Thrashers

By Brendan

February 8, 2009 3:42 PM | Link to this

Okay, permit an indulgence. Going back to Mike Knobler’s December 26, 2008 ‘Q&A’ Interview with Waddell, let’s revisit a few things. Knobler asked what would be Waddell’s 1st priority in a trade?” Note: Knobler previously asked if there were any players, aside from Kovalchuk, whom he wouldn’t trade. Waddell said there were, but he didn’t want to name those young players, but indicated that it was fairly clear who they were. I’ll be presumptuous here and say that those players are Bryan Little, Ondrej Pavelec, Boris Valabik, Zach Bogosian, and Tobias Enstrom.

Okay, back to the question, Waddell answered, “A Centerman would be #1”, but some other forward would also suffice. Okayyy, I’d say the Peverley waiver claim would count towards that objective. And we didn’t have to cough anything up to get him. That’s the benefit of being an NHL “bottom feeder.”

Mike Knobler asked, “When do you start having to make a decision about making a run (for the playoffs) versus time to look to the future?” Waddell said that there are only five home games in February, (Today’s game is one of them**,) and that if the team doesn’t put itself into position within the next 5-6 weeks (February 10, 2009), it’s going to be tough for us. (With the trade deadline on March 4, 2009.)”

Mike Knobler asked, “Marty Reasoner has been playing well. Will you look to re-sign him soon?” Waddell answered, “The guys that are on one-year contracts, after Janaury 1, you can start talking about extensions. We haven’t done a lot of that in the past. It’s one thing to do your marquee players. Everybody understands that. But you’ve got to be careful, because you’ve got chemistry (issues to consider) in the lockerroom.”

Mike Knobler asked, “What’s your assessment of the season?” Waddell answered with the usual bluster, except he omitted the word “consistency” this time. He talked about not getting results in close games, late in the 3rd period. And said the team was better than the record indicated.

Well, until the NHL starts awarding playoff berths based on teams being better than their record indicates, it may be time for accountability. On second thought, that’d be downright “nutty.”

Then Mike Knobler asked the Wadster “How do you think coach John Anderson is doing?” Jar-Jar Binks answered, “Fine.” (What ELSE was his supposed to say about a guy who he hired, for the purposes of falling on the sword for the next two seasons, while the team reloads?)

Finally, Mike Knobler asked DWad, “What do you expect to happen with attendance?” Class … pay close attention here. As this is the most important part of the interview, and goes a long way towards determining whether Waddell is actually William Hung, versus someone grounded in some form of reality. Here, now, the Waddell response. (Are you brimming over with excitement and anticipation yet??)

“Our attendance has always been better the second half of the year. We EXPECT IT to be BETTER. We’ve already got pre-sales that will be better. But we also know we’re in a very different economic world than we were. People are a little more tentative about spending that extra dollar.”

Okay, so … Waddell, at the end of the quote, starts to appear like a person who has a clue that the team has to win to fill the arena. But yet, we won’t say that. Instead, his choses to blame the economy, as if … had the nation been in surplus economic times, attendance (with this record) wouldn’t be a problem.

Okay, jurors. Render a verdict. Is Waddell William Hung? That is, a person in complete denial about his situation and abilities. Or, was Waddell merely in full political “spin” mode, back in December?

By beau vighn

February 8, 2009 4:03 PM | Link to this

Fire the bum….

By LAC

February 8, 2009 6:08 PM | Link to this

Brendan, this Idiot has never gotten it done here and never will. It is excuse after excuse after excuse with him, each showing him for what he is a man that is completely out of his league.

When you DO see him on camera, his head is down, he speaks so low you can hardly hear him and he is short and ALWAYS avoids tough questions with the same lame answers that are his worthless trademark.

Another loss today, When you read what others say about us, like… Lowly, Bottom Feeders, Hapless, Poor, Terrible and on and on and on…It really makes you sick.

Like you said, what does go on in that empty head of waddell’s. Other teams with the same payroll are having better results this season, why NOT Atlanta…. waddell.

