By Russ

February 21, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

Craig - Do you know if the Bruins offer of Phil Kessel and Mark Stuart for Hossa is Myth or Truth?

By TableHockey

February 21, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this

thanks Craig - the rumors are killing me. Oh and first… maybe

By Buzilla Baby Blues

February 21, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

2nd?

By B. Thenet

February 21, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

Looks like they are running out of responsible members of the hockey media in Canada.

Craig, I hope you like cold weather, Tim Horton’s, and Molson…you might get a call up to the Great White North in the near future.

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 2:05 PM | Link to this

Craig, thanks for the update. Gotta love that Canadien media!

By Russian

February 21, 2008 2:06 PM | Link to this

Great Post, Craig! I hope Hossa is filling OK to score pair goals. We need two points on Regulation.

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this

B. Thenet, responsible hockey media in Canada? Nope. That was what most people on the blog suspected anyways…they just like getting readers

By Alan

February 21, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this

Craig - Why would they get a shipment of Marcel Hossa gear when Marcel is in the AHL currently? Furthermore, I just looked at the Rangers schedule, and after the loss on Tuesday, they don’t play Montreal again this season. Why would the Habs order gloves for a player on a different team, in colors not their own, that won’t be in their city again this season?

By YoMamaWeen

February 21, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

It would be a good day to be a spiky haired blond guy in Montreal, huh?

Marcel should put on his old Hossa Habs jersey and walk around in the airport up there.

By Craig Custance

February 21, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

Alan — I was just told that the equipment shipped to Montreal this week was for Marcel, in Rangers colors. When it happened, I don’t know. Why it happened? I don’t know.

Tablehockey: You and me both.

GSU-Lee: There are actually quite a few responsible hockey journalists in Canada, the problem is, we all have to track down rumors started by the ones who aren’t.

B. Thenet: Check to all three of those, although I prefer Dunkin’ Donuts coffee to Tim Horton’s. Is that blasphemy?

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this

Craig, just had to rain on my anti-Canada parade, didn’t you? The point is proven though that Montreal and Toronto are a lot like New York City, they are huge metropolises (no idea on the spelling) and as a result have an influx of journalists. So when there is one peep about someone’s idea on a trade, it filters all throughout the city and hits all of the rumor sites. The same crap happens in NYC but I noticed it more with baseball than hockey. It just always seems to me like some crazy rumor is in The Toronto Sun, which leads me to want to believe them less and less. And it is never a sin to like D & D coffee, it is some of the best around.

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this

Drink the coffee black though, like a real man….

By d

February 21, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this

This is a bit off topic, but here is a great article on KL’s house in Brookhaven. For some reason, it was located in the AJC’s business section. Be sure to check out all of the pic’s. I really like his crib. Hopefully I attached the links correctly.

http://www.ajc.com/homefinder/content/homefinder/private/stories/2008/02/19/pqlehtonen_0224.html?cxntlid=inform

http://projects.ajchomefinder.com/gallery/view/homes/private-quarters/pqlehtonen0224/

By five_hole

February 21, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

Craig thanks for the facts. And yes, in Canada, Dunkin Donuts coffee over Tim Horton’s is considered blasphemy. Please see PJ in Bill Tiller’s blog for absolution.

By Wilson26

February 21, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!

The ancient, beautiful Sasquatch is immune to such paltry human communicable diseases- why must you start these rumors, Custance? Sasquatch’s agent is already busy enough.

By JB

February 21, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this

Sell the team Jeds’

By The Falconer

February 21, 2008 3:11 PM | Link to this

Craig: I appreciate the humorous approach. The fans and players are all a bit on edge about this countdown to the deadline.

If Sundin does waive his no trade clause can you imagine the number of trade rumors per hour that will be coming out of Toronto?

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

Anybody notice just how much Sterling (28 G 21 A) is tearing it up in the AHL? And so is Jason Krog…for what that is worth. Speaking of which, does he deserve a chance at Blueland? I know he did nothing last year but the guy is just ripping it up down there, plus, could we be any worse at the center position? You know who isn’t exactly tearing it up in the AHL? Bryan Little- 9 G, 13 A

By Fred

February 21, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

Marcel Hossa is in the AHL playing for Hartford and he was in Lowell. Your “truth” is nothing you know about.

