Sports Columnists

By Rawhide

January 19, 2008 6:06 PM | Link to this

Nicely put, MB

What is very true is that this team is still in position to win the division after dropping it’s first six of the season…then dropping it’s coach. And winning the SE may be easier than winning a playoff position otherwise.

Last night’s game was a debacle…no doubt, but it exposed the biggest problem we have with this team, the blue line, (a true #1 center would be nice, but the defense is our biggest concern).

So, Don Waddell indeed better be a “buyer” right now…anything else would be throwing in the towel and that would be a disaster.

Hossa needs to sign,…or tell Don to trade him and get on with it. I personally want him to stay, but he needs to make a choice…and make it before anything of quality that could be gained in return is already dealt.

Yes, the team has kept this season interesting…they have risen from the ashes of October to be an average team. That was an accomplishment. Now it’s time to rise from that plateau.

GO THRASHERS!!

By Rebel

January 19, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this

If we don’t win the SE division, we will miss the playoffs.

Buffalo had been losing and we had been winning…..it makes no sense.

This team lacks day in to day out locker room leadership. And giving up 10 goals, I expected to see a lot more fights…..show the passion!

By Brendan

January 19, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this

About a week to 10 days ago, MB, Don Waddell made an interesting quote. One that furrowed my brow. It was in reference to the Marian Hossa contract situation. Do you know which one it was?

Well, refreshing everyone’s memory, Waddell said, “We’ve got to keep an eye out for the longrange interests of the team.”

Stop. Unless there’s been a “hushed up” contract extension for Waddell, which is the Atlanta Spirit Group’s M.O. to a “T,” then Don Waddell expects not to be fired, despite having been told to coach “the mess” he, alone, built.

Technically, Waddell is under contract through 2009, as best as the Atlanta Spirit is willing to reveal. Keep in mind, the ASG told ALL of you … Hartley’s contract was … how did they say it?, None of your business. Waddell’s comment: “We prefer to keep such matters INTERNAL” Shhhh. I can go to just about any other team’s website and find out how long and how much any player or coach or GM’s contract is. It’s not the stuff the CIA, NSA, and FBI combined fight diligently to protect from disclosure. It shouldn’t be a matter of “national security.” For the ASG, it is. After all, we wouldn’t want the word “accountability” to creep into the daily discourse of the fans who support this team. Heavens, no.

Okay. So … Waddell says “he’s a buyer.” Well, should this shock anyone? If he said, “We’re going to be sellers,” he might as well FIRE HIMSELF on the spot. Selling assets means, “I goofed. My bad. I still don’t know to build a team, after EIGHT SEASONS.

Let’s review Last Year’s trade deadlines deals—deals which admittedly worked! Former 8th overall pick, Braydon Coburn, currently logging 24:00 of ice time a game for Philadelphia, was dealt for Alexei Zhitnik and his $3.5 million salary. Zhitnik is still under contract for next season, too. Former 16th overall pick, Alex Bourret, was dealt to the NY Rangers for Pascal Dupuis. Defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski, who earlier had been acquired during the 2006 offseason from the Anaheim Ducks for Atlanta’s 2nd round draft pick in 2007, was dealt to the Nashville Predators for Center Eric Belanger. Eric Belanger currently enjoys a 3-year contract playing for the Minnesota Wild. Bottom line there: He was a “rental.” And the 4th trade deadline move … was to pay an EXORBITANT sum for star Center Keith Tkachuk. The price tag there was …

(1) Atlanta 1st and (2) 3rd round picks in 2007 and (3) Atlanta’s 2nd round pick in 2008, as well as Atlanta’s (4) 1st round pick in 2008 iffff it re-signed Tkachuk in the offseason, which it did not. So, that pick was returned to Atlanta. No, actually, it was “traded” back to Atlanta for (5) “future considerations, thought to be a 3rd round pick.

