Big Thrashers news: Waddell moved up, Dudley in, coaches out
The Thrashers named Don Waddell president, promoted Rick Dudley to general manager and dismissed its coaching staff Wednesday, the AJC first reported. They are three significant moves aimed at changing the direction of a franchise that has made the playoffs just once in its 10-season history.
The moves came four days after the end of the Thrashers season and the day the Stanley Cup playoffs were to begin.
Waddell has served as general manager of the Thrashers since its inception, being named to the position in June 1998. Last offseason he was also named executive vice president of the Atlanta Spirit, the parent company of the Thrashers, Hawks and Philips Arena.
Waddell said Sunday, the day after the season ended, he expected to return to the organization next season but would not be specific when asked in what role.
Dudley joined the Thrashers in June of last year and spent his first season with the team as associate general manager. Dudley, with over 40 years of experience in professional hockey as a player, coach and executive, spent the previous five seasons with the Blackhawks. He spent the last three years at assistant general manager.
Head coach John Anderson did not have his contract renewed after two seasons in Atlanta. The Thrashers were 70-75-19 in his two seasons. Assistant coaches Randy Cunneyworth, Todd Nelson and Steve Weeks also did not have their contracts renewed.
“Absolute disappointment,” Anderson told the AJC Wednesday morning. “From last year, I don’t like to use the word rebuilding mode, but that’s what we were in. Two years later, I think we left the house in pretty good order. We almost made the playoffs. I wish we had. It might have been the difference in my job and some other guys’ jobs.
“I’d really like to thank the fans for all their support,” Anderson said. “They’ve been great. I’d also like to that all the people I’ve worked with. And especially the players. They really gave me everything they had.”
The Thrashers finished 35-34-13 (83 points) this season, five points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“One thing I understand about professional sports, is that ultimately if the team doesn’t do well the coach accepts all the responsibility,” Anderson told the AJC on Monday after completing player exit interviews. “And I do rightfully so, no problem. When the team wins, the coach gives the players [the credit]. That’s how it is. … I understand the reality of it. We didn’t make the playoffs. I accept responsibility for that. Whatever happens, happens.”
Perhaps those five points could have been the difference.
“Unfortunately, when a team does not perform as expected, there are going to be changes, usually to the coaching staff,” goaltender Johan Hedberg said. “As a player you feel bad because you had a part in doing it to them. The team has to do what it feels is right. It is performance based. Five more points and we would have made the playoffs and maybe this doesn’t happen.”
Other reaction:
Boris Valabik – “For me, personally, I’ve known Johnny and Nelly a long time. They coached me in [AHL] Chicago. I think they did a great job. They helped me out so much and did a good job. I have nothing bad to say about them. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me. You never know, maybe I’ll see them again. … It’s a new challenge. I’ve never had another coach. It’s going to be a big difference but I’m excited about the new challenge.
Eric Boulton – “Obviously, it’s no fun when you don’t make the playoffs. I have a lot of respect for all four [coaches]. Unfortunately when you don’t make the playoffs, changes are going to be made. Don is very respected and has been here a long time. Everyone has a lot of respect for Rick Dudley. He’s a good hockey mind. He’s going to be great for the city, great for the organization.”
Slava Kozlov: “Unfortunately, it’s too late. If you don’t make the playoffs I can understand ownership’s frustration and they have to do something. I expected after this season there was going to be changes.”
Colby Armstrong: “As far as the coaches, they are really good people, really great guys. It’s definitely a shakeup. Rick Dudley is a really smart hockey guy. He knows what he is doing. It’s a new era coming up for the Thrashers. They are moving in a positive direction.
Ron Hainsey: “I think we are going to see a change in direction. When a team doesn’t get into the playoffs and it’s not seen as a successful season, things change. Those were four quality people that were let go. That’s the toughest part. We were close this year [to making the playoffs], but the next question is what are you going to do when you get in. You have to do something. We are building going forward. Our identity changed some last season and it will change some more. We have some good young players. If they get developed like everyone hopes, we will have a strong group. That’s the challenge, to build a team that makes the playoffs and ultimately competes for the Stanley Cup.”
Bruce Bodreau, Capitals coach: “It’s a sad day for me and John. He’s a very close friend. He phoned me at 9 a.m. this morning. It’s a tough business sometimes because I think he did a great job with what he had to work with all year. He kept them competitive. It’s unfortunate but John is a very good coach and he’ll land on his feet very soon.”
Pavel Kubina: “I know Rick Dudley well. He used to be my GM in Tampa (where Kubina won a Stanley Cup). He’s the best GM out there. He built our team in Tampa. This doesn’t change anything about me wanting to come back.”
Jim Slater: “Players have to ultimately to out there and perform. You see the repercussions of that. Management felt very strongly that we had a good team.”
Letter from ownership to season ticket holders: “As we end the 2009-10 season, we begin the next steps towards achieving our ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup championship. This year ushered in highlights and exhilarating wins, and also delivered a disappointing conclusion when we didn’t achieve a playoff berth. As a result, we have elected to restructure our hockey operations staff to ensure we are maximizing our assets. Today we are promoting Don Waddell to President of the Thrashers and Rick Dudley to the team’s General Manager.
In addition, we, along with Rick and Don, have decided not to retain Head Coach John Anderson and Assistant Coaches Randy Cunneyworth, Todd Nelson and Steve Weeks. We thank each of them for their dedication and contributions to the organization during their tenures.
Rick has been with us for a year, and after his initial tenure of contributing to the hockey operations staff, and assessing the team and organization, we look forward to his guidance over hockey-related activities.
Rick has been pivotal in building highly successful hockey teams, including most recently the Chicago Blackhawks. He has nearly 40 years of experience and is very well-respected in the hockey community for his expertise in evaluating and developing talent. He will immediately begin the search for a new head coach and will oversee all preparations for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. We are extremely confident that he will do an outstanding job of taking us to the next level.
As all of you know, Don has been an important part of this organization since its inception, and in shifting his focus to concentrate primarily on all business aspects of the organization, he will continue to work closely with Rick and play a vital role for our Thrashers franchise. Although we all are disappointed with not participating in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, we are excited about our future and will continue to build on the team’s strong core of young players with the goal of creating a competitive and successful squad that will make our fans proud.
We’d like to thank you for your loyal support as a Season Ticket Holder as we enter a new era of Thrashers hockey.”
Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon
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235 comments Add your comment
TrueBlueGreg
April 14th, 2010
9:52 am
Now starts the 3rd five year plan. And again, there is still one thing that hasn’t changed! SEE THE LIGHT!
GaVaHokie
April 14th, 2010
10:02 am
Wow!! Coaching staff fired… Gotta let this swirl around a little bit… that’s crazy.
jakass
April 14th, 2010
10:04 am
Glad Anderson is gone. Tired of playing minor league hockey
GaVaHokie
April 14th, 2010
10:05 am
Sad to see Anderson let go… gotta think Dudley will be looking at Denis Savard.
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
10:06 am
Wow, miracles DO happen!! Where’s Al Michaels when you need him!
C’mon Duds, go get us some of those young studs from cap-strapped Chicago…and hire Craig MacTavish, John Stevens or Andy Murray!
Telfo
April 14th, 2010
10:06 am
i love it!
glad that Weeks is gone as goalie coach…we havent exactly had a good goalie past
Hip Czech
April 14th, 2010
10:08 am
Good move I believe…I think the Thrashers overreacted to Hartley and the pendulum swung all the way the other way. Anderson was too laid back.
Stevens might be an interesting choice assuming he can work well with younger players and the problems in Philly were the older players with guaranteed contracts.
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
10:09 am
ACCOUNTABILITY!!!
Still don’t understand why they can’t bring themselves to fire Waddell, but just goes to show Waddell might as well be an owner in the Great Octocluster as he is virtually untouchable! But Duds can get the job done. Just like Evander Kane, he gets the job done.
Mr. Heat Miser
April 14th, 2010
10:12 am
The Gods have spoken.
Tom (Capital T Tom)
April 14th, 2010
10:13 am
It was almost perfect. If we had gotten Waddell out of the organization we could have a nice clean start with Dudley.
Now lets get a coach in, even if we have to overpay him, that will attract quality players. Dudley and a 1st rate coach will show the players in the league that ATL is a worthy destination.
ThrashDawg
April 14th, 2010
10:13 am
Seen this coming! Waddell makes the books work too well for the ASG to throw him out of the organIzation. Dudley seems to be a great talent evaluator and he will be given the chance to hire his own coaching staff. This makes perfect sense to me as long as the ASG and Waddell will let Dudley run his own show. I do not like the way Anderson handled Kozlov. It must have been the hardest thing he has ever had to do by scratching Kozlov 30 times in the last 2-3 months of the season.
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
10:14 am
Now someone please take Mr. Waddell’s stapler too!!
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
10:15 am
Slava’s biggest problem this year was having to play with Todd White!
FormerIslesFan
April 14th, 2010
10:16 am
Wow. Not sure how I feel about Anderson, as I am one of those that think that he is still growing as an NHL coach and would have worked out in the end. Oh well…Bygones.
Is it possible that a new day is dawning in Blueland???
What now?
April 14th, 2010
10:17 am
They kept the incompetent waddell? No wonder they are screwed up.
ThrashDawg
April 14th, 2010
10:18 am
Don’t get me wrong, I do not like the way Kozlov thru Anderson under the bus, but I do believe Slava was well respected in the locker room and could have been a big help in the playoff run. Anderson was so bull headed with Slava that he may have cost him his job by not making the playoffs.
lewis
April 14th, 2010
10:19 am
woodson next
GaVaHokie
April 14th, 2010
10:23 am
Waddell makes the books work too well for the ASG to throw him out of the organIzation. Dudley seems to be a great talent evaluator and he will be given the chance to hire his own coaching staff.
My sentiments exactly… Waddell has made hockey affordable for the owners… now it’s time to get “bang for the buck” with Dudley. I think this move has not only helped the longevity of the franchise economically, but now, from a talent perspective too.
Russ
April 14th, 2010
10:23 am
I obviously like the move, but the ASG has grown so attached to DW’s incompetence they just can’t bring themselves to completely cut ties. If DW is completely out of all personnel decisions, fine, but he really needs to be out of the picture completely to make sure Dudley is in control of all moves.
B. Thenet
April 14th, 2010
10:24 am
John Anderson got a bad hand, and did what he could. The Kovy situation was poorly handled by management, and when you look a the December slide that doomed this teams playoff chances….it likely cost the coaching staff their jobs.
Mr. Heat Miser
April 14th, 2010
10:24 am
I would have given Anderson one more year.
GaVaHokie
April 14th, 2010
10:24 am
Furthermore… we shouldn’t expect Dudley to completely blow up the roster like Burke did in Toronto.
merculf
April 14th, 2010
10:24 am
I’m ready to embrace a new coach and atmosphere in Blueland! When does training camp start?
DOUBLE G
April 14th, 2010
10:25 am
Too bad for Anderson. He won at the minor league level, but couldn’t do it here? Methinks the players he had to work with had much to do with that. Me also thinks that the players were Waddell’s responsibility. Ergo, glad Waddell gone, not so much Anderson.
Your Mammy
April 14th, 2010
10:25 am
It’s the old saying, “If you want to move up in the corporate world, be a complete screw up” Don Waddell followed that advice perfectly, and the Atlanta Spirit promoted him.
