AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThrashers reach new low
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This was a lot different than my previous trip to TD Banknorth Garden this season. Back on Oct. 25, the Thrashers came in here the night after a game at Detroit and at least looked competitive. The effort was apparent in that game, and though it was a 5-4 loss the Thrashers looked gritty and gutsy if not quite as good as the Bruins.
The last two days were a different story entirely. Sure, there was effort. You don’t kill 1:37 of 5-on-3 by not playing hard. But Friday’s game was over quicker than any other this season, and on Saturday, though it was just 2-1 after one period, the Thrashers looked overmatched for most of the game. It always seemed to be a question of when the Bruins would pull away rather than whether it would happen.
The low point of the game might not even have been a Boston goal. I’m talking about a second-period stretch where the Thrashers couldn’t get the puck out of their own zone, couldn’t get a line change and had to ice the puck three times in 40 seconds just to catch a breath. It was a 4-minute shift for Ilya Kovalchuk, Jason Williams, Chris Thorburn, Ron Hainsey and Garnet Exelby, and it was painful to watch.
I don’t envy John Anderson at the moment. I asked him tonight whether some leaders on the team needed to pull the Thrashers out of this situation, and he said that’s his responsibility as coach. Talk about your tough assignments.
Comments
By R. Stroz
December 13, 2008 11:54 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By Brendan
December 13, 2008 11:59 PM | Link to this
R. Stroz, I actually heard that chant a few times, listening to the game from Blueland. The music played to drown it out.
By bart
December 14, 2008 12:05 AM | Link to this
Coach is trying to play the cards he was has. Tough assignment yes. I think he knew what he was up against when he came in here. It will be recognized what coach is doing here in a bad situation and he will get an opportunity with a real team with committed ownership somewhere else. Sorry but this ownership is a train wreck and hopefully the survivors can walk away. The fans get the worst of it because at this point it is painful to watch.
By Brendan
December 14, 2008 12:15 AM | Link to this
It’s a “build year, (TM, poster Bob, all rights reserved,) where we played the best team in the Conference. At least, arguably the best. A 4-2 decision is about what I expected. And issss a closer representation of the difference between the two clubs, than the 7-3 debacle Friday night.
By stendec
December 14, 2008 12:50 AM | Link to this
Now is the time! Exchange the oxygen waste Toiletlids for the Wolves. An even-up swap. The youngsters will come into Atlanta with a fire in their gut and something to prove! Will they initially lose? Probably? No more than the heartless quitters now in Atlanta! Will they give up? Never! They will not be bullied every night like (X) dogs. They will take intensity and determination to the ice every game. John Petrino will find these athletes more fitting for his system (which requires intelligence to properly execute). Know why there is no team captain? Honestly? Not one of the (X) is worth a damn! The coach is well aware of this but just does not want to say it. It is painfully obvious to all true fans. **How were the stats tonight apologists?
By stendec
December 14, 2008 12:59 AM | Link to this
To the few and dwindling every day delusional fans who STILL believe the Toiletlids are worth a damn I have one serious question. Do you STILL believe in Santa Claus too? Just wondering. As for the poll question. Nobody gives a damn one way or the other. The next one should ask the percentage of times Ilya “Bags Are Packed” Kovalchuk misses a wide open net. I estimate in the 85 or higher percent range!
By stendec
December 14, 2008 1:13 AM | Link to this
See how that grasshopper puck jumped over stick of IK on that power play? Was it related to monkey puck? Plenty of inhabitants of animal kingdom left which overrated Russian, brain-dead Finn WHN and other Toiletlids can blame their failures on! Any excuse is better than none. Right gutless losers?
By Sage of Bluesland
December 14, 2008 1:14 AM | Link to this
Since the local media—at all levels—has failed to do their job, it’s left to one party to push this and force the owners to take action:
COMPLETELY BOYCOTT THIS PRODUCT. DO NOT ATTEND THE GAMES. DEMAND CHANGE—ANY KIND OF CHANGE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!
It may be too late already. It’s also a shame it’s taken this long to even convince many “fans” that the signs of incompetence were apparent many years ago. Many have finally woken up and stopped listening and believing the utter bluster issuing forth from both ownership and management.
