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July 2008
Kari’s Not A Kid Anymore
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last winter I posted a little piece in which I took it upon myself to have a little fatherly sit down with Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen. This was right after the 2-1 loss to Vancouver in which the deciding goal was scored while Kari was on his back looking for an interference call. It turns out the stick that was in his face belonged to Eric Perrin and he even admitted later he could have handled the situation better.
Said Lehts of the play, “I was complaining a lot because I thought it was their player’s stick, I was wrong. Sometimes things like that happens”.
Now, I wasn’t blasting him because I thought he was incapable of the full-time starting job or that this single play was indicative of what we had come to expect of him on a regular basis…quite the contrary. I absolutely see him possessing the God-given talent to be Atlanta’s franchise goalkeeper for years to come. Certainly he has shown flashes of why the organ-I-zation picked him second overall in the 2002 NHL entry draft.
But it’s just at times the kid…well…has acted like a kid. To me, this was one of those times and it really stood out. It was early February, the Thrashers were still in the race… chasing Carolina for the Southeast Division crown. We needed a win, the score was tied 1-1 deep into the third and the defense, for once, was in the processes of holding a quality team to less than 30 shots on goal.
We needed the man between the pipes to simply hold his ground.
I’m sure we can cite more games like this one…and we could also discuss the blue-dyed hair that Kari sported just prior to the 2007 playoff series with the Rangers. Oh, it’s OK to have some fun and be light-hearted when you’re entering into the first playoff series that you…and your team…will be playing in. But you also have to back such jocularity with your performance.
11 goals against with a 5.59 GAA and .849 SV% in two games isn’t exactly backing it up.
This season is going to be a major test for the Finn who will become 25 in November. Although he was given a nice raise this summer, the contract is good for but one year. So he has every incentive to perform at the top of his game.
But that’s for him. The Thrashers needs a big year from him for the good of the team as well.
Even though I think the defense should do better than last season, there are just going to be times when the Thrashers are going to need Lehtonen to steal a game for us…games like the one played in D.C. just five nights prior to that one against the Canucks. That night, Kari turned away 36 shots…18 in the third period alone. This on a night when his team managed to muster up only 13 shots themselves for the entire game. The young net minder held the Caps at bay and bought time for his offense to finally score at 11:34 of the third. And while Todd White was credited with that game winner, and Marian Hossa notched an empty-netter with 40 seconds left…it was Kari Lehtonen who won that game.
The victory pulled Atlanta into a first place tie with Carolina at 56 points and left Florida and Washington trailing the two with 53. It was a huge win at the time.
The team will need more of those type games this winter. They will also need less of “Blue Hair” Kari or “Flopping on the Ice Looking For a Call” Kari.
Actually…none of it.
The Thrashers have to see more of the Kari Lehtonen during the 2006-07 regular season…the “34-24-9 with a 2.79 GAA and .912 SV% in 68 games” Kari Lehtonen. The big number there…the 68 games. See, to have the season he needs to have…we need him to have… he has to actually be IN the net, not nursing a groin injury or such. This means he needs to be doing anything and everything he can right now to be in the best shape of his life come training camp.
In fairness, he had far more good games last season than not. It’s really tough to gauge exactly how effective a goalie is when he’s facing 36-38 shots per game on a regular basis. However, I look for the blueline to surrender fewer shots, even if by just a little.
I do not subscribe to the train of thought that he is not worthy of the trust placed in him by this organ-I-zation. I do see Kari as the solid man standing in front of the net stealing goals from the opposition, stealing games for the team and, in doing so, creating the energy and excitement that transfers to the skaters in front of him to work harder.
But Kari must take this responsibility seriously this season.
If he does so…the Thrashers will undoubtedly do far better than some may predict.
Here…I Have Some More Stuff For You
Chris Thorburn is a big fan of new assistant coach Randy Cunneyworth.
If you happen to see someone in a Canadiens jersey picking up trash alongside a highway in Canada, chances are it’s Montreal’s Ryan O’Byrne.
Tomas Holmstrom used his time with Lord Stanley’s cup to help in the christening of his cousin’s daughter.
Terry Frei of ESPN.com sees some bargains in the players who recently had their contracts bought-out.
Allan Muir notes that the unrestricted free agents weren’t the only ones cashing in this summer.
Ross McKeon sees the 1-year deal given to defenseman Jay Bouwmeester by the Florida Panthers as the beginning of the end of that relationship.
Replacements vs. The Replaced: A Comparison
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The way I see it, the roster moves to date have been a series of replacements for players who have left this summer. Zhitnik is gone and replacing him is Ron Hainsey. Zach Bogosian should play this season filling the void left by Steve McCarthy. Up front, the opening created by Bobby Holik’s signing with the New Jersey Devils is dealt with by the addition of Marty Reasoner and Jason Williams takes the roster space that was filled last season by Mark Recchi.
Let’s break things down, shall we…
Last season in Columbus, Hainsey had 8 goals, 24 assists and was a -7 with 25 PIM in 78 games. Zhit’s numbers…3 goals, 5 assists and -8 with 58 PIM in 65 games. The numbers that jump out to me are the PIM. Plus Hainsey’s legs are about 9 years younger.
Williams’ production numbers of 13 goals, 23 assists in 43 games last season are similar to Recchi’s 12 goals, 28 assists in 53 games in Atlanta. JW’s -2 last year was a world better than Recchi’s -16, plus he’s 12 years younger. In the 2005-06 season, Williams accounted for 21 goals and 37 assists and was a +4 in 80 games.
