Speculation: Friedman: Connolly could end up on the trade market (UPDATE: cleared waivers 3/1/2021)

Dread Clawz

LAWSonic Boom
Nov 25, 2006
27,301
8,649
Pennsylvania
I trade him in a heartbeat depending on the return (for example as part of a deal with Nashville to land Ekholm).

Yeah but that wont happen. Reasonably nobody is gonna give us anything for him. We'd actually have to add to get rid of him. Nash could probably trade Ekholm for a 1st and not retain anything.
 

Pigge

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
927
525

People complain that our scoring efficiency on the top lines is too low. And we have one of the good scorers buried on the third/fourth line. If we want high-slot deflections and close range tap-ins, this is obviously a player to utilize better. If we don't want Connolly, we should also not wish for the kind of goals Carolina scored on us.
 
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TheImpatientPanther

Florida Flukin Panthers > LTIR Maple Leafs
Jan 17, 2013
28,404
25,286
Ontario, Canada
People complain that our scoring efficiency on the top lines is too low. And we have one of the good scorers buried on the third/fourth line. If we want high-slot deflections and close range tap-ins, this is obviously a player to utilize better. If we don't want Connolly, we should also not wish for the kind of goals Carolina scored on us.

Think Connolly got more of his goals in top 6 last year no? With Trocheck and Hoffman/Acciari.
Think it's just about giving time to the younger prospects in Tippett/Denisenko/Marchment/Lammikko etc and saving some cash/capspace for a move at trade deadline
 

Pigge

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
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525
Think Connolly got more of his goals in top 6 last year no? With Trocheck and Hoffman/Acciari.
Think it's just about giving time to the younger prospects in Tippett/Denisenko/Marchment/Lammikko etc and saving some cash/capspace for a move at trade deadline
Indeed, he belongs on a top line. So far it has been about giving time to Duclair, which I don't have a problem with but some are concerned about the lack of efficiency on the top line. I think Connolly can be a 20-goal scorer who can be useful in the playoffs, which is good enough at his cap hit.
 
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ShootIt

Registered User
Nov 8, 2008
17,789
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I don't think he gets claimed. Maybe a tradable guy near the TDL for another change of scenery type of deal
 

TheImpatientPanther

Florida Flukin Panthers > LTIR Maple Leafs
Jan 17, 2013
28,404
25,286
Ontario, Canada
Indeed, he belongs on a top line. So far it has been about giving time to Duclair, which I don't have a problem with but some are concerned about the lack of efficiency on the top line. I think Connolly can be a 20-goal scorer who can be useful in the playoffs, which is good enough at his cap hit.

I thought he was bad the first 5-6 games and then he picked it up and then faded for a couple more games and then looked good again.

He also saw time on the PP as he had 4 PPG last year.
Seems Horny has taken his spot as 2RW so just not sure he would be tried on top line, Frankie deserves it right now.

Ya he's decent depth but this year, his spot is gone and he doesn't seem to be a bottom 6 guy, even though Lomberg - Lammikko and him had a couple good games.

Will be an interesting story to follow the next few weeks. We're basically just over 5 weeks away from trade deadline, April 12th
 

Pigge

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
927
525
I thought he was bad the first 5-6 games and then he picked it up and then faded for a couple more games and then looked good again.

He also saw time on the PP as he had 4 PPG last year.
Seems Horny has taken his spot as 2RW so just not sure he would be tried on top line, Frankie deserves it right now.

Ya he's decent depth but this year, his spot is gone and he doesn't seem to be a bottom 6 guy, even though Lomberg - Lammikko and him had a couple good games.

Will be an interesting story to follow the next few weeks. We're basically just over 5 weeks away from trade deadline, April 12th
I have some degree of faith in how Q is managing the roster, but not giving Connolly more of a chance with Verhaeghe and Barkov boggles my mind. I thought they looked good in the one game they did play together (5-2 win over Tampa) even if the second and third lines were better.

Maybe it's good to light a fire under him by sending him down for a little though.
 
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Marco 85

Registered User
Jan 13, 2021
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With Duke out a week or so with a lower body injury the timing on the Connolly move has to be questioned. You go from a surplus of forwards to possible a shortage. I know we have Hinojosa and Tippett and hopefully Accari coming back but you can’t have enough depth. Especially in this shorten season.
 

Jean Luc Discard

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
14,482
8,503
With Duke out a week or so with a lower body injury the timing on the Connolly move has to be questioned. You go from a surplus of forwards to possible a shortage. I know we have Hinojosa and Tippett and hopefully Accari coming back but you can’t have enough depth. Especially in this shorten season.

However, there wasn't a surplus of proven point producers either for the top6 or bottom6 roles. There's basically four top6 players plus Vatrano who's good for about 20 goals from 3rd line minutes... so Zito is just rolling the dice with the rest of them. Now that teams are getting their defensive structures in place, teams that just rely solely on hard work will get outscored by a fair margin in the long run. Depth in fringe NHLers doesn't mean much in the scoresheets.
 

KW

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Mar 21, 2006
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However, there wasn't a surplus of proven point producers either for the top6 or bottom6 roles. There's basically four top6 players plus Vatrano who's good for about 20 goals from 3rd line minutes... so Zito is just rolling the dice with the rest of them. Now that teams are getting their defensive structures in place, teams that just rely solely on hard work will get outscored by a fair margin in the long run. Depth in fringe NHLers doesn't mean much in the scoresheets.
Your confidence in the team is palpable!
 

violaswallet

Registered User
Apr 8, 2019
9,173
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Also apparently unfollowed the Panthers social media accounts. Could be nothing. Kinda weird though.

Probably not too happy right now: locked into a long contract and not playing. He signed with a different GM who promised him a better opportunity and then the new GM goes a different direction.

I really hope we can trade him for an overpriced defensive forward like Panik from Washington for his sake
 

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