With All Star weekend behind us, a quick look ahead for the Thrashers
So now that the All Star game has come and gone, tell me what you think of the new format they used this go around. I’ll be honest with you, when I first heard of it I sort of rolled my eyes…thought it was a bit gimmicky. But watching how they performed the draft then how it all played out on the ice, the whole concept kinda grew on me.
It was neat seeing the Sedin brothers skate on opposing teams as well as teammates split up as well. It certainly made for an interesting time.
By all accounts, the city of Raleigh, North Carolina represented themselves well by hosting the event. That’s really not a surprise at all as the Hurricanes are a fantastic organization and Caniacs are among the best of hockey fans. So, hats off to them.
As I’m sure you know, the Thrashers Dustin Byfuglien notched his first ever All Star Game goal. It was his only shot on goal during his 22:18 TOI and he finished a –3.
Dustin Byfuglie, (right), along with Duncan Keith and goalie Jonas Hiller defend against Ryan Kesler during Sunday's All Star Game. Byfuglien and the Thrashers will return to action Tuesday night against the New York Islanders (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
But with All Star weekend now finished, Big Buff will return to Thrasherville for the final 30 games of the season. They’ll start things off tomorrow night when the New York Islanders come to call. Cal-GARY makes there way to town Thursday and then the Thrashers finish off the week by heading to Raleigh for what is sure to be a huge game with the Hurricanes.
Carolina is but one point behind Atlanta and their 56 points after 50 games played have them currently on course for 92 for the season. For the Thrashers to reach the 92 point mark, they’ll have to net 35 points in their final 30 games played…say a record of something like 15-10-5.
Just ahead of the Thrashers in the Eastern Conference standing is Montreal with 59.
The big issue right now for the Thrashers is health issues of certain key players. Toby Enstrom will continue to be out for a number of games with a broken hand, but also on the shelf of late has been Evander Kane, Jim Slater and goalie Chris Mason.
Still yet to be seen is if the team will be calling up someone from Chicago to take Toby’s spot on the roster. Personally, I’d like to see Arturs Kulda get a few games in up here in Enstrom’s absence. Last year he played in two games and played a very well on our blueline.
Above and beyond that, sometime between now and the trade deadline I look for general manager Rick Dudley to make some sort of deal to bolster this team’s roster as they make a push from the playoffs. Yes I know Dudley recently told C-Viv that no such trades were on the horizon, but I’m taking that quote with a grain of salt. I don’t think he’s going to tip his hand with respect to any impending deal and, quite frankly, something needs to be addressed, specifically on defense and/or on wing.
I would think finding a way to bring in a left wing to replace Fredrik Modin would be a decent way to start. Also, if Duds can find a way procure a top-four defenseman, this would go a long way to getting this team where they need to go. If that’s the case, then we could see a defensive corps looking like Byfuglien-Enstrom, (upon return)…Oduya –[insert name of new D-man here]…Hainsey-Sopel/Bogosian.
Question is, what do the Thrashers give up in return for such a player or players? Sure there are replaceable parts such as Modin…maybe some would say Hainsey. But what do you really expect to get in return for either of them straight up? I would think that along with a Modin or a Hainsey, the Thrashers will need to part ways with a prospect or two to make this happen.
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133 comments Add your comment
Flagstaff
February 1st, 2011
9:47 pm
Curly– how can we trust their guy when he “doesn’t really give a damn”?
Seriously, though, that sucked. I’m so sick of this happening. No, I’m not giving up on the season, and this is only one game, but this team had better shape up– and fast. Thank God Carolina lost tonight.
Tom Lysiak
February 1st, 2011
9:50 pm
That was one pathetic effort.
Tom
February 1st, 2011
9:56 pm
Tom Lysiak, Amen brother. Don’t these guys know that they are fighting for a playoff berth?
Effort from the first drop of the puck was lacking tonight. There was NO HITTING whatsoever. There was NO INTENSITY whatsoever. There was NO PASSION whatsoever.
The whole team had a week off and saw they were holding onto a 1 point lead in the playoffs. So what did they do? They took a loss against an Islanders team that came in expecting to lose.
When the Islanders finally figured out they were playing the walking dead they just went right by the boys in Blue and crushed us.
Why should I care about this team than the players on the ice. If I was Ramsey I would have a 6 am practice in the morning and skate them till they drop.
