Mark Bradley

By Sara

December 4, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this

This has become the most assinine issue I have EVER seen.

1 - Kovy has NEVER asked to be traded, and every time someone else asks him he reiterates he does not want to be traded. He is NOT Marian Hossa with one foot out the door - a comparison Kovy himself made prior to the start of the season in an interview with Craig Custance. He’s struggling, along with the entire rest of the team. And the only ones making this a distraction are the media who harp on it incessantly.

2 - This team is supposed to get better not worse. We need more players of Kovy’s calibre, not less. We will not get a first-line player in return for Kovy and even if by some miracle we did, we would still be stuck in the same boat with one superstar and a bunch of rising young talent and mediocrity. At least with Kovy we have a superstar that wants to be here. And “they can do no worse without him?” Holy cow what a comment. Of course they can do no worse without him, but do you honestly think they have a prayer of doing better without him as well?

Bradley if you want to write something useful about the team, go interview one of our pathetic owners and ask him what the h-e-double hockey sticks is going on around here and what they intend to do about this mess. Though somehow the mental image of two sets of the three wise monkeys flashed in my head, except our monkeys aren’t so wise.

By Kovyfan

December 4, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

Sara - LOL couldn’t have said it better myself.

By Rawhide

December 4, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

Mark…nicely wrtten and points well made. There are many who feel this is the logical thing to do.

But…I would almost agree with this if anyone other than Don Waddell were the one making this deal. He will get FLEECED by anothe GM making such a deal.

Name me ONE trade in which Atlanta came out on the better side of the deal?

You cited the Hossa deal…well, we also lost Dupuis as well for the players you listed. Taking into account simple the numers of players we got in return, sure…looks good.

But look at the overall results since…the Thrashers are 13-35-7 since that trade, .367 points%…UN-GOOD!

Of course, if DW were NOT the GM…this team might just be a whole lot better. If that were the case, Ilya might be more of mind to stick around and then this whole converstation is moot.

By Ted

December 4, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

Wait one minute….Atlanta has a hockey team?

By steve

December 4, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

The problem is if you trade Kovy, you can kiss NHL hockey in Atlanta goodbye. The crowds are small and the team is not good at all. Fans can handle losing if the effort is there, but it is not. The owners don’t have a friggin clue. Why do you think the Thrashers could not sign any big name FA’s during the off season. And why are the games NOT being shown locally on tv? Seems at least one game a week is not on tv.

By Get The Puck Out

December 4, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

You go girl. I couldn’t have said it any better. The owners need to speak. Unless they want an empty arena they need to address all of the fans that WERE going to the games. Nobody and i mean NOBODY is going to support a team that is playing with no spirit or heart. They can do better. I’ve seen it. The last time they played Buffalo they played like a team that played to WIN. Now they play like they just want to earn a paycheck. Not everybody, but most. Kovy needs to stay, but you’ve got to add talent. Not enough on this team. Defense is terrible, and you can’t really tell how good Pav’s is because they hang him out to dry. If the defense gets better, by trade or however i think the offense will improve. TALK TO US SPIRIT GROUP.

By Eileen

December 4, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

Ted, the joke is old.

Sara. Well said. Could not agree more. The owners need to be the story, not Kovalchuk.

By waffleboy

December 4, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

I have to agree with Rawhide. At this point, no team has any reason to give Waddell any breaks. They know his job is on the line and that he’s probably outh the door pretty soon. Given that state of affairs, they know how desperate he is and will make a deal that kills this team’s future for another five years. Unfortunately, I fear that prospect is at hand. I have to disagree with Sara. Kovalchuk is clearly struggling this year, but I don’t think it’s as simple as a slump. I think the mental stress of being on a dismal hockey team with his level of talent is stressing him out. It’s time for something to change, something big, ala Joe Thornton being traded to the Sharks. You can argue with the benefits of that trade either for or against the Bruins, but you can’t argue the success they’ve had since that trade.

By Mark Bradley

December 4, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

The quickest way to add talent is, I’d submit, to trade Kovalchuk. (Montreal has long lusted after him.) That would leave the Thrashers without a star, but if that star isn’t playing anywhere near his potential and is destined to leave anyway, why hold on to him? Why not get three useful players in return.

If you’re starting over, you might as well start over. If you know what I mean.

By ThrashersFan

December 4, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this

Don Waddell needs to go before Kovy goes. Hossa didn’t believe le Thrash was heading in the right direction under Waddell.

I am pretty sure he had a point and the same clown who has lost players like Heatley, Savard, Hossa, Coburn should be done in this town. How many other players have come through the doors of Phillips to be traded away and have good careers for themselves? Hnidy, that winger in Minnesota, Dupuis, Staos, Donovan, who scored against us last night, etc etc etc.

Write an article about when Don is resigning or don’t write at all. It’s honestly time to MAKE upper management responsible for how poor this team has been over the years.

It’s been a very painful 10 years and there is only one constant who has been here the entire time. Don, please resign for the good of the team.

By Sara

December 4, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

Rawhide cough Savard cough.

Actually most of Waddell’s trades have just been moving around minor pieces. The Savard trade was excellent. The Heatley trade was good, as was the Hossa trade. I actually thought the Vishnevski-Belanger trade was good too (to bad we couldn’t have hung on to him). The only bad trades were the ones he made “under duress” in 2007 when that shiny new play-off berth was slipping away. The KT trade was bad only in that we gave up a first-round pick as part of a rent-a-player deal. The Coburn deal stunk all over. But outside of those two, the trades haven’t actually been bad, just mainly blah (how many times have we swapped around minor leaguers??).

By mr. mike

December 4, 2008 9:37 AM | Link to this

Mark: Interesting thought process; but I gotta go with Rawhide on this one. ANY other NHL GM making the trade; maybe. Waddell? No, thanks. We got burned on the whole Hossa deal; Chrsitensen is a bust; Army is what he was in Pittsburgh; a generic 3rd-liner who can once in awhile “spike” to a 2nd-liner. I also concur with Sara; this whole issue is about ownership & Waddell. This is a team that has lost Brunette, Savard, Heatley, Hossa as well as lesser lights such as Dupuis & Belanger who would look pretty good playing here about now. We can’t trust Waddell NOT to botch this proposed trade. Lastly; along with Steve; the TV issue is absurd here. No coverage of the Thrash playing an Original Six team(Montreal)? I guess SportSouth(what a pitiful joke) needed to telecast the 3 millionth waste-of-time college football game of the year instead.

By Ted

December 4, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

Eileen- it’s not a joke. This franchise trying to pass itself off as a professional hockey team is a joke! And you’re kidding yourself it you don’t think otherwise.

By Mark Bradley

December 4, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this

I understand there’s reluctance to trust the Teflon Don to make the right deal, but I see no better alternative. (Management apparently has no desire to fire the GM, as you’ve doubtless noticed.) You don’t need one great player if you’re rebuilding from the ground up; you need a roster stocked with good players who stand to get better.

I think Ilya Kovalchuk will have a 60-goal season for somebody. I don’t think it will ever be for Atlanta. I think that ship has sailed.

By Rawhide

December 4, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Sara - And where is he now and how many playoff games did we win with Savy?

By 680Listener

December 4, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this

It was an interesting idea months ago when Kincade wrote essentially the same piece.

By jen

December 4, 2008 9:57 AM | Link to this

Completely agree Sara. This is all on Waddell and the ASG and Kovy has point blank stated his desire to be here and help Atlanta succeed. He wants to win and he wants to win here. I would hardly call that a distraction. All the Kovy trade talk was nothing but mindless rumormongering by the Canadian media and the unsubstantiated blogosphere (and I’m looking right at Eklund - I’ll put an E5 that he’ll read a trade proposal on message boards or in blog comments and report it as fact) who have nothing else to talk about since Sundin and Shannahan are apparently not signing contracts any time soon.

If you actually watch the games, Kovy is playing more frustrated than I have ever seen….stick banging, cursing, etc. The blame for the lack of talent surrounding him should be laid squarely at the feet of Don Waddell and the ASG. As a local entity they should know it takes a winner to get butts in the seats and the local paper to pay any attention to hockey and be willing to what it takes, since hockey revenues are gate and merchandise driven, and tv shares are minimal. After 7 years of drafting in the top 10, there should be some talent on the squad and in the pipeline. If there’s not, that’s on the GM. I’ll call for his head before I would ever call for a Kovy trade.

By Scott

December 4, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this

The Atlanta Spirit group has taken every bit of spirit out of this team by failing to replace Waddell. How obvious does it have to be? 10 years… one dismal playoff appearance, 3 coaches, numerous “in-and-out” players, but the results remain the same. Unbelievable.

By Lew318

December 4, 2008 9:59 AM | Link to this

Mark: Our illustrious GM has always traded away our franchise players and has provided us with nothing but mediocre talent. If we lose Iyla, we might as well pack up the franchise and if we get several more mediocre players for him added to the mediocrity we already have??????? Nothing changes.

The Canadian announcers said the other night that we have one complete player (paraphrase) and have surrounded him with mediocrity, what do you expect Kovy to do.

I agree with your assessment of management. The arena is half full, the team will and connot win with the players Anderson has been given, the food is terrible and expensive; yet they sit back and do nothing. If this continues they will be forced to sell or move the franchise. How do you justify being in the 10th year of a five year plan and still in last place in the NHL.

God, this is frustrating!!!! I am headed to Long Island to see us play the Islanders tomorrow. I can only hope we show well; I don’t expect a win.

By GaVaHokie

December 4, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this

Well, a trade would have to make sense on both a talent level and marketing level.

Wonder if an even swap for Malkin could be possible… instead of having two Centers, Pittsburgh could have a solid LW to play with Crosby.

Only problem is the contract situation is lopsided.

By R. Stroz

December 4, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this

Trading Kovy fixes nothing.

Waddell has screwed this team up from the beginning. The only way to fix the Thrashers is to get an intelligent GM and better scouting.

Otherwise, the team continues the same Merry-Go-Round. Get good player, good player’s contract runs out, good player leaves. We have alraedy seen this book with Hossa, so why should we repeat the same stupidity. We need a GM with talent to procure talent for our talented players. Instead, we have a GM that players and agents avoid like the black plague.

