Being radio voice of the Thrashers is an ‘honor’ for Dan Kamal
From the fall of 1999 to the final match of this past 2010-11 campaign, Dan Kamal has been in the radio broadcast booth helping to give voice to Atlanta Thrashers hockey. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with The Grand Kamlian about the team, coach Ramsay, what he remembers most from this past season as well as a few other things.
Not surprisingly, he tends to accentuate the positives.
“From the broadcast booth, I had one of my most enjoyable seasons ever, primarily because of the style of play the Thrashers employed under coach Ramsay and the effort with which they played”, he said. “The pace was up-tempo and often end-to-end, and even when they couldn’t find ways to win close games in the second half of the season, the effort and intensity were almost always beyond reproach.”
“It was a very fun team to watch on a game-by-game basis.”
Dan then pointed to the first two games after New Years…a 4-3 overtime win in Montreal followed by a 3-2 win in Florida…as the most memorable time during the season for him.
“To me the ‘high-point’ came in the first two games in January”, the native of Lawrence, Massachusetts recalled. “Following the theme of the first half, Dustin Byfuglien scored the game-winning OT goal in Montreal on the afternoon of January 2nd. After the game, the team flew immediately to south Florida for a couple of days of R & R before facing the Panthers on January 5th. The Thrashers won that game as well, 3-2 in regulation”.
The reason he considers this as the “high-point” had to do not only with where the team found itself in the standings, 22-15-6 for 50 points after 43 games played, but also because of how they had handled themselves during a very tough stretch in the schedule. At the time things looked very promising for Thrasherville.
“To me, the most grueling part of the schedule was done, and the team was proving to be one of the biggest surprises in the NHL”.
“Unfortunately, injuries were starting to take their toll, and the team didn’t seem to have enough depth to withstand them. Atlanta lost 11 of the next 13 and never really recovered long enough to go on the kind of winning streak needed to stay among the playoff-bound teams”.
But as I stated above, Kamal prefers to keep his focus on the positive, and he’s excited about what can be built upon the foundation that was set last season. One of the reasons for this optimism is because of Craig Ramsay. He gives him high marks for the job he did as a first-year head coach, especially given the turnover in on-ice personnel last summer.
“With so many new faces in the locker room, a new GM, and a new coaching staff implementing a new system, coach Ramsay and his staff were able to quickly meld this team into one of the league’s most productive through the season’s first half. When you consider he and his staff will go into next training camp with so much more familiarity with everything about the franchise – and likely some new roster pieces that address depth issues – it should bode well for more consistent results next season.”
“Hopefully, that will translate into Atlanta’s second playoff appearance”.
As for his plans between now and the next time he takes to the airwaves to broadcast the next Thrashers game in Philips Arena, this summer’s activities will be quite similar to the previous eleven before it in Atlanta.
“My plans for the off-season are pretty much the same as always. Whenever my schedule allows, I’ll be attending events and meetings on behalf of our sales staff, community relations staff, and the radio network. I usually get a chance to emcee at a number of fun events every summer, and that’s something I really enjoy.”
He also looks forward to spending time with his son Chris, a goalie at the University of Alaska Anchorage. And as any proud father would, he’s always more than willing to provide updates on his play and progress.
“He’s coming off a very solid freshman season, during which he started 15 games, compiling a record of 9-5-1. In his final 10 starts, he went 8-2-0 with three shutouts – all on the road – two against the University of Minnesota and the other at Minnesota-Mankato”.
In fact, Chris Kamal won WCHA Rookie of the Week honors last winter for the 1-0 victory over the Golden Gophers.
Also, as father Dan points out, “His UAA team made the WCHA Final Five tournament for only the second time in school history”.
Finally…as for the fans back here in Atlanta, Dan Kamal has always enjoyed the support he gets from Thrashers fans and being able to interact with them after games and events. He looks forward to continuing this relationship for years to come.
