AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > August > 11
Monday, August 11, 2008
Trudging Through Augh-ust
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Yesterday was August 10…exactly two months before the puck drops on a new season for the Atlanta Thrashers and we begin to watch the John Anderson era unfold in Thrasherville.
Between now and then we will deal with getting the kiddies re-acclimated to school life… enjoy some more of the heat and humidity that comes with summer… watch as the Braves finish their season, winning about as many games as the Thrashers had points last year…observe as the Falcons trudge their way through the preseason and first five real games, (BTW, I thought Matt Ryan looked pretty good Saturday night)…and probably even suffer through a Presidential debate or two…you know, ”Yes you did”…”No I didn’t”…Yes you did”…”No I didn’t”…whatev.
Of course, some of you no doubt have Saturday August 30th circled on your calendars as Mark Richt and his Georgia Bulldogs begin the campaign to justify their top ranking in the USA Today Coaches Poll. You gotta know our own Junkyard Blawg-Dawg Bill King is just chompin’ to get this thing going!
Others are looking forward to the beginning of the Paul Johnson era at GA Tech on Thursday August 28 against Jacksonville State. He was able to direct the Midshipmen of the US Naval Academy to a 45-29 record in six seasons and was 2-2 in bowl games. Before that, Johnson guided the Eagles of Georgia Southern to 62 wins in 72 regular season games and won 2 Division I-AA championships.
Me? …Friday October 10, 2008 at 7:30pm. The rest is just filler in the gap between now and then. Sure, there will be training camp and pre-season games to be played before that. But opening night is special, when the slates are wiped clean for all 30 teams and the quests to crown a new champ begins anew.
But for now we have August, the dead month for NHL fans… or Augh-ust, as I call it. The Stanley Cup Finals were over with two months ago. The draft is done, the dust raised during the free agency frenzy has all but settled and Thrashers fans are left looking for some more moves to finally bring into shape the roster that will take to the ice this fall.
To that measure…allow me to offer up the following possibility for discussion.
Seeing that it’s entirely possible that the Florida Panthers could be looking to move Jay Bouwmeester… whom they recently signed to a one-year $4.875 million contract…what if Don Waddell were to nose into the possibility of bringing him here?
Of course there are questions about whether or not the Panthers would want to deal such a promising young defender to an intra-divisional foe. Even if they were so inclined…what would the asking price be? Exelby or Little with a high draft pick as well? That could be a bit pricey for someone with only a 1-year contract.
But if I’m in D-Dub’s position, I would at least be willing to entertain such a notion…if Florida were open to it as well…to see if the blueliner could be had for a “reasonable” price.
Last season, Bouwmeester played in all 82 games logging an amazing 27:28 average time on ice, (compare that to Tobias Enstrom who led the Thrashers with 24:28 TOI). He contributed 15 goals and 22 assists. Those 37 points would have tied him with Todd White for seventh best on last year’s Thrashers roster and the 15 goals equaled Bobby Holik’s total, which was the fourth highest for our team. Bouwmeester’s 22 helpers would have been the eighth best for Atlanta last season.
Jay Bouwmeester is also no stranger to coach John Anderson. During the lockout, he played in 18 games for the Chicago Wolves scoring 6 goals and 3 assists during that time.
Certainly, the Thrashers have cap room for the soon-to-be 25-year old who was the third overall pick in 2002…you know, just after Kari Lehtonen was chosen by the Thrashers. And just think of the defensive lines you could skate out there…Havelid-Enstrom…Hainsey-Bouwmeester…Bogosian-Valabik/Klee. I’d be comfy with that.
Regardless, I’m sure many would opine that it makes more sense to take that type of money and address the front lines…and you absolutely would have a point. But the flip side to that argument would be that… if the team truly is in the process of rebuilding…would it not be prudent to do so from the pipes forward? The goalie situation is solid…if they add to that a decent defensive corps, then that would allow John Anderson’s O-fense the time needed to come into shape.
In other words…rebuild in the opposite fashion than the original project.
Just a thought for discussion to help get us through Augh-ust.
Other Items For You
NHLPA Executive Director Paul Kelly will be meeting with all 30 NHL teams this fall looking to get some type of feel from the players regarding re-opening the CBA next year. Also, he is concerned of an “icy relationship” between the NHL and KHL if Alexander Radulov is allowed to play for Salavat Ufa seeing that he is currently under contract with the Nashville Predators.
Toronto’s Bryan McCabe has recently made overtures that he may be willing to waive the no movement clause of his contract.
The Great One reflects back on the day that changed the game 20 years ago.
Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News points out that enforcers are still a big part of today’s NHL.
The New York Islanders are still trying to work out who their next coach will be. However, it looks like they are down to three possibilities…one of them being Bob Hartley.
