How long will Thrashers continue to circle the same sand dunes in Desert of Mediocrity?
This weekend will bring to a close the Thrashers’ 2009-10 excursion through the NHL schedule…one that saw a “March to the Playoffs” fall just short, ending officially with the 3-0 loss to New Jersey Tuesday night. Thus, the good people of Thrasherville will once again be left to observe the post-season festivities minus their team’s involvement.
Now, many will claim that this season was not like the one experienced last year…and the one before that. Where those campaigns ended with just 76 points and our playoff fate written much sooner, this year we where “in it” until the last week…that plus the Thrashers have earned 81 points with two games still left to enjoy. This, as someone once said, is movement in the right direction…right?
Eh, maybe…maybe not.
See, there is also the notion that this year’s “March to the Playoff” wasn’t actually a journey in the direction of the promise land known as post-season play…but rather an optical trick created in our playoff-starved minds that simply made it appear like we were moving closer to that much desired and sought-after oasis.
A mirage, as it were.
Sure, for a while it looked like “movement in the right direction”, but as we drew closer and closer to it, we realized that we were simply continuing our circular journey throughout that vast wasteland known as the Desert of Mediocrity.
Like I said, it is true that our Thrashers did remain in the playoff race right up until the final week of the season…as opposed to the last two seasons in which their fate was sealed by the trade deadline. And please don’t get me wrong, I certainly did enjoy seeing the Thrashers play meaningful games in late March… even into April. But one cannot help but ask, “Did they last this long because they made significant improvement in their play, enough to rise up to the lofty level of actual post-season contention… or was something else at play here”?
Now that we no long have the sand caused by the “playoff chase sandstorm” blurring our vision, let us take a second look… shall we?
In the debacle that was 2007-08… the first season in Thrasherville A.P., (after playoffs)… the Thrashers gained 76 points while winning 34 games. Last year they equaled that total while winning 35 times. This year, with two games remaining, they have 81 points. So, that’s 5 points better at least, right?
Well, yeah…but to date they have only 34 victories.
In fact, over the course of the Thrashers ten years of play, they have averaged 33.75 wins per season. So, these past three years they have performed right at their “average”…34 wins in 2007-08, then 35 wins last year and now 34 wins with only two games left against the Penguins and Caps.
This is progress? This is “moving in the right direction”?
In reality, any “improvement” has come by way the proverbial overtime loser point gained for simply dragging an opponent to beyond 60 minutes of play before eventually watching them skate away with the all-important second point in the standings. They have 13 such loses this years…as opposed to 6 a year ago and 8 the year prior.
Hmmm…is this what we have been told is “incremental progress”?
Moving right along…
While this team has been on it’s “March to the Playoffs”, they played sub-.500 hockey…even the way the NHL calculates it. Since the Olympic break ended, they are 8-9-3. Going back to New Years, they are but 16-16-9. In contrast, last year they were 23-20-1 from January first to the end of the season. Most recently, after beating the Flyers 5-2 back on March 20, they have failed to win a home game since…going 0-3-1 and being outscored 13-2 with a pair of goose eggs dropped on them.
Now, we combine that with the fact that there are a handful of teams…Philly, Boston, the Rangers and Montreal… who haven’t exactly run away and hid in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Three of those will qualify for spots number 6 through 8 and could do so with fewer than 90 points. Last season 93 was the cutoff point in the east…and the Florida Panthers even finished in ninth place with that exact total. Buffalo’s 91 was just good enough for tenth in the conference.
And even though the Thrashers benefited from having so many playoff contending teams in the east performing below what would normally be considered playoff-caliber play, they were not able to capitalize on such good fortune. What’s more…when doors were opened up, they failed multiple times to seize the opportunity.
They had a chance early in the month…but went on a six game skid.
They found themselves back within striking distance just two weeks ago…but lost 4-0 to the Bruins.
Once again they were afforded another chance to reach the eighth spot…but fell flat 4-1 to the Canes.
Then Saturday’s come-from-ahead loss in Pittsburgh…well, you get the picture.
Either way you look at it, given their record and performance in the clutch, this is simply not the type of play indicative of a post-season worthy team, my friends.
So, after being teased with a brief sip from the playoff fountain three years ago…which took eight years and seven seasons to even reach that point… we are once again left to discuss the hope for next year. You know, much like we did this time last year.
We’ll look forward to seeing how Nic Bergfors will do when he plays a full year in Thrasher blue…much like we did last year with Rich Peverley.
