Poll time: Are Thrashers destined for better year than Hawks?
Things are going so well for the Thrashers that Eric Boulton had a hat trick against New Jersey.
Joe Johnson has yet to hit his stride for the Hawks, in part because of injuries.
The Hawks have made the playoffs three straight seasons. The Thrashers have made the playoffs only once in 10 seasons and never have won a postseason game.
So why does it seem like the hockey team is the better of Philips Arena’s two tenants right now?
Seriously: If you had to choose, which team would be your pick to win more games and go farther in the playoffs right now, the Hawks or Thrashers? I’ve got a poll up. Before you make your choice, here are a few things to take note of:
Loading ...♦ TRENDS: Yes, it’s early. Neither the NHL nor NBA are even at the halfway point of the regular season. But the Thrashers (18-11-5) are one of the NHL’s hottest teams (11-2-2 in the last 15). The Hawks (17-12) are 11-12 since a 6-0 start. The Thrashers are coming off a 7-1 flattening of the once-mighty, now-decrepit New Jersey Devils (and Ilya Kovalchuk). The Hawks lost at New Jersey Sunday 89-82. (They play Orlando Monday night at Philips Arena.)
♦ COACHING: The Thrashers’ Craig Ramsay has to be the early leader for NHL coach of the year. He has a team with the league’s lowest payroll in first place. The Hawks’ Larry Drew, whom many considered a surprise replacement for Mike Woodson, actually has done a pretty good job. He has gotten the Hawks to share the ball a lot more on offense. The team also has had more injuries than a year ago (Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Maurice Evans).
♦ IDENTITY/CHEMISTRY/LEADERSHIP: We know what to expect from the Thrashers. They attack from the opening faceoff. They forecheck. They’re fun to watch. Despite the number of new players, they’ve how learned how to play well together. The Hawks have had largely the same roster as the last two years but at times still look like they lack flow and consistency (possibly because of the injuries). The Thrashers have great leadership from Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien. The Hawks’ best leader is Al Horford. That’s not really Johnson’s strength. (On a related note: Johnson made only four of 16 shots in Sunday’s loss.)
♦ FUTURE: The Hawks just watched the Orlando Magic remake their roster in trades because they didn’t think the team they had could succeed in the postseason. The Hawks had the entire offseason to make a major move but chose not to (declining one option: to bring in Shaquille O’Neal). Their most likely candidate to go in a trade is Jamal Crawford, who has value and is in the final year of his contract. But Crawford is a popular and effective player. The big problem: Johnson’s contract precludes the team from being able to do much in the trade market. Rick Dudley has done a masterful job as Thrashers’ general manager. The possibilities for roster additions are limitless, given the Thrashers have tons of salary cap room, but ownership must be willing to increase the payroll first.
♦ BOTTOM LINE: The Thrashers have hit their stride. The Hawks are struggling to find theirs. February and March often are the telling months in NHL and NBA regular seasons. But in December, the Thrashers get the edge.
Agree or disagree? And what are your thoughts on the rest of the season?
♦
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67 comments Add your comment
Nuts for Boults
December 20th, 2010
11:36 am
Let’s Go Thrashers! The band wagon awaits. Jump on board.
This is an exciting team to watch, and a bunch of really nice guys too.
ryan
December 20th, 2010
12:14 pm
Thrashers by far. It’s amazing the Hawks are still in the top 6 of the Eastern conference. The Thrashers need to resign Big Buff and Ladd.
Alan
December 20th, 2010
12:17 pm
It’s pretty obvious that Thrashers have the big edge in this poll and comments and I agree completely, However, that said I wish the Hawks nothing but the best and quite frankly it has to be better for the Thrashers if the owners can profit from both basketball and the arena to give them a little more overall cash flow (hey, maybe they will even use a little more of it on hockey once THEY (Atlanta Spirit) buy into the Thrash potential to rock this town)
ryan
December 20th, 2010
12:21 pm
ATL Sports Expert — “Definitely Thrashers. Their games are only 3 quarters, Hawks have to play 4 so fatigue’s more of a factor”
________________________________________
OMG, Please tell me you were joking when u posted that!