Think we’re done with the “Tkachuk rental?” Nope, it also cost (6) Center Glen Metropolit’s services. LOL. St. Louis got six (6) things in return for “renting” Tkachuk to Atlanta.

Umm, was that Waddell looking out for the longterm interests of the team? Bygones. The trades “worked” since Atlanta, which was tanking fast, managed to make the playoffs and win the Southeast Division. There is a banner hanging high in the rafters of Philips Arena. If you go there, you’ll see it.

This year … Waddell’s “buying” could cost the Thrashers plenty. Skating in Chicago is the Thrashers’ 10th overall selection from 2004, a defenseman named Boris Valabik, who stands about 6’8” without his skates on. He was called the “A poor man’s Zdeno Chara” on draft day 2004. Another bargaining chip is Atlanta’s 1st round pick for the 2008 draft—A draft already called “DEEP,” by hockey pundits. Expendable players, who still have a nice “upside” to them, on the Thrashers roster are defenseman Mark Popovic, an RFA this Summer, and speedy checking center Jim Slater, who is under contract for next season. Center Eric Perrin, 4th on the team in scoring, and a -1 on a team filled with “star players in double-digit minuses,” is another “trade bait” option. Perrin is under contract for another year. Don Waddell would like someone to come calling about expensive blueliners Alexei Zhitnik and Nic Havelid, but rebuilding teams won’t want defenseman in their mid-30’s.

Down in the AHL (Chicago Wolves), are defenseman Nathan Oystrick, Chad Denny, Kwiatowski, and Grant Lewis. These players could generate “some interest” for rebuilding teams looking for prospects in return for their expendable “assets.” Also in the system is winger Brett Sterling and Center Bryan Little. These players ought to be off-limits, but desperate GMs do DESPERATE things. The most-prized asset on the farm club is netminder Ondrej Pavelec. Pavelec may well be the Thrashers “star goalie” of the future. But Waddell’s “penchant” for mid-30 year old, “yesteryear All-Stars” is fervent. He’s probably dish it out for someone like Mats Sundin, whose best years are well behind him. Or a Peter Forsberg, same deal there. Or an Adam Foote, Columbus, ($4.5M) defensemen who hits the open market later on this Summer. Waddell might even take a flier on Columbus’ Sergei Federov and his $6.05M contract. You just “never know” with Waddell.

Waddell said, “We have to keep an eye out for the longrange interests of the team.” I hope someone will remind him of just that.

Ya know, scratching my head, a playoff berth is something which roughly 55-percent of the league’s teams experience. It’s not something SO RARE that it should require “mortaging the future” to achieve. But if it pays off, and the Thrashers win their division again, to make the playoffs, I’m sure everyone will think it was nothing short of “brilliant” on the part of the GM.

God Bless the “mediocrity” of the Eastern Conference that has allowed this .500 club to be a BUYER at the trade deadline.

By erock

January 19, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this

EXCELLENT POST BRANDON !!

By joken

January 19, 2008 8:06 PM | Link to this

waddell is a joke as a general manager (let alone as a coach)-and not a funny one at that.

this team has 9 (count ‘em) draft picks playing ANYWHERE in the nhl. it also must be pointed out that all of those years (except last year) they were drafting high-they never made the playoffs before last season. it would take an absolute imbecile to not draft kovalchuk (with the 1st overall selection), heatley (with the 2nd) or lehtonen (with the 2nd);they are all future or current all stars-in kovy’s and heater’s cases, first ballot hall of famers. drafting them should not even count-a chimpanzee could not screw that up. by comparison, on bufalo’s roster last night, they have 15 on THEIR roster. the reality is plain: HE CANNOT DRAFT OR JUDGE TALENT! without that skill, the thrashers will never be any good. ownership either does not care (a possibility) or they are as incomptent as waddell.

By Brendan

January 19, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this

Who is *BRANDON? :)

By LAC

January 19, 2008 9:46 PM | Link to this

I would like to see the entire Sprit group, walk to center ice and one of them just one again LIE to EVERYONE like that STUPID rutherford slydel or whatever his name is, did opening night when he had the NERVE to tell everyone that the sprit or should Isay SPIT group, was doing EVERYTHING to win The Stanley Cup.