ChippersLoveChild
April 14th, 2010
10:27 am
Oh Happy Day, Oh Happy Day!!!!!! I liked you as a person Johnny, but sometimes that’s not enough! Best of luck to the coaches in their future endeavors, let’s finally get this right, Dudley!
Badger Bob
April 14th, 2010
10:29 am
Good move! I must admit I defended JA and his mediocre “system” for a long time, but finally realized he was not NHL calibre with how PATHETIC he allowed our powerplay to be after Kovy left. No plan, no practice, no execution, no video coaching. No excuse for any of that.
Bob H
April 14th, 2010
10:29 am
Waddell must have something dirty on someone with ASG, because it’s laughable that a team with one playoff appearance and no playoff wins in a decade of existence would be permitted to remain in any position. They’re the Clippers of the NHL.
ChippersLoveChild
April 14th, 2010
10:30 am
Oh and next up, please cut ties with Todd White… then this off season will truly be off to a great start.
ChippersLoveChild
April 14th, 2010
10:33 am
Also, anybody else think Johnny is on the Caps coaching staff next season?
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
10:34 am
Guys, that’s what you get in this world when you are supposed to be a leader of men and then you get behind a mic and complain about lucky bounces and bad luck etc. The most important kind of accountability must come from behind the bench…not behind a curtain!! Kozzy got scape-goated and it probably hurt the room almost as much as Kovy giving up on the team in mid-season. If nothing else Kozzy had earned the respect of most players due to his work ethic and professional demeanor. I don’t necessarily agree with how Kozzy went about voicing his displeasure, but I don’t really disagree with much of what he said.
Blueland News Breaker
April 14th, 2010
10:34 am
BREAKING NEWS:
Rick Dudley is the new Thrashers GM.
John Anderson and entire coaching staff Fired!
Jeff Schultz still likes boys and has back hair.
AM
April 14th, 2010
10:35 am
The corporate management and Wadell are the only constant factor in 11 loosing seasons. They will be loosers as long as the 2 above factors remain in place.
Iceman
April 14th, 2010
10:37 am
These are steps in the generally right direction!
ICE PICK
April 14th, 2010
10:37 am
In the last 5 years, Waddell has traded away all of the best players…What have got in return, zero. It doesn’t take a genius to figure who should get gone. Being from the North, I love to see hockey in the south. We will continue to lose if Waddell stays. Ask yourself who initiated the trades, all of them; “Wading in the Waddell”
DWTOO
April 14th, 2010
10:38 am
Definitely good moves. JA’s a good guy, but, not a NHL coach. You could see in that he could never adapt when a team shut down the offense. Always kept trying the same thing.
Two beer Tom
April 14th, 2010
10:39 am
I still can’t belive it: Don Waddell as President, a promotoion based on exactly what? The Thrashers are truly the laughingstock of the NHL.
Average Sports Fan
April 14th, 2010
10:40 am
Who are the Thrashers?
ChippersLoveChild
April 14th, 2010
10:41 am
To the people complaining about Waddell still being here, I’m pretty sure Dudley is calling the shots now, regardless of what Don’s position is. I like the move, it should be applauded.
ThrashDawg
April 14th, 2010
10:42 am
I really think the ASG likes the fact that Don Waddell knows how to operate a franchise on the cheap. I have to believe the ASG knows that without DW they would be bankrupt now. Let’s face it, he takes all the arrows!
The Carnivore
April 14th, 2010
10:43 am
Somewhere in Detroit, Brad McCrimmon is laughing right now.
Stevo
April 14th, 2010
10:45 am
I think Anderson got a raw deal. The team showed improvement in his second year and barely missed the playoffs. The team traded their FRANCHISE player and still almost made the playoffs. Anderson should have had one more year to see what he could do before being shown the door.
What happens when you bring in a new coach and miss the playoffs again next year? You going to fire that coach too? Or is next year going to be chalked up to another “the players are learning a new system” year?
Personally, I would have fired Waddell entirely. I don’t think the situation is going to change a whole lot except for the titles of DW and Dudley. Waddell, ultimately, will be calling the shots.
Big B CH 99
April 14th, 2010
10:46 am
Lets be optimistic & assume the new GM can’t be any worse than Waddell.
chief of smoke
April 14th, 2010
10:47 am
I think a lot of Dudley. It will be interesting to see who he hires as the next coach.
Richham
April 14th, 2010
10:49 am
The problem still exists though. DW and the goofball Spirit team are still running the show. Guaranteed nothing changes and this is a last ditch attempt to fool the already gullible Thrasher fans and keep the few season ticket holders that remain.
Matt
April 14th, 2010
10:49 am
“Ummm, yeah Donnie. I’m gonna have to ask you to take all your stuff and move it to the storage shed outside the Gulch. Ok, thanks”
It’s a START!!!! Don’t let the Donster make or have any input as to the selection of players or coaches!!
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
10:50 am
We didn’t ALMOST make the playoffs! We tanked badly when the games counted the most starting with the 6 game winless streak in early March after a nice stretch of scoring post-Kovalchuk. But they rebounded, won 4 in a row and gave themselves a chance to make a run. But then they screwed the pooch cuz Johnny didn’t know how to make any on-the-fly adjustments for teams that were determined to take away the middle of the ice. In the final 10 games, starting with the Boston debacle, we scored a total of 16 goals and were shut-out twice. That’s not nearly making the playoffs as the teams who qualified finished strongly and actually eclipsed 89 and 90 points.
Tanner
April 14th, 2010
10:50 am
The incompetence continues……good moves by getting Dudley in charge, a new GM will always want his guy as the coach. BUT AGAIN, HOW IN THE HECK DOES WADDELL KEEP A JOB!!! HE IS THE WORST GM IN SPORTS…MUCH LESS THE NHL. The Thrashers will never compete until that idiot is out!!
Otto
April 14th, 2010
10:51 am
Well it would be hard to be worse than Waddell………
WGD
April 14th, 2010
10:51 am
@Stevo, I agree with you. No way that Waddell stays without calling the shots. Perhaps if Waddell would leave Dudley alone long enough to actually “manage” we might see a difference.
Bluestreak
April 14th, 2010
10:51 am
The salvation for Hockey in Atlanta has come!! Both on the ice and otherwise.
Mike
April 14th, 2010
10:53 am
Moving Waddell up where he won’t be primary decision maker on personnel is a good thing. Similar moves by Falcons (promoting McKay and bringing in Dimitroff) worked well,so we can only hope it works for the Thrashers too.
A part of me is glad to see JA go because I was tired of the team coming out flat. I know that the players actually play the game, but you have to think the coach should be able to do something to get their butts moving.
A part of me would have liked to see the assistants go and keep JA. Bring in a better goalie coach, better defensive coach and a coach that has NHL head coach experience. That way if they start off bad, you can fire JA and have a NHL caliber replacement ready to go. He got a raw deal with the Kovy situation, yet they almost made the playoffs.
Definitely going to be an interesting offseason.
drajax
April 14th, 2010
10:54 am
Admittedly ownership read the tea leaves and took the easiest way, fire the coach. In this case the way selected was also the right way. No one likes to see a working man get fired, but the team was simply too inconsistent under his leadership. Sure if the team won or got five more points we’d be in the playoffs and we had a number of close games. But how about those games when the team didn’t even show up? Why is that? The answer can be a game by game explanation but the bottom line is that the team’s coach is responsible. I wish the best of luck to Coach Anderson.
Wolfgang PUCK
April 14th, 2010
10:55 am
Be patient, everyone – some teams never have a winning season and they still have fans that go to their games. It would be a shame to lose the team to Canada. They would probably re-name them the “Giant Inflatable Beavers” and have a mascot that slapped its tail on the ground and farted when they scored.
Andrew
April 14th, 2010
10:55 am
Until someone figures out a way to fire the ownership group, this will be an endless cycle.
GBiscuit
April 14th, 2010
10:57 am
Waddell must be part cat with all the lives he is being given. He is the common demoninator in this failure equation known as the Thrashers.
The man
April 14th, 2010
10:58 am
Hey the Lightning did that yesterday. Get your own Ideas
The man
April 14th, 2010
10:58 am
Enter your comments here
tom
April 14th, 2010
11:00 am
Good move. However, Waddell is still lurking in the wings. Will the new GM be allowed to make decisions on his own. I doubt it.
Teeroy II
April 14th, 2010
11:04 am
Hockey? Who are the chicks in the picture with the beer sitting behind the bench!
reebok
April 14th, 2010
11:04 am
Whining that he shouldn’t have been fired because “we almost made the playoffs…” This statement alone makes me glad this loser coaching staff is gone.
Boca Baby
April 14th, 2010
11:05 am
Does this move quash all the talk of the Thrashers leaving Atlanta? Let’s also have a commitment to building a championship hockey team in this city in our lifetime.
reebok
April 14th, 2010
11:05 am
“I think we left the house in pretty good order.” Oh for crying out loud..DUDE, did you even WATCH yuour team play???
reebok
April 14th, 2010
11:06 am
“Your” team. My bad.
ian jones
April 14th, 2010
11:06 am
I say hire the two hot chicks sitting behind the glass!
steve
April 14th, 2010
11:12 am
Anderson gets fired and Waddell gets a promotion. Makes no sense. I don’t think Anderson was the common thread in the last 10 years. and they wonder why we didn’t renew our season tickets.
Cliff Fletcher
April 14th, 2010
11:12 am
You guys need to stop thinking about Waddell. He’s out of the picture now, it’s Dudley’s team.
You can’t cry for change, then cry more when the change is exactly to your liking. Let Dudley do what he’s done before.
Big G
April 14th, 2010
11:12 am
When are we going to get new owners. That’s the problem. We need owners who are COMMITTED to bring championship hockey to Atlanta. Current ownership enjoys the glamour of owning a professional sports team and are not committed to investing in players that will help us win. Fire the owners I say!
Hollywould
April 14th, 2010
11:12 am
I hope this is like the Falcon’s moves. Let Waddell do anything he wants (like Mckay) and stay away from the personell decisions(Dimitroff) I feel for Anderson as he was given a raw deal with all the new players
and in spite of what people here say almost made the playoffs. Can’t fire the players. Need a new coach quick(especially before the draft and free agency.
Boca Baby
April 14th, 2010
11:14 am
It may be safe to say this now but getting rid of Kovalchuk (the supposed franchise player) may not have been such a bad thing after all. For all his breakaway and scoring prowess he was predictable and other teams took advantage of this. He had no game going to his left. The only thing he could do was stop and pivot and attempt a forehand shot. When you lose the whole left side of the ice your limit what you can do and become easier to defense. I may be wrong but it sure looked this way to me. And if I am wrong please direct me to video showing him scoring on a backhander.
Badger
April 14th, 2010
11:15 am
Wolfgang – that is the problem . . . not enough Canadians wearing the jersey. The team is built around players that won’t bleed a drop for any team they are on.
There isn’t a coach in the history of the game that would have improved his career winning percentage with this core group of under achievers. JA lost his best player and had to convince 20 guys they were still good . . . it is the toughest sell for a coach. Waddell probably forgot that while he coached the Thrashers to 500 hockey as well.
