Thrash Compactor

A Eulogy: The Atlanta Thrashers

2011-05-30T13:06:00.003-04:00

So, this is it. Per Bob Mackenzie, the Thrashers-to-Winnipeg saga may end as early as Tuesday, with the last few bits of red tape to jump through. And while TSN has definitely been wrong before, this feels a little different. This feels like the end through-and-through, and it's certainly a disheartening Memorial Day for Thrashers fans.

And the worst part? This never should have happened.

The NHL granted the Atlanta Spirit the Thrashers, a franchise they never wanted to run. After six year of lies, lawsuits, and contempt it is all so evident now: they intended to but the Hawks, Thrashers, and Philips Arena and flip the Thrashers for a profit after purchase. This never happened and lawsuits amongst the ownership cluster that is headed by Michael Gearon and Bruce Levenson prevented a sale of the Thrashers to a local buyer. Then, the details emerged.

The Thrashers ownership never gave the Thrashers a chance; they admitted they know nothing about hockey and told fans to "deal with it" at a Town Hall meeting. They lied and put an inferior product on the ice, and fans responded with their wallets. The Thrashers attendance has eclipsed 15,000 6 times in their 11 year history. But under Atlanta Spirit, fans refused to pay the ticket prices under awful ownership. Hm. Didn't they do that in Chicago under Bill Wirtz? Isn't that now the toughest ticket in hockey?

But there's nothing left to be said about that. Not to the NHL, anyways. Gary Bettman put this team here and refused to have the guts to back it up. While the NHL dragged out a very public and very lengthy case to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix (despite averaging about 12,000 in attendance over their last two PLAYOFF seasons) the NHL turned it's back on Atlanta. Local buyers step forward and were ignored. The NHL didn't even use it's final chip--hard-balling Levenson and Gearon for part of the $110 million sale fee--to try and force the owners to sell locally. Because it's not about that to them. It's not about the facts: how youth hockey has grown ten-fold in Georgia since the Thrashers existence. That there are more corporate dollars, seven times as many people in Atlanta, a much better TV market to accompany that $2 billion TV contract the NHL just signed, or the fact that the ownership ran the franchise into the ground. No, that doesn't matter. What matters is the $60 million relocation fee to be split up amongst the Board of Governors should they pass the deal which many said they have already verbally passed. And so we, as fans, get to "deal with it".

So thanks, Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon. Oh, and thank you too Gary Bettman. Perhaps three of the most two-faced people in all of sports. Thank you to the NHL for turning it's back on Atlanta while fighting for Phoenix, New York, and Nashville. Thanks. Us Thrashers fans, who do exist contrary to TSN and other popular beliefs, thank you sincerely.

Levenson and Gearon, I hope you take this to your grave. You are worthless scum. I hope that when you're on your death bed, you think of me. The kid who lives 1,200 miles away and dumped money into your sham of a cause. Who spent thousands of dollars to see his team play a home game. I hope you think of the kids who fell in love with the great game of hockey and who are having it ripped away. I hope you think of the late T.R. Benning and his wife Maria, better known as the "Kiss Cam Couple" at every Thrashers home game. I hope you think of Thrash pounding that foolish drum. I hope you think of the two sold out playoff games. I'm sure you do; you made money. I hope you think of Dan Snyder's eager face showing up to practice ready to give his all. I hope you think of how you've ripped away a second franchise from the great city of Atlanta all because of your ineptitude and greed.

Same goes for you, Bettman. You're a coward. You turned your back on this franchise after blocking several sales of several other teams. And why, Gary? Oh, yes, I forgot about that $60 million relocation fee. For someone who preached "growing the game", this seems like an awful strange way to grow it: by ripping it away from a "non-traditional market" over money. It's a shame, really. And I hope you think of that in your final moments too. If you don't think of Atlanta, at least think of your cowardice. To never even show your face when the times got tough. It shows a lot about this league that has been proven corrupted (thank you Colin Campbell) and cares about the almighty dollar over player safety.

This is it, Thrashers fans. Should the announcement come this week I'll be shutting this blog down. Thanks to all who have read it. I have no regrets about the past 11 seasons. I am proud to be, and will always be, a Thrashers fan. My love for the game will continue and I'll likely adopt the Hurricanes as my new favorite team. And for Gearon, Levenson, and Bettman: take it you your grave, you scum. You can take my team but you can never take away my love for the game. I know that I, for one, refuse to "deal with it."

The Thrashers and I..

2011-05-19T04:38:00.002-04:00

Well, as the Thrashers fate in Atlanta gets tossed and turned about like a ship on rough seas, Ben over at Blueland Blog has asked us to recount our first Thrashers game and what turned us into a fan. My story is not that earth-shattering, but maybe unique in a sense.

I grew up in Maine. I live in Maine now and have lived here for my 21-year existence. Hockey has been in my blood since I was born. I turned my family into a hockey family after attending Portland Pirates (in the AHL) games as a young kid. It's been about 17 or 18 years since my first Pirates game, but I still have season tickets. I played hockey my whole life and still do, playing all through high school and in prep school thereafter.

I've always followed hockey avidly. It would surprise my teachers, peers, and probably my family how many stats I would know or how many random players and scores I could recount. But growing up, I never had a favorite NHL team. When I was about nine years old I wanted to learn how to speak French and move to Montreal and play for the Canadiens. That never materialized, if you didn't notice. But then the Thrashers entered the league. As a young kid I thought, "wow, they have cool jerseys!" and labeled myself a Thrashers fan. When you're 10 years old, who you support isn't that big of a deal.

