AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > December > 29 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThe Two “Fenses” And ‘Tween The Pipes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’re almost halfway though the season…believe it or not…so let’s take a gander at the three main aspects of this Thrashers team thus far…the two “fenses”…O-fense and D-fense…and the men ‘tween the pipes.
The O-Fense
For all that hasn’t worked out for the Thrashers and John Anderson this season, there is one aspect of the team that has held it’s own so far…Anderson’s O-fence.
Going into Tuesday’s game in Toronto, Atlanta has 106 goals scored on the season after 36 games…a GAA that equates to 2.92, which is 11th best in the NHL. Last season, that stat was 2.52…22nd in the league.
Scoring goals at a this clip would net the Thrashers 240-something for year…the 246 goals achieved two seasons ago helped win the Southeast division.
The power play has been effective as well. Atlanta owns the league’s 10th best power play percentage…20.5. Though the Thrashers went 0-5 on the man advantage Sunday against Boston they went a perfect 3 for 3 in Saturday’s 5-4 loss to Carolina.
Atlanta’s big O has been led by Ilya Kovalchuk’s 35 points, 11 goals and 24 assists. No surprise there as that was the case last year as well. However, Slava Kozlov is following last year’s disappointing 17-goal, 41-point performance with 15 goals and 34 points, (which, for what it’s worth, is exactly the same point total as Marian Hossa). Add in Todd White’s 12 goals and 32 points and Bryan Little’s team-leading 18 goals and 30 points with Defenseman Ron Hainsey’s 5 goals and 20 points…and you have yourself a fairly balanced attack.
Really, the only negative I can find statistically for the Atlanta attack is the 27.1 S/G, which is higher only than Pittsburgh’s 27.0 S/G…but the amount of goals being scored on those shots tends to mask over it.
So, if John Anderson’s O-Fensive system is indeed being productive, just what is the cause for the 12-20-4 record so far? Well, that brings us next to…
The D-fense
Well, this defense has indeed allowed opponents an average of 32.4 shots on goal…which is actually down from last season’s league-worst 33.9. And the penalty kill is a putrid 73.5% “effective”, despite holding the Bruins to 0-5 on the power play Sunday.
But the real ugly number here is the 132 goals scored in only 36 games. If continued over the course of the season…that works out to an expansion team worthy 301 goals. Last season the Thrashers 3.24 GAA was dead last in the league. This season it’s 3.67.
Un-good!
But as I look at the individual players on this Thrashers’ defense…the only one that I really think needs to go is Garnet Exelby, (0 goals, 4 assist -6). Sure, Mathieu Schneider and his -9 hasn’t been everything we had hoped for…but he can still be a good fit on the third line and a huge asset to the development of young blueliners like Zach Bogosian and Nathan Oystrick.
Nic Havelid’s +4 ties Marty Reasoner for the team high in that stat and has chipped in with a goal and 8 helpers.
Toby Enstrom is a +2 and shares Havelid’s point production.
Ron Hainsey’s -15 is not a pleasant stat…but his 5 goals and 20 points helps to offset it and I think the +/- ratio is more the result of the team as a whole than his individual play.
Nathan Oystrick…done absolutely nothing but impress since his call up.
Boris Valabik…well the PIMs are a concern, but his -2 and five points merits his role as one of the three players that make up the third line defense.
Atlanta as a whole does not play solid team defense…and that means all five guys, not just the back two. Even so, given that the shots per games stat is down from last year, what then accounts for the fact that the Thrashers are surrendering goals at a higher rate than last season?
Well, that question takes to…
‘Tween The Pipes
Going into the game against the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, the goalie stats are such:
Kari Lehtonen - 3-7-2: 3.42 GAA and .903 SV%
Johan Hedberg - 6-7-2: 3.56 GAA and .886 SV%
Ondrej Pavelec - 3-6-0 3.55 GAA and .884 SV%
First off, look at the GAA for the three. Talk about “consistency”…only .14 points separate the three. But to me, the save percentages tell the story. The average of the three comes to only .891. Kari’s .903 is good, but not “great”. However, Moose and Opie’s 880-something numbers are butt-ugly.
