Could it be Thrashers are going nowhere soon?
According to this tweet by John Kincade, it would seem that there is possibly an ownership group interested in the Atlanta Thrashers…one that would be interested in not only taking the NHL team off the hands of the Atlanta Spirit, but keep them in Atlanta as well. Not only that, but this group is also interested in the Hawks and Philips Arena too.
I spoke with Kincade earlier this morning and he told me, “All I can say is I can confirm that there is legitimate interest in someone buying control of the Hawks, Thrashers and Philips”.
“Serious candidate”, the co-host of 680 AM The Fan’s Buck and Kincade Show went on to add. “Not like a guy like Rollins”.
When I pressed a little more for additional information, Kincade only said, “There are reasons of confidences shared as to why I am not naming names. I will let this scenario play out”.
OK John, you have our attention. Hopefully this story has some wings to it.
LeBRUN SAYS THE CLOCK IS TICKING
Also on the topic of the Thrashers and their current ownership crisis…last weekend, ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun indicated that the clock is ticking for new owners to be found for the Thrashers.
I did not listen to the “Hot Stove” segment on Hockey Night in Canada, but from what I’ve been told and have read, he indicated that the NHL league office is trying their best to keep the Thrashers in Atlanta, but that there must be new ownership found within the next 6-8 weeks.
Now, I don’t know if that means a deadline has been set to resolve this issue or the NHL will allow the team to be sold to anyone even if that means relocating them…or that the league will step in and take over the problem themselves. Maybe someone who did here the comments can shed some light.
What I do know is that the league is fully aware that the main problem down here is indeed the AS, LLC and they would like to be rid of them just about as much as we do.
NOW…ABOUT LAST WEEKEND
One thing we Thrashers fans have had to learn over the last several seasons is to govern our emotions. When the team is playing very well…as they were last fall…we have to keep reminding ourselves that they really aren’t that good. Eventually, things will moderate out.
The same is true when the team goes through rough patches, the kind every team experiences. Just like when things are going well, things will moderate out. 82 games is a long time and in the end, a team’s true talent level will emerge.
The Edmonton Oilers celebrate Taylor Hall's game winning goal Saturday afternoon. It was Hall's third goal of the period and first hat trick of the rookie's career (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, John Ulan)
However, when we witness a stretch like the Thrashers are going through for two months now…going 6-14-5 over 25 games, winning only three times in regulation since New Years and only once at all since the all Star game…you can’t help but wonder if what we are seeing is indeed the true measure of this squad. And it’s disheartening to say the least.
Saturday’s latest debacle only adds to the general sense of gloom and doom in Thrasherville. The schedule affords the team a matchup with the worst team in the league…points-wise at least…and did so at a time they really needed it. Those two points in northern Alberta were as close to “must have” as it gets for a team looking to turn their fortunes around and try to get back on the winning track.
But it’s not just that they lost to Edmonton in as much as how they did. It was once again a game where they played well enough to take a lead…2-0 and 3-1…but also found a way to allow just enough mistakes to cost then dearly.
SAME SONG DIFFERENT VERSE
That old familiar sinking feeling began as it normally does, in the latter stages of the second period. With Atlanta up 2-0, Chris Mason, (getting his first start since being injured in Dallas a month ago), failed to shut the five-hole in time to stop Magnus Paajarvi’s shot from the right side.
However, that sickening feeling in the pit of our collective stomachs was eased a bit early in the third when Evander Kane danced his way through the Oilers’ defense and deposited the puck into the net past Devan Dubnyk. And with a 3-1 in the third on the Oilers this season, most teams can pretty much fill out the deposit slips to take the two points to the Bank of NHL Standings.
Yes, most teams…but not these Thrashers.
Just 7 tics of the clock after Kane’s highlight real goal, Chris Thorburn then takes a tripping penalty in the offensive zone…and then the Taylor Hall power play show was underway. The unraveling commenced from there.
“We gave them life”, coach Craig Ramsay said of the third period collapse. “Everything was going in our favor and then we take three penalties and give them those power play chances and get behind”.
