Ice Man

By Brendan

January 18, 2009 12:46 AM | Link to this

Another excellent blog, Rawhide.

These two games, and the Devils game, don’t overshadow the other 35 or so games where this team revealed themselves to be who they are: a hodge podge of draft picks and bargain-barrel priced free agents, who don’t have an identity, and haven’t learned Coach Anderson’s system. At least not enough to be proficient at it.

Look folks, there’s absolutely no point to throwing this team under the bus after every loss, in a build year. Nor is it right to declare the team fixed and righted on the basis of a handful of recent games, and a waiver wire acquisition. I can’t stress enough … IT’S AN 82 GAME SCHEDULE.

And guess what? ALL BAD TEAMS win 5 games in-a-row, at some point. Some BAD TEAMS have TWO (2) 5 game winning streaks in the course of the 82 game season. What is disingenuous … is to claim that it’s not a developmental season, and that injuries to Bogosian and Lehtonen, and so forth, are the only reasons this team isn’t going to be playoff-bound.

By minksnopes

January 18, 2009 12:46 AM | Link to this

The highlight of the weekend is still the Blueland faithful raising the roof during Friday night’s comeback while the Thrash showed several sustained shifts of intense pressure on the Leafs, even without a goal. Philips can be a hockey building when our team shows that level of energy. Some of that against the Habs, please!!

By Alan

January 18, 2009 12:54 AM | Link to this

This is one close encounter (of the Thrashers kind) I never want to see end.

FIRE WADDELL and maybe we can convince these aliens to stay long-term — especially the one known as “Kovalchuk.”

By Thrashy Thrashy

January 18, 2009 12:54 AM | Link to this

Here’s your nickname for the Kovy-Peverley-Army line:

The AK-47 Line

If the line lasts for a while, maybe that nickname will stick.

(If someone already beat me to that, congrats.)

By Brendan

January 18, 2009 12:59 AM | Link to this

Hope you are watching the marquee matchup of the night, on Center Ice, San Jose vs. Detroit. It’s now 5-4, in favor of San Jose. And guess what? Patrick Marleau just scored to make it, 6-4, Sharks.

And guess who has a goal and an assist for San Jose? Give you a hint: This player leads all defensemen in goals scored. And Len Barrie and Oren Koules, Tampa Bay’s owners, said this player lacked conditioning and work ethic. So they traded him to San Jose. Answer: Dan Boyle.

By the way, Hossa has a goal for Detroit.

By Thrashers27

January 18, 2009 1:47 AM | Link to this

Thrashy, that’s a great nickname for that line.

I have to admit I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t admit that a good win streak would be the ultimate losers way of blowing their advantage in the race for position in the draft sweeps…

I’m sorry, but you guys have shown me nothing to the contrary this season.

Please prove me wrong!!!

By Stevo

January 18, 2009 2:43 AM | Link to this

Congrats to Zach Bogosian…the first points of what I hope are many in a very long career in the NHL. Go Thrashers! FIRE WADDELL PEVERLEY may have been a good pickup after all.

By Stevo

January 18, 2009 2:54 AM | Link to this

Oh by the way, can’t help but think of a quote. “We won yesterday. If win one today that’s two in a row, and if we win one tomorrow thats called a winning streak. It has happened before!”

By Sharon

January 18, 2009 3:20 AM | Link to this

Well, if Peverley keeps this up I may have to eat crow. We’ll see, but I’d totally welcome that (haha).

Fire Waddell

By Smitty

January 18, 2009 7:15 AM | Link to this

Big test this week against Canadiens and Flyers. We shall see. Rumor mill from Toronto Sun has Schneider going to Sabres for Afinegenov

By truehockeyfan

January 18, 2009 8:31 AM | Link to this

Congrats to the team. Nobody wants to lose and everybody hates absolutely hates to lose. So kudas to the team. Keep it up Thrashers. Winning is much more enjoyable than losing. About the nickname I have two suggestions, the KAP line or the PAK MEN line. sure is nice to watch this team play like a team within a system that will work when all is on the same page.

