AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 20 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBreakfast 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”.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Midfield
December 20, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
I hate to point that out, but so far Proteau is right. Hainsey’s play is way too erratic for the money he is being paid.
By Rawhide
December 20, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
Midfield - I think Hainsey has fit in perfectly with JA style of play…specifically with the he he wants blueliners to step up into the attack.
That being said…he is a -13 since the 5-game win streak was snapped in Philadelphia back in the middle of November. So, maybe his work in the back has slipped lately.
However, I still think this team did well bringing him in. I certainly don’t feel that he has been the “worst” UFA signing.
By Brendan
December 20, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
I don’t think Hainsey was a bad signing, so much as he just wasn’t a Tier I defenseman. And that’s what the season ticket holders were promised.
“Snuffalupagus” for GM!!!
Kevin Cheveldayoff very well may get a shot at an NHL gig soon. But right now, I want a GM who is Far removed from the “minor league mindset.” We must move in a different direction. I don’t mind that we’re in a rebuilding mode. I just want someone who has successfully run an NHL club, in a NHL city, to straighten Atlanta out. I’m asking for too much, aren’t I?
By Alan
December 20, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
From the last blog, Brendan asked:
If you were Canadian, wouldn’t you like DW, too?
Now, by all means, my survey was not scientific… but I know several people north of the border. So I put a couple questions to them:
a. Do you like Don Waddell’s actions while the Thrashers GM? Seven of the twelve people who were online at the time said “no.”
So, I asked a second question:
b. Would you want Don Waddell to GM your favorite team? The response was a resounding “NO!”
Maybe Ottawa fans liked him when he was taking their sloppy seconds off their hands (the five ‘yes’ respondents to the first question were, in fact, Ottawa fans), but they wouldn’t want him to run their own team.
Again, this was an unscientific survey. No margin of error. Just proof that we’re not the only ones who hate him.
Also yesterday, someone posted a link to the Empty Netters blog for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where the photos of the mostly empty arena was interpreted by the readership (and the author of the blog himself) as Atlanta just being a poor market. I shot the guy an email and, basically, told him the story of why our arena is so empty. He responded and requested to use my name when he decides to post our email exchange. So, LAC and others, fret not. It might seem like we’re living in a glass box, where our screams aren’t heard outside this blog or this city. But I assure you, if we work together and be civil - both towards other markets blog writers and each other - the league will know of our discontent. We can make this a big issue in the NHL, or we can continue whining at each other.
We will turn it around. We just have to be proactive about it.
By MB
December 20, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
Rawhide, that very same Alan Muir joined Proteau in proclaiming Hainsey as one of the worst FA signings of the summer.
In his most recent NHL Power Rankings, however, he mentions that he may be ready to eat crow on that one.
Midfield, though I haven’t caught all the games, I haven’t seen the erratic play you attribute to #6. On the contrary, I’ve seen him on numerous occasions covering the gaffes of his playing partners.
Not saying he’s all-star material, but he’s easily been our best blueliner thus far this season.
By Midfield
December 20, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
MB, perhaps, his +/- balance is purely accidental. Likewise, since normally you have another defenseman on the ice, you can always blame the other guy. But, yes, I see him playing erratically. Not that he does not have an offensive capabilities, nor that he did not have a few good games. But, if I was Anderson, I would not lean back and think, Hainsey is out there, so at least we won’t have a defensive breakdown during this shift.
By MB
December 20, 2008 3:43 PM | Link to this
Midfield, have you seen a better d-man on the ice for the T-birds this season? I sure haven’t.
While +/- stats can be useful, don’t get too carried away with them, unless you’re ready to contend that Duncan Keith is superior to Niclas Lidstrom. Look at the bottom of those stats, and you’ll see names like Phaneuf, Rozsival, Philips, Streit
By Midfield
December 20, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this
Have I seen a better D-man on the ice for Thrashers? I’ll think about it. This is like asking, why are you complaining about your job when you’re don’t have to join a line to a soup kitchen.
By MB
December 20, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
Midfield, have you seen a better d-man on the ice for the T-birds this season? I sure haven’t.
While +/- stats are useful, don’t get too carried away with them, unless you’re ready to contend that Duncan Keith is the single best d-man in the game. Look at the bottom of those stats, and you’ll see names like Phaneuf, Rozsival, Philips, and Streit joining Hainsey with poor +/- numbers. Surely they’re not all among the absolute worst blueliners in the league.
Hainsey’s certainly made his fair share of mistakes, but to consider him the worst signing of the off-season is gratuitous…Avery already has that locked-up.
By MB
December 20, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this
I guess it comes down to expectations. The book on Hainsey was solid puck-mover with good offensive upside who doesn’t fully take advantage of his size. He’s never been a shut-down guy and is unlikely to ever be one.