Look at LA, all those GOOD young players, they whipped NJ last night after they made us look like scum. How do they draft GOOD players and not us ?

Our only good young players are Little and Zach, and he really has not overwhelming to say the least. I have given up thinking about this, we have too many NHL castoffs and NOT enough good solid young players.

Lastly, remember a few months back when after yet another loss, Anderson went to waddell and wanted to blow up the roster ? What has happened ? NOT MUCH ! Traded Williams for nothing, aquire Peaverly who is now slumping back into waiver claim status and sent down Crabb and brought up two AHL’ers who frankly have not done much. What does that show you ? It is a never ending folly that will not stop until either waddell resigns or the teamis sold, and he WOULD Get fired then. Like Stan said, He needs to be replaced ASAP !

By B. Thenet

February 8, 2009 6:51 PM | Link to this

The biggest problem is that the only way you can succeed with a low salary is if you have an above average scouting and management team.

We have neither.

By dhj_1962

February 8, 2009 7:16 PM | Link to this

not a bad game today, Mathpew Schnieder played like crap again, pinching up, missing the puck and man, there goes Carter…goal. did yall see the paperbag wearing fan??? had slackers across his jersey. maybe the Thrashers saw it. must of helped, they played pretty solid. Kovy named his son Phillip, intresting, must love it in Atlanta. I’d like to see him pull a Keith Kachuckle, be rented to a contender, then resign with Atlanta. Is there any GM’s out there as dumb as Don “the dud” Waddell that will do that for us??? anyway, a Sunday afternoon of hockey was pretty sweet after Church. just wish my Thrash could of won.

By Whiny Fan

February 8, 2009 7:56 PM | Link to this

Brendan,

Seriously a William Hung and Jar Jar Binks reference?? Those were already dated when Dan Snyder was alive. There’s one thing to complain and sound smart, but you sound like you just stepped out of 2002. Maybe that’s a good thing since not much good has come from this team since….

By Brendan

February 8, 2009 8:11 PM | Link to this

Let’s not forget something here, our building project began 20-points ahead of the team that just defeated us for the WHATH straight time now?

By sisu

February 8, 2009 9:06 PM | Link to this

Peaverly who is now slumping back into waiver claim status what games have you been watching? True Peverley is not tearing it up but neither is the team. It has been an interesting debate on the nest about DW, if you fire him (Which is fine with me) who will be in charge to hire his replacement? If it is ASG then we may be in bigger trouble than before. I think there may be some basketball guy they would bring in knowing that is what they like, they do not have a clue on hockey…sad, sad, sad times in deed…. To focus on the positive this season, some young players have played and gotten experience for next season….

By Sage of Bluesland

February 8, 2009 9:36 PM | Link to this

Gee, I just don’t know what we’d do without Don Waddell—we might actually suck for almost a decade…He’s been a real beacon of good decision-making. Don’t believe it, just look at the spweadsheet!

“…debate on the nest…”???

You mean a Don Waddell-excuse-festival-held-by-the-laughable-sheep place?

That’s what I thought. Yeah, some “debate”…

By sisu

February 8, 2009 10:37 PM | Link to this

Sage, are you bitter by nature or something else?:) Personal attacks really do not help. You must have just glanced at what I wrote…

What my point was is that think of Bettman and where he came from and then think of what ASG is capable of? I am all for replacing Waddell but who will make the decision and what do they know about hockey? Just sad situation in general. My hope is that ASG gets bought out or lose ownership in the court battle.

By Brendan

February 8, 2009 11:10 PM | Link to this

Why not let the league step in and run them? If it really came to that.

By Wayne

February 8, 2009 11:46 PM | Link to this

Seriously, have any fans done the “Ain’ts” routine in Philips, or has the heavy-handed arena security yanked them out of the arena?

By docsbro

February 9, 2009 4:05 AM | Link to this

Pretty sad when we can’t even get scouts to come watch…must not be much to see here.