Marty Reasoner is an adequate replacement for Bobby Holik. Last year’s Thrashers captain netted 15 goals, 19 helpers and was a -14. He won 58.4% of the face-offs taken. Marty Reasoner’s numbers last year in Edmonton was 11g, 14a and -17 with a FO% of 52.8. Both played in all 82 games. Again, we gain in the age game here by about 6 years. But the big difference I see, once again, is the time spent in the sin-bin. In the three seasons with the Thrashers, Holik racked up 79, 86 and 90 total penalty minutes in 228 games. Reasoner’s last three seasons were mostly spent with the Oilers, (19 games with the Bruins), and his PIM numbers were 28, 60 and 50 in 231 games. If Marty can keep the Thrashers from having to kill off so many penalties, especially at key times in the game and provide strong face-off numbers…then he will be a very good addition.
Now, Bogosian is the unknown. If indeed he does make the team this season, then who knows how much an 18-year old can contribute in his rookie year. But I would think he could do no worse than McCarthy’s 1 goal and 7 points, -23 in 55 games…knocking wood.
As you have surely noticed…so far I have compared only the players who have left the roster during the summer to those who have taken their place. But there are other comparisons that can be made as well. Namely, those involved in the trade deadline deal of last February. Pittsburgh still has in its employ Pascal Dupuis who finished the season playing 78 games with 12 goals, 15 assists and broke even in the plus/minus ratio. We have Colby Armstrong who in 72 games notched 13 goals, 22 assists, was a +4. I like Dupuis’ hustle and tenacity…but those are still comparable numbers with a slight statistical edge to Army. And we have Erik Christensen in addition who will play for us.
So, while all of that may seem good for the most part…there is something un-good to consider in this exercise.
Do you remember that Marian Hossa character? When he departed Blueland, he had accounted for 26 goals and 56 points. He added an additional 10 points for the Penguins after that. And while those are respectable numbers, they were way down from the previous two seasons when he was responsible for 92 and 100 points for the Thrashers. Not surprisingly, those are the two best seasons in Thrashers history.
Who in the current lineup is going to replace that type of productivity? …Christensen?
Hardly.
He has a lot of promise and will probably be given a fair shake at the #1 center job…but it’s a stretch to think his 11 goals and 13 assists in 59 total games are going to improve enough to cover the numbers left in Hossa’s wake.
Unless this gaping hole in the lineup is able to be addressed via some type of trade, then the Thrashers are going to rely on such players as Stuart, Sterling, Little and Thorburn to grow up just a little faster than expected. Ultimately time will tell if they are up to that task, but the newly assembled coaching staff of Anderson, Nelson and Cunneyworth seem to be the right group to help that process along.
Of course, there is one other type of swap I’d like to see…that would be replacing the Slava Kozlov of last season and his 17 goals, 41 points and -10… with the Slava Kozlov of 2006-07 who amassed 28 goals and 80 points and was a +9.
New Additions To Coaching Staff
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When Brad McCrimmon left the Thrashers to take an assistant coaching position with the Red Wings earlier in the week, it was speculated that maybe John Anderson would dip into his staff from the Wolves to help fill the vacancy. Indeed he did…and then some.
Thursday afternoon the organ-I-zation announced two new additions to the coaching staff. The first, Todd Nelson, was Anderson’s assistant in Chicago for the past two years and helped guide that team to the Calder Cup this past season. The 39-year old native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan also has coaching experience with the Muskegon Fury of the former United Hockey League as well as the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
His hiring came as little surprise. He was even here during the recent prospects camp, as Holly Gunning of Thrashers Prospects Annex reminds us.
However, joining Nelson is Randy Cunneyworth. The announcement of his hiring does come as a very welcome surprise, indeed. Cunneyworth is the eight-year coach of the Rochester Americans of the AHL. There, the 47-year old native of Etobicoke, Ontario, compiled a record of 306-267-67 behind the bench. His best mark was in the 2004-05 season where the Amerks went 51-23-6 and he won the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the league’s most outstanding coach.
Cunneyworth has 16 years of NHL experience as a player scoring 189 goals and 225 assists 866 games. His time was split between Buffalo, Hartford, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg, Chicago and Ottawa.
The two will join Steve Weeks and Video Coach Tony Borgford who will continue in their roles from last season.
Welcome to both coaches!
One Blueland Lineup Is Set
Congratulations are in order for those selected to the 2008-09 edition of the Blue Crew! Well done, ladies…we look forward to seeing ya down at Philips!
McCrimmon Wings Off To Motown
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By now we’ve all heard of Brad McCrimmon leaving the Thrashers organ-I-zation as he was hired to be an assistant coach in Detroit. He will take the spot of Todd McLellan who was tapped as the San Jose Sharks new bench boss a few weeks back.
His leaving really came as little surprise to most…myself included. He had been given consideration for the top coaching job here in Atlanta…even offered the job last winter by the Thrashers but apparently the two could not agree to terms. Eventually he was passed over for John Anderson and it would have made for an awkward working relationship, I speculate, had he remained.
The departure is good for the Thrashers and I think it’s a good move for McCrimmon as well. I don’t say that with any slight towards him…it’s just that sometimes such change is needed when a team looks to turn things around. I think he will do well in Detroit and he’ll be an asset to them.
As Craig Custance of The Sporting News points out… McCrimmon’s hiring by the Red Wings is a great fit. He played for Detroit back in the early ‘90s and is also reuniting with Marian Hossa who, as you may recall, was vocal in his support for McCrimmon being hired as the head coach here.
Of course, this creates an opening behind the bench for Don Waddell to fill.
Does this open the door for further discussions with Mike Sullivan? He could prove to be of help defensively and on the penalty kill. Or, does Anderson get the opportunity to draw from his Chicago Wolves coaching staff?
Regardless, I bid “Beast” a fond farewell and I wish him much luck and success
Other Stuff
Looks like our old pal Bob Hartley will be interviewing for the open coaching spot on Long Island.
