It's -- WEEKEND!

For the first time in, like, forever I actually have a weekend off. That's the price you have to pay when you sell your soul work retail. Such is life, I suppose. However, I'm making the most of this weekend. Tonite I'm heading up to the North Georgia State Fair in Marietta and then somehow going to get a sufficient amount of sleep for the following day.

Saturday is, uh, Super Sports Saturday...? Putting the lame alliteration to a halt, we all know (as you are avid readers of WWD, I AM SURE) that tomorrow is the opening day of the Atlanta Thrashers training camp, held at their practice facility in Duluth. I do this every year and it's sooooo great. It's always great to reacquaint myself with the familiar - Ilya, Kari, Slava, etc. What's really awesome about training camp is all of the new people that will cause much head-scratching. Last year, there were questions about Bryan Little, Brett Sterling, and Tobias Enstrom (among some others, I'm sure). This year, it's time to get to know Marty Reasoner, Ron Hainsey, Jason Williams, and, of course, ZACH BOGOSIAN.

Really, all anyone has done during the summer is get high on Zach Bogosian, the Thrashers' first round draft choice. Some say he is the next coming of Christ (eh...), others (not many) say they would prefer him to hang out in juniors for a minute before just being tossed into the man-eating "waters" of the NHL. I mean, the kid is only 18 and he has the Thrashers' defense on his shoulders. It's kinda ridiculous.

Note my skepticism. That's what makes training camp so wonderful. Finally all of the bullshit-talking during the off-season ends and the real business is attended to. A good deal of questions will be answered during the next couple of weeks. Thank God, I say.

So that's my Saturday morning. Totally fun, right? I come back down south for a second and then make my way BACK up to Atlanta to catch my first (and only) Braves game of the season as they take on my faves, the Mets. Before publicly displaying any kind of animosity against the Mets, please keep in mind that they are the team that brought it home during my younger years... you know, the mid-80s. So, yeah, you can definitely say that I have an attachment to them. Also, it's just fun to yell "LARRY!" whenever that third baseman of the Braves takes to the field.

And then my Sunday is spent quietly selecting my fantasy hockey roster in my killer league (ID=17007, password=blueland), probably blogging about it, and then blogging some more about the camp experience from the previous day. Totally rad, right?! Like, so totally!

It's always difficult to get decent pics at the Ice Forum, so I'll do my best, but I make no guarantees. It's worked in my favor in the past years (2006, 2007). I just can't wait for this weekend! And it's already started!

OMG, SO EXCLAMATORY!

On Waddell, the Rangers, and a Fresh Start!

Tonight is the last night that the Thrashers are in town until November 6th. That's 19 days away from Philips Arena, 19 days away from Blueland, and 19 days away from familiarity. Well, familiarity is kinda tossed aside because there's a new coach in town.

General Manager Don Waddell resumes the pose tonight for another shot at coaching. Don't even begin to think that this is a possible permanent position though. Jennifer at Southeast Shootout provides a list of candidates to take over once everything's been said and done. Waddell is apparently seizing the moment, too. While some might question whether this massive early-season road trip is a prime time to look for a new head honcho, Waddell said that the timing couldn't be better... and he might be right (for a change). During the 19-day absence from Philips Arena, the Thrashers stop in Tampa (one too many times), Nashville, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. Traveling to Canada will provide the team's think-tank time and a bunch of miles to come up with great ideas on how to get the team on the tracks for success and who's gonna provide direction from here on out.

As for this evening's tilt against the New York Rangers (remember them?), Blueland Blog's Micah posted Waddell's slotting of forwards to deal with Drury, Gomez, Shanahan, etc. Considering that the Rangers were picked by some to bust out of the gate early and be quick contenders, the Rangers have stumbled themselves (although they do have two more wins than Le Thrash) and are probably looking to come to Atlanta and do what they did best back in April - pwn the Thrash. Hopefully the Thrashers will be able to combat against the Rangers' depth as well as King Henrik and collect their first two points of the season.

I'm planning on going to the game, and hopefully I'll be able to get seats. For every Thursday home game this season, the AJC is offering 2-for-1 tickets in certain sections of the Arena. I'd like to take advantage of this, so please forget I just mentioned anything about it.

