AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > March > 18 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.US155 Days Later
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The last time the Thrashers played in Philadelphia was 155 days ago. On that night, they lost giving up 33 shots on goal and taking 31 of their own. It was the last time Bob Harley coached the team. Tonight…they lost to the same Flyers giving up 47 shots and taking 19.
“Incremental progress”?…”Moving in the right direction”?
To be fair, tonight’s game was made very interesting at the end as Ilya Superchuk scored his 50th goal of the year with 30 seconds left in the game to bring the Thrashers to within a goal. Then, in the dying seconds, he got off a shot from the slot that Antero Nittymaki was able to steer away.
As Maxwell Smart would say, “Missed it by THAT much”!
Chris Thorburn, (not Bobby Holik), had scored in the first minute of the game, but Philly was able to notch 3 in the 58 minutes between.
To say things have not gone the way the Thrashers organ-I-zation had hoped since last October would be quite the understatement. The team is on it’s way to finishing 20 or so points worse than it did a year ago and has already surpassed by 4 the 245 goals allowed that season with 7 games still to be played. They would need to score 48 goals in those remaining games to match the production of last year. As we learned in the last Thrasher Math 101 class, the official statistical term for the odds of that happening is “notgonnahappennowayinhell”…
But what is more important then the past 155 days is what will happen in the 155 days or so after those final seven games have been played. For at the end of those stretch of days we will find ourselves in the heat and humidity of mid-September and the preseason games of the upcoming year will be upon us. By then, we will have a clear picture of what was done during the off-season to improve this team, specifically on defense.
If you want to look at another team as a model to follow, look no further than the team we just played…Philadelphia. Last season the Flyers were el dead-lasto in the NHL standings with 56 points. However, the additions of star centerman Daniel Briere and defensemen Kimmo Timonen and Jason Smith helped improve this team to what will be 30+ points better that the season prior. Oh, and one cannot overlook the addition of one Braydon Coburn at the trade deadline last year, (sorry to open that wound again).
Addressing the blueline and bringing in a quality center has seen the Flyers take a defense that had allowed 3.62 goals a game to one that only allows 2.82.
So, it CAN be done. Now, let’s see if it WILL be done.
Definition Of “That Sucks”
Did anyone see how Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala let up the one and only goal that got past him Tuesday night on Lon- Gisland??? Follow the bouncing puck!
Honey-Do List
OK… PJ, Nix and Nikita…some of the fine ladies who frequent this blog…have been having a good time discussing the guys on the team over the past couple of days. They, as always, have had some very interesting things to say on the matter. So, in light of this, let me throw some red meat out there for them…and any others of the female persuasion who care to comment.
So, if you ladies had your way with them…or, should I say, had the ability to have a say in the make-up of the team and how they were handled…who would you get rid of, add to the team…how would you suggest conditioning the players and what motivational techniques would you employ to keep them at the top of their game?
Sitting back on sofa, gnawing on popcorn, sipping Coca-Cola…waiting for the show to begin…
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By PJ
March 18, 2008 11:26 PM | Link to this
oh oh I’m first!!!!
By Brendan
March 18, 2008 11:53 PM | Link to this
PJ, the floor is yours. My curiousity is piqued.
By PJ
March 19, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this
Brendan Leave it to Rawhide to open up this can of worms. I get up in the five o clock hour so this insomniac needs to get her rest. Lemme give it some thought.
Rawhide I assume the occasion you are talking about is Hockey, right? Are you refering to players that are reasonably available now or complete fantasy ie: the Wayne Gretzky of 15 years ago.
By PJ's Husband
March 19, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this
It’s so much better when she’s first.
By LAC
March 19, 2008 12:20 AM | Link to this
Now Kovy says This is THE most disappointing season of his career…
But Mr.Potty Mouth DA levenson tells us all We are moving in theR IGHT direction ????
This team is no better than when the franchise started… Not ONE BIT BETTER !
waddell HAS TO BE FIRED, HE SUXS period, a total goof who is UNPROFESSIONAL, STUPID, and NO EYE for talent, a COMPLETE LOSER…
But when you have a group of idiots in charge… We arein for losing untile waddell is at least fired and a NEW OWNER !!!!!!
Comeon levenson, put your A$$ on the line,I will !!!!!What’s wrong coward too afraid ????
By truth
March 19, 2008 12:25 AM | Link to this
Rawhide, that’s weak man. Thorburn got the goal, not Holik.
Maybe you should quit playing buddy buddy with the bloggers and actually use your position to DEMAND accountability from the “Professional Athletes”. Just my 2 cents…
By Rawhide
March 19, 2008 12:35 AM | Link to this
“Truth” - Uh,..OK, looks like Thorburn was credited with that goal after all. Changed it, thanks.
As far as my “position” is concerned…I wish I had that kinda clout!
By NASCAR Dave
March 19, 2008 5:47 AM | Link to this
Well, well, well. What do you know? The Atlanta TRASHERS showed up again! This time in Philly! What was the excuse this time? South Street hookers wore you out? What a bunch of WIMPS!!!
OUTSHOT AGAIN!!! What was it, 47 shots to 14? That is absolutely pitiful! Did the TRASHERS even hit anybody? I didn’t see jack. These gutless quitters get NO respect from me!
So Boulton and Holik got in a shoving match? GOOD!!! Boulton oughta beat the snot out half the LAZY WIMPS on this team! At least he seems to care about the remaining games!
And again folks, not trying to beat a dead horse, but who’s fault is it that these WIMPS can’t even compete in an NHL game against a mediocre at best team? Well, again, that’s that IDIOT Don Waddell’s fault! He signed these LOSERS. He fired Hartley. He took over. Even he couldn’t even get the LOSERS to win! It’s a glaring indictment of Don Waddell’s complete and total INCOMPETENCE at running an NHL team!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! End the incompetence! FIRE WADDELL!!!
NUFF SAID.
By stendec
March 19, 2008 8:16 AM | Link to this
Flushers continue Falcon (tank) job! Flushers will be worse than Falcons next season. Man, it HURTS to type THAT. First, Letemin is untalented Finnish crapola! That statement proven fact NOT conjecture. Forget unimportant stats! Only one that matters is number of wins opposed to number of losses. Knew LaLa Land resident had perfected art of allowing soft goals in last minutes of periods. But last F+++++G three seconds? Ship this ball-less loser. Where? Any D++N where! Ilya Kovalchuk is overrated. But he scored his 50th goal, you counter. BFD! Team superstar does not whiff on tying marker from point blank range on final shot of night. Not ones that take their team to next level. Defenses have figured him out! The marginally talented Russian will not score anywhere near 50 goals if he is still Flusher next season. **Victim of Steve Bartkowski injury curse. Will never return to pre-injury form. Oh, by the way, Flushers were playing team decimated by troubles which was only a shadow of its former self. Still managed to lose. Looked absolutely pathetic in doing so! No reason for any type of future optimism! Any chance we can get Flames back? SO DAMN TIRED OF WATCHING PRIDELESS QUITTERS GAME AFTER GAME!
