Sigh.

My new line-up
Kovalchuk – Peverley – Afinogenov
Kane – Little – Antropov
Kozlov – White – Armstrong
Slater – Reasoner – Machacek

Bogosian – Enstrom
Schubert – Kubina
Valabik – Popovic
Salmela

Pavelec – Hedberg

And yet, shaking my head, there’s plenty of evidence to point to teams that reached the Finals, or won the Cup, who were well outside the playoff picture at Christmas. On New Year’s Day, 2006, the New Jersey Devils were 17-points of out 1st place in the Atlantic Division. The Devils won their division in the final hours, of the final day of the regular season.

So? So, we’re not one of those teams who had the best, or second best, second-half of the season records. It’s still possible to become a team like that. But until then, we’ve done well to bank points. It prevents us from having the finish the final 20 games of the season with a 17-2-1 record. Probably our best second-half of a season was 2006. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but once Kari came back from his groin injury, where he missed 38 games, Atlanta was red-hot. It was an Olympic Year. And Kari didn’t go, opting to rest and focus on the playoffs rather than risk further injury in Torino, Italy.

Well, it’s once again an Olympic Year (2010 Vancouver). Chuckling, I’d wager that Kari probably won’t be going again (for Finland), and who only knows how Kari’s second-half of the season might go. But if the Thrashers can just keep their heads 5-6 games over .500 by the Olympic break, they’ll have a “fair opportunity” to compete for a playoff berth. Ninety-two (92) points is 10 games over .500. I’ve been using 94-points as my line in sand. If we get there, I think we’re in. That’d be 12 games over .500, “NHL-style.” Straight up, Atlanta is 10-10. “NHL-style,” they’re 10-7-3. People don’t like to hear the words, “stay the course.” But that’s precisely what we’ve got to do. We can’t have any prolonged losing streaks. Those points in October count as much as they do in March. And we’ll need every single one of them. The key is to finish strong. Every team should want to be playing their best hockey of the year in late March and early April.

And for the record, one of my favorite playoffs seeds is the #6 spot. Lots of times, from #6, you can catch a weak division champion. The actual difference in points, over an 82 game season, might be 4-5, or fewer. It’s a winnable series. And every year since 1995, except twice, some Conference’s #7 has knocked off a #2 seed. That means the second round gets re-seeded #7 vs. #1, #6 vs. the winner of #4 vs. #5. Again, what’s the points differential? Two? Three? Four? It’s yet A-NO-THER winnable series for the #6 seed. Just recently, in 2008, in the Eastern Conference, Philadelphia reached the CF from the #6 slot. Last year, Carolina was a #6 seed that reached the CF. In 2007, the NY Rangers swept us as a #6 seed. In the West, Anaheim was a #6 seed that reached the CF in 2006. Back in 2003, Minnesota was a #6 seed that reached the CF.

If Atlanta can pour it on down the stretch, and on the final day, squeak into #6, at say, 96-points, what a world of possibility it might open up. We might just draw the Northeast Division Champion. How do you like Atlanta’s odds against: Buffalo, Boston, Montreal or Ottawa? If we happened to draw a Southeast Division opponent, at least we’d be very familiar with them. But I don’t like our chances against the Capitals in a playoff series. Nor do I like them against Carolina, for if the Hurricanes made it in, it meants they FIXED what was wrong. Look at the ‘Canes playoff record since the Lockout. Yikes. If it’s Tampa, I’d be very surprised, but I’d welcome that series!

Must rid team of little/white, They HAVE TO GO. They are killing the team.

Hainsey is not very good either.

Changes MUST be made and made before mid-December or it’s all over.

The contract mess has become just like hossa, a MESS. Typical DUMB don waddell… #17 is gone, so let’s get something before trade deadline and improve the team !