Thrashers playoff hopes may have been buried under snowman built by Sabres
Things could not be going any worse for the Thrashers this weekend.
First there was Friday night as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Islander in overtime and the Rangers spanked Montreal. Each moved two points further ahead in their efforts to try and procure a playoff spot. Then Saturday night…in a game called next in a series of “biggest games of the season” for Atlanta… we witnessed the Buffalo Sabres building a snowman on the Thrashers, winning 8-2.
Something tells me it may very well just be the last billed as such.
While we were having a brutally bad time watching events unfold in western New York, the Toronto Maple Leafs were busy whacking the Boston Bruins 5-1. And just for good measure, the Florida Panthers were in the process of picking up an overtime loser point by at least dragging the Islanders to a shootout.
What that all means is that instead of possible pulling to within two points of the eighth-place Sabres, the Thrashers remain at 72 points and are six points behind Buffalo with only ten games left on the schedule. The Canes are four ahead of the Thrashers while the Leafs moved two ahead, leaving Atlanta in sole possession of eleventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Tim Connolly's goal late in the third period completed the snowman built by the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night. Under it may quite possibly have been buried the Thrashers playoff chances (AP Photo/David Duprey)
But in the words of the late, great Billy Mays…but wait, there’s more.
The New Jersey Devils will play in Columbus tomorrow and with a win will once again pull even with Atlanta. But given their advantage in the wins column it would actually drop us down to 12th place, just four ahead of the Panthers who are in the 13th position…and they’ll play two games before the Thrashers hit the ice again Thursday night on Long Island.
Go ahead and do the simple math there, folks.
As for the beat-down in Buffalo…well, it didn’t take the Sabres too terribly long getting to work on their snowman. Just 24 seconds after the puck dropped, Jason Pominville knocked it past Ondrej Pavelec for an early lead. Then, after Chris Thorburn’s sharp-angle shot got through Ryan Miller, the Sabres tacked on two more to take a 3-1 advantage into the first intermission.
To their credit, the Thrashers came out of the break playing very inspired hockey, leading to an Alex Burmistrov goal to get the score to within one. They continued to press the Buffalo defense for the first half of that middle frame…but that’s when the bottom fell out.
Nathan Gerbe’s jam-in from the right doorstep…the goal Thrashers TV analyst Darrin Eliot referred to as the “whack-a-mole” goal…lead very quickly to Tyler Ennis’ breakaway goal, despite Zach Bogosian’s stick being tossed at him.
It was Bogosian’s fumble at the offensive blueline that sprung Ennis to begin with.
In the third, Brad Boyes was added to the Thrashers woes. His power play goal made it 6-2 as Bogosian played the part of spectator.
After that, all that was left was simply to manufacture a couple of late-game tallies to complete the snowman. Rob Niedermayer second of the night at 16:52 and Tim Connolly’s on the power play 28 seconds later provided the corncob pipe and button nose.
If I’m not mistake, it was the seventh time this season an opponent has score twice in fewer than 39 seconds.
This loss looked a lot like so many we’ve seen since New Years…a close game halfway though the second turns into a blowout after an unfortunate goal or set of events. It happened during the 9-3 loss to Toronto on January 7, the 5-2 loss to Philly on January 14 and the 6-1 loss in Dallas two days after that.
Defensive zone breakdowns…one goal given up leads to another shortly thereafter…untimely giveaways…defensemen standing around…gift-wrapped turnovers at the blueline…
…sigh…
But unlike those collapses, this one could not have happened at a worse time with so much on the line. For under all that snow that Buffalo built a snowman with was quite possibly buried the last realistic chance the Thrashers might have had towards making a serious run at the playoffs this season.
Fortunately they’ll be plenty of warm weather in Thrasherville between now and the beginning of next season to melt all that snow away. Then we can begin anew our “playoff this season” hopes.
Again.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
141 comments Add your comment
Mike Keenan
March 21st, 2011
9:56 am
I’m looking for a job.
