Thrashers

By atldave

February 27, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

Craig, PLEASE quit praising Don Waddell for the return he got with the Hossa trade. That trade should not have happened. If Waddell was doing his job we “should” have been adding pieces to compliment Hossa and Ilya, not trying to recover assets from his mismanagement. This is Waddell at his best!! Smoke, mirrors and misdirection. Let’s focus on what a good job he did getting some assets versus what a crappy job he has done building a team that Hossa wanted to be a part of. Hossa did us a favor and basically said, ”this team has no future with the current management and ownership, why would I want to invest my best hockey years in this mess.”

Bring on Jim Balsillie, maybe we will get some good Blackberry promotions before the team goes to Ontario.

By Craig Custance

February 27, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

Also, Colin Stuart sent to the AHL.

By Nikita

February 27, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

1. Fantastic trade. Can’t wait to see the new recruits out on the ice and playing for the Thrash. Besides which, Hossa didn’t play up to salary all season and Dupuis was a nice guy, but a terrible finisher. So, as far as I’m concerned this is just gravy.

2. Who says we got no hockey culture in Atlanta?

3. For the rest of the season…I feel a lot better about the team in recent days than I have in months. They’re losing, ok, but they’re showing a lot more speed, grit, and craftsmanship, and I hope that the new kids will feed that with energy and determination.

4. What’s good…the 4th line is kicking a*. the first line is reasonably good — might be improved with a different and larger center. Eric Perrin should be knighted. Toby Enstrom. Kozlov and Exelby recently seem to have perked up.

5. What’s bad…The D, which seems to be out of position pretty much all the time. Play is still too sloppy.

By Tony H

February 27, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

Thank you Craig for all your fine work and reporting. I truly appreciate your efforts/

By ssiscribe

February 27, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this

Almost never post but almost always read. Craig, good job staying on top of everything. Nice work. I hated seeing Hossa go. I think time will indeed tell whether this was a good deal for the Thrashers.

Here’s hoping the Thrashers can gather themselves and make the final 1/4 of the season interesting.

—30—

By Ice Ice Baby!

February 27, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

Craig, any idea about the lines for tomorrow night?

By fokov

February 27, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

He got a better return from Pittsburgh than first thought. However, he did not get rid of the other pieces so we could get this team the required pieces such as a solid defensive defensemen or better puck moving defensemen. I agree that everyone is giving DW too much credit. He is the single reason why Hossa left. He picked out the players for the team and was coaching it. The responsibility lies on his shoulders. So now Heatley turns into a 3rd line winger, an under performing prospect top 2 center, an under performing first pick that fell 19 slots in the draft, and a 1st round pick. I would rather have Heatley, but he also left because they team didn’t win!

Now for the rest of this year we are stuck with our defense sitting while one of the best watches the “vets” fail in every category. And next year, we get to watch it all over again, this time with kovy being covered by the top pair the whole time and no secondary scoring. Our defense is so pathetic they cannot perform a line change or shadow a franchise player like OV for an entire regular season game. what makes you think they can do it in the playoffs?

No secondary scoring + no grit + no teamwork + no defense = another sub .500 team. Then Kovy leaves and we are stuck with nothing but an idiots word about a 5 year plan.

By Roswell Thrasherfan

February 27, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

craig in recognition of your fine work i went to your last blog and posted 14 more times. this took you from 687 comments to over 700 so you can now up your bragging rights i know its cheap but no one will remember how you got to 701 just that you got there

By Roswell Thrasherfan

February 27, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this

“I would rather have Heatley, but he also left because they team didn’t win!”

can anyone say revisionist history?

By Tom

February 27, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this

Craig

Thanks for the hard work getting the information and interacting with us.

Now we enter the hard part. The end of the season will be rough with guys getting into the groove and very little incentive to improve as the playoffs look like a very long shot while the cellar could be a real possibility.

I can not fault Hossa for leaving as the culture for success is not here yet. When Waddell leaves and we have a coach, General manager, and ownership on the same page looking for success then we will have a chance at getting the Hossa’s to come back. Until then we will be treading water.

For a team to morph from an also ran to a true contender they first have to pay, and pay big. The top free agents are not racing to come to a mediocre team and take a pay cut. That is how we get the Todd Whites and Ken Klee’s. Players that are either past their prime or not quite ready to be prime time players.

Ownership wants to be profitable but fails to realize that we have a hard time supporting mediocrity. If they want a place for out of town teams to have their fans congregate then they should continue down the present path.

If they want a stadium rocking with their own fans then give us the team that will get us there with the proper management to take us there.

By Bob

February 27, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this

Class Act

Yes he is, Craig. Anyone that boos Hoss when he comes back to town is an ignorant redneck (yes, I’m looking upstairs at you goofs). He handled this all with class and did this franchise a great favor by turning his back on Waddell and shining the light on the true problem, Waddell’s inability to build a “winning environment”.

fokov and atldave above are 100% correct. We never should have been in the situation in the first place. First, Hoss would’ve re-signed here if he respected Waddell’s ability to build a team. That was the desired result, to re-sign Hoss and keep a world class player.

Second, it’s been clear since last summer to anyone with a little bit of knowledge that Hoss was out of here. Waddell should have traded him for a much better return then having to settle for what he got for a rental. Anyone that says that they would take what we got yesterday instead of taking Hoss for a 5 year extension, is just plain goofy.

there are concerns about a drop of production in junior and that he was cut three times by Team Canada for the world junior championships

This bit of news is concerning to me, how does a kid that used to be so highly regarded get cut by a junior championship team 3 years in a row? Was it work ethic? Is it attitude? Does anyone know what’s the issue here, this is a red flag to me.

