And Here We Go Again...Relocation Rumors Resurface

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

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

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

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?

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

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...

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.