Mike G. Morreale writes for NHL.com that the Atlanta Thrashers are looking for a few good young men…good both with their skates and their smarts.
Puck Daddy discusses the NHL vs. KHL and the possibility of a new Summit Series.
Atlanta may be losing a player to a European team. No…not the Thrashers.
Dan Di Sciullo of The Sports Network is all-too happy to see the demise of the NHL’s three-year experiment with an unbalanced schedule.
And last…but certainly not least…here are this year’s candidates for the Blue Crew. And make sure you check out Christina’s Daily Blog to keep up with the proceedings. I tell ya…if they are as talented as they are lovely, and I’m sure they are, it’s gonna make for a very tough decision making process. Good luck, ladies!
Summertime Quick Shots
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s a roundup of some stories relating to the Thrashers and hockey in general to shoot out quickly to you all…
Did anyone else catch this little piece the AJC posted Friday? It’s a story about local sports teams that are cutting ticket prices and offering up other incentives to help attendance. The moves are an attempt to provide certain added value for paying fans.
The Florida Panthers have moved to add a $25 surcharge on “premium” games this season. However, season ticket holders and other ticket packages will be exempt from the additional charge, says Brian Biggane of the Palm Beach Post. Thanks to Falconer for finding this one.
Holly Gunning at the Thrashers Prospects Annex points out that citizens in Peachtree City will have a little something else to decide this November besides Obama or McCain…or Barr or Nader or …snicker…Mckinney. They could be voting on a potential new practice facility for the Thrashers.
Do you think Marian Hossa will just take his one shot at a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings this season…then look for money elsewhere as Detroit deals with salary cap issues? Well, Ken Campbell of The Hockey News, writing for ESPN.com, thinks that you might want to guess again.
The Chicago Blackhawks have named Jonathan Toews as their captain for the upcoming season. The 20-year old center joins Sidney Crosby and Vincent Lecavalier as one of the youngest to ever captain an NHL team.
Speaking of team captains…is there any question out there that Ilya Kovalchuk is the man to wear the C this coming season? To me, this is pretty much crystal clear.
Buffalo and Ryan Miller have agreed to a 5-year, $31.25 million contract extension.
The plot thickens in regards to the “Boots” Del Biaggio situation in Nashville, says Jim Kelly of SI.com.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have rewarded coach Michel Therrien with a new 3-year contract for guiding that team to last year’s Stanley Cup Finals. The deal will increase Therrien’s pay this season and go through the 2010-11 campaign.
So, what do Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana and Will Smith have in common? Check this out and see.
Puck Daddy remembers his 10 greatest hockey moments in Philadelphia’s soon-to-be departed fabled Spectrum. The building is slated for demolition next summer.
And finally… “Shutupash” noted on The Nasty Nest that on Sunday December 28th the Thrashers and Falcons will both be playing home games. At 1:00 that afternoon the Falcons host the St. Louis Rams then at 5:00 the Thrashers play host to the Boston Bruins. Plan accordingly.
Kari, Marty, The Schedule And Free Hockey
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So, what do we make of the one-year contract that Kari Lehtonen signed Wednesday? The terms were not disclosed, however Craig Custance reports that it will pay the Finnish keeper $3 million.
My thought’s are that this is a good thing for Don Waddell and the Thrashers to do seeing that Kari will not be a UFA for a couple more seasons, given his age and years of service. Basically, the team has given him a bit of a raise, (better than 36%), for his good work and now have placed it upon Lehtonen’s shoulders to prove that he deserves a longer deal at an even higher rate.
Also, Waddell was negotiating here from a position of strength seeing that we are in good shape at goalkeeper. Most people agree that Kari is, and should be, at the top of the depth chart. He played well last season even given the fact that he faced so many shots each game. But the defense looks to be better for this coming season. If they can do their job and keep the SOG down to a more respectable level of 29 or 30 per game then logic would dictate that his numbers improve as well. Regardless, it’s still Kari’s responsibility to up his game to the level it needs to be in order for the Thrashers to contend.
I’m sure what else has been taken into consideration is the fact that Lehtonen has been bit by the injury bug a few times in his career. In 2005-06, his first full season in Atlanta, he played in but 38 games posting a 20-15-0 record with a .906 save percentage and 2.94 GAA. Last season he missed six weeks or so and young Ondrej Pavelec stepped in and performed admirably along with back-up Johan Hedberg. Ultimately Kari finished 17-22-5 with a 2.90 GAA and .916 SV% in 48 games. In between, he had his best season…68 games, 34-24-9 with a .912 SV% and a 2.79 GAA. Oh yeah, that season the Thrashers qualified for the playoffs.
If things work out in an un-good fashion for Lehts, I believe that the team and the fans are very comfortable in the fact that Pavelec will be more than capable to step in the following season. Especially since the Moose is still in house providing a quality back-up situation.
So, again I ask…what do we make of it? Well, if you are the general manager then you are happy because you have re-signed your starting goalie for a fair salary. You also understand that if he doesn’t have a good season then you’re not on the hook for more years and you’re comforted in the fact that you have options at the ready next summer. If he does have a good season then, in theory, the team had a good season. Thus, you’ll be more than happy to sign him for a long-term deal worth more money.
If your Lehtonen, you’re happy because you just got a nice raise and you get a chance to make even more money next year based on how you do this season.
As for the fans…I guessing you’re probably happy because he’s signed and he is playing for bigger bucks. That’s always a great incentive. Plus, you understand that next summer, if need be, there is a great young talent who is more than able to step in take over the job between the pipes.
Marty Reasoner Signs With Thrashers
We learned Thursday afternoon that the Thrashers had signed Marty Reasoner…a 31-year old center. Last year he played in all 82 games for Edmonton scoring 11 goals and 14 assists with a -17 rating. He won 52.8% of the face-offs as well. Reasoner is 6’-1”, 200 lbs and shoots left.
