AJC > Sports Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > February > 02
Monday, February 2, 2009
There Is No “D” In Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve discussed the problems regarding the Atlanta Thrashers’ defensive play quite a bit over the past several days. Of course, when the team goes two consecutive games giving up 20 and 21 shots on goal in the first periods of play, and allows a total of 40 SOGs like they did in Carolina Saturday, that sort of drives the conversation in that direction.
But the truth of the matter, as so many of us who have followed this team throughout the years already know, is that poor defense has accompanied this team since day one.
Let’s review the historical data and compare this year’s version of the Atlanta Thrashers with those of the past, shall we?
1999-’00:
3.82 GA/G, (28th)* …31.0 SA/G, (27th)* … 80.3% PK, (24th)*.
2000-’01:
3.52 GA/G, (29th)… 32.4 SA/G, (30th)… 77.9% PK, (30th).
2001-’02:
3.51 GA/G, (30th)… 35.5 SA/G, (30th)… 81.8% PK, (25th).
2002-’03:
3.46 GA/G, (30th)… 31.6 SA/G, (27th)… 81.6% PK, (25th).
2003-’04:
2.96 GA/G, (25th)… 29.4 SA/G, (23rd)… 85.1% PK, (T-8th).
2005-’06:
3.26 GA/G, (24th)… 30.3 SA/G, (18th)… 72.2% PK, (T-25th).
2006-’07:
2.94 GA/G, (15th)… 31.5 SA/G, (25th)… 79.8% PK, (26th).
2007-‘08:
3.24 GA/G, (T-30th)… 33.9 SA/G, (30th)… 78.8% PK, (27th).
2008-’09, (to date):
3.55 GA/G, (30th)… 32.5 SA/G, (27th)…75.4% PK, (29th).
*Only 28 teams in NHL in the 1999-’00 season.
As you can see…the Thrashers defense has been historically un-good. Even more troubling to me is the fact that the most recent two years resembles too closely the first few seasons.
Also…
Outside of 2003-‘04’s PK%, not once has the Thrashers crack the top half of the league in any of these team defensive rankings.
Of the nine seasons, 5 times the Thrashers have had the league’s worst GA/G stat, one other time it was second worst. True, three of those times came in the team’s initial four seasons…but two have come in their most recent seasons, this year included.
Only twice have they allowed fewer than 3 goals per game and the “high water mark” was the 2006-’07 season in which the 2.94 GA/G was 15th best in the NHL.
Only once has Atlanta had a season’s SA/G stat below 30, (2003-’04), and the best ranking in this area was 18th in 2005-’06 when they allowed 30.3 SA/G. Three times they have been dead last in the shots-against stat…one other time they were second to last…eight of nine seasons the Thrashers have ranked 23rd or lower.
During the 2003-’04 season, Atlanta had the 8th most effective penalty kill when they were successful 85.1% of the time. Outside of that, 24th has been the highest ranking that they have managed here, and they accomplished that in their inaugural season.
Now, has there ever been a time the team ever showed progress in their defense? Well, actually…yes there was.
After icing the league’s worst defense in 3 of the first 4 seasons of play, Atlanta then began to show some improvement from the blueline. In 2003-’04, the fifth season, the Thrashers had the 25th ranked defense when it came to goals scored. Year six, 2005-’06, they were 24th best and in year seven, 2006-’07…the playoff year, their ranking was 15th.
After the 2001-’02 season, in which their 25.5 SA/G stat was at the bottom of the league, the Thrashers then iced the 27th ranked defense in regards to shots against the next year. In 2003-’04 it improved to 23rd, then 18th in 2005-’06.
So, as you can see, there has indeed been a time in this team’s history when actual, real-life measurable progress could be seen from the defensive corps of the Atlanta Thrashers, (2003-2007).
These years were also known as the Bob Hartley era. You know, a lot of us said back on October 17, 2007 that the wrong guy was fired that day. Just sayin’…
Since that time, the defense has turned in quite the opposite direction. Atlanta has finished last year with the highest GA/G stat, the highest SA/G stat and the 4th to worst PK.
They are following up that performance with the worst GA/G stat yet again so far this season, (0.31 GA/G higher than last year)…the 4th highest SA/G stat, and a penalty kill that has dropped to second worst, (from 78.8% to 75.4%).
Players have come and gone… coaches have come and gone… over the past decade of Atlanta Thrashers’ hockey. But there is one thing that seams to have made Atlanta home throughout… below par defensive play.
And I’m trying to remember…what else has been a constant with this organ-I-zation since day one?
Hmmmm…?
