Kulda should be in Atlanta this fall, but who else would, could, should?
During the course of the summer we’ve occasionally paused to examine just where the Atlanta Thrashers roster stood. Since we last performed such a review, we have learned of three players that will definitely not return to the lineup. Clarke MacArthur and his $2.4 million arbitration award was given a one-way ticket out of Thrasherville . Maxim Afinogenov left for the KHL, taking his 24 goals & 61 points with him. And Todd White was traded and he took his…well…he took his milk carton to Broadway.
So with that, let’s once again see where the Thrashers are in regards to on-ice personnel. But this time, we’ll concentrate on which prospects might have the best chance to make the NHL squad this fall.
Barring any other transactions, Hainsey, Enstrom, Oduya, Bogosian, Sopel and Valabikshould man the defensive corps. But that leaves one more to provide a healthy scratch in the press box. Conventional wisdom would point to Arturs Kulda to fit the bill, though some will be quick to add Paul Postma has a decent shot to make the team too. But given what Kulda showed in his few games up last winter and his play with the Wolves, Paul would really need to have a spectacular training camp/preseason to move past Arturs onthe depth chart.
In fact, I would even go so far to say that even if Rick Dudley were to pull off another deal to acquire another blueliner, Kulda probably wouldn’t be the odd man out, it might just be Boris Valabik who could be placed upon the trading blocks.
Up front… well, that’s where we could really see a battle for a couple open slots. Currently under contract are nine forwards who already have spots on the team…Antropov, Byfuglien, Kane, Ladd, Peverley, Slater, Boulton, Eager and Thorburn. Add in RFAs Little and Bergfors, whose contracts are still yet to be announced, and you have eleven of the twelve needed to ice four lines.
That would leave one more forward to dress and one or two more for healthy scratches.
Who do you think has the best shot at cracking the Thrashers lineup? (Pick three)
- A. Kulda (77%, 189 Votes)
- P. Postma (9%, 23 Votes)
- P. Cormier (72%, 178 Votes)
- S. Machacek (19%, 46 Votes)
- C. Klingberg (17%, 42 Votes)
- A. Stewart (2%, 5 Votes)
- F. Pettersson (12%, 29 Votes)
- A. Esposito (7%, 18 Votes)
- P. Rissmiller (10%, 24 Votes)
- A. Burmistrov (18%, 44 Votes)
Total Voters: 246
Loading ...Among the prospects who should have a legitimate shot at securing those spots are Patrice Cormier, Spencer Machacek, Carl Klingberg, Anthony Stewart, Fredrik Pettersson, Angelo Esposito and last June’s first round draft pick Alexander Burmistrov. Patrick Rissmiller, who was acquired in return for the milk carton, isn’t classified as a “prospect”, but we’ll lump him in as one who will be competing for a job on the NHL squad.
Of the candidates listed above, I would think Cormier enters into camp with the label of “His Job To Lose” affixed to his jersey. If he does make the team, I’d slide him between Eager and Bolts on the fourth line. Then the battle becomes which two forwards get to round out the roster.
Players like Machacek, Klingberg, and Pettersson would be considered chic picks here…certainly the look to factor into the Thrashers’ future. But unless they impress Dudley, Ramsay and Torchetti enough to displace one of the perceived starters on the team, I’d prefer to see them getting ice time with the Wolves…or Barrie in the case of Burmistrov… than observation time from the press box.
Rissmiller, on the other hand, is a good candidate for the role of 13th forward. He’s played in 182 NHL regular season games as well as 30 playoff games while with the Sharks. Plus, seeing that he’ll become 32 in October, it’s not like he requires much more “seasoning” on the farm. Anthony Stewart is a decent possibility here too given he has 105 NHL games under his belt.
And as for Esposito, well, let’s see how far his twice-torn ACL rehab has progress when training camp rolls around. I honestly have my doubts here…but Espo has youth and modern sports medicine on his side.
crossing fingers
Either way, that’s seven or so players that would be vying for two open spots…three if the team opts to keep 14 forwards. Combine that with Arturs Kulda who should be on the back line, and we could see a healthy dose of youth in the Thrashers lineup this October.
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159 comments Add your comment
Sage of Bluesland
August 14th, 2010
8:51 pm
“Sage, interesting this is your first example. Would this be the non-acknowledgement of the Atlanta Flames? Is that the root of your hatred?”
No–I thought my illustration was clear: it’s one Don Waddell. No double-meanings or hidden points. I was a kid when the Flames were here; went to a couple of games every year–and liked them well enough…but wasn’t ‘crushed’ by any stretch of the imagination when they left for Canada.
WBF is more correct on the source of my current ire than not. To see the mug of this incompetent buffoon and to have him blustering about ticket sales makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. It just proves to me that he is more control than previously believed. I know some will say the team president has jurisdiction over such matters; I don’t care, to put this idiot front-and-center of the organization proves what the ownership thinks of the Atlanta fans.
