Thrashers

By Brendan

June 12, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this

Holik should not be re-signed.

By Brendan

June 12, 2008 5:58 PM | Link to this

Not even at a discount should Holik be re-signed.

By ranallo10

June 12, 2008 5:59 PM | Link to this

Knobler — You’re outdoing yourself, save some energy for the month of July.

Re: Holik — You’re a great faceoff man, one of the best in the game. You have the constant ability to get into an opponents head with your hard checks and goading. Your defensive responsibility and awareness should be an model to all two-way centers. Thank you for your time in Atlanta, and good luck with your next team. I hope to never again see you in Atlanta blue, for the teams sake (and for yours too).

By Thrasher Ryan

June 12, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this

See you later Terminator Holik. Thanks for the years here, and have fun on the Devils when you re-sign there. You are no longer needed here.

By Buzzeng

June 12, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this

Bobby was a good player for the Thrashers, but not a good captain. Keeping him next year and demoting him from captaincy would be “un-good” (to borrow a favorite RH phrase) for Bobby. Too bad his faceoff skills went to waste - who, on the Thrashers, could he feed them to? Good luck, Bobby - we’ll be following you wherever you play.

By Mike Knobler

June 12, 2008 6:58 PM | Link to this

ranallo10

Thanks. Actually, I’m taking some vacation in the month of July. I don’t think you’ll read much from me the second half of that month.

By kracker

June 12, 2008 7:24 PM | Link to this

Buzzeng Eric Christensen is a good faceoff man. He should be happy to be getting back to centering for the Thrash instead of having to play wing for the Pens.

Mike Come on, you can bang out a couple of sentences on your Blackberry from the beach chair…if the mood should strike you :)

Enjoy it, wherever you are going.

By RS

June 12, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this

Yeah, don’t let the door hit you in the a* there Holik….

I was hoping that link was about Nikulin. Esposito is getting the definite aroma of a bust around him.

By Robert

June 12, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this

Good riddance Bobby Holik.

I really don’t know what happened to Esposito. Three or so years ago, there was so much hype, somehow he just fell down to a bust.

By B. Thenet

June 12, 2008 9:29 PM | Link to this

I think I know what Mike’s other story is, we are already set at one position for next year.

I kind of hope Esposito doesn’t make the Thrashers this summer. I think a year of basking in the glow of Montreal hockey worship, and facing the daily pressures to perform that come with it, will do the young man some good. Let’s see what kind of leadership skills he has. I also like the idea of him joining an expansion franchise in the Q. Again, it will hopefully prepare him for his future home in Atlanta.

By Bobby Fan

June 12, 2008 9:44 PM | Link to this

The way this franchise treats quality veterans it will be a wonder if any great leaders would come to play for the Thrashers. I can only hope the ones who are here already (Slava), or the ones who may not be around for long(Rex & Hedberg) will stick around. They dropped Mel after he retired and now are letting Bobby slip away too. If you don’t respect the guys who have “been there and won it” who will be our leaders? You just see that they’re older. Ilya’s great, but he still has some deepening to do. The Red Wings showed this year that when it comes down to it, age and experience CAN win against youth and passion.

As for Bobby, I’m not sure why folks turned on him so badly this year—he is an amazing, strong, smart player. Not perfect, mind you, but SOLID. If you expect a team to be a contender for the cup you can’t build it on young guys with no lineage. So sorry for those of you who didn’t like Bobby’s way of saying what he thought. He was always as hard on himself as he was on the team. For a different, grittier, more responsible type of team he would have been a great captain. We can’t blame our dysfunctional ownership and coaching situation and (sometimes lackadaisical) team on him. I wish Bobby Holik nothing but the best of luck and the happiest of situations wherever he goes.

By kracker

June 12, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this

Thrashers resign Hedberg. Hmmmm….

By B. Thenet

June 12, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this

Bobby Fan, sometimes you do get what you hope for ;)

I agree with you on Holik, sure he took too many penalties, and he was probably too vocal in the press with some of his concerns, but I think he got a raw deal from too many fans. He was one of the few players who never mailed it in down the stretch, and who knows what could have happened if they gave him a shot with Kovy and Thorburn earlier in the season. Playing with Ilya brought out the best in Holik.