We’ll discuss how much better Evander Kane will be next season after a full year of NHL experience is under his belt…much like we did Zach Bogosian the year prior.
We’ll look forward to seeing the new “face of the future” when the Thrashers make their first pick in this Junes draft…much like we did a year ago leading up to Kane’s selection.
Yes, we will once again be facing six months of hoping and speculating, wishing and dreaming of the team next year that could just lead us out of this Desert of Mediocrity and towards that playoff oasis…just as we did last summer…and the summer before that.
But unless changes are made …and I mean serious changes made from the top – down … in the leadership of this organization, I see the good people of Thrasherville doomed to wander in this vast wasteland for the foreseeable future. And they’ll become even more parched from the time elapsed since they last sipped from the playoff fountain… and still await their fist big gulp of an actual playoff win.
However, I fear that the Great Octocluster will continue to keep their collective heads stuck up their…ahem…buried in the sand and once again opt to retain the services of the same general manager who led us to where we are today. They’ll once more fill our empty canteens with their Kool-Aide laced with “Moving in the right direction” rhetoric and have us believe Don Waddell… and his third “five-year plan”… is the man to lead us out of this Desert of Mediocrity to the plush splendor of that elusive oasis known as post-season play.
Meanwhile, we continue to circle the same sand dunes year after year hoping that the next time we’ll actually find the playoff oasis waiting on the other side.
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106 comments Add your comment
bluestreak
April 9th, 2010
10:31 pm
Moses had to be replaced before the Isrealites were able to enter the Promised Land, and he was a MUCH better leader than Teflon Don. And I’m not necessarily sold on the second in command taking over. I think the only proper way to get this thing right is to hit the dump button on the whole thing and get a new total direction.
Time for us to find our Joshua, so we can stop wandering in this desert.
bluestreak
April 9th, 2010
10:34 pm
Glad to see I’m not the only one that saw the obvious Exodus parallels. What I get for skimming….
Charlton Heston
April 9th, 2010
11:26 pm
Behold as the greatest Thrasher defense in years opens to allow the Capitals into the land of mesh.
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
12:34 am
Switching gears, I must now root for one of my two “adopted” Western Conference teams to win HARDER THAN EVER. To whom am I referring? Answer: The Los Angeles Kings. It appears unlikely, if not impossible, to get my wish of #4 Phoenix vs. #5 Nashville. However, with two (2) games still left, at 98-points, sits the L.A. Kings. And if they win them both, the Kings would leapfrog Detroit into that #5 slot. That would set up #4 Phoenix vs. #5 Los Angeles. I can certainly live with that! Again, what’s the phrase that pays???? “Someone has to win.” The Kings haven’t won a playoff series since 2001, and haven’t been in the playoffs since 2002.
Anyone know when the last time the Phoenix Coyotes/Winnipeg Jets won a playoff series?? Bueller? Bueller??? Bueller???? Answer: 1987. It was a 4-2 series win over the Calgary Flames, in their incarnation as the Winnipeg Jets. The Coyotes/Jets are 2-16, lifetime, in playoff series. In case you’re curious, both series wins came against Calgary.
What about Nashville?? Don’t we still love them?? Of course, we do. It’s just that Detroit, in that scenario, winds up being #6, as the Preds get relegated to 7th spot. And what’s the history there??? The Nashville Predators are 0-4 in playoff series, twice eliminated by Detroit and twice by San Jose. And, let’s face it, if Nashville is 7th, it very well may be San Jose that they get, yet again. “They say the Third time is the charm!” Let’s hope so, for the sake of the Predators. Of course, they could also get Chicago.
What’s the history of a #7 vs. #2 seed? Actually, it’s pretty good. Believe it or not. Except for three years, every year since 1996, some #7 has knocked off some #2 seed. Can you EVEN IMAGINE if San Jose got bounced, AGAIN, in the 1st round? Last year, they won the President’s Trophy, only to be bounced by #8 Anaheim.
San Jose, since 2004, when they went to the Conference Finals, have not been back to the CF. They’ve made the playoffs every year since 2004. They’ve even advanced to the 2nd round three (3) times, since 2004. But, for some reason, extended playoff success has eluded the San Jose Sharks franchise. Will the Sharks finally get back to the CF, and maybe even win the Stanley Cup? Well, they jettisoned the “Marty Schottenheimer” of hockey, Ron Wilson, as Head Coach. So, we’ll see. But another 1st round exit might spell the end for the OTHER Wilson, Doug Wilson, the GM.
The other matchups might be #8 Colorado vs. #1 Chicago/San Jose, and #3 Vancouver vs. #6 Detroit. I’d take the Red Wings in that one.
