Ice Man

By BigAlwithafriendnamedBob

October 26, 2007 7:10 AM | Link to this

I won?

Jersey washing is a serious offence in most parts of Northern US and Canada!

Be very careful!

They just suck right now!

By John

October 26, 2007 7:13 AM | Link to this

No matter how you cut it, the only reason last night’s game wasn’t any uglier than it was is because we were playing a struggling team in the Preds.

We saw the same type of play that resulted in us being pinned in our own end for copius amounts of time and struggling just to get the puck into the neutral zone.

If this had been just about any other team, we would have been severely out scored.

There were flashes of what this team can do shown on several plays, but I think that was more a tell of Nashville’s struggles this season as opposed to our stellar play.

I think I’ll follow your lead and wash the jerseys. Something has to spark a fire in this team to want to go out and win a game. To take it over and play it their way and not let the opposition impose their will on us on a regular basis.

By j nes

October 26, 2007 7:14 AM | Link to this

maybe now you should look into cleaning Hossa’s visor, he can’t seem to find the net.

By luckydog

October 26, 2007 7:16 AM | Link to this

I’m sure Ms. Rawhide and the exemptions will appreciate your gesture…too bad the stench of the Thrashers 2-8 start won’t be that easy to erase.

Right on with the lack of physicality — as I said on the other blog the biggest difference I see between this year and last is the lack of it.

This time last year, Vishnevski was lining someone up at the blue line every few minutes, and even the much maligned Devo knew how to put someone in the boards with authority. Now, one of our top-liners gets flattened (as Hoss did in the first period last night) and….nothing happens! Yes, Ex eventually gets around to it, but it’s a period or two later. And why is it always him? Some of these new guys and rookies need to MAN UP and prove their mettle physically. We are so soft right now it’s like a night off for the other team.

Of course, the fact that CoachWad packed our roster with guys who weigh 180 soaking wet doesn’t help…

By erock

October 26, 2007 8:30 AM | Link to this

PITIFUL…JUST ABSOLUTELY PITIFUL!!!!!!!

By JayBird

October 26, 2007 8:31 AM | Link to this

The lack of physicality was very noticable last night. We were completely dominated last night and it was pretty pitiful. Why not play Thorburn and Popovic? Could they be any worse than some of the other guys? Damn, at least they would probably hit someone and not get knocked off the puck so easily.

Rawhide, desperate times call for desperate measures, so I applauded the rush to the laundry room.

By J.B.

October 26, 2007 8:38 AM | Link to this

I was blown away by Ellis’ goal tending last night; helluva job for a first start. He looked like a seasoned veteran to me. Some of our guys were robbed of their goals from what I saw…

But, that’s not an excuse and doesn’t mean the Thrashers didn’t stink up the arena last night… ‘cause they did.

What will it take to get Steve “pass the puck to the opposing team’s offense” McCarthy OFF THE ICE?!?!?!

Once again, kudos to Kovalchuk for playing like he’s posessed regardless of the score or the performance of his team mates.

Haven’t lost faith yet… GO THRASH!!!

By russian

October 26, 2007 8:44 AM | Link to this

I was watching game yesterday and I got sleepy. Nashville skate very slow this team moved as slow motion. I am serious. Now here is my question. Where is OUR SPEEDY Players? What is happened with our Speed? All summer our GM was talking about small size players, but it should be speedy team. AND WHAT??? Speed is gone. I understand, that team do not have a Coach. Well, it is excuse. But we have 90% players playing in NHL at least 4-5 years. THEY ARE CALLING THEMSELVES PROFFESIONAL. I am professional, I picked new project and be productive after 2 weeks. Nobody will pay me money if I will sit on my butt and try to figure out business. What is different between my position and Hockey players??? They are playing together all September and October. Two months is not enough to make game going?????? Yes, this is a sport and one team always be lose and other is winning. But not like this. 5 Shots on goal made on First period and ONLY 3 SHOTS on Goal made on third. This is unacceptable to be a PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY PLAYER. I know only one thing for sure NO PLAY OFFs. After this season: 1. GM must be fired. 2. Team should be build with strong Athletes, like a Shark team. 3. New Coach must be found ASAP. 4. Pick best DRAFT. This is a job for new GM. 5. Try to sign Hossa. I can not believe what I saw every Thrasher game. This is not a HOCKEY.

By kracker

October 26, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this

I’m not ready to wash the sweater…so…I will hang it out to get some fresh air to blow away the bad karma….NO! wait, they won the last time I wore it (Rangers) so I’m leaving it as is, thankfully….

OK, I’ll do this: wear it tomorrow along with the playoff scarf, a couple of signed pucks in my pockets and of course the Thrash cap. Maybe download a Pavelec picture to print and roll up during the game.

By Christy

October 26, 2007 8:48 AM | Link to this

I keep thinking about how many of us questioned the benching of Mac by BH down the stretch last year - and now I have an answer.

