Atlanta Thrashers

I was all set to post this blog with the morning practice lines being the same, but ….

As the skate was about to begin, Evander Kane and Slava Kozlov switched jerseys. That means the lines for practice this morning are:

Kane-Antropov-Afinogenov

Peverley-White-Little

Kozlov-Reasoner-Armstrong

Boulton-Slater-Thorburn

I’ll see what coach John Anderson says about the line change for the practice after interviews. Maybe he’s just trying to mix it up a little bit.

I spent the morning looking to see if there was a statistical reason the Thrashers are so different on the road (5-1-1) and at home (1-5-0). A couple of stats jumped out:

1. They kill 89.7 percent of penalties on the road; 76.2 percent at home.

2. They have 118 hits on the road (two more games); 57 at home.

3. They have 91 blocked shots on the road; 63 at home.

I also came across this about their slow starts:

1. Record when the score first: 4-0; Record when opposition scores first: 2-5-1

2. Recorde when trailing after …

Continue reading Kane and Kozlov switch practice jerseys »

Back from the morning skate for tonight’s game against Rick Nash and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

As I told you yesterday, Ondrej Pavelec will start in goal.

Coach John Anderson was not telling who will be the scratch. He said it will be a game-time decision. When I asked again about the status of Ron Hainsey, who missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, Anderson said he would be a game-time decision. Hainsey told me yesterday he expects to play against his former team. He participated in the morning skate, but stay tuned.

If you noticed, some of the Thrashers are starting to sport moustaches. It’s part of a prostate cancer campaign the team has entitled MOvember. Thrashers coaches, including Anderson, and players Zach Bogosian, Jim Slater and Mark Popovic are sporting the new look. It’s an effort to “change the face of men’s health.”

That’s the news from today. The Thrashers will again wear the alternate maroon jerseys. They are 0-2 wearing them this …

Continue reading Hainsey still a “game-time” decision »

We are back! Now with some breaking news: Kari Lehtonen underwent another back surgery on Friday. The procedure was to remove edges of bone that were applying pressure to nerve roots in his back at two locations. The surgery was performed by Dr. Paul Maurer at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. The locations on the back were different than the location of the surgery he had on July 20.

The team says he will be sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks.

Thrashers had a late optional skate on Wednesday. They start at 1 p.m.

We’ll need to check the status of Ron Hainsey, who missed both games in Canada. He left last Friday’s practice with an undisclosed injury that coach John Anderson said was “day-to-day.” I will let you know if I find out anything new and what his status might be for Thursday against Columbus.

Looking to do a story for today/tomorrow on Ondrej Pavelec. I think with need to catch up with the goalie after two impressive games in Canada. What do you think was his better …

Continue reading Kari Lehtonen has another back surgery »

I’m a little late with the blog this morning, but it was a quick practice and I was doing some research for my next story – a look at what went wrong these last three home games. Let me know your thoughts.

The one piece of news from the practice was that Ron Hainsey left after a few minutes. I’m not sure what the problem is but coach John Anderson described Hainsey as “day-to-day.”

All the fowards were dressed in same color practice jerseys, but the lines looked like they remained the same from Thursday night.

Antropov-Peverely-Afinogenov

Kozlov-White-Little

Armstrong-Reasoner-Kane

Boulton-Krog-Thorburn

I will check back and see what you guys think of the issues the last few games. I can tell you the players all say they can’t fall behind early as they have.

Continue reading What went wrong the last three games? »

A quick report from Thursday’s morning skate.

Nik Antropov participated in the skate  after missing three straight practices with a “nagging groin injury.”

Before the skate, goalie Johan Hedberg made defenseman Anssi Salmela get in goal so he could take a penalty shot. Hedberg skated in from the blue line and got Salmela to fall to the ice, leaving the net wide open. Hedberg fired high past the open net.

John Anderson told me yesterday that Ondrej Pavelec would most likely start in goal. I’ll let you know if that changes.

Just wanted to get something to you quickly.

Continue reading Antropov takes part in Thrashers morning skate »

It’s looking like the Thrashers may go into tomorrow night’s game against Washington without both top liners Ilya Kovalchuk and Nik Antropov. I’m no doctor, so we’ll find out for sure Thursday. Kovalchuk is out with a broken bone in his foot so that’s a certainty. Antropov missed his third straight practice Wednesday. Coach John Anderson said Antropov is suffering from a “nagging groin injury.”