By dhj_1962

February 9, 2009 6:56 AM | Link to this

Wayne see my blog February 8, 2009 7:16 PM, seen one “aints”

By Season Ticket Sonny

February 9, 2009 8:06 AM | Link to this

What is this, the TENTH YEAR of Waddell’s five-year plan? Does he even sound worried to anyone? Further, why should he be? With this laughingstock ownership group, this buffoon is like the Pope: Apparently, he has a job for life!

By GaVaHokie

February 9, 2009 9:20 AM | Link to this

Peverley is no different than Belanger and McCarthy… guys who come in here and make an immediate impact for 3 games and then fizzle out as they get confused with garbled “no system” play… trying to mesh with Kovy, who can’t be meshed with.

They all end up on Kozlov’s line before just fading out entirely.

By Spud Webb

February 9, 2009 9:29 AM | Link to this

Brendon, he’s a hung for sure. My brother called me (from Philly) during the game yesterday laughing his butt off. Telling me they’re whole team is sick, played the bruins Saturday and then come down here and whip us. He couldn’t stop laughing and I couldn’t say much other than hanging up on him. Peverly, I like this guy, plays hard. But what is so funny to me, we CLAIM THIS GUY OFF WAIVERS AND HE’S ON OUR FIRST LINE?? I mean if that doesn’t tell you how low we are, nothing does. Any other team in the NHL, including the Isles, wouldn’t be able to do that. I mean we have ZERO’s at the center position. Nice work DW. LOSER

By Brendan

February 9, 2009 10:24 AM | Link to this

Don’t forget, Spud Webb, Atlanta finished 20-points AHEAD (in 2008) of Philadelphia’s last place finish in April of 2007. By April 2008, the Flyers were the #6 seed in the playoffs. And by May 2008, they were in the Conference Finals.

Per Bruce Levensen, in an April 2008 Interview with former AJC Thrashers Beat Writer Craig Custance, “Why tear it down?, when we’re so close. We’re 20-points ahead of where Philadelphia started (last year).”

Personally, I don’t think it’s fair to compare Atlanta’s market, and situation, with that of Philadelphia’s, but Bruce was “okay” with it. And he’s the owner. Okay, he’s a co-owner. Fine. Well, that Flyers team (in particular, Antero Niittymaki,) has owned the Thrashers for quite a while now. Truthfully, and sincerely, I think that issss somewhat of an anomaly. It’s just one of those achilles heel-type teams for the Thrashers. Every team in the league has got one.

But yes, the Flyers have met and surpassed the T-birds since they finished DEAD LAST in the NHL in 2007. It think it’s safe to say that the Flyers, and GM Paul Holmgren, had a “vision” for that they wanted to build. And they’ve done a remarkable job, from where they once were. I have no ill will for the Philadelphia Flyers. I congratulate them on their successful plan, and path, back to contendership. I really, truly wouldn’t be shocked to see the Flyers back in the Conference Finals again this season, irrespective of where they might wind up seeded. Hey, they got there from sixth position last year. How many teams are meandering around, muttering, “I sure hope we draw the Philadelphia Flyers as a 1st round opponent! That’ll be a ‘walk in the park?’”

By docsbro

February 9, 2009 10:33 AM | Link to this

Great point Spud on Peverly. I agree he is young and seems to have a good bit of upside. It was clear that Nashville didn’t want to lose him but I think he has been better than anything we have developed in 9 years. He does play hard and will some day be really good after we trade him…

By Smoothie

February 9, 2009 10:57 AM | Link to this

I’m sorry guys but Peverley is STILL playing better than our entire 2nd line!! Finally Slava gets a goal (how about shooting more than once a month on the PP Slava??), but that “girly drink” line has not scored at even strength in what seems like an eternity. The other problems on the 1st line are Kovy’s lazy defensive play (or intermittent if you will…comes and goes) and Army getting moved off the RW in favor of Thorburn…are you kidding me Coach Anderson?? Are they trying to hide Army so other GM’s don’t keep asking for him at the trade deadline??