By Bobby Fan

June 12, 2008 10:12 PM | Link to this

B. Thenet, do you mean Recchi and Hedberg are staying? I was just looking at last year’s roster and wondering who our “rock” is going to be…

By ToF

June 12, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this

Holik needs to go to make room for a future shutdown center. We have Lavalee (not sure if he is a natural center) and Holzapfel getting geard to go next year or the year after. I liked Holik, but his penalties were poorly timed and he was all around ineffective this year. Whether that is his playing or simply a product of being on a team that doesn’t care is debatable (I tend to lean towards the latter), but the fact remains that he isn’t all that welcome in the city of Atlanta any more. Here’s to a good last year or two back in Jersey, Bobby. Kanpai!

By ranallo10

June 12, 2008 11:00 PM | Link to this

[Holik] was one of the few players who never mailed it in down the stretch

Of course he didn’t, he mailed it in at the BEGINNING of the season, so that his old legs wouldn’t tire out by the END of the season. Lazy is lazy, doesn’t matter when it rears its head.

One of the things that infuriated me about Holik was his penchant to take the most costly penalties EVERY time it mattered. If it wasn’t a clear up the ice that missed every piece of glass, or an untimely hook because he was too slow to be in position…he always found a way to make the last few minutes of a game exciting. That’s not to say he was ALONE in this skill, but he definitely stood out due to the C on his chest and the $ in his bank account.

And did anybody else notice how the team floundered once Holik had the Captaincy, and the rumor of discord in the locker room came out this year (Boulton blew up on Holik once, if I remember correctly), but not in years past?

So perhaps Holik’s attitude didn’t just rub the media or some fans raw, but maybe it bothered his teammates too.

But to be fair, he did his job well in Atlanta. He was miscast as a top line center (aren’t ALL Atlanta centers?), when in reality he’s a checking line center at best. He got paid more than he was worth. It’s not his fault…but I’m not crying myself to sleep knowing Holik WONT be on the team next year.

By TRON

June 12, 2008 11:16 PM | Link to this

TIME TO TRADE LETEMIN TO THE LA KINGS………..MOOSE JUST RE-SIGNED……….SEND LETEMIN/SLATER TO LA KINGS FOR #2 PICK………DO IT………..

By ToF

June 12, 2008 11:31 PM | Link to this

Oh yeah, brilliant freakin idea Tron. After all, LA doesn’t have Johnathan Bernier in their system or anything. Not to mention, why on earth would they pass up a chance to get a franchise defenseman (something they need almost as badly as us)? No way they take that trade, especially if Slater is the sweetener. Not to mention, why on earth would you throw away a franchise goaltender? He was about the only person who still wanted to play hockey down the strech, long after his team mailed it in prior to the trad deadline. Say what you will about the kids mental touhgness or focus, the fact remains that he faces more shots in one game than a lot of ‘tenders have to in two. Give the kid some D and watch the magic.

By R. Stroz

June 12, 2008 11:56 PM | Link to this

Since we are rid of Holik and Rucchin, can we get Zhitnik off the books too (please, God, please).

Then again without Holik and Zhitnik, who would I scream you suck at the entire game?

Silly me, CHARMIN YOU SUCK

By NASCAR Dave

June 13, 2008 1:01 AM | Link to this

HEY - Does anyone know the length and terms of Hedberg’s deal? Bueller???

By LAC

June 13, 2008 1:31 AM | Link to this

Yes I agree 100% with Brenden, Holik does NOT need to be in Atlanta anymore.

This Espo kid seems to love Montreal, are we just a stepping stone ?

Lastly, it almost seems the Thrashers have moved, have they ? Not one word about a coach, not one word about a NEW GM and not a word on who we can sign THAT WILL make a difference here.

I believe there is a window of a week coming up where teams can buyout players, maybe zit/klee/larsen/white can all go away, would be a step in the right direction… albeit a small one.

But what is THE Village Idiot waddell up to ? I bet even he does not know his own intentions, a SAD state of affairs here in Atlanta… Could the Sprint Center in KC be that far away if these owners do not turn it around, fire waddell, get in some WINNING solid NHL players and make a run at it… They Need to… NO Season Tickets for me the past two seasons, when waddell goes I might reup… But men might land on Mars first… Right ?

By R. Stroz

June 13, 2008 2:21 AM | Link to this

If Esposito wants to play in Snowfarmer land, here’s my crazy late night idea:

1) Trade Esposito to Montreal for their 25th draft pick in the first round.

2) Trade our the 25th and 29th draft picks in the first round to a team with a top 14 draft pick in the first round to pick up another good D-Man.

Just a thought.

By R. Stroz

June 13, 2008 2:34 AM | Link to this

If Esposito wants to play in Snowfarmer land, here’s my crazy late night idea:

1) Trade Esposito to Montreal for their 25th draft pick in the first round and a RFA or Hamilton Bulldog prospect. Then again, DW may have burned some bridges with Gainey.

