Updated II: Ramsay the next coach, deals done
NOTE: SINCE I POSTED THIS FINAL VERSION WITH TONS OF NEWS AFTER 2 A.M., I’M GOING TO LEAVE THIS BLOG UP TODAY FOR ALL THOSE WHO WANT TO COMMENT ON THE BIG DAY. I WILL POST NEW BLOG AFTER TALKING TO RAMSAY.
The Thrashers will officially name Craig Ramsay as the francishe’s fifth head coach on Thursday. The announcement will come later this afternoon. The 59-year-old Ramsay has served as assistant coach with the Boston Bruins the past three seasons.
In a conference call to discuss the two trades the Thrashers made early Thursday morning, general manager Rick Dudley said he “won’t tip our hand” about the new coach. However, he did acknowledge that he has spoken to Ramsay “quite a bit.” He said the two had coffee in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning and Ramsay had dinner with team president Don Waddell Wednesday night.
There is a report from TSN that John Torchetti, the Chicago Blackhawks assistant who was the other leading candidate for the head coach job, would join the Thrashers as an associate head coach. I have not confirmed that. I do know that when the deal is announced today, Torchetti won’t be involved. Just Ramsay.
Ramsay interviewed with the Thrashers several weeks ago. The 59-year old has served stints as head coach for Buffalo and Philadelphia. He has also served as an assistant with Florida, Ottawa, Tampa Bay and, most recently, Boston. He was an assistant with the Bruins for the past three seasons.
Ramsay played 14 NHL seasons with the Sabres, where he was a teammate and linemate of Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley. He retired in 1985 with 672 points (252 goals, 420 assists) in 1,070 games. He won the Selke Award as the league’s top defensive forward in 1984-85. He played in 776 consecutive games between 1973-83.
By now you know the old news. The Thrashers acquired Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager and Akim Aliu from Chicago for Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb, Jeremy Morin and a first- and second-round draft pick in this year’s draft.
In order to make that deal work, the Thrashers also made a trade with San Jose, sending Mike Vernace, Brett Sterling and a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft for future considerations.
Here are some of the highlights from Dudley’s after 1 a.m. conference call:
* He thinks Byfuglien is a 20-30 goal scorer and that he is every bit the player that excelled in the playoffs.
*He called Sopel a “character guy” that will “block as many shots as he takes.”
*Praised Eager’s forechecking and his “pugilistic side.”
*Called Aliu “a bit of a wildcard” that just needs to mature into an NHL player.
*Now that he traded his second-round pick, Dudley would like to try to replace it. The team will pick No. 8 and then not again until 87th as it stands now.
*He said he would continue to talk to UFAs such as Colby Armstrong and Pavel Kubina but admitted they have “pieces in place that make it easier to move on without them.” He also said, in regards to talks with Kubina, that they are a “little ways apart right now.”
*He said he’s not done dealing and would like to trade for a 20-goal scorer and maybe a defenseman.
*Team will focus on restricted free agents after the draft.They have deadline of June 28th to make qualifying offers.
Back to the deals: I talked to Reasoner about the trade. He said he talked to his agent early Wednesday and heard rumblings that something might be happening. Here is some of what he said.
“You can’t beat going to a team that just won the Stanley Cup. I’m pretty excited.”
“It’s always a little shocking to be traded, but we’ve been through it before.”
“I would have liked to have stayed in Atlanta another year and help that team build, but it’s a new chapter. It will be exciting. You can tell from watching the playoffs that the Blackhawks have taken over the city.”
“[My time in Atlanta] was good. I met a lot of great people. … I think you learn a lot about yourself when you are in different situations and I definitely learned a lot about myself there. I will always have fond memories. My daughter was born there. … You become part of the community even if it’s a short amount of time. But we signed up for this.”
I also spoke with Ron Hainsey about the deal. He said he was not surprised that Dudley made a deal with Chicago, considering his relationship with the franchise.
“We added some great pieces today,” Hainsey said. “We hate to see Marty go but we got a lot back. We got a player who was a huge part of their playoff run, a veteran right-handed shooting defenseman. Another good player and a prospect. Those are some pretty big pieces.”
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174 comments Add your comment
Pittsburgh Pirate Fan
June 23rd, 2010
8:08 pm
Stat Man-you gotta understand NOTHING will make some of these guys happy. This team just got an injection from a team that just won the Stanley Cup. Injection of size, energy and attitude. They would have bitched if Dudley did nothing as well.
Arthur Blank
June 23rd, 2010
8:08 pm
I want to have sex with Vicki Locke, Karen handel, and Shirley Franklin, in that order.
Mike
June 23rd, 2010
8:09 pm
why not at the same time, Mr. Blank?
