Waxing Thrash

Right now, the Atlanta Thrashers sit with a league-worst 19 points. That's what a record of 8-14-3 gets you. Really, is there anything promising about this team at this point in time? I'd love to provide the light at the end of the tunnel, but this is the worst I have felt about this team since I started my fandom of the Atlanta Thrashers. The apathy is at an all-time high point and that realization is quite unsettling. You know it's bad when one of my cats starts heaving during a Thrashers game on TV.

Well, that hasn't happened... yet.

You won't find anything here that provides insight into the matter. I won't break down the logistics of a Kovalchuk trade or why our power play is great on the road (I think I heard that somewhere). I also won't whine about goaltending "issues" or defensive lapses or how the team only shows up to play competitive hockey for one minute of a 60-minute game. I've never claimed to be a hockey statistician and I've never stated that I have complete understanding of the game of hockey. I'm just one passionate fan of hockey and an undying supporter of the Atlanta Thrashers. And that's what makes the present so hard to swallow.

It seems like when the Thrashers win, they are put on a pedastal; everyone suddenly believes that Marty Reasoner is an offensive force to be reckoned with and that Erik Christensen finally tapped his potential and this game will be his start to a 25+ goal tear for the season. When they lose, however, it's worse than receiving news that the world is about to implode. TRADE KOVALCHUK FOR, UH, SOMEONE tirades run rampant and everyone seems to wonder why players like Eric Boulton or Eric Perrin have zero effect on the team what-so-ever.

The reality of the situation is that, UNFORTUNATELY, if you thought this current roster that makes up the Atlanta Thrashers is worthy of competing every night for something substantial (i.e. the playoffs AND BEYOND), you were dead wrong. The off-season leads to this kind of behavior because everyone thinks that their team is golden and ridiculously over-hypes players who are probably not worthy of that kind of talk. What the worst part about this is that a bunch of this unwarranted hype comes from the highest levels of the team - the owners and general managers. It's these people's job to sell the team and provide the absolute best product on ice. Judging from the reactions from fans, the Atlanta Spirit and Don Waddell did an AMAZING job of shining the spotlights on players like Erik Christensen and Brett Sterling.

While the Sterling thing is an attempt at me kinda-sorta reaching out there a bit, a majority of fans right now are up in arms about Christensen and how he's a non-factor in anything. This guy had tons of pressure on him early on, with talk about becoming the next great center that would finally click with Ilya Kovalchuk and provide a bunch of scoring that was lost in the Marian Hossa departure. This same player has also been a healthy scratch for several games in an effort to "try to get some competitiveness in him" perhaps. When an overhyped player like EC receives that kind of treatment in the first quarter of the season, it's drastic.

Basically, the point of my rambling here is that while I have a lot of displeasure with the team, I really cannot blame the players (that is if they actually show up to play a competitive game for 60 minutes). At least 10 to 15 games into the season, the team appeared and flashed moments that made you consider that this team was a little more than what was predetermined prior to the season. But the fact of the matter is that outside of Ilya Kovalchuk, serious secondary scoring candidates drop off quick. Bryan Little is having a fantastic season and so is, uh, Todd White? After that, who picks up the slack for a missing 90-point scorer like Marian Hossa?

With that, you also have to add in a new coach into the mix and the Thrashers are, well, really not that good on paper. Chemistry and some lucky breaks could come into play and have a nice effect for a while, but a NHL team cannot carry that for 82 games. Sad to say, but the Thrashers simply do not have the skill to compete with the rest of the league and, as fans, we've been had. Upper management made moves that hoped to plug holes in the ever-leaking dam and those moves have proved to be like a band-aid for problems that were apparent years ago after Marc Savard departed for greener pastures.

It absolutely sucks to write something so passionate and, ugh, bitter about your favorite team, but you cannot deny the glaring holes of this team and make ridiculous claims about who's going to play a certain role and who's going to produce, etc. Blueland deserves better than what is on display.