LAC
February 1st, 2011
9:58 pm
These clowns should have stayed home from the arena tonight. There is NO DAMN excuse for this loss, Period.
Maybe it was NO fans, but this team is now 100% DONE from the playoffs, just get it over with and hope for a New Owner and New Players for 2011-2012, because after this debacle tonight they have proven that they could care less about winning and getting the season over is first and foremost.
Fragile… How about IMPLODED !
Curly
February 1st, 2011
9:59 pm
Flagstaff – I am sure the Isles announcer doesn’t care nor his audience. But this is what is being hyped around the NHL.
Flagstaff
February 1st, 2011
10:09 pm
True. Yet, all I’m saying is that he’s probably just talking from hearsay… hmmm. You think the Spirit could sue him?
Curly
February 1st, 2011
10:14 pm
Where’s the desperation? When are these guys going to show up and play? When they are 6 points out of contention? …12 points? …20 points? What happened to this great defensive scheme this new coaching staff was supposed to implement? We are LAST in GAA. I hope this isn’t it.
Curly
February 1st, 2011
10:17 pm
Good point Flagstaff (”You think the Spirit could sue him?”).
That was the first time I laughed all night.
Curly
February 1st, 2011
10:22 pm
Montreal just beat the Caps in a shoot-out. Hal Gill covered the puck up in the crease for the Habs in OT to send it to the shoot-out (should have been a penalty shot for the Caps… of course no call in Montreal). Another 3 pointer. Unfortunately the two points go the Habs, sending us a little deeper into the 8th spot.
World Be Free
February 1st, 2011
10:35 pm
I rarely get upset after a bad game, but this one is an exception. No fight, no desire, outhit and outshot by a 14th place team. Can’t get the puck out of out end, can forecheck, can’t body check, dont’ give a damn.
Anyone want to argue now whether is is a playoff team?
Time for Anthony Stewart to go. I know it is tough to pick out one guy in a game like this, but anyone who thinks this guy is an NHL regular is out of their mind.
This was horrible tonight.
Associated Press Reporting
February 1st, 2011
10:41 pm
After the game, Thrashers owners were seen toasting their destruction of hockey in Atlanta.
Bruce Levenson was heard chanting DEAL WITH IT…DEAL WITH IT, in a drunken stupor.
World Be Free
February 1st, 2011
10:50 pm
One good thing tonight-meeting Dan Bouchard, former Atlanta Flame and good dude. Thanks Red Light.
World Be Free
February 1st, 2011
10:59 pm
This team can’t score goals because it cannot transition out of their own zone to the offensive zone. We were basiclaly shut out tonight by a 20 year old goalie in his 6th NHL game. Pathetic, totally lame. Get Boulton back out on the ice and sit that clown Stewart!
Smoothie
February 1st, 2011
11:11 pm
WBF – while I agree that the effort all around sucked, I can name 5 players who were worse than Stewart: Bogosian Implosian, Sopel, Bergfors, Ladd, Peverley, Antropov, Cormier, Burmistrov and Coach Ramsay sucked too. Wait that was like 8 or 9. Oh hell, sell the friggin team to Winnipeg already, they deserve this shite on a stick hockey!
R. Stroz
February 1st, 2011
11:22 pm
Serious Question:
Why should the players endanger their long term careers fighting for pucks when they are aware the ownership doesn’t want the team?
Hossa and Kovy both stopped playing with an edge when they knew they were leaving, is the tradition continuing?
Be honest, would you bust your hump for the Spirit Clowns?
FUBAS (Fouled Up By Atlanta Spirit) SUCKS!
Joe Friday
February 1st, 2011
11:44 pm
WBF, that was probably one of the best games I’ve seen out of Stewart, he was flying and worked hard all night.
Cormier is the gem in the Kovy deal? Hoo boy, he blows, I was so hopeful that Dudley was right on him but he’s slow, lazy and not much skill. Buf played lazy, Ladd wasn’t working hard, what’s up with that? Mabye the team has heard the same rumors the NY announcer reported, to play that way coming out of the break shows me there’s something going on here
Joe Friday
February 1st, 2011
11:56 pm
So who is coach talking about? Peverly and Kane?
Brendan
February 2nd, 2011
12:53 am
I haven’t seen a Ranallo warning yet. I guess it’s still safe to blog.