Craig, check the standings, we’re firmly in the lottery with our own pick at #3 in the league right now unless we get the ping pong ball and go to #1. Yeah for Don, another #1 he can’t screw up. What a great job building this club, I’m so happy to be hear 9 years into his 5 year plan.

No more season tix for us until Waddell is gone and the Spirit allows the new GM to spend some money next July. No way any free agent worthwhile is signing here after what Hoss just showed the whole league (that our mgt. is a joke).

Anyone think Brian Campbell is just sitting there waiting to sign with us if Waddell is still at the helm when 5 other clubs all offer him the same contract on July 1st? Didn’t think so, if Don’s still here, it’ll be the 2008/2009 version of Charmin/Klee/Burt/Reardon/fill in the middling waste of space.

By Alan

February 27, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this

Bring on Jim Balsillie

This comment makes me mad, and it’s almost an irrational sort of anger. First and foremost, the Thrashers arent moving. The Thrashers won’t move. If the team is sold at all, it will be to a local interest. I have serious doubts the NHL board of governors would even let another team leave Atlanta, if it even came to that.

The only way Balsillie will get a team is if the NHL expands again (which it will), and they just so happen to give a team to Hamilton, Ontario (Hartford, Las Vegas, and Seattle are more likely to get teams).

Fun fact in hockey history: Before the days of the NHL, Seattle did have a professional hockey team… in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The Seattle Metropolitans became the first American hockey team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917.

By Lawrenceville Resident

February 27, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this

Craig- Good Comments. I agree that was a very positive trade. However, if you are a seller on deadline day- sell.

Without Hossa we are not a playoff team and if we sneak in because a VERY weak division we are certianly not a contender in the current configuration. I would love to just once be the one inflicting rent-a-player pain. We could have gotten value for Hedberg and still resigned him in the off season. All the while giving young goilies in the organization NHL exiprence. Holik could have netted draft depth too. I love how we started but I think we fizzled out.

At least I’m not a Canidians fan, ouch!

By MB

February 27, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this

Please don’t confuse remarks that this was a pretty good trade for the Thrashers with any overall satisfaction with where the organization stands at this point in its history, or with DW’s part in it.

But for those actually living in the present, the situation was clear, and a decent return was brought home. In no way does that absolve DW from the multiple mistakes of the past.

And fokov, while I agree wholeheartedly that our defense is very weak, I’d like for you to find anyone who has proven successful at stopping Ovechkin for an entire game.

By MB

February 27, 2008 4:13 PM | Link to this

Please don’t confuse remarks that this was a pretty good trade for the Thrashers with any overall satisfaction with where the organization stands at this point in its history, or with DW’s part in it.

But for those actually living in the present, the situation was clear, and a decent return was brought home. In no way does that absolve DW from the multiple mistakes of the past.

And fokov, while I agree wholeheartedly agree that our defense is very weak, I’d like for you to find anyone who has proven successful at stopping Ovechkin for an entire game.

By Russ

February 27, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this

Craig, thanks for the great coverage yesterday. I don’t know if you will answer this question or not, but I’ll ask anyway. Do you think Waddell will still be GM of this team next season? I’m not asking your opinion if he should or not, just if you have any insight on what ownership might do. Thanks.

I don’t think the trade was too bad, but I still wish 1 or 2 of the player/prospects were d-men. Oh well, now we know where a majority of the cash in free agency needs to be spent.

By GSU-Lee

February 27, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this

Craig, phenomenal job yesterday. You are very good at what you do. I would like to say I am really going to miss Hossa. Great player with a great attitude. Really classy. So do I take it no one thinks he will be back this summer? What about Pascal?

By Geneen

February 27, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this

First, I’d like to compliment you, Craig, on your hard work. You’re a one-man hockey department. That’s gotta be tough. You’ve dramatically improved the AJC’s Thrashers coverage since arriving here last year. Your timely updates and interaction with the posters here is really commendable. You also write a great feature story when they let you. I wish they’d let you do it more often.

I want to see someone get in there with Bobby Holik and really pick his brain. Or else, maybe just a raw transcript of a Bobby interview. He’s so irascibly funny. He should get his own column here, where he could just go off on the Fair Tax or the lousy airplane food or how he’s going to be a Thrasher all the way up until he’s not a Thrasher anymore (that was classic Bobby). I’d read it.

On a more serious note, I’d be very interested in knowing how Kovalchuk feels about Hossa’s departure and the return the team got on the trade. Obviously it’s tough and tricky to get these guys off the cliches and the talking points, but I bet you could finesse an answer out of him, Craiggers. Or at the bare minimum push it until you get a sense of how he really feels.

I think it’s important to keep Kovalchuk at least somewhat happy. I’m not saying they should have let Marian walk for nothing, but damn, Ilya’s gotta be feeling a little “cheese-stands-alone” right about now.

Come on Craig, Barbara Walters Kovy for us. Make him cry or something. (I kid … or do I?)

By Buzilla Baby Blues

February 27, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

Really good job Craig. Thanks

By Waffleboy

February 27, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this

Anybody who says Hossa would have re-signed here is not aware of the situation. When Hoss picked up Ritch Winter as his agent, the writing was on the wall. This guy has a history of stringing teams along and hanging GM’s out to dry. Hoss will get huge money wherever he signs next year and that is all Winter cares about.

By Plenty of Empty Seats

February 27, 2008 4:27 PM | Link to this

Craig,

Thanks for your insights. As a transplanted fan for more than 3 decades, it’s safe to say there’s plenty of management details we (as fans) will never have access to - but that’s part of the fun…

However, we are similar to the owners and management in one respect. That is, we can review results. To this end, if one looks at the body of work of this organization - over an extended period of time, then compares it to other teams in the league, a fair assessment would be substandard at best.

