Kovalchuk out 4 weeks with foot fracture
The news that we feared would come today has indeed been made known…Ilya Kovalchuk suffered a broken bone in his right foot during Saturday night’s 4-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks and will miss up to 4weeks of action while it heals.
With Kovy out, what will need to step up the most?
- The Offense: Must keep the goals a-comin' (26%, 20 Votes)
- The Defense: We are going to have to win a lot of 2-1 games (12%, 9 Votes)
- Goaltending: Opie and Moose have to be "the man" now (45%, 35 Votes)
- Taco Mac Bartenders: They'll be busy helping us drown our sorrows after games (17%, 14 Votes)
Total Voters: 78
Loading ...4 weeks worth of games would equate to as many as 12 games missed.
After dealing with this piece of reality, the question becomes…what does this do to the shape and form of the forward lines?
After Kovy left the game on Saturday, coach John Anderson looked to move Evander Kane up into his position on left wing with Nik Antropov and Maxim Afinogenov. I would suspect that this is the first line he’ll elect to go with Thursday night when the Caps are in town.
But then, who fills Kane’s slot on the third line?
Well, there is couple of options to go with here. First, Marty Reasoner could be placed back on that line moving Rich Peverley over to left wing…Colby Armstrong would stay on the right. If that’s the case, then Jim Slater could relinquish his spot in the press box to whoever is called up from the Wolves and center the fourth line once again.
Another option I’ll throw into the mix would be to keep the fourth line of Boulton, Reasoner and Thorburn intact and simply place the call-up on the third line with Pevs and Army.
Either way, they’ll be a call-up coming our way from Chicago…I would think Josh Gratton. But is there someone else you’d like to see?
Joey Crabb?
Angelo Esposito?
Riley Holzapfel?
Brett Sterling?
Andrew Kozek?
Someone else?
NHL.com’s Rookie Watch Spotlights Kane
Rookie Evander Kane was the subject last night in Dan Rosen’s Rookie Watch on NHL.com. In it, coach Anderson pretty much confirms what we’ve all speculated for some time now…that Evander is not likely to be heading back to the Vancouver Giants.
“There’s nothing that indicates we want to send him back,” Atlanta coach John Anderson said. “He’s been a pleasure to coach, and he’s been doing everything we’ve asked, especially defensively. We’re excited about having him. I don’t see that he’s going to get sent back.”
Given the recent news about Kovalchuk…this is even truer now.
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73 comments Add your comment
Toby
October 27th, 2009
10:43 am
Why didn’t Spencer (8 pts in 8 games) get the call?
Smoothie
October 27th, 2009
10:47 am
Problem is Hokie, Antropov is nursing a sore groin now. I thought he looked a bit ginger getting over the boards on line changes. I wasn’t sure since he’s just a big guy, but you would think a guy who is 6′ 5″ would have no problem scaling the wall. This is highly UNGOOD!
Krog is skating on the 4th line with Boults and Thor which makes even less sense. Put Slater back on the 4th line and let Krog play wing with Reasoner and Afinogenov or Little.
Nikita
October 27th, 2009
11:19 am
*Okay, time for me to chime in. “I’m not buyin’ that Kovy wants to play in Russia. His goal is to win the Stanley Cup. He can’t do that in Russia.” I’m not sure what Waddell is trying to do with this quote. Here’s my best guess. By implying that the league maximum ISN’T ENOUGH for Kovalchuk, it makes Kovalchuk look like a GREEDY, money-grubbing HO.*
Actually, for me, it makes Jay Grossman look like the lying, backstabbing, blowhard, d-bag that he is. I doubt Kovy’s going to Russia. But I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see Grossman claim that he is. Remember, this is the same a-hole who encouraged Pavelec to insist he was being woefully mismanaged and he’d bolt if he didn’t play more and Eric Perrin to give a public interview regarding how his talent was being squandered. I really think the Thrashers need to blackball Grossman and his clients.
Nikita
October 27th, 2009
11:21 am
Er, um, never mind. I’m insane. He represented Eric Perrin straight to the KHL, but he didn’t represent Pavs — that was another blowhard d-bag named Allan Walsh.
Smoothie
October 27th, 2009
11:22 am
Isn’t Pavelec’s agent Alan Walsh?