By thrashyou

January 18, 2009 8:48 AM | Link to this

I vote AK-47

By LAC

January 18, 2009 8:54 AM | Link to this

I was stunned last night by the uncanny preformance of Atlanta.

I have watched hockey all my life and played too, but this team is the biggest mystery I have ever seen. There have been games, first Toronto game here, last TB game the Philly debacle, where you just wonder, what is the problem. Like period one friday night Horrible…

Then you see the last Ottawa road game, and these last two games… Just wonder why a team can play so poorly,then make a complete 180* and play like they have the last five periods, complete hockey games. Really amazing, I just hope tuesday night does not produce a stinker… But complete as it gets last night… I think there were 300-400 Atlanta fans in Nashville… Wish they were in our division.

Lastly the fans are ripping Nashville this morning in The Tennessean, they had a closed door meeting etc… and were BOOED off the ice it read… Looked a lot like the ajc blogs here inthe recent past !

By Sara

January 18, 2009 9:09 AM | Link to this

Brendan perhaps the difference is that it took half-way through this season to get Kovy his compliment at center? 14 one-goal losses on the season…it isn’t hard to imagine we could have won at least half of those if we had the kind of production then we’ve seen the last two games out of our top line. That extra fourteen points would have this team sitting in 8th place in the East right now. That also doesn’t even begin to address intangibles like how much better the team might have played in general had they been winning more often.

I absolutely agree that two games doesn’t guarantee anything any more than the five-game winning streak did. We’ll have to see how it plays out in actuality over the next month of games or so to see if this is going to stick. But I see no reason not to have at least “cautious optimism” at this point. I mean as fans, don’t we want to see our team improve?

You are correct that it wouldn’t be fair to beat up the team after every loss in a “build year” but I think it also would not be fair to complain if they get it together and start winning games more consistently. Even in a “build year” at some point in a season things should start clicking on some level. The system should kick in, lines should get settled, inexperienced players become more experienced. While it may be the objective of some fans to see this team tank all season, land the number one overall pick, and get the GM fired in the process, that is not the objective of the 20+ players on the ice or the coaches behind the bench. They aren’t going to cooperate as it were, not if they can help it.

And Thrashy I LOVE that line name!

By Sara

January 18, 2009 9:22 AM | Link to this

BTW, it occurs to me, in the interest of fairness, that we need some kind of name for the third line. Poor fellas have been left out. We’ve got the Greek Gods, Little White Russian, and now, potentialy, AK-47 line. So what do we do with Reasoner, Perrin, and Crusher (and or Crabb if he ever gets back into the line-up).

Speaking of getting back into the line-up, can we hold XLB out injured indefinitely? I don’t know about the rest of you folks, but I don’t particularly want to see Bogosian or Valabik displaced for X…I’m still wondering if Oyster is going to get more ice time this season. Perhaps if we trade a d-man later ~ though I hate to lose Schneider at this point, from a Bogosian-development standpoint.

By Tomas64

January 18, 2009 9:27 AM | Link to this

How about PAK ATTACK for the line name?

By Hockey Biltong

January 18, 2009 9:31 AM | Link to this

AK-47 is strong and virile, but with perhaps, too much of a bloody overtone. You can go and nuke the baby seals into submission all you want in private, but who would use that name on tv or radio???

By GTthrashfan

January 18, 2009 10:30 AM | Link to this

Hockey Biltong I think you’re wrong about using that name on air. Have you never heard of Anrei Kirilenko of the Utah Jazz? Wears #47 on purpose so I’ve seen him called AK-47 on TNT and ESPN plenty. Do you really want to have it thought that the NHL was more squeamish about anything than the NBA?

Thrashy I’m definitely voting AK-47 too.