Red Light
March 21st, 2011
10:07 am
This season is just another wasted opportunity. I expected a .500 team at best, but like everyone else here, began to see hope during the 12-2-2 run, which seems like light years ago from today.
There are no excuses, as this team is a reflection of the poor development of its younger players in the minor leagues. Look at the contributions of the players they have called up this season, and that is all you need to know.
The 11 players that the Thrashers called up or acquired off waivers have played in a collective total of 107 games and have a combined seven goals, four assists and a plus/minus rating of -30.
Contrast that to the nine players called up or acquired off waivers by the Predators. That collection has played 110 games and has 13 goals and 16 assists with a plus/minus rating of +4.
In Milwaukee, the Preds assistant GM Paul Fenton also is the GM of the Admirals, and head coach Lane Lambert is now in his fourth season with the team. It is called >>>Direction!
World Be Free
March 21st, 2011
10:44 am
R/L- here, here! Totally agree, development is the basis for every good organization. Just look at the ex-Predator goaltenders and defenseman in the NHL. Amazing -
Orvel Tessier-anyone remember this former coach of the Chicago Black Hawks?
I remember him openly questioning his team’s courage in the media, it was the first sign of his downfall with the Hawks. Questioning courage is a big thing in hockey, football too. Interesting…..
ThrashDawg
March 21st, 2011
10:57 am
And another thing while I am getting it off my chest, this team cannot deal with prosperity! Have you ever noticed when we do something good like score a goal, we immediately do something stupid to relinquish the momentum like take a stupid penalty or lay down on defense and let the other team score. Same deal with when something negative happens they double down on it by giving up one goal after another! The mental toughness of this team is non-existent! This has to come from the coaches and or veteran leadership on the team…it is not there! It is too much to ask from a young player to take the role of willing your team to victory down the stretch..ok I am out.
ben
March 21st, 2011
11:23 am
this team sucks and i originally felt it would. but, i was fooled by a hot start. because i love nhl hockey and because i’m a native, i will occasionally hold my nose and subsidize the mediocrity that is Les Thrash. But this team won’t get better until it’s sold. What’s the draft look like? Maybe a Kovy-type player can be drafted and entertain us while they wait to move on to greener pastures.
Change of subject. Could the league sue ASG for improperly operating one of it’s franchises? I’m sure that happens elsewhere in business. Just thought I’d throw that out there.
Cliff Fletcher
March 21st, 2011
11:26 am
ben////
i guess the league could go to court, but i believe they would prefer to put all their efforts into moving forward with a new ownership group. asg wants out, it is in the league’s best interest to drive them to the airport.
ben
March 21st, 2011
12:00 pm
Cliff,
i’m with you. I’m only saying could the league force a sale by threatening a suit. perhaps, that’s why they are all fast n furious about the sale all of a sudden. I mean imagine if the shady practices had to come out in open court!
Cliff Fletcher
March 21st, 2011
12:05 pm
ben///
-let’s just hope this keeps moving forward so we do not have the long drawn-out soup opera that’s happening in phoenix.
Joe glass half full Friday
March 21st, 2011
12:17 pm
The Spirit Squad isn’t going to own this club past this year. The key now is who exactly will be owning the club going forward. We need it to be a hockey guy. We get a hockey guy in charge by July 1st so we can sign a couple needed top end. Get a quality coach, and there’s a good core here to take the steps forward. Buf is signed long term, Kane is showing he’s ready for top line duty next year and Ladd can step back into a more comfortable role.
ben
March 21st, 2011
12:25 pm
ownership, i look them to come in 1 1/2 years. this is complicated. but, buff’s signing was a huge step towards respectability.
kracker
March 21st, 2011
1:20 pm
About my post above concerning a necessary procedural step the current owners must take in order to sell the Thrashers, I think it was from an article written by P.J. Foley of the Atlanta bureau of examiner.com
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
1:35 pm
Red Light, I guess it comes down to this, in terms of Atlanta’s chances of making the playoffs, year-in and year-out: We must win at .650 clip in October, November, and December. That way, our .350 clip down the stretch … will even out to a .500, while we hope that .500 will be ‘good enough’ to get in, at # 8.
