Thrashers preview and predictions with Magic 8-Ball
After again watching 16 other teams compete for Lord Stanley’s Cup last spring, seeing Evander Kane taken with the fourth overall selection in the draft, learning of the trades and signings that brought players such as us Pavel Kubina and Nik Antropov, observing training camp activities and becoming reacquainted with the team in preseason…we have now finally made it through to the other side. One more summer has come and then taken it’s leave of us as we find ourselves now standing at the threshold of the tenth season of Atlanta Thrashers hockey. As such, it’s time for me to gaze into my crystal ball and see if I can properly prognosticate what lays ahead for the residents in Thrasherville.
Well, actually…I don’t really have a crystal ball. I did asked the AJC to procure one for me but the request was denied. The guys downtown were, however, kind enough to forward me this old Magic 8-Ball from the 1970’s. But I’m sure it’ll work just as good…right?
First we’ll review the offense, defense and goaltending… then we’ll get to my prediction on how many points they’ll earn and where they’ll finish in the standings. Let’s begin first with the strength of this team, shall we…the offense.
OFFENSE:
Take a look at the potential top three lines here…Kovalchuk-Antropov-Little…Kozlov-White-Afinogenov…Peverley-Reasoner-Armstrong. On paper, that’s about as potent an offense as we’ve come to see in these parts. Last season the Thrashers attack scored goals at a clip of 3.05 per game…which was the ninth-best in the NHL. During the second half of last season that was closer to something like 3.44 G/G.
Maxim Afinogenov joins a very potent Thrashers offense (AP/Gerry Broome)
I’m very excited about seeing Antropov on Kovy’s line with Bryan Little. This is a guy the captain lobbied heavily to get in here, so you can bet your bottom dollar that Ilya’s all geeked-up about it himself. My only concern is Nik being in the center.
Count me in as one of those who sees the signing of Maxim Afinogenov as a very good thing for Atlanta. Oh, and the price is right too…a mere $800,000.
Also, It’s great to have the likes of Marty Reasoner, Colby Armstrong, Todd White, and Slava Kozlov returning as well as the fourth-liners of Jim Slater, Eric Boulton and Chris Thorburn. There was a good deal of chemistry formulated via their great run to end last season and I think it’s something that will carry over this fall.
And I’m very excited about seeing a full season of The Pevs Dispenser dishing out his passes and serving up good, responsible play in the defensive end of the ice.
So, my first question for the Magic 8-Ball is…can this year’s offense perform at or above last year’s?… shaking Magic-8 Ball…”Outlook Good”!
Next…will Kovalchuk score 50 goals and 100 points?…shaking Magic 8-Ball…”As I See It, Yes”.
What about the power play…can it do better than last season’s 11th best 19.3% efficiency?…shaking, shaking…”Most likely”.
Honestly, John Anderson’s O-fense is going to do just fine overall.
DEFENSE:
The addition of Kubina is a big plus for the Thrashers…not just on the blueline, but on the power play as well. He’s big, 6-4 and 244 pounds, and can use his size well. He’ll probably be paired with Ron Hainsey, who’s entering his second year as a Thrasher. Zach Bogosian gets to officially drop the title of “rookie” from in front of his name and should see Super-Swede Tobias Enstrom alongside of him. Rounding out the defensive corps will be Boris Valabik, Mark Popovic and Anssi Salmela…two will play 3rd line defensive minutes, the third will observe the action from the press box.
Gotta tell ya folks, this has the potential of being the finest group of defensemen this organ-I-zation has assembled. But I say this for different reasons than the offense. Whereas the front lines have been fairly decent at times over the years, the words “Thrashers” and “defensive powerhouse” have rarely ever been used…uh, OK make that “never”…never been used in the same sentence together. But this group appears to be more solid than what we have grown painfully accustom to in these parts.
Look, nobody expects this defense to operate with the efficiency of a finely tuned Swiss watch…but as long as they don’t more closely resemble Swiss cheese, they’ll be fine. Especially if the offense is crankin’ out goals the way I think they will be.
Shots against are usually a problem with defenses past. Normally opposing teams will take 32-34 per game on the average…40+ games are not uncommon. This is especially troublesome when so many come at close range. Last spring this improved some…both in overall numbers of shots taken and proximity. And while I look for that trend to continue, one should not expect anything near the Red Wing-esque 25 or 26 SA/G numbers.