By Alan

February 21, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this

I understand that, Craig. I wasn’t necessarily directing the questions to you … I was just stating the facts regarding Marcel Hossa and the Rangers, and throwing that out there for people to think about.

Personally? My thoughts are that they screwed up by announcing Hossa equipment was ordered, and tried to cover by clarifying Marcel Hossa.

By Craig Custance

February 21, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this

Falconer: My understanding is that Sundin won’t be asked to waive it until there is a concrete deal on the table.

Wilson: That was really funny. My apologies to Sasquatch.

d: Props to Chris Reinolds for a job well done. She does a heck of a job with those. More people will click on that Lehtonen story and photo gallery than anything I write all season.

Lee: Cream and sugar. Sorry.

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Craig, how do you know what rumors to look into and what ones to brush off without even glancing at?

By Freddy

February 21, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

GSU-Lee

Little is not getting the same ice time as Krog or the PP time that Krog gets, to be fair. He just recently started playing with Sterling and they are clicking. So to be fair about your comment you have to see a few games and compare the lobsided ice time.

By Chi-town fan

February 21, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

Little has been on fire as of late. Should have dble that amount of pts. with the chances he has had and he is only getting better!!

By Sasquatch

February 21, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this

Actually, Hoss gave me mono…

By Russ

February 21, 2008 3:53 PM | Link to this

I’m going to be watching Kovy closely tonight. He’s been invisible the last few games, and hasn’t seemed to have his usual jump since Rutuu’s “clean” hit. I’m hoping the rest since the last game has helped a lot. If not, he is probably going to be playing at less that 100% the rest of the way. Craig - Has Kovy or anyone on the team expressed that the knee is bothering him, or are they in playoff mode and keeping all injuries quiet?

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 4:01 PM | Link to this

Ok Freddy, I still don’t get why Sterling cannot make anything happen up here. But whatever, maybe he will.

By Craig Custance

February 21, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this

Russ — Nobody is denying that Kovy’s knee isn’t 100 percent. At one point, Waddell said he didn’t expect Kovalchuk to get back to where he was until after the season is over.

GSU-Lee — You look at the source. But even something like the Facebook rumor, I made some calls/texts/emails because in this day in age it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s how a story like this broke.

By GSU-Lee

February 21, 2008 4:30 PM | Link to this

well i am sure that just makes your job a lot easier…right? (That was sarcasm) Why is there not more talk of the teamtrying to get some help without giving up Hoss? I thought that was an option? Oh well, I suppose that could be going on and we just aren’t hearing about it in the mainstream media.

By Russ

February 21, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

Craig - I must have a touch of amnesia, is that going around too? Now that you mention that, I do remember DW saying that. I think I was thinking about Kovy commenting that the brace wasn’t bothering him. Kovy at 80% is still better than most players in the league and that’s what I was hoping for. Unfortunately, Kovy doesn’t seem to me to be in the same ballpark as where he was before. It’s going to be tough to compete down the stretch if he doesn’t improve…thankfully the Thrashers are in the Southeast, so being competitive is quite relative.

By atldave

February 21, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this

NHL on XL is talking about a possible trade between San Jose and Atlanta. Hossa and Holik for Marleau and Matt Carle. Pull the trigger DON!!!

By Evel

February 21, 2008 5:11 PM | Link to this

TRUTH: Marian Hossa doesn’t want to stay with Atlanta and never did really care to be part of the Thrashers long term. TRUTH: Letting Savard go was a bad move. MYTH: Atlanta will win the Stanley Cup this season

By NASCAR Dave

February 21, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this

COME ON WADDELL! MAKE SOME DAMN MOVES! WE’RE GETTING TOO ANTSY DOWN HERE…… I’VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH OF EKLUND’S BS CRAP!

COME ON WADDELL, GET ‘ER DONE!!!

PLEASE!

