For Thrashers, what will be the lasting legacy of letting Manny go?
If you’re a loyal resident of Thrasherville, you undoubtedly know by now that Manny Legace was released and sent off to find employment in the nets of some other team. Now, after hearing of the news, I must admit that my first thought was, “Certainly their must be a logical explanation for this decision”.
Well, I mean, that was my first thought right after, “Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot”???
See, this is what I was trying to make sense of…
On one hand, you have Kari Lehtonen…dubbed our “goalie of the future” for the past seven years now…once again out due to pulled groin, flu, strained back, hangnail, split-ends, back surgery and won’t be able to start the season this Saturday. Heaven only knows when he’ll be healthy enough to return.
Then you have young Ondrej Pavelec…the newest “goalie of the future”…who has a career record of 6-10-0, 3.42 GAA, .890 SV% and zero shutouts…who last season, when called upon because of “Kari Down ‘08″, played to the numbers of 3-7-0, 3.60 GAA, .880 SV% and no shutouts…and who has seen 8 of the most recent 39 shots in four periods of preseason play get past him. Just last Sunday, five of the 26 shots faced needed to be pulled out of the net.
As I’ve opined here before, my confidence level in Pavs in not very high at all… and the game against the Bolts did nothing to ease my mind. Especially given that on Saturday we will be treated to a return visit by our Southeastern Division brethren for the first game of the regular season.
Sure, there is the reliable Moose in the back yard…but he’s dependable as a quality backup. He’s not the guy to have play eight-nine of your first ten or eleven games.
What are your thoughts on the Thrashers releasing Legace and going with Pavelec?
- Love it! I'm just oozing with confidence in Opie! (3%, 4 Votes)
- Manny would have been a nice, but I'm OK with his leaving (17%, 27 Votes)
- They must be high on Opie-um! (80%, 126 Votes)
Total Voters: 157
Loading ...But then…there is this Manny Legace dude who is dressing out in your locker room, practicing on your ice, who possesses a career mark of 177-92-18… with 18 ties to boot… a 2.38 GAA, .912 SV% and 23 shutouts, (which is only 2 less than Opie, Kari and the Moose combined).
He’s 36 years old…but his most recent three years of play in St. Luis has seen him put up a record of 63-49-15, 2.73 GAA, .901 SV% and 10 shutouts.
Why, given the current situation in goal, you count your lucky stars a guy like Legace is in camp for you to turn to in your time of need…right?
Uh…no.
Apparently, you cut Legace and go with Opie.
So obviously then, this must mean that things are so good for you in goal…life is so exceptionally hunky-dory in the nets…you are sooooo confident in your current keeper situation…that you tell a Manny Legace type of player, “Ah, thanks big guy…but you’re just not gonna crack the lineup here. But here, please take this nice Thrashers schedule magnet for your refrigerator door and 10-year logo lapel pin as a token of our esteemed gratitude for trying out”.
sigh…
But somehow…I just think there is something more to this than meets the eye.
Maybe the money issue wasn’t something the two parties could come together one.
Maybe Legace didn’t want to accept a 2-way contract, fearing a return to the AHL once Kari…knocking wood…is healthy enough to not only start but complete the rest of the season…don’t laugh.
Hey, maybe he was holding out for Don Waddell’s parking spot, a personal company car with Thrashers decals on the sides and member of the Blue Crew as a chauffeur.
Or maybe…just maybe…Don Waddell, Rick Dudley and John Anderson honestly and for-true felt that Opie and the Moose are the duo to see us through “Kari Down ’09″. And after all, let’s not forget what it cost the Thrashers to bring him in and have a look-see at him.
shrugs…
Regardless, do you think that there will be any ramifications or, shall we say, any lasting…ahem…legacies of the team cutting Manny loose at this time? Do you fear the team will not get off to as good of a start as I and many others have thought it could have? Or will Pavelec finally take this opportunity to step up and prove he is the goalie the franchise trusts he can be?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
175 comments Add your comment
R. Stroz
September 29th, 2009
4:36 pm
Afinogenov at $800,0000 is cheaper than Kane.
