How much pressure will new Thrashers coach feel to reach playoffs right away?
Late last week I listened to Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley interviewed a couple of times on XM’s NHL Home Ice Channel. Each interview started off with the same question…”Why did he feel the need to replace the entire coaching staff at this time?”
He responded by saying that he and the organization felt they had a team that was good enough to make the playoffs and, as such, they had set a “goal” to qualify for post-season play. When they failed to meet that goal, Dudley would continue, they felt the coaching staff should be held accountable for that failure.
This train of thought falls right in line with departing veteran Slava Kozlov’s comments last week that he also felt the blame for last season’s failure to make the playoffs landed squarely on the shoulders of head coach John Anderson. He cited that the Thrashers lineup was, in his words, the best they had ever had in his time here, but that the coaching staff didn’t seem to work hard enough…or work the team hard enough…to achieve their goal of securing a playoff spot.
Now, combine all that with the comments Dudley made to C-Viv late last week in regards to the coaching search and the possible makeup of next season’s roster. “We’d like to sign the bulk of our free agents”, he said to Vivlamore. “We think they are good players”.
“I’m hopeful because all of them have expressed that they like what we are doing here, they want to be back”.
He also stated that he has was “uniquely qualified” when it comes to hiring a new head coach, given the fact that he has been a coach and general manager in the past. In making that statement, he has made it clear that whomever is tapped to take over the vacant head coach position here will be someone he feels is the man to take this team to the next level…the playoffs.
Thus, Rick Dudley is saying that man will be brought in based on his decision. Therefore he…Rick Dudley…will be responsible for that call.
Now, given that…let’s move forward to next season’s roster. If indeed Dudley is successful this offseason in re-signing such UFAs and Pavel Kubina, Maxim Afinogenov, Jim Slater…maybe even Colby Armstrong and Johan Hedberg, (as Dudley has indicated he is in favor of)…what do you think the chances are that the new coaching staff will be under the same mandate to make the playoffs next season?
I mean, if last year’s team was good enough to succeed…and the coaching staff was held accountable for the failure…is the new bench boss going to be held to the same standard if they are given much the same roster to coach? And by that I mean he is expected to coach the team to a post-season birth, or be held accountable.
I would like to believe the answer to that question is “Yes…yes they will be”.
Even though most are willing to give this new front office arrangement a chance. The fan base of Thrasherville is growing impatient as it has been waiting for over a decade to taste their first playoff victory.
Round One Playoff Update
Enjoying the playoffs so far? I sure am…many interesting story lines forming so far. Not the least of which is that all eight “underdog” teams managed to secure at least one victory on away ice, thus making the series a best of five with three games on their home ice.
New Jersey's Colin White introduces Scott Hartnell's backside to the ice during Philly's 3-2 OT win Sunday (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Given that, the probability of a few upsets are certainly in line, (DUH5).
I do think, however, that Montreal just might have lost their chance at overall success Saturday when they blew that large lead in game two. Coming back home with a 2-0 lead and the next two games played on their barn would have set them up big time. But the Caps have to feel energized with their comeback.
Philly, on the other hand, took their success on the road and built a two games to one advantage with a 3-2 overtime win at home in game three of their series with New Jersey. Colorado did the same when Dan Boyle’s attempt to pass the puck behind his goal wound up in his goal. Ryan O’Reilly was credited with the game winner and Graig Anderson blocked all 51 Shark shots in the 1-0 victory.
Tonight, Boston, Montreal and Los Angeles will each try to go up 2 to 1 after achieving their minimum goal of stealing a game away from home in Buffalo, Washington and Vancouver.
Congratulations to Bob
The winner of the 2010 Rawhide Blog Comment of the Year. Bob’s “Unleash the Futility” comment netted 37 of the 104 votes casts. World be Free got 20 votes, B. Thenet and Brendan each received 16 for their comments while MB got 15.
So congrats Bob, (a.k.a. Joe Friday)…I look forward to posting up your blog entry in the coming days and you’ll get that cold beverage of your choice the first game we are both in attendance next season!
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
119 comments Add your comment
Sherry Taylor
April 19th, 2010
10:48 am
I would be interested to know if Slava’s comment about the team being the best they’ve had refers to the team BEFORE Kovalchuk’s departure or AFTER his departure. It says a great deal about his thoughts on the team if it refers to the after. And, it will be interesting to see if he is re-signed now that things will be very different in the locker room (I’m assuming anyway).
Sherry Taylor
April 19th, 2010
10:50 am
Of course, the new coach will be under pressure, that is the nature of the beast, so to speak. But, can he take that pressure and use it to his advantage? We will see. I for one am hopeful for the future. It beats whining and griping about the state of hockey in Atlanta.
Alan R.
April 19th, 2010
10:58 am
Sherry – I would expect it to be both, really. Losing Kovalchuk was hard to swallow for everyone, but the guys we got from Jersey stepped right in and stepped up. The prospect we got looks promising, too.
ChippersLoveChild
April 19th, 2010
11:00 am
Congrats Bob…
And I certainly feel like the new coach should feel some pressure, and I like that, but how much is yet to be determined, imo. I want to see what our roster looks like before I decide what my expectations are for the upcoming season. Even if we re-sign Max and Kubina, there are still other holes on the roster that will have to be addressed whether through our system or free agency. I heard Duds say he wants to add a top six forward, and there is the issue in net, whether it’s Moose or someone else. So wait and see approach before I decide how much I expect out of next year.
thebigharybeast
April 19th, 2010
11:05 am
Playoffs are like bigfoot around here. People claim to see them, but I dont think they exist!
Absolutley whoever comes in will be under pressure to make the playoffs. Just dont expect alot of financial or emotional support from those that are the octocluster. But I do think there is a decent core here, I wont say super strong, but we do have some good young guys. And if the AS guys are willing to spend some money, and we are able to keep guys like Max and even hedburg for one more year, and some how get another top 6 forward in here the playoffs arent unrealistic.
Zoomo
April 19th, 2010
11:05 am
If I knew the Comment of the Year was worth a beer from Rawhide, I would have been more witty.
Alan R.
April 19th, 2010
11:07 am
If I knew the Comment of the Year was worth a beer from Rawhide, I would have been more witty.
He still owes me a couple hot dogs.
Alan R.
April 19th, 2010
11:08 am
Also, in case anyone still hasn’t seen it, here’s Dan Boyle pretending to play for the Avs.
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
11:24 am
Thanks for the notice Bill! Wouldn’t have wasted my time on this, but oh well, here’s my last entry from the previous blog. Anyone?
http://www.mynhldraft.com/2010/NHL-Draft-Profiles/Jeff-Skinner
If we’re lucky enough to get Neidereiter at wing with our 1st pick in the first round, perhaps a guy like Skinner might be worth trading up to get in the middle of the first? Morin’s teammate and set-up man presumably. Boston may be in a position to trade their middle round pick since they are facing some Cap issues. Plus, they will have the luxury of getting Hall or Seguin depending on who EDM takes.
How about our 2nd first rounder, Ivan Vishnevskiy and Clarke Mac for Tim Thomas, Dan Paille and their first rounder?
If Cormier and / or Machacek are ready, we don’t need MacArthur. And if we bring in a Frolov or Sharp, then we don’t need Little to play top 6 minutes and can slide him down to RW / C on the 3rd line to play with Slatesy and either Arty, Cormier or Spencer. Plus, Morin will be ready the following year mitigating the need for C-Mac further. I’d rather have Paille who plays a grittier game to augment our 4th line as I’m ready to say sianorah to Boulton and of course White (BUY HIM OUT IF YOU CAN’T TRADE HIM FOR A LATE PICK!).
GaVaHokie
April 19th, 2010
11:27 am
Alan R… wow, actually I HADN’T seen that… saw the score this morning, and thought “I’m glad I didn’t stay up for that.” But, would have loved to watch that bit of douchebaggery live.
Russian
April 19th, 2010
11:28 am
I want to be honestly. I do not think that Thrashers will make Play-Offs for next season. It will be few problems:
1. Our UFA
2. New Coaches Staff
3. Young Roster
I like to give a Coach at least 2 years.
LAC
April 19th, 2010
11:34 am
Why would we need or want Tim Thomas ?… That would be a Downgrade in net, Where we need to get a LOT better !
Alan R.
April 19th, 2010
11:35 am
I think we can make the playoffs next year, Russian. We have a solid young core of players, and we have UFAs who at least say they want to stay here. In previous years, I haven’t heard much regarding UFAs wanting to stay. We’ll see how all that goes, as far as re-signing is concerned. I’m hopeful, though.