My initial thought is Reasoner replaces Bobby Holik in the lineup.
The 2008-09 Thrashers Schedule
OK…the Thrashers and the NHL released the schedule for the upcoming season. Here are some dates that I’ve already got circled on my calendar.
Oct. 10: Opening night of the season and at Philips Arena vs. the defending Southeast Division champion Capitals. Last year, the same scenario played out only we were the defending champs. Caps won it 3-1. It also marks the first in what will hopefully be a long line of Anderson vs. Boudreau matches.
Dec. 20: Mullet night in Blueland as the Barry Melrose-led Lightning comes to town.
Jan. 17: The Thrashers will play in Nashville on a Saturday night. Hmmm, anyone interested in a road trip?
Feb. 11: The Chicago Blackhawks make their way to town complete with UFA prize Brian Campbell and young stars including Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Mar. 8: A Sunday afternoon game in which the Flames return home again to Atlanta. Remember last year’s thriller?
Mar. 20: The Thrasher welcome in the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. In the last three meetings the Thrashers are 2-0-1 vs. the Wings. It also marks the first regular season appearance back to Blueland for Marian Hossa. I will interested to see what response he will get from the assembled masses.
Other Western Conference teams scheduled to play in the ATL: Oct. 14. Minnesota…The CBJs on Nov. 22nd…Nov. 28, Nashville…Nov. 30. St. Louis on a Sunday afternoon…Jan. 2. Vancouver…Feb. 24. Colorado.
Oh yeah. The last three games of the season are at home vs. Washington, Florida and the Bolts, (we always seem to finish the year with Tampa Bay). Anyway, here’s to hoping those games are meaningful for the Thrashers!
Hockey On The House
The Toronto Maple Leafs have added to their pre-season schedule a game against the Buffalo Sabres in Sept. 22nd. What the big deal with that? Well, the tickets are FREE!
This is a fantastic idea…one the Thrashers organ-I-zation should seriously look into. It’s a pre-season game, after all, and it would attract people who might not otherwise spend the money to watch a game in person. Once they see what it’s all about…chances are they’ll return as paying customers for the real thing.
It’s a thought, at least…
Williams Gives Thrashers’ Offense Options
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This week’s signing of Jason Williams gives Don Waddell two UFA pickups so far this summer, (three if you count Eric Boulton). Clearly, the 5’-11”, 194-pound native of London, Ontario was brought in to address the needs on the right boards.
The way I see this…Williams replaces Mark Recchi who bolted to Tampa Bay. So, in essence, the 40 year old Recchi’s 12 goals, 28 assists and a -16 in 53 games while in Atlanta has been jettisoned and filling the void is the13 goals, 23 assists and a -2 in 43 games from a soon to be 28-year old Williams.
Disclaimer: Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results.
However, the added bonus is that he also gives options to John Anderson’s O-fense given that he can be plugged in at center as well.
Given the players currently on the roster, you could field a lineup that looks something like this… Erik Christensen could center the top line, putting Kovalchuk to the left and Armstrong to the right. Second line could have Little centering Kozlov and Williams. Third line would have Eric Perrin with Sterling to the right and Stuart to the left. And grinders could be Todd White with Boulton and Thorburn on the flanks…Slater is the healthy scratch.
Now, I’m not 100% sold on Crusher as a #1 center…but I’m willing to give him the first crack at it. I think Little could be that guy somewhere down the road. Regardless, I’m less comfortable with White there. Also, one could point out that someone like Lavallee will have a better than fair chance to make the team…and very well may.
But if you take a look at that collection of players, you can see that coach Anderson has some options at the ready if he needs to switch things up. He could opt to move JW up and over to center the top line with Kovy to the left and Armstrong to the right. Then the second line could consist of Christensen, Kozzy and maybe Stuart. Third line…Little with Sterling and maybe Perrin off to the side. The fourth line would look like last season where the trio of Bolts, Slates and Thorny set up shop. This leaves out White…but that’s a pretty expensive utility forward at over $2 million.
Obviously, one can take the same set of forwards and shuffle them around to suit your own thinking…and I look forward to seeing how you would do just that…but with players like Jason Williams with the ability to play either center or wing, it sure gives Anderson some nice choices.
So, does this cast of players provide better lines then what we were looking at a few weeks ago? To me the answer is … yes. Not quite “there” mind you…but better.
Can Don Waddell make some other moves to make it better still? Well, as my friends in Minn-E-Sooo-tah might say…Oh YEAH, you BET-cha! Maybe White and/or Sterling packaged in a deal could bring in another piece to help finish out the puzzle. Same could be said of Exelby or Klee, especially if the Nikulin deal finally comes through.
But at least Anderson is getting some options to play with now.
The Schedule Is Here! The New Schedule Is Here!
OK, not quite yet. The 2008-09 NHL schedule is set to be released Thursday. However, Ben Wright at The Blueland Blog indicates that sometime Wednesday the first and last games will be announced as well as the three “at large” western opponents.
Other Odds And Ends
Our ol’ pal Craig Custance…now of The Sporting News… has chimed in with his analysis of the offseason moves in the Eastern Conference.
Jason Krog has inked a deal with the Canucks. He obviously can play at the AHL level…I hope he gets a good shot in the NHL with the Canucks.
Darren Eliot loves hockey in July via prospect camps.
Red Wing’s Dallas Drake decided Tuesday that 16 years was enough and has hung up the skates just a month after lifting the cup.
The Islanders came late to this summer’s coach-changing carousel, but indeed did so Monday when they parted ways with Ted Nolan. And here’s what some Islander fans have to say about it.
