Proceed To Procure Passes For Prospects Game Versus Predators
Tickets will be available later in the day via the Ice Forum’s website…however, I was informed by the lovely Amy and the very helpful Jason that you are welcome to purchase the passes in person at the Duluth Ice Forum that is located on Satellite Blvd. There are only about 500 tickets available for each game and seating will be on a first come first serve basis.
So get your now!
This will be the first time Atlanta fans will be able to see first-round selection Evander Kane in a game situation…unless, of course, you are planning to head off to Traverse City, Michigan the week prior for that tournament. Not only am I looking forward to watching how he performs at that time… but also this entire crop of prospects has me jazzed.
Hopefully I’ll see you all there!
Have We Heard This Before?
Here is something that I found interesting the other day…it comes via ”Let Loose The Moose” from the Thrashers message Boards.
Thrashers’ GM Don Waddell had this to say two years ago regarding the contract talks with Marian Hossa:
“It’s progressing, and as long as we continue to have the kind of talks that we had, they’re very upbeat and on target with where we’re headed, then at some point here we’ll be able to announce a deal,”
Contrast that with his recent comments to Chris Vivlamore:
“We’ve had several face-to-face meetings…We’ve had some very, very long discussions….I feel very confident that at some point – I don’t know when that point will be – but at some point, we will get a contract done”.
The similarities in those two comments are spookily similar, don’t ya think?
Boylen On Bogosian
Here is a very good write up on the Thrashers Zach Bogosian by Rory Boylen of The Hockey News.
“Bogosian’s nine goals and 19 points in 47 games were enough for accolades”, writes Boylen, “But the cherry on top was his plus-11 rating, earned on the team that allowed the second-most goals against. Oh, also consider that before his injury Bogosian struggled offensively and didn’t post a single point, so he actually reached that total in 39 games”.
Wow…that makes what he accomplished even more impressive.
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141 comments Add your comment
Dwayne
August 26th, 2009
5:35 pm
Here is something to think about, Kovy tells Wadudley, Zherdev realizes he’s been screwing up, he is ready to put all the nasty rumors about him to bed. Package Pevs and KL for a goalie. But let me say this, I think, for some reason, the day we let Kari walk, he gets a Goalie coach whereever he signs, becomes a solid, all-star, cup winning goalie and we are pi$$ed at Waddell again, with some blame to Dudley too. I also like Pevs, but you got to give up something to get something. And if those two aint enough, throw in a pick.
R. Stroz
August 26th, 2009
5:56 pm
Dwayne – With Kari’s current back issue, I doubt he has any viable trade value.
Smoothie – On the Zherdev issue, would you be willing to offer Zherdev a one year trial contract, kind of like Reasoner or Creme Puff Williams last season?
joe casey
August 26th, 2009
5:57 pm
I will return to the Thrashers game when they fie Don Waddell. He has proved many times that he is a LOSER.
The Earl of Bud
August 26th, 2009
7:04 pm
“If Zherdev and Kovy are training together, I think we could infer that Kovy wouldn’t mind seeing Zherdev in Thrasher blue.”
R. Stroz, I think I would have to read all of the captions first before we can even say they are training together or did they just happen to show up to the same place? Reason I say it like that is because I hardly doubt Nik Antropov, Todd White and Nathan Oystrick are saying to Waddell “let’s go sign Andy Sutton” even though they were all working out yesterday at the Ice Forum.
Dwayne, I kinda see a blog as a bunch of guys in a bar talking sports. Anyone can jump in at any time. Even though we all root for the same team we have different players who are our favorites and varying other opinions. Keep it civil though. I too am like Smoothie where I just keep one window open with this on my computer at work and refresh it every 1/2 hour say which only takes 2 seconds and then ramble on. It’s also nice because there are not a lot of Thrasher fans at work and it’s also dead during the offseason. But forgive me if I didn’t address the newcomers as I don’t even know who’s new and who’s old.
On that note, I agree with you that I don’t want Peverley to go to the 3rd line and I have said that our top 6 is set. Let’s get a 3rd line LW.