By Russian

January 18, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

to Thrashy Thrashy AK-47 is Great CALL. I love it. Good point. Kalashnikov was great Russian gun maker. I used this gun in Russian Army. It never let me down. I hope AK-47 line will continue play and work like my old gun. Let’s go Thrasher. By way, Please Fire DON WADDELL

By kracker

January 18, 2009 11:57 AM | Link to this

Reasoner, Perrin, and Crusher…the Heart Atack line (CPR)

By kracker

January 18, 2009 12:03 PM | Link to this

I can’t spell, sorry. Attack.

AK47 may be to much for some people but I like it. Hockey it a tough game and goal scorers kill the other team. But for those that don’t like AK47, we should consider other names for a while.

By DWTOO

January 18, 2009 12:05 PM | Link to this

Was listening to the first period on XM on the way home from the Cowpens NB last night. It was the Nashville feed and their announcers were about dumbfounded and sputtering over the Atlanta performance in the first period. Made listening to them all the better. One thing tho’ - their radio team has three people. Why can’t we get more than a sub to work with Kamal?

Another fine performance by the aliens who have hijacked the Thrash. Can we keep them a little longer?

And it was good meeting Pucksdeep, Alex and Rawhide at the post game show friday. Think the regulars on this blog would meet up for viewing parties now and then. Might be a good thing to start again.

And now a short plug for another hobby of mine. I do some Revolutionary War re-enacting. Yesterday, the National Park Service had a program at the Cowpens battlefield commenorating the 228th anniversary of the battle. There were re-enactors portraying soldiers and cavalry men, men abd women dressed in clothing of the era,a camp set up, a ceremony honoring the Patriots, even Lord Cornwallis showed up. If you don’t know what I’m talking about you need to brush up on your history. The Batlle of the Cowpens was one of the turning points of the Revolution and led to the victory at Yorktown. NPS does thi every year and it’s worth the 2.5 hour drive to experience some living history practically in your back yard.

And the AK-47 line is it!

By five_hole

January 18, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this

Thrashy I think we’ve reached a concensus on AK-47. Well done.

As for the aliens … what planet are they from; Krypton? They seem to have “powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men”.

And I hate to be the “Debbie Downer” but Peverley’s still only played 3 games with us, and we’re still in 14th place in the east with 37 points; 12 points out of a playoff spot. We’re a lot closer to winning Tavares than the playoffs. There are some very good teams like Pittsburgh and Carolina ahead of us who are (as of now) not in a playoff spot. Having said that, there’s still 35 games left, and hopefully we can “lay the smackdown” on some of the teams ahead of us.

I wanna see what we can do against the Habs Tuesday and especially Philadelphia (mentally imagine Jerry Seinfeld, except instead of saying “Newman”, insert “Nittymaki”).

By R. Stroz

January 18, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this

The judge will not rule on who, by name, will own the teams. But after the buyout process is resolved and the legal feuding ceases, the fate of the Thrashers eventually may hang in the balance. Unlike the Hawks, the Thrashers are not tied to a 30-year bond payment-agreement for Philips Arena and could be moved.

The aforementioned quote is from the ajc article in today’s business section.

Sara appears to be correct concerningthis matter.

So, has Thrashers management been lying about the lease situation all along, or were they just truely ignorant concerning the matter?

I’ve heard Waddell in several town hall meetings say the Thrashers are going no where due to the lease, more Waddell lies?

By Midfield

January 18, 2009 12:26 PM | Link to this

Anybody can fill me in on a double penalty called at the end of the game that set up Nashville’s 5 on 3 goal? Anderson was obviously not too happy with the call.

By five_hole

January 18, 2009 12:28 PM | Link to this

R. Stroz I’m shocked. Shocked I say, that you would intimate that Waddell lied to us. Round up the usual suspects.

By Brendan

January 18, 2009 1:53 PM | Link to this

Sara, I’ve thought about that, too. More specifically, what if we’d won all out overtime and shootout games? What if our goal post hits had gone in? Couldn’t we be a little bit better off than we are? Shrugs. In the end, it is what it is. And it was fair to all teams.

