Kovalchuk dealt to New Jersey in sad, expected ending

This is the end of hockey in Atlanta. I, for one, will not go to another game as long as bumbling Don is running the team. What a disgrace!

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Well, I hope the owners are happy with their quantity – because they just traded away the bulk of their team’s quality.

What a sad, sad day.

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No one will ever score more goals faster as a Thrasher. Bank it.

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Ain’t no way the Devils will sign him long term.
Plus, he will NOT fit into their system.

Not sure about the players they picked up though.

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Is there a way to trade Waddell for draft picks and a General manager to be named later?

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By trading Kovy to NJ, we can almost guarantee he’ll be available this summer. He’s not going to fit, they can’t afford him and, well, it’s New Jersey.

Nothing will be different this summer… Atlanta will still be one of the few teams able to give Kovy mega-money.

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This is yet a further example of why Ownership “Groups” don’t work and why our GM is a bumbling buffoon. Atlanta AGAIN gets the shaft and we get told to “be hopeful for the future”… I’m tired of waiting for the future because its simply MORE OF THE SAME!!! Heatley, Hossa, Kovalchuk… FIRE DON WADELL, FIRE DON WADELL, FIRE DON WADELL!!!

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Can’t Waddell at least stop trading our stars to Eastern teams?

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This confirms my fears that the Spirit group is in trouble financially. Joe Johnson will be the next star to go. What a shame. Atlanta deserves more.

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hmmm….

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Why would we want a kid like Cormier. Wasn’t he suspended indefinitely for that nasty elbow he threw on Mikael Tam?

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quantity vs quality – this sucks

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Like I said earlier today. I don’t mind that Kovy is gone, but Waddell never gets fair trade value. Another disaster. Nothing about this trade makes me want to go see a game, watch a game, read about the Thrashers, buy anything Thrasher related. Sad

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So for the third time a true All Star has run screaming from Atlanta as fast as possible. Don continues to say that ownership gives him the ability to do whatever he wants; that means one of two things: (a) he’s a complete liar and ownership restricts him; or (b) he is the most incompetent GM ever to run a hockey team. Not sure which it is, but either way something has to change or Blue Land will be history.

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ASG and DW, you may commence spinning…NOW. Tools, boneheads.

Pittsburgh Pirates, LA Clippers, Detroit Lions ALL > Thrashers.

BTW, Donnie, nice payback to Ilya by sending him to Neutral Zone Trap hell and Jacques Lemaire. Ilya is just gonna LOVE that system. Not.

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I agree with all that has been said above about the Thrashers management, but it is also us the fans who are not helping matters. Why would you want to play in Atlanta that for the most part cares nothing about hockey and puts 7500 fans in the seats and a third of them root for the other team? How boring. I think it would be better to be the king in a bog hockey town, he will get the money for sure…

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I’m done. No more Thrashers this year. Sick of our best players and fan favorites leaving or being traded.

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is waddel an alcoholic??? seriously. ive been a fan since day one. i WILL NOT attend another game until fumbling donny dip stick is gone.

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Ilya, thanks for putting up with sub-standard management here in Atlanta for all these years. We knowledgable hockey fans know you are one of the top 10 players in the world. Too bad you were saddled with one of the bottom 10 ownership groups in the world. Good luck in N.J., and know that I’ve been to my last Thrashers game, which is too bad b/c I went to the first Flames game, the Knight’s championship-clinching game, and the first Thrashers playoff game two year ago. Go Gladiators!!

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Jeff,

I just have one question. Why do we still have Don Wadell as the thrasher’s general manager?

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Phillips Arena should be EMPTY for a while……I plan on going to the Panthers game, but I think I’ll be the only one there.

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Anybody have a line on Bergfors or Cormier? Would like to know more about them.

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I thought we had our Trottier, Bossy and Chico Reche (sp?) when we had Heatley, Kovy and Kari. I thought we’d ascend just like the Islanders in the early 80’s. But, Waddell and the other dolts who make up ASG let Heatley go, let Marc Savard go, let Donald Audette go, and now Kovy. It just makes me sick!!!

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Good luck Kovy. You were awesome here.

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according to TSN.ca – the trade was contingent upon Waddell washing Lou’s car and picking up his dry cleaning

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Why does the Atlanta Spirit hold onto these bums? Don Waddell and Hawks coach Mike Woodson are losers who have achieved nothing yet they stay employed.

.

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This deal was so bad that even Billy Knight wouldnt make it!!

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Jimbo – Cormier was recently suspended from Jr Hockey for the balance year for a deliberate head shot to an opposing player. Now if heo goes after Donnie W, props to him!!

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i just kicked my dog

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Now Kovy for Lou would have been good trade.

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Tom Cousins and ASG: Killing hockey in Atlanta since Oct. 1972.

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Sad, the Thrashers get one decent forward with 27 points, a defensemen with 4 and a criminal in Cormier. Way to go Thrashers!

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Will it be the Quebec T’rasher of da National Ockey League, or will it be the Kansas City Scouts, a redux, or the Winnipeg Rubber Band Airplanes? Shood da puck, eh?

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Cormier handed out 2 elbows to the head in less than a month

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Waddell is an imbecile. The only way this trade works is if Kovalchuk signs back with us this winter.

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what an awful deal. More players with “potential.” These players aren’t going to replace his scoring or put any fear in the opposing defense. Who are the leaders in the locker room now? We are now, at best, a .500 team if everything goes our way. Forget the playoffs. It’s unbelievable that a team in playoff contention with a month before the trade deadline would become a “seller” and unload their biggest asset — a bonafide superstar. It’s heartbreaking for the loyal fans…

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I guess I was holding out just thinking we were threatening this move to try to get a deal done and get Grossman to act….and I did not think any GM or owner could be this insane. The fact is no fans are going now and it is going to get worse. What a shame. This group is the worst ownership I have seen in all my life following sports.

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Oh, by the way, Colby Armstrong will be gone before season end too. We will trade him for a bag of used (not new) pucks, a few jock straps and an NHL highlights DVD of (pick your team but not ATL) winning the Stanley Cup. Kidding aside, Colby ain’t going to re-sign so he will be gone. Too much grit and skill, gotta go, don’t need him.

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In this case, it’s two strikes and you’re out. Bumbling mismanagement has lost Atlanta’s second , and surely last chance, at an NHL team. Thanks, Atlanta Spirit and Don Wadell.

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Another Atlanta NHL franchise shot down in Flames.

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Next big NHL headline – NJ trades Kovalchuk for 5 elite NHL players, 10 draft picks and a pile of cash.

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I hate this.

I hate that this is making me sick to my stomach.

I vowed after yet another Braves face plant in the first round last decade that I would no longer allow pro sports to affect my life in such a way, the way I freely let UGA sports.

But this has cut my heart out with a spoon.

This frakking hurts.

I hate Don Waddell. I know hate is a strong word, but I hate him.

I hate Gearon and all of the other Dis-Spirit group. I hate them with every ounce of my soul.

I hate Gary Bettman for being a spineless, gutless worm in not stepping in and demand that these owners sell the team to an owner who will care for it and refuse to move it.

I hate Ted Turner, that greedy bastard socialist, who SHOULD have left his pro sports franchises out of his Time-Warner merger, but didn’t.

I hate that this is probably the final nail in the coffin of pro hockey in Atlanta.

I hate that I can never root for the Hamilton Thrashers, or whatever or where ever they’ll be.

I hate that my only hockey recourse is to go back to rooting for my dad’s favorite hockey team, a team I’ve grown to “hate” over the last ten years: the Rangers.

I frakking hate this.

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I feel like the animal house clip when we give up a goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Salmela too? Ugh.

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The Thrashers should refund tickets to every season ticket holder … believe in Blueland??? Believe in failure — it’s the Waddell way.
How does that man take a paycheck? He has singlehandledly f’d the Atlanta franchise since the first day they put the gas in the Zamboni. Don’t tell me the prospects are the future of the franchise. Not with that pinhead having anything to do with it. Waddell must go or the Thrashers must go.

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Bye-bye, Don.

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This is why noone cares about hockey in Georgia. Why should we give a damn when management doen’nt give a sh*t. Fans concistently get crapped on and they expect us to come back for more. Well to hell with that. Ownership can sod off!!!!!!!!!!

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Waddell Makes a Deal with the Devils

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When Illy turned down $101 million over twelve years…..that let me know that he could care less about our franchise

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Saw somewhere that Cormier has been suspended for the rest of the season. Can this be true? How can one of the players you get in a trade not even be available to play for the rest of the season?!?

I’d say he might get some good fight along with Bolts and Thorburn……But apparently this guy doesn’t “fight”….He just tries to KILL other players.

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This ownership group is just beyond pathetic. I will not blame Wadell, though I will not defend him, until the ownership puts a couple of bulletts in the gun to see what he can do. The owners are to blame, and the shame of it all, the Atlanta fans will end up taking the hit as bad sports fans when the Thrashers move. To the ownership of the franchise “GO TO HELL” .

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Cormier is a piece of work. Well, he’s a piece of something, Check out his handywork:

http://bit.ly/6kKaJG

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The day the music…err the NHL died in ATL. Waddell is the common thread in 12+ year of incompetence. Why must it always be this way? And the sad thing is none of the media, save Jeff, have paid any attention to this ongoing debacle.

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The Thrashers could call it a rebuilding period…if only they had ever built anything to begin with. Thrashers=Detroit Lions=L.A. Clippers+Pittsburgh Pirates=perpetual ineptitude

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This trade speaks volumes on so many fronts. First the obvious ineptitude of management and ownership. I’m surprised that the league would authorize such an imbalanced trade.

It makes me wonder if the 28 other teams all felt that Kovy had so little to offer … but my firm opinion is that the ASG gave DW orders to not bring back any salary to speak of. You don’t think the Flames would have traded Phanuef for Kovy straight up given what they got back in return?

Does anybody know if we now meet the league minimum salary?

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I can’t wait to see if they have the stones to send out letters in the next week or so asking STH’s for a deposit on playoff tickets… You know who I feel for? John Anderson. I am not sold that he is a legit NHL coach, but surely he deserves better than the disaster DW has made for him… And we lose Salmela- pitiful.

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What a trade, Star for nothing, totally nothing. I will never go to another Thrashers game EVER ! Don Waddell you make me sick, you are without question the worst GM in sports history, you lie, you cheat and you do not give a damn about the fans, neither does your employer, the Atlanta SUCK Group !

You people need to be run out of town and never allowed back. I suggest all fans show up at Duluth and we all take Waddell down once and for all, it’s the only method we have left to get rid of him ! Well let’s hear it, Anyone with me ?

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Amen Jos3, I do feel sorry for John Anderson and also doubt he is fully NHL ready. Let’s not forget who hired him!

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[...] return for the best player in franchise history, the Thrashers got right wing Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya, prospect Patrice Cormier and a first-round …. The teams also swapped second-round [...]

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April 6th, the return of Kovi as the Devils come to Atlanta. How will the 19 Thrasher fans in attendance react?

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Buzz- things that make you say. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

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WOW! I’m truly at a loss for words after watching this guy Cormier’s cheap shot video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzhF2viguGs

Convulsions, brain trauma, “a few” lost teeth…..

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Mmmmm, meatloaf…

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I’m nowhere near a hockey fan and I know this was the dumbest move ever. Well good the Hawks are selling more tickets, its the only way Phillip’s areana will get any money.

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What a shocker..Don Waddell lets go of a great player. Again. Only this time, it’s the dude they drafted to supposedly be the “future” of the team. I guess futures are 8 seasons now.

