AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 22 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USFirst impressions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve been working on the playoff beard all summer, and I think by the end of April it should really be coming in nice. That I’m 37 and still can’t grow a decent beard doesn’t bother me nearly as much as the fact that I’m a 37-year-old hockey fan who can’t grow a decent beard come playoff time.
Thank God the Thrashers haven’t called my bluff yet. Maybe this season. Then again …
I hate to start off on a negative vibe, but as I take an objective look at this Thrashers team, my first reaction is that I don’t like it nearly as much as I liked last year’s Thrashers team. And last year’s Thrashers team didn’t make the playoffs. Why should this year’s? I know, I know … believe me, I know that last season was something of an aberration because of the Lehtonen injury. If Lehtonen misses only 20 games instead of 40, that team makes the playoffs and, quite possibly, does some damage. The way that team was playing down the stretch, there wasn’t a team in the East that wanted anything to do with the Thrashers in the first round.
But that was last year’s team. I think the loss of Marc Savard and, to a lesser degree, Peter Bondra really puts the offense back a step or two. And, unfortunately, Don Waddell didn’t do all that much to replace their production. I don’t know if he could have, salary cap and all. But I don’t think you can put a happy face on replacing Savard’s 90-some points with Steve Rucchin’s 30-some points. At least I can’t.
As for the defense, maybe it’s improved, maybe it isn’t. I see a long list of names for a shorter list of openings, so at least there is more depth. But it still strikes me as a long list of second-line names. There’s some skill there, there’s some hard hitters … but there still isn’t that anchor-type defenseman, who’s going to give you 30 rock-solid, dependable minutes. I know it’s unrealistic to say that we should just ‘go out and get’ a Nick Lidstrom or a Chris Pronger; those type of players don’t grow on trees. But that unfortunate reality doesn’t absolve the team for the fact that they don’t have one of those type of players. They just don’t. And that’s just how it is. So I’ll try to make lemonade with the guys we’ve got. My prediction is that while the defense will be better and while the defense will hit a little harder … the defense still is going to have its issues.
So without writing the sequel to “War and Peace” here in my first blog entry, let me just quickly hit on some other first impressions that we can get into a little deeper as the season goes on:
And you know it’s gonna happen, too.
That’s enough for now. I’ll be back.
Comments
By LAC
September 22, 2006 10:16 PM | Link to this
Glad to see ICEMAN !!!
So long “ice princess” and GOOD RIDDENCE !!!
Good topics and agree aboutweakness up themiddle for sure.
Sure hate seeing those EX-Atlanta players doing better than here.
Will be looking for waddell to resign if NO playoffs this season… We just do not have the scoring we need to win every night out, I’m afraid.
Let’s see !!!!
By chris
September 22, 2006 11:06 PM | Link to this
There are two groups of hockey analysts now. Those who think the new rules open up the game to smaller, faster players who couldn’t cut it in the old ‘clutch & grab’ NHL, and those who have the vision, like Don Waddell, to see that the game has changed and that players like Metro and Krog will outperform what the visionless analysts expect of them.
Mr. Vecsey, you have no vision, nor sense of how the game has evolved. I predict that in two months time you’ll admit the Thrashers are stronger at center this year than last.
Write it down.
By JMar
September 22, 2006 11:16 PM | Link to this
What’s this? An AJC fan blogger who knows something about the team he’s blogging about? Unheard of! Great first post, Ice Man. I really wish Mellanby would have retired, opened up a spot and some cap room; even if Metro and Krog play way above expectations, they’re not going to put up the numbers Savy did, and in the NHL, an extra defenseman (which we supposedly have w/ 8 vets and Coburn) and some cap room can go a long way to fill a need. I wouldn’t hate trading Holik off either, b/c in the new NHL, despite what Chris thinks, he’s little more than a checking line center.
By adam
September 23, 2006 08:00 AM | Link to this
Great first post, even if I don’t agree with everything you said. A million times better than reading a know-nothing homer chick who couldn’t go two sentences without saying “the boys.”
