AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > September > 04
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Don’t Split The Swedes, Please
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
About the only aspect of the Thrashers’ defense that didn’t send the Suck-O-Meter spinning off its axis last season was the pairing of Niclas Havelid and rookie Tobias Enstrom. As we’ve noted before, Enstrom proved to be a stud…logging a team-high 24:28 TOI/G. Nic Havelid’s 20:30 TOI/G was third best. Between the two, six goals and 46 assists were accounted for.
Havelid finished the year at a +2 while Enstrom ended up a -5. These are not stellar numbers, but are a far cry better than McCarthy’s -23 and Exelby’s -21.
By the time we feasted upon our Thanksgiving turkeys last fall, it was clear that they were clicking together and that the communication between the two…in their native tongue of Swedish…was enabling the team to have at least one dependable blueline unit.
I would venture to guess that these two will be the top defensive pairing to begin the regular season in about five weeks. However, given the new faces that will join them on the back line, Hainsey and Bogosian…who just signed a contract with the team…and the new coaching staff that will direct them…what are the prospects that the two will be given an opportunity to pair up with others?
Enstrom with Hainsey? Havelid with Exelby?
I’m sure we’ll see some mixing of the defensive players during the preseason and maybe in doing so we’ll have the opportunity to judge better whether the two should remain paired or not. But to be honest, I am more of the “if it works, stick with it” train of thought when it comes to the two Swedes.
So, unless shown otherwise, my blueline pairings are…Havelid with Enstrom, Hainsey with Exelby and Klee with Bogosian/Valabik.
Early Jump On Weekend Reading Assignments
The Boston Bruins have Yelled for help…signing the 12-year veteran who has lifted the cup twice.
Darren Eliot indicates that school is “IN” not only for our little tax exemptions…but also the new coaches in the NHL. Oh…and that includes The Mullet.
The Washington Capitals will retire the number 11 jersey in honor of Mike Gartner. The ceremonies will be prior to the December 28th game versus Toronto.
Jon Jordan of Hockeybuzz.com measures up Tampa Bay’s acquisition of Andrej Meszaros from the Ottawa Senators.
John Tortorella may not have landed a head-coaching gig after his departure from Tampa, but he and Ray Ferraro will be joining NHL on TSN for the upcoming 2008-09 season.
The Detroit Red Wings and Chris Chelios have come to terms on a one-year deal.
And finally…What if they held a Major League Baseball game but nobody came?
