AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 31 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThe worst stretch of a bad season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two black marks on a door outside the Thrashers locker room at the RBC Center Saturday night showed just how frustrating it is to play for Atlanta’s NHL team these days. Someone, I’m told it was Ilya Kovalchuk, slammed a stick against the door. He cares. Kari Lehtonen cares, as anyone watching him and his 38 saves could see. In fact, I think most of the Thrashers care. They just don’t seem to play that way lately most of the time.
“We got no effort,” Kovalchuk said after Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Hurricanes. “We practice hard. We do everything in practice, but we don’t show up in the games. If not for Kari, we’re going to get another blowout [loss]. It’s unacceptable. I don’t know. It’s bad. You lose every game, it feels awful.”
The Thrashers got outshot 21-4 in the first period. They fell behind 4-0 in the first period against the Islanders Thursday night and 1-0 in the first period against the Stars Tuesday night and 2-0 in the first period against the Flyers in the last game before the All-Star break. They lost all four games.
“We talked about getting ready,” coach John Anderson said. “We’re so fragile. We have one or two bad shifts, it’s like we’re so worried about our own zone we don’t chase pucks down. We just collapse. We don’t chase pucks down. We’re so worried about the front of the net we don’t go after loose pucks in our zone, and we get hemmed in.”
Anderson has a point. Remember the victory in Nashville, the game that turned into a laugher for the Thrashers? It started with the Thrashers pinned in their zone and turned only after Eric Perrin took advantage of a Predators miscue to score a goal against the run of play. The Thrashers used to look better than their 29th-place record. Lately, though, they’ve often looked as if they’ve accepted that 29th-place identity. It’s as if they’ve been beaten so often they take the ice expecting to lose, and when something bad happens they see that as confirmation. That doesn’t bode well for the next two-plus months.
It’s really hard to get a team with a low self-image to believe, and it’s really hard to get a team that doesn’t believe to win. Oh, I think they’ll have some nights when things go right and they look good and they wind up on top, but it’s very hard to see that happening often. And when some of the better players start disappearing at the trade deadline, the victories are likely to be further and further apart.
Ron Hainsey estimated the Thrashers played 15 or 16 of the first 20 minutes in their zone. Not only did that lead to a 2-0 deficit on the scoreboard, but it also tired out the team so much they didn’t have much left the rest of the game.
“It seemed like they had all the energy,” Hainsey said of the first period, and he said the breakdowns were bigger and more numerous than they were Tuesday night. “When a guy has nobody on him for 30, 40 feet, that’s usually not good news in this league.”
The Thrashers have been shut out in eight of the nine periods since the All-Star break, and they had very few scoring chances in those periods. It’s one thing when you get shut out by a hot goalie; it’s another when you hardly make that goalie break a sweat.
To all the 151 Thrashers fans who made the trip to support your team, know this: The players noticed, even if they didn’t play like they noticed.
“The way they supported us, it’s unbelievable,” Kovalchuk said. “I’ve never seen, on the road, that many fans supporting us. I didn’t expect it. We have to show a better effort, especially when we’ve got so many people supporting us.”
“I felt a lot of energy from the team [in warmups] because of all the fan support,” Little said. “They were so loud throughout the game. It’s pretty disappointing we couldn’t give them a good game.”
“It’s awesome [support],” Hainsey said. “You could hear them throughout the game chanting, and all through warmups they were raucous getting us into it. It was great. We just couldn’t use it, obviously, in the first 20 minutes.”
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Comments
By R. Stroz
January 31, 2009 11:21 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By R. Stroz
January 31, 2009 11:38 PM | Link to this
The Thrashers players should have to pick up the bill for the fans that went to the game.
By stendec
February 1, 2009 12:07 AM | Link to this
Kari Letemin stopped 38 shots. Cam Ward stopped 19. Guess which one had the better game? Does no good to lock the vault after the gold has been stolen. What that means apologists is that the number of saves are damn inconsequential once enough goals to secure a loss (in this case two) have been allowed. Fundamental Hockey 101! Guess which NHL netminder got the L? Guess which Finnish fraud surrended another damn shorthanded goal? Hope those guesses were correct ones. Send the worthless uncaring apathetic bums to Hamilton!
By ant banks
February 1, 2009 12:07 AM | Link to this
stroz you are on your own for tha one. you should have known better than goin’ to a thrashers’ game. also, did you read that aricle about how much money the ASG is losin’?
don waddell is a blowhard!!