By erock

February 21, 2008 7:44 PM | Link to this

22-5 shots on goal in favor of carolina ?? are u kidding me !! UNBELIEVABLE !!!!

By David

February 21, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this

losing tonight may be the catalyst needed for moves to be made

By Riceowls8891

February 21, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this

Soccer,hockey, whats the difference?

By David

February 21, 2008 8:35 PM | Link to this

soccer’s the most popular sport in the world, hockey is the best

By kracker

February 21, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this

Hey it’s only 2-3, let’s win the 3rd! Thrash out shot ‘em 16-15 in the 2nd….well Canes may be getting tired.

By Riceowls8891

February 21, 2008 8:57 PM | Link to this

Yeah, David, but now you can use your feet in both.

By ToF

February 21, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this

You can use your feet in football too, what’s your point. Does multiple appendage coordination scare you, or just the words multiple appendage coordination?

By B. Thenet

February 21, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this

When you look at the effort made the past two games, how can you not look at these guys as a bunch of heartless quitters?

The Carolina Hurricanes have at least 4 starters injured, yet they are outshooting a completely healthy Thrashers team by almost 20 shots.

To play THIS poorly, THIS time of the season?

It is simply unacceptable, and sadly the man who built this team is going to be running the fire sale to help “rebuild” the mess he created in the first place.

They were facing a team playing 3 games in 4 nights, and they just got demolished.

On the 5th goal you have a Hurricane player ALL ALONE in front of Lehtonen with no Thrashers within 5 feet of him.

These guys don’t want to win, they want to get traded out of here.

By Jimmytheweed

February 21, 2008 9:11 PM | Link to this

It’s pretty funny that Craig would infer that Canadian journalists are irresponsible, while most people commenting on his article go one further and state it outright. A responsible journalist would have mentioned that all the articles stated that it was common practice for the Canadiens, if a trade was close, make jerseys for the potential traded player, just in case. Any idiot knows teams do this in case the trade does come through so the player can suit up and play as soon as he is traded. Maybe it was that something got lost in translation as the original reports were all in French?

By Alan

February 21, 2008 10:06 PM | Link to this

A responsible journalist would have mentioned that all the articles stated that it was common practice for the Canadiens, if a trade was close, make jerseys for the potential traded player, just in case.

If that’s the case, why did the Canadian media revise the story to say Marcel Hossa? Give me a break. I’ll take your word that it may be the common practice of the Montreal Canadiens, but don’t try to feed me a line of bull about something being lost in translation.

By Brendan

February 21, 2008 11:18 PM | Link to this

So … “firesale” or “mortgage the future” the “fix it?”

Inst-a-poll time.

A for “firesale.”

B for “mortgage the future.”

By R. Stroz

February 21, 2008 11:29 PM | Link to this

* A, FIRESALE, INCLUDING THE COACH/GM*

By LAC

February 21, 2008 11:48 PM | Link to this

Yet another LAME effort in a divisional game that, well I want to hear the something rather than the standard Holik after the game crap.

don waddell, has had long enough in Atlanta, he MUST be fired at once.

Look at last season and this one.

I rarely recall games like this one last season, maybe the 8-0 TB win early, but a lot of nights we would outshoot the opp.

This scene is absolute NUTS !

Get rid of zit/klee/holik/white/havalid for starters.

Bring up some defense from Chicago… Hell could it hurt ???????????

But what in the HELL is going through the simple mind of waddell ?

Why are we even going through with this ? We had all these plans, defense has never been good, GOOD UFA’s walk without offers and waddell goes cheap loves those third & fouth liners nobody else wants !!!

Why in the world will these IDIOT owners not fire him ??????????

He IS the reason this team is 2-3 years behind the better teams in the league, anymore of this IDIOT and they may as well close it all down and move to Kansas City !

By R. Stroz

February 21, 2008 11:56 PM | Link to this

At this rate, the next “Steal of the Game” ticket promotion will pay us to attend.

By Alan

February 22, 2008 12:04 AM | Link to this

Bring up some defense from Chicago… Hell could it hurt??