Gee, that sounds inspiring, eh? No, the correct answer is … we need good ‘hockey people’ to step in and run the Thrashers. Ownership, actually, is VERY EASY. Don’t look at me like that. It’s true. If you’ve got money … and you have the ‘good sense’ that God gave a jacka$$ … you come to the conclusion that you need to install COMPETENT oversight of the team you own.
As a GOOD OWNER, you have two (2) missions. (1) Fork over the money, all that is required, and (2) Finding someone COMPETENT to run your team for you. That’s it. It’s not complicated. Do that, and you’ll probably win games, make the playoffs, and maybe go DEEP into the playoffs. You never know … you might be presented with the Stanley Cup in the lockerroom, in June.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
1:58 pm
LAC, it’s definitely true that Don Waddell left Devin Setoguchi, Anze Kopitar, and Mark Staal on the table back in 2005, to move back to # 16 to go get Alex Bourret. But, here’s why DW did it. His reasons were clear, at least to me. He had troubles in net. And this was PRIOR to “Kari Down ‘05.” Kari’s 1st major groin injury as a Thrasher wouldn’t occur until October of 2005.
At that point in the franchise, Damian Rhodes was a bust, Cassivi and Fankhouser were no solution. Adam Berkhoel and Michael Garnett were mere prospects. Norm Maracle was long gone. Byron Dafoe was no answer. Milan Hnilicka had one good year, then laid an egg, so much so … that DW agreed to pay HALF his salary to go play for the Los Angeles Kings. His biggest success, at that point, was Pasi Nurminen. Kari was future of the franchise, but just in case Nurminen turned into a dud, like Hnilicka did, like Rhodes did, like Dafoe did, etc., he needed some depth in goal. He targeted several goalies in the 2nd round, that he thought would be available.
Also, I would think, Waddell was hot to land a blueline prospect, in the 2nd round. His thinking? Let’s move back, and there’s bound to still be something there, in the late 30’s, early 40’s of the 2nd round. So, at # 41, DW selected Chad Denny, that he got from the # 8 overall pick trade to San Jose, to fall back to # 12. That pick is, maybe, one of the worst in franchise history. I think Denny is in the ECHL? I don’t rightly know. He’s fallen completely off my radar.
By moving from # 12 (via San Jose/Setoguchi trade) to # 16, to land Bourret, the NYR gave us their pick # 16, and # 49 (high-end 2nd rounder). At # 49, Waddell got his goalie, Ondrej Pavelec. Later on, Waddell would trade Bourret to the Rangers for a 3rd rounder, who the organization moved to Pittsburgh for Chris Thorburn, now re-signed on a 3-year deal, and Pascal Dupuis. Dupuis later got packaged with Hossa, in 2008, and the return was … Colby Armstrong, who walked for nothing in free agency, to Toronto.
So, if we’re our draft history, Pavelec and Thorburn were the return for pick # 8 overall. Of course, in my mind, if I’m DW and looking for a goalie, why not pick him at # 16, going with Tuukka Rask?? Rask went 20th overall, selected by, I think, Toronto.
LAC, you know I don’t like taking goalies in the 1st round. My “exception to the rule” is if you find yourself in the “crapshoot” area of the draft. The “crapshoot area” is pick # 15 to # 30. At # 16, yeah … I could take a goalie there, if I had a strong leaning towards someone, and my scouts AGREED with me about it.
Had that happened, there’d be no Bourret trade and no Chris Thorburn or Pascal Dupuis, and obviously no Pavelec, either. The net results would be a busted pick of Chad Denny and Tuukka Rask. I’ll let you decide what would have been better. That, or Pavelec and Thorburn, with a 2-year “rental” of Colby Armstrong, that didn’t result in any playoffs.
hockeygoon79
March 21st, 2011
2:23 pm
What is it about Sabres fans that even after they win a big game, they still can find a way to cry like a little 9 year old girl? “WHA! Stop making fun of my town by using the term ’snowman. WHA!”
