Conboy gets in trouble during game

[Willie Dog]

A buddy sent me this link. He jokingly said Timmins has drafted a Bertuzzi type player. I did not laugh.

www.mlive.com/wolverines/other/index.ssf/2009/01/michigan_hockey_player_steve_k.html

A Youtube video of the incident is at the bottom of the article. Looks like Conboy nailed the guy from behind.

Edit: the guy who sent me the link came to my office and explained that Timmins had indeed reffered to Conboy as a Bertuzzi type player - A power Forward who could put up points, protect himself and his teammates.

[CrocRob]

It's hard to even see what he did. He clearly got him from behind somehow, but the view is obscured in the two angles available in that clip.

[blny]

Looks from the second angle that he swung his right arm around from the back and clobbered the guy for making a clean open ice hit. Stupid.

While I don't know if there's recent 'history' between the two clubs, I don't think it can be compared to Bert. There was history there, and that game was filled with A LOT of emotion, violence, and chippy play. He boiled over and made an error in judgment.

[Willie Dog]

Found a better youtube link

ca.youtube.com/watch?v=fI-sYE1DsMs

And BLNY, I agree... it was a stupid thing to do.

[CrocRob]

Looks like he kinda clotheslined him from the side.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Boys will be boys.........

[Disp]

Not the smartest thing to do, but yeah, this.

Jan 26, 2009 18:41:18 GMT -5 Habs_fan_in_LA said:

Boys will be boys.........

[cigarviper]

At the 1:50 mark it shows Conboy delivering a sucker punch and a teammate slashing the player on the ice with his stick to the head. WHile I don't like the sucker punch, the stick thing is lame.

[Anardil1]

Jan 26, 2009 19:11:39 GMT -5 cigarviper said:

At the 1:50 mark it shows Conboy delivering a sucker punch and a teammate slashing the player on the ice with his stick to the head. WHile I don't like the sucker punch, the stick thing is lame.

I agree. At first I didn't catch it. I had to watch it a couple more times to make sure I actually saw what Conboy's teammate did. After Conboy knocked the player down, watch his teammate carefully...He takes a slapshot at the guy's head while he's on the ice! Incredible. I have one question. When did it become the norm to attack an opposing player after giving a CLEAN HIT !!! Maybe I'm an old timer, but this is my biggest pet peeve with hockey nowadays.

[blny]

I missed the stick swing too. Unbelievable.

[NWTHabsFan]

MSU suspended both players for the rest of the season, including playoffs. The speculation was that the league would have handed out some suspension, but the team did not wait for that to happen. Strong message to the players.

After coming off a 188 pim season last year in the USHL, I wondered how he would adapt to the NCAA.

www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-hkc-ccha-investigati,0,5658430.story

[cigarviper]

Question is, can he channel that emotion into a controlled edge to his game? I'd love to have a player that can strike fear into opponents but obviously not a loose cannon that gets himself suspended.

Admittedly, the very little I've seen of NCAA hockey was very unemotional and almost bordering on women's hockey in terms of physical play. That clean hit that set this in motion caught me by surprise by itself.

[seventeen]

We're seeing this totally out of context, remember? Think of Perezhogin's stickswinging with Stafford. If you hadn't seen the 30 seconds before that, with Stafford, crosschecking, whacking and highsticking AP, you'd think it was totally out of the blue and malicious. Course, it appears the AHL prez didn't see the prior 30 seconds either, twit.

The response seems out of proportion, for sure. Wonder if there was some history involved?

[CentreHice]

Jan 27, 2009 1:11:18 GMT -5 seventeen said:

We're seeing this totally out of context, remember? Think of Perezhogin's stickswinging with Stafford. If you hadn't seen the 30 seconds before that, with Stafford, crosschecking, whacking and highsticking AP, you'd think it was totally out of the blue and malicious. Course, it appears the AHL prez didn't see the prior 30 seconds either, twit.

But he did see Stafford swinging a two-handed glancing blow on Perezhogin's helmet immediately before Perez swung back. Not that I'm excusing Perezhogin, but it was a series of escalating events.

Stafford was suspended 6 games, while Perezhogin was suspended for the entire 04-05 season.

The AHL punished the outcome, not the act itself. Either Perezhogin's should have been lessened, or Stafford's increased to bridge the disparity. Not equal...but closer.

Here's how AHL President and CEO David Andrews said at the time:

"While in my opinion the action of Mr. Stafford was clearly a contributing factor to the incident, the reaction by Mr. Perezhogin was indefensible in terms of both its nature and its real and potential consequences,"... Article

I don't know...in the heat of war, if someone takes a swing at my head and hits it....in that split-second, am I thinking of all options?

"Holy crap, I should drop and cover."
"Holy crap, I should skate over to the ref and ask him if he saw that."
"Holy crap, I better swing back before the next one comes."

I think the majority of people would retaliate in self-defense.

[BadCompany]

Jan 26, 2009 21:45:07 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

MSU suspended both players for the rest of the season, including playoffs. The speculation was that the league would have handed out some suspension, but the team did not wait for that to happen. Strong message to the players.