ThrashDawg
June 23rd, 2010
8:11 pm
You can argue back and forth about if this was a good trade or not and nobody really knows for sure…time will tell. But, one thing is for certain this trade brings CREDIBILITY to the Thrashers in the sense that most of the league, not to mention upcoming UFA, probably did not think the organIzation had much CREDIBILITY before. Only time will tell if the players work out on either side of the trade…but for now this trade could be a game changer in Atlanta by making a statement to the NHL that Dudley and Atlanta mean business! My personal thoughts were that hiring a proven winning coach would be the answer for the credibility gap, but maybe this is a better way to go!
gt2211
June 23rd, 2010
8:39 pm
For some reason many of you think that Buff is going to bring toughness. The biggest complaint in Chicago this past season was his “soft” play. Overall he is a poor skater that on many nights was a no show. If you can make it to the playoffs he may come up big like he did this year, but he will be no help in getting there. As for Sopel, just take a look at his playing time, or should I say lack of, this past year. He is very slow with no shot. His speciality is PK, but at 2 Mil.? Sorry Atlanta, you guys just got taken on this one!
Somaatl95
June 23rd, 2010
8:40 pm
Had told Mr. Heat Miser several times during the playoffs that I thought Chicago was gonna win it all and that I really liked the play and style of #33, calling him a “Fast Fridge on Skates”, and that I hoped we would get him. His play impressed me so much I was going to get one of the Blackhwaks St Pattys Jerseys (http://www.nfljerseysupply.com/chicago-blackhawks-33-dustin-byfuglien-green-jersey-4598.html) because its impossible to find any for the Thrashers. Now I can get it and wear it to the Thrashers games!
I love this trade!
Hawks Fan Mike
June 23rd, 2010
8:43 pm
Sopel is a loss for Chicago, he did all the dirty work when it was needed; you’d always see him limping to the bench after blocking another shot. He’s the type of role player that teams need to win Championships. Wasn’t a big Eager fan but he did bring a lot of energy when it was needed; and Big Buff wasn’t the best in the regular season, but when the Play-offs started, that was another story.
GaVaHokie
June 23rd, 2010
8:43 pm
Aliu seems to be another bruiser… Steve Downie knocked his teeth out during a practice over a hazing incident.
I since this team is becoming the Dudley Dirtbags… for better or worse.
dre
June 23rd, 2010
8:43 pm
Arthur,
Quite an ecclectic mix I must say. LOL
woodie
June 23rd, 2010
9:03 pm
Welcome to Loserville gentlemen.
Sage of Bluesland
June 23rd, 2010
9:14 pm
“It is what it is.”
Indeed.
Well, only time will tell if this move was a success or not…It is an injection of something the team doesn’t seem to have: Life. So, I can appreciate that.
Hoping for the best–but, sadly, I’m so used to expecting the worst…Call it the Waddell-Syndrome, if you will…
Zach
June 23rd, 2010
9:20 pm
this new guy doesn’t seem like he want’s to play here. Can you blame him?
Somaatl95
June 23rd, 2010
9:25 pm
Are some of you people EVER happy with the Thrashers? Or do you follow them to come to here and bitch and complain like a prototypical nagging wife? We have not been the best team in the NHL. We are reminded about it frequently, but even when something that could be considered good happens you people still bitch and complain and nag! C’mon!
Piddle in your Cornflakes
June 23rd, 2010
9:28 pm
Anyone not surpised to see Sage whip out his, well, Waddell and pee on the parade?
Pittsburgh Pirate Fan
June 23rd, 2010
9:30 pm
When I read some of today’s post I really have to wonder why the hell some of you people post here or attempt to portray yourselves as hockey fans. This is a good trade for both teams, it is not a great trade. It gives Atlanta players that just won a Stanley Cup, the parade is barely over with.
This is a good start moving forward, a deal Waddell couldn’t have pulled off. Dudley did and I think he has more up his sleeves. It will give some of you babies more to cry about.
Mike
June 23rd, 2010
9:30 pm
Wow. The people on this blog amaze me. The other day people are saying we have a lot of centermen, so Dudley trades from a position of strength and people complain. Yes, hate to see Marty go because he worked hard while he was here, but you have to give up something worthwhile to get something worthwhile in exchange.
People complain that the Spirit group doesn’t do anything, yet they pull off a big trade and everyone still complains. As least they didn’t have to give up their first first round draft pick which is a good thing.
We gave up Morin, but we don’t know who their prospect is going to be so it may be someone with good stats. Yes Duds spoke highly of him the other day, but anyone think that was done to push his trade value up a little.
Yes, we need a goalie and I believe we will get one. I expect Hedberg to leave and we pick up a solid veteran. There are plenty on the market so we just need to wait to see what Duds does. Get a good goalie and with the defense we now have, with or without Kubina, you have to like the direction the team is headed.
