AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > January
January 2008
How will the Thrashers respond to Kovalchuk’s injury?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Thrashers might have dodged a bullet right there. All indications this morning point to a quick recovery for Ilya Kovalchuk, who as we speak, is getting an MRI done on his knee. Now, you never know, maybe the MRI will come back with structural damage, but it was done more for precautionary reasons rather than because the team thinks something is wrong. Obviously he didn’t skate today, and Waddell ruled him out for the weekend but at this point nobody thinks it will be much worse than that. He wasn’t limping and there wasn’t any swelling. Those are both good signs.
The Thrashers will most likely bring up Brett Sterling to play in Kovy’s spot, although Waddell said that hadn’t been decided yet for sure. The Wolves just returned to practice today after the AHL All-Star break. But Sterling would be the logical replacement for Kovalchuk for now, and Waddell indicated that’s what he would do.
The timing isn’t good, but sometimes teams rally when their best player is missing. There’s no shortage of motivation with Buffalo coming to town on Friday. Johan Hedberg will be in goal and is looking to bury that ugly 10-goal game behind him. It’s a somewhat interesting choice to start Hedberg, since Lehtonen should be well-rested and played fairly well yesterday. Waddell’s explanation was that Johan played well against Buffalo the last time they came to Philips Arena. And that’s true, he did.
Brad Larsen skated this morning for about a half hour before practice and said he’s feeling much better. He expects to join the morning skate on Friday but is probably a couple games away from returning as well. They won’t rush him, especially considering how well that fourth line of Slater, Thorburn and Boulton seem to play together.
Look for Steve McCarthy to get a shot at the point on the power play while Kovalchuk is out. Other than some ripped up knuckles, he’s ready to take advantage of the opportunity. So, who do you see stepping up while Kovalchuk is out? Will the Thrashers respond positively during a crucial stretch of the season, without the services of their best player?
Rumors swirling around the Thrashers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the hockey media in town over the weekend, the city of Atlanta and the Thrashers continue to get a lot of press. First, I’ve heard nothing but good things about the city and the hosting of the All-Star game. But when it comes to the Thrashers, the buzz hasn’t necessarily been as positive. Seems like the consensus on Marian Hossa is that he’s gone, leading to stories like these:
Like I’ve written a couple times in the comments, I’m trying to stay out of the opinion business and report what I’m hearing. Marian has evolved from, ‘My priority is to stay in Atlanta,’ to this quote from yesterday: “I told RItch, you handle the contract, and I’ll do my best on the ice.” It could be he’s sick of talking about the deal, which I certainly understand. Or he’s starting to distance himself from the negotiations.
From Don Waddell’s end, he spoke briefly about Hossa today and, while he restated his stance that the priority is to sign Hossa, it sounds like he’s realistic to the fact that he might not have that chance. “The next eight to ten games will help us decide if we look at moving him for assets or look at keeping him because winning the division is within our grasp and something that is very important to us.” The GM meetings start in nine games. So essentially, if Hossa isn’t signed, Waddell will have made his decision by the time he goes to Naples.
Some good speculation from Scott Burnside at ESPN.com. Burnside said that according to his sources, New Jersey dangled John Madden for Bobby Holik before the season. I know a few of you were quick to shoot that possibility down, but that’s not the first I’d heard of that deal. I asked Waddell about it in November or December and he said the Thrashers were never close to trading Holik in the offseason. And if that deal was close, it was news to Bobby. He said that the rumor would have more credibility if Madden wasn’t attached to it. He’s essentially saying, he’s not surprised New Jersey would be interested in him, just not for a deal involving Madden. But believe me, Burnside doesn’t just make stuff up. Why is this important now? Well, if New Jersey was interested in Holik over the summer, they could still be interested as they approach the playoffs. A guy who is proven playoff performer (one of the few Thrashers to play well in the playoffs last year) would certainly have value, but Waddell has indicated that, aside from the Hossa situation, he plans on being a buyer not a seller. Now if that changes, that brings us to…
Mark Recchi. If the Thrashers go into sell-off mode, and they’re certainly not there yet, Recchi would seemingly have some value. He’s won two Stanley Cups and has shown that he’s extremely useful on the power play and as a scoring winger. I dusted off my copy of the CBA to see if Recchi could be traded since he was a waiver claim. Now, I’m no lawyer, and parts of the CBA can be confusing, but here’s the section that I found that would seemingly address Recchi:
For those of you following at home, it is section 13.20 (b):
A Player who has been acquired by Waiver claim shall not be Traded to another Club until the termination of Playoffs of the season in which he was acquired unless he is first offered on the same terms to the Club(s) that entered a claim when Waivers were requested originally and the offer has been refused.
Any typos in that are mine because I couldn’t figure out how to copy and paste from the PDF, to this blog. Although all the capital letters on things like Club and Playoffs are in the CBA. Not sure why. Anyways, to me that would mean Recchi can’t be traded, right?
Apparently not. I asked Waddell about Recchi, and just to avoid any confusion, here’s the conversation in its entirety.
CC: Is there any restriction, as far as trading Mark Recchi since he was a waiver claim…
DW: No
CC: Is he any different than any other player on the roster…
DW: No
CC: You don’t have to offer him back to…
DW: No, not at all.