Do you know what that means? Kane goes to the WHL.
Could we please bring Stuart back and I’ll be happy.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
4:40 pm
I second R.Stroz motion to bring back Colin Stuart.
Smitty
September 29th, 2009
4:55 pm
Here I thought everybody would be excited. Do or die time for Pavs. He’s gotta come through until a well rested Kari gets back, hopefully before Thanksgiving. If he does well and that is a big if, maybe then we can dump Kari for a 4th rounder.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
5:11 pm
Confirmed by Ben Wright: Pops has been signed. Duh.
Pam on Weck
September 29th, 2009
5:11 pm
Ok. They got Max. Just make the best of it. At least I get to enjoy saying one of my favorite hockey names all season. And if he pans out, it will inflict mental anguish on my Dad and my friends back in Buffalo. Always fun.
Has Gratton been sent down yet?
I was hoping they’d sign Manny, but a friend just mentioned he was a great short-term solution, but perhaps bad long-term. Even if he was signed 2-way, would we want him taking the prime spot in Chicago and possibly holding back Pavs further development? Would he play backup in Chicago after being our #1 for a couple months here? It does all sound rather awkward.
Surprised at Oystrick. He’s simply a better player than Boris. I would rather have Oystrick/Salmela/Pops by a long shot. Boris is so out of position, he’s almost in position for the NEXT play.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
5:45 pm
DWad is full of crap (as if you needed me to tell you). But I don’t see how they can follow through on his assertion that the ASG will be spending over $50 M this season. Under the current circumstances, Kane would have to play the entire season and earn all of his bonuses to put the Thrashers over $50 M. Assuming he only earns roughly a quarter of his NHL money, it seems to me we should still have the dough left over to sign Legace to a similar 1 yr deal between $750 K and $1.5 M.
Baldheaded Thrasher
September 29th, 2009
5:54 pm
Glad that we have Popo and Max, wished we could have sighned Legace!
Team seems about 10-12 points better than last year..Opie doesn’t have to be great for this team to win..he just can’t sux!
LAC
September 29th, 2009
5:57 pm
At nhl.com, they are running comments by various NHL people about who will win what division. Well, Peter Lavolette, the fired Carolina coach
is commenting on the Southeast division.
Ok, Washington is ready to take the “next step”,Carolina made solid
backup player moves, Florida & Tampa will be better, and NOT ONE WORD,
I REPEAT NOT ONE SINGLE WORD about The Atlanta Thrashers, you’d think it was a four team division for crying out loud… Really something,
what with other predictions, I guess it’s over before it starts…
Just another example of how bad we have been and how ungood, as Rawhide would say, we are now.
Thanks DUMB waddell , maybe we will win when you are 90 years old and in a home where YOU should be now !
Thrashers27
September 29th, 2009
6:02 pm
I know someone posted something similar earlier, but the thought of this kind of line-up is really intriguing to me. Now that things are falling into place it’s making me more anxious for Saturday.
Tell me this group won’t put the biscuit in the basket in bunches. What remains to be seen is whether they can keep the biscuit out of the basket at the other end of the ice.
Kovy Antro Little
Kozzie White Max
Kane Pever Army
Boults Reasy Gratton/Slates/Thorby
Woooooohoo!!!!
rightshot
September 29th, 2009
6:33 pm
If I remember correctly, we had five 20 goal scorers last year. IF we can get six 20+ goal scorers with Max, I think we, at least, will be in the running for a playoff spot. The more 20+ goal scores you have on a team the better your chances. I just hope and pray our goal tending holds up for the long haul.
THRASHER27, totally agree with your line up. That is potentially 3 scoring lines!
HookyBob
September 29th, 2009
7:27 pm
Bob,…I’m in lock step agreement with your comments above. I went to sleep Sunday concerned about our defence,…and it seems to have gone downhill with each of these three moves. Nuff said (BTW: Where’s NASCAR?).
