The Thrashers begin their five game road trip tonight in New Jersey and tomorrow night they play on Lon-GILSLAND. In fact, six of the next seven games will be played on hostile ice. They start the journey tied with Washington at 60 points, two points behind Carolina who beat Pittsburgh last night. To date, Atlanta is 0-2-1 against the Devils and 2-0-0 vs. the team with the big orange turd on their shirts.

Numbers Revision

When we began this season, I had projected that the Thrashers would need to gain roughly 96 points to make the playoffs again. Last year the number 8 seed in the east, the New York Islanders, snuck in with 92. However, as the season has unfolded, it looks more and more like somewhere around 90 or 91 could do the trick.

First of all, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals are on pace to earn about 84 or 85 or so points. I actually think as things progress, it’ll wind up being somewhere in the high 80s for both of them. Thus, as we have discussed prior, 90 points or so could secure the Southeast Crown.

Secondly, if you look at the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference now, the Boston Bruins, they are on pace for 90 points. So again, if Atlanta does well enough down the stretch to crest the 90-point mark themselves it could mean a playoff birth even without winning the SE.

Of course this is still all wild speculation, but hey…what else is a blog for anyway?

Now, what would it take for the Thrashers to get to 90 points? Well simple math puts it at earning 30 points in the last 23 games. Say, 15-8.

Yeah…I know.

Waddell’s Big Gamble

When discussing the Marian Hossa dilemma, there have been two main trains of thought. One is that the Thrasher re-signs the crafty winger, (sha-RIGHT)…or two, trade him prior to 3:00 pm on February 26th for a top-flight defender and/or center and maybe some futures.

May I propose a third alternative?

What if Don Waddell, who knows that failing to make the playoffs would prelude his exit from the Thrashers organ-I-zation, rolls the dice and goes for broke.

What I mean is…he keeps Hossa on the team, he puts on the trading blocks some futures & maybe a young-un or two in an attempt to land a couple of players to address our main areas of concern, (defense and center).

Basically, he adds to the team as is…makes as good a run as he can to not only get in the playoffs but actually advance a round or two in hopes that Marian Hossa sees the potential in the Thrashers future and opts to stay in Atlanta after all…even as a free agent.

Big gamble? Yup, sure is. But Donny is in a disparate situation right now. After firing Hartley he pretty much was given the team he built to run with…win or lose. So, this is all on him.

Besides, what does he have to lose? If the gamble doesn’t pay off… the team fails to make the playoffs and sees Hossa leave with nothing in return…he won’t be around to deal with the aftermath anyway.

Permalink | Comments (183) |

Advertise here »