Thrashers

By Russ

October 30, 2007 2:30 PM | Link to this

I win???

By ranallo10

October 30, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this

Damn you Craig, you’re making me repost due to these updates!!

My opinion about Kamal (if anyone cares).

For those of us who missed the Chicago game, could someone please let me know what lines were used? Haydar with Kovalchuk and Little is what I got from above, how about the rest?

Thanks.

By Russ

October 30, 2007 2:51 PM | Link to this

I thought this would have been a good spot for Pavelec instead of Moose…we’ll see.

By Thrasher Ryan

October 30, 2007 2:52 PM | Link to this

MOOOOOOOOSE!!!—We need a big game out of the Moose tonight! CC, I like the baby steps analogy. That’s what it is gonna take. You gotta start somewhere. 2 pts here, 2 pts. there, it all adds up. A 5 or 6 game winning streak wouldn’t hurt either. On the Dan Kamal topic, I love Kamal. Kamal and Odgers are great together. I too, like some of the other bloggers have stated, usually mute the TV and listen to Kamal and Odgers do the game. Sorry, but I can’t stand JP Dellacamera. Daren Eliot is pretty good also.

By Russ

October 30, 2007 3:01 PM | Link to this

ranallo - If you have Center Ice it is easy to get spoiled by the Canadian broadcasts…night and day difference from Thrashers broadcasts. I feel like Elliott has good knowledge of the game, (which he should as a former player) but is way too politically correct in not wanting to step on anyone’s toes. I definitely don’t feel like he calls it like he sees it at all. Dellacamera is just clueless…doesn’t know the game well at all.

By kracker

October 30, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

ranallo try here:

http://thrasherstalons.blogspot.com/2007/10/thrashers-finally-finish-in-chicago.html

By kracker

October 30, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this

Goalie: I guess it’s just too tempting to not change from a winning goalie. That explains Moose tonight but not him playing in Chicago which is where I probably would have stsrted Pavelec.

Kamal: I, too, prefer to listen to Kamal but the radio is usually, but not always, too far ahead of the TV.

By ranallo10

October 30, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this

Russ — I agree, Dellacamera is pretty clueless. Elliott is fine, TYPICALLY, but often times he’s sugar coating things to make everything seem like sunshine and rainbows on the ice. He stated during the Nashville game that the Thrashers were playing pretty good hockey…to which I immediately screamed “WHAT!?”. All in all, I can agree with you.

However, I’ll give those two credit for not being complete homers like Canadian broadcasters, and complaining for a penalty every time a Thrasher hits the ice. After the Hossa check they immediately said “Hossa got hit by a clean shot”, and left it at that. If it was Darcy Tucker or Mats Sundin they’d have been phoning the NHL headquarters and rioting until somebody gets a fine or suspension. A Canadian player getting clobbered is worse than killing babies, or so they make it sound.

My brilliant broadcast idea:

I wish there was an option to mute the announcers and simply listen to the players and the crowd. Perhaps mic the coaches up so that we can hear that action too. Rename the package to “Between The Creases” and let us fans enjoy hockey the same way players do…sans analysts.

By Sara

October 30, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this

Regarding Darren Eliot - keep in mind that Eliot is actually employed by the Thrashers - VP of something or other having to do with community relations and whatnot. I can’t remember exactly without looking it up. At any rate, he’s adhering to the principle of not biting the hand that feeds you. It would be different if he was solely an employee of SportSouth/FSN with no direct (or indirect) affiliation with Atlanta Spirit/Thrashers.

He’s not blind as a bat and if you read between the lines with him you can tell he knows there are some real problems with this club. He’s just in no position to come right out and say it.

Personally, I’ve never forgiven him for his “b-game” comment a few years back regarding a Thrashers’ spanking of the Blues.

And lord knows ANYONE is better than the nitwit Erin Andrews - she seems to do ok with football but she was a complete moron when it came to hockey coverage.

By ranallo10

October 30, 2007 3:55 PM | Link to this

Sara — Those are good points, but I’m not asking for scathing remarks during a broadcast. I am simply asking for him to not say “the Thrashers have played a good three periods of hockey” when they’re losing 3-0 and being outplayed in every aspect of the game. It’s not “biting the hand that feeds you” to state the obvious, but it’s brown nosing to sugar coat. Plus it comes off as ridiculously unintelligent.

I do however tend to forget that he is a VP of Communications, or whatever.

Side note from the Nashville game — I watched that game (obviously) and noticed something that I found somewhat revealing. Of the many games I’ve watched this season, I’ve only seen two non-Atlanta games in which the home team crowd yelled “(goalie’s name), (goalie’s name), YOU SUCK!!”. Nashville and Carolina.

So, to jump to a conclusion based on that limited information…Atlanta, Nashville, and Carolina fans are three abusers of the “goalie goalie YOU SUCK” cheer. Perhaps this is why many NHL fans dislike the southern sports fans? Maybe it’s because of the many teams out there, these are the only three teams that feel it necessary to tell the goalie how much he/she sucks before, during, and after any goal he/she might give up.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’d prefer not to be lumped in to a group of fans known as idiots, and would love to see that cheer go the way of the dinosaurs.