By Shoot It
March 19, 2008 8:20 AM | Link to this
It looks like Kovalchuk just put the ASG on notice with that comment, “We need to make the right moves in the summertime and get ready to go for next year.”
By ThrasherNY
March 19, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
How scary is it that Kovy is talking about the lack of even “a sniff” of cup contention since being on the Thrashers. I truly hope that the ASG and DW realize that unless we start to show a commitment to Cup contenting hockey, not just playoff viable economicly friendly hockey, Kovy will likely want to go to a team that does play for the Cup ala Hossa.
By Stats
March 19, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
I have been away for awhile. Team still terrible.
Has anyone ever met Stendec? I have a new theory - Stendec is either Pavelec’s agent, Pavelec’s father or is Pavelec himself.
Thrashers cannot do anything right - halfway through the game, I was once again rooting for 50 shots on goal, but no, they cannot even do that.
I feel for KL. Niittymaki is his old friend and rival. If you watched him pregame and during the game, Kari was focused and wanted to win badly. Too bad the rest of the team was not.
By d
March 19, 2008 8:50 AM | Link to this
Kovy’s comments to CC regarding moves that need to be made this summer are encouraging. Does anyone know if Kovy has enough levergae over the ASG to effect changes in management? Or does the ASG view Kovy as a disposable asset if he rattles his chains too much? I think there will be a fan revolt if Kovy is not given the C next year.
By Bob
March 19, 2008 9:04 AM | Link to this
But what is more important then the past 155 days is what will happen in the 155 days or so after those final seven games have been played
There’s only one change that will matter, and that’s the one that needs to be made on April 7, 2008. If Waddell isn’t fired that day, the rest of the offseason is moot as the same GM that has made the same changes every year will just be spinning his wheels again drafting blindly and signing this year’s likes of Adam Burt or Richard Smehlik.
Levenson, why don’t you read and understand Kovy’s comments after the game last night. Your star player doesn’t think we’re headed in the right direction. Oh wait, is he just a smart a* too?
Quit listening to Waddell, Levenson. He’s the cause of our woes, he has been all along and many of us have been saying it for years. Fix that problem and watch it all fall into place.
By stendec
March 19, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this
If Letemin wanted to win so badly the unfocused Finn would have been well served not to allow a marker in the final three seconds of a period! The Flusher netminder allowed a trio of goals. How many did his counterpart surrender? FACTS ARE FACTS!
By Stats
March 19, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
Nice touch of sportsmanship for Philly to give KL the 3rd star. Could have gone to Niittymaki for that last save alone.
By AJ
March 19, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
I am so sad!! We have talent on this team-why can’t they get their act together? I agree that Bolton needs to beat the crap out of quite a few players on this team-if nothing else but to JUST WAKE THEM UP!!!! We ALL know, they all know the season is over-but the least they could do is PLAY FOR PRIDE!!! Be able to go into the summer break being able to hold their heads up and get ready for next season!! I hope (even though I know it won’t happen) that ASG gets rid of Waddell, and get us the much needed REAL coach and some players that will come in here and kick some serious A*, maybe even show the rest of the team how the game of hockey should be played!! COME ON GUYS-WHERE IS YOUR HEART???
By Stats
March 19, 2008 9:39 AM | Link to this
Stendec - I usually do not criticize people, but seriously, you have got to be related to Pavelec somehow. Generally, I leave you in your own little warped world, but this time I gotta respond.
Niitty only saw 17 shots (and gave up 2 goals - which is actually pretty poor). Most of them were not even good scoring looks.
Did you watch the game? Go to the Thrashers site and watch the highlight of the 2nd goal. Kari made a great save and sent the puck right to Havelid in the corner (as opposed to back in front of the net, just like he is supposed to.) Rather than clear it, Havelid looses his stick.
By Stats
March 19, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
For some reason my post got cut off - here is the rest -
Did you watch the game? Go to the Thrashers site and watch the highlight of the 2nd goal. Kari made a great save and sent the puck right to Havelid in the corner (as opposed to back in front of the net, just like he is supposed to.) Rather than clear it, Havelid looses his stick.
As Philly brings it back around, Thorburn and Havelid are actually passing each other a stick instead of playing defense. (REALLY GO WATCH IT). The time is irrelevant to the goalie. However, for the rest of the team, the question is WHY ARE YOU PASSING A STICK BACK AND FORTH WITH 3 SECONDS TO PLAY IN THE PERIOD AND PHILLY IS LINING UP FOR THE FINAL SHOT???
By Donny W
March 19, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this
Hey Bob, are Adam Burt and Richard Smehlik really available. I’ll give them a call.
By Smoothie
March 19, 2008 10:02 AM | Link to this
Let me preface my comments by saying that I love the effort Mr. Mark Recchi has brought with him to Atlanta since January. HOWEVER, I now realize that having a 40 year-old, undersized winger play alongside one of the best players in the league (no, I don’t mean Todd White) is an absolutely pathetic reminder of how far this franchise has sunk to the depths of suck-a-tude.
This is not to say that I think Recchi has not played hard, given it his best etc, but we are absolutely fooling ourselves to think that any of the following players should be brought back to camp next fall:
Recchi
Holik
Larsen
Zhitnik (obviously)
Klee
Questionable:
Havelid & Kozlov but we’re stuck with them for another year or two
If Waddell signs another FA player over the age of 30 this summer, I am never going to another Thrashers game again! Okay, that’s a lie.
For the record, Boulton should have cheap-shotted Holik and then beat him with his own arms.
By Nikita
March 19, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
Unfortunately, I have to go unexpectedly to NY for a funeral, so no insights for a few days.
But meanwhile, here’s < a href=http://www.kiltmen.com/photogallery4.htm>Kovy in a kilt. Pardon me while I go scour my eyes.
By Fred
March 19, 2008 10:18 AM | Link to this
Another clutch loss! Hey folks, there are 5 prime draft choices in the upcoming draft and we’re sitting #3 right now. If we would have won last night we would fall to #5. It’s just that close. Hey - I can’t bear to watch the games because I love the team so much, but really it’s in their best interest to lose. We HAVE to grab a NHL-ready defenseman in the draft (there are supposedly 2) and won’t be getting them if all of a sudden we “suck it up” and win 5 of the last 7 (which would probably drop us to pick #8 - lottery excluded).
What I can’t understand is that I’ve NEVER seen or heard of any plan by Waddell to address getting outshot every night - and by a wide margin. We have no way of knowing how good our golies are because they never have a chance. It’s ridiculous to allow 40 shots a game and only average 25.
