Moose dropping piles of saves all over Thrasherville
Johan Hedberg may be just less than four months shy of his 37th birthday, but one thing is for sure…he’s not showing any signs of slowing down due to his escalation in years. In fact, he’s playing with the enthusiasm and agility of a goalie 10-12 years his junior.
After Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, Hedberg has now gone three straight starts in which he has allowed the opposition but one single goal. Combined with last weekend’s game in Tampa Bay and last weeks start in south Florida, he’s stopped 82 of 85 shots faced in those trio of games…which calculates to a .967 SV% and 0.98 GAA in 183 minutes of play.
Going back over his previous five starts, he has four games in which he’s only allowed one goal per as on January 7 he turned aside 29 of 30 New York Rangers shots on the way to a 2-1 shootout victory. As you’ll recall, that win snapped the nine-game holiday losing skid the Thrasher were on.
Johan Hedberg makes one of his 34 save against the Ducks (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Even counting the debacle against the Caps on the 9th, he has a .935 SV% and 1.76 GAA in his last five outings. Overall for the season, he is now 11-8-4 with a 2.46 GAA and .917 SV%.
Although Ondrej Pavelec has performed much better of late, Hedberg play between the pipes has by far been the most consistent between the two. And as I have opined before, if the Thrashers are going to get through “Kari Down ‘09-’10″ and still be in a position to make a playoff run…they are going to have to do so riding the Moose.
Unlike last week’s disappointments in Tampa and Sunrise, Florida…the team was able to reward their goaltender with a win as Colby Armstrong netted the game’s first goal and Maxim Afinogenov’s power play tally in the third gave them just enough offensive production to carry them through.
Max’s goal snapped an Oh-fer fourteen stretch of fruitless man advantage opportunities for the Thrashers. For the night, they were 1 for 4 on the power play while successfully denying Anaheim on all four of their power play chances.
“Before the game we spoke about we wanted the power play to get going and how it’s going to win the game,” Afinogenov said afterward. “We just tried to shoot more and I think its working. We got a couple of shots…The puck was bouncing there for me. I just tried to put it into the net and it worked”.
As for the win itself, Moose remarked, “It’s a big win for us tonight…We’ve been deserving to win the last few weeks, and tonight we managed to get the extra goal. Hopefully that’s what we need to put us on a roll here”.
Well…if it’s a “roll” the Thrashers are to get on, it’ll have to be continued Thursday night in Philadelphia, where the Thrashers last won a game…hmmm…when was it…the Hoover administration? Maybe I’ll have Trixie look that up in the morning.
Of course, it was just last November 28 that Atlanta finally snapped their long losing streak to the Flyers…a 1-0 shutout authored by Hedberg in which he stopped all 34 shots that got though on his goal. Two night’s later, he helped the Thrashers to a 4-3 win over the Florida Panthers.
Why is that significant? Well…that was the last time Atlanta has put together back-to-back regulation wins.
Given his play this season…and especially of late…my hope is that the team will once again be riding the Moose into Philly and he and the Thrashers can drop that little streak off as well.
And Finally…
Yes folks…we have a star in our midst. Our very own Mr. Heat Miser has made the cover of Atlanta Magazine….just scroll down towards the bottom and you’ll see him and his hair in all it’s flaming glory! It’s a part of their “67 things every Atlantan must do”.
Seeing that Mr. Heat Miser…a pround member of the Nasty Nest has graced the cover of that publication, I guess one of the 67 manditory things is to partake in the “You Suck” chant down to an opposing goalie at Philips Arena.
Congrats Heater…you just remember all us little people now that you’ve made the big time!
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156 comments Add your comment
LAC
January 27th, 2010
12:18 pm
Great game by the players WHO CARE, just so sick and tired of watching #17 coast like always, and he wants HOW MUCH ? Forget it !
Maybe $5 a year, but NO MORE, he is NOT a complete player.
Good defense for a change and GREAT goaltending !!!!!!!!
