Responding to Daly, Edwards

As a life-long Thrashers fan (I've followed them since I was 10 years old), I've seen the ups and downs that the franchise has had in what is an admittedly short history. I've seen sellouts at Philips Arena and I've seen empty buildings, yet I've seen it all while living nestled away in New England. New England. Boston Bruins country.

As I try to keep this blog neutral and objective, I cannot help but lash out at some of the stuff I've read about the Thrashers over the past few days. I may be late to the ball, but I'd like to share my thoughts on it nonetheless.

Recently NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly went on Winnipeg sports radio to discuss the Thrashers future in Atlanta, while Jack Edwards, who will never be confused with Albert Einstein, went off on this rant which simultaneously praised the Thrashers and degraded the entire sports fanbase in the city of Atlanta.

Daly noted that "We're going to have to look at the long term prospects of that franchise, and if the determination is made that it can't make it there, and can't be successful there, then something will have to be done," and that "Atlanta has proven to be a very difficult market," the latter statement in some senses ringing true.

Edwards blog was a little more asinine, saying things like:

The Thrashers. State bird, you know? Sort of fits in nicely with that Falcons/Hawks ornithological nickname trend? They've been around for 10 seasons now, so you can't really even call them an "expansion team" anymore -- after all, the New York "Amazin'" Mets won the World Series in their eighth season (I think they beat the Braves in the NLCS -- sorry).

and:

they have this guy named Dustin Byfuglien (not "Bigh-FOOG-lee-in" but rather "BUFF-lin") who has a lot of the stuff that makes sports X factors interesting: He's big, fast, creative, eager to please and he already has won a Stanley Cup (that's like the Lombardi Trophy of hockey) with the Chicago Blackhawks.

and, of course, had to throw in the obligatory:

. Sonofagun, they would be drawing deafening capacity crowds in places like Quebec City or Winnipeg, where they are starved to get an NHL team again after the big Sun Belt experiment.

This is all fine and dandy. The fact of the matter is, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Edwards blasts the Atlanta sports fans for essentially not supporting their teams. This is excellent. Before we get to hockey, let's observe.

The last year the Boston Red Sox had a losing record was 1997. Their average attendance that year? 27,483, good for 9th in the then-14 team American League. The last year the Boston Celtics had a losing record was 2006-2007, when they put 16,843 fans in the seats per game. That was good for 20th in the 30-team NBA. Patriots attendance numbers were not readily available. The point? Boston doesn't support their teams when they lose either.

The Thrashers are winning now, yes. They have won 7 of 8 and are climbing the Eastern Conference standings. However, they've won as many NHL playoff games as the Red Sox have--zero. Over ten years, that tends to deflate a fan base. Unfortunately for the Thrashers, winning a handful of games in November is not going to magically start selling out Philips Arena. I agree in principle with what Edwards is saying: the fans in Atlanta should be supporting the team. This is absolutely true. But for those who have supported the team only to see star player after star player skip town and for years of little reward, why would any average fan want to spend thousands of dollars on season tickets?

That's a good question I suppose. Perhaps we should ask Bruins fans? Here's a comparison look at the Bruins attendance versus the Thrashers since the Thrashers inception:

Season	Thrashers	Bruins
1999-2000	17,206	16,322
2000-2001	15,262	15,432*
2001-2002	13,668	15,403*
2002-2003	13,476	15,029*
2003-2004	15,121	15,133*
2004-2005	N/A	N/A
2005-2006	15,550*	16,211
2006-2007	16,240*	14,746
2007-2008	15,831	15,384*
2008-2009	14,626	17,039*
2009-2010	13,607*	17,388*

*=Indicates winning season

Note that when the Thrashers had their two winning seasons from 2005-2007, attendance was at its highest. When the Bruins had their losing swoon during that same time, their attendance suffered the most. The point? There is a correlation between winning teams and attendance.

The Chicago Blackhawks are the toughest ticket in hockey right now, selling out the United Center on a nightly basis. During their last losing season in 2006-2007, the Blackhawks drew 12,727 fans per night to the United Center, lower than any paid attendance number in Thrashers history. Look at the 'Hawks now; they've rebuilt their team (with help from Rick Dudley) and turned them into a Stanley Cup champion. Their championship season? They lead the NHL with a 21,356 average which was 108.3% of the United Center capacity.

In 2003-2004 the Pittsburgh Penguins were the worst team in the NHL. Their attendance that year? A paltry 11,877, which sparked relocation rumors galore. Things turned around after that for the Penguins as they soon went on to win the 2009 Stanley Cup. They drew 16,975 that season and, come to think of it, I haven't heard any relocation talk since.

The point? Winning builds a fan base. The Thrashers have never iced a consistent winner and their attendance numbers reflect that rightfully so. NHL tickets are not exactly inexpensive. Would you want to spend hundreds of dollars to go bring your family to a game to see a product you knew was inferior? I know I wouldn't. Even being the hockey fan that I am I couldn't justify spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars to watch my team get smoked--I'd rather just watch it on TV. Sure, I love the live game, but the casual hockey fan thinks with their wallet.

Those casual fans are what fill the TD Bank Garden every night. Sure, the Bruins have a solid fan base. If the Thrashers had been founded in 1924 I'm sure their fan base would be more extensive as well. But aside from those lifelong fans, there are plenty of Boston sports fans up here that love the Bruins yet can't say Milan Lucic's name right. They're casual, fairweather fans and every city has them. What I see from Jack Edwards is, well (not surprisingly), ignorant. The Bruins have not always packed the Garden and there will be a day when they won't again. Same goes with the Thrashers.

I'm looking at you too, Bill Daly. The NHL has much greater problems in Phoenix. Remember that Washington, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and the list goes on and on, are non-traditional hockey markets where the sport has flourished. Atlanta has the fan base, it's just waiting for the right time to show it's face.

It's like this in every single market, save the Canadian teams. It's like this with most sports. Winning brings people out. Losing does not. It's as simple as that. Jack, I live in New England. I know what Boston is all about. I'm a Boston sports fan myself for everything but hockey and even I can recognize our fans are fairweather. So please Jack, instead of contriving such wonderful lectures on Atlanta sports fans, you should work on your next United States history lecture. The last one was just so good.

Thrashers Success Not a Fluke

As the Thrashers head into tonights battle with the Colorado Avalanche (10:00 p.m. EST), they ride a five-game winning streak in which they outscored the Islanders, Red Wings, Capitals, Canadiens, and Bruins by a total of 19-3. Things are clicking on all cylinders right now for the Thrashers and it's perhaps the best hockey they've ever played. Ever.

The Thrashers sit with 27 points in 24 games (on pace for 92) but had 31 points in 24 games last year. So why should this be any different? After all, they were on pace for 106 last year but only finished with 83. As a Thrashers fan, sometimes it's easy to fall for the mirage that is good hockey in Atlanta. But the fact of the matter is, this team is not just a mirage--they're a legitimate playoff contender.

Craig Ramsay is a hockey genius. It takes one look at the teams leading scorer to tell you that--yes, Dustin Byfuglien--he who the hockey world said should not be a defenseman and chastized Ramsay's decision. Turns out to be a pretty good one, eh? And while I'll be the first to admit I was not thrilled with putting Byfuglien at the point, I have complete faith in Ramsay's decision making.

With the even-tempered Ramsay behind the bench, the Thrashers are less likely to veer off the beaten path. And with Ramsay as a mentor, the Thrashers are a quick study. The little things; the marginal details that in the past have cost the Thrashers points in the standings have been corrected.
Defenseman have excellent gap control up and down the ice, which is best exemplified in Jim Slater's goal against the Bruins. Dustin Byfuglien had a very tight gap between he and Bruins forward Brad Marchand--when Marchand fumbled the puck, Byfuglien sprung Slater the other way. It's little details like this that have made the Thrashers so successful.

But beyond the details, it's the fact that the Thrashers are progressing. In the past we've seen spurts of brilliant play only to see the wheels come off the wagon. This season, things are trending upwards. Shots against was a huge issue last year. While the Thrashers still have given up a league-worst 35.1 shots-per-game, they have outshot their opponents in 9 of the last 12 games. They're making progress, which as all Craig Ramsay and Rick Dudley could ask for.

The penalty kill is improving, up to 24th in the league at 79.8%. The power play has been lights out at 24.7%, good for second in the entire NHL and the best in the Eastern Conference. The Thrashers are 4-1-3 in one-goal games, meaning they've registered 69% of all possible points in close games. The Thrashers were 17-15-13 last year in one-goal games, the second worst winning percentage in the NHL and only 52% of possible points. One of the keys to making the playoffs is getting points in those tight games and finding ways to win, something the Thrashers are doing better this season.

But perhaps the most telling stat is the Thrashers lack of slow starts. They have had a few rocky first periods this year, but collectively they have improved their first period totals. Last season the Thrashers were a -24 in first period goal differential. This season? +1. The Thrashers are finding, especially as of late, that it's much easier to play from ahead than try to come back from a 2-0 hole every night.