I think the departure of Savard won’t hurt as much as you think. Yeah, he put up great numbers during a career year, but he also took tons of selfish penalties in the offensive zone that led to dozens of PPG against. Addition by subtraction.
By Greyheaded Thrasher
September 23, 2006 08:56 AM | Link to this
Welcome Ice Man, Glad to see the AJC finally get someone for the fan blog!
I agree with Adam in that Savard’s departure will not hurt the team, Kapanen and Slater will fill the void, also Krog has looked good in preseason. Slava will have another good season, and will be a unrestricted FA next year. DW will have to open up the wallet, but my guess is long range we will let him go and let one of the babybirds take his place.
Welcome Ice Man to the blog.
By Midfield
September 23, 2006 09:32 AM | Link to this
Cut down on morning coffee, David. I think you’re exaggerating both Savard’s and Lehtonen’s impact. Savard piled up his points playing a good deal of his time in PP situations with other big guns. Yet, he’s managed to piled up reckless PMs, and his +/- looks iffy on balance. I think, his departure is a net +. Leh’s done little so far to dictate games, except for winning all the shoot-outs. I hope he will this season, but he can’t take it for granted. And, yes, in the new NHL, depth means more than Savard’s panache.
By Dave
September 23, 2006 09:53 AM | Link to this
I also wish Mellanby had retired. He will be a major distraction just like Andreychuk was with the Lightning last year when they had to ‘cut’ him in the middle of the season. On the positive side, healthy goalies equal PLAYOFFS for the Thrashers. It is that simple, even with less scoring. You don’t need 5-6 goals per game when your goalies are shutting down the opposition. The Southeast is the major obstacle with the reigning champs back, the Hurricanes, and the champs before that, the Lightning, who will be back with a vengeance and a decent goalie, Marc Denis, in net. All the hockey ‘brains’ always talk about the other divisions, but who has been producing all the champs lately??
By kracker
September 23, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this
It will be interesting to see if the team backs up your claims. To think this team won’t be better than last year…well, that’s hard to fathom.
By B. Thenet
September 23, 2006 10:16 AM | Link to this
You could put Thrash at C on the top line and he would get 50-60 points just by showing up.
I certainly won’t miss Savard’s 100 PIMs, most of which seemed to come in the offensive zone. If the new #1 C comes up with 70 points and 20 PIMs, it is almost a fair swap.
Mellanby played on all lines last year, even if he just plays on the 3rd and 4th lines he is a player than almost every team in the NHL would want at that spot for what he brings every game.
Also Havelid logged over 24 minutes of icetime per game on average, only 3 minutes less than Pronger over last year. I expect Havelid to be disrespected by other teams fans, not by someone who watched his play last year.
By hoosier_hoser
September 23, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this
Welcome aboard Ice Man …
Question: Are you here for hockey year round? No one has seen or heard from that sorry Ice Princess since before the playoffs began last year. In fact the blog has been locked down so that no one could tell Ice Princess how sorry she was.
By Boss Hawg
September 23, 2006 01:22 PM | Link to this
I hope the best for the thrash but I am very uneasy with our center situation. Rucchin is sore all over after one week.Until Don Wadell is fired and we get a real GM this team will be lacking. He has been given way too much time.
Comparing Lehtonen to Broduer is a little far fetched. Kari still has to prove himself.
By Randy Buschmann
September 23, 2006 02:47 PM | Link to this
When the Thrashers resort to guys like Metropolit and Krog, you know theres trouble in store for the season. I expect Kozlov to end up centering Kovy for most of the season…hes just keeping the job warm till Slater is ready.
By George
September 23, 2006 04:42 PM | Link to this
I think the team can be very competitve… Kovy Kapanen Metro Offensive Kozlov Rucchin Hossa Offensive Slater Holik Mellanby 2 Way Larson Mackenzie Sim Energy PK
Vigier and Boulton sub in for Mellanby and whom ever else gets hurt and Krog is you first call up for injuries….