Simply amazing.
That game Saturday night was totally inexcusable. Dudley should have greeted them all at the airport with pink slips in hand, both for certain players and the coach. What an embarrassment.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
2:25 pm
LAC, there actually is a ‘legitmate reason’ to move back in a draft. And this is it. If you’re sitting at pick # 19 or so … and a team at # 24 approaches your draft table to talk about a trade, you should listen to them provided that they have a pick in the 30’s, or early 40’s, to offer you.
Why? Again, we’re in the “crapshoot” area of the draft, where the likelihood of finding a player is less than 20-percent, who will play more than 3 years in the NHL, and contribute ANYTHING OF VALUE while doing it. By moving back to # 24, the talent level is still essentially the same, plus you’ve just picked up, let’s just say, pick # 38 in the draft. At # 38, with a scouting department worth its salt, you could still land a decent player, for the future. And your difference between # 19 and # 24 is quite negligible. Bottom line, you picked up two picks still in ‘fertile ground’ for landing a player.
Here’s why shouldn’t accept the # 19 for # 24 deal … you see someone you like up on that board, annnnnnd … you don’t think he’ll still be there … at # 24. Better get him now!!
There’s actually another reason why a GM might move back in a draft. Several times, a 2nd round pick is used to trade for an RFA player off another team’s roster. So, let’s review. Your GM moves from # 19 to # 24, to pick up pick # 38. Pick # 38 might get traded to Columbus, let’s just say, for an R.J. Umberger type of player. The GM might also use # 24 to go land some other team’s prospect from 1-3 years ago’s draft. That player should be close to being NHL-ready now.
There’s nothing wrong with doing that, LAC. In fact, GM’s who move low-end 1st rounders and high-end 2nd rounders for NHL-ready players, able to contribute in the very next season, might actually be a fairly good use of the draft. Especially, if their franchise has a PROVEN TRACK RECORD of failure to develop talent, on their own.
Now, I hear ya, LAC. “But we’re talking about # 8, a Top 10 overall pick. Why trade it?” Shrugs. I wouldn’t trade it. I’d pick someone, at # 8. Your odds of actually landing an NHL player … whose rights you’d control for 8 more years (!!!) are pretty ‘decent.’ Around forty-percent (40%). Believe me, those are ‘good odds.’ The odds only improve a little bit more, housed inside the lottery draft. If I were to trade an 8th overall pick, it’s got to be for a well-established Top Six forward, with 5 or more years left on his deal, just so I have some kind of protection against the player being lost to unrestricted free agency. And even there, such trades can be somewhat ’short-sighted,’ as the player you develop (by drafting him) could be locked up on an 8-10 year deal, on his RFA contract. That’s the best situation. You can build your marketing campaign around him, knowing that he’s not going anywhere for a long time, etc., etc., etc.
Zombie Steve
March 21st, 2011
3:57 pm
nooooobody knows……the troubl’ I seen….
Cliff Fletcher
March 21st, 2011
4:57 pm
a couple GM’s missed on devin setoguchi, anze kopitar, and mark staal. mark girardi is staal’s defensive partner with the rangers-he went through the draft twice without being picked.
the nhl draft is a crap shoot at best
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
5:16 pm
It’s so true … that the draft is an inexact science. There isn’t a Crosby, Ovechkin, Lecavalier, or Stamkos in every year. Sometimes, there’s an Alexandre Daigle, a Patrik Stefan, etc. You just never know. Some lottery picks never play an NHL game. That’s just the way it goes, unfortunately.
But, what do I always say?? Class! Class!! Classssss!! That’s right. You hold those scouts and that GM accountable for misdirecting the franchise, if that’s what ACTUALLY happens to the franchise. Now, I’ll freely admit … that the Draft isn’t everything. But, it’s still pretty big. Teams that suck at drafting … don’t usually enjoy long periods of success, simply by trading, making UFA signings, and making waiver claims.
