AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > October > 05
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Ondrej Is Not A Happy Camper
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Our old pal Craig Custance writes in The Sporting News that Ondrej Pavelec is not a happy camper these days. Seems he has a slight disagreement with the Thrashers’ decision to send him down to begin the season as a member of the Chicago Wolves.
According to Pavelec’s agent, Allan Walsh, the Thrashers organ-I-zation…namely Don Waddell… failed to keep a promise made to the 21-year old net minder at the time he was signed. Said Walsh, “When Ondrej signed two years ago, [Don Waddell] gave Ondrej his word. He sat there at the table and gave Ondrej his personal word that Ondrej would never be held back”.
Wow…he used his name four times in that sentence. I’m impressed.
Anyway, Walsh continued…”Last year he led Chicago to an American League championship. This year he played in the first exhibition game and then the third period on October 3 - they threw him into the game cold in the third period. That is criminal mismanagement of a young goalie”.
Waddell has yet spoken in regards to this matter…maybe we’ll get some comment from his soon. However… the way I understand it, it was known up front Pavs would play in the game Friday night against the Nashville Predators. Goalies splitting time in a preseason game is not an unusual occurrence, after all. But even if that were not the case, when you are the back-up keeper in a game…your #1 job is to be ready to go in on a moment’s notice. The switch was made during intermission…so it wasn’t like he was yanked from bed in the middle of a deep sleep.
Some youngsters might see an insertion into any preseason game as an “opportunity” to prove themselves…not a reason to whine about being thrown out onto the ice “cold”.
Oh, and I’m sorry, Mr. Walsh but… “criminal mismanagement”? That’s quite the strong accusation, wouldn’t you agree? Even though I’m not a lawyer, I’m pretty darn sure that there is no criminal statute for how a team deals with its goalie. If so…Bob Hartley would have been incarcerated back in April of 2007.
Now…I’m not one to try and crawl inside of D-Dub’s head and figure out exactly what goes on in that noggin of his…but I’d betcha dollars-to-donuts that when he does have the opportunity to have a one-on-one with Allan Walsh, he might just be inclined to say something like, “Look, Al… I’m not a big-time, hot-shot agent like you are. How-EV-er, if I were in your position I might just tell my client that the time to go pulling a stunt like this is NOT the day after allowing four goals in 20 minutes…blowing a 2-goal lead that was handed to you. That’s not exactly moving your cause…in the right direction”.
I know this seems like I’m being harsh on the kid. I certainly understand a professional athlete wanting to be in the big show and contributing to his team’s cause. However, one has to deal with such circumstances in a more mature fashion than this.
I like Pavelec…think he’s gonna be a starting keeper in the NHL one day and possible put on some great stats. Shoot, I can even accept that Ondrej might be able make an argument that he should be playing at the NHL level right now. But this is not the way to do it.
This team has a lot of issues they are facing right now and the last thing it needs on its plate is a 21-year old kid throwing a temper-tantrum because he didn’t get his way. Regardless of if he did or didn’t get some type of assurance from Waddell that he would be playing in Atlanta by this time.
The team will carry only two goalies. Kari is the starter to begin the season…everyone knows that. Moose was signed last summer to be the stabilizing force as a quality back-up…everyone knows that. Kari has been signed to a one-year deal to prove once and for all he is indeed the Thrashers number-one man ‘tween the pipes. It’s also no big secret that if he fails to do so this season he’s outa here and the red carpet will then be rolled out for young Ondrej.
His turn will come…either next year if Kari’s performance is less then stellar or, worst case, two seasons from now after Hedberg’s contract expires. He should have just gotten on the plane to Chi-town, continued to play well there…knowing that, if a need arose this year, he would be called upon as was the case last fall.
That would have been the mature thing to do. That would have been the team-player thing to do. But instead…he chose to act like a child. And his agent chose to allow his client to do so instead of advising him otherwise.
That’s too bad…on both their accounts.
All that being said…I truly hope that over the next couple of days Pavelec has a change of heart. Like I said…he’s a quality goalie and this organ-I-zation is blessed to have him along with Kari and Moose right now. I’m sure Don can cut the kid a little slack if he takes a few days to clear his head, gather his thoughts, then…once understanding the gravity of the situation…reports to Chicago with a renewed sense of purpose and drive.
If this how Ondrej ultimately decides to handle the situation…then all can be forgiven.
That’s how the maturation process works sometimes.