GAY4SLAVA
April 14th, 2010
11:16 am
Anderson deserves to be beaten with a wet noodle for how he disrespected THE SLAVA !
You DO NOT bench THE SLAVA !
You DO NOT question THE SLAVA !
You DO NOT squander THE SLAVA !
You DO NOT underutilize THE SLAVA !
You DO NOT bad mouth THE SLAVA !
Rick Dudley should re-sign the THE SLAVA or make THE SLAVA the new coach/player/shootout specialist !
WE LOVE YOU, THE SLAVA !!!!!!!!!!!!
David
April 14th, 2010
11:18 am
I watched probably 4 games all year…every time i get excited..they let me down..call me when they don’t let me down again…
ben
April 14th, 2010
11:18 am
oh thank god thank god thank god thank god thank god thank god thank god.
Badger
April 14th, 2010
11:20 am
THE SLAVA should be charged for the 3.8 million he stole this year
Paul From Milton
April 14th, 2010
11:20 am
“Be patient, everyone – some teams never have a winning season and they still have fans that go to their games. It would be a shame to lose the team to Canada. They would probably re-name them the “Giant Inflatable Beavers” and have a mascot that slapped its tail on the ground and farted when they scored.”
Now that I’d pay money to see!
Badger
April 14th, 2010
11:26 am
Pretty sad that Torts keeps his job with that lineup that doesnt make the playoffs but these guys are down the road. He really brought Gaborik along this year . . . LOL . . . what a joke. Trade Gaborik and see how they end up.
cathy
April 14th, 2010
11:30 am
Thrashers… I don’t know why I can’t quit you! Yay! Let’s bring some of that Blackhawks mojo!!!!
GaVaHokie
April 14th, 2010
11:32 am
“My role within the company has evolved and grown the last few years, and the owners and I agree that it’s the appropriate time to have Rick assume all hockey-related responsibilities while I shift my primary focus to the business side of the Thrashers,” Waddell said.
Here’s the link… http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=317960
Not Blind
April 14th, 2010
11:32 am
I was SO afraid that there were going to be NO changes. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t have a clue who to hire as the coach. Need somebody that has some fire in their belly but is also a good leader of men, ie by example.
C
April 14th, 2010
11:32 am
FINALLY!!!! Hope they can make a move or two this summer and get things going. Evander and Bogosian can be stars in this town with good coaching and the right front office.
Perk
April 14th, 2010
11:32 am
Hire Kelley Buchberger
Who?
April 14th, 2010
11:34 am
Been in Atlanta 11 years and consider myself the typical Atlanta passive sports fan because I’m not from here. If the Braves win, good. If the Falcons win good. If either lose, no biggie. Who are the Thrashers? If it’s that team that plays while I’m in line getting black & tans at Philips Arena, then, OK I’ve been to a couple game when I get free tickets. I couldn’t name a player of coach if it was a million dollar question.
Worst Team In ALL Of Professional Sports
April 14th, 2010
11:36 am
Doesn’t matter. Spirit are still the owners and Waddell is still there.
Derwood
April 14th, 2010
11:36 am
hEY BRING OVER TERRY PENDLETON FROM BRAVES. HE ISN’T A BALL HITTING COACH, MAYBE HE CAN BE A PUCK HITTING COACH.
foncused
April 14th, 2010
11:36 am
Admittedly, I am confused. I liked JA. However, how many other teams, in playoff contention, continued to juggle their lines at the end of the season?
It just seemed, as the season wore on, they couldn’t find any consistency in their on-ice pairings. Not being a student of hockey, but certainly enjoy it, is that common? To me that equates to rotating your infield in baseball halfway through the season.
But again, that may be a common thing in hockey . . just seemed a bit off to me, last two weeks before playoffs and still trying to juggle line combinations and get a good “fit”. If it is unusual, is that because of players, system, coaching, combination?
Thanks and go Thrashers!
Facts
April 14th, 2010
11:36 am
Just a few comments for the 2010-2011 season.
1. F*CK KOVALCHUK AND ANYONE WHO STILL WEARS HIS JERSEY TO A GAME.
2. F*CK anyone who wears any jersey of a team that is not playing that evening. I will throw beer at you. Would you ever go to a Red Sox / Orioles game and wear a Yankee jersey? I think not.
3. Respect the puck in play rule. Sit your ass down while the game is going on.
4. The BBQ Nachos are the best thing ever!!
5. Waddell, do us all a favor…..pack your bags and leave.
If the team would play 2010-2011 in the same fashion they played on Saturday night against the Penguins, the playoffs will not be difficult to make.
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
11:37 am
GVH – let’s hope to hell Waddell will leave Dudley alone and let him do his thing. By the look of Waddell in his post-season interview on the Thrashers website, he looks like he’s whipped and I think he may very well accept with due resignation the “promotion” to his new role. He looked like a very defeated man and I thought he might cry on camera. Perhaps Levenson told him that enough was enough and he was taken the keys to the T-bird away.
Wendell
April 14th, 2010
11:38 am
People who use the phrase “Me Thinks” are gay.
polskidawg
April 14th, 2010
11:38 am
An incomplete job.
Improvement, but incomplete.
Gwinnett Fred
April 14th, 2010
11:43 am
Minor league coach in the NHL – doomed from the start.
Also need some clarification on one of Anderson’s quotes “the guys really gave me everything they had”.
WTF?????? From my seat at Philips in the 8 or 9 games I went to (especially the 5-2 & 4-0 losses late in the year to Carolina and the 4-0 loss to Boston with the season on the line) I need to know if that means Anderson admits this team has NOTHING to give because I can flat out state as fact – those games, the players brought NOTHING to the ice.
This would also kind of back up Kozlov’s statements that they needed a little more of a diciplinarian of a coach. If those puke-a$$ efforts I pointed out were accepted by Anderson as the players giving it all they had – then he didn’t know when or how to kick some butt when it was needed!!!!
Puck Man
April 14th, 2010
11:45 am
I dropped my season tickets 2 years ago due to the incompetent ownership and management—I will not go back until changes are made at the top. If they leave town, good riddance to a failed company.
Stat Man
April 14th, 2010
11:47 am
G-Fred:
Well put! I agree that Kozlov pointed out (probably in frustration, but accurate none the less) Anderson’s faults – and I was at a couple of the games you mentioned too and left after the 2nd period because I was just fed up at the frustration of seeing a pathetic effort.
dr00
April 14th, 2010
11:48 am
YYYYEEEESSSSSS! Can I get a big HELL YEAH from the fans that truly know hockey and realize that this is the reason Ilya left. This is the reason why the young players particularly the Defensemen have developed poorly. This is the reason we continued to play a system that had no big league success. This is the reason that we became the most predictable team in hockey. Defense wins championships and we have not seen much in the last two years. If you were paying close attention a year ago January, 3 months into Coach’s tenure, and the players still have not bought into his system. There you go. Yes, this is kind of a firing for Don too. Rick D. is making the calls now. So is he going to build us up to be the Tampa/Chicago teams he had success with or the Ottawa team he failed with. We’ll see…
Andrew G
April 14th, 2010
11:48 am
Didn’t DW hire John Anderson? I think we may have to dig a little deeper at the root. I will say, after 10 seasons, his learning on the job is starting to pay off. I really liked the Kovalchuk trade, maybe Donny is developing some momentum.
Supes
April 14th, 2010
11:49 am
OMG…what’s it gonna take to have Don W. Fired!!!
Get rid of him and sell the team to someone who cares about NHL Hockey and building a winning team! The ASG is a JOKE!
ChippersLoveChild
April 14th, 2010
11:51 am
Don is handling business decisions, Rick is handling personell decisions.. some of you should read an article before commenting. I’m pretty sure Dudley has full control over the day to day hockey operations now, which is a huge, huge improvement!
cb122
April 14th, 2010
11:54 am
WOW a thrashers article that made the front page.
Maybe now they can move up in links above high school sports and the peachtree road race.
The Real Thrash
April 14th, 2010
11:56 am
Who does Waddell have pictures of to keep his job!!!
Hockey Fan
April 14th, 2010
11:56 am
Good Moves!!!! I like Anderson as a person, but something had to be done. Our roster was good enough to make the playoffs in a down year for the Eastern Conference. Concerns about Anderson: (1) our defensive play was weak yielding way too many goals – we do not take the man consistently – cost us games on the road in Nashville and Colorado this year. (2) Power play – Toby Enstrom never shoots – other teams did not have to key on him – tell him to shot the freaking puck – we could not get the puck in the zone on power plays. (3) Too many excuses for losing – “we are not getting the bounces….we are hitting too many posts….we have a young team…..we got some bad calls late in games.” It is the coach’s job to overcome these obstacles, not make excuses. Players do not need to hear excuses. Fans want wins, not excuses. (4) We give up way too many shots on goal and we do not generate enough shots on goal – you are never going to win this way. It is time for Don Waddell to move on – the record speaks for itself. The Spirit needs to hire a good marketing and PR firm to improve fan relations and go after former season ticket holders. A full page ad (like Blank did after the Falcons’ recent disasters with Vick) in the Sports Page is needed to state the club’s record is unacceptable and that they are going to do everything in their power to win the fans back. The Spirit needs to also make it clear that they are committed to winning and that the Thrashers are staying in Atlanta. Some comments from the NHL on their commitment to Atlanta are in order as well. NHL hockey has been in Atlanta for eighteen seasons (Flames and Thrashers) with NO PLAYOFF SERIES WINS – this has to be turned around and turned around now. Today’s moves should have been announced on Monday, but they are a significant step in the right direction. I hope some alienated hockey fans decide to once again support the NHL and the Thrashers. If you continue to boycott the team by staying away, we will not have a team in three or four years. That is not what a true hockey fan wants. It is time to get back on board and support the Thrashers.
Chick spotter
April 14th, 2010
11:58 am
I like the talent behind the glass in that pic on the front page accompanying this story. Hope they’re staying!
WOW
April 14th, 2010
11:59 am
There is a Hockey team in Atlanta? WOW
East Point Bob
April 14th, 2010
12:00 pm
No change here, Waddell still in charge and will be making or approving all moves, nothing has been resolved, not one damn thing except the inept Don Waddell continues to collect a fat paycheck for doing nothing and after watching his end of the season interview on the Thrashers site…
He never looked straight at the camera once and kept closing his eyes after and during every question. Talk about someone who is on drugs or needs to be in Milledgeville best mental hospital, it is Don Waddell, the most worthless person in the entire world of hockey !
The Real Thrash
April 14th, 2010
12:01 pm
Wendell People who call people gay for being better educated than you are homo-phobic. Not that’s prettty bad. You probably wanted Waddell and Anderson to stay too.
Cliff Fletcher
April 14th, 2010
12:04 pm
Sorry folks-
WOW-you are original, we have had idiots here before
Facts-you and WOW must be the same person
You guys need to stay on the Hawks’ blogs, where stupidity and idiocy reign supreme
The Real Thrash
April 14th, 2010
12:05 pm
Good post on ESPN.com:
http://espn.go.com/nhl/blog/_/name/lebrun_pierre/id/5086515/as-gm-dudley-help-mold-young-club
JS
April 14th, 2010
12:06 pm
Let’s hope the Thrashers have the same luck the Falcons had when they moved their boob upstairs. It worked once, hopefully it will work again.
