The new schedule is here! The new schedule is here!
The new Thrashers schedule is here! the new Thrashers schedule is here! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity the Thrashers need! Their name in print! That really makes them somebody! Things are going to start happening to them now!!
OK…maybe I’m getting a little more excited about this then I should, but I really do look forward to having my first look a new schedule when it is released. And as I’m sure you have already heard…the new 2010-11 Thrashers season schedule was just posted today.
After my first quick glance at it, here are some initial obeservations and thoughts.
For the fifth straight year, we’ll begin the season at home against a division foe. This year it’ll be the Washington Capitals who have won the Southeast Division three years running. The Thrashers are 2-1-1 in the past four years during those home openers and have won the last two.
After playing the Caps, they then head out on a four game road trip that will take them to Tampa then out on a west coast swing. They’ll play in Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose the following Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. This will be the second longest road trip of the season…the longest will be toward the end of the campaign when they will play five on the road between March 29 and April 7. During that time they’ll visit Montreal, Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville and the New York Rangers.
There are two days in which the Thrashers and Falcons both have home games, which will no doubt cause parking nightmares down near the Dome and Philips Arena. Thursday Nov. 11…Veterans Day and the 21st wedding anniversary of The Divine Mrs. R and myself…the Minnesota Wild will play the Thrashers while at the same time the Falcons will be hosting the Baltimore Ravens. Then on Sunday November 28 the Boston Bruins will be play in Atlanta as well as the Green Bay Packers next door at the Georgia Dome.
So…plan accordingly.
Last year the Thrashers only played two Friday night games at home. This season they will top that in October alone with three and there will be a total of thirteen Friday home games. I love the Friday night starts…for some odd reason the crowds seem even more energized than normal.
Last November the Thrashers played a Thanksgiving Eve game in Detroit…so I guess it’s only neighborly to return the favor. The Red Wings will be in town on Wednesday night November 24.
I count seven Sunday matinee games…mostl beginning at 5:00 pm. Two exception here are March 27 when the Thrashers face Ottawa at 2:00 pma snd the season finale against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 10…yes, closing at home against the Pens again. That game is set to start at 3:00 pm.
We will see the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in town on Saturday night November 6. Could this be the first game that John Torchetti faces his former team from behind the Thrashers’ bench?
We will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Philips this season…the Flyers will be in town that night. Be sure to wear yer greens lads!
Also, the Thrashers will go to Dallas on January 15 to face off against the Stars and former Thrashers’ goalie Kari Lehtonen. Stendek…I’m sure you’ve already got a nice big red circle around this date on your calendar already!
Speaking of circling dates on the calendar, anytime the Flames return to Atlanta it’s worthy of just that. Calgary rides into town on Thursday night February 3.
And finally…I count fourteen back-to-back sets of games for the Thrashers this year. Last season they had 16 and went 10-3-3 in the tail end of those B2B games.
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87 comments Add your comment
Badger Bob
June 23rd, 2010
12:14 pm
Dwayne, I think there were Maple Laff fans using vuvuzelas decades ago. I can still distinctly remember the mournful, incessant wailing from about midway through the third period on every Saturday night on Hockey Night in Canada growing up. Just one more reason I detest TO.
Nate
June 23rd, 2010
12:19 pm
Unbelievable moment for U.S. soccer. I’m still in shock in how they were able to win the game!
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
12:29 pm
Badger Bob-I remember those stupid horns in Maple Leaf Gardens too! Especially in games in which the Leafs were getting crushed, which was often. Those horns go back to Foster Hewitt’s days!
Viking
June 23rd, 2010
12:32 pm
Goal!!! Heja USA!
cpsman_atlanta
June 23rd, 2010
12:42 pm
Can someone explain to me how the Tampa Bay Lightning have a 12-game homestand?
BlueSpark
June 23rd, 2010
12:55 pm
#24 and a prospect for Byfuglien is tempting, but could be an expensive 1 year experiment. Anyone know what (if any) role Dudley had in Buff’s development in Chicago?
Then again it’s probably moot, as I don’t think they’d take the 24th pick and a prospect.
glovesave29
June 23rd, 2010
1:56 pm
Damn Damn Damn…the Canucks just hired Roland “Rollie the Goalie” Melanson as their new goalie coach. I was hoping Duds would give him a call. I will be happy next year to just HAVE a goal coach…but going from none to Melanson would have been terrific. I am afraid to see what he can do with Luongo…he’s talented enough as it is!
Smoothie
June 23rd, 2010
2:19 pm
From Ben Wrights’ Blueland Blog: “The coaching staff is a team and we have to put the right team together. Getting the right chemistry is very important. I have no doubt we’ll be able to do it. I think we’ll have a special situation here.”
“Dudley also said that its possible a coach will be named before the NHL Entry Draft which begins at 7 pm Eastern on Friday”
Apparently, Duds has been reading RStroz’s comments on this blog. He seems rather optimistic about assembling his preferred “team”. Also, if we have real interest in CHI, having Torch on board to give his insight as to which player he would like to bring to Atlanta would be very helpful I think. Hopefully Duds realizes this and will relax his stance on coaches not worrying about what players they have. In other words: “shut up and coach what I gave ya!”