Good grief.

By luckydog

October 26, 2007 8:53 AM | Link to this

And another thing: Did ANY of our forwards/centers get within 10 feet of their crease last night???? Not when I was watching.

Heck, even Darren Elliot called them out for not putting anyone in front of Ellis, and you know it’s bad when he rags us….

(Russian, I like your reference to the Sharks…last year when they steamrollered us I was amazed at their athletes. They were all huge, fast and skilled — like NFL free safeties on skates. How they didn’t win the Cup is still a mystery to me.)

By Matt H

October 26, 2007 8:55 AM | Link to this

russian: “This is not a HOCKEY”

Possibly the quote of the year…

What happened to Steve McCarthy? I mean , geez. I guess the same thing that’s happened to most of the rest of the team.

Poor Moose. If it weren’t for him, that game woulda been 6-0. Any goalie in net for the Thrashers this season must feel like a falling stone. The only support they have is gravity.

By JayBird

October 26, 2007 8:57 AM | Link to this

I agree with you Christy but to play devil’s advocate, what if McCarthey regressed because of the benching? I thought he played pretty well last season, when he played. He sure as hell didn’t look this bad.

By kracker

October 26, 2007 9:03 AM | Link to this

Have to agree with everybody, time to sit SMac and play Pops…trade MaCarthy if he has any value left, which is not much….maybe somebody would claim him off waivers?

Last night I really hated losing the battle of the 4 point teams and losing it with such a poor effort just hurt all the more. Makes me angry. Time to act DW, to save your on neck as well as any fleeting playoff hopes we have this year.

By Matt H

October 26, 2007 9:05 AM | Link to this

Think maybe I’ll wash my sweater this weekend too….

By Brett

October 26, 2007 9:06 AM | Link to this

You know maybe DW should work out a marketing agreement with the makers of Downy fabric softners. The Thrash could put a logos on the ice, jerseys and the building and Downy could reference the Thrashers in the adds. “Do you want you clothes to be as soft as the Atlanta Thrashers? Use Downy fabric softners.” By doing this DW and the AS could offset the lose of ticket revenues with the Ad fees from Downy. How about someone stepping up and laying an opposing player on their tail? How about making people answer for questionable hits on your star player? How about standing up for your teammates? Ilya is the only one who has stood up for a teammate this season. Ilya!!!??? That is the job of Boults and Thorburn.

By GaVaHokie

October 26, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this

I flipped back and forth between the Thrashers and the Hokies… I went home from my friends house thinking atleast the Hokies won. I get home turn on the TV just in time to see the winning touchdown pass from Boston College.

…All my teams suck this year!

By Christy

October 26, 2007 9:19 AM | Link to this

Jaybird - I get it. But, and someone help me if my memory is switching it all around, but while Mac started out real hot last year, QBing the powerplay, etc., the PP was cooling off by December, quite a while before we acquired Zhitnik, which is when Mac got benched, IF I’m remembering all of this correctly. So maybe the downward trend was already there. Not to say that the benching did not accelerate it.

By kracker

October 26, 2007 9:21 AM | Link to this

Good timing hokie, next the dawgs can get pounded in Jax tomorrow.

By luckydog

October 26, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this

Amen, Brett…unless I missed it NOT ONE of our new guys — white, perrin, klee, the rookies etc. — has shown even the slightest willingness to get nasty or stand up for a teammate so far. We’re a team of figure skaters. I’m sorry but when Hossa takes a shoulder to the chin, there ought to be a Pred on his can within the next 30 seconds…

By kracker

October 26, 2007 9:26 AM | Link to this

Mac has never played as well as he did at the end of the 05-06 sesson. He was a pleasant surprise then but tailed off after a fairly good beginning last season.

By erock

October 26, 2007 9:32 AM | Link to this

HECK I AM AVAILABLE TO PLAY!!! I AM GOOD FOR A 2 + 5 + 10 = GAME MISCONDUCT IN THE FIRST MINUTE OF EVERY GAME!!!! DROP-EM

By kracker

October 26, 2007 9:37 AM | Link to this

Yea, Cap Rat was old and slow last year but he would take the punishment to park his butt in front of the crease….and yes, we gave up a 3rd rounder for Thorburn, he’s pretty tough, let’s get him out there and Boulton too.

Maybe DW is sitting some ppl because he is trying to do a trade and not injure them….who knows…?

By Jenn

October 26, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this

How quickly we jump to throwing Mac under the bus. Just two days ago we were talking about his awesome play in the — was it 3 on 1 situation? Just like last week someone referred to Larsen as Sidney Crosby re: his stellar pass, and not 48 hours were calling for his trade. I’m not saying they haven’t been phoning it in for a majority of the season, but why sit McCarthy, when you could sit Klee?! Why sit Larsen, when you could sit Holik? At least they’ve done something, which is not to say that that something equals professional hockey, but it’s a start. Let’s sit the guys who really haven’t shown up this season.