I’ll be there opening night next year, but I can’t bear going to a game and cheering when I know a win will hurt the team in the long term.
By stendec
March 19, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this
Yes. I watched every miserable second. Including the Letemin goal with three seconds to play in the period and the whiff job by Ilya Kovalchuk at the end. Even folks with minimal ice hockey sense can tell you that the timing of goals DO matter. Nothing deflates an entire team like early (first five minutes) and late (last three minutes) goals. Sort of like in football when a fantastic goal line defensive stand is followed by a (Josephine Harrington) safety. What good was all that hard work by defense? Damn hard to recover! I knew Flushers would never bounce back from fatal goal at close of period. No, I an not Pavelec or anyone affilated with him. Just long-suffering Atlanta pro sports fan who wants Flushers (Braves/Hawks/Falcons/Fill In Blank)to succeed. To Hell with purported Letemin potential. How about some results! As in victories. Letemin has shown absolutely no flashes of becoming upper echelon netminder! Except in excuses department. Ah, those elusive monkey pucks! Want Flushers to hitch entire wagon onto mediocre (at best) goalie for years? Not THIS fan. Have a nice day.
By atldave
March 19, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
Rawhide, please do not use the Philadelphia turnaround from last year as evidence the Thrashers can accomplish the same thing this off season. First the Flyers had Carter, Knuble, Richards, Hatcher, Gagne, Umberger and assets of Forsberg (Upshaw, Parent, Timonen) and Pitkanin (Lupul and Smith) to help the turnaround. Second, they are a very attractive destination for free agents. Third, they have ownership and management who are willing to make changes and spend money. Fourth they have a history of good drafts and personnel evaluation. Finally, despite all these advantages they are in strong jeopardy of not making the playoffs this year. We have Kovalchuck, Little, Perrin, Havelid, Enstrom and Lehtonen. We have no assests to move, poor ownership and management, and are in the top 5-worst destinations for quality free agents. How do you successfully rebuild with this scenario?
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 10:39 AM | Link to this
Wow. That’s what I keep saying. I am amazed at how bad this team is. When you look at the shot totals it is really amazing. Players fighting with each other during a game. I can only imagine what goes on when they are not on national tv. The best player on the team basically saying “if big changes don’t happen I will be headed some place that is serious about having a hockey team”. Maybe Levenson was reffering to Ilya’s english when he said “heading in the right direction”. Not does he score but he was able to sum up all our feelings in english with tact, “not even a sniff”.
By atldave
March 19, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
Stenec, I hope you do not have anything stronger than aspirin in your medicine cabinet? If you do get help before you do something stupid. The world is not coming to an end!
By R. Stroz
March 19, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
Kovalchuk speaks:
Is anyone listening?
Don’t financialy support this team next season until mangement makes the moves that will keep Kovy on the Thrashers.
Otherwise, each and every dollar spent will be responsible for sending Kovy to another team.
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this
stendec Even folks with minimal ice hockey sense can tell you That folks with minimal ice hockey sense always blame the goalie. It is really a simple minded observation. If the puck goes in the net it must be the goalies falt because he is standing in front of the net. Sort of like in football blamming everything on the QB.Even folks with minimal ice hockey sense can tell you that nothing deflates a goalie like playing on the worst team with the worst defense and realizing that you are going to face 50 shots a night. To be a winning goalie on this team you would need a save percantage of about 96 to 97%. Do the math dude!
By Lew318
March 19, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this
One of the key considerations to remember here is this. If this team has the ability to pressure an opponent for the last two minutes (as they did last night, and other nights) to make the game closer than it WAS; then why in hell don’t they apply that pressure throughout the game?
WHAT A LOST FRUSTRATING YEAR
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
R. Stroz I heard him loud and clear. I posted a translation a few weeks back when he spoke up. Translation 2: ” I love to compete. I am heading into the peak of my hockey career. If this organization will not build a team that can compete (losing in round one 4 straight games does not qualify for compete) I will be moving on when the contract is up. I want to compete”
By timthebrave
March 19, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
Scenario on Wed at carolina…KL stops 97 out of 100 shots in loss to detroit 3-2 stendec…stupid a* letemin lets up another 3 goals. what a sorry Finn… Obviously it can’t be part of the defenses fault or the twelve 5 on 3 power plays. Rest of world… Huh! stendec it is hard to argue with stupid
By Ben
March 19, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
what this team needs to draft is scoring. a top-quality d-man must be overpaid for as an FA. PREDICTION: Hawks get a front-office makeover, but Waddell stays as GM. I guess we do not really live in a hockey town. CC, please interveiw Levinson and ask pointed questions about where he feels this team is going. Why would they buy the team if not to build a winner? I choose to not be cynical about this. Are Waddell’s hands tied? Or is this a staff-wide thing? Is a city full of Northern transplants, who would be most of this team’s base, not interested because of other ways to keep up with the teams of their old cities / hometowns? Also, the Thrashers are not that much different from many hockey teams across the country. In many places, the hockey team is the fourth team on the totem pole. In the the Thrasher’s case, I think it’s ahead of the Hawks, but the Bulldogs(football variety), the Braves, and the Failcons.
By R. Stroz
March 19, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
I’ve never met a successful pessimist; however, I’ve never met a successful delusional optimist.
DW falls into the second category.
By What The Puck
March 19, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this
It’s time for the thrashers to take out the trash. They need to fire waddell and get completely new management and new owners. They need to let that big piece of crap Holik go. In addition they need to get rid of zhitnik, klee, and white. They need to bring up the wolf pack next season because at least they hustle. Heck bring desbians and boris up as well so that we will actually have someone who will fight besides thorburn. I was so p** the other night when moose got tackled and their was no retaliation. I mean that guy should have had the crap knocked out of him for that or at the least someone should have hit the other teams goalie. In addition they need to get some defense men that are young and are taller than 6 foot one. Finnaly if we could get some more players with the heart that little has got we would be a little better off. He might be a little small but hey he busts his a** every game. I don’t think the guy knows what the word quit means. The other players should take lessons from him.
By FormerIslesFan
March 19, 2008 12:07 PM | Link to this
Did anyone see Scott Burnside’s rip of the Thrashers on ESPN? Frankly, I agree with every work he wrote…
By NASCAR Dave
March 19, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this
People, people, people, please get off stendec’s case. He is absolutely correct. With the timing of the goals he lets in, Kari is a noted momentum killer.
But let’s look at the real issue… THIS TEAM SUCKS A$$ IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE GAME!!!
And it’s IDIOT DON WADDELL’S DAMN FAULT!!!
Every single problem, issue, or deficiency with this time is DIRECTLY related to choices made by DON WADDELL!
Waddell Checklist:
-Can’t Draft
-Can’t Sign the “Right” Free Agents
-Free Agents he does sign are old journeymen with no chance of a career on any other NHL team
-He then overpays said Free Agents
-Trades away our best prospects in panic moves to save his own a$$
And that’s just the beginning….