Speaking about tonight's game plan (again, here), Marian Hossa stated that the team plans on playing with the puck some more, as opposed to doing the trademark Bob Hartley dump-n-chase game that generated a bunch of criticism throughout his time here. Hopefully the players will respond to some kind of game plan (or create their own - Holik, you're the captain, come up with something!) or everyone will do whatever they want and zhit's gonna get disorganized and out of whack quick. Waddell assembled this squad, and now it's his turn to coach.

It's time to get something started in Blueland and what better time than now? Let's go Blue!

LET'S GO THRASHERS!

Tonite's the Night... Kinda!

Tonight marks my return to Philips Arena. I'm not exactly a fan of preseason hockey games, but I think tonight is kinda different. Yesterday, the Thrashers trimmed down their roster to 22, strongly suggesting that these are the guys who will have a spot on the bench come October 5th.


Photo courtesy of Women, Fire & Dangerous Things.

After waking up at 445AM this morning for work, the only thing I could think about was the line combinations... how the "real chemistry" begins now... now Kari will work out after a scare from last week... hell, the only thought on my mind was the game this evening! Tonight is a test run for the first month of the season, or at least the first few weeks.

The new acquisitions are in place. Four Baby Thrashers earned promotions. And apparently Kari's groin woes have gone to the way-side.

...

And I just realized I need to get my crap in gear because the game's in 45 minutes! Be prepared for the blog recap tonight... or tomorrow evening... or sometime this weekend!

LET'S GO THRASHERS!

Training Camp Opens Tomorrow! (clicky)

And so it continues - the soap opera that is the upcoming hockey season. This all happens is stages, you know.

June starts with the Stanley Cup and ends with the NHL Draft. Then there's the free-for-all free agency grab in July. August comes around and brings the baby Thrashers to town for a few days to get a taste of the big leagues for a change. And now that we're nearing the halfway point of September, training camp starts up and everyone invited has that chance of making the team.

Of course, players like the Kovys, the Hossas, the Karis, etc. don't have to worry much about making the opening day squad. But the great thing is seeing the younger bunch of players trying for their shot at a full-time membership of an NHL team. This season, unlike others in recent memory, offers the best chance for the young'uns to show up on October 5 and know what's at stake (i.e. the raising of the Southeast Division Championship banner) and more.

What really matters the most to the casual (or any, really) hockey fan is the notion that the fans are one more day closer to the start or another professional hockey season in North America. The game we all love is about to return and the opening of training camp tomorrow morning is one more step closer to that.

All of the subtleties are becoming apparent now and aren't distant memories anymore - they're simply reminders of what's to come. For example, if you're crazy about the Atlanta Thrashers and have attended a game (or 23) at Philips Arena last season, I'll list some things that will get you excited about the upcoming '07-'08 season. If you don't feel a thing from these little snippets, then God help you.

• the beeping of the ticket scanning machines, granting you entry into the Arena.
  
• drowning in a sea of BLUE as you make your way throughout the Arena.
  
• a temperature difference once waking through your designated portal.
  
• getting the first over-priced beer... or that huge brew before the game in the CNN Center.
  
• the smell of the ice.
  
• scrolling text messages (and apparently the over-abundance of Chuck Norris shout-outs).
  
• the sound of the Zamboni.
  
• the booing that meets the referees.
  
• Steve Craig.
  
• Rabid Fans, Heatmisers, and the entire Nasty Nest.

You know, the list is actually pretty endless. I had to stop myself because I was getting tons of chills down the spine and I couldn't put words to my thoughts and the visions that have danced in my head for the past few months.

The same also applies to hearing Blur's "Song 2" on the radio during the summer. Or GNR's "Welcome to the Jungle". Or that damned Tom Petty song that plays whenever the Thrashers get scored against. (Note to self: I HATE that Tom Petty song... because of hockey?)

Tomorrow, all of these things come closer to repeating themselves all over again. The thrills of victory, scoring the OT winner, watching Kari sprawl in the crease to stop that shooter in the shootout to preserve a winning outcome, Ilya going on one knee after he burns the back of the net by his low-percentage (bew-hew!) slapper from the point and the agonies of prolonged stays on the IR, the opposition ending the game by scoring with .5 seconds left (thanks, Carolina!), and ridiculously bad breaks from our own boards are about to be reinvented and revisited (hopefully none of the agonies will return!).

Who's gonna be the playmaker this season? Who's gonna be the rookie to steal the show for the Thrash? Or will ANY rookie step it up?

What's the story going to be for this season? Only time will tell and I'm so excited to know that the Thrashers will keep on improving and become even stronger than before.

