Thrashers

By Mike Knobler

December 5, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this

BTW, I’d just finished typing the above when I realized I should have added that Kovalchuk played with a lot of energy on the Canadian swing and was carrying the puck all over the place. He made a great pass to Reasoner on Tuesday and made the move that led to Thorburn’s seven-seconds-from-the-previous-goal goal.

By Jamie Fehr

December 5, 2008 9:15 PM | Link to this

good point mike. if everybody cared like Ilya does, they would win more games

By Barry

December 5, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

Just bothers me Kovy can’t seem to hit the net anymore. Isn’t he supposed to be this pinpoint sniper??? It’s great he’s doing better at passing, but his scoring is cut in half at least if not more than previous years, and also his defense leaves much to be desired. He really needs to work on his all around game.

By Tony C.

December 5, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

Barry

I would be willing to bet a lot of the shots he’s taking that don’t reach the net are being blocked because our PP is so predictable.

We need to present other looks than #17 on the left point and a bunch of perimeter passing to set up his one-timer.

By stendec

December 6, 2008 12:08 AM | Link to this

Hi Mike. How is purgatory? Much of what follows was posted earlier elsewhere (forgive me). I cannot improve on it at this time. Happy holidays friend. Kiss my a+s apologists! Guess how I voted in poll? Well, here goes…I called out Kari Lehtonen (Sori Letemin) as a washed up overrated quitter long ago and was lambasted for those views. The untalented Finn oxygen waste has been out of the lineup with phantom injuries which is fine with me because he is no damn good anyway. I like Ilya Kovalchuk but I have been watching him like a hawk this season. The Russian fails to finish plays (score goals) and is normally skating at a third speed compared to past seasons. Old Bafs Are Packed actually appeared to slow up against Ottawa when he had a partial breakaway opporunity. I witnessed this myself. Very unlike IK but very much like Maryann Hossa. IK is one man. IK has potential but is not producing. He appears to have lost his fire. It is obvious to those not looking through blue colored glasses that he yearns to be elsewhere. Three or four hungry average players would be a good trade bargain. Truth will never sway IK worshippers any more than Sorry Letemin apologists.

By Brendan

December 6, 2008 2:23 AM | Link to this

Mike Knobler, I still think Kovalchuk is Atlanta’s best player. And I still think of him as the “best pure sniper” in the league. And I certainly think he’s the player around which to continue to build the franchise. But when the Atlanta Thrashers roll into town, it’s not as if we’re four lines deep, with balanced scoring. What’s the other team’s game plan, when it comes to the Atlanta Thrashers?

Still thinking?

Try this one on: “Shut down Kovalchuk.” I feel for the guy. He’s got passion. He’s got intensity. But, to some, he’s labelled a “quitter,” because the other team’s 22 skaters are all squarely focused on him. Half the time, Kovy has to be his own enforcer. Who, exactly, has got his back?

Boulton? Thorburn? Ex? It’s getting harder and harder to remember the last time these guys decisively won a bout. In the Leafs game, Kovy wound up dropping the gloves with Ian White, after White had repeatedly been harrassing him. (And Kovy right back at him, too.) But it’s beyond ridiculous that anyone breathes on Kovalchuk unanswered.

By dhj_1962

December 6, 2008 6:47 AM | Link to this

if opie aint ready(he’s not) and moose can’t get the job done(he aint) and Kari is just plain sorry(i don’t think he is, but can’t argue with his numbers)and no one wants to play in ATL.(top line free agents) what to do? I know what i’d do if i owned them….MOVE…MOVE….MOVE

By truehockeyfan

December 6, 2008 8:19 AM | Link to this

Win baby Win. this is what this team needs right now. They have been so close only to make a mental mistake that cost them the game. We have a good coaching staff as evidence of the championships JA has won. We know that his system works. DW went out and got the best players he could get for the money He is allowed to spend. The owners want to win but are locked into a ugly law suit that has drained this team for tooooooooo lonTh This is about to end when they go to court in Feb. Finally money may be available. We have seen how good they can look and play. Unfortunately they have found ways to lose. JUST WIN.

By Bob

December 6, 2008 8:29 AM | Link to this

DW went out and got the best players he could get for the money He is allowed to spend

No, no he didn’t. Williams was sloppy seconds (thirds?) as was Hainsey.

The top players he went after thumbed their noses at him, and really, can you blame them? The guys we already have want out of here.

By Hockeyman3944

December 6, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

Gimme a break…Dumb Fraudell let how many first liners away from this organization? He should have kept them and built from the farm system. He had Brunette, Hossa, Savard, Donovan, Heatley, Recchi, Tkachuk, on and on. There’s more I’m sure, I can’t recall, but he’s been given the core players and traded them away for what? This is a two headed monster with Kovalchuk. No support, he gets keyed on and no effective enforcer. Trust me, this is still part of the game folks. He then gets frustrated and starts to press, nothing to work with and the frustration builds, he wants out and I can’t blame him. There’s no committment from the management and it’s a matter of time before he’ll be moved. In Donny boys case and history will prove, he’ll get a servicable player and yet more draft picks and we continue to wait. It’s time for him to go, he’s done enough damage to this franchise. Which would you rather keep? A cornerstone player you can build around or a GM that is overmatched and has had his chance? Time to clean house and get some fresh air and a new attitude. If the players saw a movement here for excellence, it would change the dynamic of looking at this franchise as second tier.