By Hip Czech

October 30, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this

Ranallo10, they actually tried that with an NFL game back in 1980 or 1981. It was a Jets game vs. somebody (Miami maybe?).

I thought it was a great way to watch a game and thoroughly enjoyed it. Obviously I was in the minority though.

It’s nice that somebody can pick up the Thrasher radio broadcasts. Out here in the sticks of west GA there is NOTHING. 680 can only be heard inside the perimeter at night (is that station like 150 watts?).

I wish a radio station out this way would become a radio affiliate.

By Sam

October 30, 2007 3:59 PM | Link to this

I’ll take Price over Huet every day. I just don’t understand your idea of “fun”, Craig. Love your updates, though.

Wonder if Hoss will figure in who the GM is here as well as the coach. If he’s looking for a Stanley Cup, he’s got to be looking at who the architect putting the team together is and how accomplished he believes that GM to be. I think we’re looking at a Hossa trade. Sad as that may be, its not the end of the world…as long as we make up his 100 points in the trade.

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this

Darren Eliot strikes me as a very competent guy. He’s just not going to say something that will get him fired by his employer, however, when criticizing the Icebirds. He seems a little “freer” when doing a VERSUS telecast (that doesn’t involve the Thrashers). I invite you to check him out on VERSUS and compare it to the SportsSouth telecasts.

Darren Eliot is a Cornell University graduate. And last time I checked, they don’t graduate very many idiots. (Let’s see, there’s just Eliot and … Stop. That’s not funny.) But Ranallo is right. It is frustrating when the team just got swept out of the playoffs and Eliot’s comments are: “Nothing seems to come easy for this franchise.”

Is that INACCURATE? Or just a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT? No matter what you might think of GM Don Waddell, he did make some a serious effort to load up the lineup for a deep run in last year’s playoffs. Could it have been better? There’s ALWAYS room for second-guessing trade deadline moves. Did Waddell give up too much?? Two ways of looking at that. One says, “Had the Thrashers reached the Finals, no.” “But given that it was a sweep—-YES!”

The Tkachuk deal was too overwhelming for St. Louis to turn down. We gave up three (3) picks, (1st and 3rd, 2007, plus a 2nd rounder in 2008, plus a “conditional” 1st rounder in 2008) plus Metropolit, for a player that we, essentially, couldn’t re-sign. Was this a bold move? Yessss. It was. And Waddell overpaid for it, even if it had yielded better results for us.

Was Bourret worth Dupuis? Time will tell. But I think the answer is “yes.” Was Coburn worth two-plus years of Zhitnik? Again, time will tell. But Coburn wasn’t lighting it up here. Under Coach Anderson or Coach Hartley. Was Vishnevski, and the 2nd round pick we sacrificed to Anaheim to get him, worth losing to Nashville for Belanger? Well, had we kept Belanger, … maybe the answer could be “yes.” But considering that he’s on a 3-year deal with Minnesota, the answer is “no.”

This is hindsight talking. Waddell made bold moves to try to get this team DEEP into the playoffs. For Eliot to merely dismiss that as, “Nothing seems to come easy for this franchise” … seems like a statement he’d want to reevaluate in lieu of something a bit harsher. Remember, at the time, we didn’t know if even Dupuis would be coming back, much less Belanger. And this past Summer, we didn’t draft until the 3rd round, which was the pick we got from the NY Rangers in exchange for Bourret. Unless I’m wrong. It’s possible that the NY Rangers 3rd round pick was what we traded to Pittsburgh for Chris Thorburn. I can’t rightly remember now.

Anywho … I basically like Darren Eliot. I get on his case, and Delacamera’s, for their overuse of the words “hockey stick.” When, c’mon now, folks, what OTHER kind of stick could it be? I mean, is there some “lost referent” there … that might confuse people? Dellacamera is forever using the word “clearance.” I don’t know exactly why that bothers me so much. But it makes me think of Department stores and other retailers moreso than it does a hockey game. Sorry for the long post.

By Hip Czech

October 30, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this

I also wish the goalie chant would just become extinct, mainly because I’m bringing my kids and their friends to the games.

I think most NHL goalies long ago figured out that, in fact, they DON’T suck and they probably get a good chuckle out of some of the soft goals Lehtonen gives up.

Kari, Kari….

By Ron

October 30, 2007 4:18 PM | Link to this

Dellacamera made his name and continues to be a womens soccer announcer. I’m not a fan. Darren Elliot is fine, better than most. He’s a company guy (not terribly critical about Thrashers), but he’s fair calling the game. Not a “homer” like many others. Doc Emerick is quite good play by play for the Devils. Listen in on a Dallas Stars broadcast for Darryl Reaugh, a good color guy.

By Russ

October 30, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this

I have a kind of unusual ruling question for all of the Puckheads out there. If a team is shorthanded and shoots the puck down the ice right at the end of the Power Play (say with two seconds left), but the puck is not touched up until the Power Play is over is the play stopped for icing or not? I’m guessing since the puck was last touched while the team was still shorthanded play would continue, but I’m not sure. I am wondering because I was watching a game the other night where this exact scenario was playing out, but the player coming out of the penalty box was able to force the goalie to play the puck, so the Icing was negated.

Anyway, if anyone has some time on their hands, let me know what you think.