2) Trade our the 25th and 29th draft picks in the first round to a team with a top 14 draft pick in the first round to pick up another good D-Man.

Just a thought.

By Tony C.

June 13, 2008 4:11 AM | Link to this

Found this check out the 10th paragraph or so.

By Jarndyce

June 13, 2008 7:40 AM | Link to this

Not making an effort at all to re-sign Holik just shows the managerial ineptitude throughout the Thrashers organization.

I think Holik is one of the top shut-down centers of his generation, and a great addition to a team that has real 1st- and 2nd-line centers. But he absolutely had to be traded at the deadline especially if there was going to be no attempt to sign him to a new contract. An asset—whether a second or third or any pick at all—was lost in order to have a month of Holik’s contribution to a team that had less than a 5% chance of making the playoffs.

By kracker

June 13, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this

Yep…more confirmation of how we think it is: “Many believe DeBoer is the best coach outside the NHL. The Atlanta Thrashers considered speaking with him as well, but sources say they’ve virtually settled on hiring Chicago Wolves coach John Anderson, who won an AHL championship on Tuesday.”

By ToF

June 13, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this

LAC Kansas City has trouble supporting a professional baseball team that has been there for god knows how many years; there isn’t a snowballs chance that any team that gets moved their survives. Then again, Bettman doesn’t much care about the success of the teams so…
Jarndyce Very true, we should have moved him at the deadline. I heard rumors that Jersey offered John Madden for him; which is pretty much the dumbest trade to turn down I’ve heard in a while.

The final ISS rankings for this draft have been released and the top are as follows: Stamkos, Bogosian, Filatov, Doughty, and Peterangelo. Why do I have this sickening feeling that DW picks another undersized left winger and laughs as what we need most gets ignored again.

By Bob

June 13, 2008 9:13 AM | Link to this

Is there any doubt left that Don Waddell is the most incompetent GM in the league?

I’ve known it for years but I have a feeling that those that have supported him are finally waking up and seeing the stark reality of this situation.

By Midfield

June 13, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this

Frankly, I am surprised to see Holik bashing here coming from the same crowd bent on unconditional kissing Hossa’s rear. Bobby had his bad moments but at least he never resorted to covert sabotage. Losers’ culture prevalent in this city explains a lot of what’s happened to this franchise.

By Ben

June 13, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this

we could always use more scoring. remember, unless they go deep into the playoffs we should all be pondering life after kovy. filitov is probably a good pick but i would like to see a scoring d-man. but then everyone would. i do think they have a shot at springtime hockey if they all pull together. hopefully, this team gets sold soon so payroll increases.

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

I’ve known it for years but I have a feeling that those that have supported him are finally waking up and seeing the stark reality of this situation.

I’m still not worried… we’re two days away from when normal negotiations take place. Everything that’s been going on around the league the last week or two has been premature. You can’t even buy out player contracts until the 15th.

Has Boston signed any RFA’s? Toronto, Ottawa, Detroit, Dallas, San Jose…??

Having a coach ready before the draft?…

Even Ron Wilson said he wouldn’t have much input in the Maple Leafs draft this year, and said that most coaches around the league don’t have much to say in regards to the draft.

Waddell had an interview established with McLellan, it’s not Don’s fault the guy canceled on him… everybody’s getting what they want anyway, John Anderson… what’s with all the crying?

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this

If memory serves me correctly, Steve McCarthy and Brad Larsen were our first resigning last summer and that was on June 22nd.

By Brendan

June 13, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

Truthfully, I wish Bobby Holik the best of luck in what is probably the final contract of his career. He’s thirty-WHAT now? For a contending team, adding an affordably priced Bobby Holik as a 3rd or 4th line center might not be a bad move.

But is Holik what the Thrashers need now? The team, despite claims to the contrary, is in rebuilding mode. Picking 3rd overall in a draft is a pretty strong indicator of that.

Raise your hand if you think, honestly, that the Thrashers are only a player or two away from contending for the Cup, like Kovalchuk wants? Speak up, now. Make your voices heard.

By PW

June 13, 2008 11:37 AM | Link to this

Making someone captain of the Thrashers means they are leaving.

Holik did the job he was asked to do well. He was on the checking line and not a scoring line. When on the scoring line he made it happen. He said what needed to be said. He is respected in the NHL. Notice how many times he is in the doucumentries about hockey and the cup. I wish Bobby well. He has a lot of experience to pass on to young players.