R. Stroz
April 19th, 2010
12:18 pm
NOT FIRST
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
12:26 pm
LAC – oh yeah, what am I thinking!? Tim Thomas the Vezina Trophy winner and his 2.56 GAA and 5 shutouts this year are absolutely dreadful!
Are you serious? Do you even watch hockey?
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
12:30 pm
Although I will admit my reading comprehension error w/r/t Tim Thomas. I thought he had only 2 years left on his deal, not 3. That first of 3 is awfully expensive. The last 2 years are more reasonable at $5 M and then declining to $3 M the 2nd year.
Badger Bob
April 19th, 2010
12:50 pm
Pressure on the new coach to make the playoffs next year will be huge. However, he could miss the playoffs and keep his job IF (unlike with JA):
1) Young players improve, rather than backsliding
2) His “system” proves to be successful against multiple styles of opposition D
3) The team looks like a prepared team, including 4-on-4 and PP situation, where we looked clueless this year.
R. Stroz
April 19th, 2010
1:07 pm
Assuming the coaching change is looked upon favorably and Kovy is willing to re-sign under reasonable terms, who would like to see him come back?
I’ll start with a yes.
Biscuit
April 19th, 2010
1:13 pm
I say amp up the pressure. We know the ASG run a tight budget so don’t sign the coaching staff to anything more than a 1 year deal to prove themselves. That way they can be fired early to mid season if they don’t start out on the right foot. That will send a message to everybody involved. You will win, or you will pack your bags.
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 19th, 2010
1:16 pm
Call me naive, but I would think that ALL coaches feel pressure to make the playoffs whether they are new to the team or have been behind the bench for years. Playoffs are all that matter, really. Otherwise, the regular season is just like bowling for dollars. I can’t speculate on which players will or will not play next year, because it’s all conjecture and a little pointless. A coach uses what he has and must use it effectively. Perhaps that was JA’s mistake: relying too heavily on Kovy with no other plan in place once he left for NJ. He sat Slava for WAAAYY too long; yet Todd White had to repeatedly slam himself against the boards in order to NOT play. Look at this year’s playoffs—if the Flyers can make it, anyone can.
Alan R.
April 19th, 2010
1:22 pm
Stroz, I’ll see your “yes,” and raise you a “yes.”
MB
April 19th, 2010
1:32 pm
Impossible to say since we don’t know what everyone’s lineups will look like for next season, but at this point I think we’ll be hard pressed to make the playoffs for a number of reasons:
1. Discounting significant injuries, etc., I’m thinking the first six positions will go to the Caps, Pens, Devils, Sabres, Bruins, and Flyers.
2. We’ll be battling the likes of the Sens, Rags, Canes, Habs, and Lightning…all teams that could catch fire or tank, depending on how the wind is blowing at any given time.
3. This season teams were all but giving us a playoff berth and we couldn’t take advantage. I doubt that’ll happen again next year. Don’t expect to get in with fewer than 90 points.
Not saying it can’t be done, but we’re going to have to see marked improvement in:
- leadership, commitment, and effort…all were lacking this season
- more consistent scoring
- reduction in GAA.
Nothing ground-breaking there, but can Duds, the coach-to-be, and the players get it done?
ChippersLoveChild
April 19th, 2010
1:33 pm
Pressure or not, I don’t see the new coach getting fired after only one year, unless we are absolutely dreadful. Three different coaches in three years? That would ruin any development for our players and the franchise, imo.
As for Kovy, I’ll pass. I’d like more top six talent, but I’d also want to spread the money around, not give it all to him.
Get The Puck Out
April 19th, 2010
1:43 pm
Nabokov didn’t look so hot in the last game. Just keep it up and maybe we get a chance to snare him in FA.
glovesave29
April 19th, 2010
1:46 pm
I’ve mentioned the idea of Kovy coming back with Bill more than once. I’ve always felt there was a chance. We’d need to have a coach in place before the July 1st opening of the UFA season. But with the addition of Cormier and Oduya, and then re-signing of Kubina and Afinogenov – there is a base there to build upon that may convince him to come back…who knows. I would certainly be on the phone with the Sutter boys in Calgary to see what it would take to get Jarome Iginla here. He’s already gone in the press and said he’d go if he were no longer wanted there. We could package the 1st we got from NJ plus a second and (who…not sure here – maybe the rights to Armstrong, Schubert and/or White)…and with that, who wouldn’t wanna be here
A power play of Kovy, Iginla, Afinogenov, Enstrom and Kubina would be fun to watch.
I want a coach that stresses defense and pressure. Playing good defenseive hockey is really the result of one thing. Hard work. Being relentless with the pressure…I want to see forechecking with a purpose, not just sending someone in to say hi. I want it in the face of the D to try to force the play to fail, go into a trap, or to steal the pass. If you play in your face defense, the offense can feed off of the intensity and counterattack. Read and react – both on D and O.
Thomas is an upgrade over Moose. HOWEVER…I re-sign Moose to show loyalty and consistancy to a team thats had neither over a decade. The players like him and they work hard for him. How about starting today we become known at a “stand up” franchise. Rick…you listening?
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
2:00 pm
Y’all are deluding yourself if you think Kovy would come back here. Plus, had we signed Kovy to that $101 M deal, there is not a snowball’s chance in hell that we’d be able to re-sign both Max and Kubina. Now we can afford both and still add a player of Frolov’s caliber if we inject some youth into the bottom two lines. Plus Kulda will come dirt cheap as well for a couple of years. Just purge Kovalchuk from your minds and you’ll be much better off, just like the Thrashers.
Alan R.
April 19th, 2010
2:09 pm
Smoothie, it’s commonly believed that Kovalchuk was sending a message to ownership by not re-signing. I’m certainly not expecting him to re-sign here this off-season, and I doubt anyone really is expecting him to put ink to paper and return to Atlanta. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if this front office shuffle that has taken place is what Kovalchuk was looking for.
1 July is a long ways away. Anything can happen, including Kovalchuk re-upping in Jersey.
Joe Friday
April 19th, 2010
2:13 pm
Sweet, I get to Unleash the Bloggery, thanks guys.
I think the new Coach is under a must win situation and must get the club to the playoffs, that’s the whole point of firing Anderson. They expected playoffs this year and will definitely demand them next. Remember how the Caps took off when they brought Boudriuex up?
There’s no way I want Kovy back. That’s way to much money to tie up in one player, especially a one trick pony like Kovy, and as we’ve seen, we can’t win with him. With a cap strapped club like ours, who doesn’t spend to the max, you can’t tie up that much money in one guy (and he will get his $9m this July 1st, he’s the prize this UFA season). I think Dudley’s M.O. is to find up and coming talent and pair it with reasonably priced veteran pieces that fill holes and provide leadership. I see no chance of the guy who wanted to trade Levacalier signing Kovy.
We are much better off taking 1/2 of that Kovy money and giving it to a top flight goalie and taking the other 1/2 of the money and giving it to a top 6 vet forward who can play both ways and provide some leadership (Sharp). Re-sign Kubina, Max can come back at a reasonable price (Kozlov’s $ and Zhitnik’s buyout coming to an end leave you plenty of money to do all of that and give your RFAs the raises they’ll get).
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
2:26 pm
glovesave – I agree that Thomas is an upgrade over Moose. He’s still only 35 and should have a couple of good years left. However, if you’re truly committed to Pavelec as your starter, then Moose may be fine as the back-up. I would just prefer he didn’t play more than 30-35 times.
But at $6 M the first year, Thomas might be a bit risky. Well, he is too much money for these cheap SOB’s and I’d rather $4.5 – 5 M go to Kubina who definitely made our defense much better this year. But if Bogosian doesn’t improve markedly this year, we are screwed anyway.
The development of Bogosian, Kane, Little and Bergfors will determine the fortunes of this team. So I’d say the coaching pressure will be magnified due to the fact this is a young team. Not so sure it’s fair to expect huge improvement in one year, but let’s face it, look at Colorado and how much their youth movement has led to their success. If our 4 young guns can’t be as good as Duchene, Galiardi, Stewart and Yip, then it doesn’t matter who the goalie is.
Dwayne
April 19th, 2010
2:26 pm
Here is my take on Pavelec, is he getting a real goaltending Coach????? Pass on Kovy…..
Dwayne
April 19th, 2010
2:28 pm
One more thing, who wants to speculate on what would have happened had Kane NOT got hurt? I agree that Bogo and Little have to improve.
Spud Webb
April 19th, 2010
2:38 pm
Stroz, no thanks. kovy can go chase his money elsewhere!!!