Fool me once, shame on you—Fool me twice, shame on me. Look in the mirror, enabler-sheep—you’re part of the problem as well. A BIG part of the problem.
Put the silly spreadsheets and playoff predictions away and face reality for once in your sheltered lives. Make it a completely EMPTY arena is NOW the ONLY choice the most important party (the forgotten fans) in the entire equation has to play. The only hand we have now is to cut the funds. Period.
And, yes, that means SACRIFICE. That means little Johnny and little Suzy cannot go to their fiwst game…It will have to wait. Just hope it’s not too late and there will be MORE games on a LONG-TERM basis.
Listen now before it’s too late. I’ve called Waddell a fraud and a failed GM in 2002. Don’t you wish we could turn the clock back to then? Where once there was a voice or two in the wilderness, now it’s a virtual chorus.
I just pray it’s not too late. However, if the sheep keep subsidizing the incompetence, nothing will change. You will finally get what you deserve—and ruin it for everyone.
The fans must stand united now—and apply tough love to the product we all care about…
By Alex
December 14, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
Sten,
If you don’t believe the Thrash are worth a damn then why are you burning so many calories trashing them?
By At A Mall Near You
December 14, 2008 1:15 AM | Link to this
As a little girl approaches Santa at the mall, Santa wonders what this little girl will ask for and the conversation goes like this:
Santa: Ho, Ho, Ho, what would you like for Christmas little girl?
Little Girl: I would like something pink.
Santa: What exactly do you want?
Little Girl: It’s not for me it’s for someone else.
Santa: How nice of you to think of someone else at Christmas. So what is it, that is pink, that you would like to give someone else.
Little Girl: I would like to give that tiolet lid selling, lisping lying louse GM for the Atlanta Thrashers a pink slip.
Santa: This girl is brilliant, she gets extra wishes.
By stendec
December 14, 2008 1:32 AM | Link to this
Thank you Sage. Very articulate. I agree completely. Merry Christmas friend. Alex(andria?): Because I care! I know that goes way over your head but just ask someone who has followed professional Atlanta sports teams since the 1960s to explain it to you. I do not possess the time or patience to do so. The Falcons kick off in a few hours. I am calling it a night. Good night all.
By Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
December 14, 2008 2:18 AM | Link to this
Sage,
You are doing well, spy. Keep fighting the good fight.
(As usual, Sage, this post will self-destruct in five seconds.)
By B. Thenet
December 14, 2008 6:41 AM | Link to this
How many times will our prospects come up from the AHL, and outplay half of our forwards?
I think we have the talent in our immediate system to be better, the only question is if the owners will let DW waiver or send down awful players like Slater, Exelby, Perrin, Christensen, etc. so we can call up more guys like Crabb and Stuart.
By harleyman
December 14, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
Until change is made at the GM level, every blogger should post nothing but “FIRE WADDELL” on theese blogs.
By harleyman
December 14, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
“FIRE WADDELL”
By harleyman
December 14, 2008 7:56 AM | Link to this
“FIRE WADDELL”
By truehockeyfan
December 14, 2008 7:57 AM | Link to this
Bring up the kids who want to play in the NHL. Clearly many on this team are just going thru the motions. No heart at all. The softest team in the leauge. I have never seen Havelid or enstrom ever give a good body check. Ex has got to be the dumbeest player on the ice. We are trying to play with a team of 4th liners and 1 good player. the owners are to blame for all of this. Just think how much money they have spent on leagal fees over the years instead of quality players. Bring on the KIDS> At, least they have heart.
By Hotrod
December 14, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this
This was a bad game for Hainsey. So it looks like he’s catching the ASG flu.
Slater , on a penalty kill , don’t stand there and admire a slapshot from the other team. Looks bad and its not good defense.
On a positive note: I saw the puck get to a couple of open players for a decent shot.
On a negative note: The recipient of the nice pass reponded with a fan or glass shot.
Its time to re-set some goals here backed up with action.
Where are you ASG? Vacation? Europe? Carribian? Do you care? Helloooow? Can you hear me now? (or) Are you waiting for Phillips to reach the 5000 game attendance mark?
ASG has to be the only silent owners of a pro team in the history of sports
By Cesare Maniago
December 14, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL!!!!!