The Thrashers are still a long way from being legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, but they are undoubtedly heading in the right direction. They have improved every game, which in actuality is almost as important as wins and losses. If the Thrashers can keep accelerating forward at the current pace, this could be one heck of a season.

TC

Thrashers Head Into Crucial Battle With Detroit

The Thrashers are a few days removed from a successful weekend which saw them take four of a possible four points with a 5-0 win over Washington and a 2-1 overtime thriller over the Islanders. The Thrashers are looking to carry that success into a battle with the talented Detroit Red Wings.

Hopefully Philips Arena will be a little more alive tonight after drawing just 10,066 fans for Sunday's matinee. The Thrashers are playing their 4th game of a season-high six-game homestand. The Thrashers are 2-1-0 on the homestand so far and finish it up this weekend with tilts against Montreal (Friday) and Boston (Sunday).

Detroit's trip to Atlanta also marks the first match-up of Thrashers rookie Alexander Burmistrov and his idol Pavel Datsyuk. I expect a big game out of the young Burmistrov tonight, who has notched five points in his last six games and has looked much more adept offensively.

One note, as observed by Thrashers blogger Ben Wright: since the lockout, 80% of teams in the top eight spots on Thanksgiving day in the Eastern Conference wound up making the playoffs. Of course, the Thrashers have fallen into that 20% of non-playoff teams twice (2007-2008 and 2009-2010), so maybe it's not the most important thing in the world, but it would still be nice going into the holiday to occupy the 8th spot.

The next three games are a huge test for the Thrashers; playing the top team in the NHL (Detroit is 13-3-2), the Northeast-leading Canadiens, and the Bruins, who occupy the sixth spot as of November 24th. If the Thrashers can find a way to take two of the next three games, in any order, they'll put themselves in pretty good shape. The schedule ahead is quite daunting, but it will be a good test as the team continues to grow and seems to be coming together better.

Keys to tonight's game:

1. Strong goaltending. The Thrashers have given up three goals in the last three games, all of which have been started by Ondrej Pavelec who is 2nd in the NHL in save percentage (.939) and 3rd in goals against (1.93). Pavelec has looked especially solid as of late, and him carrying the workload could be a key to getting Chris Mason some rest so he can contribute down the road. Jimmy Howard will likely get the start for Detroit, so it could come down to an excellent battle of two very young goaltenders.

2. Score first. The Red Wings are 10-0-1 when scoring first, the third highest winning percentage of any team in the NHL. They are a much more pedestrian 3-3-1 when they are scored on first, so the Thrashers should make it a key to have a hot start the way they started against Washington last Friday when they tallied three times in the first period. It is much easier to play from in front than to come from behind, especially against a team of Detroit's caliber.

3. Continue shooting the puck. The Thrashers have improved their shots for/shots against numbers over the past several games and tonight it becomes a huge key yet again. The Red Wings are tied for 2nd in the NHL in shots for with 33.5 per game. They own an NHL-best 9-2-1 record when outshooting their opponents. The Thrashers are a mediocore 5-6-3 when being outshot. The last thing the Thrashers can afford to do is come out and get peppered by a Detroit team that leads the league with 3.67 goals for per game.

NOTES:

Thrashers defenseman Dustin Byfuglien is tied for the NHL lead in GWG with 4 (Stamkos, Nash)...Byfuglien leads all NHL defenseman in goals (7) and is third in points (19)...Bryan Little is healthy and will play versus Detroit tonight...Thrashers defenseman Tobias Enstrom is 10th among NHL defenseman in average time on ice (25:01)...Rich Peverley is 7th in the NHL in face-off percentage (58.7%).

TC

Game Preview: Thrashers vs. Wild, 11/11/10

The Thrashers are coming off a dismal performance in Ottawa on Tuesday night which saw them score early just to get obliterated, 5-2. Despite outshooting Ottawa the Thrashers were out-chanced and outworked all night by a hungry Senators team that has been playing solid hockey as of late.

The Thrashers have a busy weekend ahead with games against Pittsburgh and Washington, so starting off on the right foot is crucial with a Western Conference foe entering a likely half-empty Philips Arena (not half-full; half-empty). This is Minnesota's only meeting with the Thrashers this season.

What to watch for:

The Thrashers are an inexplicable 1-2-3 when scoring first. A big start should be key, but who knows. By contrast the Thrashers have the second best winning percentage in the NHL at .556 (5-4-0) when trailing first. A nice start would be key, but a full 60 minutes is more crucial for the Thrashers. The Thrashers are playing a Minnesota team who has scored 44% of their goals (14 of 32) in the first period, which also doesn't bode well. Minnesota is 5-1-2 when scoring first, so the Thrashers want to try and avoid falling behind early.

Minnesota, typically renowned for their defense, has the 8th best penalty kill in the NHL at 86.4%. The Thrashers have the third best power play in the NHL at 26.1%, so it could be an entertaining match-up. The Thrashers trail only Vancouver (27.3%) and...Minnesota (27.1%) in power play conversion, so tonights game may come down to a special teams battle. The Thrashers penalty kill is good for fourth-worst in the league at 75.5%. Atlanta must either tighten up its penalty kill or simply stay out of the box, something they've been doing better as of late.

What the Thrashers must do to win:

I can't believe this must be said of an NHL team, but the Thrashers have to come focused and put in a 60-minute effort. The Thrashers have struggled at times with Craig Ramsay's system, as evidenced in Ottawa. The Thrashers must control their gaps in the neutral zone better and must win more defensive zone face-offs. If the Thrashers are going to continue to use Alexander Burmistrov on the penalty kill he must improve his dismal 40.2% faceoff percentage.

Key player:

Evander Kane, the team's young leader, must rise to the occasion tonight. The Thrashers sluggish play must be fixed and who better to go to than the trusted 19-year-old? Kane plays with a spark that's going to be needed to come out in front of a more-than-likely sparse crowd and propel the team to a much needed two points before entering a daunting weekend ahead.

Roster Notes:

Freddy Meyer has been activated from the IR but is a healthy scratch tonight...Bryan Little began skating today but there is no timetable for his return...Patrice Cormier skated prior to the Thrashers practice this morning but there is no timetable for his return either...Thrashers prospect Angelo Esposito notched his first career tally in the Chicago Wolves 3-2 loss to the Texas Stars...Boris Valabik, who was not claimed on re-entry waivers last week, had a fight in the game, which was his second of the year and second in as many games.

TC

"Black" Cloud Over Thrashers?

While perusing the media lately I have noticed the media has noticed something everyone else noticed a long time ago: the Thrashers have a lot of black hockey players. Evander Kane, Johnny Oduya, Anthony Stewart, Nigel Dawes, Dustin Byfuglien, Sebastien Owuya, and Akim Aliu are all black and all in the Thrashers organization. But what gives?

Articles like this Yahoo! one suggest that the Thrashers intentionally acquired several black players to help boost ticket sales in a city that is over 50% black. While these claims could hold water, the realistic side of things is that they simply don't.

Let's look at each player. Evander Kane was picked 4th overall in 2009 and was that high on most draft boards. Kane is 7th in the NHL in goals this season as a 19-year-old, so I think to say that he was a solid pick. Sure, they could have snagged a Brayden Schenn or Nazem Kadri, but Kane is a much better fit in Atlanta on hockey talent alone.

Then there's Johnny Oduya, acquired in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade last February. Oduya is a solid defenseman with some offensive upside, not to mention under contract until 2012. Oduya stabilizes the blue line and was a big piece for the Thrashers in that trade, white or black.

Dustin Byfuglien's stock was extremely high after the 2010 playoffs in Chicago. He was probably the most sought-after piece in Chicago's "wait, our cap situation is that screwed up?" fire sale over the summer. Byfuglien has been a force on Atlanta's blue line to this point, and Rick Dudley had known Byfuglien from his Chicago days, so the move only made sense.

Anthony Stewart came over as a free agent in 2009 and spent last season in Chicago. He has made huge strides however and has had a breakout year to this point with the Thrashers, notching seven points in nine games. Stewart is hardly the kind of black player that is marketable, however: skin color aside, third liners aren't exactly the focus of any marketing campaign. Stewart fits the mold of a Rick Dudley team; big, strong, a solid shot and a hard nose.

Aliu was another piece in the Chicago trade, but is also a Rick Dudley guy; big, strong, and all the makings of a prototypical power forward. Aliu was one of the top prospects on Chicago's depth chart and adding him to the mix is only wise. Aliu has had off-ice troubles, but bringing in another guy that can mix it up and play an aggressive game only makes sense from a Thrashers point of view.

Nigel Dawes was a low-risk signing and risk didn't pay off, as he was demoted to Chicago last week. It's always good to have depth and again, Dawes isn't a marketable player...he's a third or fourth liner on almost every NHL team he could actually make, so I don't buy the argument here either.

Sebastien Owuya was the Thrashers 169th pick in last years draft, so the odds he ever makes Atlanta are pretty slim. Owuya is 6'3" and fits the Rick Dudley mold well; he's an offensive defenseman who plays with an edge and moves the puck well.