Get rid of Waddell and the Thrashers at least have a chance at bringing in some talented players for Kovy to work with.

By Frontman

December 4, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this

Remember that you also want to trade him when his value will be highest. That would be at or right before the trade deadline. To trade him at this point of the season would be beyond stupid unless he is an outspoken malcontent dragging the team down with him (are you listening, Bobby Holik?). As people have said, he wants to be here. The critical point will be the trade deadline this year. For Ilya, it will depend on the strides the team makes between now and then. If he views the situation as hopeless, he is gone. If that is the case, the time to trade him is at this year’s deadline. I love the guy and his game personally, but I can’t blame him if he doesn’t want to be stuck with the roof collapsing in the house that DW built.

By Stanley22

December 4, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

Waddell has to go.

Period.

By RS

December 4, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

Kovalchuk could skate to the middle of the ice at Phillips arena, p** on the bird head and demand a trade and I would still always be a fan of his. The question is under the current regime, is there any way the Thrashers are going to improve one iota in the next year and a half? I just don’t see how. Kovalchuk is going to be gone anyway.

Montreal HAS always lusted after Kovalchuk and they are one of the few teams that actually have the assets to get a trade done. Kovalchuk for the Kostitsyns and a top D prospect.

By IlliniDawg

December 4, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

I got a better idea. Can we just trade the entire franchise? ATL has never been a hockey town, and I for one am sick of being affiliated with such a perennial joke of a sports team. Let’s take our limited resources and spend them on an MLS franchise instead. Soccer is the #1 participation sport in the ATL area, and we’ve produced some of the best players in the country. I have no doubt that an MLS team would get just as much fan support, and there is no way they can be any worse on the playing field than the “Trashers”.

By GaVaHokie

December 4, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

My last shred of hope is hanging on the Sundin situation… if Sundin goes to Chicago, we could have a shot at Havlat… if he goes to NY, maybe a shot at Zherdev or Prucha… we’ve gotta get more talent in here on the RW side.

By Eileen

December 4, 2008 10:21 AM | Link to this

Hey Ted, I am not fooling myself at all. I stand by my line, the joke is old. It has been writter on these blogs at least 3 times a week. Believe me I am not fooling myself. I have enough time and money invested in this team ticket wise. I am serious and disgusted.

By Sam

December 4, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this

Mark, is there any chance you could interview the owners? If not could you interview Waddell again and give us his latest excuses?

By billy

December 4, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this

You’re saying there’s a hockey team in Atlanta?

By JRY

December 4, 2008 10:34 AM | Link to this

I also agree with most the posts that DW can’t be in charge of trading anymore assets… I mean asset we have.

The PK has tanked with the subtractions/additions (Dupuis/Armstrong) from the Hossa trade. Eric Christensen is a bust here. Only time he shows anything is in the shootout when he doesn’t have worry about a defender. So we are down to two prospects for Hossa (Esposito and late 1st RD pick) - not a good trade unless those two prospects become superstars (unlikely) and that won’t happen in DW’s next 5 year plan. Not the way to attract players good players.

Mr. Mike - I also wish more games were on TV but we are out of luck on Tuesday nights. Verses has exclusive rights in the US markets for the Tuesday night game and no US teams can broadcast during that game I beleive. We’ve gotten burned by that scheduling several times this year already including Tues. game with MTL

By Dawgs fan

December 4, 2008 10:42 AM | Link to this

Great idea! Trade a player who has not asked for a trade, and a player who has been loyal for a long time. Kovy is the face of the Thrash even if he doesn’t wasnt to be, and if he goes, unless Atlanta trades him for a player like Alexander the Great (which won’t happen), the Birds look very bleek. Plus he is in a slump, he will rebound and be back to scoring ways soon. BTW: I CALL A 5-2 WIN OVER NY THIS WEEKEND TO BREAK THE STREAK! THRASH ‘EM!

By Thrashy Thrashy

December 4, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

You’re absolutely right, Mark. Ilya Kovalchuk is a great scorer. He needs better talent around him. He’s not getting that in Atlanta. It would be better for his career to go elsewhere. I will give Kovy all the credit in the world for not saying so. However, he would be better off. The team and the fans certainly wouldn’t be.

Isn’t that the crux of the problem, though? The fans will get screwed. I just hope that ASG doesn’t believe that the Thrashers will eventually win just like the Hawks have started to do. The Hawks could have been a good team much sooner if they’d had better ownership and management. If the Thrashers have to be relevant again for Waddell to get fired (the Billy Knight blueprint), it will likely be years before the Thrashers see any light at the end of the tunnel. This would be ridiculously funny if it weren’t so damned possible.

By casey

December 4, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

Mark Bradley you never cease to amaze me with the moronic things you write. You are the same moron that said we had to trade Dominique Wilkins. Then years later you come back and say that was a terrible mistake. If the Thrashers do trade Kovy, you will be saying the same thing about that deal afterward.

By Nate

December 4, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

Mark - disagree. Anybody that actually watches the games can see Ilya is still playing hard. What kind of a message does it send to the rest of the league if you trade your star player that WANTS to be in Atlanta? How many GOOD NHL players actually want to play for the Thrashers? Few to none. This franchise is dying and the ownership is to blame, not Kovalchuk. His teammates suck. Plain and simple. The Penguins trade sucked. We got nothing if Esposito doesn’t work out. Army and Erik are busts. Look at it this way. We finish dead last. Tavares and Esposito join the fray with maybe a quality free-agent acquistion (Gaborik I can only dream) and a healthy Bogosian. Maybe that can turn things around. Trading Kovalchuk sends the franchise back to ‘99 and either Hamilton, Kansas City, or Winnipeg. I have to agree with Sarah on this one, but I also must say…Dany Heatley may have doomed this franchise when he killed Dan Snyder. Sorry to be insensitive to the Snyder family, but I think it’s the truth. We wouldn’t have had to trade for Hossa and we’d still have another star player to go with Kovalchuk.

By zack

December 4, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

While I’m sure that Kovy has been very frustrated this year (he has said so himself) with the way not only he but the team as well has played he is not the problem. Its the inability of Don Waddell to bring quality talent to play here with him and the rest of the team that has caused our team to have little to no success for the entire life of the franchise. FIRE DON WADDELL!!!

By R. Stroz

December 4, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this

Bradley - Here is the list of crap we’ve been hearing from Waddell over the years. Why don’t you ask him why the fans should trust him with the following track record.

1) We are heading in the right direction

2) The team is making incremental progress

3) No, John Anderson hasn’t been offered the coaching job, we are still doing the due diligence.

4) Zhitnik is a big part of the plans next season.

5) The team still has a chance of making the playoffs (think last season after the trade deadline).

6) We are only a couple of players away from being a real playoff contender.

7) I guarantee the team will make the playoffs.

8) We have a five year plan for building the franchise.

9) We are ahead of the Flyers in the rebuilding process.

10) The ASG has never turned down a request to get a player

11) We are going to build through the draft.

12) We feel this free agent signing bolsters our blue line as we build from the back out after he’s made his annual summer signing of Adam Burt, Uwe Krupp, Richard Smehlik, Ken Klee, et al

13) We feel that (insert players name here, could be Audette, Brunette, Staios, Kaberle, Savard et al) isn’t worth the kind of money that he’s asking for and he’s free to see if he can get that money on the open market

And each time the player got what he wanted, elsewhere, and each time it worked out for the other club.

The ASG must think laugh at their board meetings. They probably muse that ASG stands for Atlanta’s So Gullible.

By Nate

December 4, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this

Rawhide - I’ll speak for Sarah so she can hate me later. We didn’t win any playoff games with Savard because Lehtonen didn’t take care of himself and we had no goaltending in the ‘05-‘06 season. Remember we only fell like 2 points from the 8 seed and that team was loaded with talent. Bondra, Savard, Kovalchuk, Hossa, Kozlov. That was our year to make noise in the playoffs and Kari f’d it up.

By SA

December 4, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this

Nate, your are not alone on your theory of the Dany Heatley trade. I have heard that discussed by some including local commentators.

By GaVaHokie

December 4, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

Rawhide - I’ll speak for Sarah so she can hate me later. We didn’t win any playoff games with Savard because Lehtonen didn’t take care of himself and we had no goaltending in the ‘05-‘06 season. Remember we only fell like 2 points from the 8 seed and that team was loaded with talent. Bondra, Savard, Kovalchuk, Hossa, Kozlov. That was our year to make noise in the playoffs and Kari f’d it up.

I concur.

By Mark Bradley

December 4, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

Given that attendance is down and the economy’s in the tank, isn’t this the right moment to trade Kovalchuk? It’s not like the masses would suddenly stop coming to games. The masses have already stopped coming.

By gategirl

December 4, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this

I think it is a really good idea to trade Kovy!! 1. It will send a message to the rest of the team that if they don’t step it up they could be gone too. 2. Bradley is right we can get any worse we already suck.

By MB

December 4, 2008 11:04 AM | Link to this

Sorry Mark, but the logic just doesn’t work…the team that trades away a true superstar rarely gets an equivalent return, and that would be likely be the case here.

The problem isn’t Kovy, it’s the supporting cast…a problem created by an under-achieving GM and a bumbling cast of owners unwilling to spend anything above the salary cap.

What your statistics miss are the opportunities that he’s creating for others…opportunities that they’re simply not talented enough to convert. Just last night, Kovy made several brilliant passes that a good NHL forward would have likely buried for a goal. But instead, our guys whiffed on both the puck and the opportunity.

As for his “demotion,” my guess is that coach was trying to recreate some of last year’s success when Kovy was paired with Thorburn and Holik, only substituting Reasoner in Holik’s place. Unless his ice time decreased by ten minutes or so, hardly a demotion.

Rather than trade Kovy, the right thing to do is realize we’re lottery bound this season, give extended try-outs to our top prospects, and start loosening ownership wallets for the free agent market

By batcork

December 4, 2008 11:08 AM | Link to this

I’ll agree that its a useful exercise to see what a Kovy trade could bring. If you can get a proven 1st or 2nd liner, and two top on-the-verge prospects/youngsters, OK maybe. Draft choices won’t cut it: the trade partner is presumably a contender who won’t have an early pick, and the clock is ticking too fast on the Thrashers franchise anyway. A single star player coming back won’t cut it either….we’d be back in the same pickle.