By JayBird

October 26, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this

Oh, I agree completely Christy. He was on the downfall last season and being benched probably wrecked whatever confidence he had left. No matter how we look at it, he has stunk it up this year!

Where are Hossa and Kozlov? Their mugs should be on milk cartons because they have disappeared! Ilya is busting his arse every single minute he is on the ice and is not getting a single bit of help. Sad state of the team when Ilya has to be scorer and enforcer.

Moose played a great game last night, was completely bombarded all night long. If not for him, we would have lost by a touchdown.

By Brian

October 26, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this

Ok, everyone calm down. I know things are bad now, I am upset too. But when we start referring to the good ‘ole days with Greg de Vries putting someone in the boards, that is just blasphemy.

By GaVaHokie

October 26, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this

Jenn, I’m sorry but McCarthy is a throw-away player. I’m not even sure why we resigned him other than we gave up a draft pick for him, “might as well give him another shot”, right? The second Enstrom looked like the player we thought he could be (Dennis Green moment) during preseason, we should have looked to move McCarthy.

Valabik can come up and be -12 and serve a bigger role than McCarthy. This team needs more role players. We have too much of the same player right now.

By GaVaHokie

October 26, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this

kracker… my wife and my dogs jumped about 10 feet in the air when I reacted to that touchdown. I wasn’t very happy, to say the least. :)

I definitely had one of those “Why do I even care” moments as I went to bed last night.

Alas, here I am again today, talking about the Thrashers.

By Jenn

October 26, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this

Also, on the topic of Jersey wearing, my friend, let’s call him Bo, well he was late to work on October 5, 2007. He grabbed his jersey for the night’s game without really thinking and bolted out the door. Well sometime last season, someone spilled coffee on that jersey, and all day at work, Bo sniffed and sniffed trying to find the awful stench. When he finally realized it was coming from him and his beloved jersey…he washed it. Without giving away too much about his whereabouts for fear of retribution, let’s just say he works at a place that has a washer/dryer. And so, he washed his jersey, which he’d worn all through our winning preseason.

I apologize on his behalf.

By kracker

October 26, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

Maybe it was how he looked in relation to the other slow-moving Thrashers (excepting Kovy, White) but Hossa looked like he had it stepped up a but more last night. Maybe he is getting over the hesitation to go full speed on his healing (healed?) groin?

By Brett

October 26, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this

If Boults isn’t going to stand up for his teammates and play his role let Thorburn. Hey the guy admits to scouting his fighting opponents on hockeyfights.com. Why didn’t DW send Boults out to mix it up? Maybe Boults was afraid he’d have to answer to Hordichuk!

By FormerIslesFan

October 26, 2007 10:31 AM | Link to this

Wow. Don’t even know what to say about this one. I will refrain from my usual mantra about “you can’t win if you don’t put shots on the net,” but come on. 5 shots in the first period? And then when trailing by 2 goals we managed a total of what, 4 shots in the entire third period? I know we’ve had the discussion of “shots v. quality scoring chances” before, but come on. The Thrash cannot win if they do not even force the other goaltender to make saves.

I don’t think there is anything I can say about McCarthy that has not already been said (and it kills me b/c I got one of his signed jerseys on Kia True Blue Night two seasons ago). He has got to sit, even if just for a game or two. I watched that first goal over and over again and he violated Hockey 101: You just cannot, cannot allow your man to get b/w you and the goal.

By Christy

October 26, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

Jenn,

Not throwing Mac under the bus, and not retracting praise since I didn’t offer him any so far this season. But as much as I see complaints about Klee, it’s been Mac and/or Zhitnik when I see the most breakdown on D, goals going in, bad passing and giveaways, etc., not necessarily Klee. I’d rather sit Mac now, for a while. If Klee is the bigger problem that will show fairly quickly with Mac riding the bench.

By Ryan

October 26, 2007 10:59 AM | Link to this

You cannot expect Ex to be the only one making hits every game. This is hockey is it not?

By Brian

October 26, 2007 10:59 AM | Link to this

kracker - I made the same observation about Hossa, but if he is normally an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, he looked like he went from a 2 to a 4. He doubled his output but it is still half of what it used to be…

By luckydog

October 26, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

Sorry, brian, I guess I did get carried away there when I used Devo as a positive example….:)

By Mark

October 26, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this

I washed mine after the second playoff game last year.

By Brian

October 26, 2007 11:11 AM | Link to this

luckydog - don’t worry. Now if you would’ve said something like “this defense is horrible, did you guys notice they just aren’t blocking shots like when Sutton was here” I would’ve thrown my computer out the window…

By J.B.

October 26, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this

Hmmm…

Only been a hockey fan for about 2 years now and have never heard ofthe no jersey washing thing. I’ll quit doing that from here on out and see if mine’s the one with the voodoo on it. If it turns out to be the bad mojo on it, my deepest apologies to Blueland.