“They walked them out and stuffed them in the net”, Ramsay continued. “It was really disheartening to see that. We didn’t get it done killing penalties and we didn’t get it done on the power play”.
“Disheartening” indeed.
It’s this type of loss in this type of fashion to this type of team that can kill off any hopes of climbing back into the playoff race. No they haven’t been mathematically eliminated, so they technically are not “dead” yet…but losing a game like that must certainly put them on life support. As such, whatever hopes they had of living life in the postseason is slipping away fast.
And while we continue to look for someone to step forward to make sure this franchise does not go anywhere anytime soon, it’s seems clear that the team is certainly going nowhere fast…at least as far as the NHL standings are concerned.
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367 comments Add your comment
the (first) ben
February 22nd, 2011
12:20 am
i think it’s odd truly odd that nothing has been put up on the impending sale of the team i mean ‘Pegg is crazy as a place. as to the idea that those books are being cooked, yes. but it’s more likely that it’s just apethy on their part
ZAvalanche
February 22nd, 2011
12:23 am
Oh, and Fleischman and Mueller were lost for the whole season. Flash had embolisms in his leg and on blood thinners (100% out for the season, may never return to hockey), and Mueller is still dealing with serious concussion problems. Both are 20-30 goal scorers. And our freaking coach BENCHED Stewart for a whole game for a costly turnover – gimme a break – the kid is young. You think chastising him rather than saying “I bet you learned something from that one, give another go” helped his confidence? And Liles, out best D-man, he benched for a period and nobody knew why. The announcers thought it was ridiculous. What was the result? Liles came out and played like he had a grudge against the coach. As a former educator, I learned the hard way – positive reinforcement, as hard as it is to give sometimes, yields much better results.
Brendan
February 22nd, 2011
12:32 am
Remember Forbes Magazine? Sure ya do! They listed Kevin McHale as the # 1 ranked GM in all of sports!! Their formula? Results, based off a budget. Don Waddell always winds up on that list, usually at # 6 or so, for ALL sports.
The point?? If DW were costing the franchise money, losing it hand-over-fist, then HOW on EARTH does Forbes rank him so highly? Remember, Forbes is a FINANCIAL publication, not a sports publication. Ask Forbest Magazine if DW was a great GM, for getting results and being fiscally responsible, they’d not just yes, they EMPHATICALLY say yes. I doubt the Thrashers are losing $20 million annually. Now, I don’t deny the Thrashers are losing some money. Flights cost money. The staff’s salary costs money. Those TV and radio ads cost money. Equipment costs money. Etc. With low fan attendance, the revenue-stream is low. But there are some revenue-sharing dollars that line the pockets of the ownership, too, to offset some of that loss. I’d love to see the books.
Alan R.
February 22nd, 2011
1:01 am
Brendan – You’d have better luck translating the Sumerian language, by hand, with no working knowledge of it, than you would have of getting AS, LLC’s books. It’ll take a court of law and/or an act of the Gods. Probably both.
Solared
February 22nd, 2011
1:13 am
Glavine and Smoltz, Smoltz loves basketball between these 2 they might have enough money to pull it off…
ZAvalanche
February 22nd, 2011
1:20 am
I will take Smoothie’s Aunt Millie to run this rig over A$$G any day.
ZAvalanche
February 22nd, 2011
1:26 am
I like that idea Solared. Both have knowledge on both sides of the coin, are reasonable, have actually PLAYED and know the importance of the right tools. I like it a lot.
And Smoothie, I’m just messing around, hope you don’t take offense
Ken Smartz
February 22nd, 2011
1:28 am
You must remember that the highlight of hockey in Winnipeg is when Bobby Hull joined the Jets in the WHA from the Blackhawks for $250K a year.