This organization did not attempt to acquire Rich Peverley in the offseason. And what would it have cost them, if they had? Some EXORBITANT price? A slew of high-end draft picks? Jim Slater, as the roster player headed the other way? I don’t know. But if Peverley is a ‘fortunate accident,’ I welcome that piece of serendipity. Let’s get him re-signed, if Kovalchuk says so.

If ‘ifs and buts were candy and nuts’ … every day would be Christmas. Look at Carolina, Sara. Seriously. Look at them. Can we say, with certainty, that someone won’t be getting fired in Raleigh if the Hurricanes miss the playoffs for the third-straight year since winning the Cup? The ‘Canes last few games haven’t been impressive. This is a Carolina team that was picked, from training camp, to win the Southeast division, or be neck-n-neck with the Capitals. They drafted Andrew Ladd 4th overall in 2004. They traded him away. Did “okay” in that trade. They traded away Jack Johnson, 3rd overall in 2005, for Gleason and Belanger, throwing in Oleg Tverdovsky as sweetener. They traded Erik Cole to Edmonton for Joni Pitkanen. Their free agent signings were Chad LaRose and Josef Melichar?? Crazy as it sounds, could Jim Rutherford get the big “pink slip” at the end of the season? My first thought is, “no.” But, GM’s have been fired for FAR LESS. And there’s no doubt in my mind … that I’d rather have Rutherford than Waddell, if JR becomes available. I’d add that Rutherford isn’t exactly UNFAMILIAR with the teams of the Southeast Division. And he’d come in with an ax to grind against Carolina. Fine by me!!!

Speculation is fun, isn’t it? Don’t put any stock in it. Even if Rutherford were to be fired, what says he would even think of coming here?

By kracker

January 18, 2009 2:24 PM | Link to this

Midfield The second penalty is listed as “Abuse of officials - bench.” They were complaining about the holding call on Slater. Their complaints throughout the game were valid.

By Sara

January 18, 2009 2:25 PM | Link to this

Brendan I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said. But I think there is a general consensus agreement that our off-season FA signings was taking what we could get - as in whoever would be willing to sign with ATL. Hence Hainsey instead of Campbell and Williams instead of Rolston. Personally I think we are much better off with Hainsey than Campbell, particularly from a financial standpoint. The Pevs Dispenser likely wasn’t even available - notice Nashville wasn’t exactly pleased he got plucked off of waivers. Same story different verse - you can’t trade for what other teams aren’t willing to give up. At times it will take patience waiting for the right situation. I’ll take it though, in this case.

Stroz I’ll tell you what else got cleared up in that article - the remaining Six Yahoos can’t afford their toys anymore and now the reason why is pretty clearcut. Aside from Seydel’s revelation during the TW/McDavid case, it’s now been verified that Belkin is not contributing a dime to funding these teams anymore. Think about that for a moment. He alone has a 30% stake in the team - that’s 30% of contributions in a capital call that ain’t coming. 30% of what could have been contributed to our payroll budget that’s now gone with the wind (DWTOO has me all nostalgic).

Let’s face it - without Belkin’s money, these yahoos cannot afford to maintain both of these teams. So even when the lawsuit is settled, one of two things is going to have to happen. Either they have to find another partner with significant capital (good luck with that - what businessman in their right mind would partner up with these jokers?) or they are going to have to sell off a component - and we know what component that would be. The only thing we can pray for is a buyer willing to keep the team in ATL - which could be forced by either Spirit’s refusal to sell to anyone planning on a relocation (and that is in their best interests given their control of the arena) and/or the NHL and Bettman not allowing a buyer to purchase the team if they intend to move it.

There is one other issue I wonder about though and wish we could get clarified. Not only had the Thrashers been linked to the lease agreement, but they had also been linked to the naming rights agreement with Philips - that’s supposed to be based on having two professional sports franchises in that arena. I wonder if that is also a fallacy and even if it isn’t, it’s possible Philips would only have to be refunded a portion of the money at an amount that still makes the sell-off worthwhile.