But a fair point anyway; Grossman is definitely trying to drive up the price by using the KHL as leverage…crap. But the nature of the business. At some point, Kovy needs to decide if the difference of $9.5 – $10 M and $12 – $ 13 M really matters to him. What’s more important? Owning 3 additional properties on top of the 4 he already has or winning a Stanley Cup?
drajax
October 27th, 2009
11:25 am
its not the time to change the chemistry but to stress the chemistry from the past 30 games. Use Slater, it will pay dividends.
Sara
October 27th, 2009
11:37 am
Brendan, and now Bob, you guys need to stop looking for the worst case in everything you see or read.
Don Waddell did not start the rumors that Kovy is considering the KHL. Don Waddell apparently got asked about said rumors (most reporters do like to confirm such things with General Managers), and likely something along the lines of “What happens if some club from the KHL offers Kovy a $13 or $15M contract? Are you concerned about that?” The answer you’d get to that question looks a whole lot like the one Waddell gave.
FACT: NHL clubs cannot compete with KHL clubs on straight up contract dollars. NHL clubs have a cap and players here must pay taxes. I do not care how you structure a contract, an average of cap max, $11M-ish per year, is still less than $13M per year tax free.
FACT: Up through today, Kovalchuk has always said he wants to compete for the Stanley Cup. Well, he can’t do that from the KHL so if he did in fact leave not only Atlanta but the entire NHL behind to go back to the KHL, what do you suppose that indicates about Ilya? Outside of a sense of patriotism to go back and play in his homeland, the only reason for Kovy to go to the KHL is, in fact, $$$. That speaks for itself. Now, for the record, I do not believe that $$ is motivating Ilya. I tend to believe him when he says his goal is to win a Stanley Cup, preferably in Atlanta, but if not, then he’ll move on to another NHL club. This was never, and is never, going to be about $$.
There is nothing dishonest or insidious about any of this. Twice I’ve heard Waddell give radio interviews where he’s been asked about the $$ involved and he just starts chuckling and says “big.” Nor has Don given any indication that the figures being tossed out to him by Grossman are scaring him (or the owners). Don has also been very forthcoming about the fact that Ilya wants to see improvement from the team and to feel like he will have a real shot at contending for a Stanley Cup before he will sign a contract. If Kovy leaves it’s for one reason and one reason only and there won’t be a soul on this planet who won’t know what that reason is.
Seriously, y’all need to stop being such Debbie Downers around here.
World Be Free
October 27th, 2009
11:37 am
Over 2500 women-the last quoted figure (estimate) I heard was over 4500
stendec
October 27th, 2009
11:40 am
Captain Ilya Kovalchuk will return from his broken foot injury to finish with 80 goals. Kari Lehtonen will resurrect himself from the ashes of life threatening back surgery to lead Thrashers to Stanley Cup finals where they will lose in a seventh game triple overtime to the Flames. The Finnish superman will close with a .977 save percentage to go along with a 1.07 goals against average. Going to be a fantastic season! Enjoy. ++STENDEC++ GaVaHokie – I have compassion for most on this site. NOT YOU! Ignorant jerk.
Dwayne
October 27th, 2009
11:50 am
I would rather be negative, i’ll hold it till Thursday night if necessary. Maybe the Thrashers rally for their Kaptain…play united…and win 7 out of 12??? Is that unrealistic? Its early still, a long road trip didn’t hurt to start the year, last 3 games were crappy(because we lost)so maybe this injury can be a rallying point. If Kovy misses 4 weeks, 12 games, do they throw him right back in the line up? Or play him in Chicago for a game or 2? Just asking. Krog, wasn’t that the name of a caveman movie from the 70’s???
Wilt Chamberlain
October 27th, 2009
11:52 am
Gene Simmons can’t touch me, unless he has a 10 ft. pole!!!
Nikita
October 27th, 2009
12:16 pm
4500 women…of very low standards.
World Be Free
October 27th, 2009
12:21 pm
Sara, I agree with part of what you are saying here. I believe Kovy strongly prefers to stay in the NHL and get a long term deal. There are no long term deals in the KHL. I believe the next 7-12 games provides the supporting (existing) cast to prove their ability to win without Kovy. Is absense will be felt on the power play. Let’s hope the boys can pick it up and play 7-12 games aainst the Sabres!