Some of the problems with the old team were already mentioned. Players were paid in US $ and at the time the Cdn $ was worth something like 70¢. Also, the Jets paid rent to play in their Arena and didn’t get a cut of the concessions. People have correctly pointed out that it was a doomed economic model. All three levels of government (Federal, Provincial and Civic) were all involved to one degree or another underwriting losses. The owners at the time of sale were essentially asking for a new, completely government funded facility with costs at the time being somewhere in the $200 mln range. The economy was tanking and the owners rode it out as long as they could, but they did make a handsome profit with the team sale to Phoenix, underwritten in no small way by the public trough.
Lots of Winnipeg hockey fans will tell you about the new economics of the new facility, ownership group, luxury boxes, fan base, etc. On some level, along with salary caps, a convincing argument can be made that a team could be viable these days. Some Winnipeggers think so, many do not. You can bet that if anyone tries for an NHL franchise in Winnipeg, it’s going to require public money. The Federal government is likely facing an election in May and 25-30% or more of all votes nationally come from Quebec who don’t have but want an NHL caliber facility. There is a long-standing rivalry between French Quebec and English Canada, Winnipeg being on the short of end of the government stick.
I only mention this because it’s some of the fuel behind some of Jet’s fans enthusiasm. Again, I really regret the crap some of them have hurled. Glendale blogs that have 4-500 entries of essentially named calling and racist/nationalist slurs doesn’t help clarify a complex situation. And if “reporters’ start giving life to these endless threads of bias and hate, you can only guess why Bettman and other NHL officials stay silent on the issue.
I was born and raised in Winnipeg. I left when I could, lived in Atlanta for two years so I know something about your civic pride and local mentality. From what I’ve read and understand, the Atlanta Spirit sound like survivors afloat in a lifeboat, fighting over who to eat first now that food has run low.
I think if the Thrashers are going to prosper (i.e. more than stay in Atlanta) there has to be some sort of ownership and management clarity, not everyone locked in litigation. It’s those fights, not the ones on the ice, that affect everyone in the organization and the community.
I hope it works out. I hope the Thrashers stay in Atlanta and I implore Winnipeg hockey fans to not pollute this board with taunts, catcalls and hostility. It’s not Atlanta’s fault they have an NHL team and Winnipeg doesn’t.
Mike in Canton
February 22nd, 2011
1:37 am
I hope they stay in ATL, too. Just don’t know how easy it will be to watch them from where I get stationed. So what’s the scoop for Friday night? What are we doing/chanting? I’m planning on being there and leaving with no semblance of a voice.
ZAvalanche
February 22nd, 2011
2:14 am
Ken
You nailed it right on the button. If Winnipeg had concession rights they may well have weathered the strom. Correct me if I am wrong, but the Nordiques had similar problems (BTW, THANK YOU Eric Lindross, those who know, know what I’m talking about). In addition, there is NO WAY Montreal would have sent Roy to the ‘Diques. Never ever, ever.
That aside, the last sentence of your 5th paragraph says it all, you are spot on. I will be truly disheartened if I move back to Atl and there is no NHL. So I feel your pain. I am sure you have seen some of the posts rating the population and GDP of the current NHL teams’ cities vs the cities that are vying for NHL teams. Quebec City and Winnipeg come in at the bottom, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t necessarily prosper. While I deride some of the trolls that come on here, I do respect their passion for the sport. When it comes down to it, all we are is passionate hockey fans who love our team(s).
And I do remember the Golden Jet (if any of you don’t know who that is, you need to do some research). Brutally skilled player and a wrecking ball at that. Man, I hate Brett Hull for what he has done to my team over the years, but you gotta respect that family. Freakishly amazing. Two years in a row he killed us in the WCF game 7. Grrrrr.
Anyhow, don’t worry about the catcalls and the harassment from the very few Jets fans, we all have been down North Ave at 3 AM and guaranteed, it is a bit more hostile!
If you do end up with the team, I will be sad, very sad. But will root for ya unless a win by the “Jets” hurts the Avs
Cheers Ken, and thank you for being civil.
ZAvalanche
February 22nd, 2011
2:16 am
By “very few” I mean the the very few of the Jets fans who are obnoxious – not meaning that there are very few Jets fans.
