Ice Man

By R. Stroz

July 30, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this

FIRST?

By NASCAR Dave

July 30, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

Is NIKULIN here yet???

LARSEN & KLEE been bought out yet???

Wouldn’t that get you to the Cap Floor???

By maali

July 30, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this

:D

OK item #1: blue hair kari. every single playoffs season since the boy began playing hockey, around aged 16, he has dyed his hair for playoffs. and it has worked for him in rather spectacular fashion. don’t hate on the hair.

so all in all, well said, although i will always disagree about the hair.

kari darlin, next time you want your hair dyed, come see me. i’ll make sure it doesn’t run. :)

By Alan

July 30, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

I think most people see the J-Bo deal as the beginning of the end of his time in Florida. Those guys literally threw him under the bus during arbitration, from what I’ve heard.

By Alan

July 30, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

Dave posted a comment in the last blog, and I’m going to respond to it here:

Could you please clarify this statement ALAN?

Dave - I’m saying Slater has one last chance to prove his worth, or he’s unlikely to be re-signed. He’s RFA at the end of this season, and it’s doubtful he will receive a qualifying offer if he doesn’t do well this season (“It’s contract time, so put up or shut up”).

He showed some promise at the end of last season, with all his goals coming after the all star break (which was also after his rehab stint in Chicago), and even putting up his first two-goal game in his NHL career against Washington.

Slater is going to be a part of this roster this year, but if he doesn’t show bona fide improvements, he will not be a part of it next year.

By Smitty

July 30, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this

I believe a lot of players are going to become fans of Randy Cunneyworth. As for Kari he has to step up this year or else he will be looking over his shoulder at Pavelec. Anderson will employ a more open offense(hopefully) and the occasional big save will have to be made such as Pavelec came up with in Chicago. And remember Pavelec did not do all that bad in ATL last year. If the defense can move the puck up quicker and if the new offense can keep the puck in the offensive zone and produce more SOG maybe Kari does not face 35 shots a game. Is it wishful thinking this can be done with the players we have?

By Midfield

July 30, 2008 12:56 PM | Link to this

Anybody here remembers Niko Kapanen? He’s just signed with Ak Bars - that’s where we’re hoping to snatch Nikulin from. Small world.

By five_hole

July 30, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

IMO, Goaltender is the toughest position in all of sport. Besides having 210 lb wingers crashing the net, besides having pucks shot at their head at 90-100 MPH and having to mentally override the natural instinct of ducking, the goaltender needs to be on top of his game every second he is on the ice. We’ve all seen wingers take plays off, or even games off. They may take some heat from the coach or even the fans, but when a goaltender isn’t mentally and physically ready 100% at all times, it can cost his team the game.

I’ve been a big supporter of Kari and I’ve seen him flash the reflexes that made him such a high draft pick. He was rushed to the NHL prematurely because Pasi Nurmanen suffered a career-ending knee injury. Since then he’s battled groin injuries and had little if any defensive support.

However. There comes a time in a netminder’s career when he has to suck it up; play thru injuries; stop making excuses because he doesn’t have Nick Lindstrom or Chris Pronger in front of him, and play up to expectations. Because if he doesn’t, there’s always a kid in the minors waiting for his opportunity.

As far as I’m concerned, this is Kari’s make-or-break year. Either he plays like he’s a #1 goaltender or we have to find one somewhere else.

By glovesave29

July 30, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this

Having played in the net for 30+ years, I feel for Kari. I can understand both his flakiness (you let someone fire a frozen hunk of rubber at your head at 90 mph and see how “normal” you are) and his frustration. While he needs to improve his rebound control, his positioning and his fundamentals are spot on. He also works pretty damn hard at practice. When he shows his frustration, I like it, it means he cares. The Vancouver game was a low point…true. But it can be used as a learning tool - he now knows that you play until the whistle blows. Once the play is dead…go berserk if you think you have been wronged. The Ref remembers the complaint and you may get a call your way later in the game. But once that puck drops again…CONCENTRATE!!!Just like QB’s in the NFL, the goalie gets too much credit when the team wins and too much blame when the team loses. Many times I gave sat at Philips and watch the goalie get booed as he picks the puck out of the net…all of this after a forward missed his back check and the defense was out of position…Kari or Moose were lame ducks. The lack of O-ffense scares me, but much less so that a bad defense. I have seen too many times a great save or a stifling PK lead to a jump in the legs of the forwards and lead to a goal. When teams face a tough defenseive squad, frustration sets in and they make mistakes while pressing. Get our goalies some defensive studs and the team will certainly improve.

By Ron

July 30, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

Slater is going to be a part of this roster this year, but if he doesn’t show bona fide improvements, he will not be a part of it next year.

Slater reminds me too much of Brad Tapper. I liked Tapper just like I like Slater, but these guys are AHL level players. Unfortunately for the Thrashers (and Slater) I think he will follow Tapper to Europe next year.

By Midfield

July 30, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

If the Vancouver game was a low point, how do you call the game at Boston? There he gave away a puck from behind his net for an easy goal, and then - after a hard near come-back mounted by Kovy - Lehtonen lets in a soft flip from the point and kills momentum cold.

By truth seeker

July 30, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this

ranollo there was actually another interesting post on Knobler’s blog. Seems that people are upset over how Zhitnik was brought here in exchange for Coburn

But then we learn who really supported Zhitnik coming here (that’s right, it’s Bob) and that NASCAR Dave is really someone else using a dual identity. Interesting read for sure.

By NASCAR Dave

July 30, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this

Dave - I’m saying Slater has one last chance to prove his worth, or he’s unlikely to be re-signed. He’s RFA at the end of this season, and it’s doubtful he will receive a qualifying offer if he doesn’t do well this season (“It’s contract time, so put up or shut up”).

ALAN - SLATER had his chance… Time’s up…

SLATER is a bust… There is no worries of us trading him to another team and he all of a sudden becomes some awesome player… That will just not happen… I think we have all seen what SLATER can provide - Lightning fast speed with an inability to finish… He needs to toughen up, as well…

SLATER is clogging up roster spots, and it’s sad that Donnie is keeping him around because he is a USA/Michigan boy…

Vested interests… LOL.

By glovesave29

July 30, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this

Some weak ones are going to go it…it’s just part of the game. Kari’s got a .912 SP of which too many of those are rebounds and point blank shots. He is going to bail us out much more often than he gives up a soft one..the numbers bear that out. You learn from the bad ones, ask any goalie who has given up a long floater from center ice (Ron Hextall) in a playoff game…you NEVER let that happen again.

