By Brendan

April 18, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this

Craig Custance, this team’s had seven year’s worth of “timing.” And the time to win is now. And what’s more, this team was built, post-lockout, with a “small window of opportunity.” First year was a non-playoff year. This one is where it is. And next year, who knows?

By who cares

April 18, 2007 2:04 PM | Link to this

LET’S GO RANGERS!

By Craig Custance

April 18, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this

Brendan — Good point. So do you think the window to win has slammed shut?

By Buzilla Baby Blues

April 18, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

Kicked

In

The

Groin

There is no way they can play worse than last night.

By JB

April 18, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this

Although our position is bleak……..the great thing about sports is that anything can happen. The Thrashers have to concentrate on Game 4 only. You can`t win Game 5 until you win Game 4 and so on. If the Thrashers can get it back to Blueland Friday, I say they can plant a small seed of doubt………..Like I said before………..anything can happen!

By Brendan

April 18, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this

Craig, that depends on the GM. Whoever it might be. Manager’s “manage.” If ya know what I mean. Waddell’s got to ask himself some tough questions.

1) Was Bob Hartley the right man for the job?

2) He’s only got eight (8) guys under contract next year, if you count Mark Popovic, then nine (9). And not a lot of money to spend.

3) With finances in mind, does he seek to move some high-end salaried players for prospects or draft picks?

4) Does Waddell still believe in Kari Lehtonen? I think Hartley doesn’t. But I’m not too sure if Waddell does. I think the answer is “yes.” If the answer is “no,” then perhaps he seeks to move this goaltender to see what kind of windfall might be the return. If there is a windfall. Keep in mind, a prospect named Ondrej Pavelec is in the system, and he does look good. He’s a 2nd round pick from 2005. And he’s still got Moose under contract next season.

5) He’s got to examine his blueline. Havelid’s under contract for two more years, and not breaking the bank at a cap hit of $2.7M. So, does he keep him, for the value? Or trade the 33-year old to get a younger D-man? What about XLB? He’s restricted, but will want more. Hnidy’s unrestricted, but affordably priced. He went from the press box to the top pairing in the space of a year. Andy Sutton’s almost certainly gone. Hartley loves Greg deVries, but at $2.25 million, maybe Waddell doesn’t love him so much. Mark Popovic could be a keeper, from Chicago. Why they didn’t play Steve McCarthy, I’ll never know.

I didn’t answer this question, Craig. I wouldn’t say the window has slammed shut. With 15 open roster slots for next season, anything could happen. The core returning players are some of the Stanley Cup puzzle pieces: Lehtonen, Hossa, Havelid, Holik, Kovalchuk, Hedberg, Zhitnik, and Hedberg. The high-end salaried guys are Hossa, $7 million ($6 million cap hit,) Kovalchuk, $7 million, ($6.5 million cap hit,) Holik, $4.25 million (cap hit the same), and Zhitnik, $3.5 million (cap hit the same). Then it slides down to Havelid at $2.7 and Rucchin at $2.4, I believe.

Waddell ought to also look long and hard at his trade deadline guys, like Belanger and Dupuis, and offer contracts NOW, before the price goes way up. Belanger should be had for $1.5 million or less. Dupuis should be about a $1.0 million. Tkachuk is gone. If for no other reason, to re-sign him costs the Thrashers a 2008 1st round pick.

Sorry for the long post.

By Hnidy's Knights

April 18, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this

All I can say is this team better come out to play tonight. I don’t know whats up with Kari… but he is done. Done for this series, done for the season. If the Thrashers have any chance to perform some kind of Miracle On Ice and win a few games in a row, it will be with the MOOSE. It’s like Brendan said yesterday (or the day before), Hartley had to start Lehtonen so he can at least say, “ehh, ya know, like i gave the kid another chance to play, ya know, but like the kid didn’t perform, ya know…”.

If Hartley wants any chance to salvage anything, he needs to strap on his spurs and ride the Moose all the way to the end, whenever that may be.

My only highlight last night was seeing Kovalchuk attack Avery. That showed me that he CARES. My only problem with that is that Kovy should not have to do that. Your star players should not have to put themselves in that position. Why didn’t Slater do it? I hope he gets scratched along with Havelid. Give Steve MC and Vigier a chance. They contributed during the season a deserve a chance to contribute during the playoffs.

That’s all I got. This game has a chance to become very violent tonight.

I said it last night and I’ll say it again - The team that scores first tonight will win this game.

By Matt

April 18, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this

I can’t answer for Brendan, Craig, but I don’t see another division title in our future anytime after this year. Not with the cap room we will have locked into certain players next season, not with the draft picks we gave up at the trade deadline, and not with the prospects we shipped away. If they didn’t get it done this year, which it looks like they won’t, then I don’t think we will have another opprotunity like this for a few years to come. Not unless Kari becomes as dominant as Patrick Roy, which is highly unlikely……… maybe you should tell the boys you cancelled your reservation, I’ll take anything to try and motivate them at this point, it’s obvious Bob isn’t doing it.

By Gary Reese

April 18, 2007 2:33 PM | Link to this

So it’s all about vindication for the sports writers. Thanks for putting it into perspective. You sound like the liberals rooting for America to lose in Iraq. It’s all about you personally looking good.

