Thrashers talk contract extension with Kubina and Afinogenov… Armstrong, not so much
According to Kevin Allen of USA Today, the Atlanta Thrashers have begun talks with defenseman Pavel Kubina and forward Maxim Afinogenov regarding keeping the two in Thrasherville next season.
The Thrashers would like to see the return of Pavel Kubina and Maxim Afinogenov, seen here scoring against Buffalo last October (AP Photo/Don Heupel)
Allen also indicates that they have no chance of re-signing forward Colby Armstrong.
Last season… after signing a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Thrashers… Afinogenov scored a career high 24 goals and finished with 61 points. Six goals and 12 assists came while on the power play and three times he scored the game-winner.
Kubina came by way of a trade with Toronto and is coming off a contract that paid him $5-million per season. He was a solid presence on the blueline and chipped in with 6 goals and 32 assists last year, finishing with an EVEN +/- rating.
Kubina turned 33 last April 15 while Max will be 31 on September 4.
Allen surmises that both Kubina and Afinogenov may still opt to test the free agent waters. However, he also stated that they are looking to sign prospect Swedish prospect Carl Klingberg, believing that the 34th overall draft pick in 2009 could play on the second line as soon as this season.
NHL playoff ratings up 19 percent
Is NHL hockey finally starting to show some recovery from the lockout five years ago? Well according to the TV numbers, it just very well may be.
As AP sportswriter Rachel Cohen points out in this piece found on Yahoo Sports, “The good vibes have rolled on for hockey through the Stanley Cup playoffs. The first two rounds have averaged 886,000 viewers per game in the U.S., up 19 percent from last year and the most since 1997 – in other words, since before the lockout”.
Cohen contributes some of the low rating right after the work stoppage to that made their way to the Stanley Cup Finals in the years following the work stoppage that wiped away the 2004-05 season…Caroline-Edmonton and Ottawa-Anaheim.
Exciting series like the second-round matchup between Philadelphia and Boston have led to increased TV viewership (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
However, some very exciting postseason matchups from teams in big television markets…right on the heels of last February’s Olympics…have helped draw viewers back to NHL action.
“But as fortunes have shifted so have TV ratings”, Cohen’s write up continues. “The league is coming off two straight Red Wings-Penguins showdowns and that dramatic Olympic tournament capped by the thrilling final between the two North American teams. The second round of this year’s playoffs was full of large-market, tradition-rich, star-laden franchises—and it doesn’t hurt that 10 of the 12 series so far this postseason have gone at least six games at playoff series this spring.”
Having the Los Angeles Kings return to the postseason after so many years certainly has to help matters as well given that the greater L.A. area is second only to New York in TV markets.
And as we look forward to the Stanley Cup Finals, the league official have to be thrilled at the notion that regardless who comes out victorious in the Western Conference Finals, they are going to have either the third-highest TV market or fifth-highest represented by Chicago or San Jose, (considered a part of the greater San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose market).
If Philadelphia is successful in the Eastern Conference Finals…and they lead it 2 games to 1 at this time…then the NHL will be blessed with the fourth-highest market as well.
And Now, A Programming Note From Your Blog Host
As many of you already know, this Saturday my oldest tax exemption is scheduled to graduate from high school. His grades are in…finals have been taken and passed…and he is spending his last two days of secondary education practicing with his schoolmates for Saturday’s ceremonies.
However, until I actually see them hand him the diploma…and allow him to leave the building with it…in my mind, anything can happen. I just have too much history with this boy over the last twelve years to be able to breathe comfortably just yet. Anything can happen with him, I tell you.
But assuming all goes off without a hitch, Matt will be a high school graduate in a couple days and will be preparing for his days as a college student.
After that, the Divine Mrs. R and I will be wheeling our way down to the beaches of Florida with both boys to take a weeklong vacation…a long-awaited R&R before we begin a very busy month of June in which the younger tax exemption will spend each week of that month away at various JROTC camps and events.
Given all of that, over the course of the next several weeks, do not be surprised if a few days pass between blog posts. I’ll have internet access wherever I roam, but I’m sure you’ll all understand why my attention will be focused in other directions for just a while.
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
123 comments Add your comment
Kevin
May 20th, 2010
11:22 pm
Good, Armstrong is a 3rd line player at best who scores about three highlight hits a year and is basically non existent for the rest of the season.
Spend the money elsewhere.
Tom Lysiak
May 20th, 2010
11:56 pm
A reported $2.4 million should buy way more than 15 goals/29 points, namely consistent effort. See ya Colby…..
Bogothrash
May 21st, 2010
6:41 am
Congratulations on the pedding graduation of your #1 tax exemption and enjoy your well earned vacation.
As far as Colby is concerned let him go. He never acted like he wanted to be here anyway and this past season most of the time he simply mailed in his play. Let the Thrashers use that salary savings for someone who wants to be a Thrasher and comes to play everynight.
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
7:33 am
Don’t know why any player, unless he is a sure thing, would want to test the UFA waters at this time. So many teams are looking to dump contracts, versus picking them up. Max still has his past rep he has to deal with and GMs have a long memory. That being said, I hope we resign both guys. If not, in Kubina’s case, we should find a suitable replacement in the free agent ranks.
Colby will be heading to the Maple Leafs. Good luck in Toronto Colby, where the press and fans will fry you when you take 2-3 games off in a row as you did in Atlanta. The Toronto media needs a new whipping boy.
DWTOO
May 21st, 2010
8:05 am
Never hurts to see if someone will throw a pile of money at you, but, I see Finny and Kubina returning to the fold. As for Armstrong, we have better/cheaper oprtions in Machachek or Klinberg. Don’t see him coming back. Besides we sat at his table at Casino Night – no one escapes the Spanish Inquisition or us at your table.
Russian
May 21st, 2010
8:10 am
I like to keep Pasha for $4.0 per year. I think Max will ask around $2.5-3.0 per year. Armi is a good player, but I am not crying to loose him. We paid him too much.
**Rawhide**
Congratulation! I have same deal. My second one will graduate from Kennesaw Mountain High School. And we going to Florida also.
HAVE FUN!
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
8:25 am
Russian-nice to see you have a K-M grad too. Great school.
glovesave29
May 21st, 2010
8:26 am
I remember when Army was traded here, the media / blogs were filled with glowing reports of a guy who wore his heart on his sleve, who went hard 150% of the time, and that Atlanta fans would just love to watch. Never saw it. I saw total indifference. Either PIT fans were wearing rose-colored glasses, or Colby just shut it down here. Leave…go…y’know the old saying – “don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!”. Money can be used better elsewhere. Pavel, Max – hope they stay.
rob
May 21st, 2010
8:56 am
Rawhide,
Congrats!!! Enjoy your family and the time away and don’t worry about us, we are all grown adults (even when we don’t act it) and can get by with allowing the blogmaster some deserved time away from all of us!!
Armstrong is a curious piece. If he could somehow figure out how to play at a consistant level, he would do well and be worth what he made here. But watching his lack of effort day in and day out is unacceptable, so I say see ya! I hope they don’t get caught up paying Kubina too much or an extended contract as I feel he may have played his best hockey. I also hope that they don’t pay Max based on 1 season. I would expect Max to take into consideration the chance the team gave him and the warm reception we gave him here in his decision of if he wants to test the market before signing.
Putting On The Foil
May 21st, 2010
9:04 am
Congrats to both Rawhide’s and Russian’s grads. Like most, would like to see Max and Kubina return. Army should have been the one making the $800,000. Have seen all of the great EC playoff hockey, not so much the west(too late when you get up at 4am every morning), but glad to see ratings going up.
Rawhide
May 21st, 2010
9:19 am
Russian – Thanks and congrats to your boy, too!
Mine graduates from North Cobb. So if you are going to be a part of the graduation assembly line at KSU tomorrow, maybe I’ll see ya there.
Red Light
May 21st, 2010
9:29 am
Question of the Day: If you had to pay $10 per game, or $410 per season to watch an HD broadcast of all Thrashers home games either via the internet or on TV, would you do it?
Red Light
May 21st, 2010
9:34 am
The question should have included: If you had no other “free broadcast” or Center Ice option, would you pay $10 per game, or $410 per season to watch an HD broadcast of all Thrashers home games either via the internet or on TV?