By Brian Rudisel
February 1, 2009 12:15 AM | Link to this
Mr. Knobler,
I want to know your thoughts about the changes this team has made since inception in 99. We have changed EVERY POSSIBLE AREA of this team. Everything from owners, to the average age of the team, the defense, the scoring depth, the coaches. We’ve done everything. Mike, do you think we missed a spot?
Look at this team, look at the one who promised 9 seasons in a row that we would be better and stronger than the previous year. Look at the one who wouldn’t re-sign Savard for what seems to be no apparent reason. Look at the one who traded young talent (Coburn) that hardly has been given a chance for old, useless veterans (Zhitnik). Look at the one who dumpster dives in free agency (Williams) and loves to pick up useless waiver scraps (Recchi). Look at the one who promised we’d be a younger team, then trades away an old player (Klee) for an even OLDER and much more underperforming player (Schneider)! Since 1999, this man has established a team that NOBODY would want to sign to. Brian Campbell wouldn’t play here, Todd Mclellan wouldn’t even interview here for a coaching job. Look at the one who built this house of flimsy contracts, mediocre players, bad trades, bad drafts…and I wonder every single game why this one hasn’t been fired. This “one” that I speak of is general manager Don Waddell. Do you agree with this, Mike? Do you agree that we’ve fixed every possible area since 1999 but turned a blind eye to such a big area as the management?
Hossa wanted to win, and he knew it wouldn’t happen with the same general manager. Kovalchuk wants to win. Before we know it, Don Waddell’s still in charge, and the few promising players we have will have expiring contracts. Whatever talent we have scattered in our roster…they deserve to win, and my hope that they want to win in Atlanta wanes with each game.
Why have we kept Waddell to manage this God forsaken team? The Thrashers are in desperate need of change. Stop changing areas that don’t need to be fixed and start changing at the top. If the problem is talent, I’d hate to leave Waddell in charge of bringing in talent. God knows he hasn’t succeeded yet in that area.
This is getting ridiculous. Another absolutely atrocious season and NOBODY is getting punished OR the wrong people get punished. Whatever happened to common sense?
Mike, I would like to see you post a long and well thought-out analysis on what we’ve changed since 1999, what needed to be changed a long time ago, and what we can change now. I always appreciate what you have to say and I think your published input on specifically our general manager would be very valuable to the fans. Thanks for all you do.
Brian Chicago, IL
By Sturgis Filleratch
February 1, 2009 12:17 AM | Link to this
Who cares? Sup-par team with even worse ownership just biding time beofre they can sell the team to Kansas City, Hamilton, or wherever else.
It’d be nice if it was different, but it’s not. They’ve alienated the fans, who aren’t coming back. And why would they?
Sad to see hockey dying in Atlanta again, but good riddance to this pathetic franchise. Simply pathetic, the lot of ‘em.
By Brian Rudisel
February 1, 2009 12:22 AM | Link to this
Stendec,
I want you to give one solid reason why Luongo, Lundqvist, Thomas, or any other top netminder would have fared better in this game. Kari was DESERTED. He played by himself. Everybody else BUT Kari put in a real p** poor effort. You clearly didn’t watch the game and see what kind of saves Lehtonen was making out there.
Haven’t you learned by now that the THRASHERS are untalented? Not Kari Lehtonen by himself? The skaters earned this L, not Kari.
The two goals he let in were wide open breakaways caused by the rest of the team sleeping on Carolina’s end. Those breakaway goals could have and would have gotten past any goaltender.
By Mr.KC
February 1, 2009 12:26 AM | Link to this
I am looking forward to going to games next season here at the Sprint Center !!!!
I hear the Thrashers will be renamed The Kansas City Blades… Sponcers are coming forward and 987am KMBZ says there is a 90% chancxe either Nashville or Atlanta WILL move here next season…
Atlanta is DONE, Thanks to Don Waddell his complete inability to run a professional hockey team will result in the team moving. The ONLY chance is fire Waddell NOW, sell to Arthur Blank and pray !
Plus these so called owners who could care less about hockey are the reason the Thrashers will be HERE in Kansas City next season !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By MJ
February 1, 2009 12:32 AM | Link to this
Hey Mike
Thanks so much for stopping by 114 tonight. Great to hear that the team felt and acknowledged our support. WIsh the end result had been better, but the trip was great.
