Ramsay, coaches wait to hear their future
Craig Ramsay sits and waits.
The Thrashers head coach still doesn’t know if he will be joining his team when it relocates to Winnipeg next season. Other members of the organization have already been told not to pack their bags.
Ramsay finally spoke to a representative of the Winnipeg franchise Thursday evening – 10 days after the deal was announced that the Atlanta Spirit would sell the Thrashers to True North Sports and Entertainment.
Ramsay spoke to new Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, whose hiring was announced Wednesday. Thrashers GM Rick Dudley was told Sunday he would not be retained before the sale is approved later this month and the team relocated to Manitoba.
“It’s very unnerving not knowing what the future holds,” Ramsay told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday.
Ramsay said he was told by Cheveldayoff that a decision has not been made about the coaching staff. The still unnamed Winnipeg organization would meet throughout the weekend before making a final decision, he was told. Associate coach John Torchetti, assistant coach Mike Stothers and video coach Tony Borgford also wait to hear their future.
Several members of the Thrashers support staff have already been told they will not have positions in Winnipeg – including the equipment managers, athletic trainers and strength and conditioning coach. None were considered for positions despite their tenure with the Thrashers. Head equipment manager Bobby Stewart spent all 12 years with the Thrashers and 26 years with the Flames organization in Atlanta and Calgary.
The Thrashers staff was informed of Winnipeg’s decision on Monday by Craig Heisinger, who was named senior vice president and assistant general manager. Heisinger was in Atlanta Monday, two days before being named to his new position, to inventory equipment and other physical assets of the sale.
“It’s awkward,” Ramsay said. “We are hockey people, but we are also people. There are other jobs. … I just asked him to [make a decision] expeditiously.”
Several open positions in hockey, both at the NHL and AHL level, have been filled since the sale and relocation of the Thrashers became imminent.
Ramsay became the fifth head coach in Thrashers history before last season. He concluded his first full season as an NHL head coach with the disappointment of missing the playoffs but was looking forward to continued work in the organization. He may not get that chance.
“I didn’t think it would end like this,” said Ramsay, a long-time assistant who left Boston after the three previous seasons. “I can’t look into the future. I saw what I thought was a good opportunity to work with someone I had known for years (in Dudley). I thought we could improve the team. I’m sorry we didn’t get there.”
Thrashers strength and conditioning coach Barry Brennan said he was told that his position at the NHL level would be filled by the coach who currently holds that position with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. According to the team’s website, Lee Stubbs is listed as Assistant Medical Trainer/Strength and Conditioning for the Moose, which is also owned by True North and play in Winnipeg’s MTS Centre.
“I’m disappointed I won’t be making the transition, but I respect the fact they are being loyal to their guy,” Brennan said.
Brennan has been in Atlanta the past week and has begun work with current players. He worked with Eric Boulton and Chris Thorburn Friday.
“They have to be prepared to play in Winnipeg and I’m happy to help them for as long as I’m here,” Brennan said.
Thrashers vice president and assistant general manager Larry Simmons has yet to be informed of his future. President Don Waddell said last week he will not be a part of the Winnipeg franchise.
On a personal note: In case you folks thought I fell off the face of the earth, I was on vacation the past week and a half. I’m back and will stay on top of any other developments including the Board of Govenors meeting on June 21.
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165 comments Add your comment
I am laughing at you
June 13th, 2011
11:49 am
@DWTOO just because you lack an education and are forced to resort to working at dead end minimum wage jobs doesn’t mean the rest of us do. I would be willing to bet anything that my yearly income is at least double what you make in a year, and for the record I purchased 2 season tickets in the p3 area at a cost of almost 34K for 4 years, an amount I would bet anything you could never afford, but nice try junior and keep being bitter about the loss of yet another NHL team in Atlanta. LOL
R. Stroz
June 13th, 2011
1:11 pm
DWTOO – Take his bet and then compare your W-2 vs. whatever the Canadian equivalent to a W-2 is. He wiil not be laughing very much longer will he?
Kelly
June 13th, 2011
1:17 pm
Thrashered/Relocationist (and anyone else who thinks Winnipeg couldn’t support the Jets): Fan support had NOTHING to do with the Jets leaving. It wouldn’t have mattered if the Jets sold out: they STILL wouldn’t have generated enough revenue to stay. Why? Because the Jets’ had a WORSE arena deal than the Thrashers did. Every Thrasher fan on here blames the Philips Arena lease as a major drag on Thrasher revenue, so it’s not much of a stretch for you to believe me on this.
Winnipeg had excellent fan support. Your Rick Dudley, who played the final 30 games of his career in a Jets uniform, even said so. Everything that conspired to cost Winnipeg the Jets has been fixed: there’s now at least a little sanity in player compensation, there’s now revenue sharing (although Winnipeg returns to the NHL as a contributor TO revenue sharing — not a recipient of it), there’s a new arena with not a bad seat in the house, the team owns the arena and every cent of revenue it earns, the owner has more money than shiekhs and the city is thriving.
Tell me again why this won’t work?