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
1:09 am
Any thoughts on a Stanley Cup Finals matchup this year, gang?
For some reason, I’m leaning towards Washington vs. Chicago. What a storyline that might be! Chicago is “officially on the clock,” with their last Cup coming in 1961. The Washington Capitals have never won the Cup, dating back to their birth, in 1974. The Caps got to the CF in 1990 and 1998. They went to the Finals in 1998, but got swept out by Detroit. In a Chicago vs. Washington matchup, “someone has to win.” Those are my favorite matchups, if you can’t tell. For years, in baseball, I wanted to see the Red Sox vs. the Cubs for the World Series.
I also think Pittsburgh vs. Chicago/San Jose could happen this year. Shrugs. That’s why they play the games.
Forgive me for continuing to speak about Phoenix, but if the Coyotes can draw the L.A. Kings, and win, that makes things very, very interesting for Round II. If the Red Wings at # 6 knock off Vancouver # 3, that sets up a # 1 vs. # 6 matchup between Chicago and Detroit, potentially, while # 2 San Jose might face # 4 Phoenix. Though, it could be # 2 Chicago vs. # 4 Phoenix. Either way, Phoenix … with some momentum, could be tough. With a break or two, the Coyotes could get to the CF. I’m dreaming, of course. But imagine the storyline there, for the league. The Coyotes are in bankruptcy, (though they shouldn’t be, but that’s another matter,) and their ownership situation is completely up in the air, and yet, they manage one of their greatest seasons, backstopped by a “waiver claim” goalie named Bryzgalov. If Phoenix does, somehow, reach the Conference Finals, they … like the New Orleans Saints this year, would have equaled their total number of franchise history playoff wins this season. The Coyotes would have DOUBLED their team history for playoff series win. Unbelievable. I can’t allow myself to propose this farther, that the Yotes take either the Blackhawks or Sharks or Red Wings to reach the Cup Finals. But if Washington is the entrant from the East, then the “someone has to win” theme, once again, emerges. Either the Yotes or Capitals win their 1st ever Stanley Cup. I’d pretty much bet the farm on the Capitals in that scenario. Anyone who picked Phoenix to win the West this year, out of preseason, needs to cut the dose of whatever they’re on.
Tony C.
April 10th, 2010
2:12 am
ok. Just read this:
http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/waddell_can_envision_kovalchuk_re-signing_with_devils/
Wow. Did DW just basically come out and admit “Yeah, I’m a minor-leauge GM… Lou knows WTF he is doing…”
LAC
April 10th, 2010
8:18 am
Well Tony C.’s find sums it up as well as it could be.
It’s like Oliver Hardy dealing with Einstein… You have a Loser and a Winner.
STUPID waddell even admits he is a FAILURE here, saying NJ is a First-Class team, so what does that say for us… We are stuck and will move before there will ever be sucess with this team.
Just Like The FLAMES, once they left Atlanta they WON.
Speaking of The Flames, they MISSED the playoffs this season… Watch a HOUSE CLEANING over the summer, they take WINNING Seriously there, while here losing and NO playoffs is…
Business AS usual with this out of control franchise.
Rawhide
April 10th, 2010
8:33 am
Brendan – I was chatting with Bluenote, DWTOO and Red Light last night about possible SCF matchups. I, too, like the Chi vs. Wash scenario…and I would have the Caps taking it in 7.
If so, ten Hossa plays for 3 straight SCF losers.
Tony C. – Just damn…
Sage of Bluesland
April 10th, 2010
8:58 am
That was an interesting read, Tony–Thank you.
Too bad our local media doesn’t do anything with this story–excluding the consistent and persistent efforts of the blog-leader (as I DO remember the indifferent ways of the Waddell-like “Ice Princess”, where we were lucky to get a new topic once every two weeks at times).
See what a difference competence makes?
Then again, accountability exists elsewhere–certainly not in the figurative joke otherwise known as “Blueland”…It’s just so sad and demoralizing…To know that every dollar spent props this abomination up, however small, should be enough to force a revolt…but it doesn’t.
That’s just as unbelievable to me…
Feu Rouge
April 10th, 2010
9:32 am
So far so good with the name change as things have been going to plan at the bottom of the EC playoff race so far. That can change quickly today.
Enjoyed TJs last night with the DWTOOs, Mr. & Mrs Bluenote, and of course, our esteemed host.
The final weekend can determine so many things it’s a bit overwhelming. Here’s the quick overview.