By Krust
December 14, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this
Fire Wadell!! Watching the Thrashers right now is like getting a root canal. The 4 minute shift was awful, It hurt my head to watch. Something gotta change now. If there are guys who don’t want to be here get rid of them for a used puck bag.
By R. Stroz
December 14, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By thrashyou
December 14, 2008 9:46 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL!!!!!
By Jim
December 14, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this
Stendec and Sage- Get some sleep. Brendan-it is evident to the faithful that this should be a “building year”. That is, everyone but DW. I suspect that JA is begging for a massive infusion from the Wolves and is being stonewalled by the old “they’ll turn it around” lingo that DW spews. As the product contiues to look and smell more like day old sushi, who in the world will want to come to see it? DW is creating a defacto boycott. Exelby continues to smell like month old sushi. That 4 minute stretch in the second period was the most painful low that I have seen in a long time. Time to flip my discretionary bucks to the Hawks.
By ben
December 14, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this
i think the heatleys were right. and for the record, ‘twas I after the crash that may well have killed a team not just a fourth liner, who said to fire waddell. not to bring up old news, but he bungled that crash worse than the team. i also don’t feel that he will ever be fired simply because none of the the thrash owners will ever care as long as there are butts in seats, and when there are not, they’ll just say see we should move the team. and they’ll move it somewhere else.
THIS IS A COLLDEGE FOOTBAWL TOWN THAT HAS ABOUT 4 MILLION OTHER PEOPLE IN IT WHO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE EMOTIONALLY. THAT’S ALL IT IS, AND THAT’S ALL IT WILL EVER BE.
IF ATTENDING WINNING HOCKEY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU, THEN MOVE. OR ELSE BUY THE TEAM AND MAKE IT HAPPEN HERE. I HAVE DECIDED THAT MY EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN A FARSICLLY BAD HOCKEY TEAM. THE STATE OF MY HAPPINESS IS DEPENDENT ON THINGS OTHER THAN MR. WADDELL’S EMPLOYMENT. WHEN THE TEAM DOES MOVE TO CANADA WE CAN WATCH IT ON CABLE. THEY’LL BE BETTER THEN, NO CANADIAN OR NORTHERN MARKET WOULD PUT UP WITH THIS LEVEL OF @!$# FOR THIS LONG.
By Russian
December 14, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this
NOT Any MORE!!! I can not see this every game. I can not find any POSSITIVE Things in Thrashers system right now. PK is WORST, PP is BAD. Nobody can score, nobody can make a pass. It is just horrible. How is change things around??? First of all DO NOT TRADE ANYONE with DON Waddell!!!!! He will make mistake and bring s** players again. Close you Ears and eyes and finish this season. I think it will be last place. Get draft pick and build a team with NEW GM. Don Waddel MUST be FIRED Yesterday. Until we get smart GM and Care Owner Thrasher will be in same last plase every season.
By Thomas
December 14, 2008 12:25 PM | Link to this
I’d be up for a boycott.
By Barry
December 14, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this
This franchise needs new owners and new GM. Gonna happen anytime soon? Unfortunately not. This team doesn’t have the talent to compete with some of the better teams. This team IS overmatched on most nights. It’s painful to watch as a Thrashers fan.
By Bob
December 14, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this
Boycott the games. I’ve been to one this season, and I really don’t even miss it anymore. It’s no fun to go down there when you know it’s hopeless.
For the good of our club and to keep the fan base engaged, Fire Waddell
By Michael Shapiro
December 14, 2008 2:37 PM | Link to this
Russian has it right. Check out the stats at NHL.com (sorry Nakita) our best stat is probably F/Os where we’re 17th in the league. Our worst, PK where we occupy the cellar by about 4 percentage points. This team sucks.
Williams has been dialing it in for a while (if I see him coast one more time I’m gonna throw the bag of pucks at him). He brings Kovy’s line down something awful. Kozzy is running hot and cold. Not sure what’s up with Hainsey as I think he’s a good addition (one of D-Wad’s few good moves) but he certainly is struggling.
I agree that Stuart, Crabb, Sterling should all get some time on the big team. The current folks aren’t earning it. Not sure that Perrin’s in that group as he’s tried wherever he is, but he’s gotten moved around more than a pawn on a chessboard.