Manitoban
February 22nd, 2011
6:19 am
I’m glad that many of the Thrashers have decided to not let a few of the trolls get the best of him. Anyone who goes to the AZCentral pages about the Coyotes saga, all you see is a handful of trolls, and a few Coyotes fans who fall for their comments.
I grew up watching the Jets, they were my team, and everyone I went to school with were fans. It was heartbeaking to see them leave. I remember watching the “Save the Jets” rally and seeing a little girl donate her piggy bank. Such images really define what Manitoba is about. We all pitched in and tried our best to keep what was important to us.
The owner of the Jets, Barry Shenkarow, wasn’t the best owner, but he really didn’t have the big pockets to keep the Jets in Winnipeg (he now sells real estate in Winnipeg). Manitoba Entertainment Complex (who ran the arena) did absolutely nothing to help the situation either. Manitoba in the mid 90s was in pretty dire straits, and the government would not help.
But you have to understand the view from Winnipeg. We had a team that was forcefully dismantled by the NHL upon entry into the league. We had a team that lingered at the bottom of the standings for years. We had a terrible arena with uncomfortable seats that were in some places blocked by obstacles. Yet even now, 15 years after the move, when you walk through the city, you see lots of people wearing Jets hats and jerseys. Go to any major hockey event (ie the Olympics and the Heritage Classic), and you will see Jets fans. The fans from Manitoba see the excuses “oh we have bad owners, our team has been bad too long, etc”, and we can’t help but shake our heads. We don’t even have a team, yet there are tons of fans. Or look at Edmonton, who has languished at the bottom of the standings for a few years, yet sell out every game with ticket prices that are probably 2-3 times more expensive than in Atlanta.
I really hope this situation has opened up the eyes of Atlanta Thrashers fans. You can’t take for granted that you will have NHL hockey just because Atlanta is a massive city and has a few large corporations that headquarter there. I sincerely hope that it works out for you, because it is a shame that fans should be screwed around by these people. But the years of poor attendance and lack of interest in the city may have taken their toll.
Alan R.
February 22nd, 2011
7:30 am
The fans from Manitoba see the excuses “oh we have bad owners, our team has been bad too long, etc”, and we can’t help but shake our heads.
I don’t know about all that, now. Chicago had a horrible owner and were a terrible team. When Old Man Wirtz died, though, everything changed. Now look at ‘em.
Detroit? Terrible for YEARS. Floundering attendance. Illitch took over, and righted the ship.
Even look at Tampa Bay. Zero interest caused by horrible ownership and crappy on-ice performance. Now? Well, the placement in the standings is clear, and they’re selling out games.
You don’t have to believe it. You can still shake your head. No offense meant, of course. However, you’ve got to see it from the perspective of people who have a team. We love the team. There’s about 8-10k fans who are diehards, and tons of others who follow from afar because of the mess the owners have made and put us in. That’s just the facts.
World Be Free
February 22nd, 2011
7:41 am
Johnny Cash – I was at the Winnpeg Arena twice, small place and very loud. It was certainly not sustain an NHL team in the current era. Your new arena is very nice, should be able to support an NHL team at a minimum. Hope you get one someday as long as it is not the Thrashers.
And do us a favor-you wanna talk hockey you are welcome anytime. But you and your fellow idtiots are giving Canadians a bad name. With all due respect to some of our regular Canadian bloggers and my friends from Canada.
glovesave29
February 22nd, 2011
7:50 am
Manitoban – no one here doubts the passion for hockey in Winnipeg. Truthfully, as someone who does a great deal of international importing and exporting, I don’t really see a rosy picture for the economy of the provinces in the Canadian plains. As much as everyone there hates Bettman, I think he and his cronies see the same, and don’t wish for the league to be, as Clarence Campbell said before the 1967 expansion “a carpetbagger league”. I would hate for the city to procure a team, just to lose it again for no fault of their own. I don’t live there – but from an outsider, it looks like a very, very small market that will have problems from the start – even with a rabid fan base and a wealthy owner. Be honest – do you really think that the NHL can survive there? (That’s an honest question, not rhetorical one to be a jerk) It seems to an outsider that a town of that size is ideally suited to the AHL. Will players sign there, or will you have the same issues as Edmonton and have to waaaay overpay talent to play for the Jets?