Have there been lots of shots taken against the Atlanta goalies? Oh yeah…sure, sure their has been. And how many times have we lamented how we would love to see how well our goalies would do if they just didn’t have to face 30+ shots each game.
However, if I may return to the D-fense for a moment, there has been a fairly decent trend recently. In the seven games played since December 12th’s 7-3 loss to Boston…the Thrasher defense held their opposition to less than 30 SOG in six of the last nine games.
Unfortunately, they’ve only won two of those six games while surrendering 22 goals.
Whenever there is a situation in which a defense allows an average of 26.5 shots on goal in any given six games, but the opposition scores an average of 3.67 goals in those games…there is but one place to look and that’s between the pipes. Same is true when your defense holds the opposition under 30 shots twelve times, but only has 13 points to show for it… as has been the case for Atlanta’s defense this season.
Overall, in the 36 games played so far, Atlanta keepers have held the opposition to fewer than three goals but seven times.
Lehtonen has faced an average of 36.25 shots in his 12 starts…however, the two times he faced fewer than 30 shots, he allowed Min-EE-soh-tah to score 4 in a 4-2 loss and then lost 2-1 to Boston last Sunday. In the five games he has face 33 or less, he’s but 1-4 allowing 18 goals. In the one win, a 3-2 shootout win against Buffalo, he saw 30 shots in 65 minutes and allowed the Sabres to tie the score with 3:08 left in the third after bobbling the puck in his glove which led to Jason Pominville’s rebound goal.
Ondrej Pavelec can continue for now to use the excuse that he’s still not “ready” to handle the starting job just yet…as the seven losses in his last eight starts will attest. But even so, in his last two losses before being thrown back to the Wolves, he allowed 8 goals on but 18 shots. In the start against Boston back on the 12th, he allowed three on the first four he faced in the opening 8:41…Moose then allowed the first one he saw slip by as well that game. Boston scored 7 on only 25 shots.
Uber-un-good!
In Opie’s last start, Pittsburgh scored five times on thirteen shots before Hedberg again came in to relieve him. The Pens scored twice in the opening 9:40 of the game and only took 6 shots in the first period.
As for Moose, well…he’s the back up. And as such, he has not performed “overly” un-good. But when your “back up” leads in win %… and is the only keeper that can win consistently when the D allows less than 30 SOG, (3-1-1)…there’s a problem.
Oh, and going back to the nasty penalty kill stat…what’s that only saying about who the best penalty killer on the ice should be? Well, recently the Falconer posted this interesting piece asking just who is to blame for the poor PK of the Thrashers…the D or the goalies? I’m tending to lean toward the net minders here.
Anyway…going into the season I felt that one of the strongest assets the Thrashers had going for them was in goal. At the same time, like so many others, I thought the O-fense was going to struggle. We looked at the forward lines and worried about where the goals were going to come from.
Turns out…quite the opposite has been true so far.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Bob (other)
December 29, 2008 8:18 PM | Link to this
Rawhide, excellent assessment Excellent goaltending, 91% + ,cures a lot of problems, particularly in close games, which we have had plenty of. It is time in my view for Kari to step up and be the franchise goaltender that most experts envisioned before he was drafted. Goaltending has been our achilles heel since day one. If we dont have it here, we need to go get it. Like pitching in baseball, it wins, a difference maker.
The elite tenders have much higher save % as you most assuradly know.
By Tony C.
December 29, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
San Jose just went from Cup-Favorite to SCF lock with this move!
