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
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Captain Kane: Pass or Fail?
Well, the dog days of summer are upon us and little is happening in the hockey world. Some of the team has begun reporting to Atlanta and hockey season is closing in. As the season approaches, the team is still void of a captain after the departure of Ilya Kovalchuk midway through last season. So who should take the reigns?
There has been much speculation about possible candidates. Marty Reasoner was considered a strong candidate, but after being flipped to Chicago, then Florida weeks later, Reasoner is out of the running. Ron Hainsey is a vocal leader and one of the older faces in a relatively young locker room. Someone like Andrew Ladd has a captain's-like work ethic but has never played a game with the team. So who should the "C" go to?
First off, if I were Craig Ramsay I'd wait a month or three before awarding a "C" anyways. The captaincy should not be handed out during training camp and I'm sure Ramsay knows this.
In my humble opinion, the captaincy should be awarded to Evander Kane. Yes, Kane just turned 19 on August 2nd. But look at the four youngest permament captains in NHL history:
Sidney Crosby (19 years, 297 days)
Vincent Lecavalier (19 years, 315 days)
Jonathan Toews (20 years, 80 days)
Steve Yzerman (21 years, 151 days)
Trivia: do you know what all of those guys have in common? A Stanley Cup ring. In today's NHL, the shift towards younger captains has become more common. Alexander Ovechkin was named captain of the Capitals at age 24. Dustin Brown was named captain of the Los Angeles Kings at age 23. Rick Nash was named Blue Jackets captain at 24. The point? Age is merely a number these days when it comes to being a captain.
Kane appears to be well-respected by his teammates, most of whom sing high praise of Kane. And most importantly? It would solidify a captain's position in Atlanta that has rotated for years with a young, outspoken, hard-nosed kid that is well-recieved by the fan base.
The Thrashers have had seven captains in ten seasons. It doesn't take a math major to realize that that's a lot of captains in a little time. The only captain to ever have been a Thrashers draft pick was Kovalchuk, but he wasn't necessarily captain material anyways. Having a captain from within the organization would stabilize things and there would be consistent leadership from someone with a lot of pride in the organization.
Now, it seems like a radical idea and maybe it is. Kane would become the youngest captain in NHL history, but what's wrong with even more publicity? The Thrashers are a team searching for an identity, and Kane's game is exactly what the team is searching for. Some skill, some creativity, and all of that balanced out with a "never back down" attitude.
He may only be 19, but I see great positives in naming Evander Kane as the next captain of the Atlanta Thrashers.
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.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Q & A With Julian Melchiori
When the Thrashers selected Julian Melchiori with the 87th pick in the 2010 Entry Draft, many experts felt the Thrashers got a steal with their 3rd round pick. Melchiori put up 23 points (7 G, 16 A) with the Newmarket Hurricanes of the CCHL last season and had verablly committed to U-Mass Lowell prior to being drafted by Atlanta. 
Last week Melchiori (pictured above, Yahoo! Sports) chose the junior route, signing with the Kitchener Rangers who have produced other Thrashers prosepcts over the years, most notably goaltender Dan Turple and 2004 1st rounder Boris Valabik. The Rangers also traded for hulking defenseman Cody Sol last week, another Thrashers prospect.
I was fortunate enough to have the chance to exchange e-mails with Melchiori to get his thoughts on being drafted by Atlanta.
What have you been up to this summer?
For the summer I have been training and skating, trying to get ready for Atlanta's main camp and Kitchener's main camp.
What were your initial thoughs on being drafted?
My initial reaction of being drafted was more relieving than anything. After such a long year I was happy to finally get it over with and know which team I will be a part of.
What were your first impressions of prospect camp?
My first impression of prospect camp was great. They really treated you like a pro there which was something that was very unique. Overall I really enjoyed the experience and I am really looking forward to the main camp.
Why Kitchener over U-Mass Lowell?
I chose Kitchener because I want to play for Atlanta one day. The program ran in Kitchener will give me more opportunity to achieve that goal, playing in one of the best developmental leagues in the OHL.
Describe your style of play for the fans that haven't seen you play.
I am a puck-moving defenseman who likes to use my skating.
Who was your favorite NHLer growing up and why?
My favorite player growing up was probably Chris Pronger. I just admire the way he controls the game and has such a presence on the ice.
TC
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
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
In the wake of Todd White...
Almost all of Don Waddell's mistakes have been flushed down the toilet, the most recent coming in a trade with the New York Rangers that sent Todd White (above, AJC)to the Big Apple in exchange for Patrick Rissmiller and Donald Brashear. Brashear was immediately bought out. This may seem like a minor deal, but it may have much bigger implications on the Thrashers roster than one would think.