Ask Steve Smith about stupid plays…he probably cost the Oilers their shot at the 1989 cup when he non chalantly (sp?) banked one off of Fuhr in the third period against rhe Flames. He was devistated. They next year they capture the cup again, and before Gretzky even lifts it over his head, he goes straight to Smith and lets him to the first lap. Bad things sometimes happen in this sport…good players and teams learn from them and get better…

By Corey

July 30, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this

You really can’t nitpick at his whole season like that… Yes he let in some bad goals… but so did the goalies who played for the stanley cup… All star goalies make mistakes during the year… its a long season.

Kari had arguably more pressure on him than most goalies as well… we were in the hunt for a division title and had no defense backing him up what so ever. I feel like Kari is going to get better… maybe much better… He likes it here in Atlanta (more than we can say for some people on the team) and I believe he wants to settle down here (he is in a serious relationship with a girl from atl). He also seems to have the attitude we need on our team. He wants to get better and he isn’t blaming anyone else… These new coaches might just do the job, and give him (as well as the rest of the team) some confidence. From all the articles I have seen for both Anderson and Cunneyworth, the consensus is that they are coaches for whom players want to play better for. When the motivation gets back to playing for the team this team might be able to do great things. It seems like our locker room was split all last season, and it takes a coach with respect to kill that. Now I think we have a coaching staff full of that. I for one am very excited for this season… but that might be because I miss hockey season so much…

Lets get to fall already (go Thrashers! go Jackets!)

By Bob's 5 year plan

July 30, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this

Trade away Coburn for Zhitnik

Bench Enstrom

Sign 36 year old Rolston to multi-year contract

NUFF SAID

By Alan

July 30, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

Dave - Wouldn’t you wait to make a final assessment of Slater until after playing for Armstrong/Cunneyworth? Personally speaking, I’m willing to give it one final year. Like I said, he’s RFA after this. We could easily just let hm walk.

And if he doesn’t put up, I think walk is exactly what he will be forced to do.

By NASCAR Dave

July 30, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this

Dave - Wouldn’t you wait to make a final assessment of Slater until after playing for Armstrong/Cunneyworth?

NO… He’s been here 5 or 6 years… I know what he can do - Not much…

Time to move on without him…

By William

July 30, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

i know this is nitpicky glovesave but the ‘90 cup was the one that the oil won without gretzky, it must have been messier who did that. wasn’t he traded in ‘88 or am i wrong on this? I know they won one without him (90) and 91-91 were both the pens and 93 gretzky got there with the kings but lost to habs.

By William

July 30, 2008 2:01 PM | Link to this

that was supposed to be 91-92, not 91-91 as they were BOTH the pens

By glovesave29

July 30, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this

Hey William - you are nitpicking…but correct. My bad. It was Mess. Message is still the same.

By five_hole

July 30, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

Having played in the net for 30+ years, I feel for Kari. I can understand both his flakiness (you let someone fire a frozen hunk of rubber at your head at 90 mph and see how “normal” you are) and his frustration. - glovesave29

You are spot on, my man. I remember watching Glenn Hall play. Before every game, he would vomit at the thought of having pucks shot at his head. Ever seen a picture of Gump Worsley (used to play for the North Stars). This guy would have made Bobby Holik look like Brad Pitt.

By Nikita

July 30, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this

I think you are wrong about Slater.

a. he played very well for the last portion of last year. if Anderson can get that kind of performance out of him on a consistent basis, then he’ll do fine this year.

b. he’s young, and was often stuck in a position that I don’t think was optimal for him.

Also, whoever said that Slater at 20 points was insanity is a pessimist. If he plays the next season like he played just the last half of last season, then he’ll get pretty close. But at his age, and with correct coaching, he should be in that ballpark easily.

By William

July 30, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this

yeah sorry for that, but i did have to check my years and I wasn’t confident in my answer as you can tell by reading. the trick is if you can get remember it right without having to go to the net :)

By glovesave29

July 30, 2008 2:39 PM | Link to this

Thanks for the support Five Hole…Glenn Hall was a fantastic goalie…unless you were his GM who had to beg him each fall to leave his farm and join his NHL team for a season of pregame wretching! I have relatives who are Blues season ticket holders since the inaugural season, and they still love him there for bringing them to the cup finals those first couple of seasons.

I gotta agree with Nikita. It is waaay to early to give up on Slater…speed kills and he has it. I am in no way comparing his talent to this Hall of Famer, I am just using this as an example of someone who didn’t fit in at the beginning - then found his niche. Go look at Messiers stats - he couldn’t score much his first few pro seasons and he got to play in the no defense era of the WHA and NHL. One day….BOOM…it just clicked and he turned out to be one of the best ever. Give Slater a chance - he hustles more than most others we have, I just get a feelng he will find his groove this year.

By Viking

July 30, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

Dyeing the hair tributing Blueland and the team color for the playoffs seems to me just showing excitement and loyality to the fans and the club. Original and youthful.

Growing a beard instead, which had not became long anyway, in order to follow some playoff tradition, might not even have been a physical possibility. If the beard means something more than participation in the playoffs and the longevity of this participation, sorry for the comparison.

So you sourgrapes out there, quit calling him punk or whatever. He does not deserve it.

Since you as a player have all intentions to perform well, Blue hair/Beard has little to do with having to “back it up with performance”. Just being happy to be in it.

By the way, should they then shave after a bad outing?

By Nikita

July 30, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

Ok, line combos, just for fun, and basing placement on where people are assessed by various fantasy sites.

Kovy — Crush — Williams

Koz — Little/White — Army

Perrin — Slater - Thorburn

Boulton/Lavallee — Marty — Lessard/Rent-a-goon from Chicago

Larsen & Stuart as reserves

I think all those lines would have a chance at putting up scoring, and would minimize damage to smaller players.

By TableHockey

July 30, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

Well so much for trying to get Filppula - he just signed with the Red Wings for five @ 15 million.

I’m hopeful that Kari will reach the potential worthy of a first rounder but I do think Pavs can step up as well if needed.

By Corey

July 30, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this

to follow up on Viking’s comments, Kari is anything but a punk… He is a very modest and shy guy… People ask him if he plays hockey and he will say “yeah, I play a little” …

By Tony C.

July 30, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this

Viking-

With The Walrus behind the bench, they just might shave the traditional playoff beard and go with THE ‘STACHE as the Wolves did this year when their Calder-Cup run looked like to derail:

*Scruffy playoff beards are a tradition in hockey, but it wasn’t working for the Chicago Wolves.

So following their loss in Game 5 to the Rockford IceHogs and to change their luck after 3 straight defeats, Wolves winger Colin Stuart suggested playoff mustaches. The Wolves won Game 6 on Sunday in Rockford and they all will be sporting the same look tonight in Game 7 of their Calder Cup playoff series at the Allstate Arena.

“We needed a change,” captain Darren Haydar said. “It seemed to work, so we’re going to run with it. “About three-quarters of the guys had beards for the first five games and just trimmed it to a mustache.”