Look, let’s give the Islanders some credit. They played a very good road game. But, did they play SO WELL that the Thrashers were simply BESTED by them? Or, is it more truthful to say … if this team exhibits the same effort and performance all their remaining games, they’ll be lucky to bank 12-points in 29 games?
Folks, I banged on the drum all week. We simply CANNOT come to the rink … UNPREPARED TO PLAY, emotionless, and lulled to sleep. Okay, fine. This was ‘a playoff game’ and only 11,000 fans showed up for ‘a playoff game.’ That still doesn’t excuse the performance of this team.
I’m pleased that Craig Ramsay is wholly aware of the word ‘accountability.’ He’s the only one at One CNN Center who is! I give him credit. Truthfully, how many coaches would ‘jump up and down’ for 29th-ranked payroll and uncaring ownership? And a GM who stated, “I don’t like a coach to tell me what he wants. I want them to simply work with what I give them.” So … let’s give Craig Ramsay at least some credit. He walked into one of the worst coaching assignments in the NHL and he prospered. Let’s face it, we have a payroll that should place us in the lottery draft, not playoff contention. The fact that we can EVEN TALK about playoffs in February, with 29 games left, is a testimony to the good work Ramsay and Torchetti have done. That said, it’s slipping away. No way to ’sugarcoat’ that. Ramsay was handed a schedule that listed 82 games. Little did he know, the team would take 12 of those games off, mentally checked out or UNPREPARED TO PLAY. Well, it’s hard enough to make the playoffs with the benefit of 82 games played. Imagine trying to make them with only 70 games? And a 29th-ranked payroll?
I feel for the guy. I truly do. He’s not a dummy. He’s not incapable. He just happens to work for a franchise that hasn’t experienced much ‘accountability’ in its history, nor decent ownership in its history. How are the Thrashers going to re-sign RFA’s beyond the requisite RFA years? Who’s going to forego their UFA years to play in Atlanta?
The ownership’s ‘commitment level’ is on full display. It’s time for them to end their policy of inaction. The longer they wait, the more futile it will become.
World Be Free
February 2nd, 2011
5:19 am
J/F and Smoothie-I guess I just expect more out of Stewart then I see from night to night. The kid has size and decent speed, I just wish he would crunch a few people every night to establish the space his size justifies. I just hate a player that doesn’t use his size, but he has alotta company on this team right now. Cormier isn’t ready to play in the NHL-another kid rushed to the Thrashers before he is ready.
Not Blind
February 2nd, 2011
7:24 am
As I end up saying every season about this time – THANK GOD FOR NHL CENTER ICE !!! I don’t have to watch the Thrashers.
Tom Lysiak
February 2nd, 2011
7:33 am
That game reminded me of the Panthers game in November. Not to replace Stroz or anything like that, but I predict Rammer will rename Ladd captain today.
I ask again, where is that team that played here in late November and December? I know there have been injuries, but that team last night is fragile and gave up. Makes one wonder if they really have gotten word that the team is gone.
glovesave29
February 2nd, 2011
7:57 am
It’s rare – but I agree with JF…I thought Stewart was one of the only players fighting hard last night.
Our breakouts are bad because the the quarterback – Toby Enstrom is out. We also have no speed right now to break the neutral zone trap.
Brendan…I think we ALLOWED the Isles to play their game. We know they are a speed and passing team…so why did we not come out and hit EVERYTHING that moves and throw them off of their game plan? It’s OUR arena, and we did not act as such.
Last night was an absolute embarrassment. There needs to be SOME sort of shake up and soon.
World Be Free
February 2nd, 2011
8:12 am
Glovesave-I just don’t like Stewart, even if he plays well he won’t play to the level I believe he could play if he put his full heart into it. I said the same things about him when he was in Florida. Based on these feeling, I will cease from talking about Stewart anymore! And you are so correct on the breakouts, the defenseman just play with the darn puck too much, inviting a turnover. If the opposing team is pressing hard, use the glass or flip the puck to the neutral zone. Every team is forechecking us effectively right now, because they know they can pin the Thrashers in, even with Toby our breakouts were largely ineffective, our transition game non-existent.
The team needs a deal, a shakeup becuase this crew is not going to get it done.
