Despite 0-4 preseason start some Thrashers making it tough to be cut
The Thrashers offense finally showed some signs of life Wednesday night, scoring as many times in the first two periods as they had in the previous three games. However, it still wasn’t good enough to notch their first win of the exhibition season. They are now 0-4 with two more dates on the preseason schedule and have yet to even hold a lead.
You ask me if I’m worried about that…Nope, not at all. As long as these games don’t count, the outcome is academic.
Coach Craig Ramsay given instructions from the Thrashers bench. Although his team has yet to win in preseason, some players are trying to make it hard on him to cut them (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Oh don’t get me wrong, I’d much rather see them win…but that isn’t what the preseason is really about. Craig Ramsay and his coaching staff are getting to see how certain players perform during game-like situations, new players are learning the tendencies of their teammates and line formations are being tried out.
To that point, there are a couple of guys who are working hard to make it difficult for Ramsay to trim them from the roster.
First off there’s Fredrik Pettersson. He’s been one of the few consistently good players during the four games. The kid has great wheels, is good with the puck and is all out hustle all the time. I particularly like the little move he’s got where he chips the puck into the zone off the boards then zips around the defenseman and wins it on the other side. It’s kind of a solo dump-and-chase routine.
Freddy-P makes the squad or there needs to be an investigation.
Nigel Dawes has continued his impressive work too. On this night his efforts paid off in a power play goal, getting his stick on a Johnny Oduya pass through the crease to tie the score at one apiece late in first period. He’s a pesky, scrappy little player or plays larger than his diminutive size.
Oduya finished with a pair of helpers during 17:22 TOI.
Anthony Stewart also keeps making a case to keep him around after this weekend. He finished the game a +2 during his 18:28 on the ice, the only player on either side to finish better than a +1. He’s aggressive, tough and gives you just about everything you might want in a fourth liner.
Given a choice between he and Eric Boulton right now, I might just have to say I’d have Bolts viewing from the press box. Stewie may also be playing Chris Rissmiller right off the roster too.
Then there’s Freddy Meyer, who had another good outing on the blueline. The 29-year old New Hampshire native certainly has performed like he’d much rather earn $600,000 in the NHL than $105,000 in the AHL. He finished with 20:39 worth of ice-time and blasted home a nice shot for his first preseason goal. It came just 16 seconds after Nashville’s Martin Erat’s power play goal put the Predators up 3-1 in the second.
As for Alexander Burmistrov, once again I left thinking that this kid is going to be something in the years to come…but just not now. He still is somewhat undersized and gets out-muscled. He may, however, get a few NHL games under his belt next month if Jim Slater’s mystery wrist ailment continues to keep him out for a while.
Ben Eager notched his second goal of the Preseason in the 4-3 loss to Nashville. He finished off a really nice play in which Zach Bogosian motored his way though center ice into the right side of the attacking zone. He then found Eager streaking across the opposite side and slipped the puck though to him for the one-timer.
Eager’s tally tied the score six minutes before the second intermission.
Having an uninspired preseason so far is one Mr. Ron Hainsey. He hasn’t looked sharp at all in the three games I’ve seen. I’m hoping it’s just a case of working out the kinks before October 8 rolls around.
Ron was a -1 tonight, but I believe he was on the ice for the two Preds power play goals too. For that matter, Brent Sopel was a -2 and I think he was on the ice during all four Nashville goals.
Nik Antropov played like you might expect one to in his first preseason game. The coaching staff limited him to but 12:44 worth of playing time as he looks to work his way back into playing condition.
Atlanta closes out the preseason this weekend with a game in Carolina Friday afternoon and one in Columbus Saturday evening. It’d be nice to discuss a win in at least one of those, but next week is when it really matters.
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127 comments Add your comment
five hole
September 30th, 2010
9:27 pm
Brendan I noticed we picked the same date but 2 different teams, so I double checked; we play the Rangers in NY on Oct 27, they play here on Jan 22, 2011 and Feb 11, 2011 and we go back to NY on Apr 7, 2011. We play the Wild here on Nov 11.
Did you mean to pick the Wild or did you want the Rangers on a different date?
five hole
September 30th, 2010
9:29 pm
Glovesave29 My dating strategy used to be the “trap”.