By Barry
December 29, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this
I think our two biggest problems has been 1) Lack of total team defense and pressure. Other team gets into the zone and most of the forwards are setting up in the box attempt at prevent defense. That never works. Thrashers try to get setup in the offensive zone the other team is on them like white on rice, flies on s**t, etc. 2) Our PK has been ugly this year and that’s mainly to people being out of position and not covering on those back door plays. Also Thrashers, up until recently, were not pressuring the PP team AT ALL but allowing them to get setup and run the Thrashers around into the ice. Recently it seems Thrashers are putting more pressure on the puck handler and forcing them to make a play when they don’t want to. Usually that should lead to turn overs and clears…if they could only start being more aggressive in the defensive side of things and that goes for the 5 man unit. 3) Inconsistent goaltending for sure. Hopefully Kari can help stabilize that position.
Now Thrashers just need to improve the PK and the defensive pressure by all skaters.
By Sage of Bluesland
December 29, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this
Excellent analysis, Rawhide…This should be in the AJC…
Some have stated that this team will pick up steam as the season goes, perfecting the new system, etc. I believe that’s when the real opposition (i.e. playoff-caliber teams) gets rolling as well. We’ll see. I hope I’m wrong.
Your ‘numbers’ give the impression that we are closer than you think. Someone (Sara?) mentioned this recently. I laughed. I hope I’m wrong on this, as well.
Why does it seem like we are simply consistently outmatched on most given nights—and the opponent almost plays ‘down’ to the level of its competition (i.e. us)???
Despite these numbers, it’s almost like having our feet in a block of ice and our heads are in the oven—but “on average, we are comfortable”.
I like to think ‘numbers’ tell the story—but sometimes they do not, as well…Here’s to hoping we wipe the entire slate clean and begin rebuilding anew—there is something refreshing about the prospect.
By sisu
December 29, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Nice write up as usual Rawhide! I think the biggest thing is that we do not have players willing to “pay the price” and battle consistently. There is a reason why Little is on fire, he crashes the net and gets the tip ins and rebounds. Finally Atlanta has the first player in the franchise history willing to pay the price and being rewarded for it. The main issue I see in giving up goals is the fact that none of the goalies have managed to even “steal” a game. Kari is just coming back from yet another injury so it is too soon to say how well he plays yet. How about the fact that the same goalie coach remains here year in year out? You would think that he could prepare goalies better? I was pretty shocked that Anderson did not replace Weekes, does he have a life time contract???
The defense is young for the most part and should get better. With ZBo coming back it should gain a valuable piece, maybe not this year so much as next and years to come.
Here is a question for you readers, what if you knew that the owners did not care about this team and allowed no spending what so ever no matter who the GM was/is do you feel that another GM would be willing to come here if DW was let go????
By HookyBob
December 29, 2008 9:42 PM | Link to this
Great analysis Rawhide. You make a very strong arguement for what is our weakest link. And, as you also mentioned,…..”Who’d a thunk?”
One more thing to note regarding our record is the # of 1 goal losses. A loss is a loss no matter what the differential is,…but just few timely saves on those losses and we are out of the Taveres / Hedman sweepstakes. (Oh,..wait, its all coming together now.)
We can all remember times when our goalie stole the game,…not this year though. Then there were those years where it looked like we had someone new in goal every night. In some ways I long for those days. (Bad sign.)
My thoughts are to give Kari about 10 starts in a row and see if he can’t get into a groove (and the team defense in sync). A hot Kari Lehtonen is alone worth the price of admission. His mental and physical durability remain open questions though.
Moose, I love him man. However, I think it is time for him to think about a career move,…to coaching. Sadly,… the Carolina game is continuing a pattern,…not an anomally.
Pavelec, seems to me to be out of position too much. Glovesave, Five-Hole is this something that can be learned at this point in a goalie’s development? Methinks it is a bit late.
So, what is the answer to our “tween the pipes” part of the game. Who do we have coming up, or who can we trade for (other than Kabibulin)? I’m a fan of building a team from the goalie forward.
Finally, one area not touched on is “coaching.” Don’t get me wrong,…I like JA and wish he had been dealt a better hand to work with. But I have to wonder how many of these poor fundementals, lack of teamwork, undisciplined play, and minimal effort/uninpsired play team issues fall at his feet. Perhaps, as Curt Fraser once noted, “there’s always an urgent leak in the pipes of fix.” That would lead me to look at DW’s tenure as coach as something that is also going to further delay the implementation of coach Anderson’s system.
