AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2006 > October
October 2006
Looking backward and forward
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Time to look forward and backwards today.
First, backwards. The prevailing theory at the NHL is that by playing divisional rivals a million times, rivalries will build. Others say that can only happen through playoff series. It would seem to me that in the minds of Thrashers’ fans, and perhaps in the players’, that Toronto might be as much of a rival to the Thrashers as Tampa Bay or Carolina. Anyone care to agree or disagree? (Even though for Toronto its rivalries with Ottawa and Montreal make almost any other pale in comparison.)
If you agree, does it make that much harder to swallow Monday’s loss, even though it came at the end of a successful road trip? Is there a figure who causes the stomach of a Thrashers fan to burn with bile more than the goateed Darcy Tucker?
Now, forward, to a team that is much harder to hate and Wednesday’s game with Carolina. Has it surprised you that the Thrashers have not beaten this team while they have beaten every other team they have played at least once, except Toronto?
Last season the Thrashers had so much success against the ‘Canes, but this season, it seems the opposite. Does that make you take Wednesday’s game any more seriously than you ordinarily might? Certainly, Carolina has rebounded from its early doldrums and while the Thrashers might hold a seven-point lead, going three games into the eight-game series without a win could have implications for later in the season that would not help the Thrashers.
Road trip already successful
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, it might be two days later, but I’m guessing some Thrashers fans are still basking in the glow of Saturday’s 5-4 shootout win over Buffalo.
What do you take away from that win? Do you look at any of the negatives — they gave away a one-goal lead four times — or do you look at the many positives?
Certainly, in a big-game situation, the Thrashers came up big. They never got rattled, even in that final 1:44 of regulation when the building shook after Buffalo tied the game. Penalty killing was good, team defense was good. The offense was good.
Does that game make you re-evaluate how good the Thrashers can be? Do you think they can be a top two team in the Eastern Conference all season, as Carolina was last?
There do seem to be some parallels between the Thrashers and Hurricanes of last season. Carolina got off to that hot start and built up their confidence and never looked back. The Thrashers appear to be on that track. Even a loss tonight in Toronto -– a team ripe for the picking -– couldn’t ruin an already successful road trip, currently at 2-0-2.
Streaking, sizzling Sabres on tap
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m back in the saddle after three days off. Forecast in Buffalo for tomorrow’s game: 40 degrees and rain.
The weather might be cold, but the Sabres, well, they’re the talk of the town. If they beat the Thrashers on Saturday, they will set the NHL record for wins to start a season at 11. The Thrashers, meanwhile, enter Friday’s games with the second best record in the NHL.
Any predictions for Saturday’s game?
I was just talking to Scott Mellanby before practice (Hartley gave a few guys the day off, Mellanby, Andy Sutton) and we were discussing the Thrashers recent bad starts and how they will have to handle a team with as much speed as Buffalo possesses.
Mellanby pointed out that the Thrashers have not gotten off to good starts in the two Carolina games and doing that against Buffalo would not be a good idea. He also said it’s not just the Carolina games in which they’ve done that (down 2-0 in the season opener to Tampa Bay, down 2-0 to Florida on Monday, there are others I’m probably forgetting.)
So a good start is imperative, but so are good decisions -– the most effective way to combat a team with speed.
Anyone care to dissect how Maxim Afinogenov, Chris Drury and the likes of these speedy Sabres will fare against the Thrashers’ defense?
A fight breaks out
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Something strange happened early in the Thrashers’ 5-4 overtime loss at Carolina on Wednesday night.
A little bit of the old NHL broke out.
Barely two minutes in, Shane Hnidy of the Thrashers and Carolina’s Craig Adams dropped their gloves and started swinging.
A boxing match was part of hockey again - at least for a moment.
It took 10 games, but the Thrashers finally got into a fight.
Punches are a rare sight in the new NHL, where speed and finesse rules over physical play and mayhem.
The Thrashers were bound to be involved in a fight eventually, but don’t expect to see one break out very often. Brawling is just not a real part of the league anymore.
Thursday night, the Thrashers are at Philadelphia. The Flyers, after cleaning house, are trying to get a little of their old fight back, so this game should be physical.
But don’t expect a return of the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970s.
The NHL - for better or worse - doesn’t want that anymore.
A chance to rattle Sabres
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As interesting a test as Wednesday night’s game at Carolina is for the Thrashers, Saturday’s at Buffalo is even more intriguing.