By Bob

October 26, 2007 11:48 AM | Link to this

Can we put Waddell on the spin cycle for 30 minutes and see if that helps him?

By Matt H

October 26, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this

The GF and I were discussing the team make-up this season as compared to last season during the first intermission. We both agreed that Ilya is the undisputed leader of the team, and that he’s evolved greatly as a player.

I was trying to think of another player his evolution reminded me of, and then it hit me:

Lecavlier.

Drafted very high, sure-fire pick, bursts out of the gate with gobs of potential… but he’s “lazy”, he’s “selfish”, “doesn’t want to play for his coach”, “doesn’t give his all.”

Then he got in a fistfight with Jarome Iginla during the Cup Finals, and everything had changed. He is the captain of that team down there. He cares about the Bay area and gives a lot to charity. He is one of the top five players in the League.

He also plays with some amazing folks, and they make each other very rich.

But all you Kovy-haters had better get used to eating regular servings of steaming-hot crow, because he’s only going to get better.

I just hope it’s here in Atlanta, with a solid supporting cast. And honestly, if he doesn’t have a #1 center in a year’s time (at the most), I hope he demands a trade.

Because he deserves better, and he’s proven it.

By russian

October 26, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

to Matt H Because he (Kovy) deserves better, and he’s proven it. BRAVO, GREAT POINT. I will not be suprised if it is happend this season. I am telling you, Detroit, Tampa, Ottawa, Buffalo will take and pay him same money and give him a good partners.

By ranallo10

October 26, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this

russian — Kovalchuk is signed until 2010, he’s not going anywhere. Waddell would be sealing his fate if he traded the heart of this team for anybody on the four teams you mentioned.

Matt H. — Nobody has questioned Kovalchuk’s commitment this season, I doubt anyone right now is eating crow.

By ranallo10

October 26, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

Barring a trade, the defensive corps (Zhitnik, Havelid, Exelby, Klee, Enstrom) will still be under contract through the ‘08-‘09 season.

McCarthy ($725k) and Kwiatkowski ($620k) will be UFAs, while Popovic ($535k) will be a RFA.

So yeah, bright things to come as far as defense is concerned!! (note the sarcasm)

Though I have defended McCarthy (more because Klee is still worse in my mind), I do agree with what Hokie said regarding his -12 rating. Based on his production, and what he has been bringing the team, I think Valabik receiving third line minues in place of Klee, and Popovic receiving second line minutes in place of McCarthy might actually be an upgrade.

Valabik can make all the same mistakes Klee currently does, so they’re relatively even defensively. He can skate slow, be out of position, and over commit to players at the drop of the puck.

Popovic however COULD be an improvement upon McCarthy, and can definitely use the time to get better so that we can POSSIBLY re-sign him for a few more seasons. He has the potential (rough word to use around here) to be a second line defender, why not let him realize it now??

Knowing the defense will look this bad for another two years hurts.

Hokie — You shouldn’t have left your friends house, I blame you for that 2 minute collapse. 14 points in 2:11!?!? Rigoddamndiculous!

By Kozlov

October 26, 2007 1:12 PM | Link to this

Maybe we should fine some player for the lack of effort. Let’s start with Hossa and Kozy.

By LAC

October 26, 2007 1:24 PM | Link to this

Good points Rannallo10, don’t forget Boris can Kick A* if need be.

This is brutal,just some of the worst NHL hockey we have ever seen in Atlanta, Flames were never this bad in their 8 seasons…

Where is the speed ? Went to the preseason opener in St.Louis, albeit preseason… St.Louis had most regulars in the lineup,we had 4.

We outskated them, we out hit them, we out hustled them and out scored them, all these young kids, like Joey Crabb who was flying all night. Where are these guys ? Would rather lose with hustle and some grit than what we have been seeing from a number of players who need to be gone.

We look like stone age players now, slow, slower, slowest…It hurts to watch !

Changes MUST be made, cannot see why a Championship team was dismantled under the guise of improving it… What a Joke !

By Brian

October 26, 2007 1:31 PM | Link to this

ranollo - what if we somehow cut ties with Klee, went out and got a #1 d-man, and everyone else was demoted down. I think if a new #1 and Enstrom become your top pair, X and someone else become your 2nd line, any of those guys would be fine as your 3rd pair. Question is can it be done?

By Rawhide

October 26, 2007 1:37 PM | Link to this

Question is can it be done?

BRIAN - If I can take the drastic measure of washing my jersey after all this time and risking the chance of ANY luck left that might be in it be washed away,……

Then heck-yeah it can be done!!!!

Don Waddell said a few weeks ago he would wait for the season to be 10 games old to make any determination on changes,……(of course Hartley made it to 6 of those 10 games),….

Well, we are 2-8-0,….by my math that’s 10 games.