By LAC

October 30, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this

JP is just too dull… rarely does the pitch of his voice change… Boooooring at times, many times.

Darren does a good job, he has to make it sound better than it is for the teams sake, bet off the record it would be a lot different.

Worst is that Tripp Tracey with Carolina,what a little WIMP, he is AWFUL, just a homeboy if ever you’d want to see… just terrible.

I liked Matt McConnell doing play by play, loved it when he went to Minnesota, the game against Atlanta he even said We’ll be right back on the Atlanta Thrashers Network !!!!!

Remember Dan Kelly calling the first couple seasons on KMOX, when the Calgary Flames were the Atlanta Flames many times…Loved it !!!!

By GaVaHokie

October 30, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this

You will all burn in hell for bad mouthing Dan Kamal… ALL OF YOU!! :) Say three Hail Mary’s before you go to bed tonight.

By Andy S

October 30, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this

I like Dellacamera’s fast style of commentary, and his frank willingness to admit he isn’t an expert at hockey. He is willing to defer to Elliot to make any actual hockey analysis. They seem to have good chemistry together as well.

Brendan: if “clearance” bothers you, “those boards” bothers me. It’s usually tied to dumping it out of the zone, too. “Exelby sends it around those boards” or “Zhitnik picks it up off those boards”. which other boards are there?

By GSU-Lee

October 30, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this

Sara, That was a bit harsh about Erin Andrews, I have met her before and she is very nice. I think she is a very good reporter, while agreeing that hockey is not her strong point. However she does a great job with football and is more than just a pretty face on the sidelines.

By The Kamaleon Rules

October 30, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this

I have met Dan kamal, and he may be five feet tall but I am quite certain he could hold his own and would not hesitate to throw down with any of you naysayers.

By Joey

October 30, 2007 5:28 PM | Link to this

Color guys: Jim Hughson and Doc Emrick are the best.

Analysts that I like are Andy Brickley (even though his voice is a little anoying), Darryl Reaugh, and Mickey Redmond with an honorable mention to Chicken Parm up in Edmonton and Jaffe up on the island.

Tripp Tracy is awful! He may be even worse then the Maple Loafs broadcasters.

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 5:45 PM | Link to this

Andy S., good point!

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this

Shoot me for saying this, but I actually like Harry Neale’s color analysis. He’s on the Buffalo Sabres broadcast crew with my current favorite, Rick Jeanarette (Sp?). Janearette calls a game with such passion and fervor … it’s remarkable. But is not “annoying.” You want annoying? Remember Scott Ferrall? That GRATED on my nerves.

That whole Sabres crew, now that I think about it, is pretty good. Jim Lorentz, Mike Robitaille, Rob Ray … some other guy, and Janearette and Harry Neale. I also like the NESN crew, including the two “Intermission babes.” There’s Kathryn Tappen on weekends (Wowza) and Hazel Mae during the week. I like both better than Cassie Campbell on HNIC and Christine Simpson on Versus. The L.A. Kings have some “Intermission babe,” too. I’ve forgotten her name, though. An then there’s Buzilla’s favorite, (kidding,) Deb Kauffman, out on the Island, working with Billy Jaffe.

Buzilla was actually partial to Amanda Jahn and Erin Andrews, former “hostesses” of the Atlanta Thrashers. Call it a “double standard,” but I always gave those two a “pass” on hockey content and knowledge. If the Boston-area fans ever get tired of Kathryn Tappen, she’s welcome to come here to Atlanta! No objections from me!!

By DWTOO

October 30, 2007 6:10 PM | Link to this

Kamaleon Rules - You’ve actually met the man? I’ve seen him around the Ice Forum for years and he’ about as friendly as a kick in the butt. He’s a good announcer, but, he has a real “Littleman’s Complex”. I find it humorous that the palyers are friendlier with the fans than this load.

By Sara

October 30, 2007 6:13 PM | Link to this

GSU-Lee while that may have been a bit harsh - I’m sure she is a nice person and I have seen her do football and as I said she does fine - but she was horrid at hockey. Her period recaps would be inaccurate, she mispronounced some of the biggest names in the biz…drove me crazy. Especially given that her stint with the Thrashers was not her first NHL gig.

I will freely admit that I am more critical of women sports analysts than I am of men simply because of the fact that we women traditionally are not well-represented in the sports industry outside of cheerleading squads. It’s frustrating, because there are a lot of knowledgeable female sports fans (and professionals) out there and for a network to pick out someone who seems to know very little about the sport she is broadcasting is aggravating to say the least. Especially if she is a “looker.” Seems to reinforce the notion that women should be seen and not heard.

Anyway, I’ll jump off my soap box now. Here’s hoping for a lively game and two points for Le Thrash.

By Tony C.

October 30, 2007 6:22 PM | Link to this

Those Boards it is kind of grating huh?

And stop hatin’ on Erin Andrews cuz she’s hot(ish).

I still think Kamal does a great job, granted you loose the nuances, but I think the excitement generated is not too much at the expense of the details.

While Kamal could stand to tone it down a bit, Dellacamera could use a good bit more passion in his call.