Brendan, I know you are compiling point predictions for the season. I’d be interested in knowing how many are submitting second entries this week that are lower than the intitial guess.
Time to take my emotion control meds.
Dwayne
September 29th, 2009
7:42 pm
Thrashers will have to score 5 or 6 goals a game to win. 2 scenarios…1: score alot of points to get people excited. or 2: A trade is a brewing.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot…Doris is a bust…send him back to Chicago.
R. Stroz
September 29th, 2009
8:08 pm
Popovic – 1 year @ $600,000 per capgeek.com
World Be Free
September 29th, 2009
8:15 pm
LAC-Peter Lavolette is a D-Bag so I am not surprised. He and Marc Crawford we chumps as players, so I am not surprised when they say something stupid.
Goaltending-time to give Pavs a chance and hope Kari gets back soon. Manny was a short term option at best. Let’s hope Pavs agent is pumping him up and the team plays better around him, they way they did for Kari for most of the 2nd half of last year.
Pops-a very good signing; for all the garbage managment talkes, this is a good signing that will pay off all year. Like Ansi making it too. I third the motion on bringing back Stuart.
Boris-get in a fight Saturday night and win so everyone here will stops calling you Doris. I had a girlfriend names Doris in high school and it gives me the creeps.
Max-I changed my mind, I like the Max signing. My reasons are selfish, now I will have Max to rag on. I have said enough about Slater.
R. Stroz
September 29th, 2009
8:16 pm
DWad is full of crap (as if you needed me to tell you). But I don’t see how they can follow through on his assertion that the ASG will be spending over $50 M this season.
Smoothie – Waddell full of crap? Same $hit, Different Day. The only way to reach 50 million is for both Bogo and Kane to hit ALL their bonus clauses.
If I was playing cards, I’d call BS.
R. Stroz
September 29th, 2009
8:18 pm
WBF – Now you have a choice or a little variety.
I’m actually hopeful Mad Max does well with a few comrades on the team.
World Be Free
September 29th, 2009
9:08 pm
Stroz-Max is a good dude, just like Jimmy. I don’t like cheering against a player, so I hope he does well too. My philosophy has always been to give a shot to a young player that would benefit from the ice time. Or sign a guy like Fritsche who plays hard at both ends of the rink. Max won’t protect a 3-2 lead for you, something we have needed for sometime.
Folks in Buffalo feel Duds must have had a hand in this move. Just speculation, but it makes sense. Duds’ fingerprints on anything is a good thing.
Scotty
September 29th, 2009
9:21 pm
Looks like Opie’s mom and dad got around to casting their votes on your fan poll, Rawhide.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
9:48 pm
HookyBob, I’ve only had one poster change his vote to something lower. But it wasn’t this week. It was Lee, who went with 89-points, 3rd in SE, and 9th in Conference.
Viking, cross your thumbs … you’re registered at 88-points, 3rd in SE Division, and 10th in the Conference.
12345, is your OFFICIAL Entry: 60-points, 5th in SE Division, and 15th in the Conference? Please confirm. If so, 60-points is the lowest guess and R.Stroz’s 100-points, is the highest.
I just checked, and I don’t have a vote from JLH, either. Darkhorse and Toby also haven’t registered a vote yet. Glovesave29 is still waiting. He knows what he’s doing. He guessed 76-points last year.
In regards to the “Budget Contest,” sometime between April and June, I read somewhere, (and I wish I could find it now,) where Waddell said the budget would be right between $45-$46 million. That’s why we nearly didn’t run the contest this year, since presummably all the guesses would be in that $1 million range. Why bother? But then, Zherdev entered the rumor mill, and there was talk, from Zherdev, himself, (not Kovy,) that Kovy wanted him to play in Atlanta this season, and that Zherdev said Kovalchuk said this upcoming season would be a test about his future there. Or words very similar to this. That’s when, on or about August 29, 2009, we opened up the contest. (IT HAS CLOSED–NO MORE VOTES!!) We had to, after those Zherdev comments. The budget SPEAKS TO INTENT, in a “test year” for Kovalchuk, who back on April 11, 2009, said he wanted the Thrashers to spend money on Free Agents so that Atlanta could compete for the Stanley Cup in 2010, and not just to compete for a playoff spot. Kovy added that he thought the City of Atlanta DESERVED it. I think the very UN-Official cap for Atlanta is right around $48 million now. Depends on the site. NHLNumbers is far less than that. CapGeek has it at about $48 million.