By Hnidy's Knights

April 18, 2007 2:44 PM | Link to this

BOB HARTLEY, Ride the Moose off into the sunset. It’s your only chance.

By Mark

April 18, 2007 2:47 PM | Link to this

This team isn’t built for the play-offs. The defensive corps is horrible. When your top pairing is Zhitnik and Havelid and they get split up, you know you’re in trouble. Those two are the only d players that we have that have better than average mobility. Sutton was awful last night and looked like he had no clue how to play defense. Devries best years are way behind him. Exelby is a third pairing d-man, nothing better and Hnidy has been a healthy scratch for most teams before Hartley developed his man-crush. You can have teams that are staked up front and score a lot of goals in the regular season but if you can’t transition the puck from defense to offense, you are in major trouble. Your team will get bottled up in their end and before you know it, the puck ends up in the back of the net.

Look at Detroit and Anaheim and Buffalo. Their whole game is based on a quick transition up the ice. They gain control of the puck with solid checking and positioning and move it up the ice quickly with an accurate first pass. We can’t do that and that problem rests at Waddell’s feet. His development for this team has been flawed from the beginning. He thought you had to build a high scoring offense to draw in crowds at Phillips but has left us with a team that can’t play defense when it matters most. By the way, you know where there is a talented young d-man with great mobility and size and a really good first pass? In Philly and his name is Coburn. Oh, and you know who Waddell passed over to draft Coburn, Phaneuf. Right now Zhitnik, Havelid and Exelby are the only keepers on this defense and Zhitnik and Havelid should be a 2nd pair, not a top pair, and Exelby one half of a third pairing. So, the Thrashers need a totally new top pairing and a #5 or 6. Good luck trying to put together a completely new top pairing in the offseason. That’s not an easy thing to do.

By J

April 18, 2007 2:49 PM | Link to this

I’m not exactly encouraged that Hartley was talking about “timing” this morning, even if it was half-jokingly. (For that matter, I’m not encouraged that Hartley is joking at all after yesterday’s showing.)

Discussing timing makes it seem as if the Thrashers are merely floating along, left entirely to a cyclical fate out of their control. Based on what I saw last night, I don’t think our best Thrashers performance of the season would’ve matched the Rangers…so the timing argument doesn’t do much for me.

Instead of wishing for the March version of the Thrashers instead of the April version of the Thrashers, it would seem to make sense for Hartley to be thinking radical…as in trying to develop a game plan to disrupt the Rangers defense, because clearly nothing from the last two games has worked. I think the Rangers have got the lets-dump-the-puck-in offensive strategy pretty well covered.

By rangerman

April 18, 2007 3:00 PM | Link to this

Remember…. it’s all about the post season. Just ask the Braves. All those division flags and only ONE world series win. Good, but not good enough. LET’S GO RANGERS!!!!!

By Reg Dunlop

April 18, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

What we need is old time hockey….Eddie Shore, Toe Blake, Dit Clapper…..Those were the greats….See, Braden was right.

By Craig Custance

April 18, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this

Brendan - You have to wonder if the recent play might change things as far as unrestricteds. Don has said he’ll pursue resigning Kozlov, but he can’t be happy with what he’s seeing now. I know he also likes Belanger, but he struggled last night too. It’s entirely possible that only Marian Hossa returns for next season from that line.

Hnidy - I wondered if Hartley might play McCarthy or Vigier, if nothing else then to mix it up, but he said Moose for Kari was the only lineup change.

Matt — I know they traded a couple prospects, but one of the reasons was because Waddell felt like the organization had some depth. Maybe some of that depth will be part of the answer for next season.

Gary - That’s quite the conclusion you’ve drawn. Thanks for weighing in.

By Bob

April 18, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this

Johan Hedberg had a pretty determined look on his face this morning. He’s ready to go, and said if they can just turn things around for one game, they’re back in this thing. It might be a little late for that though.

It is all about timing, and Hartley has none. The time to play Moose was last night when we could have made the series 2-1 and tried to get back into it tonight, it’s done now, stick a fork in it, even if Moose rallies the boys tonight.

I know the club will play much better in front of Moose tonight. I’m sure they had little confidence in Kari after his Blueland Mohawk and then crapping the bed in Game 1. What little confidence they had left in him was gone 30 seconds into last night’s game.

Yeah, Bob. It’s all about timing, and yours is a day late and a dollar short.

Methinks the NHL now stands for the NHL Hartley League, good luck finding a new job, Bob.

By J

April 18, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this

I wouldn’t say the door has been slammed shut by any means. The core guys on this team are still very young (Kovy, Hossa, Lehtonen) and a good start to build around. We definitely need to resign Belanger & Dupuis. If the price is right, offer 2.5mil to Kozzy, hopefully the playoffs lowered his asking price (same with a long term deal with Hossa perhaps?). Keep Boulton, Larsen & Vigier for 500k each. (Let Vigier play some for a change!) Ditch de Vries and Sutton ASAP, maybe don’t even let em on the plane back to ATL if we lose tonight.

I’m not sure what a 1-way contract means, but Krog & Haydar have those for 07-08. Does that mean they have to stay on the NHL roster all year next season?