• With a Carolina win and any kind of a Thrashers loss tonight, Atlanta will finish 3rd in the Southeast and will drop to 24th overall, or one point out of the draft lottery. The Isles could vault ahead of them with two wins, but I can’t see that happening. One more point puts the Isles ahead of Columbus for the final spot in the chance for the no. 1 overall pick.
• Montreal and Boston can lock up a playoff spot with a win. Carolina invades Boston this afternoon at 1 pm and the Habs host the Leafs at 7 pm.
• A regulation loss by Montreal could be devastating if the Rangers and Flyers go to overtime tomorrow. A Rangers win in OT will put both Philly and NY in if the Habs lose today. But, an OT win tomorrow by Philly saves the Montreal bacon because the Habs will finish with one more win than NY.
• Two regulation losses by Boston would allow the Rangers to sneak in with an OTL to Philly. Anyhow, it remains crucial game and allows the opportunity for me to switch back and forth between the final round of the Tiger Woods Invitational in Augusta.
• Nashville can still sneak up the standings as high as 5th with a win over St. Louis tonight, two Kings losses and a Wings loss. They can sneak into sixth with a win and a Wings loss by virtue of having more wins than the Wings. A Nashville win will give them 100 points on the season! How do they do it?
• Finally, consider this scenario: The Panthers and Lightning play a home-and-home series today and tomorrow. They enter tonight’s contest with the same record. Both will be in the draft lottery, but your odds improve by 3.5 percent to get the No. 1 overall pick if you finish 28th rather than 27th. if the teams finish with a win apiece, Florida will win the season series 4 games to 2, and Tampa will finish 28th.
My prediction is that Crosby will score twice tonight to give him the lead by one goal over Ovechkin. Ovechkin will score again tomorrow to even the count at 51, but Stamkos will score four goals in two games against the Panthers to earn the Rocket Richard scoring trophy.
OK, enough. Have a great day. Go Canes, Go Leafs, Go Thrashers!
Feu Rouge
April 10th, 2010
10:23 am
Oh, but Crosby plays at the Isles tomorrow, so he could tack on a few more goals there. And, the Devils and Penguins also are in a flat-footed tie, and Buffalo is a point behind, so every seed in the East is subject to change, except for No. 1 Washington and No. 5 Ottawa.
FIRE DON WADDELL
April 10th, 2010
11:06 am
Top down, the only way to improve this club! Don Waddell is not doing it and from his track record he won’t. Get rid of him and you will see change.Please fire him for our sake.
ablebody
April 10th, 2010
11:32 am
They had to wait fairly long for change in Chicago. My hope is that we one day play with their kind of confidence and exuberance.
FIRE DON WADDELL...
April 10th, 2010
12:19 pm
was right.
Barry
April 10th, 2010
12:40 pm
I honestly think it’s time for Waddell to go or be moved into a different front office position and let Dudley take over. I’m also not sold on Anderson and this coaching staff. There are just too many things that has gone wrong and I haven’t seen any improvement this year. 1) Piss poor powerplay for half the freaking season! 2) Not playing consistently each game 3) Not playing for 60 minutes 4) Not being ready at the drop of the puck especially during a game you MUST WIN to keep your playoff hopes alive. 5) Leaving the goalies completely out to dry on an island by himself for 10 minute stretches in a game. 6) Allowing the team to continue on 6 and 9 game losing streaks! WTF?!
I think it’s time for a NHL head coach with some years under his belt that can get this team to play consistently with solid defense and a better structured idea of what they are supposed to do out there.
alex
April 10th, 2010
12:52 pm
yes rob goalie is been weakest link. i point to this at the beginning of the season. don’t even try to long joirney with this goalie situation. this problem exist all 11 years of dw in charge. also he idiot in draft department, also he had same number of playof wictories as i am, also he is terrible on extending players contract, also… i think he going to get 3 years extension from asg. long live teflon don
Lee
April 10th, 2010
1:06 pm
Well….what a season eh? Lots of suprises. I’ll admit, the season was MUCH better than last…but we still stink. Can’t wait ’till next year. The thrashers better go out there and play hard even though they were far from playoffs, and play hard so they don’ embarrass themselves.
Offseason here we come…..
Good Job Thrashers!
Stu
April 10th, 2010
1:56 pm
Take it from a Phoenix Coyotes fan; Fire Waddell!
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
3:47 pm
Rawhide, I agree. Capitals over Blackhawks in seven. Maybe even six.
