Journal-Constitution Thrashers beat writer Craig Custance had an exclusive interview with Atlanta Spirit co-owner Bruce Levenson on the direction of the struggling franchise.

Q. What has Don Waddell done during his nearly 10 years as general manager to justify his return?

A. I can only speak for the three seasons I've worked with Don.

Q. Don't you have to look at the entire picture of his tenure when evaluating his success?

A. Yes and no. I wasn't here for that period. I don't know how much previous ownership tied or didn't tie his hands. ... I worked side-by-side with him with the discussions with Marian [Hossa] and his agent and saw the impressive job he did to get, I think, the best possible outcome once it was apparent we were not going to sign Marian.

Q. Isn't the bigger issue the fact that Marian didn't like what he saw about the future of the organization and chose not to return?

A. I don't think that's an accurate statement. It was more complicated than that. To say Marian didn't want to be here is a gross simplification of what happened.

Q. Aren't all the big choices this franchise faces — rebuilding the roster, hiring a coach, crucial draft picks — aren't they a direct result of mistakes made by Don Waddell? Why should he be the one to fix it?

A. Most every team has draft picks. Most every team has some free agency plans and we have the added critical decision of hiring the coach. We need to get that done before the draft and free agency, we think it's important to get that done. We have a very busy few months. It was [Waddell]'s decision to let Bob Hartley go, but very few coaches are forever. ... I think like any organization, or like any executive, mistakes have been made and really good decisions have also been made. I think that this franchise is moving in the right direction. ... I don't think it's any secret we were disappointed in some of our veterans this year. Had they performed at the level they performed at last year, you and I would have a different conversation right now.

Q. But Don Waddell signed them and then he coached them. Isn't he accountable for them?

A. I think it's easy to point a finger and say this is the source of all the problems. It's always much more complicated than that. It would be foolish and short-sighted to tear it down. Ultimately a player is responsible for his performance. These are professional athletes; they're paid a lot of money. They as well as coaches and the general manager ought to be held accountable.

Q. Did Brad McCrimmon turn down the head-coaching job because it wasn't offered beyond this season?

A. I think there's a broader question there that goes beyond Brad. Did it make sense for Don to coach the season? ... I know the mistakes that were made, everything kind of follows from a mistake that I'll be the first to take credit for and a mistake I'll never make again.

Q. Which was?

A. We made the decision to change coaches, we were 0-6 and lost many of those games badly, we made the decision to change coaches. At that moment the idea was Don would step in and coach a few games and we would find someone else. We then enjoyed unbelievable success, I think we were 11-4 in the next 15 games, at that point Don said 'Let's put this search on hold, I don't want to make yet another change; we're going really well.' I went along with that. My partners and I went along with that. ...That was the big mistake. Everything else that happened after that really flowed from that bad decision.

Q. So why isn't Brad McCrimmon the head coach?

A. That one I really think you need to talk to Don and Brad about. I'm not sure, to be honest with you. I know I think very highly of Brad. I know that we had some discussions with Brad, then we found ourselves with very few games left in the season. I honestly don't know what sort of discussions or conclusions that they made around Brad and his role with the team. I know we got to a point where Don said 'We only have 25 games. It's too late in the season to make a change.'

Q. If you're retaining Waddell, is there the possibility of other organizational changes?

A. One thing we talked about and I'm going to bring it up again. We talked about bringing in a Scotty Bowman-type, sort of senior hockey guy. That's something that I know other organizations do, the last I checked, Scotty was doing that in Detroit. That's something I will bring up with Don at the appropriate time. It would be a sounding board for Don and Larry [Simmons] and the scouts — someone who has a history and depth of contacts around the league.

Q. The perception around the league is that Marian didn't want to stay in Atlanta, will that hurt the recruitment of free agents?

A. Absolutely not. We've had success in the past. We will, we've already begun to have conversations about some of the potential free agents we'll target. We have terrific guys on the team when it comes time to begin courting free agents who we'll be able to utilize. I think we know how to target and go out and get free agents.

Q. But Don's track record signing the right free agents isn't particularly good.

A. Like any GM, I think you can look at every move they've made, you can focus on the ones who have worked or haven't worked. I think we know how to sign free agent. Does every free agent work out? Gosh no, if they did the Rangers would win the Stanley Cup every year.

Q. Right, so that means you have to develop your own talent, which also hasn't happened with the Thrashers.

A. Is that an editorial statement? I'm not sure I agree. We're a young organization, I think it takes time for an organization to form. ... Do we have the history, the depth, the broad reach that a Detroit has? No. But that's a great model.