When I turned 13 (the 2002-2003 season) I started listening to every game on the Internet radio. I was only able to watch 2 or 3 games a year, when they'd play the Bruins or be on national TV (yes, that actually happened). I still listened intently every night until we finally got the Center Ice package and I was able to watch every game. It would keep me going; I would sit in school, counting down the minutes until each game each night.

The first game I went to was in 2001 in Boston. I was an 11-year-old kid and I think I was rewarded with tickets for good grades on a report card. The Thrashers won that game, and my favorite player (and former Pirate) Andrew Brunette scored the game-winning goal. I then began making regular trips to Boston to see the team as I grew older. I've been to pretty much every game in Boston since 2006, but haven't seen them win there since 2007.

Afterwards, my love for the team never wavered. I never missed a game on TV or on the radio, and if I had to I was constantly checking for updates. This is MY team and no one was going to tell me otherwise. Kovy, Heater, Pasi...these were my guys and I loved them. I always felt that one day, this team would be at the top of the hockey world, and unfortunately as we see them inching closer they are on the verge of being snatched away from us.

After seeing the team play in Boston a few times, my dream then became to see the Thrashers play in Atlanta. I was lucky enough to fly down last winter with my mother and see two games; a 2-1 shootout win over the Rangers and an 8-1 loss at the hands of the Capitals. But it didn't matter; to see the team in Blueland was what I had always hoped for. After my initial trip (when it snowed, which was wild) I decided that I wanted to call Atlanta home some day. While many Atlantans may have varying opinions, I think it's a fantastic city. But the real lure for me is the Thrashers. Once I graduate, I want to skedaddle to Atlanta and call it home.

After my initial trip, I drove down on two other occasions. I went in March of 2010 on spring break and saw 3 games and drove down to see one game this past season, a 4-3 SO win over Philly. I've traveled to Madison Square Garden, Buffalo, and Philadelphia to see the Thrashers and would like to venture to other rinks. I can't get enough; to see the team play is my favorite thing to do, and when the calendar flips to September there's only one thing on my mind: Thrashers hockey.

I look back over the last decade of my life and can't imagine what it would be without it. We've all seen the ups and downs. The playoffs were so invigorating and I hope to the heavens that we can see them IN ATLANTA again. There were the near misses. Hell, I cried the day Dan Snyder died. This has been my team my whole life and I live 1,200 miles away. And you know what? It still breaks my heart to think about them moving.

Sure, I would love to follow the players and support them in Winnipeg. But I simply can't bring myself to stand along side other Winnipeg fans who have made it so clear they want to steal MY team. I honestly don't know what I'd do without the Thrashers over the past decade, and I can only imagine how my life would change without them in the future. Hockey is my blood and the Thrashers are the heart that keeps it pumping, every year for 82 (and once in a blue moon, 86!) games a year.

Here's to hoping, Thrashers fans. We all have a story like this. We all have a reason that we love our team. We all have fond memories of growing up watching games, getting hooked at our first live game, and heck, some of us even have met our significant others through hockey. And so, as this grueling sea-saw battle continues with gutless owners and Winnipeg scum, it is the fans that get lost in the shuffle. The fans that have devoted their time and their money, their lives and their hearts to a hockey team that may walk away into the Winnipeg sunset (if the sun even rises there?). If they do leave, it's been an incredible run despite the lack of on-ice success. And if they stay...it is going to be so nice to lift Lord Stanley's Cup, streaming live into your Winnipeg living room.

And Here We Go Again...Relocation Rumors Resurface

2011-04-27T16:23:00.002-04:00

As if they ever actually went away, but still...rumors of a Thrashers re-location as early as next season have resurfaced thanks to Canadian boy Darren Dredger on TSN's playoff pre-game show yesterday evening. Dredger claimed that a deal with Matthew Hulsizer is possible to keep the Phoenix Coyotes in Arizona, which would immediately shift that National Hockey League's focus to moving the Thrashers to Winnipeg. His comments were backed up by this hardly informative TSN article this afternoon.

These rumors have been swirling for a while now, but this is legitimate do-or-die time for the fate of the Thrashers. Tom Glavine, who won two Cy Young awards for the Braves, spoke up last week in support of the Thrashers, including citing he would be interested in organizing a group of investors to keep the team in Atlanta. His efforts would be superhuman and crucial for the team's existence without a doubt. But the fact that the NHL would move Atlanta over Phoenix is mind-boggling, regardless of a Hulsizer sale or not.

The Thrashers finished 27th in attendance in 2010-2011, an average of 1,200 more per game than the Coyotes and 2,400 more than the New York Islanders. According to a 2010 Forbes article the Thrashers are the 29th most valuable team in the 30-team league, second-to-last to only the Coyotes. The Thrashers are valued at around $135 million, but what is missed here is what they could be valued at.

Citing some recent examples, the Pittsburgh Penguins were valued at $101 million in 2004, falling into bankruptcy and hearing these same relocation rumors. The team drafted well, developed a winner, and are now the 9th most valuable team in the NHL at $235 million. Are the Thrashers in line for a 232% increase in team value? Likely not. But the Thrashers are on a winning track, something that the city of Atlanta will embrace. Nothing will kill a team like bad ownership, and this current ownership group has run the team into the ground. With a new, committed owner in Atlanta and the team on an upward tick, there is no doubt the team could be profitable in the city of Atlanta.