White's $2.375 million cap hit was shipped away, a big positive. White's production dropped 45 points from 2009 to 2010, partially due to injuries and partially due to the fact that Todd White is not a 73-point player like he was in 2008-2009. In fact, White had put up less than 50 points in every season since 2003 until his breakthrough in 2009.
Rangers fans are happy; they think they're getting a guy with 50-point potential, and they are. They're also getting a 35-year-old on the downside of his career, something the Thrashers don't really have room for in their line-up. So now, taking a look at the Thrashers forwards, it should look a little something as such (ignoring any potential line combinations)
TOP 6:
Antropov-Bergfors-Little-Kane-Byfuglien-Peverley
BOTTOM 6:
Slater-Thorburn-Ladd-Eager-Boulton
Some of those guys may be interchangeable, as Ladd may grab a 2nd line spot or Kane may be a third liner. As the roster begins to take shape, two things become evident:
1. Alexander Burmistrov will be in Barrie this season.
2. The third line center spot is Patrice Cormier's to lose.
With the top two lines becoming clearer, it appears as though Alex Burmistrov will be back in Barrie this season. There is no room for a scorer on the top two lines and playing Burmistrov third line minutes in the NHL is hindering his development. At only 18, playing top line minutes in clutch situations in the OHL will be more benefical to Burmistrov's development. Of course, nothing is official yet, but I'd say it's more than likely we will have to wait until 2011-2012 to see Alex Burmistrov's debut.
Secondly, this opens up the door for Patrice Cormier. The Thrashers are building a tough, gritty team; something Todd White is not. At 6'2", Cormier is much bigger than the 5'11" Todd White and plays a much more physical, aggressive game. Rick Dudley has praised Cormier up and down and if Cormier did not make the cut come October I'd be shocked.
This also leaves one last forward spot open, assuming the team will carry 13 forwards. I think it would be most beneficial to see Carl Klingberg play a year in Frolunda and because of this I envision Spencer Machacek getting ice time on the 3rd or 4th lines this season. Machacek has had back-to-back 20-goal campaigns at the AHL level and appears seasoned enough to make a serious run at things when training camp opens in September.
So, as the dust settles the picture becomes a little clearer. It remains to be seen whether Atlanta will make another acquisition in the free agent market. I'd be inclined to say that they won't, and if the team does add another top-6 talent on offense it will likely be via the trade market. Even then I still don't see a lot of possibilities out there and think the team has pretty much come into picture, save a position or two here and there.
So, in conclusion: the Rangers dumped their junk on us, but we don't really need the junk anyways. In fact, half of the trade has already left Atlanta. Rissmiller is a nice depth signing and a solid penalty killer to have around just in case. And finally, Atlanta saves about $1 million on the cap this year, possibly opening the door for another acquisition. It was a win-win deal for both sides, something that hasn't always happened in Thrashers history.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thrashers Most Improved Team This Off-season?
While stumbling around the Internet, this article by Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated has cited the Thrashers as the most-improved team this off-season. While it is without question the Thrashers have improved, are they the most improved so far? And are these moves alone good enough to get them into the post-season?
For arguments sake, we can take a look at the other "bubble teams" from the 2010 Eastern Conference playoff race:
6. Boston Bruins (91 points)
7. Philadelphia Flyers (88 points)
8. Montreal Canadiens (88 points)
----
9. New York Rangers (87 points)
10. Atlanta Thrashers (83 points)
11. Carolina Hurricanes (80 points)
12. Tampa Bay Lightning (80 points)
13. New York Islanders (79 points)
It's worth noting that Florida finished last season with 77 points, but is likely a year or two from being a contender for a playoff spot. Toronto finished last in the conference with 74 points in 2010 and despite improving considerably is still a year or two away as well in all probability.
When looking at the teams that Atlanta competed with for a playoff spot last season, no team has made leaps and bounds on paper as far as improvements. There have, however, been key pieces added to each squad.
Boston has added Nathan Horton (pictured, Bruce Bennett/Getty Images), a 20+ goal scorer for the past five seasons. They have addressed a key concern, that being goal-scoring. Boston scored the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference last year, potting only 206.
On the flip side they only gave up 200, the 2nd best total in the East. Adding another 20-25 goals in Horton, plus having Marc Savard and Tyler Seguin for a full season could bode well for Boston offensively. The departure of Dennis Wideman, who had the second-worst +/- on the team (-14) in 2009-2010, could help the goal differential even further. The Bruins are undoubtedly poised for great improvements during the upcoming season.