Sure there are reasons - some good, some not so good, but after 8 years the results just aren’t there.

Given the realities of Atlanta, the team need to win and and they haven’t. Consequently, they’re losing more than just games, or Hossa. Personally, I hope the city doesn’t lose the franchaise. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.

By Russ

February 27, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

Anyone that thinks Hossa is coming back to Atlanta anytime soon better lay off the pipe.

By GaVaHokie

February 27, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this

Ottawa just fired John Paddock (e5)

By Mike Sembrat

February 27, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

Craig, I am a Penguins fan who was interested in a different reaction regarding the big trade. I just stopped by this site to see what the fans of Atlanta had to say. One thing I can tell you guys is that Colby Armstrong will be missed. He may never score 30 goals, but he’ll give you everything he has every time he steps onto the ice. He’s a grinder, a penalty killer, he plays the body and isn’t afraid to mix it up with any opponent who has wronged his guys. Not only was he the most popular player in the locker room, but he was also a dedicated and well liked member of the Pittsburgh community. You couldn’t ask for a better person to join an organization. As for the rest, Crusher was a little disappointing in most regards, but has a ton of talent. Plus, if your in a shoot….no one can stop him. Esposito…don’t really know his game. But I hope he turns out to be a great one. I really wish Hossa can bring us on the ice, half of what Colby brought on and off of it in Pittsburgh. No matter what, I’ll always be a Colby Armstrong fan. He plays the game right, plays it hard, plays it with pride, and he plays it with such passion that it becomes too hard not to like the guy.

By Marian Hossa

February 27, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this

Suckers.

By fokov

February 27, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this

I don’t have time to look up the specifics, but there are a few teams that have held him to 0-1 goals. Obviously those are west coast teams. However, since they didn’t know what he could do, they still didn’t give up defense. My main purpose was the fact that not many other teams, not a single good one, will leave OV wide open on their blueline with 1:30 left in a game. That is no time to leave anyone open, let alone OV.

By OHL fan

February 27, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this

I know you fans new to the game down there don’t follow this, but don’t read into the politics of Team Canada. Angelo Esposito was Captain of Team Canada’s Junior World Cup team for the last two years and they won gold both times. Any doubter should ask yourself how the captain of the team that won gold wouldn’t even make the roster of the World Junior Championships. He was also captain of the squad from Quebec that beat all the other Canadian teams in the World Hockey Challenge and that left a bitter taste.

By Brendan

February 27, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this

Tons of great posts today! Yes! GSU-Lee, if you were Pacal Dupuis, why wouldn’t you re-sign with Pittsburgh, even at a discount? Think about it. What’s in Atlanta, for him, when he can play with Crosby, Malkin, Staal, Fleury, Malone, Letang, etc.

MB, solid post. Yes, for the “situation” Waddell found himself in, which is almost completely his doing, he did very well, in terms of a return for Hossa.

Answering truthfully, if Hossa had another two years left on his deal, would Waddell have made this move for Christensen, Armstrong, Espo and a #1 pick? Answer: Of course not. Which amplifies Bob’s excellent post that Don Waddell’s inability to field a championship team is what drove Hossa out of town. And I’ll further agree with Bob, why “boo” Hossa for being the one and only person in whole Thrashers organ-i-zation to question Don Waddell, and the ownership, second-guess him/them, and tacitly imply that Emperor isn’t wearing any clothes.

I say, “Hooray for Hossa.” And Thank You for being a “beacon of light” about this situation. In the unlikely event that Thrashers were caught wholly unaware of the situation. By now, there’s nowhere to hide. It is … what it is … after eight (8) seasons.

Also, congrats to Roswell Thrasher Fan for putting Craig’s blog up over 700. While some of those posts were hardly real posts, it’s still enough “interest” to show the Sports Editor how much hockey interest resides in this town. Which is substantial. And when the Thrashers get fixed, you’ll see sellout after sellout at Philips Arena.

By Don Waddell

February 27, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this

“Hey Paddock, yeah, it’s Waddell. Your flight leaves Ottawa at 5:00; remember, we are playing those Turds tomorrow, so bring your notes!”

“Also, tell Dany I said hello, and i’ll be waiting for you at the airport in my limo.”

By Christy

February 27, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

Mike -

I had read similar comments about Colby months and weeks ago, and again in the Feature ESPN did on Crosby, so thanks for the validation and good luck with Hossa, but you’re going to get a special surprise with Dupuis. He doesn’t quit when he’s out there, always giving his all.

By B. Thenet

February 27, 2008 4:56 PM | Link to this

Craig Was Esposito the player the Thrashers tried to move up to get in the draft last year? I figured it was either him or the Russian the Rangers picked.

By raindawg722

February 27, 2008 5:11 PM | Link to this

Hossa is a class act. And I am going to miss saying Dupuis. DEW-PWEE. One of the most fun names to pronounce in Atlanta sports history. I wish them both well.

By Ben

February 27, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this

Hossa is one of my personal favorite players in the NHL, but I’m not too upset he’s gone because of his price tag. Look at what’s happened to Tampa the last few years with so many players having extraordinary contracts. You can’t be a successful hockey team in the NHL with two or three players taking up 1/3 of your team’s payroll with 20 other guys left to take up the rest. I’d rather have a roster of 20+ guys making $2 million a year instead of 2 or 3 guys making $9 million each and everybody else making $600K. The New York Rangers are another example, are they any closer to being a Cup contender this year with Jagr, Drury and Gomez all making top dollar? The trade yesterday gives up quality NHL players who are productive while inexpensive, are the types of players that you want surrounding your stars. Give me 15 more guys like Armstrong and Christienson. They may both be 3rd line guys, but let’s be honest here… they’re leaps and bounds better than the 3rd line guys we currently have!