Other teams that struggled in the early 2000s include the Chicago Blackhawks (who saw a $122 million value increase from 2004 to 2010)and the Washington Capitals ($82 million) have all come out of relative financial swoons. The Coyotes, since 2004, are valued at $2 million less over the six year time frame. The Thrashers are worth $30 million MORE over that same time period, which was about when the Atlanta Spirit group bought the team.

The owners claim to be bleeding money, but with all the lawsuits and contempt it's hard to feel sympathy. The team has appreciated in value since their purchase, so even a loss over the last couple of seasons (they definitely didn't lose money in 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 when the attendance averaged over 15,500 both seasons) turns into more or less of a wash considering the appreciation in value. And if the loss of money is so taxing on their wallets, the multi-million dollar lawsuits should probably be avoided as well so as they can make sure there is still food on the table at the end of the day.

The point is this: moving the Thrashers would be a stupid, typical Gary Bettman maneuver. Hockey is growing in Georgia, whether the NHL understands this or not. Since 1998-1999, the year before the Thrashers existence, youth hockey participation in Georgia has grown more per capita than any other state, by quite a bit, in the last decade. Ironically, youth hockey numbers declining in Canada, though all of that is admittedly relative.

While citing youth hockey numbers seems irrelevant, the fact of the matter is this: the Thrashers are helping grow hockey in a non-traditional market and the kids playing youth hockey in Georgia are going to grow up Thrashers fans the same way kids playing in Massachusetts grow up Bruins fans and those in up-state New York become Sabres fans. This is what helps a franchise grow, something the Thrashers have not had sufficient time to do.

It's hard to grow a fan base when there is no tradition. If, and likely when, the Thrashers string together a couple of post-season runs this fan base WILL grow. This is almost undoubted. In Phoenix that hasn't been the case. Despite icing very good teams the past two seasons, attendance numbers have been horrific. Yet, for some reason, the NHL wants to keep the team in Phoenix and exile Atlanta to the doldrums of Winnipeg. It's practically been proven that when the Thrashers have a legitimate playoff contender, people will support them. In 2006-2007, the team's only playoff season, the Thrashers sold out 11 (27%) of their regular season games and played in front of deafening, standing room only crowds in the post-season. The team can and will catch on in Atlanta if the ownership is settled and the team continues it's rise in the NHL's power rankings on the ice.

The last point is a simple one...population. The Atlanta metro area is home to 5,300,000 people according to the 2010 census. Winnipeg is home to just south of 700,000 people according to the 2006 census. The corporate dollars in Atlanta are simply unmatchable by Winnipeg. Atlanta ranks fourth in the United States in Fortune 500 companies. Winnipeg...not so much. The corporate opportunities, if tapped properly, are boundless in Atlanta. Not to mention that Philips Arena was ranked the number five concert and events venue IN THE WORLD according to Pollstar statistics in 2010. Winnipeg would be playing in a dive of an arena that frankly would be a fifth tier rink in comparsion to the fantastic venues around the NHL, let alone Atlanta.

The bottom line is this: moving the Thrashers would be asinine from a growth of the game and a financial perspective. And if time is running out on the Thrashers, it's time for the NHL to look in the mirror and see that fans everywhere are suffering from an ownership inept of running a gas station, let alone a professional hockey franchise.

Season Review Part 2: The Bad

2011-04-21T15:42:00.003-04:00

In part two of the season review, we discuss the bad of the Thrashers season. While there were plenty of good moments to discuss, the season certainly had it's low points. In the next few paragraphs, we break them apart here.

January and February Tailspin.

After the Thrashers beat the Panthers in regulation on January 5th, the Thrashers entered a horrific tailspin that eventually cost them a post-season berth. Starting on January 7th with a 9-3 drubbing on home ice to Toronto, the Thrashers began a 2-4-3 run to close out January and a miserable 2-7-2 February streak that all but doomed the team. A 7-6-1 March and a 1-4-0 April weren't enough for the team to claw back into playoff position, and they ended up missing the dance by 13 points. From January 5th on, the Thrashers went 12-21-6. If they had gone a measly 18-14-7 during that stretch, which is the difference of 6 wins instead of 6 losses, the team would have been in.

There are many could have, would have, should have moments that the Thrashers would like to have back and there were a plethora of reasons for the struggles. The goaltending and power play that had been so effective in the first half fell apart. The penalty kill nose-dived in a horrific way. The team got away from the hockey they had played in the first half and it cost them. The bright side, however, is that the team played playoff hockey for the better part of three months, only adding experience to a young roster.

Zach Bogosian's Regression.

Many would put this in the "ugly" category (coming next blog!), but Bogosian made strides in his game over the second half of the year. Bogosian's numbers were down from his first two seasons, when he averaged over 9 goals and 11 assists. He finished 2010-2011 with 5 goals and 12 assists, but most staggeringly a -27 plus-minus, good for 5th worst in the NHL. 6th worst? Ilya Kovalchuk, at -26. In Bogosian's defense, he was playing against top line pairs. But there were times when Bogosian looked lost in his own end. Bogosian still has the chance to be a special player. He's big, strong, has an excellent shot and is a fantastic skater. He still can't have a legal beer yet, so there's no reason for the team to give up on him, but next year is a pivotal year in Bogosian's development.

Penalty Kill Struggles.