Bruce Levenson needs to open his eyes and see “the real problem” that is right in front of him…. DON WADDELL.
No matter how you look at it, everything wrong with this team is Don Waddell’s FAULT! That is a FACT!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
THRASHER FANS DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS!!!
END THE INCOMPETENCE!!!
FIRE DON WADDELL!!!
NUFF SAID.
By STH ???
March 19, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
Who is Bruce Levenson tyring to kid ?
This team is terrible, Champions last year and now complete gutter trash.
What gets me, is Don Waddell, who put this entire team togather and was quoted early on ,that this team is better than last year, is still GM ???!!!!!####
What REAL NHL owner would put up with this guy for a second longer, let alone try to fix the mess… Answer NO ONWER would except the worthless owners we have.
When an employee cannot produce and cannot move forward in his position… It is time to change the employee and get one who can do the job.
These owners or whatever cannot be that stupid… or can they???
You never see anyone but Levenson, and what he says is something a six year old could come up with… He is a blundering IDIOT to think Waddell is a GOOD GM !
Fact is Mr.Levenson, you are a complete joke and your knowledge of sports is ZERO. You may have $$$,how I could never figure, because you come across as a complete idiot.
I will never renew my season tickets until at the very least Waddell is fired and doubt I will until we have a new OWNER who wants to WIN and knows what the hell he is doing, these guys are making me sick !
By Rawhide
March 19, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this
Here is a link detailing the traffic situation around Philips Arena for tonight’s game.
FIF - WOW! what a write up…I’d like to take issue with him, but…
Nikita - Sorry to hear of the loss…safe travels.
atldave - Did I dectect a trace of sarcasm in your first post?
stendec - all kidding aside, last night Kari had a .936 SV%. He is facing in one game what Detroit keepers see in almost 2 full games on a regular basis. Changes HAVE to be made in front of him.
All else…really good conversation in here for the most part…but I’m going to throw a question out there for you all. We’ve all given our opinion on what we WANT to happen regarding DW, but what I want to know is what do you THINK will actually happen at the end of the year. Will DW stay as GM? Will the ASG hold him responsible and let him go?
Again, this is not what you WANT to see happen, but do you believe any change will be made?
By FormerIslesFan
March 19, 2008 12:30 PM | Link to this
RH
No kidding. While I understand that Burnsides is, generally speaking, no fan of the Thrashers, I think he nailed it dead-on with this one. Like you said, I’d take issue with him, but…
By Kaladonis
March 19, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
This has got to be the most depressing situation a zealous hockey fan can imagine. Is there any hope at all? Any bright spots to look forward to? The article by Burnside - even taken with a grain of salt - paints a grim picture. I guess the scariest thing for me is the whole Wolves situation.
By Bob
March 19, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this
So, instead of tackling the most important element in turning this moribund franchise around, the most important factor in saving this franchise, by correcting years of miscalculations by hiring a new GM, ownership appears content to take the path of least resistance by maintaining the status quo. Oh, well. It worked out pretty well for Nero
Man, did Burnside hit that nail on that head or what. And before anyone says Burnside’s just ESPN and doesn’t know our club, he’s based here in Atlanta and has covered the Thrashers for a long time.
Those of you that still don’t understand that Waddell is the problem need to read and re-read that article until you get it. Please. For the good of our team, if you really want this team to succeed, then please read that article and then everyone needs to sign the petition on this web site I’ll link at the end of this paragraph, a lot of us season ticket holders are signing up here to present a petition to Levenson and the Spirit to Fire Waddell
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 12:51 PM | Link to this
FIF thanks for the link. This is a must read if you care about the NHL in Atlanta. Rawhide What part of what he said would you take issue with? I totally agree with FIF he nailede it dead-on. THE TEAM THIS GM HAS BUILT IS REALLY REALLY BAD!
By atldave
March 19, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this
Rawhide not sarcasm, just facts and they do not support your hope that the Thrashers can do a Philadelphia turnaround
By Rawhide
March 19, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
IlyaK - I said I would LIKE to take issue with him….or, better said, I would like to be ABLE to take issue with him…but I cannot. He pretty much nailed it!
atldave - Point taken…but I guess I’m just an eternal optimist. I see that such turnarounds CAN happen and I want to see this team make some smart moves in the off-season.
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this
By Bob……thanks for the link at the end of your blog. Rawhide…yes, now I understand the statement. WE NEED MAJOR CHANGE!
By R. Stroz
March 19, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
Save Kovalchuk, Fire Waddell
By lilibeter
March 19, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
I am not a seasoned hockey fan. Yet. I was a basketball fan all my life, so I have a tendency to mix metaphors when speaking sports-talk.
That being said, one of the sports metaphors that seems to best bridge the gap, especially in the Thrashers’ case is the age-old adage that the best offense is a good defense. I will take last night’s game as a prime example of what has been paining me all season long…we spent an embarrassingly small amount of time on our end of the ice. Guys: you cannot score if you are not in the offensive zone! (Toskala’s flub aside, that is.)
The way I see it, the defense has two primary objectives: 1.) keep the opponent from scoring, and 2.) regain the puck for the offense. We don’t do that though?!
No team ever seems to have any trouble crossing the blue line against us. Once they cross the blue line, they never seem to have any problem making good, solid, tape-to-tape passes until they create a scoring opportunity. We have a great pair of goalies in Lehtonen and Moose, but they cannot win the games for us. They can only stand there and do their dead-level best to stop each of the 9 million shots that our guys give up every night on defense. Yes, our goalies are good, but when you’re facing more shots than anyone else in the league and have no one in front of you helping you, then you are bound to have a few slip by you. Our goalies need help. Serious help.
So, given my choice, I would build our defense, and to do that, there are some guys who have got to go. Here is my house-cleaning list:
Holik - he’s a great big tree, but trees don’t play hockey worth a crap
Klee - just how many times per game does he either make glaring mistakes or simply give the puck away to the other team
Zhitnik - again, mistake after mistake after missed defensive assignment after mistake
Kozlov - I understand that we are paying a lot of money for this guy, but what I don’t understand is why because, rather than being effective, he does little more than fill a space on the ice
There are a couple of guys that I am on the fence about:
Exelby - When I first started following hockey, I was a big Exelby fan, but this year, he doesn’t hit, he finds himself out of position far too often, and he seems to get so frustrated with his own poor level of play that he tries picking fights for no good reason and gets himself stuck in the penalty box. He really needs to step up his game and start playing like he means it.
Slater - Sometimes he has a good game; he’s in the right places doing the right thing. But when he is off (as he has been far too many times this year), he is a serious liability.
Larsen - See my Slater comment above…only less consistent on that whole “good game” part.