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
4:10 pm
Here’s your updated Standings. Yes, it’s official. Atlanta WILL finish ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes, due to their regulation time loss, 4-2, to Boston today. That means Carolina’s season, like Columbus’, is over. Both teams have cleaned out their lockers for this season. The NY Islanders still have a chance to finish ahead of them, and us, with two victories, or even a win and a tie. http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?type=con#&navid=nav-stn-conf.
Los Angeles and Edmonton are now underway. Go Kings!!! If I can’t have a Preds-Yotes series, I’ll settle for Yotes-Kings series.
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
4:26 pm
Attention, please. We do have an AJC “Guess the Points” contest update. Newly eliminated bloggers, after the Capitals win, are:
87: Tom, Denny, Thrashy Thrashy, and 3stripes
86: Glovesave29, HookyBob, and Smoothie.
Still alive, two games left, are:
81: Bob
82: Russ and Red Light
83: Curly and Pam on Weck
84: BaldheadedThrasherFan and polskidawg
85: Spud Webb and Brendan
An overtime loss, tonight, would eliminate Bob, Spud Webb and Brendan. A regulation time loss would eliminate Spud Webb, Brendan, polskidawg and BaldheadedThrasherFan.
A win would eliminate Bob, Russ and Red Light.
Jason
April 10th, 2010
4:58 pm
I actually sold my tickets to the finale on Ticketmaster. Can’t believe I did that, but the depressing way this season is wrapping up made my decision easier. I’m enjoying watching the Masters more than I would be watching us get blown out by Crosby, who’s playing for a scoring title.
Even more shocking, my tickets sold for more than face value.
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
6:45 pm
D’ohhhh~~ The Kings lost in the shootout!! Edmonton took a 3-0 lead in the 3rd period, but the Kings came all the way back. It looked like the Kings would win. At least they salvaged a point. Credit the Oilers for trying hard, with nothing to lose in this game.
rob
April 10th, 2010
7:40 pm
Thrashers……thanks for the season, it was entertaining, roller coaster ride for sure, 6Flags has nothing on you guys, neither does Jekyl & Hyde!!!! Atlanta Spirit Group, Donnie Waddel, John Anderson……thanks a lot for nothing you worthless F^&%S!!!!!!! Do us all a favor and take a long walk off a short pier……preferably with weight tied to your ankles….. COMPLETE IMBECILES, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!!!! If Dumb Wad somehow comes back next year…..UGH!!! WE HAVE THE WORST OWNERS / MANAGEMENT IN HISTORY!!!!!!
LET’S GO THRASHERS!!!!!!
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
7:51 pm
Buffalo 2, Ottawa 0.
Here’s your boxscore link to the Thrashers-Penguins game.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/boxscore.htm?id=2009021217
LAC
April 10th, 2010
7:58 pm
waddell Spewing more BS on tv, DISGUSTING to hear this MORON !
He knows NOTHING about NHL hockey… waddell IS THE PROBLEM with this franchise.
And Derrin Elliot has to STOP this MOVING FORWARD CRAP. This team is sinking like the Titanic
and next season will likely be worse than this year.
Time to move out of Atlanta, Get a GOOD AHL owner who will commit to the team and enjoy minor league hockey again, because we are not a lot better than our first serason and on e person, ONE person is to BLAME for all of it, LIAR don waddell, Rot in HELL waddell you SOB !
Brendan
April 10th, 2010
8:14 pm
Don Waddell is Darren Eliot’s 1st period guest. Guess what he said, “We just can’t have those long losing streaks. But our core group of young players makes the future look bright.” “All RFA’s will have a chance to play here. And they want to stay here. I don’t anticipate it being hard to re-sign them. We have the right to match any offersheets.” “Regarding UFA’s, I don’t anticipate any signing prior to July 1, unless they just feel real comfortable here.” “We gotta keep moving forard with our youth,” said Waddell.
“If you’re gonna be a good team, you’ve got to avoid those long losing streaks. We gotta build with our youth.” “Why didn’t we make the playoffs? We had to deal with the Kovalchuk situation all season. Our guys really came together after we made that trade.”
“Bogosian hit a little wall there. Kane, too, after 40 games. Bogosian’s year wasn’t as strong as it was last year. Pavelec battled. It’s a maturity process. These guys are all good hockey players, and they’ll only get better as time goes on.”
RFAs: Pavelec, Bergfors, MacArthur, Little. “We own their rights. We’ll re-sign all of these guys. They’ll come to expect what they DO deserve. It don’t expect it to be HARD to resign these guys. We have the right to match any offer. And I think they want to stay here.”