Dealing a superstar for a package of mid-level players is not a good trade….never is. Look at some recent similar situations in hockey. Luongo: great trade for Vancouver, helped Florida nada. Thornton: great trade for San Jose, helped Boston nada. (Boston is now good thanks to youngsters and Savard, not Primeau/Sturm/Stuart).

I challenge anyone to find a star-out, package-back trade in recent NHL history that significantly improved the franchise who dealt the star. Heck, they are rare in any sport. Only the Herschel Walker deal for Dallas pops to mind, that one was based on draft choices, and we all know that draftees can help a team a lot sooner in football than in hockey.

By David

December 4, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this

Trade Kovy, why watch? why not trade one of goalies and get a good complimentary player for him instead? you win with stars not a bunch of third line players.

By Scott Stewart

December 4, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

Kovalchuk needs to go-he has never been a team player!

By A$G

December 4, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

MERRY CHRISTMAS FANS………your team is dead last in the entire NHL. Again. Again….And now there is talk of trading away the best player we have. Ha Ha

BUY MORE TICKETS!!!!

WE DON’T SPEND…YOU DO!

BUY MORE TICKETS!!!!

A fool and his money are soon parted!

BUY MORE TICKETS….MERRY CHRISTMAS!

By R. Stroz

December 4, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

Given that attendance is down and the economy’s in the tank, isn’t this the right moment to trade Kovalchuk? It’s not like the masses would suddenly stop coming to games. The masses have already stopped coming.

Bradley - Once again, you have not properly identified the culprit.

Attendence is down largely due to the screw job the Thrashers marketing department did to the ticket package purchasers last year. The ticket package holders revolted when the Thrashers marketing group discounted nearly all the games and offered no restitution. As a result, this year, the ticket package holders are waiting and buying discounted tickets, if they go at all. Since the team sucks, now the ticket package holders are just skipping the games.

You screw your fans and get what you deserve. If the Thrashers want to finish off the few remaining loyal fans, they should trade Kovy. Then the marketing slogan for the Thrashers can change to Become None In Blueland.

The masses will return if Waddell is fired.

By The Falconer

December 4, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this

Erik Christensen a “useful player”? LOL not in the games i’ve watched this season.

By zack

December 4, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

Kovy has asked for a #1 center….Waddell never delivered…kovy wants to be here he has said it on numerous occasions but if we dont have a good enough team to win he will leave, same as Hossa….FIRE DON WADDELL!!!

By dhj_1962

December 4, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this

your off Mark, do not trade Kovy now, trade him before the deadline next year. i would say”if the thrashers are in the same boat next year at this time, which they probably will be”. because of don “the dud” wadell. honestly, we won’t get any more in return for Kovy regardless of when he is traded. “the dud” will screw that up to.

By Trash

December 4, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

Also, get rid of this minor league, 3rd rate coach. Hire Laviolette.

By Sara

December 4, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

Nate good call. THAT team was our best team to date and it all got thrown away with a goaltending carousel the likes of which have never been seen again (thank the gods). What was it - 5 goalies before Xmas with two being from our ECHL affiliate?? Biggest outbreak of groin injuries ever. sigh frustrating.

As for Heater, I gotta point out that his contract expired at the same time Hossa’s did (well, if it hadn’t been extended prior to then). Heater could just as easily have walked away after last season as Hossa did and we’d still be in the same boat. The biggest difference in thta trade is that Heater cost about $3.5 per year and we shelled out over $8M per year for Hossa and Devries. Think of what we could have bought back then with an extra $4.5M in the budget (couch Savard cough). That’s the part that always hurt us the worst.

By Trash

December 4, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

Get rid of this minor league, 3rd rate coach. Hire Laviolette.

By dhj_1962

December 4, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this

its not the coach, its don wadell, he hand picked this team by himself. period. he coached them remember??? they were 0-6, he fired Hartley, they ended up playing .500 hockey the rest of the year. hiring JA aint a bad move, as long as JA has input on who to bring up from the minors, who to draft, who to trade, and whats coming back in return. so, i guess “the dud” is right on one thing. ATL. will be headed in the right direction if all the above things happen. but, we are all tired of him. he has been sorry for far too long.

By A$G

December 4, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

Get rid of this minor league, 3rd rate coach. Hire Laviolette.

We love minor leageue coaches and players! low pay!

We don’t spend You do!

Shut up and buy tickets!

By The Joker

December 4, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this

The Thrashers can’t trade Kovy or they’ll end up below the salary floor.

By A$G

December 4, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

Ya that salary floor thing is a pain in the a$$.

By Don Keeballz

December 4, 2008 12:05 PM | Link to this

Trade Kovy for Heatley and throw in a new ferrari since his other one is busted up.

By EA

December 4, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

Doesn’t the team make a lot of money on the Kovy merchandise? His fan jerseys alone seem to out number the others by a huge margain.

By Mark Bradley

December 4, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this

Become None In Blueland — great line.

By Smitty

December 4, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

Mark Interesting article. Kincaid from 680 said mostly the same thing a while back. If Kovy is to be traded it cannot be by Waddell. I still feel Kovy wants to be here. I think everyone especially Kovy would welcome a change at the top and that means Waddell has to go. I very rarely miss a game and what I have seen so far this year is embarrasing not only the play on the ice but also the support from the fans. And I do not blame the fans. I have been a STH from the beginning and the situation here is a joke. Can anyone tell me of a GM with a history like Waddell over 10 years that still has a job? I would hate to see Kovy go. I do not think we would get anything near his value especially if Waddell was pulling the trigger.

By Sean

December 4, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

Sara - you hit the nail on the head with your first comment. You said it all right there.

The problem with this team is ownership, ownership, ownership.

By Tony C.

December 4, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this

Yeah I would posit that Christensen is the player on le Thrash trying to play his way into a trade; the effort is spotty *at best *, and his comments during the recent road trip would seem to indicate a disdain for ATL:

(While in Toronto past week or so)

” This is the way it’s supposed to be…[people actually care about hockey]…not like it is in Atlanta…”

I may be taking a little liberty and condensing/paraphrasing several quotes by Christensen, but his lack of production, as well as critical in-game mistakes (see GW goal in MTL for example, or any of the WIDE OPEN shots that #17 &/or Williams set-up and he’s wiffed on for another example) has earned him a seat in the press-box in favor of one Eric Boulton.

Boulton’s a checking-type forward, and not known for scoring AT ALL. Christensen being benched in favor of Boulton should be embarrassing enough on it’s face to spark some sort of production out of Christensen, but it hasn’t.

Unfortunately, EC’s play has driven his “value” (please notice the quotes if you’re reading this Mr. Christensen) well below any hopes of getting a useful replacement via a one-for-one trade.

So let’s trade #17, we suck with him; why not load up and suck without him this season, in hopes that the ninny GM can bring back enough talent to be competitive in ‘09-10 season.

right.

That’s the answer, rather than patch the hole in the hull of the figurative ship SS Thrashers, let’s go ahead and sell our one remaining engine for a bunch of oars.

Because, as mentioned before, if you think Waddell’s opposite numbers throughout the league won’t make the price we paid for Tkachuk look downright frugal, guess again.

The man has scuttled the bette parts of three seasons for a two-week walk in the sunshine to save his job already. I cringe when I think about how many giant steps back DW will take this franchise if he trades #17 in an effort to save his job again.

Anybody want a Safety-Orange FIRE WADDELL/Fans Deserve Better T-Shirt for Christmas?

Mark, I see the point you make, and if we had a GM I had any sort of confidence in, it might make sense in February to trade #17. But to trade him now? I don’t see how you can maximize the value of the pieces that would come back in such a trade.

This town once made a Flames game the hottest ticket in town (if you weren’t here you wouldn’t know-you probably buy the notion that it was fan disinterest, and not foolish business practices by the owner that forced the sale and move to Cal-gary), and those two playoff games showed even the most jaded observer that Atlanta fans will come out-the catch is you gotta win.

Trading Kovalchuk doesn’t put more W’s than L’s up on the board any sooner than holding onto him, and plugging in the lottery pick (AGAIN!) next season in ‘09-10. In fact, trading him now is just about guaranteed to kill hockey in this town for good.

grr.

I promise a full barn and a dedicated core of fans will materialize “overnight” if only management would commit to putting a competitive product out on the ice. I’m not saying that ATL will suddenly paint a “Blue Mile” on Peachtree, but I seem to recall an upswell in fans, even a catchy cheer that swept the nation once the Braves finally got it in gear, don’t think that a similar reaction is impossible for a winning NHL club.

Those that say the south has no fans and no appreciation for the game, I challenge you to take in a game in Dallas or Raleigh, even Nashville. Good fans, loud, passionate and dedicated. The common thread with those teams? Consistently better than .500 records (Carolina has slipped a bit this year, but that’s after a decade of solid-to-Championship teams).

I know it could happen here. But I’m positive that trading #17 right now is NOT the best way to bring success to the club.

Apologies for the novella.

By R. Stroz

December 4, 2008 12:35 PM | Link to this

Tony C. - I need to get one or two of those shirts in an XL (for extra loud).

By 10yr plan

December 4, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

Mark, I agree with you on Kovy but I’d rather make the trade with a new GM. You’ve been around since the inception of the franchise. The biggest mistake was Dr. Schiller hiring Waddell instead of Brian Burke. Those were the two final candidates. Love or hate Burke, atleast he has a concept/identity for his teams. The Thrashers are still looking for that identity/style of play after 10 years and that falls on Waddell. Football, which is a physical sport, is king in the south. However, Waddell produces one of the softest teams in the league each year. Probably before your time but the Flames always had a tough team that the city could relate to. They consistantly outdrew the Hawks. I vote for Dave Nonis or Pat Quinn for GM.

By Supes

December 4, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this

Mark Bradley

YOU HAVE TRULY LOST YOUR MIND SIR!

How can I put this to you, not sure if you go to Trashers games or if you are just recently paying attention to Hockey, normally it’s Shultz who comes out with articles designed to “trash” the local team and sow distress.