Red Light
June 23rd, 2010
4:03 pm
Official numbers for next season. $59.4M cap, $43.4M floor, according to McKenzie.
ThrashHead
June 23rd, 2010
5:53 pm
Byfuglien, Eager and Sopel to ATL for the Thrasher’s 24th pick, 2nd round pick, Reasoner and Morin. Not a bad bounty for us. We just added a whole lot of size and grit.
JT from Columbus
June 23rd, 2010
5:57 pm
Now do we trade away the 8th pick or keep it?
ThrashHead
June 23rd, 2010
6:01 pm
I think it has been Dudley’s plan to draft in the 8th spot and use the 24th as trade bait. I don’t think we will see Dudley move the 8th pick unless someone really blows him away with an offer. This trade has really brightened my day!
MASHAPlayer7
June 23rd, 2010
6:06 pm
What an awesome trade! We just got GRITTY! And…believe it or not…but Eklund broke this trade first! Give credit where credit is due I guess.
Flagstaff
June 23rd, 2010
6:15 pm
…And Byfuglien, Eager, and Sopel are now Thrashers.
Thrashers27
June 23rd, 2010
6:17 pm
Holy $%@&! You gotta be kidding me!!!! I don’t know ’bout you guys but I say we keep this dudley guy! Buf, Eager and Sopel. Wow!
Brendan
June 23rd, 2010
6:26 pm
Red Light, nice post at 4:03. Hokie’s earlier post was right on the money, essentially. It’s a 5% raise. Remember when this blog was CERTAIN the cap would shrink in 2010-11? I think the NHL is cookin’ its books somehow. It’s that, or the good folks in Detroit, Boston, Chicago, and New York will be paying $90 for nose-bleed seats, to project this additional revenue.
glovesave29
June 23rd, 2010
6:36 pm
oh hell yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A27
June 23rd, 2010
6:43 pm
Wow with the USA win and this trade….. I think im in bizzaro world??????
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
6:57 pm
I.D.W.T.
Rightshot
June 23rd, 2010
6:57 pm
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=325488
Here’s the story
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
7:00 pm
Breakdown of trade by player-
Reasoner for Ben Eager straight up
Sopel and Akim for a 2nd round pick-probably means Kubina will not be back
Big Buff for #24 and a prospect, which is what Chicago wanted-probably means MAx is not coming back.
Chicago sheds salary and loses only one core player-nice deal for both clubs
Pittsburgh Pirate Fan
June 23rd, 2010
7:01 pm
….And Sage is very quiet…..
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
7:04 pm
JT-keep #8, let’s get a player. Maybe set ourselves up for one of the UFA goalies
glovesave29
June 23rd, 2010
7:10 pm
WBF…not so sure that Kubina and Max leave. I personally believe that this makes Atlanta a more attractive place for UFAs to consider.
Can you picture of D of Sopel, Kubina, Bogosian, Hainsey, Enstrom and______? That’s a stout as any corps this side of Philadelphia.
Now we add Ellis in the net, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jokinen here. This might be shaping up into something interesting for next season. All I keep thinking of is how we now have attitude and grit. Remember the difference Tkachuk made here? Its that same attitude.
R. Stroz
June 23rd, 2010
7:14 pm
Have the Thrashers morphed from the undersized, over the hill, purse pansies into the BAMFs?
It’s about time.
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
7:25 pm
Glovesave-I just don’t see us giving $$$ to Max and Kubina, but I could be wrong too.
Like you, I am turning my attention to goaltending. You know I have liked Ellis all along. I hope this trade will be an “attractor” for UFAs, especially a goaltender. I like Harding too, but 2 other names that come up are in Edmonton – Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers or Devan Dubnyk, especially for former. These are young guys with upside.
Red Light
June 23rd, 2010
7:26 pm
Of the 4 players the Thrashers got in the trade, the defenseman Brett Sopel owns the career high of all in points in a professional season with 42. Kubina’s gone unless you want another 33-year-old defenseman. Now, that the Thrashers have fortified the bottom six, I like glovesave29’s mention of Jokinen as I mentioned a few weeks back.
Like the North American flavor with the three NHL acquisitions. Aliu was born in Nigeria. Hopefully, he doesn’t turn into another Rmun Ndur!
Brendan
June 23rd, 2010
7:29 pm
Thank you, to all who responded on the Nathan Horton trade. I feel bad for the Panthers, even though they are in our division, so we should root for their downfall. Their player retention is as bad as ours. Luongo, Bouwmeester, Jokinen, and now Horton. Can Allen and Booth be far behind?
Great trade, I think. Well, at least a “good” trade. Atlanta is looking like a better squad, with Eager, Byfuglien, and Sopel in the mix. Gotta try to keep Kubina, somehow. I’d over-inflate a 1-year deal for him to stay, if he’d take it.
