Vote for the 2010 Blog Comment of the Year
So how are your playoff predictions coming along? Me…well, so far not so hot.
Wednesday night saw three road teams…Ottawa, Colorado and Philly…beat higher-seeded teams…Pittsburgh, San Jose and New Jersey. The one home team that won was the Coyotes over Detroit.
Last night, we saw Montreal down top-seeded Washington 3-2 in OT, Buffalo hold off the Bruins 2-1 behind Ryan Miller’s 38 saves and then Vancouver worked the late shift to finally do away with L.A. in overtime.
Oh, and that “Sedin to Sedin back to Sedin” goal that made it 2-1 Vancouver in the second period…nice.
All this means of course, is that after seven games played six teams I predicted to eventually advance to round-two are down 1 game to zip early on. Good thing I didn’t predict any sweeps, eh?
Derek Morris' third period goal helped get the Coyotes past Detroit Wednesday night (AP Photo/Pat Shannahan - The Arizona Republic)
Regarless… if these first seven games are any indication of what’s to come, we should be in for some really great hockey viewing in the days ahead. Each one has been decided by a one-goal margin with two going beyond 60 minutes.
Tonight, Nashville and Chicago kick off their series while those who played Wednesday evening play their game twos.
Now… while we continue discussing the playoffs and Wednesday morning’s “Shakeup in Thrasherville”… let me take this opportunity to post up the 2010 Rawhide Blog Comment of the Year finalists and allow you to vote for the winner.
We have five comments to select from, each nominated as the season progressed. I’ve attach a link to the comment so that you can review them, refresh your memories and view them in the context they were meant.
The one netting the most of your votes will see it’s author win the ability to write their own blog that I’ll post here. That, plus I will reach deep down into the deep pockets of the expense account afforded me by the AJC and by the winner a cold beverage of their choice at a Thrashers game next season.
I know…I know…please try to govern your enthusiasm and conduct yourselves accordingly.
I will keep the ballot box open until 11:00 pm Sunday night April 18, 2010…this way the voting will take place as we enjoy what promises to be a fun weekend of hockey viewing.
And so, without any further ado…the nominees for you to vote on are as follows:
“Contract Rage” by World Be Free: This is a prime example of the quick wit and poingnet commentary that frequesnts this blog. It was posted by WBF last winter in response to a comment posted by Nikita.
Nikita-people are raging against Kovy and White for a variety of reasons. Kovy cause he doesn’t have a contract, White cause he does have a contract.
“Play Until It Hurts” by B. Thenet: This was posted just after the 8-1 pounding at the hands of the Washington Capitals and points to why certain players might not be motivated to play “until it hurts” in a very concise mannor.
The problems with the Thrashers are from the top down.
I cannot blame the coaches or players for being bad, they have been set up to fail with the poor job Don Waddell and his staff has done in assembling the team.
When your ownership sends the message they do not care about winning, by continuing to employ a management team that is on its 2nd attempt to build the team from the bottom up….and looks to be approaching attempt #3 once Kovalchuk is traded by Don Waddell for a handful of magic beans.
How as a player can you commit to playing until it hurts, when you know at the end of the day the organization does not reward hard work….but instead rewards failure and shoddy work ethics?
They say a good team plays for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back of it. Our best players play for the name on the back of their jerseys, because the name of the organization on the front is not worthy of the effort.
2010 Rawhide Blog Comment of the Year
- WBF's "Contract Rage" (19%, 20 Votes)
- B. Thenet's "Play Until It Hurts" (15%, 16 Votes)
- Brendan's "Lindsey Vonn" (15%, 16 Votes)
- Bob's "Unleash the Futility" (36%, 37 Votes)
- MB's "Sad Merry-Go-Round" (15%, 15 Votes)
Total Voters: 104
Loading ...“Lindsey Vonn” by Brendan: Uh…umm…I think this one just speaks for itself.
Here’s your Lindsey Vonn link:
You can thank me later.
“Unleash the Futility” by Bob: This beauty was “unleashed” on us just after the 4-0 thumping at the paws of the Bruins which spelled the beginning of the end to the Thrashers’ playoff hopes. (BTW: “Bob” now goes by the handle “Joe Friday”).
“its time to start thinking about what the team needs to do to improve itself on the limited budget the owners are willing to lay out. What moves should be made?”