Crash hasn’t done anything this year. Slates brings speed and energy, but has never been good with the puck. I’ve already trashed Williams. I think those three should get a serious case of IR (I know some fans who’d be happy to put them on IR for real) so that the kids get a chance.
I agree that D-Wad has to go, but the ASG has proven they don’t care. At Friday’s game I talked to my ticket rep about the poor attendance, even with two rounds of freebie tickets (fans ‘n friends/upgrades, and then the newest version of the $99 package which meant free seats to all remaining home games). His response is that there’s not much more the ticket folks can do to put warm bodies in the stands.
Unless this team finds itself (or acquires more talent), you’ll hear the echo of the puck in the strings each time the opposition scores.
Sigh, all I want for Christmas (and I’m JEWISH!) is a REAL hockey team in Atlanta.
By Sage of Bluesland
December 14, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
FIRE DON WADDELL…restore some semblance of ‘initial’ hope again in the course of this team…FIRE DON WADDELL.
By sisu
December 14, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this
Barry, wait until February, could have new owner who will clean house from GM to ticket reps:)
By T-Bone
December 14, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this
Man, am I glad I didn’t renew my season tickets.
By slapshot
December 14, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By Thrashers27
December 14, 2008 5:37 PM | Link to this
sisu,
What makes you think there could be new ownership in February?
By Brendan
December 14, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this
This team … IS … NOT … LEAVING. Not for another 11 years, at the earliest. The lease is “iron clad.” It expires in 2019. If the team leaves, the new owner will have to pay TWO rents for one (1) hockey team. A new owner, who wants to relocate, will come to regret that decision. Ultimately, it will bankrupt him.
No, quite on the contrary. YOU FANS HAVE THE OWNERSHIP RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT THEM. They can’t get out of this lease, unless they sell the team. Okay, fine by me! Sell it. All I ask … is that you sell it to someone who CARES about it, and who will keep it in Atlanta, and who is unwilling to pay two rents to move it.
“Become One in Blueland?” More like, “Become 4,312 in Blueland.” I suppose, there is a certain charm to having a whole section to yourself. You can truly get comfortable. Use seats to rest your food trays on, to put your jackets on, to store your programs and merchandise on …. Yes, I do see the benefits.
But never forget this, folks. Seventy-six percent (76%) of the team’s revenue comes from ticket sales. It’s their lifeblood. Not only that, if they don’t get enough paid attendance, they don’t get revenue-sharing dollars. So, they’re DOUBLY SCREWED.
I repeat … YOU FANS HAVE THIS OWNERSHIP … RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT THEM. YOU HAVE THE POWER. You can locate this power very easily. It’s in your wallet. For you remaining season ticket holders, especially in the lower bowl, if you called up your reps, RIGHT NOW, to tell them, “I won’t renew. And it’s because of Waddell. Fire him, and I’ll renew.” It’d be enough to effect the change. Sadly, there really is no guarantee it’d be enough to change their business model, however. Knowing them, they’d just promote Larry Simmons, the Assistant GM, into Waddell’s spot. But ya know what? I’m willing to try with Larry Simmons, provided that Don Waddell has cleaned out his desk and been REMOVED from ANY and ALL decision-making. Fans shouldn’t have to tolerate his “informal power.” The fans, the players, the staff … the media, the 29 other NHL teams … they all have to know the following: The CZAR is DEAD. It’s a new DAY. And we don’t call it Blueland anymore.
By Lord Stanley
December 14, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL!!!!
By Log
December 14, 2008 6:25 PM | Link to this
Fire Waddell, or I’ll NEVER go to another Flames game again!!
By Hossa
December 14, 2008 6:39 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By Rutherford "The Liar" Seydell
December 14, 2008 6:42 PM | Link to this
I’m glad to see this blog is moving in the right direction!
By Alan
December 14, 2008 7:02 PM | Link to this
It’s a “build year, (TM, poster Bob, all rights reserved,)
Okay, Brendan. I’ve grown annoyed with this. If you’re going to credit someone, credit the correct person or just stop doing it.
