Thrashers trade LaVallee
By now, I trust you’ve seen the story I posted a while ago about the Thrashers trading Jordan LaVallee-Smotherman (he has changed his last name) to Columbus for future considerations. The move could be as much about freeing up a contract as anything.
Thought I would post a new blog to give you folks a chance to weigh in about the deal. Also, we can all return here tonight to talk about the game against the Blues.
Also, Boris Valabik had his surgery and the prognosis now has him out four to six weeks.
Let me know what you guys think.
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47 comments Add your comment
Stone Cold
October 8th, 2009
2:05 pm
I’m not first
Don *(Not That One)*
October 8th, 2009
2:16 pm
I’m not second
sisu
October 8th, 2009
2:17 pm
I think this is to give him a shot with another team, the system is full of 3rd or 4th line guys for the most art. Wish him well
J.B.
October 8th, 2009
2:22 pm
i said this on rawhide’s blog… i thought i remembered someone saying jordan had told them he was displeased with the organization and wanted to go elsewhere. not really much discussion to have re: this move in my opinion. not a real big loss and we have future considerations, whatever that means.
Gib Traf
October 8th, 2009
2:31 pm
Jordan didn’t ‘change’ his name. His middle name is LaVallee (which was his mother’s maiden name) and his last name is Smotherman. His parents had him using LaVallee for hockey at an early age because they thought it was a “better hockey name”. See what a little research does!
Chris Vivlamore
October 8th, 2009
2:40 pm
Gib Traf: Thanks for you insight. However, for hockey purposes he did change his name.
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
2:47 pm
Displeased? He’s a 3rd liner on his best nights and can’t even beat out the guys in Chicago let alone Peverley, Reasoner or even Slater. Nothing lost, although I doubt those future considerations will be more than a 5th round pick. Good move to dump him if it means freeing up $$ that the Spirit doesn’t need to pay or getting a potential draft pick. Take the $1/2 mil you were giving him and tack it onto Kovalchuk’s offer.
Gib Traf
October 8th, 2009
2:47 pm
ha ha. okie dokie, Chris.
JB17
October 8th, 2009
2:50 pm
For those of you who don’t know Dan Kamal and Ben Wright have confirmed the lineups for tonight.
Scratches: Pops, Slater
Kovy-Antropov-Little
Kozzy-White-Afinogenov
Kane-Peverley-Armstrong
Boulton-Reasoner-Thorburn
Bogosian-Enstrom
Hainsey-Kubina
Schuber-Salmela
Pavalec
Brian
October 8th, 2009
2:52 pm
Who is Schuber? Glad they scratched Slater.
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
2:52 pm
If his jersey doesn’t say “LaVallee” on it anymore then it was changed. Although if its “street cred” he and his parents are worried about perhaps he should have changed it to Jordan Cinco Cero.
Bravos33
October 8th, 2009
2:55 pm
I think this deal is fine, anything that will free us up in the short term. Let’s face it, we are at a critical point in franchise history. While I think we are building for the future, it is of upmost importance to succeed now to ensure that there IS a future! Right? Hopefully we can start a long early season road trip off right tonight! Just checking, but Chris, is this the longest early road trip of any team in the league? We have what, 5 games on the road before we are home again? That’s a tough test, but if we come through nicely we should put ourselves in good early season position, don’t you think?
GaVaHokie
October 8th, 2009
2:56 pm
Yeah, I’m guessing too much money on the books when they signed Chelios… good luck to Smotherman.
JB17
October 8th, 2009
2:57 pm
I meant Schubert; he got his immigration papers in order and will play.
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
2:59 pm
What’s the Chelios reference to?
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
3:05 pm
Now I’m more confused. JB17, are you referring to GaVaHokie? You meant to say Schubert instead of Chelios?
Brendan
October 8th, 2009
3:05 pm
I think the current CBA says each team may have, minors and pros combined, 54 contracts. I don’t know, exactly, where Atlanta stands, but this helps that number. I always liked LaVallee and hoped he could one-day make the lineup. It’s not as if he’s irreplaceable. I wish him well in Columbus.
As for Boris, maybe this is exactly what the Defense needed, more playing time for Mark Popovic, Anssi Salmela, and maybe even Nathan Oystrick. I wish Boris well after his surgery and hope he can make a full recovery. I think this is a tremendous opportunity for the #5 and #6 guys to prove they’re BETTER than Valabik, and force Boris up to the presser upon his return.