But the main issue on defense is the penalty kill. This particular aspect of the Thrashers’ game has been weak for years…at or near the bottom of the league. If last Sunday’s 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay is indication…giving up 3 power play goals…then this is going to be a major problem.
Solution? Well…stay out of the penalty box, I guess.
One last thing…team defense requires forwards to back check and help in the defensive zone. A lot of the problem in the past has been the lack of this. One of Anderson’s biggest chores this fall is to address this and improve it. Doing so will go a long way in determining the team’s success.
Now, back to the Magic 8-Ball. Can this defense hold teams to at or below 30 shots per game on a regular basis?…shaking Magic 8-Ball…”Signs Point To Yes”.
OK, what about the penalty kill…can it at least look respectable?…shaking, shaking…”Don’t Count On It”.
Goals per game…can it hold teams to 3.00 GA/G or less? …shaking, shaking…”My Sources Say No”.
This defense looks to be bigger and stronger than those of the past. The question is…will it be less porous?
GOALKEEPING:
Early on in the summer, this was seen to be an area of strength for the team. Kari Lehtonen played very well down the stretch and we have the ever-reliable Johan Hedberg backing up. Ondrej Pavelec was available if need be to be called upon in case of an emergency…just as he was during “Kari Down ‘07” and “Kari Down ‘09”. However, it was a given that he would otherwise spend his time with the AHL Chicago Wolves.
The fact that we were so deep in goalkeepers led general manager Don Waddell to openly discuss how one of them could/would be used to trade for a player that could sure up other areas of concern for the team.
Hopefully Opie will have a better showing than he did last Sunday (AP/John Amis)
However…
Kari went under the knife in July to address a herniated disc in his back. Before you knew it, “Kari Down ‘09” came about sooner than expected.
The organization was prudent enough to invite veteran netminder Manny Legace into camp for a tryout…but ultimately Waddell & Co. decided to offer Manny…and his 177-92-18-18 record, 2.38 GAA, .912 SV% and 23 career shutouts… a contract to play in Chicago with the Wolves. According to C-Viv, he chose to try to find another team in the NHL or in Europe.
Pavelec…with his 6-10-0 career record, 3.42 GAA, .890 SV% and as many career shutouts as your or I do, zero….will more than likely be between the pipes on opening night.
Now, all that means is Opie once again has a chance to be a hero. If he can help welcome Kari back…whether that’s in two games, two weeks or two months…to a team that has a winning record, or even just break even, then he’s done his job and everyone is happy.
Returning then to our Magic 8-Ball… overall, how will the goalkeeping be for the Thrashers?…shaking, shaking…”Cannot predict Now”.
I would assume this is because Kari’s return is still yet unknown and Opie’s abilities as the starter is still a big question mark. Quite frankly, the sooner Lehtonen returns, the better.
Recap And Prediction Time
So then what do I predict will be the fate of this Tenth Edition of the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2009-10 NHL campaign? Well, I think that a lot of the good play we saw last spring was not a fluke…that we’ll see more of the same through the course of the season. There was a good amount of team chemistry that was created by their success then and we should see the benefits of that throughout the season.
Shake up your Magic 8-Ball and tell me what it says about the Thrashers playoff chances
- Don't Count On It: Fewer Than 76 (5%, 8 Votes)
- My Sources Say No: Between 76-81 (12%, 19 Votes)
- Very Doubtful: Between 82-88 (30%, 47 Votes)
- Most Likely: 89-94 points (45%, 71 Votes)
- Yes-Definitely: Above 94 points (8%, 13 Votes)
Total Voters: 158
Loading ...The defense looks a lot better to me then what we’re used to seeing…especially that top-four group. While I’m not expecting them to lead the league in stats, if they are simply average we’ll be fine.
Goalkeeping, especially at the beginning of the season, is a concern of mine. But I think…no hope…no pray… that Opie and Moose will be able to handle the first few games until…crossing fingers…Kari returns in a few weeks. Lehtonen showed us last spring what he could be once healthy and focused and I would have been a lot happier if he were starting and not Opie. Sure wish I knew who was in charge of deciding to wait until July to have the procedure done and not earlier on.
As for special teams, the power play will be fine, penalty kill…not so much.