Philadelphia parted ways with oft-injured Simon Gagne this off-season, who has averaged just 54 games per year the past three seasons. While the Flyers added a hard-nosed defenseman in Matt Walker, they also lost a game-breaker in Gagne. Brought in to fill the void was Nikolai Zherdev, who played in the KHL last season and is as big of, if not more of, a question mark than Gagne. Perhaps most stunning is the fact that Philadelphia chose not to upgrade their goaltending, despite many viable options on the market. Philadelphia may have to make another move or two before the season begins to clear cap space this off-season, but as the dust begins to settle its hard to imagine Philadelphia being able to duplicate it's Eastern Conference championship success with mediocre goaltending and so many question marks offensively.
The New York Rangers, who were eliminated in the final day of the regular season in a shootout with Philadelphia last year, did little to help their cause this offseason. After giving out a puzzling long-term enforcer to Derek Boogaard, who has two more NHL goals than I do in 255 more games, the team then went out and dropped $3 million on Alex Frolov, who oozes with talent but lacks consistency and work ethic to accompany it, to add goal scoring punch. Adding Marty Biron will be key in easing the workload for Henrik Lundqvist and Steve Eminger is a nice addition on the blueline, but it could be another tough season in the Big Apple--and that's assuming Marian Gaborik stays healthy again.
That being said, it could be the teams who finished below Atlanta in the standings that could pose the biggest threats. Carolina quietly improved their defensive corps, adding Anton Babchuk from the KHL and Joe Corvo in a free agent signing from Washington. Losing Rod Brind'Amour's leadership could be key, but the team really turned a corner after naming Eric Staal captain, going 21-10-3 down the stretch after the captaincy change. A healthy Carolina team could pose serious problems to Atlanta's playoff chances, especially with six games against their division rivals and losing to Carolina all three times at home last season.
Antero Nittymaki has departed from San Jose, which is possibly the only good news for the Thrashers concerning the Lightning this off-season. After losing power play specialist Kurtis Foster to the Oilers, Tampa replaced his power play prowess with our own Pavel Kubina, who was good for 10 power play points last season. Gagne's production, provided he is healthy, will be a huge boost to an already offensively talented team and Victor Hedman will only get better with experience. Should Brett Connolly, the team's 6th overall pick in the 2010 Draft, make the team, he too could provide an offensive boost. Yesterday's addition of Dominic Moore will also give the team a nice two-way center to compliment the big guns up front. Couple this with Atlanta's one win in six games against Tampa last season and Tampa could be a thorn in the side of the Thrashers once again.
Finally, the New York Islanders have quietly improved an already much-improved team. The Isles added Zenon Konopka, a hard-nosed leader who lead the NHL in fights last season with 33 (the next closest was Ian Laperriere with 25) while playing in Tampa. This is a great move for the Islanders, adding toughness with a little bit of a scoring touch. Milan Jurcina adds more toughness on the blueline, and Mark Eaton is a servicable veteran. The team also added P.A. Parenteau, who quietly added a solid 8 points in 22 games (projects to 30 over an 82-game season) with the Rangers last year. Couple all this with the addition of Nino Niederreiter and the Islanders have a good, young core that will be tough to play against.
Stack all of this up with the Thrashers, who have added Dustin Byfuglien up front, Brent Sopel on the back end, and Chris Mason in goal. Byfuglien remains a question mark--will he produce as he did in the post-season or regular season? Sopel is a downgrade over Kubina but is a good penalty killer which will help the Thrashers with the loss of Marty Reasoner. Mason is an upgrade over Hedberg in goal who can tandem with Pavelec. Andrew Ladd is another big piece to the puzzle and less of a question mark than the others, bringing character and scoring to a team that may be offensively challenged at times. It all comes together in a new coach, Craig Ramsay, who will bring a whole new winning philosophy to an NHL team with as many playoff wins as the Hartford Whalers in the past 10 years.
It's tough to tell in July what team has improved the most, but when looking at specific team needs I'd be inclined to say Boston has done a great job upgrading. Atlanta isn't far behind, though. What do you think? Is Atlanta the most improved team in the NHL this season?
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?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Q & A: Thrashers Prospect Carl Klingberg
The Thrashers got a steal when they selected Carl Klingberg, the 6'3" LW out of Frolunda Jr. Klingberg made the transition to Frolunda's Elite League team last year, posting 13 points (6 G, 7 A) in 42 games. Klingberg is considered a contender to make the Thrashers this fall after a strong prospect camp.
Should Klingberg not make Atlanta, he will return to Frolunda and likely earn a spot on Sweden's U-20 National Team at the World Junior Championships in Buffalo.
Klingberg plays a solid two way game and has a tireless work ethic and was rewarded with an entry-level contract from Atlanta in June.
I was fortunate enough to catch up with Carl and ask him a few quick questions about Frolunda, prospect camp, and playing his younger brother 1-on-1.
How would you assess last season in Frolunda from a personal standpoint?
I think it went good! I played good when I had the chance and was always playing good. I just want to play more next season and that's my goal.