By Mary

February 27, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this

Thanks Mike for the positive comments. I can’t wait to see what these players bring to our team. I think Hossa liked Atlanta, but ultimately he prefers a team with more media focus. Just my opinion.

By Andy S

February 27, 2008 5:17 PM | Link to this

The blog yesterday was awesome. Switching between here and TSN was surprisingly tense and exciting; I had never paid attention to Deadline Day before. Thanks for the great coverage Craig.

By Brendan

February 27, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

Craig, tremendous job this year. Well, ever since you took over for John Manasso, who by the way, had an article on Heatley recently the The Sporting News.

What a long, strange year it’s been.

In the “big picture,” the Waddell years, post-lockout, see a team that was built with a “3-year window.” Guys like Peter Bondra were supposed to be part of it. Pasi Nurminen was to be a key role in it. Bobby Holik was a “centerpiece” before Hossa ever arrived. And Ilya, well … Ilya is our “ray of hope” for the future, along with Lehtonen, though not quite to the same extent. Waddell hoped Slater would play a bigger role. Defensively, he was banking on Nic Havelid and Jaroslav Modry. But he couldn’t possibly have envisioned the role Enstrom would play. The Savard loss was substantial. It left a gaping hole at center that was never subsequently filled, becoming a contributing factor to cause Hossa to leave.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Don Waddell has had his chance. It’d be pretty hard to argue that he hasn’t. How many other GM’s get 10 years and eight seasons … with no playoff wins? It might be unprecedented in hockey. Someone look that up.

Not everything was Waddell’s fault. Truly. But honestly, isn’t it time for change? And not just because it’s an “election year.” We can’t fire ownership. But we can hope for them to settle this lawsuit, for the good of both teams. And if the Thrashers must be sold off to a local interest, fine. I’d love to have a single face for this franchise. Just, ya know, keep Arthur Blank far, far away from my hockey team! That’s all I ask. I’d even re-welcome Ted Turner back into the fold. Point Ted Turner in the right direction, like say Scotty Bowman, and just let him step out of the way and finance it all.

Can you even begin to imagine it??

By Jason

February 27, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this

Some suggestions:

As PO’ed as some folks overall comments have been about the organization and DW, the best way to handle it is to find a way to get your message in front of the ownership group. DW and Billy Knight are not going to remove themselves. So I would challenge everyone to find creative ways to let Bruce Levenson and the rest of the Brady Bunch know your frustration and fact that many people will stop excusing this mess. Everyone send a dozen roses to each of the owners at there other businesses or offices addressed from Marian Hossa that read something like: Thanks for getting me out of this mess boys

Maybe it won’t do jack, but you could feel pretty good about your effort.

Oh, I’ll give a B for the trade, and an A for Craig’s work.

By Rone

February 27, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this

Couldn’t agree with you more Ben. And when we free up Holik and Zhitnik’s salaries, we will have more room for those 1.5 to 2 million a year type players.

By Brendan

February 27, 2008 5:39 PM | Link to this

Ben, welcome to the blog. Great post. I love the “2006 Sabres model” for a strategy. I wish we could have gotten Letang instead of the 1st round pick. But hey, we were lucky to have procured what we did!

By ThrasherNLville

February 27, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this

Craig - definitely A work

Nikita - you’re an idiot. Dupuis and Hossa were our best penalty killers. watch our PK% plummet without both of them. I understand getting rid of Hossa, he doesn’t want to be here anyway and we needed something in return for our 2nd best player…but we could use Dupuis these next 18 games.

If DW wants us to believe the Thrashers have a shot at repeating as Southeast champs, why not get some defensive help? And whay trade away BOTH of our top penalty killers?

TNL

By Old school Al

February 27, 2008 5:42 PM | Link to this

Right on, Brendan! “Spin Doctor Don” has done it again; managing to package this trade - WHICH WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MEASURE EXCEPT FOR ON PAPER AT THIS POINT - as the salvation for the future. Can anybody say Patrik Stefan?

FIRE WADDELL!

By Boulton's Bruisers

February 27, 2008 5:46 PM | Link to this

CC, I have a suspicion that Montreal only traded away Cristobal Huet because they firmly believed they were gonna land Hossa. I believe the rumor was Hossa and Hedberg to MTL. I have a feeling that the deal was in place, and Pittsburgh got in at the last second by offering up that 1st rounder. That’s just my opinion.

Craig, I was wondering if you could elaborate on the reaction of the fans up there when they realized they missed out on this one. Were they upset? I’m sure they were, but I was wondering if you could let is in on what you saw and heard. Thanks!

By Hockeyfan

February 27, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this

Craig thanks for the hard work and great coverage you give us. I like what we picked up but there is at least one person I would have liked to have dumped his $3.5 million salary for this year and next without asking for anything in return other than maybe a 5th round pick in 2012

By Pascal Dupuis

February 27, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this

Suckers.

By Larry from LA

February 27, 2008 5:52 PM | Link to this

As a Thrasher fan from LA, I have to say Don Waddell played this masterfully. He easily could have taken earlier offers to get the trade done, but instead he stayed in the game until the final “shoot-out.”

And, he scored big time. I hope that the trade helps lift the team back into contention this year, but at least it is set for a strong position in 2008. I hope Spirit management recognize this and give him the chance to continue his leadership.