Bottom line, I have this team pegged for anywhere from 86 to 90 points and making a run at the postseason. How well the defense is improved and what happens in goal will decide where in that range they’ll fall. For the sake of Brendan’s Points Prediction and Placement Contest… think we will see a team that’ll finish with 88 points, say a record of 39-33-10, and fall just short of the postseason…third place in the Southeast Division and tenth place in the Eastern Conference. Unlike last year, I don’t see them being quite so Jekyell and Hyde by playing very poorly one half then very well the next. I think they’ll be more consistent as the season progresses.
Oh, I almost forgot… one last, very important question for the Magic 8-Ball.
Will Ilya Kovalchuk re-sign with the Thrashers soon, or will we be dealing with this throughout the season…possibly into the summer?
shaking the Magic 8-Ball…”Reply Hazy, Ask Again”.
shaking again…”Ask Again Later”.
shaking again…”Cannot Predict Now”.
Ugh…
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220 comments Add your comment
Alan R.
October 1st, 2009
10:50 am
Don Waddell, have you seen my stapler?
Will L
October 1st, 2009
10:52 am
I’ll be optimistic or rather hopeful that the Thrash can get it done during the regular season and get into the playoffs unlike the braves who choked away any hope they had built up the last two nights. With that realy long sentence, I’ll say 99 points, another SE banner and 3rd in the East. But unlike 2007 we finally win a playoff game or a few.
Adam
October 1st, 2009
10:53 am
I think with so much riding on this year that any thing less than six (yes 6) playoff games in Phillips will be UNGOOD. The future of the franchise is at stake here. The resigning of Kovy, the ability to draw the attention of proven quality NHL talent next summer and the budget to get them here hinge on the revenue of those those game 6 games will bring. If history is any indicator things don’t look so good. How many times have we seen the strong finish of a season not carry over into the start of the next?
On paper this team assembled before us is better than last year in every aspect except between the pipes. Is Opie, or even wonder groin, up to the stress of the situation we’re in? Doubtful at best. (shaking, shaking…”Don’t Count On It”)
If Opie doesn’t preform as needed a change will need to be made by the end of the month.
Now if the whole team can go out and have fun and not focus on the ramifications of not attaining a solid 4-6 payoff position they will be able to win games. There are going to be down times and bouncing back is what will make the difference. This will come down to JA and the rest of the coatch
ranallo10 (in AT)
October 1st, 2009
10:53 am
Someone has a case of the Monday’s.
Toby
October 1st, 2009
10:57 am
Mine is 91 pts – 3rd southeast – 7th east.
J.B.
October 1st, 2009
10:57 am
anybody want to go to Chochkie’s? I gotta get outta here…
Smoothie
October 1st, 2009
11:07 am
Young Aaron Johnson sure would look nice in Thrashers blue as a waiver wire pick-up…gotta increase our Valabik “gap in the crease” insurance!
Amended prediction (cuz a tie for 10th with only 85 pts doesn’t make sense…I shouldn’t post as a sleep deprived zombie at 1 am):
39 — 35 — 8 for a total of 86 pts; 4th in SE; sole possession of 11th
FINAL ANSWER, PASS THE JAGER!
Sara
October 1st, 2009
11:09 am
Recap of Waddell’s interview on 790 (be shocked, they actually asked some tough questions – right around telling Don what a fantastic guy he is).
1 – Asked about this being the most critical year for the franchise – you can auto-fill the response, we know this one already.
2 – Asked him if he reads much of the off-season chatter – No, that’s what his PR staff is for.
3 – Talked about not having a buffer early in the season – have to come right out of the gate on all cylinders
4 – This was the BEST question of the entire interview … they mentioned that a lot of people have written off Waddell already and why should they believe him now. Don’s response – Forget about Don Waddell. People don’t come to watch Don Waddell. Believe in the players like Kovalchuk and Bogosian.
5 – Guys likened the goalie position to being the drummer in Spinal Tap – I believe the quote was “Damien Rhodes partied his way out of Atlanta. Norm Maracle ate his way out of Atlanta.” Don laughed then agreed it had been an “interesting ride.” Talked about Kari – his recovery from back surgery is a bit slower than expected and he’s still weeks away. It’s an opportunity for Pavs. The crew followed up asking Don if he was disappointed with picking Kari. His response was essentially that he was disappointed in his injuries, but never with Kari’s capabilities. (my word choice in paraphrasing)
I’ll post the rest of it in another post – since these things will vanish when you take too long…
Smoothie
October 1st, 2009
11:20 am
Thanks Sara, at least they tried to challenge him a bit. Now if they were only that tough on Bobby Cox!