The Real Thrash
April 14th, 2010
12:08 pm
Cliff Fletcher Anyone who uses the screen name of the GM who helped move the Flames to Calgary cannot call anyone an idiot or stupid. You are the epitome of dishonesty however.
Happy Fan
April 14th, 2010
12:08 pm
YESSSSSSSSS! This would be even better if Ilya was still here though!
Cliff Fletcher
April 14th, 2010
12:15 pm
Real Thrash-That was 25+ years ago-get over it
TURBOURBO
April 14th, 2010
12:21 pm
So let me get this right… 10 Years… Little Success… Promote the only consistent level of leadership that has had direct responsibility for this failure. So the leadership qualities that Spirit and Wadell exhibit… Promote Failure… Hmmmmmm…. Sounds a little bit like Enron to me!
I’m not sure John Anderson was the best coach for the Thrashers. But I do appreciate what he put on the ice this year. They were an exciting team to watch.
I don’t know what to think about this. I am an avid Thrashers watcher, but I am tired of writing these comments. Same theme as last year! Right now, I feel like in 365 days, I’ll be writing these same comments again. It’s time for a change… and just changing the coaching staff isn’t going to do it!
The Real Thrash
April 14th, 2010
12:21 pm
Cliff Fletcher It was 1980 and you’re the one using his name. Unless you are a Maple Leafs, Lightning, Coyotes, and then Maple Leafs again fan. In which case you’re on the wrong blog.
Cliff Fletcher
April 14th, 2010
12:23 pm
Thrash-get over it.
Dudley is the new GM and we should all be happy about it.
Have a great day.
Joe Friday
April 14th, 2010
12:25 pm
Well, there’s good news and bad news here. Good news first. Anderson isn’t an NHL coach, it was patently obvious to me from the first time I saw his system that it wouldn’t work in the NHL. It was rinky dink and reeked of Don Waddell’s minor league handling of this club from Day 1, minor league players, hiring minor league coaches in Fraser and Anderson, the one strong guy, Hartley, got the boot because he was given young players, and he’s not a veteran player guy.
Good news also is that we have a new GM, but please be realistic. This is a PR move that we, the fans who have boycotted and left as season ticket holders forced the owners to make, but they didn’t go all in, they did this as PR to blow more smoke up our rears. Waddell is the problem, promoting him to team President is a joke, a horrible business decision further proving these guys have no ability to run pro franchises.
I do not suffer under any delusion that Waddell is going to out of the personnel decisions. Read Dudley’s own words “I look forward to building this organization even further and working closely with Don”
Dudley himself said he’ll be working closely with Don, and that’s the bad news. Waddell is still going to call the shots, all they did was change the title of Dudley by removing associate from the front of GM and they changed Don’s GM to President, but the hierarchy remains the same, Dudley still reports to Waddell and Waddell is still in charge.
Now most of you fellow astute hockey fans also noticed what I did in the past year, and that’s some better personnel decisions being made and we figured it was Dudley giving Waddell some better advice, but some of the same dumb decisions were made (not trading Kovy when it was obvious to everyone but Sara that he was out of here, and it ruined our season, letting the minor league coach run his minor league system, allowing dissent in the locker room).
Mickey Mouse got promoted, and the new GM is still reporting to the same guy and states today that he’s looking forward to working closely with the guy that is the problem.
Oof.
Hotrod
April 14th, 2010
12:26 pm
Another rebuild to look forward to. I hope the new coaches will be told in the interview process that there is no time for chemistry (system) gelling. Right out of the box first game next fall , we need positive results. 1 year contract only, earn your extension.
I just hope NHL stays behind the Atl. market. There are alot of great youth programs feeding
off the NHL association. Its great for the kids.
kracker
April 14th, 2010
12:30 pm
Did Dudley make the call on Anderson and his staff?
Arthur Blank
April 14th, 2010
12:32 pm
It doesn’t matter if it is a business or a sports team, if your organization doesn’t meet expectations, throw somebody under the bus and pat top management on the back.
j
April 14th, 2010
12:37 pm
Cliff & Chppierslovechild, won’t matter what you say … there are people on the blogs who will complain regardless (some of which haven’t even been to a game this year). besides, it’s their own decision if they don’t want to come out and support the team. it won’t affect me on my decision to go to games or not, and this move is a HUGE improvement. If it wasn’t for dudley, we wouldn’t have even sniffed playoffs this year. Looking forward to see what he can do now with a full summer, free agency & the draft.
j
April 14th, 2010
12:42 pm
real thrash – great ESPN story on Dudley, thanks for the post
kracker
April 14th, 2010
12:42 pm
On Kozlov: I love him, I thank him for the years but he was through. If he had had anything left he would have been picked up at the TD. Zero interest.
I definitely did not like him ripping the team in the press. No class at all in that instance. JMO.
Jack
April 14th, 2010
12:43 pm
Sounds like they are copying the Falcons, hopefully they will have similar results.
Hey Facts, other than line item 5 you need to get a clue.
Sorry to see JA, and Weeks gone, Waddell is like that inlaw that will never leave
chris
April 14th, 2010
12:44 pm
So was the new GM tutored by Waddell?? If so, is the move really going to make a big difference because obviously the mindset Waddell used in signing players, trading players, drafting players, etc was not working.
Joe Friday
April 14th, 2010
12:48 pm
“Don has been an important part of this organization since its inception, and in shifting his focus to concentrate primarily on all business aspects of the organization, he will continue to work closely with Rick and play a vital role for our Thrashers franchise.”
That’s from the press release from the team. They say Waddell will still work closely with Dudley. Those of you who are thinking that Dudley will have sole control now of hockey operations are delusional. If that was true, they would have fired Waddell. Dudley and Waddell are buds, all that was done was shifting titles but Waddell is still Dudley’s boss and the owners and Dudley both said today that they’ll work closely together. Reshuffled the deck chairs, is all they did, but let’s hope a new coach can at least help next year.
For the Record
April 14th, 2010
12:54 pm
****ATLANTA THRASHERS WIN 2012 STANLEY CUP****
BOOK IT! This is freakin AWESOME NEWS for all Thrashers Fans!!! DUDLEY IS THE BRAINS…He needed to get out from under DW’s shadow to really take control and put the Thrashers at the top!
I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is what Rick Dudley DOES…..It’s who he IS!!! He’s the mop-up guy who takes the going-nowhere NHL team to the TOP in a 2-3 yr time frame. This is honestly the BEST NEWS to hit Blueland since they made the playoffs….Even bigger and better than Kovy packing his bags and leaving!
Get your season tix early. This team will COMPETE next year. They won’t win The Cup but they’ll certainly make the playoffs, possibly even get through the 1st round. I can’t wait to see what Duds does in the off-season. I’m telling you…..He’s the one that’s gonna take us to Stanley Cup Land! Nobody believes it…..Not yet anyway.
Mark
April 14th, 2010
12:55 pm
If you think the business decisions that Waddell will make will not impact the hockey decisions that Dudley will make, you are the absolutely foolish Thrasher fan that keeps this team in business. Waddell will continue to tie Dudley’s hands and this will not turn out like the Falcons did – no Blank and lot’s of Spirit owners!
upsetfan
April 14th, 2010
12:55 pm
I don’t care if he isn’t involved in hockey operations (not that I trust Bruce Levenson anyway), he is still technically getting a promotion.
drsoul
April 14th, 2010
12:55 pm
What do you expect out of Waddell when you really evaluate this ownership???? when he is GONE, then a lot of us will buy tickets again and support the franchise… this is like watching the Falcons…!!!!
NewCoach
April 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
Bring back BOB HARTLEY. Why they ever fired him after two season of over 90 points, I will never, ever know.
Hockey Biltong
April 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
A solid move. It will be interesting to see the new coaching staff….
Spud Webb
April 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
H&LL YEA WADDELL IS OUT OF THE DECISION LOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
World Be Free
April 14th, 2010
12:58 pm
I kinda expected this to happen when Dudley was hired. He has a proven track record as a contributor to other NHL organizations. Whether he is working with or alongside Waddell is really not material, because Dudely will make the moves that he believes is in the best interest of the team.
Sounds like the Falcons? I guess, but Dudley is his own man. I have to assume he’s the one who made the decision on the coaches. How let’s see who he picks as his new coaching staff. As long as it is not Curt Fraser.
Dudley was a character player, I expect him to be just that as a general manager.
Wayne stuck in AL
April 14th, 2010
1:11 pm
I think the only reason Waddell was bumped up to team president is because with Atlanta Spirit being (mostly) absentee owners, they needed someone the knew and trusted…But trust me, had Bernie Mullin still been point man for AS, Waddell would’ve been gone some time ago.
Former Flames Fan Club member
April 14th, 2010
1:12 pm
I’m glad they made some moves although I would rather see Don Waddell go. I do agree with the person who said “Quit wearing other team jerseys to the games” and “sit down when the puck is in play”! Also, can we get someone at the AJC to give the Thrashers more coverage?
I hope the changes will bring championship hockey to Atlanta! Go Thrashers!!!
To those who commented “Who are the Thrashers?” – stay off the hockey blog.
thrashfanmax
April 14th, 2010
1:22 pm
Hate to see Anderson go. He really did get a raw deal, and he knew what style of hockey these guys needed to play. Injuries and prima-donna attitudes early on doomed them. Kovy never intended to sign and just played them along to force their hand. Good riddance to bad rubbish. JA I hope you land on your feet running, and show the asses the problem was/is in Waddell’s office. DUH….
Pete
April 14th, 2010
1:22 pm
Look, it’s only a matter of time till the Thrashers leave Atlanta. Ninety percent of the population of metro Atlanta don’t have a clue what or who the Thrashers are. Today more than ever, the average fan can only afford so many tickets to sporting events.
Currenty, in Atlanta, the Thrashers would be DEAD LAST on their list.
End of story.
Empty Netter Assists - 04-10-11 - Empty Netters - post-gazette.com
April 14th, 2010
1:22 pm
[...] -The Thrashers moved general manager Don Waddell from general manager to team president, promoted Rick Dudley from associate general manager to general manager and fired head coach John Anderson and his assistants, Randy Cunneyworth, Todd Nelson and Steve Weeks. [...]
alex
April 14th, 2010
1:25 pm
waddell needed to be fired first, be on list of ten most wanted and prohibited to been at least 500 miles from atlanta. there is most probably going to be situation with hiring head coach. rick made his choice, but the key of the purse still in don hand. he going to say “no we can’t afford” and rick would be forced to hire someone like ja, cheap but not nhl calibr coach. it’s not in dw interest now to turn this organization so everybody pointed “see rick in one year did what clown dw faile during 11 years” i am pesimistic until dw totally concentrate on bar-mitzva arraingment for mr. levenson.
Jo Ann
April 14th, 2010
1:28 pm
Once again ownership shows its incredible stupidity and distain for Atlanta Thrasher fans. Let’s see: John Anderson brings an essentially talentless team to the brink of the playoffs; ownership trades away the only talent he had and gets nothing in return, making the team totally talentless; Anderson keeps the team in playoff contention until the final week; Anderson gets fired. Where is the sense in that? Anderson did an OUTSTANDING job given that he had nothing to work with. Plus, Waddell’s promotion confirms the Peter Principle is alive and well and living at Phillips Arena. No wonder Phillips wants out of the contract to name the arena — I wouldn’t want to be even remotely associated with such stupidity either.