Here’s how I see it next year: (I hope this doesn’t show up looking bad) W Hossa 7mil W Kovy 5.5mil W Kozy 2.5mil (don’t offer him more) W Dupuis - Offer 3yrs, 3mil W Sim - 750K W Boulton - 500K W Larsen - 500K W Vigier - 500K W Haydar 475K

C Holik 4.25mil C Rucchin 2.4 (any chance he’s tradeable?) C Slater - 1mil C Belander - Offer 3yrs, 4.5mil or so C Krog - 500K

D Havelid 2.7mil D Zhitnik 3.5mil D McCarthy 750K D Exelby 1mil D Hnidy 750K D Popovic 535K

G Lehtonen 2.2mil G Hedberg 1.15mil

Total Cost = 41.46mil

— Tkachuk - gone — Mellanby - retired — de Vries - gone — Sutton - gone

Thats 4 guys to replace, Krog, Popovic, Haydar pencilled in. And Sterling maybe? I’m sure not all of these guys get resigned, but we’d still have about 5mil under the cap to go after a Chris Drury? Or better yet…Sheldon Souray! Maybe we’re not as bad as off as we think?

By J

April 18, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this

oops, apparently I’m not the only “J” who posts!

By R. Stroz

April 18, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this

Tonight, Coach Hartley will roll out a new strategy never seen before. He will start five forwards and tell Andy Sutton to lay across the goal crease and take it like a man. In this manner, Sutton will understand what he has exposed our goalies to all season.

By R. Stroz

April 18, 2007 3:25 PM | Link to this

Bob - How about providing a pre-game Hartley interview for our entertainment.

By Russ

April 18, 2007 3:31 PM | Link to this

I definitely want to see Waddell gone after this season, but I don’t think it will happen. I can’t decide if I would want Hartley back, but I do know if they decide to go with a youth movement (which they should), then Hartley is not the man for the job. Unless all the new young players would be french-canadian they would never see more than 5 minutes of ice time per game and their development would be stunted.

By Boulton's Bruisers

April 18, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this

Waddell should stay. Hartley should stay. The team needs to dump the older, slower guys and have some faith in their prospects. I hear nothing but positive stuff about Valabik, he has the reputation of a MENACE. There’s Sutton’s replacement. Go young, Waddell.

By sisu

April 18, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this

http://www.nhlnumbers.com/atl.html

Check out that link and you will see where we stand.

McCarthy won’t be back, why would he? He has been riding the pine for no good reason.

By Dan

April 18, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this

Here’s a novel idea: Stop blaming people and recognize that the Thrashers simply are not as good as the Rangers. I know they won their division, but they won the weakest division in the NHL (don’t tell me about the past two Cup winners — I’m talking depth, top to bottom). The Rangers finished with three fewer points in a division that sent FOUR teams to the playoffs. Even though you don’t know their names, the Rangers have a pretty good group of defensemen, and as a team yielded the second fewest goals in the Eastern Conference. Up front, the Rangers are better, faster, younger, tougher (and toughness, by the way, doesn’t mean throwing your body around without control; it means being willing to take a hit or give a hit as is needed in the course of the game) and deeper. And in net, its not close. I’d take Henrik over Hedberg and Lehtonen at the same time. By the way, I find it funny how all of the Atlanta homer/prognosticators predicted that Lehtonen would outshine Henrik this series — how’s that one going?

By Sage of Bluesland

April 18, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this

Don Waddell—the TRUE architect of the mess we are currently witnessing…The man has been here since day one, blustering about his ‘five-year-plans’ and ‘building-through-the-draft’.

The buffoon has hired and fired coaches; has proven he cannot draft past the overwhelming consensus of the top three of the first round; and has more lives than a cat…Teflon Don—but what a NICE guy he is!

Stop subsidizing the incompetence and changes will occur. He’s so far in over his head it’s not even funny anymore…It’s embarrassing.

The AJC nailed it dead-on: DO YOU BELIEVE IN DEBACLES? Yes, I do—with our ‘brilliant’ GM at the helm, I expect nothing less than unmet expectations, bluster, and pathetic excuses for substandard performance and results…

By caveman22

April 18, 2007 4:06 PM | Link to this

at my school whenever we were in the mists of losing we had a slogan:

You won the game, WE WON THE FIGHT!!!

So c’mon Thrashers but some in the net and put some on their BUTTS!!!!

By Thrashy Thrashy

April 18, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

Dan, you can sit on your high horse and be as condescending as you’d like, but I know I felt the Thrashers would lose this series. I certainly didn’t expect a possible sweep or to see a 7-0 loss. We’re knowledgeable hockey fans and realize that the Thrashers have a lot of flaws. We just give a damn about our team and don’t like to see the players represent us and the Thrashers organization like they don’t give a damn. Pride is supposed to keep 7-0 playoff losses from happening. The Thrashers showed no pride, guts or determination at MSG last night. At the very least, this organization owes the fans in Atlanta a home-ice win. It’ll be up every guy in that locker room to get a win tonight and give us something to cheer about and to look forward to. So far, we’ve had next to nothing.