Also Dwayne, while R. Stroz says that Lehtonen’s back doesn’t make him a good trade option, keep in mind that there are a ton of goalies that are former starters still out on the open market. NYI just signed Marty Biron as he was sitting out there with no takers. So if a team is looking for something, they would sign someone out there rather than trade a prized prospect for the broken down Lehtonen. If Philly didn’t even re-sign Nittymaki OR Biron, they aren’t trading away that Bobby Ryan type prospect (van Riemsdyk?) for Lehtonen.
Rawhide
August 26th, 2009
7:30 pm
Dwayne – Just keep chimin’ in with your thoughts and comments…I know a lot of these people and they are all top-notch. Sure, it may get a bit “noisy” or “crowded”…but you’ve been around long enough to “officially” be part of the gang!
One thing I might suggest is to join us all at TJ’s for one of the events there and get to know some of us face-to-face.
Of course, a lot of us have faces that maybe some might not want to meet…but you get my drift.
RS
August 26th, 2009
8:05 pm
All of those guys have the same personal trainer. They’re not just hanging out together cause they’re buddies.
polskidawg
August 26th, 2009
8:05 pm
1) Kane will have a fight in the first exhibition game with Nashville
2) I’ll believe that Kovy’s signed when I see him at his press conference, or see it on a trusted source
3) Bogosian is going to be a great NHL player – best D in his draft class by 2010-2011
.
Dwayne
August 26th, 2009
8:25 pm
Rawhide, Would love to come hang out with yall, after I win Mega Millions this Friday, I’m gonna buy out that lame duck owner, Belkin? I beleive, fire Wadell and hire Brendan. Or Smoothie, maybe EOB. Hell, I can’t make up my mind either. I should fit in nice with that bunch.
The Earl of Bud
August 26th, 2009
8:37 pm
RS, it could be a case like the Hurricanes alumni training together in the offseason, as you were say they’re not exactly tightly knit buddies either. A group is here in Atlanta of guys like Hines Ward, Lewis from the Ravens, etc.
polskidawg, would love to see #1 happen.
Dwayne, I had some people in the office today talking about winning it but they don’t hate Belkin as much.
“Of course, a lot of us have faces that maybe some might not want to meet…but you get my drift.”
BT, I may have gotten hit in the head with a few pucks but I still got all my teeth.
R. Stroz
August 26th, 2009
9:32 pm
RS – You’re a genius and your initials are great too.
EOB – So does that mean we will be meeting you at TJ’s. I’m really looking forward to that.
Scotty
August 26th, 2009
9:35 pm
“but you’ve been around long enough to “officially” be part of the gang”
But has he paid his membership dues yet?
Toby
August 27th, 2009
8:07 am
Here is that interview with Kovy that was mentioned earlier. Learned nothing new…
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy
Rawhide
August 27th, 2009
9:08 am
Rawhide, Would love to come hang out with yall, after I win Mega Millions this Friday
Dwayne – You win the lottery tomorrow night and you are MORE than welcome to hang with us at TJ’s…and buy for ALL of us
Bob
August 27th, 2009
9:51 am
Alan, when you said:
“I seem to recall he fired his agent and hired on a real prick, and that’s when it all went tumbling down-hill”
I read that as you thinking that it was the agent change that caused the Hossa negotiations to go down hill, which makes me think you believed there was a chance Hoss would re-sign here (news flash, there was never a chance, he didn’t respect Waddell or mgt’s ability to build a winner here, or Pittsburgh’s, or Detroit’s, lol).
“Trying to make an inference without any basis in fact whatsoever, however, isn’t exactly a good way to make a splash.”
lol. “making a splash” on a blog, in Atlanta, in the middle of August, discussing the Thrashers? lol
The Earl of Bud
August 27th, 2009
10:13 am
“EOB – So does that mean we will be meeting you at TJ’s. I’m really looking forward to that.”
WOW, The Earl of Bud DOES have a fan club!!! R. Stroz, I was just making a joke to Bill Tiller about his line of us having ugly faces (although I really did get hit a few times playing hockey it wasn’t that bad). I’ll see how travel goes before I can commit to public appearances, autograph sessions and/or photo shoots.