Now that Atlanta has acquired all these players for hockey reasons, the marketing scheme could fall into place. Could it help to promote Evander Kane or Dustin Byfuglien? Sure. Perhaps they could relate to the black community, but it's been well-documented that winning brings in fans. It doesn't matter if the players are black, white, or purple, nobody wants to see a losing product. If the Thrashers ice 20 black players and lose 10-0 every night, I can assure you the black community still won't be there. If the Thrashers ice 20 white players and win the black community may start to show up anyways.

Marketing the black players isn't the worst idea and the fact of the matter is this: the team's best forward and best defenseman right now are black, so they're the most marketable anyways. The most successful business plan is simply that: a successful business. If the Thrashers continue to win this season, people will start to show more.

In the end, what's most important has to do with one color: silver. No matter what skin color the Thrashers players are, I can assure you there will be much more support for the team if they're hoisting that big Cup thing some June down the road.

TC

Thrashers Hang On at MSG, 6-4

I had my first opportunity to take in a Thrashers game this year, this one coming at Madison Square Garden. It was my first time at MSG, so it was surely a treat to see the Thrashers come out with a crucial two points against a team they could be battling with for a playoff spot.

Some of the notes from the game:

-Dustin Byfuglien on defense is a good idea. I wasn't on board with this at first, but he's looked spectacular aside from the one (and only Thrasher's) penalty he took last night when he was caught out of position. He had another goal, giving him three on the year, and looks great with Toby Enstrom, both of whom logged over 22:00 of ice time.

-Tobias Enstrom is a defensive genius. He's smooth skating and for his size plays extremely impressive defense. Already an impressive playmaker and starting to shoot more, coupled with playing on a line with Byfuglien, Enstrom could very well top 60 points this season.

-Johnny Oduya had a very solid game in New York, perhaps his finest of the season. He was in position all night and played the body effectively despite being a -1 for the night.

-Alexander Burmistrov deserves a roster spot. Craig Ramsay is gaining more and more trust in him as is evidenced by the 17:18 he played Wednesday night. He also drew another penalty with a nifty move to beat two Rangers and picked up his first career NHL point when he assisted on Evander Kane's sixth goal of the campaign.

-Anthony Stewart had yet another solid game, notching two more assists and being a +3. Stewart has been a surprise to say the least, notching seven points in nine games. It was also nice to see Bryan Little and Niclas Bergfors get out of their respective droughts, each of whom scored their first goals of the season. Little's was vintage little; impressive speed in inside-outing a forward at center, then burning Marc Staal wide and slipping a backhander through Marty Biron's legs. I'd like to see more of this confidence from Little and see him utilize his speed; he has incredible wheels that I'd like to see spinning a little more often.

-Chris Mason made some extremely key saves in backstopping his fourth win of the year. While his numbers (4 goals on 28 shots) may seem underwhelming, he made some key stops down the stretch as the Rangers started to pick up momentum and cut a 5-2 lead to 5-4. Mason will finally get a breath when Ondrej Pavelec returns Saturday night in St. Louis.

That's about all from Madison Square Garden. It was a solid win for the Thrashers; there were a ton of positives and it was good to see key guys stepping up in big situations.

Coming up in the near future we'll discuss Atlanta's penchant for bringing in black players which has become more of a topic in the mainstream media as of late.

TC

Thoughts Through the First Eight

The Thrashers sit 3-4-1 through their first eight games, and after a couple uninspiring losses to Buffalo and Tampa played a solid road game in a 4-3 overtime loss to Washington on Saturday night. The Thrashers have a few days off before heading to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

Looking back at the first few games, there are a few positives and a few negatives. First, the negatives:

Discipline. The Thrashers have taken the second most bench minors in the league with three, all of which were too many men on the ice calls. The Thrashers are tied for fourth in the NHL in shorthanded situations, being shorthanded 37 times in eight games. Couple that with the 28th best penalty kill in the league and it's nothing but a recipe for disaster for the Thrashers that must be corrected soon.

Slow starts. The Thrashers have given up the 2nd most goals of any NHL team this season in the first period. They've givem up 10 in 8 games, something that must be corrected. It's difficult to win games when having to battle back every night, and it's playing with fire getting down 1-0 or 2-0 after the first.

Shots on goal. Through eight games the Thrashers are giving up an average of 37.6 shots against, good for second most in the league. Of course the quality of the shots must be analyzed as well, but the Thrashers are simply relying on their goaltenders too much. Given the fact that the Thrashers are 21st in the league in shots for, the longer this continues the less likely they are to win games. You can only get badly outshot so often, like the 42-18 debacle against Buffal on Wednesday, before it catches up with you.

There have been many positives so far, however:

Character. The Thrashers have overcome some adversity this season, battling back for wins against Washington, Anaheim, and San Jose, as well as earning a point in Washington with a late rally. The Thrashers are also playing for one another, as evidenced by the team defending Alexander Burmistrov against Tampa last Friday night. A little character goes a long way, something previous Thrashers teams can be accused of not having.


Chicago Infusion. The new Thrashawks have contributed in a big way. Dustin Byfuglien has chipped in six points from the blueline and Andrew Ladd is off to his best October of his career, notching eight points (3 G, 5 A) in his first eight games. Brent Sopel and Ben Eager have pitched in as well. The four new Thrashers have combined for 17 points in eight games thus far and Dustin Byfuglien has looked right at home on the blueline.

Secondary Scoring. Anthony Stewart and Chris Thorburn have combined for seven goals thus far, and Jim Slater and Freddy Modin have added a little offense when healthy. Considering Rich Peverley, Niclas Bergfors, Nic Antropov, and Bryan Little have combined for no goals in the first eight games, this a huge positive. Those guys will start scoring soon, but it's good to see the bottom two lines contributing while the top two lines run cold with the exception of Ladd and Evander Kane.


I'll be at Madison Square Garden on Wednsday as I'll be making the trip down from Maine. I'll have some thoughts on that game as the Thrashers battle a banged up, Marian Gaborik-less Rangers squad.

TC

West Coast Recap/Looking Ahead

So I know I'm behind the eight-ball a little bit, but because of school I haven't been able to discuss last weekend's success in California, so here goes:

The Thrashers came from two goals down twice over the weekend, beating Anaheim 5-4 in a shootout and the Sharks 4-2 on Saturday night. This is either a positive or a negative depending on how you look at it; the Thrashers did fall behind in both games but managed to battle back. Stating the obvious, this isn't a habit the Thrashers want to get in to.

In all honesty I had penciled the Thrashers in for a loss on Saturday, playing a dangerous San Jose team in their home opener, not to mention the Thrashers rigorous travel schedule that day and playing back-to-back games on the west coast is never easy. The "bus legs" were evident in the first period but they came out strong in the second with Bryan Little setting up the team's first shorthanded goal of the year. Bryan Little's play has been encouraging early. Desptie not netting a goal to this point he has notched three assists in the first five games.

Dustin Byfuglien picked a great time for his first goal as a Thrasher, netting the game-winner in third period with, even better, Dany Heatley in the penalty box. Evander Kane continued his red-hot start with his third goal of the year.

But the story of the weekend was Anthony Stewart, as he doubled his career goal total in just two games. After scoring four goals in his previous 105 NHL games, Stewart netted a hat trick in Anaheim and added another beauty in San Jose. You can look at Stewart leading the team in goals in one of two ways: the fact that Anthony Stewart is leading the team in goals is sort of alarming considering the other offensive talent, or the fact that the other offensive talent will get going in time and there is no reason for panic.

I like the latter in this situation. Nik Antropov is still recovering and will still be good for 20+ goals. Rich Peverley will find the scoresheet soon enough and Nic Bergfors is known to be streaky and could bust out at any moment. Bergfors still figures to be a 20+ goal scorer as well, so his goose egg through his first four games played isn't particularly alarming.

All in all it was a solid west coast trip. The Los Angeles game last Wednesday wasn't exactly a beauty, but four of six points in Los Angeles, Anaheim, and San Jose is nothing to be ashamed of. The Thrashers have registered six points in five games, which amounts to about 98 points over a full season. Not to mention the Thrashers have already gone on their west coast trip and have already beaten the Capitals once.

OTHER NOTES:

-Boris Valabik was assigned to Chicago after clearing waivers last week. Hopefully this will give Boris an opportunity to develop his game. I still see promise in Valabik. While not particularly mobile, if he can learn to use his size a la Zdeno Chara there is still some hope. If Valabik ends up half as good as Chara he'll be a servicable NHL defenseman.

-Ondrej Pavelec is skating again. This is great news which really goes without saying.

-Zach Bogosian is still day-to-day. I know it's just a minor injury, but when is Zach going to stay healthy for more than six hours at a time?

More to come after tomorrow night's game with Buffalo.

TC

Game Preview: Thrashers vs. Lightning, 10/9/10

After a rousing win on opening night over the Washington Capitals, who the Thrashers hadn't beaten since March 16, 2009 (which was the sixth game of a franchise record winning streak), the Thrashers travel south to Tampa Bay for their first road game of the season.

