Thrashers shuffle off to Buffalo in desperate need of a win
Tonight the Thrashers will take on the Sabres up in Buffalo and are in desperate need of coming out western New York with a pair of points. Break it down however you like, tonight’s matchup is just the latest verse in this seasons, “Thrashers Need A Win Real Bad” song.
To illustrate this point let’s turn our attention to the Eastern Conference standings, shall we…
Atlanta and Buffalo both find themselves sitting in the ninth and tenth position in the Eastern Conference. Each has 60 points but the Sabres have two games in hand. Right above them are Carolina and the New York Rangers with 65 and 68 points respectively. The Rangers are coming off a shootout win against the Canes last night. And after their 3-2 win in Vancouver last night, Montreal sits in sixth place with 71 points.
Lurking just below is Toronto, Florida and New Jersey. Thanks to a 2-1 win over the Islanders, the Leafs are but a single point behind the Thrashers while the Panthers have 57 points. The Devils are sitting now at 56 points after Johan Hedberg turned aside all 19 Stars shots faced during a 1-0 win in Dallas.
New Jersey is now an amazing 16-1-2 in their last 19 games.
While the Thrashers attempt to rattle the Sabres tonight, Florida will be in Ottawa to play the Senators. Toronto plays in Montreal tomorrow. On Friday, Carolina hosts Pittsburgh, the Rangers are in Washington and the Devils are in Tampa.
It’s Not Easy Being Green in Blueland
Normally when the Buffalo Sabres are our opponents, I find myself with a serious case of goalie envy. I’ve always been a big Ryan Miller fan and have wished we could have someone like that manning the Thrashers nets over the past several years. But today, as the two teams prepare to square off, I find myself turning green because that organization is preparing to begin a new era under the ownership of Terry Pegula.
It appears Sabres fans will have an owner who not only is a huge fan of the team and the sport, but it looks like he has an understanding of what it takes to run a franchise.
Speaking at HSBC Arena yesterday, Pegula stated, “Starting today, there will be no financial mandates on the Buffalo Sabres hockey department”. He later added, “Starting today, the Buffalo Sabres’ reason for existence will be to win a Stanley Cup”.
Wow…imagine that.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman had words of praise for the Sabres new owner adding that it was “a dream come true for the league because we know this franchise is in great hands”.
…sigh…
And Speaking of New Owners…
While is seems ownership issues will not be a problem up in Buffalo any time soon, we here in Thrasherville can still only hope for such a day. To help move that process forward, season ticket holder Chris Ciovacco is looking to get the attention of local elected officials in this video which he has asked me to share with you.
Ciovacco is the person who has started up the Keep The Thrashers movement and is planning a gathering at the Taco Mac next to Philips Arena Sunday afternoon. I’ll be there and hope to see you as well.
Where else I hope to see you is in the seats of Philips Arena come game time Friday and Sunday. Voicing concern is great and all that, and I support every fan’s efforts to show their support for the team. But nothing trumps butts in seats when it comes to showing any would-be investor that may be “kicking the tires” exactly what NHL hockey in this town can be again.
If you’re still looking to procure your tickets for this weekend and other upcoming games, again I invite you to click –>HERE<– and use the promo code RAWHIDE.
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234 comments Add your comment
Joe Friday
February 23rd, 2011
11:13 am
checked Ticketmaster for Friday night’s game, no problem finding 20 seats together in Row E Section 208 downstairs and 20 seats together in Row K Section 304 upstairs. Just damn.
ZAvalanche
February 23rd, 2011
11:20 am
Early on in my growing love of sport – hockey, football etc. I thought that owners didn’t really do much to impact the team (young and dumb I guess). Maybe that is because when owners are running a smooth ship they are off the radar, as has been the modus operandi in CO sports for the past couple decades. Being a Thrashy fan now has really shown me how wrong I was to think such thoughts. Though Reagan-omics (trickle down) doesn’t really work for government that is how great sports franchises thrive. It all comes from the top.
ZAvalanche
February 23rd, 2011
11:23 am
Alan R. I don’t know if you read my last post right after Blog Master announced the new material, but here it is and directed toward you.
“Alan, could you send me that article? I don’t care for any of the Denver Post writers – Krieger, Dater, Kiszla. I do kind of like Woody Paige though, cracks me up.”
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
11:27 am
I did. I responded:
“ZAvs – I’ll go poking around for it when I have some extra time. All I remember about it, is it was written in November, and it called for the Thrashers to be contracted or moved, along with a couple others.”
Joe Friday
February 23rd, 2011
11:30 am
Good video from Chris, at least if they move he’ll be able to sleep at night knowing he did his part to try to keep them here.
I know a guy on the Board of the Chamber and emailed the link to him to make sure this is on the radar of Sam Williams and the Atlanta Sport Council, I’ll let you guys know what I hear back from the Chamber.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
11:32 am
“…Chris Ciovacco is looking to get the attention of local elected in…”
Hey Bill, just wanted to point out there is a missing word here: official I reckon? As in “local elected officials”. Just a little helpful housecleaning so the important message doesn’t get lost.
I can’t find people to go to the game with me Friday, but I may buy 3 or 4 cheap tkts just to up the attendance…not like you can see the last few rows of the upper deck on TV!
Smitty
February 23rd, 2011
11:33 am
I read where Pegula’s wife, since their main residence is in Florida, asked Terry Pegula if he would be interested in buying a southern team. Unfortunately for Atlanta his only interest was for the Sabres. Too bad, he could have gotten us for a lot less than 189 million.
Athrasherfan13
February 23rd, 2011
11:34 am
Can you say David Dickey?
ZAvalanche
February 23rd, 2011
11:37 am
Thanks Alan, I will look as well.
ZAvalanche
February 23rd, 2011
11:56 am
What is the league fine if a team comes in under the low end of the cap? And can you pick up a player on waivers after the trade deadline? Dumb questions, I know.
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
12:15 pm
ZAvs – Found it. He doesn’t say Atlanta should be contracted or relocated, but does say it was a mistake to put a franchise here. He manages to say this more than one way throughout his blurb on the Thrashers
http://www.versus.com/blogs/nhl-expert-opinions/five-flunking-nhl-franchises/
3. Atlanta Thrashers – From the minute this city got another franchise in the Great Expansion of the late 1990s, everybody knew this would be a disaster – and it’s been all that and more.
Atlanta just is not a pro sports city. Just ask management from the Braves and Hawks. It especially is not a hockey city. They simply don’t care in Atlanta. Never have, never will.
Remember how getting a team in Atlanta was supposed to be part of some great plan to increase TV exposure of the sport in America, with Ted Turner and Time Warner leading the way? That worked well. Nobody in America knows the Atlanta Thrashers exist.
Aside from their inaugural season of 1999-2000 – when they finished 13th overall – the Thrashers have been among the bottom 10 teams in attendance every single year.
It’s literally depressing going to a Thrashers game. It feels like being in a chain restaurant by yourself on a holiday.
His post is disingenuous, in that he doesn’t bother to touch on the reasons why Atlanta hasn’t done well. Meanwhile, he exonerates Phoenix, and shows mercy to the Islanders.
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
12:19 pm
Slightly ironic too, in that Dater says the move to the suburbs by Florida and Phoenix were idiotic but most here in Atlanta clamor for a move to the suburbs, although that’s not going to happen within the next decade, if ever.
World Be Free
February 23rd, 2011
12:20 pm
Sabres’ fans heard similar promises from the Rigas family and Golisano, maybe Pegula has more enthusiasm. The only way to win a Stanley Cup is through drafting and devlopment. Sabres are in the middle of the pack as far as what they have on the farm. They will make one splash on July 1, Kaberle or Richards maybe, we will see where it goes from there. I think they will trade Ryan Miller to the Red Wings in the next 2 years and give Enroth the #1 goalie’s position.
Chicago needs a penalty killing defenseman-how about trading Sopel back to Chicago to Jeremy Morin?
I am not concerned aboout the new owner positibilities-if it happens, it happens.
Hoof Arted
February 23rd, 2011
12:21 pm
What the current collection of owners has done to the NHL fan base in this city has been nothing short of a disaster. Do you all remember what the games were like back just a few years ago? The place was packed on weekends and good crowds on weeknights.
Coming out of the lockout we were so pumped by this team. Bob Hartley behind the bench and a very solid team on the ice. But the Atlanta Spirit has all but choked all of that life right out of us. I only hope and pray there is someone who’ll understand that it can all be that way again given the right leadership. That type of leadership must come from the ownership right on down. Certainly hasn’t come from the octocluster.
Show up this weekend fans and give anyone who might be “kicking the tires” all the more reason to be interested.
As for the game tonight, while I truly believe the loss in Edmonton was a season killer, every new game brings new hope. But these players have to show a little “give a damn” out there because they don’t have much more time to turn it around. They can’t allow one or two plays that might go against them to get to them.
Fight to the end Thrashers, for once.
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
12:25 pm
As per @TSNBobMcKenzie:
CGY puts Ales Kotalik on re-entry waivers, BUF puts Craig Rivet on waivers, PHI puts Nik Zherdev on waivers, NSH puts on Marek Svatos.
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
12:40 pm
Again, per McKenzie:
Forgot to include NYI Jeremy Colliton on the waiver wire.
World Be Free
February 23rd, 2011
12:42 pm
Hoof-I think potential owners know how we got to this point, at least I hope they do. Guys with their own money normally do their homework before they take a dive-normally.
Alan R-looks like the wheels are starting to turn, the next few days will be very interesting. None of the players mentioned are worth going for.
Puckhead
February 23rd, 2011
12:47 pm
Joe Friday – the team has done NOTHING to draw people to the games this weekend. No dollar hotdog and coke offers no cheap tickets just an owner whining. You would think we would see $10 upper and $25 lower ticket offers. Tampa has $10 upper for college student walkups.