Believe In Blueland Not Just Words To Anderson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I would like to start off by thanking Ben Wright over at the Blueland Blog, Rob Koch and the Thrashers organ-I-zation for setting up the meeting and Q&A session with coach John Anderson Saturday afternoon. The invitation was most gracious and I appreciated it very much, indeed. It was also very nice to meet some of the other hosts of blog sites that I, and many of you, frequent… Falconer…the fine people at The Thrasher 411… Big Shooter and Mortimer Peacock of The Blueland Chronicle…Sean Grace over at Blueland Roar as well as his wife Stacy… and the host of ThrashPractice. I’ll be very interested in reading their thoughts on what coach Anderson had to say as well.
Here is a small sampling of how the discussion went…
In regards to some of the tactics in playing style, Anderson indicated that the defenders would become more involved with the attack. More importantly, at least to me, is that the whole practice of allowing opposing attackers a lot of space entering the our zone would be replaced with a system in which our blueliners would be more aggressive…harassing the forwards with their sticks… “mongoosing” them, as he put it. I think it’s also safe to assume that an Anderson O-fensive corps will be expected to back-check more efficiently as well.
My first question to him was just how involved he’s been in the discussion of UFAs as well as possible player trades. He said that Don “asks for his opinion” but really this makes up about 5-7% of the processes. He added, “I don’t want to cause any problems due to my inexperience”….a reference, IMHO, more to the fact that he’s really only been on the job a few weeks, not that he doesn’t have a keen eye to such evaluations. Then he planted his tongue firmly in his cheek and quipped, “I don’t want to screw the team up”.
Obviously, Anderson is very comfortable in focusing his attention on coaching the guys the organ-I-zation provides him.
He also indicated that he and the team are very committed to supporting the youth hockey programs in the area, pointing out that these young payers are “our future season ticket holders”. There was also a sense given that player involvement, schedule permitting, has been discussed as well as the continuing efforts of certain personalities such as Darren Eliot in this area.
Of course, being on the job here for such a short time hasn’t allowed for detailed plans. However, I did get the feeling he truly appreciates the importance of supporting the youth leagues.
Then I enquired as to what he thought was the #1 challenge that this team faced in order to improve from last year’s finish to becoming a contending team. He emphatically replied, “I know exactly what it is. It’s getting them to believe in themselves again”. He continued on with that thought by remembering back toward the end of last season that it was clear certain players lost a great deal of confidence in themselves and in the team. He pointed out how the Thrashers had been atop the division as late as February of last season before entering that terrible slide. “So, if we can be that close in February…I believe that there’s really still something here”.
When discussing the transition from Chicago where so many championships were won and now taking on the role of an “underdog” here in Atlanta…Anderson was quick to respond, “Bad teams do not win championships”…adding, “they might be underdogs, but underneath they are a real good hockey team”. He discussed the situation with the Wolves where players were provided with everything needed to win. From the training facility he described as “insane” complete with an underwater treadmill…players came into that organ-I-zation and then would say, “I don’t want to play anywhere else”. It is that type of mentality that he wants these same players…and any others who may come our way…to take on. He talked about these things as well as treating the players with respect and doing things with one another and also creating a family type atmosphere with the team…that person in the locker next to you is someone you’re ready to go to war with. “And this is why they, (Chicago Wolves), are successful year in and year out”.
It’s the concept of wanting to have players on the team who want to be on the team…and the team’s responsibility to give those players the reason to feel that way.
Along the line of discussion, Anderson chatted about certain coaching jobs, (assistant positions, I believe), that he was considered for but didn’t get over the years…Anaheim, Toronto and in Boston. Those didn’t pan out but this opportunity did. “Well listen, here it is”, the coach went on, “And sometimes things happen for a reason”.
I couldn’t agree more.
Mainly because it seems as though the organ-I-zation is moving in a direction in which it is going to rely more and more on the young players that are coming up through Chicago. He specifically pointed to Colin Stuart, Bryan Little and Brett Sterling as players that will be looked upon as contributing factors in the makeup of the team.
Given what the roster looks like today…unless there is some sort of trade in the next few weeks… half the team that suits up could be made up of players that worked their way to Blueland through the Anderson-led Chicago Wolves. So, who better to get from them everything that they have to offer than the guy who already believes so much in them?
Anyway, if first impressions count for anything I came away from the sit-down chat confident that Don Waddell’s decision to bring in John Anderson was the correct one. He’s the right man for the job here.
I believed that before…I believe it even more now.
Overall Grade Still To Be Determined
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Earlier in the week Scott Burnside of ESPN.com posted his thoughts on how he figured teams out west had faired since the June 1 free agent signing season began. And, as surely as day follows night, Wednesday he posted his thoughts on the Eastern Conference teams.
In it, he concludes that the Atlanta Thrashers are trending downward…which is a tough trick to pull off for a team that finished as close to the bottom of the league standings as… YOUR AT-LANTAAAaaaa THRAAAAAA-SHERS!!!!
The basis for his position, obviously, is the failure of the team to make much of a splash in regards to UFA signings. He points out Don Waddell’s flip-flop on Alexei Zhitnik, the failed attempt to lure in the highly coveted Brian Campbell, and the departures of Mark Recchi and Bobby Holik. Burnside also points out the signing of defender Ron Hainsey, but then indicates that, “he will be more valuable on the offensive side than in the Thrashers’ own zone”.
Honestly, I cannot take any exception to what he writes and concludes about the current situation the team is now in. In fact…I would say that Atlanta could feel fortunate that Burnside gave them just a “Trending Downward” grade and did not invent a new scaling factor for the Thrashers…something along the lines of “Could they possibly make it any more obvious that they intend to win the John Tavares sweepstakes”?