Needless to say, some look better than others.

“I think Brett Sterling’s is the worst,” Haydar said. “He looks kind of creepy.”

Wolves coach John Anderson thinks his thick mustache is the best. “The whole team looks like a bunch of ’70s porn stars out there,” Anderson joked. “But it’s kind of fun. It was a good little thing that brought us back together and took the pressure off us so we weren’t just thinking about the game itself. We rallied around it.”*

So…maybe more hair-dye? who knows?

By Nikita

July 30, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this

Ew, no. ‘Staches look horrible on just about everybody. Plus, no team from the south should do anything to encourage comparisons to the class-challenged portions of society.

In fact, I think facial hair is kinda lame, aesthetically speaking. The Rangers did not do it this year, probably because peeps like my hero Marty Straka are follicularly-challenged. But then teams such as Anaheim, which happen to have some very nice looking manflesh, cover that manflesh in hairy yuckiness. They looked like cast members from Das Boot — and Scott Niedermayer looked like Grizzly Adams with his big ol’ gray beard. It’s just not a good look.

Besides which, facial hair is old skool. We’re a new team, right? Why don’t we look like one?

By Brendan

July 30, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this

Kari just may have his best year ever in the NHL. And, it’s really about time for that. As a 2002 draft pick, he’s had plenty of seasoning. I think Kari would like a longterm deal. His play this season will determine if that deal happens, and if it will be for the Thrashers. And I think it will.

I’d be more than a little bit surprised to see Kari traded anytime this season, even at the trade deadline. But crazier things have happened. But, no matter how poorly we might view Waddell, I really doubt he’s thinking of ditching Kari anytime soon. And if he traded Pavelec, I’ll be hopping mad. It’s a “1-2 punch” for the future that actually looks mighty bright.

By Bob

July 30, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this

I’ve said for a long time that Kari is all skill and no head. He comes out great for 4 or 5 game stretches, then bam, he hits a wall. It’s all mental with Kari, he gets that straight, then he’s a world class goalie. He’s got all the skills, it’s all about the mental part with him, he’s young, he can still get that right.

Can they get him the same shrink that straightened out Smoltz, it did him wonders.

But the dying the hair blue before our first playoff game? That was ludicrous and he deserved to be taken to school for that, didn’t Sutton do it with him? That was ridiculous.

By Bob

July 30, 2008 4:46 PM | Link to this

Oh, and the Porn Staches from the Wolves playoff run was just really, really, uh, really, freakin weird. But I liked it, it was just weird, I kept thinking I was watching my mom’s cable TV channel 99 circa 1978 oldschoolpornknowwhatimean

By Tony C.

July 30, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

Viking-

With The Walrus behind the bench, they just might shave the traditional playoff beard and go with THE ‘STACHE as the Wolves did this year when their Calder-Cup run looked like to derail:

*Scruffy playoff beards are a tradition in hockey, but it wasn’t working for the Chicago Wolves.

So following their loss in Game 5 to the Rockford IceHogs and to change their luck after 3 straight defeats, Wolves winger Colin Stuart suggested playoff mustaches. The Wolves won Game 6 on Sunday in Rockford and they all will be sporting the same look tonight in Game 7 of their Calder Cup playoff series at the Allstate Arena.

“We needed a change,” captain Darren Haydar said. “It seemed to work, so we’re going to run with it. “About three-quarters of the guys had beards for the first five games and just trimmed it to a mustache.”

Needless to say, some look better than others.

“I think Brett Sterling’s is the worst,” Haydar said. “He looks kind of creepy.”

Wolves coach John Anderson thinks his thick mustache is the best. “The whole team looks like a bunch of ’70s porn stars out there,” Anderson joked. “But it’s kind of fun. It was a good little thing that brought us back together and took the pressure off us so we weren’t just thinking about the game itself. We rallied around it.”*

So…maybe more hair-dye? who knows?

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 30, 2008 4:58 PM | Link to this

1 — I don’t care about the dying of his hair, he wears a helmet and it was his way of bonding with a teammate. Why does it matter to us, fans, what he does to bond with his teammates in a time in which they need to be thinking as one? In my opinion our opinions matter not when it comes to something that affects team chemistry…be it a beard, a mustache, dying your hair blue, etc. We’re not the athletes, they are, they can do whatever they darn well please so long as it helps them play as a unit.

Granted, Lehtonen didn’t play that great in the playoffs, but neither did anyone else for that matter (statistically a few did, but other than Holik, Larsen, Dupuis and Kovalchuk, everyone else seemed to blend in with the ice). You can’t blame blue hair for the losses Hedberg had in goal, so why have a problem with it in general?

2 — Lehtonen’s the best goalie on this team. Pavelec might be the future, but he isn’t the present. $3M says Lehtonen is the present goaltender and the starting spot is his to lose. I like Pavelec, but I think he needs to EARN his spot before anyone thinks of trading Lehtonen. Right now this team is in a similar spot to the Rangers with Lundqvist. If Lehtonen proves (like Lundqvist) that he’s the franchise goalie, Pavelec can be dealt. Until then Pavelec should not be traded either.

3 — Though I think playoff beards are passé, refer to number 1 in this post.

That’s all I’ve got for now, I think.

By glovesave29

July 30, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this

Bob - don’t understand your disgust with Kari dying his hair blue. First of all, let us not forget he was 23 at the time. Think of what we all did at 23, and this probably pales by comparison. Secondly, showing excitement and team spirit is a good thing…and lastly, see my first post - goalies are a bit whacky to begin with!

Playoff beards and mustaches are great. I think it brings personality to the game. What I don’t like is how no one touches the conference championship hardware any more. It’s a short lived tradition / superstition that is wrong 50% of the time. A conference championship is quite an accomplishment. If we ever get to celebrate one here at Philips, I hope they have fun with it and skate around with it…

By Viking

July 30, 2008 5:34 PM | Link to this

Whenever they make it to the Playoffs - how about Blue Mustaches?

If it helps, I promise I will have one underneath my nose too!!!

(And hopefully it will have time to grow really big.)

By Ben

July 30, 2008 5:50 PM | Link to this

I don’t understand why Kari got so much heat for the blue hair thing. I blamed the rest of the team for being too tight a$$ and not stepping up and doing the same in a show of camaraderie and unity. Teams need solidarity in times like that, I think the lack of team chemistry (among numerous other things of course) is what’s killed the team the last two years.

By Bob

July 30, 2008 6:29 PM | Link to this

Bob - don’t understand your disgust with Kari dying his hair blue

Meh. Probably the traditionalist in me. I had high hopes that club was going to win a round or two, and that just didn’t seem to be the way to go about preparing for your first ever playoff game. I remember hearing that the vets in the room were awful p** at Kari and Sutton about that, didn’t they make them wash it or shave it off?