As a long-time LA Kings fan, be glad you have a GM who showed he can get something for his UFA’s. We certainly didn’t improve our team in LA and I look forward to watching Don lead his team back the rest of this year and next.

Good job, DW. You deserve the praise once in a while.

By Sara

February 27, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this

**Boulton’s Bruisers” you can get a pretty good feel for the Montreal reaction by going to the TSN.ca article on the trade. The comments for that article last time I looked were mostly all ticked off Canadiens fans.

By ranallo10

February 27, 2008 6:09 PM | Link to this

Patrick Stefan.

There, I said it…now what happens? Did you have a point?

I can say other names too:

Jeff Jillson, Jani Rita, Denis Shvidki, Oleg Saprykin, Kris Beech

That’s just 1999, want me to go on? Ok:

Alexander Daigle, Pavel Brendl, Blake Wheeler, Petr Taticek, Aki-Petteri Berg, Terry Ryan, Dan Blackburn, Igor Knyazev, Lars Jonsson, Alexandre Volchkov, Daniel Tkaczuk, Michael Henrich

Now that was fun, wasn’t it?!

By HOHOHO Don's Gotta Go!

February 27, 2008 6:09 PM | Link to this

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD - people praising DW? Are you all suffering from some mold induced psychosis from too many hours at Philips? He let Hossa leave. It was his inept Summer “upgrades” that caused this mess. Hoss left because this team stinks and this team stinks for one reason - DW. He’s been here the entire time - not the owners - not the coach (well sorta if you call DW the coach) not the players. There’s two constants - stinky team and stinky GM. If he was a Japanese businessman he’d throw himself on his sword. Hey ASG - I can put together a terrible team and I’ll charge you half what you’re paying Don. Call me.

By T-Bone

February 27, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this

Bob, I agree with your opinion on the whole Hossa matter. I agree DW should have never been in the position to have to deal Hossa. He and Kovy and to a lesser degree Kari were supposed to be the players this franchise was to be built around. Now, we start anew. I try to remind myself the awful mess the Penguins were in 2 years ago and look at them now and can that happen here? Yes, but I’m convinced not with DW calling the shots. As Bob said, no more money from me until another GM is here.

By ranallo10

February 27, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this

Larry from LA — Nagy’s injured, Blake is old (and wouldn’t waive his NTC because he wants to stay in LA)…what other UFAs did you have to get rid of that another team wanted?? Stuart got you a 2nd and 4th round pick, that’s not too shabby.

I’d say all in all LA did fine, they didn’t have Cammalleri coming up for UFA status and saying he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay. They had journeyman Brad Stuart, and got rid of him.

Boulton’s Bruisers — I’m not really sure why he (Gainey) traded Huet, no matter what deal he was expecting in return. I don’t see Hedberg as much of an improvement over Halak or Danis, but Johan does have playoff experience.

I had two thoughts when I saw that trade…perhaps he was anticipating the loss of a high draft pick and wanted to pad the blow with the Capitals pick gained by moving Huet. Or, perhaps he wanted to pressure Atlanta by giving their division rival some assistance, assuming it would light a fire in Waddell’s competitive spirit to feel like he needs to trade to keep up with Washington.

I dunno, but the end result is that he threw away an experienced and solid number 1 goalie for a second round pick…not much of a return in value in my mind.

How about Brandon Bochenski being traded for “future considerations”??? Why not just trade all players for “considerations” as a way to simply move salary? Burke seemed to have gotten around the trade system he’s been complaining about for years.

By chickenhawk

February 27, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this

wow, 2 more goals last night for Sergei Samsonov, a guy Don Waddell passed up on when he was on waivers. you may have laughed at me when i said to grab him, but who’s laughing now? carolina fans love that pickup, i tell you what!

By Thrashy Thrashy

February 27, 2008 6:28 PM | Link to this

I won’t blame Don Waddell for Hossa’s departure. That’s a money issue, not a “I am a GM that has stunted this organization’s growth for years by being, on the whole, a sorry judge of draft talent and free agents” issue. I think Waddell made a good trade. I just hope his successor benefits fully from it.

By Kari Lehtonen

February 27, 2008 6:47 PM | Link to this

Suckers.

By rimbaud

February 27, 2008 7:06 PM | Link to this

Bringing this up because it may be a caution to Waddell about bringing in a former assistant coach who is too enmeshed in “office politics” and because it reminds me of what happened to Hartley (on a grander scale)-John Paddock was fired as Ottawa coach today,accused of “coddling” the little gangster Ray Emery thereby losing the respect of the team which “played with no passion” in the last two weeks. So the colossal whiner Bryan Murray goes back behind the bench because he knows how stroke egos although he doesn’t know how to coach (ask Randy Carlyle who had him for lunch in the finals last year)

By Teacher

February 27, 2008 7:19 PM | Link to this

Habs inside/out site says thanks for not trading that bum Hossa to us. He is a softie, disappears in the playoffs. Maybe Hotlanta can now focus on hockey, as we gave you a beating last night. Keep us posted on the Hee Haw show, as well as other ways to leave your lover, who happens to be a relative, lmao.

By B. Thenet

February 27, 2008 7:52 PM | Link to this

Habs inside/out site has been crying in their poutine all day because they didn’t get Hossa,

By BuzzEng

February 27, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this

Regarding the Canadiens and Hossa: Did anyone see the game last night? It looks to me like they really don’t need him!

By DW

February 27, 2008 9:10 PM | Link to this

Sometimes I like to post under the name Larry from LA.

By kracker

February 27, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this

Now you guys. Unbelievable effort on the blog yesterday. We shattered every record, from page views to comments. The Thrashers blog found itself in the ‘Most Popular Stories’ box on ajc.com, a place usually reserved for Britney Spears, tornadoes and Signing Day. All we were missing were comments from Chipper Jones. Nice work and I really appreciate the interaction.