By Brendan
September 23, 2006 05:15 PM | Link to this
Wow. Do my eyes deceive me, or do we now have a real “fan blogger?” Welcome, David. Excellent first blog entry. Post often and keep the blog going. At 37, it’s nice to see a more “seasoned” hockey fan at the fan blogger’s helm.
By Brendan
September 23, 2006 05:51 PM | Link to this
Ice Man, I agree that the “center” position is a primary source of concern. I’m not particularly enthused by 35-year old Steve Rucchin. But it could be a lot worse. At least Rucchin is not a huge defensive liability and big-time penalty minute leader.
About Mellanby, I’ve posted this several times now, and it’s a bit of a broken record at this point, but one last time I will mention it. My personal belief is that DW signed Mellanby to avoid the issue of who would be Captain. Although, we’re not entirely out of the woods, in that regard. Mellanby, like Brett Hull and Dave Andreychuk, and that guy from Pittsburgh, was it Ziggy Palffy?, might decide in mid-season, or during the season, to retire. Or, he could get “cut.” In any event, Mellanby’s hypothetical departure would create a vacancy for the Captaincy. I think Hossa or Kozlov could make excellent choices to fill the void.
But no one should assume longevity at that post if it’s Hossa or Kozlov. Hossa hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent in the Summer of 2008. Kozlov, if things don’t bode well, could be a trade deadline casualty this season. Kozlov hits the open market this Summer.
Ice Man, I begged and pleaded with Don Waddell to re-sign Savard in November, when the price might have been “reasonable.” Obviously, there’s no guarantee Marc and Don would have ever come to terms anyway. But it’s Don’s policy not to negotiate contracts during the season. His defense? “It could have complicated performance on the ice.” And that’s true, to a certain extent. If Waddell and Hartley wanted to sabotage Savvy’s ice time such that he couldn’t hit 50 goals or 100-points, in an effort to re-sign him for cheap, Savard’s gripe would be valid. But, the bottom line is … we lost Savard and gained NOTHING in exchange, UNLESS you consider dumping his high Pims and poor defensive play as a “positive.”
I’ll be the first one to defend Don Waddell on not counter-offering Boston’s $5.0 million-a-year deal for Marc Savard. That’s too much money for a player who takes too many untimely “emotional” penalties, and who is described as a “one-dimensional” player. Though, I kinda wish we still had him, if he could have been had for $3.0-$3.6 million-a-year. That seemed “reasonable.” And a “compromise.”
But I digress. Don could have offered Kozlov a deal this offseason, if he really wanted to. Again, Kozlov can be lost to free agency this Summer with nothing gained to the organization. So, unless he is re-signed during the year, it could be “hasta la “bye-bye” for Slava. And we all know Don’s “policy.” So, don’t look for that to happen. I would have defended Don if he had traded Savard at the trade deadline. At least, the team would have gotten “something.” A draft pick, a functional blueliner, help in goal, that was so very needed last season. I’m sure others will counter-argue that Savard played a critical, essential role in even getting the Thrashers within two-points of a playoff berth.
Bygones. I hope that Don will either re-sign Kozlov or move him during the year. But losing players to UFA, when it can be avoided, seems so foolish to me. It really is this simple. Do you forsee Slava Kozlov as part of your Stanley Cup-winning roster, or don’t you? And if the answer is “no,” then you trade him during the year, or at the trade deadline. That’s my $0.02.
One last thing. Ice Man, there’s no such thing as a “perfect team.” Hmmn, rubbin’ my chin, maybe the 1978 Montreal Canadiens. Kidding. Moving on. So, it’s not a “negative vibe” to make “objective criticisms” about this team, or ANY TEAM. It doesn’t make you a “bad fan” to criticize Bob Hartley, Don Waddell, the Atlanta Spirit Group, or any Thrasher player. It’s just part of being an honest person.