Kulda should be in Atlanta this fall, but who else would, could, should?

Again, I didn’t think I was being negative. I was trying to show that trading away Valabik, potentially, isn’t something ‘way off the table’ simply because he was a 1st round pick. And I cited some historicals to support it. It really, truly wasn’t meant to be negative, Alan R. I’m surprised that so many people took it that way. I’ll say it again, if trading Valabik away makes us better a better team with the return, then how can that be a bad thing?? Or a negative thing.

I think there should be optimism heading into this season, not negativity. Craig Ramsay very well may be our best coach ever. And if he shaves off 30 goals for the Goals Against, it’ll be a nice achievement. Also, Dudley is better than Waddell at decision-making. I far trust him more to find the right fit at the trade deadline. And lastly, nobody should be depressed about a season that hasn’t started yet, when the season is 7 months long. It’s not like Dudley went out at saddled us with Ken Klees and Uwe Krupp/Jani Hurme rehabilitation projects. There’s nothing like that, even remotely, going on. It’s a new day in goal. The defense is probably better. But the losses of Finny and Kovalchuk will have to be dealt with. Maybe Bryan Little can get back to 31 goals? He did it once before. These comments are not meant to be negative.

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“That is a sheep, by its very definition.”

Uhhh, actually this is the definition of a sheep:

Main Entry: sheep
Pronunciation: \ˈshēp\
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural sheep
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scēap; akin to Old High German scāf sheep
Date: before 12th century
1 : any of various hollow-horned typically gregarious ruminant mammals (genus Ovis) related to the goats but stockier and lacking a beard in the male; specifically : one (O. aries) long domesticated especially for its flesh and wool

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Joe Friday. Thank you. The character Joe Friday always says, “Just the facts.” Sometimes facts are interpreted in a positive way, and other times in a negative way. But the facts, themselves, don’t do anything. They just are what they are.

“It is what it is” is not a catch phrase. “It is what it is” is an explanation of events or facts as they actually occured.”

What I cannot understand, is why people think it’s negative to point out that former 1st round draft picks have been traded. To me, it’d be far more negative for those same players to walk “for nothing but reclaimed cap space” as opposed to what we could salvage for them. To me, that seems pretty straight-forward. And it is neither positive nor negative. It it what it is.

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Thanks R.L and WBF. Just keepin it real….

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Remember – Don’t feed the trolls!

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Nurse Rachett

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I’m gonna be part of the herd Oct 8th. The Boys In Blue need to know the fans support THEM. That they care about hockey. Why? Because they are playing hockey and representing us. If we don’t support them, it’s no wonder no one wants to stay! You can go play on another bad team where the fans at least show up and support you. Why do the fans support bad teams? Because they love the game! You can’t enjoy the good times if you don’t have the bad times too.

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…I DO like the marketing idea of Serta giving out foam GaVa’s, rob’s, and smoothie’s! That is a great idea!

Don Waddell and the ASG sincerely thank you for your support! They’ll tell you so during the next town-hall meeting, where they empathize with the fans…and make you feel all good again…

Just like last time…

and the time before that…

and the time before that….

(You’re right–this time the words seem different; the words from Waddell and the ASG seem so sincere this time around! They really care! Uh-huh!)

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“The character Joe Friday always says, “Just the facts.” Sometimes facts are interpreted in a positive way, and other times in a negative way.”

Yep. You can face reality as it is, the good and the bad, and embrace the good and deal with the bad and try to effect change, or you can bury your head in the sand and make yourself believe fairy tales like “the boycott has had no effect” while going down to the arena night after night seeing empty seats and then watch the Spirit Squad move Waddell out of the way and finally make fan friendly concessions.

I’ve always preferred just dealing with the reality of how things are, but that’s just me . . . Happy Friday, fellas, beer thirty!

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You may call me a sheep,no matter,the one thing I will answer to is,”Hockey Fan”. If my support of a professional hockey team in ATL is “subsidizing the mediocrity” so be it!! I have lived in Ga all 56 years of my life,I am not a transplant. I became a hockey fan in the 70’s and I died a little when the Flames left for Calgary. I DO NOT WISH TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN!!!! So if knowing that more established franchises than ours has done considerably worse, SO WHAT, Sage, you go forth spewing this semen from your mouth about how you are the “ENLIGHTENED ONE”,all I can say is if you care so little and the thought of not having an NHL franchise in ATL means so little to you. By all means,stay home,don’t watch, holler at all the neighbors kids to stay off your lawn. Have you ever heard of the concept of an unexpressed thought! I am personally tired of hearing it. GO KICK A PUPPY AND LEAVES US THE HELL ALONE! LISTEN CLOSELY, THIS IS BY FAR AND AWAY THE BEST OFF SEASON I CAN REMEMBER AND IF YOU CANNOT SEE THAT AND CAN ONLY SEE GLASS HALF EMPTY ,WHO NEEDS YOU. IF YOU ARE NOT A PART OF THE SOLUTION,YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM!!!