How about advertising Trash will be sacrificed if we lose?
DWTOO
February 23rd, 2011
1:13 pm
What’s the opinion on Zherdev? Know WBF doesn’t think much of him, but, when Philly signed him beginning of the season there was some rumbling about him being here. On a one year contract he might not be a bad pick up for a tryout to end of the year. Couldn’t be worse than Modin. Besides, might be another Max.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
1:17 pm
You’ll never be able to convince me that Atlanta is a good sports town… sorry. Maybe you all hang out in a circle of friends that love sports and talk about it all the time. But in the grand scheme, I really have to agree with the critics.
I think people go to Braves, Thrashers and Hawks games in the same fashion that they would ‘go out for ice cream’… it’s just a mood that hits them without any real care.
How many times have you heard this phrase? “I love going to the Thrashers/Hawks/Braves games, but I don’t really follow it on TV”.
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
1:17 pm
How about sacrificing one of the owners, then again is that a sacrifice?
JB
February 23rd, 2011
1:17 pm
I would pick up Zherdev off waivers right now in a heartbeat.
Rawhide
February 23rd, 2011
1:19 pm
Alan R. - Someone told me you may be in attendance Friday night. If so, look me up.
I vaguely recall something about owing you a hotdog….
World Be Free
February 23rd, 2011
1:20 pm
Zherdev – he would just take up a roster spot. Even Stapleton is better
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
1:22 pm
Speaking of “kicking the tires”, why not experiment with Nikky Zherdev in the line-up. There is a dearth of RW talent in the NHL and Bergie & Stewart aren’t getting it done. I think it would be worth the $550K gamble to see what NZ can do with linemates of Kaner & Wheeler. And wouldn’t it be that much sweeter to take out the Rangers for the 8 seed using Zherdev and Antropov to beat them?
Kane – Wheels – Z // Ladd – Lits – Bergie // Antro – Stapes – Thor
@ Joe Friday - Keep the Thrashers in Atlanta
February 23rd, 2011
1:23 pm
Thank you for the forward to the Chamber – this is exactly what we need – MUCH APPRECIATED!
Also, we agree 100% that the most important thing is butts in the seats. We need people at the games first, and foremost. Let’s keep fighting the good fight!
Please forward video to anyone who can make a phone call – we need leaders to network and shake the tress to find a buyer. Appreciate all the support and help from everyone, including Bill.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
1:24 pm
Oh snap! Forgot Stewy! Put him on 3rd line with Stapes & Antro.
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
Grab Zherdev, he can finish.
I’ll take Zherdev over Stapleton and Modin.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
Zherdev couldn’t possibly be a Ramsay kind of player. I’d be shocked if we claimed him. It’s a completely different scenario than last years interest, in my opinion… we looked at him last year as part of the “make Kovy happy with a contingent of Russian players” campaign…
The plus side would be his familiarity playing with Antropov in NYR. Those two had good success together.
Mr. Heat Miser
February 23rd, 2011
1:27 pm
Gearon and Levenson in a carnival style dunking booth. I can dream, can’t I?
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
1:27 pm
WBF – Remember, you weren’t in favor of Afinogenov either.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
I’ll take Zherdev over Stapleton and Modin.
… on the other hand, this is true.
Tony C
February 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
get me Svatos
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
1:29 pm
We have no reason to pass on Zherdev. “Ramsay player” or not.
mar1jdh
February 23rd, 2011
1:29 pm
Its time for management to treat fans to something to get them back in the seats. Blues did a great job of reinvigorating their fan base in 2006-7 when attendnace began to slump there…
“When the St. Louis Blues host the Los Angeles Kings at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 13th, all fans in attendance will be treated to complimentary food and beverage. The promotion, designed to introduce new Head Coach Andy Murray and the resurgent St. Louis Blues to the area sports fans and families, will provide hot dogs, chicken fingers, chips, popcorn, peanuts, soft drinks and water — all for free — from the moment the gates open at 12 p.m. until the end of the second intermission.
“We believe that this is the first time a professional sports franchise has ever attempted an everybody eats for free promotion,” said Peter McLoughlin, CEO of Blues Enterprises. “The excitement in and around the Blues and the Scottrade Center has been building since Andy Murray joined our organization and we really want St. Louis families to be a part of the revival of Blues hockey.”
Promotion worked, sold out game, Blues won and support began to increase again. (Plus I’m sure they sold enough beer to offset the cost of the free food.)
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
“We have no reason to pass on Zherdev. “Ramsay player” or not.”
Other than money!
Alan’s right, what is the harm in giving the guy an audition?? You’re likely going to miss the playoffs unless you add scoring and I doubt you’re going to get the ideal fit at RW through a trade unless you give up the farm to trade Ales Hemsky. Then again, what farm do we have? Don’t even think Postma & Kulda + our 1st would be enough to entice Tambellini. He knows he has the most sought after asset and will milk it for all it’s worth come Monday, the 28th.
DWTOO
February 23rd, 2011
1:38 pm
How about Seven Suckjobs over a dunk tank of battery acid or pirhanas? Three tosses for a buck.
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
1:39 pm
Heat Miser – How about five minutes in the baptism tank. That should take care of them.
Although, extra detergent may have to be used afterward.
DWTOO
February 23rd, 2011
1:39 pm
Forget the pirhanas – they would probably pass as a professional courtesy.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
1:41 pm
mar1jdh – great idea but that would entail hiring more staff by the A$G and that WILL NOT happen. The best thing would be for them to offer up a 4th tkt for buying 3 or a promo by which you get F&B credit at the Arena for the lousy concessions they do have. Perhaps they’re real motivation is putting butts in the seats, but they’re too cheap to do it the right way. I really think Gearon is delusional enough to think that if he whines in the paper he’ll get more fannies in the seats. Wishful thinking. If we sellout any of these games, it will be because we have great fans who see through this charade and realize that we’ve reached critical mass for the effort to impress potential new owners.
Joe McGrath
February 23rd, 2011
1:41 pm
And we know that in all things Atlanta, hockey works for the good of those who love it and for those who have been called according to their purpose.
Therefore go and make disciples of all Atlantans, baptizing them in the name of the Thrashers who are now awaiting the Buffalo.
For it is written that a son of Atlanta would awaken a fearsome Eagle in the end of days. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands who shun the Thrashers and lo, while some of the people tremble in despair, still more rejoice; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands; and there was peace.
Tony C
February 23rd, 2011
1:41 pm
Re: Zherdev-I don’t know of many players that can flat-out dangle the way he can…but seeing as how we rarely make guys pay for running us (that crap with Stempniak springs to mind), I don’t think he’s a viable option for this season. Plus, word is he’s kind of a selfish prick-we definitely don’t need any more of that.
That’s something I would like to see more of-Thrashers making the other guys pay a price. Too many times we see guys just gliding into the slot unmolested, or someone runs our goalie and he gets a tap on the shins…I’m ok with us loosing the game so long as the other guys hard to fight to earn the two points as opposed to where too often Le Thrash seem to be more than happy to hand them over.
Clearly all this ownership crap is effecting the team-I don’t know about yall, but if I’m concerned my next paycheck is going to bounce, I’d be more than a little preoccupied. I hope it gets resolved positively and soon. See yall @ the pep-rally.
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
1:43 pm
Dudley signs a four year extension wit the Thrashers. http://blogs.buffalonews.com/sabres/2011/02/thrashers-do-right-by-dudley.html
Tony C
February 23rd, 2011
1:46 pm
Also, if Dudley could get Morin for Sopel-which I would put very close to the “not a chance” side of the meter, I’d be OK with letting Sopel go.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
1:59 pm
“Too many times we see guys just gliding into the slot unmolested, or someone runs our goalie and he gets a tap on the shins”
Hammer, nail, head! That’s the point! Our defense already sucks! We’ve given up an average of 3.65 GA since December 20th. Getting Stuart and his nasty SOB-ness will help, but as long as Bogo, Oduya and Buff get so many minutes, we’re going to give up some goals. Might as well try to get to 4 before the other team does and hope to hell Pavelec can pull some miracles out of his Czech butt!
Tom Lysiak
February 23rd, 2011
2:00 pm
Amazing that the Buffalo paper scoops the Dudley extension.
kracker
February 23rd, 2011
2:01 pm
Excellent news on Dudley. Now get Ladd extended, too. And another scorer, somehow. And….
kracker
February 23rd, 2011
2:01 pm
ooops. And some new owners.
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
2:04 pm
Atlanta Spirit, LLC: “We’re broke! We just paid a bunch of lawyers! We need $200 MILLION from King & Spalding!”
Meanwhile…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/24/AR2010102402119.html
Stan Drulia
February 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
I had Zherdev on my fantasy team (due to a horrible trade at the beginning of the sesaon for Kari) and dude is extremely unimpressive. He has had a couple of streaks… and by a couple I mean like two. And those were just a couple of games long. I think is fourth line material at best.
World Be Free
February 23rd, 2011
2:11 pm
Stroz–had 10 years of expereince for not like Max. I was not correct.
You want to take a chance on a player? Kotalik-good shot and good on shootouts from what I remember.
Alan R, Tom and all on the Dudley extension-it is news in Buffalo because the Buffalo papers had Dudely rumored to be going to buffalo at the end of the season – that’s why Buffalo papers have the news first. I did not hear that rumor anywhere else, but my friends in Buffalo said they heard Duds to the Sabres more than once. It is obviously not happening.
Atlanta is #2
February 23rd, 2011
2:15 pm
Boys…………. WTF….. looks like a hot ticket will be in town Friday. Seats still available……. buy them after you get a job.