By Legion of thrash

April 18, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this

I blame Wadell as much as Hartley. They both must go. Wadell is responsible for putting together the below average defense that we have. We are a plus 1 on the season. This is the first time we have been a plus, but a plus 1 ? Yes Wadell brought players in at the deadline, but why. Because he did not get it right in the offseason. This team was heading way downhill and those players came in with the emotion of playing with a new team and we barely won the division. Now that emotion and excitement of being with a new team is gone and they are not producing. Did we really give up all that for Tkatchucks goals in the regular season and now nothing in the playoffs. Wadell said KT was exactly what this team needed, my @ss! What this team needs is a Gm that can draft in all rounds, Some credible defense, and a playmaking center or two. Last but not least a good coach.

By Ice Man

April 18, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this

Craig, funny that you brought up the headline in here … since I’m the guy who wrote it, I’d be interested in what our readers have to say about it.

When I wrote the ‘debacle’ head after Game 2, it wasn’t necessarily an indictment of the team as a whole, but of the situation: the excitement of the playoffs being dulled by losing two games on home ice and headed to a big-time environment down 0-2 … not to mention the fluke goal that basically decided Game 2. We talked about it up here and felt that as a broad term, ‘debacle’ fit, as in: We were so full of hope three days ago, now look at us.”

Anyway, I suspect Hartley didn’t care THAT much, probably using the standard us-against-them motivation technique of every desperate coach.

But I’d like to hear from our readers if they thought ‘debacle’ was too harsh after Game 2 ….

By stendec

April 18, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this

Hey Bob. If Sori Letemin is our franchise player then the Thrashers are in tremendous trouble. All right, he did not have ANY help! But seven goals? SEVEN F+++++G GOALS? Unacceptable. The first coming in the first half minute or so. Game, set and match! Heck, I have seen Pee Wee goaltenders perform better! Moose starts Game 1 with three Thrasher goals in offensive support. Thrashers up 1-0. Bounce from hell does not occur in Game 2. Some (ANY) Thrasher scores in sixth overtime. Team up 2-0. Moose scores one fluke goal on his own in Game 3 shutout to put good blue guys up 3-0. Scenario as not farfetched as it sounds. Huh, Mr. Hartley?

By Tony H

April 18, 2007 4:44 PM | Link to this

Geez, Dan, you are truly one sharp dude. Division standings have nothing to do with how a team plays on a given night or series. The Thrashers beat the Rangers three out of four in the regular season. So cool the piety about your Rangers.

It’s the here and now that counts and as much or more blame goes to the Thrashers play than the abilities of the Rangers. Come back and tell us about it when you win the Stanley Cup. Until then, come up with another novel idea.

Ordinarily, in other sports it is much easier to fire the coach, GM or both than to fire the team. We have a unique opportunity here to fire basically all since we have so few under contract next year. Regardless, Wadell has to be held accountable for what he has failed to accomplish since day one of the franchise. Hartley has won only once when he had all the “horses” in Colorado. Maybe the two of them have brought the franchise as far as they can and it’s time for someone else capable of taking the team further to step in.

That is, if we can figure out who owns the team by the time those decisions have to be made.

By faceoff

April 18, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this

They always say things are magnified in the playoffs, boy I’ll say. One week ago this town was totally pyched, hockey was on the front page, a true positive vibe begining to take place within the whole city. Today I do not think we could be any lower, the air has been been completely let out. From a prospective for the future we would have been much more positive if we would have not made the playoffs than we are after last night’s performance. That one game may prove very costly to Atlanta’s hockey fan base.

The good news - a turnaround on the ice will change our outlook, after all ever thing is magnified in the playoffs.

By Larry

April 18, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this

Thursday’s Game was enjoyable to watch (except for the final score),Saturday’s Game had the “play off feel” to it and could have gone the Thrashers way. Last night was a debacle, trainwreck,mess etc. When the winning goal is scored 32 seconds into the Game it’s not a good thing. As well Ilya K’s fight should have been assigned to some one other than your most potent Offensive weapon. They played last night like the Thrashers of the 1999-2000 season..

By luckydog

April 18, 2007 5:04 PM | Link to this

Ice Man: Yes, the “debacle” headline was too harsh after game 2. It would have been perfect after game 3.

By stendec

April 18, 2007 5:10 PM | Link to this

Debacle Game 3. Tragedy Game 2. Giveaway Game 1. Sweep may describe Game 4. Hope not!

By stendec

April 18, 2007 5:14 PM | Link to this

Guys. Game on SportSouth? Not in South Georgia last night. Braves were on. How about tonight. Any replay? Thanks!

By Russ

April 18, 2007 5:16 PM | Link to this

Dan, Congratulations to you for winning the stupid quote of the year award on these blogs (and believe me there is plenty of stiff competition). You said: “Here’s a novel idea: Stop blaming people and recognize that the Thrashers simply are not as good as the Rangers”. No question the Thrashers have not been as good as the Rangers this series. Try to follow this logic - the point of professional sports is to try to be the best team…if the Thrashers aren’t as good as the Rangers (or any team) they should strive to be better…the Thrashers aren’t going to get better without changing personnel (whether it be management, coaching, or players)…therefore someone has to be shown the door, and yes, take the blame. Now, it is up for debate whether it is in fact management, coaches, or players that should take the blame, but it is ridiculous to stay stop blaming people for not being as good as the Rangers. Is being inferior to any team just supposed to be accepted? Would you want the status quo if you were the ones down 3-0 in the first round?