You better believe I'll be there tomorrow, with tons of other supporters cheering on the team as they take the ice collectively for the first time since crap went down in April and new additions started trickling in in early July. I'll be one of the many sporting some sort of winter-weather wear (!), my Blueland scarf, and my camera.

See you there! And...

LET'S GO THRASHERS!

Let the floodgates open - fantasy hockey!

If you're a hockey fan (and you better be, if you're reading this blog semi-frequently), this is something that will definitely interest you. Ever try fantasy hockey, or fantasy sports, before? It's a ton of fun - you play the GM and pick your players, rag on your friends/competition a bit, and hopefully come out on top by the season's end! It's really simple, low-maintenance, and you really learn a lot about the league while you actively engage in your favorite sport.

I was just wondering what the reaction was to this. I'm thinking of creating a league for friends or any WE WANT DUNHAM! readers. If anyone is interested, please let me know by either commenting to this entry or email me at foocow@gmail.com.

For some nice introductory words on fantasy hockey (and the same applies to other sports, I assume), check out Adam Poirier's blog (from last season, but still fresh) on the subject and feel your inner hockey prowess!

Oh, and by the way, Yahoo! will host the league - it's free and it's so simple to pick up and digest almost immediately. For more on Yahoo! fantasy hockey leagues, just click the linked text.

Dust off yr BLUE

I guess it's about time that I start getting back into the mix of things. Here at WE WANT DUNHAM!, we care about two things and two things only - hockey and music (we'll get to the latter in a bit). Seeing how there's minimal hockey news going around (unless you're REALLY - read: obsessive - into arbitration discussions and salary developments, which, uh, God help you), there aren't many posts going on around the Thrashers blogosphere. Prospect camp came and went in the blink of an eye... yes, of course, there was the great free agency domino effect that took place in early July... and now, well, there's tons of speculation and, yep, rumors. Personally, I'm no good at any of those two things. I'm too casual of a fan to really start wide-spread inner thoughts and feelings on the subject of my beloved hockey team and their competition. But, since I'm on the topic...

The Thrashers went into this summer's free agency period with a few question marks. A majority of the team's salary is tied up in marquee players such as Ilya Kovalchuk ($5.5 mil) and Marian Hossa ($7 mil) and other overpaid players, namely Bobby Holik ($4.25 mil), and perhaps the addled Steve Rucchin ($2.4 mil). With all of that committed to the upcoming season, the organization was hard-pressed to come up with suitable talent to further the Thrashers "acknowledged" successes from the previous season. Apparently feeling their needs didn't fall into the success plan for this next season, the Thrashers cut ties with Eric Belanger, Jon Sim, Keith Tkachuk, Greg deVries, Andy Sutton, Shane Hnidy, and, most recently, J.P. Vigier. As such, their "replacements" (can you even call them replacement players? uhhh...) are as follows:

Todd White
Eric Perrin
Ken Klee
Chris Thorburn
Pascal Dupuis (resigned)

So, the Thrashers dumped a lot of defensemen in favor of the experienced Klee and the newcomers (TBA, really). They also picked up a solid (yet not true "first-line") center in White, while washing their hands clean of Tkachuk and Belanger. Personally, the times I saw Tkachuk and Belanger on the ice, I didn't feel a bit of regret in going after either prior to the trade deadline last year. "Walt" brought a bunch of personality to the ice each shift and I really felt like he and Kovalchuk developed good chemistry during their brief time together. Also, it was clear that Belanger had a solid impact on a team that was somewhat lacking in the "center with initiative" department, scoring nine goals and fifteen points in a 24-game span.

While I'm still as excited as ever for this '07-'08 season to get started, I'm still questioning these moves. I don't feel that secure with any of them, except the Dupuis signing. Then again, who really skipped around the block when word came down that the Thrashers picked up Eric Belanger from Nashville, from Carolina, in a matter of minutes? I've read random things online about Todd White from Minnesota Wild fans and they've had nothing but positive things to say about his play and his camaraderie with teammates. That's encouraging and all, but I'm still not sold. I think I was one of the few who got mildly excited about Steve Rucchin's addition to the team last season, and I saw how that panned out. The White signing comes off as a similar move to me. Then again, there's more room for surprise with White because I'm admittingly unaware of him; with Rucchin, I clearly remember the role he played on the Anaheim team that went to the Stanley Cup finals years ago, therefore, I knew what kind of player we acquired. And Eric Perrin? We'll see. Still not sold on Klee, either.