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
9:35 am
R/L – considering I paid over $1500 for 2 tkts in the upper level for 40 games + parking + concessions, I would gladly pay $400 to have every Thrashers game televised in HD so I could stay at home 1/2 the time and save about $500 by not going and not getting gouged for parking and beer. Plus, I’m a game-watching, analysis-addicted hockey junkie!!
Sorry to hear Colby doesn’t want to come back, but I’m not really surprised. He’s a western Canadian boy who dreams of playing for a team in Canada or at least close to CA. But he’s being quite short-sighted not realizing the potential of our youth. And I imagine he’ll be lucky to get any more than a 10% raise on the open market. It’s unfortunate because I think he is a very solid player when he plays with emotion and attitude, but like many here have said, he seemed to be playing with very little “give-a-crap” juice in the tank most of the time.
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
9:41 am
Oh yeah, it would have to be on TV so I could use my 46″ flat screen. But then again, I might be able to use an HDMI cable to run the laptop feed into the TV. While $10 / game seems a bit much right now, for me it would be more than worth it. Eventually, this is how cable TV will work…with more a la carte choices where you pay per event or by the bushel of bundled channels.
Joe Friday
May 21st, 2010
9:48 am
“or Colby just shut it down here.”
Winner winner, chicken dinner. It’s been quite obvious that just like Hossa and Kovy before him, he was biding his time to get out of here. My call remains that he’s the 1st UFA signed on July 1st, back to the Pens.
“If you had to pay $10 per game, or $410 per season to watch an HD broadcast of all Thrashers home games either via the internet or on TV, would you do it?”
Of course not. The 1st advantage I found when I unhooked myself from the DW kool aid machine and turned in my season tix, is that on a nightly basis, I get several NHL games in glorious 100″ high def in my theatre. And all for the price of what, $159 per year? And many Thrash games are in high def already, sometimes you have to watch the away feed (just register one of your boxes in another zip code and don’t plug a phone line into it).
Joe Friday
May 21st, 2010
10:01 am
Colby’s got his bag packed, which begs the question, has Dudley being named the GM (in title anyway) changed the perception UFAs have of us? Kozlov is the only decent UFA that ever re-signed here of his own volition, and that ended badly with him badmouthing us. I guess Holik was another UFA that chose to sign here, but that ended badly as well.
Sure would be nice to see an inkling that things really have changed here. Kubina signing early with us would help show that guys respect Dudley’s ability going forward.
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
10:12 am
Problem is Joe that the contract demands of Pavel Kubina might be too great thus making it unwise for us to sign him before July 1. I think Kubina does like it here and sees a chance for him to finish his career here making some good money. Problem is he may want 4 years. I’m not down with that. I think 3 years is the max # we should go even if we have to pay him more than the surmised going rate of $4 M / year. I’d be fine with 3 years averaging $4.25 – 4.5 M.
As for Fins, at least we now have Colby’s money to pay Max his new MV. I say he gets 4 years at an avg of $2.5 M. While I may not want him that long, he is a threat every time he touches the puck and can be quite effective along the wall on the PP, both of which we need right now. However, it may be better to overpay him at $3 M or so per year for only 3 years.
Again, this team needs to keep an eye on the long-term horizon and not get too caught up in making headlines by re-signing UFA’s who may be overvalued because we have the money to pay them more.
FormerIslesFan
May 21st, 2010
10:17 am
RH,
Hard to believe that in the time I’ve known you that Matt has grown into a graduating HS senior. So, congrats to him, you and the rest of the family on that wonderful achievement.
Spud Webb
May 21st, 2010
10:18 am
Russian, Bill, congratulations on the kids!!
No way we should give max anything close to 2.5-3 million. I’d give him 2.2 for 2 years, thats it. Kubs, this should be interesting. I have to think he’s gonna test the market, just for the fact of what some D men have gotten the last few years, Campbell, Hainsey. He will probably get an outragous offer from some needy team. SIlly if he didnt test the market.
Savannah Blueland Fan
May 21st, 2010
10:29 am
Did Colby play for us last year? I never noticed. But, like most everyone, it would be great to see Max and Pavs back; especially Max.
Rawhide, I feel your pain. Three years ago, my nephew was in his last year of high school. The end of the school year was approaching, graduation announcements were mailed out, the ceremony was rehearsed (and re-rehearsed), parties were planned. Then, one week before the big day, my nephew decided wouldn’t it be fun to attend school with a water bottle full of vodka….
Well, we had the party anyway. After all, you can’t return a decorated cake. But the dumb kid didn’t get that diploma until the fall. You’ll have better luck, though. Enjoy Florida’s beaches; bring us all back little oily tarballs as souvenirs.
Russ
May 21st, 2010
10:35 am
If the Thrashers have to overpay anyone, which they usually do just to meet the salary cap minimum, I would overpay Kubina. I wouldn’t go higher than about $1.8 mil. for 2 or 3 years with Max. If he wants $2 mil plus, that’s too much for a one way player coming off of one good year that’s career was severely trending downwards prior to that IMO. I think there are suitable replacements for Max coming up through the system that would cost about 1/3 the price. Too bad Armstrong wasn’t feeling it here. If/when his heart is into the game he is an extremely effective third liner that could do a respectable job on the second line in a pinch.
BillyWayne67
May 21st, 2010
10:40 am
Maybe the best thing to do is find and KEEP a coach, add a center and address the special teams.
Creating a revolving door of players is frustrating
Russian
May 21st, 2010
11:07 am
Everybody! Thank you.
**Rawhide**
It will be great to see at KSU, but it will lot of people there.
Red Light
May 21st, 2010
11:12 am
Armstrong’s frustrations may be traced to a decrease of time on ice and use on the power play unit:
19:04 2005-06 Penguins
16:49 2006-07 Penguins
15:24 2007-08 Penguins (54 games)
:30 power play
18:01 2007-08 Thrashers (18 games)
1:36 power play time
15:09 2008-09 Thrashers
1:47 power play time
14:47 2009-10 Thrashers
:38 power play time
I’m not saying he is justified, but that may be the genesis of the problem.
I’m all for using a prospect to provide what he provided during his time here. He’d make a good replacement for a guy like Owen Nolan in Minnesota, Jamal Mayers in Calgary or Pisani in Edmonton.
Alan R.
May 21st, 2010
11:15 am
Red Light, considering the quality of “free” broadcasts, I’ll pay the $10 regardless.
rob
May 21st, 2010
11:16 am
I say no for the $10/game. Center Ice costs less for more, and I could care less if it is in HD or not honestly.
Different question.
If the UFA’s we want to sign decide to test the market, do you want them to come back to us after that?
My thought on that is this. The team knows what we can pay in order to accomplish the goals of the owners/coaches/players/and lastly us fans. If you can’t fit into those plans/ideas then go someplace that can fit you in. But don’t go find the one team silly enough to overpay then ask us if you can stay here for the same money. Unless the team is offering something unreasonable, stay here to be part of the TEAM, part of the idea… Stay here to build something. 10 years and this team has no identity because it has been misled. Hopefully that changes now but if you want to see what it looks like outside the Thrashers first, I don’t know you want to be a Thrasher. We deserve better.
Max, you get 2M for 2 years. Kubina 3.5M for 2. That is fair and will give us room moving forward as we need to sign the next waves of young guys. No more silly Hainsey-type contracts if we want a TEAM here IMO.
Joe Friday
May 21st, 2010
11:20 am
I’m telling you, Pitts. needs wingers and he can create space for Crosby
And congrats on the graduation of your son, Rawhide! Big day!
Joe Friday
May 21st, 2010
11:22 am
rob, I hear you on the attitude that Brendan always preaches, that we want guys that want to be here. But Kubina is going to get $5m per, might as well give it to him. I’d go with 3 year $15m contract and I’d guess that’s what they’ve offered and he may want more
rob
May 21st, 2010
11:25 am
RL,
Colby needs to grow up. He has potential. But potential only gets you so far, and eventually you have to prove yourself. If his ice time caused him to fold tent, WOW. I don’t see him going many places as more than 3rd line unless he has a moment, but if he wants to go to Canada, I would think he would play harder because most Canadian markets will not tolerate that type of playing the way we did here.
glovesave29
May 21st, 2010
11:33 am
RL – i’d argue the decreased ice time for Colby is the result, not the cause. Why reward a guy who gives little effort the prime quality minutes? Give em to those who give a flying flip.