Kelly
June 13th, 2011
1:35 pm
Let’s not get excited: Gary Bettman isn’t in love with Glendale. His hand was forced by Moyes putting the team into bankruptcy. He either had to buy the team or let Judge Redfield T. Baum sell it to Balsillie. He couldn’t let that happen, because Balsillie would have moved the team to Hamilton and fired the first shot in a legal war between Buffalo and Toronto vs. the NHL. Considering that the Maple Leafs could buy the NHL with its pocket change, that’s a legal fight that would have bankrupted the NHL. Then you add in Atlanta and some of the other U.S. teams teetering on a financial precipice. Bettman needed stability in Phoenix because he knew there was only one buyer for two troubled teams. So he pursued the only other potential buyer (Hulsizer, who doesn’t have nearly the amount of wealth needed to carry a team like Phoenix) as vigourously as he could, convinced the Glendalians that a deal was imminent if they’d just cover a season of losses (now, two, it turns out) and ran head-first into the Goldwater Institute.
It will be interesting to see how Pheonix plays out. I suspect that Hulsizer will tire of the whole charade and turn his attention to a team closer to his Chicago home and see what kind of sweetheart no-money-down deal he can get out of St. Louis. I suspect Glendale will have to cut bait on an NHL team next season. Where it goes from there, nobody knows.
DWTOO
June 13th, 2011
1:38 pm
Hey Strozer – You’re probably right. I can go toe to toe with just about anyone. And Laughing I do have a college degree with dual majors from a Big Ten school. And I could match your season ticket purchase and have had a Thrasher season ticket package from about day one.
R.Stroz – I did violate one of my rules by rising to the bait of a foreign troll. I don’t understand the need of some to venture on what’s an ATLANTA blog to toss grabage in our faces. JUST GO AWAY TROLLS. You have our team – leave us alone.
I am laughing at you
June 13th, 2011
1:53 pm
Actually DWTOO they are OUR team, and now maybe you can grab a notepad and pen and take notes on how a REAL hockey market supports a team.
Not Blind
June 13th, 2011
1:54 pm
Lessee, The USA as a soverign nation is how old ??? And Canada as a soverign nation is how old ? And the peoples of the USA fought for their independence while Canadians did not ??? And a large segment of the country actually celebrates their French heritage ????
Riiiigght. I’m really feeling inferior to Canadians today :rolleyes:
letsnotgetexcited71
June 13th, 2011
2:00 pm
DWTOO, I think your right we do not have a right to be on your blogs but I think most people use this as a way to find out the feeling in a area. I for one am ashamed at some of the bloggers that post here including myself on occasion. I think for myself I still can’t believe we got the team and I always look back to make sure nothing is going to take that away from us. I to have a degree from the University of Manitoba, and would never insult your intelligence, about who can afford what as far as season tickets. Again I feel sorry for all the fans of the Thrashers, we in Winnipeg know what you are going through having gone through it ourselves back in 96. Take care guys the NHL will be back because I have seen first hand the passion of your fans at a thrasher game while I was there for business. Thank you for allowing me to blog here but I guess I will stop because it does look like we are gloating.
I am laughing at you
June 13th, 2011
2:10 pm
@Not Blind you’re forgetting the fact how the Americans tried to take over Canada on more than one occasion and us Canucks sent them home with their tail between their legs and the rest in body bags. So your feelings of inferiority are warranted.
@letsnotgetexcited – First off us in Winnnopeg have no idea what the people in Atlanta are going through. We supported our Jets and were passionate about them. Where in Atlanta they didn’t support a team and lost it. The majority of people in Atlanta aren’t even going to notice they are gone, hell they probably didn’t even know they were there in the first place. Which would explain their crappy crappy attendance.
DWTOO
June 13th, 2011
2:12 pm
Thanks Letsnot – There’s been much venom here on both sides – Atlanta and Winnipeg people. Would like to think I’ve stayed above the criticism of the cities and countries. But, Trolls are fair game.
One thing many need to remember is that we’re all hockey fans here and why take personal shots at each other and their locations.
Keep the talk to the game.
Ox Baker
June 13th, 2011
3:03 pm
A heart punch to all of you haters. It is done. Move on. Hope that the team thrives in WPG. The opportunity to play in the NHL is fleeting at best.Support the players you loved.
Give Waddell a raspberry, for trying to make diamonds out of dust. He misled himself.
I will go to Glad and Pred and maybe Hurricane games…I happen to love the sport.
Sage of Bluesland
June 13th, 2011
4:13 pm
Typical Canadian trolls….When we want your opinion, as a country, we’ll give it to you….Now go back to your little provincial sport and be a good little lapdog…Don’t worry, we’ve noted the abundance of natural resources you’re sitting on and will take it when we so desire.
I can promise you on that one.
The greatest sport in the world, football, rules all in the greatest country in the world.
Brendan
June 13th, 2011
6:33 pm
I’m going to buy Center Ice again next year. And I will watch to see what becomes of the Thrashers in Winnipeg. I can’t say that I’ll definitely get to Manitoba for a game, but when the team comes to Raleigh or Tampa, or Nashville, I probably will go see them.
Sage beater
June 14th, 2011
11:59 am
Hey Sage of Bluesland. Any time you feel froggy you go ahead and jump. We will shove that falg of yours up your ass and send you waddling back home. American idiot.
East Point Bob
June 16th, 2011
12:29 pm
Hey canada poor loser whiner fans who burn their town down, Who has NO class now ??,
I am so glad I live in the USA, Not the 51st state, aka, The Northern Wasteland !