R. Stroz
August 27th, 2009
10:59 am
WOW, The Earl of Bud DOES have a fan club!!! R. Stroz, I was just making a joke to Bill Tiller about his line of us having ugly faces (although I really did get hit a few times playing hockey it wasn’t that bad). I’ll see how travel goes before I can commit to public appearances, autograph sessions and/or photo shoots.
EOB – More like curiousity, based on a strong hunch.
The Earl of Bud
August 27th, 2009
11:08 am
“EOB – More like curiousity, based on a strong hunch.”
R. Stroz, I have a hunch here myself. So let me say, while I am flattered by the mancrush, I must tell you that I am not looking for a bromance or a new BFF. I’m sorry R. Stroz, but it just can’t be.
Smoothie
August 27th, 2009
11:10 am
Nothing really of note in that Kovalchuk Q&A translation on Puck Daddy. Although Kovy didn’t deny that this year is a big “test” year for not only the team, but also for him. A very diplomatic way of saying “we better see progress or I may have no choice but to leave.” Can’t blame him for trying to take the onus off him and put it back on the team. At least we have heard him tell us how much the captainship means to him so he has every incentive in the world to not only play well, but to lead and inspire his teammates to excel and succeed. I think they can.
R. Stroz
August 27th, 2009
11:17 am
R. Stroz, I have a hunch here myself. So let me say, while I am flattered by the mancrush, I must tell you that I am not looking for a bromance or a new BFF. I’m sorry R. Stroz, but it just can’t be.
No BFF intent, just an opportunity to meet an old blog pest.
ben
August 27th, 2009
11:38 am
Kovy has to take his time with this choice. Anyway you slice it, he’ll be spending aa lot of time over the years in that city. Ergo, he’ll most likely sign next summer or not. The fact that ASG seems to be willing to shell out that sort of cash does seem to herald a new direction for the team.
R. Stroz
August 27th, 2009
11:47 am
Bob – I fully understand your reluctance to purchase a ticket package with DW still in charge. However, I decided that this may be the last season that we see Kovy in Thrasher blue, so I reupped with a half season package.
I truely hope Kovy re-signs with the team; however, if he doesn’t, I’m going to enjoy watching while the opportunity exists. Unlike Hossa, I’m confident Kovy will not “dog it.” The man takes pride in his performance. If Kovy does re-sign, well, that’s even better.
From the sales representative standpoint, I have a no nonsense, forthright gentleman who is very solution oriented. The ticket packages benefits have improved greatly from prior seasons, so the marketing guys finally listened.
Even if the tickets end up being discounted, as they usually do, the additional perks are worth more than the difference in price. For the first time in years, I feel like the ticket package purchasers are being treated as valued customers instead of a bunch of suckers. Sitting on our wallets and voicing our collective displeasure with prior years sales/discounting practices finally paid off.
Anyway, do as you wish, but as a diehard advocate for treating the ticket package holders better, I thought that the sales department at the ASG deserved a pat on the back for finally making things right.
World Be Free
August 27th, 2009
12:04 pm
As suggested before, Kovy should just sign a 2 year deal and see if things work out. He’ll still be in his prime in 2 years and we will know where the Thrashers are compared to today. Makes sense, which is probably why it will not happen.
Smoothie
August 27th, 2009
12:15 pm
ben – I think you’re right. The ASG (at least reading what Gearon has to say) seems to be re-charged in the wake of the recent court ruling / no-decision. I think they realize how important Kovy is to hockey in this city and as a result, I don’t think it will come down to money. Kovy will get his $9.5 – 10.5 M no matter where it is.
World Be Free
August 27th, 2009
12:40 pm
Smoothie-not sure any team that is in the hunt to win the Cup is going to have the kinda cap room to pay Kovy $10M/year. If Kovy wants to do the “Hossa Hunt” he’ll have to take considerably less money.
I just don’t see a contending team having that much cash to spend to bring in a player. Spending a ton on a UFA is a big part of Chicago’s problem, having overpaid Campbell with better defenseman on their roster to sign in he next year of 2.
Alan
August 27th, 2009
12:49 pm
I read that as you thinking that it was the agent change that caused the Hossa negotiations to go down hill
You know what happens when you assume, right?