1st. If there are only 3 than they aren’t quarters they are periods.
2nd Each period in hockey is 20 minute, each period in NBA is 12 minutes meaning overall Hockey game is 60 minutes and a BBall game is 48 minutes, meaning the Thrashers have to play more.
DawginLex
December 20th, 2010
12:30 pm
Compare the Falcons,Thrashers and Hawks.
Falcons-Went out and got a coach. Drafted a QB. Had a plan.WINNER
Thrashers-Made moves to improve themselves. WINNER
Hawks-fired coach. Hired dud. Made no moves. Handcuffed themselves to mediocrity with JJ and Co. LOSERS
Matt
December 20th, 2010
12:57 pm
Jeff-regarding your “tweet” on lack of TV coverage. It’s the same old story for the ASG, their marketing blunders know no bounds. I support the Thrashers, but they seem to be succeeding DESPITE ownership.
Now, if the ASG were to sign Buff, Ladd, et al, to extensions and add a legit top 6 forward, I think that would show some serious commitment on the part of the OctoCluster.
:)
December 20th, 2010
2:20 pm
Matt, I don’t know if you can blame the TV situation entirely on the ASG. For most of the teams on Fox Sports stations, they only get 60 games and the other 20 are not aired or picked up by a different station (ok, so you can blame the owners for not getting someone to air them). Also, I’m like 95% sure Versus has Tuesday exclusivity when it comes to the NHL so tomorrow’s game isn’t really their fault either.
Michael Gearon
December 20th, 2010
2:26 pm
440 for the Thrashers to only 27 votes for the Hawks!!?? How can this be possible? How can my master plan get foiled like this??? I can’t believe this is happening, I hate hockey!!
Rock Perdoni
December 20th, 2010
2:31 pm
There have been 58 comments to this column in 21 hours. There are not 1000 people in Atlanta that could name a starter on both the Thrashers and Hawks.
godsmack69
December 20th, 2010
2:52 pm
if asg had any since they would put money in the team with the best chance to succeed. joe johnson’s contract is double of the thrashers entire team.if they would put the salary cap amount into this team we could win the stanley cup,but the idiots of asg are too ignorant to see that
Leon "Pooch-Kick" Trotsky
December 20th, 2010
3:22 pm
Who was the NFL’s first “soccer-style” kicker?
1) Pete Gogolak
2) Charlie Gogolak
3) Jan Stenerud
4) Nosferatu
5) Jurgens Hittin de Bong
SimpleDawg
December 20th, 2010
4:00 pm
Pete
JSS
December 20th, 2010
4:48 pm
Don’t you want to rephrase that to “who was the first soccer-style kicker in professional American football?”
Alan R.
December 20th, 2010
11:35 pm
Hey guys, Thrashers win again!
Dwayne
December 21st, 2010
11:42 am
Hey rock, I can name every player on each team. But you would accuse me of cheating and looking at the current rosters of each team. Having played basketball for most of my life, and never playing hockey, I still choose hockey. Better team sport. I still watch the Hawks, but really can’t stand all “look at me type actions” come on guys, your 6′9″ and getexcited because you can dunk a 10′ basket? Hockey players score a goal and they get a 15 seconds or so to celebrate with team mates on the ice and the team mates on the bench. I wonder if the Hawks top 10 players even know who’s on the end of the bench. Just kidding. If basketball had a 15 second delay after each made basket, would the scorer celebrate with the whole team? or would they run to the first camera and say “look at me”? Never mind, if the did that, the games would last 7.3 hours, and who could stand that? Go Hawks and Go Thrashers, remember, the better both teams are, the more money owners get, the more they spend on good players. And by the way Hawks fans, the owners are known as the Octotards or the Atlanta Spririt A$$ Clowns.
theokeydoke
December 21st, 2010
2:03 pm
Hockey? Must be a slow news day.
ATL RAISED INDY LIVING
December 22nd, 2010
2:45 pm
WORM, i am just going to assume that you were being SARCASTIC and leave it at that..I mean i am really , really hoping you were being SARCASTIC , WORM…if not, then you’re just really, really dumb worm