Midfield
May 21st, 2010
11:35 am
Question: has the NHL ever forced IIHF to apologize for criticizing its player for not going to the World Championship – ever before Crosby turned up on the receiving end? I don’t think so – at least I don’t remember. By the way, even Gretzky did play at the Worlds having been eliminated from play-offs. What is it with Bettman? He does not seem to get over the bum being off the tv screen. And he ain’t even that pretty.
Daculafan
May 21st, 2010
11:47 am
Congrats to you and your son there Rawhide. Have a great vacation.
As far as Max and Pavel, I want them both back and would be willing to see reasonable money given to both. With regards to Army, I think he can be a good grit player and can bring a raw edge to the team when he really wants to put it out there. I see him as the agitator, kinda like a Matt Cooke or Sean Avery type without being the total a$$hole that they are. I think his resentment started when the Pens went to the playoffs and he was playing golf..and then they won the Stanley Cup and he was playing golf…and then they went to the playoffs again…guess where he was?…the whole time you know he had to be thinking that if he hadn’t gotten traded his life would be sweet…no way he’s going to stay here.
Adam
May 21st, 2010
11:49 am
With Max, while only one year, he was one of the only players in his age group that showed consistent effort game in game out. He also seemed truly happy to be here. I could see giving him 7m for 3yrs.
On Pav’s 12m over 3yrs front loaded. If he doesn’t bite look at UFA’s.
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
12:12 pm
R/L-maybe; not an all season commitment
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
12:18 pm
Yeah congrats Bill-time flies, between sending them to their first day of kindergarden and sizing them for their cap/gown.
Colby-Pittsburgh or Tronna
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
12:26 pm
Scott Arniel has been invited back to Columbus for 2nd interview.
The Blue Jackets’ job is down to 2 candidates, Arniel and Kevin Dineen.
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
12:27 pm
Gosh, am I the only one here who watches a game (even after a loss) a 2nd time using the DVR replay? I guess I’m a sick puppy, but I like to try to diagnose what went wrong the day after as you sometimes miss things at the rink you might see…when the game is in HD. If it’s in SD, forget about it. I might as well watch someone’s youtube video with a shaky hand.
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
12:28 pm
World – ain’t Arniel in town today for his interview with Duds? I wonder if that will impact Dudley’s decision to wait on Torch. Looking better and better for Rammer if the Jackets lust for Arniel is really that great.
Joe Friday
May 21st, 2010
12:40 pm
“am I the only one here who watches a game (even after a loss) a 2nd time using the DVR replay?”
whoa, Nellie! You watch Thrashers’ games twice? Can you say glutton for punishment! I’m nominating you right now for 7th man next year. Twice?!
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
12:46 pm
Joe F – I’m a sick pup! I even chart shots during replays too in order to determine my own “Corsi” ratings and get a sense for who is really doing their job well.
As a result, I will hate to see Colby go from the standpoint of losing his two-way game and gritty forechecking (when he feels like it), but I’m hoping Spencer, Patrice and perhaps even Carl K (and don’t forget Joey Crabb or Ant Stewart) might be able to liven up our Bottom 6 at various points throughout the year.
steve
May 21st, 2010
1:10 pm
Have a great vacation and don’t get too oily!!!!
Tom
May 21st, 2010
1:22 pm
Smoothie
I am guilty of watching the games twice. If you have a Tivo, try this one. Watch the game in the 1st level fast forward. You really can see the flow of the game and which team is willing to go into the corners and do the dirty work.
The Anderson style we saw last year saw lots of play in the middle of the rink with very little consistent corner work. My prayers are that we will have a coach that will preach getting one’s hands dirty. EVERY NIGHT!
Tom
May 21st, 2010
1:27 pm
Oh, and Rawhide and Russian, congratulations on getting your boys through High School. Both you and they should be proud of the accomplishment.
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
1:32 pm
Smoothie-you are a sick, though I admit I was spinning the Thrashers’ finale against the Pens the other night when there was no hockey. Hard to believe the season will be over soon.
I think a few GMs are kicking the tires right now, while others will want a coach on board by draft. Wonder if Duds has spoken with Rammer yet? Like you, I still think Rammer is still the #1 guy, despite his age and cancer. Hasn’t hurt him in Boston for sure.
rob
May 21st, 2010
1:46 pm
Watch it again?!?!? You know who wins, you saw the poor plays that led to goals, the great work that led to another, and the hit/save that changed the flow of the game. That is the excitement of watching the game. But watching it again to break it down?!?!? I have too much going on and barely enough time to watch it the first time! LOL
Brendan
May 21st, 2010
2:04 pm
I’ll read comments tonight. But just a quick note, I enjoyed this blog. Have fun on your vacation. Congrats to Matt! And I do surely hope that Finny and Kubina remain in Thrasher Blue next season. That’d be great, if the Thrashers can pull it off.
Tony C.
May 21st, 2010
2:04 pm
Give Pasha 3 years guaranteed with a mutual option for a 4th year-if father time has him in a choke hold @ 36, then just buy him out-it’d be like -$1-2M spread out over several years, so not soo bad, presuming he gets around $3.85-4M/yr.
Max: ? Hrrrmmm I just can’t see going over $2-2.5m per with this guy-yeah he makes plays,may be the best dangler I’ve seen in person-but my man just doesn’t finish. It’s the difference between a guy being a “talented winger” and being “star winger”… it also amounts to about another $1.5M in pay.
Colby: ? Seriously? I think there’s a reason a lot of us on here call him “Armi” instead of “Army” since he joined our club. Potential is there-flashes of who he could be-especially once he was put with Slater and Kane… but I think it was fairly obvious that he wants out, has wanted out-sheesh the guy cried on TV when he found out about the trade. I don’t blame him-as mentioned above, when he sees the guys he came up with getting their names inscribed on the Prince of Wales trophy and The Cup, can’t be an easy pill to swallow. I’m confident he’ll land in a Canadian market (Maybe Cal-gary if he isn’t looking for a raise), and have a serviceable NHL career. We’ve got similar players signed for less who aren’t going to moon over their ex.
Red Light
May 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
Why would anyone give Max more than twice the amount he earned last season? Just asking…
Tony C.
May 21st, 2010
2:27 pm
gossip for the day:
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/sports/pro/hockey&id=7454561&cmp=twi-kabc-article-7454561
five_hole
May 21st, 2010
2:42 pm
Congratulations Bill (assuming he does in fact graduate). Now you have several years of paying for college to look forward to. Trust me; I’ve got 2 in college right now.
I for one am happy to hear that Max wants to resign with us. Given our depth at d-man (Odouya, Enstrom, Begosian & Hainsey as top-4), I’m surprised that they want to resign Pavel, but would welcome him back as well. Army? As much as I like the kid, he is replaceable.
We need top-6 wingers and I’d like to know how much someone like Luongo would cost.
World Be Free
May 21st, 2010
2:58 pm
five_hole got my second going through college now, looks like he’s heading to grad school too. Hoping they will support me later in life. “grampa’s out in the shed”
Jason
May 21st, 2010
3:22 pm
Hopefully you and your tax exemption enjoy your time in my building tomorrow, Rawhide. Looks like I’ll be heading into the office to get ready for our baseball game – that is getting rained out today as I type….
Did he ever decide on which school he wanted to attend?
Midfield
May 21st, 2010
3:25 pm
Tony, I take it, Hardy is now becomming the front-runner to land the coaching position here – now that we already have one delinquent in the line-up.
The Real Thrash
May 21st, 2010
3:49 pm
So that means no one left from the Hossa-Dupris trade. Both of whom are playing well in the NHL.
Can anyone blame Colby for not wanting to be here?
Thanks again Waddell.
Smoothie
May 21st, 2010
4:03 pm
I forgot to click “submit” before I went into meetings for 2 hours…what a way to spend a Friday afternoon.