CC: Ok
Waddell seemed to be in a rush, since that quick hitter happened as he was walking to the lockerroom door, but that means that either A) The Thrashers were the only team to put a claim on Recchi or B) I misread the CBA or C) Don was in a hurry and just trying to get rid of me. Perhaps it’s all of the above.
If the Thrashers can somehow string some wins together, these trade rumors swirling around the team will suddenly disappear. But, I know some players have already said the Hossa stuff is a distraction, it’ll only get worse if the team continues losing and these rumors heat up.
Degree of difficulty about to increase
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, we’re back at it. We can turn our attention to the Thrashers and their quest to end a five-game losing streak at a time in the league when play tightens. I’m writing about the importance of the next seven games (six at home) and Bobby Holik made a great point. They’re just trying to win ONE game. Forget the next seven games. But when you look at the schedule, if they don’t take advantage of this upcoming stretch they might be sellers rather than buyers at the trade deadline. And this is the time of year the games get much tougher. But then again, knowing how weak the Southeast is, they could probably go .500 and be a point back. So who knows?
The wildcard in all this is Washington. They’re right back in it and have played two games less than the Thrashers. This division is begging for someone to get hot and take a commanding lead, and surprisingly it’s been the Caps who have responded. It’s interesting, because they’re a good contrast in how they handled their coaching situation. The Thrashers fired Bob Hartley, and still have uncertainty as to who will be the coach next season. The Caps fire Hanlon, and Bruce Boudreau comes in and coaches his rear off. Now that team knows who is in charge this season and going forward and they can focus on winning. The same can’t be said in Atlanta. While Don has been solid behind the bench, you have to wonder if the Thrashers would have been better off going either with their own Boudreau (John Anderson) or handing things over to Brad McCrimmon. It’s been an interesting study in how two teams handled similar situations differently. I guess we won’t know until the end of the season who made the right choice.
Odds and ends: There’s a lot to catch up on here. Brad Larsen won’t play this week, according to Waddell. So Colin Stuart is back in town after his brief return to the AHL. Eric Perrin missed today’s practice with a minor groin pull and is a game-time decision. Mark Popovic skated in his place with the forwards. If Perrin is out for the Pittsburgh game, don’t count on Popovic playing forward. Don will probably call up another skater from Chicago if that’s the case. Ken Klee will likely be back in the lineup. If you remember, he took a puck off the face and has two black eyes and stitches in two places. For him, the break came at a good time. He said there was no way he was playing over the weekend, but he’ll more than likely be out there against Pittsburgh.
Responding to your responses: I tried to decompress as much as possible after blogging yesterday so I didn’t have a chance to get on there and respond. But I’m refreshed and ready for the post-All-Star break action. SO here are some responses:
DWTOO: If you look at our coverage of the All-Star game over the course of the last ten days, starting with the O’Ree story the Sunday before, I’d say at least 90 percent of it was positive. Look at Monday’s 1A section, with the giant photo and the headline: Ice Paradise. I think that really captured the essence of the weekend. People forget that we’re not a PR arm for the league, or for hockey. We’re trying to paint an accurate account of what is going on. If you go back and read Hummer’s Sunday story again, I think you’ll see it was an accurate, balanced account of hockey in the South. And isn’t the day the hockey world is focused on Atlanta the perfect day to reflect on the state of hockey in the region? I understand why some people were mad, and believe me, I’ve been hearing it. But our coverage is for everybody, not just people who have a stake in the sport or feel strongly about hockey and I think our coverage reflected that. I also think the feedback and discussion is healthy, that’s what helps improve the product, and I appreciate your input.
R. Stroz: No, I did not. I asked her one question and when she looked at me for a follow-up I froze like a deer in headlights. I don’t have that problem with Bobby Holik.
Jason: Thanks and while I feel like Hossa appreciated the love and support he got this weekend, I don’t know how much that will factor in his decision. He’s never had an issue with the fans, and loves playing in Atlanta. But it’s all about how strongly he feels about the future of the franchise.
Hockeyfan: C’mon now, you know I would have said hello if I had seen you. Just ask my wife, you have to call my name about 10 times to get a response. But to all the Thrashers fans I did get to meet out there, it was a pleasure chatting with you guys. I wish I could have grabbed a beer and hung out instead of actually working the events.
Brendan: You raise a good point and one that has some merit. If the Thrashers decide they have to deal Marian Hossa, don’t be surprised if they make another move to bring somebody back in. The Oakland A’s are great at that around baseball’s deadline. Rather than let someone walk in their contract year, they trade them but also pick up help so they can still contend. I think that’s a pretty good strategy. Also, in reading the responses to Mark Bradley, I appreciated your thoughtful response. The same people who get mad about a negative story also get mad when they don’t feel like their teams are held accountable.
stendec: Nobody uses bold as effectively as you do.
Boulton’s Bruisers: Let’s say the Thrashers let Hossa walk, then they sign Brian Campbell with that salary slot. Couldn’t you conceivably say they traded Heatley for Campbell? Okay, maybe not.
A weekend of great moments
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Before we get hot and heavy back into the Thrashers stretch run, I wanted to give you hockey fans some props. I got more comments from people saying they were impressed with the passion of hockey in Atlanta, something they didn’t expect. People even loved the boos for guys like Marc Savard saying that’s the sign of a passionate sports town. Bottom line, Atlanta knows how to put on a big event and the hockey community didn’t let us down. So here’s my debriefing of All-Star weekend before we get into the Thrashers and how their season is basically on the line in the next two weeks (we can save that one for Tuesday).