Boris looking really sharp, see him look around before making passes out of his zone, then makes the RIGHT one !!!!!!
zach again cost us a GOAL, he coasted by and let the guy skate right in, WHY is HE not GONE ?
Riceowls8891
January 27th, 2010
12:25 pm
Smoothie: But its the wrong play. The Thrashers didn’t need a clear. They needed to run clock. He’s 6′6″. Pin the puck, games over. He could have been the only Thrasher in the zone and ended the game.
But don’t misunderstand. I’m not defending Kovy. Kovy should not have flown the zone in that situation. And other than the pass that Max missed on the first power play, Kovy was nonexistent last night.
Miami Screaming Eagle
January 27th, 2010
12:29 pm
Blaming Kovy is too easy-he’s not the problem, neither was Hossa or Marc Savard or any other player that got the heck outta here when they could.
Scott
January 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
Character is what you do when no one’s looking. Everyone’s looking at at Kovy, and he is not performing to his capabilities – maybe he is hiding an injury – the ASG and Thrashers have a vested interest in not publicizing an injury at this point. If he is healthy, shame on him, and shame on JA who rewards him with (or allows him to have) the most even strength ice time of any forward on the team, and keeps the C on his sweater. That’s not the effort I want from the team captain.
Fish or cut bait. Get rid of the poison, put the C on the Moose, or Pevs, or Reasoner. Slater would be good too – the effort is definitely there. And why that line (Kane/Slater/Armstrong)is not getting more ice time than any other is beyond me, they deserve it. JA could send a great message – you wan’t ice time, play like you want it!
Brett
January 27th, 2010
1:42 pm
I just heard some interesting comments from Jay Feaster(former Tampa GM)about Ilya on NHL Live. He basically said the Ilya has quit the team. He stated he wasn’t real impressed with #17 play of late especially since he is seeking such a large payday. I know that we have already surmised this from his effort on the ice recently. But to hear it coming from a former Stanley Cup winning GM really hammers the point home. JA should seriously consider removing the C from Ilya. I can only imagine what the atmosphere must be like in the locker room. Watching a player of Ilya’s ability half-a$$ it night after night while the rest are busting their a$$es. Shame on you Ilya!!!!!! No Heart!!!
Bob
January 27th, 2010
1:52 pm
“So it made me think. Is Darren going off the reservation? Or has the team given up on Kolvachuk and the Thrashers brain trust wants us to change our opinion of him?”
“My guess is that it is the latter, giving the team the story line that we will be a better, well rounded team with Ilya.”
Very astute, Tom. Is it time to start booing Kovy? That craptacular performance he’s bringing deserves it.
Russ
January 27th, 2010
2:07 pm
I may have too much time on my hands, but I just thought of something regarding Kozlov’s recent healthy scratches (not that he doesn’t deserve them with his play this season). Slava has a NTC in his contract and has seemed very content in Atlanta this season to just go through the motions and collect a paycheck. Could scratching a proven veteran like this be used to pi$$ him off enough to waive his NTC? Then, you still get something for him before he becomes an UFA this summer…and if you are trading Kovy anyway (all indications point to this) why not have a fire sale with all the underperforming veterans? Just a thought.
Rawhide
January 27th, 2010
2:30 pm
Russ…eh, it’s a thought. I wuold think Kozlov would only waive his NTC if…and only if…Waddell had worked out a deal with a team highly favored to win the Cup. Say…a washington or Chicago type of team. But…if you are the GM for one of those teams…what do you need with Kozlov right now?
Anywhooooo…speaking of “too much time on my hands”…check this out. It’s possible for the Thrashers to end up in 6th place at the end of tomorrow night’s play.
Uh-huh….stick with me here.
Tonight…Carolina beats the Rangers in regulation while Tampa bay does same to Montreal. That would leave the Rangers and Habs at 55 points. Then tomorrow, Carolina beats the Islanders in regulation while the Thrashers beat Philly in regulation. That would leave the Flyers at 55 points, the Islanders at 54 points.