The Thrashers, of course, aren’t looking ahead. How could they. Carolina is the defending Stanley Cup champion and a Southeast Division rival.
But Buffalo, a finalist last season, may be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference this year and the Sabres are off to even a hotter start than the Thrashers.
Buffalo is 9-0, with two victories over Carolina, and the record to start a NHL season is 10 victories in a row by Toronto.
Buffalo plays at the New York Islanders on Thursday and could be going for an 11-0 start when the Thrashers visit on Saturday.
The Sabres, even more than Carolina, have benefited from the new NHL - both on the ice and off.
Can the Thrashers match up with Buffalo? We’ll soon see.
The Thrashers, near the middle of a five-game road trip, are at Philadelphia on Thursday, Buffalo on Saturday and Toronto on Monday.
It’s a difficult stretch, but a good way to judge just how good the Thrashers really are this season.
Tracking Kovalchuk’s streak
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ilya Kovalchuk is no longer lagging in goals or points. What a difference a few games make.
Kovalchuk didn’t have a goal in the first five games of the season and frustration was starting to build despite his improved all-round play and the Thrashers’ success.
But after his hat trick Monday in Florida, the dynamic winger has five goals in the past four games and 12 points - tied for second on the team.
The Thrashers had been on a roll. Now Kovalchuk is, too.
Coach Bob Hartley has stressed team play and defense to Kovalchuk, and the message has definitely gotten through.
But Kovalachuk, who has a rare combination of speed and shooting ability, has always been a goal scorer and he always will be a goal scorer.
Can Kovalchuk reach 50 goals and 100 points despite his start? Of course.
Most top goal scorers are streaky and Kovalchuk is certainly no exception.
The first-place Thrashers, who play at Stanley Cup champion Carolina on Wednesday, have four games remaining on their road trip.
It will not only be interesting to see how many victories they come back to Atlanta with, but how many goals Kovalchuk will have scored.
Huzzahs for Hossa
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Of course, it’s only 10 percent of the way into the season, but is there a better player in the NHL right now than Marian Hossa? He shares the league lead in goals with nine. His 13 points are one shy of his former Ottawa teammate Martin Havlat, who, predictably, got hurt.
Those who watch Hossa closely must appreciate his attention to detail and how much of a responsible defensive player he is. Throw in his scoring and Hossa’s start is reminiscent of Martin St. Louis’ MVP season of 2003-04.
Granted, he’ll have to keep it up — which is virtually impossible at this level — but knowing Hossa, his professionalism, his skill level, his work ethic, it doesn’t seem likely that there would be a terrible downturn, barring injury.
The Thrashers currently are fifth in the overall league standings. What conditions do you think would be necessary for Hossa to win the Hart Trophy? Would the Thrashers have to be a top two team in the conference? Would he have to win the scoring title, as did St. Louis that season? Or do you think any kind of media bias might prevent him?
Obviously, there was no media basis with St. Louis. But Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer are pretty established names and Anaheim is looking like it might be the best team in the West. I don’t really see a contender on Buffalo except for Chris Drury because the Sabres do it with depth. The same is somewhat true with Minnesota, which also is off to a hot start. Then there’s defending Hart winner Joe Thornton.
Any thoughts?
Continuing a hot start
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Thrashers just keep finding ways to win. With their overtime win on Thursday, they tied the franchise record of 11 points in the first seven games. I keep hearing a lot of people calling this the best start in franchise history. Technically, it ties it. And in 2003-04, the Thrashers went seven games (four wins, two ties, one overtime loss) without a regulation loss. Personally, I’d have to say that start was better.
But in the eighth game of that season, the Thrashers lost 3-2 to the Florida Panthers. Coincidentally, they play Florida again in their eighth game this season on Saturday. One more point in the standings will indisputably get the Thrashers off to a franchise best start.
With that loss in 2003, they went the next five games with only one win (1-3-1-0; don’t you miss the old four-column standing format?). The rest of the season was a constant see saw of hot streaks and cold streaks (with that abysmal two wins in 21 games stretch).
Do you expect this team to hit a wall or do you expect more? That team got off to the good start mainly because it was carried by Ilya Kovalchuk who had 10 goals in the first eight games and the hot goaltending of Pasi Nurminen, who was overworked and then struggled. Kovalchuk has one in the first seven now but also six assists. Could his game be evolving, with Kovalchuk taking what the opposition is giving him, which would explain all of Marian Hossa’s goals (all seven of them)?
