Sonny Milano

[Theo Von]

Watch from the 5 minute mark til the end. Torts is asked about Sonny’s play from last night. It is beyond evident that he is in Torts’ doghouse and that he has little to no trust in Sonny at all. A change of scenery is inevitable for Milano. Whether he is included in a package for a bigger piece or not, I think it’s not a matter of if but when.

 

[Byrral]

Watch from the 5 minute mark til the end. Torts is asked about Sonny’s play from last night. It is beyond evident that he is in Torts’ doghouse and that he has little to no trust in Sonny at all. A change of scenery is inevitable for Milano. Whether he is included in a package for a bigger piece or not, I think it’s not a matter of if but when.

I'm not really a fan of Sonny's game at all but I don't necessarily agree with this. I think he was absolutely being honest. Sonny played limited minutes in a fourth line role. It's not a role he should be placed in and if they had no plans to play him up in the lineup with more skilled players then they should have kept him in Cleveland and called someone else up. Last night I saw the exact same game that I've seen since his fast start. Play with speed, fumble the puck, fall down. He has speed and skill but I wonder if he will ever translate into an NHL player. If he were to be included in a trade I wouldn't be surprised but I doubt right now it's a matter of when.

 

[MoeBartoli]

I think Sonny may find a spot in the NHL. However, I'm pretty sure it won't be in Columbus. He makes mistakes and isn't currently strong defensively. He's not Torts' kind of player.

Torts understands the game is more than ever about speed. He knows he needs his defensemen to think offensively very much like to see more scoring from the forwards. But his natural instinct still favors hard hitting and gritty play which is one reason I think we will continue to be a moderate scoring team that wins many regular season games - many of which will be low scoring and/or OT and SO. So far we are leading the Metro this way.

This isn't a criticism - it's just who Torts is as are many NHL coaches. It's no surprise that with all the dismay about the offense, it's almost always defensive gaffs that lead to a healthy scratch or benching.

Maybe Sonny will get with a more "Toronto-style team" and will find a spot. Thus his value will more likely be as a trade piece.

As a FWIW, I am concerned that Bjork, a gifted offensive player (and someone I really like), might also find his best offensive production will be in another jersey.

Just my 2 cents.....

 

[Cowumbus]

Still don’t seem him as an NHL guy that sticks. I got crucified by this board for writing him off, but many are starting to see what I see.

Too choppy when stuck handling, too weak on the puck, too fancy making plays at the blue line, and the amount of turnover both at ES and the PP is infuriating.

 

[Monk]

Still don’t seem him as an NHL guy that sticks. I got crucified by this board for writing him off, but many are starting to see what I see.

Too choppy when stuck handling, too weak on the puck, too fancy making plays at the blue line, and the amount of turnover both at ES and the PP is infuriating.

People see the same things you do, it's just instead of writing him off they factor in that he's young. I suppose he's getting less young though.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Still don’t seem him as an NHL guy that sticks. I got crucified by this board for writing him off, but many are starting to see what I see.

Martyrs are very rarely appreciated in their own time. It's just the price you pay for being smarter than everyone else.

 

[Maylo]

Maybe Sonny will get with a more "Toronto-style team" and will find a spot. Thus his value will more likely be as a trade piece.

That's interesting, but i read Toronto board recently, and they are all concerned that Babcock is turning Matthews into a checker and Nylander is stuck on fourth line.

 

[hardkorejackets]

I'm not really a fan of Sonny's game at all but I don't necessarily agree with this. I think he was absolutely being honest. Sonny played limited minutes in a fourth line role. It's not a role he should be placed in and if they had no plans to play him up in the lineup with more skilled players then they should have kept him in Cleveland and called someone else up. Last night I saw the exact same game that I've seen since his fast start. Play with speed, fumble the puck, fall down. He has speed and skill but I wonder if he will ever translate into an NHL player. If he were to be included in a trade I wouldn't be surprised but I doubt right now it's a matter of when.

Agreed.. Even with his fast start- I wasn't greatly impressed. I had a feeling he would come crashing back down to earth. But, as mentioned- he's extremely weak on the puck (even without a defender present). Sonny is not an NHL player currently. I don't want to rule him off completely, but he's got some work to do to get there.

I'm also not convinced a change of scenery will help Sonny Milano out and he'll be an NHL player. It's not just that he is a defensive liability. He's got other issues to work on even on the offensive end.

