Thrashers

By sisu

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

Mike, any idea what value might the team get from a d man? Do you feel that it will be a prospect or a draft pick?

By T

February 10, 2009 9:37 PM | Link to this

I think Schneider’s role in the development of Bogosian is underestimated. Unless we can get a solid prospect for him, which may or may not be reasonable, I think we should consider trying to keep him around.

By Brendan

February 10, 2009 9:38 PM | Link to this

Awesome! L.A. tied it up, 3-3, with the NY Isles. Now, they’re in the shootout. I’m not used to rooting against the Kings. But Go ISLES!!!

Jack Johnson has scored for the Kings, to win the shootout for Los Angeles. Hey, at least the Isles got a point.

By Tony C.

February 10, 2009 10:32 PM | Link to this

Well, I think Schneider’s value is in more of a “do as I say, not as I do” b/c I swear he fell for the “Matty over here!” trick twice in tonight’s game! I dunno if Tampa has a former teammate of his in their lineup tonight (familiar voice), but twice I saw Schneider make a perfect outlet pass…. …to the wrong sweater!

Also, anybody see the nifty stick lift #17 had on the backcheck? I am sure “The Aliens” have returned (coincidence that X returned to active duty as well?).

Knobes-keep it comin, man good work with the articles lately!

By B. Thenet

February 10, 2009 10:58 PM | Link to this

Nice win tonight.

By Mike Knobler

February 10, 2009 11:22 PM | Link to this

Tony C. Thanks very much. I’m trying to keep it going.

Everybody I didn’t write in my game story about the disallowed goal at 17:44 of the first when Lehtonen tripped over Gary Roberts, who had been pushed into him. That was the right call, a correct interpretation. Basically, if the goalie is obstructed inadvertently, it’s no goal but no goaltender interference penalty, and if it’s intentional it’s a penalty (and also of course no goal).

Also, when my game story gets updated online some of the stuff from my early version won’t be available. Here it is, Colin Stuart talking about his role on this team:

“They had a pretty clear cut way they wanted me to play here, and I’m trying to execute that,” Stuart said before the game. “Just provide energy, be smart defensively, help on penalty killing and do whatever I can to help the team get some wins. My game’s based on speed and energy. That’s what they want me to bring to the table here. I didn’t necessarily have to change to come here. I just had to step it up a notch.”

“I love the way he’s skating and finishing his checks,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said.

Stuart knows he has to be on his toes in the NHL.

“You make a mistake here, nine times out of 10 it’s in the back of your net. In the American League, you can get away with some stuff,” he said. “You can cheat a little bit defensively and sometimes get away with it. Up here, guys will make you pay for it.”

sisu and T I don’t know if the Thrashers will get a prospect or a draft pick for Schneider or Havelid. I think a lot depends on which team is on the other end of the trade and what they have in their system. I can see the value in keeping Schneider, but it’s awful expensive in opportunity cost to have him sitting idle in the playoffs when he could really help a playoff team. Weigh the advice he can give Zach in March and the first week of April against the value of what the Thrashers can get in return, and I think it’s pretty clear they’ve got to trade him.

Tony C. I, too, have wondered what Schneider is doing at times, but he still does a lot of little things well, and his shot is still strong. He’s 39 and could be a really good complementary piece on a playoff team.

By B. Thenet

February 10, 2009 11:48 PM | Link to this

I don’t see why Stuart hasn’t been up all year. He does the little things better than most of our 3rd and 4th liners.

By Unknown Fan

February 11, 2009 1:21 AM | Link to this

Why worry about drafts waddell will pass and destroy team again in his 5 year plan which is now at 10 years….unless we get rid of waddell this team will be in winnipeg Next season are followin season…..

By GaVaHokie

February 11, 2009 8:43 AM | Link to this

Sisu and T… a big thing to consider with taking on Schneider for another team is cap space… we could get some real value in return if say Philly needs to free up $2 million to get Schneider under the cap.

It also depends on the size of the package you put together… still looking at Philly, I think they need to move Briere at some point. You could put together a bigger package to acquire him.

I’d like to see Crusher, Army, Schneider and a 2nd or 3rd pick for Danny Briere and Scottie Upshall.

By Smoothie

February 11, 2009 10:21 AM | Link to this

It would be nice to think we could get one overpaid veteran at the end of his contract in addition to some draft picks at the deadline. However, I don’t think we should get our hopes up too much. Why would the Flyers trade Briere, who is under contract through ‘12-‘13 to the Thrashers for a playoff rental (Schneider), a prospect / pick and Armstrong? They have roughly $10 M tied up in soon-to-be UFA’s most of whom (Knuble, Hatcher, Alberts, one of the Finnish D-men) they prolly won’t re-sign.

But I do find the Flyers situation interesting as the Flyers do have and will have serious cap issues going into the end of this year if Briere comes of LTIR exemption (will he though?). Two things to consider though: 1) does Briere really augment their playoff run chances when his presence might do more to disrupt the chemistry of their top 2 lines and 2) would they really bring him off LTIR just to trade for a puck-moving D-man and some table scraps and risk making a rash move at the deadline when they might be better off waiting till the offseason when $10 M comes off the books?

By GaVaHokie

February 11, 2009 10:48 AM | Link to this

Smoothie… most of those UFA’s are washes, because they’re already $10 million over the cap with LTIR

They also have no goalie signed for next year. And they’re already near the cap for next season with RFA’s to sign… they also have to decide what to do with Van Reimsdyk.

By GaVaHokie

February 11, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this

Smoothie… read your post again… I get what you’re saying now, but the big issue is goaltending with Philly. They’ll need to free up another $4-6 million to get two goaltenders on the books… do they want to wait until summer to deal with that issue?

If you can’t take Briere off IR and you know you gotta move someone at some point, you might as well do it now for something you need in the present.

And why would they trade Briere? Probably because they didn’t expect to pay what they had to pay to extend Carter and Richards.

But I was just using Philly as an example of how we can do a package deal… I still expect Briere and Upshall to be traded, but it will probably be in some other grand fashion with some other team involving prospects and 1st round draft picks.

By Spud Webb

February 11, 2009 11:59 AM | Link to this

GA HOKIE, I’d love that trade too, but I believe Upshall is an UR FA at the end of the season & you and I both know he wouldn’t resign here, even if the ASG decided to pay!!! Would love to have Briere on the Kovy line, WOW. Well it’s nice to dream isn’t it????? 6 days till court starts!! Yahooooooooooo

By Alan

February 11, 2009 1:09 PM | Link to this

“I’d like to see Crusher, Army, Schneider and a 2nd or 3rd pick for Danny Briere and Scottie Upshall.”

How about a revision:

I’d like to see Christensen and Schneider go for Upshall. Why would we give away a draft pick and a young player?

We take enough phantom calls without a Greg Louganis in the lineup.

By GaVaHokie

February 11, 2009 1:26 PM | Link to this

Alan… I’m fine with that too. But, that wouldn’t free up enough cap room to get Schneider in under the cap for Philly.

Spud… Upshall is a RFA this summer, meaning his rights would still belong to us.

By Alan

February 11, 2009 2:34 PM | Link to this

Indeed, it wouldn’t. At this point, anyway. I’m sure they’re going to dump salary at the deadline. It’s pretty safe to say Schneider isn’t going anywhere until 4 March. It’s a potential future deal.

My point was, Armstrong is a guy we should be building with. A good young player that can score, hustle, and hit. The draft pick could be anyone, but he will be young. He’ll be a part of the team’s future.

(This is all assuming, of course, that D-wad gets flushed before the deadline, or worst case scenario, the draft)