Thrashers

By Nate

December 8, 2008 10:40 AM | Link to this

No offense, but it must be a slow news day. Wow…

By Bart

December 8, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this

I am so over Kari. The problems that the team has been having are not in goal. We do not need Kari. Trade bait? Play him enough to prove that he is healthy and get what you can for him.

By Jim

December 8, 2008 11:50 AM | Link to this

I think that we’ll have to play Kari simply to “show case” him for other teams. He’s on a one year contract and can become an FA at the end of the year. Pavelec looks solid and is our future. Time to spin Kari off for some young talent.

By R. Stroz

December 8, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this

Kari’s back

For one week or two this time.

By polskidawg

December 8, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

R. Stroz

Perhaps in a week or two the headline will read “Kari’s Back”, as in, “Kari’s back has put him on the IR again.”

The sad thing is that his injury history has essentially made him un-tradeable, unless you think a journeyman player and a fourth round pick is good value for a overall #2…

By Alan

December 8, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

What’s the word on Bogosian, Mike?

By R. Stroz

December 8, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this

The Thrashers’ three goalies all lead the team in something.

Lehtonen leads in time on IR.

By bart

December 8, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

I agree that Kari’s injury history will work against getting a lot of value in a trade. But the way he is going he could end up back in Europe after the season and we get nothing for him.

By Mike Knobler

December 8, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

Other injury updates: Schneider might play this weekend, when the Thrashers have back-to-back games home and road against Boston. Bogosian might return to practice the middle of next week and might be playing by late December. Christensen (shoulder) also did not practice today.

By Brendan

December 8, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

How soon ‘til Kari can start a game?

By kracker

December 8, 2008 2:41 PM | Link to this

If Kari wants to resign here (does he?) he will need to remain in goal and play well for the rest of the season. Talent-wise he is our most skilled goalie but I am thinking now that he just may be too fragile and he may not have the necessary mental toughness to refuse to lose, even if just he lost the last game (or period).

By Mike Knobler

December 8, 2008 2:48 PM | Link to this

Brendan Kari won’t be in net this week. Might be the end of next week, against Tampa Bay.

By Alex

December 8, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this

Mike Is it a foregone conclusion that Bogy will stay up for the entire year? Why waste a year of his contract and make him a UFA a year earlier when the team is clearly going nowhere this year?

By The Other J.B.

December 8, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this

Schneider and Bogosian both skated this morning together before practice officially started. Schneider looked great; Zach looked ok, but a little hesitant to skate too hard.

By Jarndyce

December 8, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

Alex: What better time to get Bogosian up to NHL speed at very low risk to the overall team than in a year when they are “clearly going nowhere”? The contract term should be little consequence at this juncture.

What good does it serve Bogosian to play 50 or so games in a league of 18 year olds when he could play 50 or so games in the NHL?

By Bob

December 8, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this

Why waste a year of his contract and make him a UFA a year earlier when the team is clearly going nowhere this year?

Because that’s really just one of the only points of this year. This lineup was not built to go anywhere. It’s a build year. The only point of this year is to get Bogosian some NHL games so his progress is accelerated, to see if Little can progress into a regular NHLer (big yes there), to see if Kari is our #1 goalie (big no there), to see if Enstrom can continue to progress (oops) and to get Tavares (on track).

That’s the only point of this year. That’s why many of we long time season tix holders sat this year out (and will continue to sit out until Waddell is gone).

By UpperDeck4Life

December 8, 2008 5:27 PM | Link to this

to see if Little can progress into a regular NHLer (big yes there), to see if Kari is our #1 goalie (big no there), to see if Enstrom can continue to progress (oops) and to get Tavares(on track).

Uh Bob I think you meant to put Hedman.

By Andy S

December 8, 2008 6:04 PM | Link to this

Knobler: “Kari’s Back” — Pun intended?

By Hotrod

December 8, 2008 7:38 PM | Link to this

Kari’s deal has to be the strangest in IR history.

Out with the Flu which leads to a back problem.Mmmm.

I hope he was able to do some kind of groin stretches while he was out.

By Tony C.

