Morning Mashup: Connolly returns home

by Declan Kerin on September 23, 2011 in Leafs News - 211 Comments

Photo: Mike Cassese/Reuters

Tim Connolly is set to face his former team of ten years when the Leafs square off against QEW rivals the Buffalo Sabres in their fourth game of preseason.

The Leafs’ new first line center has had an inauspicious start to his Leaf career in training camp and will certainly have all eyes on him for tonight’s game (7pm, LeafsTV). A lack of familiarity with his line-mates, Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, won’t stop pundits questioning his ability to center Toronto’s top line for this upcoming season.

While that will certainly be the story line for the game, there are many more important decisions that the Toronto Maple Leafs head office will have to make in the next few days as they whittle the pre-season roster down to the last few hopefuls. As it stands, Jake Gardiner, Matt Frattin, Joe Colborne, Kenny Ryan, Jesse Blacker, Luca Caputi, Joey Crabb, Jerry D’amigo are among the notable players still vying for a spot on the big club’s roster.

James Reimer


Matt Frattin


Joe Colborne


Luke Schenn


Darryl Boyce


Joffrey Lupul

• Jets’ Wellwood eager for action Former Toronto Maple Leaf Kyle Wellfed Wellwood looks forward to career resurrection #3 in Winnipeg.
• Leafs’ top-five lists Lance Hornby does his best to apply some urgency to pre-season game #4
• Flyers’ Shelley hit with 10-game suspension Brendan Shannahan sets precedent on hitting from behind infractions for the season.
• Call him bad-luck Boyce Darryl Boyce’s list of injuries over the last couple of seasons are not for the faint of heart
• Leafs brass rethinks top 6/bottom 6 lines concept 3rd line developing offensive chemistry has some believing that Burke et al are abandoning their blue-print.
• Scrivens gives Leafs plenty to think about Scrivens is looking like he might leap-frog Monster on the depth chart
• Ryan headed to Marlies? Ryan could go back to the OHL or start with the Marlies
• Leafs’ Gardiner has been nice surprise Nonis says its hard to find fault young defenceman’s game
• Scrivens hopes to follow Reimer’s lead to NHL Reimer’s career lends hope to Scriven’s path to Leafs
• Leafs’ Lombardi ”ecstatic” with progress Lombardi‘s progress with concussion recovery could cloud up the depth chart
• Trip to Leafs camp thrills Hounds Schwindt Leafs camp gives young Grey Hound a taste of the big leagues
• Leafs’ Colborne, Frattin eager to pay dues Heavy schedule for Colborne has him wondering if he’s in Wilson’s doghouse
• Hockey Night in Canada ices new lineup LeafsTV Andi Petrillo gets called up to the big leagues.
• “Adam Proteau: My NHL predictions – East” A small departure from other hockey journalists predictions of the Leafs failing to make the post season again.
• It’s a Win-Win Situation for Mike Zigomanis Kyle the reporter with another story on Marlie Mike Zigomanis’

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