Arrrghhh

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It’s obvious that the Spirit group doesn’t give a (fill in the blank) about hockey. The thing to do is not support their pets the Hawks, by going to games or on TV. Maybe they can be forced to sell the team I mean if they don’t care about hockey fans why should hockey fans care about them. This is coming from a a former Flames season ticket holder.

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DW makes Billy Knight look like Red Auerbach

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I love watching all of the 27 Trasher fans cry. Keep making me happy.

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We are the Pirates of Hockey not the Marlins. Last I look Marlins have a few Championships to hang onto which are more than the Braves could do.

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That will be the end of hockey in Atlanta.

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You gotta read this:

http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2010/02/did_nj_devils_give_away_their.html

Get this part:

I asked Lamoriello if the organization thought Cormier’s career might be damaged by his suspension in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League following his hit on Mikael Tam of the Quebec Remparts last month.

Cormier was suspended for the remainder of the QMJHL regular season and playoffs, potentially 48 games.

“That was probably as difficult as anything,” Lamoriello said of trading Cormier. “This was a player they (the Thrashers) wanted. I am very sensitive to that situation (with Cormier) and stand behind him 100 percent. It was a very difficult phone call to make.”

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Pop quiz: Which Thrasher fan is upset about Kovalchuk leaving?

Answer: Both of them.

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This is it! I am done too. Dandy Don does not have what it takes to bring in a significant player or resign one either. Don’t forget that Savard offered a home town discount (Boston got one so Savard wasn’t lying) and he is now a top center who worked well with Kovy. Don spun his tall tales and Savard left. We had Hossa because of Heatly’s problems. Koslav regrets resigning and is being treated like crude right now.

There are more players that Don could not resign or chose to treat like they had not ability that are doing great on another team.

Don and AS get no more chances here. I will go to Glads games for my hockey fix. I am looking forward to seeing where Kovy lands. It could be my next team. I wish Kovy the best. Kari too for that matter.

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The “letter” from Mr.$HIT himself was simple a JOKE. “See you in Blueland” HA, NO WAY !

Anyone who would now attend a Thrashers home game, unless rooting for the other team, is a complete FOOL ! Stay away from this franchise until they go broke !

I have a friend who is still a STH… I called him about this AWFUL trade, he said he will
give away his tickets and NEVER attend another game until a NEW OWNER and NEW GM are in place, He said “Giving money to asg, is like going to the grocery store and buying
spoiled meat.” He is 100% correct. These two NJ jerks will NEVER do anything here, likely gone next season and frankly who cares.

I really hope this team is sold and moved, to a city where they will be run in a professional manner and have Total fan support ! There is NO way this team stays here, just sell it and move it, this is THE END of NHL hockey here and it will never return.

Lastly waddell, this is for YOU A$$ HOLE, you are a F’ing scam, a person who who lies to everyone, a person who could care less about the FANS and the team. You have done everything in 10 years to DESTROY hockey here, but the issue is YOU ARE STILL here.
Your letter should have been telling that you have RESIGNED, not that total CRAP BS
you wrote, who wrote it for you beau turner, was he drunk ???

You are a disgrace to the human race waddell total disgrace !

How about it waddell, one of my companies for 10 minutes in a room with you, you got ANY GUTS PUNK ? I doubt it !!!!! I’ll be awaiting your letter of response waddell you worthless COWRD !

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The don’t call them the Trash for nothing. If this was the best offer, I can’t imagine what the others were. Disney on Ice skaters? The fat guy that plays for the Yellow Team in the Monday night 40+ beer league at the rink in Alpharetta? The best of Steak Shapiro on CD?

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BOYCOTT THE ATLANTA SPIRIT! NO MORE HAWKS OR THRASHERS GAMES FOR ME OR MY FAMILY!

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More trade details…

FROM:
Since the Thrashers drafted Kovalchuk No. 1 overall in 2001, the Russian Olympian leads the NHL with 328 goals, but Atlanta has made just one playoff appearance and has never won a postseason game. The 26-year-old Kovalchuk has 31 goals and 27 assists in 49 games this season for the Thrashers. He missed six games because of a broken bone in his foot.

Salmela, 25, had a goal and four assists in 29 games this season for Atlanta. The Finn was acquired by the Thrashers from the Devils in exchange for defenseman Niclas Havelid and forward Myles Stoesz on March 2, 2009.

TO:
The 28-year-old Oduya has two goals and two assists in 40 games in what has been a disappointing season. He’s set to play for Sweden in Olympics.

Bergfors, a 22-year-old Swede, is fifth among NHL rookies with 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists). He was drafted 23rd overall in 2005.

The 19-year-old Cormier had 11 goals and 20 assists in 31 games this season with Rimouski and Rouyn-Noranda of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before he was suspended for the rest of season because of a hit on an opposing player. He captained Canada in the 2010 World Junior Championship.

The Devils’ 27th pick in the first round.

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If I buy a Kovy authentic at half off, should I wear it if the Thrashers play the Devils in the playoffs?

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Don Waddell Should Be Fired! – I certainly won’t claim to know very much about hockey, but I can say this as a Thrasher fan who loves his local teams and attends at least several games a year: Waddell should be fired on the spot for shipping the face of the franchise, Ilya Kovalchuk, out of town. Waddell has obviously made it his job to kill hockey once again in Atlanta. How in the hell he has a job is unbelievable. He has been the GM of the Thrashers for all 10 years of existence and they have managed 4 playoff games in 10 years, with all 4 being dominant losses. Trading Hossa and Heatley MAY could have been understood, but trading one of the best players in the NHL and THE face of the franchise away is unconscionable. Hockey may be a tough sell in the South, but Atlantans have shown they will follow a winner, and everytime Waddell has had a chance at one, he destroys it. Awful, pathetic, and completely abhorrent. Rumor is that Kovalchuk wanted 10 years for $120+ million and Waddell wouldn’t match. That may not be true, but this one goes down as one of the worst decisions in Atlanta sports history. For the sake of Thrasher fans everywhere and Atlanta sports fans in general, fire Don Waddell yesterday!

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To Frank “…we are the Pittsburgh Pirates of the NHL…” The Pittsburgh Pirates have history and an organization that kept Willie Stargell in a Pirates uniform for his entire career. They won the World Series in their heydey. The Thrashers are like the XFL…lots of flash and fire coming out of the Thrashers heads before the game and cameras that zoom in on areas where there are some fans. Hardly, the Pirates, more like the Orlando Rage…Sorry

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Say what you will about Marian Hossa, but at least he had the cojones to go on public record (albeit one of his native country’s newspapers) and say that Atlanta wasn’t going anywhere, thus forcing a trade. Ilya has repeatedly said that he wanted to stay here in Atlanta. What a load of patooey! What he and his agent succeeded in doing is called “posturing”. They come up with a demand so lucrative that they both knew that Atlanta couldn’t afford to keep him, and thus resulting in another star being traded away from Atlanta. That’s not saying that D-Wad (I wonder if he even knows what the real meaning of that abbreviation is?) or the ASG are any less to blame for Kovy leaving. Both of them should’ve known that by simply giving Kovy the “C” for his jersey wasn’t enough to keep him here. I predicted at the beginning of the season that Kovy would be gone this year, and I also predicted that the Thrashers would be sold by the end of the ‘10-’11 season. Looks like I’m golden so far…

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Another decent read about it all:

http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/article/2010-02-04/devils-surprise-everyone-kovalchuk-trade

I’ve read enough already & I’m out. Still going to the game on Sat……Wonder what it’ll be like?

Probably SURREAL.

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When is Turkey Neck Waddell going to announce his next move, trading Evander Kane? Sunday? WOW, tons of Americans are out of work, yet ole Turkey Neck still has a steady paycheck. God Bless America!

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The beginning of the end of hockey in Atlanta…if I were Kovy I wouldn’t have resigned to play in front of 10,000 empty seats a night for a general manager that couldn’t get him a decent centerman and for an ownership group that couldn’t market or have a clue on what makes a successful front office.

Just save the template of this story when Joe Johnson goes elsewhere in the summer…

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cormier was the canadian world juniors team captain. he made a bad play but he is going to be a stud. bergfors will be excellent too, the NJ systems doesnt promote offensive studs. i wonder how a guy who doesnt play defense will fit in up there. i say send kovy to the khl after the season. sorry atlanta your owners are terrible. don waddle, your time is over.

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Frankly, Charlotte I don’t give a damn! Gwinnett Gladiators, best Hockey Team in ATL..Sugarloaf Parkway & I-85….

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I, and all other Devil fans, would like to extend our gratitude to the city of Atlanta for being so kind to the people of the great state of New Jersey. I will think of you all fondly while I watch Kovy skate the Cup around the rink wearing black and red this June. Seriously though, great deal for the Devs. Those of you who don’t understand the Devils or the way the team is run will be surprised to see the team offer Kovy a lot to stay – if he produces as expected. You all speak of Lou as being tight on the money, but Elias makes $7 million a year and the Devils do have the cap room to fit Kovy in long-term. Kovalchuk will do fine in the Jersey system (it’s all about being responsible and positionally sound). I was watching him closely this year when the two teams played and he can do fine defensively when he is inspired to play. Knowing that he has a chance for the Cup this spring will take him to a new level. The reason he turned down the offers the Thrashers made had nothing to do with the money – it was all about the opportunity to compete. What team (aside from the Wings) competes on a more regular basis than the Devils? No one, that’s who. The Thrashers have made the playoffs once; the Devils have MISSED the playoffs once in the past two decades (currently on a 13 year – soon to be 14 year – run of making the post-season). Also, keep in mind, the current owner of the Devils is relatively new and is definitely interested in keeping Kovy for promotional purposes – he’s a savvy business guy. The Thrashers need new management and a better team philosophy. They don’t seem to learn from the mistakes and have been, for all intents and purposes, a farm team for other franchises around the league that are looking for talent. I feel for ya Atlanta. – Sincerely, New Jersey.

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All of you haters who are threatening to boycott the team please do so. Then crawl back into the hole you came from. Sit around and wait for news on the Bulldogs. I doubt any of you have ever been to a Thrashers game.

If you’re a true fan you stick with a team through thick and thin. Put your feelings aside for DW and ASG and keep supporting the players. The team is still in playoff contention. Had BOTH SIDES been up front with each other all this drama could have avoided. It’s obvious Kovy wanted out and wasted our time all season.

So let’s all take a deep breath during the Olympic break and come back in March ready to support the team for a spot in the playoffs.

Mr. Schulz please go away now until your next semi-annual article on hockey. I’m sure you have plenty of Bulldog, Vick, and other high schools news to report.

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I hope Don reads these because you sir are destroying hockey in Atlanta. I also will not go to another game as long as you are running the team.

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The 19-year-old Cormier………..I like this guy……Bumbling Don may have landed us somebody who can mix it up…………..something tells me me that he can play……….Big Lou didn`t want to give him up…..amid all the Bulls!@#$ this guy may be the jewel……..I`m looking for a positive…….I hope he makes the team at the end of this year(is he eligible?) or in training camp this summer………..that`s my new jersey….no pun…………

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This Just in – In a bizarre turn of events, the Indianapolis Colts trade Peyton Manning to the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL a few days before the Super Bowl. Not to be outdone, the New Orleans Saints trade Drew Brees to the Seattle Mariners for 7 bats, 4 gloves, and a baseball. Albert Pujols is anxiously awaiting his turn to be dealt to LA Galaxy for David Beckham’s right cleat, and finally, Lebron James appears headed to Manchester United for one pint of Bass Ale and a half eaten fish and chips.