But lucky for us, the overall grade for this summer’s activities will not be solely determined by how many free agents the Thrashers sign and how much they paid for them. Oh sure…it’ll be a big part of the grade, but not 100% of it.
If you take into consideration the on-line poll question currently running on the Thrashers web page of the ajc.com…two-thirds of you give the team a D or an F so far this offseason. 3.83% give an A grade… so Waddell can take some comfort in the fact that some of the Spirit Group employees took time out of their busy schedules to register their votes.
As for me…the final grade is still yet to be determined.
In my opinion, D-Dub and the organ-I-zation will be judged on the overall performance…the hiring of John Anderson as head coach, selecting Zach Bogosian and the draft overall…the UFA signings, or lack there-of…and then whatever trades can be pulled off to address some of the gaping holes in the lines.
This last part we’ve discussed quite a bit. There are a few teams out there who have UFAed themselves near to or right over the cap. So, there are some deals out there to be made…which is a good thing for Waddell and this team.
Certainly I give some high marks on hiring Anderson, drafting Bogosian, waiving Zhit, signing Hainsey, allowing Holik to skate and bringing back Boulton. I’m ambivalent as to Recchi heading to the sun coast. I would have loved to have seen us land Campbell, but whatchagonnado? And I’m not going to even try to sugarcoat the disappointing fashion this past week and a half has played out.
Incomplete test grades include the Kari Lehtonen signing and what may become of the Ilya Nikulin situation. These will factor into the final evaluation once complete.
All that leads to this… Don needs a good grade trading for some players. If not, John Anderson’s first test… this upcoming season… is going to be a lot tougher than it needs to be.
Other Items For Your Cerebral Intake
According to Adam Proteau of The Hockey News…guess who would be the #1 worst signing so far this summer?
Eric Boulton seems to be very happy about re-signing with Atlanta and has a different take on being in the team’s future plans then a certain former Lighting-now Sharks player.
Allan Muir acknowledges Tampa Bay has certainly made a “Big Splash” with all their signings of late, but points out that they need to address the blueline.
Wednesday the Thrashers released their pre-season schedule. Looks like we may not have long to wait to see first-hand Hossa’s assimilation into the Big Red Borg.
The NHL and Russian hockey league seem to have made nice-nice.
And finally…this has nothing to do with hockey, but it seems like there is a little something more than line dancing going on during “Country Jam” every year out in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Costs Of Trades Could Be High But Necessary
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A week has passed since the UFA signing frenzy started and so far the Thrashers “activity” hasn’t yet netted enough talent to get the team’s payroll up to the league minimum. This while other teams were busy unloading several millions of dollars attracting help for their squads.
Obviously, there are still moves that need to be made to complete the roster, specifically on offense, (or O-fense…seeing that we are now in the Anderson era). What also holds true is that there is still time to do it…so the panic-o-meter should still be registering “LOW”.
Options?
At center…you could throw out $12 million per season for a year or two to hire Mats Sundin’s services. That would help get us to the salary floor as well provide a proven center for Kovy’s line. But even if he would agree to play out the remaining couple of years of his career here…do you really want the team to tie up that kind of money on a player that they are not building the team around?
Out on the wing… Pavol Demitra, who will be 34 in November, is still available. Throwing out big bucks and a 3-year contract to lure in his skills would probably make more sense. But, if Waddell and Co. are looking at him, they’d better do it quickly before a team like Vancouver grabs him up.
Outside of that, the Thrashers have the option to trade for the necessary players to finish up the roster. But this brings with it the possibility of a high price tag as well. If Waddell is to shop around for a top-line center and/or a powerful winger or two then he is going to have to provide something of value himself.
It was understood that the Thrashers would have to “overpay” for the services of a high-profile free agent. But is the same logic true when it comes to trading for the players we haven’t yet been able to bring in via the UFA avenue?
Case in point…are we willing to part ways with, say, Bryan Little or Kari Lehtonen or Ondrej Pavelec and some high draft picks for a player that may be around for only a couple years? Certainly even considering such conjures up the now-infamous Cobourn for Zhitnik transaction.
However, it appears more and more likely that this is going to have to be the route Waddell has to consider in order to finish filling out the team’s roster…and fielding a competitive team for the coming season.
Just be prepared for the price that comes along with it.
Information Overload
SUMag.com’s Carl Danbury has a very fine piece about new Thrasher Ron Hainsey.
Scott Burnside of ESPN.com says San Jose and Chicago are the big winners out west in regards to this summer’s UFA signing season.
Darren Eliot observes that to be an unrestricted free agent in this summer’s market is nothing short of SA-Weet!
Not everyone in Cal-Gary is happy with the Todd Bertuzzi acquisition.
Thrashers At Offseason’s Midpoint
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I hope everyone enjoyed the Independence Day holiday weekend… I certainly did. As we were all watching the rocket’s red glare and grilling with family and friends, one small milestone passed for Thrashers fans.
The mid-point of our offseason.
Yup…it was three months ago this past Saturday that the Thrashers brought to a merciful end the 2007-08 season with a 4-1 win over division rival Tampa Bay. Three months from now, we shall see the beginning of a new season as the John Anderson era in Blueland gets underway.
Of course, what didn’t occur over the past weekend was any real activity regarding further additions to the Thrashers roster. Thus far, the UFA signing season has netted the organ-I-zation but one such free agent signing, defender Ron Hainsey…albeit a very solid acquisition.
However, there was news from last Thursday that Ilya Nikulin is thiiiiiis close to signing with the team and adding yet another new and welcome face to the blueline. Nikulin was the 31st overall pick by Atlanta in the 2000 draft and has been spending his time since playing in Russia. The money aspect of the contract, according to his agent Scott Lites, has been worked out. The remaining issue to be hammered out, it seems, is how much time his client would be required to spend in Chicago with the Thrashers AHL affiliate Wolves. In Mike Knobler’s piece, he is willing to allow for up to 2 weeks in this regards, but does not want Nikulin to spend “his whole season down there”.
