If we were tasked with writing a blog about why Waddell should be fired, it would eat a lot of bandwith. I think people know and understand the situation a lot better now. But … there’s still a bitter, resentful crowd out there, who is outraged over a lack of accountability at the GM position. Sage usually fills that voice for them. I don’t seek to suppress those opinions. That’s a perfectly natural fan response to seven seasons in the bottom third of the Conference, out of nine completed. I’m frustated, too. I’m not doing cartwheels over those results.

But I’d encourage the naysayers to look at the positive things that ARE happening now. This team is younger. It’s faster. And if it continues on the slow build plan, without any reckless trade deadline moves, it’ll eventually be a very deep, highly skilled team. Heck, even Sage, himself, says he’s fine with Jim Slater at 4th line Center. That tells me he understands the framework of the Thrashers organization and where they are in its evolution. The Boultons, Thorburns, and Slaters won’t be here FOREVER. But they’re necessary now, for where they are, in the process. I know. I know. “Seems like we’ve been ‘building’ forever!” Well, missteps occurred. Unlike the 2007 Flyers, not every team can make that kind of calculated resurrection. (From DEAD LAST to a CF berth within a year.) Our markets are different. Our strategies are different. Our budgets are different. It takes LONGER to do it the way the Thrashers are, but in the end, if it’s done correctly this time, there ought to be a 3-5 window for making a run at a Cup, rather than a “shotgun” playoff berth, with no advancement.

I thought we’d be farther along than we are, after nine seasons, but hey … it is what it is. I’m not angered by people were are upset by what has taken place. I don’t think that voice should be suppressed. I don’t know that it needs to be dwelled upon, either. I believe in the principles of accountability. To a very large extent, that hasn’t happened. Head Coaches have been accountability casualties. Some assistant coaches, too. I just continue to hope for improvement. And I also know that there will be life, after Kovalchuk, for hockey … in this city … if the unspeakable should happen next July. The Thrashers would have to devise a new strategy, in a post-Kovalchuk era. Wins fix everything.

As for NHL.com, I do not know what they use as criterion for moving up in the standings. If it’s the acquisition of alotta free agents, other teams have done more. I question as to whether they are taking into consideration how well Atlanta played in the 2nd half last season, especially when they had nothing to play for other than pride. The current players played well as a team down the stretch and soon they will be back for more.

Toronto has made some improvements, but they still have questions in goal along with a number of players they would like to trade. They look more like a Don Cherry team than a playoff team. The Islanders were the worse team in the league last year (except againmst Buffalo), so they have nowhere to go but up.

We still don’t know if any of the young guys are going to step up and challenge for a roster stop this year. I am sure other teams on the list have similar considerations with their young players. It just seems early to try and effectively predict who is going to be better for the upcoming season.

I hope you understand where I am coming from.

Point well made.

If this is what Sage is getting at, then well… duh… what is the AJC supposed to do? Not mention it because it’s obvious news?

“Michael Jackson died today, but you already knew that”, no text and no picture to follow because we all know what he looked like.

I wonder if Kovalchuk will want #71 now, like he wears for Team Russia?

Brendan, just let Sage’s remarks float off into space… they hardly need follow-up.