I like the “between the creases” option. I’d definitely choose that option. Although I don’t know that the league would be all that quick to let you hear exactly what those guys say to each other on the ice. It’d have to be some sort of TVMA thing.

GO BLUE !!!

By Thrasher Ryan

October 30, 2007 6:23 PM | Link to this

Kamal and Odgers—the best. Followed closely by Boom Boom and Jiggs McDonald. Yes, I am a homer.

By Tom

October 30, 2007 7:04 PM | Link to this

Sara

Erin Andrews was not hired for her knowledge, she was hired for her V necks… :)

I agree with Tony C on Kamal, not a bad announcer but he calls anything positive by the Thrashers as the second coming and when the opposing team scores he whispers it. A little more balance and Kamal would be awesome.

By Hockey Night in Atlanta

October 30, 2007 7:22 PM | Link to this

Speaking of Kamal,….who was it about a year ago that blogged “Kamal suffered his 68th annueryism on that shot(or something close to that)”?

Since then,..I can’t see anyone who is excited and not have that thought come to mind. My hat goes off that blogger. You folks are the best.

I have not been a fan of Darren (aka Billy) Elliot since he said Heatley had the quickest one-timer in hockey. Guess you can tell I’m a Brett Hull fan,…eh?

For me, his comments this year have crossed the line from “sugar-coating” to “brown-nosing.” I readily admit he is a good hockey mind…and do like his comments when on VS (or is it NBC?).

New topic: What do you folks think of putting Toby at wing on the power play? Comments….

Nother topic: Has it been a treat to see Ilya mature as a team hockey player or what? Does Hartley get the credit? Comments….

Beating le Habitants tonight would be a “huuuuge step.” Go Blue…Gooooo Moooooooooose.

To the blogger who quoted Bogart in the Treasure of the SM…remember this line “That’s so dumb there’s nothing to compare it to.”? Let me revise it a bit “A win tonight would help so much there’s nothing to compare it to.”

Go Bluuuue………….

By Craig Custance

October 30, 2007 7:32 PM | Link to this

Hip Czech: Thanks for bringing up that football game, I was going to mention that as well. By all accounts, that was a colossal flop. You guys are crazy if you’d rather listen to fans cheering than Darren Eliot, who has forgotten more hockey than I’ll ever know. You’re right, he is employed by the team, so he’s not going to rip into the Thrashers, but Darren knows his stuff. He’s one of the guys I turn to often when I’m looking for insight or to bounce ideas around. He’s also very respected around the league.

Sara: Erin is a friend of the blog, so this is a no-bashing zone for EA. That said, I think she knows more hockey than the studio allowed her to show. In fact, I know it. I think she is perfectly suited for the sidelines, not in a studio where she was in Atlanta. If she was between the benches, like Kincade was in the playoffs, the local Thrashers telecast would be at another level. And yes, I’m biased.

By Craig Custance

October 30, 2007 7:36 PM | Link to this

Only lineup change is Dupuis in for Larsen.

By Brian

October 30, 2007 7:41 PM | Link to this

GaVaHokie - I’m not that old, but old school in hockey and other things as well. Therefore, I just offered up 3 Ave Marias for your intentions…

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 9:09 PM | Link to this

I am really getting a bit flustered by this TSN broadcast. For those of you without Center Ice, let me hit some of the hightlights. “Atlanta soldout just to make the playoffs, and everyone wants to blame the management. It’s not the management! It’s horrible ownership!!”

Then, at the end of the 1st period … “Ever since Atlanta made the coaching change, Kovalchuk’s been a new man.” “What are you saying, he and Hartley didn’t get along?” “Well, Hartley used to bench him!!”

And then … on the PK, the TSN announcers offered up this gem, “And there’s Exelby, a heavy hitter, nailing him from behind. This is what’s got to stop.”

Havelid then went off for Interference, and the TSN crew called it a “pick play” that simply isn’t allowed anymore. Then the Habs scored on the PP.

Atlanta has been outshooting Montreal 21-8. Then, the Thrashers caught a break. Eric Perrin scored, while three Montreal players stood right next to him, watching him shoot. Perrin raised his arms in a “V,” in stunned disbelief (1) that he’d scored and (2) the the Habs were “window passengers” on the play.

Soon thereafter, the Habs suffered a horrible miscue, and Kozlov scored on a breakaway. Ooooh, “X” just nailed someone. And amazingly, the TSN announcers called it a “good, clean hit,” saying “Garnett Exelby has playerd a hard physical game tonight.” The Thrashers just took another penalty, though. Habs will be on the PP for 37 seconds with a two-man advantage. There, now you’re caught up.

By Zip

October 30, 2007 9:14 PM | Link to this

Does anyone know if we are going to see a live broadcast again. I believe this is the 3rd or 4th game with television. Is the 80th repeat of “Sport Science” and a football replay more exciting for the public? Something needs to give for hockey fans. Thrashers 2-1 going into the 3rd period.

By GSU-Lee

October 30, 2007 9:22 PM | Link to this

Sara, By the way, wanna know another GREAT female reporter?: Carroll Rogers, she filled in routinely for Dave O’Brien and is a great 1-2 with Craig here. I really like the job she does and think she deserves a lot of credit for her ability to just jump into games and fill in as well as she does. I agree with you on the common (mis)conception of what a female reporter is or should be. “EA” and Ms. Rogers are quite the antithesis of that notion.