Here's a scenario for you to enjoy. Friday is my last day working retail. I spot a customer I've seen before because whenever he comes into the store, he wears an old Thrashers home jersey (the one that was replaced by the old "third jersey"). I've always wanted to strike up a conversation with him or just mention something Thrashers-related, but I never could because of something else going on at the time. But I finally had my chance now and I wasn't going to blow it, seeing how it was my last day. What do I say to the guy, hoping for a reaction?

"That's a sorry team right there."

He hesitantly agreed and asked who I pull for and I pointed right back to his jersey. That was met with a smile, but I guess I had to kill the moment and remark about how "I'm a glutton for punishment." He didn't like that too much, murmured something like, "Oh, c'mon now", and the conversation was over.

This conversation either mirrors other Thrashers fans' thoughts or means I'm a terrible conversationalist. Definitely a combination of both, I'd say!

Goodbye, October... Hello, November!

Let's face it - the month of October was really getting on my nerves. The Thrashers only picked up two wins out of 10 games and performed well in most other games that month. However, I wasn't buying into the, "ooh, the effort looks soooo good, but they can't get those two points... THAT'S OK!" stance. I get the rationale behind it, but I couldn't subscribe to it. I wanted either wins or losses, it was that simple. I hated trying to have a closely contested match (like the Boston road loss, for example) and wondering why we couldn't just win the game. Good efforts got on my nerves and I couldn't bear to watch another "good effort" go by the wayside.

I'm guessing that it's a good idea that I'm not an NHL coach then. I say that because maybe Coach Anderson's methods and feel are having an effect on the players and they are responding. Currently riding a FOUR GAME WINNING STREAK (i know, right?!), this is what I was looking for. Or those blowouts that worked out so well for us against Philly and New Jersey (the second time around).

Basically, I'm just like anyone else - I want the team to win, dammit. And I want them to win now. Going into the season, though, I knew better. But you get one taste of winning ways (IN A CAN?) and you want more. After the unexpected season opening win against Washington, all of a sudden all of the critics were wrong in their line of thinking about the team. Then everything else kinda came to fruition, not that there was a plan for failure and self-destruction. But things were playing themselves out the way it was foreseen to be.

But now that the Thrashers have gotten their losing ways out of their system (for the present), who's to say that the ship has been, uh, "righted"? With this four game winning streak, the Thrashers beat the Islanders and Panthers, two teams that are similarly ranked in the NHL - bottom-feeders. To lose against either one of those teams (or both) would've set the tone for the rest of the month, possibly season. I mean, if you seriously cannot compete against some of the league's worst teams (when the Thrash could be considered as one of those teams, too), your future doesn't look very bright. So for the Thrashers to collect some wins against these two teams, that was to be expected, no? To win in an entertaining game against Buffalo, IN Buffalo, was a treat... and to pick up a couple of points yesterday against Carolina was fantastic. Maybe this team is starting to turn around and make themselves look good.

The next couple of games look a little... ugh. Friday marks the debut of the new third jersey and we meet up with the Hurricanes all over again. Then we venture to Philly to hopefully not get pwned by the Flyers, and then there are tilts against the Penguins, Caps, and Predators before December comes roaring in. It's a good thing that most of these games are in Philips Arena because the Thrash aren't looking so good on the road (prior to the last two road games). We shall see what happens.

In the meantime, is it really near the middle of November?!

How This Blog Could Become More Like LiveJournal

It's been an odd season so far. Well, maybe not for the Thrashers, but for me. I've yet to attend a game and I've yet to watch a game in its entirety. I saw most of the season-opener against Washington (great win, BTW!), watched the last half of the OT loss against the Panthers, and saw most of the game versus New Jersey. It feels rather weird to have not witnessed a full Thrashers game, especially in person.

So please excuse the lack of posts as there has been minimal time to post anything substantial lately and especially no time to watch a full Thrashers game, apparently.

However, noting what's on "paper" right now, it's good to see the Thrashers are 2-2-1. I mean, that's still three losses, but that's OK. We picked up a point against another team within the division (Florida) and we lost to two overly defensively-minded teams in Minnesota and New Jersey. Our other victory (the most recent one) was against Buffalo last nite and, of course, I had zero contact with any of it until it was all said and done and my wife received a text on her phone with the final score. I wish I could spend more time with my favorite team of teams and I wish there was more recognition for what they do as a whole.