By Ice Man

April 18, 2007 5:16 PM | Link to this

See, Dog, I look it more like this: The ‘debacle’ was a question, as if insinuating that the worse was yet to come … in a way, it was kind of setting the stage for the blowout in Game 3. … Of course, it didn’t have to turn out that way, but the ‘debacle’ wasn’t meant to be a simple reflection of a loss, per se, but of the situation, down 0-2, going on the road … bad moon rising … etc … but obviously some people agree with BH, and I respect that. Coaches have feelings, too.

Maybe Hartley and Gov. Perdue can organize an anti-Ice Man alliance. (Brian will run for President.)

By Russian

April 18, 2007 5:24 PM | Link to this

Do you know what positive thing happend today???? You do not????? I am going to shave my face :-) I stopped when we clinch PO and my Lady is very discomfort.

By J

April 18, 2007 5:28 PM | Link to this

It was on Fox Sports Net - South last night because of the Braves. Tonight its back on Sports South.

Brad Larsen is our leading scorer!!!! ughhhhh, put me out of my misery already!

By stendec

April 18, 2007 5:34 PM | Link to this

Thanks J. Not disappointed I did not find them. Check that! I was. Missed seeing the guys. Even in such wrteched performance. Squa tront!

By AJ

April 18, 2007 5:51 PM | Link to this

Craig-you can’t even get the names on the team right!!! You called Scott (our CAPTAIN by the way) Mellanby-CRAIG (look at the newspaper dude!!)!!!???? Were you just WISHING YOU were on a great team like the THRASHERS?????? Give them a break people!! Yes, it was a HORRIBLE game last night, but look at the WHOLE picture!!! They fought HARD the whole season to get Atlanta to a playoff series, look at the SUCKY FALCONS, the Braves didn’t make it last year and we won’t even waste time talking about the HORRIBLE HAWKS!!! YES Bob is the right coach, yes Waddell is the right GM-they got us here didn’t they??? Get to your tv’s, your bars or wherever you are watching the game and ROOT OUR BOYS ON!!! They may be in NEW YORK-but they can feel the good vibes we throw them from Atlanta-so get to think GOOD THOUGHTS!!!! Quit the BASHING!!!! And all you people that JUST JUMPED ON THE BAND WAGON AFTER THE THRASHERS MADE THE PLAYOFFS-GET OFF!!!!! The REAL Thrasher fans DO NOT NEED OR WANT YO HERE!!!!

By Thrashersfan33

April 18, 2007 5:58 PM | Link to this

Sisu….thanks for that link. Pretty cool.

The way I look at it, we may not be as bad off as we thought, as long as the right decisions are made. For example, don’t bring DeVries back and go after a solid D-man (Souray???). Mac may be back, but probably only if Hartley is gone. By the way, any word of Hartley’s contract for next year has “kicked in”?

Speculation this off-season by everyone on this blog will be quite entertaining.

By Ice Man

April 18, 2007 6:02 PM | Link to this

AJ,

Craig doesn’t write the captions on the pictures in the paper. That mistake was made by somebody on the copy editing desk. Who? That’s not important.

By Thrashy Thrashy

April 18, 2007 6:02 PM | Link to this

Was it just me or were the Rangers fans doing the Chop Chant last night? That was about as embarrassing as it gets. The Thrashers don’t have enough of an identity to be mocked, so they mock the Braves. Ouch.

By AJ

April 18, 2007 6:09 PM | Link to this

Hey Ice Man-that wasn’t even the most important part of my vent!!! Thanks for paying attention!!

By Kevin

April 18, 2007 6:15 PM | Link to this

Yes that was the Chop Chant, as well as my favorite “Marcel is better!”

By luckydog

April 18, 2007 6:30 PM | Link to this

Ice man, don’t take it too hard. After all your ‘debacle’ headline was only about a game. It wasn’t nearly as bad as that ‘Bloodbath’ headline on the front page after the VT tragedy. That was just plain ghoulish — made me embarrassed to be a subscriber.

Anyway, I for one have enjoyed the AJC’s Thrashers coverage this year, and my son absolutely lives for it. Keep up the good work!

By ranallo10

April 18, 2007 6:33 PM | Link to this

Hmm…GM puts together a team that takes first place by a landslide going into January. The players play down and the coach cannot get them excited, so the team (originally put together by the GM) slides to second place and is claimed to be on the verge of completely imploding. The GM makes several moves, several to the surprise of the fans AND the league, and the team rights their decline in the standings. The coach and the players then lead the team (still put together by the GM) into the playoffs, breaking team records on the way. The team then implodes again, possibly due to the players not being excited enough to play in the playoffs, or possibly due to the coach not preparing a gameplan to best utilize his team against their opponent.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is all fact. There is no conjecture here, there is no opinion, it’s all fact (or at the very least completely reasonable possibilities).