Brendan, it is worse than a rebuilding mode. Pittsburg talked about how they saved Dupis’ career by getting him out of Atlanta. I bet the reason it has taken so long to get started on the coaching selection is the lack of coaches who agreed to interview.

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this

Congrats Mike… your story on Bobby Holik made TSN

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this

Pittsburg talked about how they saved Dupis’ career by getting him out of Atlanta

I would disagree… I think Atlanta saved his career. And he’s benefiting in Pittsburg because of it.

Raise your hand if you think, honestly, that the Thrashers are only a player or two away from contending for the Cup, like Kovalchuk wants? Speak up, now. Make your voices heard.

Honestly, I think this team has fielded two contending line-ups… 2005-06, and of course last years team.

If not for injuries to Lehtonen and Bondra, I think that 05-06 team could have done well if they could have snuck into the 8th spot.

I still blame last year on coaching… horrible goalie rotation, being overly-aggressive and getting sucked into Sean Avery tactics killed them.

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this

I’ll gladly take Holik back in March for the late season push to the playoffs.

By Brendan

June 13, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this

PW, I’m sure Pascal Dupuis was thrilled to be part of the Hossa trade deadline move. Had he stayed, would he have have gotten any Stanley Cup Finals experience, here in Atlanta?

Yes, he would have. It’s Dupuis’ fault we didn’t make the playoffs, win the Eastern Conference, and lose to Detroit in the Finals.

I jest. I tease. I kid. I do that sometimes. I’m happy for Dupuis. I hope he gets to stay with a contender like Pittsburgh. If not, he will get to hit the open market to choose his next team. It’s got to be exciting for a player to watch teams bid on him. In the Holik article by Knobler, and as linked by Hokie at TSN, Holik says he hasn’t closed any doors with the Thrashers. What could possibly make Holik want to stay here? Even if he did stay, he isn’t necessarily assured of the Captaincy next season. If the Thrashers have any illusions of grandeur of keeping Kovalchuk, they should at least bestow the Captain’s “C” on his sweater. He’s just, ya know, the face of the franchise and represents their best shot at one day hoisting a Cup.

By Brendan

June 13, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

Hokie, I agree with you on the 2005-06 team. That team had good potential, with a healthy Lehtonen and healthy Pasi Nurminen. It was six games under .500 at Christmas 2005 and just missed the playoffs by two-points. To me, there’s little debate that it would have been a playoff team that year, barring the groin injuries to Lehtonen, Shields, Dunham, and Michael Garnett. I wouldn’t even rule out pulling off a first round upset. The only goalie to escape the dredded groin injury that year was Adam Berkhoel.

But as we head into the 2008-09 season, are we just a player or two away from contending for the Cup, Hokie? Beeee honest. It’s not a loaded question. It’s a fair question.

Is the proper course of action to use this draft to reload, or is it to sell off draft picks for existing NHL players who are under a longterm contract? Or RFA-type players? Yes, like a Jeff Carter, if you prefer.

Personally, I’d rather draft our players, cultivate them, and sign them. Then hopefully re-sign them when they are RFAs. The alternative is to ask someone who we didn’t draft and who didn’t choose to come to our market freely, to play out an existing contract, meant for another market. Most players act like professionals and put forth the best effort that they can. But, a demoralized player often cannot hide that fact. Who does their best work when they are demoralized??

By Mike Knobler

June 13, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

Good debate going on here. I’m just posting to see if my name comes up in blue yet. Either way, please carry on.

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

But as we head into the 2008-09 season, are we just a player or two away from contending for the Cup, Hokie? Beeee honest. It’s not a loaded question. It’s a fair question.

I’d say yes… but not one or two players, more like 3 or 4 considering we have $18 million available this summer… will we spend that on Brian Campbell caliber players, or split that up into 10 guys who will ultimately fuel the minors like Jesse Schultz, Alexandre Giroux, etc.

The situation is different this summer… last year, we shopped for role players… this summer, we’re shopping for key contributors to replace Holik, Hossa and hopefully Zhitnik… And Rucchin, who never was.

By Smoothie

June 13, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

Mike — it worked!! Good work so far, you’re already giving Custance a run for his money.

RStroz — love your idea about how to trade up for another solid D man. To hell with Filatov, we need defensemen STAT!

ranallo — could not have summed up my sentiment (and most rational fans’ sentiment) regarding Franken-Bobby any better. Tis time for him to go, but you’re right, his coasting early on in the year probably made it harder to trade him at the deadline. But if we did get an offer from the Devils for Madden, then Waddell should be fired at once!