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 9:47 PM | Link to this

When will Hossa get a goal? He’s had two “looks” tonight, but he’s been largely “invisible” again.

Ya know what? I think it’s the contract weighing on his mind.

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this

A-nother 2-man advantage for Montreal? At least the TSN announcers have seriously questioned the “high sticking” call on Ken Klee.

They should be playing Billy Joel’s “An innocent man.”

By David

October 30, 2007 10:07 PM | Link to this

i hate giving up goals late

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this

Hedberg is 6-0 in shootouts!! Kozlov stopped. Little scored, on a DOOZY!!! No Hossa there in the 2nd spot. And Kovalchuk pops in his 3rd straight shootout goal now? Is that right, if you count the preseason one? Awesome!!

Waddell is 4-2 as a benchboss this season. And he’s 8-7-1 all-time. I’m serious, I want Waddell to stay behind the bench!

By Darren

October 30, 2007 10:20 PM | Link to this

This Hedberg guy might be a keeper.

So to speak.

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 10:22 PM | Link to this

David, the refs really gave the top-rated Habs’ PP “ample” opportunities tonight to get it equalized. I won’t blame Hedberg for the game-tying goal.

By LAC

October 30, 2007 10:28 PM | Link to this

Complete Game tonight… How the heck did Montreal get the same number of shots as we did, we outshot them all night long !!

Give it up to the TSN brodcast team… they called it straight down the line, no lollipop stuff like the other Canada network…

Hats OFF To Brian Little what a nice goal in the Shootout…

By dj

October 30, 2007 10:38 PM | Link to this

Two words: Winning Streak and for Erin Andrews 10 numbers: 678…..

By thrashtheeast

October 30, 2007 10:43 PM | Link to this

Best we’ve played all year so far. Skated well,showed our speed. Moose outstanding. I am with It’s not just a “this year” issue. 20 goals a year does not get $7M a year.

Lets keep it going. WE’ll be ok. LOng season.

By Brian

October 30, 2007 10:43 PM | Link to this

LAC - when you get handed a 5-3 like that, you will catch up on shots. I can’t believe they called that high stick?!?!?!

Darren - Brendan quoted it already but I will say it again, Hedberg is now 6-0 in shootouts. I had no idea he even hit 5-0. Did I not catch that stat in the Toronto game? He kept us in the game although the team overall did great, especially on the penalty kills (2 5-3s that we stopped).

By Sara

October 30, 2007 10:44 PM | Link to this

Ok, Craig I’ll play nice. Besides, I gave my opinion with the last post - typically I don’t like to do the “beat a dead horse” thing. And GSU-Lee you are correct to point out that Carroll has done well covering the Thrashers with Craig.

Nice to see the Thrash on a mini-winning streak. Got exactly what I asked for - exciting game and two in the column that counts. Brendan brought up a good point with the strange announcing tonight. They were very complimentary of the team (they got a virtual hard-on for Havelid on the penalty kill - that was weird). But it amazes me in watching some of these Center Ice games how ignorant some people are about this team. Before going to the shootout, the guys in the studio and in the arena both said Kovy and Hossa as givens and “maybe Kozlov.” Maybe Kozlov?? Find me someone better in the league at shoot-outs. Or, as Brendan referenced, talking about how Kovy has just taken off since Hartley left - never mind Kovy has been the one solid veteran from game one of the regular season regardless of who’s been behind the bench.

Anyway, bring on Ottawa and a three game win streak. We’re not afraid of those pansies! ;)

By Russ

October 30, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this

I was way off…good call by DW keeping Moose in. He had a strong game. About the only negative I take from this game is Hossa. As Brendan already pointed out he had some chances tonight, but could not finish them. Hopefully things are starting to turn around for this team, but I can’t imagine them winning consistently with no contributions from Hossa. Time for him to step up. Great team win, probably the best game they played this season. GO THRASHERS!!!!!

By thrashtheeast

October 30, 2007 10:50 PM | Link to this

Don’t know what happened on the earlier message, but Hossa has 6 goals in the last 30 games. It is not just a “this year” problem. You can’t have $7M tied up with that level of production.

Hope he gets it going otherwise his new contract will be 5-6M instead of $7M.

By Brian

October 30, 2007 10:53 PM | Link to this

Sara - I was making similar comments on Rawhide’s blog. When they said that about “maybe Kozlov” I immediately yelled “Slava-matic”. After the Havelid comments they said something very similar about Hossa…

By Tony C.

October 30, 2007 10:53 PM | Link to this

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this

I’m going to agree with all those who said this may have been the best, most “complete” game we’ve played all year. Especially when you consider how much time we had to spend killing penalties. Several of which were undeserved penalties. Or “marginal” ones.

I liked the Toronto game, minus the 3rd period that I never saw. And, of course, the Rangers game (5-3 win, when we led 5-1) was one of the most satisfying of the young season. Last time we played Ottawa, we did play them pretty well. It wasn’t a total mismatch, anyway.