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DWTOO, yours is the quote of the day, “A friend of mine once said “Bad hockey is still better than good basketball.” Truer words never spoken.

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Guys, you’re really letting Sage get under your skin too much. It’s your lives. You lead them as you see fit, or as best you are able. If you want to go to games, then go. And enjoy yourself. If you don’t want to go to games, then don’t. If you’re in the position of financial pinch, try to look for game coupons and/or discounts. Or one of these online ticket hubs that sell tickets at fraction (sometimes just one-third) of what they’re worth. Somebody out there has a web link to it. Or cozy up to an STH and tag along for the ride! It’s no sin or crime to be economically disadvantaged, people. Remember, the only poor people … are those who lack knowledge. So, here’s some tips for you. If you go to a Thrasher game at the holidays, bring an unwrapped toy for the “Toys for Tots” campaign. Bring one each time you go to a December game. In previous years, the Thrashers will swap out your toy for two “fairly nice” seats for an upcoming game, usually in January or February. The Thrashers have a list the games that are available for your FREE seats, and preferred seating location. That’s right! You actually get to pick the game or games you want from that list! How sweet is that? You can rack up quite a few tickets this way. So, why not take the whole family? The toys don’t have to be expensive. But they do have to be in their original packaging. Your local Target or Wal-Mart will have affordably priced toys that still make nice gifts for a child.

Moving right along … if you’re a hockey fan out there … and you just happen to be reading this post … it would be my sincere suggestion that you give the Atlanta Thrashers some of your time and attention this year. This team is in a brand new situation. They’re going to try a whole different approach this season. It’s not a team laden with Superstars, trying to hit their numbers. This ought to be a much more TEAM-oriented strategy this year. There’s a new coach in Craig Ramsay. There’s new assistant coaches, including an Associate Coach, Torchetti, who came from the defending Stanley Cup Champions. The GM’s office has a name plate that reads, “Rick Dudley.” And he’s way better than Don Waddell, even if he is under Waddell’s purview. Dudley is doing more with this team than, frankly, Waddell could. So, it’s not exactly “the same ol’ same old.” The car ride home might not be so acrid, even after a loss. Then again, I’m not the sort of fan who expects Stanley Cups year-in and year-out. I’m not the sort who throws the team under the bus after every loss, especially in build-years. And I’m not the sort who flys off the handle when the team has a bad game. Or two. Or Three. I’m the sort who does get angry over accountability. I don’t ask for Stanley Cups, but I do ask for an “honest effort” at it. And any budget that is $8-10 million under the ceiling does bother me a little bit. But I understand the situation. I wish I could tell you that everything will be coming up roses. But the truth is … this team actually is … moving in a BETTER direction that it’s ever been. (I won’t say “moving in the right direction,” (Copyright, Bruce Levenson & Don Waddell, 2004-present,) as I’d wind up having to pay the Atlanta Spirit, LLC a royalty. So, with that in mind, I actually urge you to come out to a game, or more games, this year.

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Dear Rawhide:

Thanks for the advice, but the girlfriend just told me she could extract a tennis ball through a garden hose. Trashed the e-mails and and my GMail account. Have a good night!

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Sage, I have a question for you. If Dudley’s decisions, even while under the thumb of Waddell, who is ultimately employed by the Atlanta Spirit, LLC, make the team beter … and the team finishes HIGHER than 83-points this year, where does this leave the boycott? Still in full effect? Or should there be some easing of the economic sanctions?

Let’s tweak the example a bit … and the Thrashers, by hook or by crook, squeak in at #8, back into the playoffs, and while there … manage to win a game. Or two. What does this do to accountability? It’s difficult to imagine that anyone would be getting fired over those results, given the situation we find ourselves in 2010. Even at 84-points and no playoffs, the Thrashers would technically be making ‘incremental progress.’ In the AS, LLC world, that seems to be the ‘phrase that pays.’