I understand the frustration you felt when the NHL had the dispersal draft upon entry to the league…but the WHA did poach a lot of talent from the NHL because they had a lower minimum age. So to me, that was a justified action to repay the teams their lost talent in exchange for the entry of the Nords, Jets, Oil and Whale. Oh, well – hindsight….
Puckhead
February 22nd, 2011
7:50 am
Winning record – 7 of the last 9 Rawhide blogs have had 200 or more posts. Sounds alot better than 6 -14-5.
Darkhorse
February 22nd, 2011
9:10 am
Maybe new owners will emerge, change the franchise dynamic to a legit run one, and rebrand the Thrashers as the Atlanta Jets. That could pay respect to Delta as the hometown airline and one of the world’s busiest airports and logistic hubs. All the Pegs’ who wanted a team so bad could move down here and enjoy a much better run product, great weather year ’round pretty much, help jump start the local job economy, and join us at the games. Atlanta is one of the most diverse cities in North America. I know dozens of Canadians who live here.
No direspect to the Winnipeg Jets, hope you do get another team back, just not ours. And the Atlanta Jets does fit the city well.
Matt in Woodstock
February 22nd, 2011
9:25 am
Hey guys,
First time caller long time listener.
I will hang up and listen.
Alan R.
February 22nd, 2011
9:51 am
Feel free to participate, Matt. We’re generally a friendly bunch.
Also, welcome to the blog, and a hearty welcome to the Winnipeg folks who have been respectful.
Smoothie
February 22nd, 2011
9:59 am
Z – no worries man, I’m not easily offended save for a couple of resident trolls who seem to take delight saying the same thing over and over and over. I wish I had a rich aunt, uncle, step-grandfather, anyone who could help me keep the team in ATL. While Phil Foley makes some very good points in his Examiner article, I just have a real uneasy feeling because Bettman is so against saying anything of substance at this point. At this point, all I can do is hold out hope that once the PHX fiasco is settled and the new TV contract is done, Bettman will shift ALL of his attention and do his normal due diligence in acting in such a tricky situation as this. But my gut tells me to expect the worst…guess it’s conditioned into me following this clusterflop of a franchise.
As for all of the Manitoban guests here on this fair blog, perhaps they’ll all agree to move to Atlanta if things don’t work out for you in the Peg. We could use your passion and another 10,000 fans who will promise to pack the building once we get new ownership! And by the way, I’ve always love the Jets…never forget Teemu’s rookie season in 92-93.
Rhythmnpenguin
February 22nd, 2011
10:12 am
The sound of the “Atlanta Jets” makes me cringe a little (no disrespect to Winnipeg fans). I guess I have grown up a “Atlanta Thrashers” fan and will always be a Thrashers fan.
Darkhorse, your idea makes sense, I just don’t like it. =)
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
10:13 am
Smoothie, I could see ASG suing the league for not allowing them to sell the team out of town once the 7-year covenant is past. Not sure if the league is protected from that sort of litigation, being that they have to approve all owners anyway.
Didn’t the Rangers try to sue the league recently for Website content regulations?
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
10:16 am
In other news… looks like Coach got locked out of practice.
Twitter from ajcthrashers (Viv)… Andrew Ladd has practice door closed at 10 a.m. Snags Craig Ramsay for getting to ice seconds late.
Rhythmnpenguin
February 22nd, 2011
10:18 am
That is too funny!
Smoothie
February 22nd, 2011
10:19 am
Hokie, you may want to read Foley’s article. The NHL has far more saftey nets built into their constitution to avoid getting sued by the likes of our quixotic owners. That I’m confident will not happen. Bettman would destroy all of them.
Rhythmnpenguin
February 22nd, 2011
10:20 am
Trixie, Help my last post is lost!