Bring up Valabik and Pilar, or Oystrick. Give them some NHL regular season ice time, and see how well prepared they are for the big show.

Then, cut Zhitnik completely. Buy him out and send him packing.

By Brendan

February 22, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this

LAC, I hate to say it, but the reasons the ASG doesn’t fire Waddell are (1) they couldn’t find anyone ELSE willing to come in here, while the ownership is still in pending litigation. (2) Truthfully, they wouldn’t know how to BEGIN to find suitable hockey GM and (3) they are pleased with Don Waddell’s performance and like him very much.

Huh?

Yeah. Don Waddell adheres to “shoestring” budgets, fields a competitive team, at least through the third week of February, and it appears the team will be playing meaningful games in March. And, because of the weakness of the Southeast division, this “mediocrity” will have the opportunity to call themselves “Champions” if they finish atop the division. Plus, they would “host” a playoff series, under that scenario. That’s FREE MONEY to the ASG, if it happens.

That’s why they keep him, LAC. He does what they ask him to do. And if the Thrashers do win this division, they’ll extend his contract through 2011. Just watch. The ASG doesn’t see a “problem” here. And there it is.

Have I mentioned that the ASG is mostly fixated on basketball? I didn’t? Well, I just did.

By R. Stroz

February 22, 2008 12:25 AM | Link to this

Craig - If you have an opportunity and the willingness to do so, would you ask DW if he sees incremental progress this year?

By stendec

February 22, 2008 1:23 AM | Link to this

Send all these F+++++G quitters to Chicago! Bring up the kids. AT LEAST THEY WILL TRY! I do not give a D++N if Letemin made 100 saves. Two of those tallies were marshmallows! On one the befuddled Finn was roaming around in LaLa Land. On the other he must have been focused on a hooker in attendance. He sure as Hell was not looking at the shooter! Sink or swim with this untalented loser? That sound was last air bubble escaping from lifeless corpse! GO FLAMES!

By Tony C.

February 22, 2008 1:26 AM | Link to this

Can we all PLEASE cheer thusly at our next home game:

FI-RE DON-NY

(repeat)

Dude. I mean wouldn’t personal pride make you not want to be embarrassed like tonight’s game??? These guys quit once already this season, looks like they want Hossa gone too.

By pond scum

February 22, 2008 1:53 AM | Link to this

After a horrible first period I thought we was gonna get back into it and sort of did.But a bad bounce by Lehts (and doh-doh Zhit just standing around) and a kicked in goal sealed the deal for the candycanes.

I’m really hoping that Hossa brings back good value in the form of a forward and defenseman that we can use now,not later.

I hope that Zhitnik is benched the rest of the season.Waive him or whatever,I hope to never see him in a Thrashers uniform ever again.

And Excelby is by far THE WORST DEFENSEMAN I’ve EVER LAID EYES ON!!!

I hope he too is traded,cause he is awful! How many times tonight did he leave his partner out to dry going for a big hit? Couldn’t clear the crease,makes blind/wild passes and couldn’t make an outlet pass to save his life. Throwing the puck around the boards and hoping one of your teammates ends up with it won’t cut it no more.And he is constantly ridden off the puck.

Missing assignment after assignment in his own end,running around like a chicken with his head cut off….. I hope he gets traded or bench his sorry a$$,over hyped scott stevens wanna be! McCarthy was alittle better,but I’ll take him over X and Zhit anyday! And these 2 have pretty much been like this ALL SEASON NOW!

Thanks goes out to Perrin,Recchi,Kovy,Toby,Havelid,Klee,Dupuis,Thorburn,Slater,Boulton,White, Kozzy and Lehtonen for actually showing up tonight. Going back to the Devils game, Kari has done the best he can to win us games(trying to stand on his head)-so I can’t fault him for shotty defensive play in front of him.

Start the trading with Hossa ASAP,we still have a shot. It’s not dooms day,but time is running out.

Let Slater center the 4th line again,seems we get more punch out of that line than when Larsen tries to center it. Another player who needs to be traded or waived.