This would be Waddell’s first ever three-game winning streak as a coach, I believe. And anytime we beat Heatley … it’s especially enjoyable. Would you throw young Pavelec into this situation, having to face Alfredsson, Heatley and Spezza? I’m thinking the Moose starts again.

Then again … and I don’t why this particular game comes to mind, but a young netminder named Darren Puppa was making his NHL debut for the Buffalo Sabres, in Edmonton, against Gretzky and all the cohorts of future Hall-of-Famers, in the midst of their dynasty years. A bit overwhelming for the rookie, no? The result?? Buffalo 2, Edmonton 0.

What a “debut!” If Pavelec’s first official start were a shutout, in Ottawa, against the defending Eastern Conference Champions … that’d be a “debut” to remember for all Thrashers fans.

By Jameson

October 30, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this

Russ, as I understand it you are correct. There would be no icing to begin with if the puck was played before the power play expired. The player you refered to coming out of the box, who forced the goalie to play it, was actually probably just trying to get a break on goal, and not negate an icing call.

By Brendan

October 30, 2007 11:40 PM | Link to this

Russ, I believe Jameson is correct. I had forgotten about your question. If the player “launches it” while in the act of killing an active penalty … the icing is negated. Now, if the penalty expires before he fires it down the ice, thennn it’s icing. The refs are pretty good about waving off the icing calls when it’s questionable.

Some referees will even allow the “wind up” slapper behind Center Ice to not be called “icing” because the “follow through” of the stick occurs beyond the center ice stripe.

Ya know, about this TSN crew. Pierre McGuire, in the 1st period, said “Atlanta’s got a real problem with Kari Lehtonen now. He’s injured his groin, which is a recurring problem for him. He’s got to get on a serious workout regimen.”

Sometimes … ya just have to cringe. This is not a “core muscles” problem for Kari. This is a different area of the groin. Yes, yes it is still a groin problem. And he’s had an inordinate amount of trouble in this area. But it’s not a reinjury of the same part of the groin. But comments like that … make it harder to move Lehtonen if Atlanta feels like Pavelec is the future. The only benefit to them … is that Atlanta must attempt to re-sign Kari this Summer. This injury might actually drive DOWN the price of that contract.

By d

October 31, 2007 7:53 AM | Link to this

Brendan, I thought TSN made a great call on how DW must be frustrated with out Zhit is getting out hussled for the pucks in the corner.

BTW, has any one commented on how our four wins were achieved vs. original 6 teams?

By GaVaHokie

October 31, 2007 8:28 AM | Link to this

Brendan… I actually like Pierre Maguire. I’d rather listen to him than a bunch of Canadian homers. He tells it like it is.

Oh, he also called the Thrashers line-up “marginal”. :)

By rj

October 31, 2007 8:44 AM | Link to this

I liked the TSN commentator saying that Hossa stated that ‘…it was like a breath of fresh air…’ when Hartley was fired. I do think the TSN commentators got a bit more even handed after the first period. The producer must have give them a little talk about the difference between a commentator and a cheerleader.

All the people saying that Waddell should have been the guy leaving are now shown to be dimwits. The team is playing better each game as they get their confidence back from where ever Hartley had banished it to.

I am glad to see that I am not the only one that despises Tripp Tracey. He should wear a cheerleader outfit.

EA is the classic ‘girl next door’ that every red blooded American male wants to marry :). I wish her genuine happiness in life.

By Bob

October 31, 2007 8:47 AM | Link to this

For those of you without Center Ice, let me hit some of the hightlights. “Atlanta soldout just to make the playoffs, and everyone wants to blame the management. It’s not the management! It’s horrible ownership!!”

I usually like McGuire, but that one came out of left field.

Then, at the end of the 1st period … “Ever since Atlanta made the coaching change, Kovalchuk’s been a new man.” “What are you saying, he and Hartley didn’t get along?” “Well, Hartley used to bench him!!”

That was an even bigger head scratcher, I was sitting there learning that they really are hockey snobs up there. They care so little about us, they don’t even pay attention to our club. Kovy was the ONLY guy playing hard for Hartley early this year. That comment was so off base, it made the ownership comment seem coherent.

Erin Andrews is definitely a fine looking woman, but what impresses me about her is her knowledge, she does a damn fine job on the sidelines.

By GaVaHokie

October 31, 2007 9:18 AM | Link to this

Bob… what makes them hockey snobs? If anything they’d be supporting the french canadian Hartley over the Russian Kovalchuk. Kovy always plays hard, regardless of whoever is behind the bench. I’m sure Kovy was sick of playing “fundamental” hockey under Hartley, and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he “tipped his hat” to Maguire to make it known.

Pierre Maguire knows everything about everything in hockey… the ownership statement was spot on. Ownership completely forced Waddell’s hand to make the playoffs.

By d

October 31, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this

Curious 3 star selection last night: Price, Hossa, and Kavalov. I recognize there is a lot of home cooking in the 3 star picks - but how does Moose get shut out when both he & price saved 31/33 and Moose wins the shootout? And Hossa - his shooting accuracy is so poor last night that he was replaced in the shootout by Little.

By rj

October 31, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this

If Hartley was the coach some of you people seem to think he is then the team wouldn’t have slumped so badly in Jan and Feb. This lead to the trade deadline moves to try and make something happen. If you want to blast someone for the trade deadline moves at least aim for the right person : Hartley.