A GM’s best bet … for landing a franchise player … is definitely the 1st round selection. Do I, or would I, fire a GM … because none of his 5th, or 6th, or 7th round picks ever cracked the starting lineups? Pfft, no!! That’s outrageous. But if he misses on enough 1st and 2nd rounders, over 3-4 years. Well, that’s another story. Gotta find players. Gotta develop players. Gotta have good assistant coaches to work on special teams and a goalie coach for the netminders, etc. A GM’s job is a tough one. There are always tough decisions to be made. Who to cut. Who to re-sign. Who to target in free agency. What’s a good return on a trade? Did you make a ‘good’ contract, or did you just pay Chris Drury 7+ million dollars to play on the 3rd line. Or Brian Campbell $7 million, to be a 3,4,5 defender role.
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
5:21 pm
CF – Kopitar is someone to bemoan missing out on…Setoguchi, not so much. Had one breakout season, now looks to be a 35-40 pps guy. Just don’t see him as a big loss…
PHX now all but guaranteed to stay now that Hulsizer is guaranteeing the bonds. Here come the WPG trolls again. Let’s all try to ignore the little buggers this time.
Tom Lysiak
March 21st, 2011
5:30 pm
So, Cooke gets the remainder of the season and the 1st round of the playoffs, huh? Mario, what say you????
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
5:35 pm
TL – thats GREAT news.
So far all the Pens have been distancing themselves from this guy. It’s been said he’s really distraught that his teammates have deserted him. His coach was pissed, as was the GM. Now lets see if Mario is not a hypocrite!
Tom Lysiak
March 21st, 2011
5:40 pm
GS29 – Mario threw himself right out of the frying pan and into the fire running his mouth before. Let’s see how committed the Pens organization is to stopping crap like this. Anything over and above what the league decreed?????
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
5:49 pm
TL – True, true…Mario set himself up for this. We all mentioned Cooke a few weeks back when Lemieux started spouting off. I would not be surprised if they leave him off of their playoff roster. Shero and Bylsma have left him hanging so far…
Tom Lysiak
March 21st, 2011
5:53 pm
gs29 – Here is the question. If they were to get really serious and actually waive him, who would pick him up next year? Anyone?
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
6:08 pm
Tough call…he’s a decent player when not being a total head case. I am sure someone would take a chance on him, but the contract would be loaded with disciplinary clauses. He’s already been suspended 5 times, so my personal feeling is he doesn’t learn from this one. It’ll happen again. Plus you have a player every team in the league wants to destroy. He’ll retaliate to a clean hit and put your team in trouble. Personally – i’d pass.
Let’s see what this does to the Pens. They are in 4th…the last team to get a home series guarantee in the first round. With what they are already missing, adding this to it could cause the team falling to 6th…it’s not out of the question…and a first round match with the Bruins. Certainly not as attractive as getting the Lightning.
ZAvalanche
March 21st, 2011
6:43 pm
The guy is what he is and will remain that way for the rest of his career. He obviously doesn’t care about being suspended.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
6:50 pm
Tom Lysiak, I would take Matt Cooke.
What???
Look, it’s not a league for people running for Pope. No big, white hats required. Cooke is excellent protection for Kane, Burmistrov, etc. He’s earning a point just about every other game. He’s only had three (3) seasons as a minus (-) player, all with Vancouver, and is a +50 in his career, for the regular season. He has 12 goals this year, something he’s already done six (6) times in his career. That’s an upgrade over Boulton, as an enforcer.
Cooke is good for 13-14 minutes a game, compared to Boulton at 6-9 minutes a game. Cooke is a shark, in chummed up waters. We need a guy like that, minus the ‘repeat offender’ reputation. He has eight (8) years of playoff experience, where his numbers curtail off, to a point about every third game. I’m truthfully “fine” with that. Matt Cooke isn’t a goal scorer. He’s an energy/enforcer guy. He does have a Stanley Cup ring, too.