These financial issues need to be resolved and with a quickness. I was looking over the roster and payroll at nhlnumbers.com earlier and we are in big, big trouble in two seasons if something doesn’t give. We’ve got RFA contracts coming up left and right in the next two off-seasons, plus the issue of Kovalchuk and even Peverley. He isn’t going to stay cheap if he works out as the top line center and keeps putting up points like this. Army is up for a new contract after this season, and he should get a nice bump from his current $1.2M contract. Bottomline, there’s going to need to be more salary available for this team or we’re going to start losing valuable pieces at a rate even Ken Holland couldn’t replace quickly enough via drafting.

By Ilya's Dad

January 18, 2009 3:00 PM | Link to this

AK-47. I like it.

By Rawhide

January 18, 2009 3:06 PM | Link to this

Thrashy Thrash - Looks like your AK-47 suggestion has some legs to it.

The fine people over on the Thrashers Message Boards have picked up on it and seem to agree that’s a winner!

Unless there are any major objections…I’m going make an executive descision here and make the call to confirm this line name. This way, Trixie won’t even have to deal with this matter and can focus her attention on more pressing issues for me.

Kracker - CPR…the Heart Attack line. Brilliant!

DWTOO - My pleasure, I assure you! And thanks for sharing that with us, indeed!

By Jay

January 18, 2009 3:27 PM | Link to this

Rawhide -

Great Blog! (Long time reader, first time poster) And the line that is simply PURE GOLD is this one: “Atlanta became the “predators” in this game as they attacked Nashville all night and left hardly a shred of meat on the bony-remains of the mutated carrion that was left on the ice.”

It’s great to see the boys on a 2-game streak as we all have suffered with them throughout the season. As Brendan says though, this is just par for the course for a rebuilding team. I have hope, a small ray of sunshine deep within my chest, that we can pull out a miracle and sneak into the #8 spot … But I am enough of a realist to figure out that the likelihood of that is significantly against us.

I did find an interesting factoid about the Pevs Dispenser (Peverly) yesterday while researching him on the Nashville Predators website: They locked him up for a 2-year contract back on July 25th, so we do have him for (at least) the duration of Ilya’s existing contract, and at a very reasonable price.

Good stuff - and keep up the good work!

By Bob (other)

January 18, 2009 3:29 PM | Link to this

No need to concern regarding whether the Thrashers are tied to the lease. What has been communicated is that the Sponsorship (naming rights, corporate,etc) are tied to Two Franchises. That’s a lot of money, over $30M annually.The arena lease and sponsorship agreements all all separate.

By Rawhide

January 18, 2009 3:39 PM | Link to this

Jay - Thank you and welcome to you. Please stick your nose into the frey more often!

In regards to the Pevs Dispensor, that’s the way I understand it as well. We have him through next yer.

And so far so good for him, eh? True, it’s only 3 games…but there has been an instant return for a very small investment. Great pick up.

By Brendan

January 18, 2009 4:29 PM | Link to this

Sara, you’re exactly right. And that (RFA contracts coming due, over next two seasons) has been on my mind. I’ve been discussing this very topic with Rawhide.

I’m no GM, and have NO IDEA what Waddell, or whomever is put in charge, will do. But at a minimum, we’ve got five (5) players who simply must be re-signed. For the record, these guys are all “eligible” for RFA contracts this season. Wait, let’s start with the ACTUAL RFA’s: Slater, Christensen, Armstrong, Thorburn, Joey Crabb, Boris Valabik, Nathan Oystrick, and Kari Lehtonen. What about the “eligible to receive, ONE YEAR AHEAD of SCHEDULE” RFAs? If it helps any, think the Toby Enstrom contract last summer. Those players include: Ondrej Pavelec, Brett Sterling, and Bryan Little. I’ll tell you RIGHT NOW, if Don Waddell doesn’t make Bryan Little’s PROACTIVE CONTRACT an EARLY JULY 2009 PRIORITY … he is FAILING in his duties and responsibilities as a GM. Period, the end. It’s ONE THING if Little and Pavelec say, “Sorry, I’m not amenable to contract negotiations until 2010.” That’s their right. But it doesn’t ABSOLVE Don Waddell from approaching their agents and submitting an offer. The price will only go ONE WAY: UP!!! Way UP!! Translation: Bad, for a cash-strapped organization.

