Trade deadline comes day after Thrashers finally find a way to win
Today the news wires and twitter feeds will be buzzing throughout the NHL world as yet another trade deadline day is upon us. And with that, just as I do every trade deadline day, I will turn the blog over to you the cyber-reporters of the hockey blogosphere to report and discuss in the comments section below the deals from around the NHL as they happen.
As always, AJC Thrashers beat writer Chris Vivlamore will be on the job bringing us any news of trades involving the home team. You can follow him on twitter –>HERE<–.
Today’s player swap- meet comes just a day after our Thrashers managed to pull off only their second win in the month of February. Trailing 2-0 entering into the third period, Captain Andrew Ladd injected life into the team with a power play goal just 53 seconds in. Then, the Thrashers unleashed their secret offensive weapons on the Leafs…Tim Stapleton and Ron Hainsey.
Ron Hainsey celebrates his game-winning overtime goal Sunday evening with his teammates. The win was only the second this month for the Thrashers (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Stapleton, who was placed on waivers just last Saturday, tied things up with 4:36 remaining in the third. It was his first goal of the season and only the fourth of his NHL career. Hainsey then finished off the dramatic come back with a goal halfway through overtime.
I would call yesterday’s outcome a big win for the Thrashers, but after losing five straight and nine of the previous ten games in the month of February…really any kind of win is big. We’ll take what we can get in Thrasherville these days.
Not to be overlooked here is the fine play of Chris Mason…not just in the win Sunday but also Friday night after coming in to relieve Ondrej Pavalec to start the second period against Florida. Mason stopped all 25 Panthers shots he face in two periods of play and overtime then turned aside 22 of the 24 shots faced against Toronto. That’s a .959 SV% to help his team net three points over the weekend.
So as we enter into NHL Trade Dealine-A-Palooza 2011, both Atlanta and Toronto sit at 63 points after playing 63 games. Ninth place Buffalo is two points ahead of them but have a pair of games in hand while Carolina remains in eighth place with 67 points.
Is the win enough to get this team back into the playoff race? I dunno, but yesterday’s hero seems to think they’re still in the thick of it.
“[The win] puts us four away and, hey, we are in business here”, Hainsey said after the game. “If we are getting any further away the we are going to have problems. We are back in it”.
Honestly though, I think they’re gonna have to slice off a few more Ws in the coming week or so before the Thrashers are really “back in it”,
As far as being “buyers” or “sellers” today, we’ll have to wait and see. However, General manager Rick Dudley did tell C-Viv before the game yesterday that he’s expects to be actively pursuing trades today. So maybe a deal or two in the offing for the Thrashers.
Time will tell just what, if anything, will come of such pursuit. But if Dudley could get anyone to take… say… Fredrik Modin off our hands for the remainder of the season, then that would be nice.
And with that, I now turn this little online hockey forum over to you and the trading begins.
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323 comments Add your comment
kj
February 28th, 2011
3:18 pm
Freddy played just hard enough last night to get a taker – way to go Duds!
Tom
February 28th, 2011
3:19 pm
CViv reports it was for a 7th round pick…
That seems about right, I bet Stroz is smiling right now.
R. Stroz
February 28th, 2011
3:20 pm
MODIN SUCKS….FOR ANOTHER TEAM….HELL YES
World Be Free
February 28th, 2011
3:20 pm
J/F-looks like the trade deadline was much to do about nothing.
Trade deadline or dead trading deadline?
I thought for sure somebody would jump on Oduya, but not Hainsey’s contract.
That’s alotta dough for a 6th defenseman.
Tom
February 28th, 2011
3:21 pm
Ha! I was right!
Joe Friday
February 28th, 2011
3:25 pm
a 7th for Modin? They must really have wanted him gone, that’s the proverbial bag o pucks.
Did the Couv overpay for Higgens? I don’t think so, I would’ve liked him here . . .
Zoomo
February 28th, 2011
3:26 pm
Stroz for comment of the year!
Joe Friday
February 28th, 2011
3:27 pm
“I thought for sure somebody would jump on Oduya, but not Hainsey’s contract.”
Very surprising. Dudley tried leaking it out to Custance and Allen that there was “interest”, snicker, but no one bit. That’s ok, I like our d, just not the money tied up in it given our cap restraints, but that problem goes away if we have a new owner this summer willing to take the budget up to $53 to $55m or so. Stick a Richards on the top line and another winger that can pot some goals and lookout
jimbo
February 28th, 2011
3:29 pm
KJ- Shemp? Love it. Now we’re truly a joke in the NHL with Larry (slomodin), Moe (Rammeroo) and the one and only Shemp.
Tom
February 28th, 2011
3:33 pm
via CViv Thrashers trade G Drew MacIntyre to Montreal for D Brett Feasterling.