Bloggers, what was the first sign to you that this franchise was going to struggle so for (at least) its first 10 years? For me, and I wish I’d recognized it at the time, was when Ted decided to name them the Thrashers.
Go Blue.
By glovesave29
December 29, 2008 9:49 PM | Link to this
The numbers don’t lie…this team is in trouble. But there are issues behind the numbers that are equall disturbing, because the heirarchy is in place to continue this nonsense.
I want to address the goaltending…we have three VERY distict styles of goalies - but without a true mentor at any level of the organization. Chicago has Wendell Young to coach - all 5’9” of him. Those who watched him in the day remember a guy who sat most of the time Pittsburgh was winning cups as Tom Barrasso’s back up. Then there’s Steve Weeks - another smaller goalie who didn’t use any particular style, just did whatever he could to keep the puck out (the poor guy got stuck in the net for the hapless Whalers).
Young has other duties within the organization which keep him from spending 100% of his time with the goalies. Weeks often runs drills for the Thrashers. He should be working at all times with the guys between the pipes.
Now look at NJ and Colorado. Both teams have VERY strong goalie coaches who impart their style on their goalie. Other than the dark pads, sometimes it’s tough to tell Clemenson from Brodeur (I know one is a rookie and the other a future HOFer…but follow me here) - they play the same style. They were drafted to fit the system. They were coached at all levels to fit the system. The goalie coach works them hard during practices. The defense knows exactly what to do at all times because each plays a similar game.
Sure there are examples where the opposite is true (Hasek and Osgood - but Detroit is sooo good they can adjust and no one else in their right mind would look to mimic Hasek the human pretzel) but think of some of the great tandems - Dryden/Laraque, Parent/Stephenson, Fuhr/Moog…even Bouchard/Myre here for the Flames - all played similar styles and could be plugged in as needed. Lehtonen, Moose and Pavalec all play such differing styles and have different strengths and weaknesses…makes it tough to play D in front of them - we have enough trouble adjusting to the differing styles of our opponent to have to worry about who’s in our net and how they play.
Again - it all goes back to the man at the top without a plan.
By Rawhide
December 29, 2008 9:54 PM | Link to this
Sage - Excellent analysis, Rawhide…This should be in the AJC…
Thanks…but, funny, I thougt this was the AJC…even if just on-line. :o)
sisu - Here is a question for you readers, what if you knew that the owners did not care about this team and allowed no spending what so ever no matter who the GM was/is do you feel that another GM would be willing to come here if DW was let go????
Yes. And I would bet you that any assistant GM in the NHL or GM in the AHL worth his salt would jump at a chance to give it a go in “The Bigs”.
HookyBob - Bloggers, what was the first sign to you that this franchise was going to struggle so for (at least) its first 10 years?
June 1998…when Don Waddell was named GM.
Sorry, you lobbed that softball up there and it just had to be smacked over the fence.
By sisu
December 29, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
I vote for Backstrom or Thomas if a goalie is to be brought in!
By Peter
December 29, 2008 10:07 PM | Link to this
Sisu - to answer your question as to why Weeks has not been replaced as the goaltending coach…he was a college teammate of the big DW, some small school in northern Michigan.
By glovesave29
December 29, 2008 10:17 PM | Link to this
Gotta give NMU at least a little credit for producing at least one positive for Atlanta hockey - Glads coach Jeff Pyle played with SW and DW.
Hockeydb.com is great!