Get ye buisy, Donnie-boy!

By Ilya k

October 26, 2007 2:11 PM | Link to this

WHEN WADDLE SAY’S SMALL PLAYERS….TRANSLATION=SMALL SALARY. HE MAY HAVE ACTUALLY SAID THEY ARE SMALL PAYERS!

By Buzilla Baby Blues

October 26, 2007 2:43 PM | Link to this

I think big Willy Tilly knows that I won’t be the first to post if he puts the blog up in the wee hours of the morning. Seeing as how you washed your lucky jersey that you must be a supersitious guy. You might believe some of the awful things my fellow Blue Bloggers have been saying about me and my lovely fiance. Things like she has certain VD that cause ones genitals to inch for several years, or other things that manners and decorme forbid me from listing here. And that I somehow control the destany of the Thrashers performance by the order in which I post. So I hope you all realize this I was not the first to post on yesterdays blog, YET our beloved birds still pooped the nest. Instead, it was my accuser. Mr. R.Stroz.

Perhaps he (or she) has the power of the post.

A note to last nights “game”. Hedberg has shown me that he is REALLY crappy handling the puck. Now I am a tad jaded from watching Brodeur through out his career, but he really isn’t very good at it. When he let in that goal the other night in the first :13 seconds: He dinged it off the boards to a defenseman (who also sucked) and it sprange back to the opposition. Bang. 1-0.

Last night, I watch him try to make outlet passes to know where, clears up the boards that get picked off, and Elliots praises him for his stickhandling ability.

Does anyone else notice this flaw in HeadBergers game?

BBB

By ranallo10

October 26, 2007 2:54 PM | Link to this

Elliot is a moron, it’s that simple. He speaks as if he lives in China, worried that any negative statement will get him executed. Eric Boulton made a flip pass to Dupuis’ chest, and Elliot praises it as a smart move. I’d rather listen to Kamal’s Coniptions than Elliot’s Ineptness.

For the record Buz, I don’t think you’re the bad luck for this club. Does that make you feel better?? Would you like an ice cream cone? Don’t let those mean people get you down.

By the way, Danny Markov is no longer available. He signed a $4M two-year contract with a RSL team (Moscow Dynamo).

By Buzilla Baby Blues

October 26, 2007 2:56 PM | Link to this

lot of errors in that last post…eh…its Friday

By Buzilla Baby Blues

October 26, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

thank you -sob- Ranallo…

You know,sniffle, its times like these that you find out who your real friends are..sob

I would like a Reeces Pieces Sundae from Friendly’s…

By Brian

October 26, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this

Buzilla - it’s not that we don’t like you or that ranollo won’t hug you, heck, I’ll even buy you a beer the next game after Sat. We’re just superstitious folks who think you’re a jinx…

By Ilya k

October 26, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this

how many games into the season until the trash out shoot the opponent?? Anyone??

By Ilya k

October 26, 2007 3:39 PM | Link to this

ranallo…Elliot is a moron?? He is smart enough to keep his mouth shut and keep his job!! What is he going to say….The ownership sux, the GM sux and the team they put together sux. He is well aware of this fact and the fact that we all know this so what good would it do to point out the obvious. The owners don’t give a rats as about this team. They know most of the fans don’t know sht about hockey and are there to socialize and be entertained. Put more gas in the bird that shoots flames, drop more tee shirts from the rafters and turn up the music. That will take care of things.

By Sam

October 26, 2007 3:45 PM | Link to this

No need to comment on the game but I will comment on a great column (this is the Iceman that Thrashers readers needed during last year’s wonderful season) and a great post by Matt H who hit it right on the nailhead with the Kovy analogy to Lecavalier. Kovy is probably even better because Vinny has St Louis and Prospal and Richards (pp) to play with. Kovy has ???

By Ilya k

October 26, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this

Does anyone know why DW is never on the injury list. Everyday I chech and his name is never there? Anyone?

By Buzilla Baby Blues

October 26, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this

So what is everyone going as for Halloween?

Rawhide will obviously be a cowboy.

Pucks n Snot will go as a douchebag

I’m going as Ned Flanders

What will you be?

By Ilya k

October 26, 2007 4:05 PM | Link to this

Are they keeping DW of the injured list so the opponents won’t know our weakness?

By Ilya k

October 26, 2007 4:13 PM | Link to this

I was going to go as a good thrashers dman but I don’t know what one looks like. Soooo….I plan to dress up like a DW with a string between my legs. When you pull on it I will say things like “I guarantee we will make the playoffs”, “next year I plan to sign a big name free agent”

By Russ

October 26, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this

I think I’ll have two costumes in one. I will be a slice of Swiss cheese/the Thrashers blue line.

By Buzilla Baby Blues

October 26, 2007 4:53 PM | Link to this

Odgers would be a good costume

By Sage of Bluesland

October 26, 2007 5:22 PM | Link to this

Ilya K—For your Don Waddell costume and its vocabulary, don’t forget to make the voice as nasally as possible…In addition, add the following bluster terms to your list:

“Five-Year Plan!”