Savannah Blueland Fan
April 19th, 2010
2:46 pm
“Ilya, now that you have re-signed with Atlanta for $700 million, do you think the team has a chance to get to the playoffs this year and actually win at least one game?”
“I like new coach. New coach good. Old coach no good. Waddy say mega-watt starpower no so bright behind Ovie and Malkin. He say you go away–make big noise–come back and we make money. I make money, Waddy make money—wife happy now”.
**POOF** Just ten more minutes, Mom; then I’ll get up. Wait a minute…where am I? I fell asleep in front of the computer AGAIN! And I had that same nightmare. Make it stop!!
Ilya, baby….we love you! We do! But go away. Go to the KHL; go to LA; just go……..
Thrasher fans……move on!!! It’s embarrassing. Next we will be prank-calling him in the middle of the night just to see if he is home and alone.
Just my opinion……..
glovesave29
April 19th, 2010
2:57 pm
I am in no way suggesting the original offer to Kovy is still, nor should be on the table. He’s going to find out NO ONE is going to offer him that coin. One player does not a team make. That being said, I can see his agent making a call to Dudley to see if there is still interest here. That’s his job. Should he not, he is doing a disservice to his client. If I were in Dudleys postion, I make no offer. I let him know we have been burned before. If he is willing to show what other offers Kovy has on the table (KHL not included), with the agreement that if we top it by even ONE Dollar, he must accept it, then fine, we can work together – snipers like him come along rather infrequently. I just dont want to be used as a pawn to get more $$$ elsewhere. Let someone else be the pawn for a change.
SBF – how is this embarrasing? After Gretzky was traded the fans tried to appeal to the Canadian Supreme Court System to get them to overturn the trade. THATS embarrasing. Speculating as to if a former play may consider returning…is just good ol conversation among hockey fans.
ChippersLoveChild
April 19th, 2010
3:03 pm
Glovesave… Kovy AND Ignla will not be happening, nice thought, but no way in hell we’d have them both and re-sign Max and Kubina. We don’t spend to the max.
Zoomo
April 19th, 2010
3:04 pm
>I want a coach that stresses defense and pressure.
I’ll sign up for that.
Kovy coming back? Not gonna happen.
Red Light
April 19th, 2010
3:21 pm
Congrats to Joe Bob Friday!
I think it’s time we begin a Brendanesque prediction blog about the Cap hit per year of the new Kovalchuk deal, presuming that he will indeed sign with an NHL team. So, if he gets a deal worth $132 million, which is $11 million per year for 12 years as some have suggested, then I am certain we will all be shocked, and one or more enterprising person(s) will fly to Miami and kidnap the youngest Czar, Artem Kovalchuk, and hold him for ransom in the defensive zone of the team he just signed with to see if in fact Kovy can be lured into that 75-foot area in exchange for his child.
My first guess, is that he will receive no more than $8.75 million per year for no more than 10 years, but I think the realistic deal is $76.5 million for nine years, or $8.5 million per year.
Kovy re-signed in Atlanta?
No
Playoff pressure in Atlanta?
Yes, enough for Dudley to take Wade Redden’s contract from the Rangers to make it happen!
ah, just kidding on Redden.
glovesave29
April 19th, 2010
3:52 pm
Maybe not, but Iginla is making $7M – and (I cannot believe I am saying this) for a player of his caliber, that’s pretty affordable. Remember how different we looked even after that first game with Tkachuk? Remember how great it was to have a true power forward? Changed the game for us. Iginla is that and 5 years younger. If I can have only one, I choose him over Kovy EVERY time. But why dont go for broke and try for both? At least it sends a message to the boys and to the fans that losing and excuses are no longer acceptable. Talk about a way to get the seats warm again!
If we are EVER going to be a big spender, now is the time. Ya got a one shot opportunity here to undo 11+ years of bumbling and meandering at one time. You want to get some serious “juice”and renewed interest back in the team? Pull off those moves…
You gave me a heart attack there for a sec Red Light!
Joe Friday
April 19th, 2010
4:03 pm
“enough for Dudley to take Wade Redden’s contract from the Rangers to make it happen!”
In your dreams! How much longer are the Blue Skirts saddled with that? And I wanted Waddell to get him when he was available, oops.
“Cap hit per year of the new Kovalchuk deal”
$9.5m per year. Is he worth it? No. Will he get it? Yep.
“If I can have only one, I choose him over Kovy EVERY time.”
You and me both. But forget about spending to the max. Dudley has already said he’s not going to spend more and that he has to put some key pieces in with the budget in place, but he’s confident he can do it.
Red Light
April 19th, 2010
5:14 pm
Joe Friday:
Redden’s deal has four years (GASP) years left at $6.5, $6.5, $5 and $5 million, which is grand larceny of the highest order.
Sage of Bluesland
April 19th, 2010
5:39 pm
The coaching staff will not be fired after one year–unless it’s a collapse of epic proportions.
It will be particularly interesting to see what happens in year two of this new “Five-Year Plan” (or whatever it is called these days).
Will the excremental progress as patterned–and promoted–by Waddell be accepted by the new President and ownership group? It’s funny how accountability applies to everyone except for Don in the figurative joke otherwise known as Blueland.
It all rots from the top–and if that doesn’t wake some of you up, then nothing will…Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to remind you…and look forward to the waffling which is on its way!
(I would love to save the comments from this past week as evidence of the sheeps’ much-awaited ‘honeymoon’ period!)
Stooge of Bluecheese
April 19th, 2010
6:00 pm
If I’m not too late for Post of the Year, I would like to self-nominate my 97 posts this season that DW should be fired, my 84 posts that you are all sheep, my 56 desperate calls for true hockey fans to boycott the game they love, and my one soul-baring post where I revealed my true hatred for DW stems from him not returning my e-mails.
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
6:17 pm
Guess that was Sage’s idea of “new material”. NOW I’m truly enlightened! Why dint you say it that way the first 100 times Sage!?
Brendan
April 19th, 2010
6:27 pm
Congrats to Joe Friday for the Blog Post of the Year! I look forward to your blog entry, sir. I hope Dudley can get an early start on re-signing some of those UFA’s. I guess, in the shoes of those UFA’s, you’re so very close to hitting the open market, what’s a few more weeks of waiting?
World Be Free
April 19th, 2010
6:50 pm
Alotta good stuff to chew on today, even without a contribution from Brendan so far today.
First off, I can’t believe I came in 2nd to Joe Schmo Friday on Blog of the Year! Hey Joe, where’s Bill Gannon? Congratulations, I guess.
Goaltending-we need an upgrade over the current tandem. This pair is not good enough. Thomas is a short term option, though I am not certain the Brunes will want to help the Thrashers improve without having us pay a steep price. We may need to look for a UFA or out West to get a #1. Theodore is an option too.
New coaches always have high expectations, largely because they normally follow a coach that was not successful. I think we are all expecting a young coach. He’ll have to be good at explaining his methods to the fan base, since so many are so skeptical (for good reasons). Our expectations of the entire organization will grow as Dudley’s work takes shape.
Kovalchuk-don’t you wonder what’s going through his mind right now? These are the changes he was probably looking for when deciding to stay or go. He looks pretty comfortable in Jersey, but the Devils are close to the cap so you wonder if he will have a chance to resign in Jersey. He will not get the money the Thrash offered him the first time around, as I predicted when he was traded. For what it’s worth, my vote would be “yes” to bringing him back.
Finally-note to Duds
Speak up during interviews! It’s getting harder for me you as the animal you were as a player when you whisper.
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
6:59 pm
Aww c’mon World! Give Duds a break, he’s got to keep his gangsta rep intact! Speak softly and carry a big stick. He’ll draw in the skeptics who are used to DWad’s snake-oil salesman persona. Then hopefully he’ll hit us all over the head with some much needed accountability!
World Be Free
April 19th, 2010
7:31 pm
Smoothie-you know he will. I still like his line about why people haven’t been going to the games-equating attendence to the quality of the product. We have never heard that before! He’s always been a quiet guy, off the ice.
We need to play videos of Dudley hits and fights during “Unleash the Fury”
LAC
April 19th, 2010
7:47 pm
Well smoothie, You act your age yet again on the blog.
Do YOU even watch hockey, Thomas was Great LAST year Dummy. 17-18-6 This season,
sure 2.56 GA and .915 Save Pct. Plus he is 36 years old, Hedburg is a year older.
Seems every time I saw Thomas highlifghts on TV this past season the puck was going in,
a losing record on a Better team… No Thomas is NOT the answer and grow up and act like a man and not a little whining baby when you disagree, esp your Little SNIDE comments, Worthless !