I really hope DW starts making some moves to get rid of some of the dead weight on this team. I’d love to see Stuart and Kiwi recalled for the Leafs game for this weekend and if they aren’t moved,bench Zhit and X and let Popovic play also.

Instead of taking one last stab at trying to get Hossa to stay,deal him for some good pieces that will help and try to move some of the others and let’s just move on.

By LAC

February 22, 2008 2:51 AM | Link to this

Brenden, I vote YOU for GM.

You have consistantly and clearly pointed out issues with the team for the past several years, you would be Great at it.

I guess we are stuck as point fodder until we get a new OWNER… not owners, OWNER.

It still burns me to remember that rutherford snydel on the ice opening night telling us ALL thet THEY were doing EVERYTHING to bring the Cup here… WHAT A LIAR… And he has NO guts when called out, typical COWARD !

He is like the others a LIAR, a CHEAP SOB and a guy who has absolutely NO business being near a pro sports team unless he bought a ticket.

I guess it’s “You get what you pay for”, and we have THE WORST owners in Professional sports, not just the NHL.

We need someone who has the GUTS to spend the $$ and get the right pieces in here and really be a team to be reckoned with…

But as long as we are stuck with Atlanta STUPID GOOFS… well, cheap is the buzz word for the season…

No playoffs, no GOOD UFA’s coming here this summer and more wasted draft picks… Just a great thing to look forward to.

Sell The Thrashers you LYING OWNERS, We the paying customers deserve much better !!!!!!!!!

Brenden for GM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lastly X you better pick YOUR play up, it’s lagging quite a bit !

By Gavin

February 22, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this

Went to the game in Raleigh last night. No effort from the Thrashers all night long. Benching Zhitnik was probably the only good move of the night. Cutting him now would be a good follow up and send a decent message. These guys have already given up on the season, we might as well trade Hossa (the heartless one) and get what we can before it is too late. This season is over! I have never seen a hockey team at any level play with less passion. If we had a Coach you would fire him for that lack of effort. Can DW fire himself? I was embarrassed to wear my jersey by the end of the first. Pathetic!

By Russian

February 22, 2008 8:14 AM | Link to this

I am not american, I was born in Russia. Anyone please tell me. WHY professional Players not be Fired??! If I am not doing my job, my manager will fire me. WHAT IS DIFFERENT between regular Employee and Professioanal Players??? Please let me know, because what I saw in this season it is just horrible hockey. 75% roster must be fired before All Start Break.

By BuzzEng

February 22, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this

Maybe the title of your article should have been “Busts of the Southeast”. I feel better when the Thrashers are going into a game they “can’t” win (i.e. Detroit, Ottawa) than any game they “should” win (i.e. NYI) or “have” to win (i.e. Carolina). C’mon Thrashers - GET IT TOGETHER!!!

By ZB

February 22, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this

After reading Zhitnik’s comments regarding his benching last night - “it was a coaching decison, go ask the coach” - I think he needs to released outright. The guy has been awful all year and shown absolutley no sign of the plater that he used to be or even the player that helped get us to the playoffss last year.

To take no personal accountaibility for his horrid play is unacceptable. He needs to go - NOW!

Package Exelby and Holik for a D man and get some players picks for Hossa. We need to re-tool with some players who have some heart and accountability.

By GaVaHokie

February 22, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

The team has a hard time imposing their will on other teams… when you’re constantly slow out the gate, you’re conceding to the other teams style of play and you spend most of the game adjusting.

What’s the best way to impose your style of play? STRONG DEFENSE!! I hate to sound like a broken record and the suggestion seems to fall lame lately, but I think it’s time for someone like Valabik to get a look.

What makes Vancouver so successful? …They surround Luongo with tree trunk defenseman. Their offense is far less spectacular than ours but they get it done by imposing their will on other teams defensively.

It’s time to look for a 6’4” 220 lb defenseman in the Hossa trade. And I wouldn’t be comfortable trading for it until I ATLEAST took a look Valabik.

By GaVaHokie

February 22, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this

Russian… the answer is easy… contracts.