UFA’s: “A longer a different process. A lot longer. A lot more time consuming. There’s definitely guys (on the UFA list) that we’d like to have back.” Our focus: “Really, building around the key anchors.” Hedberg, Kubina, Slater, Afinogenov, Armstrong. Also, Boulton, Popovic, Artyukhin, and Schubert” Waddell: “They’ll look around all 30 teams, to get a feel for the market.”
Oh gawd. Waddell thinks he’s still in charge for next season. And probably, he is.
More Waddell quotes: “Look at our defense. We’re always talking about making it better. Hainsey, Oduya, Enstrom, Bogosian, all signed. Kulda looks like he’s gonna play for our hockey club next year. Mark Popovic is unrestricted. Boris will be coming back. Now, we gotta look at the goaltending situation, and add a few forwards.”
Sorry for this post being all disjointed, but I tried to scratch down as many quotes as I could.
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 10th, 2010
8:48 pm
KAAAAAAAAAAAANE!!!!
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 10th, 2010
8:50 pm
OH, BTW—-Blackhawks over the Caps in five. You heard it here first, folks!
Sage of Bluesland
April 10th, 2010
9:19 pm
I saw that interview–and Don looks pathetic as he looks down constantly and never looks at the cameral. He’s not going anywhere, folks.
We’ll still be talking of rebuilding in ten years time…and Darren “Sellout” Eliot will be giving the same interview…and maybe the sheep will ‘get it’ then?
I doubt it.
LAC
April 10th, 2010
9:56 pm
Boy Sage you nailed it, I am so sick of Derren “Moving Forward” comments after EVERY sentence, It is AWFUL !!!
Yes waddell NEVER looks the fans in the eye… NEVER, Shows us ALL the true COWARD HE IS !
But a little GOOD news… Saw the intermission on HNIC… They talked about teams that did not make the playoffs and what they will do.
They RIPPED don waddell, as Milbury, and I am NOT a Milbury fan, said and I QUOTE…
don waddell needs to be REPLACED, TEN years and nothing to show, losing STAR players and
continued LOSING. Then Pierre Labron, agreed and said while they have a young team, Atlanta needs a NEW GM !
OK, Atlanta STUPID Group, what the HELL is your problem NOW with NOT firing the CANCER of the Thrashers ? You little wimps need to change your diapers and FIRE this SOB.
Still waiting for Mr.Potty Mouth levenson to meet me, my four companies against your ownership part, how about it you WIMP !!!!!! We all know you like waddell are as BIG a Coward as could ever be !
Lastly, Great Game to finish the season, well played and watching KANE blast that cheap shot matt cooke was PRICELESS, that was THE highlight of the season. Plus… WE knocked Pittsburgh OUT of winning the Atlantic Division, and to hear those CRYBABY Pittsburgh announcers was GREAT… At least we had some say in the playoff outcome.
Great Game tonight, now if we can get rid of waddell, we could become a solid team we should have been several years ago.
Finally, Good Bye SLAVA, enjoyed watching you play ALWAYS Classey and was glad to see your assist on the goal tonight. Sorry that waddell treated you so unfairly, You are a CLASS act….
Something worthless waddell will NEVER be !
stendek
April 10th, 2010
10:07 pm
Congratulations Mr Johan Moose Hedberg sir! Last game in Atlanta. Shutout of defending Stanley Cup champions! Does not get any better than that. You displayed heart and soul throughout the season when it was totally absent in those around you! Thank you for caring. Thank you for being a true professional! I will miss you next season. Will not miss rest of Trashers. Hope their next stop is Hamilton. Thanks again for the effort Moose. AND FOR CARING! Your eternal fan, ++STENDEK++
Brendan
April 11th, 2010
12:19 am
Dany Heatley had his 40th of the season and 300th career goal given to a teammate, upon further revie.
The Coyotes have just scored. It’s 2-2, with 17:00 left in the 3rd period from San Jose.