I mean, yesterday I attended a birthday function and ended up watching college football all day long and endured conversation after conversation about how UGA's schedule in the coming weeks looks rough and the who's the weakest team in the SEC. The entire time I took this information in, I deeply longed to have this kind of conversation... only about the Thrashers, and the Southeast Division, and HOCKEY. It's this kind of love that is noticeably absent in the South and it will remain that way until the Thrashers win, and win lots. In the region where college football is KING (yes, all caps, because it really is THAT BIG), all other sports and teams are overshadowed. Hell, for the birthday function, my wife and I attempted to go around to local retailers and pick up some random Falcons memorabilia for the birthday boy and we noticed that even the Atlanta Falcons are second best, below the almighty GEORGIA BULLDOGS.

So what started out as a blog about the lack of posts due to the lack of attention I'm paying to the Atlanta Thrashers has morphed into a post about how college football owns all and that there is no hope for anything more for any other sports in this region of the country, at least in Georgia. But is that really true?

As I said, what the Thrashers need to do to in order to gain any kind of attention here is win and win lots. We all know what one semi-successful season can do and it was noticed in '06-'07. This isn't enough, obviously, as the Thrashers went four-and-out in their only playoff appearance in franchise history. If the Thrashers can have regular season success consistently, this will get recognized until the purists shoot down their winning ways because they compete in the "weak" Southeast Division. If they do this AND win the Cup just ONCE, I think that this could be enough to give credibility to the Atlanta Thrashers and to hockey in Georgia, which would result in recognition and possibly fodder for conversation at birthday functions that I could involve myself in (for once).

Really, this is a self-serving post that (ideally) would satisfy my conversational needs at awkward social gatherings. (Fortunately, here's the universal tie-in, people.) But wouldn't it be nice to have this kind of appreciation for such an amazing sport in an atypical environment like Georgia? I long for the day when hockey can actually be understood and appreciated to its fullest in the South. I will never give up hope for hockey in this part of the country. It's a fight that will take a lot of work, from both fans and the team.

I mean, do you really have any idea how frustrating it is when people are asking you what your favorite football team is and you respond with, "Well, I really don't care that much about football... my favorite sport is hockey and I'm head-over-heels in love with the Atlanta Thrashers." The common response to that (IMO) is, "Oh, that's cool, hockey looks awesome with the fighting and all, but it's not football."

Uh, no shit it's not football, but take a second to get your head out of your ass and get a deeper look at the fastest sport in the world! I always try to talk new people into hockey usually I end up right about it after they watch a game (usually on TV, and that doesn't do the sport justice either). Some people need to get over themselves and take in something new that has the potential to really blow your mind.

I love it when posts on my blog turn into LiveJournal entries! Huzzah!

I really need to watch some hockey, for content purposes alone really.

Ondrej, what about Ondrej?!

Yesterday, The Sporting News' Craig Custance reported that Atlanta's goalie prospect Ondrej Pavelec's agent voiced disapproval of Pavelec getting sent back down to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

What do we make of this news? Everyone knew this was happening back in June when the Thrashers resigned The Moose of moose(es?), Johan Hedberg, to a two-year deal. When THAT happened, it came as a shock to me.

When Kari went down last season for a brief period, Pavelec finally had his shot at NHL play and made the most of it, winning three and losing three in the seven games that he was involved in. His play during that stretch won him a lot of praise, a bit of credibility that he missed ever since he was drafted by the Thrashers in the second round of the 2005 draft.

So, when Pavs received these glowing reviews and promise from both fans and the team, why did the Thrashers want to bring back Hedberg, who some say his best years are behind him? Clearly, Kari needs a veteran to learn from as he's only 24 years old. Also, Hedberg is a great presence in the locker room. He has a tremendous work ethic and possibly one of the best attitudes in the game.

But what about Pavs? In all honesty, I thought that it would be a battle between Kari and Pavs for the starting role. We know that Hedberg wasn't going to push Kari out of the number one position, but Pavs could easily do that. He's young, he has the skills, he just needs the time and experience to put him ahead of the rest. With some competition between the two, I'm sure that both of their games would rise to the occasion and one-up each other. It would be great for both goalies to compete for the same opportunity.