Thus…Atlanta would have 56 points while the Flyers, Panthers, Rangers and Canadiens would have 55…Boston, Tampa Bay and NY Islanders would have 54.
Hmmm….
Smoothie
January 27th, 2010
2:50 pm
Okay, I was a bit curious about some “key” stats so I gleaned them and discovered some interesting tidbits.
PP Woes:
The Thrashers are much better off when simply scoring on the PP. DUH. You could say this about any team as most games are won by an avg of 3 to 2.
Their record when scoring on the PP?
16 – 7 – 5 (.66 Pts percentage)
Their record when NOT scoring whilst a man-up?
7 – 14 – 3 (.35 PP)
And the only teams they’ve managed to beat without a PP goal are:
Ott (51 svs by Pavs)
StL (monkey puck skipper goal)
Car (3rd per comeback in Nov)
Fla (Fins 4 the win)
Fla (S0 win in Fla)
NYR (S0 win to break 9 gm losing strk)
What does this mean?
This team isn’t good enough to win without solid special teams. Actually, they need stellar special teams, like MTL, to make up for their lack of talent.
What is their record when not only scoring on the PP, but also when having the PP edge in a gm?
13 – 4 – 2 (.736)
Hello!
How many PPG’s did we have during the 9 gm losing streak?
Only 4. And in three of those, we managed to get the loser point. In the other, we lost by a goal in that infamous collapse at home vs NJ after chasing Brodeur.
So next time you watch a game and we score on the PP, before the 3rd period especially, you can expect them to win 65-75 percent of the time.
Russian
January 27th, 2010
2:50 pm
**to Rawhide**
This is exactely why our TEAM is horrible and bad. IF Someone win in Regulation, if someone lost in OT or SO. Thrashers always looking for some IF. You remember our first PO, we got in not been a BIG WINNERS. We almost stepped out and just Miracle moved us to PO. Now we are talking a same situation.
Son of Enstrom
January 27th, 2010
3:03 pm
Did anyone notice last night that Atlanta Spirit had taken down the “Kovy’s Krew” sign from the top of Section 122 but left all the other player signs at the top of the other respective sections?
Someone pointed that out to our group at the game, and we were speechless when we realized it.
Paminski
January 27th, 2010
3:07 pm
Did you ever think you would see the day when Slater was more valuable to the team than Kovy?
WBF – I admire you for admitting that a couple of your least-favored players are fairly decent this season. I have been a closet Slater fan for years. Just ask my spouse (who I like to call Lurker #28). I’ll follow your example. As an anti-Boris activist, I admit he’s never looked better.
MSE – Absolutely. It’s not fair to pin the team’s failures on Kovy. He is the scapegoat of the moment for the ASG. That said, he is still being paid to perform. If this were a contract between a builder and an investor, someone would get sued. Kovy’s bags are packed.
Rawhide
January 27th, 2010
3:15 pm
Russian – Dude…I was just doin’ the math.
Maybe I should have made the statement…”None of this matters at all unless the Thrashers can start stringing some regulation wins together, but….” before mapping all that out
rob
January 27th, 2010
3:49 pm
I like Pevs and Slater, but not sure about the C yet. Strip it from 17 and put it up for grabs and see who rises to the top for it. As far as Kane’s hits, just watching any game he is the only one throwing his body into anyone…..just doesn’t have quite enough weight yet but his heart is definitely in the right spot! Announcer on TV last night said he saw more guys in front of the net in a 3 line stretch then he had seen in the last month…..almost fell outta the couch laughing. About time some truth be told around here. SOLID EFFORT, but why oh why, with the game on the line and Thrashers on the PP right at the end, would ANYONE in their right (or wrong) mind, put 17 on the ice?!?!?! Yes it was a PP, but THEY were the ones pushing for the tying goal and I would have expected our DEFENSIVE TEAM on the ice to work hard to keep the victory. Lucked out, thankfully, and it didn’t bite us in the rear but what a blunder on JA part! Earlier I watched the MOOSE stone 4 of the 5 Ducks on the ice in 1 possession before the Thrashers could clear over and over, the man just doesn’t give up! Here’s to hoping they can find a way to dig down and continue some hard play.
