AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 04 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMellanby: Facing ‘Great One’ no big
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A lot to discuss after today’s practice in Duluth, so let’s jump right in. On the injury front, Bob Hartley confirmed that both Garnet Exelby and Steve Rucchin will play on Friday against the Coyotes. Scott Mellanby skated with the team, but was limited to no-contact drills.
For Exelby, it’s a long time coming. He’s been out since November with mono, an experience he said was miserable. For one, most of his friends in Atlanta are on the team, which made life pretty lonely when he first got sick.
“I couldn’t go anywhere near the team, it’s kind of like quarantine lockdown on my house for a little bit,” he said. “It was a little boring to say the least.”
But he said his conditioning is getting to the point where he’s ready for game action, and looks forward to upping the intensity during games.
As for Mellanby, he’s still not putting a timetable on his return. He called the practice today “so-so” but said he’s made serious strides in the last four or five days.
There was a nice turnout from fans as well as media in Duluth. Maybe it’s the fact that Wayne Gretzky is coming to town, his first appearance in Philips Arena with the Coyotes. Gretzky’s arrival got me wondering if players get nervous playing in front of “The Great One.” It’d be like shooting jumpers in front of Michael Jordan, or trying to complete passes with Joe Montana looking on. I’d be thinking about it all game.
Mellanby assured me that it won’t be on the minds of any Thrashers.
“When you’re a young kid and you play against him, that’s one thing, but he’s coaching now,” Mellanby said. “He’s trying to win a game; you can’t be concerned about what he’s doing. He’s not going to take the puck down to the other end of the rink and score like he used to be able to. He’s good but not that good.”
Ilya Kovalchuk said it’s always fun to play in front of the former greats. He regretted never getting the chance to play against Gretzky, but enjoyed meeting him at an All-Star game.
In her Thrashers blog, Brittany Morgenstern started a nice discussion debating the use of Kari Lehtonen in back-to-back games. She said she thinks it’s time to “Set the Moose loose.” So we checked with Johan Hedberg this morning, to make sure he wasn’t getting too frustrated watching Lehtonen play all these games. If you’re wondering, he’s doing just fine.
“At times I get frustrated, but at the same time I know the situation I’m in. You just try to make the most of it,” he said. “You just have to stay on top of everything, sooner or later you’re going to get a chance to play.”
Here’s what else I’m reading from around hockey:
• It’s going to be Canada versus Russia in the World Junior Championships gold-medal game on Friday. Sweden and the U.S. will play for the bronze.
• David Vest of the The Arizona Republic reports that Mike Ricci left the Coyotes to consider retirement. Ricci is one game away from playing in his 1,100th regular-season NHL game - although it seems even more than that.
• Vest also reported that the Coyotes traded Mike Cromrie to the Senators for the rights to Russian forward Alexei Kaigorodov. The move creates some salary cap space for the Coyotes, who Vest reports will likely make at least one more deal.
• SI’s Allan Muir says it may be time for the NHL to rethink the shootout format and follow the lead of the IIHF.
Comments
By Jennifer
January 4, 2007 04:23 PM | Link to this
Craig, welcome to the Thrasher’s beat. I hope your enthusiasm carries over into the paper’s print coverage.
By Brian
January 4, 2007 04:36 PM | Link to this
Let me be the first to say Welcome Craig. Nice touch on the links. Perhaps you can ask around the Coyotes officials to see if Roenick (a center, albeit it overaged and unhappy) is being shopped. Perrault ain’t the answer either though, unless it’s Gilbert. But he too is too old.
By Russ
January 4, 2007 04:42 PM | Link to this
Welcome aboard, Craig.
By The Falconer
January 4, 2007 05:08 PM | Link to this
I completely agree about adopting the IIHF shootout rules. I ran the numbers to see how it would have affected the final standings last season on my blog and Vancouver would have finished ahead of Edmonton for the last playoff spot. The Thrashers still would have missed by two in the East.
Craig—welcome to the Atlanta hockey community, I look forward to reading your work.
By Thrashy Thrashy
January 4, 2007 05:25 PM | Link to this
Welcome to Blueland, Craig.
(Accepts his check from Bruce Levenson.)
By Brendan
January 4, 2007 05:38 PM | Link to this
Thank you for keeping up the blog, Craig. I already like the “presentation.”
Falconer, if the league adopted my stance on “straight up wins and losses,” then Vancouver or LA would have edged out Edmonton, as well, by virtue of 42-40 records over Edmonton’s 41-41. But I do not favor the IIHF stance on shootouts.
I understand that there’s an “entertainment value” to seeing Crosby or Ovechkin take multiple attempts in a shootout. But what about the competitive integrity of the game? For the second you say it’s about “quality entertainment” over “competitive intrigrity,” it might as well be professional wrestling. True, or not? (Though, it’s debatable if wrestling actually is quality entertainment. Does “Abdullah the Butcher” still wrestle?)