Brendan
April 11th, 2010
12:22 am
New AJC Points Contest eliminees are: Bob, Russ and Red Light.
just curious
April 11th, 2010
12:36 am
I’m just curious, as I’ve already been in one argument tonight with someone regarding the 7th man award. Am I the only person that feels that the old couple doesn’t embody what the 7th man should? Sure, they’re old and kiss on command, but does that make them the greatest fans in Atlanta? Sure they’ve been together through thick and thin, but does that mean that they’ve endured more than you or I? I feel like there are many more deserving fans out there that do more to encourage other people to follow this feeble franchise. I feel like there are plenty of other people that could better represent what the superfan should embody. I know I and other guys that I sit with are constantly recruiting potential fans of hockey and the birds. Do I feel like I deserve it? Heck no. Do I feel like the Bennings are ambassadors of the game? Not exactly. I think they show that regardless of what life throws at you, that you can still enjoy a game and night on the town. But they don’t exactly strike me as a couple of people that are trying to recruit new fans of the game or team. They don’t strike me as a couple of people that encourage others to attend or pay others way in. Sure, there can be feel good stories and I’m all for that, but to me, the 7th man award should be reserved for the fans that go the extra mile for the game and the team. The 7th man, to me, should be trying to grow the fanbase one way or another. I think the Bennings are a great couple and give many people something to strive for in life, but I just don’t think they are 7th man material. Let the bashing begin.
R. Stroz
April 11th, 2010
12:55 am
For those of you not in attendance tonight, here are the highlights:
1) The Bennings won the Seventh Man Award. Mrs. Benning actually walked out to receive the award. For those of you that aren’t aware of the situation, Mrs. Benning has been in a wheelchair for about a year. That was a truly touching experience.
2) Kane knocked Matt Cooke out cold. I mean so cold the stretcher was brought out on the ice. It was the first time I’ve ever seen fans cheer when they saw a stretcher being brought on the ice. Cooke found out that karma thing can be wicked.
3) The crybabies and their fans found out their entitlement attitude means nothing. The Thrashers found their heart this evening and the Penguins paid the price.
4) Moose stood on his head all night.
Folks, for all of the frustration this season has brought, tonight was a night that will be etched in my mind for the rest of my life.
For all of you that nominated the Bennings for the Seventh Man Award, you should be proud of yourselves for taking the time to do the right thing. Your efforts paid off. You just rewarded a man, who has not only shown devotion to his wife, but a man who has also shown his devotion to our country. Back in World War II, Mr. Benning was awarded the Purple Heart as well as a Silver and Bronze Star defending our country.
And that, my friends, is the rest of the story.
fes
April 11th, 2010
1:05 am
It seems that many fanbases have embraced Kane tonight.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Video-Evander-Kane-KO-s-Cooke-becomes-beloved-?urn=nhl,233404
Bluenote
April 11th, 2010
7:51 am
Stroz…..well played and well summarized, as usual sir.
We were delighted to see the Bennings receive their recognition, and just curious….well it wouldn’t be much of a board if we agreed on everything but I’m afraid you are a population of 1. There aren’t a whole lot of faces that get a good vibe going at the Bulb the way the Bennings consistently do. Sorry if you don’t get it.
One of the callers after the Jersey game observed he had seen far too much “polite hockey” over the course of a disappointing season. Maybe it got taken to heart. Last night’s effort certainly was not polite hockey…we can only guess what could have happened if they could have found that kind of heart when it mattered. Kane made a name for himself last night. Here’s a heaping helping of more grit.
To the Friday night crew: always a pleasure seeing each one of you. Look fwd to doing it again
Always Hoping
April 11th, 2010
8:06 am
“Folks, for all of the frustration this season has brought, tonight was a night that will be etched in my mind for the rest of my life.”
Stroz….BINGO!! This game along with the win over Florida after the COL/CHI/MIN road trip will be my best memories of the year. No matter the frustration and anger, last night was one to enjoy. Now all we can hope for is the Spirit seeing what is possible here and go out and do something to make it a regular event.
Lee
April 11th, 2010
8:46 am
Eh…at least they didn’t embarass themselves!
Lee
April 11th, 2010
8:48 am
Brendan – Sorry to make you look back, but do you remember what I put down for the points contest?
Thanks
Matt
April 11th, 2010
9:34 am
“Honey, have you seen my copy of the Thrasherville Times anywhere? I really want to read Rawhide’s take on last nights fight between Kane and Cook”
“Have you checked the bathroom?”
Curly
April 11th, 2010
10:15 am
Brendan – Who are the remaining points contest leaders?
Brendan
April 11th, 2010
11:09 am
Curly, as requested, this is it! The big day for the AJC contestants who are still alive in the contest.
83: Curly, tied to 4th place in SE Division, 12th in the Conference
83: Pam on Weck, tied to 3rd in SE Division, 11th in Conference.
Note, if it’s 83-points, Pam on Weck’s 1st tie-breaker criteria of “closest in division” would edge out Curly, as the Thrashers have clinched 2nd place in the SE Division, with Carolina 3rd, TB 4th, and Florida 5th.