What a LIAR I repeat rutherford you are a F’ing LIAR

How dare an a complete IDIOT like you lie to the hockey fans of Atlanta.

Your entire little childish group remains hidden away from standing up and being men and REALLY trying to win !

What is with you people ?

Just a few little rich guys who somehow have money, hard to believe, and think because they do they can own a pro sports team.

Well your report card is a BIG FAT F You may be sucessful in business, but as pro sports owners you just flat SUCK.

You have NO business in professional sports and the fact there are so many of you, well to many indians and not enough chief’s is more like it !

You CLOWNS need to sell out to an owner, that’s right ONE man who has passion and a desire to win as well as the knowledge to bring in the RIGHT people for the job, not what we have seen from you.

If any of you little boys worked for me I would FIRE you at once, you are as Jeff S. says Out Of Your League without question.

Do the Hockey fans of Atlanta right, SELL the team ASAP before you lose your fan support once and for all.

Like I said rutherford sydel YOU ARE A LIAR !

By Thrasher Ryan

January 19, 2008 11:24 PM | Link to this

I would like to take this time to personally thank Ilya Kovalchuk for making my investment in 30 Kovy Rookie cards in 2001 pay off. They have since quadrupled in value! The card dealer at the time laughed at me and said “He won’t ever amount to much… he doesn’t understand how to play defense.”

Ha Ha, who’s laughing now sucker!

Thanks Ilya!

By Fred

January 19, 2008 11:42 PM | Link to this

A Yankee sport. I never had ice to skate on and don’t know the rules. How much revenue do the Thrashers dring in to Atlanta? They get a buttload of AJC time but do they even begin to bring in the bucks that even ONE (not to mention that Atlanta gets two) NASCAR race does? F the Thrashers and their yankee assed sport. The Daytona 500 (NASCAR) is like the 4th most grossing event in the world (according to Forbes Magazine). Is ANY hockey event in the top 50? But god forbid you EVER talk or write about that redneck sport of racing. At one point in time Atlanta Motor Speedway (which is in Hampton for you complete idiots) grossed more per year for Atlanta than the combined totals of the Hawks, Braves , and Falcons. The Thrashers were just a wet dream for Ted Turner at that point. go figure.

By HairyHeckler

January 19, 2008 11:57 PM | Link to this

Does the NASCAR fan base read the paper?

By Tony C.

January 20, 2008 12:35 AM | Link to this

Yes.

They think hockey is a “wussy” sport played by “fairies on skates”

Mark, I know you have other fish to fry, but don’t be scared to pipe up more than twice a season about the hockey club.

GO BLUE !!!

By ed

January 20, 2008 12:48 AM | Link to this

Hey, Fred,

Got any numbers to back those bold statements?

No, wait, you’re obviously a NASCAR fan, so you probably can’t count anyway…..

By Tom

January 20, 2008 1:04 AM | Link to this

Fred,

You are THE reason people think of NASCAR as only a redneck, hillbilly sport. Just like you claim hockey is a “yankee” sport. So what if you never had “ice to skate on”. That makes it not a sport? In your small mind, perhaps. And not knowing the rules, as you freely admit, is YOUR problem, not the sport’s problem. I didn’t know anything about NASCAR when I first arrived here, but I found it interesting to a degree, and then went out and learned about it. Now I am a big fan. I could just have easily taken your tact of saying, well, I’ve never raced a car, therefore, racing is stupid. Grow the heck up. That’s what’s called having an open mind. I could be as petty and biased and idiotic as you and say “F the rednecks and their dumbass racing” but, again, I choose to take the high road and say fine… to each his own. You like racing?…fine…enjoy. You like hockey?…fine…enjoy. Besides, this is a HOCKEY BLOG. What do you expect to be discussed on a hockey blog? NHRA? If you have issues with the way the AJC covers racing as opposed to hockey, take it up with the AJC, not the hockey fans. And by the way, just to further illustrate your ignorance, Ted Turner never did, and does not, have a single thing to do with the Thrashers. NASCAR rocks…fans of it, such as you, suck.