Once Kovalchuk cooled, so did that ’03-’04 team. Dany Heatley would miss the first 51 games. Marc Savard went through a spate of injuries and only played 45 games. A much less talented defense was ravaged by injuries: Frantisek Kaberle played 67 games, Andy Sutton played 65, Daniel Tjarnqvist played 68, Yannick Tremblay played 38, Garnet Exelby played 71 and Chris Tamer played 38.
This team has a deeper defense, it has Hossa where Heatley was hurt in ’03-’04, and is much deeper at center with Bobby Holik, Steve Rucchin, Jim Slater, Glen Metropolit and Niko Kapanen in comparison to Savard, Randy Robitaille, Serge Aubin and Patrik Stefan.
What do you think?
Where the fans aren’t
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tonight the Thrashers face a very much improved Washington team. How much improved is hard to say, but they scored five times in the first period on Tuesday night and this kid Alexander Semin, a former first-round pick who has six goals, is supposedly for real.
Other than Alexander Ovechkin and, I suppose, Olie Kolzig, who will sit tonight, the Caps don’t have much in the way of big names. So what brings you out to a game? Is it the day of the week (Friday or Saturday)? Is it the competition (a team you grew up a fan of)? Original Six teams and teams like Philly always draw well.
I ask because attendance has puzzled me a little bit so far, especially the Friday and Saturday games, which is what led me to do today’s story. (I thought the headline – which, for those of you who don’t know, I don’t write — was a bit strong and that the one inside on the jump page better reflected what the story was about.)
Is it just that the larger public does not care as much about hockey until after high school and college football and the World Series are put to bed for the year? Certainly, the Thrashers crowds do tend to be larger later in the year. Do you think the Thrashers good start will make them a hotter ticket as time progresses, especially if they are in a prime position in the standings throughout the season?
Is Nedved worth the risk?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Apparently, the Philadelphia Flyers decided to take some drastic steps after Tuesday’s 9-1 drubbing at the hands of the Buffalo Sabres.
The Web site of Canadian broadcaster TSN reported that the Flyers placed three veterans on waivers: Petr Nedved, Niko Dmitrakos and Nolan Baumgartner. They will recall a host of young players, Ben Eager (23rd overall in 2002), Alexandre Picard (not the same player Columbus took eighth overall a few years ago) and Stefan Ruzicka.
Would you claim Nedved and his $2.28 million salary cap figure off waivers? The second overall pick in 1990, Nedved can be something of a maddening player. He possesses incredible offensive skills – once recording 45 goals and 54 assists in 80 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins – but also can be a notorious underachiever. In 2003-04 with the New York Rangers, he had 14 goals and 17 assists in 65 games then was traded to Edmonton at deadline and averaged nearly a point per game: five goals and 10 assists in 16 games. Last season he had two goals in his first 25 games with the Phoenix Coyotes before Philadelphia traded for him.
There are several things to consider before everyone goes jumping off the ship over a center with play-making ability. Nedved is 35, so the Thrashers would have three 35-year-old centers, although he is in the final year of his contract. With his salary, the Thrashers also would be dangerously close to the cap limit, so he might be the only player they could acquire this season if they do choose to upgrade. Would erratic play drive coach Bob Hartley nuts and might the chemistry be a problem since the team has gotten off to a good start, only to have a new player recasting the top two lines? Remember, the character of this team is more about defense and it has worked so far. Would Nedved upset that or do the positives outweigh the negatives?
Analyzing the competition
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With four days off between games, the Thrashers position in the standings doesn’t have a chance to change until Thursday. So let’s take stock of the division.
Atlanta, 9 points: Looking pretty solid. Obviously, started the season on a hot streak. Probably won’t play on a 4-1-1 pace all season (otherwise they’ll finish with an obscene 123 points; possible, but not likely.) Showing very good and capable of winning the division.
Florida, 7 points: At 3-2-1, the Panthers are looking like a surprise. They might have the best four lines in the division from top to bottom, not to mention the power play. How good is the defense and goalie Alex Auld? Could be the weaknesses. Auld has been extremely good all season. Will he stay that way and can Ed Belfour be of help at all?
Carolina, 7 points: After a winless start, the Hurricanes have won three in a row (started by that miracle victory over the Thrashers on Friday) and appear to have righted their ship. Goalie Cam Ward looks very strong and with Eric Staal and co., they’ll be able to score. Should be a playoff team again.