Adam
October 1st, 2009
11:22 am
I think with so much riding on this year that any thing less than six (yes 6) playoff games in Phillips will be UNGOOD. The future of the franchise is at stake here. The re-signing of Kovy, the ability to draw the attention of proven quality NHL talent next summer and the budget to get them here hinge on the revenue of those those game 6 games will bring. If history is any indicator things don’t look so good. How many times have we seen the strong finish of a season not carry over into the start of the next?
On paper this team assembled before us is better than last year in every aspect except between the pipes. Is Opie, or even wonder groin, up to the stress of the situation we’re in? (shaking, shaking…”Don’t Count On It”) Doubtful at best.
If Opie doesn’t preform as needed and KL is still not ready a change will need to be made by the end of the month if not sooner.
Now if the whole team can go out and have fun and not focus on the ramifications of not attaining a solid 4-6 payoff position they will be able to win games. There are going to be down times and bouncing back is what will make the difference. They cannot afford to have many 3+ game losing streaks let alone a single string of 5 or more games with zero points an remain in the hunt. This will come down to JA and the rest of the coaching staff along with the leadership of the Kaptain.
Brendan- My brain is telling me 82pts, 4th in the division and 13th in the conference but since my cash is staying in my wallet I’m going to go with my heart. Put me down for 99pts, 2nd in the division and 5th in the conference.
five_hole- I hope TB starts Nittymaki and we light him up. Getting that monkey off the back might just be what’s needed to get this team off and running. A 6-5 Thrashers win to open the season, Little gets the game winner.
Adam
October 1st, 2009
11:24 am
Sorry about the 1st post everyone, must have happened switching windows…
Sara
October 1st, 2009
11:24 am
Waddell interview continued:
6 – Discussed problems with defense and shots against. Waddell reiterated the game plan of winning 5-3, 5-4, not 1-0, 2-1 games. To which the guy replied that it would make for very interesting hockey – as long as they could win that way. Don did mention the team ranked high in goals scored, but at the bottom in goals against and they have to get that down (ya think?)
7 – Looking back over his entire time here in Atlanta, were there things he could reflect on and say “That was a big mistake”? First words out of his mouth were Coburn for Zhitnik. He said he knew before they even made that trade they would regret it soon. They specifically asked about Savard and Hossa: Don’s replies were that Savy was already set to go and that they had thought they had a really good opportunity to retain Hossa but it was very frustrating and ultimately it turned out they had no chance.
8 – He was asked why no one in the national media seems to buy into the idea that the good run from late last season means good things for this year. Don said there would be no recognition until they started winning. Oh – realized here that I skipped something from question 2 – Waddell was asked about the whole SI thing and him being on the hot seat. He replied he felt safe, talked about this being a business though they needed to win games.
9 – They discussed the brutal start to the schedule and the road trips.
10 – Asked about some specific players: Bogosian – Don referred to him as a force and that they are looking for him to step up as a leader. Mentioned Zach added a weight room in his home and put on about 15 lbs in muscle mass over the off-season. Then moved on to Kaner – said he will make the club and start but they were also looking to see how he would handle an 82-game grind. Talked about Kozzie and how he was the #1 conditioned guy on the team. Lastly came Kovy – this was all the same stuff we’ve already heard – great negotiations and discussions, confident something will happen in the near future. Kovy is “happy so far” about all the additions, just have to see how it all works out on the ice.
This was followed up with a question about were the owners aware of what is at stake and how crucial it is to retain Kovy. Will the money be there? Can’t get outbid on the market. Don said ownership is more stable, well aware of what’s at stake. He said the money is big (with a chuckle), real big. After which some discussion ensued about fundraisers and how much money they had in their pockets.
The rest was just some fun chatter, no more real information.
Don Waddell
October 1st, 2009
11:29 am
Um, I predict 140 points, 1st in the division and the conference. Bruce pass that drink back over here.
Pavs is in goal to show everyone how smart I am at drafting. BURP!
h
October 1st, 2009
11:34 am
Rawhide, I hear that only on Thursday nights will the Thrashers sport the Third/Red Jersey. Did you hear that as well? If so, I like that better than every home division game. That was annoying.