Think of what we all did at 23, and this probably pales by comparison

Now this is true. However, counselor, we were not professionals being paid millions at the time. Although I certainly could’ve dealt with being paid millions to do some of the antics I pulled in my 20’s.

I think the lack of team chemistry (among numerous other things of course) is what’s killed the team the last two years

Yeah, there was a definite split in the room, hope that is all sorted out. Holik probably didn’t help there much as captain, he didn’t seem to be much of a uniter. Ranjerk players threw him under the bus when he left NY.

By Barry

July 30, 2008 6:50 PM | Link to this

I agree Rawhide. Kari needs to grow up and take this game serious every shift every period every game. While being excited about making it to the NHL playoffs for the first time is all great and all, but it still means you have to bare down and get serious about the game more so than any other game. Rest of the team will need him to be the cool cucumber he was nicknamed to be. There will be nights when the opposing team is just clicking together and executing their game plan to perfection. Kari needs to be consistent and battle no matter what the score is. If the players in front of him are having a hard time adjusting to a team in the 1st period, Kari needs to be able to have a cool head on his shoulders and give his teammates time to get things figured out and turn the game around. Rest of the team needs to be able to depend and count on Kari to be there for them if they make a mistake and vice versa.

By Lanny McDonald

July 30, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this

I have 2 problems with Kari’s game: His rebound control (or lack thereof) and his Mental Toughness/Focus. He needs to work on those 2 things this year, and if he does, his stats will just keep getting better. I am still not sold on him being a franchise goalie, yet, though.

By Lanny McDonald

July 30, 2008 7:01 PM | Link to this

Oh, and Rawhide - I love the fact that the AJC put linked ads below your blog for “Rawhide” products. That is too funny!

By kracker

July 30, 2008 7:15 PM | Link to this

This could be Kari’s breakout year. In random order: Confidence + no groin area issues + an improved/scoring D + sees less SOG + a competent and expanded coaching staff (and no BH) + an enthusiastic locker room + adequate offense (?) + tired of losing + playing for a contract = Kari’s best year.

Having the other areas of the team go well could mean that Kari does what we all want him to do: Steal 3-5 games and lead the team into the playoffs.

By Rawhide

July 30, 2008 7:41 PM | Link to this

Viking - Blue mustaches??? OK, deal…they make the playoffs and I’m with ya!!! LOL!

Lanny McDonald - Yeah, I noticed that the other day…still waitin’ for my cut of the advertising deal on that! :o)

By R. Stroz

July 30, 2008 8:29 PM | Link to this

The Hawks fans are getting creative at expressing their displeasure with the ASG

We need a Thrashers version to an AC/DC song.

By Alan

July 30, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this

Creative expressing of displeasure is a good idea. I just hope whoever sings the song for Thrashers fans can carry a tune.

By glovesave29

July 30, 2008 10:23 PM | Link to this

Bob, that is exactly my point. When we were all 23 (well can’t say all - let’s say most of us) we did not have the types of pressures Kari had on him. You have to have some sort of release…being in the net is STRESSFUL! If the way he chooses to let it all out is to dye his hair, I just dont see the harm in it.

I am a bit of a traditionalist too when it comes to hockey…hell, those ridiculous new Reebok jerseys (I cannot bring myself to call those THINGS sweaters) still drive me nuts…almost as much as those silly trapezoids behind the net.

By R. Stroz

July 30, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this

While he needs to improve his rebound control, his positioning and his fundamentals are spot on.

glovesave29 - Great Analysis, I would add that Kari needs to work on seeing around screens as well. The screen drill Moose and Kari did last season really seemed to help Kari, besides it was fun to watch.

By Tony C.

July 31, 2008 2:23 AM | Link to this

I tell you this;

KL beats Nittymaaki (spl?) straight-up OR in a SO-especially if he does it 1st meeting?

Lehtonen will have a MONSTER year.

If he can shake that bug even if it takes 2 games, I’ll be one impressed guy. Very pleased for KL as well.

By LAC

July 31, 2008 6:25 AM | Link to this

The Hawks video of the head up the butt, say’s IT ALL of ALL asg owners, they have NO clue…Best to get out while they can !

As for #32, he will likely be better, but only if the defense cuts down about 10-12 shots a game. If Nulkin were to come here I feel the defense would be quite a surprise this season, let’s hope he does.

We still need more scoring, when, like NASCARDAVE says, will klee/larsen/white/slater be sent away ?

Remember they WERE a BIG part of the problem on last years team… Why are any still around ?

Slater hashad his shot, he was not effective at all last season and his best move ALL season was against the Flames scoring into an EMPTY NET ! Heck RAWHIDE could have done that and with more FLAIR too !!!

Something in the way of a TRADE needs to happed before the season starts.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 8:57 AM | Link to this

We need a Thrashers version to an AC/DC song

How bout What do you do for Money, Honey with a video of the ASG boys running around with their heads up their rears.

Or, You “Screwed” me all Night Long with pics of the season tix holders in their full price seats surrounded by people who bought the 50% off deals for that night only.

I wish I had the talent and know how to put something like that together, that would be a good comic relief to this debacle of a club.

By Bob's 5 year plan

July 31, 2008 9:23 AM | Link to this

Trade away Coburn for Zhitnik

Bench Enstrom

Sign 36 year old Rolston to multi-year contract

NUFF SAID

By Nikita

July 31, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this

We still need more scoring, when, like NASCARDAVE says, will klee/larsen/white/slater be sent away ?

Blah blah blah whatever, LAC. Larsen = probably never, as he’s not marketable right now. I suspect he’ll ride the pine, playing occasionally, till he expires. White has more performance and potential than you give him credit for — but I see him as one of the more likely trades, merely because if Little works out I don’t know where we’d use him. It’s hard being a pure center on this team who also isn’t appropriate for energy line duty — everybody else has more versatility. Slater’s still in development — he’s not worth much now, and if he continues this year the way he ended the last then he’ll be worth every penny we’re now paying for him. And you know how I feel about Klee. Who was NOT part of the problem last year.

I think, hope, and have my fingers crossed that this will be Kari’s year — if not we’ve got two good backups.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 9:29 AM | Link to this

Don’t know how many of you are into uni’s…it’s an interest of mine. Anyhoo - here is a link to a website which has the new thirds for the Thrash, Bruins, Pens, Bolts, Sharks and others…

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 9:44 AM | Link to this

glovesave29 — Thanks for the link, I was waiting for pics of the uniform…but this design will satiate me for now.

Glad they went with the maroon, and the numbers on the front of the uniform is kinda cool (not needed, but fits with the trend Buffalo started).

By Bob

July 31, 2008 9:48 AM | Link to this

here is a link to a website which has the new thirds

That doesn’t make much sense, it says that the Thrashers’ name will be arched above the jersey # on the front, numbers aren’t on the front, they’re on the back.