Section
Row
Seats
Description 118
W
3 – 17
LOWER LEVEL
IN THE CORNERS OF THE RINK
PRICE LEVEL 4 TypeREGULAR PRICEPriceUS $113.30 x 15
Price Details Price Details TypeREGULAR PRICETicket PriceUS $103.00 x 15Convenience ChargeUS $10.30 x 15
SUBTOTAL*US $1,699.50
Tom Lysiak
February 23rd, 2011
2:17 pm
Alan R – I guess those business concepts and successes are locked in that Gaithersburg building. They definitely weren’t used in this abortion.
kracker
February 23rd, 2011
2:37 pm
That article shows that it’s much easier to write brochures and collect/distribute some data than to competently run an NHL hockey club.
Uncle Milty
February 23rd, 2011
2:39 pm
Zherdev is beyond being defensively inept. There is a reason he has gone through so many teams at such a young age. Playing in the NHL these days requires that attention be paid to defense as well, scoring talent or not. He is Robbie Schremp II.
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
2:44 pm
If you are one of those people enamored by skill, then Zherdev is your man. The guy has great tools but there is a reason he only gets 12 minutes of ice time per game. He does little else for his team, plus he’s going to need a center to get him the puck. Remaining salary is less than $500k, and that’s $40,000 per game. Difference makers, even with a reputation for off-ice issues, don’t get waived unless the Flyers are trying to free up more cap space to add one more player. Pass today, tomorrow and next week!
Max was $800k for an entire season. No correlation except for Russia.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
2:49 pm
Check ze tweets! @ESPN_Burnside says: “Would not be surprised if Atlanta explores Zherdev option. Thrash in Buffalo tonight for monster game.”
Let’s hope so and duh!
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
3:00 pm
R/L – he can’t be any worse than Bergfors. Has more goals and a better shot % n’est ce-pas? Beggars can’t be choosers right now. You’re actually worried about $500k for the rest of the season?? We probably need it to get over the cap as Bogo & Modin surely won’t hit many (or any) of their bonuses. Of course, adding Wheeler & Stu may take care of that, but it’d be close I think.
World Be Free
February 23rd, 2011
3:04 pm
Scratch Kotalik-I forgot he has another year on his current deal.
Shane Hnidy gets a tryout with the Broones!
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
3:05 pm
kraker – What you’re missing, is this article clearly illustrates that it’s a BS story when the owners say they’re out of money. Levenson and Peskowitz make more than enough money themselves, alone, to subsidize this franchise and its current losses.
If it was so easy for me to find this, imagine how easy it will be for Alston & Bird to find this and other information on the finances of our crappy esteemed ownership group?
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
3:11 pm
It’s not about adding more problems to your roster, it’s about subtracting them at this point. Sure, Zherdev can play when/if motivated, but he was playing with better players in Philly than he would be here. He’ll play one good game and take two or more games off. He has had two scoring streaks all year, one a 3-gamer and one a two-gamer.
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
3:13 pm
Alan R. They never said they were out of money, they said they weren’t going to take on another $20 million per year loss. These guys aren’t filing for personal bankruptcy!
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
3:13 pm
I have not opened Alan R’s link but I have a feeling it is going to break my heart…
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
3:21 pm
Alan R confirmed everything I felt from the start… these guys aren’t out of money, they just don’t want to own hockey… sense of urgency my ass.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
3:23 pm
I think the Zherdev issue would be more of a Roster issue, not a money issue. Zherdev would have to stay on the active roster the remainder of the year, which means you absolutely have to trade a player for player in any other situation.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
3:25 pm
… to clarify… if we wanted Brad Richards (for example) we couldn’t trade draft picks. We would actually have to make a player for player trade because of roster limitations.
Do you want Zherdev locking up your 23 man roster limit? That’s what Dudley is faced with.
Tom Lysiak
February 23rd, 2011
3:25 pm
Could it possibly happen any other way for us? We get to go to Buffalo and face them the day after their new owner takes over and incites the whole city into a delirium. Tied in points, the Sabres with two games in hand. I wouldn’t exactly expect a letdown for the Sabres tonight. Unless they are all hung over……
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
3:31 pm
Alan R. They never said they were out of money, they said they weren’t going to take on another $20 million per year loss
They didn’t say they weren’t going to, they said they couldn’t. Although, I guess this quote can be interpreted different ways…
““I don’t think there is an ability to stomach another $20 million in losses. We just can’t do it.” – http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-thrashers/owner-sense-of-urgency-840692.html
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
3:37 pm
“can’t” just probably means “won’t” in this case.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
3:38 pm
Do I dare point out that we play Toronto on Sunday with just one point between us?
Yep… they caught up to us too.
Joe McGrath
February 23rd, 2011
3:40 pm
Tommy L–Seems every time we play at home against a team we should beat, we lose. However, since Bufalo should win this one and we are on the road, well…
kracker
February 23rd, 2011
3:41 pm
Whatever amount that two of the owners of the Spirit Group earn in unrelated buisnesses has no material bearing on anything concerning the Thrashers. Or the Hawks or Philips, assuming they are not doing buisness w/ each other. For that matter, how much money Levenson and his partner may or may not have isn’t material to making a case on whether or not the Thrashers are losing money.
I saw your point, of course, that Brucie isn’t hurting for money, but so what? Losing millions isn’t fun even if you are rich. And just because Levenson and his partner can afford to lose those millions, perhaps the other partners can’t. I suspect that is the case.
Your article was interesting and I’m certainly not defending the ASG, just pointing out that outside income is just that, outside and non-related to the finances of the Spirit Group. Unless there have been loans or some such…
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
3:42 pm
Hokie – We play the “red hot” Devils twice more this year. How embarrassing would it be to get passed by them?
Rawhide
February 23rd, 2011
3:45 pm
To Zherdev or not to Zerdev…didn’t we have this conversation a year and a half ago?
Back then I like the thought of seeing him play here…now I would have to say no. Find me a winger who can back-check like hell and win battles along the boards as well as score, then I’m interested.
Of course, I doubt you’ll find that kinda player put on waivers right now.
Good news regarding the Dudley’s contract extension. C-Viv says the team will have an official announcement tomorrow.
Losing millions isn’t fun even if you are rich.
kracker – Tell me about it. Everytime I do, it stings like hell.
Zombie Steve
February 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm
My girlfriend is from Buffalo and is a huge Sabres fan. We’ve got a bet on the game tonight; loser has to cook dinner. I hope the Thrashers win….for her sake!
jimbo
February 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm
Looks like we’ll end up in the bottom 5. Time to start speculating about the juniors who will be available to us. Would be nice to see Clueless Craig decide to retire. He sure is not the answer.
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
3:52 pm
Congrats to Buffalo, I gotta soft spot for working class towns like that. Too bad we gotta beat em tonight. Dude, why is there egg on my face?
LET’S GO THRASHERS!!!
kracker
February 23rd, 2011
3:59 pm
Alan R. – Don’t want to even think about finishing below the Devils.
GaVaHokie
February 23rd, 2011
3:59 pm
Zombie, come on… you can get a better pay off then that can’t you? Surely you can cook your own dinner.
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
4:00 pm
Joe Friday – That news about available seating Friday does suck. I keep saying it, but whether or not it’s here or anywhere else Miami included, they’ve always seemed to have had the worst attendance. Again, I’m only going by my eyes not the stats. The question is, if it’s as bad as it looks why the Hell are they still there and why don’t I remember anything like this F.A.S.,LLC debacle or the Phoenix ordeal going on down there? I would love to see some stats on they’re away attendance, I’d be they/re the worst draw on average, I’m 100% certain they’re close anyways.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
4:01 pm
Yeah, because the relentless backchecking of Tim Stapleton, Nik Antropov and Chris Thorburn is really helping us control the offensive zone. We’ve been better lately at playing in the other team’s zone because we have exerted better effort (3rd perod excluded), but the fact of the matter is you can’t win hockey games (unless you’re Jacques Lemaire) with a shooting percentage well under 8%.
At least with Zherdev you’ve got a guy who can dent the twine with the puck on his stick. We have some super-fast players who can get Zherdev the puck. Do I want him long-term, no? He’s Kovy-lite, but we NEED SCORING and we’re not gonna get it by grinding and scrapping in front. Cuz you know what? Stewart, Thorburn, Antro & Bergy either aren’t good enough or they’re not getting it done! We cannot get much worse so we might as well inject some offense and life into the line-up with Zherdev.
And it might just help loosen the death-clench on the stick for some of these guys who are getting a taste of playoff stretch hockey for the first time. Picking up Zherdev has very little risk and for those who say he’ll mess up the room, I say to you, so what? It’s 22 games and the key to a good room isn’t always about “kum-by-yah” songs, it’s about getting wins in the standings. Who knows? Perhaps Zherdev will love playing with Kaner & Antro and play his A off trying to get a new contract? I do know this: the answer isn’t Cormier, Stapleton, Thorburn and Machacek.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
4:03 pm
Tough to sell extra tkts to games when the cheapest tkts in the “lower” level are about $54 with fees and that doesn’t even get you in the 100’s. Not saying it should regulary, but when you’re team is sucking fumes and your avg attendance is next to last in the league, perhaps you should run a few more discounts thru tktmaster. Just sayin’.
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
4:08 pm
This team needs a finisher.
My bet is the Thrashers pass on Zherdev, he ends up on the Caps, scores 10 more regular season goals, and the Caps win the Cup.
It’s the Thrasher Way.
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
4:11 pm
Caps want a center, not a winger.
Hoof Arted
February 23rd, 2011
4:13 pm
Sign Zherdev, waive Modin. We can’t hold a team to under 3 goals a game so we might as well get some scoring in here.
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
4:27 pm
Hoof Arted – That smells like a good plan.
Zombie Steve
February 23rd, 2011
4:31 pm
Zherdev > Modin
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
Sure, why not?