Alan R.
October 27th, 2009
12:40 pm
I watched the Caps feed of the last game and after the game their coach said that our ice was the worst he’s seen in all of his years in hockey
Hilarious.
The Joker
October 27th, 2009
12:49 pm
That really throws a Krog in the churn.
Wilt Chamberlain
October 27th, 2009
12:56 pm
yes, we need more women of low standards.
Bob
October 27th, 2009
2:08 pm
“y’all need to stop being such Debbie Downers around here”
Wha?
Fact: Kovy hasn’t signed.
Conjecture: If he hasn’t signed by now then I think the reason is as I predicted all along, he won’t be signing until July 2nd 2010 when he signs with another club. The KHL is an excuse that the agent is throwing out as FUD to keep the heat in town off his client so he can get to next summer and see who’ll be the best bidder for his services (probably best combo of $, length of contract, and quality of the NHL club signing him).
If Kovy was going to sign, it would’ve been done by now.
Dandylions
October 27th, 2009
2:08 pm
Just thought this was funny from Jeff Schultz’ column today Best line Don Waddell ever had a few years back was when I asked him if he went to Damian Rhodes’ wedding. “No, but I paid for it,” he said. (Thank you, try the veal.) The Thrashers’ general manager gave Rhodes a four-year, $9 million contract in 1999. He was the franchise’s first player under contract. Rhodes was supposed to be a goalie. He turned into a punch line floating in a whirlpool. And so secured a lifetime of Waddell party jokes. So where’s Rhodes now? He surfaced last week at a fall PGA tournament in Scottsdale, Ariz., caddying for Fred Couples. (Thanks to reader “Wayne from Tuskegee” for the tip.) Rhodes golfs a lot. Gee, now there’s a shock. He apparently also is friends with Phil Mickelson’s caddy, Jim McKay. Couples finished 66th in the tournament. Rhodes suffered a groin strain three holes into the second round and was put on the injured list.
Trixie (Rawhide's Secretary)
October 27th, 2009
3:50 pm
This is your official 10-minute Ranallo Warning!
waffleboy
October 27th, 2009
4:14 pm
Signing a long-term deal with a good team is no guarantee of winning Stanley Cup. Ask the guy who was on the losing end of the last two Stanley Cup Finals how cherry-picking your team works out. I believe Kovy will either sign a long-term deal in ATL or go back to Mother Russia. His wife gave up her career to come to Atlanta. I have no problem believing that Kovy would be happy leaving all this behind to raise his kids at home and still be able to play hockey for a whole lot of money.
Brendan
October 27th, 2009
5:36 pm
Sara, I certainly wasn’t trying to be negative. I saw an article at NHL.com, posted a link, and was curious as to the quotes, which are, in fact, attributed to Waddell. Now, you’re right. We didn’t really see the full range and scope of the questions. But Waddell could have answered, “Kovalchuk has not indicated he wants to play in Russia. So, I cannot comment on that. I think that’s idle speculation. His stated goal in contract negotiations is to win the Stanley Cup. Clearly, he cannot do that while playing in Russia.” That’s how I’d answer the question, “What if Ilya opts to play in Russia?”
If a reporter asked me, “What are the financial ramifications of Kovalchuk going to Russia?” I’d respond, “Kovalchuk’s concerns aren’t financial ones. He’s going to get paid a LOT. So, the issue really is deciding where he wants to play. And I think it’s in the NHL, with the Atlanta Thrashers.”
What’s wrong with those hypothetical answers? That’s, truthfully, how I’d answer them, wearing an arm-chair GM hat.
ranallo10 (in AT)
October 27th, 2009
7:57 pm
“Ask the guy who was on the losing end of the last two Stanley Cup Finals how cherry-picking your team works out.”
Ty Conklin? (I know, it’s sarcasm)
Miami Screaming Eagle
October 27th, 2009
9:08 pm
Kovalchuk-at what point do the Thrashers fish or cut bait?
At what point if he’s not signed do they start the process of trying to get something for him?
I am not being negative by asking real, honest and important questions. Stop talking and sign the darn contract so this team can concentrate about their long term future. I am getting tired of reading about it and talking about it.
Anyone who doesn’t think this is becoming a distraction is a total idiot. Sorry for being so blunt, but…..