By Tom

January 20, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this

Fred…by the way…the War for Southern Independence was over more that 140 years ago. You lost. (Actually…your ancestors lost…you had nothing to do with it.) Get over it. You and your southern brethren who still think you are fighting the war give the south a bad name.

By falcon80

January 20, 2008 4:07 AM | Link to this

Wow, I knew “never forget” rednecks were bad, and I knew that “we did it better” Yankees are worse, but can we believe that they actually agree! Go Thrashers!

By T-Bone

January 20, 2008 8:37 AM | Link to this

Trying to get this thread back on “track” so to speak, Brendon great recap of the situation. You really have a grasp of the history and facts and, I’m afraid, far better grasp than anyone in the owners suite. To further complicate matters Bernie Mullin has little to no hockey background either if memory serves. A perfect set-up for DW: ignorant owners and senior management who look to him for an appraisal of his job performance. Wish I could get a deal like that. What ASG needs to do is create a position like EVP of Hockey Operations who KNOWS HOCKEY and make the GM report to him, and the EVP report to ASG. If we had had that set-up DW would have been gone some time ago. It’s a simple enough solution but with this group, simple never seems to be part of the equation.

By wristshot

January 20, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

Excellent article Mr Bradley. The trade deadline should be interesting again as it was last year. We should be looking for the acquisition of a big name defenseman but I would also like to see some sort of an enforcer in Thrasher blue. The last few games have really shown our lack of grit and teams are starting to take runs at Kovy, Enstrom, etc.

By HookyBob

January 20, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this

Great article Mark. Thanks.

The .500 record truly indicates that this team brings their “A game” about 1/2 of the time. When we show up we can play with any team in the league. The trick has been, and continues to be, getting the team to bring their best.

Excepting travel and the 2nd night of back-to-backs, this is largely a mental issue.

Team gaps in defence and center, even in goal, seem exaggerated on bad nights. On good nights players are stepping up to fill those gaps.

So, in addition to the mental aspect, new players at D and C could help this team. Perhaps the addition could help the mental aspect (a la Tkachuk).

If we can bring our “A game” 2 out 3 nights we’d be one of the top seeds.

Go Blue…Bring your “A game” today.

By Red Light

January 20, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this

Brendan’s on target again.

I think the entire situation surrounding this team is that Waddell is not accountable for any action. If you are one of the owners or the president and you know nothing about the intricacies of the sport, you have to rely upon the one guy who supposedly does - and that’s Waddell in their minds. If fired, which is unlikely, they wouldn’t know who to replace him with.

In the land of the blind, one-eyed men are kings.

Unfortunately, Waddell has the one eye. Wish he had one good eye when it came to evaluating talent.

By Hotrod

January 20, 2008 11:11 AM | Link to this

OK we lost 10-1 in ONE game. Personally , this season has been very entertaining! Great shoot outs , great wins , and a couple of games you would like to forget about.

If any opponent wants to run a score again , plan on meeting my friend, Eric “The Wrecking Ball” Boulton.

Odgers, the smile on your face when TV flashed radio on the screen was just priceless!

By Hotrod

January 20, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this

All I know is , if an opponent wants to run the score again, plan on meeting my friend, Eric”The Wrecking Ball” Boulton. Way to go man!

By Brendan

January 20, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this

Red Light and T-Bone, the Atlanta Spirit Group really do NOT have a handle on the situation with the NHL. They only “see” annual budget plans. They don’t see the Big Picture.

Here’s some “big picture perspective.” If Hossa walks, like Savard did two years ago, it sends a loud and clear message that when the situation becomes the PLAYER’S CHOICE, they DON’T BELIEVE IN BLUELAND. These FREE AGENT Thrashers decide that their “best shot at a Cup” lies ELSEWHERE.