Hartley’s system does not work in the new NHL. Failing to see that reflects poorly on him as a coach. In all sports the surest way to become successful is do what the champions do, but just a little bit better.

By GaVaHokie

October 31, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this

I just love the language they use on TSN.CA to describe the game… Thrashers “need” a shootout to beat the Habs… they “Pull Out” the win.

You know if Montreal won, the language would be completely different… Thrashers get “diced up” in the shoot out. Montreal “downs” the Thrashers.

By Surly T

October 31, 2007 10:22 AM | Link to this

Rule 65 Icing the Puck

(NOTE 2) When a Team is “short-handed” as the result of a penalty and the penalty is about to expire, the decision as to whether there has been an “icing” shall be determined at the instant the penalty expires. The action of the penalized player remaining in the penalty box will not alter the ruling.

By Hip Czech

October 31, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

Thinking about the Hossa situation, the following players are under contract for next year:

Forwards Kovalchuk Kozlov White Little Slater Perrin Larsen Thorburn

Defensemen Zhitnik Havelid Exelby Klee Enstrom

Goalies Pavelec

at a total salary of 27.835 million. Assuming the cap will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 million, that leaves quite a bit of flexibility, especially if Hossa were to be traded for some younger (i.e. cheaper) players.

If Hossa were to be moved (preferably to the Kings in a deal that includes Cammalleri or Kopitar and Dustin Brown) then the Thrashers could be pretty big spenders in the FA market next year for a center and defenseman and sign either Lehtonen or Hedberg. Of course, the Thrashers would have to be willing to spend the money and a player would have to want to sign here.

I don’t know where I’m going with this…I’ll leave to you guys to make sense of it.

By The Falconer

October 31, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this

re: TSN broadcast last night. I would agree that they were usually critical of the right person they made almost no mention of two obvious penalties that went uncalled against Montreal.

In the first period Dupuis carries the puck up against the right wall and just as he reaches the MON blueline their defensemen spins him out using his hand and stick. It was not a check and should have been called a hook or trip. Futhermore, they used the same play in a series of highlights to praise a MON defensemen (A. Markov or Komisarek I forget which one).

Then in the 2nd or 3rd the Montreal defensemen puts the blade of his stick between the blade and boot of Marian Hossa’s skate clearly tripping him as he tries to control the puck. He struggles to get it out. How in the world did the refs and the announcers miss that one? I don’t care if it was an accident—intent doesn’t matter, he tripped Hossa and should been going to the box.

Pierre also got Haydar’s first name wrong early in the game, called him “donnie” or something like that.

By ranallo10

October 31, 2007 11:53 AM | Link to this

Hockey Night in Atlanta — The aneurysm comment was mine, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Re: Kamal — A little more even keel and he’d be fine.

Re: TSN last night — They seemed too wrapped up in praising Price, knocking Marc-Andre Fluery, raving about the “fast boards and glass” in Montreal, and gushing over Exelby’s physicality. There was a good hockey game, and sometimes they were too busy figuratively sucking people off than announcing the game.

Good win last night

By Billsen

October 31, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

Still scratching my head trying to make sense of the three stars. Hossa didn’t play well enough to get the 2nd, in my opinion. If anything, Moose should have gotten that one. Oh, and Hip Czech, chants and heckles are part of hockey. If you don’t want your kids to be exposed to that, you should hire a babysitter. “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammad, then Mohammad should go to the mountain.”

By Hip Czech

October 31, 2007 12:10 PM | Link to this

No problem with chants and heckles…just a problem with idiotic ones.

If you think Brodeur or Kiprusoff is REALLY affected by that than go ahead and yell as much as you want. It just amazes me that we do the idiotic chant when the other team’s goalie hasn’t given up a goal yet and Lehtonen has let in 2 or 3 soft ones. If you start yelling ‘Kari, Kari, you SUCK’ I might join in.

Hey you’ve paid your $15-260 just like I have so you can do whatever turns you on (within the limits of the disclaimer that the Thrashers give before each game of course).

By InspectorGadget

October 31, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this

Craig, are you hearing any names coming to the Thrash? I read that we might be interested in Stoll and Tarnstrom in Edmonton, who would help alot - but who would we have to give up? Is that part of a bigger package? What have you heard?

By Brian

October 31, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

Billsen - I was scratching my head on that too. The only thing Hossa can say is that he had the most shots. But I hate the 3 stars system, and our own media is the reason to blame. I was at the Ottawa game (2nd home game). We got killed that game, and yet look at the 3 stars the Atlanta media picked. It is a totally homer system and we are the worst abusers of it.

By Billsen

October 31, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this

Hip Czech First, I’d never heckle my own team. Period. The “Goalie S*ck” chant is designed to help our guys, and I’ve seen it work quite a few times. If it makes the goalie think about something else, even for a fraction of a second, that can result in a weakness that our boys can take advantage of. It doesn’t serve much purpose if we’re up 3-0. But in a 0-0 match? One goal can mean the game.

One of my favorite moments was when Jose Theodore was in goal for the Habs in year 2 or 3, and we had been razzing him for most of the 1st. In a stoppage of play he took off his glove, got a drink from his bottle, and then gave our section the finger. Say what you want, but that was all the “proof” I needed to say, that yeah, this helps the home team.