Take a bow, Craig. You are the biggest reason for the huge surge in popularity of the Thrashers beat-guy blog this year. We very much appreciate your two-way efforts!

Salute!

By kracker

February 27, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this

Craig, forgive me this Thrasher-self-medicine promotion, it’s for a good cause I really believe:

The Thrashers Tank Thread: Operation Stamkos

I couldn’t resist posting it when I found the mailbox tank picture.

By rockdr99

February 27, 2008 10:46 PM | Link to this

Just maybe the owners could read some of this and feel the love and passion that so many of us have for this team — How can they not shake up the top and give us some quality leadership to take us to the next level after we have been spinning our wheels for too long — All they have to lose is the sound of the crickets occupying the empty seats at Philips — I will be keeping my fingers crossed — “Fantastic job, Craig”

By KQuark

February 27, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this

I’m not as upset with the trade as I am with the reason it needed to be made. Face it the Thrashers are far from a playoff team right now. They have a porous defense, inconsistent goalie and only only one proven scorer. Waddell should be fired for having to rebuild the team for what seems to be the fifth time since 2000. I blame Waddell for not having a plan B. The Thrashers are the laughing stock of the league for not having a coach since the first few weeks of the season. If Waddell had hired a coach maybe Hossa would have stayed. Marian may have stayed if we traded for Marcell Hossa. I’m a huge hockey fan and am hugely disgusted.

By Casey

February 28, 2008 1:54 AM | Link to this

I have said this before, but I am sick of hearing about whiny overpaid underachieving athletes wanting to “go play for a winner”. If Hossa was a winner instead of a whiner, he would have played like it and helped this team win this year. Things aren’t going well so he wants to go play for a team that’s already winning. That’s the way losers think. No wonder he always disappears in the playoffs.

Great players make their teams win, not the other way around.

Who do you think played the biggest part in Hartley getting fired?

1 goal in the first 10 games = 0 and 6 = coach fired. The Thrashers still haven’t recovered from that awful start.

Hossa played like he just wasn’t interested all year long. We weren’t playing well with Hossa. What did we have to lose? He was leaving anyway. You can try to blame Waddell for everything that’s wrong in the world, but you can’t sign a player if he won’t sign.

Everything I have heard about Armstrong and Christensen has been good. Everyone says they have character, grit, energy, an d speed. Then you add a young prospect with a lot of potential and a 1st round draft pick. We got all of them for, basically, nothing. We got younger and faster. I am willing to bet the team makes a turnaround with these guys here, and with Hossa and his pouting gone.

I’m also glad we didn’t get rid of the rest of the guys at the end of their contracts. We can still make the playoffs.

By LAC

February 28, 2008 5:16 AM | Link to this

Good job Craig, you were on top of everything tuesday !!!!!!!!

Wonder if at the TB game, last of season… will there be anyone there ?

We are 9 back of Carolina, who has an OWNER and a REAL GM… Maybe, maybe we will have that Great combonation here one day and WE will be WINNERS, as long as we have waddell and asg, we will always be losers !

By GaVaHokie

February 28, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this

TNL… Armstrong is a strong Penalty Killer, apparently, he’ll be taking Dupuis’s place on the PK. That is probably why we included Dupuis in the trade because Pittsburgh was losing one of their best PK’s.

chickenhawk… Samsonov is a LW, we don’t need LW’s.

By Nikita

February 28, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this

Various…

1. Does anyone have any idea who we’re gonna hire as coach?

2. Looking forward to seeing the kids on the ice tonight. I’m hoping that with their additions, we see the team finally make all its recent improvements click and we start winning a few games. Not to mention physically intimidating our opponents. Someone above mentioned that the kids are third-liners…but that’s true now, when they’re very young and on a higher-ranked and more -competitive team.

3. Geneen mentions a very important factor above — the non-playing. Who’s gonna make sarcastic comments and scowl like Popeye the Sailor Man on camera if we let Bobby Holik go? Who’s gonna be dreamy and adorable and Tiger-Beat-pretty if we release Hedberg? Will we ever get another dead ringer for Buzz Lightyear if we lose Klee? The gold standard for me would be a player who is pretty, a poor english speaker, and can do the equivalent of the Denis Lemieux interview from “Slap Shot” — “you go in box, feel shame.”

4. I’d like to point out, though, that even by these completely lax standards, Zhitnik is a total bust. Speaking of which, when is Zhitnik being sent down?

By FormerIslesFan

February 28, 2008 9:21 AM | Link to this

CC,

I think just about everything that can be said has, so I’ll just keep my post short and say Thank You for all the hard work; both over the course of the season and through the Deadline Day madness!

Now…who will be at the Isles game tonight to watch the new kids play?!? I will…

By Smoooothie

February 28, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

FIF — Word life! Craig is the bomb…too bad the ajc gives him a shoddy budget and he can’t travel more with the team. Then again, his wife probably appreciates that!

I’ll be there tonight…6 rows from the ice behind the net. I might even drink a beer with rabid fan tonight…cuz I’m crazy like that!

By ilyak

February 28, 2008 10:09 AM | Link to this

I just can’t wait to watch the trash get worse. I bet we finnish dead last in the standings. Oh that would be so exciting because we would get a good draft pick. Oh how exciting this team is. If we make the same progress the next 9yrs as we did the first 9yrs we will be in last place. Oh so exciting.

By John Stamkos

February 28, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

Don’t worry about trying to get me…. DWAD would just leave me in the system for 7 years before you even see me.