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
7:59 pm
Unleash the Furry! As in Dudleys frizzy fro-like coiffe.
DavidR
April 19th, 2010
8:25 pm
just a few odd thoughts here…. the flames will be in semi offload because they are up against the cap. they trade iggy well attendance is gonna take a serious hit. same for the kipper. there will be other players the flames will be wanting to get rid of but they are all going to be a wee bit pricey. the oilers however might be a better place to start with.
one thing i would absolutely not be surprised about is if we end up with carey price. it might be one of those new location better player thing.
past that i have a sneaking feeling that we are more likely to pull from the draft and the junior players versus signing big name talent unless something comes along that is absolutely to perfect to not pass on.
ThrashDawg
April 19th, 2010
9:06 pm
Any new coach should be on a two year contract with the team expected to make the playoffs the first year and if no playoffs after year two….see ya later..
Hokey Clisters
April 19th, 2010
9:13 pm
We wanted to play hockey when we was younger but we could find no ice in Georgia during my early days. The gang decided we would play some street hockey. Our first game was going pretty well until we got the puck caught in a drainage pipe. It was kinda scary seeing our puck lodged in the pipe but we finally got the nerve to get it loose. Just then some older lady screamed at us…….”hey you idiots, leave that cat alone!”……we never played hockey again.
World Be Free
April 19th, 2010
9:24 pm
Hokey-I have alotta ice hockey stories, even more street hockey tales! Broke all 3 windows in my parents garage, along with 500 or so dents in the door with street hockey pucks. We made lead pucks in metal shop, because he heard that’s how Yvon Cournyer (spelling) from the Habs developed his wrist shot. Our driveways and tennis courts did not like those lead pucks!
DavidR-folks IN Calgary claim they will never trade Kippy or Jerome, they will both retire Flames. Eastern Canadian media claim both are available at the right price. But the Flames are pretty dysfunctional now, both on and off the ice. They have to make some moves; they have a team that’s up against the cap that did not make the playoffs. They also do not have a #1 or #2 pick this year, so there’s no immediate help on the way.
Iginla in Atlanta would be incredible. Sabres fans will tell you they were close to getting Jerome at the deadline, for Drew Stafford and an unnamed prospect, but your have to think it was Tyler Ennis. I think it will take that kind of talent to land Iginla.
Rawhide
April 19th, 2010
9:42 pm
Hokey Clisters – Great story!!!
David R
April 19th, 2010
10:12 pm
World be free. Trust me I know they are both available at a price. But the biggest question would be if ownership (king) will trade tickets for trading them and a rebuild process. I’m expecting the flames to trade and deal else where versus using those two unless the return is going to be absolutely incredible.
I will say one thing if we managed to get iggy I would be forced to get a name on the back of a jersey than.
stendek
April 19th, 2010
10:25 pm
Hi Bill. Thanks for providing area for playoff hockey vents. I have a few…Glad Crying Ryan Miller got the loss! Cannot stand that bum. Happy he choked on Buffalo Sabredancers not the USA Olympic hockey team this time! Hope New Jersey Pitchforks plus Ilya Kovalchoke on sidelines after opening round. Hate that Russian backstabber! Got no use for Chicago Chickenhawks either with quitter Maryann Hossa wasting roster space. Hope those scumballs are gone after first round too! Want Vancounver Nookies gone too. Just because I love Calgary Flames! Regional thing. ++STENDEK++ Other than that do not really care who hoists cup of Lord Stanley. Although Crapitals still nauseate me! Yeck.
stendek
April 19th, 2010
10:33 pm
WBF—Bring Ilya “More Open Net Misses Than God Allows” Kovalchoke back? Have you grown accustomed to mediocrity or do you just miss his damn laziness but impressive figure eights? I would not bring the backstabbing SOB back for $30 per game! Yes, I said $30! Know New Jersey Pitchforks will shell out big bucks to get his unproductive a$$ out of scenic New Jersey. Had respect for your hockey knowledge. Not any more! ++STENDEK++
Smoothie
April 19th, 2010
11:22 pm
LAC – If I didn’t know better I would think you are a parody of something you think that I am: an immature and reactionary, attention-starved egomaniac who derives some degree of satisfaction out of belittling people I don’t even know. Of course, that is hardly the case.
But if you can’t even recognize how disingenous it is to not concede that a goalie with a .915 SVP and a 2.56 GAA in a “down” year isn’t as good if not better than a soon to be 38 y/o non-starter on a perennial loser coming off a career year (can anyone say Todd White?), then I guess it doesn’t matter how well I argue any point with you. I only used such an approach to make a point about how you deliver your point of view most of the time on this blog.
And lastly, is it Thomas’ fault that the team in front of him isn’t capable of scoring 3 goals more often than 2 or less? Just sayin’.
Brendan
April 20th, 2010
12:06 am
My guess on Kovy’s new deal: $60 million over 7 years, for a cap hit of roughly $8.57 million. Worth it? Well, beeeing honest, if the guy does put up 40 goals-a-year for all of those seven years, I’d say that’s money well spent, offensively. If he is a -88 during those seven years, not so much. My guesses for his next team are (1) Los Angeles, (2) NY Rangers, and (3) Toronto Maple Leafs. Don’t talk to me about cap situations. Teams that want Kovy will make room for him. He’s a pure sniper whose PRIME years are still ahead of him. And can we ease up a bit on Glovesave29 for committing the “heinous crime” of offering a discussion topic on a blog? I don’t think it’s inappropriate to discuss Atlanta’s options of landing Kovalchuk in free agency. I’d say it’s a longshot, but I’ve learned to never say never, when stranger things have happened. I think Kovy’s looking for a more stable situation than Atlanta, and truthfully, Atlanta must embark on a new “concept” for its team design. I have advocated, “depth strategy,” especially for a market like Atlanta. That’s where your 12 forwards each make between $2.0 and $3.3 million, each scoring somewhere between 16 and 23 goals a season. You roll four lines, something close to equal time, and force the other coach to devise a strategy for his checking line. It gets complicated when a team’s 4th line is just as apt to score as its top line. And above all, special teams are at the forefront. With the depth strategy, the highest paid player would be the goaltender. And remember something, part of the reason you’re paying him SOOO MUCH is due to his “ready made” status. Unlike Kari Lehtonen and Ondrej Pavelec, you don’t have to invest “years and years and years” of development time. You’re bypassing that with a proven commodity in net.
On the NHL Network, they are debating whether Halak should start Game Four vs. young Carey Price. I still think Halak is the guy, in Montreal. Both are RFA’s, I believe, at season’s end. Would Montreal be willing to trade one? Well, if Gretzky can be traded, anyone can be traded. But I don’t rightly know what the Habs will do with their goaltending situation in the future. Ex-GM Bob Gainey was going with Price all the way. But, he’s out. So, maybe the new Administration is willing to move him. But is Carey Price “established enough” for Atlanta? I don’t know. I do think Carey Price would benefit from a change of scenery from the Montreal Hockey Media. I love Moose Hedberg, but I cannot see bringing him back, at his age. He’s not a #1 goalie. And I don’t know that Pavelec is ready yet to be a real #1.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
7:43 am
I knew my suggestion of bringing Kovy back would stir the ire in some of you. Thanks for NOT disappointing me, especially you Stendek! I’d rather have Iginla than anyone else that might be available.
At least we agree on the Sabres; I said all along that Buffalo is a collection of 3rd liners with a great goaltender. Miller has been carrying this team all season. I predicted that Boston would take out Buffalo in 6. If you think Thrashers’ fans can be tough on management, you outta read the Buffalo blogs.
Back on Kovy-you just never know do you?
Tom (Capital T Tom)
April 20th, 2010
7:53 am
Simply put, bringing back Kovalchuk is like dating a girl a second time. You know that it could work, but you also recognize it could flame out spectacularly.
We are not a good enough organization to take a risk like that. We need to recognize that we are an average at best club and not a destination for a superstar, yet. Brandon’s advice is solid. Get a strong group of solid B players, build a culture, and then cherry pick a star when we are strong enough to support one.
Financially, if we tread water at 50 million until that time we will have the cap space to invest in the star to put us over the top. Until then, a solid focus on the core is the smartest thing Dudley could do.
Badger Bob
April 20th, 2010
8:05 am
Regarding Iggy, consensus from friends and family in Cowtown was a goal scorer and high draft pick would be sufficient to snag him (sounds right, considering the elsewhere reported BUF offer). Not one of them had the reaction of “We’ll never trade Iggy”, and that’s significant. There’s a very good chance he’ll be moved as part of the depth or spread the wealth strategy that the Sutters are espousing.
