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Matthew Lombardi update/information thread

G

gilmourthegreat

New member
I figure this can be the thread to post and discuss new information about Lombardi's health and ability to play.

The most recent quote I have from Burke is this one below, which says that Lombardi expects to be ready "for training camp".

http://www.theprovince.com/news/canada-in-afghanistan/Front+loaded+contracts+draw+Brian+Burke/5059196/story.html


The newest update I could find about his progress is this one from @Rick1042, who based on google images is Rick Springhetti, McKeen's reporter and scout. Rick says that "Matthew Lombardi will work with 4 players of the Victoriaville Tigres for a week this summer." This hasn't been reported anywhere else yet, so take it with a grain of salt, but if true this is encouraging news, since it means Lombardi plans to be back on skates soon.

Best of luck Matthew, here is to a quick recovery!


 
That is encouraging news!  I don't want to get my hopes up too much yet, but if Lombardi is able to go when training camp starts, that would be an incredible bonus for the Leafs, since at the time the trade went down we weren't sure if he'd be playing next season at all! 
 
Recent audio/video links

Leafs acquire Lombardi and Franson
http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=120233

Lombardi Conference Call Part 1- 07/03/11
http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=120238

Lombardi Conference Call Part 2- 07/03/11
http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=120237

Lombardi interview with Bill Watters
http://emedia.640toronto.com/Podcasts/1064/11_0705_matthew_lombardi.mp3

Matthew Lombardi with Gord Stellick July 5th, 2011
http://www.fan590.com/ondemand/media.jsp?content=20110705_122348_6716

Brian Burke on Status of Matthew Lombardi
http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=120360
 
http://twitter.com/#!/Proteautype/status/91218153811611648
Proteautype Adam Proteau
@
@afnan22 Don't know about Franson, but can almost guarantee Lombardi won't be ready for camp.

In the above audio interviews, Lombardi said that he was still experiencing some symptoms and therefore, could not workout though his symptoms are improving. He was getting some treatments in a special pool according to some report I read.

This is his second serious concussion. The first one had him out close to a year during the lockout. This one looks to have him out longer than a year - it happened in the second game of last season.

The longer concussions last, the more severe they are. There is a cumulative effect - the more concussions one has or the more severe concussions one experiences, the less a person can tolerate in the future ... which is why guys have to retire. Medical studies now show concussions cause brain damage.

With Lombardi unable to work out now, it's unlikely he'll be able to start the season (if he ever gets cleared to resume his career which has to be at least a legitimate medial question at this point).

http://twitter.com/#!/rick1042/status/91928934211534848
@rick1042
rick
Matthew Lombardi will work with 4 players of the Victoriaville Tigres for a week this summer.

That will only happen under the condition that his symptoms have cleared (which they had not as of 10 days ago) and if after he attempts those workouts, he remains symptom free.

In my opinion, Lombardi is in a very dicey situation medically, From that, I have some doubts he'll ever come back and if he does, I wouldn't expect him anytime soon. And if he does, I wonder how effective a player he will be.

There's a reason we got Franson for Lebda. I think it revolved around the significant chance of Nashville having to pay Lombardi's uninsured contract in full for services that may never be rendered. The Leafs effectively gave small market Nashville some dough for their young dman, Franson - is how I see the deal.

Hopefully, Lombardi beats the odds, averts this potentially very sad & tragic ending and proves the concerns wrong.

The sad ballad of Matthew Lombardi and the Predators
http://www.blog.itz.bz/the-sad-ballad-of-matthew-lombardi-and-the-predators.html
 
welcome matty. hope u recover enough to reume your carrer but your health is most important, get better and help us step up this year good luck
 
Best I can hope for is that Matthew comes back later in the season, wouldn't be a bad thing to have a player of his calibre in a taxi squad. If there's any doubts he should ride out his contract and enjoy his life.
 
As per Dreg's twitter

"I'm told Leafs forward Mathew Lombardi is making progress. May not be ready for start of season, but isn't far off...assuming no setbacks."

I don't think Burke would make this move if there wasn't a decent chance that Lombardi could come back. I think he's more shrewd than that.
 
Bender said:
As per Dreg's twitter

"I'm told Leafs forward Mathew Lombardi is making progress. May not be ready for start of season, but isn't far off...assuming no setbacks."

I don't think Burke would make this move if there wasn't a decent chance that Lombardi could come back. I think he's more shrewd than that.
Click to expand...

What?  He wouldn't have traded Lebda for Franson? lol 

He was making this move with or without Lombardi.... Lombardi was the cost to acquire Franson.  If we get anything out of him it's a nice bonus.
 
Erndog said:
Bender said:
As per Dreg's twitter

"I'm told Leafs forward Mathew Lombardi is making progress. May not be ready for start of season, but isn't far off...assuming no setbacks."

I don't think Burke would make this move if there wasn't a decent chance that Lombardi could come back. I think he's more shrewd than that.
Click to expand...

What?  He wouldn't have traded Lebda for Franson? lol 

He was making this move with or without Lombardi.... Lombardi was the cost to acquire Franson.  If we get anything out of him it's a nice bonus.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but there has to be a chance for him to come back - a better one than Nashville led on when speaking to the press. I don't think Burke would be able to sell a pitch of "Yeah, we're getting a good player in Franson, but we have to eat $3m+ for a player who has 0 chance of returning."