Now that this news came out yesterday, the problem that everyone saw coming is finally manifesting itself in what could be the worst way possible. Do we really think that Pavelec is behind all of this? He could be. I remember when he was resigned a few years ago, there was some doubt about him remaining a member of the team because he wanted a shot at the big team then and he had the skills, but he was incredibly unproven at the next level. When this was going down, I believe he was still playing for the juniors in Cape Breton. Fortunately, that worked out and some sense was talked into Pavs and his agent then. This time, Pavs has a little more to work with in terms of getting to the next spot, which is inevitably a full-time place on an NHL team, preferably the one he is currently with. But to make claims that he should suggest a trade to get what he wants or, even worse, jump ship and an ocean and play over in Russia is exactly what the Thrashers do not want.

Who knows exactly what's going on here? Pavelec needs to get his stuff together and make his way back to Chicago, suck it up, and just play. His time with the Thrashers will come. It happened last season and it will happen this season as well. If he thinks he has the game to call the shots like this, that's absurd. Players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Marian Gaborik, etc. have the right to push the limits and make these kinds of demands - BECAUSE THEY ARE PROVEN. Pavelec is still a prospect goalie and he needs to sit tight just a minute and let things play out. I understand that he wants the best and that is as a starting goalie in the NHL. Realistically, unless he plays for Los Angeles, he doesn't have that kind of opportunity just yet. LA's tried going full-time with new kids and see how that's turned out (i.e. LaBarbera, Bernier). They are getting put through the ringer and not getting the chance that they deserve.

Honestly, what did Pavelec expect at the beginning of this season? For him to bitch and moan about having to deal with ANOTHER season in Chi-town is crazy. You don't see Brett Sterling BEW-HEWING about going back down to Chicago (if he does, that is). Brett is a proven AHL winner, attaining scoring titles and team championships. That's essentially the same stuff that Pavs has - great goalie stats and a Calder Cup (for one year's time in Chicago, mind you). If Brett gets assigned to Chicago for the beginning of the season, you better believe he won't go crying about it.

This is what happens when decent players get involved with jerky agents. Do I think this all sources from Pavs? To a degree. I mean, I'd be pretty bummed out that I wasn't making the big squad when I know that I really should be considered. But... THAT'S LIFE, ONDREJ. I'm sure that his agent is playing more of a role in this than Pavs, but you still have to place some of the blame on Pavs.

Hopefully this will work itself out in the coming weeks and the right thing will happen here. Someone needs to talk some sense into Pavs and he should report back to Chicago and wait for his time to come. Didn't Scott Clemmensen cry about constantly having to be Marty Brodeur's backup? And didn't he get picked up by Toronto, with the hopes that he'd actually get a shot at playing more than 10 times a season? See how that turned out? I don't even think he rode the bench during that stint and he was stuck in the AHL. Maybe Clems and Pavs need to exchange numbers and have their own conversation, hm?

Obligatory Thrashers Updates That You Were Already Familiar With

I'll start with what's already been written about and I'll finish with something of personal relevance and, possibly convenience, mmmkay? Let's go!

The Atlanta Thrashers announced their schedule for the '08-'09 season. Yahoo! Now it's time to pinch pennies so that I can make my annual purchase next month for the home opener and the season closer.

The Atlanta Thrashers also signed the following players to contracts for the immediate future: Joey Crabb, Nathan Oystrick, Kari Lehtonen (yay?), Marty Reasoner, Brett Sterling, and Angelo Esposito. I question the Kari signing because I hope it's not a prelude to him getting dealt. It's no secret that I enjoy Kari's presence between the pipes for the Thrash, so I'd hate to see him shipped away. The Thrashers are lookin' good in goal for the short-run, though, with the re-signing of Da Moose and Ondrej Pavelec waiting in the wings. Just like everyone else, I'd hate to see my one of my favorite players shipped away. My favorite Thrasher was (and possibly still is) Marc Savard, so while I didn't like the idea of him moving north to Boston, I understood it because he was a UFA at the time and he controlled his destiny. Kari, not so much. Let's hope he sticks around Blueland for this season and that everything works out swimmingly well.