By HookyBob
December 29, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
Rawhide: Yes,…you put it out of the park. Nice swing! Wink and I’ll put it down the middle again,…and again. But tell me,…was “Do-Wad” named GM before the franchsie was named the “Thrashers.” As an avid bird watcher I have been observing “double breasted mattress thrashers” for many years,….I knew the name didn’t bode well (or should have). * “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good. Oh,… Lord don’t let me be misunderstood.”*
Just today I was thinking about the political saying “timing is everything.” (I know this is an apolitical blog,…but there are soooo many parallels.) Anyway, it brought to mind how Do-Wad parlayed being assistant GM of the Wings in 97-98 into a cushy 10 year (or so!) run as GM of an NHL franchise.
Glovesave interesting points on differing goalie styles mixing up the team D. I guess Moose fits the “no-distinct style” of goaltender. What are your thoughts on him being goalie coach? Maybe we could use him in marketing? I just like the guy.
Give me some effort and give me some grit,…(and I can live with losses). Give me a Gordie Howe hat trick.
By B. Thenet
December 29, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
I think you are missing something on your assessment of the offense.
Yes, we have scored more goals. The main reason for that is the vastly improved scoring from our defensemen over last year.
However this is still a team that really struggles to put consistent pressure on the opposition in the offensive zone. We have p** poor puck possession, and we rarely drive the net or have bodies in front of the net.
The lack of puck possession leads to turnovers and odd man rushes.
The lack of puck possession by our forwards leads to the defensemen having to carry too much of the load offensively, which also leads to turnovers and odd man rushes.
Sure, team defense is part of the shots on goal against problem, but I think our forwards inability to keep sustained pressure in the offensive zone consistently is one of the main problems that haunts this team.
The goaltending has been weak as of late, but our goaltending has had to face many more quality chances against due to our offensive and defensive problems.
By stendec
December 30, 2008 12:04 AM | Link to this
you are al right sometimes but sometimes you stink
By Jim
December 30, 2008 8:28 AM | Link to this
Rawhide- I won’t go so far as complimenting you on the analysis because it shows only a one dimensional picture. You are correct, this team does not play “team defense”. Most of the forwards do not back check aggressively and run around more in the defensive end than any other team that I have ever seen. The majority of goals scored against us are not on off man rushes or from the point. They are mucked around the net. Why? The forwards Once the scrum starts in front of our net, I wince and then groan- another goal. I agree completely with Schultz’ earlier column, this team has no identity or strategy. We’re not known for team speed, defense, aggressive, toughness etc. We simply are a mish-mash of OK players around a couple of good ones- Kovy, Little, Kari. Most good teams use the third line to check the other team’s top line. Our third line couldn’t stop a good junior team. Williams, Perrin and Christensen should wear no-touch jerseys. And the so called “energy line” supplies very, very little. Slater can skate but couldn’t score with an open net. Boulton scores a pretty goal and all of a sudden thinks of himself as a skater. Crabb mucks it up OK. Stick a good sized defensive center like a Chris Gratton in with Armstrong and Colin Stuart on a third line and we’d have a chance to stop some of the better scoring lines. Right now, guys like Ovechkin and Malkin have to lick their chops when they think of the chances that they’re going to get right out front of our net. If we stick with this cast of irregulars, we are simply re-arranging the deck chairs on a rapidly sinking Titanic. Well, maybe not the Titanic, more like a row boat.
By Rockem Sockem Thrasher
December 30, 2008 8:54 AM | Link to this
I don’t believe that Coach Anderson is to blame for the poor season. The blame belongs to DW. He has assembled a poor team and shouldn’t be GM. Wasn’t he was going to be moved to another position at the beginning of the year?
The poor fundamentals are just a continuation from last year. We need to sit these players who aren’t producing and bring the younger guys. It seems like younger guys are playing much better than the veterans.
Bryan Little:18 goals, 12 assists and a +/- of +2 Kovy: 11 Goals, 24 assists and a +/- of -10
By truehockeyfan
December 30, 2008 8:58 AM | Link to this
Nice post rawhide. I want to know why do our goalies always freeze the puck. Many times they have the chance to start the offense by catching the puck and quickly giving it to a skater. But NO. they always freeze the puck and wait for the face-off. Come on guys lets think outside of the box and start the rush up the ice. This move would give us more puck possession and more scoring chances. Kari still acts like a little boy and shows that soft european heart.WE NEED A WIN.