I’m interested in your response. We cannot fire ownership. Ownership has not fired Waddell. Rick Dudley has done nothing worthy of his dismissal. Craig Ramsay hasn’t coached his first game for the Thrashers. If Dudley and Ramsay get the desired results … I know, the operative word being IF, would this change your mind about fans supporting this team, by attending in droves? Or, is the policy a hardcore one … where there can be no attendance while either (1) Don Waddell is still with the organization in any capacity or (2) The Atlanta Spirit, LLC owns the team?

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WBF, last year … the NY Rangers missed the playoffs because Brian Boucher was one save better than Henrik Lundqvist, during Game # 82’s shootout. The Rangers went home. The Flyers went to the Finals, bowing out in overtime of Game Six.

Todd White shouldn’t make anyone excited. Well, I can think of one poster who would be. But I’m not going there. Instead, I’ll point us all to some ‘perspective’ on the NY Rangers, when there weren’t any salary cap restraints. From the 1997-98 season through the last year without the salary cap, 2004, the Rangers missed the playoffs for ALLL SEVEN of those seasons. That’s astonishing, really. The NYR was spending between $72 million to $80 million something-a-year in payroll. That’s tens of millions MORE than what is presently permitted.

Through the five completed years of the current CBA, the Rangers have made the playoffs every year except 2010, where again, they failed to qualify for the playoffs on the basis of a shootout loss … in Game # 82. In 2007 & 2008, the NY Rangers advanced into the 2nd round. They hadn’t done that since 1997, when they ultimately lost to the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals, when they had Gretzky, I believe.

For as much as this blog rags on Ranger GM & Team President Glen Sather … they’ve had better results than the Thrashers, despite making, perhaps, stupider moves with respect to their roster. It is a puzzlement. Let’s see if Gaborik stays ‘happy’ this year. After all, he’ll be reunited with Todd White.

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Brendan, you are a posting machine! I think hockey alot, not like you. But your points in the New York Rangers bring up the difference between making playoffs and making an impact in playoffs. Again, we need to just ask Sabres fans-it is almost WORSE to make playoffs and not go very far than to not make the playoffs at all. Teams like Buffalo and the Rangers fail to make the necessary changes in their inferior teams to make an impact in the playoffs. Standing part, or changing “C” players for other C players is no improvement. No team throws good money at bad players more than the Rangers (Edmonton close 2nd). At least non-playoff teams get high picks, the chances to select quality players to improve their chances. The Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1994-before the current CBA when they had a chance to “BUY” the Cup, which is exactly what they did.

Your point on Peverly-I was thinking about the need for quality centerman play this morning. The Thrashers have failed to improve their 2-way centerman play in the offseason. We still do not have a shutdown pivot that can win faceoffs and counter the other team’s top line in the last 10 minutes of of a game with a one goal lead. Belanger is about to resign with Washington.

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The BEST way to determine who makes the team and gives them the best opportunity to make the playoffs? Let’s go old school here and see how they perform in training camp. Does Valabik continue to improve (as he was before the injury)? Is Cormier capable of making the team? Is Slater the guy from 2 years ago, or the guy from the last half of last year? Does Esposito have anything left? Let’s see at camp and go from there.
Brief historical: Grew up watching the Islanders…from the beginning. They didn’t have a big scorer the first year. The big pick year one was Billie Harris who was their Patrick Stefan…never lived to the hype. Trottier came along and was great from the start, but they still searched for the big scorer. ‘77-78 they drafted Mike Bossy who was passed over by 14 teams (Actually 12 teams because the Rangers and Maple Leafs passed on him twice!). He was thought of as a scorer who couldn’t check. Al Arbour said it was easier to teach a scorer how to check than to teach a checker to score (of course, he never had to coach Kovy). First pre-season game…no one really knows anything about him (pre-Google)…everyone is chatting like a concert at Chastain. First shift he gets the puck on the right wing and one stride inside the blue line rips a slapper off the far post…goalie didn’t even move. The whole arena went silent and no one ever didn’t watch him after that. Bottom line is let’s see what they show at camp. If they’ve got the talent and did their off-season work, it will show. Reading other peoples “opinions” and what they think will happen is just filler at this point. Don’t get hung up on it.

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Old Time, Trotts and Potvin are two of my favorite palyers of all time. Isles had some great teams in the late 70’s, though I was never and Isles fans I certainly did respect them alot.

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Brendan–I’ve had my fill of the “incremental” progress that kept the sheep in love with Don Waddell for about six years…That phrase means absolutely nothing to me anymore.