Rawhide
September 30th, 2010
9:32 pm
mikey da mug & Nate – Very nice to have met you both Wednesday night.
My dating strategy used to be the “trap”.
five_hole – Mine was the dump and chase. I’d get dumped then go off chasing another
Putting On The Foil
September 30th, 2010
9:45 pm
Brendan, 92 pts, 2nd SE, 7th Conf. Final Answer.
AtlFlamesFan
September 30th, 2010
9:54 pm
Off subject, but I just came across this. I had always hoped that Brett Sterling would do in the NHL what he did in the AHL (score goals), but he never did. Now the Penguins just released him. Anyway, here is the article from the San Jose Mercury:
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/sharks/2010/06/23/sharks-playing-a-role-in-deal-thats-sending-dustin-byfuglien-to-eastern-conference/
Sharks playing a role in deal that’s sending nemesis Dustin Byfuglien to Eastern Conference
Posted by David Pollak on June 23rd, 2010 at 9:30 pm | Categorized as Uncategorized
Dustin Byfuglien is headed from Chicago to the Atlanta Thrashers and the Sharks have helped make that happen.
The deal was done: Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Brett Sopel and Akim Aliu from the Blackhawks to Atlanta for two draft picks this weekend — 24th and 54th overall — along with Marty Reasoner, Joey Crabb and Jeremy Morin. All part of Chicago’s effort to get its payroll under the NHL’s new salary cap of $59.4 million.
But everything was put on hold when Atlanta ended up having more players under contract than the allowable limit. To remedy that, the Sharks agreed to take two of those contracts off Atlanta’s hands — along with a 7th round draft pick this weekend — for “future considerations.”
The players involved are minor leaguers, defenseman Michael Vernace and left wing Brett Sterling. Both of their contracts expire June 30 and the Sharks aren’t expected to hold onto either player.
What? You think the Sharks wouldn’t expedite a deal that would move Byfuglien — who scored three of Chicago’s game-winners in the Western Conference finals – into the Eastern Conference? Self-interest? Absolutely.
Plus an extra pick in this weekend’s draft.
Derrick
September 30th, 2010
10:03 pm
Red Light I’ll go with Evander Kane on October 22, 2010 vs. the Lightning
Smoothie
September 30th, 2010
10:18 pm
If y’all crave a little more late nite reading material because you can’t sleep, or perhaps you’re a hockey analysis junkie and can’t get enough, then check out this entry from my blog:
http://thrashingbirds.blogspot.com/2010/09/oodles-and-oodles-of-os-you-knowand-xs.html
I’ve transcribed my notes from last nite’s game in which I was the only occupant in the far upper deck attack-zone-once end of the arena. Enjoy my absurd addiction! If you dare.
Brendan
September 30th, 2010
10:23 pm
Smoothie, my mistake. I wrote down 87, 2nd, and 9th, but typed 83-points. It’s corrected now.
dwayne, you’re in at 81-points, 3rd, and 11th.
The voting on the “over/under” on Modin has 8 votes, so far. Four (4) selecting “over” and four (4) selecting “under.” The over/under is Modin potting 14 goals and/or playing in 56 games.
Brendan
September 30th, 2010
10:29 pm
Puttin on the Foil,, you’re in at 92-pts., 2nd SE, 7th Conf. Final Answer.
Five_hole, I’ll go with October 27, vs. the Rangers, in New York, with Chris Thorburn. How’s that for a wild hunch?
Brendan
September 30th, 2010
10:40 pm
I just noticed something. We have three (3) posters with the same guess. Putting on the Foil, GaVaHokie, and HockeyBiltong all have 92-points, 2nd in the division, and 7th in the Conference. Rythempenguin and Viking both have 92-points, 2nd in the division, and 8th in the Conference. Two more posters ALSO have 92-points. Glovesave29 and five_hole both have 92-points and both have 3rd in the division. But Glovesave has 9th in the Conference, while five_hole has the T-birds finishing 8th. Jack has the Thrashers with 93-points, 2nd, and 7th.
Paminski and Mikey both have 91-points and 2nd in the division, but Paminski has the T-birds 8th and Mikey has them 7th.
Tom, for some reason, I don’t have a division rank in your guess of 97-points and 5th in the Conference. Did you make a SE division rank, and I missed it?