So what would I do to replace those guys? I am not great with the who’s and what’s of all of the other players around the league, so I’ll give a profile instead. First and foremost, I would add several big, strong defensemen who PLAY like big, strong defensement. Hockey is possibly the most physical game out there, so why is it that so many of our guys are short and scrawny? Yes, I have heard the whole “we’re built to be a run n’ gun team” argument, but I think we have effectively proven this year that this strategy does not win hockey games. We need to add guys who can challenge the opponent when they have the puck, harrass them at the blue line, rough them up, cause the kind of mistakes that create turn-overs. Perrin and little Tobi do a fantastic job of creating these types of opportunities, but they need some big, brawny help out there because they are simply too small to do it alone.
There are really only two other things that I would do to improve our team for next year. First, I would get a good, effective Center in there who will camp out in front of the net, wreak havoc on the other goalie’s line of sight, and clean up on loose rebounds (assuming we finally realize that shooting the puck is the way to actually score goals). That being said though, I would offer this advice to our offense - you can only get so far on the “run n’ gun, snow-bird layup” opportunities because that is just not the type of situation that happens again and again and again in a game. You have got to have an offense that is built on more than simply trying to pass the puck until you can get Kovy open for the perfect slap-shot. I know very little about the game of hockey, but even I can tell you that, if you want to win against the Thrashers, just guard Kovy and all passing lanes leading to Kovy.
Again, the best offense is a good defense…
By Brendan
March 19, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this
While I doubt anyone would really want to trade Kovalchuk, the truth is … if the ASG doesn’t intend to offer him more than five years at more than $9 million per season, then they ought to consider an “asset salvaging mission,” a la Marian Hossa.
If the Thrashers traded Kovalchuk now, the gaining team gets two more seasons of Ilya, at a “bargain rate” of a cap hit of $6.5 million. His actually salary is a bit more than that. But the idea is … any team wanting to acquire Kovalchuk is trying to win moreso than trying to make Forbes list of the most financially-successful.
Stop. I don’t want to trade Kovalchuk. It’s painful to even “think” about. But, did we want to trade Marian Hossa? No, clearly we did not. We HAD to trade him for the “longterm interests” of the club. It’s my opinion that we’d get far more for Kovalchuk now, than at the February 2010 trade deadline.
Hopefully, it never comes to that. Ideally, Kovalchuk is offered a substantive deal on July 1, 2009, which is more than a year away. And that the offer doesn’t insult him, nor ‘nickel-n-dime’ him. It’ll take a serious offer to keep him. Any team out there, with cap room, would offer “whatever it takes” to land him in free agency. Shoot, even teams without cap room would MAKE ROOM for him, if Kovy would agree to play there.
I apologize for this post. I’m sorry if I made you contemplate things which are clearly unpleasant for us, as fans of the Atlanta Thrashers hockey club.
By lilibeter
March 19, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this
…One more tiny, but crucial addendum to my post above:
Don Waddell - Why is he still the coach, much less the GM? If someone…anyone…could answer that for me, I’d be a happy woman. Not even DW himself can do that though, as evidenced by his dodging of that question any time it is brought up. Any other coach or GM in professional sports with his track record would be out on his royal rump, but for some obscure, unknown reason, we are still stuck with DW’s incompetence.
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this
lilibeter For an unseasoned hockey fan you have keen eye. No team ever seems to have any trouble crossing the blue line against us. Once they cross the blue line, they never seem to have any problem making good, solid, tape-to-tape passes until they create a scoring opportunity. Our d is slow and small. The best place to stop the rush is at the blueline. The blueline gives the d a big advantage because they know that none of the players on the opposition is in behind them so the only pass the puck carrier could make would be behind himself which would stop the rush. Slow d have trouble making a stand at the blueline because they have no chance to catch a player that gets past them. Small d men have trouble with covering the width of the ice and are usually not the best hitters. So small and slow d back in too far which allows the opposition to spread out in all directions creating good passing opportunities. The only d man we have that has the ability to create time and make a good pass is Enstrom. The lack of a good first pass tends to get you bottled up in your end. Since the other teams enter our zone with ease and we have trouble getting out we give up 40-50 shots a game.
By timthebrave
March 19, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this
lilibeter, I agree with almost everything you said except a few guys. Koslov had a bad year and I am disappointed in his play this year but I think he can still be a good player. I’d like to watch Exelby fight just to break the monontony of shot after shot on our goal.
By Rawhide
March 19, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
lilibeter - WOW! Nicely done…that was Brendan-esque, (that’s a complement).
By Bob
March 19, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this
Any other coach or GM in professional sports with his track record would be out on his royal rump, but for some obscure, unknown reason, we are still stuck with DW’s incompetence
yep, you are right on. So, let’s do something about it! I signed up on this web site, send them your name on the email link at the bottom of the page, and they’ll add you to the petition they are going to present to the owners. We all need to quit just complaining on here about it, and do something about it, let’s get the owners to do the right thing to save our team so we can get a real GM in here to build something we can all be proud of: http://firewaddell.googlepages.com
By Brendan
March 19, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this
lilibeter, the answer is simple. Don Waddell is the “brains” of the organ-I-zation. It hasn’t been difficult for him to hoodwink, bamboozle, and flimflam Bruce Levenson. What Levenson doesn’t know about hockey, ostensibly, could fill a warehouse.
By lilibeter
March 19, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this
ilyaK You brought to mind a very good point about our defense…or lack thereof. Regardless of the sport, a good defenseman has good defensive instincts. I was taught that good defense is not something that can be taught; you’re either born with it or not. What I continually see from our defense is an inability to read the play. Offense on team sports follows certain patterns, and the best defensemen can read those patterns and get themselves into the right position to make the right play at the right time. Call it intuition. Enstrom has it in spades. He’s small, but he knows where to put himself on the ice to make the play…or just as important, stop the opponent’s play.
That being said, I’d like to add “defensive smarts” to my defenseman profile.
brave I know that Kozlov had to have done something to warrant the big paycheck, but since I started watching hockey about a year ago, Kozlov has failed to impress me on anything remotely close to a consisten basis.
As for watching Exelby fight, you are right, it does break the monotony of all the passing and shooting going on in our defensive zone. What I would like to see more of from XLB though is fighting for the right reasons…standing up for his teammates…getting into a brawl because someone is P.O.’d that he hit them and knocked the everloving snot out of them. Right now, Ex just seems to be picking fights when he’s frustrated with himself and his team rather than because he’s just playing good, physical hockey.
By Stats
March 19, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
If you have not already done so, go read Scott Burnside’s article today at ESPN.com about how silly keeping DW is.
By silverpork
March 19, 2008 2:42 PM | Link to this
Someone should tell Burnside that Bourret was traded a year ago.