DWTOO
February 2nd, 2011
8:21 am
A Brutally Good Time? Brutal – yes. Good Time – not so much. That was really a half-butted effort last night.
Groundhog Day in Atlanta Thrasher hockey – streaks in Nov/Dec to tease and then collapse in Jan/Feb. Haven’t we seen this before?
Wouldn’t put too much stock in the Isles announcers – just trying to deflect the crud from their team.
Joe Friday
February 2nd, 2011
8:53 am
“Our breakouts are bad because the the quarterback – Toby Enstrom is out. We also have no speed right now to break the neutral zone trap.”
Enstrom is missed, but he’s not the reason for that. This club struggles with or without him in there against teams that forecheck hard and play a neutral zone trap, it’s why we have so much trouble against Tampa and clubs that play that style.
I think the biggest clue to what the future of this franchise is can be found not in what Dudley or the owners say or have said, but what they are doing. And that is nothing. There’s no contract extensions for Buf or Ladd. There’s been no move made when it’s been clear for well over a month that a move or moves were necessary. The handwriting is on the wall here.
moriler
February 2nd, 2011
9:08 am
Good to see Joe “Sage Is My Daddy” Friday show up for his daily shower of negativity.
Crap performance last night == Crap comments today. All y’all screaming for a trade don’t seem to realize: nobody’s out there to be had, and we don’t have any chips to give other than the first-round pick that we _cannot_ sacrifice.
Come on, put a trade proposal out there that other teams would take seriously _and_ that doesn’t sacrifice the next year or two in development. This means no trading the young guys, no matter how much you want to mind-read about their desire to play here, without getting other young guys in return. So what prospects are you gonna give up that matter, eh?
Smoothie
February 2nd, 2011
9:15 am
While Stewart could hit more and we wish he was blessed with better hands, at least he gets the puck deep and his line can actually forecheck for more than 5 seconds. The commitment is there but the skill is lacking, much like Thorburn, Boulton and Stapleton. But when it comes to Ladd, Pevs, Bergy and Antro, the skill is there but the commitment is sorely lacking. As for the others, they are either too young and ineffective largely or they’re Freddy Modin, the poster child for vets who know how but can’t execute.
DWTOO
February 2nd, 2011
9:22 am
J/F – I’d be worried if there was a lot of trade activity and we were standing pat, but, throughout the league not much is happening yet. So, let’s wait and see. Also, we’ve heard they’re talking with Ladd and Buff, but, it’s been a short time. Again, patience should prevail.
However, after a putrid effort like last night’s they should be skating mountains, or suicides, as we type.
moriler
February 2nd, 2011
9:24 am
@Smoothie: and that’s really the core of the problem. A lot of this team is just flat young and either isn’t there yet (Burmistrov) or isn’t likely to ever be there. This wasn’t ever going to be a year we make a big playoff run; our best luck would be to get in the 7th spot to play not-Philly and not-Tampa, probably-Boston; but at least we have a fighting chance there. But realistic expectations say that even if we make it in this year we’ll be out in the first round. It’s the years down the road that we should expect to be making our presence felt, and trading kids for vets or rentals at this point in time is _not going to cut it_.
drajax
February 2nd, 2011
9:29 am
Another most disappointing loss of the season. I realize a team can’t be up for every game but WTF, this team appears to be playing out the string, not realizing they are in playoff contention. I’m beginning to think the coaches are pushing the wrong buttons and creating the lackluster play I saw tonight.
Sage of Bluesland
February 2nd, 2011
9:56 am
Can’t you feel it, now, Thrashersland? I’ve been asking this question for a month or so….and I see the silly dweams have been replaced with cold, hard reality.
Finally.
Oh well, can’t say I didn’t warn you…Don’t worry, I’ll keep reminding you…and laugh at the ridiculousness espoused by the ‘Sunshine Squad’…
Can you ‘feel’ it, Thrashersland?
VOLinATL
February 2nd, 2011
10:10 am
Keep playing like this at home and they will be thrilled to have 11K show up. Bad in every way…you have GOT to win these types of games at home!!!
Rawhide
February 2nd, 2011
10:27 am
G’Morning gang. Like Ondrej Pavelec opined after the game…many more games like last night’s suckfest, and this Thrashers team is done.
With that in mind…here’s a new blog for you all to chew on today.