World Be Free
September 30th, 2010
10:56 pm
Spud-Sabres added some muscle (heart) which is what they needed the past few season. Leopold was the only bad addition, he is a stiff.
Badger Bob
September 30th, 2010
11:39 pm
Next hat trick? Nik Antropov, December 20, in Maple Leaf Gardens.
And Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun will still claim he’s a stiff…
As for points, the jury is still out. Apparently we need to figure out if the pre-season reacord matters.
Badger Bob
September 30th, 2010
11:57 pm
Poster LTL on the Blue Jackets site had some answers to our “does preseason matter” angst. One excerpt, the holders of the best and worst records from the 2009 – 2010 preseason, hints at the meaninglessness of preseason records:
Best preseason record in the East: Toronto
Worst preseason record in the East: Pittsburgh
Worst preseason record in the West: Chicago
So would you rather be Toronto or Chicago last year?
Derrick
October 1st, 2010
12:09 am
Anyone know if the game with Carolina is going to be broadcast on the radio by either our radio guys or theirs?
five hole
October 1st, 2010
8:29 am
Brendan If you’re looking for Thorburn to score a hat trick, I’d call that a wild hunch. And I sincerely hope he does.
Buzilla in CT
October 1st, 2010
8:49 am
Hokie – Kari isn’t hurt…again. He played last night and got the first star of the game. He will win the Venza this year. You team is weak…and Tavares will be in the top 5 this year in scoring…so suck it
Alan R.
October 1st, 2010
8:56 am
Put me down for: 91pts. 2nd SE. 8th Conference.
J.B.
October 1st, 2010
8:59 am
Nigel Dawes with a hattrick Nov. 21st at home versus the Islanders
rob
October 1st, 2010
9:02 am
Bogosian in Ottawa Nov. 9th
Spud Webb
October 1st, 2010
10:12 am
Here we go, over the top, Brendon, 96 points. Second in the division. 6th seed. I said it. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Hainsey the Metrosexual
October 1st, 2010
10:17 am
Oh no, I can’t play today. I left my hair gel behind.
R. Stroztradamus
October 1st, 2010
10:19 am
Brendan – I’m waiting to make my point and standings prediction until the final roster provides more clarity.
Dwayne
October 1st, 2010
10:26 am
When Duds makes the trade to NJ for Parise or Sajak, I will update my guess.
Rawhide
October 1st, 2010
10:29 am
It’s still only preseason, but a Thrashers win this weekend would be nice.
Zoomo
October 1st, 2010
10:36 am
I’ve been a perennial optimist when if comes to the Thrash (baaah), but I dunno, I have a bad feeling that we are going to have a number of things go in the toilet this season.
I’m convinced we are doing the right thing, building with gritty, character players, but I predict the lack of scoring will be diluted even more with some key injuries, etc. and it will take a huge toll. In the end, the projected scoring from Little, Bergy, and Kane turns woeful.
Oh how I hope I’m wrong.
79 Points (35-38-9) 4th and 12th
Brendan
October 1st, 2010
11:03 pm
R.Stroztradamus, I thought you were going to say that you wanted to delay your vote until the 82nd game of the season.
Alan R., you’re locked-in to 91-points, 2nd in SE division, and 8th in the Conference, with no over/under on Modin.
Spud Webb, you’re registered at 96-points, 2nd in SE division, and 6th in the Conference, with no over/under on Modin.
Zoomo, you’re confirmed at 79-points, 4th in the SE Division, and 12th in the Conference. Your guess is the 2nd lowest made in the contest. East Point Bob has 60-points, with no division rank or conference rank.
Tom, if you’re out there, I have no SE division rank for your guess of 97-points and 5th in the Conference.
Picks may be made and changed up to “puck drop” of the Thrashers 1st regular season games. After which time, the contest is closed. Still, you’ll see people try to weasel-in with a pick at Christmas. AS IF it would count. Never seems to stop them from trying, though. Reading and comprehension are some of the better hallmarks of Western Civilization.
Thrashy Thrashy
October 2nd, 2010
12:51 am
I’ll go with 90 points, 2nd in SE and, what the hell, 8th in the East.
Modin? Over. I think Ramsay will manage his ice time well. I get the feeling that Rams is a stickler for that sort of thing.