Now, if indeed Don Waddell is successful in bringing over the 6’-3” 211 pound defender, (er, ah…excuse me…that is 191cm, 96kg)…then we fans would be treated to quite the re-tooled and re-vamped defensive corps. Out would be Zhitnik and McCarthy…in would come Hainsey and Nikulin. Remaining would be Havelid and Enstrom…rounding out the squad would be Zach Bogosian and either Klee, XLB or Valabik.
Other Odds-N-Ends
Still no word on the finalization of Kari Lehtonen’s contract…however his name did not show up on the salary arbitration list either.
Apparently, the NHL has it’s own version of the Hatfields and McCoys.
Scott Burnside of ESPN.com doesn’t feel that Jaromir Jagr’s defection to the Russian elite league’s Avangard Omsk is a trend-setting move. But he does think that the Rangers will probably be better off for it.
Signing Keeps With Defense-First Thinking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
That’s right kids…gather ‘round. The Thrashers are indeed participants in the 2008 free agent acquisition party! Yup, Don Waddell has him a real life, genuine UFA signing. Appearently all it took was John Kincade of 680 The Fan going off on the Thrashers organ-I-zation for their lack of action.
And like with the draft a couple weeks ago, the first such acquisition focused on improving the defense.
Wednesday afternoon, some 27-1/2 hours after the signing season began, defenseman Ron Hainsey agreed to a 5 year $22.5 million dollar contract to play in Atlanta. He was the choice of the Montreal Canadiens with the 13th overal pick in the 2000 entry draft and had played the past three seasons in Columbus.
Last season the 6’-3” 209-pound native of Bolton, Connecticut played in 78 games averaging more than 22 minutes for a Blue Jackets defense that, dispite their 34-36-12 record, allowed only 27.4 SOG, (which was sixth best in the NHL). Hopefully what he contributed toward that stat for the CBJs can translate to better numbers for the Thrashers’ backline.
In essence, we have replaced the 35-year old Alexei Zhitnik’s 3 goals, 5 assists and a -8 in 65 games with the 27-year old Hainsey and his 8/24 and -7 in 78 games. Also, he is a player described as having “great mobility, size and reach. Can play on either side of the ice. Displays plenty of offensive upside. Is capable of logging a ton of minutes” by sportsnet.ca.
So, Atlanta’s blueline could now look something like this: Havelid paired with Enstrom…Hainsey could be paired with XLB…Klee could be paired with Bogosian and Valabik could be the fill-in guy. While the ultimate proof will come as the season unfolds, to me that defensive corps looks a bit better than what we were treated to last winter.
Now then…since there is a dwindling few defensive players of interest remaining in the UFA pool, it seems as though that is that when it comes to acquiring defenders via free agent signings.
Next up…could ”shopper” Don turn into “trader” Don in order to see if a center can be obtained for Kovy’s line as well as a winger or two? Possibly. The Thrashers are still in need of this kind of help…plus the team still remains millions shy of the league payroll minimum.
Stuff, Stuff And More Stuff
Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated is amazed at the way NHL general managers have been throwing money around. You know kinda like drunken sailors on shore leave…or politicians.
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News asks the question, “what exactly is going to happen to all these long-term deals once the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2011-12 season”?
One high-profile player who hasn’t cashed in on the UFA madness yet is Mats Sundin. But that is due to his choosing.
Ross McKeon of Yahoo Sports took noticed that Atlanta and San Jose were noticeably quiet Tuesday.
And finally…I hope all of you have a very enjoyable and safe Independence Day weekend. If you have never before read the Declaration of Independence…or it’s been a while since you have…I invite you to take some time and treat yourself to what is still the greatest letter ever penned.
Somebody Give Donny An Egg
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yesterday morning on Mike Knobler’s blog, BG33Brown posted the following comment in regards to how he felt in anticipation of the upcoming free agent signing season:
“I slept last night about as well as a kid on Chirstmas Eve. Hopefully we have a good day”.
I wonder how he’s enjoying that lump of coal left for him this Christmas in July? Don’t feel too bad, Brown…we all got one too.
To me, today feels sort of like another holiday…Easter Sunday. Specifically, the tradition Easter egg hunt where all the kids scramble to find the nicest, best decorated eggs fill with the finest candy. And, as per usual, there is always that one poor, distraut child who stands in the middle of the field with tears in his eyes…sobbing…inconsolable. His basket is empty…no eggs did he find as all of the older, bigger, faster, sharper kids beat him to them.
The child’s name…Donny.
Worse, Donny had to also look on as the mullet-headed kid from Tampa has already begun to enjoy his bounty of treats gathered in over the past few days. All the other kids joined him on the porch…counting their eggs…laughing.
At least, that’s the mental image I got while seeing each of the big-name players removed one-by-one from the board of the available.
All through the afternoon, team after team were able to find and sign one player after the other. The big prize on defense, Brian Campbell, was snatched up by the Chicago Blackhawks. But not before Don Waddell and others made a run at him.
The contract offer that eventually landed Campbell was for 8 years and $56.8 million. That’s an average of $7.1 mil a season… Michael Russo of the Star Tribune in Minneanapolis-St. Paul blogged that he was told Waddell had happily waived $60 million for 8 years under Campbell’s nose.
If indeed correct… then Waddell lost out to a team that last qualified for post-season six years ago and, in 2004, was named the worst franchise in pro sports by ESPN…. and for LESS money!
(Insert curse word of choice here).
