AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January > 18
Friday, January 18, 2008
Something besides contract negotiations
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You know, it was actually really fun to watch the Thrashers-Canadiens game last night and focus on some hockey rather than on where Marian Hossa is going to end up. So since I have nothing new to add to the fine work Carroll Rogers did yesterday concerning the contract talks, we’re going with a Hossa-free blog today.
Well, not entirely. I do want to point out one thing about Marian’s improved play. Let me preface it by saying, Marian says he avoids the distractions that come with this contract and trade talk by avoiding newspapers and the Internet. Smart move, although for the sake of my job, I don’t suggest you guys do the same. That being said, he admitted that his friends can’t help but keep him abreast to what is being written about him and what the latest rumors are.
I’m not saying that Jeff Schultz’s fine column, warning the Thrashers against shelling out a ton of cash for Marian, ever found its way to his locker, but here are his stats since that column ran. That column ran on January 6. His numbers since then? Six games. Six goals. Seven points. Even plus/minus. The Thrashers are also 3-1-2 since then. Hey, Jeff - feel free to write about me anytime.
The reason Marian is giving for the improved time is that his ice time is being managed a little more to his liking. Essentially, it was hard for him to maintain a high level of play when he was logging a lot of ice time on the penalty kill. Don Waddell has said he’s trying to manage that.
More press for Kovalchuk: Okay, no more Hossa talk. Eddie Matz had a nice read on Ilya Kovalchuk in the latest issue of ESPN the Magazine. Glad to see the AJC escaped his wrath when he discussed the apathy over Kovalchuk in a local media much more interested in sports not played on ice. For the record, the game Eddie is talking about made it on our sports front the next morning. Also interesting that he takes a shot at SportsCenter from within ESPN the Magazine. Good for him. Although I think that will change when ESPN gets back in hockey next season like everybody expects.
Change in the lines?: In watching Don during the post-game from the comfort of my couch last night, it sounded like we might see more mixing of the lines. You have to wonder if the Slava Kozlov at center experiment is on life support. Since I won’t talk to Don for another couple hours, I don’t know for sure if he’ll shuffle things up, but things definitely got mixed up as the game went on last night. I expect to see Johan Hedberg in goal tonight since they’re going back-to-back and Kari Lehtonen is coming up an overtime loss.
Buffalo breakdown: The following information comes from one of the most entertaining writers in the NHL’s notes network, Bucky Gleason. He points out that the Sabres are the only team in the NHL not to win a game in 2008. They haven’t won since Dec. 22 when they beat Philly in a shootout. The biggest news coming out of Buffalo is that defenseman Brian Campbell said he’s done negotiating with the Sabres until the offseason. Gleason points out this fact, something to consider amidst all the Hossa hoopla: In the past two years, they’ve let Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Mike Grier, Jay McKee and J.P. Dumont walk in their free agency year without getting anything back. Injury update: Derek Roy practiced Thursday. Afinogenov (groin) and Tim Connolly (groin) are still out. And finally, Buffalo is 1-for-30 on the power play in the last nine games.
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