By ranallo10 (in AT)
December 30, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this
Based on the ugly goals Hedberg has given up trying to “play” the puck, I’d advise against them doing anything but covering it. The team stands a better chance to win a faceoff in the defensive end than to clear the puck via the goalie’s stick.
I know it’s not easy to make a play as a goalie (with the padding, goalie stick, etc), but Atlanta goalies make it look REALLY hard.
By glovesave29
December 30, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
There are a few reasons - the NHL legislated against it a few seasons back after the lockout by adding those “no play” areas in the corner. So goalies must either play it from behind the net, or sprint out and get it before it crosses the goal line. Secondly, none of our goalies are particularly adept with their passing skills. It takes a lot of work to perfect…you need to over exaggerate pointing your elbow at the end of the stick straight up to over compensate for the lie of the stick being so severe. Third, they are reading not only how the play is developing, but the makeup of both teams. Perhaps they see a matchup they don’t like and want to get a change. Perhaps their D is tired. We coiuld be in the middle of a change. Our wingers may not be coming back far enough to hit with a solid pass. Give credit to the other teams too, it is not unlike football where the D is disguising a blitz. They may look passive, but attack the passing lanes once the goalie commits - and then you are in no-mans land…
By Alan
December 30, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this
I don’t believe that Coach Anderson is to blame for the poor season. The blame belongs to DW. He has assembled a poor team and shouldn’t be GM. Wasn’t he was going to be moved to another position at the beginning of the year?
Bingo. Anderson is certainly not at fault. We have hardly given hm a chance to succeed with this group of players we have now. And indeed, that is a fault of Waddell.
Waddell was going to be moved to a front office position, according to one of the owners at the end of the season, but that train got derailed. Another idea was to bring in “a hockey mind, like Scotty Bowman” to help, but obviously, that never materialized either.
I hope the ownership realizes that we fans haven’t exactly forgotten what was talked about in the STH town hall meeting last year.
The time has run out for Waddell in this organization. It’s time to put that one out to pasture.
By Rawhide
December 30, 2008 10:52 AM | Link to this
B. Thenet & Jim - You both make very valid points in your posts. Certainly the challenges that face this team arefar more than can be addressed in a 1,300 word blog.
We simply are a mish-mash of OK players around a couple of good ones- Kovy, Little, Kari - Jim, I agree with that observation.
The main reason for that is the vastly improved scoring from our defensemen over last year - Correct, B. Thenet…this is why I made sure to include Hainsey in the O-Fense segment.
O-Fense and D-fense are team functions and I try to look at them that way. The blueline does step up well and join the attack…as Anderson’s “system” dictates. However, the forwards still do not do their part helping in the D-zone as well as they should.
By Midfield
December 30, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this
Here’s my two cents. Anderson plays an offensive system with D-men pinching ahead whenever there’s a space to skate to. Unless everybody on the ice and even on the bench is in sync, the team is vulnerable to odd-man rushes against. This is exactly the story. The overall skill level is just not there to sustain the system in the NHL. Take Hainsey, for example. He does a lot of things well, but he seems to be simply unaware of what his partners are up to when he tries to make a defensive play. This is bad news for defense. Line changes are horrible. And did I mention that Waddell being a GM ruins the franchise’s reputation?
By Reggie Dunlop
December 30, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Hey Lehtonen! Lehtonen! Lehtonen! - Waddell sucks! Hey Lehtonen, he’s a lousy GM! I know, I know!
By Bob
December 30, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
The goaltending has been weak as of late, but our goaltending has had to face many more quality chances against due to our offensive and defensive problems
Bingo, the goalies stats are all similar due to the high number of quality chances they face. That’s a function of our weak defense (as it is every year).
The other quality tenders in the league don’t face the number of quality chances our guys do, much easier to stop 94 out of 100 shots from the point, than it is to constantly have traffic in front and face odd man rushes game long.