People say build through youth, but at the same time say they need to make the playoffs in the next season or two to keep hockey in Atlanta. Make up your mind as you can’t have both!
ryan
June 23rd, 2010
9:46 pm
I know you don’t want to here about the Hawks on this site but could this trade be an omen for the other the team on ASG.
BG33Brown
June 23rd, 2010
9:48 pm
I’m not a fan of this move b/c of Buff. As someone stated above, he is a big game player, but takes a lot of games off. I like Sopel and Eager is okay, but I would have rather just gotten versteeg and sopel.
GaVaHokie
June 23rd, 2010
9:48 pm
I’m sure all these guys wanted a second run at the Cup and a chance to be present when the banner is raised Opening Night… so, if “it is what it is”, that’s why.
Russ
June 23rd, 2010
9:58 pm
As a Blackhawks fan and Thrashers follower (via the Chicago Wolves) I gotta say the Thrashers really didn’t do much to help themselves. Sopel is a 3rd pair guy who can’ t skate well, Buff is a 3rd line winger at best – Quenville basically put him on the top line to hide him as it’s hard to screw up with Kane & Toews, and if Eager stays with Atlanta I expect to see him playing a few games in Chicago this year. Sopel gives everything he has, but even on a bad team he’s no better than the #4 D-man. Buff is a gamble – I woouldn’t have gambled Morin on him.
Either Dudley is an idiot – he was kicked out of Chicago basically in favor of Kevin Cheveldayoff (the Wolves GM) – or he is desperate for ticket sales and thinks this will help. Buff is great with the media and fans; hope it works out for him, but I hope he plays better too.
Pittsburgh Pirate Fan
June 23rd, 2010
10:01 pm
BG33-Buff was sent back to defense in the 2nd half of the season. He finally got a chance to play forward with Toews and Kane and flourished. He’s 255# at least, threw the biggest check I have ever seen on Pronger. These guys will all have a chance here, a new challenge. Atlanta is a first class city with a known commdity (to Hawks’ players) running the show. Unless Sage wants to bring out his “lap dog” and “I hate Waddell” hourly chant again. This is a step forward folks, though it looks like we will have to drag some of you guys to success.
Dave
June 23rd, 2010
10:02 pm
buff is more of a bruiser than he is a scorer. The only reason the thrashers traded for him was that he could nail pronger’s butt 10 times this season.
Brian west palm beach
June 23rd, 2010
10:02 pm
Well it looks as if blueland has come out of its coma. Now you guys need a number one goalie. Pavs is not it. He may be a great backup though. One more thing needed a true goal scorer to work with Pevs. I can say i will be glad to be home in december. but glad i could not waste my money at the games in person.
waffleboy
June 23rd, 2010
10:09 pm
I don’t really understand the buzz on Morin. I’m not sold on him yet, and I think he projects to be a second-liner, at best. And that’s if everything goes right and busts his hump. We gave up one roster player and got three back. This is exactly what I wanted Dudley to do with the late first-round pick: get a player who could contribute immediately. And it’s not like we need Sopel to give us first-pairing minutes. He’ll be our fifth or sixth d-man, depending on Kubina. Eager’s gonna give you the same minutes and effort you got from Reasoner, but he’s nine years younger. Overall, I like the trade, though I wouldn’t call it a blockbuster.
GaVaHokie
June 23rd, 2010
10:14 pm
Well, seeing as we are over our 50 contract limit and need to jettison one more to make this trade official, plus we are running out of tradable assets… I’m not sure how many more moves are coming.
Is Buff our Top 6 acquisition?
waffleboy
June 23rd, 2010
10:14 pm
Russ – Dustin Byfulgien had 5 game winning goals in the playoffs. Toews and Kane had 4 combined. Quenville was hiding him? Give the guy his due, man.
waffleboy
June 23rd, 2010
10:17 pm
A Thrasher was named to the all-rookie team, but not the one you may think.
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/nhl-announces-2009-2010-all-rookie-team.php
Farel
June 23rd, 2010
10:32 pm
Love the trade! Anyone that sent Pronger to his *ss, I can get behind. It’s great to see the team making moves. Anyone going to the draft party?
k_rock
June 23rd, 2010
10:36 pm
“The Thrashers will acquire Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel and a prospect from Chicago for a first-round pick, second-round pick, prospect Jeremy Morin and forward Marty Reasoner. Chicago gets the No. 24 and No. 54 pick acquired in the trade with New Jersey for Ilya Kovalchuk. So for the Thrashers ended up getting Johnny Oduya, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, Byfuglien, Sopel and Eager for Kovalchuk, Reasoner, a prospect and two draft picks.”
Um, helloooo. Anssi Salmela was included in the inital Kovalchuk trade as well.
I think the Thrashers overpaid a bit, but the tipping point seems to be the prospects. Time will tell.
Roner
June 23rd, 2010
10:40 pm
First off, I think trading good draft picks for these guys was a great idea. I know, I know… We sent two boys there as well.