Peter Laviolette abotu Zherdev…”I think at times for me it was just the level of play,” Laviolette said. “It wasn’t the skill thing, it was the level and the level that he played. There were other guys that were performing better. So there’s only nine that can go in there — the nine I felt were playing.”
Zherdev, who is sixth on the Flyers with 15 goals, has been a healthy scratch for six straight games and has not played since Feb. 10. He did practice with the team Wednesday before being waived.
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
4:54 pm
Hmmm…Bergfors has 14 goals in 49 games and Zherdev 15 in 47 games.
Still, I say use one to motivate the other. We need all the help we can get. And since when is Laviollette always right? He’s been fired too.
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
Zombie, she still is a girlfriend. I am sure you can make the pot more interesting than dinner. Now if you were married like I am it would be over dishes…
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
5:15 pm
So that’s what sweetening the pot means.
Joe McGrath
February 23rd, 2011
5:20 pm
Nice point Smooth.
Red Light
February 23rd, 2011
5:51 pm
Yes, always defer to Smoothie instead of the 2006 Cup-winning coach who took his team to the Cup Finals last year too.
)
Puckhead
February 23rd, 2011
5:51 pm
If Chic-fil-a bought the Thrashers would they play on Sundays?
Cornbread
February 23rd, 2011
6:00 pm
You can’t complain about defence and goals against only to turn around and clamour for a Zherdev. What do you think the GAA would look like then? Bergfors sits because he is a Zherdev.
Zombie Steve
February 23rd, 2011
6:32 pm
Gentlemen – the pot has been sweetened! (can’t go into detail though) haha
Hockey Biltong
February 23rd, 2011
6:37 pm
We will win with defense.
No other way.
Hell, we’ve been scoring, just gotta clamp down to help Pavs.
Alan R.- Tusentak!
Puckhead – Only if they were deep-fried!
Hockey Biltong
February 23rd, 2011
6:39 pm
Somebody had a comment about 680 reporter milking info for all it’s worth. I expect nothing but the cheesiest from JKincaid.
Hockey Biltong
February 23rd, 2011
6:41 pm
to forecheck and backcheck, that is the question, or to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous goals against…
I can't kill penalities
February 23rd, 2011
6:50 pm
The Thrashers don’t need skilled forwards, they need to trade for penality killers. During this slide if they would have just killed off half of thier penalities……..say no more.
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
6:59 pm
I can’t kill penalties – The Thrashers do not need a superstar, but they need more skill up front, period. Food for thought, sometimes a lack of skill forces overly ambitious play and in turn more penalties. Yes, our PK is ABYSMAL, but they need more goals more than they need a specialist or two.
LAC
February 23rd, 2011
7:59 pm
Another loss tonight, The Standard for this bunch. Awful team as it stands now.
Glad Duke is on, fun to watch a WINNER and a coach who Does Konw What He is DOING !
da' boomer
February 23rd, 2011
8:34 pm
Who is the guy on w/Kamal?
Puckhead
February 23rd, 2011
8:46 pm
da’ boomer he is Jake Snyder
Puckhead
February 23rd, 2011
8:48 pm
How many tickets you think will be sold after the last minute of the second period?
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
9:12 pm
Turned the game off…
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
9:13 pm
Congratulations Zombie, I hope it has some win win potential.
Bbbb
February 23rd, 2011
9:15 pm
Ramsay must go. What the heck is going on with this team? Oh… I am sorry.. There is no team… there are bunch of guys staying and watching goals…
Thrasher 4 LIFE
February 23rd, 2011
9:18 pm
Thrashers suck!!! Clap clap clap clap clap
Thrashers suck!! Clap clap clap clap clap
Kiss the playoffs goodbye and atlanta, too!
Winniphlegm
February 23rd, 2011
9:27 pm
Hey everybody, tonight’s game aside, people from Winnipeg (I live there-don’t shoot the messenger) love slamming Atlanta on the main newspaper Winnipeg Free Press. Google it with Atlanta Thrashers and you’ll see what I’m talking about. They think that the Thrashers have no fanbase. This blog says to me otherwise. Go troll on their paper like the moronic Wpg trolls and watch them get all defensive and call you names. I’ll defend Atlanta to the tee. If Winnipeg does get a team back, it should be Phoenix—completely, and I mean completely different story here in Atlanta. Go Thrashers!…just not to Winnipeg.
Thrasher 4 LIFE
February 23rd, 2011
9:29 pm
New coach. SAME RESULTS.
Thrashers are a mediocre team at BEST.
Draft a better goalie next year than Pavelec
Mooseberg
February 23rd, 2011
9:34 pm
You get what you pay for, one of the lowest paid teams and heading to the bottom of the standings….not a top 6 player on the team…barely any top 9. Defense, 1 top 4. This is about as good as it should get.
LAC
February 23rd, 2011
9:36 pm
Ramsey is a bald version of John Anderson. Why bother watching this CRAP. Lifeless, Gutless, No Heart, No Desire, No GOALTENDING.
I, for one, instead of getting 4 more years to SCREW things up, Duds, dudley should have been shown the DOOR. He is as bad as ramsey is, another TOTAL failure of a season, and at this point, I really don’t care if they do move. We Atlanta fans have taken way TOO much of this type play for years and years and it NEVER changes. Just MOVE, then we don’t have to put up with this lackluster play.
We will be DAMN lucky to beat Edmonton for last overall in the NHL, we WILL finish LAST in the East, no doubt about it. Just disgusting tonight, No Chance for playoffs after this CRAP !
Bbbb
February 23rd, 2011
9:43 pm
Look at this Winni… polar guys… Now they even try to choose – they don’t like thrashers, they need phoenix… Good approach.
As for thrashers – end of season was today. Now sell out everyone and let youngsters play..
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
9:43 pm
Do you want to throw up a little in your mouth?
The Devils are going to pass the Thrashers very soon. NJ has made up 22 pts on ATL since New Years Eve.
jimbo
February 23rd, 2011
9:43 pm
Down 4-1. D continues to stink. The Bald Genius decided some 10 games agao to open up the offense. Every other team with any sort of a playoff chance is tightening up on D. Clueless Craig apparently took too many hits to the head during his playing days and has become CONFUSED, CLUELESS CRAIG. Until we get a coach who knows and employs a defensive strategy we will be the laughing stock of the league. Very painful to root for this team.
Alan R.
February 23rd, 2011
9:44 pm
Winniphlegm – Thanks for the support.
Buzzeng
February 23rd, 2011
9:44 pm
At this point, I have to say that my enthusiasm earlier in the year was probably too optimistic and I should have stuck with my expectations that this would be a building year (maybe even foundation building year) as Dudley gets the pieces in place. I am officially shifting gears to being enthusiastic about next year and will enjoy every pleasant surprise that a Thrashers victory gives through the end of the season.
Go Thrashers!
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
9:46 pm
Buzzeng – are you a ticket rep?
KLS1
February 23rd, 2011
9:46 pm
Another chance to win a big game, gone. No wonder there is a dwindling fanbase…win a big game! C’mon, win any game, this is the Sabres…give me a break.
Choke city baby…
Buzzeng
February 23rd, 2011
9:48 pm
Tom – No way, dude! Too tough a job for me!
Blueland Buddha
February 23rd, 2011
9:52 pm
My expectations have now officially shifted. Its all about finding a new owner (here’s hoping Kincade is on to something). An owner that is willing to spend to complement the pieces already in place. If the great news that the Thrash have been sold to a local buyer occurs this winter/spring, I will consider it a successful year. Dont want to think of the alternative…
Bbbb
February 23rd, 2011
9:53 pm
Ramsay! Respect yourself… Don’t say anything after game – just resign!
Hockey Biltong
February 23rd, 2011
9:54 pm
LAC, we all feel your pain. This was the dagger that killed our playoff hopes.meh.
At this point when you talk about Duds, you have to look at his track record. He is the best thing this team has going for it.Tampa and Chicago didn’t blossom overnight,nor do I expect Le Thrash to either. But the two cities did have very successful runs for their hockey club.
Notwithstanding our present ownership situation, who else could we get to fix what ails this team?
Tom
February 23rd, 2011
9:54 pm
Buzzeng… Good to hear. I want to make sure you can eat this summer.
patrick
February 23rd, 2011
9:55 pm
Is the rally on Friday or Sunday? I need to know. I have tickets to Friday’s game.
Buzzeng
February 23rd, 2011
9:56 pm
Tom – Bravo!
World Be Free
February 23rd, 2011
9:58 pm
Time for Ramsay to step aside, this team has no heart whatsoever.
The coach is not motivating the players.
Another disaster at the end of a period, costs us another game.
Hate to say it Rammer, but it time to step aside.
The playoffs are lost-we need to be sellers now.
No reason to buy for now when now is d e a d.
Fat Lady
February 23rd, 2011
9:58 pm
La..La..La…La..La…Lottery
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
9:59 pm
Lame-o.
Hockey Biltong
February 23rd, 2011
10:01 pm
Bring on the Torch!
KLS1
February 23rd, 2011
10:04 pm
We have nothing to sell!
Smoothie
February 23rd, 2011
10:05 pm
WBF – sad but true. Proud day in Buffalo and yet another poop sandwich for the loyal fans of Thrasherville. And somebody give Danny Kamal a hug!
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
10:06 pm
My money is on Sopel being traded.
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
10:07 pm
Everyone harping on Ramsay, well at this point I don’t disagree. Can you imagine that guy being able to pump you up? I mean think about it, there’s NO way. It’s like he’s got chamomile tea on an IV drip.
Honestly though I like Wheeler and Stuart (brute). Shoulda known about Wheeler I watched him light it up a couple times in December at the bulb. Anyways…this team needs an enema and you can supersize that thing if possible.