Ilya Kovalchuck IS the Atlanta Trashers. Simple as that. You build a team around him. You don’t get rid of him.

Let me guess, you probably ADVOCATED that the Braves trade Chipper Jones the year he hit below .250 and was hurt right? You said “he’d never deliver again” right? I’m guessing you did, even if you didn’t this is very comparable.

Ilya is having a down year so far (no question), he’s in a funk. Why? Because Don Waddell (HOW DOES HE STILL HAVE A JOB?) failed to get him a front line center!

Because the Trashers goaltending has been average at best again (how many games can you lose after the offense scores 4 or more goals?)

I’m a casual Trashers fan as far as going to games, but I do watch all their games on TV and support the team through merchandise purchases like Jerseys, hats, etc. I go to 4-6 games per year. I will tell you this, for me Ilya is the main reason to go see the Trashers play. He’s my hockey “hero”. I have the jersey.

If, IF Ilya asks for a trade, or makes it clear he doesn’t want to be here, that’s one thing. I’ll still support the Trashers and be a fan. HOWEVER, if they Trade him and he wanted to still be here and actually HELP this crappy franchise turn it around and be a winner, then I’ll burn my Trashers jerseys, and never go to another game again.

Ilya - Chipper Jones. I’d do the same thing with all my Braves gear if the Braves ever traded Chipper Jones.

There are SOME players you just don’t trade, unless they make it clear they want out and it’s in the best interest of both parties.

I don’t see how it’s going to benefit the Trashers to trade one of the top 5 goal scores in the NHL.

By A$G

December 4, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this

Waddell will not come to an end

He’s a front for owners that won’t spend

The fans are just a pawn

Like the player soon gone

By Kevin

December 4, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

If you trade Kovy, you might as well not even bother dressing a team for a game. I love how everyone, thinks the GM is culprit. Everyone thinks they could trade a bag of pucks for a superstar and get away with it. The Hossa trade was good, and could be better in the next couple of years. Hossa was a CANCER here. This is the same crap everyone said about Billy Knight when he was charged with rebuilding a team that no one wanted to play for. DW is in the same boat. How was he successful? He overpaid for a great FA. He then built through the draft and added pieces, not stars. Can you deny the fact that the Thrash are developing young players that are going to be here sooner rather than later? Pavelic, Bogo, Little, Valabik, Army, Kovy, with Machacek, Espo, Holzapel, Kulda, and maybe even Nikulin isnt a bad bunch of kids to build around. Hainsy was a great signing! Add Tavares and some secondary scoring and everyone else goes back to a support role. I know everyone wants a cup today, but we threw big money at the FA market and ended up scoring and struck out. We can try again next year. FA who want a big paycheck are going to have less places to go because the cap is going to drop next year. I am happy to wait another season to see the system and talent match up. If this team does not throw an Ovechkin like contract at Kovy in June next year, then it is time to bail out on this team. Not any time before.

By Jason

December 4, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this

Don Waddell is the Pete Babcock of the NHL Mark. You wrote a few pieces over the years calling for the head of the former Hawks’ GM. That’s the same problem here IMO. Billy Knight too for that matter. So I really think if you had a better hockey GM making decisions, you would not need to think about getting rid of Kovy just yet. Plus, Waddell would screw up the return on that trade too I bet.

The ASG wasn’t too heartbroken to let Knight leave(made to leave?). So why are they so inclined to keep Waddell in his current role? I think it may still revolve around their legal feud with Belkin. And until that is resolved, I doubt much would happen.

I would really, really like to see you and Knobler get interviews with a few of the owners(not Levenson alone) regarding the current state of the Thrashers, Waddell, and the dissapearing fanbase.

By Chocolate Indulgence

December 4, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

Bradley,

Why all this venom from you against Don Waddell? Did he bang your mother or something in college?

Have you ever even laced up a pair of skates, to say nothing of sliding on a jock strap to participate in ANY type of organized sport, you pencil-necked pansy?

Maybe you and Jeff Schultz could be on a “Pocket Pool” team together. Heck, you two sissies could even wear the same jersey number emblazoned with your mutually favorite two-digit combination: “6” and “9”.

Have a nice day, “Midtown Mark”

GO, THRASHERS !

By James

December 4, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

I agree with your article about trading Kovy but when is someone from the AJC going to start asking the owners why in the hell does DOn (I suck as a gm) Waddell still have a job. I have gone to about 22 a year every year they have been around but I don’t think I will this year because I can’t even listen to the game on the radio or watch the sorry team on tv. I never thought that I would everstop supporting this team but I just can’t as long a Mr. Waddell is around. So please find out why he still has a job is it because the owners like the feeling of Waddells lips planted right on there asses or does he have pictures of them.Also whith support for this team going down and it’s getting worse what is the chance of them being sold or moving. Are they doing this crap of putting p** poor teams on the ice so the fans will not come out so they can use that excuse to move or sell and new owner moves the team. Find out who kisses a* more Waddell or the hawks coach.

By Pete

December 4, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this

Look……….Atlanta is NOT a hockey town, will NEVER be a hockey town, and the few pathetic fans that do exist are totally in dreamland. The economy will not support this stupid experiment past this season so all this discussion is totally moot. By this time next year there would be approx. 3,000 fans in the seats………on a Sat. night game. Hockey is on it’s way out all over North America. In Atlanta, it’s not worth talking about let alone going to see it. It’s over.

By Mark

December 4, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

Why would anyone in their right mind think that Kovy is going to be here beyond his current contract. That being the case, why wouldn’t you want to trade him when he still has a year left on his contract and you could get a lot more in return in the trade than you would when he will be a UFA. The smartest thing to do would be to wait until the deadline THIS year and let everyone know that Kocy is available for the right price and let the bidding begin. If you don’t get what you want you don’t trade him and revisit it this summer at the draft or February 2010. But lets all be clear, Kovy will not be a Thrasher in September 2010 unless something very drastic happens such as the removal of Waddell or new owners … and both of those scenarios are very unlikely.

By Rogie

December 4, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

The trade for Hossa looked good on paper…a superstar winger for a player that wanted to escape his demons for a fresh start in Heatley. Problem is, I never for a minute thought that Hossa fit in here, would complement Kovy, was a team leader, or wanted to stay here. We didn’t do well in the playoffs (or last season for that matter) because we didn’t have a lot of muckers — players not scared to go into the corners or in front of the net and get physical. Despite their performance in the first 2 months, Christensen and Armstrong fit that description. Stanley Cups are not just won with skilled players, they are won with the Darren McCartys, Michael Pecas, Dale Hunters, Claude Lemieux-s, Tim Kerrs, —-players that are willing to get their noses bloody fighting for pucks in the corners and clearing out forwards in front of nets, etc,. We have had too many Europeans on our roster in the past to succeed when it counts. The Capitals a few years back had no leaders but a lot of big contracts —- they traded away all of their assets and started anew —- they raided other teams minor league talent searching for the players with talent and character. Yes, Ovechkin is a talent, but I guarantee that team would still do well if were suddenly on the DL for the next 3 months. The goal here is to having a winning team and tradition —- having a superstar on the roster is not a prerequisite to that —— fans will come to see a winner. Explore trading both Kovalchuk and Lehtonen.

By steve

December 4, 2008 1:28 PM | Link to this

Gang, versus has exclusive rights to the game they are broadcasting. If your team is on a local network, you can watch it. I have center ice and can see other games.

Versus has NOTHING to do with the Thrashers not being on tv.

By Mark

December 4, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this

Trading Kovy is the right move for the franchise. The question is whether trading him NOW would provide the greatest return.

All you need to do is look at the Washington Capitals franchise for the reason why trading Kovy makes sense.

The Washington Capitals were faced with a similar situation back in the early 80s when they traded Ryan Walter who at that time was the “face” of the Capitals’ franchise.

For those who don’t go back that far, the Caps made the Thrashers look like the Red Wings. The Caps were the laughing stock of the league. They had never made the playoffs in their 8 seasons and they had set all types of records for futility including fewest wins (8), most goals against (446) and points (21) in a season.

The Caps GM at the time, David Poile, traded Walter (and Rick Green) for Rod Landway, Brian Engblom, Doug Jarvis and Craig Laughlin. Engblom was then dealt for Larry Murphy. The Caps used their #3 pick in the draft on a highly touted defenseman (Scott Stevens).

In two trades and a draft pick, the Caps went from laughing stock to a perenial playoff team (14 years in a row including the year of the trades).

They went from an offense-first team (they had two 50 goal scorers in their 8th season) to a defense-first team which translated into wins immediately (they gained 30 points in the standings that year). The Capital Center went from being a half-empty morgue to a raucus, capicity-filled building.

So the blueprint is right there in history on how to turn a franchise around and finding Kovy a center isn’t the answer.

Defense WINs championships and this team is light years from winning a championship because it is TOO WEAK on the BLUELINE and doesn’t have a enough forwards who are responsible in their own end to compensate.

I would trade Kovy (and XLB) for a package of players including at least one young established D’man. The chances are they won’t strike gold like the CAPs did and find 3 HOFs like Stevens, Murphy, and Langway but it’s the only chance they have to build a winner long-term. They are already 1/3 of the way there with Bogosian. Maybe Kovy and XLB can fetch them a Komisarek and another upcoming d’man.

By Mark

December 4, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this

Trading Kovy is the right move for the franchise. The question is whether trading him NOW would provide the greatest return.

All you need to do is look at the Washington Capitals franchise for the reason why trading Kovy makes sense.

The Washington Capitals were faced with a similar situation back in the early 80s when they traded Ryan Walter who at that time was the “face” of the Capitals’ franchise.

For those who don’t go back that far, the Caps made the Thrashers look like the Red Wings. The Caps were the laughing stock of the league. They had never made the playoffs in their 8 seasons and they had set all types of records for futility including fewest wins (8), most goals against (446) and points (21) in a season.

The Caps GM at the time, David Poile, traded Walter (and Rick Green) for Rod Landway, Brian Engblom, Doug Jarvis and Craig Laughlin. Engblom was then dealt for Larry Murphy. The Caps used their #3 pick in the draft on a highly touted defenseman (Scott Stevens).