Despite finishing strong, the Thrashers finished 27th in the NHL with a 77.5% penalty kill. While I in no way intend to criticize Craig Ramsay, he is supposed to be a defensive specialist and the penalty kill fell from 82.2%. As kids like Alex Burmistrov and Bryan Little adapt, the penalty could be a quick, effective unit that even has some scoring prowess. The alarming thing from the 2010-2011 season is that the Thrashers were shorthanded only 285 times, good for 14th in the league. The discipline, as a whole was there, but the team gave up the 3rd most power play goals in the NHL. Moving forward, the penalty kill should be an area of concern for the Thrashers. Man, wouldn't it be nice to have Marty Reasoner out there?

Chris Mason.

Chris Mason was brought in on a 2-year deal for pretty good value, but he was nothing short of atrocious for the Thrashers this season. He was 13-13-3, which is respectable, but he finished with a .892 save percentage and a bloated 3.39 GAA. Mason is definitely a dependable goaltender, but the Thrashers will need more from him in 2011-2012 as Ondrej Pavelec continues to develop into a number one.

Back-to-back Goals in Under Two Minutes.

This has been covered at length in various places, but it is definitely a huge area of concern for the Thrashers moving forward. The Thrashers allowed back-to-back goals in under two minutes 27 times this season, going 3-15-3 in games in which they did. In the three overtime losses, if they had not allowed back-to-back goals they hypothetically would have had three more points. Three of the games were one-goal games (with empty netters) meaning they would have had three more points. That would have put them 7 points out of the playoffs alone, and who's to say what would have happened in other games where consecutive goals killed any momentum?

It's a team character issue, perhaps due to youth, perhaps due to identity. The most important shifts in hockey are the ones after goals, no matter who scores. If the opponent scores, the next line has to be committed to playing in the offensive end and keeping the team off the scoresheet. This didn't happen this season, and it was one of the glaring factors in the team missing the post-season.

Getting It Done In Regulation.

The Thrashers only had 19 regulation wins this season, good for last in the Eastern Conference. Wanna make the playoffs? A good step is getting the job done before the extra frame. The Thrashers lacked a killer instinct this season, too often allowing teams to get back into games and drag it into overtime. In fact, the only team with fewer regulation wins was the Colorado Avalanche with 18. The 2011-2012 Thrashers need to find a way to bury teams when they have the chance and close things out in regulation.

Next up will the the ugly of the 2010-2011 Thrashers season. What were your qualms with the 2010-2011 Thrashers? What were your "bad" points from the previous year? Post in the comments section below.

TC

Season Review Part 1: The Good

2011-04-19T13:51:00.002-04:00

So, now that the dust has settled from the Thrashers season and I have my laptop back, it's time to look at the 2010-2011 season. I will be doing a three part series, featuring the good, the bad, and the ugly. We start today with the good things, despite the fact I had to think way back to December to come up with some. Cynicism aside, the good from the 2010-2011 Atlanta Thrashers season.

Hot Start.

While the team's impressive start turned out to be a tease, in hindsight you have to look at the positives here. The team proved that, when playing at what GM Rick Dudley termed an "optimal level", this team can be something special. The start included a stretch of six straight wins over the Islanders, Bruins, Red Wings, Canadiens, Capitals, and Avalanche when they outscored their opponents 22-5. We'll talk about consistency in the next part of this series, but the Thrashers proved that when healthy and playing a committed game they can be a legitimate threat in the NHL.

Captain Ladd.

Andrew Ladd came into the 2010-2011 season as a role player for most of his career despite being drafted 4th overall in 2004. With two Stanley Cups under his belt, Ladd has been a winner wherever he's gone and was named the 8th captain in Thrashers history on November 18th. Ladd took the duties to heart, posting a career and team high 59 points (29 G, 30 A), eclipsing his previous career high in goals by a dozen. Ladd is a restricted free agent this summer and contracts with the team are on-going. Locking up Ladd is a priority, as he emerged this season as a legitimate goal scoring threat with leadership the Thrashers haven't had in a long, long time.

Big Buff's Big Breakout.

Many questioned the team's decision to move Dustin Byfuglien back to defense after his dominating performance in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. The move paid big dividends, with Byfuglien doubling the Thrashers franchise record for goals by a defenseman (with 20, including 6 game-winners), earning an assistant captain position, and being named an NHL All-Star. Byfuglien's production tailed off a little in the second half and there are still questions about whether or not he should be a forward, but overall Byfuglien had a solid season and brought a winning attitude and flair to a team in desperate need of it.

Long-term Contracts.

With much uncertainty in Atlanta about the future of the team, Dustin Byfuglien and Mark Stuart both signing long-term deals were a huge stepping stone for the future of the team on the ice. Byfuglien was locked up for five seasons, tied with Ilya Kovalchuk for the longest contract in the franchise's existence. Mark Stuart extended his contract just 10 days after he was acquired from Boston. Locking up Stuart and Byfuglien solidifies a defense that already has Toby Enstrom and Ron Hainsey locked up through 2013. The fact that two significant pieces were willing to commit to Atlanta long-term is a huge positive for the team moving forward.

There were some other positives to note this season. Most notably were the play of Evander Kane, who proved he can be a dominant player. Bryan Little had a fine season, playing great two-way hockey. Eric Boulton and Chris Thorburn both had career seasons, including Boulton's first career hat trick. Alex Burmistrov started and finished the season extremely well, despite an expected lull in the middle as he adjusted to the NHL level of play. Burmistrov has legitimate top-line talent and hockey sense. Blake Wheeler showed that he can be a legitimate scoring threat after coming over from a flat-lining stint in Boston.