So what’s the general consensus from the “fans”???? Apparently everybody needs to be fired, and the Atlanta Spirit needs to put together a perfect team with perfect coaches and perfect GMs, to sign the perfect draft picks each round of every year, to lead the team to a Stanley Cup in less than 5 years. I’m obviously exaggerating your points, but that’s the gist of almost every statement on this board.

The GM cannot be blamed for putting a team on the ice that took first place in the division in the first three months. The team tanked around Christmas…that’s pretty far into the season for a bad roster of players to be leading their division with games to spare. So when the team tanked, the GM did what he was supposed to do, and traded whatever he had of value for whatever he could get in return, for both the long term (Zhitnik, possibly Dupuis or Belanger) and the short run (Tkachuk). What happens then? A few new additions leads the team back into first, and clinches a division title on the way (which by the way, NONE of you “fans” can claim to have predicted). What happens next is obvious, but it’s at a point in time where the GM can do absolutely nothing about it.

The playoffs is the time in which the coach and the players lead the team to victory. There is no falling back on the waiver acquisition, the minor league call up, the prospect dumping trade…it’s up to two entities, the coaches and the players. The GM has little to do with the playoff series, but rather has more to do with the regular season.

Schuerholz isn’t a bad GM for not winning more than one world series over 15 playoff appearances. The coach and the players are to blame.

Pick on who you want, I could care less, but stop blaming the head of an organization for the tail not wagging appropriately. The head can only do SO MUCH, sometimes other parts have to pull their fair share.

I think maybe the team should start from scratch, but keep Hartley and Waddell. That way every person on this board will be MORE inclined to leaving, and less inclined to b*** about every single loss.

The team is in the playoffs, and Mats Sundin is at home in s** weather. Would you rather Kovalchuk chilling in New York and looking for a new home, or playing on an April evening in NY attempting to beat the snot out of the biggest pest in the NHL??

Oh, by the way, Carolina and Edmonton didn’t make the playoffs…I guess the Stanley Cup AND the playoffs are harder to qualify for than you all seem to think.

By Ice Man

April 18, 2007 6:35 PM | Link to this

AJ,

I read the rest of your message. Just thought you might want to apologize for being so snotty to Craig over something he didn’t do.

By Bob

April 18, 2007 7:05 PM | Link to this

IceDude, Debacle was the wrong choice of words after Game 2, but so what. Apparently our players didn’t get fired up over it.

Ranallo, I agree with you (you can pick you chin up off the floor now), Waddell made the right moves.

Unfortunately, in any organ-i-zation, the head guy is ultimately responsible, and it would be a shame. Hartley’s the one to blame for this mess, but both of their heads may roll, but my guess is if it’s the Spirit that wins the court case, that’s it’s only Hartley that goes and Waddell gets a shot again next year, rightly so.

By Ice Man

April 18, 2007 7:24 PM | Link to this

GEEZ BOB! maybe you need to go back and read your blog comments after Game2!!! You were ready to fire-bomb the place. ;)

By Braves Fan 79

April 18, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this

how many stupid penalties we gonna make this game?? playing like that we dont deserve to win…

By Russ

April 18, 2007 11:04 PM | Link to this

Ranallo, The following are also fact or completely reasonable possibilities: 1)The GM is responsible for the coaches and players that make up the team. 2)Waddell has been here since day 1. 3)If you consider the fist team out of the playoffs to be the 16th best team in the NHL (a reasonable assumption), then the Thrashers have yet to crack the top half of the league in seven seasons. 4)The Thrashers have made one playoff appearance in seven seasons in a league where over half the teams make the playoffs, and morgaged a lot of supposed top prospects and high draft picks to even make it that far.

One point that is purely opinion, but seems reasonable to me when looking at the players signed for next season and the money already spent: The Thrashers would have to get very lucky on a few signings (i.e. players playing way over their heads or better than they have ever previously in the NHL) to compete for a playoff spot next season.

I know that as an expansion team you can’t really expect much the first 3 or 4 seasons, but at the very least I would expect this team to be a solid playoff team by now with a young core of players, not one of the oldest teams in the league with players that are completely overpaid for the production they bring (i.e. Holik) or star players that disappear when they do make the playoffs (Hossa).

I respect your opinion and the facts you put together, I’m just trying to show that there are also plenty of facts that can be stacked up against the Waddell era.

By Russ

April 18, 2007 11:15 PM | Link to this

Just for the record, I do know how to spell mortgaged.

By R. Stroz

April 18, 2007 11:24 PM | Link to this

Ranallo10 - Welcome back! Have you been tied up with taxes? You should have enjoyed the series, your favorite player, Vigier, was on the bench. Now, just for kicks, which five players to you get rid of as soon as possible?

By Jameson

April 18, 2007 11:48 PM | Link to this

Well, I think only two words describe the Thrashers’ first playoff appearance… “Turtled up.”

By Brendan

April 19, 2007 12:50 AM | Link to this

Well … I think we need to take a step back and digest this for awhile. It’s easy to say, “Fire ‘em all!” the night after a sweep. But, generally speaking, when decisions are made in anger and haste, they tend to be filled with remorse.