Lee
January 27th, 2010
3:49 pm
Rawhide-I like the optimism, though there’s not much left in me. Do you happen to know if slava will play tommorow?
Lee
January 27th, 2010
3:51 pm
I think Pevs and Slats would be great captains, waaaay better than kovy, but that’s not sayin’ much.
Rawhide
January 27th, 2010
3:58 pm
Do you happen to know if slava will play tommorow?
Lee – No I don’t. I guess we’ll learn from C-Viv tomorrow sometime. Now…that being said…I don’t know if you caught the post-game presser with JA last night, but he was asked when Kozlov would play again. he said he didn’t know, but it was really tough for him to sit Kozzy down. Anderson said he respects him so much as a player and a man…it was tough. But he had to do it for the good of the team.
I paraphrased somewhat there…but that was basicaly it.
Being there to see it person was a lot different then just seeing it on the TV. I really got the sense that he didn’t want to have to sit him, but he had no choice, really.
World Be Free
January 27th, 2010
4:09 pm
Paminski-gotta call it like it is if I am going to keep your respect.
Jimmy and Boris have worked hard and taken alotta grief here. I give them credit for trying to improve themselves. Good for them.
hip czech
January 27th, 2010
4:14 pm
I posted this on the blueland blog also:
“Former Daily News beat writer Rich Hammond, who was hired this year to write FOR the Kings and travels with them confirms what Eklund and I have been saying for the past week. The Kings have made an offer for Kovalchuk. Atlanta has countered. No names are mentioned in Hammonds blog but my sources tell me that Jarret Stoll is part of the deal, Alexander Frolov is not.
There’s speculation that Jack Johnson is one of the players Waddell is asking for but Lombardi has refused to part with him. Waddell apparently also wants Wayne Simmonds, which I doubt Lombardi parts with UNLESS Kovalchuk is signed long term (which Hammond claims Atlanta is not willing to allow)”
The thing that really baffles me is Waddell’s stance of not allowing teams to negotiate with Kovalchuk. If you trade him strictly as a rental we’re looking at about the same return we got for Hossa.
If a team could sign him first then we’re talking more in return as far as current players that will help now. About the only team where a rental makes sense is Chicago.
Smoothie
January 27th, 2010
4:26 pm
Hip czech – if the Kings are definitely and truely interested in trading for Kovy, he MUST come off the position of not allowing the trading team exclusive rights to Kovy. I don’t see how else a team would be willing to assume the risk of Kovy possibly getting hurt during the Olympics and losing time for the stretch run in March. I’d be happy with Stoll, Simmonds and their #1 if all they want is Kovy and his rights. Otherwise, might be good to throw in Colby as a sweetener and get a prospect as well.
R. Stroz
January 27th, 2010
4:36 pm
Stoll seemed like a good option until I saw an article that he dumped Rachel Hunter. Bygones.
R. Stroz
January 27th, 2010
4:39 pm
If the Kings would make this trade:
Kovy and Armstrong for Stoll, Simmonds, and Brayden Schenn.
I’d take it.
hip czech
January 27th, 2010
4:39 pm
The Kings are definitely the frontrunners if they can negotiate. Not wild about Stoll, Dustin Brown would be better.
Teams up against the cap would be the rental players, Chicago, Philly, maybe Boston. I can’t believe the rumors are still there about Carter, the Flyers would be crazy to trade Carter for Kovalchuk. The scoring is a wash.
Wonder how much are shots against and goals against will go down once Kovalchuk is moved? Let’s see how much a difference playing 5 on 5 in our defensive end makes as opposed to playing man down for the 21 minutes Kovalchuk is on the ice.
Adam
January 27th, 2010
4:48 pm
MSE/Pam- You say It’s not fair to “point fingers at Kovy” BS!! and Hossa as well. When you have a cancer in the locker room it affects the rest of the team. Especially when the cancer is the Kaptain. Look these guys are paid big bucks to play this game. What about heart, what about honor, what about self respect????