Sunday Meet @ Taco Mac - Fans Meeting
February 23rd, 2011
10:07 pm
Event: There is no”rally”. We are simply meeting before the game outside Taco Mac. We are encouraging people to get down to the game early, wear jerseys, make signs, etc. Here is the “event” page that talks about Sunday’s place to meet:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=190726347626817
KLS1
February 23rd, 2011
10:10 pm
Somebody other than Ladd or Buff please step up…Kane, Little, Antro, Bogo, Bergie, Wheeler…hello anybody out there? Anybody?
There is no team…our young guys stink, there is nothing to build on from this season with our “young talent”. Next year will be worse…these are not NHL level players.
Rick Dudley
February 23rd, 2011
10:11 pm
Did I just get a 4 year extension for making the Thrashers worse this year vs. last year.
Thanks for hiring me Don Waddell, the job security in Atlanta really can’t be beat.
Don Waddell
February 23rd, 2011
10:11 pm
I considered being an enema salesman.
Don Waddell
February 23rd, 2011
10:12 pm
Then I decided to push product for the Atlanta Spirit.
Mike
February 23rd, 2011
10:13 pm
A good -30 C winter will sort this team right out…
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
10:17 pm
I hate to say I told you so, but I did. I’m being playful so don’t take that the wrong way. I said many times (as razorneck13) that I thought this year was going to be the worst since about the 3rd or 4th seasons and I was right. Stats can tell you A LOT and so can payroll.
That aside, I NEVER thought they’d disintegrate like this NEVER. So, when I say I told you so it’s definitely me patting myself on the back, but not rejoicing in the suckage and again I NEVER saw this stretch happening. I thought it would have been more evenly distributed for sure and I woulda pegged em for about 30-34 wins at best.
KLS1
February 23rd, 2011
10:18 pm
This is a joke…this teams effort is a joke. Win a game…any game…against any team, maybe air hockey?
R. Stroz
February 23rd, 2011
10:21 pm
The Atlanta Hawks just made a trade adding $700,000 in payroll, traded away a future NBA star, and their 2011 first round draft pick and actually made the team worse.
KLS1
February 23rd, 2011
10:24 pm
By the way…we will not be the worst team because that would mean we could win a lottery pick. We’ll win just enough to get another dud in the draft.
Just like when we beat Tampa down the stretch to finish a few points ahead to lose the Stamkos pick. Well done.
Thrashers27
February 23rd, 2011
10:25 pm
It’s enough to make a grown man wanna cry. Heartbreaking! I don’t know what else there is to say…
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
10:25 pm
Anywho…talking about how THIS team sucks in great detail pertaining to the strategies and execution is futile at this point, FU-TILE. I’m over WAAAY OVER coming on here all the time looking for some good news via trade, OVER IT. This season ended in December of last year for crying out loud. Now that attention to Thrashers current events is soley reserved for ownership and management, if that doesn’t change I don’t give a flying crap about who’s on the roster now and never will.
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
10:31 pm
Don Waddell – Well selling enemas wouldn’t have been as fitting as a certain kind of male enhancing manual vaccuum of sorts. Shoulda done that, cuz you really do suck …. very well.
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
10:33 pm
Donny Wad – Hell with F.A.S., LLC on board you’d be tycoons of that industry. TY-COONS!!!
Hockey Biltong
February 23rd, 2011
10:33 pm
Sopel,eh???
Iron League 13
February 23rd, 2011
10:37 pm
KLS1 – I just want to recognize the awesome play that is your name. Well done.
Dan Bouchard
February 23rd, 2011
10:38 pm
Don…I’ve got a hankerin’ for some Chick-fil-a. Why don’t I grab you and Phil and we can talk Flames hockey for a while and try to sort out this mess? We knew what we were doin’!
Jake
February 23rd, 2011
10:39 pm
Just saw the score of tonight’s game. I think I know what that stench is.
sickofsucking
February 23rd, 2011
10:44 pm
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Sage of Bluesland
February 23rd, 2011
10:45 pm
I see Iron League is crowing about being “right all along”….Uh-huh….You’re a little late to the party, chief…Get over yourself and please check your grammar PRIOR to hitting that little button called “Submit Comment”.
(Come on, folks, who is with me on these ridiculous “addendums” explaining his previous grammatical errors….No one cares, chief…)
Flagstaff
February 23rd, 2011
10:52 pm
I wish that I could be like I was as an early, young fan… always positive and hopeful that the team would do well. To be able to believe in the team.
But I can’t.
Not until we get new owners.
R. Stroztradamus
February 23rd, 2011
10:53 pm
It’s time to start a new over/under prediction:
This go round is “On what date will the Devils surpass the Thrashers in points this season?”
Take the over or the under on March 11.
Mooseberg
February 23rd, 2011
10:53 pm
S. Cathy…..the Cow can be in goal, come on….YOU can do it.
Curly
February 23rd, 2011
10:54 pm
The bad news is… No playoffs.
The good news is… we are heading for a lottery draft pick the way things are going (winning 1 out of every 4-5 games).
Michael "the abbreviation"
February 23rd, 2011
11:04 pm
haha i told all of you optomistic people months ago that at that current time, and how well the team was playing, that at some point there would be a significant dropoff! Your response as a whole was no way abbreviation, thats not happening to THIS team. THIS team is different than previous teams in the past years, looks like I was correct, it gives me no satisfaction though as I too watch every game and root em on like the rest of yall. Heres to next year, sigh…
Michael "the abbreviation"
February 23rd, 2011
11:07 pm
Should have done more to keep Kovy, NOW DO YOU PEOPLE SEE THAT!?!?! Quit being haters, if you had to suffer through all the years of losing, you would leave too! Please Brendan, no more short story essay posts the rest of this crap season man, honestly, there cannot possibly be that much to say about this crapstick team, the Trashers
LAC
February 23rd, 2011
11:26 pm
I agree, Ramsey needs to step down, He has lost the team I feel, and it looks like John Anderson all over again. This loss was THE END, Period. No hope, No chance, Need to be SELLERS as we have ZERO playoff hopes, Great job Thrashers, fooled ALL of us into the thoughts this would eba GOOD season… Now THIS !
The players have NO system to speak of and we need another GOALTENDER, Pavs, you are a great BACKUP, but that’s about it.
But I bet after the season, the team is GONE and we can forget all this MESS once and for all !
Thrashers27
February 23rd, 2011
11:39 pm
RamsAy.
B. Thenet
February 23rd, 2011
11:46 pm
Rmsy
He loses the A’s until he stops failing at his job.
ashtray
February 23rd, 2011
11:55 pm
What the hell is with EMAILING renewal forms to the hockey season ticket holders???? You don’t even care enough or have the funds to send a postcard??
Now, That's a First!
February 24th, 2011
12:03 am
Is this the only sports organization in history that promoted a GM to president after missing the playoffs in 10 of 11 seasons, and then gives a four-year contract extension to the new GM for extending the mess to 11 out of 12 seasons? Unbelievable!
Joe Friday
February 24th, 2011
12:04 am
Finally coming around to seeing Ramsay has been a problem all year, eh? His system hasn’t worked for months, he needed to change it up at the new year, but nothing. This lineup hasn’t competed unless Pavs stood on his head, now that he’s playing normal, Ramsay is exposed.
that’s alright, add some more pieces to flesh out the core this summer, and come back ready to really compete next year, will Dudley have the stones to do what’s right at coach?
Alan R.
February 24th, 2011
12:07 am
ashtray – Click the link I posted at the bottom of page one. You’ll see these people have more than enough money. They’re just cheap.
ashtray
February 24th, 2011
12:09 am
URGENT NEWS HEADLINE:
The city of Winnipeg signs on to ASS, LLC as majority owner to KEEP ATLANTA THRASHERS the hell away from their city!
Then, It Must Be The Coach!
February 24th, 2011
12:13 am
Yes, by all means get rid of the coach. Does anyone bother to look at this roster? There is no secret that the bottom five teams in payroll are firmly out of the playoff race at this point.
Take away the 16 game anomaly from mid-Nov. to mid-Dec. and the team’s record is 13-24-8, or 34 points out of a possible 90…………………………
But you’ve found your scapegoat…Ramsay. Before it was Fraser was an idiot. Hartley lost the room. Anderson was too slack and now Ramsay is too old, too bald or doesn’t know what he’s doing after 40 years in the league. Yes sir Sage, we’ve been down this road before!
26th Edmonton $45.7 million
27th St. Louis $45.3 million
28th Colorado $42.7 million
29th Atlanta $42.3 million
30th NY Isles $41 million
ashtray
February 24th, 2011
12:16 am
Alan R., I knew they were cheap years ago when everything started unraveling. Why doesn’t Rutherford Seydel run around slapping hands during the intermissions anymore? Why doesn’t Levenson bring his mom to eat at the CNN center before games anymore? Losers.
Everyone should read, “We Could’ve Lost Without You” by Bob Hope. It’s about how Turner tried to kill the Hawks and move them to Charlotte when he started SportsSouth. Too bad, he hired a 27 yr. old to be a first time GM and kill the team, but Stan Kasten failed at that and made the team exciting and successful. The recipe remained and was handed down to this group.
But thanks, I see that the Ebay Boys simply pass on someone else’s intellectual property through newsletters. They have no idea how to run a tangible business.
Thrashy Thrashy
February 24th, 2011
1:55 am
This isn’t Ramsay’s fault.
Anyone who has watched this organization since its inception knows that it ain’t the coach.
Acer
February 24th, 2011
3:22 am
The last reason for last season’s distraction circled around Ilya Kovalchuk and his new contract. What’s it gonna be this season? Buff extended, Dudley extended and Ladd is thinking about extending. Oh…I almost forgot about the ownership circus. My guts tell me that inbounding moving vans with Manitoba license plates play a huge role.
Sage of Bluesland
February 24th, 2011
7:28 am
I’ve never blamed the coach exclusively for this mess–if anything, I’ve laughed at those who think that “all we have to do” is fire the coach, “change the system” and, magically, things will get better.