In response to those who say I’m crazy: Hey, I’m already crazy by being a Thrashers fan so why not go off the complete deep end and watch it twice. And then I save 8-10 games on the DVR so I can get a hockey fix during the summer when there is nothing else on between golf majors. If I could afford to play golf 3-4 times per week, I would, but you gotta have cheap entertainment options as well when you’re a poor SOB!
Flagstaff
May 21st, 2010
4:52 pm
Does anyone have a source where Colby specifically said he didn’t want to play here? Last I heard, he was praising Atlanta as his second home, having been married in the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and expecting his first kid soon. Seems more like a case of Dudley wanting to replace him.
EA
May 21st, 2010
5:04 pm
Colby recently called Atlanta his adopted home??? I thought he really picked up his game the last couple of months. Who knows. I wouldn’t be shocked if he is here next year.
Congrats to your son Rawhide! Have fun and treasure the memories.
Alan R.
May 21st, 2010
7:43 pm
If I could afford to play golf 3-4 times per week, I would
I have no problem at all sitting on my front porch and watching the grass grow. It’s cheap and easy.
five_hole
May 21st, 2010
9:50 pm
WBF I don’t hold any hope of them supporting me later in life. I will be counting on them, however, to change my Depends, and to wipe drool off of my face.
Russian Didn’t read your post about your kid’s graduation until after I had posted. Congratulations to you as well.
R. Stroz
May 21st, 2010
10:37 pm
Holy KHL Batman!
http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/05/21/ilya-kovalchuk-alex-frolov-khl-deal/#cntnt
Spud Webb
May 22nd, 2010
7:21 am
I mean colby is what he is (whatever that means). He was decent in Pitt, then again, who wouldn’t be? Bottom line is a dreadful trade and espo (knee and all) is the final/only piece. Colby is a good 3rd or 4th liner, thats it. I’d say 4th, but thats just my opinion. Too small to be an avery or cooke. Doesn’t aggitate enough for me, but wtf do I know! Your time has been served her colby, go play with EC somewhere. Two guys I couldn’t care less about!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot believe how slow the Sharks look vs Chicago. Hawks look pretty flipping good.
Tony C.
May 22nd, 2010
8:46 am
TAcky of me; my apologies to Matt, Rawhide &Russian. yall’re some proud papas I’m sure-and for those who haven’t met him, Matt’s a great guy-Congratulations fellas!
World Be Free
May 22nd, 2010
8:56 am
Spud, the Sharks fastest guy is Marleau, who is up for a fat contract on July 1. They are a big team, but don’t play big enough.
five_hole – I am afraid you are correct!
I think the organization is ready to move on from Colby and he from Atlanta. You wonder if Dudley’s arrival and the selection of the new coach will have any impact on his decision.
Savannah Blueland Fan
May 22nd, 2010
10:25 am
GO CHICAGO! GO CHICAGO! GO CHICAGO!
Blackhawks over the Flyers in 5 games……….write it down!
World Be Free
May 22nd, 2010
10:29 am
Interesting to see Hossa and Heatley struggle in the playoffs, in the sense that neither really has stepped up to make a difference. Both wanted out of Atlanta so they would have a chance to play for a winner. To play for one is one thing, to contribute to winning a championship is another.
rob
May 22nd, 2010
1:22 pm
Spud,
Agree on the Hwaks speed, they look really good at the right time, not just a line or two, but all of them. I was watching last night and listening to the morons call the game. Nabakov looked like he was fighting the puck to me, a lot of drops, and the Sharks, other than a few flurries, were on their heels most of the night. Hawks were just everywhere it seemed. Niemi looked a little out of place a few times early but settled down nicely. Can’t see Mary Anne not getting his name on the Cup….dam the luck.
WBF,
that will be my only good thing about Mary Anne getting a shot at it is, other than that OT goal he scored when he in fact should have been out of the game for his hit, he hasn’t done much at all. I don’t know what the situation is with him there, but watching the playoffs, if they dump some high end players, I would look at him 1st, then Versteeg, just based on the play I have seen.
Tom
May 22nd, 2010
1:38 pm
Hossa and Heatley are good to great regular season players when the game is called tightly and they have room to move around.
But playoffs are won in the corners. It is why some players do so much better in the playoffs than the regular season. They are willing to pay the price, not pull up from the hit, and change the dynamic.
The NHL’s rules change for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Hits that are instant penalties in the regular season are now great plays. Neither Heatley or Hossa can create the space needed in these games, nor do they have the heart to fight for that space. They need people to back off to get the room they need to succeed.
It is a shame. They both have the skill and the size to succeed. They just do not have the heart.
Dwayne
May 22nd, 2010
3:18 pm
since everyone is talking about their children graduating, my last tax exemption graduates next Saturday night, So congrates to all Mom, Dads, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles etc… …Go Flyers
goose
May 22nd, 2010
3:52 pm
I think Kubina will resign with us because of the fact that his family is in Tampa. I think Max should get about 2M for three years. As for Colby I think he will wind up with the Pens, Leafs or Flames.
World Be Free
May 22nd, 2010
4:20 pm
rob-not sure what’s up with Mary Anne, other than maybe he’s not getting enough ice time or he’s having issues with who he’s playing with. That contract may be tough to dump.
Heatley is just Heatley — a scum bag.
Dwayne
May 22nd, 2010
5:13 pm
Flyers up 2-0. In the famous words of Curly Howard..knukknukknuk
Savannah Blueland Fan
May 22nd, 2010
6:13 pm
Poor Montreal! Poor, poor Habs! And I’m sure that sand in the tunnels which affected only the Flyers’ skates was just a coincidence. Yeah, that’s it…a coincidence. Last night was “Beach Night” at the arena.
“Avec! Je’ nois le liqueur! J’ammoux vou alou d’junge aveoux l’mounge!”
That’s French-Canadian for “Look! A liquor store! Let’s bust all the windows and burn the place down”
Brendan
May 22nd, 2010
6:52 pm
http://blogs.ajc.com/iceman-thrashers-blog/2010/05/14/who-needs-home-ice-advantage-flyers-complete-amazing-comeback/#comment-28137
I repeat, 36.1-percent of the time since 1974 … the Flyers have been in the CF. If the Flyers can win one more game this postseason, they will make their eigth (8th) trip to the Stanley Cup finals. (1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1997, and 2010.) If Philly advances, it will be 22.2-percent of the time to be in the Cup Finals, since 1974. That averages out to a trip to the Finals just better than every 5th season.
Stop. I refer you to Don Waddell comments. No scratch that, Bruce Levenson comments, where Bruce pontificates that the Thrashers were 20-points better than the Flyers were in 2007, when they made their stunning drive to the CF, in a loss to Pittsburgh. Hmmn, does this mean the Thrashers will go to the CF next year, with all the progress they’ve made? All I can say is … if they can re-ink Kubina and Max Afinogenov, that’ll be a step towards “player retention” and “commitment.”
Remember something, folks. Chicago was a pretty bleak for most of the time that the Thrashers have been in the league. Only four times in the past ten (4/10) seasons have the Blackhawks been over .500. This is Chicago’s third (3rd) playoff year during the Thrashers existence. The proof that Chicago had turned the corner and become committed to winning the Cup was when it began attracting coveted free agents to their market, like Brian Campbell, Martin Havlat, John Madden, and Marian Hossa. Draft picks during the Thrashers existence for Chicago include: Duncan Keith (54), Brent Seabrook (14), Troy Brouwer (214), Dustin Byfuglien (245), Dave Bolland (32), Cam Barker (3), Niklas HJalmarsson (108), Jonathan Toews (3), Patrick Kane (1), Kyle Beach (11), and Jack Skille (7). But maybe the most compelling evidence of all, was the simultaneous announcement of the contract extensions of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith. Chicago has arrived. And if they win the West, up 3-0, they will be the FAVORITES to hoist the Cup. Let’s also not forget the Stan Bowman, GM, and Scotty Bowman, consultant, are a part of Chicago’s organization. That all happened when Chicago got NEW OWNERSHIP (!!).