Ya think the GM position isn’t important? Think capable ownership isn’t important? They’ve got to jump all over this, as soon as they can. That can’t and won’t be until July 1, 2009, as it relates to Little and Pavelec. Sterling, for that matter, too. Nothing prevents Waddell from approaching pending RFA’s right now, however. For that matter, pending UFA’s. But I suspect most, if not ALL our pending UFA’s will be dealt at the trade deadline.

Who are they?, you ask. Jason Williams, Marty Reasoner, Eric Perrin, Mike Hoffman, Matthieu Schneider and Nic Havelid. If Waddell has ANY INTENTIONS, WHATSOEVER of re-signing them, he’d be busy doing that RIGHT NOW. Now look, it DOESN’T PRECLUDE Waddell from approaching this guys any point after season’s end and before July 1, 2009. For that matter, he can toss his hat in the ring to re-sign those pending UFA’s, just like any other team, after July 1, 2009, also. But Waddell loses his exclusivie negotiating rights with those players on July 1, 2009.

Brendan, I’ve heard this July 1, 2009 date bandied about with some frequency on this blog. Why is that? Answer: That’s the date when Ilya Kovalchuk first becomes eligible to re-sign with Atlanta. If Kovalchuk is not re-signed by the end of July, it’ll start to become a DISTRACTION, Hossa-style. But I tell you this, Waddell will feel out the Kovalchuk camp PRIOR to the June Draft. Why? No one, NOT EVEN DON WADDELL, knows what kind of offers he might get on the morning of the draft for Kovalchuk. If DW gets an offer that is so AMAZING, so INCREDIBLE, so IMPOSSIBLY IRRESISTIBLE for Kovalchuk … Waddell has to at least have some indication about whether Kovalchuk will re-sign with the Thrashers. If Kovy’s camp says, “thumps up, we’re just talking dollars and cents now,” he’ll decline any morning of the draft offers. If the indications out of Kovy’s camp are, “Ya know, we’re not looking to do a contract on July 1, 2009; we want to wait.” Well, that’s another ball game. And if Waddell doesn’t think he can re-sign Kovalchuk, he might just trade #17 that morning, on draft day. I’m sure, against his will. I’m something close to 100% positive that Waddell’s intentions are to re-sign Kovalchuk, not trade him. But what can he do? If Kovy won’t re-sign, Waddell’s options get far worse, much quicker. He can always hang on to him until the 2010 trade deadline. That’s an option, too.

By ranallo10 (in AT)

January 18, 2009 4:49 PM | Link to this

Or perhaps the ASG simply told him the team was tied to the lease, unknowing themselves of the intricacies (I wouldn’t put that level of ineptness past them).

OR, perhaps the newspaper article is wrong.

By DWTOO

January 18, 2009 5:16 PM | Link to this

I was thinking the same thing - what if the newwspaper writer has their facts wrong. Wouldn’t be the first time, or the last.

Sometimes I think of Chicken Little every time the franchise move is mentioned. Outside of the blogs and Canadian media - nothing.

By sisu

January 18, 2009 8:28 PM | Link to this

One thing I would like to say is how about Army’s play of late? I know he is not as noticeable as Kovy or even Pevs but a great fit for this line:)

By Christy

January 18, 2009 9:04 PM | Link to this

Sisu,

you’re not the only one to notice on Army. I was sitting their nodding my head as Darren E. was saying that it seems like Armstrong was “meant” for this line, the way he fits with Kovy and Peverly.

First time all season that his line “makes sense” to me…

By Muttonsourdough

January 18, 2009 10:02 PM | Link to this

I like AK47 pretty damn well too, but my brother suggested “The Pevalchuk Army” has a nice ring to it, and Im not entirely sure which I like better. Just thought Id throw Pevalchuk Army out there for consideration.