Here are the line combos used in Wednesday’s practice. Anderson told me Tuesday the team has several line combination scenarios and it will depend on who is available against the Capitals.

Orange: Kozlov, White, Afinogenov

Grey: Armstrong, Peverley, Kane

Red: Reasoner, Slater, Little

Light blue: Boulton, Krog, Thorburn

The first part of practice was spent on special teams.

The first power-play unit was Little, White, Kozlov, Bogosian, Enstrom. The second unit was Peverley, Armstrong,  Afinogenov, Hainsey, Kubina. Krog saw some time on the second unit.

The first penalty-kill unit had …

Continue reading Antropov misses third straight practice »

Reporting from Thrashers practice Tuesday.

Before the players take the ice and we get an idea of what the new lines will look like without Ilya Kovalchuk, a couple of updates.

The Thrashers recalled forward Jason Krog from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL to take Kovalchuk spot on the roster.

Nik Antropov missed practice yesterday. He is also out today. Coach John Anderson said he had a “nagging groin injury” and was given the day off.

Anderson also told me not to pay to much attention to the skating lines used yesterday. It was mostly a conditioning day.

Defenseman Mark Popovic skated with a forward jersey to fill out the lines with Kovalchuk and Antropov. Anderson said he considered putting a forward jersey on Christoph Schubert, since he has played forward before.

Today, Kovalchuk is supposed to talk about the injury. You can expect an update and story after practice and interviews.

Here is what the lines look like:

Orange: Slava Kozlov, Todd White, Max Afinogenov

Red: Bryan …

Continue reading Thrashers lines without Kovalchuk; Krog recalled »

Reporting from Thrashers practice Monday morning and Ilya Kovalchuk is not on the ice.

Here is the little I know this morning. According to GM Don Waddell, Kovalchuk will have a CT scan today because there is “obviously a reason for concern.” The team hopes to have the results later today. Waddell said the injury is to the top of the foot, where there is less protection on the skate.

I hope to have some news following practice and interviews so stay tuned. I will post an update with any further information from here in Duluth before leaving.

As an aside, a post on the old blog claiming to be from PR rep Rob Koch is very much bogus.  There are ways to identify said poster. You are not cool.

Mark Popovic is wearing forward jersey  (to help fill out lines, I presume). Nik Antropov is also not on the ice.

Without Kovalchuk, here are the lines as they are on the ice:

Blue: Bryan Little, Slava Kozlov, Max Afinogenov

Grey: Chris Thorburn, Todd White, Marty Reasoner

Orange: Evander …

Continue reading Practice begins … without Kovalchuk »

It’s your Friday morning check-in from Thrashers practice. I’m here way early for the 11 a.m. practice. Another rookie mistake, very light traffic on a Friday.

Noah Welch is on the practice ice alone as I type.

Some leftover notes from last night’s game:

- The Little White Russian line were all minus-1. Kozlov had the line’s one point, an assist.

- The Thrashers were outshot, but only two, 28-26.

- The penalty kill did not allow a goal in seven situations. They are now No. 1 in the NHL with a 90.6 kill rate.

- The power play converted 2-of-8 chances. They are now in a three-way tie for No. 1 in the NHL – with Calgary and Colorado – with a 28.6 success rate.

- Coach John Anderson on the game:  “There were some good things. Some things I didn’t like. We have to be hitting on all cylinders to beat Washington.”

- When I asked if he was surprised that the Thrashers lost despite not allowing Alexander Ovechkin a point, Anderson said: “That’s why they are not the Ovechkin …

Continue reading Odds and ends from Thursday’s loss; Will Heatley be booed? »

The Little-White-Russian line is back.

Just back from the morning skate for tonight’s key early season matchup between the Thrashers and Capitals. First place is on the line.

Coach John Anderson has juggled the second line, moving Bryan Little back to play with Todd White and Slava Kozlov. As I documented today, the second unit has been off to a slow start, combining for two goals and a minus-10.

“We are just trying to get everyone going,” Anderson said. “Some guys haven’t gotten goals yet. Guys that can score. You want to have all your guys running on the same gear and maybe a little switch will be a breath of fresh air. Lines are not set in stone. We can always change them back.”

Little does not have a goal this season. He does have five assists. He was skating on the first line with Ilya Kovalchuk and Nik Antropov. Max Afinogenov will move up to skate on the top line.

Ondrej Pavelec will get the start in goal.

Jim Slater and Anssi Salmela will be the healthy …

Continue reading Thrashers move Little to second line »