December 8, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this

I hate to break to yall, but KL is our #1 goalie. He may not be as much of a hard@ss as people would like him to be, and yes, he gets bored during the game… maybe he acts like he knows he’s good a little bit more than the frostback old-boys club thinks is appropriate (which is to say at all). Understandably, most of us have been fustrated by his play at one point or another (last season when he passed the puck to Ovechkin on a clearing attempt springs to mind!)… He may be all those things, but he is also an incredibly talented player who has clearly been mishandled by this organization at almost every turn (except the reaction to playoff bluehair-that’s just dumb, no idea why he and Sutton thought it would be cool). From lack of a training program to rectify a known health issue when he drafted (again DW is just nincompoop), to a “goalie coach” who is also the video coach/advance scout, who is also in charge of pro-player development(fancy way of saying drills & skills coach), to Hartley’s ridiculous mind-games.

I’m confident that whatever shortcomings we can see in his game (outside of this injury-prone-ness), are pretty easily correctable: Get the kid some Aderol or some other approved anti ADHD meds, and a Goalie coach (maybe one who’s career numbers are ABOVE .500%??).

Now the kid hasn’t made things easy for himself, but he has also often been given a LARGE bag of poop and been told to make it into a bag of gold. Sometimes, he’s even able to do it (think about the display he put on during the Hossa Audition last season or any of the other 8 times or so last season that he faced 40+ SOG/game).

Pavelec may be an easier guy to like, but his technique is nowhere close to Lehtonen’s (five-hole I’m seeing Pavelec leaving waaay too much open on the weakside, as well as getting to far up front in the creae-your thoughts?) and I am convinced that Lehtonen would’ve stolen a game or two in November the Moose and Pavelec couldn’t.

Not an apologist, but a realist: a healthy #32 right now gives this team it’s best chance to win on a nightly basis. Both The Giant & Moose have made some highlight-reel saves, but do yall really feel that they represent a better opportunity to win than say KL & Moose, or KL & The Giant over the remainder of the season?

Will that be the same at the end of the year? Maybe, maybe not. Right now however, hearing that he’ll be good to go by Saturday is GREAT news.

By Steely Dan

December 8, 2008 9:14 PM | Link to this

Ohhhh Tony C., you are going to make StenDICK very, VERY angry when he reads that!

Be prepared to have his fury inflicted upon you.

By R. Stroz

December 8, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this

Get the kid some Aderol or some other approved anti ADHD meds.

I’ve screamed out more than once, Kari take some Ritalin.

By Brendan

December 8, 2008 10:29 PM | Link to this

To echo what Bob said, this is a “build year.” And the goal of a “build year” is to develop talent. So, to answer Tony C.’s question, I want to see Pavelec and Lehtonen for most of the rest of the way. Coming into this season, Pavelec was on my “wish list” for players to develop. I think it’s a mistake not to do it. Especially now, when it appears that winning consistently is unlikely. (Don’t blame John Anderson. Think HARDER.)

Said another way, if our record essentially doesn’t matter, then there’s nothing to lose by giving Pavelec a lot more time between the pipes. The 2nd round of the draft isssss where several teams find their franchise goaltender. They don’t have to be found in the lottery draft, or even in Top 10.

Kari was billed as a “high pedigree” goaltender. He is not “untalented.” He may, or may not, be Finnish. Just kidding. I do that, sometimes. Laugh out loud. It helps to burn calories. Especially here at the Holidays. But I digress.

Kari is an RFA at the end of the season. He has not, through the first quarter of the season, elevated his value. Quite the contrary, his stock is diminishing. And he knows this. He is playing for his next contract. The Thrashers GM, whomever that might be in April 2009, has got quite a decision to make. How so?

Well … the Atlanta GM must decide if Kari really is the “franchise goaltender” or not. If the GM and Kari’s agent agree to ONLY a 1-year deal, then the organization CANNOT control Kari’s future beyond 2010. On July 1, 2010, Kari can sign ANYWHERE in the NHL that he jolly well wants. He will be UNRESTRICTED. Errr, that is … he can sign with any team willing to sign him.

Stop for a moment. (Oh, don’t act surprized that I said that.) Anyway you slice and dice it, Kari’s departure is a bad thing. If he leaves, yet another of our “lottery draft” selections has escaped or faltered. That’s bad. Not good. If Kari leaves, and flourishes ELSEWHERE, guess what they’ll say? “Nobody develops talent like the Atlanta Thrashers Hockey Club,” (TM, poster Russ, All Rights Reserved.)