“Build Through the Draft!”

“Ten-Game Plan in Year-Eight of the aforementioned Five-Year Plan”

“I’ve been here almost a decade!”

“My family and I Thank You for your continued support of my incompetence!”

“Just you wait until this Lehtonen kid finally makes it up with the pro-team—we’ll be unstoppable then!”

“Staios and Brunette want modest ten-percent pay increases? Hit the road!”

“Brian, David, Ranallo, and Gavahoka$$ are my best buddies! Do you want to be one, too?!”

(LOL!—I’m sure there’ll be a response to this…Checking my watch and waiting…waiting…)

By Brendan

October 26, 2007 5:29 PM | Link to this

Sage, you forgot that all Donald Audette ever wanted was his “fair market value” of $2.3 million, back in 2001. It wasn’t like he was holding Don “hostage” to some ridiculous salary demand.

But, very soon after Audette left the Thrashers organization, he hurt his hand. Plus, the guy was always getting suspended from the league for this, that and the other. But I remember being pretty angry when it happened.

By Brendan

October 26, 2007 5:46 PM | Link to this

I see Todd White has mustered his way up to 12 votes in the opinion poll regarding which Thrashers is our best offensive threat.

Sage, were you one of the ones who cast a vote for him? I remember you were very ‘excited’ when you heard DW had landed a center on ‘Day One’ of Free Agency. Out of curiosity, did you expect it to be Todd White?

By BRIAN

October 26, 2007 6:03 PM | Link to this

WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDS TO DO IS HAVE A GAME THAT THE WHOLE TEAM GETS IN A BRAWL. WIN OR LOSE THEY NEED TO GOON IT UP TOGETHER AND SHOW A NASTY SIDE. IF THINGS DO NOT IMPROVE AFTER THAT TRADES NEED TO HAPPEN AND WITH ALL THE RUMORS IT COULD BE HOSS GOING TO TORONTO. WE DO NEED AT LEAST 1 BIG D-MAN

By Rawhide

October 26, 2007 6:42 PM | Link to this

BRENDAN - There, took care of your “offensive” boo-boo.

“”BRIAN** - Ow, dude, don’t yell,…been a long day and my head hurts….

By puckjunque

October 26, 2007 7:42 PM | Link to this

Rawhide “Since you’re superstious…I posted a prayer on the beatblog on Tuesday and we won. I didn’t post one yesterday and we know how that went. What do you think? It would be alot easier than washing my jersey…..

By punkjunque

October 26, 2007 7:47 PM | Link to this

If I post a prayer tomorrow, what should it contain?

By Rawhide

October 26, 2007 8:52 PM | Link to this

Punkjunque - LOL!!! - I just went back and review the prayer….I’m sure the Great Thundermaker took that to heart as we “kicked some Mapleleaf a$$”….HA!

Classic!

Seeing as the Thrashers are in Chi-Town we should keep it in that theme.

Maybe something to the effect of: “We beseech thee, oh Lord, that our Thrashers go through Chicago like spoiled sausage through intestines”???

By R. Stroz

October 26, 2007 9:08 PM | Link to this

Rawhide - Read your emails please!

By Rawhide

October 26, 2007 9:34 PM | Link to this

RStroz - read, replied and forwarded……thanks.

By Rawhide

October 26, 2007 9:38 PM | Link to this

Carroll Roger’s write up on John Anderson was a pretty good read. It sure sounds like he wants a crack at our coaching job.

By UpperDeck4Life

October 26, 2007 9:39 PM | Link to this

Time to put the kid line back together. I can’t believe I am saying this, but Hossa is bringing that line down. He and Kozlov both floated through that game last night. Put them on the 4th line with Jimmy Skates for the Chicago and see if that gets their attention. If not, but them in street clothes for a game. Kozlov’s no trade claus is really coming back to bite this team in the rear end!

What the heck is McCarthy still doing on the ice? He and his NHL leading -12 need to watch a few games. I mean he single handedly cost the empty netter last night. Please, Don, Please, get him off the ice. It’ll probably mean we give up at least a goal less a night. And his partner….I am not a Coburn fan, far from it, but we gave him up for this?!?! Call Kiwi back up and let’s see if he and Popovic can do a better job as the 3rd pair?

Has anybody else noticed how much Havelid’s play has improved since he was paired with Enstrom? That kid is fun to watch bringing the puck up.

If I had my way….here is the starting lineup for the Blackhawks game.

Kovy-White-Dupuis Sterling-Little-Haydar Kozlov-Perrin-Hossa Bolton-Holik-Thorburn

Enstrom-Havelid XLB-Klee Popovic-Kiwi

Street clothes-Skates, Larsen, Zhitnik and the Thrashers will announce that McCarthy has caught Kari’s groin injury/illness and needs to go on IR for the rest of his career.