Former 99x DJ and Thrashers announcer Steve Craig will leave Atlanta for a new radio job in New York in the coming weeks, meaning that the voice of Blueland will be replaced come October. Steve's one of those guys who had a fantastic voice and had genuine passion and knowledge of hockey as opposed to some random filler guy who could possibly butcher last names at the drop of the hat and not know the difference between a power play and off-sides. Steve's presence in Blueland will be missed and we hope he does well in all of his ventures in New York!

Lastly, something that was tossed around lately is the idea of a practice facility moving down south... south like Peachtree City. Considering I'm a resident of a neighboring town, this is cool news. While I don't expect there to be a full move from Duluth to PTC, the prospect of a rink on the southside of Atlanta is awesome. I wasn't around when there was a rink in Newnan (and it's now an aquatic center, I think), but I visited the IceForum in Morrow back in '01, right before it closed. If there's one thing I really hate about living on the south side of town is that the closest rink is in Duluth, which is about 90 minutes north of me (roughly).

Basically, I'm not too sure about this idea simply because it will be in Peachtree City. I honestly don't think the residents of the bubble town would approve of it because of the failures of the previously mentioned rinks. While I'm overwhelmingly in favor of it, it will be hard to convince the casual golf cart riders of the world to approve of something that doesn't look promising... and to fund it with tax money for years and years. I remember when the tennis center was sparkling new and how there was talk about hosting some local and possibly national tournaments there. When I worked in that part of town at that time, I only remember one, maybe two, tournaments occurring there. As of right now, it's simply a members only club without any prospect of anything more becoming of it.

Unfortunately, I could see the same thing happening with this new ice rink/fitness facility. There's hints that it could provide revenue to the residents of Peachtree City and Fayette County and prospective tournaments held there, but who's to say that will actually happen? I'm sure that the rink would create interest and that all of the transplants (myself included) would flock there early on, but what about in the long run? I know of the existence of a roller hockey league in PTC, but is there enough interest for an ice hockey league to sustain such a place? I like the argument that this new PTC facility is closer to the airport than the rink in Duluth, and I think that even a place like PTC's Falcon Field could be used in a similar argument. And it's common knowledge that transportation is a little smoother on the southside as opposed to the tightly-congested northside of town. We'll see. It proves exciting for me, but probably not so much for PTC residents and Delta families.

Coming up next week - an unforeseen trade that has everyone scratching their heads, ticket prices are reduced and somehow revenue increases, Kovy gets the captaincy, Don Waddell steps down, the Atlanta Spirit Group gets bought out by members of the Nasty Nest, and the proclaiming of "KNIGHTS!" during the National Anthem is deemed illegal with jail-time for repeat offenders. Oh, who am I kidding here?!

Thrashers Snag Williams (and I Wax Skeptic)

Last nite, the Thrashers added another piece to their team, signing forward Jason Williams to a one-year deal.

I was mildly surprised to see not that Atlanta inked Williams, just that Atlanta acquired anyone period. We've been conditioned (up to this point) to think that significant moves may not be a reality. Of course, that's really not the case. Just because the Thrashers signed (or overpaid?) d-man Ron Hainsey, added a few kids, and signed Eric Boulton for another two years doesn't rule out anything. It just seems like this is the off-season from hell, something that certainly wasn't considered on June 30.

I'd lie if I said that I wasn't disappointed with the lack of players flocking to Atlanta's hockey hotbed.

Er, mask your sarcasm!

I think this summer really brought things into perspective for Thrashers fans. Last season, we were so misguided (just like the rest of the team) and had no idea what lay ahead. A superstar in Marian Hossa departed because winning wasn't a number one priority to the Atlanta Spirit Group. Who knows how much truth there was to that, but Hossa was probably on to something with that kind of gesture. Having a select bunch of individuals own a hockey team (few with hockey expertise?) and simultaneously involved in a battle over ownership with a cast-out figurehead really takes the energy away from the product that matters - our Atlanta Thrashers (and those Atlanta Hawks, and our Philips Arena...). However, isn't the ownership group in Tampa Bay similar (involving a handful of guys, sans courtroom battles)? Look what they accomplished in the past two weeks. (Some could argue that they haven't achieved much as they've signed forward after forward and let their number one defenseman out to dry... and their head coach is a Mullet.)