By R. Stroz
December 30, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
FIRE WADDELL
By Brendan
December 30, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
Stats or Russ … or Rawhide, can you total up the number of regular season goals the Thrashers have given up since Opening Night, of the Inaugural Season? I’m pretty sure that Atlanta has given up more than any other team in that span. (Minnesota and Columbus weren’t yet in the league, in 1999.) But I’d like to know … by HOW MANY MORE goals has Atlanta surrendered, compared to their next closest defensive sieve.
Off hand, Toronto is my next guess, for closest rival. But if the Islanders or Kings, I won’t be shocked. The Penguins were awful for quite a while, too. They might be high on the egregious list. Thanks!
By Reggie Dunlop
December 30, 2008 3:31 PM | Link to this
Brendan - Going in to tonight’s game, Atlanta has given up 2341 goals since coming in to the league.
GA stats compiled from wiki and ESPN. If you want comparisons on a per-team basis, I will have to do that when I have more time.
By 1PingOnly
December 30, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this
Great article Rawhide. one stat I would like to see implemented in the NHL is the number of times (not including when on PP) a team gains the opposing team’s blueline with possession of the puck and/or regains possession after a dump-in. On the defensive side of this stat the Thrashers would rank dead last or maybe second to last behind the Islanders. The Thrashers lack aggressiveness,conditioning,and skill(coaching issues) through the neutral zone, and lack size,strength on puck,and help from wingers (talent/coaching) when the puck is below the goal line. Whats the answer to the above problems and all other gripes? Lets start out with an Owner who is committed to the Thrashers and the Atlanta fans. We need a passionate Owner (ala Arthur Blank) and all the cards will fall in place.
By Brendan
December 30, 2008 5:14 PM | Link to this
Thanks Reggie.
Remember that great Peterboro Game in ‘68? I told Jackie St. Claire to watch his drinking! Remember, when his wife was gonna leave him? And you told him, he should get her back, even if he had to beg her. She was a dynamite broad! I’m sure you’d agree.
I saw Francine. She looks great, now. Ya know, one of these days, you’re actually going to have to get divorced. You could meet someone. She could meet someone. She’s movin’ out to the Long Island, you know? She’s opening up a little boutique/salon.
Lil is off the sauce, now. She’s really getting cleaned up. Tell Ned Braden, we’re gonna do it the ol’ fashion way. “Old time hockey.” We’re gonna play it “straight, this time.” No more gooning it up. “Eddie Shore.” We’re going out with class.
By Rawhide
December 30, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this
1PingOnly - Hunt for Red October…right?
I agree with you about “new owners”…unfortunately they aren’t like politicians that can voted out when they suck…and these owners suck bad! If we could vote ‘em out…Republicans, Democrats and Libertarians would all unite to give ‘em the boot.
But…we are stuck with them for now.
However, they could right a helluva lot of what ailes this team by doing the one thing they can do…replacing Waddell with someone else.
By Hockey Biltong
December 30, 2008 5:26 PM | Link to this
What he said!!! We need ownership that has a level of quality so high, that a dynamic GM wouldn’t hesitate to come here and sort things out.
The Braves had/have Scheurholz who danced the financial limbo under Time Warner. Look how they were bled slowly and painfully. Under Ted they grew and thrived. Owners make a huge difference.
The Spirit is a very thinning apparition with no real backbone of support to either of their teams. The Hawks lucked out with Bibby. Who is/are the Thrashers big heroes/ aquisitions from recent years?? There aren’t any. Nobody will come here till it becomes attractive to them.
That will change when a dynamic and knowledgeable owner takes the teams off the Spirits hands.
By sisu
December 30, 2008 11:27 PM | Link to this
ASG = cheap! That is the real story, last year they did not want to replace a coach since they would have had to pay for two at once but still raised ticket prices this year. I am really hoping that the ASG loses in February and then we will see what happens when the new owner cleans house from lousy ticket reps to GM’sh