Sara
August 27th, 2009
1:07 pm
WBF – Actually there could be some really good arguments made for up and coming clubs like STL or LA. They have plenty of cap space (in fact, from what I’ve heard/read, LA pretty much is keeping their cap space flexible specifically for one Ilya Kovalchuk). The real question is whether Kovy would have more confidence in the Thrashers as an up and coming young hockey club or someone like LA/STL.
TableHockey
August 27th, 2009
1:10 pm
WBF – your scenario of a 2 year contract is what I would like to see. I would hope that scenario would generate several more off-seasons of good acquisitions to help convince Kovy to stay which certainly would leave the team in better shape even if Kovy elected to leave at the end of that contract.
Rawhide – I just confirmed this morning that I am not able to get out of my conflict on the 24th so I will not be able to join in on the bus party. Will definitely make some of the TJ’s viewing parties though!
Smoothie
August 27th, 2009
1:18 pm
WBF – no argument there…there are several playoff teams who have strangled their flexibility by overpaying certain players or spending to the Cap. That should defintely work to the Thrashers’ advantage. My point was more about the fact that there will be a handful of teams who can pay him what he’s worth. Luckily, one is Atlanta. While he says his primary goal is to win a Cup, he will get his market value (at least $9 – 9.5 M) with the potential for more depending on the team. He knows he’s going to get paid in the NHL by someone and thusly I don’t think the KHL has much of a prayer at this point.
The Earl of Bud
August 27th, 2009
1:40 pm
World Be Free, the danger for Kovalchuk only doing a 2 year deal is if the cap comes back down like many think it will. Then he will not only have the same few teams, but even clubs like Atl, St Lou & LA will have less to spend and only have 7 mil instead of 10 mil to give Kovalchuk, not to mention a lot can change in 2 years and take the guaranteed money now.
“The real question is whether Kovy would have more confidence in the Thrashers as an up and coming young hockey club or someone like LA/STL.”
Sara I’ll go along with this, because while LA looks like an up-n-comer right now, do Kopitar, Brown, Frolov & Doughty really outweigh Little, Kane, Peverley & Bogosian to the point that it is worth leaving the only club you’ve played for? I say no.
LAC
August 27th, 2009
1:46 pm
At what point does the TEAM come first ?
Paying one player 1/5 the cap kills the chances the team will ever win.
Winning The Stanley Cup, takes talent both on the ice and in the GM seat, and we ALL know what a loser GM we have.
Taking to heart anything waddell says is a crap shoot at best,
I will believe it when I see it… Just wish we were seeing the END of don waddell as GM !
kracker
August 27th, 2009
1:56 pm
WRT Kovy and the Kings, I’ve read that his wife likes a milder wintertime climate rather than ice skating on frozen rivers. For that reason, I’ve looked at LA as the place where Kovalchuk and family goes to if he leaves Atlanta. beyond the weather, these’s lots of glitter there to attract a young, rich couple.
I worked for a short time in LA one winter and was surprised to be awakened on a Saturday morning by a lawn mower. The date was Feb 1, approximately.
If there’s anything to that scenario, I suspect thatit is quite well known to ppl in hockey circles. In one of the articles linked above, Kovy said that making the playoffs was now the minimum goal for this improved Thrashers team. IMO, they have to also win some games in the playoffs to keep Kovy, should still be unsigned at that time.
Bob
August 27th, 2009
2:18 pm
stroz, my old ticket rep is gone, what perks do you get now? I heard something about free seats on the glass for a game, but shoot, that was never hard anyway, just walk on down 1/2 way through the 1st period
The Earl of Bud
August 27th, 2009
2:30 pm
“Paying one player 1/5 the cap kills the chances the team will ever win.”
Yeah, we wouldn’t want to get the results that Pittsburgh got last year when they paid 1/6 of their cap to Crosby.
Fact is, if you look at our payroll, there is more than enough room to give Kovalchuk a $3 mil raise. Then if you figure in the guys coming off the books in the next year or two (Kozlov, White, Kubina) there is still more room for guys like Little, Bogosian & company to get their raises. Once these guys start winning like they should, ownership will show more signs of loosening the purse strings and get our internal cap to where the rest of the league is.
bada drinkle
August 27th, 2009
3:02 pm
Kovalchuck is gone!