I’m just saying that using those picks instead of trading them would have been catastrophic.
We can’t wait a couple of years to make this team a playoff contender. We’ve been waiting too long, and the ice is thin enough already.
Curly
June 23rd, 2010
10:41 pm
Agree with GVH earlier post:
1) Eager = Boulton will not be signed
Eager is a 4th line grinder, part time enforcer
2) Sopel = Kubina will not be signed
Sopel is a 3rd pairing D-Man.
3) I’m OK with giving up 24th pick for Buff
4) I do not like giving up Morin.
5) Exceeding 50 contract limit = White gets bought out or waived?
Overall I think the Blackhawks got a great deal for a salary dump.
Grammar Nazi
June 23rd, 2010
10:41 pm
Nice comma splice in the first sentence.
Smoothie
June 23rd, 2010
10:49 pm
Morin, albeit a pure goal-scorer, may never develop into the player many of you think he will be. His skating is mediocre at best and other scouting reports claim that he may never develop the quickness to get to open spots in the NHL as opposed to a player like Bergfors who is about the same size, but possess more “quicks” and the ability to surprise you with his release. Morin has a great shot, but scouts say the release may be a bit too plodding. It’s so hard to tell. 2nd rounders are a crap-shoot and only about 17-20% make it historically.
Bascially, we got 3 for 1 + a late first rounder. I’ll take the two years of Buf & Sopel guaranteed plus hopefully a LT contract for Eager, who is better than anything we have on the 4th line (not including Reasoner, but he was more of a specialist anyway). There is still time for this roster to take shape. And don’t sleep on Freddie “the Fly” Pettersson, who looks to be a Swedish, speedier version of Jeremy Morin…wicked one-timer too! Just check the youtubes on him. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.
J.K. SOCKEY
June 23rd, 2010
10:55 pm
Interesting number of experts on Morin in here. How many games did you see him play?
Midfield
June 23rd, 2010
10:58 pm
I like the comment about warm bodies. Nice touch. We need’em warm, alright.
KLS1
June 23rd, 2010
10:58 pm
I have to say I’m a little surprised there isn’t more enthusiasm. All we really lose is the potential of Morin…and lets be real, he isn’t a burgeoning Peter Forsberg.
There is a lot of young talent on this team and some coming up that we need to make room for…Kane, Little, Bergfors, Peverly, Cormier, Petterson, Klingberg, Kulda, Visonovsky, plus this years first rounder.
Adding some proven players with size will help immensely…this is a no brainer winner for the Thrash. And it is not often we can say that.
JC
June 23rd, 2010
11:00 pm
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=325516
Ramsay is the choice for coach!
Luke M
June 23rd, 2010
11:01 pm
So a significant portion of the Kovalchuk haul was just flipped for a young 4th line defender, an average veteran and a grinder who had 1 great month? Terrible trade if you ask me. Byfuglien had 34 points last season, before anyone who only watched the playoffs thinks he’s a big time goal scorer.
KLS1
June 23rd, 2010
11:04 pm
I’m ok with Ramsay…
GaVaHokie
June 23rd, 2010
11:10 pm
Twitter is blowing up with Craig Ramsey rumors to Atlanta… Love it if it’s true!
rinkdink
June 23rd, 2010
11:20 pm
Too bad Dudley can’t buy the team.
Midfield
June 23rd, 2010
11:24 pm
To me, it’s more about team’s identity than stats. Now we seem to finally have at least three lines capable of generating tangiblre traffic in front of the net.
Pi$$onaDawg
June 23rd, 2010
11:24 pm
Years to Late and Too Many Dollars now wasted. Let the Thrasher leave now and stop wasting money and time on an animal that needs to be shot.
Pi$$onaDawg
June 23rd, 2010
11:27 pm
Go watch the Atlanta Rollers Girls. They play for the love of the game, don’t get paid HUGE money, and they are Better than the Atlanta Mockingbirds for sure.
Jack
June 23rd, 2010
11:28 pm
Ramsey coming, wonder how he won over torch. However Ramsey is a good pick
Justin
June 23rd, 2010
11:40 pm
Looking forward to see what the other deal is, saw this from http://www.crashthecrease.com – Glad the Thrashers have guy like you covering all the news this late at night!
Thrashers27
June 23rd, 2010
11:50 pm
According to TSN Ramsay is head coach and Torchetti is coming in as an associate coach.
Jack
June 23rd, 2010
11:53 pm
that would be bloody awesome if that is the case. thanks Thrashers 27, any idea on the other trade?
Telfo
June 23rd, 2010
11:56 pm
other trades looks to be 2 contracts to SJ for the old “future considerations”
probably two ECHL guys or something
Thrashers27
June 23rd, 2010
11:56 pm
Where is anyone hearing ’bout another trade?