In two trades and a draft pick, the Caps went from laughing stock to a perenial playoff team (14 years in a row including the year of the trades).

They went from an offense-first team (they had two 50 goal scorers in their 8th season) to a defense-first team which translated into wins immediately (they gained 30 points in the standings that year). The Capital Center went from being a half-empty morgue to a raucus, capicity-filled building.

So the blueprint is right there in history on how to turn a franchise around and finding Kovy a center isn’t the answer.

Defense WINs championships and this team is light years from winning a championship because it is TOO WEAK on the BLUELINE and doesn’t have a enough forwards who are responsible in their own end to compensate.

I would trade Kovy (and XLB) for a package of players including at least one young established D’man. The chances are they won’t strike gold like the CAPs did and find 3 HOFs like Stevens, Murphy, and Langway but it’s the only chance they have to build a winner long-term. They are already 1/3 of the way there with Bogosian. Maybe Kovy and XLB can fetch them a Komisarek and another upcoming d’man.

By Rogie

December 4, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

Mark: I agree with you. I was there in DC as a suffering Caps fan at the time. One other point I’d add to the Ryan Walter trade —Ryan Walter was very much like Kovy, he wasn’t complaining about the franchise and was a team player. He never asked to be traded. It also probably saved the franchise from moving or folding. He needed a change of scenery and the players in return were not only of considerable value —- they had all experience success with a winning franchise and brought that attitude into the locker room. Couldn’t hurt to do that here too…

By Nikita

December 4, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this

Trade Kovy? Maybe. I think not, though.

Let me start by noting how much it angers me to hear the rest of the team described as “mediocre.” It is immensely more talented than last year. We at the time had more than half a dozen players who hemorrhaged bad shots and would not be tolerated elsewhere — and we ridded ourselves of many of them. This year those “mediocre” 2nd liners — two of whom we were predicting were done in the NHL — are leading the team in scoring. Until the most recent few games the team was losing, but not by much. Because the team isn’t incapable of winning — it’s just a relatively few essential steps from it.

Those steps are two-fold: 1. On the ice, John Anderson needs to get Eric Perrin off the checking line, set his lines and let them gel. He also needs to deploy players according to their abilities, and that includes fan favorites if they’re not performing. 2. Don Waddell and John Anderson and the ownership need to communicate, and they need to make certain trades now. And those trades need to be made before we worry about Kovalchuk. We know who isn’t peforming, and we know which units aren’t working — let’s address those before we trade away demonstrated capability.

As for trading Kovalchuk, I say no. Keeping him requires that the team try to accommodate him, and that’s a very challenging prospect that limits the makeup of the team in some ways. But…I would love to trade Kovalchuk if it meant we could go for a strategy that is along the lines of JA’s system, in which the team is individually not that great but holistically can contribute scoring from 4 balanced lines. But I don’t trust Atlanta to support a team like that, or Waddell to trade for a team like that. So I say we keep Kovy, make the trades we need to make, and worry about big changes for the next season.

By Bob

December 4, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this

Kudos to Bradley for looking at and recognizing the big picture.

The big picture is that Kovy will not be here past next year. Anyone that believes Kovy re-signs here when he hits free agency, is simply delusional.

It is quite obvious that Kovy is very frustrated, he literally has been rolling his eyes at his linemates this week, in both games they’ve showed him just disgusted when one of his linemates screws up, again.

So, understanding the big picture, the right time to trade him is now, truly rebuild the club now. You get more in return trading an asset early, then being stuck like we did with Hossa.

We did not get fair return for Hossa. Christensen is a waste. Armstrong and Dupuis are a wash. Esposito is a Daigle in waiting.

However, the first move that has to be made is to fire Waddell, and get a real GM in here. Let the new GM orchestrate the trade and rebuild the club.

Nothing changes here until Waddell is gone, everyone done with him in charge is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic

By B. Thenet

December 4, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this

The problem with the Thrashers is that Don Waddell and his scouting staff are pretty awful in assessing NHL talent.

Remember that Ron Hainsey was not DWs first choice, he really wanted to spend $4 million more a year on Campbell. He got lucky there.

This team is bad because of the management, not because of Ilya. Trading Ilya will only give DW more chances to foul things up and throw away one of the last big chances this team has to replenish their dire weakness at forward at the NHL level and throughout their entire prospect system.

By Scottbravesfan

December 4, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this

Mark,

I understand exactly what you are saying. Trade one big piece to get several small pieces. Its like the Hershel Walker trade except that Don Waddell is an idiot and will get screwed in the deal. Unfortunately the Thrashers fan base is sort of dumb. I post on some of the Thrashers message boards and they don’t follow any other sports except hockey so they don’t know how things are done in other leagues. This team is going nowhere and he’s not going to resign after the 2010 season so if you can get three good players for him you make the trade.

By Gregg

December 4, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this

The Thrashers have been around almost ten years, and every year they rank at or near the bottom in defense.Good defensement are bypassed in the draft or not traded for by the GM. He couldn’t even put a winning national team together with the pick of the litter. Why is he still in charge?

By BoxCutters

December 4, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

Free of Kovy, the Trashers can play like a team and win more.

The showboat players are never good for a team in any sport. Team. There’s no hog in team. There’s no bigshot in Team. There’s no eat me in team, okay that’s a bad example, but that’s what these superstars say, “eat me” when you ask them to play normal.

I should know, I was so good, I got kicked off every sport in highschool cause I hogged the ball all the time and it made everybody sick. That’s why I know so much about this.

Trade kovy for two or three normal guys and the Thrashers win more.

By Mike

December 4, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

Yes, thank you Mark. I agree 100%. Kovulchuk has always acted aloof and never stepped up and taken a leadership role on this team. At our current state of affairs, we need a leader on this team not someone that just shows up to work and goes through the motions every day

By Matt

December 4, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Trade Kovalchuk and build a TEAM. While you’re at it, move Lehtonen out of town too. If people think folks are paying to see Kovalchuk play, you need to take a look around the arena some time. It’s a ghost town in there, Kovy’s NOT selling tickets, but a winning hockey team would. Outside of the super-fans, most Atlantans couldn’t name one player on the Thrashers, or probably ANY hockey team for that matter. A winning team will sell tickets, but a losing one with a star on it apparently, not so much. A trade for Kovalchuk and Lehtonen could bring a windfall of talent into Atlanta’s organization. We need a balanced team, not a showcase for Ilya Kovalchuk. We need to rework this team whil there’s still time THIS season. I’ll miss Kovalchuk’s exciting play on the ice, but with him, we’re currently the WORST team in the league. Now, please tell me how he’s helping. Move him NOW.

By Hotrod

December 4, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this

Its not a case of trading a poor performing IIya. Its more of the case of trading while the stock is fairly high and getting him to a playoff contender. Hopefully…. we get something worthwhile in return. But pouring over past trade valuations we have about a 25% chance of getting a good deal for Kovy with the current management.

By Jim

December 4, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this

Mark- Whenever the going gets tough, you want to break up a team and sell off the top starts. Kovy was the #1 pick and has lived up to his potential. How many nos. #1’s does a a team like Montreal have to offer to us? Since they don’t, we end up with another package like the one that we got for Hossa- a bunch of OK players who may or may not be NHL material. Stick with sports that you claim to know and leave the hockey to Rawhide and others who follow it.

By FlamesFan

December 4, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this

I am very pessimistic about the future of Hockey in Atlanta. Poor ownership cost us our Flames, which was a great team; and poor ownership will cost us the Thrash, which continues on a downward death spiral.

By fanfan

December 4, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

Sell, sell, sell. Time to save your energy, so we can concentrate on Hawks, Falcons, and Braves. And enjoy. Let others worry about Don, and his co.

By Anthony A

December 4, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

Rumors out of pittsburgh are that the pens are willing to trade Ryan Whitney/Kris Letang, Jordan Stall a first round pick and propect(luca Caputi) for Kovy and Armstrong. I agree with Mark on this article Kovy needs traded….. This trade seems the most logical if this holds true and would help both teams

By Nate

December 4, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

Sara - you’re right, Hossa and Heatley’s contracts were up at the same time and that’s why that trade made sense for both teams given Dany’s situation. Ilya’s came up to and he re-signed because he was a Thrasher. Being Canadian Heatley may have chosen a different path for this season, but you never know. Plus, like you said Heatley’s contract wasn’t nearly as steep as Hossa’s (plus DeVries) and would have left money to re-sign Savard and possibly Bondra.

Caps Fans - Citing ONE trade from the 80s doesn’t make trading Ilya a good decision. I’m no statician but I would venture to guess fewer than 10% of those types of trades (superstar for prospects) work out better for the team trading the superstar in the longterm. Most prospects wash out in the minors or become marginal big league players. You can look across the board for examples. For every Doyle Alexander for John Smoltz there’s a nine “Fred McGriff for three nobodys” or “Joe Thornton for crap” trades. Even the Thrashers’ own Hossa trade looks like crap right now. The only hope is that Esposito fulfills the potential he carried with him three years back. You get TEAM play by putting together a good team to play with your star players. And DEFENSE doesn’t win all championships. You can’t win if you can’t score. I would hardly call the Red Wings a defense first team and they did pretty well for themselves last year. USC and Texas national championsip in football a few years back also comes to mind. For my money, I’d rather have a losing offensive style of play than a winning team that plays the style of the Minnesota Wild or the Devils. I’m sorry, but that’s a snooze fest.

By Mike

December 4, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

DW must go first..PERIOD. Do you think Thomas Dimitroff would like the GM job as a hobby? He would do a better job if he worked part time.

By Rick Borgen

December 4, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this

Edmonton Oilers fan here. Trade Kovi to the Oilers, he would look great playing with Hemsky, and he will be playing in a hockey hotbed. I think he feeds off the attention he can get, & if he peerforms, the city will smother him with attention. If he fails to play to his potential, they will run him out of town. Maybe he needs to be under some pressure for a while.