“I’d just like to say thanks to our fans. I truly believe in this city as a hockey market, and it’s my interaction with fans that serves as the foundation of that belief. In my 12 years with the organization, I have found Thrashers fans to be particularly knowledgeable and passionate and especially gracious to me”.
“It’s been an honor to have met and spoken to so many of them”.
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112 comments Add your comment
Tom Lysiak
May 1st, 2011
10:13 pm
So the Devils are going to hire Ken Hitchcock? That seems like a marriage made in heaven……old Grumpy and #17.
Brendan
May 1st, 2011
10:41 pm
Vinny Lecavalier wins it for the Lightning, who nearly choked it away, with 1:07 left. Ovechkin, with the goalie pulled, evened it up. Washington didn’t deserve to win this game. TBL had a weird carom goal, off a defender, for their 1st goal. But still, you gotta bury your opponent. Not let them hang around all game. What did Washington do … to deserve to win? They barely scored, at all.
So, now here’s the deal. There are five games left in this series, with 3 of them in Tampa, with the Bolts only needing two more wins, home or away, to take this series. If the Caps lose this series, it really, truly marks significant failure for their franchise.
In 2008, the Capitals trailed the Flyers, 3-1, I believe. The Capitals rallied all the way to overtime of Game 7, but Mike Knuble won it for the Flyers. The camera panned to the owner, Ted Leonsis, who didn’t look too happy. In 2009, the Capitals found themselves in the position that they are in now, trailing 2-0, after two home losses, to the NY Rangers. Caps split the next two games in NYC. But then, the Capitals rallied to take the series, 4-3. In the next round, Ovechkin faced Crosby and Co, and it appeared to be headed for a sweep. Up 2-0, Game Three went into overtime. Kris Letang won it for Pittsburgh, to avoid going down, 3-0, to the Capitals. Penguins won the next two games, and the Capitals salvaged Game Six in overimte, but lost Game Seven, convincingly. Ouch. Up, 2-0, the Capitals didn’t close. Game Three was right there for the taking. Silver lining? The Penguins did win the Cup. In hindsight, that makes the failure slightly more bearable.
So, that brings us to last year. Capitals got up, 3-1, on the Montreal Canadiens, but failed to close. The only saving grace? The Habs knocked out the Penguins, too.
What’s it all mean? Capitals better win. It’s all fine-n-good to win division titles. But that’s not what it’s all about. Ask Braves fans, too. Winning the SE Division 4 years in-a-row doesn’t mean squat, when your teams is built for a Championship, with back-to-back # 1 seeds, and a President’s Trophy, too. Someone has to answer for that. Boudreau? Probably. GM McPhee? Probably saves his job for another year, perhaps. Ted Leonsis, the owner, expects to win a Cup. Me, personally, I wouldn’t fire Boudreau or McPhee. But there needs to be an internal statement that this is the last year for no consequences for failure to reach the Finals. I always say, ‘try, try again’ if you’ve really got the horses to get it done. Build that window of opportunity. But really, the Tampa Bay Lightning has not been anywhere near the contender that the Capitals have been, for the past 3 seasons.
It’s about accountability. This series isn’t over yet. But for Washington’s season to end with handshakes in the CSF … is pretty disappointing for their club, and their owner, who has spent good coin for a winner. He shelled out $124 million for Ovechkin. I don’t think he wanted Southeast Division Title banners for the rink.
Tom Lysiak
May 1st, 2011
11:20 pm
I guess my earlier post was put im timeout. I’ll try again:
I see New Jersey is hiring Ken Hitchcock. Looks like a marriage made in heaven…..old Grumpy and #17.
Red Light
May 1st, 2011
11:31 pm
I think the Caps are finished. Soft as Charmin between the ears.
World Be Free
May 2nd, 2011
5:28 am
Michael the Atlanta troll-you can spend your money where YOU want to; commit to the Hawks? Brendan, you are correct about the lack of attention to subject and Dab Kamal sure deserves the commitment from us. Trolls like Michael are just cowards anyhow, no guts.