How well do you think the team would have finished in 07-08 if Hossa actually played instead of playing not to get hurt. Even if he would have still been traded at the deadline if the team would have gotten 90-100% from him to that point I bet they would have made the playoffs that year. Now with Kovy it’s even worse because the C is mailing it in. Who knows what the future holds all you have is today, so do your best today and worry about tomorrow when it gets here. Every time he sets foot on the ice he shows the kind of person he really is…
WBF- The other day you said they can’t take the C from Kovy until he’s traded. How about this? Take the C from him and put it on Pev’s jersey then put Kovy in the press box or better yet just tell him to stay home.
Anyone have a seat behind the Thrashers bench they’re willing to part with. I break my oath of not going to another game till DW is gone just so I can throw my Kovalchuk jersey over the glass to him.
You guys that still go to games need to make a big banner that says “Kaptain Koastalchuk” and start a chant. You can squeeze it in between chanting “FIRE THE DUCK”
Adam
January 27th, 2010
4:49 pm
**Disclaimer**
The above post was in no way shape or form, either real or implied, meant to take any attention away from THE SORRY A$$ GM & OWNERS of this team!
goose
January 27th, 2010
5:13 pm
Did anybody else notice we were playing the Hurricanes for the first three minutes of the game last night. Give the “C” to the Pevs dispenser and give an “A” to Max. He may not all ways play like we want him to, but he sure works harder and back checks more than any other Russian on the team and always has a smile.
Red Light
January 27th, 2010
5:57 pm
According to Ken Campbell of the Hockey News, each passing day that Kovy remains on the roster costs the Thrashers a little more $33,000 per day. If that is the case, by the time the Olympic break rolls around, the Thrashers will have “wasted” $627,000 on him and if no deal is made until March 3, another $528,000 will go down the drain. I don’t know about you, but $1.155 million seems like a tidy sum to be wasting for an organization that’s bleeding money.
With nine games left before the deadline, that means Ilya will pocket $128,333 per game. If he scores two goals per game in nine straight, he’ll pocket $64,166.50 per goal. If the Thrashers go 7-1-1 over the next nine, then the team will have paid Kovy $77,000 for every point the team earned. I guess that’s a good deal?
Dwayne
January 27th, 2010
5:59 pm
“Kaptain Koastalchuk” now thats funny
Rightshot
January 27th, 2010
6:11 pm
Ya’ll might find this interesting (assuming I set it up correctly)
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=307639
At least you can copy and paste.
It’s an overview of the trade situation for the East from TSN
Rightshot
January 27th, 2010
6:15 pm
Found the west trade set up too
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=307638
Notice what is says about LA
Rightshot
January 27th, 2010
6:19 pm
By the way, based on what I have read over the last few weeks, and I’m sorry, I don’t remember any specific sources, the hang up with the Kovy talks was length of time. He wanted like 9 or 10 years and D-wad ask saying about 7.
Don’t know if money was part of the issue.
GaVaHokie
January 27th, 2010
6:31 pm
According to Craig Custance, Exelby has requested Burke seek a trade for him. He’s upset with his ice time.
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Grinder/entry/view/53533
World Be Free
January 27th, 2010
6:52 pm
Adam-the divorce of the Thrashers and Kovy is going to be nasty without the club going out of its way to make it nastier. I think we all see the deal coming, let’s just make it and be done with it.
Then let’s find a way to build this franchise long term with the talent we get from trade. L.A. has the talent to transform the Thrashers overnight to a very good hockey team, with Pevs as captain.
LAC
January 27th, 2010
6:58 pm
I’d take Brown/Johnson/Simmons and Schenn for #17 & #20, that would be the best I could see. Doubt many other teams could come close to offering what we need and with IDIOT waddell who knows what is going through that empty brain of his !
Need to move todd white if at ALL possible, so then look at all the cap space we will have.
BUT… If #17 leaves what top UFA’s would EVER come here ?