FIRE WADDELL
I agree. They might have drowned it out the other night, but they won’t be able to drown us out the next time we’re at a game.
By Get The Puck Out
December 14, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL FIRE WADDELL FIRE WADDELL FIRE WADDELL FIRE WADDELL FIRE WADDELL
By Get The Puck Out
December 14, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
GET NEW OWNERS GET NEW OWNERS GET NEW OWNERS GET NEW OWNERS GET NEW OWNERS
By Tom
December 14, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this
Remember our first coach? When did Waddell fire him, was it Christmas or the day after?
Maybe the owners are waiting to repay the favor.
One can wish…
By Tony C.
December 15, 2008 3:04 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By dhj_1962
December 15, 2008 6:07 AM | Link to this
fire wadell
By GaVaHokie
December 15, 2008 8:26 AM | Link to this
Okay, you want to fire Waddell, but you want to bring up the youngsters from Chicago (who Waddell drafted) to replace the guys on the team currently (who Waddell signed).
… so many back-handed compliments on here.
My one criticism for Waddell right now is his inability to pull the trigger on lateral trades… just move ONE GUY to see if you can improve chemistry. My favorite example, Jon Rutherford moving Andrew Ladd for Tuomo Ruutu… and Erik Cole for Joni Pitkanen.
I know Waddell’s not attached to his players, because he calls them “the players”… whenever the media asks him about resigning, say Lehtonen, he’ll always say “we’re going to evaluate ‘the player’ and see where we stand in the summer.”
… I can understand building for the future, but the guy’s got the patience of a tree. You can stock up on all the young talent you want, but the team has to look like SOMETHING at some point.
By ranallo10 (in AT)
December 15, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
I can understand building for the future, but the guy’s got the patience of a tree
I respect patience, but I agree with you here. Waddell always seems too hesitant (you can call that patience, but I think it’s hesitation) to make a move, any move. Sometimes I think a GM needs to be a bit reactive/instinctual with trades, waivers, etc…not calculating every move with an abacus.
I’m fine with lateral moves, which is one of the reason’s I respect Rutherford’s ability as a GM. he has a knack for always getting value out of his trades. Even the Johnson trade (worst one of his tenure) landed him Radim Vrbata (via Belanger) and a still young defensive prospect in Tim Gleason (no Johnson, but still good).
By Frenchy
December 15, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By B. Thenet
December 15, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this
You want a lateral move, you might get one.
Apparently Donnie was in Cali this weekend checking out the Wild, and was speaking with the Wild GM inbetween periods.
Look for the Thrashers to do a lateral move with our underperforming players for some of theirs.
The Wild are in the worst funk of their history, 5 straight regulation losses. I think they want to shake things up as well.
By Bob
December 15, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this
Guys, this build year is pretty much right on schedule. Bogosian being out has hurt his development, but he’ll be back. We’ve learned Little is a player we can count on. We’ve cemented the fact that Kari is not. We’ve learned that Enstrom isn’t a top pair guy, but can be effective on the 2nd pair.
And, mabye, just mabye, we’re one step closer to the owners getting a collective clue and making the one move that gets us headed in the right direction, Fire Waddell
By ranallo10 (in AT)
December 15, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this
And, mabye, just mabye, we’re one step closer to the owners getting a collective clue and making the one move that gets us headed in the right direction
I would love for the ownership to get a clue. Right now I’d take March 2009 if there were a pool on how soon the ownership group might fire Waddell. Based on their track record, I’m probably off by about 2 years or so.
B. Thenet — There’s a litany of Wild players I would love to see in Atlanta, though most of them are likely not considered available (Marc-Bouchard, Gaborik, Burns, etc). I could deal with a few lateral moves though, simply to see how the team handles it emotionally.
However, I don’t expect any lateral moves to alter the course this team is currently on.
By GaVaHokie
December 15, 2008 11:34 AM | Link to this
Minnesota?… that definitely shows me that Waddell and I aren’t on the same page right now. At this point, we’re not looking to resurrect our season (in my mind), so I don’t see Gaborik being an option… Bouchard and Burns can’t be available… what youth could be available up there? Pouliot, maybe? Are we looking at Harding?
I’ll wager that Perrin is on his way to Minnesota, with a draft pick for Pouliot.