yes **Tom** SPSO is having the blank-screen feed. Betcha it remains clear the rest of the way here…seems like they got their replay sync’d back up.

My vote, if I’m in Toronto-is Selanne’s 2nd was hit in with the high stick. Homey-call.

I think this week will go a long way to show where this team will be in the near future. Perhaps the courts will be merciful and finally put an end to this drama and finally decide who owns what and what the settlement will be. I am afraid until that happens the product on the ice will remain the same….

Think HARDER. Pay attention to the FLOOR of the salary cap. ATlanta will be a little bit north of that on “Opening Night” in October. Oh, I’m sure some “incremental progress” can be made, by following this recipe. But the bottom line is … how are they going to sell tickets, with Waddell still in charge, the budget staying where it is, and Free Agents avoiding us like the plague? And traded players … will be plotting ‘exit strategies’ during the flight into Hartsfield Airport. Unless you trade for a player with 5-years left on a contract.

Now, obviously, a re-signed Kovalchuk would do a world of P.R. salvaging, but even that move doesn’t fix this team. What fixes the team is an owner or ownership group committed to annual spending to the cap limit, and to bring in a top notch GM to take the team to the next level, then up over the threshhold to the Stanley Cup.

The ‘best case scenario,’ in terms of the court decision, would be any situation where an actual buyout occurs. That, at least, gets us out of ‘limbo.’ I would love it if the Judge would just step in and say, “Look, children. The ’spirit’ of this contract was that majority owners wanted to buy out an estranged partner. I’m striking out the “or Belkin can buy you out AT COST” portion, since I’m convinced that it was written with the intention that there wouldn’t be any sizeable delays in the buyout process. That the DEADLINE wasn’t met exactly on time, hardly seems reason enough to clog the court system for half a generation. So, I’m appointing three appraisers. I will take the AVERAGE of those appraisals, and the majority ownership group shall buy out Mr. Belkin at his percentage of initial investment for what the AVERAGE of the three appraisals say the Arena, and two pro sports teams are worth. And the case will be closed within 45 days, or all parties will be hauled back into court and fined back to the STONE AGE.” That’s what I’d do. But, uhh … I’m not a judge.

And perhaps, thank Goodness for that. As it might be better for Mr. Belkin to own the teams. For Belkin will fire Waddell. I’m not nearly as confident of that, with Daddy and Daddy-in-law remaining in Charge. And if Belkin doesn’t immediately sell the team, he’ll at least find a decent GM to handle matters from here. Truthfully, I don’t want Belkin or this current ownership group to run the Thrashers. I think it needs a fresh, new start, with an owner who will give the team some love, and still have the good sense to realize … that it’s his job to FINANCE the team, not to run it. That’s why you hire a GM. Write the checks and then GET OUT OF THE WAY! Now, that’s a good owner.

If Mr. Blank would agree to do that, and not hold press conferences every 15-minutes to declare how wealthy and successful he is, I’d be fine with that. I said, “if.”

ATLANTA

This could be a blueprint of how not to operate an expansion franchise. General manager Don Waddell is by all accounts a lovely man but he has become the Inspector Clouseau of the NHL. Despite having prime draft picks every year the Thrashers rank even below the much-maligned Maple Leafs in player development.

The Hockey News recently ranked the Thrashers 23rd in prospects. And, when they did get a solid player, Waddell has lost him. In eight seasons, the team still is looking for its first playoff game victory.

The team’s fan base has eroded. Attendance dropped another 7.9% the first half of this season — second biggest drop in the NHL. It has cash flow problems which hasn’t been helped by a collective agreement that forces it to spend at least $41-million.

Nobody really knows if Atlanta would support an NHL team because, in all honesty, it never has had one of NHL calibre.

If the NHL bought out the owners and folded the team it would be considered a mercy killing. Or, if a less desperate solution is more to Bettman’s liking: Keep the team; fold Waddell.