By stendec
February 1, 2009 12:39 AM | Link to this
The two goals he let in were wide open breakaways caused by the rest of the team sleeping on Carolina’s end. Those breakaway goals could have and would have gotten past any goaltender.
That is simply not true. I have seen lesser touted goaltenders routinely smother such breakaway efforts. Both were stoppable. Neither was stopped! If Kari Letemin had a slither of talent (which he does not) he would have stopped at least one of them. I know the sun was in his eyes but what the Hell. Guess one of them was a dreaded monkey puck! Do not lump this loser in with legitimate netminders. That is pure apologetic bullshet!
By R. Stroz
February 1, 2009 12:48 AM | Link to this
ant banks - I didn’t make the trip to the game.
I’m just saying that those fans who did make the trip are due a refund from the Thrashers players who made the trip but didn’t bother to play the game.
The players should be ashamed of their lack of performance.
I watched the game from the comfort of my home.
By pond scum
February 1, 2009 1:38 AM | Link to this
Mr.KC-
First of all,no way in hell this team moves or Nashvilles. I don’t give a dang how many “supposed” sponsors you got lining up at the door,cause 90% or more of these “sponsors” are losing boat loads of money each day on Wall Street. How in the world could they have the money to pony up for something like that and might not even be in business this time come next year? Hell,next month for that matter.
With the economy going down further and further,do you really think these folks could take the PR hit for even trying to pull something like this? A stockholder is looking to protect his investment,not a hockey team. If us fans were treated that way,we’d have better results.
Furthermore,there is no ice cubes chance in hell Bettman looks like a fool for coming back here for only a decade then move out.
Blackberry boy got blocked for the mere reason of trying to move the Preds to Hamilton.
We aren’t even as bad off as the Coyotes yet,on the verge of filling bankruptcy protection.But some hole in the wall AM radio station in bum phucked Kansas has us moving there? Too bad a “common sense” course isn’t offered in college or university,cause some folks need it rather badly,namely you.
Unless you got something “REAL” or CONCRETE,do yourself a favor and quit making up lies. We have enough lies to deal with as it is.
AS for OUR team,fire the GM already! If Waddell was any kind of man with a spine,he’d resign. But he won’t cause NOBODY in their right minds would even let him come close to being ANYTHING in their franchise…… so his pride will continue to kill us until the owners can him.
By Brian Rudisel
February 1, 2009 1:42 AM | Link to this
pond scum, you couldn’t have said that better. Thank you.
By Kevin
February 1, 2009 3:20 AM | Link to this
Dear folks at of lame sports writers Waddell is reason this team is now a laughin post Bad GM makes bad team…Don Waddell was and should had never been the GM here.His days are done he needs be Fired are like was said the Team will be playin in Kansas city next year…..Thank U don waddell For losin are team like a certain GM n owner did with flames in 1979….excuse’s was well no local Tv no sponsors no help….Fire Don Waddell Now
By pond scum
February 1, 2009 3:26 AM | Link to this
Thank you! Me,you and our fellow fans aren’t going to put up with it. I hope these relocation tools understand that this team can and has all the support (private and corporate) it could ever need,in any aspect. All us fans need is that same commitment from ownership.
Phillips, Coke,UPS just to name a few can slay any 2nd rate wireless phone company to shreds. It won;t be long before that building is looking for a new corporate sponsor anyways,Verizon is killing them. Again,COMMON SENSE.
And with out any other real tenants and it being a smaller market,not to forget the other events picked hands down first by musical acts and such……… the top dollar safe bet is here.AGAIN COMMON SENSE
And considering that Phillips is locked into an agreement until like 2019……….you’d think some of these homers would do some actual homework before running off at the mouth. AGAIN COMMON SENSE
C’mon back with your if this and if that’s please………. I already got one for you.
If your momma had of used her mouth instead,I wouldn’t have to listen to your stupid a$$ today.