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Wow. I have been going to Thrasher games since the first pre-season one played here. Had my company get season tix and when those dropped I bought my own partial season until last year when I went through the Big D…was getting ready to pick my seats up again for the rest of this season and renew for next after talking to an agent at the Buffalo game. I can deal with the Thrashers without Kovy (although I will miss him), but I don’t know how much longer I can continue to support them if they keep Waddell. He really is blowing up this team.

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question-please help me out here. Is there a salary cap in Hockey? I have heard there isn’t. Therefore all this BS about Kovy taking up all of the salary cap would be untrue. If it was true, how could the Red Wings have so many stars all these years? How could the Devils, Rangers, and Bruins be able to have explored trading for Kovy and still keep enough others to make a run? I think this salary cap talk is BS.

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Drano……………he won`t fit in your system and you will not win the Cup….he flew under the media radar here but as soon as he starts sulking after a bad gane or two the New York media will eat him alive……The Caps will kill you guys in 5 or 6 games if the Pens don`t do it first

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We suffered through the formative years with the hope of building a team. Little did we know reaching the playoffs was the low point for this sorry excuse of a franchise. Waddell is totally clueless, a collection should be taken up to buy the guy a ticket out of town, a bus ticket. If he had a spine he’d quit. Atlanta Spirit can’t agree on what brand of coffee for their break room let alone run a franchise. How did these clowns make their money inthe first place. It sure wasn’t their business smarts. I’d make a plea for Arthur Blank to save hockey in ATL but it’s to late. Go Gladiators!!!!

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confused – I’m not a fan who attends every game or even close for that matter, and I’m not really a hockey fan, but I do love the hometown Thrashers and try to make at least 2 or 3 games a year. Like I said, I really don’t know much about the situation in general, but from an outsiders perspective, trading one of the best players in the NHL and THE face of the franchise is hard to stomach. It seems as though the ownership group cares about the Hawks and Bball, but the Thrashers….not so much. Maybe Kovy and his agent played them like a fiddle, but Waddell’s track record is less than stellar to say the least. I am a passionate Falcon fan and I can only compare it to trading away Matt Ryan.

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I think the letter says it all. The Thrashers offered him more than a fair contract. He’s just another arrogant, selfish, greedy millionaire looking to squeeze as much as he can. Had the Thrashers met his self centered demands, they would never even have the opportunity to be competitive because they wouldn’t be able to pay anyone else. As good of a player as he is, no one player is worth mortgaging the future for.

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Who gives a flying hockey puck??? Greed! A $100,000,000+ contract offer refused. Eff him!

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I agree with Drano. The Devils gave up a couple of prospects and the likelihood of about 8 slots in the draft (very late 1st rounder for a very high 2nd rounder) A half season of Kovi and a run at yet another cup versus doing nothing and letting another Eastern Conference team pick him up for pocket change and using him to knock you out. Smart teams do smart things and they win. The Trash do stupid things and continue to stink.

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Wow! Impressive trade Don! Can’t wait to see the new team on the ice. By my calculations, we should score 20 goals for the rest of the season. We’re going to need all 3 goalies in the net at once to have a chance. Dolt!

I can’t recall such a galactically pathetic and inept excuse for a hockey organization as the Atlanta Spirit and Don Waddell and the club that they put on the ice night after night. It’s embarrassing. I actually feel sorry for the players wasting their careers for this excuse for an NHL organization.

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Maybe when the new guys are introduced, Cormier can swing a big elbow at Waddell’s empty head. The one or two media guys in attendance could be heard yelling “Finish Him!”

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If you want to be eternally optimistic – maybe indeed nobody out there will meet Kovy’s outrageous demands and he comes to his senses and accepts the last Thrash offer – assuming the owners didn’t thank God he didn’t take it and have pulled it off the table

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Did Waddell run this years UGA football recruiting ?

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You know, I was willing to allow myself to believe this trade could have been beneficial for Atlanta, until the details of the trade were released. On the cusp of a second playoff birth, Waddell has already thrown in the towel getting nothing in return for perhaps one of greatest goal scorers the NHL will ever see. I was holding out hope that Atlanta would have gotten a good player at least. But no, Waddell settled for players who barely play or they are invisible while they are on the ice. And tell what the benefits were of throwing Salmella in the mix? Are you telling me our GM couldn’t have gotten this trade done without throwing him in there? WTF Waddell? WTF are you thinking? HOW IN THE HELL IS THIS MAN STILL THE GM???? I’m done with this team until that fat bastard is gone!!!

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I’ve watched Don Waddell pretend to be a NCAA hockey player,he sucked.
The only thing that made him successful in Detroit was working with Scotty Bowman. He proved again tonight that he doesn’t have the ability to be a NHL exec. The only thing that he has succeeded at was selling portable toilets.

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Can we now get serious and bring back the Knights ?

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This sux. Every single Thrashers star has wanted their way out of town. Why is this? Is it the fanbase or the organization? Or both?

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This may even be the equivalent of the (dare I say it) Len Barker for
Brett Butler trade. Many readers will not know anything about this but it was and has continued to be, until possibly now, the most infamous trade in the history of Atl sports.

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The lousy trade for Kovy is the ultimate demise of this organization and NHL in Atlanta! I guess he was Atlanta’s hockey version of “The Great Bambino.” I guess Waddell is getting paid big bux to play “FANTASY HOCKEY” in the front office. Don Waddell should have been fired years ago!! He’s pathetic and has ruined hockey for this City. Since ‘07, this organization has failed to produce a Playoff/Winning franchise. Just look at the Thrashers’ practice facility, it’s a dump! I play hockey there and cannot believe an NHL team is practicing at that place.

Furthermore, the “suits” (who care more about arguing over their ownership in court) have failed at keeping “cheeks in the seats.” Carolina and Nashville are doing things right, yet the largest city in the South proves once again at how much of a lacklaster sports city Atlanta truly is. Detroit is broke, yet every game is sold out. The Thrashers have had great hockey players since ‘99, the majority have gone on to other teams and become All-Stars.

Well, I’m a Chicago-transplant and really became “TRUE BLUE.” Before I left the Windy City, I vowed never to root for the HAWKS because the old Wirtz regime in Chi-town ruined hockey for the city. However, the Hawks have had a “Renaissance” in the past few years. Old man Wirtz died, his son took over and transformed the Hawks and acquired John McDonough as President and former NHLer and Blackhawk Dale Tallon as GM. Thrashers take note.

One appearance in the Playoffs was great for the Thrashers. But in order to become a Southeastern and NHL Powerhouse its time to get rid of the “old regime” that has penalized this team as a top contender. Heck, Widespread Panic has more sellouts at Philips than the Thrashers, just look at the banner at the rink!!!! Getting rid of Kovy, Hoss, Savvy (just to name a few) isn’t gonna bring Lord Stanley to the ATL. They should’ve gotten rid of “Groin Pull” Lehtonen, what a waste of money he is…I’m off the soap box and gonna log onto chicagoblackhawks.com. Have fun melting away in Blueland fans, I feel bad for you guys who really are true Thrash fans

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Don Waddell: “I don’t think it sets us back at all. I think it moves us forward.”

Jeff, is this for REAL?

Unbelievable!

Worst possible trade for the Thrashers, but it should have never gotten to that point. If this team had an owner that actually PUT money and CARED about the success of the team.

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Wow Jeff, did he really say that? I think Donnie has a future in politics. He’s as out of touch with his fan base as the idots in Washington are with…..well, you know.

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Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by JeffSchultzAJC: First Kovalchuk trade details: http://bit.ly/dljWsq…

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First to make a positive comment. At least we’ll get a top 5 pick again. haha

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I feel like I’m reading the UGA football blog

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For you guys wondering about what you got…

Bergfors – not a BAD player, but nothing to be too excited about. He spent four years in the minors (Albany/Lowell) and finally got a chance to be an everyday player in Jersey when the Devs let Shanahan go after the preseason. He is 5th in scoring for all rookies, but he got most of those when he was on a line with Zajac and Parise (I could score 15 goals on a line with those guys). He has one goal in the past 13 or 14 games. I would say he is a career 3rd liner – maybe a 2nd liner on a weak team. He’s a Swede but was not named to the Olympic team.

Oduya – solid d-man. He had a great season last year and cashed in with a 3 yr/$10.5 mil contract this past summer. This year, he’s had a groin injury but hasn’t been nearly as good as he was last year. I think he has a goal and 4 points on the season. He’s supposed to play for Sweden at the Olympics. Oduya was signed as a free agent a few years ago. He was originally drafted by the Caps but they never signed him and he played pro hockey in Sweden before the Devs brought him over. His dad is Nigerian, his mom is Swedish – he’s a Swedish national.

Cormier – don’t really know too much about this kid (except his elbow). I saw a few of the Canada games at the WJC this year and he seems like he should be a decent NHLer – provided he keep his temper under control. He was the captain of Team Canada at the WJC. He was scoring a point a game (11-20-31 in 31 games) for his junior team before being suspended for the remainder of the year because of the aforementioned elbow. The Devils had no plans to try to have him play in Lowell (AHL), but the Thrashers may look at it differently and assign him to their minor team. He signed a 3 year entry level contract over the summer.

!st round pick – Jersey also swapped 2nd with Atlanta, meaning that the swap was really something like Pick 26 for Pick 36. Not a big deal as the drop off in talent after #20 is usually swift and then levels off (meaning that #26 and #36 have nearly the same chance of being solid NHLers).

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Odouya and 3 first rounders for 27 games. I loved watching Ilya but he is NOT a max cap player. He would not come down off that and forced the trade. Time will tell if this is a step forward or back. If they embrace Anderson’s system and play as a balanced team, they might surprise. All depends on the goaltending. Be lucky to get a dozen water bottles for the fat goalie.

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Jeff Schultz, will you please call for Waddell’s head on a pike in the morning paper? No, I’m not kidding, either. This franchise is starting to make Mike Milbury’s Islanders look good.

Look at all the talent that came and went. Audette, Brunette, Staios, Heatley, Hossa, Kaberle, Pothier, Donovan, Coburn, and Kovalchuk. And really, is Kari Lehtonen staying? He might be gone, too. And if it happens, what WERE those “lottery draft picks” about?
1999: Stefan (bust, traded for Niko Kapanen and Will O’Neil).

2000: Heatley, traded for Hossa and deVries. Both gone, with Eric O’Dell, Daultan Leveille, Angelo Esposito and pending UFA Colby Armstrong to show for it, after a trade with Pittsburgh in 2008.

2001: Ilya Kovalchuk, traded for Oduya, Bergfors, Cormier, and a 1st round pick, plus a LESSER 2nd round pick.

2002: Kari Lehtonen – perpetually injured and mentally unstable, combined with immaturity of character

2003: Coburn, traded for Zhitnik, since boughtout.

2004: Boris Valabik, a 5th/6th defender, from the 10th overall draft position

2005: Alex Bourret, traded to NY Rangers for Pascal Dupuis + 3rd round pick. Dupuis was packaged with Hossa, and is perhaps best described as Colby Armstrong today. The 3rd round pick is now Chris Thorburn, a 4th line forward. Meanwhile, the originally held 8th overall pick was traded to SJ, who selected Devin Setoguchi. Atlanta picked up Chad Denny, still in ECHL, with the 2nd pick they received for moving to #12 overall. At #12 overall, Atlanta traded to NY Rangers, who selected Marc Staal. Atlanta picked up a 2nd round pick, who was converted into goaltender Ondrej Pavelec. Moving right along

2006: Bryan Little – Very promising center, pushed to the wing, now underperforming because of it. Little is a pending RFA

2007: 1st and 3rd deal for “Tkachuk rental.” 2nd round pick dealt for Vitaly Vishnevski, moved at 2007 trade deadline for Center Eric Belanger, who walked in free agency.