After coming off a 188 pim season last year in the USHL, I wondered how he would adapt to the NCAA.

www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-hkc-ccha-investigati,0,5658430.story

That's a tough one for Conboy (and the other guy too, of course). I'm assuming he will be booted from the MSU squad at the end of the season, and this probably ends the scholorship I am also assuming he was on. I think he's too old to go to a junior team, and is he good enough to turn pro?

Be interesting to see what the Habs do with him, if he is indeed booted out of MSU and can't find a place in another school...

[CrocRob]

Jan 27, 2009 8:27:19 GMT -5 BadCompany said:

Jan 26, 2009 21:45:07 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

MSU suspended both players for the rest of the season, including playoffs. The speculation was that the league would have handed out some suspension, but the team did not wait for that to happen. Strong message to the players.

After coming off a 188 pim season last year in the USHL, I wondered how he would adapt to the NCAA.

www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-hkc-ccha-investigati,0,5658430.story

That's a tough one for Conboy (and the other guy too, of course). I'm assuming he will be booted from the MSU squad at the end of the season, and this probably ends the scholorship I am also assuming he was on. I think he's too old to go to a junior team, and is he good enough to turn pro?

Be interesting to see what the Habs do with him, if he is indeed booted out of MSU and can't find a place in another school...

If that is the case, that they'll be kicked off the team, MSU will almost certainly let them know immediately. We may find Conboy in the ECHL in a couple weeks.

[NWTHabsFan]

Jan 27, 2009 8:27:19 GMT -5 BadCompany said:

That's a tough one for Conboy (and the other guy too, of course). I'm assuming he will be booted from the MSU squad at the end of the season, and this probably ends the scholorship I am also assuming he was on. I think he's too old to go to a junior team, and is he good enough to turn pro?

Be interesting to see what the Habs do with him, if he is indeed booted out of MSU and can't find a place in another school...

Let's hope this remaining half of the season is just a cooling off period for all parties involved. MSU acted very fast to render this decision, I would expect they would act equally fast if they were taking additional disciplinary action. Their prepared statement seems to leave the door open to go either way, so hard to gauge what the next chapter of this one will read like.

[NWTHabsFan]

Jan 27, 2009 9:19:07 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

If that is the case, that they'll be kicked off the team, MSU will almost certainly let them know immediately. We may find Conboy in the ECHL in a couple weeks.

It is not out of the realm of possibilities, that's for sure. That scenario would force the Habs into a decision far earlier than they ever expected to make on Conboy, as that is why they like drafting a number of kids from the USHS, USHL or NCAA...it gives them at least four years to assess the kids instead of the two for CHL drafted kids.

He is a big, tough kid who flip flopped between dropping the mitts and scoring goals in juniors (USHL). The ECHL may be better suited to his style of play and it may not, in fact, set his career back any. It does impact his educational goals in the short term though.

Wait and see.

[CrocRob]

Jan 27, 2009 14:39:15 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

Jan 27, 2009 9:19:07 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

If that is the case, that they'll be kicked off the team, MSU will almost certainly let them know immediately. We may find Conboy in the ECHL in a couple weeks.

It is not out of the realm of possibilities, that's for sure. That scenario would force the Habs into a decision far earlier than they ever expected to make on Conboy, as that is why they like drafting a number of kids from the USHS, USHL or NCAA...it gives them at least four years to assess the kids instead of the two for CHL drafted kids.

He is a big, tough kid who flip flopped between dropping the mitts and scoring goals in juniors (USHL). The ECHL may be better suited to his style of play and it may not, in fact, set his career back any. It does impact his educational goals in the short term though.

Wait and see.

Well I don't totally understand the technicalities of it, but the Habs should retain Conboy's rights for at least another year if he does get kicked off the team, regardless of where he plays.

edit: 2 more seasons

Article 8.6 (c) (iv) of the CBA:
(iv)If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide
Offer in accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona
fide college student prior to the second June 1 following his
selection in the Entry Draft and does not remain a bona fide
college student through the graduation of his college class, his
drafting Club shall retain exclusive rights for the negotiation of his
services until the fourth June 1 following his selection in the Entry
Draft.

So that would be June 1, 2011 as he was selected in June 2007. Conboy can hang around on AHL/ECHL contracts until then which gives Montreal some flexibility, because he wouldn't be included in the 50-player contract limit.

[CrocRob]

Conboy officially withdrew from MSU last night, as per Rick Comley the MSU coach. Comley maintains that it was totally Conboy's choice, and Conboy could have stayed in school and his status on the team would have been addressed after the season.

Here's a link to the podcast area of MSU. Look for "Rick Comley talks to the media"
msuspartans.cstv.com/podcasts/msu-podcasts.html

[CrocRob]

Here's an article:

Suspended MSU hockey players leave program
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

EAST LANSING -- Michigan State hockey players Andrew Conboy and Corey Tropp are no longer on the team after their violent actions in Saturday's game at Michigan, MSU coach Rick Comley said Tuesday.