By Brian

October 26, 2007 11:57 PM | Link to this

Rawhide - that was some other Brian yelling, I don’t want to hear from you about that tomorrow. Oh yeah, don’t make me get the Polish mafia after you for making that sausage joke.

By puckjunque

October 27, 2007 12:22 AM | Link to this

Brian - Perparing sermon now, what should it be? Lets keep sausage out of it. Bad form

By R. Stroz

October 27, 2007 1:32 AM | Link to this

UDL4 - I agree put the kid line, Wolfpack, or what other name we give them, back together. Little, Sterling, and Haydar haven’t been productive since they were divided.

Now I’m going to duck, put Slater with Hossa and Kozlov. Did I duck quickly enough?

Next, from Craig’s article, it sounds like John Anderson wants the head coaching job. Here are a few reasons to grant his request.

1) He is a winner.

2) He has coached at least a fourth of the team previously in Chicago.

3) He knows the talent in Atlanta and the talent in Chicago. Maybe he can find a way to combine size and speed from the two teams and produce a better product.

4) He likes to play a wide open offense and the Thrashers have no defense. Sounds like a good fit to me.

5) He wants the job even in the midst of the management turmoil.

6) We better bring him down from Chicago before the Leafs fire their coach and hire him before the Thrashers do.

So, come on down John Anderson, you’re the next contestent on the job is right.

By R. Stroz

October 27, 2007 1:45 AM | Link to this

Buzilla - For Halloween, I think everyone should dress up like you and show up at your fiance’s residence. In the background, you can put “Slim Shaddy” on the boombox and we can sing “will the real Buzilla, please stand up, please stand up, please stand up, …

By Devin

October 27, 2007 3:04 AM | Link to this

I’ll make this short because I am a writer in the making right now and I have a tendency to take one thought and make it a 5-10 minute read…Mac…horrible, i never once said he was solid defenseman…true the man can play SOMETIMES. But usually…complete crap. Hossa and Kozlov…hmm its still early but hoss didn’t show up in the postseason so his neck has been on the line since the playoffs and we just resigned kozie. Kozie is getting my grace, still wishing we found a better deal for Heatley than an old washed up Greg Devries (when we REALLY needed defense men) and reliable Hossa. But sometimes players have shelf lives too (not to refer to DW’s term coined for his horrible excuse to fire Hartley) and maybe Hossa just doesn’t want to play for a team with 27 (or is it 28??) owners and a GM that gets too much credit for what he has (or hasn’t) done for Blueland.

And as for me and my jersey…hasn’t been washed since we lost game 1…and i’m leaving it’s plight up to you…wash it or wear it??

By Brendan

October 27, 2007 6:38 AM | Link to this

Puckjunque, how ‘bout something like this. “Oh Lord, give a struggling hockey club a break. A-men!”

By Rawhide

October 27, 2007 8:56 AM | Link to this

First of all, I credited Carroll Rogers with the John Anderson story…it was CC’s, CR did contribute. So, I was wro….I was wron…..I was less correct then ususal. My bad.

Second,…if there is only one change in the line up it should be Mac sitting and Pops playing.

-12? Sheeze.

I got nothing against the guy, but….. -12????

Puckjunque - For some odd reason, as I think of something to put in a prayer for the Thrashers I keep thinking of Alan Shepherd’s prayer, (just prior to becoming the first American in space)…”Dear Lord, please don’t let me f—- up”.

Lastly, the team has been on a good game - bad game cycle the past week and a half. Tonight we should be on the “good game” swing. If so, a win brings us to 2-2 on the “Great Road Trip-A-Paloosa” tour of ‘07. Going into it I thought 7 or 8 points out of the possible 14 would be the minimum to call it a success. Coming out of Chi-town with 4 points on the trip leaves us needing 3 or 4 in places like Montreal, Ottawa and Tampa. Not easy. Doable, but not easy.

GO THRASHERS - PUT A BEATDOWN ON THE BLACKHAWKS!!

By ssiscribe

October 27, 2007 9:17 AM | Link to this

Top of the morning, folks. Would it be obvious if I said we really needed a win tonight?

Yeah, it would. When you’ve won twice in 10 games, it’s beyond stating the obvious that you need victories.

But if we win tonight, we’re 2-2 with three to go on the Death March Roadie. I said go 4-3 and we’re OK, so really need to get it done tonight in Chi-town.

Now, jersey (transition from the Scribe): I’m not sure washing my jersey will work at this point … maybe hanging it up outside on Halloween and letting all the demons fly out of it will help. I’m at a loss after that horrid effort Thursday night in Nashville.

Now, new coach (transition): Just read CC and CR’s story on Anderson. We all know this team is much better offensively than defensively, right? Well, why not give a coach who highlights our strength and knows our players a chance, right?