NHL Ready
April 14th, 2010
1:32 pm
Good move on the Thrashers by cleaning all the bench coaching staff. Start fresh let Rick setup what he needs and he will be accountable. The DW move makes since get him out of the player/coaching decisions and just do corporate Hockey from his desk.
Don’t get to excited we still need players to many excellent players have come and gone. Also we have some key players who are unsigned for next year (hope they resign since changes were made). We are finally getting bigger on D. Toby is a weak D man like to see him go and fill his spot with a bigger body who can hit the forwards and make them think about zone entrance.
Big key for me for this team is getting a qualified coach (NO MINOR LEAGUE CRAP) and spend, spend and spend some more for a Goalie. Pav’s is not the answer right now we need a kick $ss tender in net. Then we roll 3 lines with a fourth line of pounders when we need a spark.
I hope it happens.
Kunkel
April 14th, 2010
1:33 pm
It’s not a bad thing. I’m just not sure if it’s a good thing.
Fortunately they finally give Teflon Don the same “Peter Principle” treatment that Arthur gave to Rich McKay. That alone is cause for celebration!
Mifield
April 14th, 2010
1:36 pm
This would have been a perfect move exactly one year ago. No – I’m not so sure. Could be a little too late and a little too little – no pun intended in relation to Little. I hope that Bettman will monitor ASG closely now, especially after Kane doing the job the league neglected to do with respect to Cooke.
You Can Take the Girl Out of Detroit… « 929 davefm | Atlanta
April 14th, 2010
1:41 pm
[...] other hockey news, the Thrashers announced some big changes [...]
ChrisWoW
April 14th, 2010
1:44 pm
Wow cleaning house I think they should give anderson one more year. I will say this in finding a new coach they better not hire someone who has coached a southeast team.Don will be with this team until we move to canda or he is hit by a bus.
Tom
April 14th, 2010
1:45 pm
Who cares?
DWTOO
April 14th, 2010
1:56 pm
OK – All you pinheads, like Tom, please get off the blog. If you don’t like/don’t care – fine. But, this is for hockey fans. Let us know where your passions are so we can come and make fun of you.
With the change in GM – taking into account what WBF has said about Dudley – he’s going to want his man behind the bench. For that reason alone JA was doomed.
MB
April 14th, 2010
1:58 pm
Argh, sooo close, yet so far away.
“Promoting” DW – BOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Don really needed/needs to go, but clearly the ASG just isn’t willing to make that move. I can only hope beyond hope that he stays out of the way and gives Dudley the resources to do his job well.
On to Dudley, I’m optimistic. In general we’ve made some better decisions in his time here, though most have still been on the cheap (which I fear will always be a concern with the ASG). Good track record, character guy, yada, yada, yada…fingers crossed.
JA…never got any real traction here. For those saying he kept us in the playoff hunt, I disagree. The collective ineptitude of the Flyers, Bruins, Canadiens, and Rangers kept us in the race, and every time we had a chance to jump the field, we spit the bit. My hope for Anderson is that at some point in his career he’s able to look back at this experience and point to it as valuable learning for his future success.
And finally, I am SO happy that Steve Weeks is finally gone! He was the Teflon Don of our coaching ranks.
Needless to say, this is going to be an active off-season for the Thrashers…let’s hope the hockey gods are smiling on Rick Dudley and that Don Waddell takes a loooong vacation somewhere with very, very bad phone connections.
World Be Free
April 14th, 2010
2:03 pm
DWTOO-I am just ignoring the idiots. Duds is the man now!
Will
April 14th, 2010
2:03 pm
An NHL franchise MUST be recognized and run as any other multimillion dollar business.
The bottom line in this business is that revenue was being negatively impacted by management. Certainly additional variables were present but when the business is failing, the buck stops with top level management.
This is a very postive sign, one that, unfortunately has most likely come much too late to save the franchise.
You can call Don Waddell anything you want to, just don’t let him have significant input in the general management of the franchise. He does not deserve to do this nor has his actions since the inception of the franchise warrant his input.
Laura
April 14th, 2010
2:09 pm
Waddell gets to stay????? That is disappointing! Guess I will keep driving to Columbus to watch the Cottonmouths. Same distance (for me), tenth of the price, more entertaining!
We us to go see the Thrashers every time they had a Sunday or Monday game and all of the 2007 Playoffs, but since then it is not worth the time or money. Very boring, the one game I went to this year I actually fell asleep at!!! Third row center Ice and I fell asleep; SUCH a WASTE!!! Hope next season is better.
Kaniac
April 14th, 2010
2:09 pm
goodbye losers.. waddell better keep his hands off the team!
urm...
April 14th, 2010
2:21 pm
I approve of this in a big way!
gahockeyfan
April 14th, 2010
2:26 pm
at least D-Wad won’t have any real responsibilities with his new post. I think the Atlanta Spirit just put him in his new position because they have some weird screwy love relationship with the man. He will now spend his time playing golf and signing checks, and will have nothing to do with “building” the team. I hope Dudley can bring us some play off action next year!
Celtic_Hart81
April 14th, 2010
2:33 pm
Waddell has been and will continue to be the downfall of the Thrashers. He has yet to make a good decision. Okay, I understand you need to shake things up a bit, but stop making the same decisions over and over and then blame it on the people below you. WADDELL NEED TO GO!!!
disgusted Thrasher fan
April 14th, 2010
2:44 pm
I dont know enough about the NHL to know anything about Rick Dudley, but Dudley Doright would be an improvement over Waddell, so I view that change as a guaranteed improvement. Anderson, though, got a raw deal IMO. I know that if the team sucks, the coach has to go. But in Anderson’s case, he never had a chance, How can anyone expect him to have a good record when they keep shipping out good players and replacing them with players off of waivers?
The huge problem that has not been solved is the level of payroll, currently dead last in the NHL. And I dont see that changing because I dont believe that the Spirit owners have enough cash to do what it takes to make the Thrashers competitive. And with the owners, the Hawks seemingly are the higher priority (rightfully so IMO given the fact that attendance is much better for the Hawks and they have a history here)..so any extra cash the Spirit owners may come up with is likely to go to them.
If the Thrashers left town, I would be one of only about 10,000 people in the city who would care. The other 5 million or so residents of Atlanta would never know they were gone (or ever here for that matter). Unless we get some good players by increasing the payroll, then it wont matter who the coach is,it will still be the same old spit.,I will spend some cash on tickets when the owners spend some on players, and based on the pathetic crowds at the games, Im not the only one who feels that way. As with everything else, you get what you pay for.
DawgDad
April 14th, 2010
2:44 pm
Well, yet another “hope and change” movement. Hopefully this change will have some substance. The team desperately needs an identity; their play is far too often sub-youth-league with mindless, lackluster wandering and mental errors. Chris Chelios cost them at least one game down the stretch by playing skating-drill-pylon instead of defense (failing to even touch the opposing puck-rusher cicling around him an in on goal), and lack of applied effort on defense has been a 10-year on-going unresolved issue. A lot of players need to move on as well. Solid defensive-minded coaching and GM team-building is needed, and if a player like Kozlov can’t play within the system then the new GM best find him a new home. Have to stop the bleeding of wasted high draft picks, and this team hasn’t been particularly adept at growing talent, either. Essentially, just a mess at this point.
When a team in the hunt for a playoff spot turns to a player like Chris Chelios at this point beyond the sunset of his illustrious career, the GM and franchise are nothing more than a laughingstock in the hockey world.
Stop blaming the fans for the team potentially moving; the fans have NOTHING to do with that. Winnipeg and Quebec lost NHL franchises; what, no hockey fans there? St. Louis almost lost their team four or five different times due to ownership issues, and that is a great hockey town with a solid winning tradition (20-year playoff stretch at one point). Pittsburgh was on the scrap heap of sports franchises a few years ago, now look at them. Fact is this Thrasher franchise is probably worth a lot more under new ownership in a different city. No level of fan attendance at Thrasher games is going to change the basic economic and perception underpinning of a clunker franchise in a Southern city with disinterested and back-biting ownership; winning might help increase the franchise value here, but even winning can’t be guaranteed to hold the team in Atlanta forever.
jojo
April 14th, 2010
2:46 pm
ONLY WITH THE ATLANTA SPIRIT CAN A TOTAL LOSER(DON WADDELL) FALL UP. HE TOO NEEDS TO BE FIRED
Shakeup In Atlanta | Today In Hockey
April 14th, 2010
2:55 pm
[...] 9:50am, Read all about from Chris at the Atlanta [...]
troothsayer
April 14th, 2010
2:59 pm
Waddaya mean they kept Waddell…….stupid move. He’s the second biggest problem after the owners !!!
sugarfoot
April 14th, 2010
3:07 pm
Oh, well. You know, I love hockey. I went to every Flames and Knights game. But, I never got to a Thrashers game. I live right up the road and have not been to a Gwinnett game, either. I am starting to believe that Atlanta really is not a hockey town. I am sorry; but, send them all packing.
ThrasherFan
April 14th, 2010
3:08 pm
Glad to see DW moved, and while I am no fan of his, he has made some very good decisions for this team. Who would have given Savard a shot? How about snapping up Peverly? DW is very well respected in hockey and like all corporate failures, they get moved up in the organization.
I am glad they cleaned house basically from top to bottom. All of the coaching staff had to go and a change of attitude was needed. I like JA and wish him the best. Hockey in Atlanta will be fine – just look at the Coyotes this year – brink of being moved and bankrupt to Playoffs.
Thrashed
April 14th, 2010
3:14 pm
Waddell—total failure, so he gets promoted to president, with a bigger salary? No wonder the country is so messed up with idiots like this running companies.
Telfo
April 14th, 2010
3:19 pm
why does anyone care that Waddell got “promoted” (even though it really isnt)?? we should all be thankful he isnt the decision maker when it comes to players anymore
Lee
April 14th, 2010
3:21 pm
Atlanta has to be one of the most difficult markets to build a team in. It’s kind of a catch 22 situation. If the fans don’t come out it feels like a country club atmosphere for the players and they won’t care as much. If the players aren’t performing well enough the fans are not going to come out. IMO the Thrashers brand and marketing efforts are also very poor which makes it very difficult to build upon. I don’t think anyone wants on that bandwagon even if they are winning.
As far as building a winning team goes: there is no easy solution here. It’s going to take time not money. We’ve seen time and time again that spending money in the NHL does not guarantee you anything unless you have the right core to build upon. The only proven way to build a playoff team is through the draft. The Thrashers should focus their efforts on improving their scouting and development departments and build a decent brand. They really need to understand their market better also. They should model themselves after teams like Nashville – who while they aren’t setting the league on fire – at least they get the fundamentals of building a franchise.
DWTOO
April 14th, 2010
3:22 pm
Waddell’s new title – President in Charge in Sitting at His Desk.