By Stendec is aka as Don Waddell
February 1, 2009 3:42 AM | Link to this
Stendec,
You couldn’t stop a cold in 70 degree weather…. everyone is tired of your bs antics on here, constantly bashing the guys that put forth effort….. everyone that reads the ajc online knows you don’t like kari, and for that matter, any other people that wear the thrashers sweater, and we’re tired of you bashing them, so you need to get over it…. stendec, YOU are the biggest joke in atlanta thrashers hockey… you make bruce lendmesome-money and the rest of the atlanta spirit owners look like George Steinbrenner when the Yankees were winning world championships… Stendec, you couldn’t stop patrick stefan on an empty net attempt, circa mid 2000’s dallas stars…. its people like you stendec that are the reason atlanta can’t win… why would anyone want to play for a piece of s** like you….. go jump off a cliff headfirst stendec, you piece of crap
By EA
February 1, 2009 4:51 AM | Link to this
Stendac, WE GET IT, YOU HATE KARI, ENOUGH!!!!!!
By Mr.KC
February 1, 2009 7:01 AM | Link to this
pond scum, you are just that scum, and an uninformed hockey fan who does not kinow one thing about what is going one here in Kansas City ! So take your very little bit of info and spread it across your pond so the scum will evaporate PLEASE !
By italiano807
February 1, 2009 7:28 AM | Link to this
Now you Thrasher fans know how Detroit Lions fans feel when a team will not fire a GM until its way too late (Matt Millen)
By T
February 1, 2009 9:08 AM | Link to this
Thrashers will be gone within 2 years ending Atlanta’s final experiment with hockey. And no one will notice.
By Lobianco
February 1, 2009 9:39 AM | Link to this
Mr Rudisel,
Thank you for your insightful well thought out post. Your points are spot on. As for Stendec, please ignore him as most try to do on this board of solid hockey fans.Most blogs have a Grinch and Stendec is ours. We are just glad he lets off steam by posting so, hopefully, it will prevent him from doing something horrible that would put him on the front page of the AJC.
By B. Thenet
February 1, 2009 9:42 AM | Link to this
The only thing we have to look forward to for the rest of the season is that god damned trial between a bunch of rich morons to see who can claim credit for this dungheap of a franchise next year.
The lack of effort has to be placed squarely at the feet of John Anderson and his coaching staff. To have this kind of putrid effort night in and night out, it is a coaching problem not a player problem.
By Sage of Bluesland
February 1, 2009 10:28 AM | Link to this
I notice the criticism for Coach Sunshine growing?!
(I don’t bother with the name of those who won’t be here too long)
When will our only GM, that little fraud Don Waddell, finally be held accountable for the first two “Five-Year Plans”?
People who still subsidize this incompetence must have little self-respect. That’s about the only conclusion I can draw on the shameful product offered up by this ownership/management.
Only when 1,000 people show up—the hardcore sheep who still wave the wittle fwag and bluster about being twue bwue fan—will things ‘begin’ to change…
By rob
February 1, 2009 11:31 AM | Link to this
I went to my first thrasher game thursday against the Islanders, Having just moved into the area. I’m a longtime hockey fan and what I saw that night was a simple. Atlanta has a combination of veterans who look disillusioned and don’t want to be there, young players who are playing like rookies or frankly don’t have enough talent to be in the league. A Thrasher fan sitting next to me told me the problem is no one wants to play for this ownership and they can’t attract top players. May be true but it doesn’t excuse how an Islander team with less experience outworked and outhustled a Thrasher team for 2 periods. Waddell needs to take off the rose colored glasses and trade Kovalchuck,Schneider, Kozloz and bring in more young players or picks. then Anderson has to weed out who wants to play in the league and who doesn’t and start again next year. This is a lazy team and it’s obvious not all the players are on the same page, it’s time to clean house and start again with a core group that buys into the system and even though they may lose more often than not provide a full effor for 3 periods instead of one.
By Mike
February 1, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this
The players and the fans desertve MUCH more than this GM and onewrship is giving them.
I feel bad for both groups.
By BK
February 1, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this
I can tell you that not one of the Thrashers fans at the game last night regrets the time or money spent to travel to Raleigh. Win or loss it was an incredible experience being at the game with that many fellow fans on the road. It was also great to see how much our support meant to the players.
By Kaat
February 1, 2009 12:23 PM | Link to this
I agree with Rob, that a good portion of the team is just not ready for prime time. And I agree that, at times, the team looks lost and/or disinterested.
I disagree, however, that Kozlov should be traded. He’s in a bit of a slump right now, but he’s been one of the few bright spots this season. Why give fans one more reason to turn away? And he has a no-trade, not that he might not consider waiving it under the right circumstances, but still. It would be a shame for this team to lose a rock-solid veteran like him. In addition to what he brings to the ice — and he does bring it (everyone has a few off games) — many of the baby Thrashers (Bryan Little, for example), credit Kozlov with mentoring them and teaching them how to be a pro in the League. Kozlov is a damn good player and you can’t overlook what he brings to the team off the ice as well.