Hockey Biltong
August 27th, 2009
3:16 pm
let the games begin…….hurry…….
Smoothie
August 27th, 2009
3:54 pm
Wow….reeeeeeeaaaaaalllllly slow day, season get here already!
kracker – where ya been man? Good to see you blogging today. Hate to see your not quite as optimistic as some of the folks here about Kovy, but in light of this franchise’s history, it is rather tough to be positive. However, the end of last season was a revelation and I am excited by all the youth and new direction. But there is still part of me that won’t be surprised if we lose Kovy. LA may be a candidate. Will the Kovalchuks supplant the Beckhams in the city of angels??
kracker
August 27th, 2009
4:15 pm
I’ve been reading a lot, but usually a day or so behind.
Oh, I’m pretty optimistic about Kovy either extending this season or re-signing next summer. I was just saying that LA has even nicer winter weather than Atlanta. However, I also remember Kovy going back and forth to NYC to see the wife before they got settled in Atlanta, so for all I know, the Missus Kovalchuk might like New York (and the Rangers) just fine….if they don’t stay here.
Smoothie
August 27th, 2009
4:37 pm
Well kracker, in that case, welcome aboard the Thrashers bandwagon of positive thinking! It’s taken me a long while to get to the point where I’m seeing the glass as half-full, but I think the glass may very well be overflowing (with champagne??) with success and we’ll need a much larger Cup to hold it all perhaps as soon as 2012!
Good point about Missus K living in NY all that time for her modeling. Perhaps year-round great weather as opposed to good weather in ATL won’t matter as much when you can spend a whole month on the French Riviera. And the Redneck Riviera is only 4 hours away if Kovy likes white sand!
See you on the 14th in Duluth for the rookie scrimmage?
World Be Free
August 27th, 2009
4:44 pm
Kopitar, Brown, Frolov & Doughty and others will all be up for raises soon. I believe Kopitar is a UFA next summer So much for all that cap space. LAC has a great point-is this the Atlanta Thrashers or the Atlanta Kovys?
EOB-the cap should actually be stable in 2 years, we hope.
Brendan
August 27th, 2009
5:06 pm
Many markets would clamor for Kovy. And then, we have to look at what poster Russian said about people from his native land. Then start to assess which market would make him “the face of the franchise,” paying him like Crosby, Malkin, Ovechkin, that has a well-established Russian community/support group, and is also close to winning a Stanley Cup. I’m not saying L.A. cannot be that place. But the Kings have been building for a while now. With Jack Johnson, Kopitar, Brown, Frolov, Bernier and Doughty, those guys’ contracts will eventually come due. And will Kovalchuk win out over the players the Kings drafted or traded there? Maybe. Maybe not.
All I suspect is this: If the Thrashers were to actually spend to the cap limit, annually, and take responsibility for the GM position, tying employment to results, and lock up Kovalchuk and other key Thrasher prospects, the team would probably win and make the playoffs with regularity. Maybe they’d even contend for the Stanley Cup? And with a winning climate, comes offers from Tier I UFA’s to play here. In other words, instead of having to SELL THEM on the idea of coming to Atlanta, they’d be the ones calling about roster position availability. Not that I’m crying about it, but wouldn’t it be nice if a Teemu Selanne, a Brendan Shanahan, a Peter Forsberg, or a Mats Sundin, or a Dave Andreychuk or Bill Guerin type player, were to call?, just hoping for one last chance at a Cup.
Okay, literalists, take it down a THOUSAND. I don’t mean those actual players, or that Forsberg or Andreychuck should come out of the woodwork to play for the Thrashers. Sheesh. You’ve got to learn to suppress that impulse to be that literal. The point is, it’d be nice … to have a team full of young, fast, highly-skilled talent, with a missing piece or two like one of those TYPE veterans, to put them over the top. That’s all.
Here’s what it is missing for Kovy. (1) Committed ownership and (2) a GM with the ability to oversee a team capable of winning the Cup. I like John Anderson as a Coach. But he hasn’t exactly ESTABLISHED himself as a high pedigree at his position in the NHL. One of the most important things a GM does … is hire a Coach. We don’t rightly know that JA can lead a team to a Cup, or not. Not yet. He’s got to be given time, resources, and some actual NHL playoff experience first.
