get the —- out
ur ruining us

He helped identify players that should go to Switzerland with the team. He’s an advisor. I have a hard time believing that he’s LOSING time towards the Thrashers simply because he’s helping with Team USA. Burke, Poille, Holmgren, Lombardi and Shero are all helping with Team USA as well…it’s not like Waddell is the only NHL GM there with a team that needs improvement (4 of the 6 GMs missed the playoffs, 2 have lottery picks in the upcoming draft).

As for the GM/coaching changes- yeah Lemaire got the Wild to the finals in what 03′,with a $22 million dollar payroll.But look at the team then,a collection of vets and a trap system that in all honesty overachieved. Asking for that to happen again is VERY unlikely.

Also,Dallas, Montreal and Minnesota are better markets than we are. We started over from scratch,but Dallas didn’t have to. Minnesota did as the North-Stars moved down south,but they have sold out EVERY game since the very first Wild home opener,those folks are the hockey state no doubt. Then the franchise that has won more cups than any other,you better believe they have a great following to. Comparing the state of these franchises to ours is unfair. Gainey should be canned as well,for he has no limits on his payroll and the Habs seem to draft fairly well. Just what kind of real GM is he if you take those two tangibles of the franchise away? As for Dallas,he was just about in the same situation,established teams that only needed tweaking,not rebuilt or completely built from the ground up. Risebourgh has brought the Wild probably as far as he can,but something doesn’t make sense when the only real superstar you have is your own draft pick and he won’t resign with you,yet your cash vaults stayed packed by the fans attendance? There is more than meets the eye with alot of teams and how they operate.

No, i’m not a big supporter of DW for the many gaffes he has had as GM coming from a franchise in Detroit which,for years sucked but as time went along they got better and better and returned to glory. Our ownership at times I can’t stand neither,because they can’t work together as a team to achieve any goals. They are going to have to open up the billfolds some to get to the cap floor anyways.They want commitment from fans,I’m ready and willing.But when you say your going to try and keep this team together and yet drag your feet when the process should already be in motion,it makes me feel as I’m getting more lip service.And for the life of me,WHY does DW get chosen to have anything to do with our international hockey teams? His job that he gets paid to do is build the Thrashers team,being distracted by trying to put together Team USA would be an honor,but it’s taking up time he should be spending on making the Thrashers better.

The folks with the Thrashers franchise who should be taking the most heat is the scouting department IMHO,and since DW won’t fire them,then he too should go.

I work hard for the money I spend on this team year round and have done so for years now.It’s time to demand that hard work be put into this team by it’s management to see it become better. I’m not demanding a Cup win in a certain amount of time,but other than our 1 playoff season and the last 3 months of this season doesn’t make up for the other short comings season after season of heartbreak and disappointment. Quit being lazy,cheap,and distracted DW and get going keeping this team moving up……. you’ve had alot of rest in the other times you didn’t work to keep Savard,Staios,Belanger,Brunette,ect. but threw at us Rucchin,Holik,Kapanen,Modry,Tamer. Find your spine and get to it,i’ll bring you a vault soda straight from my bottling plant to help you out.

Sorry,I’m not trying to attack any of you fellow posters about the GM/coach talk……. but just don’t know how to really feel about it cause any new GM may not like our current scheme and decide to scrap it and we forever stay in building mode to his likeness.

But I am sick and tired of being sick and tired with the cluelessness that which the team I love most is operated by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Funny thing, though…as a player with Montreal in the 1970’s Lemaire was a swift sakting sniper, he and LaFleur and Cournoyer were blurs in the ice.

Brendan…what was the average team payroll in that 2003 year?

Thrasher Ed…I have been calling for the Gladiators to move up to the AHL for a while now. All of the other ECHL teams in the SE are falling by the wayside. They can have the AAA team here to work with the Thrash, call ups are easier, and Jeff Pyle, the coach of the Glads plays a similar style to that Anderson employs. Its a winning proposition all around.

Segue: True or False time. Here now the question: “True or False, Jacques Lemaire once took a team to the Conference Finals on a $22 million budget?”

Cue the theme to “Jeopardy!” Still humming. Not quite done yet. Almost there. Okay. Time’s up.

What did you pick? Oh, c’mon now. Don’t be shy. There’s a 50/50 chance to get this one right. (If only there were a 50/50 chance Waddell was getting fired!)

The correct answer is (drumroll, please): TRUE! In 2003, the Minnesota Wild team payroll was $22 million dollars, and it reached the Conference Finals. Now, I’ll readily admit that it only scored one (1) goal in those CF, but the point is, they GOT THERE. It’s “doable.” So, if Jacques Lemaire were hired as a GM or Coach, or both GM and Coach, he knows how to get results with a shoestring budget. And well, if you’re asking meeeeee who’d I’d rather have overseeing a team with a salary cap floor budget, Waddell or Lemaire, I’d pick Jacques Lemaire faster than you can say “Rumpelstiltskin.”

Maybe, if we play bad next year, Don Waddell will finally be shown the door? I can only hope and dream…

(I hope that linkage worked)

In Atlanta where you have a bunch of drunk clowns trying to play sports owners and failing at every turn, they cannot admit mistakes and forge a NEW direction, they want more losing which is Their NHL motto !..

And the Career Loser GM proves the point every day !