Smoothie
February 22nd, 2011
10:22 am
Oh yeah, and poop on the homage to Delta idea! While they may be a huge corporate supporter, there really aren’t any airlines who have any credibility when it comes to the right way to run a business. I’d say Southwest is the only one. Delta is delusional with their fee structure and they have oversaturated the marketplace with too many flights. They were very close to filing Chapter 11 just a few years ago so come to think of it, they’re a perfect marriage for this clusterpuck of owners!
Darkhorse
February 22nd, 2011
10:27 am
No worries, I kinda thought it would be worth considering a whole new team name and identity IF the team stays with new owners. At the very least, some effort put in to maybe a new jersey and such….
Portage and Main
February 22nd, 2011
10:29 am
Ken, TNSE are well beyond the “might be interested in an NHL team” as you say, and have been publicly stated recorded over 5 years ago (WFP NHL section). For someone who does not live here anymore you seem to have your finger on the pulse of wpg stating “many don’t think so” regarding the economic viability of the NHL in wpg… Currently, there are 10 teams reportedly losing money in the league! Clearly, phx is not an economic environment with over 5 million people to draw from! TNSE were smart to build the MTS centre the way it was, no expansion, no frills etc… They have cut their costs and waiting for a team to land. WPG is very ready for the jets. Ken, seems you need to update yourself on the life of wpg…. it’s not the 80-90s anymore.
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
10:38 am
The league doesn’t need fans in Winnepeg… Canadians will watch hockey regardless. The NHL needs teams to be successful in non-traditional markets in order to grow the popularity of the sport.
Move all the teams to Canada and it will be like a ‘tree falling in the woods’.
Smoothie
February 22nd, 2011
10:41 am
As long as we don’t become the Atlanta Peaches or Crackerjacks or something stupid like that, I’m all for a name and identity change if it means hockey stays in Atlanta. I would vote for the ATL-iens and recruit Kanye West to remix “Faster, Stronger” to incorporate the lyrics I have written for this hockey team. But right now, my lyrics only go with a Tom Green rap song. Oh snap, how about the Atlanta Fury?
Has a hint of intrigue to it don’t you think?
ZAvalanche
February 22nd, 2011
10:45 am
Sorry again Smoothie, Z had a couple last night
, but I am serious about believing that any member of your extended family could run the organization better than these clowns.
I prefer the Thrasher name, now we just have to live up to it.
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
10:47 am
Smoothie, how about the Atlanta Bandwagons? That’s probably the most fitting overview of the Atlanta sports scene.
It’s funny reading all the articles about how ‘only a successful product can generate fan support in Atlanta’… there’s a word for that… Bandwagon!
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
10:48 am
The Atlanta Half-Assed? The logo can be one butt cheek.
Smoothie
February 22nd, 2011
10:49 am
Hokie – indeed, I guess we could incorporate “Carpetbagger” too.
And taking the ice, yoooouuuurrrrr Atlanta Carpetbagging Bandwagon Spoiled Brats!!!
Just kidding….or AM I??
Portage and Main
February 22nd, 2011
11:24 am
Hokie… Perhaps, it is not about generating fans in wpg but more about stabilizing a league that has too many dying franchises. Anyway… Tipp should win coach of the year again, with the amount of uncertainty in PHX and lack of funds the guy can still bring out the best with what he has… just saying. That guy is a Jedi Master with Sith Lord tendencies…
Ben
February 22nd, 2011
11:33 am
Brenden, it looks like you and I think alike. What I’m guessing that ASG is doing is putting as much of their advertising and overhead costs on the Thrashers books as possible and getting them off the Hawks books. I don’t mean to imply they’re doing any Enron-esque illegal accounting, just budgeting their resources in a way that gives the Hawks all of the financial flexibility and gives the Thrashers the extra burden of keeping the lights on for both teams. I have no doubts the Thrashers are losing money hand over fist, but I do think that $20 million number is artificially inflated and includes losses that really should be chalked up to both teams. Notice what Michael Gearon did NOT say last week. All he said they couldn’t shoulder another $20 million in losses, he did NOT say whether they could shoulder any losses on the Hawks behalf. What I’m getting at is that if the Thrashers left town today, that entire $20 million annual loss wouldn’t walk out the door with them, a lot of it would get shifted right back over to the Hawks’ shoulders. IMO, that means in a few years we’re going to be having this same conversation about the Hawks losing boat loads of money that we’re having about the Thrashers right now. However, because basketball isn’t a non-traditional sport in this market, there will be no talk of moving the team.