Hainsey’s certainly made his fair share of mistakes, but to consider him the worst signing of the off-season is gratuitous. My vote goes to the Avery signing, btw. Four years at $15.5M for 23 games and his contributions to the implosion of last years Western Conf. semi-finalists.
By five_hole
December 20, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Hainsey had a great October, a decent November, and a poor December. I still believe in him.
I am, however, questioning whether John Anderson is the man to lead the Thrashers. I don’t think he is successfully motivating the team. I would like to point out that Peter Laviolette is available.
By Scotty
December 20, 2008 4:45 PM | Link to this
LOL @ Booby Holik bobblehead!
By Tony C.
December 20, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this
I think you’ll agree that Hainsey has been BY FAR DW’s best big-ticket FA signing.
By Alan
December 20, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
Honestly, Hainsey was paired with Exelby. Exelby’s play deteriorated, and with it fell Hainsey’s because he was covering for some bad mistakes. Now that Ex is out of the lineup, I think we’ll see what Hainsey can do without being dragged down.
By Bob
December 20, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
Hainsey has been a decent signing, but we still need a #1 dman, here’s to Bogosian growing into that role.
Rawhide, Blogging in Bed eh? You’d think the Divine Mrs. R would be up for that!
By Brendan
December 20, 2008 6:34 PM | Link to this
LAC, I correspond with a writer up in Toronto. I briefly mentioned the situation down in Tampa, where ex-GM Jay Feaster ultimately resigned, unable to further stomach his working conditions. And I asked the writer, “At what point should Don Waddell consider doing the same?”
His response was, paraphrased a bit, that Waddell shouldn’t worry about his future employability or the fallout of his current situation because Don’s reputation amongst his fellow GMs is a good one. They recognize that he’s working with the cards he has been dealt, including financial constraints. The writer continued, “He could well be fired because eventually GMs take the fall too, but resignation isn’t and shouldn’t be on his radar screen.”
Well LAC, there ya have it, buddy. Straight from Toronto, a direct answer to the question that you want asked so badly. (Of course, you wanted WADDELL, not a Toronto-area writer, to answer the question.) LAC, do you think the Toronto writer is correct? Do you think Waddell “enjoys a good reputation among his fellow GM’s?” Do you think Waddell’s future employability is something that shouldn’t be on his radar screen?
Before you answer, bear this in mind. Someone keeps giving Mike Keenan a job. Truth be told, Calgary isn’t a bad team. They got into the playoffs last year, and gave the Sharks a good run. I think they were up, 2-1, in the series and had a pretty good lead in the 2nd period of Game Four, where a win would have put the Flames up, 3-1, in commanding position to take the series.
Now, answer the question. I’m not going to tackle the question of whether Don Waddell might be another team’s GM, in the future. First, he’s got to be removed from Atlanta. Thennnn, we can talk about where he lands next.
By five_hole
December 20, 2008 9:39 PM | Link to this
First off, don’t get real excited about this win. We beat a really bad TB team. Boyle missing on their blueline makes a huge difference to their team.
Second, anybody else happy about Kari’s return? He was screened on the only ones that got past him; pretty much stood on his head the entire game.
Oh, and 1 interesting stat; in spite of taking 3 penalties in the game, Valabik was +2.
By Tom
December 20, 2008 10:35 PM | Link to this
Well first game back in Phillips in a year and a half. Kari scared the hell out of me, 2 goals on 2 shots, but did settle down.
And the crowning achievement? My son got an assist in his between periods exhibition… :) Made his Dad proud.
By Brendan
December 20, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
Yes, five-hole. That’s what I’ve been saying about Boyle all along. It was beyond freakishly-stupid to trade him. They just re-inked him to a six-year deal, for $33 million, last February. Then they threatened him with a “waiver claim” during the offseason if he wouldn’t rescind his no trade clause. They said his offseason conditioning was poor. He’s always logged the most minutes for the Bolts. “Stupid is … as stupid does.” Tampa Bay has *EARNED the position they find themselves in. Karma dude. Karma. I think Tampa has won 2-3 games since they fired Melrose.
By PUTTING ON THE FOIL
December 20, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By Rawhide
December 20, 2008 11:09 PM | Link to this
Five_Hole - I really don’t think we Thrashers fans are in any position to pick and choose what wins to “get real excited about”.
The Thrashers win…we get excited.
Tom - Congrats on the tax exemption’s first point on NHL ice!!!
By Tom
December 20, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
Thanks, very proud of the little guy.
Tonight he was looking at his posters on the wall of his favorite Thrashers as he was falling asleep. I mentioned that he skated on the same ice as they did tonight, you should have seen the grin.
These are the days that I hope stay with me when the Alzhiemer days start… :)