By thrash99

December 4, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

As usual our media is right on the ball, NOT. Keep covering the Hawks and High School, you are better suited for that. Eliminating Kovy from the team makes matters worse, the issue isn’t Kovy, it is the front office. The owners and the GM, i would also throw in the coaching at this point. 1) when have the owners stepped up and given anyone the chance to sign a big name player out of free agency? When have they actually shown interest in the Thrashers? The current front office has shown no players that they want to build a franchise that will be a winner. DW has not accomplished anything that shows this either. The only year we made it to the playoffs he traded away what talent we had in the system for players that were only going to be around for till the end of the season. What player in their right mind wants to join an organization that has shown no ability to build and or win.

By Thrashers Recaps

December 4, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this

There, 5 good reasons why not to trade Kovalchuk.

By Mark Bradley

December 4, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this

My prediction: Don Waddell will be here longer than Ilya Kovalchuk. I’m not saying that’s the way it should be. I’m just saying that appears to be the reality. The Teflon Don outlasts everyone and everything.

By Mark

December 4, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

Jim - trading a #1 for a #1 is irrelevant. Furthermore, I didn’t say Montreal was the only team to consider trading Kovy. I only used Komisarek as an example because Montreal has been rumored to covet Kovy. There are several teams out there that could put together a package of players including a quality young defenseman that the Thrashers should consider. You never know what is going to trigger a team to want to make a deal for a player of Kovy’s class. BTW: this was my first ever post on these message board and I’ve been an advid hockey fan since 1975 so I think I understand the game as well as the next guy.

Nate - the Montreal players the CAPs received in the Walter trade were NOT prospects. Langway was already a two-time all-star when the trade was made. Engblom was coming off an all-star season. Jarvis was renowned for being one of the best defensive centers and face-off men in the league. Laughlin was the only unknown commodity since he had only been in the league for a year.

More importantly, these players had experienced winning the Cup and immediately changed the culture of the team which was HUGE. I think it was Rogie who pointed this out in an earlier post.

In fact, Langway was immediately named captain after being acquired and was paired with Scott Stevens on the blueline for the first couple years of Steven’s career. Steven’s credits Langway for being one of the strongest influences on his career.

I know the times and league are different now but there will be a team that feels its a scorer away from winning the cup that will want a player of Kovy’s ability. If the call comes and the right package of players is offered, you have to make the trade IMO.

By Nate

December 4, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

Mark Caps - that’s even more of a longshot then. No team in their right mind is going to trade multiple established players for a guy that can walk at the end of next season. The league has changed and Don Waddell is incompetent. There’s no way the Thrashers come away looking anything but foolish by trading Kovalchuk.

The best hope is to keep Kovalchuk through this season, add Tavares plus Espo, and see if you can throw enough cash at a top-tier free-agent to get him to sign (ala Brian Campbell who almost signed here). Then these guys on the top two lines can stop playing out of position and go back to the 3rd and 4th lines. I’d be more tempted to trade Enstrom and Lehtonen than Kovalchuk right now. If we’re in this same boat next season because Ilya refuses to sign an extension, then you explore trade options. Not right now. Hell, Hossa has said nothing but good things about Atlanta since he left. Maybe if he wins the Cup this year he’ll come back for a big paycheck.

By T-Bone

December 4, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this

I agree with you Mark. Ilya will not resign here, so why let his below-market contract go to waste. Recognize that value by trading him now. Plus, you’re not forced into a hasty deal at trade deadline like the Hossa deal. But I would much rather have another GM do the deal (did we really have a shot at Brian Burke? Oh, the humanity!). DW is a buffoon I admit. This colossal mess of a franchise is laid squarely at his feet and only a totally dysfunctional ownership group would continue to sign his paycheck. What a total, freekin’ mess!

By Mark

December 4, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

Nate I know there are examples of teams winning with offense but the examples are few and far between. BTW - Detroit led the league in goals against last year which shouldn’t be surprise since Babcock is considered a defense-oriented coach that requires his team to take care of their own end first.

By Bob

December 4, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

The Teflon Don outlasts everyone and everything

Say it ain’t so, Mr. Bradley.

If that is true, then he literally will be sitting up in that perch by himself, looking down at an empty arena.

I refuse to believe that is true. I’ll make you a gentleman’s bet that the what happens is the owners settle the deal with Belkin, finally, then they fire Waddell and get a real GM in here. They’re just biding their time till that Belkin deal is done.

did we really have a shot at Brian Burke? Oh, the humanity!

Yep. It came down to Burke and Waddell and Burke still says to this day that he was waiting for the call to get the job, but they pulled the rug out from under him at the last minute.

Imagine what Burkie would have done with a clean slate and all those #1 picks. Oh, the humanity, is right!

By hunterj6

December 4, 2008 5:20 PM | Link to this

Yo, Bradley?… You know about as much about the NHL as a Canadian sports writer knows about college football…

By Matt

December 4, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

All of you who are die-hard fans like I am obviously realize that everything you vent about or say, no matter how true it is, will NEVER BE HEARD OR SEEN by anyone that can do anything about it, right? If you want to do something about this mess, about the owners, about the GM, I say we get together IN REAL LIFE (not cyberworld) and waltz into one of the Atlanta Spirit Group’s meetings with 3000+ people and really open some eyes. Unless we do that, how about everyone who cares and loves this team/Kovy as deeply as I do just not post anything, all you are doing is wishing and praying, all which won’t work.

By Buzzeng

December 4, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this

My prediction: Don Waddell will be here longer than Ilya Kovalchuk. I’m not saying that’s the way it should be. I’m just saying that appears to be the reality. The Teflon Don outlasts everyone and everything.

Mark - My opinion lies more with Sara than with you. I can’t help but think that the reason “Teflon Don” outlasts is because the little press the Thrashers get is focused more on criticizing players than ownership and the GM. Investigate that end of the story, put some heat where it belongs (Don = 10 years of questionable performance; Ilya = 1/3rd of one season of sub-super performance). The whole ownership situation is a complete disaster and you can bet it filters all the way down to the bottom of the organ-I-zation.

By Hockey Is Life

December 4, 2008 6:43 PM | Link to this

Mr. Bradley,

Kovy is to the Thrashers what Dale Murphy was to the Braves of yore. There are a lot of guys in Blueland who need to go, but, Kovy isn’t one of them. I suppose if the sports guys at the AJC paid attention to hockey you’d already know that.

By dave

December 4, 2008 6:43 PM | Link to this

Sometimes, it is just better to start over. Trade him for youth and picks, so when you dummy down to get the best shot at Taveras, you have a good yuong team to grow with him…

By Mark Bradley

December 4, 2008 6:49 PM | Link to this

Here’s what I know about Dale Murphy: For all his excellence, he played on one division-winning team. And it got swept in the playoffs.

I believe the same applies to Kovalchuk.

It takes more than one man to win in baseball, just as it does in hockey.

By Bill

December 4, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

Should I be SHOCKED that mark bradley wrote a negative article about the thrashers? c’mon. we all know that they are dissapointing, and that they should have a higher rank in the standings, but just shut up already. isn’t it about time the ajc trades you?

By Rogie

December 4, 2008 7:42 PM | Link to this

Mark: As I recall, the Ryan Walter trade was one of the first moves (if not the first) by the then Caps new GM David Poile (who had been working for the Flames prior to that). The team had been bumbling from years of mismanagement and ineptitude….horrible trades, extremely poor drafting, and revolving door of mediocre coaches with no talent. (they made Gary Green at age 27 their head coach one year….it predictably failed miserably…).

Anyway, my point is that the Thrash has been a team that recently has had a roster with a few good skill players but really no depth. We have had some leaders in the past —- Ferraro and Mellanby come to mind but not at the moment. Who knows, maybe someday Begosian will be the locker room leader. We don’t have a tradition of winning yet, leaders in the locker room, or much depth in the system.

Kovalchuk is a great player with a lot of talent. Lehtonen has all of the skills to be a great goalie…but neither of these players really has the personality or desire to be the leader in the locker room or out on the ice. That’s fine. That’s just who they are. But, this team desperately needs a leader. It needs a change of culture…it needs players who have experienced, now how to, and expect to win every night.

Yes, I know the Caps trade that we mentioned is from 25 years ago, but the situation seems pretty comparable. Both teams had bad management, no winning history, and had 2 or 3 marketable players and nothing else.

Trade them now. Teams at the trading deadline are reluctant to trade any veteran talent…it’s essentially draft choices, role players, and prospects. Now is the time when young veteran talent is available in return

By Sage of Bluesland

December 4, 2008 8:12 PM | Link to this

Hey R.Stroz, here’s another Waddellism for your file:

“We drafted the player we wanted all along.”

The buffoon stated it after drafting the glass-groined wunderkind (Lehtonen) and the lazy fat kid (Bourret).

You know what I’m going to ask next, Mark: What have you sold out for? Stop hiding behind your cute little evasions and tell us why you continue to defend the indefensible?

What has Don Waddell given you? Is it anything resembling what Pete Babcock did?

The only writer at the AJC who is anywhere close to the truth on the real cause of the Thrashers’ ineptitude is Jeff Schultz. Bradley is irrelevant, and proves it with every bit of tripe he puts forth.

I still would like to know what you sold out for, Mark. Either way, I hope you enjoy those thirty pieces of silver…

By NavyThrasherFan

December 4, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this

Why do I always feel like gouging my eyes out after reading any article Mark Bradley writes about the Thrashers?

I bet he’s a UGA fan too. 45-42 Mark.

Kovy stays. End of story. If he goes, look for White, Little, or Armstrong to go with him, and have amazing seasons with whatever team they end up with. This, of course, would also be the end of our beloved Blueland. If this team doesn’t winning soon, (notice I didn’t say start playing well, because they do for about 40% of each game) hockey will once again fade away from our fair city. RIP Atlanta Knights. Luckily, the Gladiators aren’t too far away.

By THE FISH

December 4, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this

“The Teflon Don outlasts everyone and everything” ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!!!!!! And he’s about to outlast all the SeasonTicket Holders like me. I’ve sent the Atlanta Spirit my last check. See ya. Gotta wonder who’s gonna pay the Don’s salary now. So sad.

By Kovy Fan

December 4, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this

Mark’s points are correct, all emotion aside. Kovy deserves better as does the team. Looks like Jonathan Tavares may be this year’s consolation prize so move Kovy for picks and players, like a center and a wing or two that can score. Bundle Kovy with whoever and make the deal as sweeping as possible, it is time to rebuild (and replace Waddell).