By Thrashy Thrashy

January 18, 2009 10:18 PM | Link to this

Damn, I forgot I posted that last night…hahahaha.

Glad to see the board likes it. The main thing is that I hope the line sticks. The AK-47 needs to be consistently good (like Russian’s dear old AK) for this team to really threaten the opposition.

By Giles Lobotomy

January 19, 2009 8:51 AM | Link to this

I think it’s a pretty sure thing that the team is gonna move once the ASG lawsuit is finally resolved.

The only question is: where?

By Sara

January 19, 2009 9:03 AM | Link to this

Brendan I’ll tell ya what else concerns me greatly, and that’s the looming possibility of offer sheets to our RFAs. With a payroll at the bottom of the League, the message has been sent loud and clear that there are financial difficulties here. If we all know it, the rest of the League surely does as well. That’s going to make some of our young players look awfully tempting since it might not even take an offer sheet of Thomas Vanek proportions to steal one away. Think Pittsburgh wouldn’t like to get Army back? Think Bryan Little might look awfully appealing? How about Bogosian?

If nothing else, an offer sheet could force the GMs hands here in a bad fashion. Waddell would be reluctant to let Little go certainly - but what if he has to pay him $5M to match an offer sheet when he only intended to pay him $3M or $3.5M? That’s an entire salary for a supplemental player, or perhaps the crucial difference between what we’re offering an FA versus what another club is offering the same FA.

The whole thing spells bad news, and 29 other GMs have to smell blood in the water at this point.

By Bob

January 19, 2009 9:12 AM | Link to this

I’ve heard Waddell in several town hall meetings say the Thrashers are going no where due to the lease, more Waddell lies?

Nope, Bob (other) actually finally got something right (broken clock and all that). The Thrashers and Hawks are part of the Philips naming rights on the arena, I’ve heard it’s $20m per year. No way the Thrashers are sold to someone that moves them, no way.

This is actually good news. I would guess that the Spirit boys may want to sell the Thrashers after the court case is settled, in order to raise the funds to pay off Belkin (no way they get private financing to bankroll the deal in this environment). So, my best case scenario is that the club gets sold to a single owner who ditches Waddell, keeps the club here, and gets us a real GM who can get this thing headed in the right direction. Thrashers fans everywhere rejoice. The End.

By Sara

January 19, 2009 9:18 AM | Link to this

I meant to add to that post that it makes it all the more critical for Waddell to lock up some of these kids early. Don can’t control the budget - he can’t make the owners cough up more money either up front or to counter an offer sheet. If it gets to that point, it’s beyond his control - plus we’re likely screwed. So he must do something about it while it is still in his control. I’d lock up Army ASAP - perhaps Boris as well. The All-Star break is coming which might provide Don a good opportunity to address this issue.

By Alan

January 19, 2009 10:03 AM | Link to this

“So, my best case scenario is that the club gets sold to a single owner who ditches Waddell, keeps the club here, and gets us a real GM who can get this thing headed in the right direction. Thrashers fans everywhere rejoice. The End.”

I’m all for it!

Even if the Spirit boys hang on to the team, I’m pretty sure Waddell’s tenure here is over once the ruling comes in.

By Hockey Biltong

January 19, 2009 11:08 AM | Link to this

Ok, I’m in for Ak-47. Not the most accurate gun, but quite reliable. Distinctive firing sound, distributed globally. Some bars in Amsterdam carry a product with that name as well.

By dhj_1962

January 19, 2009 11:26 AM | Link to this

its good to be a Thrasher, for now. Where is stend#ck?? is Pevs a rfa after this year?

By Alan

January 19, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this

Pavelec is a RFA after the 2009-2010 season.

By dhj_1962

January 19, 2009 1:09 PM | Link to this

PEVS, AS IN PEVERLY, NOT PAVS, WHO CARES ABOUT THAT BUM