Best All-Star moment: Kovy the Entertainer putting on a show in the second period with his antics after Evgeni Nabokov robbed him of two goals. He really put on a show and that’s exactly the kind of stuff this sport needs. He completely destroyed the brooding Russian persona he was starting to get tagged with and was entertaining every time you put a microphone in front of his face. Quite honestly, I think Kovalchuk gets bored answering questions from me and the same couple people during the season, and really rose to the occasion when the hockey world came to Atlanta. Good for him.
Best interview: Sure, chatting it up with hockey greats was fun, but nothing tops an interview with Alyssa Milano. My wife reads the blog, so that’s all I have to say about that.
Worst interview: Alright, maybe it wasn’t the worst because I was captivated, but I watched some guy ask Scott Gomez if A) He’d ever wear colored laces and then followed it up by asking him if he’d fight Gary Bettman if they played together in a men’s league game. Actually, here was the exact question: “If the dude tried to mess with you, would you throw down?” and the answer from Gomez? “I really like my job. Maybe a quick elbow in the corner…I wouldn’t want to get blacklisted.” Actually, I take it back, that might have been the best interview.
Biggest surprise: I couldn’t believe how packed the Red Carpet event was. I was there a half hour early and people were pressed five deep along the barricades. I know the players were impressed, and that was one moment Don Waddell highlighted as well. If you were there, good for you, that was impressive.
Best jersey: There were just some absolutely fantastic hockey jerseys busted out. I talked to one guy who had a game-worn Toby Enstrom jersey from the exhibition season before Toby changed his number. But there were jerseys from all over the world and from every team in the NHL. My personal favorite was a woman wearing a Bob Probert jersey. It was fantastic. I asked her where her Petr KIima jersey was and she laughed and said “I’m old school.” Naturally anything from Slap Shot was pretty good too. Did you see anything unique?
Moment when I felt bad for Marian Hossa, but I knew it was coming: Obviously Hossa had to answer questions all weekend about his contract, and that’s understandable. It goes with being a millionaire athlete who is in the process of possible negotiations. But after he scored his first career goal in an All-Star game, in front of his home fans, a minute into his postgame interview, he’s asked about his future in Atlanta and the contract. (and naturally, you want to know what he said. Here it is: “I just had fun, tried to enjoy every little bit of it. The fans are great here. I just had fun tonight, we’ll see what’s going to happen in the future.”)
One thing I might change: For the breakaway competition that was judged, I’d make two adjustments. I think it has tons of potential, and was the best event in the Skills competition. But first, I’d get rid of the goalie. If a guy is doing a 360, he doesn’t need a poke check from Manny Legace (who, by the way, quickly became one of my favorite players to chat with. I told him he got robbed of the MVP in the YoungStars game, and he started laughing. He’s a great guy, and I hate that I missed his miked-up portion of the television broadcast on VS. because I heard it was great). Plus, Ovechkin almost took off Chris Osgood’s head when he was doing that baseball swing. Maybe put cardboard cutouts or something so accuracy is important, but I’d eliminate the goalie. Secondly, I’d bring in players just for that event, like the NBA does for the Slam Dunk competition rather than spring it on All-Stars who might not specialize in or be ready for something like that. You?
Moose in the finale before the break
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is it. One last chance to try and go into the All-Star break on a positive note and not a five-game losing streak. But it won’t be easy. First, you have Ilya Kovalchuk’s suspension. He skated with the team this morning, but that’ll be it for him until the festivities this weekend. Brett Sterling will skate in his place on that line with Todd White and Mark Recchi, and Sterling said he’s looking forward for the opportunity, even if it’s just for one game. It’ll be a busy weekend for Sterling, who will likely play tonight, Friday and Saturday with the Wolves then play in the AHL All-Star game. But he seemed ready for it.
Good to see Jim Slater back in the mix. The Greek God line will be reunited with Slates centering Chris Thorburn and Eric Bolton. Honestly, the fourth line hasn’t had that same physical spark when those three were split up. I know this is really cup-half-full thinking, but the one positive about Kovalchuk not playing in this game is that that eliminates any payback from the Rangers on Kovalchuk. That fourth line would have had their hands full if the Rangers started talking liberties on Kovalchuk.
Johan Hedberg will start in goal in somewhat of a surprise. In fact, I just assumed Kari Lehtonen would be starting based on his strong performance the other night. I tell you, this trip feels more and more like the playoffs. But if I remember correctly, Moose was strong in goal in game four, so maybe we’ll see a repeat performance.
Both teams will be charged tonight. The Thrashers had a crisp business-like morning skate, I think they’re focused on the task at hand. But tonight is Brian Leetch Night, so you know the Rangers won’t want to lose when they’re honoring one of the best U.S.-born players to ever play the game. So once again, we’re going to have a playoff-type atmosphere at MSG and a packed house for a Thrashers/Rangers game.
Lynn Zinser with the New York Times wrote a nice setup piece on Leetch if you’re interested.