(or, my favorite: make “adjustments”.)
Pure fantasy.
For Heaven’s sake, LOOK what he has to work with!
World Be Free
February 24th, 2011
7:35 am
Not sure if the issue is the system or the coach’s inability to get the players to play 60 minutes. Whatever it is, it does not work – period and a change is required. This season was a climb to the top of the mountain only to land up in the Mariannas Trench.
hotrod
February 24th, 2011
7:40 am
Dandy Don, can you reach over and grab that light switch ?
R. Stroz
February 24th, 2011
7:51 am
Anyone else hear the birds outside singing CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP?
jimbo
February 24th, 2011
7:59 am
A sad ending to what appeared to be very promising at the beginning. The Hockey Whisperer, aka Clueless Craig, told Buffalo radio that we didn’t execute. Duh! Duh! Execute what? I have no seen any strategic shifts all season. Time to become a seller. Maybe someone likes Antropov, Steward, Bergfors, Johnny O. or our two Stars on Skates- Thorburn and Boulton. Nice to see Stuart show a iittle grit. The Fat Lady sang and left the building. Turn off the lights.
World Be Free
February 24th, 2011
8:05 am
I think everone should refrain from the “we are moving to Winnipeg” stuff until there is a definate decision to do so. Bettman does not want to give up a top 10 U.S. TV market in exchange for the Canadian Prairies at a time when he is trying to get a new TV deal, one that would benefit the entire league. No need to rehash “the issues”, they are obvious and already well-documented. There is enough blame to go around on this franchise, that’s for sure.
The trade deadline is coming up and we all know by now the Thrashers are not a playoff team. Time to identify who will be here next year and who will not be here. If there’s a tradeable asset, make the deal for a pick or better yet a prospect. I hate to say it folks, but look to the future and hope that the future of the team is here in Atlanta. Can’t change the past, just hope for a better future and that is a big HOPE.
Part of this process has to be finding a new mionor league home. The relationship with the Wolves does not work. Dudley has to find a new relationship out there other than just sending players to the ECHL to get playing time.
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
8:13 am
Sage – Eat ** you effing ****. First off I started coming on here as Razorneck13 BEFORE the season and BEFORE I knew eff all about you. Second I was stating so much BEFORE the season. Third, this is a flippin blog post, if you wanna correct grammar go teach elementary school. _nlm.
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
8:15 am
Sage – One more thing I already said I was patting myself on the back for having NOT bought into this team being ALL that before they had their little streak. Try reading as you didn’t call me out on anything other than nit picky grammar BS. Again,_nlm .
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
8:23 am
Sage – Amazing how you and maybe one other (unnamed) guy suppossedly have the exclusive right to claim that you both had been the only one’s hating the F.A.S.,LLC all along or predicting another miserable year. Who really thinks so highly of themselves, CHEIF? Who in reality is crowing?
I guess you didn’t see where I said something like, “I’m only playing don’t take this thew wrong way”. I effing loathe you.
Tom
February 24th, 2011
8:32 am
meh…
Joe Friday
February 24th, 2011
8:34 am
“Take away the 16 game anomaly from mid-Nov. to mid-Dec”
Red Light, it’s not reasonable to “take away the 16 game anomaly”. 16 games in not an anomaly, and if you care to objectively look at the facts, many of those games were against top team who were at the top of their games at the time. That was no anomaly, we have the talent to compete, and we did when Ramsay’s system was clicking.
“doesn’t know what he’s doing after 40 years in the league.”
He knows what he’s doing, just not as a head coach. If you’d look it at objectively, you’d see that after 40 years in the league, no one else had ever given him a head coaching gig (he only was head coach twice before as the interim as his head coach got fired). There’s a reason why he never was a head coach before, and we’re seeing it played out this year.
This lineup needs a top center, a scoring winger and a defensive dman to replace Sopel/Stuart next season to flesh out the competitive core. Shoot, I trust Dudley a heck of a lot more of his proven ability as a GM and his evaluation of the talent on this current club. Dudley’s proven he can do the job at GM as he’s been given the role before in his career (unlike Ramsay who has failed at his first chance as the head coach). Dudley just recently said we have 14 pieces in place for an elite club, and he’s right. I think he’ll realize that Ramsay is a weak link here and even if he gets him the top center and scoring winger, that we’re still lacking.
Red Light
February 24th, 2011
8:35 am
Only one goal on the first shot last night and that appeared to change direction off the shaft of Enstrom’s stick after his giveaway at center ice.
2nd goal, rebound, no help as shooter gets his own rebound
3rd goal, rebound, defense stands around and watches
4th goal, rebound, defense watches as Chinese fire drill occurs around Atlanta’s net
The forwards are nowhere in sight to help out and leave two defensemen and the goalie hanging out to dry, again on three of four goals.
Red Light
February 24th, 2011
8:37 am
You want to name those “elite” pieces for me Joe Friday? Ready go…
da' boomer
February 24th, 2011
8:49 am
puckhead – thanks for the info. i didnt start listening until the 2nd period. sounded good with someone else in the booth with dan. question – why do we have just one guy on the radio? is it cheapness?…that wouldnt surprise me in the least.
World Be Free
February 24th, 2011
8:55 am
Red Light-same poor zone coverage we saw under Anderson.
Joe McGrath
February 24th, 2011
9:03 am
When Ramsay was named HC, and then Torchetti came on board as AC, I knew then something was wrong, but I put my trust in Duds. Now I see that the coaching is backwards. Oh well. I guess it’s off to the trade day. I wonder what we can get for Sopel, Bergfors,Stewart? Poor Antropov…I think he was rushed back too soon…they should just IR him now. If he doesn’t get “it” back next year, he needs to retire.
Red Light
February 24th, 2011
9:10 am
So, two coaches with the same faults, or …?
Darkhorse
February 24th, 2011
9:15 am
Oh well, that was the last nail on the ‘ol playoff coffin for sure. Let’s just focus our attention on doing what we can as fans of the Thrashers to keep them here and hope someone with deep pockets wants to buy them and wants to own a hockey team.
Just give the town a legit shot at a proper run franchise that spends some money for a while. Hopefully they can still muster up a good showing at home this weekend.
World Be Free
February 24th, 2011
9:17 am
All starts with the head coach-he is responsbile for the style of play, motivation, accountability of the players. Rammer has failed on all 3 counts. In addition, most good/great head coaches are the “bad cops” in the coaching staff, they are the ones who get pissed and chide players, either in the media, in practice or in the locker room. I don’t see him doing any of these at any time.
Nice guy, great guy, teacher…..
Red Light
February 24th, 2011
9:20 am
I’m not saying Ramsay shouldn’t bear some of the blame here, but lets not forget the facts. Burmistrov, Cormier and Slater are out. Stapleton and Rissmiller are who they are. Several players haven’t played well for most of the season. Enstrom looks like he came back from injury a bit too early, and you have two new players who have played in just two games for the team. It’s not time to fire the coach, but it certainly is time to tweak your roster and look towards next year, for the 11th time in 12 years!
Joe McGrath
February 24th, 2011
9:21 am
Torch was coming off a Cup winning season with Chicago. Rammer wasn’t. I don’t know the situation, but didi Duds hired Rammer first because he was the first to accept the offer? Or was it Dud’s plan all along to hire Rammer as HC. Personally, I think Torch is more HC material–he has a gruff tempertment, like what you expect from a HC. Rammer seems like clergy. And I know both are pretty much on even ice, playing good cop, bad cop. But Rammer, as good of a teacher as he is, doesn’t seem to show much emotion. I don’t think he needs to rip his jacket off and throw sticks on the ice or bitch to the media, but over the last several games there have been bad calls which ultimately caused losses…IMO, Rammer should be doing a little more jawing with the officials. But he stands and smiles and nods while at the same time Torch looks like he’s about to have a stroke. I don’t know, six in one, half dozen in the other I suppose.
World Be Free
February 24th, 2011
9:30 am
Joe, Duds and Rammer have known each other for 40 years. I understand hiring Ramsay for the HC job, if you consider his experiences, his intelligence and the universal respect he has throughout the league. You will not find a person in the game that has anything bad to say about Craig Ramsay and when you meet him you see why. Now does that translate to being a premier NHL head coach? That’s the question and whether Torchetti has the experiences and demeanor to be a better NHL head coach.
Good discussions
Joe McGrath
February 24th, 2011
9:31 am
In retrospect. This team hit the skids when Slater hit the IR and Eager hit the road. Could the absence of those two pluggers be the reason for our the Thrashers sorry status? I’m thinking Slater is WAY more valuable than I thought he was and I wonder if Eager should have been kept. Was he traded because he lost his temper during a 9-3 ass whipping, or was it because of his attitude? Whatever, the boy’s got gritty game and he’s proving it right now in SJ. Grit is definatley something we’ve lacked (until Mr. Stuart arrived). Oh yeah, Jonny O, don’t let the door hit ya.
Joe McGrath
February 24th, 2011
9:33 am
One win in the month of Feruary. One.
Fan from Carolina
February 24th, 2011
9:33 am
I really don’t understand why the league doesn’t take a pro-active stance in finding the Thrashers a new competent owner. The new Buffalo owner and Tampa owner assure hockey’s future success in those two cities. Atlanta would support a solid club. I think Philips area is an excellent arena. Everything is in place but no one will help this city. I really feel that if Atlanta and Tampa switched entire rosters right now, Philips Arena would have sell-outs each night, and Tampa would be drawing 8,000 per game. The fan base is here, no doubt in my mind.
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
9:40 am
Joe McGRath – That seems to sync up on a timeline doesn’t it? I agree, Slater is underappreciated, however he’s probably not the problem and Eager’s absence to an even lesser degree. I personally think this team would fair FAR better with another couple Slates kinda players instead of a couple call-ups like Stapleton and Macho or not NHL ready rookies a la Cormier and Burmi. Only an organisational overhaul could fix this.
