The Thrashers have a lot of things but a mediocre coach is not one of them. We have a terrible GM who has never been given that much to work with from ownership but our coach is rock solid.

And like Alan said, it’s cool to be a fan of your team but you are coming across as a serious homer.

Jeff,

Good job with the column and it’s nice to see Sonny Clusters gracing us with his presence.

Both of our organizations have problems, but I would daresay four coaches in three years is quite noteworthy, despite the recent conclusion to the ownership drama, the inept GM, and all the problems that has come from that..

bad GM + medicore coach (with upside) + terrible owners (who have been in court since 2005 in one way or another)…I’m not saying that the Senators situation is ideal but at least we have a decent owner. One single owner and not several like in Atlanta. Also, the Sens might have four coaches over a short span but at least the team had the balls to change curse. What about the Thrashers? Waddell isn’t the right man going forward and so is Dudley (been there done that from a Sens POV.)

You guys have hope, but I think the major trouble spots in Thrasherville are still arching…like defense and PK (the Stuart trade will hurt.)

JT : That will never happen. He doesn’t want to play here.

Snes: The Senators have had four coaches in the last two seasons – Murray, Paddock, Hartsburg, Clouston. Is that not dysfunctional?

If Dany Heatley wants to go to San Jose, it’s because the Sharks are a Cup contender. Point of Fact: San Jose won the President’s Trophy last season, for best overall record. Unfortunately, the St. Louis Blues, on the final game of the season, leapfrogged all the way from 8th to 6th in the playoff seedings, and that pushed Anaheim to #8 position. Anaheim was no slouch of a team, a Cup winner in 2007, that had retaining many of its Championship pieces. The Sharks were bitten, and eliminated in the 1st round. Dany Heatley has said that the motivation for his trade request is due to a diminishing role in Ottawa. If I were in Ottawa’s shoes, I’d play Heatley 42-minutes a game. Then wait for Heatley to claim “his diminished role” is still the impetus for a trade out of town. Heatley seemed to perform ‘just fine’ in my estimation, post car wreck, for Atlanta. He certainly didn’t seem upset about being traded to Stanley Cup contender Ottawa, back in 2005. ‘Gift wrapped Championship?,’ did I hear someone say? Well, Ottawa was the #1 seed in the 2006 playoffs. They lost in the 2nd round to Buffalo, 4-1. In 2007, the Senators managed to defeat the Sabres in the CF, to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to Anaheim, 4-1. Heatley got his chance at a Cup! By 2008, the Senators barely held on to a playoff seed, finishing 7th, amid claims by Ottawa’s then Head Coach Bryan Murray that the Penguins ‘threw’ the final game of the season to Philly, just to draw Ottawa as a 1st round opponent. The Senators were outscored 16-5 by the Penguins, in a sweep. And really, it felt like it was even WORSE than that, for Ottawa. By 2009, the Ottawa Senators were not even among the playoff field. See a pattern emerging here? As poster Sara points out, this makes the THIRD TIME Heatley has requested a trade/release from a team, since he was drafted, if you count the lockout year.

Shaking my head. Maybe Dany Heatley really thinks that the world OWES him something? Is this the result of craddle to grave coddling by every coach or GM along the way? Sooner or later Dany Heatley will have to learn to face adversity and deal with it. His answers, thus far, are to run away, using some form of rationalization or other to defend his actions. Ilya Kovalchuk, in my view, has never run away from anything. He just goes about his business of potting 40-50 goals every year, on a lackluster Thrashers squad. Kovalchuk was made Captain this past season. Kovalchuk seemed to takeoff ever since. Call me naive, Jeff Schultz, but I think Kovy is actually looking for reasons to stay in Atlanta. If only the Thrashers organization would give him reasons. Kovalchuk has not failed the Thrashers. The Thrashers have failed him. Kovalchuk is not the GM. Nor the owner. Nor has he ever been the Coach of the Thrashers. If Kovy remains unsigned by New Year’s Day, the trade deadline interest in him will be SKYHIGH. Waddell says, “In no way, shape or form, will we EVER trade Kovalchuk.” For what it’s worth, I actually believe Waddell. This time. I’m sure he doesn’t want to be remembered as the GM who traded Kovalchuk out of Atlanta. But if Kovy leaves, there ought to be accountability for that, across the board. How many MILLIONS OF DOLLARS UNDER THE CAP are the Thrashers, as we speak? In a ‘make or break’ year, as it relates to Kovalchuk’s future in Atlanta. I welcome your thoughts and comments, Jeff Schultz.

Thanks

Well it looks like Heatleys not going anywhere, I also bet there a few Ottawa players who do not like him now. Ottawa better put a Sport Shrink on the pay roll.