I wonder if it’ll just be a plain maroon with that Thrashers across it, but that would leave alot of open space below it, when are these supposed to be unveiled? I kind of like the team’s 3rds where they are plain and have the team’s name in a diagonal across the front.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 9:54 AM | Link to this

Bob…they are adding the numbers to the front a la Dallas

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 9:56 AM | Link to this

Bob — Think of Buffalo’s uniform with the tiny number on the front breast. Now imagine that in the center mass of the Thrashers uniform, and the words arched over it.

It’ll be smaller numbering than the back.

By Nikita

July 31, 2008 9:58 AM | Link to this

Ew. I hate maroon.

Reminds me, I want an orange practice jersey — where might I get one?

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this

The team needs to go back to last years light blue (with the waist stripe) and change the crest from that huge one they use now to just the head from the logo…like they used in their inaug season and 5th anny logos. That would look clean and cool…

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 10:17 AM | Link to this

My favorite logo is the stylized T from the old home uniforms. I was hoping this new third uni would bring it back…we’ll see (doubtful now).

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 10:20 AM | Link to this

Ranallo - do you mean that overhead view on the old blue unis that looks just like the Bacardi Rum logo sans legs?

By Bob

July 31, 2008 10:32 AM | Link to this

they are adding the numbers to the front a la Dallas

I can’t even picture that, do you have a link to their 3rd, I’m thinking that it looks really weird, no?

I like the maroon color, mabye we can call it MaroonLand now (in honor of our bunch o’ maroon owners)

By NASCAR Dave

July 31, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this

Thanks fo the link GLOVESAVE…

Ours doesn’t look very cool. I agree with RANALLO - They need to bring back the Styleized “T” Maroon/Dark Blue Jersey…

Wow, look at that Tampa jersey… That is just downright UGLY!!! LOL… “Bolts”???? HaHa, what an ugly as hell sweater!!!

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this

glovesave — I meant the original home jerseys. Something incorporating those original colors and the T logo is what I was/am hoping for.

Looks like I got the original colors part (maroon and yellow), but doesn’t look like we’ll see the T come back.

The bird with wing clutching the stick (the swirly bird) logo is ugly to me, I try my best to ignore it.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this

Bob - go to www.dallasstars.com. If you scroll down the page you will see a photo of their home black jersey with the number on the front.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this

The Swirly Bird - classic! That is great!

I am not a big fan of that jersey you linked to. I still think the logo looks too much like the Bacardi Rum logo. The head logo on the patch is good…i’d like to see that as the crest.

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this

I wasn’t a big fan of the jersey at first, but a few years away from it has made me appreciate it a little more. However, I mainly liked the maroon and the logo (the yellow accents were cool, especially with Healtey’s all yellow gloves).

This team has 4 colors to work with…two blues (sky and navy), maroon, and yellow.

Unless they go outside of the box with colors, I think we’ll be seeing a variation of those 5 (and the image you linked looks like yellow and maroon).

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this

Vermette signs, and on the cheap (in my opinion) compared to other RFAs this summer. Two years $5.25M total ($2.625M cap hit).

By Russ

July 31, 2008 11:36 AM | Link to this

Well, another good player the Thrashers could have potentially traded for is off the market: Vermette just singed on with Ottawa for two more years.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 12:13 PM | Link to this

That bites - I was hoping we could land Vermette.

I did read something last night that gives us a bit of hope. It was a story about how catcher Pudge Rodiguez was a UFA for the Marlins after their World Series victory. He signed with the then moribund Detroit Tigers. With him, and a good farm system, the team began to turn around. More players followed Pudge to Motown. The gist of the article was that it only takes one elite player to sign on to a teams’ mantra and others will follow. Let’s hope that Don can pull a rabbit out of his (not a hat!) and get someone here who is proud to play for us and becomes the player who others follow. May or may not happen, but it does give a ray of hope for the future…

By William

July 31, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this

ranollo Filppula signed for 15 mil and 5 years (3 mil/year) so I don’t know if that is that cheap.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

go to www.dallasstars.com. If you scroll down the page you will see a photo of their home black jersey with the number on the front

Thanks, that didn’t look so bad, I never noticed they had their #s on the front before, probably because I just don’t enjoy watching the Stars, never watch their games much.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

another good player the Thrashers could have potentially traded for is off the market: Vermette just singed on with Ottawa for two more years

Man, and cheap too, $2.5m a year or so. That would have been someone you’d think we could have thrown a $4m a year 5 year offer sheet at, desperate times call for desperate measures, but alas.

By William

July 31, 2008 12:47 PM | Link to this

please don’t throw a $4m a year offer sheet at anyone. that is far too many 1st and 2nd round picks to give up. Again, he is getting not that much less than Flippula so I can’t see how we are calling this cheap. And i would rather put Little on the first line and see him develop then give away all those draft picks not to mention we will never have a trading partner again. do you really want waddell to burn bridges, at least he has been able to pull off trades in the past.

By William

July 31, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this

keep in mind too that bouchard still has to sign. if he goes to arbitration the bar is now set at $3m per year max. So if waddell had thrown out $4m to vermette, he wouldn’t just p!ss off ottawa, he would also be jacking the price up for detroit and minnesota. why p!ss off one when you can p!ss off 3 :) considering he has great relationships with detroit and ottawa no way does he ever throw a $4m offer sheet out there.

and this only helps us out if Little has to resign soon and has a breakout year. his contract has to be up probably after this year. do you want him resigning at these prices or a skyrocketed price due to our own offer sheets.

By Jim

July 31, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

I agree with several of the posts that say give Little the first shot at the top line. He is a good skater, tough, has good hands and can move around the net. Slater has no hands whatever. He skates and hustles but he doesn’t handle the puck in traffic and is definetly nothing more that a hustling third or fourth line center for us or anyone. Kozlov has worked OK at center. Maybe he moves back to the middle.

By Tony

July 31, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this

and this only helps us out if Little has to resign soon and has a breakout year. his contract has to be up probably after this year. do you want him resigning at these prices or a skyrocketed price due to our own offer sheets.

Worse off, it opens the door for someone else to throw an offer sheet at Little and do the same thing to us. I don’t think that would happen because GMs just don’t want to follow Edmonton’s route on that.

But look at how Burke has gone after that guy in the media this summer. No way does any GM in the league, not just our own Waddell, want Burke calling them out in the press for another Dustin Penner or Thomas Vanek offer sheet.

By R. Stroz

July 31, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this

William - Bouchard re-signed with the Wild last week

By Russ

July 31, 2008 1:18 PM | Link to this

William - Bouchard re-signed for 5 yrs./$20.4 mil. a few days ago.