Scotty Bowman tried to come here, but Bruce Levenson wouldn’t return his phone calls. (That’s a joke. I’m kidding. I do that, sometimes.)
alex
May 22nd, 2010
7:58 pm
yes brendan levenson and waddell big experts in this game. if somebody believe that they going to believe that my name not alex but einstein. like i said before atlanta cursed with this morons and no light ahead
Sage of Bluesland
May 22nd, 2010
8:27 pm
Brendan–I thought it was Waddell’s comments a couple of years ago, stating that we were ahead of Philadelphia’s progress when they went from tank to playoffs…
Regardless, this organization is nothing but a bad joke. To continue to keep that buffoon Waddell employed is an insult to Atlanta. This ownership is an abomination.
Not a single dollar more–as it’s nothing but wasted with these clowns…
(and then to have to put up with the sheep and their ridiculously unfounded optimism! Great…here we go again…)
World Be Free
May 23rd, 2010
9:18 am
Savannah-if the folks of Montreal are so proud of their city, then why do they trash it every time the Habs so SOMETHING? I worked near Montreal for 2 years, I have to say I am much more impressed with Toronto.
Nice work Brendan-again.
One of keys to Philly’s continued success is the style for which they are identified. Philly teams always work hard and they play physical. You don’t see a Flyer player dogging it like Kovalchuk did, because they stay away from those players in drafts and FA signings. We all dissed Philly for giving 4 number ones for Pronger last year, then gave him an expension. Now look at Chris, he is the best defenseman left in the playoffs by far.
The players come and go, but Philly has been Philly for the last 40 years, their style never changes. Any comparisons of Philly and the Thrashers have no point, since after 10 years, we have nothing that identifies us other than losing.
Will Dudley have the tools to build a competitive team? These are questions that still need to be answered.
World Be Free
May 23rd, 2010
9:33 am
Interesting when you read individual fan web sites, how upset other fans are about the current status of their teams. While few people are “happy” most see how teams that struggle can make it to conference finals by adding a key player or 2 or 5. Montreal is a great example making making the conference finals by adding guys like Gill, Moore, Cammy, Spacho and Moen for nothing. I remember pushing to sign Moore last summer as a replacement to Slater, only to be repelled by most of the bloggers on this site. Each of these UFAs has made a difference, complimenting the current roster.
The more I read on Chicago, seems like the Hawks are keen on keeping Sharp and big Buff and trading Versteeg for picks/prospects. Duds has Dale Tallon, another former Hawk employee to compete with for the Hawks’ talents. I think the draft and the time leading up to July 1 is going to be fun to watch.
Red Light
May 23rd, 2010
11:51 am
I just love it when another former Ranger goes to a team in its own division and makes an impact. Now, Blair Betts won’t be confused with Bobby Clarke, but his contributions have been very solid for Philadelphia. I met Betts early in October and asked him why he didn’t re-sign with the Rangers. His response: “They never even called me.” That’s my boy Sather for you, 20 years past his prime making personnel decisions and still employed. Eerily similar to Atlanta, although at least Sather had a prime.
Looks the Cup Finals will start a bit earlier than we expected.
Brendan
May 23rd, 2010
12:05 pm
Sage, you have have been right. I tried to find Bruce’s quote from 2008 on Google and came up blank. Maybe it was Waddell who said it, after all. Looking back on it, I think it was just a case of the wheels falling off the Flyers in 2007. They weren’t that bad in 2006; they had 101-points. They lost to Buffalo in the opening round of the 2006 playoffs. Then, they inexplicably tank down to 56-points, last in the NHL, and lose the draft lottery to Chicago, who selected Patrick Kane, while the Flyers took James vanRiemsdyk, 2nd overall.
Segue, so here we are! It’s three years later, since the infamous 2007 draft. Chicago went 1st overall. Philadelphia 2nd overall. And now, these “bottom feeder” lottery draft teams ‘could’ be playing each other for the Cup. If the Flyers win, this sort of thing isn’t exactly unprecedented. In 2001, the Tampa Bay Lightning finished DEAD LAST, just like the 2007 Flyers did. And like the Flyers, they lost the draft lottery to another team (Atlanta). Three years later, Tampa Bay won the Cup. In 2003, the Carolina Hurricanes finished DEAD LAST in the NHL, lost the draft lottery to Florida, picked Eric Staal at #2 overall, but won the Cup three years later, in 2006. So, will the Flyers be the ‘next DEAD LAST’ team in the NHL to lose a draft lottery, but still produce a title just three years later?? Stay tuned. We’ll find out if the Flyers can wrap up the Prince of Wales Trophy on Monday night. By the way, the Flyers put up 95-points in 2008, when they lost the CF to Pittsburgh. And in 2009, the Flyers got to 99-points, but against their season ended at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
WBF, I think the bigger benefit to the league would be a Flyers Cup win. Let me explain why. When a fan’s team squeaks in at 7th or 8th, there’s a sigh of relief that they got in, but really, such fans know what the statistical odds are of a 7th or 8th seed in the playoffs. They go. They cheer. They ‘try to believe’ that it COULD happen. But it never does. The closest such seeds have come were the 1994 Vancouver Canucks (7th seed), bowing out in Game Seven, as the final seconds ticked down vs. the Rangers, and the 2006 Edmonton Oilers (8th seed), who rallied from down, 3-1, to force Game Seven, which ended in defeat to Carolina. Now, I still say, ‘that’s one heckuva ride’ and a great season for those clubs. But the bottom line is … they didn’t win. The 1999 Buffalo Sabres, a 7th seed, lost in triple overtime of Game Six to the Dallas Stars. Unless you’re from Buffalo, where you say ‘there was NO DECISION that year.’ The 2003 Anaheim Ducks were a 6th seeded longshot, who lost in Game Seven to New Jersey. The 2004 Calgary Flames were a sixth-seeded longshot that reached the Finals, only to lose to TB, in Game Seven. Even Gretzky’s L.A. Kings were a sixth seed that failed in the 1993 Finals, vs. Montreal. WBF, they never do seem to end up with that Cup. But if Philly does it … fans will point to 2010 and say, “I know it’s happened ONCE. In 2010. And not only did the Flyers win the Cup from a 7th seed, they also overcame a 3-0 series deficit to do it.” That’s, maybe, the greatest story ever told. Now, I hear ya. It’s not too bad of a story for the Blackhawks to get off the schneid, Cupless since 1961, either. Theirs is a fabulous story, as well. New ownership. The Bowmans arrive on the scene. Patrick Kane is selected 1st overall. Toews is a 3rd overall. Latter round picks like Brouwver, Bolland, Byfuglien, and Hjalmarrson bear fruit. An “original-six” market is saved and restored to prosperity. That’s a ‘feel good’ story, too. I do hope it’s the Flyers vs. the Blackhawks, for ’someone has to win,’ and therefore get off the schneid. Last Flyer Cup was 1975, over Buffalo.
World Be Free
May 23rd, 2010
12:09 pm
Blair Betts and Nigel Dawes
Sather has had an unlimited supply of $$$ to build a winner for years and has come up empty. We’d still be yelling “1940″ if the Rangers hadn’t gone out and BOUGHT a Stanley Cup in 1994.
Alan R.
May 23rd, 2010
12:21 pm
(and then to have to put up with the sheep and their ridiculously unfounded optimism! Great…here we go again…)
What happened to becoming a Sharks fan? Is it because Chicago is beating them like red-headed stepchildren, you’ve curbed that bandwagoning optimism?
Baaa.
Brendan
May 23rd, 2010
1:48 pm
Red Light & WBF, Sather is definitely surviving on reputation, rather than tangible results. The NY Rangers have not been mistaken for a Stanley Cup contender is more than a decade. But let’s not forget something. When Sather ceased COACHING the NY Rangers in 2004, to become the GM, the team started to do better. I credit the salary cap a bit more than Sather for that, however. Which is in line with what you’re saying about him. His attempts to buy championships were halted by the salary constraints. In 1997, the NY Rangers, with Gretzky I believe, lost the Conference Finals to the Flyers. From 1998 to 2004 marked seven (7!!) seasons without a playoff berth, despite one of the highest payrolls in the NHL. It was the very definition of failure. But the NY Rangers, up until this very season, made the playoffs every year, post Lockout. After seven years’ worth of futility, that starts to sound “nice.” The NY Rangers 2007 series sweep of Atlanta marked the first time, since 1997, that the Rangers won a playoff series. They’d win another in 2008, over New Jersey. In 2009, the Rangers blew a 3-1 series lead to Washington, and really haven’t been anything resembling a contending team, ever since. And yes, they missed the playoffs this season when Jokinen failed to score on Boucher, in Game 82, vs. the Flyers. Jokinen was the third Ranger shooter, after Giroux had tallied for Philadelphia, on the Flyers’ third attend, on Lundqvist.