2008: Zach Bogosian – See Heatley/Coburn/Kovalchuk for future with team.

2009: Evander Kane – See Heatley/Coburn/Kovalchuk for future with team.

2010: Atlanta will probably pick 8th. With the NJ pick, they may be picking 20th – 24th overall.

What’s it all add up to? A headache. In its most simplistic form, it comes down to one (1) division championship, four (4) playoff games, and zero (0) playoff wins. What’s the point of hanging on to Waddell. Each and every blogger here … has just as many playoff wins to their credit as Waddell has, and we could have been bought for LESS than $900,000-a-year, which is about what Waddell makes.

C’est absoluement incroyable et insupportable. Honestly, if we spun a wheel … with possible choices for trades … “Maggie, The Monkey” might have done better over the past decade.

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Kovalchuk was tired of playing in front of 5,000 fans so he forced this trade. Anyone who didn’t see him forcing his way out of Atlanta hasn’t been to another arena. Now he can get what Ovechkin can’t – a Stanley Cup. Brodeur is healthy and Ilya will form a perfect 1-2 punch with Parise. Watch how inspired Ilya gets playing in front of our crowds. He will play defense for us.

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Wow, as a Pens fan, this makes the Hossa trade look relatively not so bad for Wadell. Aargh, it doesn’t even look like Devils had to give up even a single top prospect in return. He might have just given the Devils a much better chance of getting the cup against the Caps and Pens from the East.

And yes, fan from Warner Robins, this is how Pirates fans feel. Thrashers are not as awful as the Pirates(at least you made the playoffs once), but damn, this must suck for you guys.

Damn, I wish they could have at least gotten one impact player from the DEvils. This is not as awful sa when Jagr was unloaded to the Caps and not a single prospect panned out even to a decent 3rd line career in the NHL. BUt it is not good.

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Hey Brenden, the reason that the ownership group doesn’t fire Waddell is because they can’t hire anyone else for as cheaply, nor will they pay the buyout for firing him. The best hope for Atlanta hockey came down when they could have let him walk, but they decided to resign him. If the Thrashers move, then we will never see major league hockey in the ATL again.

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A little input on the players you got.

Bergfors is a quick young Swede who got in Lemaires doghouse for taking long shifts. He still has a lot to learn defensively but has the talent to be a consistent 20+ goal scorer. He is good enough now to make the Swedish Olympic team but didn’t make the cut because he wasn’t on their radar and therefore didn’t get the required drug testing that they start about a year before the games start. He is good along the boards. He has had a history of shoulder injuries while in the minors which probably delayed his entrance into he NHL.

Oduya is curious case. He is a VERY good skater. Good 5on5. Can play on the PP and is a good penalty killer. Sometimes he just explodes with his speed. He started out slow this season, got hurt, came back and now his game is starting to get back to the point where it was last season when us Devils fans were affectionately calling him Johnny Orr-duya and Lou made it a priority to sign him while letting Brian Gionta and John Madden walk.

Haven’t seen Cormier live but Lemaire really liked him in training camp.

As for us Devils fans, this is only a good trade if we win the cup. Good luck to you guys.

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Brendan, Nice walkthrough of the drafting history and ineptitude. As I’ve mentioned before, the Trash are the Clippers of hockey. They could draft Jesus himself and he’d pull a groin in training camp and be out for the season, only to be traded later for prospects.

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Go Devils I guess.

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this is pretty pointed, Shultzie. The only real complaint should be that he was traded to an Eastern division team, eerily similar to Frenchy to the Mets, although with greater probable consequences. But really what were the Thrashers to do at this point? They offered him over $100 million dollars (that’s winning the lottery) but that wasn’t going to be enough.

I don’t know….I guess I am saying I don’t think that it’s the ownership’s fault that Atlanta isn’t Detroit or Philly or Chicago or St. Louis or N.Y. and even if you bring the superstar to town you aren’t going to sell enough tickets to resign that superstar when his contract is up.

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Smoke that bonk Don

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Don Waddell, the absolute KING of the asinine comment.

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The Thrashers are now dead to me.

Shame on you Waddell!

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Eileen I hate to say it to you guys but it has to be said. I don’t want to hear crap about freakin’ ownership or the GM being bad because you would support a winning team. I hear that all the time from other Sun Belt teams. But your team has been in the chase this year and as of right now you are about 2 points out of it. If you can’t support a team that is 2 points out of the playoffs you don’t deserve Kovalchuk.

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Cormier is a criminal and should be banned from the NHL. I will not support the Thrashers if they let him play. Is this an example of the ‘new image for the Thrashers’ Don????

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Hey I Believe in Sweet Lou,
see my comment above,
Tampa Bay, with one Cup
Carolina, with one Cup
Florida, with one Cup appearance
and Atlanta? bent over once again

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Sweet Lou nails it on the head. If you can’t support a team that is 2 points out of the playoffs you don’t deserve Kovalchuk.

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LOL @ NJ fans giving lessons on being a good fan and who deserves good players…step away from the keyboard, Vinny

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Not fond of hockey too many white guys

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@c.j. 11:25pm those are all one year wonders outside of Carolina who makes a big run one year and is in last place this year. But that has nothing to do with support for the team. We are the castoffs of the tri-state area that supports 3 teams and gets more fans than you do. What has Florida done since that appearance in the finals? Nothing except lose Bouwmeester. Carolina is great one year but goes to last place the following year. The Lightning are in all sorts of financial trouble and couldn’t hold onto Brad Richards or Dan Boyle. When you can come out to the games and support your team you won’t lose out on big name guys like Kovalchuk. We have to compete with the freakin Rangers and yet have better numbers than you do. We also have a smaller arena so our averages are way down. Show up to the games and you’d be surprised what happens.

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Mike – what kind of a dumb comment is that??

Put Waddell on a bus out of this town. Put the For Sale sign on the front door know and get the heavily dispirited Spirit Group out while we can.

Please let the housecleaning that needs to happen at the Thrashers front office begin now and not stop til we have new management that understands how to run a hockey franchise in a first class town.

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LOL @ Atlanta fans talking trash about NJ fans when we just stole your prized player…step away from the keyboard CJ.

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Matt, The Brave: You know another GM had be found for less than 900K a year. Scour the Assistant GM’s. Scour the AHL GM’s. They want their shot, somewhere. This GM hasn’t been worth a third of his paycheck since 2002. Yet someone, it’s the “right move” to keep him. By the way, Forbes Magazine says Don Waddell’s contract expires in 2010. Didn’t say which month. Might be April. Might be June. I don’t know. But if that man is still in charge, then there’s no hope for this franchise.

Boom, Boom still rules: Thanks. And I see your point.

SEA: I respect where you’re going with that argument. If I can follow it to its logical conclusion, if the franchise sold more tickets, it’d have more revenue, and could theoretically spend more money on players.

Nice theory. But the practical reality is, whether due to the lawsuit or general apathy, this franchise hasn’t spend what it otherwise could have, or should have. It’s operated on the cheap, for whatever the reason. I have something close to ZERO confidence in this group … when they say they’re going to go out and sign free agents. How’d that Brian Campbell negotiation go? Was Hossa interested in staying with this franchise? Shoot even Kovy, here 8 years, settled in a MAGNIFICENT Atlanta HOME, had seen enough. This ownership just plain, flatout, doesn’t know what it’s doing. There’s just no sugarcoating that.

SEA: I just cannot accept … that “a lack of fan support/attendance” was the reason he forced his way out of town. The real reason is … that this franchise is ineptly run. And truthfully, Kovy didn’t see a Stanley Cup coming from this ownership/management team over the next 7, 10, or 12 years. That’s the reason, not lack of attendance, that Kovalchuk wouldn’t re-sign. Who wants to commit to a team that crosses the road, blind-folded? Think about it, SEA. If 6,000 fans showed up, but the team were 60-20-2, Kovy would stay. The goal is to win. Bottom line: Kovy had no faith in the AS, LLC, who continued to employ Waddell, the lone architect of 1 playoff berth, zero playoff wins, through nine (9) completed season. How does one expect the Kovalchuk camp to simply IGNORE that? To ignore that Hartley wasn’t fired in 2007, after the playoff sweep. How does one expect the Kovalchuk camp to IGNORE that Hossa LEFT???? And was replaced by Eric Perrin and Todd White!! How does one expect the Kovalchuk camp … to simply ignore that Waddell came down to coach the team for 76-games in 2008. Kovy told his agent, “Make sure we’re outta here by 2010.” Mission Accomplished for Kovy, whose phone rang off the hook tonight.

The callers? Marc Savard: “Hi Kovy. Man, sorry we couldn’t have hooked up in Boston. Best of luck in Jersey.” Dany Heatley: “Told ya, bro. Your sentence in Atlanta would be more than mine. But you’re out with ‘time served.’” Marian Hossa: “Hi Kovy. I know we weren’t the best of friends. But I’m here to tell you … that there’s life after Atlanta. The air smells fresher. The water tastes sweeter. Even the ice seems better underneath your skates. Welcome to the world of POSSIBILITIES, Ilya. Congrats to you. You did the right thing by leaving.”

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Forrest Gump is our GM

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Oh Sweet Lou…the difference is if this were anything else this city this theft that you speak of would be as tragic for us as it is euphoric for you but, real talk, hockey is a DISTANT fourth as far as citizen attention in this town. So while Kovy leaving bites, it’s really only going to resonate a few weeks outside of the hockey hardcore in the metro area. Up until last year I did 30-35 games a year, even so this is a shrugger for me because the org is SO poorly run, it was to be expected. I understand, though, the glory you feel in the frozen tundra of your rental victory, what else is there to glory in in Newark?

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Dear Don Waddell and Thrashers co.

Leavers Atlanta. You are no longer wanted.

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28 other nhl teams r kickin themselves thinking we coulda had him if thats all it took

NJ Lou should b arrested for child abuse after treatin DW like t

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I echo WTF2, where’s the loyalty in the era of $. Gone. It’s not Kovy’s fault.How do you build a franchise? Heatley & Kovalchuck, and a dash of Hossa. (oh its too hard to keep them) That’s a franchise, that’s a winner, that’s not the Atlanta (non) Spirit. Obviously their focus is all on the Hawks and not hockey. Lower payroll more attractive buying point for some city with an ownership that gives an damn for their fans. Does ASG not have a business clue? Yes, they do sell the Thrashers to anyone who’ll buy.

We are trying to sell a PeeWee(insert Bantam, High School, ECHL, AHL, etc) product on an NHL ticket price. Give me an AHL team and I am back as a season ticket holder.

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And to all those who are blaming the fans…. we have had to put up with this crap for 10 years now. They put a crap product on the ice year in and year out. We are sick of losing some of the best talent on the team every season. Fans have been in the seats in years prior, but we knew is was going to come to this… the team plays hard and barely misses the playoffs or they suck one big time at the end of the year and miss again. All because of the $hitty product on the ice…. So yes, I blame the GM… not myself as a fan who has attended a few games despite the fact that I was laid off work and am currently unemployed and just as broke as Detroit. So don’t come in here and say this is the fans’ fault…

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Let’s see if Kovy is good enough to sell out that arena in NJ. NJ has a much superior team management compared to Atl, but even that is not good enough to sell out their arena consistently. NJ is not much more of a hockey region than Atlanta at this point.