From my wishful thinking Department comes this idea: Some teams still have cap troubles. Every team must get under the Cap by Opening Night. I’m wondering if anything that gets jettisoned by teams in cap trouble might wind up here. I won’t do “for instances.” It’s just a global concept.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
9:52 pm
I’ll be very curious to see if Manny Legace ever sets foot in the AHL this season. If he opts to go play in Europe, I think we know why he got cut in Atlanta. He doesn’t want to ride the buses, even with a “one way” contract. In Europe, the players don’t pay tax. And they can sometimes do a bit better, financially.
StateBird
September 29th, 2009
10:05 pm
Several questionable moves this week but there is at least some rationale for each one … except … keeping Boris over Oystrick? I would love to hear someone defend that one.
Smoothie
September 29th, 2009
10:12 pm
Bob, technicality I know but I reckon Bogey will earn most of his with a full season as he earned over $1.5 M in the injury-shortened season a year ago.
C’mon Braves!
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
10:23 pm
Smoothie, Diaz hit a 3-run HR to get it tied up, 4-4. But the Marlins got a run. It’s 5-4, headed to the bottom of the 9th. Go Bravos!!
JLH
September 29th, 2009
10:26 pm
StateBird – I too would prefer Boris spending more time in Chicago. He seems to have a lot to learn, and could regain some confidence there, without hurting the big club.
My guess is that management still sees Boris having more potential than Oystrick, and I can’t disagree with that. Will he ever realize this potential? Eh, we can’t say at this point. Oystrick will never be a significant piece of a highly succesful team and we’ve got Kulda, Postma, and Lewis in the wings, along with Popovic and Salmela here. If we waived both Oystrick and Valabik, which one do you think would be picked up off waivers? I would think Boris, 9 out of 10 times – potential. We know what Oystrick is, and the gavel has yet to come down re: Boris.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
10:33 pm
It’s a final, 5-4. Braves lose.
JLH, I’m not sure that Boris can be claimed off waivers. I don’t think he’s played enough NHL games to be claimed. But I could be wrong. If he is subject to a waiver claim, I’d agree with you that more GM’s would be tempted by Boris than by Oystrick. Boris is a former 1st round, 10th overall selection.
JLH
September 29th, 2009
10:33 pm
Brendan – Put me down for 91 points, 3rd in the division, and 8th in the conference. This is my hopeful guess. I don’t have the faith in our PK to put any money down on these number, but would love to see it.
JLH
September 29th, 2009
10:35 pm
Yeah, I know. I used that analogy to illustrate my point, not to reflect reality.
Brendan
September 29th, 2009
10:47 pm
JLH–You’re in at 91-points, 3rd in SE Division, and 8th in the Conference. So that you know, there’s a quite a logjam where you are. At 91-points, 3rd in SE Division, and 8th in the Conference is Alan. At 91-points, 3rd in the SE Division, and 9th in the Conference, is Scotty. At 91-points, 2nd in SE Division, and 5th in the Conference, is Hockey Biltong.
Right below you, JLJ, is Tony C., at 90-points, 2nd in SE Division, and 6th in the Conference. Jut above you, JLH, at 92-points, are (1) mutton, tied to a 3rd place in SE Division and 9th in Conference, (2) ben, tied to a 2nd place in SE Division, and 4th place finish in the Conference, and (3) DWTOO, who is tied to a 2nd place finish in the SE Division and 5th place finish in the Conference.
Lee and Smoothie have 89-points and 2nd in SE Division, but Lee has a 9th in Conference ranking whereas Smoothie went with 8th place.