By William

July 31, 2008 1:29 PM | Link to this

r. stroz and russ my mistake on the verbage. I read bob’s statement that we would not have made that offer sheet today, but rather weeks ago. so at the time of the offer sheet you have flippula, vermette and bouchard who would have been “unsigned”. so an offer sheet doesn’t just jack up the price on 1 rfa but rather 3 unsigned rfa players. does that make more sense? the one mistake i did make is that bar is really higher but we wouldn’t have known that had an offer sheet been made by us a few weeks ago or maybe a month ago. point being, you are p!ssing off three teams, not just one.

By William

July 31, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this

r. stroz and russ i had to go back and read my post again to see how i was unclear. now i definitely know that flippulla already signed too because i mentioned that above. but i still made the statement “he would also be jacking the price up for detroit and minnesota”. so you can see that i am operating under the premise that the other players weren’t signed yet as an offer sheet would’ve been made awhile ago. does this make sense now? sorry for the confusion. again my main point is please don’t make an offer sheet to any one of those players let alone anyone else. too many reasons not to as stated above.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 1:39 PM | Link to this

So if waddell had thrown out $4m to vermette, he wouldn’t just p!ss off ottawa, he would also be jacking the price up for detroit and minnesota. why p!ss off one when you can p!ss off 3 :) considering he has great relationships with detroit and ottawa no way does he ever throw a $4m offer sheet out there

eh, I could care less about who Waddell burns a bridge with, hopefully he’s not here much longer. If he is, it’s all moot anyway.

If you offer $4m a year, you give up a 1st rounder, 2nd rounder, and a 3rd rounder, if those were all next year’s draft, than my idea’s no good as our first rounder next year could equal Tavares, so never mind.

I’d just like to see him do something productive, anything at this point, but our first next year would be no good to give up. Suck it up and tank this year, get Tavares, then they could throw an offer sheet around. We can’t get quality UFAs to sign here, so mabye the offer sheet wouldn’t get accepted by the player anyway. Oof, it’s all a mess.

By William

July 31, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

bob i didn’t even think about that. could you imagine if we did get flippula and it turned out detroit or ottawa ended up with tavares. i also have to disagree with you on the mindset of “i don’t care what waddell does because he will be gone.” that is the worst mindset to have because don’t you want it to be easier and better for the next gm to turn the ship around quicker. and we don’t even know if he will be gone yet so let’s make the most out of our chances now. finally since we are all fans can we at least give this season a shot and not use the word “tank” until after the all-star break.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

Well Kevin Lowe won’t be out there p!ssing off Burke anymore, as he has been moved to the role Pres of Hockey Ops for the Oil and Steve Tambellini has taken his place as the GM. Scotty Bowman has also moved jobs to Senior Advisor of Hockey Ops for the Blackhawks. A$G - are you listening? Move Waddell to a job like these and pleeeeease get us a real GM!

By TRON

July 31, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this

Kari’s Not A Kid Anymore…………YOU SURE ABOUT THAT???????…………BLUE HAIR……..TEMPER TANTRUMS………..BLAMING EVERYBODY ELSE………..LMAO………….

By ranallo10 (in AT)

July 31, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this

Vermette had 50+ points on a subpar (for their standards) Ottawa team, playing mainly on the third line (with two checking wingers). 50+ points with low time on ice, the 6th best faceoff percentage in the NHL, and all at the age of 25…yeah, in my opinion $2.625M annually is a helluva discount, especially considering what Bouchard and Filppula got.

Two offer sheets were thrown out this offseason (not the oodles that many rumor mongers expected), so I’m not surprised Waddell wasn’t involved. I am disappointed though, as there were solid players (Backes, Berner, Filppula, Vermette, Meszaros, Bouwmeester, Green, etc) that could’ve helped this team out in the long run. Anything below a $2.65M offer (or thereabouts) would’ve cost this team a second round pick, so perhaps it would’ve been worth trying. I’m not so worried about the GM’s feeling towards Waddell because nobody despises Gillis in Vancouver currently, and people around the league respect Holmgren (the FIRST GM to sign an RFA to an offer sheet…not Lowe in Edmonton) and seem to have no problems dealing with him.

So yeah, other than GM Whines Alot, people seem to be understanding of this RFA business (and are using it sparingly). Waddell’s personality doesn’t fit the type of “poaching” that reflects upon a GM when making an offersheet, so I doubt he will ever make one.

By the way, this is the second crop of RFA’s I’ve been disappointed about not making any offers for. Spezza in 2006 was a RFA, and would’ve easily been worth the compensation (especially considering this team had Hossa and Kovalchuk happily under contract). Had Ottawa matched Spezza’s offer Redden and Chara would’ve both been at risk of leaving Ottawa, giving Atlanta two more defensive UFAs to try to sign. Instead Ottawa re-signed Spezza and Redden, and let Chara make bank in Boston.

The RFA offer sheets are within the rules highlighted by the CBA, so not even thinking about using them is just limiting your chances of improving your franchise.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this

Scotty Bowman has also moved jobs to Senior Advisor of Hockey Ops for the Blackhawks. A$G - are you listening? Move Waddell to a job like these and pleeeeease get us a real GM!

Bowman with the Hawks? Everyone duck, the apocalypse is upon us, cats sleeping with dogs (I swear, I saw it on FoxNews this a.m.), this is the end, my only friend, the end

Didn’t Levenson talk about bringing in some help this year for Waddell, some kind of advisor? Wonder if they had feelers out to Bowman and lost him to the Hawks just like Campbell.

finally since we are all fans can we at least give this season a shot and not use the word “tank” until after the all-star break

Why, that’s the only hope I’ve got for this season, you’ve got to be a completely overly optimistic to think this lineup can compete over 82 games. I’m looking forward to seeing Bogosian, 2nd year of Enstrom, see if Little and Valabik can turn into NHLers, and see if they can properly tank and get one of the bottom two slots for next year’s draft.

By Rawhide

July 31, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this

I’m looking forward to seeing Bogosian, 2nd year of Enstrom, see if Little and Valabik can turn into NHLers, and see if they can properly tank and get one of the bottom two slots for next year’s draft.

OK, Bob, I’ll bite…if Little and Valabik play well enough to prove that they belong at this level…and Enstron improves upon his last season…and Bogosian performs well and improves all season as most of us think he will…combined with Kovy playing to his normal awesome level…Hainsey and Williams give us at least what they were able to bring to their previous teams…

If ALL that happens…do you really think the team is going to finish as bad you say they will???

I would think that the only way this team could “tank” bad enough to finish 30th as you wish….that all of the above have to completely stink the joint out this year.

One can’t have it both ways.

By Tony

July 31, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this

Rawhide, don’t forget many are starting to think that KL is going to have a stellar year between the pipes. He’s on a 1 year leash and playing for the next big contract, not to mention HE’S NOT A KID ANYMORE :) Add that in to your equation above.