As for the people who say “don’t go to the games.” I just can’t get behind that notion. I want a change as much as anyone, but I don’t want that change to be the team leaving the city. I enjoy hockey for hockey’s sake. Just being at a game — however miserable — is better than being at home. I’ve been in Dallas and Washington and Carolina for road games this year and have spent a lot of money to watch my favorite team lose. But in the final analysis, I enjoy hockey games. Whether the Thrashers are losing (or winning — it happens sometimes), it’s fun to be at games and see the other teams and players as well. But, ultimately, I like watching my favorite players — Kozlov in particular. I want to see Kozzie play as much as possible before he retires and that day is fast approaching.
Call me an idiot sheep — I know you want to. That’s fine with me.
By bulldog52
February 1, 2009 2:07 PM | Link to this
Rob, is right on the money. Team has no energy. no big need to work hard. Waddell in Milwaukee friday night to see wolves play then added two players and sent one down. not a good deal. But not much down on farm. Anderson was able to get wolves to play hard when he was in chicago not sure why he can’t get thrashers to play hard. Unless players are not afraid of there positon on the team knowing that they won’t or can’t be sent down to minors. Thrashers need an infusion of angry young players who are willing to hit and play a little defense.
By dhj_1962
February 1, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this
why was kovy slamming sticks on the locker room door?? he should be slamming opposing players with the puck onto the ice or into the boards. thats the whole problem with the Thrashers in a nut shell. He is the Captain, he should lead by example on the defensive end. He needs the mentality of William Wallace. Will You Fight????
By HAWKS 101
February 1, 2009 3:13 PM | Link to this
I agree, we need to fire Don Waddell. To bad we can not fire the owners as well.
By Meh
February 1, 2009 4:44 PM | Link to this
I’m with you Kaat. Well put. As long as we have hockey in Atlanta (I hope forever) I’m there, and I’ll travel to see our boys too. Even bad hockey’s better than no hockey.
As far as Waddell is concerned, losing him could be a mistake. I know, I know—his record, 5 year plan, etc. are not shining successes, but I’m convinced his hands are tied by ownership AND he’s the only person higher than Coach Anderson in the ASG who even has passing knowledge of hockey. And he is well-respected in the hockey world, and that’s not easy to come by. Plus, what capable GM would come here, knowing the issues with ownership and the financial situation?
I was in Raleigh last night and it was awesome fun to be around hockey people—it’s a shame our boys couldn’t muster the energy they needed to compete.
By Thrashers27
February 1, 2009 5:12 PM | Link to this
Good point, Meh…The sadness that the ‘08/’09 hockey season is as good as over has justs struck me. Only thing worth looking forward to now is a bit of development and the prospect of Tavares.
There’s always next year.
By Tom
February 1, 2009 9:00 PM | Link to this
Hey KC -
Here is another reason you will not be cheering for the Thrashers in your arena.
Sun Media has learned one reason the Atlanta Thrashers might not be calling in any moving vans is the valuable naming rights to Philips Arena.
The existing deal calls for two tenants — the NHL’s Thrashers and NBA’s Hawks — in the building.
That means if the Thrashers, who share the same owners as the Hawks, moved to Kansas City, it would cause a significant financial loss for the basketball team and selling the naming rights of the building in these tough economic times could be next to impossible.
via http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2009/02/01/8221746-sun.html
By pond scum
February 2, 2009 1:09 AM | Link to this
Thank you Tom, and furthermore……..
MR. KC- get a life and out of your parents basement. IF you had an actual leg to stand on in this debate,you’d had presented it by now.
Fact is,you are obviously delusional.
You got passed up by the NBA for a team, ya’ll was hoping somehow the Preds and/or the Pens would be moved there.
And for this no nothing,I do know that the Scouts lasted how long? And what was that reason brainiac? THEY COULDN’T DRAW FANS TO COME SEE THEM PLAY!
Your experiment failed miserably!!!!! Do you really think that Bettman is going to allow this move,in this economic climate,take on the PR and pride hits,get enough governors from other teams to actually vote on it and pass,ask the NBA to not get pi$$ed over the lease break up with Phillips for the sweet deal they have with them for an arena that’s leap and bounds better and more state of the art, within a far more populated fanbase area to tap into not to mention the corporate base?