Honestly, the thing that bothers me the most about Matt Cooke? He’s 32. That’s the wrong end of where I think the Thrashers should be headed.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
6:51 pm
http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8465951. There’s the link again.
Trixie, I’m in SPAM Filters.
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
7:13 pm
Well, at least the NHLPA will have the $212K he would have earned to go to charity
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
7:19 pm
Pens GM Ray (almost called him Fred) Shero on Cooke suspension…
“The suspension is warranted because that’s exactly the kind of hit we’re trying to get out of the game. Head shots have no place in hockey. We’ve told Matt in no uncertain terms that this kind of action on the ice is unacceptable and cannot happen. Head shots must be dealt with severely, and the Pittsburgh Penguins support the NHL in sending this very strong message.”
League needs to change rule and not allow him to practice during suspension. One can only hope he spends entire time running suicides.
Cliff Fletcher
March 21st, 2011
8:10 pm
glovesave///
tough to miss out on kopitar especially considering what we got as the “guy we wanted all along”.
cooke needs to man up and take off the visor, for me to like him in any way shape or form. orpik is a hack too, pens have goddard as yet another thug. mario has a lot of nerve to bitch.
buff and toby are our number one pair, both late round picks if i remember right.
glovesave29
March 21st, 2011
9:16 pm
Brendan…Cooke on the Thrashers…with our penalty kill = many, many, many ppg’s by the other guys. Matt’s age doesn’t bother me…his stupidity does.
Curly
March 21st, 2011
9:39 pm
Matt Cooke = Ben Eager. Not a Ramsay type player. I would prefer Eager.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
10:53 pm
What’s Matt Cooke’s contract look like? Is he under contract for the coming years? I haven’t looked, and probably won’t, so if anyone knows off the top of their heads, feel free to chime in. If we’re in the 3rd or 4th round … and the Penguins indicate that Matt Cooke is available, I’d sacrifice a pick like that for him. There’s less than a 10-percent chance that 3rd rounder will develop into anything. I’d just want to make sure Cooke can’t walk after next season ends. If that’s the case, I’d rather stick with the pick, or trade it for an RFA or an NHL-player with 2-3 years left on his deal.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
10:56 pm
Glovesave29, Matt Cooke should be drawing some penalties, too, to be cashed-in by our PP unit. But, you’re right. He’ll take more penalties than he draws.
Tom Lysiak
March 21st, 2011
11:02 pm
Brendan – I understand that you might want him for an “energy” guy. But, I gotta disagree with you on the “enforcer” tag. That guy is a punk. He chooses his battles carefully. He was forced to fight Shawn Thornton after almost killing Savard and he gets props for that one. But, his normal MO is cheap shots and chasing people not known for their fists. That was what made Kane getting a one-punch KO so awesome.
Boults is nothing like Cooke. He fights according to the code. He doesn’t look for easy bouts and he does not play dirty. Boults is respected around the league, Cooke is hated (except by his own team). I’ll take Boults over that hack any day of the week.
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
11:02 pm
Imagine it. Matt Cooke and Patrice “the elbow” Cormier out there … skating as Thrashers. No one would breathe on our players. Now, imagine if we’d kept Brashear.
The “big, bad” … Thrashers????
Brendan
March 21st, 2011
11:08 pm
I don’t know, Tom Lysiak. I’m warming up to the idea of our team being a band of ruffians and miscreants. If our team were a bunch of thugs, I do believe attendance would pick up, even if it is only the ‘professional wrestling’ crowd.
I know. The NBA is a league full of thugs, and look at their attendance. It’s somehow different, in hockey. No one “expects” a fight in an NBA game.
Rawhide
March 22nd, 2011
6:51 am
Good morning everyone. The question I have for you all today is a very simple one.
What coud brutally good owners do for Thrashers fans?
R. Stroz
March 25th, 2011
8:43 am
LAST
Rawhide
March 25th, 2011
9:18 am
R. Stroz – Nope.