Oh forget it, let’s just all throw in the towel now and hope for the worst.

By kracker

July 31, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

My towel was stolen by one of these guys so don’t be fooled when it gets tossed in. If the time comes, I’ll be throwing gym socks in.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 4:16 PM | Link to this

Bob - Scotty’s son works for the Blackhawks, so I doubt he was considering going anywhere but Chicago (bang-bang).

I don’t see us being bad enough to be 30th overall - maybe in the mid-20’s. Maybe we’ll get “lucky”…miss the playoffs but not be the worst overall and then win the weighted lottery for Tavares.

By William

July 31, 2008 4:21 PM | Link to this

well the other thing to consider is that anderson and cunneyworth would have to be complete flops as nhl coaches for all this to occur as well. but this brings up an excellent point, we constantly say we don’t want our fanhood questioned, but what kind of fanhood is it that you are hoping the team loses? rawhide is it ok for us to question fanhood on these grounds? i don’t want to even think about tanking it until well after the allstar break but there are clearly people here who are hoping we lose. are they fans if they are hoping the thrashers lose before the season begins? if you say “oh, i only hope they lose this year, not next year” well what’s the difference? why not just hope they lose next year as well. are bandwagon fans true fans?

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this

William - I don’t recall anyone saying that they hope the team loses, just that everyone is looking at the roster and realizing this is not a stellar team. If all of us are spending our time, during the offseason at that, talking about this team…I think that would qualify us as ANYTHING BUT a bunch of fairweather fans.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this

I would think that the only way this team could “tank” bad enough to finish 30th as you wish….that all of the above have to completely stink the joint out this year

Huh? One does not equal the other.

Bogosian is an 18 yr old, been 18 for less than a month now, right? If he just stays on the team all year, that’s a huge accomplishment and I’d like to watch him progress all year and be someone we can grow with in the future.

I’d like to see if Enstrom can avoid the standard sophmore slump.

I’d like to see Little and Valabik prove they are NHLers and are going to be something to grow on going forward, doesn’t mean they are going to be our first line center and #1 dman respectively. Little scored what, 5 or 6 goals in 50 odd games last year? I’d be happy just seeing him prove he can stick in the NHL. I want to watch and see if Valabik can turn into an NHL dman, I expect him to be our #7 guy going in, it’d be great if he got regular ice time and is a guy we can grow with.

I don’t see us being bad enough to be 30th overall - maybe in the mid-20’s. Maybe we’ll get “lucky”…miss the playoffs but not be the worst overall and then win the weighted lottery for Tavares

Ditto, I see us being about the 3rd or 4th worst team in the league right now on paper even if Little and Valabik prove they will be NHLers and Bogosian plays all year and Enstrom plays at the same level and avoids the soph slump. If the year goes as I expect, I think Waddell can properly manage the tank and trade Williams and Reasoner (see their respective one year contracts) at the deadline and really tank those last 20 games to get us to the finish line.

By William

July 31, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this

glovesave please don’t tell me this is a case of semantics, but the exact phrase to us losing so badly that we come in last place was:

“Why, that’s the only hope I’ve got for this season”

so if it is your hope that we lose, aren’t you hoping that we lose? what am i missing here.

By Bob

July 31, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this

I don’t recall anyone saying that they hope the team loses, just that everyone is looking at the roster and realizing this is not a stellar team. If all of us are spending our time, during the offseason at that, talking about this team…I think that would qualify us as ANYTHING BUT a bunch of fairweather fans

Yep, bingo on both points.

By William

July 31, 2008 4:50 PM | Link to this

ok now i understand. nobody hopes that the team loses, it’s just their hope that we lose. now i get it.

????????????

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 5:16 PM | Link to this

Hey William, I never said that. Don’t even recall thinking that. It’s not a case of sematics at all. The drawback of a blog vs. a face-to-face conversation is that sometimes people either misinterpret a statement by another person, or the person who was the source of the statement did not get their point across in a clear and concise manner. This note to you is to continue the conversation and get your point of view…you may take it as an attack on your opinion…which it certainly is not. We all have different points of view when it comes to this team. If you are of the mindset that this is a good team capable of doing some damage, please let us know why. I like people of dissenting views to be a part of this, it makes it more interesting…just a long as it doesn’t attack others and their views, it is fun…

By Alan

July 31, 2008 5:40 PM | Link to this

Here’s a viewpoint I think most of us could agree with:

It’s far too early to even think of the notion of tanking.

Save it for the deadline, when we have a pretty good idea of where we stand.

By Rawhide

July 31, 2008 6:02 PM | Link to this

Bob - Huh? I don’t see how the two can be separated.

:o)

Seriously though, I think I half-way, kinda-sorta understand where you’re coming from. But it’s the word “tanking” that I can’t get around.

Maybe I’m just getting to semantical. But to me that term implies a deliberate attempt to not play well in order to lose…so that you can elevate your chance at the #1 draft pick.

In my eyes…if the team did that, I would boo their @$$es right outa Blueland. If a team’s goal is simply to collect #1s every year, thats easy…try and lose. But I would rather see this team improve their play every year.

I mean, when was the last time Detroit fans ever sat around salivating over the prospects of a #1 pick if things “go right”?

Again, to me…if those guys all do well then I just can’t see how Ws and points don’t follow.

If the team doesn’t do well…then, in part, it could be argued that they are NOT doing well.

But like I said, we may just be parsing words here.

shrugging

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this

Check out this comment on slam.ca about recently signed center Antoine Vermette…”The belief here is that Murray, outraged at the way the Senators disappeared meekly from the 2007-08 campaign, is still determined to do what he can to give the team more of a facelift. The belief here is that he has tried and will continue to try to peddle Vermette for a grittier player and, not wanting to be the Lightning north, attempt to give his team at least one defenceman with some offensive talents.

The belief here is that no matter what happens today, Vermette won’t be a Senator by the time the season starts.”

By Alan

July 31, 2008 9:01 PM | Link to this

Did anyone else read this excerpt …

The belief here is that he has tried and will continue to try to peddle Vermette for a grittier player and, not wanting to be the Lightning north

… and their first thoughts included “finally, a diss against a team other than Atlanta?”