World Be Free
August 27th, 2009
6:48 pm
LA better than Atlanta?
Let’s remember that this assembly of young guys in LA is just like the young guys in Atlanta; they haven’t won a thing yet. They have been in the same boat we have been in the last 3 years. I agree with what some have stated here, that LA’s crop of talent looks better than our current crop. Their goaltending is not as good as ours. They also lack a clear leader on the ice.
R. Stroz
August 27th, 2009
6:54 pm
Kane essentially gets off with double secret probation.
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=288990
Viking
August 27th, 2009
8:21 pm
Brendan, talking about Forsberg – he made a comeback with MODO (Enströms old club) today in a preseason game. Very rusty, no points, but no more foot problems.
R. Stroz
August 27th, 2009
8:46 pm
Bob – The best extra perk I received was a private suite to a Capitals game. The suite seats 16 people. If you’re looking for a new rep in the sales retention group, let me know and I’ll point you in the right direction.
Brendan
August 27th, 2009
8:53 pm
Good for Forsberg, Viking. I hope he can still play hockey, if that’s what he wants to do. With his millions, he could sit around, playing XBox all day. See how far he can get on a little ‘Call of Duty.’ Why not?
So, James Kane and Patrick Kane have to pay the cabbie $1 million. Unbelieveable. What? They don’t? Well then, they’ve got to do 400 hours of community service! Unbelieveable. What? They don’t? Well then, they’re on probation for 3 years! Unbelieveable. What? They don’t? Well, WHAT EXACTLY, do the Kanes have to do?
Answer: They must put pen to paper, or type it out, or write a memo from their PC, or something along these lines that says, “Dear Mr. Cabbie, sir. We done bad. We’re sorry. We’ll never be PUNKS again at 4AM, on Chippewa St.”
Here’s what I’d have done, if wearing the black Judges’ robe. I’d say, “Patrick and James Kane, I hearby order you to return to Chippewa St., and hail a cab driven by the plaintiff. I order you to be pleasant about it. I order you to conduct yourselves like adults. And when the cab ride is over, you shall pay cab driver $100, and refuse to accept the change. That is all.”
Viking
August 27th, 2009
8:56 pm
Want to see some neat penalty shot moves? Check out this Swedish 14 year old – the goalies are of course not of the highest calibre, but still fun to watch;
http://www.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/sport/article5642828.ab
On the question how good he is going to be, the answer was without hesitation “The Best”!
Brendan
August 27th, 2009
9:07 pm
R.Stroz, that might be nice. A suite, for Ovechkin and the Capitals! Gather up everyone from work and mozie on down to Philips Arena. You’ll be the most popular guy that week!
The Earl of Bud
August 27th, 2009
10:22 pm
Brendan, word is that the reason the Kanes only got a slap on the wrist was due to the cabbie. Apparantley he locked the doors and wouldn’t open the doors. That’s something like false imprisonment or kidnapping. Now it doesn’t justify them going off the way they did. But when looking at the broad scope of all the issues at stake it puts the whole event in a different light from a legal perspective.
Seeing that he just killed his reputation in the two towns that loved him he may still feel a much bigger pain in the wallet when he goes looking for a contract extension.
The Earl of Bud
August 27th, 2009
10:22 pm
Brendan, word is that the reason the Kanes only got a slap on the wrist was due to the cabbie. Apparantley he locked the doors and wouldn’t open the doors. That’s something like false imprisonment or kidnapping. Now it doesn’t justify them going off the way they did. But when looking at the broad scope of all the issues at stake it puts the whole event in a different light from a legal perspective.
Tony C.
August 27th, 2009
10:45 pm
As a newly-minted cabbie, my opinion on he Kane fiasco has changed…those two kids are lucky they didn’t get shot.
Of course NY has much stricter c&c requirements than GA, but I’m sure a cabbie can/does qualify.
But seriously, $0.20? I don’t keep a whole change-bank in my cab. Only shrapnel I have in there is quarters… Kane should’ve just let it go and let the guy have the change.