Washington, 4 points: The Capitals showed on Saturday that they are scrappy as ever, even if they are extremely thin on talent once you get past Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Chris Clark and Danius Zubrus. But Olie Kolzig is steady behind the net, even if the defense might be one of the league’s most porous. Should be improved but not enough to be among the East’s top 10 teams.
Tampa Bay, 4 points: What is going on here? Drilled 5-1 by Carolina on Monday? They’re 2-4-0. John Tortorella’s patience will not last long. It will be interesting to see how long general manager Jay Feaster’s will last if the pace continues. Brad Richards (the league’s second-highest paid player at $7.8 million) has no goals and two assists and is minus-4. Martin St. Louis, the 2004 Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy winners as MVP and scoring champion, has one goal and no assists and is minus-3. His cap number $5.25 million.
How would you handicap the race? Do you see any trends or disagree with any of this?
More encouraging signs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Without a game until Thursday, this going to be a bit of a mixed bag for the next few days.
Here’s one general observation from the weekend’s games. In the past, when the Thrashers played badly, most of the time they lost. One of the signs of a good team is one that plays badly and wins.
That’s what happened on Saturday against Washington, which played much harder but, alas, is virtually bereft of talent save Alexander Ovechkin (who, I’m to understand, was playing slightly hurt) and a few others.
Even Friday was somewhat insightful in that the Thrashers had an atrocious start and still nearly walked away with points if it weren’t for that goal they gave up with 0.5 seconds left.
So when they play well, they should be one of the better teams in the East.
Other topics:
*What do you make of the performance of Jon Sims? General manager Don Waddell said that during the lockout he watched Sim play excellent hockey for the Philadelphia Phantoms when they defeated the Chicago Wolves for the AHL’s Calder Cup. He said he thought he could score 20 or more goals if put in an offensive situation, which he has here with five goals in six games.
*What do you think of Kovalchuk finally breaking out? Thirty-six shots in six games, that’s stunning.
*Scott Mellanby has three goals in six games. Think he’ll hit 20?
Measuring up the champs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tonight the Thrashers host defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina, a team that is having a difficult time to start the season. Last season, the Thrashers won the season-series from the Hurricanes that included a memorable 9-0 thumping early in the season.
This season’s Hurricanes have lost some key players from that squad. On defense, ex-Thrasher Frantisek Kaberle – who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in Game 7 – had shoulder surgery right before training camp and will miss four to six months. His partner, Aaron Ward, signed with the New York Rangers, as did third-line center Matt Cullen who scored 25 goals for Carolina last season. Also, goalie Martin Gerber signed with Ottawa and the new back-up is former Tampa goalie John Grahame. Key additions have been defenseman Tim Gleason and center Eric Belanger and forward Scott Walker.
For some reason, the Canes have started the season adrift. They are winless in their first four and on Sunday a nasty fight erupted in practice between Bret Hedican and Kevyn Adams, leaving Adams with a nice swollen left eye.
Meanwhile, the Thrashers are rolling. Do you think it continues tonight or do the Thrashers suffer their first setback. Looking longterm, how much of a chance do you think the Thrashers have to be the Hurricanes of last season? Not that they’ll win the Cup, but that they’ll be a surprise as one of the conference’s top teams all season.
Kovalchuk’s different game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ilya Kovalchuk has now gone four games without a goal. For most other players, hardly anyone would notice. But Kovalchuk is different.
He has 15 shots (six more than anyone else on the team) and no goals. If you saw him slam his stick to the ice after a first-period shot was deflected, then you can see he is getting a bit frustrated.
Still, he said he’s not worried. He said to me this morning that last year he missed the first three games and then didn’t score in the first two, so he’s about where he was last year when he scored 52.
The point here is not that he hasn’t scored; it’s that the team is 3-0-1 and he’s plus-3. Notice a correlation there?
I think maybe in the final few weeks last season, he finally got it — that you don’t try to win the game all by yourself. That you have teammates who are capable themselves — granted, he didn’t always — and if you rely on them, the results come out better. To me, the difference in his game has been palpable. It’s clearly lacking the headstrong, overly risky element. If it stays that way, his game could take a dramatic jump and that, in turn, could have a large impact on the Thrashers.
Any thoughts?
Also, I asked Hartley if Johan Hedberg would start on Saturday and he said he had not decided yet. He’d probably decide after Friday’s game.