By Kovy Fan - a redux

December 4, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this

One more thing Trashers fans, the Florida PAnthers have no attendance to speak of and the hockey pundits up North see the kitty kats moving long before Le Trashers.

By Mark

December 4, 2008 9:27 PM | Link to this

Rogie - your memory is correct. The Walter trade was Poile’s first. I agree with your assessment that the CAPs of 25 years ago are no different than Thrashers. The only thing missing is the retired Yvon Labre jersey in the rafters..:)LOL

Maybe we’ll get lucky and DW will get fired and someone like Poile will step in and make the tough decisions necessary to build a winner for Atlanta.

By stendec

December 4, 2008 10:16 PM | Link to this

You have my sympathy Mister Bradley. I agree with everything you said. I knew you were going to be crucified for saying it. I called out Kari Lehtonen as a washed up overrated quitter long ago and was lambasted for those views. The untalented Finn oxygen waste has been out of the lineup with phantom injuries which is fine with me because he is no damn good anyway. I like Ilya Kovalchuk but I have been watching him like a hawk this season. The Russian fails to finish plays (score goals) and is normally skating at a third speed compared to past seasons. He actually appeared to slow up against Ottawa when he had a partial breakaway opporunity. I witnessed this myself. Very unlike IK but very much like Maryann Hossa. IK is one man. IK has potential but is not producing. He appears to have lost his fire. It is obvious to those not looking through blue colored glasses that he yearns to be elsewhere. Three or four hungry average players would be a good trade bargain. Truth will never sway IK worshippers any more than Sorry Letemin apologists. Thanks again for writing the truth. I guess next to me you are the next most unpopular (hated) guy around these icy parts.

By Montalban

December 4, 2008 10:56 PM | Link to this

It’s not about whether the Thrashers should or should not trade Kovy Sara. It’s too late for that. He’s only signed for one more year. You either trade him now and get something for him while he has value, or let him walk away and get nothing.

If he’s so committed to Atlanta, ask him to sign a 7 year deal. He won’t.

By Montalban

December 4, 2008 10:57 PM | Link to this

It’s not about whether the Thrashers should or should not trade Kovy Sara. It’s too late for that. He’s only signed for one more year. You either trade him now and get something for him while he has value, or let him walk away and get nothing.

If he’s so committed to Atlanta, ask him to sign a 7 year deal. He won’t.

By Hopelessly Waddell

December 4, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this

Trade WADDELL first. Replace Levinson with Seidel. Enough said.

By Jamie Fehr

December 5, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this

i know this is late but well done sara. i hope you see this and you clearly know more than the esteemed mark bradley. very nicely done

By LAC

December 5, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this

WOW… What a response !

Mark, since the ASG tool mike kobler, will not ask will you ?

Just ask waddell his date or plans for resigning and see what you get ?

Everyone there at ajc is afraid to ask this IDIOT the simple question, How bout you ?

Hope #17 stays, but he needs a BIG tranfusion of TALENT, which waddell has no clue about. With the exception of 3-5 players on this team, it is a group of NHL retreads… Sad too, after all these years we should be a LOT better than this !

But any other team in the NHL would have dumped ole don after three years, I cannot believe how that IDIOT can keep his job, amazing !

By Jamie Fehr

December 5, 2008 12:16 AM | Link to this

buddy the team is not that bad. inconsistent yes but there okay just need to battle harder is all. if everybody cared like kovy they would win more games i guarantee you that. like he says they need to play for each other not for themselves.

By Brendan

December 5, 2008 1:30 AM | Link to this

Raise your hand if you want to be the GM remembered for trading Kovalchuk? Put … your hand … down. Trading Kovalchuk is a LAST RESORT and is best left for the 2010 trade deadline. The smarter move is to rid the organization of any trace of Don Waddell.

Once a new GM is installed, changes can begin to occur and the necessary steps to keep Kovalchuk can at least try to proceed. All I think Kovalchuk really wants from Atlanta … is a glimmer of hope from the ownership about the future. That won’t happen until Teflon Don is fired.

That’s Step One. Step Two is adopting a better business model. If Kovy won’t re-sign in the 2009 offseason, his 2009-10 will be one marred by his contract distraction and trade speculation. If you must trade Kovy now, how can you POSSIBLY GET “equal value?” Whatever the return for Kovy is … it must be under contract for 4-5 more years, or those traded players will be eyeballing the exits, just like Hossa did.

By Mikeyy

December 5, 2008 2:03 AM | Link to this

fu k you mark bradley, you are so clueless how do you have your own blog. your crap p** me off so much. kovy is and has been our franchise player and trading him would mean no one and i mean no one will go out to the games if that happens. building around him is the answer and since our worthless ownership cant do that the answer is obviously to get another gm in here and sent waddel to the trash can that worthless b*******. i am sick of hearing people who want to trade him yall cant appreciate what he brings to the club. new ownership, strip the team spend more and re do our roster except hainsey havelid enstrom kovy williams kozlov little pavs. but hey what would a true fan for 7 years know??? and stendic is the man. apologists are the only ones who would defend bradley in this article and would want to trade kovy. keep it up stendec

By oldtimehockeyfan

December 5, 2008 7:15 AM | Link to this

Trade Kovy? What possible reason would you have to watch this team if he was not there. Why would you put this in that idiot Waddell’s hands? So we can a couple of more “useful” players? We have a team made up of guys who could not crack the second line on most teams except Kovy. How about bringing in some talent to help him. None of this will end until the owners sell to somebody with deep pockets who cares about hockey and will invest in the team—————and who will fire Waddell.

By George

December 5, 2008 7:27 AM | Link to this

The Thrashers rely on ticket sales for almost all their revenue ! Trade Kovy and no one will show up !!!!!!!!!! Kovy does not want to leave Atlanta, he does want to win! So we need the players to support him and stop putting these trade rumors out there. His wife Nichole is exspecting their second child in February and she loves it here! Anyone that knows Kovy knows that he has been offered the moon to skate back in Russia….. tax free! So what NHL team would give anything for him knowing he will skate in Russia unless he stays here. We might be in last place but were are only 5 wins away from 1st place…… that’s easy…… So stop throwing in the towel and let’s get behind our team. Bradley only wants to create a story for himself.

George Protos

By WW5

December 5, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this

dump kovy, letemin and waddell while at least 2 of the 3 are still woth something

By Sage of Bluesland

December 5, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this

I’ll predict this, Mark: You will be here longer than Don Waddell will.

I don’t know which is worse, either. Honestly.

By Sara

December 5, 2008 8:01 AM | Link to this

This is some of what kills me. Yes, let’s trade Kovy for some good young defensive prospects. Because Enstrom, Bogosian, Oystrick, and Kulda coupled with Hainsey aren’t good enough. Sheesh. We HAVE depth at defense shocking though that might be. We need more offense.

One of the big complaints with the Hossa trade was that putting all those guys together wouldn’t necessarily even equal the number of points we got singly from Hossa. Trade Kovy, likely same result. We could get three good players that combined might equal one Kovy. So we break even - WOW!! Yeah, that’s helpful.

Then we talk about bringing in guys that have been on Championship teams and can change the culture here instantly. Hmmm, Kozlov, Holik, Recchi, Williams, Schneider, just to name a few recent ones. Some culture change huh?

Trading Kovy does absolutely ZERO to address the real underlying problems of this organization which is apathetic ownership and a severe case of manic-depressive disorder in that lockerroom. THOSE are the issues that must be dealt with in order to change the fortunes of this team. Trading Kovy would be one more horribly wrong band-aid solution, not to mention one more nail in the coffin as the lockerroom watches yet one more superstar depart for greener pastures. Nevermind what it will do to the fanbase that has already had to endure the departures of Heatley and Hossa and Savard and Coburn…

BTW, explain how Atlanta Spirit was able to replace the Hawks’ GM with the lawsuit still pending yet can’t replace Waddell under those same circumstances?

By dhj_1962

December 5, 2008 8:06 AM | Link to this

we have no depth at defense, better yet, whats the use of having “depth” if they all suck.

By Hotrod

December 5, 2008 8:25 AM | Link to this

The ASG needs to sell the Thrashers and Hawks and get out.Hawks are worth a couple of nickles now. Its obvious they do not care for their lack of communication with the press. I know they have been busy with one law suit after the other.That legal bill has to be giant. At least say something! Like “grab a life preserver”, or , “woman and children first”, say anything!

Our only hope is that a new buyer will stay in Atl. We can fill Phillips with a .600 team that has a good chance every nite.

By N2HCKY

December 5, 2008 8:31 AM | Link to this

It can be summed up pretty easy.

DW is the one that needs to go!

He doesn’t know how to build a team that ANY coach could work with. Even he couldn’t coach them.

Spirit…….OPEN your eyes and ears and find US a GM

By Tony

December 5, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

I wish they would trade Kovy. He is the only reason I spend 10 grand a year watching this pathetic team. Once he is gone, so will I.

By Tony

December 5, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

I wish they would trade Kovy. He is the only reason I spend 10 grand a year watching this pathetic team. Once he is gone, so will I.

By Mark Bradley

December 5, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this

Stendec, I appreciate the sentiments. But by now I’m used to being unpopular.

By Brendan

December 5, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

Tony … I can feel your pain, brotha. I understand WHY you did what you did. Namely, to pay full price for your season tickets. You probably felt, “If I don’t do this, the team will lose money, they won’t be able to afford to sign free agents over the summer, and then they might fold or relocate.” That’s a common sentiment. And misconception. But clearly, your heart was in the right place. But the truth I believe is this: You stop subsidizing their business plan and they’ll be forced to alter it. They cannot, and will not, get out of their lease at Philips Arena for another 12-13 years. So, no worries about relocation. Really. Truly. The team will stay.

Next order of business … by now you know you can get your same seats, GREATLY discounted, by not renewing over the offseason. When the season starts back up again in October 2009, the sales department will fly into a massive panic …and offer all kinds of discounts and specials, and encentives.