No respect given–and none has been earned despite the mere window-dressing of GM and coaching changes. It’s the same old shell-game.
Yet some idiots defended this clown for many years–including creating spreadsheets of delusion which ‘proved’ that he was doing a better than average job! I still laugh at that perfect storm of arrogance, ignorance, and pretentious lunacy! (and you know who you are, despite not showing up as often as you used to–well, I don’t blame you, either–I’d be embarrassed too)
Unfortunately, Soma, I can’t discuss the players because they’re just the peripheral picture to me. I’m not a technical grognard like Brendan and many others (I don’t mean that in a bad way, either), where analyzing the faceoffs won means we should play this guy or that, etc. ad nauseam.
Nope, at center-stage is the all-mighty dollar. The item that the ownership craves–the item that the mercenaries (i.e. players) crave…the item which resides in the element which gets the least respect in the entire equation: the FANS. This ownership has proven time and again what they think of the fans–and to see some of them buy into it hook, line, and sinker is simply unacceptable to me.
I will still encourage as many as I can through my means…We all have to play with the tools we are given, right? The players on the team? Nah, I stopped caring a long time ago–and, based on our retention rate of the ‘good’ ones, it appears they have, too…
I don’t blame them in the least…Winning a title is everything…That will never happen under the ASG, period. Unless they change their ways, which they’ve shown no inclination whatsoever…
GaVaHokie
August 14th, 2010
9:29 pm
Unfortunately, Soma, I can’t discuss the players because they’re just the peripheral picture to me. I’m not a technical grognard like Brendan and many others (I don’t mean that in a bad way, either), where analyzing the faceoffs won means we should play this guy or that, etc. ad nauseam.
Obviously you’re not much of a marketer or PR person either. What do you expect the organization to say about the team? It’s their job to create hype. Are they supposed to say “We are not really trying folks, save your money”?
How can you say they’re apologetic either? How many coaches and players have been thrown under the bus over the years?
GaVaHokie
August 14th, 2010
9:35 pm
Furthermore… Levenson did a pretty good job of killing “goodwill” with STHers, so I hardly think Waddell gets “single-handed” blame if any at all. I’m not exactly sure what your example is for “Exhibit A” anyway. Do share?
… and I hardly think Sara cares about your opinion.
Sage of Bluesland
August 14th, 2010
10:06 pm
“…It’s their job to create hype. Are they supposed to say “We are not really trying folks, save your money”?…”
Thus, they lie about their true intentions? That’s what makes me laugh at those who actually think this player or that will make a hills-beans worth of difference! This is precisely why I laugh at the utter delusion of some–especially those who would actually make excuse after excuse for the underperformance (wink).
OK, “great” (abeit intentionally) obtuse point …Shall we make it Exhibit A-1 for Waddell…and A-2 for Levenson/ASG? Does that suffice for your steel-trap of mind? (at least you seem to be out of your normal excuses of years past!)
To further clarify my points, I may see the need for a spreadsheet…I wonder where I can get one of those…Would you happen to know?
War_Eagle-Hockey
August 14th, 2010
10:34 pm
Rawhide – How are the other Thrasher RFA contract talks going. I especially like Afginy Acrhtukin (sp). What a load coming down the wing!!! Would love to have him back.
Rawhide
August 14th, 2010
10:53 pm
War_Eagle-Hockey – I was speaking with C-Viv today and the subject of RFAs came up. He said there really is no real update regarding Little and Bergfors contracts. So we are still waiting, I guess.
As for Artyukhin, I would love to see him return as well. Big guy with deceptively fast speed. However, Dudley made all UFAs that he wanted to return offers in June. He was clear that these players were forwarded deals that he thought matched what their skills warrented. That Arty hasn’t taken him up on whatever offer was made leads me to think he won’t be back.
Sheep
August 15th, 2010
1:14 am
Leave me alone Sage, I’m not into you.
SomaAtl95
August 15th, 2010
1:41 am
I tried, and failed. Oh well.
To those of you who are in the teenage to 40’s who game, NHL 11’s demo hits on Xbox and PS3 on Tuesday. Better physics, broken sticks, new faceoff’s, lots of good stuff on the way. Hope to challenge some of you online. My tag is the same on Xbox and PS3 as it is here.
All we need now is for the summer to officially expire, get our final roster set, and its time to drop some puck. I look forward to joining those of you officially in the “Thrasher Flock” Maybe after the first “You Suck” chant belted this season and before “Lets go Thrashers!” we can all baahhhh like sheep in unison. I’m sure we will also hear a faint donkey bray as well.
Brendan
August 15th, 2010
2:12 am
Sage, I did cringe at my own post, “you cannot fire ownership.” I admit that. Pushing things to their hardcore limit, if a thousand or less showed up for every game, I think that’d be enough to force something to happen. Either (1) the team goes out of business entirely or (2) NHL steps in to run it or (3) the team is sold to someone else. If it’s the third option, the issue of relocation versus winning back this market comes to the forefront.