You are an idiot plain and simple. You can get up from the sandbox and cry all you want to.
I’m not and will never claim to be a know it all about hockey,and feel free to ask anyone here if I have ever. I enjoy EVERYONE’S opinion and passion for this team,they are all in this just as I am for life.
What I don’t enjoy is a loud mouthed moron,who still hasn’t posted any kind of credible evidence to support his claims of a move nor debate who and how it all could feasibly take place. I hate LIARS,which you are being.
Nothing is impossible,but again YOU DON’T HAVE A LEG TO STAND ON IN THIS ARGUEMENT YOU OPENED UP ON YOURSELF BY LYING,plain and simple. Provide some links(credible ones),as an example,the person,group ect. that say they have the cash to buy them and all the other details. Not some hack loser at this AM radio station in the middle of bum phucked Kansas or your local sports editor.
I’m sure you love hockey…… but your SOL in hoping our team is your next one. You know it just as we all do,you only came here to start trouble and break up the blogging between us folks who are here to talk about OUR ATLANTA THRASHERS.
Go and talk about the Jayhawks,the Royals,Chiefs where it needs to be. If you wanna be a fan,fine by all means jump on board.
But quit the damn lying and grow up. And what was that about scum you said? Only scum such as yourself sink so low as to try and pull this idiotic side show.
No one here cares about KC and your opinion anymore,so do us all a favor and punch a hole in our give a $hit cards and don’t come back.
Meh- I agree that bad hockey is better than no hockey. I’ve traveled many times up to Nashville and Raliegh to see our guys live and in person to back’em up. To the 150 fans who went, I APPLAUD you very much and thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Boycotting games isn’t what this team needs,but being constant thorns in the owners/Waddell’s sides will help.
Chants of “Waddell you suck”,paperbags and signs,relentless emails to ownership ( think passionate constructive critisism) ect. can help.Our guys here at the AJC can help out also.
But I disagree with you on Waddell’s hands being tied by ownership.Example David Poile of the Preds. He was told by then owner Craig Leipold that he had to purge some contracts that he was losing too much money. Poile did just that letting Kariya walk away to the Blues as well as trading Vokoun,Hartnell,Timonen,Walker,Hordichuk to name a few,but his team still made the postseason.
It can be done,Poile is proof of it. He has had the Preds into the postseason regularly despite having the lowest or near bottom 5 salaried teams in all the NHL in each of those seasons. And complicating matters even worse is for awhile the Preds had no bulk of corporate sponsors and the Gaylords backed out on them on their arena lease deal and squabbling with the metro city’s board over monies to improve the arena.
But yet he managed them to success. He did his job and then some. He obviously has far more passion and knowledge than Waddell could ever have about hockey and his job,only way he gets it is if he asks GOD in a prayer for it to be given to him.
You are probably right about no one else in the orginization having much hockey knowledge OR PROBABLY CARING it seems.
That’s why the ownership needs to clean out the whole lot and bring in their OWN choices,put more of their OWN fingerprints into it.
And all this talk about losing money is a flat out lie also. Then Preds owner Craig Leipold said he was losing money by the boat loads in Nashville, but yet a season later he is now the proud owner of the Minnesota Wild.
If he was losing SO MUCH MONEY,how in the world did he pull that one off? Most business men/women make those boat loads of money by smoke,mirrors and LIES.
Kaat-great blog!
DHJ_1962- Very good points indeed! I hope this doesn’t come off as me trying to have a pricky attitude towards others,but I’ve been doing alot of thinking. Comparing Ovechkin to Kovy is heart breaking. Alex is constantly going 100 mph,giving his all and sucked it up when his supporting cast was lacking. Kovy displays this emotion on the lockerroom door,why not his opponents? And while I admire his brokering peace between Ovie and Geno, he needs to also really be leaning on Slava Kozlov for as much advice as possible on leadership and what it takes.
NOW COMPARE THE 2 AGAIN. Kovy is named captain,he then proceeds to come out blazing,showing us the old Kovy.But after the heartbreaker to the Flyers,he sulks some more and other than 1 period vs. the Isles……. has disappeared again. We all know what he is capable of but yet his attitude changes constantly from happy to sad. Instead of showing more of a captains ability,he takes on the “owe woe is me” attitude.