It's a bonus to some degree if he plays but given his improving condition then maybe Burke knew (or was communicated) that Nashville was, more or less, impatient with his progress and wanted to have the money available to improve immediately. We still have to see how it plays out but I'm sure Lombardi had to have a physical, and the doctors gave him a prognosis of improvement. If they determined that he has, let's say a 70% chance of playing again as per his improving condition (as opposed to a 25% chance due to a stagnating condition) then I would say the move is more shrewd than I originally thought.

And regardless, the important part is hearing that he has a chance to recup and start sooner than we thought! Having another good centre isn't merely a hope anymore, it seems.
 
Bender said:
Erndog said:
Bender said:
As per Dreg's twitter

"I'm told Leafs forward Mathew Lombardi is making progress. May not be ready for start of season, but isn't far off...assuming no setbacks."

I don't think Burke would make this move if there wasn't a decent chance that Lombardi could come back. I think he's more shrewd than that.
Click to expand...

What?  He wouldn't have traded Lebda for Franson? lol 

He was making this move with or without Lombardi.... Lombardi was the cost to acquire Franson.  If we get anything out of him it's a nice bonus.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but there has to be a chance for him to come back - a better one than Nashville led on when speaking to the press. I don't think Burke would be able to sell a pitch of "Yeah, we're getting a good player in Franson, but we have to eat $3m+ for a player who has 0 chance of returning."

It's a bonus to some degree if he plays but given his improving condition then maybe Burke knew (or was communicated) that Nashville was, more or less, impatient with his progress and wanted to have the money available to improve immediately. We still have to see how it plays out but I'm sure Lombardi had to have a physical, and the doctors gave him a prognosis of improvement. If they determined that he has, let's say a 70% chance of playing again as per his improving condition (as opposed to a 25% chance due to a stagnating condition) then I would say the move is more shrewd than I originally thought.

And regardless, the important part is hearing that he has a chance to recup and start sooner than we thought! Having another good centre isn't merely a hope anymore, it seems.
Click to expand...

I think part of the consideration is that even if Lombardi comes back, which by the sounds of it he will be back eventually, there's a greater chance he gets injured again and is out of the lineup for an indefinite period of time.
 
Bender said:
Yeah, but there has to be a chance for him to come back - a better one than Nashville led on when speaking to the press. I don't think Burke would be able to sell a pitch of "Yeah, we're getting a good player in Franson, but we have to eat $3m+ for a player who has 0 chance of returning."
Click to expand...

Which is inconsequential for the Leafs to eat 3 million.

It's a bonus to some degree if he plays but given his improving condition then maybe Burke knew (or was communicated) that Nashville was, more or less, impatient with his progress and wanted to have the money available to improve immediately. We still have to see how it plays out but I'm sure Lombardi had to have a physical, and the doctors gave him a prognosis of improvement. If they determined that he has, let's say a 70% chance of playing again as per his improving condition (as opposed to a 25% chance due to a stagnating condition) then I would say the move is more shrewd than I originally thought.
Click to expand...

Nashville couldn't have taken the chance that they had to pay that salary for a player that there was a good chance he wouldn't play, that's the reason they had to trade him and lose Franson. They don't have near the bank that MLSE has, which made them good trading partners.
 
lamajama said:
So are we starting a Connoly and Lombardi pool?  :-X
Click to expand...

Connoly plays 20 games, gets injured and Lombardi takes over for 15 until Connoly comes back as Lombardi gets injured.

Con-bardi is our new #1 centre.
 
BlueWhiteBlood said:
Bender said:
Yeah, but there has to be a chance for him to come back - a better one than Nashville led on when speaking to the press. I don't think Burke would be able to sell a pitch of "Yeah, we're getting a good player in Franson, but we have to eat $3m+ for a player who has 0 chance of returning."
Click to expand...

Which is inconsequential for the Leafs to eat 3 million.

It's a bonus to some degree if he plays but given his improving condition then maybe Burke knew (or was communicated) that Nashville was, more or less, impatient with his progress and wanted to have the money available to improve immediately. We still have to see how it plays out but I'm sure Lombardi had to have a physical, and the doctors gave him a prognosis of improvement. If they determined that he has, let's say a 70% chance of playing again as per his improving condition (as opposed to a 25% chance due to a stagnating condition) then I would say the move is more shrewd than I originally thought.
Click to expand...

Nashville couldn't have taken the chance that they had to pay that salary for a player that there was a good chance he wouldn't play, that's the reason they had to trade him and lose Franson. They don't have near the bank that MLSE has, which made them good trading partners.
Click to expand...
Agree about the second paragraph.

About the eating salary: You never know. They've already got some money tied up in Finger in the minors. Is this the last year of the Tucker buyout? You also have to factor in the possibility of Komisarek getting waived. You never know. I still think there would have to be at least a chance of his coming back for this to happen, of course it's all speculative. 

Regardless of the history, it's welcome news.
 
A month ago, he still couldn't work out yet - nine months after his second major concussion costing him a second season. All the language at the time hinted that this was still a significant issue/concern. I'm not buying the report to the extent that he won't be close to starting the season. Maybe more like December if he's starting to show some progress now. It's pointless to rush it.

Personally, after two severe ones, I think he's nuts to come back at all. With this contract, he'll have made $17.7 mil in NHL salary and he can take what's left of his brain and probably enjoy the rest of his life. One more bang to that noggin' and he may have a tough time the rest of his life.
 
Damian said:
Lets hope he recovers more for his own sake that ours... look at Savard... ugh
Click to expand...

Or David Perron.  Concussed by Joe Thornton in the 10th game of the season and they just said he hasn't been able to work out at all since - no skating, no gym, nothing.
 
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