So, let’s examine the last two blockbuster trades. Dupuis and Colby Armstrong are effectively a wash maybe with a slight edge to Colby though Dupuis has been great this year. So Waddell got Christiansen and Esposito for Hossa.

Now , with Kovalchuk, he got 3 decent players. But NJ has no problem getting decent players, so it’s like they gave up nothing because they will find players just as good easily in the offseason or via the draft. If Atl had good management, they wouldn’t be wasting such trades on “decent” players. Not one impact player in the two trades. Amazing.

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I smelled this coming when Hossa got away and Don kept his nice office. I thought they should have brought in a proven, gutsy GM like Neil Smith to turn it up quickly on personnel and prevent the exodus of another superstar in Ilya. Think of it…we’ve had three major scorers here, what expansion team could ever say that this early in their history. But we’ve had nothing else. The hardest thing to find is big scoring…we just keep letting it slip away.
Neil Smith is still out there, Spirit…now there’s no excuse, the fans are outraged.

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Let’s see, hmmmm, $8.5 million or $10 million, see you later Atlanta, you can’t win, and if I can’t win I want $10 million, better yet, I’ll get my $10 million and still win…hello Devils, you kind of remind me of myself, oh wait, did I just say that out loud, da** inner-monologue…Hey everyone, let’s blame the GM, because why would we ever blame anyone else, like an overpaid player, that’s just silly…

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This is the end of the Atlanta franchise. They have no players to build the team against. Getting so-so players for one of the best in the league does not put butts in the stands. The ownership and Waddell need to get a grasp on what makes a franchise. It’s not selling your best players year after year. Why do I want to go to the game on Saturday with this mindset (unfortunately I already bought my tickets)?

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Don’t kid yourself Thrasher Fans, there is not a franchise in the NHL that can afford Kovie at the price he is asking, especially not the Devils, they freed up what…. 1.4 million with the trade and have how many millions in Brodeur and Elias, come on this is a “rental” scenario. Sure we give up 20 goals but pickup a solid skating defense man and good twoway player in Bergfors (he has 13 goals). This is a good deal. If Kovie takes a “discount” and resigns then maybe Thrasher fans lose out. I doubt it will happen. KHL here he comes. Chase the dollars and not the Cups!!! Real “Captains” do not abandon the ship!!! No matter how rough the WATERS!!!! DW did a good job today.

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Oh and Sweet Lou, how do you explain to fans that you have traded your number 1 player when you are only 2 points out of the playoff race? Like I said, year after year for 10 straight and counting now….

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@Praveen – the team losing the superstar always loses the trade. Happens that way all the time so don’t expect to get anything good when you got a gun to your head to make a move. Sad thing for you guys is that the teams winning the first round in the playoffs will most likely be Jersey Washington Buffalo and Pittsburgh. One of them might get upset but after this trade it won’t be us. So Kovalchuk is going to win at least one round in the playoffs. That’s going to make him sign with us this summer. If he gets a wiff of the finals he is going to give us a hometown discount cuz what I read it’s not about the money it’s about beating Ovechkin and Ovy’s team don’t have the defense or goaltending to advance far. Now throw in all the Russians Kovalchuk will meet in the city and he’s gonna stay with us. You had no chance of winning that trade let alone winning a trade where you are the one giving up the superstar.

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If Kovalchuk is under the cap now with his current salary which ain’t cheap he can easily be under the cap when Lou Lam is done talking to his agent and they advanced in the playoffs. One more time if you don’t support your team when you are fighting for a playoff seed then ownership won’t need to explain to fans that you traded your number 1 player because you don’t have any fans to begin with.

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A couple of weeks ago, I tried to buy tickets to this Friday night’s game using the Thrashers web site. Fortunately, like everything else involving the Thrashers, the ticket sales portion of the site was malfunctioning and I wasn’t able to purchase the tickets.

Thanks to Don and the Atlanta Spirit Group, I’ll never have to worry about wasting $200+ on worthless Thrashers tickets again. From now on, I’ll spend my money on more legitimate sports events – like midget arm wrestling.

(To be fair, it was the ticket vendor’s site that was “undergoing maintenance”, but I got there from the Thrashers web site.)

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drano…You DO realize you guys picked up a rental who just rejected $101 Million and $10 Million/yr contracts, right? It will be interesting to see how it works out for ya. If you get The Cup, it was a winner of a trade…..If you don’t, then it was pretty much a LOSER of a trade. A cold beer and my left nt says you don’t re-sign him after this year…

Kovy became an instant liability to the Thrashers (and the entire NHL salary structure if the truth be told) when he scoffed at $101 Million. Once he did that, I’m surprised Waddell could even UNLOAD him to anyone for anything before July 1st. Just think of “all” of the teams that could afford to bid for his services…..Yeah, that’s what I mean.

Schultz, would you PLEASE stop pumping the crowd and trying to turn them into a mob with torches and pitchforks??? Surely you can see that KOVY AND GROSSMAN tied Waddell’s hands on this one and thought they’d successfully EXTORTED the franchise for max cap money…Right up until he was told he was being traded.

I got to hand it to Waddell. I thought he was bluffing about the trading. Kovy had become a CANCER here with his rejection of every single offer below 12 years at $13.46 Million/yr. I’M SO GLAD they didn’t cave into his quite obviously UNREALISTIC DEMANDS. I’m tired of paying $10 for a Coke and basic hot dog already…..If they’d given in to Kovy, the Coke & dog would be $20 next year!

Kovy’s not in ATL anymore, but NHL Hockey still IS. This team is MORE than just one player. Get over it people and stop pouting…Go out Sat night and watch Bolts get some good fight! It will be SURREALISTIC Sat nt without Kovy, but don’t miss it. The first home game post-Kovy. BE THERE!

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Well, Hockeysfutures already updated and the two younger prospects are already #1 at Center and #1 at Right Forward, so I would say Atlanta didn’t do that badly in trading a player that would have crippled the franchise for years with a $100 million contract running until the player was in his early 40s and playing on the 4th line.

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/teams/atlanta_thrashers

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The release went on to suggest the Thrashers had offered the 26-year-old Russian $101 million over 12 years and $70 million over seven years, either of which would have been the biggest contracts of their kind.

“If we went beyond these offers,” the statement continued, “we would not be able to retain the young players on our roster when it came time to sign them, or invest in other top tier players needed to assemble a truly competitive team.”

And in that since Waddell is right. As Ken Campbell aptly pointed out in late December, the Thrashers were damned if they did and damned if they didn’t give in to Kovalchuk’s salary demands.

Had they kept him, giving him the max amount — $11.36 million per season — allowed under the collective bargaining agreement that he reportedly was seeking, it would have handcuffed them and their ability to sign free agents and their own prospects who would come up for contracts. Atlanta isn’t a team willing to spend to the cap and a contract that ate up 20 percent of $56.8 million would have been crippling.

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Nicklas Bergfors
Prospect Grade: 7.0 B (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: HF Staff

History

2004-05: Bergfors put up respectable numbers in the top Swedish junior league, scoring 34 points in 21 games, including 18 goals. He was later promoted to Sodertalje’s senior men’s team, and saw action in 25 games and scored his first ever SEL league goal. Bergfors also represented Team Sweden at the U20 World Junior Championship as well as the U18 World Junior Championship. At the U18’s, he was named to the tournament All-Star team, and scored six goals in seven games. He was selected second overall in the CHL Import draft by the QMJHL’s expansion St. John’s Fog Devils in early July and was selected 23rd overall in the first round of the 2005 NHL draft by the New Jersey Devils.

2005-06: Easily the youngest player in the AHL (he turned 19 on March 7th), Bergfors finished the season as the River Rats active leading scorer with 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points in 65 games. His 40 points was 33rd among AHL rookies, and no other team had a leading scorer with so few points. Bergfors had a -11 rating, but his play at the other end of the rink improved with each game. Bergfors showed to be deceptively strong for a player his size and age and played smart and disciplined; only 10 penalty minutes in 65 games is quite an accomplishment.

2006-07: After an electric first season as the youngest player in the AHL, Bergfors somewhat underachieved in his second year as a pro. After leading the River Rats in scoring last season with 17 goals and 40 points, Bergfors only produced 13 goals and 19 assists in 60 games this year. His underwhelming play was most apparent at the World Junior Championships where he was one of Team Sweden’s most disappointing players, recording only two assists in seven games.

2007-08: Upon first glance at Bergfors’ numbers (12 goals and 15 assists in 66 games), one would think that he had a sub-par year. But he made New Jersey’s opening night roster after a strong showing in training camp and exhibition games. Unfortunately for Bergfors, he ended up injuring his shoulder in his first NHL game, and he spent a month recovering before being returned to Lowell, where he subsequently injured his other shoulder. He started to show improvement in his overall play once the shoulder injuries were completely healed, but, in essence, those injuries ruined his season.

2008-09: Bergfors put up the best numbers of his four full seasons in the AHL, putting up career best totals across the board. In 66 games for Lowell, he recorded 22 goals and 29 assists, good enough for second best on the club. If not for a brief early season call up to New Jersey, where he suited up for eight games, scoring his first NHL goal, his numbers likely would have been even better.

Talent Analysis
Bergfors is a well rounded player, and is more than willing to compete hard at both ends of the rink, a trait that is quite important for a player that gets drafted into the Devils organization. Bergfors sees the ice very well, possessing above average hockey sense that keeps him one step ahead of everyone else. He is a responsible defensive player and is not afraid to play physical style of game.

His overall offensive skill set is impressive as Bergfors has great speed, agility and stick handling ability. Add in the fact that he is tough to knock off the puck and you have a player that is able to create a lot for his teammates and for himself in the offensive zone. Bergfors is equally adept at setting up as he is finishing as he has a good shooting arsenal and touch around the goal.

While Bergfors is blessed with an enormous amount of natural skill, he must improve his work ethic and desire not just on a game to game basis, but a shift to shift basis. The talent is there, but he must compete harder and show more consistency.

Future
The time appears to be now for Bergfors to finally make the jump full time to the next level. The loss of second line right winger Brian Gionta to free agency means that Bergfors has the best opportunity of his young career to become a full time NHL’er. There is no doubting his offensive tools, but he also has the defensive acumen to prosper under new Devils coach Jacques Lemaire. He has nothing left to prove in the AHL, and this should finally be the year that Bergfors sticks in New Jersey.

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And grades of 7 and up are considered very good players. 8 and up Elite (top) prospects. So these two guys apparently are highly touted prospects, though maybe not quite at the Elite level. Better than anything Atlanta had before the trade though.

They just saved $100 million and still have an extra first round pick. When a player like Kovy, who is NOT an elite player (just an Elite scorer who gives up as many chances as he makes), turns down $100 million, you take what you can get and Waddell actually did well. By not signing Kovy, the franchise will NOT be finacially crippled for the next 10 years and signing two dozen journeymen to join Kovy on a 10 win, last place team (with a superstar crying “why can’t he get me better teammates?” , duh, because you make the entire teams cap yourself idiot). Now some of the younger, and less heralded studs can be signed early in their careers for long extensions. Better to have a half-dozen very good players than one elite scorer (who can’t play any defense) and 5 retreads surrounding him.

