Just read Hamilton's pregame report on WGR. I was surprised to read that Connolly avoided the faceoff question and seemed to get pissed off about it.
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Now to the topic of Tim Connolly and face offs. First off you'll hear all of Connolly's comments tonight on the pregame with Brian Koziol. I've been trying to figure out for awhile why number 19 has all but abandoned the faceoff circle. He has been bothered by a sore hip this week, but he says that has zero to do with it. Connolly said, "I'll let you guys try to figure that out. You guys can keep writing the stories and making things up so I'll stick with that. You guys, it's what ever you want to relate to it, that's fine. I don't know, it's just something we discussed with my line mates, get different looks and different plays off the faceoffs in things we want to do. I can't announce if I want to do a certain play off a faceoff, what I'm going to do so, if I want to take faceoffs I'll take 'em, if not, somebody else will." OK, if Connolly wants me to speculate and not give me the facts when I ask him directly I will. First, let me lay out some facts. Connolly is 43 percent on faceoffs. To put that into perspective Jason Pominville is 45.9 percent. Here's another fact, Paul Gaustad stays out and takes faceoffs with many of his teammates after practice. I have never once seen Connolly work on draws. He works hard as practice is going on, but he's usually the first player off the ice as others work on their games. Here's another fact, Lindy Ruff has given him the freedom not to take draws whenever he wants. In my opinion has he quit on draws because his confidence in that part of the games is shot. He's so far gone he'd rather others take draws because he feels it's better for him and the team. He feels others have a better chance to win it. He's so far gone he doesn't feel practicing it would do any good. I would rather tell you with certainty what's up here, but Connolly would rather we figure it out. Anytime he'd like to lay the facts out there, you all will be the first to know.
Speculation aside, I don't mind multiple people taking draws. I think it makes it more difficult on the opposing centers to know what to expect.
Not only that, but this team has gotten so good at recovering from losing draws, it's almost been beneficial.
ALMOST. That's only if we can start winning those draws on a regular basis, and knowing how to recover just in case we don't.
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