Kovalchuk talking with the league
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As I write this, Ilya Kovalchuk and Don Waddell are in a conference call with the league over Kovalchuk’s hit on Michal Rozsival. The feeling around the team is that the hit wasn’t that bad and that a suspension beyond the game misconduct he served isn’t warranted. But it’s also the kind of hit the league is trying to crack down on, so we’ll see. By now, I’m sure you’ve seen the hit, what do you think? Suspension-worthy?
The big question is if Kovalchuk is out, who is going to score for the Thrashers? His goal-less streak is now at five games and you see the goal totals the Thrashers have been putting up lately. Honestly, not taking anything away from Lundqvist, but that might have been the easiest shutout I’ve ever witnessed. I thought Kari Lehtonen was the better goaltender on Tuesday night, because that could have been another loss like the one in Buffalo if he hadn’t played so well. You hate to waste an effort like that in a 4-0 loss.
Depending on how things go with the league, the Thrashers will be calling up at least one player from Chicago. Brad Larsen has a sprained knee and will miss, at least, a week. So they’ll need another body for him. If Kovalchuk is suspended, they’ll need two players.
Brad McCrimmon lit into the team at the practice this morning, and then skated the heck out of them. The players knew they deserved it and one of the players called it a wake up call. Bobby Holik said the punishment was probably long overdue.
We’ll see how the players respond. If they don’t come out fired up against the Rangers on Thursday night, you really have to question the character of this team and the players on it. They met this morning to talk about their sluggish start, then Beast let ‘em have it at practice. Holik also addressed the team between periods last night. But at some point, it has to start showing on the ice.
I’ll have updates this afternoon for you - on Kovalchuk and who the Thrashers decide to call up.
Thrashers ready to return to MSG
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
These are two big games coming up in New York for the Thrashers who are looking dangerously close to a team that packed up early for the All-Star break. And of all the teams in the NHL, the Thrashers can least afford to do that because the world of hockey is about to arrive in Atlanta in a few days and the spotlight will undoubtedly shift to the Thrashers franchise.
That focus can go one of two ways — the turnaround after a rough start that has this team in playoff contention or a team that is ice cold and in danger of losing one of its best players because he isn’t sure about the direction of the franchise. You guess which story the Thrashers would prefer is the focus over the break.
But here we are, the Thrashers head to New York for a pair of games that they desperately need. Seems familiar doesn’t it? I asked Kari Lehtonen, who may or may not start on Tuesday, if he is looking to bury that awful performance in Game 3 in his first return to Madison Square Garden. He said it wasn’t something he thought about, but joked that he would if I kept asking about it. So I’ll leave Kari alone for now. But he did say the team was getting amped up for these two games and I sensed it. Ilya Kovalchuk also said it’s huge that this team finish strong for the break for a lot of the reasons mentioned above.
Plus, let’s not forget the revenge factor. The last time they were at the Garden, they got steamrolled out of the playoffs and were sick about the way they sent Scott Mellanby into retirement. Those memories don’t just disappear.
I know some of you are getting worried about Kovalchuk’s scoring slump, hey it’s been over a week since he’s scored. I’m watching that situation closely and if the Thrashers lose on Tuesday and he’s shutout, you’ll most likely be reading about the scoring struggles setting up the second game in New York. But I’ve held off making too big a deal about it because he’s still getting his chances. He made Hasek look bad in Detroit, then hit a post when he went to the backhand. Then last night he had a rebound attempt on a Mark Recchi shot (great move by Recchi, by the way) that hit the post. If he scores on either of those, we’re not having this conversation. But if it gets to five games, we’ll have to explore it a little more in-depth. But I wouldn’t be concerned just yet.
Had a nice conversation with Joel Kwiatkowski, who I’ll be featuring in the paper for Tuesday. During training camp, I was sitting on a Kiwi story about how he’s a rock star, and never got around to doing it. Well, I thought it’d be timely for Tuesday. He’s coming off a strong game against Edmonton. I know you guys are looking for a big defenseman who can clear bodies in front of Moose and Kari and that’s not Kwiatkowski’s game. But he adds more offense and can move the puck, which has been an issue especially against strong forechecking teams. It looks like they have every intention of letting Kwiatkowski earn a spot, which creates a sort of logjam on the blueline. Obviously you don’t touch the top pair. But then what? Steve McCarthy can’t sit on the IR forever, and you can’t keep scratching your highest-paid defenseman in Alexei Zhitnik. Mark Popovic has been solid, so he’s not going anywhere. Any suggestions for a solution that isn’t an unrealistic trade?
Don Waddell was wrapping up meetings with his scouts today and I won’t be talking with him until later this afternoon, so there’s uncertainty about lineup stuff. Brad McCrimmon said he honestly didn’t know who would start in goal or if there would be lineup changes. I imagine that will be discussed on the plane ride to New York which is happening as I type.
I would point out that the Rangers are struggling right now too. But that doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to the Thrashers, does it?
Doell sent down: The Thrashers sent Kevin Doell to Chicago. He played pretty well in a limited role, but Brad Larsen’s return meant he was on borrowed time. The Thrashers are going to have some decisions to make after the All-Star game when Slater and McCarthy will presumably be ready.
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.
Hossa talks contract
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pinch hitting for Craig today, and feeling a little French Canadian flavor around the rink this morning. Lots of media in from Montreal, lots of questions for Marian Hossa about his contract negotiations.