By Joshgekko

February 9, 2009 11:25 AM | Link to this

Im starting to get excited about the trade deadline. Seems to be quite a slew of injuries the last few days across the league. Should be a number of teams fighting over the available talent via trade! Unfortunately we don’t have any top talent to trade away but we should still be able to get a couple of teams to overpay for what we do have!

By Tony C.

February 9, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this

Knobes-Any word on Hoffman???

By GaVaHokie

February 9, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this

Tony… Knobs already answered that on the last blog.

By Alan

February 9, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this

Tony - Mike had this to say in his last blog:

“BTW, I’ve been asked on the blog about Mike Hoffman. Here is the answer, courtesy of a conversation today with Anderson. Hoffman hurt his hand again (it was broken here in the preseason, and then he hurt the tendons in Chicago). He has played in 38 of 51 games, but even when in his minutes have been somewhat limited.”

By Rockem Sockem Thrasher

February 9, 2009 12:38 PM | Link to this

Espn is putting out the rumor that Montreal, Vancover, Colorado and Buffalo are interested in Mathieu Schnider.

ESPN Link

By Spud Webb

February 9, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this

VISION, man that’s a nice word isn’t it? I would love to have a vision for the thrashers. I wonder what DW or levenson or any of the other &ss clowns at the ASG have a vision of??

By Spud Webb

February 9, 2009 1:31 PM | Link to this

Knobs was there anyword why Bogo was a scratch or did I miss something?? Just makes ZERO sense to scratch him at this point? Thoughts??

By Alan

February 9, 2009 1:44 PM | Link to this

Spud - Probably has something to do with the return of Exelby.

Just a guess, though.

By Mike Knobler

February 9, 2009 3:03 PM | Link to this

Spud Webb I wondered about Bogosian, too, and asked him if he was healthy. He said he was. Don’t expect him to be out for long. The problem when you carry eight defensemen is that two have to sit. The Thrashers need to make room for the young guys ASAP, but they can’t sit the veterans if they expect to be able to market them.

By Jim

February 9, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this

*William Hung (aka Donny Brilliance) has no clue. He actually thinks that folks are going to rush to see these pansies go through the motions. We left after the second period yesterday for the first time ever. Thrash ought to sell discounted seats for the third period only. *

By Midfield

February 9, 2009 3:55 PM | Link to this

Brendan, I suspect that the Flyers curse is just an indicator of the Thrashers’ roster imbalance. Flyers is a physical team and, for at leats two years, what Atlanta fielded against them was too soft and not enough speed to compensate for the lack of grit. Actually, yesterday was one of the better games - with quite a bit of hitting (again, Army is awsome on a forecheck), and, as a result, the shot differential ended up in Atlanta’s favor. By the way, Hainsey is too soft for his size.

By GaVaHokie

February 9, 2009 4:42 PM | Link to this

My buddy just pointed out a trivia question I missed during the post game radio show yesterday…

“How many times have the Thrashers gone into the 3rd period trailing, and came back to tie it?”

The answer… twice.

Which means, if you have the lead on the Thrashers going into the 3rd period, you can pretty much chalk up the win.

By Midfield

February 9, 2009 5:04 PM | Link to this

This one was very close, actually. Had Christiansen put the puck into the wide open net - as he had to - when Atlanta was only trailing by one, all bets would be off. Flyers did not play very smart: they allowed Atlanta to goad them into all sorts of penalty trouble - kudos to Bolton, by the way, he had a great fight and a good game, for the most part.

By NASTY NEST

February 9, 2009 6:12 PM | Link to this

LETEMIN………LETEMIN……….LETEMIN………”YOU SUCK!!!!!”…………!!!!!!!!!!

By Brendan

February 9, 2009 6:17 PM | Link to this

Well, you might be right, Midfield. Eventually, Atlanta will put together a streak of 3-0-2 versus the Flyers. And we’ll have a chuckle about how the Flyers once owned us. But, for now, we’ve got an “imbalance,” as you say. This game was competitive. Had the Thrashers had a better 1st period, who knows? Did someone say that the streak against Philly started when Hartley pulled Moose (after 65-minutes of play) in favor of Kari during the shootout? If so, I find that an interesting line of demarcation for futility. If it’s true, (not saying it is, I haven’t checked,) I’d hope we not offend the hockey gods in this manner again against a different club.