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Oh, and overall I think Waddell has done a horrible job (over the past decade plus), but this trade was not one of his big goofs.

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Don Waddell absolutely must be FIRED! Good lord, how is this man still in a job?

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I feel bad for the players most. I really liked the team this year with so many character guys and a mature Kovy. Antropov came her because FWadd said he wold resign Kovy. If FWadd had signed him before the season or early in the season when he should have it would be a different story for sure.

When I think of the talent the Thrashers have let slip away I get sick in the stomach Brunett, Savard, Heatley, Hossa, Coburn etc… Sure they were all necessary moves at the time but FWadd should have never let it get to that point.

Oduya has 4 points 4 points in 40 games. Bergfors is not close to a proven commodity. The Jr. league kid is suspended for the rest of the year because he’s a thug.

And when the hell is Anderson going to develop the talent we have Bogo AND Little regressed this year and Kaine is fading fast.

I knew NJ had nothing to trade so when I heard we traded to them I knew the deal would stink.

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The Devils are now assured a Stanley Cup.

The Thrashers are now assured to move out of Atlanta.

Thanks FWadd.

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“The sky is falling, The sky is falling!”

I guarantee you that nobody who knows a damn thing about hockey is sad to see Kovalchuk leave. Hockey is a team sport with which Kovy is essentially unfamiliar.

I’ll buy being angry about what the rest of the NHL are saying and will continue to say about the owners and the fans… half fair and half unfair.

Seriously, The Thrashers have a very good chance of being better. Imagine how free the team feels now, free to play hockey and not worry about force-feeding their one-trick-pony.

I like Scott Burnside’s take

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=burnside_scott&id=4888710

PS. To all you Devil fans… good luck! He may just play up to his potential. It’s too bad that for him it takes more than the love for the fans, his teammates and those blessed paychecks to inspire him. He’s yours now!

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I miss the Atlanta Knights. THEY knew how to win.

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Ya, I am still available if Mr. Waddell wants me ya.. Ya I am good player ya. I from Sveden, ya. First pick overall of Trasher franchise ya. Mr. Schultz, please write am available ya…

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Wow…it certainly is nice to see 4 pages of comments on a hockey blog here. It’d be nice if half the posters could define “icing” and “breakout.”

Couple observations: Waddell has underachieved. There’s no doubt about that. They just showed a stat on sportscenter of the top 4 goal scorers since 2001. It’s Kovalchuk, Iginla, Heatley, and Hossa.
3 former Thrashers…ouch. Savard is kicking butt up in Beantown and Coburn would look awful nice in Anderson’s system of puck moving defensemen.

That being said, he hasn’t been absolutley awful like everyone has said. He may not be so great with the hotshots, but he has a knack for picking up the guys that stick with the team and grind it out. Slater (while not a first rounder, has been invaluable on faceoffs and finishing the penalty kill with some energy), Peverly, Hedberg, he stole Savard from Calgary…Kubina and Antropov have been great. And everyone laughed when he invited Max Afinegenov to camp and now Max’s career has taken off again. Plus Kane and Bogosian are working out just fine. And who cares if Daulton Levilee is still playing in college. Folks, this isn’t football. Kids get drafted at 18 and play in college or juniors for 4 years AFTER being drafted before jumping to the pros, and even then, it’s usually at rhe minor league level. The fact that Kane and Bogosian are contributing at the NHL level is amazing.

Keeping Kovy for what he wanted would have been stupid. Even if Kovy had taken the offer Waddell gave him, that’s still a lot of eggs in one basket. Anyone who has a basic knowledge of a budget should be able to see that. Kovy sayin he wanted to stay here was obviously a load of crap.

And I’m not sure who’s been watching (and by reading some comments, not everyone on here has been), but we’re 1 win out of a playoff spot. We just lost 2 1 goal games that would, had we won them, would have us in 5th or 6th or something. The 100 million dollar man didn’t score a goal in. either game, but an Olympic defenseman in either of those games would have been nice…news flash, we just got one.

Were right in the thick of things. We won without kovy earlier in the year. So, if you get a chance, come check out a Thrashers game. It may not be as spellbinding as Parkview vs Chattahoochee but it’s a lot of fun and there’s plenty of room on the bandwagon.

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Oh yea Jeff, Kovy was a plus player how many years? Kovy played great defense and showed great leadership didn’t he? All the ignorant fans do not surprise me, but I can honestly see why the ajc is where it is today. Kovy was never a player you build around, and he is certainly not worth any more than Rick Nash got in Columbus at 8.3 million. This team has a chance to build a true identity with all of these young players. Kovy was the Dion Sanders of the Thrashers. The prospect is hardly nothing, he was only the captain of the Canadian Junior hockey team. DW is not a great GM, but you can’t slam him for not retaining players who never wanted to be here in the first place. Great teams are built from the draft up. Until now this team has never gone in that direction. I cannot understand why people were so obsessed with Kovalchuk. He had a great wrister from the left circle and a great point slap shot, thats IT.

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Just a little perspective from a Devils fan on the players Atlanta acquired. First off, many outlets are portraying Oduya as the key chip in the trade. In my opinion it’s Bergfors. I see the players involved like this:

Bergfors – Very nice skills overall. Very good stickhandler, can carry the puck a bit. Pretty good along the boards at times, but can also get pushed off the puck and plastered quite a bit. Still needs to adjust to strength of NHL players and speed of the game. Good, not great skater, pretty quick, not overly fast. Pretty reliable defensively and can play a creative offensive game. Decent forechecker. Seems to display a good attitude, although he’s very quiet and reserved and that may come off as a little indifferent or lazy. Has a decent array of shots. Probably a bit smaller than he is listed. Overall, should be a solid 20-30 goal second line winger for quite a while.

Oduya – Quite a good skater in terms of speed, had a tendency to trip over his own feet while skating backwards in his first few seasons, but seems to be over that. Good puck skills, can carry the puck, pretty good low, hard shot. Had a reputation as a very tough player in Sweden, but at 5-11 195ish, doesn’t play that way in the NHL. Certainly not a soft player. Shows the ability to go back and get the puck on dump ins and occasionally very good puck carrying ability. His biggest negatives are probably vision and hockey sense. Technically, he has the skills to probably be a #2, 40 point type defenseman. he doesn’t see or think the game well enough to get to that level however. Playing with Paul Martin last season made him look better than he actually is. On a good team, you’d want him to be your #4 defenseman. Makes about $1M per season more than he should.

Cormier – Tough, physical, responsible defensively, strong on faceoffs. Good character guy…until the past month or so, showed no signs of being a dirty player, although he’s certainly always been an aggressive hitter. Skates well, but he’s really a meat and potatoes player. His offense is pretty much limited to a heavy shot. Doesn’t handle the puck well or think the game very well offensively at all. He’ll be an excellent forechecker, PK guy, physical depth forward, but I don’t see him ever being more than a 3rd liner and he may only wind up as a 4th liner.

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Would you guys still buy tickets if Cormier elbowed Waddell in the head before each game?

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Jeff acts like they just traded away the Stanley Cup. Hell, they were losers with him and if they are losers without him, no big deal. And since Philips was usually only half full, just how much star power did he have.

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Kevin, go to school and learn how to read and write WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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if we hurry, we can probably get damian rhodes back in a uni

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I bet topp dogg supported Vick usein dogs for fights to and as for waddell he had a 10 year plan +5 as always NJ has won 3 stanley cups what we done…detroit 4 since waddell left them (they laughin at us now) so i said people in NJ will think why thrashers play in a sewer of a downtown also so fair in love n war n obama has change comin in 2012 when he is gone….

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Yea, it looks to me like another Flames story. The Thrashers will not be Atlanta much longer.

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I don’t blame Kovy. I wouldn’t want to play here either, considering the 5, 10, 15 year plan appears to be a perpetually mediocre product. Even though this trade is just a playoff rental we should have tried to get some help for this years playoffs. Hell at the time of the trade they were only 1 point out of the playoffs. Long term doesn’t cut it if you don’t survive through the short term. Waddell has to go if for no other reason to convince the remaining fans that ownership cares. We know for certain at this point what he brings to the table.

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Jeff; once more; thanks for your reporting during this fiasco. In a town where no sports person(electronic or written media) seems to give a crap about anything but the dawgs(whatever); you’ve been a Godsend.
An absolutely horrible trade & the death knell for the franchise. A few weeks ago; we were talking maybe Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux & Ryan Parent(Flyers); now a rookie with 13 goals/a no-name basic defenseman & a nutcase rookie?
Goodbye, Thrashers; it’s been a lot of fun for me & my family. Maybe on a business trip sometime; we’ll catch you in Winnipeg/Kansas City/Portland, etc….

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Kovy an “elite player”? LMAO

JS where do you get this stuff? Has he collected points on bad teams? Yeah. That hardly makes one an elite player. Elite players in sports like hockey and basketball (and baseball in many cases) play offense AND defense. I distinctly remember an elite player named Michael Jordan being pretty good on BOTH ends of the court. Kovy should NEVER be described as such.

Tell us all this JS. IF Kovy had signed that RIDICULOUS multi-year deal that our idiot offered him would your article had been slanted to the “Thrashers overpaid for a one-dimensional player setting the franchise up to NEVER be competetive?”

I will give you this, under Wads they in-fact may never actually be competetive, regardless of this deal but you can bet every dollar you have that signing that player long-term at that % of cap space would have been the nail in the coffin for hockey in Atlanta. This, at least, keeps us on a ventilator a little bit longer.

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Who cares ! The economy is in shambles.Young U.S. soldiers are dying in ratholes overseas and some thug hockey player turns down millions of dollars .How much do they pay fireman for going into burning buildings to save children ???

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One word, six letters – STUPID!

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH…..Fleeced AGAIN, good luck with those players….did I mention that I’m laughing my @$$ off, I’m not even a New Jersey fan but they sure know their hockey….The only thing I don’t understand is why he didn’t ship out Kane and Bogo with him for even more nobodies

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Hey DevilsFan80 – I got a pretty good idea of what is going to happen. There will be some initial excitement. He’ll play hard, get a point or two and then, some Tuesday night or so, you’ll catch him doing figure eights while your defense scrambles against an odd man rush. This will come just after he has rushed down the left side, come to a quick stop because he has no backhand or power move, and he’ll make an ill-advised cross ice pass that will be picked off. Your coach, who is defense minded, will grow angry at this. He will let it slide a game or two but at some point, in a tight game, he’ll begin shortening his shifts or cut his overall playing time. Kovy will get pissed and pretty much decide then that he won’t sign with you either.

Then it is summer and we ALL get to watch as NOBODY comes close to paying (at least in the US) Kovy the money he turned down here.

I bet that is pretty close to how this plays out, imo.