First off: as Craig mentioned in earlier blogs, the TSN report was wrong that Hossa had shut off talks with the Thrashers. Hossa reiterated this morning, talks are ongoing. “Definitely we are,” he said, when asked if he and his agent were still talking with the Thrashers.
In fact, the talks haven’t progressed yet to terms: money and length of contract. Basically the six or seven conversations Don Waddell has had with Hossa’s agent Ritch Winter have centered on the intentions of the Thrashers organization and how they’re set up this year and on down the line.
Hossa wants to win.
You figure the money will come if he decides he wants to stay. Waddell said as much: “If he wants to be here, we’ll find something.”
As for Hossa? He says: “I’m 29. There are four or five years in your prime. My goal is to win the Stanley Cup. To do it [you have to be] on a good team. So I want to take my time. I want to make sure if I sign here, it’s a good decision. That’s why it’s taking so long. It’s a big step for me, and the organization. We’re trying to make the best of it.”
With six weeks to go before the trading deadline, this will all get figured out soon. In the meantime, the relationship appears very cordial and the fact that they’re still talking means the Thrashers still have a shot.
“We got some big pieces in this organization, key pieces,” Hossa said. “That’s a good sign. We’ve just got to prove it on an every day basis.”
Waddell knows winning only helps.
“It may be easier to sign him because the team is doing better,” Waddell said. “It shows him that we’re a pretty good hockey club when we play as a unit….If we were out of the playoffs - the whole thing - if I’m him, I’d say ‘get me out of here. I want to go to a playoff team and have a chance to win.’”
Thrashers look for active market
And on the trading deadline front? Back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh and Detroit and moving into a first-place tie in the Southeast Division has Waddell feeling good. You guys should, too. The Thrashers figure to be buyers on Feb. 26.
“Last year we were buyers,” Waddell said. “I expect to be the same this year. As every team if you can pick up another defenseman, certainly that would be on our wish list, and possibly another forward.… We will be active come trade deadline time, which actually starts now, hoping to shore up our ball club.”
Hossa: I hope I can stay
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, get ready for the Marian Hossa craziness to amp up. Let’s see, Marian has a huge game against the Detroit Red Wings, and then suddenly the hottest rumor is he’s headed to Detroit. So, if he scores again when Montreal comes to town, will he be headed to the Habs? The rumors and craziness is only going to get more intense the closer things get to the trade deadline.
Now the latest coming from the rumor mill is that Marian Hossa told Don Waddell under no uncertain terms that he won’t be signing with the Thrashers and will be testing free agency. Don Waddell confirmed this afternoon that discussions are still ongoing with Hossa’s agent Ritch Winter and here’s what Marian told me when we discussed contract and trade talks today: “The agent is still working on a deal with Don, hopefully we can work out the best of it. I hope I can stay. But obviously we know there are two choices, stay or going away. I’m preparing for both choices. The priority is I would like to stay here.”
Now, to me, that doesn’t sound like a person who has cut off discussions with the team. Would I be surprised if Hossa tested the market or is traded? Of course not, but I’ve been given no indication that Hossa is cutting off communication and ending the possibility of signing with the Thrashers. I promise I’ll let you know if it happens.
His biggest concern is if this franchise can compete for a Stanley Cup. If he plays like he did last night, that certainly helps, doesn’t it? I asked him if he was auditioning for Ken Holland, Detroit’s general manager. He laughed, and said: “No, no. I just tried to play my game. I saved my energy, didn’t kill as many penalties. I had some extra jump in my game.”
Waddell said that they’ve been trying to limit his time on the PK for that reason. But Don also said that Hossa is the best penalty killer on the team, so you have to send him out there, especially in tight games. But look for the Thrashers to continue Hossa’s careful use on the PK because if energy conservation means a hat trick. In that case, I think it’s okay to give Colin Stuart a couple extra shifts on the PK.
Enstrom will be part of All-Star festivities
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So I’m not sure which was less of a surprise - Ilya Kovalchuk making the All-Star game or Tobias Enstrom being named to the YoungStars game. Like Don Waddell said this morning in his scrum, if Toby didn’t make it, I’d like to see the defensemen who made it in his place. But congrats go out to Enstrom, who has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Thrashers. I asked him if the long NHL season was wearing him down at all, and he said it wasn’t. In Sweden, he said he played 55 games in the regular season, so he’s used to a much shorter season. But the bottom line, he said, is that he loves playing hockey and relishes the extra games.
Here’s a link to the roster for the YoungStars event, I guess we can’t call it a game.
Mike Babcock put an end to the Scotty Bowman rumors this morning, saying he spoke with Bowman and here’s what Bowman told Babcock: “I’m not going anywhere, I’d like my name on the Cup one more time.”
Babcock seemed to have a healthy respect for the Thrashers. He had some great things to say about Ilya Kovalchuk, saying he’s always loved guys who are so eager to shoot the puck. “We’ll have our hands full,” Babcock said about tonight’s game. “But saying that, we have some good players too.”