It’s bad enough that a team game like hockey is sometimes reduced to an individual skills competition to determine “wins” in the standings. But to allow players to shoot multiple times totally devalues the offensive “depth chart” of a team. I bet the Coaches and GM’s around the league like this idea!! Gets them off the hook, a bit.
But I digress. It’ll be great to see Wayne Gretzky live and in the flesh. Keep up the good work, Craig Custance.
By Scott
January 4, 2007 05:53 PM | Link to this
Great blog…interesting prospective about playing in front of Wayne. I find it hard to believe he’s not in the back of the players minds at the beginning of the game.
By Craig Custance
January 4, 2007 06:24 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the comments, I’m looking forward to keeping this blog active.
Falconer — I’d love to check out your blog, e-mail (ccustance@ajc.com) me the link.
Brian — Roenick and Gretzky reportedly patched things up during a meeting that also included the GM. There’s also been talk about him retiring, but he’s denied that he is considering it.
By ssiscribe
January 4, 2007 06:35 PM | Link to this
Craig, welcome to the Thrashers beat. Loved the enthusiasm and flow of your first blog. Looking forward to your gamer Friday night, a game I’m going to as a fan.
A former sports scribe myself, relocated back to my hometown of Atlanta after several years on the coast, I’m loving being here during the season the Thrashers are putting together. I think you are getting on board at just the right time. You’ll certainly be covering the first Atlanta NHL team to make it to the playoffs since the Flames in the spring of 79, and perhaps you’ll be covering the first championship hockey series involving an Atlanta team since the Knights won the IHL’s Turner Cup in 94 (I covered Game 1 of that series for my college newspaper; alas, did not cover the clincher).
Welcome again to the beat, and best of luck.
The Scribe abides. Now back to the DOB/ManInBlack/BBQ blog, already in progress.
Go Thrashers! Peace.
—30—
By Brian
January 4, 2007 06:36 PM | Link to this
I honestly don’t know if I disagree or agree with the IIHF. Why should one player decide a game on only one play? Although in the salary cap era things should be on a level playing field, so theoretically each team should have that one skilled shooter. It’s not like when this idea was first introduced and Colorado and the Rangers would just buy all the good shooters. Who here would complain about Slava-matic shooting a few extra times?
Still, there’s a reason that playoff games will never be decided by shootouts…
On a side note, Kansas City is making a very impressive bid to the Pens. This is key to Atlanta because if the NHL ever brings Columbus to the East Conference, we are first on the list to go West. If the KC Pens are in the conference, they will go West instead. Now this might all be leverage on the part of Lemieux, but it is still refreshing to hear.
Finally a question for Brendan… I just want to know, is BH the Jimmy Hart type or is he more Capt. Lou Albano?
By moo
January 4, 2007 07:00 PM | Link to this
Great blog! It’s so nice to have someone writing about the team and the game on equal footing as the Falcons and Braves instead of someone writing about the quaintness of a simple distraction for Atlantans on the fringe of sports.
Keep writing for the knowledgeable fans. Everyone else will catch on and grab hold as the Thrashers continue to succeed.
By Brian
January 4, 2007 07:33 PM | Link to this
Craig - who’s starting tomorrow? I say go with the Moose in the home game against the weaker team and come back with Kari against the hated Caps. I heard we might be in for a double dose of Kari though…
By Yalee
January 4, 2007 07:37 PM | Link to this
Roenick is a bad idea, he would be just as worthless as Rucchin.
By Brian
January 4, 2007 07:48 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry about it happening Yalee. I even said he was old and unhappy, I was just throwing it out there because something else might have been said if the question is raised to D Dubya.
By Tony C.
January 4, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this
wow! links!
nice work Craig!
By Brendan
January 4, 2007 11:30 PM | Link to this
Shrugs. Jimmy Hart? Without the megaphone. When I think “Bob Hartley,” my next thought is “Forrest Gump.” Craig will soon have the pleasure of interviewing the coach. Now, that’s not to say that BH is a bad coach, or anything. He’s won a Stanley Cup. He knows what it takes. But you never know what you’re gonna get with a Hartley interview. You might get the “Moose doesn’t want to wait in the freezer like a loaf of bread” type comments. You might get the “Yeah, way too much ‘fancy’ tonight” comment, in response to, “Coach, the guys seemed to pass up too many shooting chances in favor of that extra, fancy pass.”
If Craig asked BH to describe Planet Earth, Hartley might respond, “It’s round.” Seriously. If Craig presses him further, he’ll add, “it’s where we all live.” It can be like pulling teeth. Last year, Darren Eliot and J.P. Dellacamera did a whole “lead in” segment for a home-n-home versus the Capitals, after a huge 9-1 Thrashers blowout of Washington. They asked Hartley to give his thoughts on the next night’s contest. Hartley replied, “Yeah, rematch.” I wish Craig the best.