There's the free agents we signed and then there's the other side of the issue - dealing with n00bz. This season, expect quite a few, more than the recent Thrashers fan is used to. With just Klee, Zhitnik, Havelid, Exelby, and McCarthy on the current roster, that leaves open at least one more slot on defense. AHL players like Mark Popovic and Boris Valabik will get serious looks during training camp as will up-and-coming European stars Ilya Nikulin and Tobias Enstrom. Surely one of them will make the opening day roster, but who? And how quick will this player fit into their role of NHL defenseman on a daily basis? I don't know, but the thought of that leaves me scratching my head a bit. For offensive flair, we're relying on Brett Sterling, Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, etc. to step up and fit into the NHL roster as well. As a Thrashers fan, I absolutely heard A LOT about these players' roles on the team in Chicago (AHL) - how Sterling was AHL rookie of the year, how Haydar broke scoring records, how the chemistry between those three players was apparently tight. But we need to be reminded that we're talking about the AHL here. I remember the only preseason game I went to last season included some plays from Brett Sterling (including a few points on the board?), so he probably can compete at the NHL level, but I'm still unsure.

Basically, there are too many question marks surrounding this season and I'm hard-pressed to see immediately past them. Granted, things might work out and all of my doubts and fears about this team will be laid to rest and there will be even more success come April of '08.

But like I said, I'm super excited about hockey again. I can't wait to see how these new players play, how the players we've come to know will fit with the n00bz, how the n00bz will fit into the grand scheme of things. I remember reading a story during the off-season in The Hockey News about the big prospects that Anaheim had - do the names Getzlaf, Perry, and Penner ring any bells? While maybe the talent level isn't as high with the three Thrashers prospects I mentioned earlier as it is with the three Ducks, I kinda get the same vibes from our three birds. Inserting Krog into the lineup midseason didn't have much of an impact, and Haydar didn't even register on anything that I can remember. And looking at their roles during their short stints with the team, it was hard to develop into anything with 14 games and four games under Krog's and Haydar's belts, respectively.

Who's to say what this season holds for the Thrashers, and the rest of the Southeast Division? Will there be a new division champion at the end of the season, as the trend has been? Or will the "big three" - Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay - still race for the top? How about Florida or Washington - will they be the dark horses that no one is counting on? I don't know, but I'm getting more and more psyched for this upcoming season.

Bring it on and let's raise that banner!

Thrashers '07-'08 Schedule Released! (clicky)

Considering I just saw this, the Atlanta Thrashers upcoming season schedule was released yesterday, July 11, as was the rest of the NHL. I knew it would happen because I was slowly picking up that other teams were releasing their own schedules... go figure this happens while I'm working. So while I have absolutely zero time to really pick it apart, I have noticed some interesting aspects of it, some of which I plan to talk about this coming weekend. (That's right - the return of weekend posts here @ WWD!) For starters, however, here are the links to the press release for the announcement of the schedule and the preseason schedule (which was released earlier this week or last weekend).

See y'all at the prospect camp tomorrow afternoon!

Link: Thrashers Announce 2007-08 NHL Regular Season Schedule
Link: 2007-2008 Regular Season Schedule
Link: Thrashers Announce 2007 Preseason Schedule

Frippy, Sappy, Suppy

Well, this time of the year has finally arrived. In 24 hours, I will be in sunny southern California, ready to embark on my yearly trek into the desert to take in every single aspect (eh, close) of the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. The set times are now up for everyone to take a look at and get delighted/pissed/annoyed/WTF about. I have yet to take any of the times in, but that's one of the things I'll examine on my evening flight into LAX tomorrow. I try to organize these things, knowing that everything will probably be thrown out the window once I get on the grounds. So whatevs.

Basically, enjoy the playoff hockey this week and I'll enjoy what So-Cal has to offer. First is a 2+ hour drive from LAX to Indio where I'll relax in my private condo (for a nite, that is). Then I'll pick up some friends in Palm Springs on Thursday, take in the surroundings. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are occupied by this. And my Monday will be spent in Los Angeles, a city I haven't been to in over 10 years. I'll actually attend the Diamondbacks/Dodgers game that nite, too! It's definitely looking like an action-packed weekend and it's a sure thing that updates are in the future once I return... next Tuesday. Although an immediate update might not happen as I'm attending that evening's show of the Arcade Fire, live in Atlanta.

Why do I do this to myself?!

Time to get packing...