You’re either serious about fielding a winning, respectable team with the real goal of winning a title–or you are not. There is no middle ground.

The continued employment of the man who has single-handedly burned all goodwill and run this team into the ground is but Exhibit A to the case this organization is the latter. Exhibit B is the spending-pattern. Exhibit C is the minor league(s) feeder system and its state.

But their propaganda is nothing but an insult to my intelligence; and when the sheep continue to jump in (in droves, too) and continue to defend the indefensible–it becomes maddening…but also comic.

It’s funny how some of the louder sheep of years past have gone away–or have kept significantly quieter these days. I guess being so wrong so often for so many years takes its toll.

But, fear not, there’s a whole new wave of ignorant little sheep ready to take up the Crusade…We’ll see them disappear and silence over the next few years, as well…

Nope–not a single dollar for incompetence. But, Brendan, you made one statement that does bother me: “You can’t fire ownership”. This is true–but you can force them to make a decision. Unfortunately, too many are subsidizing their behavior for them to even want to change their ways.

That has got to stop for there to be any progress–or any real chance of winning consistently…Titles aren’t won by luck; their genesis lies at the very top of the organization.

With this current group, we have NO CHANCE. None whatsoever.

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Sage, you just can’t get it through your head that nobody here disagrees with what you have stated about the past. Like I said yesterday, you can stay home in protest all you want – good for you. But most of us are hockey fans that will PAY to see the game we love. There are plenty of fans in the league that can apply your beliefs to their local teams. Some choose to go to games, others stay home just like you. One of my best friends in from New Zealand-he’d get a kick out of the sheep references.

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What I fail to understand is if you hate the team so much and are tired of “subsidizing” losers, why do you feel the need to come here and constantly bitch about it? The conversation, no matter what the topic, has someone who holds a poster up in the air that says “The End is near – REPENT”. Everyone has viewpoints, but for crying out loud Sage unless you’re just reposting your propaganda repeatedly for the lurkers and new commentators that come along its pretty clear where you stand. My wife is half Jewish and some members of my family are hard-core Christians and it gets uncomfortable when anything turns into a chance to thank Jesus for everything (and I MEAN EVERYTHING) and they talk to her like she will rot in hellfire because she is Jewish. The irony is that my wife was raised Catholic, the only way people think she is Jewish is based on her maiden name. If my family members would drop trying to hit her over the head with Jesus and engage in whatever the topic of conversation is they may actually learn that my wife has the same basic beliefs. We get it man, we really do. You hate D-Wad. You despise the ASG. You think that no matter what happens on the ice the men behind the curtain will be the downfall of the Thrashers. We all understand it and most everyone will even comment on the fact the we are more than aware of your viewpoint. I’ll even admit that 99% of the time we all share your viewpoint and if we all sat down at a game could discuss the game itself and engage in the debate about the business side. If Rawhide talks about what players will make the Atlanta roster I’m sure everyone would like to have your views on the PLAYERS. Take your hate filled blinders and contempt for management and ownership out of the equation – honestly – who do you think will make it? When the blog topic is about the business, management or ownership side then I’m sure you will notice all of us “sheep” actually agree with you.
Come on man, relax, drink a beer, rub one out, do whatever relaxes you and join in the conversation. I honestly think if you stop treating the rest of us posters as idiots there wouldn’t be so many people so fast to wonder what the hell your problem is.
We know where you stand on one topic. How about joining in on the rest of the conversation?

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Don’t get me wrong, I’m full of “Sheeple Pride” Just trying to pass out an olive branch to sage and actually see if he has opinions other than his usual ones.

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Red Light – Out of curiosity, I looked up faceoff statistics for Eager and Rissmiller to get an idea of how much ice time either have as a pivot in the NHL. Rissmiller took over 200 faceoffs for the Sharks two seasons ago and was fifth on the team. Eager has only taken one faceoff in the last three seasons with Chicago.

I didn’t get to prospect camp, but aren’t the scrimmages 4-on-4? Burmistrov didn’t take any faceoffs?

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From a Zim comment: “….though Dudley hinted that Carl Klingberg will likely head back to Frolunda, I’d guess that Klinger is probably above Stewart and Aliu on the depth chart for grinding wingers.”

Zim is probably correct.

However, I am wondering if Klingberg is familiar with the old M*A*S*H television program? Or worse, do today’s NHL fans of opposing teams remember it? Jamie Farr’s attire (as Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger) on the TV show could make for some interesting posters….signs, that is.

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