The Lightning are a new-look team, most notably adding Simon Gagne in the off-season in a trade with Philadelphia. Former Thrasher Pavel Kubina will suit for the Lightning as well after signing a free agent deal in July. The Lightning figure to be revamped, but are missing one key cog from 2009-2010, when they went 5-1-0 against Atlanta; Antero Nittymaki. Nittymaki dominated Atlanta last year, and always, going 17-0-0 against Atlanta in his career. Mike Smith will get the nod in net tonight for Tampa. Smith was in net for the Thrashers last win over Tampa, which was opening night last season.

What to watch for:

The Lightning will be playing their season opener in front of a rowdy crowd in Tampa tonight. Tampa will undoubtedly have energy and will be playing their first game for new GM Steve Yzerman. Chris Mason will be playing for the second straight night which should make for a compelling match-up; Mason will be leaned upon early as Ondrej Pavelec recovers from his scary and inexplicable fall in the season opener.

What the Thrashers must do to win:

The Thrashers must continue to forecheck the way they did last night and not deviate from the system. The Thrashers penalty killing, which was 3-for-3 last night, must show up in a big way again; the Thrashers legs will probably be tested tonight and as result could lead to a few more shorthanded situations. One of the keys will be to score early and allow Craig Ramsay to roll four lines to alleviate this problem.

Key player:

Chris Mason must rise to the occasion on back-to-back nights here in the early going of the season. Mason performed admirably last night, even though he admitted he "couldn't even focus" after his teammate collapsed in the first period last night. Stealing two points in Tampa would be a fanastic opening weekend.

TC

Season Prediction: Goaltending

So, the season is upon us. And with the new season comes a tradition in the mainstream media: ridiculous predictions that are never right. And so, as an up-and-coming blog, we at ThrashCompactor feel it necessary to follow our "expert" bretheren and make absurd predictions that will be wrong anyways but take up blog space.

Today, we dissect the Thrashers goaltending.

What must go right:

For one, Ondrej Pavelec must continue his development as a number one goaltender. Pavelec took steps back forward in 2009-2010, but his brilliance came in spurts; consistency is one of the last missing pieces in Pavelec's game. Chris Mason must be a good mentor to Pavelec and provide a stability in a position where Atlanta has never had any true stability. Mason mentoring Pavelec could be as beneficial as Mason's play itself.

What could go wrong:

As Atlanta fans have become accustomed to, the Thrashers have never had a true number one, save perhaps Kari Lehtenon. The thing about Lehtenon; he played one full season. So, one of the Thrashers ten seasons have featured a number one goaltender. Coincidentally or not, the Thrashers made the playoffs that season (2006-2007). Injuries could play a key factor. Losing either Mason or Pavelec could be detrimental, though the Thrashers have some depth in Peter Mannino and Drew MacIntyre. The bottom line, however, is if either Mannino or MacIntyre are playing NHL games this year the Thrashers are likely in some trouble.

Bold predicition:

By season's end, Ondrej Pavelec is the number one goaltender. That's not a knock against Mason in the least; Pavelec is just an extremely gifted player who, if he puts it all together, could be an elite goaltender in the NHL. Mason will still play a boatload of games this season, but when it comes down to it Pavelec is the goaltender of the future. They have done a reasonable job growing him into that role and now is his opportunity to seize it.

Bottom line:

The Thrashers can finally breathe easy when looking at the crease. They have a proven winner in Mason and a budding star in Pavelec. Not to knock Johan Hedberg in the slightest, but this is a much-improved tandem from last year. Playing a more defensively responsible system is even more beneficial to the goaltenders in Atlanta, something that we haven't seen in a long time. For once, the Thrashers can rest assured they won't have to win games 10-9.

TC

Roster Shrinking; Shocking Cuts?

It has been quite a long time since I've been able to blog, mostly because school has been chaotic. Now that I'm settled in and hockey season is upon us I can hopefully write a little bit more as far as the Thrashers go.

The Thrashers did lose their opening pre-season game. I could not watch it, being in Maine, but from listening to the Columbus radio feed I gathered that Little-Dawes-Pettersson line was the most effective. I like Pettersson's chances of making the team at this point; from all indications I've heard that he's been a real solid NHL player. He is a little older than many of the guys he's competing against, but that will only give them more time to develop.

The Thrashers also made some cuts in the wake of the game, most notably Paul Postma, Kyle McLaren, and Angelo Esposito. I'm surprised Esposito and Postma weren't kept around a little longer, if at the very least to see what they could bring to the table in a couple NHL games. I predicted McLaren would be offered a contract and I was wrong; I suppose there just weren't enough open spots to warrant giving McLaren an opportunity. It will still be very beneficial for Esposito and Postma to return to the minors and get things going in Chicago with the Wolves. I was a little surprise at first, but the move will give the more legitimate hopefuls more ice time without hindering the two youngsters development.

In another note, here is an interesting piece that had been posted on the Thrashers message boards about Alexander Burmistrov. I still think he'll get at least a shot at the big club this season, though again I've heard secondhand that his play hasn't been anything to write home about. Again, this is only from one pre-season game and a few scrimmages, but it is what it is. That being said, Craig Ramsay did note that Burmistrov's physical play has not really been an issue which was one of the main concerns about him in the first place.

Thrashers Add Depth; A Good Idea?

The free agent market was slim pickings this off-season, at least on the offensive end of the spectrum, and the Thrashers did not get in on the Frolov and Ponikarovskys of the 2010 free agent class. They did, however, make subtle moves this week in adding Fredrik Modin to an $800,000 NHL contract and by adding Nigel Dawes to a two-way contract at league minimum.

While these are merely depth signings, the Modin signing has the potential to be a steal. Modin has a laser of a shot and could be a 20-goal scorer under one condition: he stays healthy. And that, my friends, has been quite the challenge for Modin, who hasn't played more than 50 games since 2006-2007 when he was in Columbus. He had 22 goals that season and has had eight 16+ goal seasons in the NHL. The drawback? Modin is turning 36 next month has played 23, 50, 24, and 20 games over the last four seasons respectively.

Secondly the team added Nigel Dawes, a smaller (5'9" 190) left wing. Dawes had 32 points (14 G, 18 A) last year in Calgary and has had success with the Rangers and Coyotes previously. Dawes in 25, however, and it seems to go against what Rick Dudley as been saying about letting the kids play. But are these two signings a hindrance to the kids playing or merely an intelligent back-up plan? Is it more beneficial to use a trial-by-fire method or groom the prospects we have?

It is widely believed Patrice Cormier, Spencer Machacek, and Alex Burmistrov have solid chances of cracking the Atlanta roster. Say hypothetically they make the team opening night...that leaves little extra space:

Antropov
Ladd
Kane
Little
Peverley
Bergfors (assuming he's resigned)
Modin
Slater
Boulton
Thorburn
Eager
Cormier
Burmistrov
Machacek
Dawes
Pettersson

That is 16 forwards by my count, not including Patrick Rissmiller and Angelo Esposito who have slim chances of making the squad. So is it more effective to let someone like Machacek play now or let Dawes play over him because he's better at this moment?

Dawes is likely a more effective NHL player at this point in time, merely because Machacek has played two NHL games to Dawes' 199. Say Dawes is the better player for sake of discussion; is it wiser to let the better player play, or the younger player who figures to be in the long term plans? Which is more beneficial now and which benefits down the road?

Machacek has proven himself at the AHL level, scoring 20+ goals in his first two pro years. He turns 22 next month. Dawes would appear to be the more beneficial choice at this point in time to play a bottom line role. But why should this bump Machacek to them minors again? He has to play in the NHL someday and now seems like as good of a time as any.

While it's tough to say, it could be more beneficial to guys like Cormier to take a step back to take two steps forward--play in the minors for a while to groom themselves to make a sure step into the NHL, rather than jumping in feet first. But would that jeopardize wins and losses this season? Is it wiser to play the kids and let them learn rather than playing role players like Dawes who don't figure into the long-term plans for the franchise?

It's a tough debate and will likely be answered within the next couple of weeks, but I suppose when it comes down to it you can never have enough depth.

What do you all think?

Five Bold Training Camp Predictions

Well, the dog days of summer are nearing an end and training camp begins next week...next week! The doldrums of summer are nearing an end which is great news to any hockey-starved fan. This training camp promises to be an interesting one for Thrashers fans, with so many young prospects chomping at the bit to make the NHL club and with so many new faces. But what lies ahead in training camp? Thrash Compactor attempts to make some bold, possibly farfetched, and in some cases unlikely predicitons. And here goes:

1. Alexander Burmistrov makes the team out of camp

Rick Dudley has said since Draft day that Burmistrov has NHL capabilities but the only thing plaguing him is his weight. Burmistrov is short by NHL standards these days (5'11") but is shifty. And after being drafted at around 160 pounds, Burmistrov is in Atlanta at over 175, a reasonable weight for a speedy, 5'11" center. Burmistrov will have to show he can win faceoffs and be defensively responsible, but he has dazzling skills and Rick Dudley has said he will give Burmistrov every chance to succeed. Whether or not he stays past his nine games in the regular season remains to be seen, but Thrashers brass will give Burmistrov an opportunity to prove his worth in the NHL.