1)Get us a real GM. Until then we’re just fooling ourselves getting psyched up about this club. Unleash The Futility is more like it if they leave Waddell making the decisions
assuming they finally do the right thing and we get a good GM, there’s plenty of even self imposed cap space available to:
2)Sign a quality experienced UFA goalie or trade for one. No more projects learning on the job, no more head cases, no more trying to fit Moose into something he’s not (a day to day #1 goalie)
3)Sign a top line UFA LW (who’s available this summer?)
4)Sign a top line UFA RW (who’s available this summer?)
5)Re-sign Kubina
6)Bring in a good experienced NHL coach, Anderson has lost me (never really had me to begin with, from the first games I saw his rinky dink system, I never thought it was NHL material)
“The Sad Merry-Go-Round” by MB: Our final nominee penned this clever observation earlier in the month after Atlanta lost in Washington 2-1. (What is it about the Thrashers getting beat that brings out the high-quality comments?).
As you guys are twirling around the merry-go-round of potential line combinations, all that came to mind is how very sad it is that this is where we find our team after ten seasons and twelve first-round draft picks.
Like every other season, we STILL do not have enough talent among our forward corps, we STILL do not have a true (dependable) #1 goalie, and we apparently don’t have players in the pipeline able to take minutes away from the likes of Todd White and Chris Chelios (at 48 years old).
And our big hope is to back into the playoffs. Like I said, sad.
Happy voting and good luck to each of our nominees.
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120 comments Add your comment
B. Thenet
April 16th, 2010
9:40 pm
I am back, a man of my word oh blog captain.
Appreciate the kind words, adversity makes a wonderful muse.
Now if you don’t mind, I am off to help Sarah Palin track down the President of the NHL. I understand she wants relocate some jobs to Hamilton, ON.
Brendan
April 16th, 2010
11:27 pm
Couple of thoughts, right quick, just in case anyone’s online on a Friday night close to Midnight. First off, I cannot stand all this baseball all over my Center Ice channels on Comcast. I’m watching the Phoenix-Detroit game, where the Coyotes lead, 1-0, and the channel guide says, “NY Mets vs. St. Louis.” Ay, ay, ay.
Okay, so the Penguins even things up. Good for them. Nice shot by Letang, one of my favorite Penguins, for the winner. The Flyers lose a “heartbreaker” in the swamps of Jersey. Ilya Kovalchuk put an EXCLAMATION POINT (!) on his 1st ever playoff win. Series tied, 1-1. And how about Niemi getting “rattled” by that soft floater by J.P. Dumont. But as bad as that goal was, it wasn’t anything compared the mental “checkout” the rest of the Blackhawks had on J.P. Dumont’s 2nd goal. Chicago just wasn’t working hard enough. There was at least three mental errors on that second Nashville goal. The next two Preds goals were empty-netters. Confession time. I was rooting for Dumont to get the hat trick. If I’m not mistaken, this is the Predators 1st ever road win in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Can anyone confirm that? 1st ever Nashville road win in the playoffs? I’m too lazy to look it up.
Colorado is out to a 1-0 lead on San Jose, who isn’t playing with much urgency for a “must win” game. Hey Heater, “Haw-haw,” Nelson-style (TM, 20th Century Fox, “The Simpsons,” all rights reserved.) The Red Wings just tied things up with the Coyotes, 1-1. I stand corrected! Wolski just scored for the Yotes! 2-1, Phoenix!!! Yes!!! I just love an underdog, even if they are the higher seed.
Okay, so … everyone who loves to ridicule me should rejoice in knowing that almost every one of my series picks … is losing. I have Chicago, SJ, Detroit, and Vancouver in the West. And in the East, I have the Pittsburgh, NJ, Boston, and Washington. I guess if these picks continue to founder, it must be true that I’m certifiable moron. Right?
Alan R.
April 17th, 2010
12:50 am
Sweet victory for the Winged Wheel tonight as it rolls back on up to Detroit. Howard still looked a bit shaky, but seemed to settle down in the 3rd. Zetterberg with a hat trick!
Brendan
April 17th, 2010
1:17 am
Overtime in San Jose! The tying goal coming in the final minute, for the Sharks. What a finish!
Badger Bob
April 17th, 2010
1:35 am
Great hockey all around – essentially all one goal games (plus late/empty net goals). OT games out west will kill ya…
GVH, and the other draft scouts, don’t look for our NJ pick to be better than low 20’s even if they lose to Philly. All the first round losers are placed in the draft based upon regular season ranking. So NJ’s spot = 22 minus the number of the following five teams that also lose in the first round: WAS, SJ, CHI, PHX and VAN.
