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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2009 > January > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThrashers need some fire on the ice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The issues are many for the Thrashers, but the solutions are few. Despite three straight victories after Tuesday night’s 4-2 slaying of an impressive Montreal bunch at Philips Arena, the Thrashers still need many things just to become decent after this weekend’s All-Star break.
They need to rise further from the bottom of the NHL in defense. They need to do more than flash signs here and there that they actually can score. They need to have Ilya Kovalchuk continue to resemble other true stars around the league, and that is, he must continue to lead on the ice as well as in the locker room. They need to keep more fans from becoming allergic to their turnstiles, with Philips Arena less than half full again despite having the historically popular Canadiens in town.
Mostly, they need to acquire more talent, period, especially with the trade deadline barely six weeks away.
They don’t need a coach, though. They have John Anderson, the plain-speaking Toronto native who nevertheless has a considerable problem: As a veteran head guy in the minor leagues, he frequently won (12 trips to the playoffs in 13 years with no losing seasons). As a rookie NHL head skipper with the Thrashers, he frequently has lost. Among other horrors for Anderson these days, only the New York Islanders have fewer points.
It’s enough to make you wonder if Anderson wants to spend most of his Atlanta days and nights slinging a slapstick at something or someone.
“Uh, well, I think this is disappointing like you can’t believe,” said Anderson, who has tried so many things this season with marginal results. There was his constant shifting of the lines. There were his various team captains before settling on just Kovalchuk. There was his threat of drastic changes to the roster after lethargic performances. Until recently, little has worked for Anderson in search of the magic that produced five championships during his 11 years with the Chicago Wolves, the Thrashers’ primary minor-league affiliate for the past eight years.
Added Anderson, sighing, “As a coach, it’s almost personal [when you’re losing]. You know, here, it’s a process. It’s a thought-out way of doing things, and we’re going to get to that point. You just wish it was sooner than later, but sometimes, we’re going to need some patience. We’ll build our team one or two players at a time. Then, when we get to a certain point, I think that’s where we have to go after some free agents, which I think we’re going to do.”
They haven’t a choice, not after following last season’s first and only trip to the playoffs for a decade-old franchise with those issues of now.
Those issues weren’t apparent for the Thrashers against the Canadiens, among the Eastern Conference elite. Courtesy of the Thrashers’ high intensity in the early going and resiliency near the end, Anderson had few reasons to fume after this one. Anyway, he keeps whatever fire he has on his tongue from heating the ice after games. He doesn’t speak to his players about their just-completed highs and lows until the following day. He did such a thing in the minors, where he also employed the same offensive and defensive principles that he has brought to the Thrashers.
Defenseman Nathan Oystrick laughed. He was asked the difference between this Anderson and the one he played for during the previous two years in Chicago.
“Maybe a couple of [new] jeans, that’s all,” said Oystrick, referring to the plain-dressing Anderson, too.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Thrashers/NHL
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By CHRIS CLARK
January 21, 2009 4:19 PM | Link to this
Why do you continue to rip the Thrashers?
By Julie
January 21, 2009 4:41 PM | Link to this
uh yea, by the way…it was the season before last. Maybe you should get your information straight before publishing, you jerk.
By h
January 21, 2009 5:33 PM | Link to this
when it comes to hockey you are the king…………….of the morons…..pick a sport you actually know something about……if there is one.
By realfan
January 21, 2009 5:49 PM | Link to this
Gotta love the band wagoners…Ill bet Chris and Julie are the same half-way-fans who want to run their mouths when the thrashers are doing poorly. Now that they are doing well (for a last place in their division team), Chris and Julie need someone else to vent on [Moore]. Maybe people in Atlanta are just unhappy? I think that Moore is quite accurate, although stating the obvious, in his appraisal of hockey here in Atlanta.
GO THRASHERS! GO KARI! TAKE DOWN NITTY!
By Brendan
January 21, 2009 6:06 PM | Link to this
Terence Moore, I wouldn’t count on the Thrashers doing much buying at the trade deadline. They’ll be in full selling mode. But that’s not going to be the “spin.” The “spin” will be that we sold off “pending” free agents while adding players at the same time.
Now, the question will be … WHO are we adding? Is it a player who, likewise, will hit unrestricted free agency? Will it be a player who still has a year or two under contract? Will it be a player scheduled to be an RFA, and later UFA, if the GM doesn’t tender a qualifying offer? Or, are we truly stealing another franchise’s prized prospect? If that’s the case, then great. But the real bottom line is … from “Opening Night” to right now … this team has had a budget (salary cap) closer to the FLOOR of the cap than the ceiling.
So? So what?
So, it’d be difficult, no … scratch that … IMPOSSIBLE for the sports agents who represent Tier I players to FAIL to NOTICE that. These sports agents pay close attention to team finances, for all 30 teams. They advise their clients, accordingly, on where to sign, for MAXIMUM DOLLARS and MAXIMUM opportunity to win. These are the two (2) things most, if not ALL players care about. (1) Their salary. And (2) their chances of hoisting the big silver chalice.
Atlanta’s message rings LOUD-N-CLEAR. We’re not TRYING. The budget alone announces that. But the retention of a GM who will have placed the club over which has oversight … into the bottom third of the Conference for the eighth time in nine seasons … is the REAL INDICATOR of “intentions.”
Things like that simply don’t go UNNOTICED. Not by Kovalchuk. Not by Savard. Not by Hossa. Not by Kaberle. Not by Havelid. And not by John Tavares and Mr. Hedman, the two top prospects in this upcoming June’s draft. Nothing says they HAVE TO sign with the team that drafts them. They can, like Wheeler now in Boston, refuse to sign with the club that drafted them (Phoenix).
It’s true, Terrence. The longer a person ignores a problem, the more it snowballs. And festers. And infects others. Think about it. Now THINK HARDER. That’s why there’s not enough fire. The players know they’re in hockey purgatory.
By Matt
January 21, 2009 6:19 PM | Link to this
Umm… I don’t think Terence said anything that isn’t true. Would you prefer a fluff piece? He was pretty spot on. They are making progress and have a good coach, but they are still miles away from where they need to be. I have faith that they are finally starting to get things right, but there is still work to be done.