Coburn’s gone for now, Rucchin’s on the rise
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First topic of the day is that Braydon Coburn has been sent to Chicago (AHL). Obviously, the Thrashers have been playing so well defensively that he was not going to get a shot in the lineup with the team playing like this – never mind when Shane Hnidy might get in – so he’s off to play.
Do you think we’ll see him back for the rest of the season and how do you think this bodes for his development/career?
Second topic: Steve Rucchin. People, get over it, he’s not Marc Savard but he’s been a very good player so far. Some say “he can’t keep up with Kovy.” Well, he’s not a play-making center, but he’s always in position and he almost never makes a mistake. People criticized me last year for saying that the Thrashers defense was good enough to win and that it was the poor defensive play of the forwards that led to so many defensive breakdowns and goals. But this season you’ve got a much more responsible set of forwards (that includes Ilya Kovalchuk, by the way) and have you noticed how much the opposition has been scoring? Kari Lehtonen deserves the majority of the credit, but not all of it.
In my estimation, Rucchin has been very good. He’s won 36 of 68 faceoffs (52.9 percent) and he’s been going up against some of the best guys in the league: Joe Nieuwendyk, Vincent Lecavalier, Brad Richards. You can tell that Hartley loves having him to complement Holik. It gives him more options. They’re both good on faceoffs and good on defense and one is a right-handed shot and the other is left-handed, which makes for more options when it comes to Xs and Os when the Thrashers have a critical faceoff. They didn’t have those options last season.
Finally, here’s a name to keep in mind if the team does well and is in position to trade for a more offensive-minded center: Craig Conroy. His cap space will take up $2.394 million this season and next. He’s been to the finals before and played with top goal-scorers. He’s on a team with a new general manager who is trading older players for prospects (Pavol Demitra to Minnesota for Patrick O’Sullivan; Tim Gleason and Eric Belanger to Carolina for Jack Johnson). If LA stays in the hunt, Conroy will be there, but if they drop out, I’m sure he’d be available.
On Lehtonen and Savard
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today’s blog will be multiple choice: Kari Lehtonen or Marc Savard, whomever you would like to discuss.
First, Lehtonen. At second intermission Monday night, one of the Tampa writers came over to me and said, “Is he really this good?� My answer: “He’s supposed to be.�
It’s hard to remember back to last season. Certainly, Lehtonen did have some excellent games. Maybe it’s the recency effect, but it’s hard to remember him playing as well as he did against the Lightning. To a man, the Thrashers said that Lehtonen won them the game.
So now we see why The Hockey News named him the top prospect in the minor leagues for two seasons in a row, why he was taken No. 2 overall in 2002, why so many have made lofty projections for his career.
Scott Mellanby said after the game that the Thrashers don’t need Lehtonen to be the best goalie in the league. He might not be, and probably doesn’t have to be to get them in the playoffs. But if he plays every game the way he has the first three, you could make a case for him as the league’s top goalie.
On to Savy, with whom I just got off the phone. My guess is the fan’s reception to him when he returns to Atlanta Wednesday night as a Bruin will be a lot different than it was to Dany Heatley. First off, Savard always said he wanted to be here and I believe he was sincere. But if someone offered you $20 million you’d probably take it, right?
Looking at the Thrashers’ cap situation, there probably was not money to keep him. If they had, they would not have been able to acquire Vishnevski — and I think we all know the Thrashers are probably better off with an upgrade on defense; one that fans have long called for — and they still would’ve been up against the cap with no flexibility to do anything else all season.
Do you think it was the right move long-term? Steve Rucchin, a different type of player from Savard, looks good early. Niko Kapanen and Glen Metropolit are still finding their way. As coach Bob Hartley said today, you can’t replace a 100-point (actually 97) scorer. You have to do it by committee. From what you’ve seen this far, do you think that committee with more responsible defensive play will make be an improvement?
The Lightning mental block
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What a difference a few days makes. The Thrashers team that looked abominable after the first period in the season opener looked unbeatable on Saturday. Thus, they awoke in first place in the Southeast Division with 98 percent of the season remaining.
I would assume that Saturday’s game had to be more reassuring. Tonight’s game will provide another test and tell more about this team. Will it be another example of the Lightning — who played poorly in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Boston — frustrating the Thrashers? Or will it be like the Thrashers’ rousing 6-2 victory over the Lightning in their final meeting last season?