Matt "Got Knocked The F@#K Out"
April 17th, 2010
6:08 am
“Huh”
Matt "Got Knocked The F@#K Out" Cooke
April 17th, 2010
6:09 am
“Wha”
glovesave29
April 17th, 2010
8:22 am
Hey, Mandy Sutton…nice screen job on your own goalie on Letang’s game-winner. Nice to know that no that some things never change.
World Be Free
April 17th, 2010
9:35 am
Funny to listen to the announcers try and sell Mandy Sutton as an impact player. His hit on Leopold was not dirty-Jordon should stop admiring his skate laces.
Another amusing thig is lisening to the media say what a GREAT game Kovy had last night I have no idea what game they were watching. Empty net goal aside, he still hasn’t played to his potential. The media needs to stop selling us that Kovy is the great difference maker cause he hasn’t been so far.
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 17th, 2010
10:47 am
The Sutton hit was fine. Just a “bad bounce” as John Anderson would have said. But I couldn’t get over the announcers (including our own lovely Daren Eliot) ragging on Spezza throughout the game. There are other guys on that team, you know!
B. Thenet
April 17th, 2010
11:06 am
WBF; Ilya’s poor job keeping the puck in on the point led to several Flyers SH breakaways, one of which led to a bad call on the Devils and a PP goal for the Flyers.
I am also unsure why they flipped Ilya to the other side of the PP in Jersey.
John Anderson
April 17th, 2010
12:36 pm
Ilya ia a great player and needs to stay on the power play the full 2 minutes. He led us to the Stanley Cu….never mind.
Red Light
April 17th, 2010
12:44 pm
Nice win by Nashville last night after the bad bounce goal that eluded Niemi. Go Preds!
alex
April 17th, 2010
3:57 pm
it’s true media sell kovy as a savier for nj, calm down we in atlanta saw real kovy from 2005 to 2008 than for some reason his game got deteriorated. but despite stendek we have to appreciaite what he did in atlanta. i bet his point total and goals going to stay as atlanta record as long as team stay there and i wish thrashers not to relocate soon.
HookyBob
April 17th, 2010
4:54 pm
Bob’s “Unleash the futility” is classic and gets my vote. If there were a “lifetime blog” award for the Thrashers,…I don’t recall a better one (bloggers please refresh my memory). It is concise, appropriate, and is a take-off on a Thrasher marketing slogan to boot (what does “to boot mean?).
Let me use an anology so you won’t think I’m too enamored with this blog comment. Some of my friends brew their own beer. When asked to critique the brew I often state “You should have used bigger bottles.” Bob’s comment is similar in that it could have been uttered 4-6-even 8 years ago and still been fitting. What took so long? Still, if you were to put a visual to this, Bob would definitely be the guy out front.
So, was there any Thrasher news this week? I think the soonest we can get a perspective if there truly was real change upstairs is when Duds selects a new coach. While I wish DW was no longer in the picture, I’m in WBF’s camp and giving the changes the benefit of a doubt. Duds hasn’t let too many folks down in the past.
Does anyone think that they might consider Cunnyworth? Could it be one of those things where everyone is asked to “resign” and then some are asked to continue on?
I must say how pleased I have been with the hockey I’ve been watching starting Wednesday evening. Each year I think to myself how far the Thrashers are from truly competing for the Cup.
The other thing I like about the first play-off round (in addition to quality hockey) is that there are at least two games a day to watch.
I’m hoping the best team prevails, and wishing a bit of luck to the Yotes and Preds.
Jameson
April 17th, 2010
7:52 pm
If Dudley wasn’t willing to stay GM in a town where he wasn’t allowed to trade Lecavalier, what would make anyone think that he’s willing to stay GM in a town where Don Waddell picks his coaches and players for him?
Brendan
April 17th, 2010
9:23 pm
Montreal had a 4-1 lead on the Capitals. Theodore out, Varlamove in. And now, it’s tied, 4-4.
Your Attention Please. clanging a spoon as the side of a glass. Sorry. Your Attention please. Aren’t you GLAD there aren’t any “pity points” in the playoffs? If Montreal loses this game, in overtime or not, they’ll get NOTHING for squandering their 4-1 lead, tonight. That’s justice. That’s the playoffs. If only the regular season could be played like this.
Brendan
April 17th, 2010
10:20 pm
Washington 6, Montreal 5, OT final. Well, no pity points for the Habs. They’re not 1-0-1, headed back to “La Belle Province.”
Yung JB from MTL
April 17th, 2010
11:56 pm
Go Preds! Big choke by Habs that got destroyed by Backstrap.
