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
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
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
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
Monday, October 25, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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
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
Saturday, October 9, 2010
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
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
Monday, October 4, 2010
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
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
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