Rawhide
October 1st, 2009
11:40 am
h – yes…all Thursday night home games the Thrashers will wear the red alternate jerseys.
Will L, William & 3Stripes – Welcome…and that’s for your opinions and predictions!
Adam
October 1st, 2009
11:46 am
ranallo10- Hell, the way business has been lately every day is a Monday….
World Be Free
October 1st, 2009
12:19 pm
Wow-predictions across the board-
The optimistic “Titans” (from the movie) that feel good about the club.
The pessimistic “Titanics” (big vessel in the North Atlantic) who feel the Thrashers will stink and sink. We will see who is right.
Everyone has a tough schedule, 3 games in 4 nights because of the Olympics. Players 19 through 23 on our roster will get more quality playing time. This will lead to nagging injuries that do not get the proper time to heal.
Play team defense/get Kovy signed
Smoothie
October 1st, 2009
12:27 pm
Here’s another fun game to play? Who will score more goals?
Todd White or Maxim Afinogenov?
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say Max edges Whitey (if he remains healthy) with 19 goals to 18.
Miami Screaming Eagle
October 1st, 2009
12:37 pm
Just read that Kovy might not resign until midseason, if at all. This is not good news.
Anyone believing this will not be a distraction is nuts.
LAC
October 1st, 2009
12:51 pm
Great read Sara, always on the Money, like Brenden, the King & Queen of the blogs !!!!!!
Yeah, NEVER a straight answer from worthless waddell, he simply flatout LIES, how can this franchise tolorate one more minute of this BUM ?
He had NEVER put a true winner on the ice, why now ? This team is NOT very good and we will ALL see that within the next two weeks, I am sorry to say… Thanks don, you have proven once again what an awful
GM is, sorry coach, winning the Stanley Cup here will never be in our lifetime, esp until waddell is FIRED once and for all.
Safe don, be glad I don’t own the team, then the noose arpund the teams neck, YOU would be the first thing to GO ! And I mean THING !
B. Thenet
October 1st, 2009
1:03 pm
Hey Bill,
Can you find out why that tool Eklund always picks us dead last in his season preview.
Is that his petty little way of saying we don’t deserve a hockey team? We haven’t even finished last in the Conference since the Thrashers 3rd season.
HookyBob
October 1st, 2009
1:10 pm
Hey folks less than 55 hrs until they drop the puck on the Thrashers opener. Less than 7 hours til the 09-10 chase for Lord Stanley’s cup officially begins.
Tony C.
October 1st, 2009
1:18 pm
Have to 2nd Screaming Eagle-major !DANGER! !DANGER WILL ROBINSON! un-good.
If we lose Kovalchuk, we lose NHL again. Still not the fans’ fault. grrr
I’m glad that ASG and DW know they’re playing russian roulette (pardon the pun) with the ENTIRE franchise, the ol’ six-shooter’s gone “click” four times… no pressure… no pressure…
Hey man, ‘m optimistic, I do think we’ll have a much better year but if you think that it won’t be a MAJOR distraction to have an un-signed #17 in the room (wearing the C no less!), please stop doing the Jaegerbombs.
Andrew
October 1st, 2009
1:23 pm
90 points, 3rd in division, 8th in Eastern Conference.
We take over the eight spot with a win against the Penguins on the final game of the season.
Will L
October 1st, 2009
1:42 pm
And only 3 weeks until I get to go see Kovy and Ko. down at Philips. I wish the opener wasn’t on a saturday night during college football. I am a big thrashers fan but Auburn football will always be my #1. I’ll definitely have the DVR pulling double duty saturday night.
Rawhide
October 1st, 2009
1:46 pm
Per Ben Wright’s twitter…Nathan Oystrick has been assigned to Chicago.
Also, C-Viv has an interesting blog about Sports Illustrated predicting the Thrashers to finish last in the east. Ya know…I haven’t read SI for years, maybe a decade. Except of course for the swimsuit editions.
But that doesn’t really count as “reading”…right?
Smoothie
October 1st, 2009
1:47 pm
Mr. Tiller, are we definitely doing a viewing party at TJ’s for the Sens Blow Sens game on 10/10? I may be out of town on the 17th and miss the Thrashers Fan Club party so I’m hoping to catch some Thrashers hockey on the 10th since so many of the October road games are not on TV. By the by, do they carry a satellite feed with HD for the games against Canadian clubs? Even more incentive to go to Alpharetta.