Going forward the Thrashers are in a very good piece. They are yet again a piece or two away from not only being a playoff contender. The difference between being a piece away this time and in years past is having a competent GM. We'll see how this summer plays out, but the Thrashers definitely put a lot of building blocks in place in the 2010-2011 season.

TC

Thrashers Season Still Lined With Positives

2011-03-25T12:35:00.002-04:00

With the Thrashers sitting seven points out of a playoff berth heading into Friday's tilt with the league-leading Vancouver Canucks, the odds of heading to the playoffs for the first time since 2006-2007 are highly unlikely. An 8-1-0 or 7-0-2 clip are likely required for the Thrashers to make it, which frankly doesn't happen to frequently in the NHL, especially for a team as inconsistent as the Thrashers.

In hindsight it's hard to see where things fell apart for the Thrashers, a team that seemed destined for the post-season in mid-December. But when all is said and done the 2010-2011 campaign is marked with positives as the Thrashers move forward.

Most importantly has been the "big game" experience for several of the Thrashers most important building blocks. Zach Bogosian, Evander Kane, Alexander Burmistrov and Ondrej Pavelec have all played huge roles for the Thrashers this season. As the team progresses forward, these kids will be the building blocks for the Thrashers. In the same way the Chicago Blackhawks did, it is important to rely on your kids and let them grow as a unit. Looking to the future the Thrashers will have most of their team back for next season. That kind of continuity is crucial in building a legitimate contender.

Kane has emerged as a legitimate power forward in the NHL. He has game-breaking ability as seen in a huge comeback win over Philadelphia and a pivotal win over the Rangers back on February 11th. As the team moves forward, Kane will be counted on to carry the team the same way Jonathan Toews is in Chicago. Kane has the complete package, with grit and skill and leadership capabilities that the team will need going forward.

Zach Bogosian has seen a one-eighty in his play as of late. Bogosian seems to understand that when he uses his skating to his advantage he is a much better player. Bogosian still has a ceiling as an elite defenseman. He can shoot, skate and has a physical edge to his game. Bogosian is already logging top-line minutes and will be counted on even more next season as the Thrashers will again push for their second playoff berth in franchise history.

Ondrej Pavelec has shown signs of brilliance this season. He has legitimate number one goalie written all over him. His next step is to put it together for a complete season. With Chris Mason's encouraging play lately, the two have the ability to complete a very formidable tandem moving forward.

The emergence of Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien have been crucial for the Thrashers as well. Ladd has already potted a career-high 27 goals with increased ice time and has shown tremendous leadership as well. Having a legitimate captain in place will only bode well for the Thrashers down the road. Ladd is flourishing in a scoring role, something he's never had throughout his career. He has seized the opportunity, as has Byfuglien, and the team will look to it's two big guns as it progresses.

Alex Burmistrov has added a little physical edge to his game and has an incredible amount of raw talent. While it may have been best to send Burmistrov back to juniors this season, the NHL experience will undoubtedly prove worthy. Having better adjusted to the NHL game, Burmistrov will be counted on more next season to win big face-offs and contribute more offensively. I look for Burmistrov to add to his goal total, perhaps optimistically finishing around 15 in his sophomore campaign.

One of the most important things for a team in the cap era is to keep it's core of young players together. With Bogosian, Pavelec, Little, Kane, Burmistrov, Ladd, Wheeler, and Schremp all at RFA status and Dustin Byfuglien, Mark Stuart, Chris Thorburn and Toby Enstrom all locked up through next season, the team looks to have its top players in tact for years to come. This will only prove to be important for the Thrashers, with a new coaching staff and a management overhaul. The team will grow naturally; keeping them together is important in the bigger picture.

While the team will likely be golfing in April this year, the experience of a playoff battle and going through the ups-and-downs this season can be viewed as positives. If you look at Chicago's progression, they missed the playoffs in 2007-2008, made it in 2008-2009 and made a run and then won the Cup in 2010. While the Thrashers aren't quite as talented as the Blackhawks, the point is this: having a core and keeping it are invaluable in the post-lockout era. While this season may have ended in disappointment, the future is still brighter than ever in Atlanta.

Thrashers New Toys: How Does It All Shake Out?

2011-02-28T16:29:00.004-05:00

A busy few weeks for Thrashers GM Rick Dudley have concluded with today's NHL Trade Deadline. While the league as a whole was relatively quiet, with only 16 trades (there were 31 last year), the Thrashers were one of the busier teams on deadline day. The Thrashers sit four points out of a playoff spot and are hoping that a few moves today could lead to big things as the true stretch drive begins. Here is our breakdown of the Thrashers moves today, including waiver pick-ups and re-signings:

THRASHERS ACQUIRE DVORAK, 5TH FOR BERGFORS AND RISSMILLER

Looking back, it should have been obvious Patrick Rissmiller would be moved after getting the call up for one game last week (19 different scouts were at his only game as a Thrasher in Buffalo). But the big news is Niclas Bergfors, a centerpiece in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade a year ago. Bergfors notched 19 goals and 27 assists in his 79-game Thrashers career, both respectable numbers. But Bergfors got the infamous "enigmatic" label, which translates to "streaky" which can translate to lots of losses when you're not streaking the right way. As reported by Chris Vivlamore in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Rick Dudley agreed: "Bergy is a streaky player. We were in a situation where we needed him to be streaky the other way."