Festerling is 6-2 210
FormerIslesFan
February 28th, 2011
3:37 pm
Tom: I think the fact that he is a left-shooting D may also have been part of the attraction. Isn’t that something we are lacking (not sure of Stuart)? Aren’t all our D-men right shooting?
World Be Free
February 28th, 2011
3:39 pm
The only thing better from Stroz was if Modin would have been traded to Buffalo!
Smoothie
February 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
LouLam got his 2nd rounder…he does it again! Is Stecks a UFA too?
Rawhide
February 28th, 2011
3:40 pm
Goalie Drew McIntyre traded to Montreal for a defenseman…who I don’t know just yet.
LAC
February 28th, 2011
3:41 pm
Addition by subtraction Modin, Finally.
Other than that, Oh WOW, what a great trade day for our bumbling dishonest GM DUD dudley.
This guy is no different than Worthless waddell. He di NOTHING to help the club. You look at some of the other deals, Boyes for 2nd, Where was DUD ? Penner, for say Postma and 1 & 2 picks, Why not IF you are Trying to WIN, which we are NOT.
These last 19 games are going to finish the season and see if we are still here next season, This team is going NOWHERE, Playoffs…. FORGET IT !!!!
Do everyone involved a favor DUD, RESIGN TODAY !
LAC
February 28th, 2011
3:43 pm
Well stan, you are as worthless as used toilet paper, It would not take 128 employees, my son could take you out real easy !
ThrashDawg
February 28th, 2011
3:44 pm
LAC are you really NASCAR DAVE? You use a little less CAPS but you scream the same.
Alan R.
February 28th, 2011
3:47 pm
The only thing I’m here to say is:
Thank the Gods Modin is gone.
Zoomo
February 28th, 2011
3:53 pm
with Slater, Cormier, and Burmy out…what’s a guess on the lines for tomorrow???
Kane Little Ladd
Antro Wheeler Stewart
Thorburn Stapleton Dvorak
Bolts Machacek Shremp
kj
February 28th, 2011
3:55 pm
Overall, give Duds his due. Although I was hoping he’d move Antro, the day’s dealings showed he hasn’t given up on this team yet and I think we’ll see it in the effort they give tomorrow night. If only Mason can remember how to play stellar goal for about 15 games……
glovesave29
February 28th, 2011
3:56 pm
Glad they kept Antro. He’s due for a bounce back year as he’s been playing all season on a bum hip.
new
February 28th, 2011
4:00 pm
Drew MacIntyre
for
Brett Festerling
Stan
February 28th, 2011
4:01 pm
Come on yall! we just signed thorburn to a 3 yr extension! we are on our way to building a dynasty.
Yes, where is slater? I miss him falling on the ice all the time.
I have a feeling after that goal last night that stapleton is gonna pot 35 goals or more!
Smoothie
February 28th, 2011
4:04 pm
Interesting, looks like Kaner, Burmy & Bogey will need to hit approx 35% of their bonus compensation for the Thrashers to get over the salary cap floor of $43.4 M. Talk about cutting it razor thin.
ZAvalanche
February 28th, 2011
4:06 pm
Anybody know the fine for being under the cap?
Smoothie
February 28th, 2011
4:07 pm
Robbie is a lefty so unless he ends up playing C, I reckon we’ll see him playing 3rd line LW tomorrow night. Antropov has been brutal with Kaner and Stewart so perhaps Stapes stays in at 2nd line C. We are playing the Montreal Smurfadiens afterall!!
Ladd – Litts – Wheeler
Kane – Stapes – Stewy
Schremp – Maxwell – Dvorak
Boults – Antro – Thorbs (with Nik getting spot mins in certain situations like the PP and important offensive zone F/O)
litz
February 28th, 2011
4:19 pm
C-viv’s been a busy beaver today … in addition to all the trade news , he just posted this, too :
http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-thrashers/several-non-disclosure-agreements-856187.html
Everyone cross your fingers, this could very well be sayonara to the ASG …
Hockey Biltong
February 28th, 2011
4:20 pm
Frosty-
“I’ll bet Dvorak is happy to at least play on a team that is competing.”
You can talk about swirlies till the cows come home.
I’m talking about a team that has played well enough over the course of the season to compete for a playoff spot.Which in the case of the Panthers, has not been,’until recently’.
I would say following the Thrashers has been way more entertaining and they are still hanging in there, if only by the skin of their teeth.Which is the appeal here, that I was originally writing about. I was not predicting where they land in the standings in relation to the Panthers or any other team.
Rawhide
February 28th, 2011
4:21 pm
Yes…Brett Festerling was the defenseman acquired in exchange for D-Mac. Here’s what I have on him….FWIW.