In a certain sense, who wants the NHL to think Atlanta is a waste of time market? A thousand fans a night makes me think of the Montreal Expos, who were getting six thousand fans in a stadium that sat tens of thousands of them. Major League Baseball had seen enough, and the team ultimately wound up in Washington, DC. At least in the case of the Expos, Alou ran the team pretty well. There was a team with no budget, no market, and no chance … and YET … they managed to go about .500 most of the time. That’s astonishing, given their set of circumstances. The Expos wound up being MLB’s “farm system.” Okay, enough of that. I agree with you, Sage, that the Octocluster more than had its opportunity to see the error of its ways, and to once again treat the Atlanta hockey fan with respect. Instead, Bruce Levenson told STH’s to essentially “shut up and pay full price,” in the midst of an indefensible lack of accountability … and game day discounts to people sitting right next to them.
Admittedly Sage, it took me a long time before I stopped going to a lot of games. It wasn’t until the 2006-07 season before I stopped attending 20 or so games a year. I still couldn’t believe that Waddell got his contract extended. Deep down, I wanted to believe that it was Kari Lehtonen’s fault that the 2006 Thrashers didn’t make the playoffs. Arguably, we saw a very nice winning percentage once the glass groined wonderkind actually made his return, under Head Coach Bob Hartley. On the surface, missing the playoffs by just 2-points certainly points slings and arrows at Kari. But really, Atlanta was the 2nd oldest roster in the NHL that year, coming off of a Lockout where our GM sat on the Rules Committee, and surely must have known that the “new NHL” was one that emphasized youth and speed. Center Marc Savard would not entertain returning to Atlanta, in a season where the Thrashers had a MAX CAP for “Opening Night.” I remembered thinking, “That jerk, Savard! Why won’t he re-sign? He’s a vital part of our future. We’re spending a level that reflects serious pursuit of the Cup.” In the end, whatever his reasons, Marc Savard left. And the organization got nothing for the asset, as they opted not to move him at the trade deadline in favor of the stretch-run for the playoffs. At the time, trading him in a “salvage mission” probably would have been met with an irate fanbase. It was a close run. It was arguably worth taking a shot at it.
To me, Sage, my epiphany … occured in 2006. Which was, admittedly, “a little late” not to realize the score. Truthfully, I was surprised that Waddell survived the Lockout as GM. Then there was the Heatley trade. But prior to that, the wooing (and eventual signing) of Peter Bondra and the signing of Bobby Holik as out “big free agent move” of 2006. And, of course, the Ilya Kovalchuk “RFA holdout.” I was extremely upset at the time … that Kovalchuk wasn’t the very first move made by Waddell, the moment the Lockout was resolved. I posted in anger, back in 2005, “With this kind of treatment, this guy will be gone the second he can hit the open market in 2010.” Boy did I hear about it!, from the other posters. People called me a “hate monger,” among other things. I really didn’t want to be right about that. I never wanted to be more wrong in my life. But, as it turns out, Kovy’s departure could turn into a blessing in disguise. I’ve certainly cut the cord, embracing more of a depth strategy. But I’m off point. In 2007, it was an utterly indefensible move to renew Waddell until 2010 as GM, after mortgaging the future for a division title and playoff berth that resulted in zero wins. That was it, for me, in terms of even thinking of going to 20 games a season. When I heard Bernie Mullin get on “680TheFan” to spout some “John Wooden longevity theory” about why retaining Waddell was essential for the future of the team, I lost it, man. It was that, “You’ve got to be kidding me! .. you CANNOT be serious” John McEnroe moment. As in, “That ball was on the line. There’s chalk flying everywhere,” towards the umpire. In October of 2007, it was Hartley, not Waddell, who got fired. I found it completely exasperating that there wasn’t an utter housecleaning in April of 2007. To even try to make it all “Hartley’s fault” seemed really distasteful. Waddell, ultimately, fared not much better, after coaching the team for 76-games to 76-points. With, mind you, bluster about the playoffs still in full effect, in December. Allright, I’m just gonna stop there. We all know the history. And very soon, I’ll be accused of negativity for presenting facts about the team. Sage, I don’t know what to say. I’ve wanted this ownership fired for a long, long time, in favor of one that would honestly and properly care for this franchise. To an extent, I certainly agreed with them that, back in 2007-08, the proper course was to engage in a rebuilding project, which others corrected me in saying was a “building, not re-building project.” I just couldn’t conceive that we’d have the same architect holding the blueprints. Fan attendance has been ‘what it is,’ Sage. Philips Arena got bluer and bluer with the empty seats at Blueland, while the PA declared 14,000 seats purchased for tonight’s game. The ownership survives, Sage. Propped up by revenue-sharing dollars and league minimum budgets, the Thrashers survive. They endure. It’s rather remarkable, especially when one wonders, season-in and season-out, just how “committed” this ownership is to winning a Stanley Cup.