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Tuesday, March 4, 2008
An Open Letter To Bruce Levenson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mr. Levenson,
Yesterday many Atlanta Thrashers season ticket holders received a letter in your name. In it you discussed the deal last week that saw Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis depart to Pittsburgh in return for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and the Penguins 2008 first-round draft pick. You also took the opportunity to express some thoughts on how the Atlanta Thrashers Owners “view the team, and what [your] goals are for the future”. I would like to respond with a couple of questions and concerns regarding the team as well as allow those who frequent this site to do the same…in a respectful manner.
First, I give you a great deal of credit for reaching out to your most loyal of customers and making an attempt to discuss these matters. Certainly one of the factors that create a climate of discontent in any relationship is lack of communication. So, thank you for opening the dialogue and I hope that you continue to do so in the future as situations dictate.
In regards to dealing away Marian Hossa, you said that, “…the decision to trade Marian was reached after exhausting all other possibilities and was one of the most difficult moves we have been forced to make”. While I do not doubt that is the case, the phrase that concerns to me is “forced to make”.
As this season progressed it was very apparent that Hossa had no intention of signing with the team. His reasons for this seem fairly clear…he did not believe that the organization was making the correct decisions that would be necessary to advance the possibility of long-lasting success. His desire to have a true top-line center play along side of him was met with the signing of Todd White and Eric Perrin. Two very fine players that are serviceable on the second and third line, but obviously not what the prolific player had in mind.
Hossa also made it known of his desire to play for a cup-contending team. That he refused to sign here should speak volumes to those claiming to stress a “commitment to winning and to bringing a Stanley Cup to Atlanta”. Because if a team’s record and statistics are the measuring stick for such lofty ambitions, these Thrashers are no closer to that goal then it was in their fourth year of existence.
Another item that became crystal clear as the season progressed is the fact that the biggest area of concern for this team today is the sub-par performance by its defensive corps. To date, they surrender 3.18 goals per games, (28th in the league), and an astonishing 33.4 shots against per game, (only the Florida Panthers are worse). In fact, these defensive problems have been the one constant this team carries from one season to the next.
Tobias Enstrom, the player you referred to as “a work horse”, has been the lone bright spot on a blueline that, at times, resembles that of an expansion franchise. We fans in Blueland shudder at what this slow collection of defenders would look like if not for his efforts. We rejoice at the times when they merely play an average game allowing less than 30 SOG.
This is why I was puzzled when, as this organization held the biggest prize prior to the trade deadline, the team did nothing to address this obvious problem. This is not to take issue with Armstrong and Christensen. Certainly I, as well as others, feel they will contribute greatly to next season’s offensive prowess. But considering 18 days ago this team was in a position to take over the lead in the Southeast Division, and knowing that a player of Hossa’s credentials could certainly attract offers that would have addressed this concern, the team did not do so.
Coincidently, the Thrashers then went on a 0-5-2 run, seeing their defense not just continue to give up shots at an alarming rate, but actually allowed that statistic to worsen. The team then fell like a stone out of contention.
I’m sure I do not have to point out to you the fact that of the 10 teams who have scored fewer goals then have these Thrashers, 7 of them currently hold playoff positions. So, for the front office to continue to turn a seemingly blind eye to what has consistently been our biggest area of concerned is, to say the least, disheartening.
I would ask you then…why did this team not address the problems on the blueline and what are you planning on doing in the not-too-distant future about it?
You made reference to our young talent. While I do look forward to following their advancement, this infers that the fans exercise further patience as the system develops. The patience of many in your fan-base seems to be showing signs of wear as we set our sights on the ninth season of operation. In my opinion, these up-and-coming players should be groomed for placement in an already-established system, not being looked upon to create such a system this deep into our history.
Your last sentence in the letter reads, “Our summer agenda will also include solidifying a head coach who will take us to the next level”. With all due respect sir, this “solidification” should have taken place around the time we sat down to enjoy our Thanksgiving turkeys three and a half months ago. After all, if you’re Marian Hossa and you’re looking to determine what direction the team is going, how can you make such a determination if the organization cannot even move to name a head coach?
Instead the Thrashers opted to keep general manger Don Waddell behind the bench splitting his duties between there and the front office. This was done either at his request to prove that the product he placed on the ice was indeed qualified to contend in this league or it was the insistence of the ownership to prove to them that such was the case.
Regardless, the jury is “in” with respect to the question regarding the competitiveness of this team and either way, Don Waddell loses in the eyes of this juror.
There has been speculation that the reason no new head coach was hired after the release of Bob Hartley was because of financial reasons. Hartley is still due is contract money, thus, no extra payroll was to be added. This might make sound business sense, however it was an unsound hockey decision as the record indicates.
In summary, it is clear that Marian Hossa is no longer a Thrasher due to the fact that the organization failed to meet his stated requirements of displaying the actions of a contender. The organization as a whole needs a paradigm shift in the way it views the importance of basing a winning team from the foundation of a strong defense. And finally, whomever made the decision to keep Don Waddell behind the bench and not place a full time coach there needs to acknowledge that it was the incorrect decision to make…unless the decision was made in an attempt to give Don Waddell a chance to prove this team could be coached to a playoff position.
If that was indeed the reason, then the results are more than enough to make clear what your first call of order should be on Monday morning April 7th of this year. Begin the search for a new coach as well as a new general manger. And, if I may be so bold to add, they should both be dedicated to the proposition that all true contending teams build first from the blueline and take that understanding into the summer intent on opening the checkbook and bringing into Philips Arena those type of players.
Thank you very much for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Bill Tiller - A True-Blue, die-hard Thrashers fan
Post Post Edit: As Kracker correctly points out, the Thrashers are currently riding an 0-4-3 streak…not 0-5-2.
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