Waddell Must GO
April 14th, 2010
3:29 pm
Sure hope Waddell keeps those incriminating photos in a fire-proof safe! That’s the only explanation I can think of to keep that moron around AND promote him!
phoenix falcon
April 14th, 2010
3:41 pm
Waddell????????????????
i don’t get it, how does this guy, not only keep his job , but gets promoted to a higher position????????? the Thrash are never going to be any good
bugman
April 14th, 2010
3:49 pm
“…I’m pretty sure…”
Ha-ha, that’s the same as assuming. You can make an ass out of yourself (you have a lot of practice), I chose not to. If Dudley is calling the shots, why is D-Wad still here? He’s going to use his extensive biz savvy to promote, sell tix, lure corporate sponsors and right the ship he himself caused to go awry?!
Anyone that believes this I have an unlimited parking pass for sale for any event at Philips for the rest of your life. Contact me for pricing. D-Wad is still in charge.
“…the new GM can’t be any worse than Waddell.”
D-Wad sought this man out, interviewed him, judged him to be exactly what the organization needed and hired him. Based on D-Wad’s history of doing this with coaches, players and admin staff, I really think you are going from the frying pan into the fire. Dudley is a yes man.
“…Similar moves by Falcons…”
There in nothing, NOTHING, I mean nothing similar to the Falcons in the Thrasher’s organization. McKay is not D-Wad. Arthur Blank is not ASG. Dudley is not Dimitroff.
“…No way that Waddell stays without calling the shots.”
Agreed. Now D-Wad has more authority over more of the organization….#!@&$*
“I’m pretty sure Dudley has full control over the day to day hockey operations now, which is a huge, huge improvement!”
There you go assuming again. You been in Donny’s office eves dropping again? He send you a private tweet? Do you clean his office and you “accidently” read a memo on his desk?! You still believe anything that comes outta that man’s mouth?! *sigh* You need a clubbing.
Dudley is a huge (wow, x2!) improvement? Let’s let him get “his” 5 year plan to fruition then decide whether he can do anything respectable, OK?
Being excited = OK
Being stoopid = not OK
“Who does Waddell have pictures of to keep his job!!!”
Pictures, personal info, something blackmail related! That can be the only thing keeping this tool here!
Joe Friday = bull’s-eye
Now, if there is any validity to the claim that Dudley is running the hockey ops, we are (at best) in for a two (if we and Dudley are really lucky) to four year reconstruction of the team. Coaches in place, scheme implemented, players hired that fit, and of course the execution when all the pieces are together. If this is just more ASG/D-Wad crap then we will spiral into the same ole pattern we have established over the course of 10 fruitless/futile seasons. I can’t wait for more As The Wad Turns…
Ezekiel
April 14th, 2010
3:49 pm
What happened to Don Waddell’s 5 year plan that he had 11 years ago? H
Ezekiel
April 14th, 2010
3:51 pm
How does a bum like Don Waddell keep a freakin’ job???? The Thrashers keep missing the playoffs and Waddell keeps getting promoted? How the heck does that happen??? Who among us in the real world wouldn’t love a job where we are totally incompetent yet keep getting promotions and raises?? Waddell has ruined hockey in Atlanta and the Thrashers organiztion rewards him with yet ANOTHER promotion. ABSOLUTELY FREAKIN’ AMAZING!!!
The Morning Skate: How Will the Playoffs Be Officiated? - Slap Shot Blog - NYTimes.com
April 14th, 2010
3:52 pm
[...] Around: John Anderson, who was fired this morning as coach of the Thrashers told Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution his dismissal was an “absolute disappointment. “From last year, I don’t like to use the [...]
JM
April 14th, 2010
3:55 pm
“Have Patience.” ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?!!! I have been “patient” with hockey in Atlanta since the Flames games in the 70’s. The Knights weren’t worthy of serious attention, and after a long drought “NHL hockey” returned to Atlanta with the Thrashers. Well, folks, after watching Waddell burn through four coaches, Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Mark Savard, Mark Recchi, and other players who went on to bigger and better things after escaping from Atlanta, I’ve come to the conclusion the Thrashers are where hockey players are sent to die. The coach is responsible for creating a winner, but until Waddell is GONE FOR GOOD, Atlanta will never have a team that knows how to win. The ownership is a bunch of incestuous idiots who don’t know or care about hockey, the players or the fans, who are the one who pay their salaries.
I’m glad the playoffs are beginning; at last I can watch some REAL hockey and enjoy the sport I love.
Ezekiel
April 14th, 2010
3:55 pm
Cancelled my 4 season tickets a few seasons ago and will NEVER renew until Don Waddell is fired!!!!!!!
Adam
April 14th, 2010
3:57 pm
Ezekiel, if you’re serious, it was split in two in the middle of Lenox Road in late September 2003.
Lee
April 14th, 2010
3:58 pm
I’ll miss you JA! And I thought DW was bad as GM, wait till next year!
Jimbo
April 14th, 2010
3:58 pm
Good move. Still don’t believe that someone can perform so poorly and get promoted but at least he’s not on the front line. Give us an NHL experienced coach who can counter the trap and close down games. Will keep my season tix with this Light At The End of the Tunnel.
Josh
April 14th, 2010
3:59 pm
This is music to my ears… too bad asg didn’t fire Don Waddel. Can’t trust him with anything!
AM
April 14th, 2010
4:10 pm
Bob Hartley was a Stanley Cup Champion Coach and Wad and the Spirit fired him. We have had an all-star team of players and traded them all. Wad and the Spirit are the only loosing factors left. Glad I did not spend a single nickel on tickets this years and I knew they would not make the playoffs as long a WAD and the Spirit are making decisions.
World Be Free
April 14th, 2010
4:12 pm
telfo-I am with you, don’t know why everyone is focusing on Don Waddell. He’s not the GM anymore; a guy with GM experience is. You can’t please some people no matter what you do.
Steve
April 14th, 2010
4:25 pm
This was NOT a playoff caliber team, even with Kovalchuck. Yet Don Waddell, the person who was most responsible for the sub-par talent this organization put on the ice, gets promoted. You just have to laugh…
KLS1
April 14th, 2010
4:33 pm
I like JA but unlike his buddy Boudreau he inherited a mess and a bunch of B players. Get aboard the NHL coaching carousel…its quite a ride.
Smoothie
April 14th, 2010
4:39 pm
bugman – have you ever taken the time to listen to Rick Dudley speak? He is far from a “yes” man. If you believe that you are as stupid as the people you are calling out to be stupid on this blog. I think the man’s record speaks for itself…he knows talent and assuming he gets the same $52 M budget, he will do just fine. Have a little faith.
bugman
April 14th, 2010
4:46 pm
Smoothie,
I have heard him speak and know of his past. I still believe that he is gonna be subject to D-Wads direction and final approval.
My faith went out the door in 2002.
Lose the Prez and I will try to find some again.
P. Bull Terrier
April 14th, 2010
4:59 pm
Leave it to the Atlanta Spirit to react to constant losing by firing the water boy and promoting everyone else.
I can’t claim to be enough of a hocky expert to know if the coach was any good, but I can see that he didn’t have much to work with. The people who are responsible for the lack of talented players are the ones who got promoted and the owners. Maybe we can promote the Atlanta Spirit Group to another city.
Alan R.
April 14th, 2010
5:00 pm
bugman, it might be wise, at this point, to take a “wait and see” approach. We’ll wait, and see exactly how muddy Waddell makes the waters.
a$g
April 14th, 2010
5:08 pm
Don is great. He keeps the payroll right were we want it.
Buy more ticket$ we turning the corner now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DWTOO
April 14th, 2010
5:10 pm
WBF – Thanks for the advice. I know – ignore the trolls. Indeed a glorious day for Thrasher hockey (or what goes for Thrahser hockey). I am indeed fired up over the Dudley hire. Just heard him on XM and am further impressed. Only thing that scares me is he was talking about signing Moose and keeping the same tandem as this year. However, he could just be cautious. Don’t what to tip your hand or throw Moose under the bus.
shannon1776
April 14th, 2010
5:11 pm
This is why I don’t follow this team. The one man constant in all this is kept. It has been his decisions that have lead to this.
The team will not be here next season
Ilya K
April 14th, 2010
5:13 pm
I miss this team so much.
For the Record
April 14th, 2010
5:18 pm
Sage/bugman (same guy) shows his ignorance regarding Rick Dudley. Here’s his track record for those who don’t know. It speaks for itself. The complete bio is at the Thrashers website. He also called in to NHL Power Play earlier and sounds like he has a decent plan for the off-season and near future. He said an NHL coach “can’t be a one-trick pony” and needs to be a technician and a teacher.
“Dudley joined Atlanta after five years with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he served as the team’s assistant general manager for the last three seasons. He originally joined the Blackhawks in 2004 as a consultant and was named director of player personnel prior to the 2005-06 season.
The Blackhawks, who finished with the Western Conference’s worst record in 2003-04, earned the third-best record in the conference and appeared in the Western Conference Finals in Dudley’s last season with the team in 2008-09.
The Blackhawks now feature some of the league’s top young players, such as Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Kris Versteeg, Patrick Sharp, Andrew Ladd, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Ben Eager, who were all obtained during his time with the franchise. He also played a key role in Chicago’s acquisition of veteran stars Nikolai Khabibulin, Martin Havlat and Brian Campbell.
Before joining the Blackhawks, Dudley served as the general manager of the Florida Panthers for two seasons from 2002-03 to 2003-04. With the Panthers, he guided the team to improved records both seasons while drafting players such as Jay Bouwmeester and Nathan Horton in the NHL Entry Draft.
From 1999-00 to 2001-02, Dudley was the Tampa Bay Lightning’s general manager. With Tampa Bay, Dudley was responsible for rebuilding a last-place franchise and setting them on a path that culminated in the 2004 Stanley Cup Championship. He acquired many key players for the eventual NHL champions, including Martin St. Louis, Nikolai Khabibulin, Dan Boyle, Dave Andreychuk, Cory Sarich, Fredrik Modin, Tim Taylor and Vaclav Prospal.
Prior to joining the Lightning, Dudley served as the general manager for the Ottawa Senators for one season in 1998-99. That season, the Senators improved by 20 points over the previous year, earning 44 wins and 103 points while claiming the Northeast Division title.
Overall, in each of his 10 seasons as an executive in the NHL, his teams have earned improved records from the previous year, representing an increase of more than 10 standings points annually.”
a$g
April 14th, 2010
5:21 pm
No more bad stuff about don he our patsy you just shut up buy more ticket$
next year more amatuer plays for you
Ilya K
April 14th, 2010
5:24 pm
FOR THE RECORD
Do you really believe these owners are trying to figure out how to win.
Does anyone out there still think that way.
Really?
Curlygreg
April 14th, 2010
5:26 pm
Stop worrying about Waddell. JA did nothing. This team had no heart and a poor game plan. Coaching can fix that. There is (some) talent on this team, but it must be developed.
Jack
April 14th, 2010
5:43 pm
Ilya I think you need to worry more about how you are going to choke in the playoffs yet again. the Thrashers are not your team anymore and that was your choice
Don s/b gone !!
April 14th, 2010
5:50 pm
This a good start but the biggest prpblems still linger on. The new team President and the entire Spirit group should have left town before John Anderson. Another coach leaves the team as the franchise scapegoat. Nothing has really changed if Waddell still has a say in the teams day to day operations. Move the Thrashers to Quebec City where they will draw bigger crowds than the amount of fed up fans that will stay away next season.