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I have had season tickets from day one. I have watched the owners and Waddell turn this team in the equivalent of the Clippers. I told my Thrashers rep to stop calling me. I am done. Imagine the gall of Waddell in his statement saying they had not won while Kovy was here! Duh! Could that be because we have brain dead under capitalized owners and the most incompetent GM in sports. I guess it is a new 10 year plan. I hope the new kid gets out of the penalty box every now and then. I am finished

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This trade makes absolutely no sense; however, as far as iso Joe of the fade away jumper with a hand in his face and 1 second on the shot clock goes, I think the Hawks would be a better team with Crawford at the two and whatever name free agent can be brought in with the differences in their salaries

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Time for the Thanshers to leave town – maybe some other city would like to experience semi-pro hockey for a while…

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I`ve been watching illya x the past few games…he left weeks ago.What`s a small money pit market supposed to do?After all this is hockey in the deep south!Look at how much $$ The Carolina Computer guy has lost!Look at Tennesse!Arizona!TampaBay!Florida!These southern teams continue to bleed money,and former yankees or mid westrnerners are NOT enough to come and see their former towns` teams.If you can, you have to start with younger,hungrier players with an exiting type of game,,,and hoping tha some of those youngsters will become stars,while staying put in these southern teams,maybe that`s a solution,MAYBE! Hey,a lot of Canadian teams are having similar problems[Edmonton,Calgary ,etcc]The league needs less,stronger,more competitive teams and less TB,Fla,Tenn.and yes Atlanta{flames o r thrashers].Big markets; big money show.C`est la vie!Can`t change this flow,cannot change the local culture or its hunger for specific sports[football,college or pro],college basketball.How`s the basketball in Emonton?see what i mean?

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The Thrashers organization has become of mirror of the Pirate organization in MLB. It is a de facto minor league program that provides star talent to the NHL.

If a good player is picked up while giving away better players, the organization cannot/will not spend to retain the pickup. If a prospect turns into a good NHL player, the organization will not/cannot pay to keep him and “farms” him out to true NHL organizations for less expensive (read prospects) players.

It is so depressing to think would might have been if we have an engaged, vibrant and committed ownership for this organization.

The very fact that this organization has allowed a general manager to remain in place who has never provided a roster to head coaches that is competitive within the NHL says all you need to know about the state of hockey ownership in Atlanta.

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Kovalchuk trade and Waddell’s futility aside, I, for one, will not renew my season tickets along with 20 others in my group until the Spirit Group decides to either sell this franchise to someone local to give it a real fighting chance or else makes the commitment to grow the team and market it solidly around town. It all starts at the top and they are so smitten with basketball and totally ignore the hockey base.

In essence, until the effort to show commitment is shown, I, as much as I hate it, am through.

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Nearly 375 comments in just this blog on this subject and people say there aren’t hockey fans in Atlanta?? What a load of bull. There are plently of fans just dying for the team to give them what they deserve, a team with a chance to win every night, make the playoffe and advance in the playoffs. Have we had that in the last 10 years, the 4-0 sweep by NYR not withstanding?

And another thing, for those of you defending Waddell and saying those of us who criticize him don’t know hockey, I’d be MORE than happy to compare my knowledge of hockey to yours.

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“This isn’t a knock on Kovy, but Kovy’s been here eight years and we still haven’t won a playoff game.” Don Waddell

Well, you know, Mr. General Manager, maybe Kovy wasn’t aware that – in addition to being the franchise player – he was also supposed to do your job for you and build a team that could at least make it to the playoffs more than once a century.

By the way, Mr. Waddell, would you kindly explain to this Thrashers fan, just what it is that you do as an NHL General Manager?

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As I predicted a long time ago. Kovy new everything a year ago that he knows now. That’s when Waddell should have begun trade talks. Kovy’s trade value dropped every day he waited to pull the trigger. $101 million too little and no playoff wins to show-there was no other choice. This is a team game and we fans need to suck it up and support our guys. This is about winning not about individual stats. Although I’m depressed and I often watched to see if Kovy would score I will find new reasons to watch. Go Thrashers.

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Atlanta is a city that could support a really good minor league hockey team. Don seems to be the right guy in the right seat to make that happen – give him some credit for that. All we need now is to change leagues and lower the ticket prices. (We’ve always had the stupid and overly loud heavy metal music and kitchy entertainment – the most ridiculous mascot in the NHL who would fit in nicely in the minors.)

Maybe we could even re-name our new minor league team …… how about Knights??

Seriously – what would the real hockey fans rather have here in Atlanta. A decent high-level minor league team with a chance of winning and ticket prices lots of people can afford …… or a low quality, over-priced NHL team that is boring to watch with really awful management?

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If you bought season tickets, I don’t think there is any reason not to go. You’re already invested voice your displeasure or go cheer the laundry. Giving up all those goals though is going to hurt the franchise. Ilya checked out early. He wasn’t staying here for that money. He’ll sign elsewhere for less. I get it, the guy is gone he was full of crap the entire time and he really just wanted out to go to a contender.

I guess the plan now is to play much better defense physically pound people and hope losing the Ego helps…. but when you look at the really good bonified teams…. they aren’t shipping off superstars because they can’t afford them. Edmonton went in the toilet after Gretzky left. Crosby signed for less so they could keep Malkin etc…. when Kovy is looking at his peers essentially (Ovy) I can’t really blame that number either.

Would you want to play for a franchise that shipped off every great player that you ever had a chance to play with? You wouldn’t want to work for that company either….becuause that company is run by people who do not care about success.

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Kovy will not stay in N.J. He wants to choose. He also is a fan of warm weather as he has stated many times. Hopefully he will decide to go west. It is time to move on and welcome the new guys while continuing to support the rest of the team.

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Jeff, so what exactly should Waddell have done differently? Jeez, if $101M can’t keep him here, he obviously didn’t want to be here for any price.

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Clay, “so what exactly should Waddell have done differently?”. He needed to find out at the beginning of the season if Ilya was interested in signing. If not he should have traded him at the beginning of the season so that he could have gotten real value…Also it is stupid to announce that you have to trade a player and how desperate you are to teams looking to trade….Our 2nd round and there first round pick will be about the same position…Our 2nd round will be about the 35th pick and their first round will be about a 30th pick…We also got a player suspended for the season and another that will be a free agent next year….So basically we traded our best player to ever come through here for a late 2nd round pick…Hooray!!!Great job….Atlanta has had 3 of the top 4 goal scorers since 2001 and NONE are still here…As far as hockey in Atlanta people will come if you put a solid product on the floor…You should have been here the last 2 months when we won the division. Put something worth watching and people will come….I just have to laugh to keep from crying

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By the way his other great draft choice that has never panned out that goes by the name of Carry LetOneIn will be gone as well by the end of the Olympic Break. When does Waddell stop getting a pass. Nice guy, lousy GM. It’s over Johnny, it’s over

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The only constant in these last 11 years of “hockey” is Dan Waddell. I honestly cannot believe he is still the GM. I’m a huge thrashers fan but Philips Areana looks emptier every season. This could be a hockey town if the Atlanta Spirit ever took the game seriously. They haven’t and this is what we have. How does Hamilton Thrashers sound?

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New Jersey?, the New Jersey Devils?, are you kidding me?, what are they thinking?, and what did we get…oh jeez Marge…what a mess

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Well they have done it again! I for one will not renew my season tickets in the future as long as Waddel is at the helm.

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What does it say about Atlanta’s ownership that a guy – any guy – would turn down $101 million dollars to play here? If Kovy wants to win, he needs to go elsewhere. I see no reason for him to accept any offer -no matter how huge- if it means he’ll waste the prime of his career on a middling team which will never contend for the Cup while it’s run by this group of incompetent owners.

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What did Waddell say! Giving Kovy the money would hurt the ability to sign future promising young players. That statement might have worked the first few years of rebuilding, but that Thrashers have not kepted anyone. They also get crap in return when they do trade a quality player. A team with no direction, crappy GM, obvious clueless ownership. I truly believe there is plenty of Hockey fans in Atlanta, but why waste their time and money watching the Thrashers. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. The ownership needs to show that they want to stay in Atlanta or go move the franchise. The Hockey fans in Altanta don’t deserve this mess. They traded any one that they could possiblity build around and they have not gotten anyone in return to even suggest they will be that person. I hope Waddell does not play the stock market because he probably buys high and sells low. Fire Waddell and give the fans a piece of hope!

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[...] While the trade of Ilya Kovalchuk did not represent a departure for the Thrashers from past dealings with their impending unrestricted free agents, Thursday’s deal is different in one way: It’s earlier in the season than previous trades and the team is still in the playoff race. [...]

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Danny Heatley- the list goes on and on and on…until the Thrashers are gone as well

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[...] While the trade of Ilya Kovalchuk did not represent a departure for the Thrashers from past dealings with their impending unrestricted free agents, Thursday’s deal is different in one way: It’s earlier in the season than previous trades and the team is still in the playoff race. [...]

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I love Kovy, but it’s too easy to slam Waddell here. All GM’s work within a budget. Does he have unlimited authority to pay the max to Kovy? I doubt it. $10mm/season for 7 seasons is pretty strong. If Kovy really wanted to play here forever, he could accept a half-million or a million less per season and not be the highest-paid player in the NHL, which I don’t think he deserves.

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Danny Heatley wanted out of ATL, not the other way around. Can’t blame that on Waddell. ATL (team and fans) did everything to help Heatley after his accident. He’s a nutjob IMO.

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Nice move Dummy..I spit out me coffee when I heard what we got for Kovy..2 puck bags, a guy that’s not playing and the first pick, (should be oh let’s see, the 25-29th pick overall). What the?!!!

Let’s see shall we, who Fraudell has traded, left out shuffled off etc. Granted some of these guys where nearing the end of the road, but many where not…and still play with great teams. You could have had a contenter Dummy..

Donald Audette
Peter Bondra
Andrew Brunette
Braydon Coburn…ouch that one hurt!
Ray Ferraro…ok he was serviceable
Dany Heatley..well, OK tough one there..
Marian Hossa..never forgive that guy though, he mailed it intoo many games
Brian Pothier
Marc Recchi
Marc Savard…THE dumbest move…ever!
Keith Tkachuk
More I’m sure..but look who we got in return!!
It’s no wonder Donny boy was named the WORST GM in the NHL.
When does the Spirit, er, ahh, well nevermind, they’re clueless.
So, what does this mean for the Atlanta hockey fan and the franchise? Na na na na, hey hey hey goodbye!
Thanks for sticking us with an idiot like Wads, for 8 years too long! I just about threw up this AM watching the NHL network to actually see him up there saying this was a great trade. Hey Berkfors, thanks for your 13 goals, Oduya..maybe, and Cormier? Sleep all day, get up for practice for your junior team and watch the game from the stands.
NOT ONE MORE DOLLAR WILL BE LIFTED FROM MY WALLET FOR THIS CLUSTERF***
There, I feel so much better, but I aint coming back…

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Kudos to Jeff Schultz for consistently being the only member of Atlanta sports media to demand accountability out of the Thrashers brass. Kovalchuk did not leave for more money. He left to be with a winner. And once he gets a taste of it, he’ll never look back.

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My first real chance at winning the Stanley Cup. Priceless!

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This is when I wouldn’t miss the next game for the world!! Saturday night should be fun!! 10 dollar ticket, front row seats! Lotsa booing!! Probably some good fights in the stands as well!

Also, anyone who thinks KC would get the Thrashers, well you overlook the fact that KC has the worst economy in the US, poor local tv, and would be a worse fit for hockey than Atl. The Leafs are not going to let a team go to Hamilton…forget it. Winnipeg…well, didn’t that prove out once before about their market problems? I mean their first team went to Phoenix for crissakes!

Atlanta is a top ten tv market in the US. Certainly, it is all based on potential, but none of the markets above offer anything near what Atl can offer if the franchise is ran correctly. Bettman will not let Atl lose a franchise easily. He may not do anything about the current product, but letting Atl lose the franchise puts him at risk in his job because it would be admitting failure to bring hockey to the SE US, which he will not do.

As far as Kovy leaving, well, DW hands were and are tied. I do challenge his claim that 20% of the cap to one player is too much, ownership doesn’t allow the team to come near the cap. Heck, we had to sign a player last year to make the minumum! We’re gonna move Lehts as well, we may have a minimum issue bigtime next year!