By B. Thenet

June 13, 2008 1:26 PM | Link to this

I would rather have Holik off the books than be on the hook to Madden for 1 more year at over $3 million/year

By Buzilla in CT

June 13, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this

The Madden for Holik rumors were and are false. Big Lou said that was never a possibilty. It was that internet hack that started the rumor.

Nobody is that stupid not to trade an old Holik (who I really liked by the way and who I hope we do resign at a huge discount) for a younger Selke finalist in Madden

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this

I think the most that was being offered for Holik at the deadline was mid-round draft picks.

I guess my June 13th coaching announcement isn’t going to hold up… it might have held up if McLellan had interviewed… oh well.

Is anyone still in the running?

By Buzilla in CT

June 13, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this

I am. I said they will hire Anderson before the start of the season

By Smoothie

June 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

Yep GVH, I called Tuesday, 6/17 at 11 am…is that precise enough for you? Press conference that is. Prolly get leaked to the Knob runner on Monday tho. And I wouldn’t doubt that Hedberg has signed already, especially if the Thrash offered him two more years to finish out his career on his own terms. Never bad to have too much insurance at Goalie.

By Brendan

June 13, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

What if the team were headed in the right direction and you could re-sign Madden at $3 million per year? Then would you rather have Holik or Madden?

By GaVaHokie

June 13, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this

Today is actually a rare Friday the 13th, because it actually is Friday, June 13th which was the actual date that Jason drowned in Crystal Lake… and yes it’s hockey related because he wore a hockey mask. :)

By Tony C.

June 13, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this

I got until 5pm.

By Hip Czech

June 13, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this

I’d say yes… but not one or two players, more like 3 or 4

This is the offseason where we can possibly get 3 or 4 players. We have the cap room and maybe, just maybe, we get some production from players we have been hearing about in Chicago the last few years.

IF we can sign a top line UFA defenseman (this seems to be the strongest position of UFAs), and if we possibly can trade for a top 2 line forward (preferably a top line center, which is a BIG if) and then either sign a second line D UFA or another second line forward UFA THEN this team has a shot at the maybe sneaking into the playoffs.

Personally, I don’t want to see us sign any UFA over the age of 28 (or trade for anyone over the age of 28). If y’all are thinking that this team is one or two veteran players away from the cup then they have been putting something in the Atlanta water system.

We could start (yet again) building a decent nucleus of Kovalchuk, Enstrom, Lehtonen or Pavelec, Little, couple decent YOUNG UFA signings and a couple draft picks this year. Then maybe in a year or two we can talk about adding a veteran piece here or there.

Of course, all of this is going to be dependent on getting a coach in here who has a plan and can utilize personnel.

By Andy S

June 13, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this

Brendan/Hokie: We’re more than 3-4 players away, I think we’re 3-4 defensemen away. No offense to Christensen, but we still don’t have a proven center for Kovy either.

By ToF

June 13, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this

Just read a report saying Pete Deboer has left the Kitchner Rangers for a NHL head coaching position. Could we finally have our coach or are our hopes going to be dashed again when he signs with someone else?

By ToF

June 13, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

Well, turns out the Panthers hired him. Hopefully ATL will stop stalling and anouce Anderson sometime in teh near future. He seems about the only serious option left.

By R. Stroz

June 13, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this

Today is actually a rare Friday the 13th, because it actually is Friday, June 13th which was the actual date that Jason drowned in Crystal Lake… and yes it’s hockey related because he wore a hockey mask. :)

GaVaHokie - That is great stuff.

Smoothie - There was a deadline of June 6th at 5:00 PM on naming the “coach pool” date. I didn’t remember your entry before then; but, then again as my wife often says, “you’re wrong dear.”

By ranallo10

June 13, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this

ToF — DeBoer has been named as the new head coach of the Florida Panthers.

By Brendan

June 13, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this

Andy S., I think we’re at least 3-4 players away. If Atlanta were seriously in a position to land a free agent the caliber of Brian Campbell, Wade Redden, etc. Then our cap room would be relevant. We’d be lucky to get Rozsival and Streit, at this point. Although, with Rozsival having offseason hip surgery, maybe we’ve got an even better shot at him!

By Tony C.

June 13, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this

Stop that Brendan…too much sarcasm this early in the weekend has negative effects.

I see where Vrbata is looking for a new deal-I think he’s not a bad choice to plug in for some scoring zip-this would assume that M. Ryder is not available. I have heard that the big knock on Esposito is that he felt somewhat entitled, and didn’t like who he was assigned for linemates and then sulked.

He certainly realizes that he has damaged his stock, and if for nothing else other than selfish reasons, we should get good to above-average results from the kid.