But again, until they fire Waddell, or at a minimum change their business plan, every dollar, dime, nickel and penny you spend on this team reinforces … to them … that they’re “doing the right thing.” This team is not headed in the right direction unless you believe that means going to the lottery draft. Again. For the sixth time in franchise history. (Stefan, Heatley, Kovalchuk, Lehtonen, and Bogosian.) Building through the draft is an intelligent idea, so long as there is a competent GM and scouting department to make those critical, future determining decisions.

Hey gang, I just checked, and Nashville’s cap is $44.759, with $11.941 in “cap room.” They’d be in the playoffs, for the 5th-straight season if the season ended today. Atlanta, on the other hand, now has a cap hit of $47,334, with $9.366 million in “cap room.”

Mark Bradley, do you have any comment on that? More specifically, on Nashville’s continued success, with an even smaller budget, than Atlanta’s. By the way, Nashville owns four (4) playoff victories over the mighty Detroit Red Wings. I’ve got you thinking now, don’t I, Bradley? And while you’re still chewing on that one, ask yourself how many playoff victories Atlanta has, not over Detroit, by in its entire history.

By Montalban

December 7, 2008 3:38 PM | Link to this

None of this matters. It’s not about wether they should or should not keep kovy. Of course he’s good and you want to keep him. That ship has sailed. You either trade him now and get a great return on one year of kovalchuk, or you trade him next year, and get a bad return for 4 weeks of kovalchuk. It doesn’t matter if he’s signed, the team that gets him will sign him long term as first order of business (unless you wait until next year, than he could be a rental player and you’ll get a lot lees).

He’s not re-signing in Atlanta folks. Your team sucks. The ownership sucks, the management sucks, the record sucks, and he actually cares about winning the cup. He’s not going to let himself be the Barry Sanders of hockey. He’s leaving.

By ilya17

December 10, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this

trade christensen for vermette pavelec for spezza or someone

By NASCAR Dave

December 16, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

Well, well, well… Has everybody figured it out yet??? You know, the “Black Cloud” they keep talking about??? Yeah, the Black Cloud is none other than DONNIE FRAUDell, the Master of Disaster… The sooner you people figure out that he is the One and Only Problem, the better off your lives will be…

I told you PAVELEC was ready… I told you VALABIK was ready… I told you our young Wolves would contribute more than our washed up retreads/”Team” guys…

I told you ERICA PERRIN and ERIKA CHRISTENA are in COACH’s doghouse… He wants them both OUT, can’t you see???

RANALDO, SARA, and the usual flock of apologists have to feel pretty silly trying to argue with me all season that players like VALABIK/PAVELEC/OYSTRICK/CRABB were not ready… Once again, I prove them all wrong, AGAIN…

I know the truth hurts and I know you must feel pretty silly knowing that a guy with “NASCAR” in his name knows more about hockey and THIS team than any of the “alleged” educated fans up in here… LOL

Keep watching, see me be right again and again, and in the meantime let’s get SLATER/CHRISTENA/ERICA PERRIN/and MOOSE out of here and bring up some more Rookies… Oh yeah, and FIRE WADDELL!!!

NUFF SAID.

By Gavin

December 16, 2008 9:03 PM | Link to this

In Raleigh they used to chant “Mo must Go” before they fired Paul Maurice the first time. No need to pick on Kovi when the problem is so clearly the decade of incompetence that Don Wadell has bestowed upon us! Don must Go! If a competant GM can get good value for Kovi, then so be it. With Wadell in charge at least let us enjoy Kovi’s talent as it is all that we have!

By Richard T.

December 17, 2008 11:32 PM | Link to this

Folks lets all calm down for a second and be objective about this. First, lets do some house cleaning and ask Mr. Bradley to keep his ill founded opinions to himself. Especially since he has already written this season off…way to support your team Mark!

What our team needs is a chance to become accustomed to the Anderson system. I am not entirely familiar with it yet, but folks this guy took alot of teams to the promised land. We have very good young talent in Armstrong and Christensen and we just need to be patient and let them develop. Lets not presume to think for Kovi and say that he is unhappy, I do know that he is getting impatient, but he sees this team turning into a real overall talent. Kovi is NOT your typical superstar who demands to be traded when things are not going their way…hmmm lets think about that and applaud how refreshing that is in the athelete world today and give Kovi credit where credit is certainly due.

One can only presume that since Kovi has not caused a public stir would be the basis for Mark Bradley to write such a poor article to cause a stir of his own. Again Mark, thanks for the support…please do not do us any more favors.

Now for those of you looking for someones head lets just breathe easy and let this team develop. I personally see a vast improvment in the team overall from last season. This has not translated into many wins, but it will. However I have a couple of recommendations to help where we are falling short which will make all the difference.

I have not and will not give up on this season, lest we forget that brilliant run of five wins in a row early in the season. I believe we are capable of much more.

Message to Kovi; We love you in this town and appreciate the talent you bring to the game every day. What I really appreciate is your modesty and selfless play in being a true team player. Some may think that may translate into a off year or that you are not doing your best. Those who say this have never played at this level and do not understand that most atheletes cannot just turn off being competitive when they are out there. I say I have never been more impressed with a player who is demonstrating what a true teammate does for the good of the team. You are playing your heart out and that was proven last night when some could have mistaken you as a defensive player.

Keep up the good work Thrashers there are many who believe!!!

Richard T.

By sydney

January 2, 2009 9:43 PM | Link to this

Kovy shoud not be traded but resigned to a long term,only if he refuses negotiations immediately then out he goes and not to a top team as that would defeat the cause,anyway top teams will not empty anything of real value trust me on this aspect, they will try to send us their problem children, we need draft picks and a couple f players that are honest with a certain degree of talent, Kovy needs to have more support in the talent field around him, the Gm Waddell should be eliminated and another hiring in his place, we have to build around our best player and have not done that with any thought process or real player invstigation in regard to necessary components that are required to become a respectable hockey team, as long as the recruiting and the trades are not done with more insight, there will be no positive movement. Ownership will have to finally do something, plus they will have to spend a few dollars on some quality, Thrashers are lacking leadership from the top to the dressing room, look at the Montreal canadians when they were drafting & performing poorly, they brought in Bob Gainey, revamped their recruiting staff, put together a plan that was full of logic and their homework was rewarded with much better seasons and a return to credibility. If Waddell wants to hang around he will have to change his thought process and quickly, perform a due diligence of his staff, team,clean house and then regain the respect of the fans, this is a business and he is not doing a very good job at it, on the other hand is ownership showing any backbone and are they holding him back?? my opinion rests that whomever arrives in the Gm seat must have his ideas backed and he has to perform, some of you have to forget the hiring of Waddell as a mistake etc. that is the past, what primes now is the present and we the fans have to pressure ownership in a respectful manner but the time has come to flood them with our concerns by the written media, emails, radio, television, any way or form possible to show we want to see some form of positive action taken!!!

Syd

By sydney

January 2, 2009 10:01 PM | Link to this

I wold like to reply to Richard T. time to develop? sorry but with all due respect how much time are you speaking about or what is your consideration of the over a decade progression positive or negative!! as for the the insight that you are supplying in regard to systems etc. I personaly think that we should simply leave this to the real coaches of the Pro teams, we do not have any need to coach but to give our opinon upon the team management in the building areas as it is their responsibility and we can hold them accountable, the on ice systems is another world and not within our realm as there are too many ingrediants that we are not aware of, for example the health of players, what is going on in the dressing room or on the bench, there are a multitude of events and emotions that are happening the we as fans are not privy to or cannot see nor hear from our view in the seats or from the television screen.However I am certain that all appreciate your intent and my response is in no way meant to be demeaning, you are entitled to an opinion however and we may agree to disagree!

Syd.

By rex

January 8, 2009 10:06 AM | Link to this

Mark, this is one of the DUMBEST pieces of “advice” you have ever graced on one of our sports franchises !! Trade Kovy ? I know from past columns that you know nothing about NASCAR, but I thought you had a bit of hockey knowledge ?? Waddell, as likeable as he is, needs to go….He has been cheap cheap cheap the entire time. Obviously the Owners need to get their act together as well, but Waddell either cannot judge defensive talent, or cannot judge a good head coach. Or he fires the only legit HC they have had Rex

By rex

January 8, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this

Mark, this is one of the DUMBEST pieces of “advice” you have ever graced on one of our sports franchises !! Trade Kovy ? I know from past columns that you know nothing about NASCAR, but I thought you had a bit of hockey knowledge ?? Waddell, as likeable as he is, needs to go….He has been cheap cheap cheap the entire time. Obviously the Owners need to get their act together as well, but Waddell either cannot judge defensive talent, or cannot judge a good head coach. Or he fires the only legit HC they have had Rex

By Revolution

January 13, 2009 4:02 PM | Link to this

Still time to trade Kovy, Mark?

By Revolution

January 13, 2009 4:04 PM | Link to this

Still time to trade Kovy, Mark?

By puckfel

January 18, 2009 9:12 PM | Link to this

Bradley: excuse me - but trading kovy is the stupidest idea since trading patrick roy. apparently you hate hockey. if Kovy leaves this team is gone this year. i think that is already a foregone conclusion. which is sad. atlanta fans (and yes there are real fans here) deserved a far better outcome. if you want hockey to stay you better start thinking about that now. i would like to see a journalist spend some brain cells investigating that, and start with the lease, the commitments in the lease and why the thrashers aren’t tied to the lease like the hawks. then review the commitment issue from these owners. $41m would make Sam Pollock look Matt Millen. Come on.

ALL: i am not a waddell apologist. Rant all you want about waddell. but without a real committed owner this team will never have focus and $$$ to succeed. i think koyy will end up with an owner that will support him with a team and he will be legend before his career is over.

By chillahill

January 31, 2009 8:11 PM | Link to this

r u effen nuts oh yea you must be smoking the terrance moore weed wake up oh thats right i couldnt think of a good article so ill just cause an uproar by being a dumbass. controversy for arguments sakes doesnt mean its journalism or maybe it does when it comes to you two stupid idiots. maybe u should post things like mets third basemen slides into home on recent visit to south beach.. get the f out of hear you show your freshman mentality with this crap… move to montgomery there looking for third rate reporting