"It was a tough decision, but the right decision," Comley said. "I don't think the kids are bad kids. I don't think (their actions) were premeditated."

On Monday, MSU suspended the players for the remainder of this season for their attack on U-M's Steve Kampfer at Yost Arena on Saturday during the Wolverines' 5-3 victory.

Link for more.

[blny]

So, does a junior team pick him up?

I'm glad MSU took a tough stance before waiting for the NCAA to act. Both players deserved to sit for the rest of the year. Their leaving the program altogether raises questions and eyebrows for me.

[NWTHabsFan]

Wow, this story gets more and more twisted all the time.

[NWTHabsFan]

Jan 27, 2009 15:10:41 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

Well I don't totally understand the technicalities of it, but the Habs should retain Conboy's rights for at least another year if he does get kicked off the team, regardless of where he plays.

edit: 2 more seasons

Article 8.6 (c) (iv) of the CBA:
(iv)If a Player drafted at age 18 or 19, who had received a Bona Fide
Offer in accordance with Section 8.6(a)(ii) above, becomes a bona
fide college student prior to the second June 1 following his
selection in the Entry Draft and does not remain a bona fide
college student through the graduation of his college class, his
drafting Club shall retain exclusive rights for the negotiation of his
services until the fourth June 1 following his selection in the Entry
Draft.

So that would be June 1, 2011 as he was selected in June 2007. Conboy can hang around on AHL/ECHL contracts until then which gives Montreal some flexibility, because he wouldn't be included in the 50-player contract limit.

Thanks for doing the research. That is good news, so at least the Habs could get the Dogs to sign him to a pro contract and get him playing down in the ECHL to keep him playing. At my count, the Habs only have two contracts left on their 50 player limit, so at least they can leave some in case they have to do some tap dancing at the deadline.

I guess he could play out the remainder of this season in juniors as this would be his last year of eligibility as a 20 year old.

Wow, wonder where his head is at right now. What a tough stretch for a 20 year old to be going through. Sure, he did bring it on himself with his actions, but it cannot make it any easier for the big kid. Hopefully he emerges stronger mentally from this big challenge.

[CrocRob]

Jan 27, 2009 20:42:56 GMT -5 blny said:

So, does a junior team pick him up?

I'm glad MSU took a tough stance before waiting for the NCAA to act. Both players deserved to sit for the rest of the year. Their leaving the program altogether raises questions and eyebrows for me.

No, he's too old I believe.

edit: Oh, you mean immediately. Yeah, I guess that's an option. I think the trade deadline has already passed in the CHL though, so I'm not sure what the rules are on signing players.

[NWTHabsFan]

Jan 27, 2009 22:21:33 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

No, he's too old I believe.

edit: Oh, you mean immediately. Yeah, I guess that's an option. I think the trade deadline has already passed in the CHL though, so I'm not sure what the rules are on signing players.

Unlike the CHL, there is no formal age limit in the USHL from what I can research out there, so he could go back to Omaha to his defending cup champs and play with fellow prospect Kristo.

I am not sure that helps his development one bit though. He had originally commited to Omaha-Nebraska, so maybe he goes another NCAA program route.

All options considered, my money is on the early entry into minor pro in the ECHL with the Cyclones. His style of play is likely better suited to the pro game than the NCAA game.

[seventeen]

Bring him up to the big club. Georges isn't around and I like the idea of a loose cannon on the team. ;D

[CentreHice]

Leaving the University altogether smacks of the stereotype that athletes on scholarships are just that....athletes on a free ride.....and not students. i.e. "If I'm not playin' my sport...I'm outta here. Education? What's that?"

Wonder what their GPAs and attendance records were.

[CrocRob]

Jan 27, 2009 22:47:04 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

Jan 27, 2009 22:21:33 GMT -5 CrocRob said:

No, he's too old I believe.

edit: Oh, you mean immediately. Yeah, I guess that's an option. I think the trade deadline has already passed in the CHL though, so I'm not sure what the rules are on signing players.

Unlike the CHL, there is no formal age limit in the USHL from what I can research out there, so he could go back to Omaha to his defending cup champs and play with fellow prospect Kristo.

I am not sure that helps his development one bit though. He had originally commited to Omaha-Nebraska, so maybe he goes another NCAA program route.

All options considered, my money is on the early entry into minor pro in the ECHL with the Cyclones. His style of play is likely better suited to the pro game than the NCAA game.

If he goes to another NCAA program (not that anyone would take him) he'd have to sit out one season of eligibility. So he wouldn't be on the ice until Fall 2010.

[CrocRob]

Jan 28, 2009 1:45:54 GMT -5 CentreHice said:

Leaving the University altogether smacks of the stereotype that athletes on scholarships are just that....athletes on a free ride.....and not students. i.e. "If I'm not playin' my sport...I'm outta here. Education? What's that?"

Wonder what their GPAs and attendance records were.

Means to an end, CH. They have their whole lives to go to University, but developing into a professional hockey player doesn't allow for taking time off.