Thrashers

By Lee

January 8, 2007 06:12 PM | Link to this

God, I hope Kozzy can bring some consistency back with him. We need some wins!!

By Brendan

January 8, 2007 06:24 PM | Link to this

Thank you, Craig, for being ever on the spot with timely updates. And thank you, (poster) Bob, for the link to that awesome salary cap table in the previous blog, (“Kozlov out, Waddell back.”)

Thrashers_Ed, I agree with you about Atlanta needing some help along the blueline, too. To land the elusive center and blueliner, Don will probably have to give up a player or two, and maybe some form of draft pick. Generally-speaking, 4th and 5th round picks are “sweeetners” in deals. GM’s pass them around like candy. However, 1st and 2nd rounders should not be bandied about recklessly. I hope Don wouldn’t give up a 1st or 2nd rounder for just a “rental” player. Well, unless that “rental” were the difference between winning the Cup and not winning it. Obviously, that’d change things. But right now, optimistic as I am, I am not thinking that this is a Stanley Cup-winning season. I’d love to be dead wrong about that. I’d settle for a berth in the Conference Finals as real progress for a team in its 7th season. Even locking up the second seed and winning the SE division would be quite an achievement. But, is it enough?, when you look at the “totality of the big picture,” in terms of success for a 7th-year franchise?

For some “perspective,” the team hasn’t even been to the playoffs yet. Our playoff-tested players aren’t orginal Thrashers draft picks. They’re Kozlov, Mellanby, Hossa, deVries, Hedberg, Havelid, Rucchin and Holik. Krog, if he’s dressed for playoff games this Summer. Lehtonen, Coburn, and Kovalchuk are all “rookies” in terms of the playoffs.

Remember that #7 seeds have knocked off #2 seeds every year, in one of the two conferences, after 1996. Being seeded second might look good on paper, but it doesn’t mean anything without a win in the 1st round. Ya never know if a “Montreal-type” team isn’t waiting there for you. New Jersey could suffer injuries and slip. They’d hardly be a “gimme” opponent at #7, when their injured players returned, for example.

By russian

January 8, 2007 06:26 PM | Link to this

Great! Slava is back. I hope our team will wash hands after using a toulet. :-)

By Bob

January 8, 2007 09:30 PM | Link to this

Great news about Kozlov!

I don’t think you’ll see many high draft picks traded going forward, especially for rent a players. With the cap, it’s more important to draft well and get some of those young, lower paid, players contributing on your roster.

By Tony C.

January 9, 2007 12:14 AM | Link to this

Conference Finals seems to be asking a bit much…gimme somebody who can make the opposition respect the other (non-#17) point or/and keep up and feed #17…and it just may be do-able

LET’S GO BLUE!!!

P.S. so glad to hear Slava-Matic is “ok”

By Jim

January 9, 2007 09:21 AM | Link to this

Thanks for the instant update. The Habs didn’t mount much of an offense against the Devils and were shut out at home. Even with the flu, they’ll be challenged to rise up. I expect a tough game.

By wristshot

January 9, 2007 09:46 AM | Link to this

I wonder if it will be as bad as that Senators game last year when so many guys were sick they were rotating into the restroom between shifts… A few times they only had six or seven guys on their bench; while play was going on!

By Thrasher_Ed

January 9, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this

Great to have Craig with us! Love the postings so far. Brendan, I agree with you. I just want to see consistency out of the Thrashers. A deep run into the playoffs would be great, but I really want them to turn into yearly contenders for the playoffs with a shot at a Stanley Cup! I have been scouring Western Conference rosters for players I feel might make a difference that we could possibly pull in trade. I differ from most in that I would like the player to have a possible 2-3 year run with the Thrash, I just not much on the whole rent a player deal. Secondly, I am beginning to look at who we will need to resign after this year. Sutton’s deal is up, maybe Exelby, not sure on the rest of our roster. Man am I glad Slava is back. The Professor can play and has been the glue on this team since he came to Atlanta. Hope we stick it to the Monte’s tonight and avoid the flu bug! Get’um Thrashers!! P.S. I gotta get the NHL Center Ice plan no being able to see them on TV is Killing me!!