Alan R.
February 24th, 2011
9:44 am
Two hundred.
Donovan McNubb
February 24th, 2011
9:44 am
I’m sure the coach deserves some of the blame… but considering he has the second-lowest payroll in the league, is he really the scapegoat here? Do you honestly think Torchetti or an outsider could take this team right now and get them winning consistently? Come on mayn, This roster is too young and too thin. Don’t be fooled by our three-week hot streak way back in November. Almost every team in the league — even the freakin Islanders and the Oilers — have went on some decent winning streaks this year. That doesn’t mean they’re truly ready for primetime.
kj
February 24th, 2011
10:01 am
Rob Ray, the former Sabre said it best on the 4th goal when he noticed that the Thrasher D was “Just standing around, not finding anyone”. That was Byfuglien and Enstrom. “Buff” is more like “Puff”, he is playing so soft in his own zone it’s pathetic. You’d think he’d be a force, one that teams would not want to be in front of the net or in the corner to face. Not so much. If he’s going to think he can play like Lidstrom, he better get WAY better at his stick and positioning in the D zone.
When our guys were in front of the net and a rebound was there, at least one of them ended up on their arse. Rebounds in front of our net? Did you see Sabre’s getting knocked down? Not much if any. I agree that Rammer’s instilled some kind of non-aggressive style or damn voodoo but I thought Torch would at least get in the D’s face and DEMAND some physical, hard nose “you’ll pay for trying to sit in front of our net attitude” and it’s simply not there. Not everyone can be a physical defenseman (Enstrom, Hainsey) but guys like Puff and Bogo HAVE TO BE. Thank God for Stuart, at least someone will occasionally pay the price now.
Joe McGrath
February 24th, 2011
10:06 am
I don’t buy into the low-payroll-is-our-problem idea. I look to Nashville as an example. They’ve had one coach in their entire history and they compete. Barry Trotz, year after year, takes young, low paid players and teaches them how to play solid, tough, defensive minded hockey.
Smoothie
February 24th, 2011
10:07 am
“Buff” is more like “Puff”, he is playing so soft in his own zone it’s pathetic.”
The double standard has been there all season. Prior to the injury to Toby’s hand, the deficiencies in Buff’s game were somewhat masked AND he was scoring consistently to offset his minuses. However, the more your highest paid player is coddled and held to a different standard, the more it screws up the mental aspect of the team. You can overcome this when you have guys like Slater, Burmy, even Eager busting their rears to get back and help out the D. But lately that help has been waning. Either they are giving up because they have not been able to get over the hump on all of these one-goal games, or they are just playing scared waiting for someone else to save the day. I don’t know, but when I see Ramsay over on the bench with his arms crossed looking forlorn, it makes me very, very sad and angry.
Joe Friday
February 24th, 2011
10:12 am
“You want to name those “elite” pieces for me Joe Friday? Ready go…”
Been there, done it. Feel free to go back and read the blog where we discussed it right after Dudley made the comment. And Dudley’s right, there are 14 solid pieces here in place. We have players, we need a top line center and top 6 scoring winger, and a dman to replace Sopel/Stuart. Put those key pieces in place, and a real head coach with the ability to lead an NHL club, and watch it all happen (right here in Philips Arena–got good news from a birdie yesterday) next season.
Red Light, I love you, man and you’re very knowledgeable about the game. But you’re letting your friendship or whatever with Ramsay cloud your judgement here, in my opinion. He has been a problem all year, from his inability early on to manage game situations (which is a major reason we give up so many back to back goals, he doesn’t make the proper line changes, get centers in to take key faceoffs, etc.), and now it’s his inability to change up his system when other clubs start countering our scheme.
Another great guy, like Waddell, that just isn’t cut out for the job he currently has.
Alan R.
February 24th, 2011
10:18 am
In just a couple short hours, we find out who won the Zherdev lottery.
Smoothie
February 24th, 2011
10:19 am
Joe F – and you forgot his failure to improve zone entries on the PP, the lack of creativity on the PP with seemingly no set plays other than a F/O win for a quick Buff blast, a failure to go into an aggressive NZ trap when up by a goal after the mid-point of a game, a lack of physicality by our d-men in front of our own net because we’re fixated on making the “smart” play with our sticks, and a stubborn reliance on wall plays that every team is taking away from us — how many times did Buffalo d-men pin our forwards to the wall last nite when we did carry it in? I could go on and on and on, but the point remains that Ramsay has not really done anything to improve this team in the 2nd half of the year despite the fact that many of the players were showing improvement early on and responding to his teaching. Head coaching is a chess game and for Ramsay lately, checkmate keeps coming between the 38th and 42 minute of play. Not a coincidence anymore.
World Be Free
February 24th, 2011
10:19 am
kj-nobody kicking Buff inthe ass when he goes back to the bench.
Nobody getting on Toby for his giveaway on the first goal.
Fan-I think Bettman’s recent remarks and his tone show that he is more than aware of what’s going on here. If there is work being done, you be certain we will not know about it until something concrete has been determined. The world is already full of too many distractions.
kj
February 24th, 2011
10:20 am
Smoothie, I agree. The forwards have not been helping in our zone like they need to be and losing Slater started the slide. Not saying it’s a direct correlation but the tide definitely turned.
With Puff, he’s more concerned with his offense and having the energy to attack when he’s on the ice. He plays like if he gives too much effort in the D zone, he won’t have it to make a rush up ice.
Maybe the team needs to be forced to watch video of teams that know how to play both ways, like the Red Wings. Watch a game and pay attention to the way their forwards skate back HARD every shift. And while they’re at it, make sure Puff watches Brad Stuart more than Nick Lidstrom.
Joe Friday
February 24th, 2011
10:22 am
Oh, and you want to question Buf’s toughness? Big picture and perspective, fellas. It’s something that helps, don’t look at one game, or one play, look at the whole picture here.
Last year Buf went toe to toe with this puscatore of a dman Philly had in the greatest series in hockey, some schlub named Pronger. I hear Prongers a real Nancy, eh? Lets guys camp in front of his goaler?
Lots of guys on our club have banged in the past. But how many hits do we have as a team this year? How many times have you seen one of our guys go after an opposing player for getting in our goalies grill? How many times have you seen one of our guys go after an opposing player after Kane or someone gets their clock cleaned?
How many times? I saw Eager do it once and I never saw Eager put a Thrasher sweater on again.
That comes from the head coach. It’s patently clear that his edict to the team is to not take penalties and to not retaliate. If you recall, he was quoted early on this year as saying he didn’t like that style of play, so guess what, our players don’t play that way (or they go to hell holes like San Jose to play that style, eh?).
Buf can bang, Buf can clean clocks, he proved it against Pronger. His current coach won’t let him . . . or suffer the fate of Eager.
New coach next year, couple more key pieces added by Dudley, who has proven his ability to do so, and we will be competitive. Right here in Philips.
Joe Friday
February 24th, 2011
10:26 am
“the point remains that Ramsay has not really done anything to improve this team in the 2nd half of the year despite the fact that many of the players were showing improvement early on and responding to his teaching. Head coaching is a chess game and for Ramsay lately, checkmate keeps coming between the 38th and 42 minute of play. Not a coincidence anymore.”
Gotta get some work done but wanted to say one last thing . . . B.I.N.G.O., the most spot on comment I’ve read in quite some time from you (and ya didn’t even use the words Buffy or Laddy, talk about in season improvement!).
Zombie Steve
February 24th, 2011
10:28 am
If Ramsey pulled a “Jim Playfair” he’d probably die of a heart attack
Smoothie
February 24th, 2011
10:34 am
Joe – you must not be paying careful enough attention to my posts then!
And it’s not fair to defend Buff because of what he did against Pronger. He had one job and that was to stand in front of Pronger and take his elbows and cross-checks. He did it very well, but this is a whole different kettle of fish. Buff has been deficient in many ways on the defensive end for the entire season. It’s not just a recent development. Now I fear it will get worse now that he has his money guaranteed for 5 years. Who will be the one to maximize Buffy’s potential, cuz it sure as hell won’t be Craig Ramsay.
kj
February 24th, 2011
10:35 am
Buf can bang, Buf can clean clocks, he proved it against Pronger. His current coach won’t let him . . . or suffer the fate of Eager.
You don’t even see Puff get pissed at anyone out there, he’s not sticking up for anyone or answering a hit with a (clean) hit that would still send a message. Where’s the emotion? Hell, he’s got an extension, Rammer’s not stopping him from being an emotional, physical leader out there. Standing in front of the net on the power play is a lot easier than playing 24 minutes a game and being a force and a leader. If he wants just to score, move him to forward and put him in front of the net on the power play.
I never felt more like that needs to happen than while watching the game last night.
Mooseberg
February 24th, 2011
10:39 am
Ramsey’s “system” of no real offensive except dump and chase(which is really, dump and turn it over) doesn’t work. Ramsey’s “toned down” physical game doesn’t work at the other end of the ice either…..CHANGE IT UP OR GET OUT. Atlanta Thrashers…NOT, Atlanta Candy@sses..YES.
LAC
February 24th, 2011
10:39 am
Joe, problem is, I seriously doubt the Thrashers will be in Atlanta next season… Just don’t think so after all this MESS this season.
ThrasherTim
February 24th, 2011
10:39 am
3 words: Time to Sell.
Move Sopel or Oduya and pick up some assets to build for next year. Get Ladd signed, get another top 6 forward who can also kill penalties. Move Stewart down to the 3rd line next year and get guys healthy for next year. Maybe Mason can bounce back too.
Right now, Buff isn’t playing D very well and we have 2 AHL lines going…and Stewart has hands of steel. It is what it is after all.