Still digesting that? Good. There’s more. If Kovalchuk hits the open market in 2010, he could be lost as well.

Question: What is it, EXACTLY, that makes the Atlanta Spirit Group “think” that TIER ONE free agents would “opt” to come to Atlanta?

Bueller? Bueller?? Bueller???

At least if Hossa and Kovalchuk STAYED, there’d be players who thought, “Well gee, I wouldn’t mind being on that line. I could CENTER Kovy or Hossa, hit all my numbers, excel at what I do. Etc.”

Do you think this “thought” has occurred to the Atlanta Spirit Group? Well, if you asked the question that DIRECTLY, they’d be shamed into an “affirmative” response, while fumbling and staring BLANKLY at each other, before one of them perks up and says, “Well, ya see, that’s why we’ve been working so HARD at trying to re-sign Marian Hossa.”

Cough, cough. Ummmm. How do I put this “delicately?” If you were REALLY TRYING TO RE-SIGN HOSSA, you wouldn’t have addressed the glaring needs of the “center position” for your hockey with a 4-year deal to Todd White, a career 3rd line center who is well capable of playing 2nd line minutes when called up to do so. Waddell also got Eric Perrin in free agency as “depth” protection at Center.

Question: Are Todd White or Eric Perrin TIER ONE centers? Answer: No.

Question: “Were ANY TIER ONE CENTERS AVAILABLE on the FREE AGENT MARKET during the offseason?” Answer: Yes, in the form of Drury, Briere and Gomez.

Question: “Did Atlanta target or make offers to any of these players?” Answer: It’s a national security secret. But my guess is, “no, they didn’t.”

Question: “Do you think Marian Hossa called his agent on July 2, 2007, to tell him, ‘I’m not going to sign in Atlanta unless the GM pulls off a major trade for a Tier One Center’? Answer: I wouldn’t rule that out as actually having occurred. Hossa still isn’t re-signed, after Waddell said he’d have him re-inked “sometime” in July. White and Perrin were BOTH SIGNED on July 1st, which is the FIRST DAY of FREE AGENCY for hockey.

So, folks. This is your ownership. And Hossa is meeting not only with Waddell, but the owners, as well. Presumably, he’s trying to educate them on how a hockey organization ought to be run. The ASG are “nice guys.” They just don’t know hockey, God Bless ‘em. But they’re learning. It’s a … what’s Waddell’s favorite word?? Oh yes, a “process.” And the “process” of re-signing Marian has got to move forward. Or Waddell has to consider a trade. Or, he’s “bluffed” into keeping him and gambling it all … on another division title and another playoff berth, for a club that has almost no shot at competing for the Cup this season, even it if it does make the playoffs.

The only season that MATTERS … is the playoffs. Have you checked the Vegas odds on a Thrashers Cup win lately? Why would you NEED to. All you need to know … is that Thrasher FREE AGENT “walk” as soon as they’re eligible.

By Boo Fred

January 20, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

Go home Fred and drink beer and have fun with your 14 year old daughter, about nascar speed ! It’s a JOKE !

By stendec

January 20, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this

Somebody PLEASE invent artificial ice NOT too slippery for (so-called #1 Thrasher goalie hah) Sori Letemin. What a horrific HOME non-effort in a MUST WIN game against the worst (next to Thrashers) NHL group! Thrashers truly do not belong in playoffs. The way these bums have been playing lately against MARSHMALLOW opponents, such an appearance could be nothing but another debacle. Remember the New York Ranjerks? Blueland needed to be fumigated after that give-up job! What a waste of a few weekend hours. From division champs to division cellar dwellers in one quick swoop? Highly possible! So disgusted and disillusioned I have nothing else to say about Falcons, uh, Thrashers. Sorry, two about even on effort level lately. I feel the pain Thrasher faithful. GO FLAMES!