AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 20
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Breakfast In Bed Blogging
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Oh yeah! Once again the Saturday prior to Christmas is upon us. I love this morning…the first day of my winter break away from the office and I get to snooze-in late. Then, once I do decide to rejoin the realm of the living, I sip the morning brew and I peruse the cyber-paper…all from the comfy confines of the flannel sheets. Of course you and the rest of the blogosphere are welcome to join me…just be careful not to spill any coffee, tea or breakfast cereal on the comforter. The Divine Mrs. R still is a bit upset over last years “Breakfast In Bed Blogging” food-fight incident.
This is why Brendan and RStroz are over there on the sofa in the sitting area with their morning elixir and Coco Puffs on a TV try… watching cartoons.
Anyway…one little ditty I’d like to share you before I pass the cyber-paper around. Do you realize that the Atlanta Thrashers defense has gone four consecutive games in which they allowed the opposition fewer than 30 shots on goal? Uh-huh…hard to believe but true. Two Fridays ago Boston took 25 total shots then followed up the next night with 29. Ottawa was allowed only 29 as well then Pittsburgh was held to 27.
Over the course of the last couple of seasons this type of blueline Scroogery has been far and few between. Unfortunately, Atlanta was 1-3-0 in those games.
Anyway…
First Off, The Front Page Of The Cyber-Paper
OK… I found this interesting article in the Chicago Daily Herald on Kevin Cheveldayoff, the general manager of the Thrashers’ AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves for 11-plus years. He has grown as a GM during that time and the Wolves have grown as a team with him in that capacity.
The hardware case has grown in trophies as well.
This season, Cheveldayoff once again has iced a squad that is atop the ALH’s West Division. This is even after losing long-time head coach John Anderson to the Thrashers last summer.
Players have come and gone and, as stated, Anderson departed after last season’s championship…yet the Wolves consistently compete at the highest level of their league. This speaks volumes to the capabilities of the man whose job it is to run the team, evaluate in-ice talent and produce results. And for over a decade, Cheveldayoff has succeeded in doing all of that.
Last spring and summer, when those in the Thrashers organ-I-zation were still trying to determine just how to fill the coaching vacancy after Don Waddell pushed the panic button the previous October…the one phrases that constantly came up when discussing Anderson was, “Well, he has had that much success in the AHL…surely he deserves a chance to prove whether or not he can do the same here and with many of the players he already knows so well”.
Indeed! And that was a sentiment that I agreed 100% with. I also believe that the exact same argument can be made for Kevin Cheveldayoff. He’s going to eventually get that chance. IMHO, it’s not a question of “if” as much as “when”.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing him reunited with his good friend John Anderson here in Atlanta before some other franchise gets smart and gives him his big chance elsewhere.
Here, someone find Bruce Levenson and have him read this.
And In The Financial Section Of The Paper
The Falconer took up the subject of “How to price tickets when times are tough”. In it he refers to a series of articles by David Shoalts regarding the financial situation our nation is facing and how it is affecting the NHL.
The piece referenced indicates that discount tickets are not the best way to handle things in a recession and suggest that teams should offer more “service” or “add value” to their customers by way of free parking and other types of perks.
Now, I’m not an Econ major…but I’m gonna wager that anytime you put forth an inferior product, continue to retain the same management that put forth that inferior product and increase the fee to your customer base to access that product, well…even Billy Mays wouldn’t peddle that product.
The Crossword Puzzle
So…what’s a six-letter word that means “high-priced rental player”?
Well, according to Allan Muir of SI.com…S-U-N-D-I-N.
However, as Muir notes, he may not be a savoir…but he will make Vancouver more dangerous.
Mats will work roughly half a season…three months and then possibly as much as just over two additional months depending on how deep the Canucks go in the post-season…for about $6 million.
Eh…it’s a living.
Stock Up Or Stock Down
According to ESPN’s power rankings from last Monday the Thrashers are holding steady…at number 28.
The two below us…The Lightning and Islanders…will provide the opposition for the Thrashers in two of the next three games.
Arts And Leisure Section
Puck Daddy reviews some of the more un-good bobblehead statues from the hockey world. Hey…look at the Bobby Holik one. It almost looks real! Oh wait…that IS Bobby Holik.
So…when is there going to be a Rawhide bobblehead night at Philips? Hmmmm…???
And Finally, The Back Page Op-Ed Bird Cage Liner
Adam Proteau of The Hockey News wonders if the Tampa Bay Lightning made a mistake by choosing Steven Stamkos with their number-one overall draft pick last summer.
Uh-huh…and I will remind you that this is the same person that was sure Ron Hainsey was going to prove to be the “worst signing of 2008”.