If we get Little, Bergfors, MacArthur, and Pavelec back, it’ll be looking “decent” for next season. Still, I gotta hope for a goalie in the Frenzy. How would Biron look here?? Let Pavelec and Biron duke it out for the #1 slot. Hire Moose as the goalie coach, to keep him in the fold. And if we have injuries, quickly sign him to a pro-rated contract.
Brendan
June 23rd, 2010
7:36 pm
Jokinen could help us in shootouts, and be the next Erik Christensen or Slava Kozlov.
Brendan
June 23rd, 2010
7:37 pm
WBF, I like Jeff Deslauriers. He’s an RFA this year, and he wouldn’t cost that much.
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
8:00 pm
Brendan-plenty of available goalies to choose from
Smoothie
June 23rd, 2010
8:55 pm
World – still think we should go after Harding…bet he could be had for Vishnevskiy. Minny needs young D prospect as they are thinking about flipping Burns for a forward who can pot the puck.
As for Duds’ next move, I reckon we’ll be hearing that Torch is our HC perhaps even as early as tomorrow. I reckon Duds’ feels he can hit the ground running coaching three former players with whom he likely has a good rapport (at least let’s hope so!).
I don’t know about Jokinen. If we were to sign him, he might just have a revival playing alongside Antropov who commands such attention. The swift skating Fin might really thrive playing with both the two Ni(c)ks. But another player to watch for since we are more in the market for short-term 1 or 2 year players to buy time for Kane, Klingberg and our # 8 pick to develop is Ray “the Wizard” Whitney. Can you imagine a PP unit featuring the Wizard dishing the puck to Antro behind the net, Bogo at the left point, Hainsey at the right point and Big Buffy clogging up the middle? Kaner, Pevs and Bergie with Oduya & Enstrom round out your PP units.
Only problem is who becomes the new leader of PK minutes with Reasoner departing??
glovesave29
June 23rd, 2010
9:11 pm
Can’t believe I forgot Oduya! Thanks Smoothie. A D of Sopel, Kubina, Hainsey, Bogosian, Oduya and Enstrom is pretty damn good. I will take that any day! Goodbye Mr. Valabik, dont let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!
With all the UFA goalies out there this year, stay away from an RFAs. Not worth the prospect of losing draft picks. Harding is great if we can get him by trade. Ellis could be a stud as I have argued with Joe Friday before. I would be waaaaay more than happy with either one of those to split with Opie. I will take a 1A and 1B a la Bouchard / Myre circa 1975 any day.
Brendan…Jokinen was a good play when he was with the Panthers. His ascension to the “answer to all Iginla needs to push the Flames to the Cup” was not fair. He played with Gaborik and the misfits last season. As I have said countless times when talking about Slater…speed never slumps. I would love to see he and Max flying up the ice.
I’d like to see Duds pay Max some respect for the season he had last year with at least a two year deal. Shows the rest of the potential UFAs out there that we are respectful and thankful for the efforts made on our behalf.
Zoomo
June 23rd, 2010
9:28 pm
I walked out of work today muttering…”when are we going to make some off season noise”….well we sure did.
I think Eager is a nice, young 4th line piece. A solid pick up. Sopel gives us a good vet on D, but I too would still love Kubina in the mix…would love to see Glovesave’s 6.
Hate to see Marty go. Great guy…huge heart and one of the few guys we’ve had here that brought it every single night. I’ll alwys be a Marty Reasoner fan!
Buf is the big “if”. He certainly brings grit and toughness, but can he continue to develop his offense the way he showed in the playoffs? It’ll be fun to watch.
I have visions of Kane from last uear, blowing past Pronger and Pronger chasing him. Next year it’ll be Buf laying Pronger into the boards and Kane zooming past.
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
9:35 pm
Smoothie-why do I think Vish will never wear a Thrashers’ uniform. I am torn between going for a “win now” goalie like Nakakov or going for an upside goaltender like Harding. I just don’t trust the current tandem to take us to the next level. We will see, I do not believe Dudley is finished.
Smoothie-a final tribute to a favorite of ours-Marty Reasoner. When you buy a player’s jersey, you always run the risk he way walk or be traded. Best of luck Marty, you’re a great player and fan favorite.
HookyBob
June 23rd, 2010
9:54 pm
Way to go Duds!!! That filled a couple of big gaps and added some grit, size, and experience. We picked up what,…. about $6 M in salary? Still way under cap,..maybe not so far under ASG (self-imposed) cap though.
I don’t believe there is any “if” in Byfgulin let alone a big “if.” He sold me in the play-offs. Duds knows him. And if Torcheti is our new coach,…Big Buf has passed some serious evaluations. Don’t forget this guy can play defense too.
What would Jokinen cost,….$6 M plus? If we are talking that kind of money,…I’d just as soon go after Iginla at $7M. My dream line of Iggie, Kane and Big Buf doesn’t seem so impossible now.
Which do we need more, sign a UFA goalie, or get a goalie coach?
In Duds I trust.
World Be Free
June 23rd, 2010
10:03 pm
I think Jokinen better get used to asking for his current value -$3M (in my estimation). He won’t get what he made last season-$5.25M