Don *(Not That One)*
October 8th, 2009
3:05 pm
Chelios signed a deal to play for the Chicago Wolves. Makes sense his family is still there and he wants to play. I doubt the deal has any NHL connection so a call up would not be possible, not that anyone would want him. Although he will be a good influence in the locker room for some of the younger players.
JB17
October 8th, 2009
3:08 pm
Nope, TEOB; Brian asked who Schuber was and I was correcting my typo.
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
3:12 pm
I knew about Chelios in Chicago, but didn’t know what it had to do with Schubert, I can’t tell who’s replying to who. Then I only posted one sentence of my own to make things worse and finished the second sentence in the following post. Thanks Don.
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
3:13 pm
and JB17, thanks too. Again I posted without finishing. Either way I think I got it sorted out who’s talking to who.
JB17
October 8th, 2009
3:19 pm
No problem dude, no worries.
Toby
October 8th, 2009
3:46 pm
Wow…Slater sitting…We finally have depth!!!!!!!!
Schroeder
October 8th, 2009
4:28 pm
I am not one to hate on any player,and I am sure he is a great guy and all,but I truly believe that Slater as a healthy scratch means that this team is starting to turn the corner,slowly but surely this team is finally moving away from what looks to be AAAA talent,to use a baseball analogy,top line AHL,but not quite NHL material.As high a draft pick as Slater was I would have expected more than 4th line banger.The waiver wire has been full of this type player for years.I hate to say this but Ryan Leaf paid more dividends from his draft position.I am extremely excited to see how this line-up fares tonight.Thanks for listening to my rant.
Schroeder
October 8th, 2009
4:31 pm
Also,to quote another blogger,I am happy that the SPETNAZ came through to get Schubert’s paperwork in order.
Dwayne
October 8th, 2009
4:36 pm
Slater sitting…thought maybe Thrashers need his face off capabilities, Thor gets the nod because of his fight Saturday nite?
I hope Boris, (yes I called him Boris), surgery went well, he has no complications, is back on skates in 8 weeks, plays well in Chicago, but, never makes it back to Atlanta because our top 6 d-men are injury free and playing well.
thebighairybeast
October 8th, 2009
4:38 pm
Bravos got me thinking with the whole road trip thing. What would yall consider a successful road trip? I would be happy with 2 wins, two losses, and an overtime loss. As long as we get back home at .500 I think we can feel good.
Brendan
October 8th, 2009
5:05 pm
The road trip is a success with wins over Ottawa and Montreal, irrespective of the outcome of the other games.
Shananeeeeee Fananeeeeeeeee
October 8th, 2009
5:08 pm
Who? When? Where? The only thing I want to know is if I can make it three years in a row and hook up with another member of the Blue Crew. I’m betting yes.
The Earl of Bud
October 8th, 2009
5:15 pm
As the founder of the “Jim Slater is the ideal 4th line center” club I like the guy. I just posted on the last blog or one before all the guys picked in the first round after Valabik (tenth overall), you can maybe count on 1 hand how many of them are NHL caliber. That’s just the nature of the draft, 1/2 the guys don’t even make the league, so to get over 200 games out of a guy and counting is a success, even if it is 4th line minutes. Sure it would be nice if he was our #1 center but the world needs ditchdiggers too.
Someone on here posted over the summer to only have Thor or Boults, and I am applying for membership into that club. We only need one of those guys (put either of them at LW) and put Slater on 4th line RW. At some point we will see Thor/Boults-Reasoner-Slater.
Looking at that 3rd line as it stands now I think it can be our hidden gem that surprises people, sort of what Koz-Wht-Ltl was last year.
I would be happy with 2w, 2l and 1otl/sol but obviously want more.
Dwayne
October 8th, 2009
6:07 pm
I’d like to see 3-1-1, that would be 9 points in 6 games. I think, that equals out to 108 points for 82 games. Might be a little unrealistic.What a minute, 8 points every 6 games is 96??? That was my prediction.
Mike M
October 8th, 2009
6:10 pm
The E of B I could not agree more.
Why not build a 4th line that can apply pressure not just take up a few minutes each night. And if the Thrashers play an opponent that might give them some trouble rest Reasoner and put Boulton or Thornburn back in Slater Thornburn and Boulton have played on the same line for 2 years now they will be able to have instant chemistry for a game or two. But this 4th line plays some of the fewest minutes in the NHL so why not improve it and take a minute off the other three lines per night to keep them fresh and reduce injuries. We all hope that it will be a long season at least 96 games or so afresh team is less likely to make mistake and who knows maybe the shots allowed on goal per night will go down to help out the goal tending for a change.
jerry
October 8th, 2009
6:31 pm
who’s on first?