Unless you do a sign and trade (which I hate being on either end of), it means moving either Little or Pevs, plus one of the first round picks. I’m a big fan of both those guys, but you gotta give up something. Iggy certainly helps with the identity and toughness. Thoughts?
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
8:19 am
Brendan, Montreal will trade Halak or Price at the end of this season. They cannot afford both. Habs fans will expect improvements and the best way to improve is getting rid of one of the 2. The question is, which goalie will go? I like Halak better, but Price is a Canadian boy. Montreal will loathe to trade a Canadian boy for a foreigner.
I like your thoughts on NOT moving on Kovy and building a new culture here. I have to admit I did not consider the culture when I suggested resigning him. Tom (T) talked about dating a girl twice; I did that when I was young, very strange and never the same the 2nd time.
Not sure Kovy would be in favor of coming back, especially after hearing all the stuff said to him at the Devils’ game. the locals were not very nice to the Golden Boy. Safe to say he was not welcome on his return.
I guess the Kovy/Thrasher divorce is final.
Bill
April 20th, 2010
8:28 am
If they sign most of their own free agents they still need to find a good prospect picking 8th who can come in and play now, or (my preference) trade the pick for a quality player who can fit a scoring need or be a two three defensemen.
I am curious, will they make a run at Kovy for less money then they offered him at the trading deadline????
Get a coach, acquire a couple new players to get the fan base excited again.
J-man
April 20th, 2010
8:38 am
Sherry Taylor – I think Slava’s comment was meant to refer to the team at the start of the season, but it’s a good question to ask. Nobody’s ever asked him for a clarification on it.
I’m sure the new coach will feel pressure to win. The dwindling local fan base can only be asked to be patient so much longer. Dudley will get maybe 1 year at best of good will from the fans before calls come for him to go if they continue to miss the playoffs.
Kovy is not coming back. This is not difficult to understand. Everyone has moved on with their lives and his time here is in the past. I still think he’s going to shock a lot of local fans and go to the KHL.
Ilya Kovalchuk
April 20th, 2010
8:46 am
Atlanta nice place to live. Thrashers second class organization. Come back there? Nyet.
Badger Bob
April 20th, 2010
8:58 am
All those reminiscing about Kovy, watch this video and remember why we don’t need Mr. Spectacular / Dr. NoShow. Amazing to see Chico Resch pondering why Kovy has only shown up for one of three games, and making excuses for him. Chico knows better, but he’s got his Kovy-colored glasses on:
http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2010/04/what_the_devils_need_now_is_fo.html
JB
April 20th, 2010
9:08 am
My question is this… what coach would WANT to take the helm of this team under those circumstances? I mean, what person in their right mind would even want to attempt to come to this city, with this team, and voluntarily put themselves under that kind of pressure… make the playoffs or get fired?
Badger Bob
April 20th, 2010
9:11 am
JB, every coach that’s ever taken a job in a Canadian city fits that description.
R. Stroz
April 20th, 2010
9:25 am
Now that nearly everyone has had an opportunity to chime in on the idea of bringing Kovy back, would someone call Bruce Levenson and ask him to calculate the percentage for and against?
Based on Levenson’s prior history on being able to calculate percentages, I’m guessing he says its about 50 percent for and 50 percent against.
DWTOO
April 20th, 2010
9:53 am
There will be some pressure for the new coach to win immediately, but, as someone else has pointed out not like a Canadian market. Think as long as we see a team competing and hustling every night with incremental progress next year we’ll be OK. That was the most frustrating aspect of the team this year. One night they’d great and the next night look like a Lower A team. And if they were shut down the coaches could never change their plan.
As for Kovalchuk – we’ll probably trade for him when he’s 36 and over the hill. Doubt that we’ll see him soon. But that’s what blogs are for- fun to speculate. If he wanted to play here next year for the right price – why not?
As for the goalie situation I’d like to see a rotation of Pavs and Price/Halack. Either would be fine with me. And make Hedberg a coach/player. Does the NHL have those short term 10 day contracts the NBA has?
Tom (Capital T Tom)
April 20th, 2010
9:56 am
Ilya is losing the love in Jersey?
“It’s your time Mr. Kovalchuk, show the world you are worth $10 million a year, since right now you’re not worth you weight in mud.”
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/381079-ilya-kovalchuk-needs-to-step-up-his-game
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
9:59 am
I have been waiting for the shoes to fall in Calgary and it has not happened yet. Edmonton and Toronto will go into next season with the same coaches and GMs, having finished 30th and 29th this past season.
Coaches should expect to be fired if they do not make the playoffs, especially in hockey, where more teams qualify for the post season than those who do not.
I think Kovy’s wife will decide where he goes; stay in the NHL, take less money but live in NJ or LA, or go to the KHL, move back to Russia for unlimited bucks. Where would you like to love honey?
Stroz-I think your 50/50 guess on Kovy is about right!
Nikita
April 20th, 2010
10:02 am
No, no, no. A million times no. We do not need Kovalchuk. We will not prosper with Kovalchuk. We should not bother discussing Kovalchuk.
Let me count the ways:
1. Management demonstrated a continuous unwillingness to give Kovalchuk the rigor and accountability necessary to his development. So having Kovalchuk on the ice means letting Kovalchuk call the shots. And you need only look at our past record to see how well that went.
2. Sayonara, backchecking. Sayonara a well-rounded squad. Sayonara, secondary scoring. Helllooooooooo, predictable plays and other players serving primarily as setup men for the cherrypicker.
3. Honestly, I’d rather pay an up and comer with substantial two-way capability. Or several. Like, say, two young guys with 20+ goals a season or one superstar who also can produce a positive +/-.
4. Back to Kovalchuk calling the shots…his behavior is a big part of why certaing things are the way they are. His refusal to play with Hossa was part of Hossa’s annoyance with the team (though certainly only part), he is the reason Bryan Little is playing out of position and got moved around quite a lot, and he’s the reason we signed a whole slew of players who vary in how well they fit in. Oh, and how awesome was it for the last two seasons hearing about John Anderson’s system when his star wouldn’t play it and couldn’t be made to play it by the coach? And how did Kovalchuk’s play work out for Hartley? This isn’t Kovy’s fault, necessarily, but at this point it’s pretty clear that management can’t afford to manage him. They need hired guns to come get the job done without thinking that they run the place.
Badger Bob
April 20th, 2010
11:03 am
Glad I don’t have money on my playoff series predictions. Already, after just 3 games, three of my eight predictions are impossible, and the other teams I picked need to go a combined 14-3.
Nikita, I agree with you on all counts. Avoid Mr. First Class like the plague. The Thrashers and Kovy will look ridiculously desperate if he’s re-signed.
Alan R.
April 20th, 2010
11:15 am
This is a public service announcement for everyone here in the Thrashers blogosphere: “The Bleacher Report” is not a legitimate source of information; rather, it is a collection of opinions, and sometimes, misinformation. Just because it shows up in Google’s news tab doesn’t make any of what’s posted there true.
Riceowls
April 20th, 2010
11:27 am
As for the second half of Rawhide’s post, if the first round ends as it stands now, no Canadian team is still playing for the Cup (stop trying to take my team), and Heatley and Kovalchuk aren’t either. If the Preds step it up, Hossa is gone too.
I could live with that.
Red Light
April 20th, 2010
11:36 am
Alan R.: I think you’ll find most of these so-called opinion based sites, simply read reports online and then compose their opinions. In fact, I’d venture to guess most don’t even attend games nor interview players before or after games but rather watch them on TV. Your PSA is right on the money and you should be commended.
If Mike Grier continues to lead the Sabres in shots, the series will be over in five games rather than World Be Free’s prediction of six games. Stafford and Connolly have been invisible and Vanek needs to return quickly for this series to go to Game 6.
Halak has faced 36 shots per hour against the Caps. Not sure that it’s his fault alone, but he does need to be better. If Price starts Game 4, the series will conclude in Game 5 in Washington. The Habs have nothing!
alex
April 20th, 2010
11:51 am
calm down stendek, kovy not coming back, on my resources he said that he rather going to play for free, but thrashers. on the other hand something happened after 2008 – his game deteriorated. but everyone who got memory unlike stendek remember he single carried this franchize almost to playoff in the season after snyder tragick with horrible team around, also back to back xet trick avay games in ottava and tampa. (not to many in hockey history). what about four goals with tampa in philips when we had 6 minor goalee. who scored around 350 goals in season here. i don’t believe stendek did, but russian bestard. however agree time to move in new direction, again need to be carefull by past mistakes not to move in new location.