2. Kyle McLaren earns a contract.

McLaren is touted as having NHL skills and an unlucky injury history. Rick Dudley has also stated you can never have too many defenseman and has backed this talk up by signing some 476 of them. But McLaren is a dark horse here, having not played in the NHL since 2008. McLaren, when healthy, is a defensive defenseman who hits hard and blocks a ton of shots, something that could be helpful in front of young goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. While McLaren may not necessarily earn an NHL deal, a two-way deal is very likely and the Thrashers have reaped the rewards of signing tryout guys before. See: Max Afinogenov. Who? Just the Thrashers 2nd leading scorer last year who came in on a pro tryout.

3. Ron Hainsey will be named captain.

While I've stated that I believe Evander Kane should be captain, it is still likely he's too young. Hainsey has three years left on his contract, which would make Kane 22 when the contract is up. Honestly, I can't see Hainsey sticking around after the three years for a few reasons; namely money and the fact that three years from now the Thrashers should have an experienced Bogosian, Kulda, Enstrom, and Paul Postma on the blueline, leaving little space for Hainsey. Assuming that, age 22 would be a brilliant age for Kane to step in and take the captaincy over for years to come while he develops into the star he is projected to be. Hainsey is outspoken and American, a solid spokesperson for the team until Kane is ready for the role.

4. Dustin Byfuglien will remain at forward.

I understand that Rick Dudley seems to have an infatuation with Byfuglien playing defense, but it simply doesn't make sense with the current Thrashers roster. Enstrom, Hainsey, Sopel, Oduya, Bogosian, Kulda, and Valabik are all NHL defenseman, so unless one is moved Byfuglien will remain at forward. The Thrashers need goals anyways. Out of the entire roster, there has only been one player who had one 30-goal season, which was Bryan Little in 2008-2009. There are players with 30-goal potential, but Byfuglien opening space for guys like Little and Bergfors to work their magic is too tempting to pass up. Byfuglien could play 'D' in emergency situations throughout the season, but I think Byfuglien makes way more sense up front.

5. Patrice Cormier doesn't make the team out of camp.

Rick Dudley has talked Cormier up like no tomorrow, but let's face the facts: Cormier has played nine competitive hockey games since January and had a total of 0 points in those games. If Burmistrov makes the team out of camp I would expect Cormier to start the season in the AHL while the team feels out Burmistrov. If Burmistrov goes back to Barrie after nine games, Cormier would simply slide into the 4th line spot and whoever was centering the fourth line--possibly Slater--could slide into the 3rd line spot. The bottom line? It's hard to envision Cormier starting the season in the NHL with so little playing time in the last 9 months. Cormier will likely get a plethora of NHL playing time this season, but it may not be in October.

What do you think? Any other bold moves for the Thrashers? Discuss away.

TC

Tidbits for your August afternoon..

Just a bunch of quick hits here as a few developments have gone down over the last few days.

-First off, the Thrashers announced the re-signing of Bryan Little to a 3-year deal with a $2.38 million cap hit. I like this deal a lot, and Little will still be an RFA when the contract is up so it makes even more sense. As I've said before, I think Little is going to have a true breakthrough season this year and show off the scoring touch that got him selected 12th overall in 2006.

-Secondly, the Thrashers have signed defenseman Andrey Zubarev out of the KHL. Zubarev was a 7th rounder in 2005 for the Thrashers and has been developing in Russia. Zubarev plays an up-tempo, phyiscal style which will fit in well to the Thrashers line-up when he makes the team. The Thrashers have quite the glut on defense right now, with Toby Enstrom, Zach Bogosian, Johnny Oduya, Brent Sopel, Boris Valabik, Zubarev, Arturs Kulda, Paul Postma, Ron Hainsey, and Freddy Meyer all fighting for spots. It's safe to say that Hainsey, Bogosian, Sopel, Enstrom, and Oduya will all have a spot, leaving five guys battling for the final two roster openings. Could we see a deal, or will Dudley hang on to the extra guys for depth? My guy leans with the latter, so we'll see how it plays out.

-The Thrashers have "touched base" with Lee Stempniak's agent according to Craig Custance of the Sporting News. This would be interesting, but it seems to be kind of a square peg in a round hole fit. Stempniak is streaky and small and the Thrashers have intended to leave openings for players like Alex Burmistrov and Patrice Cormier to crack the roster. Adding Stempniak will only close those roster openings unless more moves are made, but at the moment the Thrashers roster seems to be pretty much set as training camp approaches.

Other than that, not much is going on around the Thrashers or the hockey world in general. Training camp is upon us and that will certainly give us more to talk about in the coming weeks. Oh, and the Thrashers Mount Puckmore has been posted. What do you all think..good choices? I'm a little irked Rumun Ndur wasn't on there.

TC

Captain Kane: Pass or Fail?

Well, the dog days of summer are upon us and little is happening in the hockey world. Some of the team has begun reporting to Atlanta and hockey season is closing in. As the season approaches, the team is still void of a captain after the departure of Ilya Kovalchuk midway through last season. So who should take the reigns?

There has been much speculation about possible candidates. Marty Reasoner was considered a strong candidate, but after being flipped to Chicago, then Florida weeks later, Reasoner is out of the running. Ron Hainsey is a vocal leader and one of the older faces in a relatively young locker room. Someone like Andrew Ladd has a captain's-like work ethic but has never played a game with the team. So who should the "C" go to?

First off, if I were Craig Ramsay I'd wait a month or three before awarding a "C" anyways. The captaincy should not be handed out during training camp and I'm sure Ramsay knows this.

In my humble opinion, the captaincy should be awarded to Evander Kane. Yes, Kane just turned 19 on August 2nd. But look at the four youngest permament captains in NHL history:

Sidney Crosby (19 years, 297 days)
Vincent Lecavalier (19 years, 315 days)
Jonathan Toews (20 years, 80 days)
Steve Yzerman (21 years, 151 days)

Trivia: do you know what all of those guys have in common? A Stanley Cup ring. In today's NHL, the shift towards younger captains has become more common. Alexander Ovechkin was named captain of the Capitals at age 24. Dustin Brown was named captain of the Los Angeles Kings at age 23. Rick Nash was named Blue Jackets captain at 24. The point? Age is merely a number these days when it comes to being a captain.

Kane appears to be well-respected by his teammates, most of whom sing high praise of Kane. And most importantly? It would solidify a captain's position in Atlanta that has rotated for years with a young, outspoken, hard-nosed kid that is well-recieved by the fan base.

The Thrashers have had seven captains in ten seasons. It doesn't take a math major to realize that that's a lot of captains in a little time. The only captain to ever have been a Thrashers draft pick was Kovalchuk, but he wasn't necessarily captain material anyways. Having a captain from within the organization would stabilize things and there would be consistent leadership from someone with a lot of pride in the organization.

Now, it seems like a radical idea and maybe it is. Kane would become the youngest captain in NHL history, but what's wrong with even more publicity? The Thrashers are a team searching for an identity, and Kane's game is exactly what the team is searching for. Some skill, some creativity, and all of that balanced out with a "never back down" attitude.

He may only be 19, but I see great positives in naming Evander Kane as the next captain of the Atlanta Thrashers.

Q & A With Julian Melchiori

When the Thrashers selected Julian Melchiori with the 87th pick in the 2010 Entry Draft, many experts felt the Thrashers got a steal with their 3rd round pick. Melchiori put up 23 points (7 G, 16 A) with the Newmarket Hurricanes of the CCHL last season and had verablly committed to U-Mass Lowell prior to being drafted by Atlanta.

Last week Melchiori (pictured above, Yahoo! Sports) chose the junior route, signing with the Kitchener Rangers who have produced other Thrashers prosepcts over the years, most notably goaltender Dan Turple and 2004 1st rounder Boris Valabik. The Rangers also traded for hulking defenseman Cody Sol last week, another Thrashers prospect.

I was fortunate enough to have the chance to exchange e-mails with Melchiori to get his thoughts on being drafted by Atlanta.

What have you been up to this summer?

For the summer I have been training and skating, trying to get ready for Atlanta's main camp and Kitchener's main camp.

What were your initial thoughs on being drafted?

My initial reaction of being drafted was more relieving than anything. After such a long year I was happy to finally get it over with and know which team I will be a part of.

What were your first impressions of prospect camp?

My first impression of prospect camp was great. They really treated you like a pro there which was something that was very unique. Overall I really enjoyed the experience and I am really looking forward to the main camp.

Why Kitchener over U-Mass Lowell?

I chose Kitchener because I want to play for Atlanta one day. The program ran in Kitchener will give me more opportunity to achieve that goal, playing in one of the best developmental leagues in the OHL.

Describe your style of play for the fans that haven't seen you play.

I am a puck-moving defenseman who likes to use my skating.