Kari Lehtonen will have a challenge tonight as Tomas Holmstrom said the game plan is to create as much traffic in front of Kari as possible. Lehtonen is going to have to battle tonight, because it’s would be hard to find anyone better in the game than Holmstrom at playing in front of the net. “it’s tough to save the puck when you can’t see it,” Holmstrom said, in explaining his plan for tonight. If you haven’t seen it, the video of Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg working on avoiding screens is fantastic. Maybe that’ll help tonight. Some great work being done at ThrashPractice.com
I asked Slava Kozlov if he came close to signing with the Red Wings during the off-season because I knew he liked it here. He said the Wings offered him a two-year deal and that he preferred staying in Atlanta where he enjoys playing and his family is comfortable. Now, if they would have gone to that third year like the Thrashers did, maybe things would have been different. Down in the depths of Joe Louis Arena, Don Waddell’s and Slava Kozlov’s names are painted on the cinder block walls for winning the Cup here. Kozlov joked that he was glad it was still up and nobody scratched it out with black marker.
I got to all the lineup stuff yesterday, and there are no changes. All the scratches for tonight’s game are injury related - Brad Larsen (groin), Steve McCarthy (strained ribcage) and Jim Slater (groin). Eric Boulton said he was feeling a little sore in his first game back, but overall was pleased with the effort against Pittsburgh.
A chance to measure up in Detroit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In case you were wondering, I’m not the only one excited about going to Detroit. Now, I have my own reasons - It’s a chance to see my sister, my niece, nephew and maybe catch up with a couple friends. But in the Thrashers dressing room, there’s some excitement about heading to the D.
Slava Kozlov has dinner plans with Vladimir Konstantinov, his old teammate with the Red Wings who was paralyzed after that limo accident in 1997. When I asked Kozlov if he was looking forward to the Detroit trip, he answered: “Always, always. I have great memories of Detroit.”
Don Waddell said he has 40 family and friends who will be attending the game. He grew up a few miles from Olympia Stadium, where the Wings used to play. He’s excited to coach in his hometown.
Even Marian Hossa said he was excited to play in Detroit because he said he’s only played there a couple times in his career, which is hard to believe. “I’ll feel like a rookie,” he said.
Why is this important? Well, we know the Thrashers play well when they’re up for a game. Or as Waddell put it, when “we respect our opponents.” And believe me, they respect Detroit. I think it’s safe to say that’s the best team in the NHL. The Thrashers just beat the hottest team in the NHL in the Penguins, but the Red Wings have established themselves as the team to beat in the NHL this season. This is a great opportunity to build some confidence, and I have no doubt the Thrashers will show up for this one. Now whether they can hang with the Red Wings, that’s another story.
Hey, maybe the Red Wings will be distracted by all the buzz around Scotty Bowman. In case you missed it, Bowman told HNIC that he was close to taking a job over the summer to run the Maple Leafs, but the final offer never came. Now the Detroit Free Press is reporting that Bowman isn’t going anywhere. It’s been a rough year for Toronto fans, eh?
Practice report: Eric Perrin practiced today and will be ready to play against Detroit on Tuesday. The knee is a little sore and he joked that Ken Klee owes him a nice dinner for his involvement in the injury which happened in practice the other day. Perrin couldn’t remember the last time he missed a game, saying he hates missing games. I was somewhat surprised to learn that Perrin wouldn’t be returning to center the second line. Kozlov will stay in that spot for now, and Perrin will skate with Bobby Holik and Pascal Dupuis. Waddell said he liked what he saw from Kozlov at center during the Pittsburgh game. Brad Larsen (groin) won’t play, so Perrin will take his spot in the lineup. Jim Slater practiced, but won’t travel to Detroit. Waddell said he’s still a ways away because of his conditioning. Kari Lehtonen will get the start in goal, and they’ll need another effort from him like they got against Pittsburgh.
Hossa update: Sunday was a busy day in the Hossa negotiations. No specific numbers or terms were tossed around, but Hossa and his agent met with Waddell, and ownership. Michael Gearon and Bruce Levenson were on hand for the meetings Sunday and Hossa said he appreciated “being in a room with powerful guys.” The meeting gave the Hossa camp an opportunity to hear directly from ownership where this franchise was headed. The group also checked out the Hawks game and sat courtside, which Hossa said was a lot of fun. I don’t know if any of this means Hossa is going to sign anytime soon, but as Don said, at least the lines of communication are open.
Surprised Hossa will join Kovalchuk at All-Star game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Busy day today in my first day back in the mix after Carroll gave me a few days to focus on All-Star Game stories. First, congratulations go out to a pair of Thrashers named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Ilya Kovalchuk will make his second career All-Star appearance and Marian Hossa his fourth. I’ll admit I was surprised that Hossa made it, and I’m sure the fact that the game is in Atlanta didn’t hurt his cause. He said he was a little surprised as well, but he’s excited to play an All-Star game in front of the home crowd for the first time in his career. That should be a great experience for both guys.
Any opinions on who got left off that should have made it for the East? For me, the big one is Mats Sundin. I was surprised he was left off, I’m sure people in Toronto are fired up about it.
But let’s talk a little about PIttsburgh for a moment, shall we? Kari Lehtonen will get the start in goal in the final game of the Thrashers five-game home stand. It’s been a pretty disappointing stretch, wouldn’t you say? The team had a chance to capitalize on a friendly schedule, but now it’s going to take a win against one of the hottest teams in the league in order to finish 2-2-1. Mark Recchi said he’s looking forward to not only seeing some friends from Pittsburgh but also showing the team that let him go how well things are going in Atlanta. It’s funny, most guys won’t admit to being a little extra motivated to face their old team, but Recchi was honest about it, saying that yeah, he was motivated to play well against the Penguins. And can you blame him?