Smoothie
February 24th, 2011
10:44 am
“Where’s the emotion? Hell, he’s got an extension, Rammer’s not stopping him from being an emotional, physical leader out there”
kj – well stated. I highly doubt Ramsay wanted his players to play like emotionless droids who only try to win puck battles by lifting sticks and being crafty with the blade. Watch how Burmy plays and you’ll see exactly how Ramsay wants them to play. The kid bangs when necessary, isn’t afraid of contact and will do whatever it takes along the wall to keep the puck. It’s a damn shame Bogey had to break his foot with what was probably another slapshot wide of the net!
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
10:49 am
Joe McGrath – good point on Trotz, I do think payroll to some degree determines the quality of a player, but I see a lot of merit in your observation.
Smoothie – RIght on about Buff and Enstrom, AGAIN. Buff DOES NOT play to his size AT ALL. He should be a a much more intimidating presence than he is. If he wants to play offensive minded hockey so much, why is he on D? Better question for Rammer about Buff is, with all the mind numbing experiments in line pairings and the bottom feeder play and the Stuart acquisition and the need for a more scoring and the lack of help coming and Buff’s PROVEN talent at his office in front of the net, why, why, WHY hasn’t he been moved up front?
Smoothie
February 24th, 2011
10:55 am
IR13 – as bad as our defense has been since, well, most of the year, tell me this line-up wouldn’t fare a little better at getting some loose pucks and scoring a coulple more goals:
Kane – Litts – Buffy
Laddy – Wheeler – Bergy
______ – Burmy – Antro (oh yeah, Eager would look pretty good there!)
We were already pretty bad with Burmy, now where are totally imbalanced with really no talent or skill at all on the bottom 6. Antro needs a puck possesser to make up for his bum hip and slowness and Burmy and he seemed to be meshing well last Nov/Dec even with Eager as a LW. Hell, I’d be fine with Antro-Burmy-Thorbs since Thorbs loves to get greasy, but the Kane-Antro-Stewy line is proving to be a disaster again, like it did briefly earlier in the year.
Sage of Bluesland
February 24th, 2011
10:57 am
“You don’t even see Puff get pissed at anyone out there, he’s not sticking up for anyone or answering a hit with a (clean) hit that would still send a message. Where’s the emotion?…”
This is the comment which is spot-on. “Puff”, indeed.
I predict Joe-Bob-Friday will tell us he knew “all along” that “Puff” was a waste of money….Blaming “Puff” not doing something on the ice in the heat of a game on the head coach is quite a reach. Then again, I’m used to seeing this type of lunacy from certain elements of Thrashersland.
Where is the PRIDE, then? If the answer is “he has none now that he got his money”, then that’s not the player to build around….This is so obvious it’s not even funny anymore. It will be interesting to see how many years it takes before the peanut-gallery resoundingly criticizes the signing of “Puff”. I’ll start the bidding at this time next year. (i.e. one-year)
There is also a serious failure to misunderstand the trends/patterns which are obvious to me. Who here remembers our winning streak when Donald Audette was here…yes, it was only a brief time but, guess what, it was ALSO in November/December. Haven’t we had numerous “hot” streaks EARLY in the year? Funny that we don’t seem to have too many such “hot” streaks to conclude a season, isn’t it?
A wise hockey man once told me that it wasn’t until January till the ‘real’ teams start showing up, gearing up for the stretch run….i.e. they spend the first couple of months tweaking things and getting their “sea-legs” under them. He was right. The (regular) season is a marathon, not a dash.
So, Joe-Bob-Friday-Revisionist-Historian, you are putting far too much credit on the brief streak thinking it was against top teams at the top of their game. I’m not buying it at all.
(Please remember where you heard that first, ok?)
Tom
February 24th, 2011
10:57 am
If you have any of the games saved on Tivo from the winning streak, take a look and compare them to the February Thrashers.
The biggest difference?
Rammer put the Greek Gods together and the team responded. These guys went into the corners, made plays, wore down the oppositions d-men, and created havoc. Plus, we were able to roll 4 lines regularly.
Remember Bolton did not have a negative game for the first third of the season.
The Thrashers had the formula, Slater was a HUGE part of it.
Now we roll 3 lines and they are tired by the 3rd period trying to play Rammer’s uptempo style. The opposition concentrates on our point guys taking away the outside shot. And we have lost that edge in front of the net.
We have the skill players for the long term minus a scoring forward. What we need now is getting our checking line put back together and getting mean in front of the net. Iron League and Smoothie have it right. Let’s get Buff hitting again and clearing space.
Let’s look back and find the formula for success and try to finish out the year. Then really implement it for next year.
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
11:00 am
Smoothie, damn skippy. That top six could be tough and I dig it.. Imagine if we could somehow even get Antro to pretend he’s actually as big as he is as a 3rd line center too and get Thorbs on the 4th and that’s better than nothing. Of course Ramsay would have to put the kibosh on his alleged “let’s play nice and fair, boys” strategy.
Tom Lysiak
February 24th, 2011
11:01 am
Now that Dudley got a 4-year extension, we will see if he is either running or just part of a “good-old-boys friend network” here, or if he intends on building a winner. We all heard him say what type of players he wants here, what type of game he wants played here. What we don’t know is what type of deal Dudley, Ramsay and Torch had worked out when they all signed. Maybe he was just giving Ramsay a year to see how it went. There WAS some reason Torch left the Hawks to come down here. To me, the way the second half of the season has gone, if Ramsay remains it smacks of a buddy thing. If Torch takes over or someone else comes in, it means he’s serious about icing a winner. Plus, Dudley has his own work cut out for him reworking this roster.
Sage of Bluesland
February 24th, 2011
11:01 am
Interesting points, Tom…I interpret what you’re saying is that, figuratively, the chef ran out of ingredients to make the same meal.
I think there is truth to that, in many ways. I think the ingredients aren’t long-lasting, either. I think the ingredients have only so much ceiling.
But, I also think the kitchen is destined for failure and should be condemned….but that’s something else entirely.
Try as you might, “system” changes don’t make silk purses out of sows’ ears…You’ll pull the “1980 miracle” occasionally–but not in a marathon…
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
11:06 am
I hate to admit, but I like Sage’s marathon analogy. That said his roster fooled me and reformed my past persistent naysaying, if only for a moment, but it did.
Rawhide
February 24th, 2011
11:06 am
…sigh…
To all of you who have called for coach Ramsay to be let go, I have to say I’ve come to the conclusion that you may be right.
And here are about 1,300 words that explain why I think that should happen.
Fair or not…a change needs to be made.
Iron League 13
February 24th, 2011
11:06 am
this roster (rather)
Smoothie
February 24th, 2011
11:08 am
The saddest thing is that this team has outshot its opponents over the last 7 games by a margin of 257 to 212, and many of them were close games until the 38th minute of play or early 3rd period. This isn’t so much a failure of the system as it is a failure to teach guys how to neutralize an opponent. Too often, after a good offensive flurry (and no goal again), we fall back into “safe” mode using nothing but our sticks and trying to clog up shooting lanes, but no one attacks the puck or attempts to neutralize the man with the puck even after he passes it.
If you don’t make the other team pay the price even when you’re tired, what good is it to sit back and wait for a loose puck? Even when we do get to the loose puck, we make a weak, half-hearted attempt at a clear on our backhand because our D-men are on the wrong side with their forehand to the outside. That’s killing us when it comes to loose puck battles IN FRONT of our net. So many issues, not enough time left in the season. Poop.
Joe Friday
February 24th, 2011
11:09 am
boys, how ’bout dem apples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxBKae8sfu0&feature=fvw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe7wVr-eSg0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gms04nF3l74&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwntJlNNcKg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90AxgY_jWK0&feature=related
Tony C
February 24th, 2011
11:09 am
In a desperate attempt to change the subject….I really enjoyed Jake Snyder’s color commentary on the radio last night-what did yall think?
Frosty the snowman
February 24th, 2011
11:31 am
“Puff” (ha ha, love it!) Just won a stanley cup and is now on a 5 year paid vacation in booland. Players come here to get paid and play mediocre. They can come here and put in a half effort and be rewarded.
This franchise is a joke! I will NOT be going to any game(unless I get free tix) until a new owner comes in a revamps the ENTIRE franchise. Starting with the removal of Don Wadell. Do not be fooled, he still has his hand in the team, he was at the draft, probably has the final say in trades.
If another investor is added to current owners, it would be like dropping another terd in a clogged toilet.
Everything has to change– owners gotta go, president gone, get a real head coach, scouts need to be overhauled, get rid of the fluffer Darren Elliot, Dudley says we have 14 solid pieces… he’s gotta go as well, sounds like Wadell and his many blunders of our young talent. This team has 14 solid pieces to finish in the bottom of the league.
The only thing that changes with our franchise is the players who want to win leave.
Tony C
February 24th, 2011
12:30 pm
I could see where Dudley gets the “14 pieces”-let’s look at guys who truly can play (maybe not dominate, but play) in the NHL:
Pavelec
Ladd
Enstrom
Kane
The Byfuglien
Little
Bogosian
Bergfors/Hopefully we can get equal value
Wheeler
Antropov
Hainsey
Oduya
Stuart
Slater
Burmistrov (after a cycle or two this summer)
Postma (see above)
Kulda
While I’ll be the first to admit most of those name do not strike fear in the hearts of mortal men, it’s not as bad as some of the lineups we’ve iced. problem is, @ most positions we’re 1-1.5 players deep all those guys are capable of being solid-to-noteworthy NHL players…a few could even become “star”-level players…Now, if you can hold onto those guys and replace or add some legit NHL players around them-you’ve got a solid squad. We’re still lacking a game-changing scorer, but I see much potential for that in Kaner.
my $0.02
Hockey Biltong
February 24th, 2011
12:47 pm
400th!