The goal, here, of the “lottery draft” is to find players who will shape and mold your team for YEARS and YEARS and YEARS to come. Imagine, just imagine, if Atlanta lost Kovalchuk and Lehtonen, former 1st overall and 2nd overall picks, in the same offseason. Good or bad? Take a stab at it. Does it really matter who’s to blame?, at that point. The point is … that’s a horrible day in what was supposed to be the EVOLUTION of our team. It’s the white flag on the top of Mt. Everest that declares our ARRIVAL at utter, indisputable failure.

No matter WHO is to blame for it, that’s unforgiveable. And it’s a HALLMARK of a poor franchise. It’s not a fate that Atlanta Hockey fans deserve.

By Mike Knobler

December 9, 2008 4:07 AM | Link to this

Everyone I don’t know what games you guys were watching, but Lehtonen looked pretty good to me before he got hurt. Perfect? No. But with him in goal the goaltending was better than the other parts of this team.

Alex Yes, it’s a foregone conclusion Bogosian will be with the Thrashers the rest of the year.

Andy S YES. It makes my heart glad to know someone got it.

Brendan has hit a very important point. Having Kari Lehtonen succeed would be huge for the Thrashers, who haven’t held onto a top-flight player since, … well, help me guys. OK, yes, they’ve still held onto Ilya Kovalchuk this far.

By Nikita

December 9, 2008 7:09 AM | Link to this

Lehts looked good to me up until his final game. At which he point he played o.k., but was noticeably off. IMO, he’s still our top goalie — he has better raw talent and technique than either Hedberg or Pavelec.

Hdberg has been playing well so far this season, but he’s not going to be our future — he’s a career backup goalie. and IMO, Pavelec is great, but his prowess is mainly due to awesome reflexes and speed rather than technique. Technique can be refined, but not quickly enough to make him our main goalie this season.

Incidentally, I think we’re entering a new era with regard to draft development. The Thrash haven’t had a coach yet who prefers youth development to hiring cut-rate known quantities. So a loss of Lehts doesn’t necessarily reflect poorly on the current coaching staff at all.

By GaVaHokie

December 9, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this

Shall I reflect on the 05-06 season when Kari came back in December from injury and led the team to 1st place in the Southeast (if not briefly, but still).

By Bob

December 9, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

I don’t know what games you guys were watching, but Lehtonen looked pretty good to me before he got hurt. Perfect? No. But with him in goal the goaltending was better than the other parts of this team

Step back and look at the big picture. Sure, when he’s not hurt, and when he’s fresh, he’s a great goalie.

But the big picture with him is he’s hurt every year for long stretches. This includes his team in the AHL.

You cannot have a #1 goalie that spends 1/3rd of the year on the IR, that just kills your club.

Anyone follow baseball closely? Kari Lehtonen = Kerry Wood. All the talent in the world but can’t stay healthy.

Even when he is healthy, he loses focus too easily.

I highly doubt he gets a long term contract from us next year (then again, if Waddell is still making decisions, all bets are off).

By Stats

December 9, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this

Steely Dan - Actually Stendec has seen the light (kind of). He now hates all the goalies equally. This is as close as you will get with him toward admitting that goaltending probably is not our biggest problem.

Brendan and Tony C. are right. But if you do trade someone, you have to trade Pavs not Kari. Kari has no value in a trade given his contract status. Pavs has trade value given his contract and “upside.” If you look at the Braves in the 90s, they were masters at this. You trade away OLD players who want big, “retirement” contracts. You trade away young promising prospects when you have depth at that position. You keep the serviceable, affordable players and spend money in other areas. ATL can be serviceable in net with Moose and Kari. We can start priming the next goaltender who may actually have the right timeline to take over. We need offense and defense more than goaltending. We have more options by moving Pavs.

By ranallo10 (in AT)

December 9, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this

But the big picture with him is he’s hurt every year for long stretches. This includes his team in the AHL.

That’s why it’s important to have a quality 1-2 punch. Pavelec gives you that quality #2 for when Kari inevitably gets hurt.

Kiprusoff has similar issues, but is better managed (likely due to him knowing his own limits and properly telling them to his coach). For instance, he got pulled after the second period of a game a few weeks back for precautionary reasons. Coach said he had faced enough for the night, and didn’t want to get him hurt just for the one win (he left when Calgary had a one goal lead).