By Tall

December 6, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this

Hockeyman….good points. I agree all the way around. This franchise is abysmal and won’t recover from the trades they made two seasons ago to get in the playoffs. That team looked like a group of high school girls against the Rangers. Last night I saw a summary of the best hits in the NHL over the past two years. Not a single Thrasher was in any of them. No discipline, no defense and no hitting. I grew up on Long Island in the 1970’s and watched Bill Torrey develop that team. He built that team up the middle. Denis Potvin, Billy Smith, John Tonelli, Clark Gillies. The snipers - Mike Bossy - came later. They could all hit and fight when necessary. Where have you gone…Bobby Nystrom? They don’t make them like that anymore. The NHL has 6 - 8 teams too many. Don’t be surprised if the entire SouthLeast is eliminated.

By dhj_1962

December 6, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

Brunette, Hossa, Savard, Donovan, Heatley, Recchi, Tkachuk, on and on. hossa, savard, tkachuk did not want to play in ATL. not wadells fault, recchi is old, heatly left for different reasons. dont remember the deal with brunette and donovan. even tho wadell sucks, and should be fired, cant blame him for players that dont want to be in ATL.

By sisu

December 6, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this

Some things to consider, there are a few guys who will come in and make a difference in the next year. Pavs could be one of them and I would not be surprised if we were to see Esposito next year.

In the mean time, we took snides to help develop Bogo. Then Bogo got hurt, not his fault so lets see when he comes back what happens with the dmen

By Barry

December 6, 2008 11:17 AM | Link to this

Tony C., ya as I’ve mentioned on blog before Kovy is predictable on the PP so is the whole team strategy. Kovy also doesn’t roam or move around much on the PP and give the defence different looks.

Mainly what I was referring to though is he misses the net even with his wrist shot from in and between the circles!

He rarely seems to get the puck in on actual goal this season. It either gets blocked or misses the net.

By B. Thenet

December 6, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this

There are very few players in the system who can make an impact on our team next year on the F side.

Almost all of our young forward prospects in Chicago are struggling, and most of them are bottom line guys in the NHL anyway.

Esposito is have a decent year in the juniors, but he is very soft and does not help add any size or toughness to the team.

Who else is there other than our potential 1st round pick in 2009?

DW has addressed our D and G issues, but the fact of the matter is our forwards in the NHL and in our prospect system are a disgrace. When you are a cheap team that is not attractive to UFAs, you need to build from within. And our scouting of forwards has been simply abysmal outside of Little, Kovlachuk, and Heatley.

By THE FISH

December 6, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

Sounds like Steve Avery might be available shortly and might just be a perfect fit for the spiritless Thrashers. Sure he’s a jerk, but he’d be our jerk. Nobody on the boring Thrashers plays with his intensity. We could use somebody to shake this team up. Go for it Waddell (who is our current jerk).

By sisu

December 6, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

Hmmm, if I had to look at prospects, Little comes to mind as a good pick this season. The defense is getting different players and once Bogo comes back he will make a difference yet, maybe not this season but soon. Boris has been a surprise to me, he is actually doing much better than I had imagined. So then there is Kulda, he will be ready next season. With Havelid being gone after this season and Sneids on a year deal he will be gone as well. So, Bogo and Boris will have to be ready and there maybe room for Kulda as well.

By Sage of Bluesland

December 6, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this

“Some things to consider, there are a few guys who will come in and make a difference in the next year….”

Sure, whatever you say. I’ve been hearing this tripe from Waddell and company for, oh, about seven years now…

The “pipeline” of legitimate NHL talent from our minors has never been anything more than a pitiful trickle.

Then again, maybe you’re actually BELIEVING (in Blueland) those silly pages of propaganda promoting the “Legends of Blueland”?

If so, keep on believin’…It’s really quite humorous!

By UpperDeck4Life

December 6, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this

Hockeyman let me say I agree with you that DW is completely to blame for the teams woes and agree with you. If he and his scouting staff could evaluate talent, maybe the organization would be in a better place. With that said….here is a run down of the players you mentioned.

Brunette-yup DW’s fault, he lowballed him and didn’t think anyone would pay over 1 mil for him and it bit him in the rear. Hossa-wanted out, everyone knew it, can’t put that on DW Savard-couldn’t pay him the 5 mil and stay under cap, also rumors of locker room problems; poor cap management can pin on DW, not locker room problems though Donovan- trade means I can blame DW Heatley- can not put that on on DW Recchi-OLD, would rather get younger than hang onto the AARP crowd Tkachuk-would of cost us another first round pick, the one we used on Bogo, no thanks.

By Tall

December 6, 2008 10:33 PM | Link to this

After several weeks of reading the comments, I have to say I am impressed. I’m an old NY Islanders and Rangers fan. You folks know your team and really do care for the Thrashers. It’s too bad the ownership doesn’t care for YOU! Save your money and boycott these BUMS!! I’ve been to thirty games since the Thrashers came to town and my won lost is 6 - 24. It’s the same old same old. The financial and managerial resources don’t exist to build this team. You can’t do it with mercenaries.