You can fire Zhitnik, but you still have to pay him $3 million wither he plays or not. By the time you fire him, and replace him with another $3 million player, you’ve paid $6 million to fix the situation.

Anybody sense that Recchi is starting to feel a little bit like Mellanby did?

By Hip Czech

February 22, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this

OK…I’m officially peeved. How does a Carolina team that is missing it’s top centerman and one of it’s top wingers to injuries, plus just traded away their other top winger totally outplay a rested Thrashers team.

Answer - coaching and ‘system’. Waddell needs to get a coach in here that can establish a playing system that works. Imagine if we were missing our top centerman (oh, wait, we don’t have one) and our top two scoring wingers (oh, we’re already missing one) could we beat ANYONE?

Trade Hossa NOW..get rid of the distraction, get a quality D man with some size, a decent forward and some draft picks then Waddell step down as coach. Bring John Anderson up.

By Red Light

February 22, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

Meanwhile, Buffalo, Boston, NY Islanders, Flyers and Washington are ahead of the Thrashers, Leafs, Panthers and Lightning for a playoff berth. That’s the same Buffalo team everyone bashed when it was 20-21-6. Now, the Sabres have gone 10-2-2 since.

There is good news if history tells us anything. In the Thrashers’ first 21 games after Jan. 1 each season for the past five seasons, Atlanta has a record of only 40-51-14. But in the final 1/4 of the schedule in each of the last four seasons the Thrashers are 47-30-12. If they go a similar 12-6-2 in the final 20 games this season, that leaves them at 88 points. That could be what it takes to get in.

Pond Scum I couldn’t agree with you anymore about X.

By Russian

February 22, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

to GaVaHokie Yes I see. They have a special contract, which is a Guarteed money to paid. What is about Waiver? Thanks to explain to me.

By B. Thenet

February 22, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this

I figure by noon we will get a new blog entry telling us that Hossa has officially turned down the final offer from Don Waddell.

By GaVaHokie

February 22, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

B. Thenet… the team didn’t really help Waddell’s case last night. How could anyone sign anything after last night’s game?

Russian… you can put a player on waivers and hope another team picks them up. Then you are free from their salary.

Ranallo, Brendan or Craig… if a player has an “NHL-only” contract or a no-trade clause, can they be put on waivers? Meaning, they can’t exactly be sent to the minors.

By Brendan

February 22, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this

LAC, I appreciate that sentiment. Truly, I do. But never in the history of sports has any ownership offered a GM position to ANY blogger. Nor will they. Well, unless the serious GM candidate also runs a blog or is a blogger, themselves. Does Cliff Fletcher or Pat Quinn blog?? If they do, then yes, it could happen. :) Actually, there might be a GM or two out there who blogs on their team website. I’d be a bit surprized by that. But I’m not about to scour every AHL or NHL website to find out who does it.

LAC, almost no one, to very “few” people, would like what I’d do as a hypothetical GM, in a town like Atlanta, where everyone WANTS SUPERSTARS. My strategy would be to roll four lines, equally, each producing between 55-60 goals a year. That’s roughly 230 goals on the season. I’d ask my blueliners to chip in another 20-25 goals among the seven of them. Now, we’re up to around 255, in the “goals for” department. That’s healthy enough to be a “legitimate” threat. Plus, how does the other team shut us down? They can’t play their “checking line” for 60-straight minutes. My 4th line is almost as likely to score as my 1st line. And if the other teams are “top heavy” on Superstar players, eating up all their cap, then my 3rd and 4th lines are bound to be a bit better than theirs, conceptually, and I’ll win games, 4-3, on “depth.”

It might not be “exciting” hockey, but I’m told that wins put butts in seats more than anything else. So, it’s a risky strategy, if it doesn’t succeed. The natives will restless quickly and say, “Where are the frekkin’ Superstars?! We got a team full of Jon Sims, and Todd Whites, and Eric Perrins, sprinkled with a Hordichuk and a Recchi. None of ‘em score more than 20 goals.” It’s a “fair” criticism. And it’s a strategy that requires something close to “flawless” drafting, since as soon as any of these guys graduate to 30-goals, or three or four seasons of 20-goal campaigns, they’d become too expensive to retain for the budget. So, they’d have to be moved at the trade deadline for picks and prospects. As such a strategy constantly requires “reloading.”