Who was your favorite NHLer growing up and why?

My favorite player growing up was probably Chris Pronger. I just admire the way he controls the game and has such a presence on the ice.

TC

In the wake of Todd White...

Almost all of Don Waddell's mistakes have been flushed down the toilet, the most recent coming in a trade with the New York Rangers that sent Todd White (above, AJC)to the Big Apple in exchange for Patrick Rissmiller and Donald Brashear. Brashear was immediately bought out. This may seem like a minor deal, but it may have much bigger implications on the Thrashers roster than one would think.

White's $2.375 million cap hit was shipped away, a big positive. White's production dropped 45 points from 2009 to 2010, partially due to injuries and partially due to the fact that Todd White is not a 73-point player like he was in 2008-2009. In fact, White had put up less than 50 points in every season since 2003 until his breakthrough in 2009.

Rangers fans are happy; they think they're getting a guy with 50-point potential, and they are. They're also getting a 35-year-old on the downside of his career, something the Thrashers don't really have room for in their line-up. So now, taking a look at the Thrashers forwards, it should look a little something as such (ignoring any potential line combinations)

TOP 6:
Antropov-Bergfors-Little-Kane-Byfuglien-Peverley

BOTTOM 6:
Slater-Thorburn-Ladd-Eager-Boulton

Some of those guys may be interchangeable, as Ladd may grab a 2nd line spot or Kane may be a third liner. As the roster begins to take shape, two things become evident:

1. Alexander Burmistrov will be in Barrie this season.
2. The third line center spot is Patrice Cormier's to lose.

With the top two lines becoming clearer, it appears as though Alex Burmistrov will be back in Barrie this season. There is no room for a scorer on the top two lines and playing Burmistrov third line minutes in the NHL is hindering his development. At only 18, playing top line minutes in clutch situations in the OHL will be more benefical to Burmistrov's development. Of course, nothing is official yet, but I'd say it's more than likely we will have to wait until 2011-2012 to see Alex Burmistrov's debut.

Secondly, this opens up the door for Patrice Cormier. The Thrashers are building a tough, gritty team; something Todd White is not. At 6'2", Cormier is much bigger than the 5'11" Todd White and plays a much more physical, aggressive game. Rick Dudley has praised Cormier up and down and if Cormier did not make the cut come October I'd be shocked.

This also leaves one last forward spot open, assuming the team will carry 13 forwards. I think it would be most beneficial to see Carl Klingberg play a year in Frolunda and because of this I envision Spencer Machacek getting ice time on the 3rd or 4th lines this season. Machacek has had back-to-back 20-goal campaigns at the AHL level and appears seasoned enough to make a serious run at things when training camp opens in September.

So, as the dust settles the picture becomes a little clearer. It remains to be seen whether Atlanta will make another acquisition in the free agent market. I'd be inclined to say that they won't, and if the team does add another top-6 talent on offense it will likely be via the trade market. Even then I still don't see a lot of possibilities out there and think the team has pretty much come into picture, save a position or two here and there.

So, in conclusion: the Rangers dumped their junk on us, but we don't really need the junk anyways. In fact, half of the trade has already left Atlanta. Rissmiller is a nice depth signing and a solid penalty killer to have around just in case. And finally, Atlanta saves about $1 million on the cap this year, possibly opening the door for another acquisition. It was a win-win deal for both sides, something that hasn't always happened in Thrashers history.

Thrashers Most Improved Team This Off-season?

While stumbling around the Internet, this article by Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated has cited the Thrashers as the most-improved team this off-season. While it is without question the Thrashers have improved, are they the most improved so far? And are these moves alone good enough to get them into the post-season?

For arguments sake, we can take a look at the other "bubble teams" from the 2010 Eastern Conference playoff race:

6. Boston Bruins (91 points)
7. Philadelphia Flyers (88 points)
8. Montreal Canadiens (88 points)
----
9. New York Rangers (87 points)
10. Atlanta Thrashers (83 points)
11. Carolina Hurricanes (80 points)
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (80 points)
13. New York Islanders (79 points)

It's worth noting that Florida finished last season with 77 points, but is likely a year or two from being a contender for a playoff spot. Toronto finished last in the conference with 74 points in 2010 and despite improving considerably is still a year or two away as well in all probability.

When looking at the teams that Atlanta competed with for a playoff spot last season, no team has made leaps and bounds on paper as far as improvements. There have, however, been key pieces added to each squad.

Boston has added Nathan Horton (pictured, Bruce Bennett/Getty Images), a 20+ goal scorer for the past five seasons. They have addressed a key concern, that being goal-scoring. Boston scored the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference last year, potting only 206. On the flip side they only gave up 200, the 2nd best total in the East. Adding another 20-25 goals in Horton, plus having Marc Savard and Tyler Seguin for a full season could bode well for Boston offensively. The departure of Dennis Wideman, who had the second-worst +/- on the team (-14) in 2009-2010, could help the goal differential even further. The Bruins are undoubtedly poised for great improvements during the upcoming season.

Philadelphia parted ways with oft-injured Simon Gagne this off-season, who has averaged just 54 games per year the past three seasons. While the Flyers added a hard-nosed defenseman in Matt Walker, they also lost a game-breaker in Gagne. Brought in to fill the void was Nikolai Zherdev, who played in the KHL last season and is as big of, if not more of, a question mark than Gagne. Perhaps most stunning is the fact that Philadelphia chose not to upgrade their goaltending, despite many viable options on the market. Philadelphia may have to make another move or two before the season begins to clear cap space this off-season, but as the dust begins to settle its hard to imagine Philadelphia being able to duplicate it's Eastern Conference championship success with mediocre goaltending and so many question marks offensively.

The New York Rangers, who were eliminated in the final day of the regular season in a shootout with Philadelphia last year, did little to help their cause this offseason. After giving out a puzzling long-term enforcer to Derek Boogaard, who has two more NHL goals than I do in 255 more games, the team then went out and dropped $3 million on Alex Frolov, who oozes with talent but lacks consistency and work ethic to accompany it, to add goal scoring punch. Adding Marty Biron will be key in easing the workload for Henrik Lundqvist and Steve Eminger is a nice addition on the blueline, but it could be another tough season in the Big Apple--and that's assuming Marian Gaborik stays healthy again.

That being said, it could be the teams who finished below Atlanta in the standings that could pose the biggest threats. Carolina quietly improved their defensive corps, adding Anton Babchuk from the KHL and Joe Corvo in a free agent signing from Washington. Losing Rod Brind'Amour's leadership could be key, but the team really turned a corner after naming Eric Staal captain, going 21-10-3 down the stretch after the captaincy change. A healthy Carolina team could pose serious problems to Atlanta's playoff chances, especially with six games against their division rivals and losing to Carolina all three times at home last season.

Antero Nittymaki has departed from San Jose, which is possibly the only good news for the Thrashers concerning the Lightning this off-season. After losing power play specialist Kurtis Foster to the Oilers, Tampa replaced his power play prowess with our own Pavel Kubina, who was good for 10 power play points last season. Gagne's production, provided he is healthy, will be a huge boost to an already offensively talented team and Victor Hedman will only get better with experience. Should Brett Connolly, the team's 6th overall pick in the 2010 Draft, make the team, he too could provide an offensive boost. Yesterday's addition of Dominic Moore will also give the team a nice two-way center to compliment the big guns up front. Couple this with Atlanta's one win in six games against Tampa last season and Tampa could be a thorn in the side of the Thrashers once again.

Finally, the New York Islanders have quietly improved an already much-improved team. The Isles added Zenon Konopka, a hard-nosed leader who lead the NHL in fights last season with 33 (the next closest was Ian Laperriere with 25) while playing in Tampa. This is a great move for the Islanders, adding toughness with a little bit of a scoring touch. Milan Jurcina adds more toughness on the blueline, and Mark Eaton is a servicable veteran. The team also added P.A. Parenteau, who quietly added a solid 8 points in 22 games (projects to 30 over an 82-game season) with the Rangers last year. Couple all this with the addition of Nino Niederreiter and the Islanders have a good, young core that will be tough to play against.

Stack all of this up with the Thrashers, who have added Dustin Byfuglien up front, Brent Sopel on the back end, and Chris Mason in goal. Byfuglien remains a question mark--will he produce as he did in the post-season or regular season? Sopel is a downgrade over Kubina but is a good penalty killer which will help the Thrashers with the loss of Marty Reasoner. Mason is an upgrade over Hedberg in goal who can tandem with Pavelec. Andrew Ladd is another big piece to the puzzle and less of a question mark than the others, bringing character and scoring to a team that may be offensively challenged at times. It all comes together in a new coach, Craig Ramsay, who will bring a whole new winning philosophy to an NHL team with as many playoff wins as the Hartford Whalers in the past 10 years.

It's tough to tell in July what team has improved the most, but when looking at specific team needs I'd be inclined to say Boston has done a great job upgrading. Atlanta isn't far behind, though. What do you think? Is Atlanta the most improved team in the NHL this season?

