man on the Sabre second PP unit and is one of Buffalo’s top PK specialists. Besides being tied on the team in points he leads all forwards in the + - category.
If Buffalo can surround him with some top line talent on the wings, Tim is capable of elevating his game to an elite level if he hasn’t already. Incredibly still only 24 years, Connolly may even start to surpass the lofty projections put on him when he was selected 5th overall in the NHL draft.
 
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Tampa GM

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Tim Connolly was a Tamp Bay draftpick in the HFNHL draft of 99. Sedin, Beech, Connolly and Safranov(?) was all selected in the first round by Tampa.
 

HFNHL Commish

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Feb 28, 2002
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Great article, Claudio!

It's always dangerous when people rush to judgment on a player breaking into the NHL at the tender age of 18. Connolly was rushed into service for an absolutely awful Islanders team, played well immediately, and then became a target after he failed to single-handedly turn the franchise around in two seasons. Then, he had the misfortune of having to replace a very popular Michael Peca in Buffalo. Hard to believe Connolly's not yet 25. Glad to see him putting up numbers this season!

Clearly, teams like Detroit and Colorado have proven the virtue of bringing players along slowly over the past decade. The Red Wings didn't bring Henrik Zetterberg over until 22, and their steady hand with Jason Williams appears to be paying off. The Avalanche brought Chris Drury and Milan Hejduk along slowly, with great success, and now appear to be duplicating that success with John-Michael Liles and Marek Svatos. On the flipside, I would argue that Eric Fichaud, Connolly, Taylor Pyatt, and even Rick DiPietro have all had their growth stunted by the Islanders' tendency to bring players along too quickly.

Just my observations, obtained in a completely unscientific fashion. ;)
 

Ohio Jones

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Feb 28, 2002
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You could assemble an excellent team from the players Milbury has traded away in the past decade. In addition to Connolly and Pyatt, you could talk about Luongo and Jokinen, McCabe, Spezza and Chara, Dumont, Torres, Kolnik, Mezei, Palffy, Redden and Bertuzzi.

Oi vey. :shakehead
 
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