Brett Festerling is a 6-1 208 pound undrafted defenseman who will turn 25 years old this week. He has played in 83 games at the NHL level…all for the Anaheim Ducks…and has scored no goals, has 8 assists and is a +4 in those games. He’s only played in 1 NHL game this season. Last season he played in 42 for the Ducks netting 3 assists, 15 PIM, 27 blocked shots and 127 hits.
Festerling had spent the first part of this season with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse but was traded to Montreal on New Year’s Eve and was sent to play with the Hamilton Bulldogs.
glovesave29
February 28th, 2011
4:27 pm
Does this mean Opie’s healthy and ready to go? Obviously we play Mason who is playing well against MTL on Tuesday…but who backs up JIC?
LAC
February 28th, 2011
4:27 pm
TSN panel, says Thrashers did nothing to help their club. One said, DUD dudley, could not figure out if he was a buyer or seller. Just adding to the disaster we have here.
kj
February 28th, 2011
4:32 pm
TSN Panel = The View
SomaAtl95
February 28th, 2011
4:38 pm
We have asked repeatedly “Is this the spark that will get the team going?”
Well, we gots rid of some dead weight today. It may be easier for a spark to survive when you’re not having to worry about pi$$ poor players.
Hopefully the new guys show the same effort that our new players from Boston have shown… it may make those “must win” games actually points for the Thrashers in the standings, and as we all know that is what is most important now.
Hockey Biltong
February 28th, 2011
4:40 pm
TSN Panel= Fla/Ga/Ala water commission
SomaAtl95
February 28th, 2011
4:41 pm
Now now now, kj, how could anyone insult the view that badly?
TSN is to reporting fairly on the SE conference as the A$G are to running a winning Hockey Club. Only thing worse than TSN’s reporting are the people from Canada who post things calling us inbred rednecks who try to copulate with farm animals (and that we don’t DESERVE hockey)
Stan Drulia
February 28th, 2011
4:41 pm
Haha! NASCAR DAVE (aka LAC) watches The View!!!! Whoa dude- I think one of your 128 employees just wrecked one of your engines!!! Better go kick his punk-ass!!!!
ZAvalanche
February 28th, 2011
4:44 pm
LOL @ kj, at least Elizabeth H. is fairly attractive…….
kj
February 28th, 2011
4:46 pm
Right, Elizabeth H. is the Bob MacKenzie of The View!
ZAvalanche
February 28th, 2011
4:47 pm
Caps get Arnott for Steckel. Too bad Arnott is way past his prime…..
kj
February 28th, 2011
4:48 pm
McKenzie – hate to piss off the Scots.
ZAvalanche
February 28th, 2011
4:52 pm
I know a lot of ppl think the Penner move was too expensive, but I am thinking the Kings made the right move. DP is a stud and Edmonton is, quite obviously, going nowhere this year.
Zombie Steve
February 28th, 2011
4:54 pm
Dark in the 400s – Ladd has scored 6 goals in the last 6 games; and 6 of the last 11 goals for the whole team. Without him, we would be talking about the lottery draft, not the playoffs.
Tom
February 28th, 2011
4:55 pm
Stan, no worries, it is tough for LAC. When he walks into the kitchen the milk immediately turns sour.
Tom
February 28th, 2011
5:00 pm
All I know is that while the Thrashers are not the perfect franchise and the ownership has many issues, they are still my team.
Dudley is not perfect, but with what he had to work with he made some good changes. The penalty kill should be much better. The size has improved. Bergy hated being here from day 1 so that cancer was removed. Modin was going to be put on the shelf and now is gone. We got some youth and signed Stuart and Thorburn.
Did we get Crosby or Ovechkin for a 3rd round draft pick? Nope, but with the cards we had we did better than any of us expected.
Now let’s hope the boys fight hard down the stretch and if we get into the playoffs, hooray for us. If not, we are setting up the foundation for a team that can fill a couple of holes.
And if we get new ownership with deeper pockets the team is primed to sign a big money free agent in the summer.
And that ain’t so bad in my book.
litz
February 28th, 2011
5:29 pm
Ok, this begs the question … *who* would be the best target in this summer’s UFA grab-bag?
Hockey Biltong
February 28th, 2011
5:47 pm
The best center out there under 28 years of age…I want to know who that might be, and available to the Thrashers.
LAC
February 28th, 2011
5:52 pm
Well “tom & stan” Do YOU losers make a 6 figure income every year, plus some ?
Your little comments show you are not hockey fans and losers in the game of life…
Here’s to you losers out there, We Winners have it made !
glovesave29
February 28th, 2011
6:06 pm
I always question those who so easily throw out their earnings. …
Brendan
February 28th, 2011
6:08 pm
Last year, Waddell found a home for Todd White. I wouldn’t have thought that possible. This year, Dudley finds a home for Freddie Modin. Amazing. Hey, what did we get in that Todd White trade???
ZAvalanche
February 28th, 2011
6:10 pm
I think LAC is a bit quick to temper.