Crazy me says … the goaltender fought and clawed for sixty-five minutes … but you’re not going to give him the opportunity to get the win?? WTF? It’d be one thing if the goalie approached the coach and said, “I’m out of gas. Mentally and physically. I’m asking you to put in the backup.” It’s quite another to call him over and tell him, “Great job, tonight. Take a seat. Or take a shower. Either way, your evening is over.” I wouldn’t do that to ANY goaltender. He’s earned the right to try for the win.

By Horsetoothedjackass

February 9, 2009 6:49 PM | Link to this

Anyone else secretly hoping Steve Belkin wins his lawsuit and this ownership circus ends? If Belkin takes over, Waddell will be needing to update his resume because he’ll be fired before the ink is dry on the check to the other ASG owners. Waddell will be lucky if he could get hired to GM a team in the ECHL. One season as the Assistant GM for the Red Wings and a semi-successful career as a minor league GM means someone is capable of running a successful franchise. For every smart move Waddell has made, there’s at least a half dozen bad moves to counter it.

John Anderson rightfully deserved his shot as an NHL coach; it’s too bad it is as the Thrashers coach.

We’ve got an ownership group that is beginning to have some of its’ members lose some of their stake because they don’t have two pennies to spare to keep funding this black hole of an ownership group.

This ownership group if they remain in place, they will cause both the Hawks and Thrashers to become the farm teams for the rest of their leagues.

By Wayne

February 9, 2009 9:52 PM | Link to this

Anyone else secretly hoping Steve Belkin wins his lawsuit and this ownership circus ends?

NO!!

Why? Because if Belkin wins, he’s going to sell the team for pennies on the dollar to make up for both legal fees and getting the Hawks/Philips Arena. And he won’t give a damn who he sells to (Jim Balsillie).

By Pucks not Ducks

February 9, 2009 10:12 PM | Link to this

It doesn’t matter who wins the lawsuit, this team is going to be sale either way. And most likely on its way out of town.

I’m certain whoever does end up with this team after the litigation is resolved will happily renegotiate the arena naming rights for some lesser amount in exchange for the OK to dump the thrashers and the financial drain they represent. And then, bye bye NHL. Again.

By Whiny Fan

February 10, 2009 12:46 AM | Link to this

I wish the ignorant fans of this franchise would jump off a bridge. Steve Belkin is not going to own these teams. The court case is strictly about the process to determine the value of Belkin’s portion, so the rest of the owners can buy him out. For the last time, Wayne, Horsetooth… and Pucks not Ducks, the Atlanta Spirit will own the teams after this court proceding. In the words of Bruce, deal with it. Knobler, can you write an article outlying what truely the case is about so these ignorant fans can get some knowledge about the matter?

By Pucks not Ducks

February 10, 2009 8:09 AM | Link to this

Sorry there WF. Writing is and has been on the wall. Knobs, I believe, has publicaly stated that he believes the team will be for sale after the litigation is resolved. Shultz certainly has.

And as to the actual process involved in the ASG suit: yes, the claim at issue, specifically, is the valuation of Belkin’s portion of ownership and the method for determining that portion. But that being said, once that value has been determined, there is no preclusion from ASG tendering the franchise to Belkin should the parties agree to it.

In other words, once that amount is set, then the negotiations begin on how it will get paid, and all options will be on the table. While most likely the thrashers will remain in ASG ownership after the suit, that is by no means guaranteed just because the suit itself is over valuation. And, most likely, doesn’t matter much anyway, because it is about guaranteed that the team will be shortly thereafter offered for sale.

(Sorry, WF. I actually do have a J.D. I kinda suspect I get the claims at issue in Belkin v. ASG).