I agree with Red Light, Caps are finished. The truth of the matter is they just do not have alotta past Ovie’s line, at least not the kind of talent to get to the Stanley Cup Final. R/L has pointed out the play of the Bolts’ third line, which may be the best 3rd line of the remaining playoff teams. Washington’s defense has not played that well either while Victor Hedman is maturing before or eyes. Eric Brewer is fitting in nicely in Tampa; will be interesting to see if he resigns after the season.
Red Light
May 2nd, 2011
7:51 am
IF Tampa Bay wins this series and goes on to beat Boston or Philadelphia in the conference finals, they would be the first team to miss the playoffs the prior season and then advance to the Stanley Cup Finals since both Carolina and Edmonton did it in 2006. They finished 12th overall in the Eastern Conference last season, and thus would qualify as the team with the biggest one season turnaround in the standings since 1990 to appear in the Finals.
The new owner Vinik took over March 3, 2010, and Yzerman was hired May 25, 2010. His assistant GM for the Norfolk Admirals, Julien BriseBois, was hired July 16, 2010. His director of pro scouting, Pat Verbeek, was hired in June 2010, as was head coach Guy Boucher. The two assistants, Lacroix and Raymond, not until July.
So, basically in the span of four months, they re-tooled the entire front office, hockey operations and coaching staff, and signed free agents Kubina, Clark, Thompson, Bergenheim, Gagne and Moore, and then acquired Bergeron, Roloson and Brewer during the season. Not a single “new” player was offered a contract longer than two years.
So, my question for the panel is:
If the Lightning go to the Stanley Cup Finals, or even just advance to the conference finals, is this one of the greatest turnaround seasons by any franchise that you can remember since you began following the sport?
sisu
May 2nd, 2011
8:05 am
how sad it is to hear all this “water downed” product of the NHL, I guess it is so because many players come from Europe and Russia? I mean really, the population goes up each year, more kids play hockey now than ever before so why could it not be enough for talent? We are seeing the 2 to 3 minute players disappear who used to only be able to fight, now they have to contribute by chipping in on a goals and better skill. I think the NHL is just fine talent wise, not all teams can win all the games right?
World Be Free
May 2nd, 2011
8:06 am
Red Light-maybe the biggest turnaround and proof that smart UFA pickups can compliment a team that already had some good talent as a base. The Bolts made long term commitments to their players; the fact they came back so quickly is proof that it can be done with the right management. Whoever decided to sign Bergenheim should be given a raise. Stamkos’ fast track development has been pretty important too.
Sonic
May 2nd, 2011
9:15 am
Will you look at that, another weekend goes by and the Thrash have yet to leave ATL under the cloak of darkness to congregate with the morons from Manitobleh. What a shock.
Good point about the Bolts, Red Light. For the first time since the Torts years, they have an identity again and it starts at the very top and permeates the entire organization, in Tampa and in Norfolk. That overall commitment to excellence is obviously what’s lacking with the Thrash. Everything starts with that and, as we’re seeing down there, the fruits of that labor can be seen in pretty short order.
Boucher was the man that I really wanted to coach the Thrash and I had a sneaking suspicion at the time of his hiring in Tampa that we were going to regret passing on him. Sure enough, not only did the Bolts sweep the season series this year, but they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the Southeast for years to come.
Hopefully, ATL gets its act together and soon.
Rawhide
May 2nd, 2011
11:20 am
This is your official 10-minute Ranallo warning. New blog to be posted at 11:30 am.
ZAvalanche
May 2nd, 2011
11:55 am
I believe Washington is going the way of Osama Bin Laden…………..
Moe
May 4th, 2011
9:13 am
The worst thing for Washington now is that Boudreau is actually considering sticking in Varlamov in Game 4. Neuvirth is not the issue, its Backstrom, Backstrom, Backstrom. If he sticks Varlamov in cold, the series will be over in 4.