By Tom
March 19, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=3300728&campaign=rss&source=NHLHeadlines
This is brutal. Honest but brutal.
Although Waddell is easily one of the most-liked of NHL GMs, his colleagues acknowledge quietly he has made a hash of the Thrashers.
“I love him, but I can’t defend him,” one top GM recently told ESPN.com.
“The question you have to ask yourself is: Where’s the foundation?” another NHL source said.
From the ground up, the team is a disaster.
By ilyaK
March 19, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this
“I love him, but I can’t defend him,” one top GM recently told ESPN.com. I would love if I was a GM. I would stay in close contact and tell him if he is going to make moves call me first!
By lilibeter
March 19, 2008 3:32 PM | Link to this
RH - took a few minutes to look back at some of Brenden’s posts. That was a serious compliment…Thanks!
By FormerIslesFan
March 19, 2008 4:12 PM | Link to this
Tom and Stats
Yes, I posted the link to Burnside’s article earlier today and we’ve already been discussing (and agreeing) with it. I wonder if anyone at the THM that has Levenson’s email address has already forwarded it to him.
By BL & DW
March 19, 2008 4:20 PM | Link to this
BL: Don you’re just not getting the job done and ticket sales are down, so we’re going to have to let you go. Do you know of any GM’s available?
DW: Yes, the guy from Columbus needs a job, he’s really a good guy to.
BL: Thanks Don
By Ryan
March 19, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this
Is there any way I can get my throwback Sabres jersey back when I traded it for a Thrashers one?
Good Grief-I keep saying this over and over again. If this were a different “market”, would this be going on still?
By Brendan
March 19, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this
I can hear it already!! “This blog is so negative!!” There’s a world of difference between whining, nagging, and being pessimistic … compared to proding, nudging, and urging in a constructive manner.
I just can’t see how Atlanta hockey fans are “bad” merely for wanting to make a change at the GM position, after eight seasons and no playoff wins. Truthfully, it ought to be a pattently obvious move at this point. I hold out hope that Bruce Levenson will do the right thing on April 7th.
By Tony C.
March 19, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
I think we should keep Klee. He ain’t flashy, he ain’t gonna get more than 3 goals in any given year, but the guy is generally where he is SUPPOSED to be. Seriously, look at how many other D-men get sucked out of position…I love X, but my man get pulled out of position pretty frequently. Also, I know the concussion thing is obviously on his mind, but wouldn’t it have been nice to see Carter and X go at it? at the very least it would’ve kept Carter (who had a hell of a game and NO it ain’t Lehtonen’s fault on the deflection-ask anyone who’s ever played goalie-deflections and bouncing pucks are the hardest to stop….if you really think Lehtonen sucks well you must not watch the entire game-just the highlights on OnTheFly) off the ice. Maybe even broke his jaw.
I dunno, I thought for sure #17 had tied it for us. Man Nittymaaki owns this team. Next game vs. Philly @ The Flatscreen somebody PLEASE take him out drinking to excess!!! (please)
Glad to see #17 wants some changes, and is sick of the mediocrity we all have endured this season. I truly hope ASG/DW make some real moves this summer and not some “well he did good on my fantasy squad last season” kind of moves.
GO BLUE !!! OPERATION:Believe in Tankland IS GO!
By five_hole
March 19, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Things have gotten to the point that PJ no longer offers prayers before the games. How sad is that?
I know that I’m fed up with the team. I’m going to a bar tonight to watch the game, but my heart is no longer in it.
By Tom
March 19, 2008 5:44 PM | Link to this
I bet Bob (other) will complain about Burnside’s lack of hockey knowledge. I mean, how can you be unhappy with this team.
I am not the greatest hockey fan or the most knowledgeable on the subject of the how to manage a hockey team but I am starting to believe that I could run Blueland better than this cast of characters.
By Nix
March 19, 2008 5:49 PM | Link to this
Nikita, sorry for your loss.
To answer your original question, Rawhide, I don’t know specifically what new players to bring in, but I agree with everyone calling for more size on this team. I understand wanting a small fast team, but the problem is we’re small and not all that fast. It seems like we’re beaten to the puck 9 times out of 10, and that’s an un-good thing. And when you add in that we’re frequently over-powered in the corners and on the boards b/c we’re so small… sigh
In terms of getting them ready this summer for next season… these guys need to be able to sprint up and down the ice for 60 minutes a night - and on back-to-back nights, if necessary. I say make sure they get in lots of good, old-fashioned laps and wind sprints. LOTS. And the rest of their time should be spent running drills. I’m tired of seeing them play like they’ve never been on the ice together before… and practicing the basics ad nauseam should address that problem.
And as for motivation from me? I’m willing to bake them for every win :-)
By Tom
March 19, 2008 6:14 PM | Link to this
The ownership needs a wakeup call, so I put together this little Blueland sign to maybe help wake the up.
As I wrote earlier *Well, they kept saying Believe in Blueland and they lied. Like a cheating spouse lies straight to our face as they plead, “please believe me.”
The time for Believe in Blueland is over and the best way for me to express this is a new sign, Disbelief in Blueland.*
So grab one of these and bring it to the game tomorrow.
http://www.firewaddell.com/images/Disbelief-in-blueland.jpg
By Nix
March 19, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this
Just out of curiosity… do those of you calling for DW to be fired honestly believe ASG will be capable of bringing in someone better? B/c I don’t know that I trust them to have a clue about how to find a proper GM.
Btw, up above, I meant to say that I’d bake for them for every win.
By Gary
March 19, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this
Fret not, Atlanta fans! Your Atlanta Hawks are going to the playoffs this year!
It’s gotta look bad for Waddell when Billy Knight and Woody look better!
By Sage of Bluesland
March 19, 2008 6:51 PM | Link to this
Well, now the room is filling up with those who can FINALLY see what some saw many years ago.
Better late than never, I guess.
However, I do think our bumbling Donny will be here for AT LEAST one more year. The latest sentiment of many sheep seems to want to give him “one more chance”. Of course, the lambs also said that after the failed playoff guarantee.
History, after all, isn’t one of the strengths of the hopeless dreamers.
Feel foolish, sheep? You should. You’ve been grafted worse than some Yank buying London Bridge…
(By the way, where-oh-where are our local lambs, GaVa, Ranallo, and OtherBob??? I guess their pride hurteth—they’ve been made to look so foolish with their incessant defense of the indefensible)
By The Other Bob
March 19, 2008 7:03 PM | Link to this
Sage - I’m still around…and have NEVER been a DW fan…just wished youd get some new material other than the stupid sheep references….thats all.
By puckjunque
March 19, 2008 7:23 PM | Link to this
Amens Please……
Bow you heads, hands joined on the keyboards
Oh Heavenly Father,
Thank you for blessing the City of Atlanta with a hockey team, we are ever so grateful. Please place your healing hands on our injured players and keep this team strong throughout the remainder of the season. Please help this team show some pride, unity and retribution when they kick Carolina’s a$$ tonight. Amen!!!