The point? Well, it’s that Sather, as a GM, has at least kept the Rangers in the “hunt” for the Cup, post-lockout. Atlanta hasn’t even managed to do that much, in a league were 53% of all teams taste the playoffs.
Sage of Bluesland
May 23rd, 2010
5:38 pm
Sweet, sweet poetic “justice” (if you will)…Heatley’s penalty leads to a go-ahead goal with almost 6 minutes left in the 3rd period.
I can’t stand Heatley and will pull against him at any level or team he’s associated with.
The Blackhawks have shown how to build a team the right way; a real “Five-Year Plan”…Compare/contrast that with the annual excuses and bluster given forth by the lisping idiot of a GM we’ve had since day-one.
The sheep should be ashamed of yourselves–if you had any, that is…You know who you are, too…
kracker
May 23rd, 2010
5:43 pm
Well, not to be too sour, but what happened to the refs letting the players decide a possible elimination game?
R. Stroz
May 23rd, 2010
5:49 pm
I predict the Hawks will beat the Sharks.
Savannah Blueland Fan
May 23rd, 2010
6:18 pm
Thank you Danny Heatley! Chicago over the Flyers in 5 games…..I’m sticking with it.
BTW–WBF, I don’t know why Montrealians (or whatever) trash their own city. That was my point—I was just being mean.
World Be Free
May 23rd, 2010
6:26 pm
Savannah – agree on both counts
I don’t understand it either, cause they are so smug about everything else.
And to add to Sage’s post, Heatley will not be available tomorrow. He’s headed to the farm to be fitted for his goat horns. Nice lazy penalty for a lazy, loser, selfish scumbag. I don’t use hate much, but I have to say that I hate Dany Scumbag.
Scatch Nabakov as our future #1.
Brendan
May 23rd, 2010
6:35 pm
Savannah Blueland Fan, I think they’re called “Montrealers.” I know. It sounds funny. People from Quebec are called “Quebecers.”
Heeeeat-ley! Heeeat-ley!! Heeeat-ley, Time to request another trade!!! You watch. Hey, don’t blame Patrick Marleau, this time around. Marleau didn’t disappear. Jumbo Joe was something like a -10 in this series. That’s not how to lead. Sharks should keep Marleau. Knowing Heatley, he’d sit there and say, “Well, I know you want to re-sign, but you can’t, because of my cap hit. So, I’m open to a trade … to some other Cup contender.” I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s utterly without shame. And yet, there’ll be those to ‘rush to his defense’ that requesting a trade out of San Jose is “A-okay behavior.”
Well, Hossa, since leaving Atlanta at the 2008 trade deadline, will be making his THIRD trip to the Finals. This time, he’ll get his ring. He lost with the Penguins, in 2008. He lost with the Red Wings, in 2009. But he’ll win it all with the Blackhawks in 2010. But, let’s not count the Flyers out. Each and every series, people thought they’d lose. Well, I took the Flyers this time. I can only hope they close out Montreal. I took Chicago in the other series, so I am 8-5, through 13 completed series.
Red Light and Rawhide, how are your picks looking? My coin flips had Philly vs. SJ meeting for the Cup. So, I pick up a game on the coin flips. Against the coin flips, I am 3-3-7, through 13 completed series.
Yung JB
May 23rd, 2010
8:56 pm
Savannah- That doesnt not mean half of what you said. And you probably are pissed that we get our party on after a win. I’m a Thrasher Fan but I hate ignorant Americans like you who don’t know their hockey. Pis ferme tayeule parce que t’es une femme pis ue esti de salope.
Cliff Fletcher
May 23rd, 2010
9:47 pm
I wonder if Obama knows the Black Hawks are in the Stanley Cup finals? He’s too focused on getting Lebron to Chicago.
President Idiot can focus on the tattooed gangsters cause the Hawks aren’t his favorites!
Alan R.
May 24th, 2010
12:37 am
I wonder if Obama knows the Black Hawks are in the Stanley Cup finals?
Who gives a damn? Seriously?
Cliff Fletcher
May 24th, 2010
7:30 am
Alan R. I just thought it was interesting that a team in Obama old district made the finals of their sport and he didn’t even notice; spending too much time forcusing on gangster basketball.
R. Stroz
May 24th, 2010
7:30 am
Speaking of Obama, shouldn’t he give, pardon me, redistribute, a couple of wins to the Sharks?
The series would have lasted longer that way.
Savannah Blueland Fan
May 24th, 2010
8:54 am
Yung JB—it’s called a joke…..look it up sometime. As for hating me, you’ll get over it.
Red Light
May 24th, 2010
9:33 am
Brendan: I need a Montreal comeback. Had the Hawks in 5 or 6. According to whowins.com, the Flyers have a 90.6 percent probability of winning the series now that they lead 3-to-1. And, “when leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Philadelphia Flyers have an 18-2 series record and a 13-7 Game 5 record. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Montreal Canadiens have a 2-13 series record and a 7-8 Game 5 record. I’ll not hold my breath on another Habs’ comeback!
May I comment on Hossa’s perceived lack of production in the playoffs? While he only contributed 2 goals and 9 assists in 16 games, his contributions all over the ice are still felt. He’s a great two-way forward and is +8, tied for the team lead with Seabrook. He has the second most shots on the Hawks, he just hasn’t converted on many, but he still has made a huge impact for the Hawks.
Spud Webb
May 24th, 2010
9:54 am
Heatly is a fraud, getting exposed for sure.
Joe Friday
May 24th, 2010
10:00 am
“Scatch Nabakov as our future #1″
Why?
I am so looking forward to the Finals so my favorite club, the Philthy, err, Flyers, or my real favorite team, Les Habs, can dismantle those frauds wearing the Indian Head. I mean how lucky can they get with that basketball player they have getting all those lucky deflections?!? No goalie, bad coaching, horrible fans. Chicago is due a beat down in the Finals by the real talent coming out of the East.
Thrashers27
May 24th, 2010
10:43 am
Looks like Hossa finally picked the right team. Three different cup final teams in three years. Wonder if that’s ever been done before.
World Be Free
May 24th, 2010
10:48 am
Well Joe, I knew I would be hearing from as soon as I typed that post.
After yesterday’s game, most of the analysts (who happened to be former players) noted that Nabokov failed to make the big saves to keep his team even. This was especially noted on the NHL network after the game. The Ladd goal in game 2 was a joke, a wrist shot from a 3rd liner from 10’ inside the blueline? Nabokov has had a history of not coming up big in the big games, which was an issue in this series. Safe to say you can pin that label on the entire team, except Marleau who had a very good series. Niemi clearly outplayed Nabokov.
The guy has been around the block long enough. What you see is what you get and at almost 35 years of age, it’s time to look elsewhere for a number one. You like his “numbers”, I’d like a guy that can win a big game here and there and Nabokov, for the $5M+ it would take to get him, he’s not worth it.
Joe Friday
May 24th, 2010
10:54 am
Bah, spit out the bitter pill there, WBF. He was one of 4 goalies in the league to take his club to the Conference Finals. No shame in being beat by the eventual Cup (losing) team . . .
Alan R.
May 24th, 2010
11:16 am
C’mon Joe. Don’t mistake reality for bitterness. It was fun, but now it’s time to take off the teal-tinted glasses.
World Be Free
May 24th, 2010
12:14 pm
Joe, yes he made conference finals and he played well, very well at times. But he’s also been to the well too many times without coming away with the coins. And he’s a good goaltender with a very good team-will he be enthusiastic about coming to Atlanta and playing in front of a team that has made playoffs one in there first 10 seasons?