In the end, the team needs to be sold and kept local and there needs to be an adjustment in management. Waddell hasn’t provided much on his end, so wether he’s inept or not, he should be fired based soley on performance.

We’ve lost two of the three biggest draft picks, with the the third about to go. We bring in over the hill players, sign them long term, then get stuck.

We cannot sustain contracts with those brought in through trades (Hossa, Savard).

Sorry Don, gotta go.

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Read a lot of the posts here and I think the majority of the folks are missing the point. Here are a couple of reasons
a. there is a salary cap in the NHL, and it’s going to go down (economy)
b. Kovalchuk wanted to be the highest paid player in the league? He’s good, but no Ovetchkin,Crosby even Malkin.
c. If there was a better deal out there ATL would have taken it …period
d. NO TEAM was going to GUT their club for a player that potentially walks at seasons end, he’s an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere he wants.
e. $ 101,000,000 …….. really? He must want out badly to turn that down.
f. Atl. keeps him for the remainder of the season, and he leaves (obviously because $101 mil isn’t enough) and Atl gets zilch. (then cry for Gm’s head)
I’m up in Canada and admitedly haven’t watched alot of games the Thrashers played but from what I’ve read or watched on TV, Ilya seems like a kinda selfish, offense only player. If he really wanted to stay, as he said, what more could Atl have done…reasonably within the salary cap. Remember you still have to have players around him and they want to get paid. It sounds like you folks don’t like your ownership, again know nothing of them, but Mr Buttman must have vetted them and I can’t believe that they are not dedicated 100% hockey people with only the best interests of the game in their hearts (sarcasm intended)
Let him go folks.. he didn’t want to be there. Support your team you don’t want to lose another.

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@Hacker_Dawg

Coach Lemaire is used to dealing with a player that doesn’t play defense. He had Gaborik in Minnesota. I’m more worried about him screwing up the chemistry of the team than him playing any kind of defense. We have plenty of guys who do play D that can cover for him if necessary. To be honest, I don’t think he will resign with us either. I’m hoping Lou ships out his rights before the start of free agency and gets something for him. Although stranger things have happened and it’s a very small possibility he could resign.

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People Amaze Me, you’ve got to be kidding, right?

Kovy wanted to stay here. He also wanted to be part of a legit contender, something that the ownership/GM is not capable of providing. Oh they promised him the Thrashers would be but how much BS is he supposed to take? Would you stay on a sinking ship People Amaze Me? That’s what this franchise has been from day one, a sinking ship. I don’t blame the guy one bit. You wanna talk about stringing people along? Look at what D-Wad has PROMISED the fan base over 11 years. Look at what D-Wad promised Kovy over eight! Look at what D-Wad delivered: one year of contending. The rest, NOTHING!

Here’s the result of the ASG, “mastermind” Don Waddell (more like a$$termind) and their brilliance:

Season Ending Results

Last (30th)*
28th*
Last again
23rd (Minnesota makes the playoffs in ONLY their 3rd season!)
21st (maybe he stole Doug Risebrough’s notebook?)
19th (I could have signed this roster, maybe even you)
12th (an off year for the D-Wad)
28th (haven’t we been here before?)
27th (don’t worry, the 10 year plan is almost here!)
Currently 25th (future HOF Captain is traded – wtf?) and BARELY over .500

*ASG not culpable

Don Waddell is an idiot. Don Waddell is a liar. Don Waddell is THE WORST excuse for a GM in any pro sport on the planet, period. He had Turner money for the 1st two years here and built nothing! If he was half as intelligent as you make him out to be, he would have turned over the reins of this pony to someone else long ago.

You are either his wife or him. Really, that can be the only reasoning behind your asinine perspective. In either case, this franchise has been doomed since day one.

Again friends, the Glads are worth your time and $.

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Well I stayed with you long enough. I am now sure you dont want to go anywhere with this team.
I guess I will go back to the Bruins.

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Can any NHL team seriously pay $10 million a year to anyone? Seriously? Where do they get the cash?

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I can’t believe the Thrashers didn’t get a better offer for Kovy. I mean you gave up the franchise and acquired role players and a crappy draft pick. Oduya is garbage. You could have signed a minor leaguer and he would make the same impact as Oduya will. Cormier is a disaster waiting to happen. He is already known for being an extremely dirty player with a bad temper. The first round pick for 2010 is going to be crap since the devils were one of the top 4 teams without Kovy. Bergfors is the only bright spot in the trade, but he is no where close to the player Ilya Kovalchuk is. He is a solid prospect at 22 years old with room to grow.

Trading Kovy was the first step for the Thrashers to relocate to Canada. It’s only a matter of time.

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Thrashers fans. I know it hurts to lose your best player. But you know what hurts more? Paying someone who plays only side of the rink and demands $101 mil contract. No player is good at an infinite pay. You guys will be better off in the long run. Now letting Heatley go – that was a mistake (don’t think you had a choice but nonetheless).

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Hey Cormier..if you can read these rants, you’d better be ready to come in here and make an impact. If you think you’re a tough guy in the “Q”, try and elbow some guys head off in the bigs…your life expectancy would be less than zero. If you come here and work hard, know your place and try, just try to live up to your expectations, maybe, just maybe the fans here, (if there’s any left), might be on your side. If not, you’ll just be some snotty nosed punk coming from the juniors with a big resume and nothing to back it up.

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You people don’t get it…No one said to pay what Kovalchuk was asking for…A real GM would have figured this out sooner and got something in return, or if they did wait until now they wouldn’t let the WHOLE league know exactly how desperate they are…If I was wanting to sell my house for $200,000 I wouldn’t let everyone know that I had to sell it now for anything I could get or go bankrupt and then act surprised when EVERONE low balled me.

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Look folks, I know these are seemingly tough times for the Thrash but really, what’s new here? When Kovy was out with his foot injury, did it make us less competitive? No. The team played the same way and if our goals-for was down while he was out, it was probably negligible.

Currently, it does suck that we lose the best player that we’ve ever had and one of the top NHL players of the era but it’s not all bad. We’ve had 8 seasons of Kovy and he alone could not take us to a Cup, we had to go out and get other names to supplement him like Keith TKachuk to actually make us better. It takes a team not one individual to make the Thrash a winner. The bottom line is, don’t listen to what people say, watch their actions.

This organ-eye-zation bent over backwards for this man: The consulted him on the roster in the off season (btw: I wonder what Nik Antropov really thinks now?), they named him team Captain (which he rightfully deserved), and they gave him and offer that any great player could not refuse and still, he turned his nose up at it. Why? He didn’t really want to be here and he doesn’t trust the stability of the franchise.

This is a business as we all know but I thought Kovy was a bit dishonest in his dealings and posturing through out this whole process. The Thrasher’s kissed his ass as best they could but in the end, Kovy just didn’t want to be here. DW did a magnificent in the off season putting together some great pieces. Now, with Kovy out of the mix, perhaps those pieces can shine…. Lord knows they have a chance to prove Kovy wrong and they have a completely clean slate to work from.

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WADDELL SAID KOVY HAD BEEN HERE EIGHT YEARS AND THE THRASHERS HADN’T WON A PLAYOFF GAME. STRANGE BUT I THINK WADDELL HAS BEEN HERE EIGHT YEARS AND THE THASHERS HAVEN’T WON A PLAYOFF GAME. SOME GM. IN HIS CASE MAYBE GM MEANS GENERAL MORON.

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Personally I was glad to see Kovy leave. He is a superstar no doubt. But I truly believe for him it was all about money. How much can I demand? I think it is time that all the sports teams stop feeding the money hungry stars and driving up prices so that fans can’t afford to attend the games. Yes, I know that teams make money. They do so because people continue to pay ridiculous prices to see the games. I think it is time that all sports was given a wake up call. Reduce your monetary requirements on your fans. Become once again America’s Pasttime. Become fun again. Stop crying folks over a star who bought his way out of a city. Regardless, of what he said, he truly didn’t want to be a Thrasher unless his demands were met. Good by Kovy. Good luck with new team. I truly wish you the best but am glad that someone said no to high demands.

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Kovy priced himself out of a place where he stated he wanted to be. BS if ever been. He didn’t want to stay unless two things could be done. 1. A championship team (Never happen as long as Kovy tried to control things and tied up too much money)
2. The maximum amount of money possible under NHL guidelines. Not willing to drop down at all according to his agent who stated they never moved off their original demands.
Waddell is not the be GM but then he doesn’t have the best ownership group behind him either. Limitations by owners sometimes keeps things from happening the way a GM desires.

Kovy leaving Atlanta isn’t the end. It could be the beginning if we get someone who will be a team person rather than a superstar who tries to do it by self.

Joe Johnson (Hawks)also has that problem from time to time. They lost a game the other night that was tied and Joe tried to take it all the way to basket and lost the ball. Open men but Joe wanted to be the man. I think Joe needs to have confidence in others. Stop being the superstar and be the team player. I know I will get flack for this but isn’t it time to realize winning is about team effort! Whether it is BB or Hockey. Good by Kovy. Good Luck.

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Devil fan here. Hate to see talent have to leave, as I have seen it numerous times in NJ (Gomez, Rafalski, Holik, Gionta, Niedermeyer (even though he wanted to go west)). That is where you need a GM to draft well and find character players to fill holes.

Oduya is not a stay at home defenseman. He is a puck carrying defenseman. Had a good year last year, and that got him his current 3-yr contract which he signed as an UFA.

Cormier got suspended for the elbow to the head of Tam. Ugly hit. He also threw an elbow in the Junior tourney, but that went undisiplined. He was captain of that team, so there is some talent and leadership there. Just has to clean-up his act, but not lose the edge.

Bergfors was injured early in the season last year and spent the rest of the year in Lowell (AHL). Had a good camp and start to the season this year, but really leveled-off over the last 20 games. This was supposed to be his “make or break” year with the team. I guess it will be his break year. Third line player, may grow into a top-6 forward.

Devils will be 10 million under the cap at year’s end. If Kovalchuk fits and wants to stay, there will be room. However, players have taken less than market value to stay in the past (Brodeur, Elias). I don’t think Lou will do anything to mess with that philosophy & chemistry.

Good luck the rest of the season. Only a few points out of the playoffs. With the distraction gone, maybe you can make up some ground.

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In a league, where 16 teams make the playoffs, it is unbelievable the Thrashers could not make it more than once. And then they get swept by a team that wasn’t that great.

Kovy obviously priced himself out on purpose. I dont think he expects that in free agency. Only a foolish team would pay him more than 10M a year. I personally do not think he is worth more than 8M.

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NEWS!!! Kovy will not get the moolah that he`s expecting;not from Lou ! Always known as cheap franchise the Devils will rent him to try for the Cup,,,and if he wont produce astronomical Numbers and wins[stanley cup] he`ll be a free agent,,,after all he aint # 8 of the Washington D,C, team or #87 of the lemieux penguins.He`s good player,yes,but not THAT good.His only hope is that either Cablevision owner of the Rangers[to help them sell that franchise] or the other computer guy from long island will make another atrociuos deal after Di Pietro`s deal.You think that the Thrashers have a lousy GM? About those two idiots from the New York metro area who keep on making in$ane contracts[Percival,Redden,Brashear,etcc]??? And to think that the Rangers GM won multiple Stanley CUps in Edmonton with Gretzky,Lowe,and others,,Is He Really the SaMe Guy?

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Thank you, gabugman.

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