Q & A: Thrashers Prospect Carl Klingberg

The Thrashers got a steal when they selected Carl Klingberg, the 6'3" LW out of Frolunda Jr. Klingberg made the transition to Frolunda's Elite League team last year, posting 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 42 games. Klingberg is considered a contender to make the Thrashers this fall after a strong prospect camp.

Should Klingberg not make Atlanta, he will return to Frolunda and likely earn a spot on Sweden's U-20 National Team at the World Junior Championships in Buffalo. Klingberg plays a solid two way game and has a tireless work ethic and was rewarded with an entry-level contract from Atlanta in June.

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Carl and ask him a few quick questions about Frolunda, prospect camp, and playing his younger brother 1-on-1.

How would you assess last season in Frolunda from a personal standpoint?

I think it went good! I played good when I had the chance and was always playing good. I just want to play more next season and that's my goal.

How did you feel at prospect camp?

Good. I just couldn't get the puck into the net. But as long as I am playing as I should, I will score.

Was it easier going into prospect camp for the 2nd time?

For sure. I was remembering everything, and I knew what we were doing and so on. My English was much better too.

What is the biggest difference between the North American game and the Swedish game? Which style of play do you like more?

Size of the rink. In North America everything is forwards and backwards, in Sweden it is much more playing sideways. I prefer the North American style--that's my game.

The Thrashers have a lot of Swedes on their roster..does having players like Enstrom and Oduya help make the transition easier?

Well, I haven't met them yet, but of course to have some Swedes helps. They can explain everything and have been in my position before, so they know what it is about.

What area of your game have you worked the hardest on since being drafted?

My techincal skills. I want to carry the puck and not lose it as much as I sometimes did before.

Your brother John was drafted this year by Dallas as a defenseman. What was it like growing up in such a hockey family?

We have been pushing each other all the time and been playing on the street since we were five years [old]. It helps a lot. My father was always a helping hand too. He supported me all the time. I can't forget my grandpa either; they have always helped me.

Who wins a 1-on-1 battle...you or John?

Me! I am bigger, stronger, and so on. But give him five years and then we will see! But I will always try to break him.

TC

Alexei Ponikarovsky? Humoring the Rumor Mill.

As the dog days of summer drag on in that unfortunate lull between prospect camp and training camp there becomes litte to talk about in the hockey world. The Thrashers have just locked up Ondrej Pavelec for 2 years, $2.3 million. This is a very solid move for Atlanta. It's a low cap hit and gives Pavelec two more years to develop behind Mason.

But alas, there are issues that the Thrashers still need to tackle. Many feel another bona fide goal scorer is a necessary addition to the roster. A name that man fans, not necessarily hockey sources, continue to throw out it is Alexei Ponikarovsky. Ponikarovsky is an undoubted talent; he's potted 18+ goals five times through his career. So would he be a good fit in Atlanta?

THE CASE FOR PONIKAROVSKY

Ponikarovsky is a solid talent. While many feel he's an underachiever, you can't take away his five 18+ goal outputs, including his career high 23 in 2008-2009. He has good hands and is a solid skater and could look good alongside Nik Antropov, former teammates in Toronto.

Ponikarovsky, a native of the Ukraine, is another big body. Listed at 6'4", 220, Ponikarovsky would certainly fit the bill in Atlanta of being a big, hulking forward (Antropov, Byfuglien, Eager, Kane, Thorburn, and Ladd all exceed 6'2"). He has some finish and solid playmaking abilities, despite sometimes being invisible. Ponikarovsky (pictured above, Getty Images) could benefit from a fresh start as well. Aside from his short stint in Pittsburgh last season he had played his entire career for some very bad Toronto Maple Leafs teams.

Bringing Ponikarovsky would, in theory, address one of the major percieved issues since Ilya Kovalchuk left: who is going to score the goals. Adding a pretty much guaranteed 20+ goal scorer to the 1st or 2nd line would certainly be helpful in that regard.

THE CASE AGAINST

Ponikarovsky has typically underachieved. His talent is a tease, leaving many Toronto fans wanting more. This is a guy with 30+ goal talent who pots 20 on a yearly basis. Again, the numbers are nice, but with the new direction of the team is there space for an underachiever?

The Thrashers are currently building a roster around character players. While guys like Andrew Ladd have been brought in and do have some scoring touch, they are not legitimate goal scorers (Ladd had a career-high 17 last season). Ponikarovsky would not necessarily fit into the roster the Thrashers are trying to build. He has some "all Swedish, no finish" qualities; he has talent but maybe lacks the intangibles to take himself and his team to the next level.

Ponikarovsky has another special talent: disappearing when it matters most. In 34 career playoff games he has a total of two goals. He had 1 in 11 games last year in Pittsburgh, and 1 in 13 games in 2004, the last time the Maple Leafs made the post-season. During that playoff race in 2004, Ponikarovsky had 1 goal in 14 games in March. In Pittsburgh's playoff race last season, he had 2 goals in 16 games. Not exactly stellar numbers.

On an Atlanta team where leadership and clutch play from key veterans is going to be essential to push them to the playoffs, having a guy that disappears when it matters most is the last thing they need.

THE VERDICT

While his playoff sample is sort of small because he did, after all, play for the Leafs who never make the playoffs, his numbers in crunch time have been less than spectacular. Okay, so maybe he's not a perennial April bust the way Joe Thornton or old friend Dany Heatley are. But despite having solid numbers, an underachieving winger who disappears during crunch time isn't exactly what the Thrashers need at this point in time.

TC

Q & A: Thrashers Prospect Will O'Neill

As a Thrashers blogger from Maine I take special interest in Will O'Neill, a University of Maine product who was drafted in the 7th round in 2006. As his career has progressed, O'Neill is carving a niche at Maine as an offensively gifted puck-moving defenseman. O'Neill, a native of Salem, Massachusetts, lead all U-Maine defenseman in scoring with 8 goals an 23 assists.




I was able to catch up with O'Neill (pictured above, Hockey East Online) this afternoon and discuss with him his feelings about being drafted, playing at Maine, and the dreaded treadmill test.

What have you been up to this off-season?

I've just been working out every day with my brother at the Salem State College gym. We train together every summer. We do a program from my strength coach at school, Terry O'Neill. Along with working out it's been a pretty relaxing summer gearing up for next season. A lot of working out, relaxing, and laying low pretty much.

What were your first thoughts when the Thrashers drafted you in 2006?

I was just really happy. I was extremely proud to be drafted in the first place. For every mile my parents drove me, for every ounce of energy I put into playing hockey, I felt a sense of accomplishment at that point. I was extremely proud to be selected by the Atlanta Thrashers because I know about the tradition and the program that it's going to be some day. I want to do everything I can to be a part of that.

For the fans from Atlanta that don't get the chance to see you play a lot, tell us a little bit about your game.

I consider myself a puck-moving defenseman. I like to head-man the puck and give it to the forwards in a position where they can attack the net. I like to shoot the puck and play phyiscally. Most of all, I just like to head-man the puck and move it as fast as I can.

Since you were drafted, what areas of your game do you think you've improved on the most and what you want to improve on?

Since '06 I've really, really worked on getting my body in a position where it can be an asset at this level. I think since then I've learned a lot, been through a lot, and my body has surely been through a lot and since then I think that has been the biggest adjustment to my game; that my body can be at a position to play at a high level and that I can play a certain amount of minutes each game. I also think that my skating has gotten a lot better, assertiveness has gotten a lot better, and my defensive play has gotten a lot better and I think that everything that has ever been an asset of mine has gotten better and everything that has ever been an asset of mine has gotten to a point where I can start to build off it.

Tell us about your overall experience at the University of Maine?

I actually can't speak enough about the experience at Maine. It's been the best years of my life. I've met my best friends up there, my wonderful girlfriend that I met at U-Maine, and it's just been the two best years of my life. It's such an honor each day to be able to go that school and to be able to call that rink mine, to just take everything in each day. I just can't thank the coaching staff enough for giving me the opportunity to be here and anyone along the way that's helped me because it's a heck of a place and I'm proud of it.

Talk to us about prospect camp and what it was like coming in as an older player?

This year in particular I was one of the older guys at camp, so I had done it before. That doesn't always make a difference because you do it to get better each year and to improve yourself. It's tough every year. It's what you put into it that you're going to get out of it. It doesn't matter the age; if you put the veteran NHLers at camp they're still going to get a lot out of it too just because of how grueling the schedule is and the things that you do in the weight room and on the ice. In terms of individual skill work it's really been beneficial to anybody, but for me in particular I had a good camp and learned a lot. You try to learn as much as you can every year and I think as you get older you start to realize, you start to soak in a little bit more how big of a deal it really is and how you can't take it for granted and that all the younger guys are working just as hard as you and you've got to work harder to beat them to where you want to be.

Who stood out the most at prospect camp?

There were a lot of good players, maybe even more talent or maybe even pro-ready, if that's what you call it, maybe more than there have ever been. This year was a really strong camp, defense and forwards, especially some of the guys up front who were terrific. I thought Burmistrov was terrific. I thought Klingberg, Albert, Lasu, Paquette; I mean, I don't want to leave anybody out because I feel bad. Everybody was really, really good, maybe more than past years.