Tony C.
April 20th, 2010
11:52 am
If you look at the numbers #17 has put up for the Devils, what he does or doesn’t do in the playoffs will determine if he’s re-signed there.
Interesting to see that some of the same “issues” are still cropping up even with top-flight linemates…(Langenbrunner & Elias)…
Red Light
April 20th, 2010
12:01 pm
Zubrus, Elias and Kovy have 17 shots combined in three games. Don’t think the series will continue if that trio can’t get pucks on net.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
12:14 pm
RiceOwls-I was thinking the same this morning. Would be something if no Canadian team made it out of the first round! What would Hockey Night in Canada do then!
Nikita – like I said before, I guess I got the ire up in a few of you today! All Stroz fault actually, I just took the bait. Biltong was actually getting excited about Kovy coming back so he could get his kovy 3rd jersey out of the closet.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
12:18 pm
red Light-my rookie of the year predition is Tyler Myers. Why? becuase the Sabres were a non-playoff team the last 2 seasons. They won their division this year, by taking the same team and adding Montador (6th defenseman), Mike Greier (4th line winger) and Myers. I have always been a Greier fan, so I am not surprised he has risen in this series while the other Sabres have wilted.
Stafford’s trade value is sinking fast and he will be gone at the end of this season. He should take Pominville with him.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
12:23 pm
Sorry Stendek, but even I get carried away sometimes.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
12:25 pm
Earlier this morning, in a fit of boredom, I decided to do some research on the Tampa Bay Lightning and the construction of the team that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2004. Obviously, Dudley left his mark while he was GM (’99 – 2000) and Senior VP (’01 – 2002), but the impression wasn’t as deep as I had thought.
While Duds can be credited with the sage decisions to bring in diminutive forward of Univ of Vermont fame, Marty St. Louis in 2000, the venerable Dave Andreychuk in 2001 as well as sign FA journeyman goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin out of the soon to be defunct IHL in 2000, there isn’t really anything else worthy of mention as it pertains to Rick Dudley’s tenure in TB. His drafting in 1999 and 2000 left a lot to be desired as he was obsessed with drafting Russian “talent”; 7 of his Top 10 picks in 3 years were Russian born and only Evgeny Artyukhin is still playing in the NHL. Obviously, he learned a harsh lesson with respect to drafting players from Russia, but perhaps a lot of us are getting just a bit too fired up about Rick Dudley’s credentials…myself included.
Anyway, my research led me to this. If you think our ownership troubles are deep and far-reaching, you’ll be astounded when you read this snippet of history from wikipedia regarding the Lightning’s first decade of existence…talk about a nightmare of mismanagement!
“In the late 1980s, the NHL announced that it would expand. Two rival groups from the Tampa/St. Petersburg area decided to bid for a franchise: a St. Petersburg-based group fronted by future Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes owners Peter Karmanos and Jim Rutherford, and a Tampa-based group led by two Hall of Famers – Phil Esposito and his brother Tony.”
“On paper, it looked like the Karmanos/Rutherford group was the frontrunner. Not only was the Karmanos/Rutherford group better financed, but one of Esposito’s key backers, the Pritzker family, had backed out a few months before the bid. Esposito eventually recruited a consortium of Japanese businesses headed by Kokusai Green, a Japanese golf course and resort operator. The prospect of Japanese backing tipped the scales in the Esposito group’s favor, and they were awarded an expansion franchise for the 1992–93 season, as was a group in Ottawa (which became the Ottawa Senators). One of the limited partners in the new Tampa Bay team was New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner (who lives in Tampa during the year).[2]”
“According to former NHL president Gil Stein, another factor was that the Karmanos/Rutherford group wanted to pay only $29 million before starting play, while the Esposito group was one of the few willing to pay the $50 million expansion fee without reservations.[3]”
“After being awarded the franchise, the team’s management brought in star power before they had any players. Phil Esposito installed himself as president and general manager, while Tony became chief scout. Terry Crisp, who played for the Philadelphia Flyers when they won two Stanley Cups in the mid-1970s, and coached the Calgary Flames to a Cup in 1989, was tapped as the first head coach. The team was named the Lightning, after Tampa’s status as the “Lightning Capital of North America.”[citation needed]”
“Phil Esposito initially attempted to recreate the mystique from the powerhouse Bruins of the 70s; he hired former linemate Wayne Cashman as an assistant coach, former Bruin trainer John “Frosty” Forristal as the team’s trainer, and the inaugural team photo has him flanked by Cashman and player Ken Hodge, Jr., son of his other Bruins’ linemate. The team turned heads in the preseason when Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in an NHL game, making her first of two NHL appearances in an exhibition game against the St. Louis Blues.”
“The Lightning first took the ice on October 7, 1992, playing in Tampa’s tiny 11,000-seat Expo Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds. They shocked the visiting Chicago Blackhawks 7-3 with four goals by little-known Chris Kontos, a scoring mark unmatched by any Lightning player. The Bolts shot to the top of the Campbell Conference’s Norris Division within a month, behind Kontos’ initial torrid scoring pace and a breakout season by forward Brian Bradley. However, they buckled under the strain of some of the longest road trips in the league — their nearest division rival was St. Louis, over 1,000 miles from Tampa — and finished in last place. Their 53 points in 1992-93, however, was one of the best showings ever by an NHL expansion team. Bradley’s 42 goals gave Tampa Bay fans optimism for the next season; it would be a team record until the 2006–07 season when Vincent Lecavalier passed it with a career high 52 goals.
The following season saw the Lightning shift to the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division, as well as move into the Florida Suncoast Dome (a building originally designed for baseball) in St. Petersburg, which was reconfigured for hockey and renamed “the Thunderdome.” The team picked up goaltender Daren Puppa, left-wing goal scorer Petr Klima and aging sniper Denis Savard. While Puppa’s play resulted in a significant improvement in goals allowed (from 332 to 251), Savard was long past his prime and Klima’s scoring was offset by his defensive lapses. The Lightning finished last in the Atlantic Division. Another disappointing season followed in the lockout-shortened 1995 season. Still, the Lightning appeared to be far ahead of their expansion brethren, the Ottawa Senators. In marked contrast to the Lightning, the Senators showed almost no sign of respectability in their first four seasons.
[edit] From great success to utter failure
In their fourth season, 1995–96, with Bradley still leading the team in scoring, second-year forward Alexander Selivanov scoring 31 goals, and Roman Hamrlik (the team’s first-ever draft choice in 1992) having an All-Star year on defense, the Bolts finally qualified for the playoffs, nosing out the defending Stanley Cup champion New Jersey Devils for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference by a single game. Although they lost their first-round series in six games to the Philadelphia Flyers, it still remains a magical season for Lightning fans. The Thunderdome crowd of 28,183 for the April 23 playoff game against the Flyers was the largest crowd for any NHL game, a record that stood until the 2003 Heritage Classic in Edmonton.
The Lightning picked up sniper Dino Ciccarelli from the Detroit Red Wings during the 1996 off-season, and he did not disappoint, scoring 35 goals in the 1996–97 season, with Chris Gratton notching another 30. The team unveiled a glittering new arena, the Ice Palace (now the St. Pete Times Forum) and appeared destined for another playoff spot. However, the Lightning suffered a devastating rash of injuries early in the season. Puppa developed back trouble that would limit him to a total of 50 games from 1996 until his retirement in 2000. Bradley also lost time to a series of injuries that would limit him to a total of 49 games from 1996 until his retirement in December 1999. Center John Cullen developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and missed the last 12 games of the 1996–97 season; he would eventually be forced to retire in 1999. Decimated by these ailments, the Lightning narrowly missed the playoffs. It would be seven years before the Lightning would even come close to the playoffs again.
Most of the Lightning’s early stars were gone by 1998 due to free agency and trades by Phil Esposito which backfired. Crisp was fired eleven games into the 1997–98 season and replaced by Jacques Demers. Though Demers had presided over the resurgence of the Detroit Red Wings in the 1980s and helmed a Stanley Cup run in Montreal in 1993, he was unable to change the team’s fortunes, and the Lightning ended up losing 55 games.