But still, there was Wade Redden. Surely Don could run over to him and flash the cash to him in order to….oops, gone to the Rangers. 6 years $39 million.
Mike Commodore?…Nope, off to Columbus. A team that has never qualified for the playoffs. 5 years $18.75 million.
Michal Rozsival? Staying with New York. 4 years $20 million.
Brad Stuart? Ummm, no. Detroit didn’t wanna see him go. 4 years averaging $3.75 million per.
Mike Green? Washington locked him up early in the morning. 4 years for $21 million.
Hey…at least we can settle for Mark Streit. He’s pretty good. He can…DOH! He went…straight…to the Islanders for 5 years and $20.5 million. Oh crap!
OK…maybe someone to help on the forward lines?
Our old pal Pascal Dupuis? Nope, Pittsburgh re-inked him for 3 years averaging $1.4 per.
Brian Rolston? He decided to test the UFA waters and landed in New Jersey for $$20.25 mil over 4 years.
Michael Ryder? 3 years and $12 million was enough for him to put on a Bruins uniform.
Radim Vrbata? Adam Hall? Off to Mulletville for 3 years $9 mil and 3 years $1.8 mil respectivly.
When the dust finally cleared at the end of the day…there stood Donny…in the middle of the field…basket empty.
Can the situation be salvaged? Sure…sure it can. This is but day 2 of the UFA season.
Available still…. Brooks Orpik and Ron Hainsey. Very fine players that could help this team’s defense…but hardley the “Big Splash” signings that were hoped for. For the forward lines… Todd Bertuzzi and Pavol Demitra are still out there. Heck, so too is Maian Hossa.
Of course, there are trades that could be made…(visualize here Cobourn for Zhitnik, February 2007).
Regardless, Waddell still has a lot of the money left to spend to get the job done.
Well, actually, he still has… ALL… the money left to spend.
(sigh)…
In the mean time…will somebody please give Donny an egg?
The “Big Splash” Theory
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, unrestricted free agent signing season in upon us at last. Over the course of the next several weeks, NHL teams will make moves that will shape their rosters and determine what type of team will be placed on the ice this fall.
The Atlanta Thrashers, by all accounts, are one of those teams looking to make serious headway during this time. As has been discussed frequently…the team has to address some needs on defense, try to land a true top-line center for super-star Ilya Kovalchuk and, if possible, bring in another scoring threat or two.
The latter half of the month of June saw significant moves leading up to this all-important period. From the re-signing of veteran goalie Johan Hedberg to hiring John Anderson as head coach to the drafting of the promising young blueliner Zach Bogosian to last weekend’s waiving/buying-out of Alexei Zhitnik…the organ-I-zation appears to be putting into motion steps that lead us further from last season’s disappointments and toward the hope for the coming campaign.
While all four of the above actions are steps in the right direction, this phase of Operation Blueland Contender is the one we’ve been anxiously awaiting most. The team must take an aggressive stance…jumping headfirst into the free agency pool…and become a big-time player in the buying market and entice some big-time players to sign here.
It’s the “Big Splash” theory, as some may call it.
This theory provides that Don Waddell and the Spirit Group need to open up the cash coffers and spend what is needed in order to gain the attention of the Brian Campbells and Wade Reddens out there. If this means they have to “out-bid” the Ottawas and Montreals and Rangers of the league…pay more for the talent then they would have to… so be it.
While it is Waddell’s responsibility to sell the organ-I-zation and the city…it is the responsibility of Bruce Levenson and the rest of the Spirit boys to back up his “Billy Mays” type sales pitch with cold hard currency…even if it means the team needs to offer up $8.4 million or so a season to land Campbell, as has been reported.
Landing such a player would make a “Big Splash” by making this team, in theory, better defensively. That, plus adding even another blueliner at the level of a Brooks Orpik makes the splash bigger still.
Once in the pool, Waddell and Co. then need to thrash about attempting to bring in some O-fensive help as well. Let us not forget that as bad as the defense was last season, Atlanta’s attack averaged a league low of but 25.8 shots per game.
In my opinion, a center that is worthy of playing alongside Kovy is also in order. But the UFA pool isn’t quite as stocked here as it is with defensemen. A trade might be required to fill this order. Right wing is a position the team could look to bolster as well.
Now, a hint of patience will probably be in order here. While I would love to post up a “Thrashers Sign Brian Campbell” type blog sometime later today, truth be told… it probably won’t happen that quickly. Even if Atlanta were to toss out a lucrative offer to a player that is as sought after as Campbell…I fully expect he would take it under consideration while sending his agent out to see who might match, or better, the offer. He’s in the driver’s seat here.
However, even if the Thrashers were to produce a “Big Splash” announcement immediately…they wouldn’t be the first team to cause a disturbance in the UFA pool. Tampa Bay has been very busy over the past few days making some waves of their own by acquiring then signing Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts from Pittsburgh and then gaining rights to sign Brian Rolston from Minnesota. Just last night we learned the Mullets came to terms with Vaclav Prospal. So, the water is rolling already.
Signing season has yet to officially begin and already Waddell has to play catch up. Thankfully, he has the money available to do so.
Also…there is another reason why the Thrashers need to be making a big splash in the UFA pool this month. You see… free agents are not the only people the organ-I-zation is looking to attract.
They are also seeking to bring in…you.
As most are very aware, there are an awful lot of fans out there that have become honorary Missourians since last spring…developing a “show me” attitude in regards to ponying up funds for season tickets. Waddell and the Spirit Group must produce something significant to display just-cause for folks to pick up the phones and pull out the plastic.
The things prior to today…signing Moose, hiring Anderson, drafting Bogosian…these are all good moves, positive steps. But these were just ripples along the water’s surface.
It’s time to see “The Big Splash”.
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