What People Are Saying | Blueland Blog: The Official Blog Of The Atlanta Thrashers
April 14th, 2010
5:55 pm
[...] Coach Search Should Start With Stevens” – Craig Custance, Sporting News – “Waddell moved up, Dudley in, coaches out” – Chris Vivlamore, AJC – “Why Teflon Don Waddell had become toxic for the [...]
Joe Friday
April 14th, 2010
6:03 pm
Guys, hate to burst your bubble but it’s exactly as I suspected. I just heard it out of Dudley’s own mouth on HNIC on Sirius when Jeff Marek asked him “what about the new coach” At the end of the interview. Dudley replied “between Donnie and I we have given about 100 interviews today and we haven’t had time. Tomorrow morning Don and I will sit down…” and then he stopped in mid sentence as I think he realized he was giving up the fact that Don is still in charge on the hockey decisions and he went on to say about how “we’re going to look hard and there’s no hurry etc”
there you have it guys, this isn’t a McKay, this is a PR move to make it look to some like DW isn’t still in charge, but Dudley just admitted he is and is starting tomorrow they both are sitting down to together begin to choose our next coach, so status quo with waddell in charge, fellas
DJ
April 14th, 2010
6:22 pm
Joe
I think that Rick was being classy when he brought DW into interview which I listen to also. He did a niced job.
Chris
Can ask who makes the final hockey decisions and who rick reports to?
DJ
April 14th, 2010
6:24 pm
so sinclear wrote to fast and had a misspelling. I’ll try to do better next time by proofing my masterpiece:)
LFP6
April 14th, 2010
6:29 pm
Hopefully whomever gets hired will help the team not fall flat in the 2nd half of the season.
Eugene
April 14th, 2010
6:40 pm
It’s kind of laughable that the coach says he shouldn’t have been fired because they almost made the playoffs. In the Western Conference 8 teams had 95 points and over. In the East there were only 4 teams with that point total. Being the bottom feeder of the Eastern Conference is like being named Valedictorian of Summer School. If you were one of the unlucky few who saw the games live and in person, you’d notice that the Thrashers were poorly coached. There was no flow to their games and the players all thought they were playing for the Russian Red Army Team. The Thrashers do not have the skill or finesse to play that kind of hockey game. The only way the Thrashers were going to win was if all the players were willing to pay the price. Look at the top 12 teams in the NHL, every single one of those teams has at least 1 line of players willing to block shots, stand in front of the net and take the punishment from opposing teams, get into the corners and fight for the puck. Atlanta didn’t even have one player willing to do that. In the Boston game, When Chara was taking a shot, all the Atlanta players were trying to get out of the way thus creating an even bigger screen for the goalie. The Thrashers need a coach who knows how to coach young players. They need a coach that will hold them accountable and they need a coach that the players can respect. They desperately need someone like Craig MacTavish.
bugman
April 14th, 2010
6:57 pm
Not only am I not Sage, I am not ignorant of dudleys acumen. I never said anything contrary about his smarts. My inferences were he will still be required to run everything past Waddell. And isn’t that the same as being the AGM?!
Only the titles changed today. The hierchy remains the same.
Rick Dudley received a new title today. He did not receive any new authority.
Brendan
April 14th, 2010
7:13 pm
Eugene, I’ll second your post for MacTavish. But, clearly, that ship just sailed. Uhhh, how do I put this?
Hmmn. Okay. Perhaps this is the best way. I’ll give you two weeks to name all the FIRED GM’s in any sport … who picked their own successor. Figure it out, yet? Someon of you have. Joe Friday, bugman, and more.
Don Waddell is not gone from the organization. And until he is, he’s the guy who the staff knows as “The Man in Charge” for the past eleven years. If the organization really wanted to turn the corner, they’d have fired Waddell. All they did … was switch offices.
Really? Yes, really. Whenever Dudley wants to do something, he knocks on Don’s door to “run it past him.” Does that sound like Dudley’s in charge. Dudley’s as much a “figurehead” GM was Garth Snow under Charles Wang, out on Long Island.
Ya know something, folks. I am just stunned, STUNNED, by how disrespectfully this ownership treats you. They think you to be idiots. They really believe that you’ll buy it, “hook, line and sinker” that it’s some “new day” in Blueland. Waddell brought in Dudley. And now, he’s named Dudley to be the GM.
Well, Waddell hired four coaches (Fraser, Hartley, himself, and Anderson) and it appears he’ll get to hire another, after “consulting” with Dudley. Oy Gavult!! How blind are we supposed to be? It’s sickening that the organization treats you this badly.
By the way, “YungJB from MTL” won the “Guess when Waddell’s contract gets renewed” contest with his guess of April 15th. Well done, sir. You nailed it. I wonder if I’ll ever see the day when Waddell has to turn in his key. This is not Rich McKay. Waddell still has his hands in everything. And believe me … if Dudley wants one guy at the draft and Waddell disagrees, it’ll be Waddell’s choice that gets announced at the podium. And that’s just wrong, if Dudley’s the GM.
ex-STH
April 14th, 2010
7:15 pm
I dropped my season tickets 2 years ago when management (D-Wad) couldn’t keep Hossa. But since bringing in Duds 2 1/2 years ago, I’ve seen some noticable improvement in the type of player brought on to the Thrashers. I have to admit that I’m impressed with Dudley’s ideas. The personel choices in drafts and trades and waiver pickups have gotton better while Duds has been here. D-Wads still has to give the final stamp but Duds knows how to find players with the most potential. Bergfors and Oduya were GREAT players for the self-centered @-hole Kovalsuck (Cormier and the 1st round pick are wild cards). Who did D-Wads get for Hossa?!? Basically just Armstrong who I hope is as good as gone. Duds will be a great GM. With his nose for talent, he will find a great coach to compliment the type of players he is bringing in. His track record has proved this.
Harry Sinden
April 14th, 2010
7:38 pm
Well, the Dr said we didn’t get ALL the cancer…. Waddell is still in town. When you reach a certain level of incompetence, YOU GET PROMOTED… go figure. and his first move as Prez will be to raise ticket prices, and the new head coach will be from GA Youth Hockey Association in a cost saving move.
Hockey Dawg
April 14th, 2010
7:52 pm
To you guys who think the they should’ve fired Waddell (absolutely!) but kept Anderson as coach, that doesn’t make any sense. If you bring in a new GM, you want to give him free reign to bring in his own guys – not handcuff him with a previous coach, who in this case, still has not proven his chops on the NHL level. I personally think JA did a pretty decent job with what he had, but the fact remains that the team was still pretty poor defensively, was prone to long losing streaks (which was ultimately their undoing), and under Anderson did not see progression in young talent like Bogo, Little, & Enstrom.
This is a GREAT day for us hockey fans in Atlanta! The only thing that could’ve been better is if the ASG had sold the team to a local owner who would be FULLY COMMITTED to building a winner here. But let’s celebrate while we can. Dudley should be a HUGE upgrade as a GM, and if he can attract a top-line coach, continue to draft pretty well, and bring in a few key FA’s, then this team is not that far away at all from being pretty darn good. OH, HAPPY DAY!!!
HillMan
April 14th, 2010
8:07 pm
Big day for Thrashers! For those who question how much control Dudley will have, know he would not be here if he couldn’t put his stamp on this team. Make no mistake, he could go anywhere and wouldn’t be here unless this was going to be his team. Aslo, why will he make the difference? He is use to working within a small market budget to build a playoff team.
Sure we won’t probably see the Hossas, Kovys or Heatleys on this team, but we will probably look like and compete like the Preds, Sabres and Coyottes (of 2009-10). Small market budget, not many high priced stars, but good solid hockey players.
Let’s also be careful about who we look for as coach. While JA maybe didn’t work out, I would be careful about looking for a NHL retread. It may be time for this team to start building a coaching staff with ATL connections. Maybe Moose could be signed as a player/coach. He could be the third string. Coach until one of our top 2 get hurt (we all know that will happen). What about Mellenby or Chcken Parm as an assistant?
Bottom line Rick will build us to be a good small market competitor and we should use this opportunity to build some identity and bring back the fans who enjoyed some of our leaders from the past.
Amused
April 14th, 2010
8:14 pm
Waddell gets kicked upstairs. That is a positive. Anderson gets sacked. That is a negative.
Adam Dunn
April 14th, 2010
8:20 pm
Brandon shut the hell up , let people who want to salvage don not being a gm anymore do so. Why do you have to ruin the moment, I believe this is great news for the thrashers. Dudley will do a good job and whoever comes in next to coach the team will be good. Come on people, I liked Anderson as a person but he was not right for motivating that team or any team in the future… Look at Slava’s comments..
Adam Dunn
April 14th, 2010
8:21 pm
oh and brendan, your posts are wayyyyyyy too long, please shorten them up. Its like your trying to audition for the job of the thrashers beat writer, every day! Please, or atleast for my sake just shorten them up like every other day. No one wants to read a book every time you publish something. Sorry guy, Im not picking on you but I think it had to be said.
Sage of Bluesland
April 14th, 2010
8:22 pm
Laughing at the ignorant sheep who think this is actually progress! Some just want to believe so badly!
It is good to see that ‘most’ folks are not delusional and see this for precisely what it is. This is what the ownership thinks of you and your intelligence, folks.
Insulting in a way, isn’t it?
Nope, this isn’t enough ‘change’ to get the dollar out of my pocket. I refuse to have a single penny of my money pay for anything related to Don Waddell (unless it’s his severance package).
This incompetence cannot be subsidized. Don’t let the GaVasheeps and Smoothies of this world try to “waddell” you…
Joe Friday
April 14th, 2010
9:13 pm
“I am just stunned, STUNNED, by how disrespectfully this ownership treats you. They think you to be idiots. They really believe that you’ll buy it, “hook, line and sinker” that it’s some “new day” in Blueland.”
B.I.N.G.O.
close the thread
ThrasherNY
April 14th, 2010
9:52 pm
I am hoping we can break the all time Thrashers blog post record with news that the teflon may be wearing off of Don.
Greatest day in Thrashers history outside of when we drafted Kovy and Heater!
Next greatest day will be when Waddell is fired or retired as that will signal we have real owners. No respectable owners would keep him on for more than three minutes in any capacity. And by real owners I am talking about ones that want to win and understand ultimate profitability comes from bringing a city full of fans success. If you believe in that formula then Waddell is gone.
Once again third greatest day in Thrasher fan history!!!
Bring it on Dudley!