One last point, fans only look at attendance and TV revenue as pro sports’ big revenue generator. That’s not the case. Corporate sponsorship is the big ticket money item. Think about it for a second. Team So-and-So has a 20K seat arena, and they sell out every game of the season for an average of $50 per ticket (some tickets are way more than that, I know, but more are way less). 20K seats x 41 home games x $50 a ticket = $41 million dollars per year. That’s not even enough to cover the minimum salary cap for one season. Teams really make their big attendance money on luxury suits that they can sell for half a million per season. Philips Arena has 96 of those, and at the height of these two teams success those suites were full, but look at how many have gone empty the last few seasons. Any city in Canada can sell 20K seats a night to a hockey game, but my guess is that the only ones with the ability to sell 96 luxury suites a season already have a team.
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
11:41 am
Portage… I agree on Tippett. I’d like to think he could have been the Thrashers Coach if we had pulled the plug on Coach Anderson sooner.
I don’t disagree that Winnipeg should get a team, but I don’t believe in giving up on non-traditional markets. If things stayed where they belonged, we wouldn’t have Spaghetti or Burritos.
Portage and Main
February 22nd, 2011
11:56 am
Hokie, i agree on not giving up on non-traditional markets, but maybe the NHL went into the non-tradional markets too fast…. Some could say they did not “prep” their markets before hand, with NHL exhibition games etc… I know ATL already had a team but maybe NHL dropped the ball in that respect…. certainly in the case of phx. ATL still has a chance at making the playoffs, love watching Buff and his energy and love for the game. Good signing for ATL.
Iron League 13
February 22nd, 2011
12:06 pm
Does anyone else have trouble with the AJC’s posts deciding what you get to see and when? In other words soetimes it doesn’t even give the option to see certain pages or show all and even if you pick see all you’ll get posts from a day ago…like I just did. Basically I have to submit a comment to see the last post in most cases. So, I guess after this I can actually see the topic of the moment.
Iron League 13
February 22nd, 2011
12:19 pm
GaVa – Agreed on the market thing to a degree. I’ve stated many times that I believe the expansion was careless and uncalculated, in other words probably too early for most of the southeast. Bettman and Co. have lucked out in Carolina and Nashville FOR SURE, those markets have MUCH less northern/Cannuckian transplants than the other southeast markets and only around a million citizens (pretty sure) in each town. They are something like Atlanta was when it had the Flames, buuut they have good teams, like I said Bettman lucked out. I still REFUSE to believe they are nearly as good of an NHL market as Atlanta COULD BE.
On the analogy of spaghetti and burritos, fully agreed. There’s ice hockey in Japan, Israel and Australia to name a few really un-traditional locales, but that’s truly a fringe sport in places like that. I do think the southeast is justified, we are not a southern southern locale anymore. Only in geographical location and weather, but when the Hell did mild winters SELDOM capable of creating skatable natural ice stop the people of Vancouver or Victoria from loving hockey and even creating NHL talent?