My overall concept would be a combination of “team speed” and “team grit.” We gotta be fast, yet still able to win “puck battles” along the corner boards. To be honest, and politically incorrect, I’d fill my team with North Americans, mostly Canadians, and supplement with Swedes and Finns, and Russians where I could actually “afford” them, for additional “skill.”

Now, aren’t you glad I’m not the GM, LAC? Bee honest, you’d “hate” that strategy.

By NASCAR Dave

February 22, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this

TRUTH: Thrashers SUCK A$$!!!

MYTH: Thrashers will make the playoffs.

THESE PATHETIC WIMPS NEED TO QUIT. OH MY BAD, THEY ALREADY DID!

By chrisf

February 22, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

Brendan:

Interesting concept - similar to the Devils MO, but what has made it work for them is that LouL always starts with goaltending and D, then adds the workhorse forwards, who are indeed interchangable parts each year.

The other element needed for this approach is the drafting and development of players that fit “the system.” I’ve seen enough Wolves and Gladiator games to know that the Atlanta farm system under Waddell does not produce players that can step in and play “Thrashers” hockey. Even if they wanted to, how could John Anderson and Jeff Pyle field winning teams (i.e. keep their jobs) following a philosophy of having one or two high-powered forwards score enough goals to offset shoddy D? That, unfortunately, is the “Thrasher System,” or lack thereof.

Donny can wheel and deal all he wants with Hoss, Holik or any other forward who’s name is not Kovalchuk, but the team goes nowhere until the GA column falls below the GF column. We’ll never get there until we start cloning players such as Enstrom and Havelid, neither of whom were developed on the Atlanta farm.

By Nikita

February 22, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this

On Zhitnik…what drives me insane about him is that he has great capability. He was a good player capability-wise prior to being brought here. But obviously he’s a poor fit to the Thrashers.

An insane hockey-loving czech friend (his team is the Blues) gave me a lengthy speech about Zhitnik last night. It went something like…Zhitnik’s name means blah blah blah rye farmer…blah blah blah…which is a sign of what he does as a player…he works in a system, and if the system does not fit him then he does not work well. (My czech friend drinks a lot. He also says Bobby Holik is a p*&^%y we need to dump, and that he’s been regularly beaten up by wet paper bags throughout his substandard “career.” That I don’t agree with, at least with the team where it is now.)

Anyway, I’m reminded of Jaromir Jagr, a sometimes great player who sucked so badly on his last team that they paid the Rangers to take him. And he’s doing relatively well with the Rangers, because he can play with people he knows, and the system allows him to be as good as he can be at this point. Too bad we aren’t legally allowed to pay other teams to take Zhitnik — but we should do whatever we can to lose him, because he clearly doesn’t fit in here.

Furthermore, allowing a player to suck because they don’t want to play well is cancerous to the entire team. Hossa was an example (though he’s currently one of few not dialing it in), and probably should be sent off anyway. Zhitnik is another. Holik may be a third (though, again, he’s playing relatively well right now). Kozlov if he doesn’t snap out of his current malaise. And I’m not sure about our 3rd- and 4th-line and D-line on- and off- again players — is someone like Larsen sucking because he doesn’t want to play as well as he can, or is he simply not talented enough?

By lsavard

February 22, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this

The Glove Story: After double checking their story, La Presse (newspaper at the origin of the story) reveal that pants and gloves have been ordered for Marian Hossa! In fact, the order came from Marian himself. Apparently, he did it from a few other teams. The journalist at the source of the story maintains that the negotiation are well advanced but Waddell wants to continue trying to sign him up until the last minutes of the trade deadline. The journalist could not confirm the names of HABS players involved but he is pretty confident in the names he revealed yesterday… see new in French:http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20080222/CPSPORTS0101/802220952/5128/CPSPORTS01

By GSU-Lee

February 22, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this

So is everybody pretty much in agreement that this loss seals the deal that Hossa is history?