84: BaldheadedThrasherFan, tied to 4th in SE Division, and 11th in Conference.
84: polskidawg, tied to 4th in SE Division, and 12th in the Conference.
Note: BaldheadedThrasherFan’s secondary tie-breaker criteria gives him the edge over polskidawg, given the 10th or 11th place position of the Thrashers in the Eastern Conference.
85: Spud Webb, tied to 3rd in SE Division, with no designation in the Conference standings. Spud Webb did not supply a secondary tie-breaker in his submission, opting to leave it blank.
85: Brendan, tied to 3rd in SE Division, and 10th in the Conference.
Note: Spud Webb was the only AJC contestant who DIDN’T specify a conference rank. I’d have to defer to Rawhide’s judgement as to who wins if it’s 85-points. May I suggest, we have “co-winners” in the case of 85-points?
Lee: Your guess was 89-points, 3rd in SE Division, and 9th in the Conference.
R. Stroz
April 11th, 2010
11:14 am
I would like to revise my prediction to 83 points and third in the division based on my current analysis of the likely point outcome for all of the NHL teams this season.
Just call me Stroztradomus.
Uh, huh?
April 11th, 2010
11:23 am
Uh Brendan kind sir, our season is over. Unless Bettman feels sorry for us and awards us two bonus points for Evander Kane’s 1st round KO of Matt “I got pounded by a rook” Cooke, I do believe we are stuck at 83 points and more pathetic laments of incremental progress. Oh well, hooray for Kane, his Dad and the sweet science.
Brendan
April 11th, 2010
11:30 am
R.Stroz, I’m just afraid that STH’s will, based on this one, magnanimously GLORIOUS game, decide to renew their Season Tickets, thus enabling ownership to keep Waddell in the GM chair. When not renewing would force them to either (1) sell the team or (2) finally begin a search for a new GM, to give this team an IDENTITY, at long last.
Now, I’m happy the Thrashers won. If this was Moose’s last game in Thrasher blue, I can’t imagine one any better than he delivered with his 33 saves, denying the Penguins the Atlantic Division. But very serious changes are needed, like NOWWWW, if we’re ever going to have any PRETENSE of keeping Kane and Bogosian, once they hit the open market. Granted, that’s years from now. But the point is: You don’t just tread water with a franchise. You don’t “doggy paddle” in the deep waters of the NHL. Instead, you should do something that announces to your players that you’re a SERIOUS organization in the best league in the World.
Fans can argue all day long about why Kovalchuk left. I stand by what I said back in 2007. “If this organization has ANY CHANCE of retaining Hossa or Kovalchuk, they must make a GM change NOW. That would send the message.” Instead, three more years of Waddell, and no playoffs, have passed. And yes, Kovy’s gone. Hossa’s gone. And to a much lesser extent, (don’t focus on this portion of the post, for the LOVE of GOD, though some will) Holik’s gone, Havelid’s gone, and Kozlov is presummably gone.
Pending UFA’s Pavel Kubina, Max Afinogenov, and Colby Armstrong (via Hossa) can be gone, as well. And those are pieces that aren’t “two days older than dirt” … that maybe we should try to retain. But it speaks to the player’s choice.
Players Choice: Brian Campbell, no. Manny Malhotra, no. Hossa, no. Savard, no. Kaberle, no. Kovalchuk, no. Kubina??? Finny??? It doesn’t look good. It might look BETTER if the organization replaced Waddell. What does it say … to keep a GM without a playoff win for 10 seasons?? If you were the player who wanted to win the Cup, why on EARTH would you pick Atlanta? Until the “player’s choice” is to stay, and “believe in blueland,” we’ll continue to watch players waltz right out the door. Don’t we all deserve BETTER than this????
Brendan
April 11th, 2010
11:39 am
Sorry folks. I got all caught up in this Western Conference Coyotes playoff opponent thingy that through a process of osmosis, I thought we had one game left. To clear things up, here are the standings.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm#?navid=nav-stn-main.
So, therefore, the winner is: Pam on Weck with her guess of 83-points, tied to 3rd in the SE division, and 11th in the Conference. Congratulations!!
Brendan
April 11th, 2010
11:40 am
I vote for Bettman giving us two more points for the KO of Cooke!
R. Stroz
April 11th, 2010
11:42 am
Until the “player’s choice” is to stay, and “believe in blueland,” we’ll continue to watch players waltz right out the door. Don’t we all deserve BETTER than this????
And this is why fans MUST SPEAK UP, WAY UP, AND DEMAND BETTER.