There’s no problem with have depth at goaltending. NJ and Vancouver have proven that it’s always wise to have a solid backup, even if you have a world class number 1. San Jose did it for years with Nabokov and Toskala. Anaheim did it with Giguere and Bryzgalov. Detroit with Osgood and Hasek.

There’s no reason Atlanta can’t do it too.

By Brendan

December 9, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this

I don’t see a reason why Pavelec and Lehtonen can’t be our 1-2 punch for the coming years. They’re not expense. And they can be effective. Atlanta’s blueline will get stronger as time goes by, as Bogosian develops.

Off topic, Dan Boyle now has 10 goals (as many of Kovalchuk, I believe,) and 14 assists, for 24-points in 26 games for San Jose. Gee, Tampa Bay’s insistence on trading him is looking better and better, eh? Stupid is as stupid does.

By NASCAR Dave

December 9, 2008 12:21 PM | Link to this

Yeah, but they still have JENNY SLATER, ERICA PERRIN, and CHRISTENA blocking roster spots… Their time is UP.

By Bob

December 9, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

Dan Boyle now has 10 goals (as many of Kovalchuk, I believe,) and 14 assists, for 24-points in 26 games for San Jose

Yeah, that just made no sense for them to move him, he’s a player, you’ve always been right about him, Brendan.

What good fortune for Boyle to avoid being banished to us and winding up in San Jose, that clubs for real.

By dhj_1962

December 9, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

kl is better than moose and opie…thats a fact

By Brendan

December 9, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this

And worse yet, for TB, is that they already moved Matt Carle who was supposed to be the Boyle replacement, especially for YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, for Downie and Eminger. Is any of that worth Boyle, the guy who logged the most minutes in the playoffs when the Lightning won the Cup?

Stupid is as stupid does.

If this Thrashers club really loses Lehtonen and Kovalchuk in 2010, and fans ask, “what’s left?,” the answer will be … the GM who drafted them. And … is that a good thing?

I can think of some GM’s whose longevity with a team exceeds the players they drafted. Don’t make me delve into it. :)

Bob, my pick to win the Cup this year is San Jose.

By Brendan

December 9, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this

Before I forget, Lightning owner Oren Koules suggested that, “Dan Boyle has conditioning issues.”

PFFT.

He logged more minutes than any member of the Lightning. And I’d wager, he’s got the lion’s share of them out in San Jose, as well. But I didn’t confirm that. Boy, those Sharks! What morons! Picking up such an out of shape defenseman like Boyle.

What’s Tampa Bay’s record since they fired Melrose? Have they gotten 3 wins yet? Two? Karma, dude. Karma.

By GaVaHokie

December 9, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this

What’s Tampa Bay’s record since they fired Melrose? Have they gotten 3 wins yet? Two? Karma, dude. Karma.

They have one win since Melrose left, and there’s a nice piece about it on TSN right now.

It’s funny how much the hockey world commended the moves Tampa made in the off-season.

By Brendan

December 9, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this

It is, indeed, GaVaHokie.

By jt

December 9, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this

I sure don’t want the Thrash to leave Atlanta. So how do we get Arthur Blank to buy the team?

By Brendan

December 10, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this

jt, have you ever seen Arthur Blank give a press conference? It’s as if Vinny Barbarino (of “Welcome Back, Kotter’s” sweathogs) attempted to address the Geneva Convention, on the topic of Nuclear Fission.

It’s painful to watch. Just, really … really awful. Do you know what Arthur Blank would be doing right now, if he were the Thrashers owner? Let me give you some options. (A) Visiting “Shamu” at Sea World, (B) Hiking to the Top of Mt. Everest, in hopes of planting the peak’s first ever Thrashers Flag, (C) Washing his bathtub with the latest, most innovative cleansers, or (D), wheeling Kari Lehtonen around in a wheel chair, all about the arena floor, and fetching him a soda, if he gets thirsty.

Still thinking?

C’mon. I thought I made it pretty easy.

By Drastic Measures

December 10, 2008 12:44 PM | Link to this

Someone get Savard back in a Thrashers uniform, and FAST! Even if you have to suck his c0ck…he need him THAT BAD!!!