Do you guys think Dudley will bring in a coach, big namers and Nikulin?
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
12:50 am
Yung JB from MTL, welcome back. Good call on Waddell, with your guess of April 15th.
If it’s true that Dudley’s imprint on the team was Artyukhin, Kubina, and Antropov, expect more of the same, in terms of bigger, more physical players, with some skill. As for the Coach, I don’t know. My first thoughts are that a big name coach will avoid Atlanta. Sorry, but that’s I how I see it, beeeeing honest.
But, that doesn’t mean Waddell/Dudley (whomever’s in charge, or joint-GM’s,) won’t find someone who is good. I hope it’s Craig Ramsay. But if it’s the assistant from the Blackhawks, I’m actually fine with that. All I care about is the product on the ice and finding ownership that will actually endeavor to win the cup, using the “accountability” method.
I would think Tier II free agents can be found. But we should be selective. The way Waddell used to lure Tier II players to Atlanta … was to offer more years at essentially the asking price of the player’s agent. Think Todd White, who got a 4-year deal, for $9.5 million in 2007, instead of a 3-year deal, worth $7.5 million, as offered on July 1, 2007. If Dudley/Waddell has their eye on such a player, this method will probably work again. Especially if the Tier II player is someone who doesn’t really care where they play, so much as they are getting paid what they seek. This type of player would bounce from Minnesota, to Phoenix, to Columbus, to Atlanta, just happy to be in the league, with a “decent role” for whichever team he happens to play.
Nikulin is not coming, anymore than the Great Pumpkin is, on Halloween Night. Thrasher fans have played “Linus” long enough.
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
12:52 am
Overtime is underway between Los Angeles and Vancouver. Canucks overtime games are always interesting. Go Kings!
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
1:11 am
Anze Kopitar ends it, on a PPG, for the Kings, in overtime. Series tied, 1-1.
moriler
April 18th, 2010
9:11 am
Everyone who picked “____ in 4″ (except for the one loony who picked Nash to sweep Chi-town) is now officially wrong.
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
9:20 am
Please free me Trixie, I know it’s Sunday morning, but…..
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
9:45 am
One of my buddies in Buffalo swears Rick Dudley actually made a recording, a tume called “I am going home” while a Sabre. Jim Scoenfeld made an entire album as a Sabre. If he did, maybe we can make a deal with Duds-
He can sing the tune, if we make the conference finals during his tenure!
Sage of Bluesland
April 18th, 2010
10:18 am
My vote was for the circle-jerk of those who continue to ponder and debate line-combinations (as stated so eloquently by MB)…as if it every really mattered!
Still makes me laugh thinking about it…
Smoothie
April 18th, 2010
10:37 am
Can’t get over how insane the first 15 games of the NHL Playoffs has been. Watching these teams play with such prolonged and sustained intensity gives me serious doubts about our team’s composition and toughness quotient outside of Kane, Bogosian, Slater and a few others. Please Lord, bless Rick Dudley and let him see the way that makes us a playoff worth team.
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
10:57 am
Smoothie, if you wonder how quickly a team can change, just look at Montreal. A ton of UFAs signed during the off season, some quality playoff experience. The Montreal-Washington series may turn out to be the best series of all.
Sage-you need some new material man.
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
11:02 am
Jeff Deslauriers in Edmonton-
Now there’s a good young goaltender that will be available this offseason. The Oilers have to move him or risk losing Deslauriers to waivers.
The Kulin Wall and Sheldon Souray were diaster signings by Edmonton. along with another 3-4 overpaid slugs.
Red Light
April 18th, 2010
11:15 am
Nikulin, Nyet!
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
12:36 pm
Veteran leadership + top 6 forward-
Jerome Iginla?
Nikita (in PA)
April 18th, 2010
1:19 pm
Please, please, please.
Smoothie
April 18th, 2010
1:58 pm
Works for me! Let Jerry mentor and nurture Kane’s development not only as a player, but also as a leader. Kane-Pevs-Iggy (does anyone dare call him that) sounds like a fun and formidable 2nd line eh?
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
3:06 pm
Wonder what it would take to get him?
Hooky Bob-I was thinking about Cunneyworth myself. Cunny and Duds have a few things in common; they are both former Sabres, probably ran into each other during Dudley’s 2nd stint as a player in Buffalo. They both played the same style AND spent alotta time in the minors after playing honing their craft. I like Cunneyworth, he did a great job in Rochester. I also thought it was a major coup getting him here in the first place. I don’t think he was hired because of any history between Cunney and Anderson, so I would not rule out Cunneyworth as coach at this point.
