AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2007 > February > 25
Sunday, February 25, 2007
A whirlwind weekend
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You know it’s been a busy 24 hours when every inch of paper on all my reporter’s notebooks are full and I’m taking notes on team handouts, when my digital recorder’s memory is maxed out, and my cell phone battery is completely dead. It’s been a wild couple days, and the trade deadline is still two days away. As you know by now, the Thrashers have made some huge additions and have paid a huge price to get them. Even Don Waddell conceded that the price of players might drop as the trade deadline gets closer, but guess what — the Thrashers couldn’t wait.
This team needed something. Slava Kozlov called it a cold shower and a wake-up call. But by adding Keith Tkachuk and Alexei Zhitnik the Thrashers addressed their biggest needs. Zhitnik is now the power play quarterback this team needed — and he can help the penalty killers. Kari Lehtonen said he remembered a 5-on-3 when Philly was in town that Zhitnik basically killed by himself, staying on the ice for 2 minutes. Tkachuk will give Ilya Kovalchuk a little more room to work, and should also be a boost on the power play. He’ll score his share of garbage goals by the net, which is his specialty.
But it was a big price. There are people in the Thrashers dressing room who still believe Braydon Coburn can develop into a top two defenseman. And three draft picks in the next two years for Tkachuk is a steep price. I wouldn’t sweat that conditional first-rounder — this move was to pick up Tkachuk for right now. Quite honestly, I don’t see him re-signing with the team unless something crazy happens in the postseason.
And let’s not forget Metropolit — he emerged as a useful player and good skill player. He was pretty upset about the trade, mostly because he said he really enjoyed playing with that group of guys. But Metro never quite won Bob Hartley over — he was a healthy scratch last night, and everybody involved said that wasn’t because of the trade. So interpret that any way you like.
I’m sure the critics will emerge saying the Thrashers overspent to pick up these two players, but I would have been much more critical if they didn’t spend at all. What would you rather have — a guy like Anson Carter for a fifth rounder or Tkachuk and Zhitnik for the price the Thrashers paid?
We won’t know the true impact of these deals, who won and who lost, until after the season and beyond. But it’s obvious that something needed to be done and it was.
Now, I still have to find a hotel in Boston — haven’t had time to do that. Oh and Don Waddell said he may not be done — he’s not counting out anything until it’s 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Tkachuk to Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GM Don Waddell confirmed that the Thrashers traded for St. Louis forward Keith Tkachuk. They paid a steep price, sending forward Glen Metropolit, a first and third round pick in this year’s draft as well as a second round pick in the 2008 draft. There is also a conditional first round pick in 2008 if the Thrashers resign Tkachuk.
“This is exactly what we needed for this hockey club,” Waddell said.
Metropolit said he was looking forward to the opportunity in St. Louis, but was upset about leaving the Thrashers.
“They just got a great player in Keith Tkachuk, I hope they make the playoffs,” Metropolit said.
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