In return the Thrashers add a rental player in Dvorak, though with the Thrashers recent re-signing of Mark Stuart (more on that momentarily) nothing is out of the question. Dvorak was playing top penalty kill minutes in Florida, the 2nd best PK in the NHL. The Thrashers PK has plummeted to 28th in the NHL, only ahead of Colorado and Edmonton. It should come as no surprise that those are the two worst teams in the Western Conference. It should also come as no surprise that of the bottom-10 teams in the NHL in penalty kill, 7 of them are sitting outside the playoff picture. The moral? Adding a solid penalty killer could help the Thrashers immensely in winning games. Dvorak is also a big body with some scoring touch and fits much more nicely into Craig Ramsay's system than Bergfors, despite having much less talent. The ability to flip Rissmiller for a 5th-round pick is also helpful, as the Thrashers get some sort of an asset for a player that didn't figure into their plans at all. For what it's worth, the Thrashers took goaltender Fredrik Pettersson-Wentzel, who is a highly touted Swedish prospect, and Yasin Cisse with their 5th rounders in 2010.

Overall, the trade works out well for the Thrashers because of their subsequent move:

THRASHERS CLAIM ROB SCHREMP ON WAIVERS

After giving up Bergfors, the Thrashers promplty swooped in and claimed Rob Schremp, the immensely talented forward off the waiver wire. Schremp's talent has never translated into results, with only 17 goals in 96 NHL games, but Schremp is only 24 and could benefit from a change of scenery. Schremp does have character questions which could come forth in Atlanta, but under Ramsay the move may work out, especially if Schremp has scoring talent around him.

THRASHERS MOVE MACINTYRE FOR FESTERLING

Having seen Festerling play in Portland with the Pirates several years ago as a Ducks prospect, I can say that there are things to like about his game. He's got decent size for a defenseman and is a solid skater. He is a defensive defenseman but has 83 games of NHL experience. You can never have too many defenseman, and moving an AHL goalie will open up opportunities for prospects Edward Pasquale and Chris Carrozzi. I like this move as a whole, as minor as it may be.

THRASHERS GET 7TH FOR MODIN

As I mentioned in today's deadline blog I thought that a 7th rounder was adequate compensation for Modin. As it turns out, that's exactly what they got. While 7th round picks rarely translate to NHL talent, Modin was going to be the odd man out in Atlanta, likely play few of the remaining 19 games, and really had no place on the Thrashers. By getting even the least significant of assets in return, it was still a necessary move for the Thrashers.

THRASHERS RE-SIGN STUART

Finally, the Thrashers were able to re-sign Mark Stuart for the next three years at a total of $5.1 million. It says a lot about Stuart, who has only played four games for the Thrashers. The ultimate team guy, Stuart skates well and could find some more offensive upside in Craig Ramsay's system. Stuart has already fought twice in a Thrashers uniform and has shown his willingness to stick up for his teammates. Stuart oozes character, something the Thrashers haven't always had, and is a nice piece for the Thrashers moving forward.

SUMMARY

It was an active trade deadline for the team, and while many suggest the team moved laterally, I believe they have improved. They shedded some dead weight in Modin and MacIntyre, improved their Achilles heel in the penalty kill, and added a center with tremendous skill and hopefully unrealized 20-goal potential. Preceeding the deadline, the Thrashers added Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart, both of whom who have made a big impact already (Wheeler has 3 points in 4 games) and both of whom figure in the long term plans.

While many believe that more could have been had for Bergfors, I'm inclined to disagree. Fans frequently complain about his defensive play, hustle, and inconsistency. If fans can see these things, NHL scouts certainly can as well. Dvorak is a decent return for someone who could end up being a bust. There is the chance Bergfors will be a perennial 20-goal scorer, but his potential was probably not going to be realized in Atlanta's system.

Overall, the Thrashers had a solid day and now hopefully the continuity of the roster will lead them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006-2007.

Thrashers Deadline Updates

2011-02-28T10:03:00.014-05:00

Stay tuned to ThrashCompactor for Thrashers rumor updates.

9:55 am: Kevin Allen of USA Today reporting Thrashers are close to a 3-year deal with Mark Stuart, Oduya and Hainsey available.

10:08 am: Kevin Allen reporting that Oduya is the main Thrashers player available for teams looking for a defenseman. Also notes that he is told by a GM that there are a surprising number of players available.

10:21 am: According to Billy Jaffe, the Thrashers and Panthers are talking about swapping forwards. Marty Reasoner?

10:32 am: Bob Mackeznie reporting that Mark Stuart has signed a 3-year deal worth an average of $1.7 million per.

10:36 am: TC: I expect something interesting today, possibly on the Antropov or Bergfors front.

10:39 am: Radek Dvorak is a Thrasher for Nic Bergfors and Patrick Rismiller

11:00 am: Also should be noted that the Thrashers get Florida's fifth-round pick. Oduya & Hainsey market should pick up, but I think Antropov's big contract could be moved to a team needing a big center.

11:45 am: Calm before the storm? No official trades since the Dvorak trade. Thrashers appear to be active but patient. Waiting to hear something about Freddy Modin...

12:03 om: Thrashers claim F Rob Shremp.

1:31 pm: You've got to figure Dudley is still hard at work on the phones. Wonder what offers have been made, if any, for Oduya, Hainsey, or Modin?

1:36 pm: Chris Vivlamore saying the Thrashers trade front is quiet. I'd still imagine we'll hear something else before the end of the day...there's still an hour and a half until the deadline and anything can happen.