Truth be told, I'm skeptical. I'm a skeptic by nature. When life hands me lemons, I wonder why I was handed them in the first place and who handed them to me and what the condition of the lemons was, etc. You bet I was disappointed by the lack of signings on July 1st, and then July 2nd, and so on. Sure, the Hainsey signing has a lot of potential and it could be a great move. But there's just too much hanging on that for me though and, like everyone else, I wanted an instant "YES!" moment. I wanted the marquee name at a decent price that expressed an overwhelming desire to sport the Thrashers crest and proudly call Blueland home for the coming seasons.

That never really came. And it wasn't even a realistic notion. To say that Brian Campbell was modestly rewarded for his time spent in the league, his talents, and his recently highlighted skill sets is an understatement. I'm thrilled that Atlanta didn't sign him for the compensation he received from Chicago.

When it comes to free agency and a team's needs, the best team needs to win. This past off season, no team won anything; it was a player's field day. Does Brian Campbell really think that Chicago can get into the playoffs and be a serious contender this season (or the next)? Perhaps, but when a player of his caliber signs an eight-million dollar a season contract, I'm sure he wasn't completely motivated by winning. Who even knows if someone like Brian Campbell feels like he rightfully deserves that kind of money? I mean, I think he's making even more than Ilya Kovalchuk at this point. How much does that make sense? And if that's the case, how ridiculous is that?

Now that it's realized that the Thrashers are in a bind with signings, I'm grateful for anyone that comes their way now. With two weeks into the free agency period and a decent sample size of suitable players remaining, the act of overpaying someone to play here reduces. Players simply want to play hockey in the NHL come October and they'll dress for anyone who has an interest in their skills. When the Thrashers target their next free agent, I'm positive that they aren't planning on getting the paycheck of their lives. They just want to play and they will be thrilled at the opportunity. But are these kinds of players the difference-makers?

We'll see. It's all about chemistry. Coach Anderson is all about that. (And what hockey coach isn't, really? Except Don Waddell.) There's something about Coach Anderson that says that this kind of chemistry isn't unrealistic. Players come together and play as a unit, not individuals. Wins matter, not running up the scores. When one guy gets knocked down, another reciprocates. And it's all in the name of sport and fun. Or so it seems.

Long story short, I'm just glad to see a player come this way. I'm hoping that Jason Williams gets a fair shot in Atlanta and that he also gives Atlanta an opportunity to wow him. Atlanta isn't as terrible as you might think, Dan Boyle. Given our set of circumstances that we're currently caught up in, anyone new is welcome.

Either I'm just apathetic at this point or I'm really bleeding blue. I'm really hoping it's the latter. Regardless, I'm ready for the puck to drop in October!

Lineups-R-Us, or How the Thrashers Determine Their Future

With all of the talk about today's announced lines and changes in the defensive pairings, I figured I'd chime in with my amateurish drivel.

At this morning's practice, the trio that had the most energetic impact on the ice during both the Devils game and this morning's workout was the "kid line", which consists of Haydar/Little/Sterling. Everyone's buzzing about this line and its potential for success. I certainly agree with that. Bryan Little didn't spend much time in Chicago last season, but I'm assuming that while he was there, he did share some shifts with either one of those two gentlemen, if not both. It's certain that Haydar and Sterling have something going on because you can't end up AHL MVP and AHL Rookie of the Year - respectively - without having much help. In all honesty, they tore up the scoring last year with Chicago. All three know each other and two-thirds of 'em have spent significant time playing together. I see no reason to speak out against these three fellas and what they can bring to the table. I don't care that they are "AHL players" or "rookies" or whatever! I'm thinking it's guaranteed that they won't play much against a top defensive pairing of any team that they face. With their talent and what they've brought to the table already, I think that, in time (meaning, in a few games, which I can handle waiting that long), these guys will seriously bring some depth that this organization has lacked for a long time now.