But, like you say, you spend your money at the arena, so if you don’t wanna join in, you don’t have to.

By Bob

October 31, 2007 2:46 PM | Link to this

Bob… what makes them hockey snobs?

Because they obviously did no research on our team, before broadcasting the game. Even Erin Andrews makes sure she researches a team she covers before doing a broadcast and showing her a* making stupid rhetoric with no backing like “Kovy is playing great now that Hartley is gone” and “the owners made Waddell make the moves”.

We didn’t matter to them, so they did no research, I even recall them calling some of our players by the wrong names, and pronounced Enstrom’s name wrong. That makes them snobs to me, they don’t care about us, so they didn’t bother researching us, thus some of the inane comments made by McGuire and the rest of crew last night. Doesn’t suprise me that you’d hang you hat on one of them.

Here’s some more stupid rhetoric backed with nothing substantial:

Pierre Maguire knows everything about everything in hockey…

lol. Classic.

I just coined a new word, HokieWorld

By Bob

October 31, 2007 2:50 PM | Link to this

One of my favorite moments was when Jose Theodore was in goal for the Habs in year 2 or 3, and we had been razzing him for most of the 1st. In a stoppage of play he took off his glove, got a drink from his bottle, and then gave our section the finger.

No, no, no. You misinterpreted him. He was saying BobbleTed was #1 for having a Stanley Cup replica taped to his noggin. See, Jose runs a charity foundation for “special” kids and was trying to be nice to some of the “special” Thrashers’ fans. Cause that’s how he rolls…

By Hip Czech

October 31, 2007 3:17 PM | Link to this

What would you expect from a goalie named Josie? He’s probably pretty sensitive about a lot of things…

By Brendan

October 31, 2007 11:38 PM | Link to this

Bob, another Pierre McGuire said, paraphrashing here is, “It’s gotta be a little tough for Thrashers fans to be watching Hnidy, Belanger and Sutton have such success with their new teams.”

Now, I’ll admit that I’d much rather have Hnidy on a 2-year deal @ $1.25 million each than Ken Klee. And I’d like to still have Belanger, even if it did cost $1.75 million a year for the next three years. But Belanger is primarily a 3rd line center, who in Atlanta, got 2nd line minutes. And I’m not the slightest bit depressed to see Mandy gone.

Answering truthfully about who I really miss … it’s a qualified answer of “Jon Sim, from October/November 2006.” Yeah, I’d take near 20-goal scorer for $1 million, with “grit.” I’m sorry the guy got injured.

There’s another way at looking at guys like Hnidy, Sim, Sutton, and Belanger … it’s simply this. All those guys are in their 30’s! And most of them got 3-year deals. We were one of the oldest teams in the league. Re-signing guys in their early to mid-30’s, excluding Slava, may not have been the best way to go, Pierre McGuire. Especially if Waddell didn’t think they commanded the price tag of the salaries they received from their new teams.

So, which is it, Pierre? Either Don Waddell is an idiot not to re-sign these valuable players or he was a genius to let them go, since they’re overpaid and aging. In Pierre McGuire’s world of circular arguments, it’s not Waddell’s fault, since he’s contending with bad ownership.

Look, I’ve always said I want to hear Waddell’s side of things. Personally, I don’t think Waddell even intended to re-sign Sutton. I’m almost certain that he wanted to, and tried, to re-sign Sim, who was unrestricted. The “sticking point” was the 3rd year of the contract, which would have made Sim 35 when it expired. As for Hnidy, he was unrestricted. Which means if he’d made up his mind to leave, there’s not much Waddell could have done, except throght a disproportionate amount of money at him. Could Waddell have tried to re-sign Hnidy during the year? Sure. But that’s not his policy, unless the player’s name is Hossa. And Belanger, well … I think Don offered him a 2-year deal at $1.5 million. He turned it down, and got a better deal from Minnesota. More years and more dollars-per-year. Plus, he was unrestricted. And he wanted out of Atlanta. Which means he held the cards, not Waddell.

Again, I’d want to hear Waddell’s side of things. Did he go to management and say, “I need the money to lock up Belanger” and they said, “no?” Who can say?? Maybe Waddell said, “I want to offer Belanger $2 million a year.”

Maybe the Sprit Group’s response to any and all Waddell questions was … “Don, do whatever you think is best, roster-wise, just keep the payroll at between $42-43 million.”

Well, being fair, doesn’t that “handcuff” Waddell a bit? The ASG is saying, “get me into the playoffs, AGAIN, no matter what, but spend $7 million below the cap doing it, at least until the February trade deadline. Thennnn we’ll max out.

It’s such a tough call. On the one hand, the team has finished each year since the lockout with a maxed out cap. So, are the Spirit Boys really all that “cheap?” On the other hand, Don Waddell is allegedly asked to produce more with LESS from October to mid-February. Is that “fair” to him?

On opening night, A Spirit Group representative said, “We’re committed to bringing the Stanley Cup to Atlanta.” Yeah, if the cap were still at $44 million. It’s not. It’s $50.3 million, and you guys get revenue-sharing dollars.