Eighteen (18) of the 32 votes casted predict Atlanta to be SOMEWHERE in the playoff field.
Get The Puck Out
September 29th, 2009
11:00 pm
Well, Brendan i think i’m going with 88 points, 2nd in the division,and 8th in the confrence. But mannnnnn this goalie situation has reall got me gunshy.
JLH
September 29th, 2009
11:00 pm
Thanks for the notice. Since the award is a hearty handshake (virtual) and an “attaboy”, I think I’ll stick with it.
Brendan
September 30th, 2009
1:15 am
Get The Puck Out, you’re registered at 88-points, 2nd in SE Division, and 8th in the conference. So that you know, five_hole has 88-points, 3rd in SE Division, and 8th in Conference. Viking also has 88-points, tied to 3rd in SE Division, and 10th in the Conference. Good luck. Are you also known as “Pucks Deep?”
JLH, I’ve been toying with the idea of bestowing a “title” for the winner. For example, if you won, you could be known henceforth as “AJC Award-winning blogger, JLH.” Or, perhaps, the winner gets the option of being called, “AJC Nostradamus.” Officially. Or “Swammy.” Or “Truth Projector.” The official soothsayer of the blog. The winner should get some sort of moniker bestowed on them. If the winner is female, she might be known henceforth as “Madam X, the AJC Soothsayer.” To be used how, when, and in whatever manner she wishes.
stendec
September 30th, 2009
3:04 am
Hi Rawhide. Too pi$$ed off right now to type coherently. Manny Legace is gone but lying untalented LaLa Land Finland refugee is still on roster? Keep giving this washed up never was nor ever will be a free pass! All of you f#cking apologists deserve his five goals per night meltdowns. They are on the way! Damn. Just…damn. Peace. Will write more on this travesty later. Vow never to cheer for Thrashers when this untalented fraud bestard is between pipes!
five_hole
September 30th, 2009
7:54 am
This just in; Lehtonen was flicked behind the ear and immediately put on the disabled list. The ear flicking is not considered career ending, but may cause Kari to miss the entire season.
In a side note, the disabled list will be renamed the Kari list, as he has made enough trips there to earn the honor. Hereafter, anyone becoming injured will be considered “pulling a Kari”.
Get The Puck Out
September 30th, 2009
8:15 am
Nope Brendan, not me. I like that Five Hole, Instead of a groin pull, let’s just call it a Kari pull.
World Be Free
September 30th, 2009
8:30 am
Watching the Braves, I think about their attempt to sign Furcal last winter. Had we signed Furcal, we would never have found out how good Martin Prado is (Escobar too).
Let’s hope not signing Manny enables us to see how good Pavs can be, knowing this may be his last chance at a starting job.
Toby
September 30th, 2009
8:44 am
Kevin Allen:
Rookie Evander Kane will start the season on Atlanta’s 3rd line, probably with Colby Armstrong and Rich Peverley
Injured Atlanta G Kari Lehtonen is skating now, but he’s probably 7-10 days away from wearing equipment.
Bad move with Kane. An 18 year old “power forward” will have little to no impact for awhile.
Congrats stendec…your boy will be back soon
R. Stroz
September 30th, 2009
8:53 am
So where does Reasoner fit in, fourth line?
stendec
September 30th, 2009
9:44 am
I have finally figured out Don Waddell master plan. He does not want to continue to pay Ilya Kovalchuk tons of money. Neither does he want to be tarred and feathered then run out of Atlanta on a rail by the handful of remaining Thrasher fans for directly causing the best player on squad to defect/escape/leave/fill in blank. The bogus general manager knows the Russian will pack his gear if team remains well, uh, how to phrase this nicely, bad. With a capital “B”! I know the truth hurts! How does he allow star to leave without blame attaching to him? Simple. Play the part of someone who wants team to succeed but have different nefarious private agenda. GM is aware team will be fortunate to net three goals per game. Sori Letemin, ahem, Kari Lehtonen, trying to be good, allows that many in pregame skate! So when Thrashers miss playoffs again, which they will, GM shrugs shoulders then tells dwindling fan base, hopefully with a straight face, that he did all he could. I hope Manny becomes comeback story of NHL during upcoming season. Do not get too mad at KL guys and gals. Hangnails and chapped lips can be damn agony. Either should good for a few months on DL. Oh well. Enjoy season all. I will cheer fanatically for Thrasher except when KL returns. I will still scream loudly when Finn is between pipes. Only not for guys with birds on their shirts! Peace.