Brendan
April 14th, 2010
10:11 pm
Annnnnd Ilya Kovalchuk has still NOT won a playoff game. It’s a final, Flyers 2, Devils 1. And Ottawa defeated Pittsburgh, 5-4. Now watch! Just you WATCH! Someone who doesn’t understand the dynamics of a “best-of-seven series” will say, “The Devils/Penguins just lost home ice.” Really? So, Game Seven will now be played in Philly and Ottawa, instead? Really? And do we simply ASSUME that the lowered seeded team wins all its home games. That’s pretty large assumption to make.
stendek
April 14th, 2010
10:11 pm
Nice news but…I am a happy man tonight! Cynthia Crosby, Maltedmilkman and the overrated odious Pittsburgh Tuxedos lost ON HOME ICE to the Ottawa Senators. Will be a Sen fan this playoff year if they can knock these pretenders out of the Stanley Cup running! Now for the best part…Ilya Kovalchoke and the New Jersey Pitchforks lost ON HOME ICE to the Philly Flyers. Overrated Northern scum SHOULD HAVE BEEN shut out! One highlight dear to my heart showed the Figure Eight King skating through the entire Flyer defense, faking out the goaltender then shooting the puck wide. TRANSLATION: Missed the wide open net! BY AN ATLANTA MILE. Very familiar sight for all Trasher followers. I actually jumped to my feet in unbridled joy! Hate that traiterous Russian SOB. Wish him nothing but ill will! Got my No Doze ready to watch late game. Hope my other teams win. Man, I have not been this enthusiastic after a hockey game since Johan Moose Hedberg shut out the Tuxedos singlehandedly! Best all. ++STENDEK++
HKYLUV
April 14th, 2010
10:20 pm
I have no idea why in the world Don Waddell is still apart of this franchise at all. He has been the problem mostly all along. So disappointed that he didn’t go too!
scottbravesfan
April 14th, 2010
10:23 pm
I’m glad we finally got a real GM in Dudley. Hopefully we get a real coach as well the team always looked unprepared this season and I can’t believe they were in contention for a playoff spot as long as they were.
Tim
April 15th, 2010
3:42 am
Brendan – While you’re at it, can I get Friday’s Mega Millions numbers?
Here’s what I think…
Don will have no say what so ever in personnel matters. He’s still here because he’s under contract and ownership isn’t going to pay him to sit at home and knit sweaters. No, they’re going to make him come to work; pass, humiliated, by the office of the man making the decisions; sit in his newly irrelevant office and weep over his many lost opportunities while earning his paycheck. They’ve turned the keys to the kingdom over to Dudley.
However, if you do not feel that your lust for Donnie’s blood has been sufficiently satisfied, I believe his dog’s virtue is still intact and his children have not yet been sold into slavery. Have at it.
Bottom line… he’s under contract so they’re making him earn his money but he’ll have nothing to do with running this franchise. He’s like a school principal who gets sent to work at the superintendent’s office until retirement because he can no longer be trusted with the students.
See, I can make up stuff too!
Tim
April 15th, 2010
3:48 am
When I say “he’ll have nothing to do with running this franchise.” Of course, I know he’ll have lots of important things to do. I’m just sure that none of them will involve trades and free agents.
Maybe we can get him to work on that idiotic “no bottle caps” rule. I can literally count on one hand, the number of times I’ve seen fans either throw a full bottle of diet coke onto the ice or beat up a Sabres’ fan with a bottle of Dasani. Maybe of I’ve just had daydreams about the latter.
Lee
April 15th, 2010
6:55 am
The Spirit is trying to make it look like they’re “doing something” when they’re really not. Waddell is “President” and Rick Dudley is the GM. Now, I’ve heardvery good things about dudley, and i’m not quite sure what “president” is…but I think that whenever Dudley suggests something, he’ll have to get it approved by the “President”. So it makes Dudley look bad.
GaVaHokie
April 15th, 2010
8:21 am
What’s done is done… moving on.
Here is what Darren Dreger considers the top NHL Coaching candidates who haven’t had Head Coaching experience.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=318052
I want someone more proven.
Hockeyman3944
April 15th, 2010
9:21 am
They should have cleaned the whole lot of them out! Teflon Donny must have pictures of someone somewhere!
Anderson had to go…this was a soft team, no snarl, not an intimidating one in the bunch. Worst game? Playing the Bruins at home with 10 days to go, playoff chances on the line…Not one finished check, not one instance of even wanting to be in the game with the playoffs staring at them. After one, Anderson should have put a foot up a few rears and got them going! Oops! I forgot, he’s a “players coach” whatever the hell that is…
Get someone in here who demands accountability and is tough on these overpaid, underacheivers…then I’ll pay good money to trip over the winos and panhandlers downtown to get to Phillips!
John A.
April 15th, 2010
9:30 am
OK…So anyone else figure out Sage is bugman is Joe Friday? He says the same things on all the blogs under these names. He congratulates his alter-egos on their great wisdom and posts. They’re eternally angry at Don Waddell because he didn’t answer his 3 e-mails from 2002. Here’s a thought on someone who “gave up on the Thrashers in 2002″….WHY DON’T YOU JUST GO AWAY?
Do you even realize how MENTAL you appear when you hate the Thrashers so much, but you can’t wait to be the 1st or 2nd to post on every new Thrashers blog? You must be completely devoid of the SHAME gene.
Really now….EIGHT FREAKIN YEARS and you can’t let go???? Bet you still drive your first car from the 50s, even though it leaves you stranded 3 times a week. Bet you had your favorite pets from the past 40 years stuffed and mounted next to your Thrashers Shrine. Bet you really have Thrashers season tix but will never admit it. Do you know what they call your delusional disconnect with reality? Schizophrenia. The first step toward recovery is for you to cash in all of your alternate screen names. So I hereby dub thee:
SCHIZO OF BLUELAND. Until you’re treated and cured, you must use this screen name to remind yourself of just how sick your mind is and how it’s probably not a good idea for you to be in social situations that involve human beings. However, you can still continue your social situations with animals, both dead and alive. But they’ll still probably look at you funny, you know, like your not “normal”…….
Joe Friday
April 15th, 2010
9:33 am
“The Spirit is trying to make it look like they’re “doing something” when they’re really not. Waddell is “President” and Rick Dudley is the GM. Now, I’ve heardvery good things about dudley, and i’m not quite sure what “president” is…but I think that whenever Dudley suggests something, he’ll have to get it approved by the “President”. So it makes Dudley look bad.”
Another B.I.N.G.O. The good news in the GM position happened a year ago when Dudley was brought in, but no further change was made yesterday.
It is rather enlightening to see some naive fans lap up the Spirit’s PR move, in response to the boycott of so many former season ticket holders who demanded that Waddell be removed, as real change. It helps me understand why this ownership group treats it’s season ticket holders like dolts who will believe anything.
Joe Friday
April 15th, 2010
9:35 am
“So anyone else figure out Sage is bugman is Joe Friday?”
lol. Uh, many of we bloggers have met each other, and the writers of these blogs can see our IPs and identities, you just made yourself out to be another paranoid goof (or shill for the Spirit Squad, eh?).
the anti-clutch
April 15th, 2010
9:48 am
Waddell got Rich Mckayed lol
Tim
April 15th, 2010
9:56 am
My last two posts haven’t gone through. Have the thought police decided to delete all positive posts?
testing 1… 2… 3
John A.
April 15th, 2010
9:59 am
Step right up, one and all, and get your seats for THE AMAZING BRENDAN and his (almost) flawless hockey knowledge and insight!! Rick Dudley had been the Thrashers NEW GM for less than one day and The Amazing Brendan already knows the inner workings of Dudley’s new job:
“Whenever Dudley wants to do something, he knocks on Don’s door to “run it past him.” Does that sound like Dudley’s in charge.”
What makes this even so much more amazing is Brendan has never even seen Dudley knock on Don’s door, nor has he even seen Dudley in operation as the Thrashers NEW GM! Just simply amazing! He “knows” what’s happening and he doesn’t even have to be there to witness it! But if Brendan says it, you know it has to be 100% correct, given his incredible hockey knowledge and insight….For example, look how he picked the teams to finish in the East this season. He even KNEW he was right before the season was over and began congratulating himself for being able to see things that the rest of us simply can’t:
“Brendan
April 3rd, 2010, 11:13 pm
After the Olympic break, Smoothie asked me, “beeeeing honest” who I saw at #8. I offered that #6 would be Philly, #7 would be Boston, and #8 would the NY Rangers. And that Montreal would finish 9th and Atlanta 10th. Well, swap Philly with Montreal, and I woulda nailed it.”
Just AMAZING! Look how close The Amazing Brendan was to seeing the future:
6. Boston
7. Philly
8. Montreal
9. Rangers
10. Thrashers
Wait a minute…….Well, The Amazing Brendan got #6 right…No, not that one….OK, so number 7 was correct…No, not that one either…..How about # 8….OOPS, missed that one too….Surely # 9 was right….NOPE….Only the Thrashers at #10 was correct.
Hey, that’s only ONE out of FIVE correct! That’s 20% and even a monkey picking the final standings could do 20% out of random chance…..Maybe the monkey could do even better than The Amazing Brendan! Suddenly that’s not so amazing, is it? Maybe Brendan doesn’t have a friggin CLUE how Dudley will run the Thrashers organization as the NEW GM!!! Maybe Brendan needs to start sticking to FACTS instead of looking into his crystal ball and/or relying on his out of body experiences?
Sounds like a plan……
Joe Friday
April 15th, 2010
10:11 am
Ah, the Spirit squad shill is hard at work today, lol
John A.
April 15th, 2010
10:16 am
Joe Friday
April 15th, 2010, 9:35 am
“So anyone else figure out Sage is bugman is Joe Friday?”
lol. Uh, many of we bloggers have met each other, and the writers of these blogs can see our IPs and identities, you just made yourself out to be another paranoid goof (or shill for the Spirit Squad, eh?).
Sorry, but you made the strategic error. When an innocent is confronted by an accusation, the normal human reaction is to vehemently and immediately DENY the accusation. The guilty simply redirect the discussion without calling the accusation a false one….You know, like YOU just did.
Oh, and save your blogging breath…..To come back now and call the accusation that you’re the SAME PERSON a false one only serves to PROVE IT IS TRUE at this point…..See how that works?
John A.
April 15th, 2010
10:18 am
Spirit shill? Don’t you read the paper? I was fired yesterday and have a good deal of free time on my hands right now….
alex
April 15th, 2010
3:00 pm
after 11 years of miserable failure they promote league laughing-stoke weasel to guard there pocket. no way they improve without proper funding. anyone, dudley, bowman.. you name, going to fail here. lock in the weasel hand and it’s against his interest to open, to show hockey world how stupid he, running the organization for decade with only one consistance – losing. i am very depressed because of that.
Sandy
April 16th, 2010
5:35 pm
Hey – is Al Arbour available (I mean for D)?
Remie
April 17th, 2010
9:54 pm
You are SO right, JOHN A – I figured out Joe Friday and Sage is the same person long ago!
bugman
May 19th, 2010
4:10 pm
Sorry John A. (what’s that stand for anyway? Oh, I know…) I am my own malcontent. Is it possible in your feeble widdle mind that there may actually be more than one disgruntled fan out there that has had it up to here (6′2″) with this franchise?
I have as much right to get on these blogs and voice my displeasure with the perpetual BS dished out by ASG et al as you do to continue to give reach arounds to them.
opinionator
July 27th, 2010
10:47 pm
This team needs a real leader at the helm, and instead Waddell gets to keep a job in an erstwhile promotion. They really needed to put Neil Smith in that spot to give this franchise some credibility in the hockey world. Dudley’s OK as GM, but these days to win, you can’t just depend on the GM. You need someone like Smith who can build a real organization to support the GM.
I don’t like saying anyone should be fired, but John Anderson was an excellent coach and it was Waddell who gave him the players who couldn’t get the job done. Business-wise, the team’s a flop too, and Spirit promotes Waddell? Crazy.
Good luck to John, who deserved a lot better than he got here, and should get a chance in the NHL again. Soon.