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this

Y’know Alan, it IS nice for a change. But I for one am really quite tired of the elitist attitude that overtakes our friends north of the border when it comes to hockey in the sun belt. We live in a modern society…we have refrigeration which allows cities like ours to have rinks while it is 80 degrees outside. Where is it written that it has to be 40 below outside in January to be considered for a hockey franchise? It’s not as if the Leafs are playing on a natural surface that is anything different than what we have here. We understand the sport and are good fans. Should we trash the Blue Jays because they have to play indoors on artificial turf instead of the nice green grass we have at Turner. Last time I checked, we have NEVER had a snow out. Yet we hold no distain for them having a team, or that they need to start their version of football in June because it is under 10 feet of snow in October in Edmonton (I am embellishing, I know) but you get the point. Get over it, we have teams in Phoenix, Atlanta, Tampa and Nashville that are healthy and viable. The team in Miami is struggling, but was once a strong franchise. I cannot blame the fans for staying away from the Cats, they a moribund most years and all they do is make terrible trades to get rid of all of their star players. Has nothing to do with where in the country they are…it has everything to do with the quality of the product…

OK, now I feel better…

By Alan

July 31, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this

But I for one am really quite tired of the elitist attitude that overtakes our friends north of the border when it comes to hockey in the sun belt

Trust me, I’m not even from here originally, but I would love to see hockey gain a solid foothold in this region. And when I move (which is inevitable), I will continue to root for the Thrashers and hope for success in this region.

For a country that didn’t even invent the ice skate, there is quite an air of elitism from our friends to the north.

By glovesave29

July 31, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this

I am not from here either, I am from St. Louis originally. But I have lived here since the mid 1970’s, and I consider this my hometown. I was (and still am) a Flames fan in addition to pulling for the Thrashers. There are now (I believe) 7 sheets of ice here in the metro area. There are in excess of 60 men’s league teams here - local colleges have club teams…there are high school leagues…in other words, the sport has solid roots here. I just don’t understand their vitriol towards us.

By Alan

July 31, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this

In their eyes, they see how ineptly run many teams in the sunbelt are, as well as repeated stints of mediocrity in many sunbelt markets. We also don’t “deserve” a team if we can’t sell out an arena. Nevermind that Tampa Bay upset Edmonton for the cup in ‘04, and the Maple Laughs haven’t won a cup since before the Atlanta Flames came into the league… it’s all about attendance and locale. And once the attendance issue is taken care of, the media will find another reason to rag on hockey in this region.

It bothers me, but at the same time, I’m learning to just deal with it. It’s a fact of life that the sentiment of those “journalists” is “A team in Atlanta is a team that could be in Hamilton, London, Halifax, Quebec City, or Winnipeg.” I anticipate the viability of teams in those locales decreases tremendously with a CAD that comes back down to Earth.

Point is, those guys won’t be happy until there is no hockey south of the 40th Parallel.

By Germaniac

August 1, 2008 4:23 AM | Link to this

A blue Mustache?! OK!!! Think about a blue Mustache in a smaller german city that is only known for Aspirin! That would be great…

By LAC

August 1, 2008 5:34 AM | Link to this

Boy Alan, no TRUER words spoken…

I, like yourself, get so DAMN tired of those Canada guys whining about the SE teams, NAMELY Atlanta, you hardly hear them gripe about Tampa or Carolina do you ?

They had teams in Winnipeg and Quebec why… If hockey is so important, WHY did they LEAVE ????????

Just get over it people in Canada, I always thought of Canada as a nice country but the more and more you see their bias about the south you really wonder.

We may have a Crappy GM and IDIOT owners, but when did the Maple Loafs last win the cup, if a team in the heart of the NHL cannot win in 40+ years, time to look at yourself and really wonder…

By glovesave29

August 1, 2008 8:43 AM | Link to this

Alan, it’s not as if out ineptitute is because our team is run via a poll taken of the patrons at the breakfast counter at a truck stop in Waycross. DW is from Michigan, right in Canada’s back yard…and last time I checked, the last cup that went to a Canadian team is the 93 Canadiens.

Winnipeg and Quebec did not deserve to lose their teams. They have good fans who supported the teams. Who is to blame? Unfortunately, not Bettman this time. I think it is on a combination of the NHLPA, which insisted that players be paid in US Dollars, even though the teams income sources were paid in the weaker (at the time) Canadian dollar so the teams we 30% behind the eight ball from the start, and the fact that those two cities had old, out of date buildings.

Hamilton at 650K people is just too small. It will sell well in the beginning but the newness will fade as will the attendance. There are just not enough people in the area. Quebec still has Le Colisee…the reason the Nords left, and Winnipeg would struggle for the same reason Hamilton would…the population is just not large enough. When the Jets left in 1996, the average NHL salary was 892K, and this season it will be over $2M. Ticket sales alone will not support those costs…

By Bob

August 1, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this

But to me that term implies a deliberate attempt to not play well in order to lose…so that you can elevate your chance at the #1 draft pick

Ok, I’ll change my terminology to stinking or rebuilding, instead of tanking. I think management sat down and made a decision that they’ll just tank/stank/rebuild this year and get another good pick in a strong draft, and keep their fingers crossed for Tavares. Managements of teams in this mode like to call it “rebuilding”, to me it’s just the same as tanking. Semantics.

In my eyes…if the team did that, I would boo their @$$es right outa Blueland. If a team’s goal is simply to collect #1s every year, thats easy…try and lose. But I would rather see this team improve their play every year.

Did you boo the club the first few years? Cause that’s exactly what they did, they tanked, err, stank, the first few years to build through #1 and #2 draft picks. It’s the same strategery this year and probably the best now that they kept Waddell but couldn’t retain Hoss or sign Campbell. Williams and Reasoner both on one year deals are both set to just be stopgaps to make the club mildly competitive in some games and allow them both to be traded at the deadline, to tank, err, stank, the last 20 games and go for the glory.

For the record, since the owners decided to keep Waddell on this year, then to me this is the best strategery. This club is not going to be competitive this year, so tank/stank/rebuild this season, get yourself Tavares or the 2nd or 3rd guy, and then you’ve got a decent core to try to turn things around with next year. Hey, it worked out so well for us the first few years we did it, let’s do it again (laugh).

I’m ok with it as at least it brings another piece to the core and allows the core young players to mature, and if (fingers crossed) they finally do get a real GM in here, he’s got something to work with. But I’m not buying season tix for it as I already sat through the first few seasons of tank/stank/building (at full price mind you). But I’ll watch games on TV and go to a few as it will be compelling to watch Bogosian, Enstrom, Little, Valabik, and even see if Kari can turn into a consistent goalie.

By Bob's 5 year plan

August 1, 2008 9:35 AM | Link to this

Trade away Coburn for Zhitnik

Bench Enstrom

Sign 36 year old Rolston to multi-year contract

Tank the season

NUFF SAID

By Rawhide

August 1, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this

Bob - OK, point taken…to answer the one question about “booing” in the first few years…no…I didn’t. But that was a different circumstance. They were a team in their infancy and expectations were such. Now is different. I want the team compeating in every game. Certainly I do not want any “tanking” efforts going on.

Maybe you and I will simply have to agree to disagree on certain finer points here. I can live with that.

Anyway…here’s something else for you…and others…to digest as well.