I was happy that Waddell (who gaffed this up by not doing it to start the season),gave the C to Kovy for my own personal evaluations also. I thought we’d get the results we had from the first few games and it would stick,he’d really elevate his game and break on thru to another level we haven’t seen from him and return back on the scoresheets more often as he once did,give Ovechkin and Malkin a run for their money for the title “best Russian in the NHL”……. but I’m very disappointed. Alot of our guys have now taken that same “Oh woe is me” attitude that the captain is displaying.It’s now magnified by the fact Kovy is captain.
And let’s be honest,DW probably only named Kovy captain to help him in his plight to resign him,keep him somewhat happy.Instead of these “silent signs”,why not get together with him and ask “do you REALLY want to be in for the long haul?” dON’T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH NO LONGER.And I wish he’d drop that “silent attitude” and let his passion show again.
I love Kovy, but we are in a very difficult crossroads as to where this team can go,with or without him.
Does he want to be the leader of it all,taking it down the successful path? Or are we going to still have DW leading us down the tough one he knows all to well and in the end,not have nothing to show for Kovy IF he indeed is gone?
We need a competent GM NOW more than ever…….. this could end up setting us back even further than the early expansion years.
And that my friends is very scary and painful for me as I’m sure all you feel the same way.Thoughts?
By Glovesave29
February 2, 2009 10:19 AM | Link to this
A brief history of hockey in KC -
KC Scouts - failed KC Blues - failed KC Red Wings - failed KC Blades - failed KC Outlaws - failed
I am sure you will want to pulls fans from the surrounding areas…but Topeka and Wichita have similar records for supporting hockey (I mean who could forget the Scarecrows and Spiders?)
Atlanta is the 9th largest metro area in the USA at 5.3 million. Kansas City is 29th with just under 2 million.
Philips can break the lease (and in this economy, I gatta imagine they’d love to get out from under it) if the Thrashers move. A$G may be idiots, but they are not morons (!) the team is not moving. Neither is Nashville. If anyone is on the move it is Phoenix, and you better believe if KC comes into the mix, it is just to get a sweeter deal from Winnipeg.
Nothing against, KC….been there many times and I am from Missouri myself. Just not happening there…
By Jim
February 2, 2009 1:44 PM | Link to this
KAAT- good post. I too have lived in a number of cities where teams went thgrough tough times and the fans howled for blood. But, they still can to games because they were true hockey fans. We go because we too enjoy hockey even though this team is clearly headed in the wrong direction with little talent at the NHL level and a skimpy pool at the minor league and junior level. In any other job, the dismal performance of the leader (GM Don Waddell) over a period of time would have resulted in his dismissal. He has not performed and he should be relieved of his duties. I’m also questioning why John Anderson has doggedly stuck with his “system” when it is clearly not working. e clearly doesn’t have the horses to make it work. Play the hand that you have been dealt John and change it up. Getting outshot 21-4 in the first period at Carolina was an embarrassment. I enjoy good, hardnosed hockey and I have to problem with 2-1 games with both teams shooting less than 20 times. I root for my team to be in the game. I do not want to continue to hope that they don’t get embarrassed again. I enjoy hockey and I for one don’t want it to leave Atlanta again.
By Old Time Hockey
February 2, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this
Not related to the pathetic effort of the team in the last few games, the team had a STH event at the arena where we could skate on the Philips Arena ice. Fun time had by all. But the point of this is that the ice totally sucks! It was freshly Zamboni’d and still had deep ruts, bumpy surface behind both goals. So the next time you see a puck hop over a guy’s stick, or get caught up along the boards, give the player the benefit of the doubt. Obviously, sharing the arena with other events and having the ice covered and uncovered all the time has to have some effect, but if they can skate on the infield at Wrigley with the new technology, they should be able to create a smooth sheet of ice all the time. And I don’t put this one on the owners, this is a league issue.
By EA
February 2, 2009 4:54 PM | Link to this
STH event on Saturday was really nice. It was fun to see my child put on her skates while sitting at Brian Little’s dressing stall. I can’t comment on the ice since I did not lace up any skates. Also, Kaat, amen to your comments. The season is very depressing, but I feel fortunate that we have a team in our great city.
By stendec
February 2, 2009 6:45 PM | Link to this
For those that did not know I am from Norway and hate Sweden and Finland, they always pick on me;.