By all accounts, the Lightning’s plunge to the bottom of the NHL was due to the way Kokusai Green ran the team. Rumors abounded as early as the team’s second season that the Lightning were on the brink of bankruptcy and that the team was part of a money laundering scheme for the yakuza (Japanese crime families).[4] Its scouting operation consisted of Tony Esposito and several satellite dishes. The Internal Revenue Service investigated the team in 1994 and 1995, and nearly slapped a lien on the team for $750,000 in back taxes. The situation led longtime NHL broadcaster and writer Stan Fischler to call the Lightning a “skating vaudeville show.”[5]
Even in their first playoff season, the team was awash in red ink and Kokusai Green wanted to sell it; however, the sale was hampered by the team’s murky ownership structure. Even some team officials (including Crisp) did not know who owned the team, and one person listed as a major shareholder reportedly did not even exist.[4] Another problem was that Kokusai Green initially demanded $230 million for the team, including the lease with the Ice Palace.[5]
It later emerged that Kokusai Green’s owner, Takashi Okubo, had never met with Esposito or with NHL officials in person prior to being awarded the Lightning. During his seven years as owner, Okubo never watched his team play, and never even visited Tampa. Esposito never met him personally in his hunt for investors, for instance. Nearly all of Kokusai Green’s investment in the team and the Ice Palace came in the form of loans, leaving the team constantly short of cash.[2] In fact, the first time anyone connected with the Lightning or the NHL even saw him was in the spring of 1998. Many of Esposito’s trades came simply to keep the team above water. The team’s financial situation was a considerable concern to NHL officials; rumors surfaced that the league was seriously considering taking control of the team if Okubo failed to find a buyer by the summer of 1998.[5]
Forbes wrote an article in late 1997 calling the Lightning a financial nightmare, with a debt equal to a staggering 236% of its value — the highest of any major North American sports franchise. Even though the Ice Palace was built for hockey and the Lightning were the only major tenant, Forbes called the team’s deal with the arena a lemon since it would not result in much revenue for 30 years. It was also behind on paying state sales taxes and federal payroll taxes.[1]
Finally, in 1998, Kokusai Green found a buyer. Although Detroit Pistons owner William Davidson was thought to be the frontrunner, the buyer turned out to be insurance tycoon and motivational speaker Art Williams. Williams walked into a difficult financial situation; the team was $102 million in debt at the time the sale closed.[5] Like the Japanese, Williams knew very little about hockey. However, he was very visible and outspoken, and immediately pumped an additional $6 million into the team’s payroll to turn it around. He also cleared most of the massive debt left over from the Kokusai Green era. After taking control, Williams publicly assured the Espositos that their jobs were safe, only to fire them two games into the 1998–99 season; Demers became general manager as well as coach. Despite the clouds still hovering over the franchise, 1998 saw the Bolts draft Vincent Lecavalier, a player who would be a cornerstone of the team for years to come.
Williams was widely seen as being in over his head and was an easy target for his NHL colleagues, who called him “Jed Clampett” behind his back because of his thick Southern accent and fundamentalist Christian views. Early in the 1998–99 season, the Lightning lost 10 games in a row, all but ending any chance of making the playoffs. They ended up losing 54 games that year — more than the expansion Nashville Predators. Although some blame Williams for the slide, it can be argued that the damage from the Kokusai Green era was too much for Williams to overcome.
[edit] Return to respectability
By the spring of 1999, Williams had seen enough. He had not attended a game in some time because “this team broke my heart.” He lost $20 million in the 1998–99 season alone — as much money in one year as he’d estimated he could have reasonably lost in five years. [2]
Tampa Bay’s previous alternate logo (1992–2007)Former Arm Patch Logo.Williams sold the team for $115 million — $2 million less than he had paid for the team a year earlier — to Davidson, who had almost bought the team a year earlier. Along with the sale, the Lightning picked up a new top minor league affiliate; Davidson also owned the Detroit Vipers of the now-defunct International Hockey League.
Davidson remained in Detroit, but appointed Tom Wilson as team president to handle day-to-day management of the team. Wilson immediately fired Demers, who despite his best efforts (and fatherly attitude toward Lecavalier) was unable to overcome the damage from the Kokusai Green ownership. Wilson persuaded Ottawa Senators general manager Rick Dudley to take over as the Bolts’ new general manager; Dudley in turn brought Vipers coach Steve Ludzik in as the team’s new head coach. Wilson, Dudley, and Ludzik had helped make the Vipers one of the premier minor league hockey franchises, having won a Turner Cup in only their third season in Detroit (the team had originally been based in Salt Lake City).
However, as had been the case with Demers, the damage from the last few seasons under Kokusai Green was too much for Ludzik to overcome. Even with a wholesale transfer of talent from Detroit to Tampa (a move that eventually doomed the Vipers, which folded along with the IHL in 2001), the Lightning lost 54 games in 1999–2000 and 52 in 2000–01, becoming the first team in NHL history to post four straight 50-loss seasons. The lone bright spots in those years were the blossoming of Lecavalier and Brad Richards into NHL stars. Ludzik was replaced in early 2001 by career NHL assistant John Tortorella.”
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
12:39 pm
Nice work Smoothie-nice that it is lunchtime and I had enough time to fully read your “Brendan-esque” piece. I knew the first years of the Bolts existance was bad, but I did not realize it was that bad! I have no idea what the Esposito boys are doing these days. Crazy stuff.
One more note-
I am disappointed in how Alexei Ponikarovsky has played so far since going to Pittsburgh. I expected him to elevate his game, but it seems like he has actually fallen back abit. Bad timing considering his UFA stats in a few monthes.
R. Stroz
April 20th, 2010
12:42 pm
WBF – Kovalchuckle, Kovalchuckle
DWTOO
April 20th, 2010
12:46 pm
Wow – Almost makes the ASG look compentent.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
12:50 pm
World – indeed! Scary how effed up that franchise was during the dark days of the late 90’s. Even though I followed the Sabres casually back in the late 90’s, I did not follow hockey closely enough to know how bad off the TBL organization really was. If they can survive, then the Atlanta Thrashers will be just fine. At least ASG isn’t saddled with tons of heavy debt…I believe they have very little to none.
DWTOO – Word to your mom! As the kids used to say back in the late 90’s
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
12:51 pm
BTW, guess who Dudley brought in to Detroit as a FA signing in 1999 to play for the Vipers as their goalie: Tim Thomas. Yep, that Tim Thomas.
I think half the NHL is somehow connected to Rick Dudley in some way, shape or fashion. His roots grow DEEP!!
R. Stroz
April 20th, 2010
12:54 pm
Id Dudley related to Kevin Bacon?
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
12:56 pm
http://bluelandchronicle.blogspot.com/2010/04/dudley-scuttlebutt.html
Check out this link for some really adroit scuttlebutt scouting by the boys at the Blueland Chronicle. Hat tip to the Big Shooter! Woooo!
That is if you’re into that sort of thing…scuttlebutt that is.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
12:59 pm
Since Rick Dudley made the infamous trade to draft J-Bo with the 3rd pick instead of the 1st pick in 2002, thus ensuring that we would get screwed out of Rick Nash, will we see Duds pull off the blockbuster of the new decade by trading Bryan Little, Boris Valabik, our high 1st rounder and Johnny Oduya to Calgary for Jerome Iginla and Bouwmeester?
Not that it would ever happen, but I think a Top 4 of Kubina / Tobes and Bogo / J-Bo would be pretty darn formidable. Ron Hainsey playing 3rd line minutes with Arturs Kulda!? LOL Can you tell I’m bored?
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
1:05 pm
Now Smoothie, no more Dudley dirt please!
Stroz-Kovy
I got intoxicated by his talent and forgot everything else we had to deal with. Stendek, Nikita and a few others had to bring me around.
lilibeter
April 20th, 2010
1:12 pm
First and foremost…please dear god do not bring Kovalchuk back to Atlanta and turn our Thrashers back into a one-trick-pony.
Second and more on-point to Rawhide’s actual topic…I absolutely believe that the pressure on our new coaching staff is going to be sky-high next year. It absolutely should be sky-high too. As badly as I want to see our boys takeover a viable playoff berth next year, I do not believe the pressure should be do-or-die high though. I believe the judgment should be a little less black and white than “did we make the playoffs” – I would prefer a more objective judgment that places value on tangible achievements. Much like Badger Bob said, our new coaches will need to prove themselves in areas such as young player development, adaptable defense, and improved Power Play. I would add to that areas such as generating a lower GAA, controlling penalty minutes, defending the blue line, screening the opponent’s goalie on offense, getting sticks in passing lanes, and increasing second-chance goals (or third or fourth-chance).
That being said, I am on-board with Biscuit’s concept of hiring the coaching staff to a one-year contract thus freeing us up to cut bait at a moment’s notice if necessary if any piece of the new coaching staff is not showing marked improvement in the areas for which they are responsible. Perhaps other organizations can afford giving a new coaching staff a two-year contract, but our organization’s need is more imperative because hockey is largely viewed as being on life-support here in Atlanta and we do NOT want to lose our sport. As far as which coach would come here under such circumstances, I don’t know the answer to that on a first-name basis. But I do believe that there has got to be a hungry, hard-a__ coach out there with a burning desire to make his own legend by coming to what the rest of the league considers to be a mess of a team and taking us from life-support to perennial Cup contenders in one fell swoop.