Rawhide
October 1st, 2009
1:52 pm
Mr. Tiller, are we definitely doing a viewing party at TJ’s for the Sens Blow Sens game on 10/10?
Smoothinator – Yessiree…the Oct. 10 game in Ottawa is on the TJ’s agenda. As always, you may RSVP with Trixie.
My AS, LLC rep has said she’ll be there with tickets to upcoming games to raffle off, taking orders for the Party Bus extravaganza on Oct. 24…maybe even raffling of a pair of tix to that event.
Smoothie
October 1st, 2009
1:55 pm
Sweet! Thanks Slick Willie, u r a gentleman and a scholar!
World Be Free
October 1st, 2009
2:08 pm
Tony C-another reason why we need to get Kovy signed and get this monkey off our backs. How physched would people be Saturday night if they knew he was signed, or for each game beyond?
Zoomo
October 1st, 2009
2:31 pm
I read the Sports Illustrted analysis last night. It sounds like it was written two months ago. Welch and Legace noted as our key additions. No mention of Mad Max. Nothing emlightenting at all. The basic “Kovy’s good, Atlanta stinks” evaluation.
AB
October 1st, 2009
2:42 pm
Went to the team store to get goodies for tonight, and got to say, I’m a bit amped for Saturday. Now then, where will we finish?? Honestly, I have to say probably 9th or worse. Our goaltending early on will determine whether we make the playoffs and right now all signs point to a bad start. I just don’t see us making the playoffs. I also don’t see Kovy in a Thrashers sweater come next season, possibly even in one come the Olympics. That concerns me as there isn’t the big name player to take his spot as a leader or as the face of the club.
As far as mgmt, I can only hope DW is shown the door before the end of the season. Now, and this is just me spitballing here, but has Arthur Blank ever shown interest in a NHL club? I know he’s got the Falcons and made an attempt at the Braves and is trying to bring an MLS club here, but he did loose his AFL franchise. My question is, do y’all think ASG would be willing to part with the Thrashers for the right price and if Mr. Blank were to purchase the Thrashers, how long do you think it would take to turn them into a winning organization? We all know Turner wanted to buy the Flames from Cousins back in ‘79 but failed to get a deal done and well here we are potentially faced with the same situation. Anyway, looking forward to it and I’ll be in section 201 cheering on the Birds, except when they play St. Louis. Family ties compel me to cheer for the Blues.
Bob
October 1st, 2009
2:46 pm
“Discussed problems with defense and shots against. Waddell reiterated the game plan of winning 5-3, 5-4, not 1-0, 2-1 games”
Laughable. This is the exact same thing he said 10 years ago, prior to the start of our Inaugural Season. He’s incompetent, his problem year in and year out is not scoring goals, it’s stopping the other club from scoring goals, yet here he goes once again with a wide open system, no defensive shutdown dmen, leading to oodles of shots again night in and night out, and holes at goalie.
Didn’t someone smart once say that the textbook definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?
World Be Free
October 1st, 2009
3:18 pm
What do you expect from a rag like Sports Illustrated?
Who knows hockey at Sports Ill?
Sign Kovy
Pam on Weck
October 1st, 2009
3:19 pm
I actually have a magic 8-ball on my desk at work for important decisions. I thought the jump to conclusions mat would be too obvious.
Brendan – Do you keep a spreadsheet or something on the predictions? If so, is it possible to share a copy through some form of web resource? No big deal, it’s just for those of us whose minds start melting when asked to envision anything resembling mathematics.
/calls next on the jaeger
Denny
October 1st, 2009
4:38 pm
OK – I have been diligently reading the Blogs and voted in Rawhides poll and I am ready to make my prediction statement and bet my money on this years Thrasher season. BRENDAN – please enter me in your spread sheet and if you want to start a $ pool count me in.
BUT FIRST….THANKS RAWHIDE, because you and the Falconer do a TERRIFIC JOB. As a big sports fan, avid reader, frequent spectator and as someone known to wager occasionally; I follow most sports and spend more time than I should with my second love. Actually, my wife sometimes believes that sport is my first love, especially during Green Bay Packer, Braves and Thrasher games.
BUT the point I want to make is NO team has better and more intelligent Blog hosts than what you and the Falconer provide Thrasher fans. CONGRADS to both of you for a job well done and writing that is truly enjoyed by me and hopefully many others.