It’s funny how Scott Mellanby said the Thrashers have a mental block against Tampa Bay and their forechecking system. It’s pretty obvious, but when they overcome it, they can beat them just like they can any other team.
Any thoughts on tonight or longer term?
A dud of an opener
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, what did you think of that performance? Pretty much a dud, wasn’t it?
As I was trying to fathom how in the world the Thrashers could only put five shots on net over the final 45 minutes of the game, another thought, perhaps one with a little more perspective, settled into my head.
It’s no excuse, but Scott Mellanby has often talked about how Tampa’s forechecking system, with two forwards in deep, and Tampa Bay’s execution of it gives them fits. The two forwards pressure the Thrashers’ defensemen and that gives them less time to make decisions and get the puck up ice, which, obviously, was a gargantuan problem on Thursday.
The second thought is that Tampa Bay is probably a pretty good team. They won the Cup in 2004 then underachieved last season. They have a lot less depth but probably better goaltending and could be a top six team in the East, if not better.
But now with all of that perspective in mind, on to the bigger question. What about the Thrashers’ offense? How much does it worry you?
Predictions on opening night
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here it is, opening night. That means… time for predictions!
If you saw the AJC today, you’ll see I predicted the Thrashers to finish third in the Southeast Division and seventh in the East. Last year I predicted them to finish second in the division and fifth in the East. I think we all know how that worked out. (Technically, I believe, they finished 10th, as Toronto tied them in those meaningless games on the final day of the season and, as I’m sure we all remember, the Leafs beat the Thrashers in all four meetings in addition to having more wins.)
The Thrashers could do better and, at the risk of repeating myself, I think we all know they could do worse.
I like Anaheim and the Rangers to play in the Stanley Cup finals, with the Rangers winning. (Think if you had the New York and Los Angeles markets in the finals, some media outlets would suddenly discover “the rebirth” of the NHL?)
I don’t know if it’s the latent Rangers fan in my DNA, but I think they could win it. At least that’s my prediction. And I’m not alone. ‘’ve seen a few prominent hockey columnists saying the same. With assistant GM Don Maloney making a lot of the calls, they’re becoming the anti-Rangers. Matt Cullen and Aaron Ward were good signings. So was Brendan Shanahan. (How do you like that power play: Jaromir Jagr, Shanahan, Petr Prucha, Martin Rucinsky, Michael Nylander, etc.?) If Henrik Lundqvist is equal to last season, the Rangers could be one of the league’s top teams. The defense isn’t great, but, believe it or not, the Rangers have spent smartly and have cap room to upgrade.
Havelid, Hossa good choices
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Today’s blog: a word on the Thrashers’ new captains. (First an aside. The words “assistant� and “alternate� are both applicable. In fact, although it was altered in my final copy for today’s paper, I believe “assistant� is more applicable. I conferred with some people at the Thrashers today about it and they agreed that “assistant� is more correct. If you’re an alternate, you don’t do something unless someone else is absent, but a player still wears the “A� when the captain is present, so, in essence, they are “assisting� him. I mention this in part because I see that someone ripped me on the Thrashers’ message board for using “assistant.�)
Now to the point. I think Nic Havelid and Marian Hossa are excellent choices. To say that they are admired by all of the other players on the team would be an understatement. Neither are vocal. (I believe Scott Mellanby and Bobby Holik do enough of that.) But both are archetypes of what players should be. I can pretty much guarantee that you would never see either of these players involved in an off-ice incident. They are also good choices because there’s not really any favoritism in them. It would be hard for any player dispute those choices.
Like Hartley said, the young players eventually will earn theirs. That could mean the likes of Ilya Kovalchuk and Jim Slater and Garnet Exelby. But they’re all in their 20s.
Any thoughts?
Hartley’s loyalty makes sense
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, Monday’s blog about the final cuts appears to have aroused a good bit of feeling, so let me address some points made. I realize there is a general criticism of coach Bob Hartley that he does not trust younger players and I can’t really agree with that.
How does one explain Jim Slater last season? Or that Braydon Coburn played the first nine games last season before being sent down to Chicago (AHL) and was being given every chance to make this season’s team? Or that when he took over as coach two of his best young players were Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk, in their second seasons, and he played them to death? Or his playing of Kari Lehtonen in 37 of 38 games last season as a rookie? Or that, as a rookie, Garnet Exelby played 71 games during Hartley’s first season? That he gave a young Dan Snyder, fresh from the minor leagues, a prominent role?