My point all along is, you gotta buy the guy to get him here and if you are going to spend that kind of money to get a goaltender ($5-6M) then spend it on a #1 with upside or at least some lasting enthusiasm for the game. I just don’t think Nabakov is that kind of guy. He’s come close to being a winner, he’ll want to sign with a team that needs a #1 that is closer to winning the Cup than the Thrashers. He’s the Donovan McNabb of hockey.
Brendan
May 24th, 2010
1:08 pm
SJ had leads in three of these four (3/4) games, I believe. They couldn’t hold them. That’s rough for them. Right now, they don’t feel good about themselves. In an elimination game, they were up, 2-0, and couldn’t win. Last year, they won the President’s Trophy and got bounced in the opening round. This year, they silenced some critics by reaching the CF. But really, their goal was to win the Stanley Cup this year. And I don’t say that with the same bile-inducing, flimflam lip service that the Atlanta Spirit do, when talking about the Thrashers. SJ thought themselves to be bonafide Cup contenders. So, right now, they’re hurting. I’d suggest that they not blame Patrick Marleau for the loss. He did not disappear. If we’re looking for big name Sharks to blame, we can look at Jumbo Joe’s plus-minus stat, and the performance of Heatley, as well. I don’t really blame Nabakov so much. Certainly, there were some shaky goals here and there. But I’m not one to say, “Sharks lost this series because of goaltending.” I thought Boyle and Rob Blake did relatively okay in this series. But I haven’t examined it, indepthly. I’m not a SJ fan, so I don’t put so much effort into it.
Red Light, indeed. Hossa has been a two-way player in this series, doing many “little things” that don’t show up on stat sheets. Good for him, if he wins the Cup. I seem to recall that Claude Lemieux went to multiple Finals in successive years with New Jersey and Colorado. Not too sure he went three years-in-row. And he didn’t do it with three separate teams.
Darren Eliot said that the Ottawa Senators turned Marian Hossa into a “mercenary.” Well, it’s worked for Hossa. When a player is free to choose his teams, he can bounce all over the league, as a perpetual UFA. But Hossa did sign a 12-year deal with the Blackhawks. So, he’s not a mercenary anymore. Wouldn’t it be funny if Chicago traded Hossa for Heatley?? I’m kidding. There’s NTC’s all over the place, etc., etc., etc.
Hockey expert
May 24th, 2010
1:13 pm
Flyers lift Lord Stanleys Cup. Hossa lifts Heatleys little cup.
glovesave29
May 24th, 2010
1:26 pm
hahahaha!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zd5jTtzWx8
World Be Free
May 24th, 2010
1:32 pm
Brendan-the NTC crazy is what is killing so many teams.
Players that have no business getting fat contracts are also getting NTC, which is ironic becuase some of these guys are so untouchable by their play alone.
Glen Sather is getting fried in NY, as usual for handing out stupid contracts to guys like Redden, Drury and Rosival. Look at this $$$ list -
1. Luongo, Roberto $10,000,000
2. Lecavalier, Vincent $10,000,000
3. Ovechkin, Alexander $9,000,000
4. Crosby, Sidney $9,000,000
5. Malkin, Evgeni $9,000,000
6. Gomez, Scott $8,000,000
7. Keith, Duncan $8,000,000
8. Heatley, Dany $8,000,000
9. Spezza, Jason $8,000,000
10. Drury, Chris $8,000,000
11. Hossa, Marian $7,900,000
12. Richards, Brad $7,800,000
13. Zetterberg, Henrik $7,750,000
14. Lundqvist, Henrik $7,750,000
15. Pronger, Chris $7,600,000
16. Chara, Zdeno $7,500,000
17. Gaborik, Marian $7,500,000
18. Nash, Rick $7,500,000
19. Staal, Eric $7,500,000
20. Thornton, Joe $7,200,000
No goals for #6 in 17 games
Smoothie
May 24th, 2010
2:46 pm
World – those are some sobering numbers!! A lot of those contracts will end up being albatrosses (nooses actually) around the necks of their respective franchises. You know the new ownership in Tampa is sweating bullets knowing that Vinny is pretty much immovable and if they don’t turn the corner in the next year or so, then they could be in trouble for years to come. And how anyone thought Scott Gomez was worth more than $6 M I’ll never know!!
I did some number crunching of monies that teams have already committed to players for next season and compared it to the projected Cap number for next season (my Cap number projection is $57.5 M per team + 7.5% bonus cushion escalator brings you to roughly $1.85 B) to see how much flexibility GM’s will have on the whole and on avg. Needless to say, it’s gonna be TIGHT!! This summer will be very interesting.
Projected Total Cap for NHL — $1.850 B
Less: Bottom 10 Budget Teams — $.065 B*
Projected Real Cap # for NHL – $1.785 B
Amt Already Committed @ 5/25 – $1.287 B
Amt Available to Spend in FA – $0.498 M**
2009-10 Salaries of UFA/RFAs – $0.500 M***
*Bottom 10 Cap spending teams were roughly $65 M below the avg Cap of $55 M. This number could be higher depending on these teams’ self-imposed budgets in 2010-11.
**Again, this assumes the Cap # will go up to at least $57.50 M plus 7.5% for bonus payout cushion. $1.785 B seems like a pretty good conservative estimate.
***There are between 200 – 235 UFA who earned close to $360 M in salary last year. There are roughly 195 – 200 RFA’s who earned close to $115 M in salary last year. Chances are, those 200 RFA’s will earn raises that will push that figure up over $140 – 150 M and beyond for 2010-11.
Lee
May 24th, 2010
3:38 pm
Hehe, not fallin for it:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Canadiens-deny-SandGate-skate-sabotage-of-Flye?urn=nhl,243243
Alan R.
May 24th, 2010
3:49 pm
glovesave – I was wondering if you had seen that video before. Guess I wonder no longer, eh?
World Be Free
May 24th, 2010
4:40 pm
Nice work Smoothie
OK Bill, we need a new subject and I would to open the floor by asking the bloggers if anybody would be daring enough to open the vault for Patrick Marleau. A guy that would demand this much coin should be the fukll package we know Marleau has yet to show he’s captain material, at least in San Jose.
But is he worth what we paid Kovalchuk prior to last season’s courtship dance for $103M?
glovesave29
May 24th, 2010
4:49 pm
Now we know why my Flames didn’t make the post season – the curse of the Maple Leafs!
Alan R.
May 24th, 2010
4:56 pm
And the Jets are, easily, Canada’s best chance at winning a cup!
Red Light
May 24th, 2010
6:30 pm
Once the Senators re-sign Andy Sutton, the Cup will reside in Ottawa next June.
Cliff Fletcher
May 24th, 2010
8:03 pm
Smoothie-talk about sobering numbers.
All this might lead to to some wild times end of June to mid July.
Anyone wanna talk Marleau? Anyone?
HookyBob
May 24th, 2010
9:16 pm
I’m having visions of two freight trains on a collision course. One is red and coming fast out of the west,…the other is orange, westbound out of Philly, and building momenteum. (Apologies to LAC for the analogy.)
Back in Thrasherville we look at our train,…idle since early April. What single pick-up improves the Thrashers 10-11 chances the most? Fill in the blank below from one of Rawhide’s lines.
Joe Friday – I believe what you mean is…”get me a legitimate, top-notch, dependable, solid, proven, honest-and-for-true, USDA-Grade-A…the likes of which we’ve never really had before…__________”.
Your choices are:
A : GM
B : Owners
C: Coach
D: Goalie
E: D-man
F: Center
G: Power Forward
H: All of the above
I: B, C,D,E,F,G
I’m not sure owners and GM are a good option,..but it is an avenue to vent.
Job Bob wants a goalie, specifically Nabakov. Our goalies were 16th in the league last year,…nothing to brag about,…but everything else being equal (or better) that gets us in the play-offs. (And just ask Philly or Montreal what happens once you get in). Is Nabakov the answer,…and at what price. Otherwise how about Carey Price, Josh Harding, or others?
If our D gave up 3 less shots/game that would be about 25 fewer goals over the season. Certainly that would give us at least the 5 points by which we missed the play-offs. Or, rather than blame the D, perhaps a new coach/system would reduce the shots on goal. Is this what we need (the most)?