On NHL POWER PLAY this afternoon, Bill Clement, Former Atlanta Flame, said #17 is gone
from Atlanta and thinks the franchise will NOT be far behind. Dennis Potvin echoed the SAME thoughts and says if they cannot keep star players, it is doubtful they can remain in Atlanta. The guy who is the host, forgot his name said he thinks next year will be the LAST for NHL hockey in Atlanta… Sadly I agree, it’s over, thanks to the spit, oh I mean spirit group, is rutherford snydel drunk tonight with geron and “beau turner ” ? We ALL know levenson is wasted, Thanks guys for killing a great sport in this city and thanks for keeping Worthless, Lying, Stupid, Idiot GM waddell in charge, he $UCKS ! just like YOU ALL DO !
Rightshot
January 27th, 2010
7:04 pm
one more tidbit I found on TSN
Boston is out of the Kovy chase but LA, Chicago and Vancouver are in.
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/bos100125.html
rob
January 27th, 2010
7:36 pm
I don’t see how Kovy leaving will really hurt us that bad. OWNERSHIP continuing not to give a dam on the other hand….. that might keep some from coming here. One thought I do have about this is….what will the effect on Nik and Max be? Max is only one year but Nik came here for Kovy and signed a multi year deal right? Sure was the way they made it seem and I hope that if Kovy leaves it won’t effect Nik cause I actually think he is a good addition to the team and one that another solid UFA would want to be on a line with after watching him play here for a while. I think Armstrong may have found a new life with Slater/Kane, and wouldn’t mind seeing if that works before talking trading him, though before that I would have been for it as he appeared to have slipped. White on the other hand, I can see getting rid of easily without much lose as he seems to have been erased from any chemistry with anyone now. Give the C to Pevs for the remainder, but I still say it is up for grabs next year???
Adam
January 27th, 2010
8:20 pm
WBF- What I’m getting at, without being so sarcastic & negative, is I think the TEAM is better off with hm anywhere else but on the ice right now. The way he’s playing and his lack of leadership seems to be detrimental to the club as a whole.
How about this? If nothing changes over the next 5 games send him to Vancouver a week early. Shuffle the roster around a bit, call up someone if you have, then see what happens. They have 2 days to practice before flying out for the Av’s game. Then finish the last 3 games before the break without him around. Then see where his heads at after the Olympics.
-82 lifetime, wow sorry I looked it up…
Miami Screaming Eagle
January 27th, 2010
8:22 pm
LAC, as for the Thrashers leaving Atlanta, there’s one thing in our favor-this league does not like to move franchises. Thrashers’ fans have already shown they can support a team. Nashville, Tampa Bay, Florida, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Phoienix have all had ownership issues the last 10 years. In each case, the league helped right the ships in each city. TB and Pittsburgh went o to win Stanley Cups.
These guys know the problem in Atlanta is ownership, not the fans. If we can get an owner that will commit to SOMETHING, then we have a chance to keep the team here for a long time. All the cities mentioned as possible replacments for Atlanta are MUCH SMALLER. That’s not a good thing if you are trying to secure a TV contract.
We need to stop thinking of ASG as the end all to hockey ownership in Atlanta.
Miami Screaming Eagle
January 27th, 2010
8:23 pm
LAC, as for the Thrashers leaving Atlanta, there’s one thing in our favor-this league does not like to move franchises. Thrashers’ fans have already shown they can support a team. Nashville, Tampa Bay, Florida, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Phoenix have all had ownership issues the last 10 years. In each case, the league helped right the ships in each city. TB and Pittsburgh went o to win Stanley Cups.
These guys know the problem in Atlanta is ownership, not the fans. If we can get an owner that will commit to SOMETHING, then we have a chance to keep the team here for a long time. All the cities mentioned as possible replacments for Atlanta are MUCH SMALLER. That’s not a good thing if you are trying to secure a TV contract.
We need to stop thinking of ASG as the end all to hockey ownership in Atlanta.
Rawhide
January 27th, 2010
9:12 pm
Re: My 2:30 pm post above….