By Thrasher_Ed

January 9, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

First, thanks to Bob for the link to the Team salaries for the NHL teams, great info for fans. Brendan, by my count we have 10 Unrestricted Free Agents coming this summer, of course some my be resigned or traded before then, who knows? Plus we have 3 Restricted Free Agents, Slater,Exelby, and McCarthy. Here you go, UFA this year Mellanby, Sim, Vigier, Boulton, Metropolit, Larsen at the forwards and DeVries, Sutton, Vishnevski, and Hnidy on the Blueline. Anyone with thoughts on who stays and who gos? Mellanby probably retires, Slava needs to be resigned IMO!, and I’d like to have Vishnevski back as well. Also think Sutton and Hnidy deserve it as well. I know Sutton may be hereisy to some of you, but he has been missed greatly since he went down with the foot injury. Look forward to reading the comments and thoughts later on today! Go Thrashers!

By Fuskie

January 9, 2007 11:57 AM | Link to this

The Thrashers were suffering from inconsistency well before losing Koslov for 2 games. It’s just that he and Hossa hid the problem a bit.

Fuskie - Who is looking forward to homecoming on the 16th…

By Matt

January 9, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this

I think Sutton and Ex have turned into really solid night-in/night out reliable defensemen, the kind you can build a good corps around. That being said, it’d be nice to add a Dan Boyle or Teppo Numminen or a Jaro Spacek into the mix (though Boyle isn’t having a banner year this season). I’d make a move for one of those types of players before I’d go for a center.

By Thrasher_Ed

January 9, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

Matt, Boyle is having an awesome year! He is tied for 6th in points by defenseman with 33pts. 9 goals and 24 assists, +/- a -2. He only trails Pronger,Neidemeyer,T.Kaberle,Visnovsky, & Souray as a defenseman this year. I take him in a New York minute. Agree with you about Ex and Sutton as well.

By Brian

January 9, 2007 12:28 PM | Link to this

Thrasher_Ed - how are you calculating that Sutton “has been missed greatly since he went down with the foot injury”?

By Brian

January 9, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

It would be nice to add Sidney Crosby but it AIN’T HAPPENING! Let’s focus on players that are possibly being offered. And please don’t bring up the Lecavalier/Richards/St. Louis rumor… That’s not happening either.

By Brendan

January 9, 2007 01:04 PM | Link to this

I suspect that Andy Sutton will be out of Don Waddell’s price range this Summer. I think Andy will look for 4 years/$10 million, at a minimum. Vishnevski might be tough to re-sign, as well. Exelby could be had at a fair price. But Don must assess is “X” is a “new NHL” kind of defenseman. Vigier may get another one-year deal at the league minimum. Same for Larsen. Unless they field better offers elsewhere. If a new GM were really being installed, he’d have a lot of options with so many vacancies. It even opens up the possibility of renegotiating Hossa’s contract in the interests of some long-term savings.

Of course, it also resurrects talk about the fundamental shift away from a two-tiered payroll system in favor of that found in Buffalo last season. That is, a bunch of low-paid players who all get something close to equal ice time, rolling four lines, with an emphasis on “team play” rather than SUPERSTARS. Now, Ilya’s here until 2010. Barring a trade. But Hossa hits the open market in 2008. Atlanta could trade him for depth, re-sign him longterm, at a discount, (hopefully,) or simply lose him to FREE AGENCY, a la Marc Savard.

After the lockout, DW built this team with a two to three year “window of opportunity.” Well, Mellanby, Holik, and Bondra were not Spring Chickens after the lockout, either. And Rucchin’s not getting any younger. So, there are lots of avenues to think about. If Steve Belkin gets control of the team before this Summer’s draft, Don Waddell may be gone. And a new GM will have a LOT of control over the direction of the team. Almost all our remaining players’ contracts expire in 2008, if not re-negotiated. Only Havelid and Kovalchuk are locked up for 2009.

By Thrasher_Ed

January 9, 2007 01:40 PM | Link to this

Brian, I think Sutton’s lose has contributed to some of our loses of late. We have players playing out of their roles. Vish have struggled more since he went down. Basically, it created a huge change in roles played by certain players.

By David

January 9, 2007 02:12 PM | Link to this

Don’t worry everyone about Brendan’s predictions about the thrashers in the playoffs…ask him how well he did in predicting who won each round last year haha

By Matt

January 9, 2007 02:20 PM | Link to this

Oh, I love Danny Boy; but even with his speed and offensive prowess, I’d want to add someone who’s a consistent +12 or so on the season (or better) with an 18-22 min ice-time rating first. I know Boyle took a long time to get going this season… his scoring didn’t come on til the last month or two, I think.