GO THRASHERS!!!
By The Other Bob
March 19, 2008 7:28 PM | Link to this
AMEN, PJ!!! Thanks!
By Nix
March 19, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this
Amen, PJ!
Ummm… I just checked the score (am still at work) and can someone explain to me how Moose has let in 3 of 9 shots on goal?
Come on, Thrashers!!
By Sage of Bluesland
March 19, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this
Great direction we’re heading in, eh?
Silly little sheep! Whoever subsidizes this incompetence…I’m in absolute and stunned amazement you value your money so little to absolutely WASTE it on this product!
This organization does not deserve any support whatsoever. Move—I don’t care.
We are the laughingstock of the entire league—yet the pitiful excuses still continue. How sad and pathetic.
Oh, it’s 3-0 Carolina after one period. Well, we actually might have them where we want them—they will completely underestimate us and go to sleep, allowing us to possibly crawl back in.
If they just played ten more minutes at full speed, they would put another two goals on the board and put us away entirely.
The ESPN article was a thing of beauty—and it had a strange sense of deja-vu, didn’t it? Hmmmm, I wonder where some of those SAME words have been spoken before?
The truth must hurt some. I find it refreshing. Now there will be revisionist-history by the former sheeps as they clamor for the head of our bumbling Donny…Truly amusing and predictable by the mindless sheep!
By Russian
March 19, 2008 7:54 PM | Link to this
Damn! Moose is not ready. They were shooting puck. Big progress.:=)
By Bob
March 19, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this
Boy, that Valabik fits right in on this club, eh? -3 after one period? That’s hard to do.
He looks exactly how I’ve heard him advertised by the Chicago fans, slow of foot and not NHL ready.
Valabik’s another of Don’s first round draft choices. And Levenson wants him making both of our 1st round picks this year as well? Please go send an email to the guys that built this site to get on the petition to save our club: http://firewaddell.googlepages.com
By The Other Bob
March 19, 2008 8:14 PM | Link to this
Gary - you twit…go post over on the Hawks blog…that guy could use the business.
By PJ
March 19, 2008 8:43 PM | Link to this
Hey five_hole You asked, I delivered.
By Rawhide
March 19, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
A-FREAKIN’-MEN!… Thank you, Puckjunque!
Let’s see if it can help us in the 3rd…
By LAC
March 19, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this
Tampa winning tonight 4-1 in Buffalo.
Meaning they will have 68 points after tonight and we 70. Most important they will have 3 games in hand… more than enough to send us to the BOTTOM… but that IS progress according to The gutless little coward who will not take me on. Doubt LA will catch us for overall last place, but here’s hoping !
Burnside really told it like it is, waddell a laughing stock with other GM’s who KNOW THE TRUTH and these IDIOT, STUPID, DUMB whatever owners are the worst in all professional sports…
And they want to keep worthless waddell, how many losses now DON ????
You SUX waddell, maybe I should meet you for the GM job, but you would hide behind Mr.Potty Mouth and never show up !!!!!
I just about give up, I want to win, but when these so called owners do not, the GM has no brains how to win and a bunch of players who could careless… Well why should we the fans give a damn any longer.
Nothing short of an empty arena would ever wake these mental cases up… Just nuts the way things are turning out and the owners could care less.
Come on levenson show some GUTS take me on you AH, I will enjoy turning this team around while you let your broken nose heal !
By R. Stroz
March 19, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this
Is it just me or does Boris look a little slow and befuddled?
He is big though.
By Sage of Bluesland
March 19, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this
Boris Valabik—a PERFECT physical representation of the rot that represents Donny Waddell.
A PERFECT representation of our bumbling GM’s tenure for near a decade now.
Big, slow, and completely outclassed. In essense, the absolute wrong ‘tool’ in the modern NHL.
Whoever buys tickets to this shame is nothing more than a sheep-enabler…Rewarding incompetence with what I would ‘assume’ to be your hard-earned money?
Then again, maybe it’s not your money your absolutely wasting? I’m sure that accounts for some of the wittle fwag-wavers…How many, I do wonder?
WAKE UP, ATLANTA. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. ALL I ASK FOR IS A GM-CHANGE—THAT IS ALL. HOPE WILL BE RESTORED IF BUMBLING DONNY IS ‘FINALLY’ FIRED!!!
By R. Stroz
March 19, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this
The problem with Boris is that Chicago uses a system that works and then he gets sent to Atlanta.
Coach to Boris, “you stand here.”
Boris to coach, “Thats not what we do in Chicago.”
Coach to Boris, “They play to win in Chicago you big lunkhead.”
By Russ
March 19, 2008 10:26 PM | Link to this
Nix - That’s one of the excuses people have been using for years…what if a new GM is even worse? Seriously, look at the results through eight seasons. Can it really get much worse? I say make a list of all current NHL assistant GM’s, AHL GM’s, and currently unemployed former NHL GM’s…throw their names in a hat and draw one out. I guarantee the results CANNOT be significantly worse, and there is about a 90% chance they would be better.
By Sage of Bluesland
March 19, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
I don’t know about ya’ll, but I’m impressed with our efforts at “building” a hockey team after EIGHT YEARS under the stewardship of Don Waddell…
Don’t EVER wonder why we are terrible…For the Kool-Aid drinkers, you have my sympathy—now go back to closing your eyes and ears (and hopefully your mouths, as well)…
By The Other Bob
March 19, 2008 10:49 PM | Link to this
See there Sage… an entire post where you made a valid point about DW and not one sheep reference!
I’m impressed!
By Nix
March 19, 2008 11:06 PM | Link to this
Russ, fair enough. I think changes need to be made, and at this point, they probably need to be systemic changes. I was just curious about whether the people who have no faith in the ASG would trust them to replace DW with a well qualified candidate. But if you’re coming from the point of view that it can’t possibly get worse, then… why not toss the dice?
By R. Stroz
March 19, 2008 11:26 PM | Link to this
I’ll cut Valabik some slack. It’s obvious that Chicago plays a different type of defense, probably more man than zone.
Then again, I’m not sure what defense Atlanta plays, other than, as Sara says, whack a mole defense.
By Bob
March 19, 2008 11:29 PM | Link to this
does Boris look a little slow and befuddled
He literally looked completely out of his league.
By Ilyak
March 19, 2008 11:46 PM | Link to this
does Boris look a little slow and befuddled they all look befuddled! He looks like someone that just realized he was drafted by the worst team in the league. If he is lucky they will promote him to Chicago.