By Don (Not that one)

February 28, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this

Hats off to you Craig, you live and breathe hockey (like a lot of us). From the sounds of most of the comments we all realize the season is done. We’ll win a few, it will be good to see the new guys in the lineup, but there is no way we’ll climb back to the top of the southeast.

Tell you what next time that Hack Schultz decides to write about hockey, do us a favor and cross check him into the corner of his cubicle so we don’t have to waste the paper.

Operation Tank sounds like the plan. Hey at least we made the Playoffs once more than Columbus, and we aren’t on our third total rebuild Yet.

By Southside Rob

February 28, 2008 11:32 AM | Link to this

I am an Atlanta native who has just become a hockey fanantic with my son over this past season. I love to read all of the posts here and learn more. My biggest fear is that the team will pick up and move in the future. I hope the fan support will continue to grow and prevent this from ever happening.

By Brendan

February 28, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this

Perhaps forgetten in all this “trade deadline hoopla” is this: Brett Sterling, Ondrej Pavelec, Colin Stuart, Nathan Oystrick, Grant Lewis, Darren Haydar, Joel Kwiatkowski, Jason Krog, and Boris Valabik remain in the Thrashers organization. We didn’t lose a one of them.

If you ask me, that’s a good thing. Well, uhh, except for Haydar and Krog being pending UFAs. Also, RFA Mark Popovic remained a Thrasher. That’s another plus.

With all these players “surviving” the deadline, it does make me wonder if the ASG has renewed Don Waddell’s contract. Doesn’t it?

Southside Rob, welcome to the blog and to hockey fandom. But rest assured, the Thrashers won’t be leaving anytime soon. The soonest it could even be discussed … is in 13-14 years, when the lease is up on Philips Arena. So, no worries. If you want to effect change, vote with your wallet. If Target sold crappy merchandise that no one wanted, it would clear the shelves and buy some that will sell. The ASG is getting that message.

By Rob

February 28, 2008 11:56 AM | Link to this

Craig, excellent job. Don Waddell please quit. I don’t want to hear about ownership anymore (yes it is a problem). The bigger issue is the fact that Don Waddell cannot draft or run this franchise. He has virtually NO talent in Atlanta, Chicago and in Gwinnett. How is that possible? High draft picks for 8 years and not ONE solid d man? Every single year we go into the season saying our Defense is weak and every single year Waddell has not addressed it? This is a gutless team and coach. I’m tired of watching teams take liberties and seeing Waddell NOT send Bolten out. Is Bolten going to win every fight, no, but at least we send some kind of message. Instead we look like the ugly sisters in the NHL and don’t do anything about it. I could care less about this trade. The hard truth about the Thrashers is that until Waddell is gone, they will NEVER be a consistant winner. This franchise is not much better than it was as an expansion. How much rope can Waddell have? I believe Hartley got fired for this team showing no fire. Has anyone seen the current team go out there? NO FIRE, no passion, NOTHING. I wish I could do a horrible job at my place of work for 8 years and still get paid a LOT of money. Unacceptable. Waddell and the Thrashers are a prime example of why this town is labeled as not a sports town. SAD. Ilya will be gone as soon as he can. Thanks Don. Loser.

By will it ever change

February 28, 2008 12:00 PM | Link to this

Southside Rob,

Fan support would not be a problem if the organization was run correctly. Sure, it will be a little exciting to watch the new guys tonight but eventually all fans tire of watching a bunch of third liners get their brains beat in night after night. Hustle only goes so far. At some point you have to have skill and the organization has had ample time to develop the talent that has been drafted. They have failed to develop the young talent and have failed to make good free agent signings. The organization needs a new direction but with the current ownership in the state it is I fail to see a new direction coming anytime soon.

By Thorburn's Thugs

February 28, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

Kwiatkowski and Zhitnik need to sit. D-Pairings should be:

Havelid—Enstrom
Exelby—McCarthy
Popovic—Klee

Really, Kiwi should be sent back down. We don’t have room for him here.

An alternative plan could be sit Klee for the first time and go with the Pop-O-Zhit pair.

By GaVaHokieHawk

February 28, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this

chickenhawk… Samsonov is a LW, we don’t need LW’s.

Dude, just admit it! I was right, you and the crappy GM you keep making excuses for were wrong!

You crack me up man. No clue yet, still? Amazing.

By off the post

February 28, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this

“Brett Sterling, Ondrej Pavelec, Colin Stuart, Nathan Oystrick, Grant Lewis, Darren Haydar, Joel Kwiatkowski, Jason Krog, and Boris Valabik Mark Popovic…With all these players “surviving” the deadline, it does make me wonder if the ASG has renewed Don Waddell’s contract. Doesn’t it?”

With all these players in the Thrashers organization that we should be happy to still have it makes me wonder why so many people say that Don Waddell can’t judge talent. What gives? Can our GM scout talent or no? If so many guys are as good as you say they are then why are we trying so hard to say he can’t draft?

By Alan

February 28, 2008 12:11 PM | Link to this

Really, Kiwi should be sent back down. We don’t have room for him here.

Disagree. Sit Ex, keep Kiwi.

By j nes

February 28, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

sorry to get off topic but I see that direct TV has a Sports South HD channel in its line-up. They do not have any programming scheduled yet. Does anyone know if they are going to start broadcasting Thrashers in HD or is this just going to be for the Braves? I hope we can get some HD hockey, it will make it a little easier to NOT renew my season tix after this years disaster.