How did you feel at prospect camp?
Good. I just couldn't get the puck into the net. But as long as I am playing as I should, I will score.
Was it easier going into prospect camp for the 2nd time?
For sure. I was remembering everything, and I knew what we were doing and so on. My English was much better too.
What is the biggest difference between the North American game and the Swedish game? Which style of play do you like more?
Size of the rink. In North America everything is forwards and backwards, in Sweden it is much more playing sideways. I prefer the North American style--that's my game.
The Thrashers have a lot of Swedes on their roster..does having players like Enstrom and Oduya help make the transition easier?
Well, I haven't met them yet, but of course to have some Swedes helps. They can explain everything and have been in my position before, so they know what it is about.
What area of your game have you worked the hardest on since being drafted?
My techincal skills. I want to carry the puck and not lose it as much as I sometimes did before.
Your brother John was drafted this year by Dallas as a defenseman. What was it like growing up in such a hockey family?
We have been pushing each other all the time and been playing on the street since we were five years [old]. It helps a lot. My father was always a helping hand too. He supported me all the time. I can't forget my grandpa either; they have always helped me.
Who wins a 1-on-1 battle...you or John?
Me! I am bigger, stronger, and so on. But give him five years and then we will see! But I will always try to break him.
TC
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
Monday, July 26, 2010
Alexei Ponikarovsky? Humoring the Rumor Mill.
As the dog days of summer drag on in that unfortunate lull between prospect camp and training camp there becomes litte to talk about in the hockey world. The Thrashers have just locked up Ondrej Pavelec for 2 years, $2.3 million. This is a very solid move for Atlanta. It's a low cap hit and gives Pavelec two more years to develop behind Mason.
But alas, there are issues that the Thrashers still need to tackle. Many feel another bona fide goal scorer is a necessary addition to the roster. A name that man fans, not necessarily hockey sources, continue to throw out it is Alexei Ponikarovsky. Ponikarovsky is an undoubted talent; he's potted 18+ goals five times through his career. So would he be a good fit in Atlanta?
THE CASE FOR PONIKAROVSKY
Ponikarovsky is a solid talent. While many feel he's an underachiever, you can't take away his five 18+ goal outputs, including his career high 23 in 2008-2009. He has good hands and is a solid skater and could look good alongside Nik Antropov, former teammates in Toronto.
Ponikarovsky, a native of the Ukraine, is another big body. Listed at 6'4", 220, Ponikarovsky would certainly fit the bill in Atlanta of being a big, hulking forward (Antropov, Byfuglien, Eager, Kane, Thorburn, and Ladd all exceed 6'2").
He has some finish and solid playmaking abilities, despite sometimes being invisible. Ponikarovsky (pictured above, Getty Images) could benefit from a fresh start as well. Aside from his short stint in Pittsburgh last season he had played his entire career for some very bad Toronto Maple Leafs teams.
Bringing Ponikarovsky would, in theory, address one of the major percieved issues since Ilya Kovalchuk left: who is going to score the goals. Adding a pretty much guaranteed 20+ goal scorer to the 1st or 2nd line would certainly be helpful in that regard.
THE CASE AGAINST
Ponikarovsky has typically underachieved. His talent is a tease, leaving many Toronto fans wanting more. This is a guy with 30+ goal talent who pots 20 on a yearly basis. Again, the numbers are nice, but with the new direction of the team is there space for an underachiever?
The Thrashers are currently building a roster around character players. While guys like Andrew Ladd have been brought in and do have some scoring touch, they are not legitimate goal scorers (Ladd had a career-high 17 last season). Ponikarovsky would not necessarily fit into the roster the Thrashers are trying to build. He has some "all Swedish, no finish" qualities; he has talent but maybe lacks the intangibles to take himself and his team to the next level.
Ponikarovsky has another special talent: disappearing when it matters most. In 34 career playoff games he has a total of two goals. He had 1 in 11 games last year in Pittsburgh, and 1 in 13 games in 2004, the last time the Maple Leafs made the post-season. During that playoff race in 2004, Ponikarovsky had 1 goal in 14 games in March. In Pittsburgh's playoff race last season, he had 2 goals in 16 games. Not exactly stellar numbers.
On an Atlanta team where leadership and clutch play from key veterans is going to be essential to push them to the playoffs, having a guy that disappears when it matters most is the last thing they need.
THE VERDICT
While his playoff sample is sort of small because he did, after all, play for the Leafs who never make the playoffs, his numbers in crunch time have been less than spectacular. Okay, so maybe he's not a perennial April bust the way Joe Thornton or old friend Dany Heatley are. But despite having solid numbers, an underachieving winger who disappears during crunch time isn't exactly what the Thrashers need at this point in time.
TC
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
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