I’d say a more true statement is that he trusts certain players, whether from coaching them in the past or playing against them or from proven hard work and performance, and that once he does, he’s extremely loyal to those players. That’s why Vigier made the team. He works hard, he doesn’t play stupidly and he’s a known quantity – Hartley knows exactly what he’s going to get. It’s pretty much the same for Brad Larsen and Serge Aubin in the past.
It’s also why Ronald Petrovicky is gone – he simply became too inconsistent for Hartley to count on. It’s why Jeff Cowan was traded in 2003-04 because after he suffered his concussion and missed a good portion of the season, Hartley was unsure that he could be the same player as he was prior to the injury.
Another comment I saw on Monday was that people were upset about the lines and that Jon Sim was on the first line or that Kapanen wasn’t on the second, etc. Something I often hear out here if I use the term “first line” or “second line”, etc., in the paper is that Hartley will say, “We have no first line and no fourth line.” (I got some razzing from Savard last season when I mentioned that he was on the second line because Kovalchuk was on another at the time.)
This year, based on the composition of the team, I think you’ll see more even playing time among the lines. I think the Thrashers are adjusting to the trend begun last season with the new rules (fewer fighters, more skilled players) that Carolina and Buffalo exploited so well.
You’ll probably see less of Eric Boulton playing 3 minutes in a game and more of Kapanen and Glen Metropolit playing 12-16 minutes per game.
As for Brad Larsen-Bobby Holik-J.P. Vigier being a fourth line, they were a very effective checking line last season and those guys will play special teams a lot. Larsen and Vigier will kill penalties and Holik will play on the power play and penalty kill and take almost every important faceoff so he’ll get lots of time.
And as for Sim playing with Kovalchuk, look at who Kovalchuk has played with for most of his career: Petrovicky or Scott Mellanby on his right wing, Patrik Stefan or Pascal Rheaume at center. To steal a Hartley line, he’s like the Energizer bunny, he keeps going and going. Don’t worry, he’ll score. He’s a machine.
Kicks and cuts
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So, Ilya Kovalchuk will not be suspended for his kicking penalty on Saturday against Nashville. I’m sure most people did not see this because it wasn’t televised, but if there’s any reason why Kovalchuk did not get suspended, in my view, it’s because Kovalchuk had so little chance to defend himself.
He was hit as he was following through on his shot so he had no way of protecting himself. Nashville’s Jordin Tootoo hit him extremely hard and knocked him to the ice. Then Tootoo hit Kovalchuk again while he lay on his back. So while Kovalchuk may have kicked Tootoo, he did not have many alternatives. If Tootoo had been cut or seriously hurt, it might have been a different story, as far as the league’s punishment.
How do you view this incident: As Kovalchuk’s being unable to control himself (remember last season when he threw his stick into the stands and got suspended for a game), or as self defense? I got an e-mail from a Nashville fan who was outraged at my characterization of the incident, referring to Kovalchuk’s skate as a 12-inch knife. (He said he was sitting in the front row.)
Should the league take these incidents more seriously? Kovalchuk said the league wants to police hits to the head more carefully and should think about what Tootoo did to him. (The original cross-check was not in the face, but the follow-up was a punch to the face.)
In other news, the final cuts were made today and I guessed completely wrong. J.P. Vigier made the team while Kyle Wanvig and Jason Krog were sent down to Chicago (AHL). GM Don Waddell told me that they see Krog in a top two-line role and that Vigier would be better in the checking and penalty-killing role that they were picking that final spot for. He said Vigier originally started behind the others because of his knee surgery in February, but once he proved his speed was good enough, he regained an advantage. Coach Bob Hartley said Vigier knew the system and that was an advantage to him.
Here were the lines the way they practiced today (Hartley said he might change them but he also might play all four more equally in ice time, too):
Ilya Kovalchuk-Steve Rucchin-Jon Sim
Slava Kozlov-Glen Metropolit-Marian Hossa
Jim Slater-Niko Kapanen-Scott Mellanby
Brad Larsen-Bobby Holik-J.P. Vigier/Eric Boulton
Here are the cuts on defense:
Mark Popovic and Boris Valabik. The seven defensemen are Niclas Havelid, Andy Sutton, Greg de Vries, Garnet Exelby, Steve McCarthy, Vitaly Vishnevski and Shane Hnidy. Braydon Coburn will start the season on injured reserve.
They are carrying three goalies right now, as they still fear a waiver claim on Fred Brathwaite.
