Kozlov blames team's failures on coaching staff

As he and his teammates gathered for season-ending physicals, Slava Kozlov blamed the Thrashers’ failures this season on the coaching staff.

Kozlov pointed to a lack of preparation and poor system as reasons that a talented roster missed the playoffs. In particular, Kozlov faulted head coach John Anderson, although he did not mention him by name.

“To me, this was the best team in 11 years of the organization," Kozlov said on Sunday. "This franchise had the best players. Right now, they can not blame [Ilya] Kovalchuk or [Slava] Kozlov. They have to take responsibility, because I think ownership did everything right, signed good players, they have a good goalie, good defense -- but something is missing. I think we are missing from the coaching staff. Looks like they have fun, but unfortunately in the NHL you have to work. You have to prepare for every game.

"There are lots of good teams in the NHL and you think you are a good team if you see the roster. That doesn’t work in this league. You have to do homework and work hard. I think I can put a big question mark that they weren’t preparing.”

Kozlov, 37, is an unrestricted free agent on July 1. After eight seasons with the franchise, he likely played his final game for Atlanta last Saturday. The 18-year NHL veteran had an assist after he was a healthy scratch in 26 of the team’s final 31 games.

“I can’t say any bad words about this team or this organization,” Kozlov said. “It was like a big family here. … Like I said, it’s just between me and coach. I don’t want to say any bad thing about coach, but I don’t have any good thing to say.”

Anderson was not available to address Kozlov’s comments. After scratching Kozlov, snapping the player's franchise-record, consecutive games played streak at 251, Anderson said “Certainly I don't like to do it, but I have to do what I think is best for the hockey team at that certain time.”

Kozlov also blamed the offensive system and lack of in-game adjustments. The system failures were brought home, he said, while watching last week’s home game against New Jersey from Kovalchuk’s arena suite.

“This system, for two years they tell us it’s going to work but unfortunately everybody knows what we are going to do,” Kozlov said. “Our breakouts, we make two, three passes in our zone and we don’t beat anybody. ... New Jersey just waited in the neutral zone and we make two or three passes and make one mistake in neutral zone and boom, they counterattack us. I’m very positive [this group of players could win under a different system]. … We lost lots of games by one goal and I feel when it’s a tight game, like one-goal or tie game, you have to start playing two or three lines. Nothing against players like [Chris Thorburn], [Eric Boulton] or [Marty Reasoner], but to get the feel of the game you have to use your key players more.

"When it’s 5-1, you can play everybody but when it’s a tie game you can judge a good coach from the great coach. The great coach sees how the team is playing, who has to play right now, what do you need to change right now. Not after the game or before. I think we missed that part.”

Kozlov said he will become a free agent and hopes to play in the NHL next season. He has a list of five or six teams he's willing to join. If not, he will return to Russia and play in the KHL. Kozlov said he feels like he can play until age 40 with the same success he had during the 2008-09 season, when he had 76 points (26 goals, 50 assist). This season he had 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) while under the impression he was being fazed out.

“I felt pressure since training camp,” Kozlov said. “Coach told me he has pressure from upstairs. I talked to [GM] Don [Waddell]; he said he never talked to the coach. Somebody is lying. I don’t want to know what happened and who is lying. I feel like I don’t deserve to be treated like that."