Note to Waddell: You said that by being 6 million under the cap at the beggining of the season you would have the “flexibility” to make moves during the season that could improve the team. The season is over, you spent none of the money that you said you would and this team sucks. I want to give you a pass because I do think you have a horrible ownership group to deal with—but either you lied to the fans about spending money or ASG lied to you about being able to spend money. If you lied to the fans then I want you gone and my money back, and if ASG lied to you, why would you want to stay? Either way I hope we have a new GM and coach by next year. Don, you let the Hossa situation sink this team and maybe your career. Why you decided that you could handle the duties of being a GM and coach will continue to baffle me, especially considering that dealing with Hossa/Winters was a full time job in itself. There is no way you had enough time and brains to coach a struggling team and handle a superstar UFA situation and the teams record proves that. You did not delagate. You did not give this team an identity or a system to play in. You failed and lost a season ticket holder, but the Thrashers have not lost this fan.

lets get’em next year blue

By NoNoNo

February 28, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

SportSouth HD has been available all year. A few Hawks games have been available in HD, but most are not. NO Thrahsers games have been available in HD and the organization said early that NONE would be available this season. Should anybody be surprised?

NO Thrashers coverage in the paper today. One day after a major trade you would think there would be reaction and comments not to mention substance on potential new lines. But the AJC decides to devote 0% to coverage. Should anybody be surprised?

Enjoy hockey while you can in Atlanta. With poor ownership, management without vision and media without interest hockey can not be sustained in this town.

By Alan

February 28, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

My biggest fear is that the team will pick up and move in the future.

Not happening. Not anytime soon. Probably not ever. I’ve addressed this fear in the past, as well as above in this very comment section.

Though I have to disagree with people who say we just shouldn’t go to games if we suck. I’ll always continue to go to games. If people don’t show up en masse to see the games, that just means I can buy a cheap ticket and move down to the 100s to enjoy a closer view while they sit at home and pout about how bad the team is.

Maybe I’ll buy season tickets in the nosebleeds next season just so I can “upgrade” my seats on-the-fly.

By FlamesFan

February 28, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this

I’d like to use this opportunity to give Sterling a chance. This natural goal scorer needs NHL experience.

By Southside Rob

February 28, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Again, I must say I a new, so please bear with me, but I have a question. In football, there are different styles of play (i.e. West Coast Offense, Vertical passing offense, Run oriented offense) and I am sure there are the same nuances in hockey.

Are their terms for different styles of play and a team that would be associated with this particular style so I can watch and learn? Thanks.

By Craig Custance

February 28, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Everybody, thanks for the nice comments. Smoothie - Don’t blame the AJC if I don’t make a roadtrip, that’s them just giving me a breather and sending Carroll Rogers. The paper hasn’t missed a road game, and even spent a nice chunk of change sending me to North Bay for a preseason game. In an era of cutbacks at newspapers, I’m proud to work at a paper totally committed to covering its local teams.

By moo

February 28, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this

Exelby needs to be exiled out of Atlanta as soon as possible. He is THE WORST. Out of position, no fighting, can’t control the puck, useless piece of meat.

Get a haircut and a real name. GARNETT??? Sounds like a girl from “Gone With the Wind.”

By ZB

February 28, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

Nice to see that your ownership gives you the support you need, Craig.

The franchise isn’t leaving town anytime soon unless it’s bought by ownership that is hell bent on moving them.

As far as DW’s talent evaluation. I’d rate him a B- or C.

My evaulation of DW’s tenure would sort of go like this:

On the plus side, there’s Heatley, Kovy, Kari, picking up Savard when no one wanted him, Dupuis, Bellanger, and getting Tkachuk and Zhit at the deadline.

On the negative side there’s Stefan, letting the likes of Burnette, Donovan, Cowan, and Pothier slip away, signing Todd White, re-signing Kozzie, and the Hossa debacle.

There are migating circumstances to some of the moves. like…Savard didn’t play a lick of D when he was here and Hartley hated that and DW couldn’t see spending that kind of scratch for a one way guy. Bad Move?In retrospect, probably.

Then there’s the things that DW had little control over that have hurt the organization. The Snyder tragedy and Heatley’s subsequent trade, Hossa not wanting to stay (I don’t know if you can solely hang that on Don - the owners are responsible for the cap constraints) And, how could you predict Zhitnik’s total fall off and Kozzie’s poor effort this year?

And, the jury is still out on the kids and the new acqusitions.

I can’t completely bash DW like some of the voices here. Besides, he is a heck of a nice man. So, I really would like him to succeed, but I’m also tired of waiting and feeling like we’ve taken a huge step back this week.

By Tony C.

February 28, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this

Yeah people don’t get Craig fired-he’s the best Hockey journalist this paper’s had. Ever.

That being said, it would’ve been nice to see an inch or two At least at the top of the sports section

By GT Jacket

February 28, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

I want to know what happened to Dupuis. Seriously, everybody is talking to and about Hossa. It’s Hossa this and Hossa that. He wasnt the only one that got traded.

By David

February 28, 2008 2:07 PM | Link to this

Not to get too far ahead of myself, but if we could compile a list of centers and defenceman who will be free agents during the offseason, that’d be great. I’m curious to know what the market is going to be like

By paul

February 28, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this

Anyone what the lines will be for tonight’s game?

By Joshgekko

February 28, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this

David nhlnumbers.com

By off the post

February 28, 2008 2:51 PM | Link to this

“On the negative side there’s…re-signing Kozzie”

I can’t believe this. Everyone on this blog wanted Waddell’s head on a platter for not signing Kozzy quick enough last summer. Now you want him fired for it? I am not a Waddellite but I am not a Waddell hater either. One thing I can say for sure is that the Waddellites at least have consistency. The Waddell haters say he’s a bad drafter one day but then complain that our prospects aren’t