ThrasherHusk
October 8th, 2009
7:38 pm
yeah guys i got to say i am loving the line combos 3 great scoring lines reason on the 4th best lines i have ever seen in the thrash existance. cant wait for the game. only concern… i hope schubert is not the next zhitnik… please, someone tell me it wont be that way
KovyRules
October 9th, 2009
12:23 am
E o B, how are you liking the “sit Thor or Boults” idea now? Do you sit the guy making the beautiful no-look pass, or the guys burying it in the net? I believe the Gratton signing has both those guys playing way better, knowing their line-up spot is not guaranteed. Never in Thrashers history have we needed to wring our hands about what to do with extra players!
Jarndyce
October 9th, 2009
9:01 am
Okay, let’s try to settle this Slater as 1st round pick nonsense once and for all. I give you three sets of player stats:
A: 191 games played, 35 goals, 45 assists, 130 pim
B: 274 games played, 31 goals, 39 assists, 201 pim
C: 155 games played, 16 goals, 33 assists, 144 pim
The first thing to remember is that Slater was taken with the last pick of the 1st round, 30th overall. Would we still have the same conversation had he been picked 31st, at the beginning of the second round?
Player A? The average of the 15 non-goalie players taken just before Slater.
Player B? Slater.
Player C? The average of the 15 non-goalie players taken just after Slater.
If you want to narrow that range a bit, here’s the average for the 6 players that bracket Slater’s pick:
1 game played, 0 goals, 0 assists, 2 pim.
Jarndyce
October 9th, 2009
9:04 am
Oh, and forgive me, but that last line isn’t average. It’s the total of the six players around Slater.
hoosier_hoser
October 9th, 2009
9:42 am
I’m worried about the new kid, Kane. He’s under a lot of pressure trying to keep up with a point-a-match player like Bolts. Does he fold when Bolts puts a Gordie Howe hat trick on the Senators?
Buzz
October 9th, 2009
10:56 am
Slater is a good player, just not a great player. I too think he’s the ideal 4th line center. His faceoff skills are really good and sometimes you need a defensive zone faceoff win.
I have no problem with the guy, and his flexibility to play all 3 forward positions makes him valuable too.
Of course, I wish he was the second coming of Kovalchuk, but that ain’t gonna be happening.
Too bad we can’t trade him straight up for Heatley … that dude is gonna have some kinda season out in San Jose.
Toby
October 9th, 2009
11:24 am
Chris
You’re Twitter account is gone…
Chris Vivlamore
October 9th, 2009
12:11 pm
Toby: AJC management wanted beat reporters to change their twitter accounts. It is called ajcthrashers now. I thought I could just change the name and it kept all the followers. Is that not the case? If so, you missed all my scoops yesterday!
Chris Vivlamore
October 9th, 2009
12:12 pm
All: Since I was not in St. Louis yesterday, I will be talking to Evander Kane and John Anderson by phone this afternoon. I will post a new blog with what they have to say. I won’t be in Ottawa on Saturday. I am making the trip to Buffalo.
August
October 9th, 2009
12:42 pm
Know it’s not your fault, Chris, but it doesn’t exactly bode well for the perception of the AJC’s hockey coverage when they don’t send the beat reporter out for the first and second road games of the season….
Chris Vivlamore
October 9th, 2009
1:11 pm
August: I understand completely where you are coming from. Here’s hoping the economic climate changes soon – to benefit all of us.
Ames
October 9th, 2009
2:44 pm
Hey Chris: Thanks for your work covering the team, I asked this on Rawhide’s Blog, but then thought this question would be better addressed to you. When are the “Know Your Thrashers” video features going to start?
Chris Vivlamore
October 9th, 2009
4:22 pm
Ames: Actually, I had that very conversation today with our online video department (that’s one guy). They are starting to work on it. They need to set up filming, etc. It is in the works.
The Earl of Bud
October 9th, 2009
7:55 pm
“E o B, how are you liking the “sit Thor or Boults” idea now?”
KovyRules, do you really think this will last over a 10 game stretch let alone an 80 game season?
I think World Be Free said it in a previous post – just when he has had enough with Thorburn the guy makes a nice play to make him like him again. That’s how I feel with both those guys. Kudos also to Boulton for that hit to open the TBL game that set the tone for the night.
Jarndyce, nice post on the draft picks around Slater. I have posted those same stats not just for that year, but for the year before and year after. Yet somehow people still hate the guy for being a 1st round pick.