Iron League 13
February 22nd, 2011
12:22 pm
I do think Atlanta is justified (that is)
Iron League 13
February 22nd, 2011
12:36 pm
I also should add that I do believe that good youth hockey, which we’ve had for over 30 years is vital to any professional level hockey market. That said I think the ice hockey part is taken too seriously. In my humble opinion having access to good inline (which is possible in most of the westernized world) is even more important. Some place (like Atlanta 20 + years ago) have/had access to one or two sheets of ice in their metropolitan areas, but inline is another story. One can play a season or two a year of ice hockey and play year round inline hockey. As anyone who’s ever played inline hockey according to say USA Hockey standards can tell you that it’s a very viable option similar enough to feel kindred to ice hockey. Atlanta has every bit of potential at this point to produce some quality talent. As of the last decade there have been 3 Atlanta developed talent drafted to the NHL, things are changing. In another ten years we may have just as many drafted as say California, which a Cannuck may laugh at, but that’s progress isn’t it? I’d be willing to bet that was considered impossible two or three decades ago, but I digress.
Player to be named later
February 22nd, 2011
1:01 pm
We need a new owner, granted.
We also ened a totally new identify. Get rid of all the uniforms we have had the fist 11 years.
Get rid of Blueland, the Sons of Blueland, the Legends of Blueland.
Deep Six Thrash and that stupid Ice Box Penguin
New name-Atlanta ??
Just start over and put the past in our rear view mirros.
GaVaHokie
February 22nd, 2011
1:07 pm
Iron League… I miss playing Inline Hockey myself and you prompted me to do another search. I got frustrated with not finding anywhere to play in Cobb County and I just found this…
http://www.gameonga.com/Page.asp?n=27949&snid=kHFBX4E%3E%5F&org=gameonga.com
TheJets
February 22nd, 2011
1:08 pm
See ya next year, Thrashers err Jets…. Well Atlanta fans can Go West and be the kings of wishful thinking…
World Be Free
February 22nd, 2011
1:10 pm
Something is going to happen on the Thrashers’ bluelin.
Sopel? Makes the most sense since he is a playoff player and a UFA this season.
Oduya? The guy I really think is going to move becuase he has one more year on his current deal and I am not sure how thrilled he is top be here.
Hainsey-not with his contract and the number of minutes the deal is buying the Thrashers.
Bogo-they keep saying no but he is showing up on every rumor board in the league. All depends on whther the Thrashers decide to cut bait (as they should) and look towards the future.
So many of you want Bogo out of here and I don’t-interesting conversation.
Thrashers
February 22nd, 2011
1:15 pm
We are not moving to Canada, Bruce told us so.
tonyb
February 22nd, 2011
1:16 pm
In the past two days, the NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, said there is not one, but two teams that WILL move unless something is done. He said this was not a threat, it is a promise.
Those two teams. No, not Atlanta or Phoenix. They were the New York Islanders and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oiler’s statement was made at the press conference after the Heritable Classic, the Islanders was made last night on a hour long interview with WFAN in New York. Both involved the fact that each team must have a new arena. As for Atlanta, he touched on the issues here briefly and indicated it was a bad ownership situation, and again used the “as we speak, there is no plans to do anything with the franchise”. From the tone of his voice, it appeared that he is indicating that the Atlanta issue is just starting to get on radar, is not a serious threat at this time, and again reiterated the desire of the NHL to avoid relocation.
Bettman and the NHL has used the Winnipeg threat get a lucrative deal from the city of Glendale to keep the Phoenix team in the desert. Honestly, sounds like he may be doing the same thing here. This is the oldest sports trick in the book.
Yes, as with many franchises of late, Atlanta is taking its turn as the next crisis spot. However, to quote many on the panel on Hockey Night in Canada, don’t plan the parade just yet, Winnipeg. You Winnipeg people have one billionaire, we have several, and quite a few millionaires as well. And as a city, we seem to do pretty good about pulling rabbits out of our …………hats. That’s why Altanta has 6 million plus people, and you have 750,000.
We play in the big leagues, you are a CFL, AHL outpost. This will get done, and you can all move on to the Islanders, Oilers, or whatever team is next in crisis mode.
World Be Free
February 22nd, 2011
1:18 pm
Folks from Winnipeg are welcome to talk hockey on this blog, your contributions are more than welcome. You are all supposed to be such great hockey fans and wonderful people – please act that way. FYI team isn’t going anywhere because there’s a TV deal to be had. Just look at Phoenix if you want proof that there will be no movement. Have a great day.