Sutton and Exelby get overlooked a lot because they’re such stable, able defensemen I think. I know Sutton’s progress alone last season really impressed me, and he seems to have carried that momentum over to this season. You NEED Sutton’s and Exelby’s on your team, especially if you want to make a good showing in the playoffs, just as much as you need a Lehtonen in net… Thank God he’s been playing as well as he has been- and looks like he’s as good as advertised!

By Brendan

January 9, 2007 02:21 PM | Link to this

Very true, David. I was a WHOPPING 8-7 last year. One of my worst year’s ever. Then again, how often do ALL FOUR of the top seeds in the Western Conference lose in the opening round? Or an 8th seed reach the Finals?

Bueller??

Bueller??

Bueller???

By Brian

January 9, 2007 02:49 PM | Link to this

Come on guys, Brendan might have just picked the wrong upsets, but they do happen. I think the best year was ‘99 (which still hasn’t ended because Hull’s foot was in the crease and the Cup was never won if you ask me). This is because a #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 seed won in the opening round. You know what that means though? A #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 seed lost in the opening round…

Look at the stats from the other post on this topic, these #1’s and #2’s going down in the opening round happens every year.

By michael

January 9, 2007 04:15 PM | Link to this

He is playing in Russia right now, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Aleksey Morozov play on the right wing with Kovy. He is highly skilled and had success when he played with the penguins. He is the new rules type of player.

By michael

January 9, 2007 04:28 PM | Link to this

Edmonton is last in their division, but it is a very tight division. It probably will not happen but if we could trade defensmen for Ales Hemsky or Joffrey Lupul to play right wing with Kovy they would be a welcome addition.

By Brendan

January 9, 2007 04:41 PM | Link to this

Michael, I think there are certain restrictions on bringing over Russian players, since Russia didn’t sign off on the IIHF transfer agreement. I once read that it was $250,000 at a minimum, to bring over a “low level” player. Not certain of that. Repeat, not certain of that. I bet the poster named “Russian” knows the intricacies of the way Russian players enter the NHL under the current CBA.

By Brian

January 9, 2007 04:51 PM | Link to this

Michael, Edmonton is about to make a trade for D. It is an “upgrade” trade, not one where they were looking to dump. So expect them to only want to improve in that tight race, they aren’t letting anyone go easy that we can hoodwink them or rent a player.

By Brendan

January 9, 2007 05:07 PM | Link to this

If you look back at CNNSI.com, cbs.sportsline.com, and ESPN.com and other websites to look at their “expert” picks, you’ll see that many if not most of their prognostications landed at 9-6 or worse. They get “paid” to make predictions for a living.

How many of you had Buffalo over Ottawa in 5? Or how about New Jersey (which won 11 straight to end the season, overcame a 17-point deficit on New Year’s Day to win the Atlantic Division, and SWEEP the NY Rangers to bring their winning streak to 15 games,) losing to Carolina, who stumbled with Montreal in their opening round series? How many of you thought Anaheim would be denied, given the outstanding play they had vs. Calgary and Colorado?

Yeah, put … your hand … down. And pants on fire. Unless you’re “Russ,” who went 12-3. Heeee can claim to have hit it. Though, he did pick Edmonton in the Finals. Didn’t miss by much, did he? What if the Oilers had a “healthy” Roloson?? We’ll never know. Those are the breaks, unfortunately.

Now, ask yourself this question. Is there really that strong of a correlation between knowledge and accuracy of sports predictions? Well, who won the weekly office football polls? Yeah, the Secretary!! Who used her “ultra pattented, time-tested formula” of a combination of team colors, better shopping, and better weather?? Don’t laugh. Our secretary won four times!! More than anyone else. Was she offered a spot on “NFL Today?” She can’t name five players in the NFL. But, she does know who Terrell Owens is.

By Russian

January 9, 2007 05:15 PM | Link to this

Brendan, I think Morozov will be play in NHL next year. I heard some rumor about that. He had contract with Pittsburgh and I think he wants to come back to Pittsburgh. About contract between NHL and IIHF is not done yet but new Russian Hockey Boss(Tretyak) working on it. My opinion that Morozov and Kovy will be a good pair. They palyed together in Kazan Russia and also played in World Champion. You know, more Russian players in Atlanta team is good for Russian funs. :-)

By Brian

January 9, 2007 05:24 PM | Link to this

HA! I thought that only happened in my football pool Brendan. However, I do have a sure fire formula for picking which #12 will beat the #5 in the NCAA tournament…