Give the job to Anderson, DW, and get your butt back in the GM seat, get on the phone and get this team some help.

Now, McCarthy (still more transition): Minus-12? Seriously? Yes, the 3-on-1 play Tuesday night was great, but minus-12? I wanted him to play down the stretch last year and still don’t understand why Hartley kept scratching him, but minus-12? Dude’s gotta be in the pressbox for a couple games, up there with Craig and Carroll and the other scribes.

Go Thrashers!

The Scribe abides.

—30—

By puckjunque

October 27, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this

Allright, here goes… We are united in one goal. We want the Thrashers to win. We may not have the same ideas about how to get there but it’s what we ALL want. Better d-fense, o-fense, PP, PK, play smarter, harder, faster. We can’t have any of these things without teamwork. If the military builds teamwork by breaking everyone down individually and rebuilding them together as a team then I’d say we’re half-way there. Lets see some grit, retaliation, focus and positive energy on the ice today. BE A TEAM DAMMIT, watch each others back, be a force to be reckoned with. Hooyah. Bow your heads, Join hands on the keyboard and pray Oh Heavenly Father, please guide the Thrashers to victory today. Help them play their best and kick some Blackhawk a$$. AMEN

By kracker

October 27, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this

The Scribe abides. ?

If the Thrash don’t play better soon it will be “F it, dude, let’s go bowlin”

By puckjunque

October 27, 2007 5:11 PM | Link to this

How sad, not a single Amen. Maybe you’re all out bowling… oh wait, is there a football game on today?

By Rawhide

October 27, 2007 7:02 PM | Link to this

A-FREAKIN’-MEN!! - Nicely done, Puckjunque.

Now let’s go get ‘em Thrashers!!

By Jenn

October 27, 2007 10:17 PM | Link to this

AMEN.

By puckjunque

October 27, 2007 10:49 PM | Link to this

Wouldn’t a hat trick be nice right now…

By Tony C.

October 27, 2007 10:56 PM | Link to this

I SAY AMEN!!!

GO BLUE !!!

By Tony C.

October 27, 2007 11:05 PM | Link to this

the “Amen”s have it.

By puckjunque

October 27, 2007 11:09 PM | Link to this

Can someone please explain what a excellent interuption of the spacial cemetry looks like? Where do they get this stuff? Did anyone SEE what Hedberg did there at the end?

By Rawhide

October 27, 2007 11:21 PM | Link to this

Would that make you 2-0 in games preceeded with prayer, Puckjunque??

By Puckjunque

October 28, 2007 12:03 AM | Link to this

I think it was the jersey washing that did it. Yea, That’s the ticket.

By Brian

October 28, 2007 12:06 AM | Link to this

WTF!!! Was the game not on??? Tivo is blank/empty. Glad to see we won…

By kracker

October 28, 2007 12:21 AM | Link to this

As far as the game not being on TV, the Hawks never televise a home game (Billy Wirtz wanted you to pay to go to the United Center) so it would be problematic and expensive for the Thrash to pay all the associated costs for televising the game.

Wirtz recently died so perhaps that bone-headed policy will change.

By Matt H

October 28, 2007 1:14 AM | Link to this

2 out of the 3 Thrashers wins have not been televised… Yay!

WTF?!?!

But still, YAY! A WIN! How about those Chicago kids? Pretty impressive.

Ranallo I know nobody’s been questioning Kovalchuk this season, but right through the playoffs a few folks on these boards still had an axe to grind with him.

Also, on the hockey podcast I listen to (and that Craig occasionally contributes to), Toronto Globe and Mail’s Eric Duhatschek called Kovalchuk “Such a disappointment this season…”, and said Jason Spezza was miles ahead of Kovy in his development.

Yeah.

Spezza.

Send those angry emails to: eduhatschek@globeandmail.com

I know I did.

By Brendan

October 28, 2007 6:43 AM | Link to this

Right on, Matt H. I’m on my way to the Hawks-Thrashers boxscore, but I bet Kovy shows up on that as well.

The Leafs-Thrashers game was televised on Center Ice. But you’re right, Matt H., non-subscribers got screwed on that one. I remember when UPN carried a few of the games that SportsSouth didn’t.

Nice prayer, Punkjunque. It got us a win!! Waddell is back to .500 at a coach, 7-7-1. I voted, at the poll, to keep Waddell behind the bench. Although, I do want to say that John Anderson deserves his chance at an NHL coaching job. But who is to say that a new GM wouldn’t hire Anderson as the next head coach?

By LAC

October 28, 2007 8:27 AM | Link to this

FYI… There are good highlights from the Chicago game on NHL.com.

Go to the Chicago site and click on game highlights… a couple NICE goals from Slava !!!!!

By Brian

October 28, 2007 12:09 PM | Link to this

Brendan - even the Center Ice subscribers got screwed on this one because the game wasn’t even on the original Center Ice channel (772 for Directv).