By Jameson
January 5, 2007 12:01 AM | Link to this
The Caps beat the Habs. If the Thrash can pull it out tonight BH will be the assistant at the All Star game.
By Russ
January 5, 2007 12:56 AM | Link to this
Thank God for NHL Center Ice!!! I turned on ESPN News to check the scores and then turned to the games. I was flipping between the third periods of the Florida/Calgary and Dallas/Edmonton games. Florida scored a goal with about four minutes left to go up 4-2…less than a minute later Calgary scored…then I went to the other game…when I checked back in there was one minute left and it was 4-4…Calgary eventually won the game in OT. The amazing thing is that game was a snoozer compared to the Dallas/Edmonton game. Edmonton lead 4-2 going into the 3rd period…but by the time I tuned in Dallas had already tied it at 4 with about 15 minutes left…then a few minutes later Niklas Hagman put Dallas ahead with a goal very similar to Ovechkin’s goal while on his back from last season. Hagman wasn’t on his back but he was on his way down after being hooked with his back to the goal from an impossible angle. The game stays 5-4 right up until the end…Edmonton has their goalie pulled and are breaking out of their own zone but lose control of the puck at their own blue line…our old friend Patrik Stefan picks up the loose puck and goes in for an uncontested empty netter in the waning seconds…but wait…he carries the puck to the top of the crease with no one within 15 feet and he takes his eye off the puck and it rolls off his stick with about 8 seconds left…an Edmonton defender comes in on the back check fires it down ice to Ales Hemsky for a breakaway…he puts it past Turco with two seconds left to force overtime…the five minute overtime did not have one, not one, stoppage of play…Zubov and Jokinen scored on the first two attempts for Dallas in the shootout and Turco stopped Hemsky and Sykora. Stefan got bailed out, but if they happen to be battling with Edmonton for a playoff spot at the end of the season they will remember gift-wrapping one point for them. What a game!!!
By Brittany
January 5, 2007 01:25 AM | Link to this
I appreciate the link to my blog!! I really enjoy when people read it. I have so far enjoyed your writing so I hope we can continue to read each others blogs. I would like to see Moose in and yes I am very excited to see X in the lineup :)
By ssiscribe
January 5, 2007 06:15 AM | Link to this
Top of the morning, all. I’m about to throw my jersey in the car for tonight’s game. Fired up bigtime to be going.
Personally, I’d start Moose tonight and save Kari for tomorrow night. Bad team, non-conference game. Start Moose. The only thing about Hartley that bugs me is sometimes I think he rides the hot goalie a little too long.
This season, we have two No. 1 goalies. Let Moose play tonight.
Go Thrashers!
—30—
By Michael A.
January 5, 2007 08:14 AM | Link to this
If Ricci retires, will Barry Melrose stop covering the NHL?
By wristshot
January 5, 2007 09:46 AM | Link to this
Wow Craig! I really like that link format. Looks like you’re really doing your homework. Welcome and good luck, I look forward to reading your stuff everyday.
By Jay
January 5, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
Let me be the next in a long line of folks to say: Welcome aboard, Craig!
As for Moose vs Kari — I’m not sure. The ‘Yotes are pretty hot right now (Cujo has had back-to-back shutouts, as of the game last night vs Carolina), and the Coyotes are running pretty pretty hot right now. We might be better served by Kari in net tonight and then bringing out the Moose tomorrow night.
Time will tell…
By Tom
January 5, 2007 12:31 PM | Link to this
Comrie has been traded from Pheonix. That will upset the apple cart a bit there, he was a guy I was hoping Waddell would try to get.
The coyotes looked good last night against Carolina, hopefully the boys will be ready tonight.
By Brian
January 5, 2007 01:04 PM | Link to this
Russ, I could not believe that not only did Stefan miss the open net but it actually led to a goal on the other end.
As for Center Ice, I think the thing that gets me is how much better camera work the other teams’ stations have vs. Turner South/Sports South. Our guys always seem to be “behind the play”. Meaning, the puck goes in a direction and they lag behind following it too many times. It’s as if they have never watched hockey before and they can’t tell that it is going to be cleared in a certain direction and thus “loose the puck” and have to catch up to it. In years past they were always zoomed in too much but that doesn’t seem to be the case this year (or maybe I am just getting used to it).
By Craig Custance
January 5, 2007 01:53 PM | Link to this
Brian — The Thrashers are starting Johan Hedberg tonight, I’ll blog more about it later, just wanted to give you the heads up.
Wristshot — I stole the links idea from Buster Olney who does a great baseball blog on ESPN.com. I’m glad you like them, I’ll continue to do it.
Thanks again to everyone for the welcome.
By Brian
January 5, 2007 03:48 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the update Craig, I’m looking forward to tonight.