Thus far, “Operation Take 6th Place” is proceeding as planned. Carolina leads the Rangers 4-1 and Tampa Bay leads Montreal 3-0. Both games are deep into their respective third periods.
tapping fingers tips ala Mr. Burns
Exxxxxxxxx-cellent
Mooseberg
January 27th, 2010
11:32 pm
Rightshot, I am working in boston for a couple of months(during the week…have to go home and warm up each weekend) and the talk radio here sure do think they are the lead for Captain Cupcake, they think he can save the world.
ben
January 27th, 2010
11:37 pm
I’m going to be an adult here. Kovy made this team exciting, and he wears his heart on his sleeve. He used to go end-to-end w/ the best of them. He made players arounsd him better. He’s the best pro athelete in a city that had Chipper, Mike Vick, and Hossa. Could there be a fan interest problem? Yes, but it could be fixed. Was this team hurt by the draft choices of Don Waddell? If at this point you don’t think so, I’m sorry, but you’re lying to yourself. The Economy didn’t help. The transient nature of the city doesn’t help. The lack of coverage doesn’t help. The weak radio signal is ungood. The constant chirping from Toronto doesn’t help.
But the somber truth is, they all knew Kovy was leaving. Kovy should have been traded 2-3 years ago. I suspect his face-melting years are almost over. He’ll be a great get for any team, but the NHL game dictates defense some of the time. Le Thrash will stay. We are the 9th largest city in North America. Teams all across the continent, all teams, are having problems at the gate. Even NASCAR, the Yankees, Mets, and several NFL teams are having problems at the gate.
We should all be glad that our physical well being is independent of our Thrashers. I will attend Thrashers games as long as I’m able. I love hockey with the unquestioning devotion of a child. I was not given this game, I found it. I’m a native Georgian gfoing back vbefore the Revolutionary War. My devotion to this team does not mean I’m a sheep, stupid, or shallow. I’m a Grad Student with a genius IQ at one of the hardest public Universities in America. All my devotion to this team means is that when I’m not puzzli8ng out any of the difficult problems assigned to me, I choose to what the Atlanta side.
Thank you Kovy. Thank you for making a hard game seem so easy. Thank you for not putting down my hometown when given the chance. thank you for playing a child’s game like a man who cared, and who played for the joy of playing. Thank you for comporting yourself as a responsible adult. Thank you for pointingf to your father in the stands in the early years. That made us see that you were human despite of your physical gifts. I would also like thank you for standing beside the Snyder family. Thank you for the goals, and assists, even the phantom ones.
Ilya, you are the reason I also root for the Russians. You are my favorite player, no matter where you go. Truly, I wish you the best in whatever’s next. For one, I hope you cream my favorite team every chance you get. I hope vyou win the Stanley Cup. Truly, I wish you the best.
-BCK
LAC
January 27th, 2010
11:50 pm
Miami, I agree, however IS there someone here in town who WOULD buy the team and keep it here, outside Arthur Blank, AKA Deep Pockets… Look at the Braves, owned by a company in DENVER ???
Then this SPIT group with the two Philips teams, leaving Falcons owner by ONE OWNER.
Funny how Washington has turned into a POWERHOUSE… remember a few years back
when we drilled them 5-1 and the fans chanted FIRE HANLON ? They did and
then their OWNER signed OV and they have surged to what will be their third straight SE Championship, Then look at our MESS.
A pathetic GM, who belongs in a home someplace away from other humans, a man who CANNOT be trusted at all, and these “owners who are a collection of rich little Wimps who likely never could make the team in HS and have only book smarts and not one lick of COMMON SENSE and NO idea of how to operate a professional franchise.
But what gets me is why do we NEVER hear them babbling ? They are ALWAYS Hiding
and do not respect the FANS one bit !
