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