2:28 pm: Still no new news on the Thrashers front. Dustin Penner has just gone to Los Angeles. Oduya, Hainsey, and Modin are all still out there but it's tough to tell if any of them will go. I'd like to think Modin will go for anything, simply because he doesn't fit into Atlanta's long-term plans and it'd be more beneficial to even receive a 7th for him than watch him clog up space in the line-up.

3:00 pm: Freddy Modin to Calgary for a 7th and Drew MacIntyre to Montreal for Brett Festerling. This appears to be it for the Thrashers.

To Buy or Sell? Deadline Approaches...

2011-02-21T16:36:00.002-05:00

The Thrashers are in a precarious situation; they sit four points out of a playoff spot and are finally even with Carolina, who currently hold the 8th spot, in games played. Carolina does own the tie-breaker, but the Thrashers are anything but eliminated.

The Thrashers now face their final 22 games of the season, and after a monster collapse over the last 25 games and an even more impressive collapse in Edmonton, the Thrashers sit in the middle of a teeter-totter as the trade deadline creeps up a week from today. Should the Thrashers buy or sell assets in the coming week?

When I speak of assets, I'm not talking someone like Zach Bogosian or Nic Bergfors, both of whom who are young and have long-term potential. I speak of the Brent Sopels of the world, those who are older or nearing the end of their contracts.

Rick Dudley has already made one trade in the past few days, adding forward Blake Wheeler and defenseman Mark Stuart to an already loaded blue line. Dudley followed through on his promise to improve the current roster without jeopardizing the team in the long-term. What's next, though?

Should the Thrashers lose to Buffalo on Wednesday, their chances will slip drastically. They would be 2 points behind Buffalo who would have two games in hand, and they could slip even further behind Carolina who battle the Rangers Tuesday night. If the Thrashers fall to six points behind Carolina and fall to Buffalo on Wednesday, the Thrashers should go into sell mode--or at least a relative sell mode--for the end of this season.

Veterans like Sopel would have little use to the Thrashers down the stretch (provided they are 6-8 points back by the deadline) and with Mark Stuart coming in, essentially replacing Sopel, it makes Sopel expendable and a very nice piece to a team looking for a rock on the blue line. As is the Thrashers have an extra defenseman and there is no use having Stuart or Sopel sitting (they won't roll seven D all season, will they?), so it makes sense to move one. Ron Hainsey is another option but his high salary is likely to be a deterrent to any time interested.

Nik Antropov's name has surfaced in rumors, but Antropov is signed through 2012-2013, so he could still be a viable piece for a Thrashers team that figures to be legitimate contenders in the next two or three seasons. However, Antropov makes $4.75 million in the final year of his deal, something that could be alleviated by moving Antropov now. I would advocate against it, at least for this season, but of course if the right package is there then Dudley has to pull the trigger, especially with Burmistrov and Cormier waiting in the wings for the bottom two center positions.

Another piece could be Freddy Modin, who would likely get minimal return (7th rounder, anyone?) but would still be expendable. Modin will likely not be back by next season and hasn't figured into the Thrashers much, healthy or not, so moving him for anything would be a wise choice for management.

Chris Thorburn and Eric Boulton are both free agents after this season, but neither hold much value to any NHL team that doesn't play in Atlanta. They'll likely stay put, though one has to wonder if Boulton's run here will ever end. I do admire Boulton and think he has a place, but with Chris Thorburn capable of handling pugilistic duties (while not to Boulton's extent, granted), Boulton's spot could be filled by next season, especially with the slow-yet-steady emergence of Spencer Machacek.

A lot of the season hinges on the next game or two. Should the Thrashers get four points and put themselves right back in the race, then perhaps the pieces should stay in place. One more forward would be a nice addition, but as of right now the team is going to be borderline the rest of the way. The team is good enough as is, but if they continue the costly mistakes they've been making they won't be good enough either way; buyers or not.

As The Deadline Approaches, Ownership Looms

2011-02-16T13:32:00.002-05:00

Without waiting a full 24-hours for the great news of Dustin Byfuglien's re-signing to sink in, Atlanta Spirit, the woeful owners of the Atlanta Thrashers, came out and admitted that moving the team is becoming a realistic option if investors aren't found in the near future.

This is disheartening, scary news for Thrashers fans wanting to see the team stay in Atlanta. While none of this is necessarily new news, it is alarming to hear Michael Gearon, Atlanta Spirit co-owner, speak so openly about the team moving. With seemingly little backing from Gary Bettman and the rest of the NHL, the situation is tenuous.

Gearon's whining in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution does come off as extremely mis-guided; an owner who has been part of a conglomerate that has lied to fans and done nothing to deserve their support is now in the press begging for fans to show up at the games. This would be a much easier to pill to swallow had ownership made a consistent effort from day one to build a winning hockey team. This has not been the case, however, and fans are rightfully upset.

The only way to solve the matter is to find a wealthy investor or a new owner entirely to take control out of Gearon and other co-owner Bruce Levenson's hands. The two are businessmen, not hockey people, and it shows through their handling of the franchise. This is obviously much easier said than done, but a public outcry is one of the most necessary aspects.

The more positive buzz the team can get, the better; but some of it needs to be a voicing of support from Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed, among other figureheads, to generate some positive press. The Thrashers have been a vortex of negativity since their inception, and a positive outcry of support, including increased attendance, is pretty much the last leg the city has to stand on.

If the Thrashers are going to stick around much longer, it's up to the fans to get out and show they want them to stay.

BOGOSIAN ON THE BLOCK?