Simply put, go back and look at Washington, empty seats, poor team, make changes, invest in the CORRECT players, NOT todd white types and commit to the FANS and tonight was their 25th SELLOUT this season, you know spirit clowns WINNING is the BEST
promotion you can ever have, but when the group who owns this team does not care, why should the fans. Mark my words… IF we are lucky enough to get a NEW OWNER, not plural,
who will make a commitment like DC did, Watch the team turn around and the FANS return,
keep it the same and fewer and fewer fans, but you have to start someplace with change and nothing would improve the Thrashers more RIGHT NOW than FIRING the idiot, liar we have as GM, then we would start moving in the right direction !
Dwayne
January 28th, 2010
6:30 am
I say we blame Gary Bettman and the rest of the owners for letting the Alt. Spirit Group buy the team.
Riceowls8891
January 28th, 2010
7:37 am
Bill; Two down, two to go. Just don’t tell the team. The last time they had a chance to move back into a playoff seed they gacked it up. Carolina, I think.
Miami Screaming Eagle
January 28th, 2010
8:06 am
Right on LAC, couldn’t agree more with your accessment. I sat next to a Washinton Caps fan at the nightmare a few saturday’s ago. She echoed what you stated about the state of their franchise just a few years ago.
Not sure if there is anyone in this town that would buy the team. But you have to look at this market being more favorable than the current alternative markets. People around the league know how many hockey fans already exist here, fans like us that would support a franchise that is properly managed.
This is a hockey town, a much better town than any of those current in our division. Give us a product that we can believe in.
Rawhide
January 28th, 2010
8:59 am
Bill; Two down, two to go. Just don’t tell the team. The last time they had a chance to move back into a playoff seed they gacked it up. Carolina, I think.
Riceowls8891 – I don’t rememer if a win last week against the Canes would have landed us back above the playoff line or not…you may be right…but what I do remember is Dec. 30 in Boston a win would have put allowed the Thrashers to jump over the Bruins into 5th place.
Instead…they got smacked 4-0, taking only 18 shots.
But here we are, a month later, and there is a chance to climb back over three teams with a win tonight. Again, coupled with an Islanders loss, and it’s 6th place all to ourselves. Amazing, is it not?
After the crap-tacular holiday season losing streak…Kovy’s contract negotiations stringing out to this point…playing the entire season with what are really “backup” goalies…Todd White, Slava Kozlov and Bryan Little having
offdissapointingbadterribledisastrous performances this season…here we are, still in a position to grab a playoff position with February staring us dead in the face.World Be Free
January 28th, 2010
9:04 am
Bill, this team needs an injection of new blood, maybe someone from the minors to stir the pot. The idea of no call ups during a season, when you have had so many ups and downs makes no sense at all.
New blood in the group makes everyone less bitchy; it worked for the Beatles when the brought in Billy Preston!
Darkhorse
January 28th, 2010
9:41 am
Ahhhhh.good ‘ol Billy Preston. Saw him play with Clapton’s band a few times. Talk about a performer that put his heart and soul into his work, unlike some of our Thrashers. He battled turmoil his entire adult life with health and substance abouse problem, but he had a strong family of musical friends to help him be the best at what he did. RIP…
The Thrashers need new blood yes, but a lot of the guys need to take a look in the mirror, needing a blood infusion of heart to rid them of their self-pity/me first play. The whole organization is slowing killing the fanbase, even some of us hardcore ones. We’re only one point out of a playoff spot, but with the Kovy saga, among other stuff, it feels like the season is a wash in many ways. As one of my favorite George Harrison songs goes…..
Isn’t it a pity
Now, isn’t it a shame
How we break each other’s hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other’s love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn’t it a pity
Some things take so long
But how do I explain
When not too many people
Can see we’re all the same
And because of all their tears
Their eyes can’t hope to see
The beauty that surrounds them
Isn’t it a pity
Isn’t it a pity
Isn’t is a shame
How we break each other’s hearts
And cause each other pain
How we take each other’s love
Without thinking anymore
Forgetting to give back
Isn’t it a pity
Forgetting to give back
Isn’t it a pity
Forgetting to give back
Now, isn’t it a pity
R. Stroz
January 28th, 2010
9:42 am
100th