Our offense almost disappeared at season’s end. Is our biggest gap a power forward or #1 center? Not long ago I opined about getting Byfuglin. I’m thinking the Hawks are holding him close. I’ve just read Marleau could help us. I’m a fan of Iggy. If we need a foward who is the best option.
Seems like our first step may be to perform “triage” on our needs. What do we need the most?
BTW: Belated congratulations to you and yours Rawhide.
Bloggers what do we need the most?
R. Stroz
May 24th, 2010
9:34 pm
I predict the Flyers will beat the Habs.
R. Stroz
May 24th, 2010
9:54 pm
Seems like our first step may be to perform “triage” on our needs. What do we need the most?
Grown up ownership with adequate capital.
World Be Free
May 24th, 2010
10:07 pm
First of all, happy trails Bill McCreary. I believe his last game was tonight. Bill Mc was the best ref of this generation. All new refs should be sat down and forced to watch him work for an extended period, if they aren’t already.
I threw out Marleau, cause he is very talented, but I wanted to hear if anyone thoought he was the anser here. When you look at Montreal and Philly, you can see it’s about the right UFAs and trades, getting guys like Ian Laparierre, who would rather die than lose. Marleau isn’t that kind of guy, but he’s pretty darn talented. Iggy will cost too much and the GM that trades him will leave town at the same time before Flames’ fans get the horse, rope and tall tree.
This team needs a number one defenseman, a guy like Pronger. He have never had a stud on the blueline. Get a stud and make him the captain. Our top 4 right now (assuming they resign Kubina) don’t scare anyone.
You should be able to get a decent goaltender either by trade of one of the UFAs. Then you need to get a goalie coach and determine if Pavs is the man of the future.
Brendan
May 24th, 2010
10:44 pm
I’ll answer blogger questions later. I want to begin with a couple of quick thoughts on the CF. 1) This marks the sixth (6th) time since 2000 that an Atlantic division team has represented the East in the Finals. 2) How would you feel if I told you the Thrashers would average a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals BETTER than once every 5th season? But before you answer, ask a Flyer fan how he or she feels about it, since that’s their reality since 1974. That’s right, folks. For the Flyers, this is their eighth (8th) trip to the Cup Finals since 1974. That’s eight times in 36 seasons, for 22.2 percent of the time. The Flyers have lost their last five trips, however. They enter 2-5, through their last seven trips. Personally, I’d love these kinds of results for Atlanta. 3) When the Minnesota North Stars reached the Finals in their ‘miracle’ Cinderella run, they left the top seeded Blackhawks and Blues in their wake. And then, in the CF, they dispatched the defending Cup Champions, Edmonton. Can we say the same of these Flyers? To be sure, they knocked off a # 2 seed in New Jersey. But Boston was # 6 and Montreal # 8. But I think the fact that these Flyers overcame a 0-3 deficit to win a series must place them as one of the greatest Cinderellas of all-time. Considering that Montreal knocked off the # 1 and # 4 seeds to get here, and were considered favorites, also works in the Flyers favor.
4) Why do we have to wait … ALLLLL the way until Saturday to start the Finals?? Why not start Thursday, then have a Saturday afternoon game?? Or at least a Friday night game, followed by a Sunday afternoon game??
MB
May 24th, 2010
10:53 pm
Hooky, I’m tossing out owners and GM…both are already in place.
Coach is the biggest to me, followed closely by a center and a left wing. I’m taking a leap of faith that Kubina will resign, and in general I like the talent in our defensive corps and prospects.
I’m also fine with standing pat on our goalie situation and giving OP another chance to prove himself next season. I think it would be a waste to go after one of the top-flight guys this season primarily because we’re not that close to being a bona-fide contender (duh5). Besides, we’ve seen that overall team commitment to a good system (along with a healthy dose of talent) is more important than having the most talented keeper. Only three or four of the playoff teams had true stud goalies (Brodeur, Luongo, Miller, Nabakov), but the teams with guys like Niemi, Leighton, Howard, and Fleury are the ones that have been playing for the Cup the last few years. So I’d much rather spend the big $$ on our forward lines where we’re clearly short on talent.
Rawhide
May 24th, 2010
11:02 pm
OK Bill, we need a new subject and I would to open the floor by asking the bloggers if anybody would be daring enough to open the vault for Patrick Marleau.
WBF – That is an excellent question…one that can be further discussed on this new blog entry in which you can cast your vote for who you think will win the SCF Finals…Philly or Chicago.
Brendan
May 24th, 2010
11:16 pm
WBF, answering conceptually, no Marleau is not the answer here. The reality of our situation is … we need to try out a “depth strategy.” Our ownership just doesn’t have the working capital, nor the inclination, nor the ability to understand the DYNAMICS of running an NHL team filled with star players. They tried. And failed miserably. Savard, Kaberle, Hossa, Kovalchuk … none would re-sign here. Filling the Thrashers with high-end draft picks will only work … if they can re-sign those draft picks BEYOND their RFA years. Which thus far, they haven’t done. The first five (5) first round draft selections are already gone. (Stefan, Heatley, Kovalchuk, Lehtonen, Coburn, and even Bourret, from 2005, is gone.) And who knows how long Boris Valabik will be around, before he’s packaged in some deal. The opportunity to re-sign Bryan Little beyond his RFA years is one of the upcoming tasks of this franchise. Will they succeed? Well, answering for myself, I doubt they’ll ink Little beyond his remaining RFA years. An 8-year/$32 million contract probably is ‘jumping the gun’ at this point. That kind of contract is ‘high risk, high reward.’ You OVERPAY him now, to UNDERPAY him later. But if Little falls flat, Alanta’s still on the hook for that money, and a contract they can’t unload. But, at least it would show some commitment towards their draft picks. On July 1, 2010, Zach Bogosian would be eligible for a PROACTIVE RFA contract. Once again, I wouldn’t hold my breathe for that kind of move, under this ownership, even if it does have a new occupant in Don Waddell’s old office, with a name plate that reads, “General Manager.”
What’s Marleau gonna make out on the open market. I’m thinking $7 to $8 million. GM’s get stupid in pursuit of UFA’s. For that same $8 million, maybe you could land three Tier II guys, each capable of scoring 16-18 goals-a-year? To me, the biggest things Dudley must do are as follows.
1) Develop a philosophy for the TEAM IDENTITY. We’ve never had one before. And stick to it!!!
2) Hire a coach who will run that philosophy. You do that by interviewing many, many applicants and running ‘what if’ scenarios past them. The coach that most closely resembles your philosophy about how you want the team to be run … is who you select for the job. Don’t hire Barry Melrose, then fire him 16 games into the season, since he won’t play Evander Kane 20 minutes a game. Because Barry Melrose’s approach to coaching is … “players EARN ice time. They don’t get it because of how high they went in a draft.” ?Me entienen?
3) Develop a budget, earmarking money for the trade deadline, to TWEAK, not OVERHAUL the roster at the deadline.
4) Educate the ownership. Okay, maybe that should have been # 1.
If Dudley doesn’t have some very FRANK discussions with Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon, Jr., things won’t improve. Waddell was a ’status quo, don’t rock the boat’ kinda guy, who’d do anything to keep his job. In my opinion, that approach did fundamental damage to the franchise, as the ownership sorely needed to be instructed how an NHL franchise needs to be run. Dudley, I believe, will do that. I think he’ll sit Gearon, Jr. down … and explain to him how players think, and why they won’t re-sign here, in this market, until certain things change. In the minds and notions of the Spirit, LLC “you simply throw money at a player.” Exhibit A: Marc Savard. Exhibit B: Marian Hossa, 5-years/$35 million, turned down. Exhibit C: Brian Campbell, 7-years/$56.8 million, turned down. Exhibit D: Ilya Kovalchuk, 12-years/$101 million, turned down.
Dudley has many, many things to do. If I had to bet a paycheck on who his coach will be, I’d say Torchetti, in Chicago. Luckily, I don’t bet. Though, this year, I’m 9-5 … through 14 series! Yeah!! The most important thing a GM ever does … is hire a coach. So, I hope Dudley knows what he’s doing.