NOW, for PREDICTIONS – Thrashers are better, but only win 5 more games this year for a (40-35-7) record and 87 points to finish in 3rd place in the SE Division just ahead of the Panthers and Tampa Bay and in 10th place in the Conference.
REASON: Our Goalies – you can NOT win in hockey without a dependable netminder and the injuries to Lehtonen along with unrealiable performance continue to exasperate the team.
RAMIFICATIONS – Kovy gets exasperated leading the futile effort this year and decides to move to a proven winner next year. Waddel is fired, but ownership is stabilized and the new GM begins a new 5 year plan.
HOPE I am wrong, but this is where I would bet my money!
jwizzle
October 1st, 2009
4:40 pm
Excellent use of the magic 8 ball. Who knew you could have such thorough and balanced predictions from a scientifically genius 1970s icon?!
I am concerned about the 3 shakes and hazy regarding Ilya Kovalchuk’s re-signing. I bet that will drag, sadly.
Oh, and did you all notice that if you bring 10 dollars or more worth of school supplies to open night you get a voucher for two tickets? I believe* that they will be valid for Oct 22 or Oct 24…
Dwayne
October 1st, 2009
4:48 pm
Dandylions and my predictions match.
Russ
October 1st, 2009
4:48 pm
Question: If Pavelec struggles in his audition as a #1 NHL goalie and plays worse than Lehtonen (which a lot of people seem to think he will), should Stendec be put on suicide watch?
Smoothie
October 1st, 2009
5:16 pm
Denny, great post!
ranallo10 (in AT)
October 1st, 2009
5:29 pm
Russ, please do your parodies this season, they cracked me up every time last year. “HaveNOT”…priceless.
Rawhide
October 1st, 2009
6:27 pm
BUT FIRST….THANKS RAWHIDE, because you and the Falconer do a TERRIFIC JOB.
Denny - bowing humbly…Thank you very much. To be mentioned alongside of the Falconer like that is very flatering indeed. However, I always say that the best part of this forum is the part below what I write. The commenters that frequent this place are nothing short of the best!
Excellent use of the magic 8 ball. Who knew you could have such thorough and balanced predictions from a scientifically genius 1970s icon?!
jwizzle – Nothing but the best, highest quality, most technological advanced prognostical instruments are found here, my friend.
Rawhide
October 1st, 2009
7:26 pm
The Thrashers have named their alternate captains at the OPen House tonight. Joining Kozlov and Armstrong with an “A” on their chest will be Ron Hainsey and Zach Bogosian!
Toby
October 1st, 2009
7:59 pm
Awesome for Bogosian!
..but Hainsey? No Reasoner?
ranallo10 (in AT)
October 1st, 2009
8:51 pm
Hainsey was an alternate captain for the US National Team during the World Championships. I’d say he’s more than qualified.
Curly
October 1st, 2009
8:51 pm
Brendan… Put me down for 83 points, 4th in SE, 12th in conference, if it hasn’t been taken yet.
I think we do better than last year but not much. I’m worried about the Goaltender situation and our PK.
Russ
October 1st, 2009
9:00 pm
Ranallo, I gave up the Havenot thing after a while because it became tiresome for me and I was just joking. I can’t imagine having the stamina and determination to actually feel that way about one player. My hat goes off to Stendec and his un-equalled irrational behavior.
I’ll have to come up with my random player to blame all losses on this season and then I’ll see if I can keep up the schtick longer than I did last season.
polskidawg
October 1st, 2009
9:35 pm
Offense – B+ (though weak with back-checking as a general occurrence)
Defense – C+ (good on offense; so-so defense but the best this franchise has had)
Goaltending – C- (Pav’s scares me, Moose is average, Kari needs to find a new home if he can’t be consistent after he returns)
84 points – 4th in the SE
polskidawg
October 1st, 2009
9:37 pm
Brendan – would you be so kind as putting me in the points pool?
84 points, 4th in the SE, 12th in the East.
LAC
October 1st, 2009
10:12 pm
Ex looked funny in a Leafs uniform.
Cannot believe don cherry is still on camera DRUNK as a SKUNK, this guy is a Total Slob, just sick to watch and worse to listen to…
How can they even have him near a hockey rink, he needs to be away from kids for sure, don cherry you are a drunk SOB !