How was the treadmill test?

That wasn't something that I was looking forward to, but it was okay. It was tough, but I guess it was a necessary thing because they wanted to see where everyone was physically. That's the test they do, so that's the test we had to run.

What are your plans for the upcoming season?

Going back to Maine, obviously, where we're going to have a really strong team. We have a lot of returners, I'd say about 95% of the team is coming back. We should have a heck of a team. We're returning the runner up for the Hobey Baker in Gustav Nyquist, who lead the country in points. We have a veteran "D" core and a lot more depth up front that I didn't mention in names. We have a really solid team with great chemistry and really good people. We're all really excited to get going and make something happen this year.

Bryan Little: Sophomore Slump or Serious Issues?

As the 2010-2011 version of the Atlanta Thrashers begins to take shape, many fans are beginning to wonder where the goal scoring is going to come from. With Maxim Afinogenov in limbo and the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk, who were worth over 50 of Atlanta's goals last season, where will the scoring come from?

While some are lobbying for the addition of a high-end free agent (Ponikarovsky, anyone?) it is not necessary at this juncture. The reason? Bryan Little.

Little saw his production sliced almost into a third of what it was during the 2008-2009 season, dropping from 31 goals to 13 in a matter of a year. But why the decline?

In 2008-2009, Little saw himself comfortably nestled on a second line that featured Slava Kozlov and Todd White, both of whom were non-existent in the 2010 campaign. White was oft-injured and Kozlov lost a step. As a result, Little saw himself changing lines frequently and never finding a true rythym. After not scoring a goal in October, Little went into a season-long swoon and, in his own words, started "gripping the stick a little too tight."

Little is a pure goal scorer, something that's hard to find in the NHL (or at any level, for that matter). Little scored 30+ goals in his first two seasons of juniors in Barrie, followed by two 40+ seasons in his final two seasons. Scoring 30+ goals as an overage player is one thing, but putting up 34 goals as a sixteen year old playing against a lot of 18, 19, and 20 year olds is impressive.

In his first season in the AHL, which he split with Atlanta, he scored 9 goals in 34 games (which projects to 21 over a full 80-game AHL schedule). And then, finally, in 2008-2009 he tallied 31 goals in 79 games in Atlanta.

But why will he turn it around now?

Little is a tremendous talent offensively. He has speed to burn and above average hands. I like little on a wing with Antropov. Antropov is a big, hulking winger who can create space for the speedy Little to use. Little also has an above average shot which he used too infrequently last season. When he did use it he did infact seem to be gripping the stick too tightly, oftentimes shooting over the net or hesitating long enough to allow an opposing goaltender to make a play on him. If Little can put the two together like he did just two seasons ago, he will have no problem eclipsing the 20-goal plateau.

Secondly, when Little started the year on a line with Kozlov it was clear of one thing: Slava Kozlov was a different player who had, in the eyes of many, lost a step. The previous season Kozlov commanded much more respect when he had the puck, in turn opening up ice for Little to use his speed.

The Little-White-Kozlov line was also the 2nd power play unit. In 2009-2010 Little saw his power play ice time drop from 4:00 the previous season to 2:58. Subsequently his power play production decreased from 20 points (12 G, 8 A) to 6 points (3 G, 3 A) over the course of one year. With a revamped line-up and losing Kovalchuk, Kozlov, and possibly Afinogenov off of the power play, if figures to give Little more power play ice time. When your ice time goes down by 1:00 per game on the power play, over an 80 game schedule that figures out to be 80 minutes, or 40 full two-minute power plays that Little was not a part of as he was the previous season, making it easy to see why Little's production decreased.

Little has all the attributes; excellent speed, a solid shot, decent hands, and a nose for the net. Little isn't afraid to go to the front of the net and get "greasy"...in fact, if you look at the highlights of Little's 31 goals you'll find a lot of very ugly goals. Players that are willing to crash the net so willingly will be rewarded. Hopefully Little will be rewarded in 2010-2011 and the Thrashers will see the 31-goal side of Bryan Little.

Thrashers Walk on MacArthur

As expected and noted last night, the Thrashers have gotten the results from the Clarke MacArthur arbitration case. The arbitrator has awarded MacArthur $2.4 million and the Thrashers promptly walked away, making MacArthur a free agent immediately.

Like I said last night, I'll be interested to see what MacArthur gets on the open market. There was no place in Atlanta for a $2.4 million third liner, especially when Slater, Boulton, White, Eager, Thorburn, and depending on how things shake out, Peverley, Cormier, and Machacek can fill the bottom two lines.

I'd still like to see Todd White traded--for anything. I know he was a little injured last season, but his $2.375 million cap hit is a burden. A return will likely be low--very low, if anything, but this is one of the last bad contracts we have to get rid of. And the concerns of reaching the salary cap floor? Niclas Bergfors, Ben Eager, Andrew Ladd, Ondrej Pavele and Bryan Little all have to be re-signed as restricted free agents, so there are no valid concerns there.

The Ladd case is a little more concerning. I don't see the Thrashers letting him walk in the least, but I think it would be crucial of GM Rick Dudley to try and hammer out a deal before his July 29th arbitration ruling because in arbitration Ladd could get a pretty steep contract. Nothing earth-shattering, of course, but more than the Thrashers may want to pay. It has also been reported that Ben Eager's contract will be settled before arbitration. No word yet on the term or dollar value being discussed.

Lastly, Maxim Afinogenov and his agent have not spoken for the Thrashers in quite some time. It's been said that Afinogenov wants a multi-year deal while Atlanta's management has drawn the line on a one-year deal. At first I was really pushing to have Afinogenov re-signed, but where the team is now--after acquiring Ladd, Eager, and Byfuglien up front--I'm not necessarily sure there's room for Afinogenov. There are still plenty of viable scoring options in the likes of Byfuglien, Peverley, Kane, Little, and Antropov, not to mention Andrew Ladd has a bit of a scoring touch. It would be interesting to see Afinogenov playing on a line with say, Byfuglien and Antropov, two bigger bodies who would create space for Max to use his speed. But at the price Afinogenov's camp likely wants, I'd say pass at this juncture. If management can find a way to finagle a one-year, $2.5 million deal then I'd lock him up...if not, I hope he finds NHL work somewhere because he can be a great asset to another NHL club.

More to come in the near future.

TC

First Blog: Late-night Updates

Hello all and welcome to Thrash Compactor, an unofficial blog about the Atlanta Thrashers. Just a quick disclaimer before we get going on things: I don't claim to have any awesome inside knowledge; simply insight. I hope to get this thing up and running relatively quickly, but as some of you know this can be a time-consuming process. I hope to actively participate in the blogosphere throughout the rest of the summer, through hockey season, and hopefully through many more seasons to come.

So, in this late hour of the night (it's currently 2:35 on the East Coast) reports have started coming in from all over the place that ex-Thrasher Ilya Kovalchuk's bank-breaking 17-year, $102 million deal has been rejected. I still find this humorous because Kovalchuk's best offer still came back in February when world-renowned GM Don Waddell dropped $101 million on his plate over twelve years. The term of the contract would have been the same for each season, not an absurdly long contract that was clearly lengthened to screw the CBA. I mean, anyone who thinks Kovalchuk would actually be playing when he's 44 is on some pretty cool drugs.

Anyways, the Kovalchuk saga may be captivating but is finally, at least it appears, not Thrashers news. The real news is that Clarke MacArthur is going to arbitration and, as reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday morning, is going to recieve $2 million. If the Thrashers don't like the ruling in the arbitration case, they can simply walk away and make MacArthur a free agent.

In today's salary cap system spending $2 million on a player who at this point can essentially be pegged as an extra forward on a team already bursting at the seams with bottom-six talent is useless. Letting MacArthur walk will also be a waste of the 3rd and 4th round picks in the 2010 Entry Draft. It was a gamble that failed, but MacArthur, whose two-way game is flawed, simply does not have a place within the roster. Losing the picks does hurt, but likely those guys have about a 10% chance of making the NHL anyways.

In addition to MacArthur departing, this opens another roster spot a prospect who the Thrashers want to get into their line-up; be it Patrice Cormier (acquired in the Kovalchuk deal), Spencher Macachek, or, if they can finagle it, Alex Burmistrov. So while the two picks--assets--were essentially wasted, the team has backed themselves into a corner with the situation and is much better suited to walk away from Clarke MacArthur. I don't think MacArthur would command nearly $2 million on the open market despite potting 16 goals last season (3 in 21 games with Atlanta).

I feel like that was way to much time talking about Clarke MacArthur.

In a side note, vuvuzelas have been banned from Philips arena, as well.

I feel like that was way too much time talking about vuvuzelas.

And so, this concludes the first post on Thrash Compactor. Kudos to Kevin Brooks for the clever title and snazzy banner atop the page. MacArthur's arbitration hearing is in a matter of hours, so I'll have more coverage of that tomorrow.