By Brendan

February 22, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

Hokie, I’m not entirely sure, so please don’t quote me, but I believe “NHL-only” refers to salary. A GM may place an NHL player in the minors at any time. What matters is the player’s age and tenure in the league, for the most part. Usually, a GM puts a player in the minors “for conditioning after an injury,” and the players is not subject to a waiver claim. It’s an “exemption.” Also, a GM can stash an NHL player in the minors for “punishment” for poor play. But his salary counts against the NHL team’s cap. (If Popovic played in Chicago, for example. The Thrashers aren’t absolved from that cap hit. I don’t believe so, anyway.)

If Waddell sent Kozlov, for example, to the minors … he’d be subject to a waiver claim. That’s not TRADING him. No trade ever took place. Waddell couldn’t risk that happening, if he wanted to retain the player. Someone could, and probably would, claim him. Atlanta would get “nothing” in return, other than salary relief and freeing themselves of a contract for the next two seasons. Which would allow Brett Sterling to come up to the NHL level. But I digress. The team making the waiver claim would assume Kozlov’s FULL SALARY, as well as the two remaining years on the contract. It’d be a fantastic steal for a team with cap room, who lacks a Shootout specialist. And if such a hypothetical team managed to get Kozlov on “re-entry” waivers, they’d only be on the hook for half of Kozlov’s salary in the year they acquired him, plus the full remainder of the contract, which still includes a “no trade clause.” Nothing says, however, that the claiming team cannot send him to their farm club, subjecting him, once again, to a waiver claim by another team, willing to take on the terms and conditions of Kozlov’s contract. Kozlov gets PAID, no matter WHAT.

If Waddell were dissatisfied with Kozlov’s performance, (He ISN’T,) he could do this. But he’d much prefer to *TRADE him, so that he gets something back, (draft picks, a player(s), prospects,) for him. To do that, however, Kozlov would have to AGREE to waive his NTC. Which he said he won’t do, in a Custance article. “I just re-signed six months ago,” is what I think he said.

For those of you saying, “put Holik or Kozlov or Zhitnik on waivers NOW!,” let me ask you something. Are you “comfortable” with ZERO as the return for the loss of these players??

Beeeee honest. You’d want to trade them. Even Zhitnik could fetch a 7th round pick, which is BETTER THAN NOTHING.

By Nikita

February 22, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this

What would we get for Zhitnik? Not very much, I suspect. What does Zhitnik cost us, and what are we getting for it? $3.5 mill-ish, and negative value, if any.

So, given that Zhitnik probably isn’t worth anything in trade, I think we should try to trade him till the deadline, and send him down ten minutes after it. He can poison the Wolves or be disciplined by them. And if someone claims him, then at least we’ll be absolved of his salary. If he suddenly develops determination or character, then perhaps we’ll bring him back up. But I doubt it — he’s old and spoiled and unhappy, and I doubt that’ll change. But at least he can be miserable and substandard far away from Atlanta. And we’ll be free of him one way or the other at the end of this season, right?

And I don’t think Holik should be sent anywhere — he is expensive, but we need his size and his current play is not bad. If he can be traded, then ok — but if we can’t get anything for him we need to play him.

By MB

February 22, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

Brendan, I would definitely not put Holik on waivers, though I would certainly try to trade him.

With his track record of playoff success, there must be a team out there willing to part with a third or checking line center, if not a later round pick as well, for Holik.

On the Thrashers’ side, you have the opportunity to get younger and faster at the position, and add some dollars to your pocket for the FA market.

By George

February 22, 2008 3:39 PM | Link to this

One thing to say, KID LINE< KID LINE>KID LINE. Bring em back!!!

By Brendan

February 22, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this

MB, I totally agree with you and Nikita. Trading Holik would be better than waiving him.

By Teach

February 24, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this

HABS INSIDE/OUT site demands we get Hossa and Holik, just give him to Montreal and we may send you a scrap off our roster, American fools that you are, with relatives doing it with each other, and straw between your hick teeth, lmao.