The Thrashers completed the first half of their season faster than any team in the NHL, playing as many as six more games than some clubs. Already one game into the second half, they have 48 points (21-15-6), good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, after 42 games. Last season, the Thrashers needed 47 games to record that many points.
The second half of the season will not be as hectic. After playing 41 games in the first 85 days, the Thrashers will play the final 41 games in 100 days.
Here is a look back at the first half.
Biggest Surprise: The switch of Dustin Byfuglien back to defense drew national attention and some criticism. He or goaltender Ondrej Pavelec could be the team's first-half MVP. Byfuglien leads the Thrashers and all NHL defensemen in goals (16) and points (41). He has six game-winning goals, tied for the most in the league, with three coming in overtime.
Byfuglien has been aided by defensive partner Tobias Enstrom, who is tied for the league lead in assists by a defenseman (27) and third in points (34).
Biggest Surprise II: The Thrashers have outplayed perennial power Washington through five of six meetings this season. It started right away. The Thrashers, with a new management structure, new coaching staff and host of new players, defeated the Capitals 4-2 on opening night. They are 3-1-1 against the division rivals, earning seven of a possible 10 points.
Pavelectric: The season could not have started in a more ominous way when Pavelec lost consciousness and collapsed 2:25 into the season opener. It was determined that the goaltender simply fainted, though he missed 10 games for a battery of medical tests and his recovery from a concussion caused by the fall. He has started 27 of the past 32 games since his return, ranking second in the NHL in save percentage (.936) and tied for third in goals-against average (2.14).
Team scoring concept: With high-scoring franchise player Ilya Kovalchuk gone, coach Craig Ramsay installed a system predicated on getting scoring from everyone in the lineup. The Thrashers are tied for third in the NHL in goals scored (129) and have five players with 10 or more goals. Halfway through the season, Byfuglien already has career-highs in points and assists. Anthony Stewart has career-highs in goals (10), assists (14) and points (24). Eric Boulton has a career-high five goals. Evander Kane has a career-high 13 assists. Ramsay said his power play would score and it has. The Thrashers are sixth in the NHL with 33 goals on the man-advantage.
Bryan Little had 13 goals last season, a year removed from a 31-goal effort. He has 10 so far this season and leads the team with a plus-13 rating.
Shots against still an issue: The Thrashers have allowed 1,447 shots on goal. Only Anaheim (1,453) has allowed more. Atlanta has been outshot in 27 of 42 games this season (64 percent). Goaltenders have faced 40 or more shots 11 times, including 50 or more twice.
Tough schedule: The Thrashers survived a hectic first 12 weeks. They ended 2010 with 13 games in 22 days. They played three games in four days eight times. They will do so only four more times. The team went from Dec. 9 to Dec. 27 without a full practice because of games and travel. The Thrashers admittedly started to tire and lost five of the last six (1-4-1) to end the first half.
Playing with the big boys: The Thrashers tied a franchise record for consecutive wins as they reeled off six straight during November. They also came one win shy of tying the mark for consecutive wins at home. It wasn't just that the Thrashers won that many in a row, but it was also who they beat. The run included wins over Washington, Detroit, Montreal, Boston and Colorado. They outscored the opposition 22-5 during the streak. Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay remain thorns in the Thrashers' side. The Thrashers are 0-3 against the Penguins and 0-2-2 against the Lightning.
Captain Ladd: The Thrashers went into the season without a captain. They had gone without anyone wearing a 'C' on his sweater since the trade of Kovalchuk in February. After a 2-1 loss to Florida at home on Nov. 17, an embarrassing effort coaches and players said, Andrew Ladd was named captain. The team immediately responded with six straight wins. They are 14-6-3 since Ladd was named captain and Byfuglien and Enstrom were named alternates.
Draft picks paying off: Alexander Burmistrov became the third straight Thrashers' first-round draft pick to make the team out of training camp, joining Zach Bogosian and Kane. The 19-year-old rookie has had a solid start with five goals and nine assists. He is among the NHL leaders in penalties drawn.
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