Yung-I asked the question on Friday to the effect that, does changing GM’s improve our standing with our UFAs or potential UFAs? Dudley’s reputation as a builder may tip the scales in our favor, ending the outbound train of players out of Atlanta .
Thenet-the Devils still do not see the shortcomings of Kovy on the left point!
He was successful in Atlanta because he was the focus of the power play. And the media is still in love with him the NJ. Makes me sick.
Finally-one more note. I was forced to watch some NBA Playoffs yesterday and nearly fell asleep!
The turned on NHL Playoffs and I was totally entertained until after 1AM. I just don’t see why more people don’t get it, I really don’t. Blame ESPN.
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
3:37 pm
It’s already, 1-0, Phoenix!!
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
3:48 pm
Red Wings have tied it, 1-1.
Alan R.
April 18th, 2010
4:10 pm
Don’t sound so disappointed, Brendan
Smoothie
April 18th, 2010
5:56 pm
This PHX team has some serious jam! Fun group of guys to watch, go ‘yotes!
HookyBob
April 18th, 2010
6:03 pm
Man,..is this seriously good hockey or what !!!!
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
8:10 pm
Phoenix leads the series!!! What a win, in Hockeytown. Of course, this is why they play seven games. But the good news for the Yotes is … they need only win two (2) of the remaining four (4) games, and two of those games could be played in Phoenix.
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
8:17 pm
Separated at birth-Cory Clouston and Tom Glavine
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
8:26 pm
I cannot help but wonder … and please forgive me for this, how a team like Phoenix, absent from the playoffs since a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of San Jose, could be performing so well? I must confess that I have Phoenix in 26th or 27th place in the league, during preseason. Dave Tippett deserves the Jack Adams “Coach of the Year” trophy for what he’s done with the Coyotes, amid ownership turmoil. Phoenix had a great regular season, and even if they do lose to Detroit, they’ve already put together what can be called a “respectable playoffs.” And since 2002, has Phoenix really been that much better than Atlanta during all that time? Point totals included 78, 68, 81, 67, 83, and 79 coming into this season.
I guess what I’m saying here is, “If Phoenix can do it, why can’t we?”
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
8:31 pm
To be clearer, Phoenix was last in the playoffs in 2002, when they lost to San Jose, 4-1.
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
9:36 pm
Brendan-Phoenic has a good coach who is allowed to run his system. This is what Dudley wants for Atlanta, not that hap-hazard garbage we say last season.
The Yotes have veteran talent, especially on the blue line with Aucoin, Morris, Jovo. They are a big team that skates hard, they are outworking Detroit. Jimmy Howard has been less that super in this series.
Brendan
April 18th, 2010
10:16 pm
WBF, you’re right. Phoenix’s roster is actually pretty decent. How’d they get those players there, anyway?
Hokey Clisters
April 18th, 2010
10:18 pm
I recommend as next coach: Elrod Baumgarden. He can’t coach worth a hoot but his mechanical qualities are unmatched. Elrod says he can tinker around with the Zamboni and make it our next goalie.
Cliff Fletcher
April 18th, 2010
10:20 pm
Watching Nashville makes me sick. The Preds have a lot of talent, they rarely miss on a draft pick. They have the tall Finnish starting goaltender in Rinne that we though we were drafting in Kari. Nashville didn’t have to waste the #2 overall pick to get him either. Ownership hjas been unstable for most of Nashville’s existance, just like Atlanta. Poile has never used ownership instability as an excuse, he just keeps doing his job.
Maybe, just maybe Dudely can make us forget 10 years of poor selection and retention.
Get The Puck Out
April 18th, 2010
10:23 pm
ESPN has Ken Hitchcock as the top candidate for the coaching job here. Any thoughts?
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
10:25 pm
Brendan-Aucoin, Pyatt and Jovo were UFAs, Morris and Stepniak trade deadline deals. Imagine that, guys wanting to go to Phoenix with all the ownership and financial issues the Yotes have faced since moving to the desert.
So I ask you the question Brendan-will Dudley’s arrival help use secure UFAs, making Atlanta a more favorable destination? Ownership has been an issue in Phoenix, Nashville, Florida and Tampa Bay the past few seasons. These teams still retain UFAs and attract new ones.
World Be Free
April 18th, 2010
10:26 pm
Bryzgolov was a waiver wire acquisition too. He’s up for the Vezina trophy this season.