Is Waddell blameless? Uhhh, no. But did he do his job this year? I’d have to say, “Yes, he did.” Now, he’s not off the hook for the age of this team. He’s not off the hook for his draft record. And he’s not even off the hook for Coach Hartley. He hired him. This may not be a popular opinion, but I’d actually like to see Don Waddell come down to the bench and coach this team. He obviously has a “vision” for what he wants to see on the ice. Maybe it should be he who imparts that vision to the players? Is that so unreasonable??

I’m not ready to call for Bob Hartley’s firing just yet. I want to take some time. I mean, what if the Rangers win the Cup? Stop laughing. Couldn’t a fair argument be made that “no other team could stop them either?” It’d be a valid argument, provided that the Blueshirts actually pulled it off. But if New York gets swept or bows out, uneventfully, in the next round, then I do think we have to evaluate exactly what we did see this year. Namely, an anemic powerplay for entirely too long, a less than stellar PK, and an utterly forgettable GF-GA differential. Maybe we made the Rangers look better than they are? I think Hartley got “outcoached.” But should he be fired for that? Before you say, “Duh, yes!!!,” I urge you to consider that this team dealt with a plethora of injuries throughout the year. Again. This team didn’t fold throughout the season. In fact, they were in 1st place in the SE division for most of the year. Again, I credit Waddell more for that, than Hartley. Waddell found inexpensive depth. He traded cruddy draft picks for players who could actually help this club, and did. And the picks he gave up will be somewhere between #15-#19 and #75-79 to St. Louis.

Uhh, that would be bad IFFF DW were a draft day guru. He’s not. He’d just waste those picks anyway. And, let’s be honest, beyond the top five or so picks, it’s a bit of “crapshoot.” Nothing is guaranteed on Draft Day. So, I’m not upset about the “mortgaging the future” aspect of this season’s moves. Don’s apt to find better players than what he would have drafted, via free agency. Well, that’s how he did it this year, folks. Unless you want to argue that Braydon Coburn was the reason for the Thrashers’ success this year. He found Jon Sim, for $610K. He re-signed Larsen, Vigier, and had Boulton for the league minimum. He found Glen Metropolit for peanuts. And don’t count out DW re-signing Metro this Summer. Krog, Haydar and Wanvig were there for call-up situations. DW might re-sign McCarthy. He could re-sign Hnidy. Again, these aren’t players who break the bank. And anyone DW would have drafted is probably years away from being ready to make this Fall’s roster. Some talent in the pipeline will get a tryout this September. Valabik, Sterling, LaVallee, Pavelec, Little, etc. If they make it, we’ll have a roster under the cap, and be a lil bit younger and faster. Those are good things, folks.

I know this post is getting too long. So I’ll end on this. Last year, I said Don Waddell would never find anyone stupid enough to take Modry off our hands. He did. Maybe he can find homes for Holik and Rucchin? If so, that’s a savings of $6.65 million ($4.25 + $2.4). That would allow him to re-sign Kozlov. But again, I don’t support a Kozlov contract beyond 2-years in length. He’s reached that age where he’s susceptible to injury. He was a bit of “no show” in these playoffs, and what if he goes “ice cold” in shootouts next year? (Answer: then we’d regret re-signing him, but it was a “calculated risk” and I think one worth taking.)

By R. Stroz

April 19, 2007 1:30 AM | Link to this

Brendan - Good post. I think I would add Oystrick to the list of prospects though.

I would try to resign the inexpensive roll players (Larsen, Boulton, Hnidy) as well as Sim, Dupuis, Slater, Belanger, and McCarthy. Also, fishing Metro back from St. Louis isn’t a bad idea.

On the other hand, we have to get rid of Holik, Rucchin, Devries, and Sutton. Also, I would consider moving Havelid, since his play is going downhill.

By Brendan

April 19, 2007 2:14 AM | Link to this

R.Stroz, Atlanta doesn’t have to get rid of deVries and Sutton. They are without a contract. They’ll only be back if DW re-signs them. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.

Finding a home for Holik and Rucchin will be a tall order. They’re 36 and 35 years old, respectively. And aren’t cheap. I suspect that Holik will be Captain next year, provided Mellanby retires and Kozlov is lost to Free Agency. Though, I’m sure the issue of Captaincy will be debated profoundly before next season commences.

From the “accountability department” comes news of the FIRING of Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean. Long overdue, by most accounts. The Federov deal did him in.

This is precisely why I don’t want Arthur Blank ANYWHERE NEAR my hockey team, if Belkin wins his suit, and searches for deep pocketed prospective buyer. I can see the Press Conference now. Blank takes the podium and says, “Members of my inner circle informed me that Sergei Federov is, and has been, one of the most dominant power forwards in the NHL. Therefore, we targeted his acquisition. And to show you our ‘comittment to winning,’ I am announcing that the Thrashers have signed him to a 10-year contract, at the league maximum.”

Brendan opens the palm of his hand, slams his forehead into it, while exclaiming, “D’oh!” at the top of his lungs. Yes, folks. Arthur Blank would do something like that. (Think Peerless Price, Falcon fans.) In case anyone didn’t know, Federov is 35-36 years old, and has an over-inflated $6 million contract, with a year left at that price. He’s NOT the direction the Atlanta Thrashers need to go.