Thrashers General Manager Rick Dudley has been working the phones, according to several interviews, but has not found a deal that works in the short and long term. The hot rumor in the hockey world right now is Zach Bogosian, which is idiotic on many levels.

First off, Bogosian is 20-years-old. And while I'm not exactly envisioning a Braydon Coburn situation, there is still tremendous upside to Bogosian's game and it's way too early to be throwing in the towel. If the Thrashers intend to trade Bogosian which, like I said, is a foolish notion, then they would need to get a bona fide 25-30 goal scorer who is still at restricted free agent status.

Bogosian was plagued by injuries last season and inconsistent play this year, but seems to have turned a corner in the last two weeks. Bogosian still has top-pairing potential and at this point Ron Hainsey and Brent Sopel, despite offering diminished returns as opposed to Bogosian, would make more sense on the trading block. Hainsey is unlikely to be moved due to his contractual burden, but if you're Rick Dudley it's certainly worth looking into.

BYFUGLIEN INKS FOR FIVE YEARS

Dustin Byfuglien's re-signing is important for the franchise on so many levels. Firstly, Byfuglien is locked up for five years and is entering his prime as one of the most dynamic defensemen in the NHL. It also sends a message to other free agents that Atlanta can be a desirable place to play, with a player of Byfuglien's caliber agreeing to stay put for the next half of a decade.

While the price may have been slightly high, Byfuglien's value to the Thrashers is immeasurable. And now he and Toby Enstrom can continue to be Atlanta's top pairing on defense for the next two years, at least. This should also set up Andrew Ladd's extension who will probably be around the 4 year/$16 million range.

More to come in the next few days as the deadline looms...

TC

New Years Resolutions for the Thrashers

2011-01-02T17:00:00.003-05:00

With the new year upon us and the Thrashers fresh off a 4-3 win over the Canadiens, it's time to settle into 2011 and make a few resolutions for the Thrashers. While most resolutions include quitting smoking or losing weight, the Thrashers need nothing of the sort (would anyone want Dustin Byfuglien to lose weight?). Instead the Thrashers have a few more important tasks to take care as the calendar flips.

Resolution #1: Get healthy.

The Thrashers played 41 games in 85 days to start the season, including 14 games in December alone. As the Thrashers have been allotted 100 days to play their final 41, the Thrashers must began to rest up and get healthy before the stretch run. Jim Slater (concussion), Zach Bogosian (knee), Evander Kane (mid-body), Nik Antropov (hip), and Ben Eager (lower body) are all nursing various injuries and will need some rest to heal up the bumps and bruises. With more off days in the second half of the season, the team is afforded an opportunity to heal and ice the best team possible for a stretch run in March and April.

Resolution #2: Improve the penalty kill.

The Thrashers 79.9% penalty kill is good for 23rd in the league, a drop-off from last season when they finished 16th. The Thrashers have been shorthanded 144 times and have given up an eight-worst 29 power play goals; about one every four and a half periods. Of the top eight penalty-killing teams in the NHL, all of them are currently in a playoff position. Last season 7 of the top 8 were in playoff position, with lone exception being the St. Louis Blues. If the Thrashers want to make a legitimate playoff run they'll need to sure up their penalty kill.

Resolution #3:Sell out Philips.

Attendance is steadily improving, as the Thrashers have averaged 15,980 per game in the four games since mascot "Thrash" made headlines for "stealing" a zamboni. This is no coincidence, however; the Thrashers traditionally see an attendance increase after football season and with the Thrashers exciting play over the first half it's no surprise the fans are coming out. Should the Thrashers continue to progress, it's not unreasonable to see Philips Arena packed on a nightly basis as the team pushes for it's second playoff berth in franchise history.

Resolution #4:Finish the job.

As of January 2nd, the Thrashers have an 8-point lead in Carolina for the final playoff spot, despite Carolina having some games in hand. The Thrashers now control their own destiny over the final 40 games: win and they're in, and once in anything can happen. Atlanta has to continue their upward progression, starting with a series of games against Florida, Toronto, and Carolina that starts Wednesday. If hockey is going to grow in Atlanta, the first step is generating a buzz and nothing will do that like the Stanley Cup playoffs.

TC

Responding to Daly, Edwards

2010-12-05T18:09:00.004-05:00

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

2010-11-30T11:47:00.002-05:00

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

2010-11-24T13:18:00.002-05:00

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

2010-11-11T13:35:00.003-05:00

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?

2010-10-29T12:37:00.002-04:00

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

2010-10-28T07:44:00.003-04:00

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

2010-10-25T11:56:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-19T13:02:00.002-04:00

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

2010-10-09T15:12:00.002-04:00

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

2010-10-04T11:13:00.002-04:00

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?

2010-09-23T13:30:00.002-04:00

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?

2010-09-09T13:53:00.002-04:00

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

2010-09-02T13:57:00.003-04:00

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..

2010-08-24T12:38:00.002-04:00

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?

2010-08-18T15:46:00.003-04:00

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

2010-08-07T22:36:00.001-04:00

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...

2010-08-03T03:13:00.002-04:00

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?

2010-07-31T14:52:00.004-04:00

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

2010-07-29T04:14:00.003-04:00

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.

2010-07-26T11:40:00.005-04:00

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

2010-07-23T15:23:00.003-04:00

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?

2010-07-22T13:03:00.000-04:00

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

2010-07-21T13:30:00.001-04:00

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

2010-07-21T02:30:00.000-04:00

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.