Injury roundup: Outside of the Kari Lehtonen groin injury, the Thrashers have been pretty fortunate this season as far as major injuries go. But they are getting hit with a lot of bumps and bruises lately. Todd White didn’t practice today after blocking a shot with his ankle against Florida. Eric Perrin had to leave practice early today when he crashed into the net. But early indications are that it’s a charly horse and nothing major, so the Thrashers might have dodged a bullet. Steve McCarthy is still out with his strained rib. Eric Boulton looked good in practice and should be ready to go Saturday. Don Waddell said that Boulton’s return doesn’t automatically mean Kevin Doell will sit. He liked the way Doell’s line played against Florida, plus they’ll have to see how everybody is feeling on Saturday morning before any decisions are made. Did I forget anyone? Oh yeah, Jim Slater.
Slater on the mend: The cloud around Slater’s injury has led to a lot of speculation and understandably so. Let me try to clear some of it up. First, he skated today before practice and the team is easing him back into shape. His injury/illness is a groin injury that caused stomach discomfort. You can stop the Slater vigils and candle lighting, it sounds like he’s going to be just fine. He just needs to get back into hockey shape.
Alright, I have to head back to the Acworth area from here in Duluth before Friday rush hour gets too crazy (too late, I know). But I’ll be online to answer comments if you have anything else you want cleared up.
No common sense in voting
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, we expected this didn’t we? Two-plus weeks before the All-Star game and Ilya Kovalchuk is leading the league in goals and not showing any signs of slowing down, and he will not be starting the NHL All-Star game in front of hometown fans.
Nothing against Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier (I love saying his name; I’m saying it now), or Daniel Alfredsson, but voters who didn’t have Kovy in their top three are voting with their heart, and their local biases, and not any common sense.
But is this how these things go? Unfortunately for Kovalchuk, is this just another price he has to pay for playing hockey in a Southern town?
So he’ll be on the team and he’ll take it like a gentleman (more to come from him tonight or tomorrow) and perhaps he’ll be a little extra motivated come Jan. 26.
But what doesn’t add up in some ways is that he was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star game in 2003-04. This time he was sixth. What’s happened to the voting populace in the meantime? Was the competition just stiffer?
I’m curious what you guys think about that. And if you think this was at all avoidable or is it just the way it goes. Was there some marketing answer for this? Some creative campaign a fan might have come up with?
Or is it even that big of a deal. You tell me.
In the meantime, Craig is busy working on stories for our All-Star game coverage, and I’ve been watching the team for a couple of days.
Johan Hedberg is in goal tonight. He’s won his last two games, including Sunday vs. Buffalo, and Kari Lehtonen has lost his last two. Don Waddell’s explanation was: “He played well the other night; he deserves a start again.”
Lehtonen: We’re extremely lucky
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Packed house this morning with first-place Carolina in town. Don Waddell took one look at all the video cameras at his morning presser, and cracked, “Is college football over with?” But we’re hitting the second half and the Thrashers are in position to make a run at it. First the lineup changes for tonight: Kari Lehtonen is in goal, like he said he’d be yesterday. I talked to him for awhile on Thursday, then didn’t use any of it in today’s coverage. Let me look real quick and see if he said anything you might be interested in… Yeah, there’s some pretty good stuff here.
Lehtonen on the home stand: “It’s huge. We’re extremely lucky, I would say. The way we’ve been playing to be in a situation where we still have a great chance to be on top of our division. Of course it’s good to have a home stretch now, I really hope we can make it the same kind of home stand we did last time. We played very well.”
Lehtonen on the Thrashers inconsistency: “It shouldn’t be like that. When we do things great, it kind of slips away from us. We start trying to make it all pretty and we get into trouble. I think we’re all playing better lately and that’s a good sign.”
Lehtonen on the goalie rotation for the second half: “As a goalie, we have to make it easy for the coaches to decide. That means we have to play well and that’s the biggest thing. I know if I play well, I’m going to play a lot. It’s just up to me to produce and do it. It’s a fair game, I would say.”
Alright, enough Kari out-takes. The only changes in the lines will be Kevin Doell centering the fourth line with Chris Thorburn and Brad Larsen. The team is optimistic that Eric Boulton’s sprained knee will only keep him out a week. He’s been around the team, and seems to be walking alright, so that’s a positive. Haven’t seen Jim Slater however, as his illness is keeping him out of the loop. They’re keeping a tight lid on Slates’ situation, other than saying it’s day to day.
How about some insider news around the league? All of us hockey beat writers share notes at the end of each week via e-mail. Here’s what’s floating around my inbox today.
Kristian Huselius heats up in Calgary: Huselius has been skating with Jarome Iginla and the move is paying off for the Flames. He had 10 goals and 24 points in 15 games heading into Thursday’s game against the Sharks. Iginla requested that he be partnered up with Huselius, who is a UFA this summer. “That’s good things when the captain wants you to get going. I knew that, too I had to be better,” Huselius told the Calgary Herald.