By Menelaos

April 19, 2007 4:53 AM | Link to this

IceMan… there are just some things that look bad, no matter what your intent was. I see (now) how you meant it, and it makes sense in retrospect, but you don’t need a science-geek to tell you how powerful word association can be. Any average sports fan picks up the the front page of the AJC sports section and see’s “Debacle” skims down and sees that its about the Thrashers, and says to the person next to them… “I done told you this ain’t no place for a hockey team.”

The press is a powerful tool. I really only read a newspaper if someone brings it to my attention. I skim websites and blogs I find to be reliable. I don’t trust the press as a general rule for reasons exactly like the insensitivity of that headline. I’m all for freedom of the press but I also think that every person who writes anything that goes public, blog comments to newspaper articles, has a responsibility to what they write. I think it was a mistake to use that wording, it misrepresented how the first two games went and gave a very negative connotation. Sure we were in a tough spot, but come on, the whole point of being a fan is rooting for your team to overcome adversity! To win the games that they aren’t supposed to. That’s why the general public gets enamored with underdogs.

So if it were up to me, I would have used the word “Predicament” instead. It more accurately represents what it seems to me like what you were trying to convey. I have a lot more to say about media and fans (especially fans in this city) and how it all ties together in the atmosphere that I’ve felt at Braves, Falcons, and (cough) Hawks games. Apathy. The expectation to lose.

You know what I was most proud of these past two weeks? The feeling of being in that arena in games one and two, even when down, we rocked our house. The apathetics were the minority. We turned heads those two nights, just us being fans. I even heard one New Yorker say, “maybe this isn’t such a bad sports town after all.”

IceMan, feel free to email me directly about any of this. I did submit a complaint to the AJC about that headline and the fact that one the day of game one, the website had one small, small line of Thrashers news even though the paper was covered in it. The response (I paraphrase), “we can’t keep everyone happy.”

By Sage of Bluesland

April 19, 2007 7:29 AM | Link to this

My feelings on the entire state of affairs in Blueland?

“DO YOU BELIEVE IN DEBACLES?”

(and Don thanks you for subsidizing the incompetence)

By Rock 'Em Sabres!

April 19, 2007 8:58 AM | Link to this

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Bob

April 19, 2007 9:18 AM | Link to this

Everyone knows that this team is going to be rebuilt this summer, that’s obvious with how many playoff rentals, UFA’s, and Mellanby retiring situations we have.

A new GM could really turn this around quickly. Waddell’s had 8 years and just spent to the Cap max in his 6th and 7th years of managing this club. And it got us nowhere and we have to totally re-tool now. That is awful damning of his (in)ability.

There’s also little to nothing in our minor league pipeline, he can’t draft as is evidenced by having to throw away Bourett and Coburn at this year’s trade deadline. I totally supported that move, but if today he’s saying that he’s sticking with Hartley, that’s the last straw, he needs to go. I’m sure the owners aren’t too happy that Waddell spent the Cap max for them, and they got nothing to show for it except two home playoff games, no buzz generated around the town bringing new fans in.

I know Belkin will fire Waddell if he wins the court case. The question is, will the Spirit do it?

By Russ

April 19, 2007 9:26 AM | Link to this

Mellanby sounds about 99% sure to retire…congratulations on a great career.

By Mark

April 19, 2007 2:57 PM | Link to this

You don’t need to get rid of Holik. He performs his role well, that of the third line shut down center. He was also one of our better players during the series and should be our captain next season. Rucchin they can stick on the long term IR and this gets him off of the salary cap. The real questions for Waddell are do you want to bring back Kozlov and Belenger, two thirds of your top line, how do you rebuild the defense and who is the play-making center to play with Kovy? I’d look hard at Scott Gomez for that role if I was Waddell but he will command big bucks in free agency.

By AJ

April 19, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this

NO ICE MAN, I WILL NOT SAY I AM SORRY FOR THAT COMMENT! MAYBE YOU SHOULD?

By Lee

April 19, 2007 3:13 PM | Link to this

Hey Aj, from all of us who have a life, you’re an @$$hole

By Lee

April 19, 2007 3:17 PM | Link to this

Oh and Bob, we AREN”T going to get a new GM. Belanger and Dupuis will be back along with others, and Hartley will be back too. And most of all?-THEY BOTH DESERVE TO BE BACK. They are good at what they do (a hell of a lot better than you would be) and since I have spoken to both of them numerous times, I can tell you that they are good guys. So would you please stop talking about why they need to be fired?

By Bob

April 19, 2007 4:41 PM | Link to this

Hartley needs to be fired for his inability to develop our young guys, for his brain dead scheming on the Power Play, for his nonsensical “let’s out hit the Rangers, forget about skating with them” Round 1 strategery, and for his woeful handling of our goalies.

Oh, and for an inability to speak Franglish without using like, eh, you know, dat puck just doesn’t, like, go our way, this series, but we came prepared to play, you know, like a pitcher in baseball, it’s like, the breaks, no?

Waddell needs to be fired if he wants to keep Hartley around.

Both are gone if Belkin wins, question is, will the Spirit be up to the task?

The most interesting story this offseason will be the ownership situation and this mystery man waiting in the wings to take over the Thrashers if Belkin puts them up for sale (so sayeth Kincade).