As far as who chills out in the press box for the game, I'm in favor of giving Chris Thorburn a legitimate chance to prove his size and worth. It's no secret that the Thrashers are not in the upper third of the league in terms of dominating figures on the ice. I'm pretty sure that they aren't even in the second third. Everyone's concern entering the season was that the defensemen were small, the forwards were small, and that they wouldn't be able to match up against the more commanding teams of the league. As of right now, that's kinda true. Enstrom has done a great job at being a defenseman, but he's more likely to get knocked around than, say, a Greg deVries. Putting Thorburn out there with Eric Boulton and possibly Bobby Holik is a line that's a good bet on mixing things up on the ice and throwing the body around, something that probably wouldn't hurt (in theory).

But who to bench? First season aside, Jim Slater has been nothing but, well, annoying and frustrating. From watching him play, I can tell that he really has the passion to play in the league. I'm just not sold on his abilities. Even in today's practice, there were some missed passes and some skating errors. This kind of play definitely occurs in high-pressure situations (i.e. penalty killing) and that's not acceptable. I wouldn't have a problem of benching Slater or even Brad Larsen in favor of adding Thorburn.

Defensively speaking, I'm surprised no one has brought up the idea of pairing Mark Popovic with Enstrom. The kids are represented in the forwards, so why not paid them together on the blueline? I think that a pairing like this, with other pairings like the announced pairing of Zhitnik/McCarthy and, say, Havelid/Exelby. Exelby's physical game could be something that Havelid appreciates... but the other announced pairing of Havelid/Enstrom doesn't sound that bad either. With my lines, Klee would sit and that's ok.

Perhaps my rookie pairing is too inexperienced to handle the NHL full-time. I don't know. But at least it's somewhat encouraging that Hartley is willing to change things around. Then again, we all know that he's rather apt to change things at the flip of a switch.

I'm not a hockey coach and I certainly have no formal education with regard to establishing hockey lines and creating chemistry from scratch. I just wish that we stuck with the opening nite lineups for about three games, determined how well they worked, and then make the necessary changes. Hartley, as I mentioned, makes changes as he sees fit and benches players for whatever reason. Give things a chance and maybe things will develop, and maybe they won't. At least some options were exercised and that's all that matters.

LET'S GO THRASHERS!

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!

'06-'07 Atlanta Thrashers - R.I.P.

After a relatively strong season (to Thrashers standards, maybe not to the league's standards), going four-and-out in the playoffs definitely left a bitter taste in the mouth of Blueland Nation. No one - players from both sides, media, the fans - expected a sweep in this series, no one. So for the Thrashers, the third seed in the Eastern Conference, to come into the playoffs like a black labrador and go out like a canary, it's a disappointment. After waiting seven years to get into the next step of the team's development and character, everyone folds completely. Kinda sad, but, unfortunately, that's the way things go.

Yes - they could've played better. Sure - we could've had those lucky bounces. But what's done is done. Just be proud of your team for getting that far.

Maybe it serves us right. Maybe everyone was too optimistic about everything. Did people realistically expect the Thrashers to make waves in the post-season? I sure didn't, and I love this team more than anything. Regardless, it still hurts that the team unconsciously decided to not be present for (at least) a game in the playoffs. Things like a, sniff, first-round sweep can only serve to motivate what remains next season.

A lot was made of the team finally reaching the playoffs. About how the last playoff hockey in Atlanta occurred 20+ years ago when the Flames were cast out of the city (courtesy of the New York Rangers... hmm). About how the young stars of the team could step up and prove their real worth. About how the Hossas, the Kovys, the Lehtonens, could really make a statement and boost this franchise's value in the city that wants a winner more than anything (save the Braves).

Was there too much pressure on the team's collective shoulders? Perhaps. They'll never tell, and maybe the players themselves will never know. Management made moves to sacrifice the future for now, deserately trading away some nice prospects (we'll see how they turn out in a few years) and future draft picks for some more stability and possibly more names on the marquee. While it seems like the Tkachuk deal didn't pan out exactly as Don Waddell hoped, he (along with Zhitnik, Belanger, and Dupuis) provided the added spark to get the team to the post-season for the first time in its seven-year history.