By TNT
March 20, 2008 12:00 AM | Link to this
Yes, I have to say after this year, any former NHL GM or any AHL GM would be an improvementover DW. I also don’t think Beast is the man for the Head Coach job. Even if DW won’t let him do much as the “Associate Coach”, he is still supposed to be our D Coach. Well, our D SUX, and has consistently every year. This year was just the worst one. So, is he really who we want for our Coach?
By Brendan
March 20, 2008 12:03 AM | Link to this
Kurtis Foster just had his leg splinted and was stretchered off the ice in the Wild-Sharks game. Play was stopped for quite a while. There was only a 2:00 penalty issued to Mitchell for the infraction. Truthfully, it didn’t seem “malicious.” It happened on a “touch up” play for an icing call. It appeared as if Foster were losing his edge a bit as he was hit by Mitchell hard, from behind. Let’s all wish Kurtis Foster a recovery that allows him to return for the playoffs.
Speaking of tough breaks, Marty Turco let in a “softie” in the final 27 seconds of regulation, in a 2-1 Dallas loss to Anaheim. In Chicago, they honored Tony Esposito tonight. In warmups, Nicholai Khabibulin wore an Esposito jersey.
Valabik was on the ice for one of the Thrasher goals. It was nice to finally get a look at him in the NHL. Waddell said that Boris will remain in the NHL for the rest of the season.
In Buffalo, the Sabres rallied for six unanswered goals, from down 4-1, in a 7-4 win over Tampa Bay. Hey, if you think the “wheels have fallen off” in Atlanta, just peek a little farther south down I-75 to Tampa. Will Tortorella be back as Head Coach next season? My feeling is “yes,” but I guess we’ll find out soon enough.
By Tony C.
March 20, 2008 1:38 AM | Link to this
It’s one game yall!
Give the big kid a chance, it’s not like he has been up here for eight years of almost-average-ness.
Seriously, though, he did seem surprised with the speed to the corner of some of the guys he faced. Also I hate 48 as a number for him. But hey, what do I know? I’m a No.s 1-30 type of guy myself, unless you’re a big enough bad@ss to warrant it (and by that I mean you put up positive numbers).
By R. Stroz
March 20, 2008 2:40 AM | Link to this
If I remember correctly, Coburn sucked to start with as well. So even though he looked like a deer in headlights, lets give the guy a fair chance because we surely don’t want a replay of the Coburn situation.
Instead of Number 48, can they put BAMF in place of the number? Just a joke…then again.
By R. Stroz
March 20, 2008 2:50 AM | Link to this
If anyone is interested, I have three tickets to Fridays game in Section 216, Row E for sale.
So, if anyone is interested in purchasing $58.00 face value tickets for $30.00 per ticket for a total of $90.00 please let me know.
By Alan
March 20, 2008 7:24 AM | Link to this
Tony - I agree. We can’t truly judge Valabik’s talent level compared with the rest of the blue line. And pairing him with Kiwi wasn’t a good idea, I don’t think. Put him with Pops or Enstrom (hey, what have we got to lose?) and let’s see if this kid can really shine. Further, it was his first NHL game where the speed and intensity of the game is what mattered the most. And he was working with McCrimmon on Tuesday and probably Wednesday too.
Personally speaking, I’m not gonna judge Valabik until next season. We’ve got the “old system” (what system?) in place here, and it promises to be different next season. Let’s see if the right changes are made in the offseason, the right positions filled with the right people, and a more solid blue line assembled.
By five_hole
March 20, 2008 7:32 AM | Link to this
PJ Wish I had logged in earlier last night. I sort of feel like my missing Amen would have made the difference.
After watching Valabik play, I don’t want to hear from anyone about how slow Andy Sutton is. Valabik has a great reach and made some good hits (and his hits caused some turnovers) but the big guy is rooted to the ice. I can forgive some of the mistakes; after all, it was hit first NHL game and I’m sure the kid was nervous. I just wish the kid could move faster than a glacier.
By Russian
March 20, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
My thinking about Valabik is only positive. He was played only one game on NHL. He played with team that completely out PO and nobody cares about hockey. They had 14 turnovers, couple was from our Veterans - Slava. What do you expect from 22 year old Def, that never play on SHOW??? We have to see him at least rest of season and makle dissision. to R. Stroz Thanks man. It is very good seats. But no way I am goign to pay any money fro Thrasher games. Waste Money.
By stendec
March 20, 2008 10:00 AM | Link to this
Hoist that Gatorade high! From first to worst for the babies in blue. The Falcons are so proud. Cheers! GO FLAMES! (If Flushers wish to relocate they cannot get out of town quick enough for this thoroughly disgruntled former follower)
By NASCAR Dave
March 20, 2008 11:01 AM | Link to this
Well, well, well. Whaddaya’ know? Those GUTLESS QUITTERS/WIMPS led by the incompetent buffoon Donny Waddell once again EMBARRASS THE CITY OF ATLANTA!!!
So, have you people had enough yet? Based on the attendance last night, I would say so! I don’t know who is dumber, the people that actually still go to the games, or the morons who waited out until the end of the game to leave!
Where are all the mindless sheep this morning? GaVaHokie? RanalloSheep? Hello???
Isn’t it funny how they’re never here to spout their ignorance after a loss? Maybe they’re cowering in shame? Who knows? Who cares, really.
Personally, I think they have just run out of excuses. Don Waddell makes that real easy! LMAO!!!
Seriously folks, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
END THE INCOMPETENCE!!!
FIRE WADDELL!!!
END THE MISERY!!!
MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!!!
By NASCAR Dave
March 20, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
For GaVaHokie, Love NASCAR Dave.
By lilibeter
March 20, 2008 12:20 PM | Link to this
Last night, we went out to dinner with FIFs two boys (ages 9 and 5), and we posed RHs question to them (even though they’re boys). We got an interesting response…
The 5 year old - This kid’s favorite player is Moose, but he made the point that Moose is an unrestricted free agent (yes, he actually knows what this is) at the end of the season, so we should replace him with Pavelic (sp?). He also listed Holik as one of the ones we should replace. His thought was that we need better defense too, but we should definitely keep Toby, Little and Exelby.
The 9 year old - The first cut out of this one’s mouth was Holik. He thinks White should go too. He still believes in Slater, Exelby and Larsen but thought they needed to pick up their game some. He’s completely on the Toby bandwagon, and he’s all about doing what we need to do to keep Kovy now that his favorite player (Hossa) is gone. He surprised me by telling me that Kozlov is still worth keeping…he just thinks Slava is having a bad season this year but thinks he’ll pick back up next year. He also thinks it is worth it to keep Slava around because of how much he teaches the younger kids like Toby and Little. He loves both Kari and Moose, but figures it is time to let Moose move on. One of his most vehement opionions? Get rid of Waddell, as both Coach and GM.
So now we have two more opinions about how to fix the Thrashers to throw on the pile…
By PJ
March 20, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this
five_hole Let it go….We all know it’s not YOUR fault.