 

[EDM]

He looks more and more like a part of the package deal Jarmo will make around trade deadline time.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

He had a good camp. I'm not opposed to the idea that he was given a roster spot based on that - he earned it. But yeah he's shown some liability. Like others, I think he's better served playing a lot in Cleveland than a little in Columbus. At the same time, he's definitely in that call-up group.

He's skilled. He definitely has something to offer. Maybe, on the current CBJ roster, he'd be finding a better mesh if one of the forwards currently struggling wasn't. Who knows.

 

[thebus88]

Agreed.. Even with his fast start- I wasn't greatly impressed. I had a feeling he would come crashing back down to earth. But, as mentioned- he's extremely weak on the puck (even without a defender present).

HA.

It would be hilarious to see side by side what was being said about Milano and Dubois at the vey beginning of the year. Man, its crazy how ideas and "reality" can change in 2 months.

With that said, Milano needs to go back to what got him to the NHL..... meat and potatoes.




No, not the way he plays the game, but actual meat and potatoes, get those LB's back up son!!

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

HA.

It would be hilarious to see side by side what was being said about Milano and Dubois at the vey beginning of the year. Man, its crazy how ideas and "reality" can change in 2 months.

With that said, Milano needs to go back to what got him to the NHL..... meat and potatoes.




No, not the way he plays the game, but actual meat and potatoes, get those LB's back up son!!

Him being 6"0 195 lbs is not the reason he's not on the roster or getting significant playing time...

Go listen to Bob McElligot's latest CBJin30. He spoke about comments that the Arizona PBP and Color analysts had made about Sonny's game, and it fits to a tee everything that we've been hearing from Torts, the front office, and most other posters here. His all around game is simply just not good enough at the moment.

 

[thebus88]

NAH I'm blaming the LB's

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

NAH I'm blaming the LB's

So tell me...how has Oliver Bjorkstrand managed to stick in the NHL at 6"0 177 lbs then?

Please continue to live in your fantasy world

 

[Monk]

There aren't linebackers in hockey though, and they all weigh a lot more than these guys anyway.

 

[thebus88]

There aren't linebackers in hockey though, and they all weigh a lot more than these guys anyway.

Now I'm not sure whos got who....

Touche

Or not.....

 

[Jackets Woodchuck]

Does he get paid partially in gas cards?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

i'm a fan of Sonny Milano's game. He oozes skill, however, I think he may be a bit too much of a 'junior league' player. I agree with Bus that he needs to get stronger. I think he has something to offer this team, but I don't think he's quite ready. His two way game isn't as bad as people say it is here, but it's certainly not great. He needs to improve there. But if he were to start playing the way he did at the start of the year, he belongs in the NHL. It's not just the points he put up, obviously that helps, but he was a hound on the puck and was very creative with it. He created alot of offense and was skating hard, not worried about anything but playing. I think the early scratches or benches got to him and he started playing afraid of making a mistake.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him go in a package to help the team now, and I can't blame them for that because the team needs help, has some good forward prospects, and is very young in general. But I think there's something to this player that will emerge in the near future.

 

[MoeBartoli]

Similar to Bus' comments, I've not seen an opinion change on someone so greatly in two months.....top 9 to a career AHLer. However, I tend to view him more favorably.

I still believe the NHL's direction favors his game and that in three years he will be a "Marchessault", albeit in the 20 goal range, for some NHL team.....VGK would actually be an ironically appropriate destination.

Here's hoping Abromov isn't our next JAM - Sonny scene from Groundhog Day.

 

[Theo Von]

Very interesting stat. (Credit: Hockey reference)

With Sonny Milano in the lineup the Jackets are: 16-8-1.

That’s.... really, really good.

 

[Monk]

Very interesting stat. (Credit: Hockey reference)

With Sonny Milano in the lineup the Jackets are: 16-8-1.

That’s.... really, really good.

Isn't their record without him basically the same though, just a smaller sample size?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Isn't their record without him basically the same though, just a smaller sample size?

19-10-1 overall, so not really much to compare it to.

 

[Monk]

19-10-1 overall, so not really much to compare it to.

That was kind of my point, just didn't word it well. Seems like a meaningless stat to me. Total guess, but it wouldn't surprise me if our record has actually improved slightly as his ice time has decreased.

 

[NORiculous]

So... how is his recent play away from the puck?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So... how is his recent play away from the puck?

Better, but still not where it needs to be.