stendec's doctor
September 30th, 2009
9:51 am
He’s back!
ranallo10 (in AT)
September 30th, 2009
9:54 am
It appears that yesterday the Calgary Flames traded Anton Stralman to Columbus for a 2010 third round pick.
I state this because it now means the net result for Calgary’s trade with Toronto earlier in the offseason is a 2010 third round pick and a 2012 seventh round pick in exchange for Wayne Primeau and a 2011 second round pick.
As we all know Colin Stuart, the other player involved in the Primeau trade, has been waived. Ouch.
Viking
September 30th, 2009
9:58 am
Excerpt from Mats Sundin’s “Letter of Resignation” translated;
“Ice Hockey is like a Drama without a script. A battle in an emotional chaos where each change has its own life. The script is written during the game and when everybody are doing a good job, the ending is still always uncertain.
To me, that is the charm of Hockey”
Glovesave29
September 30th, 2009
9:58 am
WBF – here’s hoping you are right, but the two Braves you mentioned are fundamantally sound so their successes are not that surprising – no so with ol’ Ondrej.
Glovesave29
September 30th, 2009
10:08 am
Cam Ward just re-upped with the Canes for 6 years $37.8M
Midfield
September 30th, 2009
10:12 am
In Europe they ride buses too.
World Be Free
September 30th, 2009
10:27 am
Gloevsave-I believe you are more qualified than most to judge Pav’s shortcomings as a goalie. I never got past street hockey when it comes to playing goalie.
I still think the biggest issue here is team defense. Rebounds not being cleared, points not be covered and centers playing way too high in the defensive zone. That’s why I favored Fritsche over #61, the Human Turnover Machine.
Adam
September 30th, 2009
10:42 am
This isn’t my 1st choice for the lines and it’s assuming Army isn’t ready and Kane is getting his tryout.
Kovalchuk/White/Antropov
Kane/Peverley/Afinogenov
Kozlov/Reasoner/Little
Boulton/Slater/Gratton;Thorburn
Enstrom/Bogosian
Hainsey/Kubina
Salmela/Popovic;Valabik
If Kane is gonna be here start him on the 2nd line, Pevs is there to dish left or right and is a 2 way guy. Put RH & PK on the blue line to have some size on the ice after Bogo & Toby come off.
Thoughts?
Spud Webb
September 30th, 2009
11:08 am
SH&*…why did we release Oystrick??? Legace should be on this roster. Good lord…I will be there saturday night, not sure which section. Look for me, I’ll be the guy chucking a battery at MAX the first time he turns the puck over for a goal. UGH. Scared, optimistic, and READY FOR SOME HOCKEY.
Why are slater and boulton still on this team??
Spud Webb
September 30th, 2009
11:10 am
Adam, no way white centers the first line. That’ll be Nik in the middle, kovy and little on the wings.
God, I’d love to cut white & slater.
five_hole
September 30th, 2009
11:23 am
Why couldn’t Little center Kovy & Andropov? He was originally a center who was shifted to wing because we needed someone to play there last year.
/strong> I wouldn’t want to put a rookie like Kane with a turnover specialist like Afinigenov. I do like the potential speed of that line, however.
Viking
September 30th, 2009
12:06 pm
If you want some midday entertainment, NHL.com is showing a preseason game between Detroit Redwings and my old home team Färjestad in Karlstad, Sweden. It is streamed for free. The game starts at 1PM today.
I am sure Färjestad will be creamed. I believe they lost almost half of last year’s Swedish Elite League Champion Team (including “The Monster” in goal), so they are probably no good for awhile.