Hokey Clisters
April 20th, 2010
1:30 pm
Kolvachuckie is a Russian by name
Stealing our $$ is really his game
He’s a devil in red
And now it is said
Don Waddel will take no more blame
ChippersLoveChild
April 20th, 2010
1:36 pm
Just to feed the rumor mill or get talk stirring, I saw where Custance was tweeted at regarding our next coach and he said “I think Feaster is on the right track when he says Torchetti and Ramsay. I’ve also heard Lever, but haven’t been chasing.” So take that for what it is.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
2:00 pm
If I were a betting man, I would take 5 – 1 odds that it will be Craig Ramsay. Don’t see Torch leaving CHI just yet. Stevens will get an interview too I think. Lever might get a courtesy interview as well, but didn’t Duds say he wanted someone with legit NHL experience? Are there any current AHL coaches who have logged time as a NHL coach?
1) Ramsay
2) Stevens
LS) Lever, Torchetti, Schoenfeld, Cunneyworth
R. Stroz
April 20th, 2010
2:18 pm
I like Ramsay’s hairdo, truly low maintenance.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
2:24 pm
Stroz – you are priceless!
100th b_____es!
Nikita
April 20th, 2010
2:56 pm
Thanks, all, for feelin’ my Kovalchuk rant. You know why they’re having the same problem to some extent in New Jersey? Because Kovalchuk is very assertive. It’s not his fault if others let him be, but he gets too much focus for not enough contribution. And the Devils were one of the best teams in the league before they added him, so just imagine what damage he could do on a less disciplined team.
Let me add, also, NOT HARTLEY. NEVER HARTLEY. He seems like a nice guy, but he’s not skilled at developing players. That was Anderson’s major advantage over him, and it’s a necessity in coach for a team that wants to do a Buffalo-style youth movement and strategy of four equal lines.
….and, in a related note, I expect we’ll see a few of the kiddos go. Chris Thorburn should expect to be traded unless he can substantially elevate his game and/or we really need him on special teams.
I am cautiously optimistic about Dudley. Except I don’t agree if he’s suggesting that the goaltending we have is good enough. It is most definitely not.
Thinking back over the season, there are a number of things that if slightly better might have made the team good enough to make the playoffs this year. But chances are that it won’t be good enough to make the playoffs any other year, since this year the hurdle was pretty low in the east. And we should be addressing those issues, which are more or less even strength offense and defense and the shootout. All need to be slightly better. But the things that we have to address if we’re going to produce a playoff-caliber team, and address significantly, are the power play and goaltending.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
3:03 pm
Stroz-you and Rammer would be brothers.
How ironic would it be if Duds hired Ramsay as head coach, Lever as assistant. Rammer, Duds and Lever – all formers Sabres running the Thrashers.
Hire Mike Ramsey as the defensive coach?
DWTOO
April 20th, 2010
3:14 pm
Let’s Go Buffalo!! Maybe some of the meathead Sabres fans (not you guys) would calm down. NAH. Probably most of them don’t have the sense of history WBF has.
R. Stroz
April 20th, 2010
3:28 pm
Anyway else going downtown tonight to watch the Hawks?
If so, come by and say hello, I’ll be in my “perch” in Section 222.
R. Stroz
April 20th, 2010
3:32 pm
Stroz-you and Rammer would be brothers.
WBF – True, but I haven’t resorted to shining my head yet.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
3:34 pm
You have to understand Buffalo culture and the steady decline of the area.
Buffalo was the 8th largest city by population in America at the turn of the 20th century. It was an industrial and transportation hub, jobs and prosperity. Then the erosion started, the plants started closing in bunches and the death was sealed when the Welland Canal was build, circumventing the city. Jobs, tax dollars and people starting leaving. Buffalo’s not even a top 50 city anymore. Rochester will pass Buffalo as the #2 city in population in NY this decade and it’s declining too. Sabres come up sort, Bills lose and will leave the area when Ralph Wilson croaks.
All of this can change even good people when everything around you starts to rust and fade away. I don’t even recognize the city anymore except for the boarded up buildings and rusty silohs. The neighborhood where my grandfather’s bar stood for 60+ years is a ghost town.
Maybe that’s why Buffalonains get so physcho over a regular season wins. Not much left to cheer for. The last person can turn out the lights when they leave Buffalo.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
3:38 pm
World – when you say “turn of the century”, you mean 1900 right?
Isn’t Lake Erie America’s second “dead” sea?
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
4:16 pm
Yes, 20th century – 1900 . Sobering, isn’t it?
Lake Erie has made a come back, all the steel plants that polluted it are gone.
Smoothie
April 20th, 2010
4:26 pm
Well, that’s good to hear for the Lake Erie and its many otters! And lake monsters. The fact that Buffalo was EVER 8th in anything but smelly steel plants is quite remarkable. But it makes sense given the import of the Erie Canal and such.
Red Light
April 20th, 2010
4:48 pm
I stop by and say Hello tonight R Stroz as long as you don’t yell, “hit somebody J-Smoove!”
Lee
April 20th, 2010
4:53 pm
Here are the first phrases that will come out of the new coaches mouth:
Okay guys, I know you guys suck….really bad. And I’m gonna try to help you guys stop Sh**ing yourselves…if I can. Just go out there and play hard and don’t emabarass yourselves. Let’s also try to make it beyond the first round this year?
WHAT PLAYOFFS?
April 20th, 2010
5:11 pm
Playoffs….ahhh….It’s the best time of the year, and it’s too bad the Thrashers ALWAYS miss it, well, except for when they got swept…and in that case experienced it, but…didn’t enjoy it.
FYI from HookyBob
April 20th, 2010
8:45 pm
Hey hockey fans,..if you don’t have Center Ice,..or have to share your TV,…you can still keep up with the games at: http://www.ATDHE.net.
World Be Free
April 20th, 2010
10:01 pm
Does anyone else want to go thru the TV and punch Chico Resch right in the mouth!? What a whining cry-baby, bitching about the rtefs. the devils, perfectors of the trap and close “checking” crying about the refs.
Kovy is hogging the puck again! Can’t believe I even mentioned about briging him back and no I was not drunk! Mr. First Class Organization is one game away from an early vacation from the playoffs.
Kovyoverrated
April 20th, 2010
10:17 pm
I love being right! Kovy destroyed a really good team over the past 2 months and now the hockey world sees what I have been saying for years. He is not-and will never be-an elite player. I agree with Kincaid. Going forward, your NHL championship teams will mostly be made up of Canadians and Americans (of course with some exceptions) The Russians all look like they couldn’t care less about the results of a game. They all look like robots-no emotion, no passion, and certainly no extra effort. Best of luck playing with your homey, Mr Kozlov, in the motherland!
Hokey Clisters
April 20th, 2010
10:26 pm
Hank Williams Jr had a song that went like this “It don’t take long to get when you’re high and pressurized, you ain’t very far from nowhere when your high and pressurized, ….and the only way to get there is high and pressurized.” Could Hank have been singing about our next coach? Maybe he was just drinking on a plane – but I digress…..
Trixie (Rawhide's Secretary)
April 20th, 2010
10:44 pm
This is your official 10-minute Ranallo Warning. New Rawhide blog to be posted in 10 minutes.
I only wish I could have done this right after Mr. Smoothie’s post just after noon.
Hokey Clisters
April 20th, 2010
10:47 pm
My apologies… the song should go more like this: “It don’t take long to get there when you high and pressurized, you ain’t very far from nowhere when your high and pressurized…..and the only way to go there is high and pressurized.” I guess the pressure is starting to get to me.
mike
April 20th, 2010
11:01 pm
kinkade moron his beloved philly has anti russian policy (except ukranian zhitnik) and what they won for last 30 years. i am not betting on them even now. they one game away eliminating kovy nj. what about stanley cup winners deitroit with 5, or nj with 3, or colorado, or dallas, or tampa, exc. continue listen kinkade and you really going to be educated in hockey. by the way hockey as a game first been introduced to soviets (russian) in 1947. since they won around 30 world champ at least 6 olimpiks gold. this numbers canadian will reach approximately 30 years from now americans in 23 century. but it’s true after collapse of ussr sport is down out here so far. ok i am finished and going to turn on kinkade. he is genius.