Hnidy helps in Boston: Boston GM Peter Chiarelli said he’s been speaking with Anaheim GM Brian Burke for about a month, and former Thrashers defenseman Shane Hnidy was always the primary focus. He got him by shipping Brandon Bochenski to Anaheim. Chiarelli on Hnidy: “He’s got some size, he’s got some character,” Chiarelli told the Boston Herald. “He’s just kind of a well-rounded defenseman.” But we already knew that in Atlanta, right?
Staios relieved: This comes from Jim Matheson in Edmonton: Former Thrasher Steve Staios was relieved when nobody topped his three points in an outdoor game during the Winter Classic. He had a goal and two assists when Edmonton played in the Heritage Classic. “I think everybody in our room knows I’ve got the record for most points in an outdoor game because I told them all a few times. That’s the closest I’ll ever have to an NHL record,” Staios said. Also, Sheldon Souray’s shoulder is acting up again.
Campbell’s price rising: The Buffalo News reports that the Sabres didn’t help themselves with the Brian Campbell negotiations. Campbell presented Buffalo with a five year offer worth $25 million before the season and Buffalo rejected it. Now he’s their best player and he could be worth at least $6 million on the open market. It looks like another talented player may be on his way out of Buffalo.
Raycroft’s future in Toronto is murky: Maple Leafs starting goalie Vesa Toskala is nursing a groin injury, but backup Andrew Raycroft hasn’t been a reliable backup. The team called up Scott Clemmensen for help. Here’s what Raycroft told the Toronto media when asked if he might need a change of scenery. “I’m not going there. I love being here in Toronto and I love the guys more than anything. It’s the closest group of guys I have been around. All that other stuff is out of my control.”
Mason no longer No. 1 in Nashville: The Tennesean is reporting that Chris Mason has lost his starting goalie job to Dan Ellis. Ellis’ numbers have been better and he shut out the Stars on Monday for Nashville’s first win in Dallas since 2003. Nashville also ditched its premium ticket plans.
Hand out some mid-season awards
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re halfway home. 41 games down, 41 to go. It’s been an up and down season, but here’s the reality: A regulation win against Carolina on Friday and the Thrashers are one point out of the division lead. That’s says something about the division, because the Thrashers haven’t exactly been lighting it up. But let’s also give some credit to the Thrashers who have shown resiliency in putting themselves back in position to defend their Southeast title. That seemed hopeless a couple months ago.
Here’s an all-encompassing update: The Thrashers had an optional practice today, and it was a lively one. Eric Boulton is being evaluated right now after straining his knee against the Hurricanes. It’s likely that we’ll see a call-up from the AHL today, and when it’s official I’ll let you know. Jim Slater is no closer to returning, so don’t expect relief there. Today was the first time I did a post-practice press conference with Brad McCrimmon, and he played things pretty close to the vest, so don’t expect vast amounts of enlightening information from Beast for now, unless you think “we’re focusing on the next game,” is enlightening.
Kari Lehtonen expects to start against Carolina, and that would make sense. But, boy, what a great game from Johan Hedberg last night considering all the time off he had. He made some big saves.
So we’re at the midpoint, so it’s time to hand out some awards (yeah, I’m asking you to do my homework for me. I’ll be picking a few mid-season contenders for MVP, Calder etc., for Sunday’s paper). Your Atlanta bias aside, is Ilya Kovalchuk the league’s MVP? You certainly could make a compelling case. What about Rookie of the Year? Actually, let’s pick the five big ones, and you tell me who you think is the favorite at this point. I’ll let you know mine after I write it.
Calder Memorial Trophy:
Hart Memorial Trophy:
Jack Adams Award:
James Norris Memorial Trophy:
Vezina Trophy:
Plus these bonus questions: Stanley Cup winner? Conference champs? Do the Thrashers make the playoffs?
McCrimmon promoted; Moose up next
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Happy New Year’s everybody. Hope you’re having as good a start to 2008 as Brad McCrimmon who was just promoted to associate coach of the Thrashers. It’s a deserved promotion for a guy who has really elevated his stature with the organization since Bob Hartley was fired. He typically runs practices when Don Waddell can’t make it and now gets the title to go along with the responsibilities.
So how does this change things? From the fans’ perspective, probably not that much. It does mean that McCrimmon will have to deal with the media when Don’s not around (sorry Beast) so that should be fun. It’ll be good to get another voice in the mix. I think the most important thing to come out of this is the fact that this clearly makes McCrimmon the front-runner to be the head coach when the search opens up, most likely, in the summer. Now if the Thrashers completely collapse and ownership cleans house, that won’t bode well for McCrimmon. But if the Thrashers can start winning with a little more consistency, make the playoffs and go from there, then McCrimmon would be the obvious choice to coach the team next season. Waddell has made it clear that he has no intentions of coaching beyond this season.
As for on the ice developments, Johan Hedberg will start in goal against Carolina on Wednesday. He’s had success there and Kari Lehtonen wasn’t exactly stellar in Boston. At some point Waddell will have to settle on a good ratio of games between the two goalies. I don’t imagine it’ll be a strict rotation, but I don’t think an 8 to 1 ratio will be the answer either. We’ll see.
Jim Slater is still probably a week away, so that means Colin Stuart gets an extended look on that third line which has played really well since Stuart came aboard. That’s some good speed on the wings with Stuart and Pascal Dupuis and Waddell said if Stuart continues to play as well as he has, he’ll keep him on the team when Slater returns.
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