And wasn't that the point? Playoffs or bust? For a while there, that's what it seemed like. Then it turned into, "Series win or bust." Then, "Regain series control or bust." It eventually turned into, "Show up or bust."

It's one's love for the team that constantly encourages more and that other things get lost in hindsight. Ending the regular season without a playoff berth would've signaled a definite failure of hockey in Atlanta (at least with the management staff). But you know what? We not only made it into the playoffs, but we have a banner to hang as a result of the hard-work that got us there. All of the blood, sweat, and tears that went into each game this season will be rewarded come October when we raise some sort of recognition to the rafters of Philips Arena.

For a moment, at least, the four-and-out playoff run will be forgotten and a sense of pride will be renewed.

Blueland Nation - I mourn as the rest of you do about the past four losses of the team that ultimately ended their season. I lived it all vicariously through the players' triumphs and miscues and run-ins with fate. But please do recognize the bigger picture here. We made the playoffs. We didn't sneak into it, we held that spot almost all season long atop the Southeast Division. Granted, there's a lot of parity in that division, but we commanded (albeit with some level of struggle) it. No one would've expected last September and October that we would've won the Southeast Division. Sneaking in as an eight seed, probably no higher than a six seed, was more appropriate.

But we won the division fair and square. Don't forget who got you there and all that happened through this roller-coaster ride of a season.

I, for one, am proud of you, each and every one of the Atlanta Thrashers, for going the extra distance this season. We didn't have the outcome we all wanted and felt we earned. A exit from the playoffs is inevitable. Either you win sixteen games or lost a series. A series loss of 4-3 or 4-0 results in the same outcome - no more hockey for you! We got into the next round of hockey that some teams are left out of. We got there and we opened the eyes of the league and made everyone consider our chances, examine our team, and really consider us a threat.

Isn't that what it was all about from the start?

Thanks for a great season, Atlanta Thrashers. You made the playoffs and really gave yourselves motivation for next year. Missing the playoffs by a couple of points was a start. The scores of this series should be posted in the locker room and acknowledged before every game next season so that the players are constantly reminded of what's on the line and that there's reason to go on. Right now, it's difficult to think about that, but it's the truth. Go ahead and drown in your sorrows and disappointment. Come July though, we're a new team and we have a new agenda.

Let's hang that banner in October and start anew.

Let's go Thrashers!

Let the Madness Begin, Blueland!

You know, for the first few seasons as a Thrashers fan, I really enjoyed the novelty of hockey again. I was out of the loop for a few seasons too many and I slowly got back into the thick of things. At the time, there was a very young franchise that was starting to get on its feet and validate its existence in the sphere of NHL play.

As my relationship with the Thrashers grea stronger and stronger, I knew what was ahead - the playoffs. It was only so long before this team received a taste of playoff hockey. In '03-'04, we started off somewhat strong, but ultimately fell apart midway through the season after a nice victory against the Lightning on home ice the day after Christmas.

Then the lockout happened and changes were made, but nothing significant happened. Enter Scott Mellanby and Jaroslav Modry (and a few others). Also, Kari Lehtonen's time was approaching and he was beginning to be counted on by this team, this city.

Last season, we really tried hard despite the hard times (read: goalie diarrhea) and still came up VERY short. Guarantees were made, but still nothing was there to put the money where the mouth was, so to speak. We stuck to our guns and missed the objective. Last season, the playoffs would've been the goal - plain and simple. Anything past that would've been a pleasant surprise.

Now, heh, well now things are different. In my roughly five years' experience with the team, I've come from casual fan to really crazed, possessed, passionate believer in the future of hockey in Atlanta. A lot has changed since the infant stages of my relationship with the Atlanta Thrashers.

The biggest, and most meaningful, change occurs on Thursday evening as the Thrashers open their first ever playoff appearance against the New York Rangers at home in Philips Arena.

Even including last season's push for a ticket into the "real" season, it's perpetually been something as just an interest to be a Thrashers fan. Yeah, you liked the team and you occasionally voiced your opinion about what upper management should do. But nothing that's been said in the past compares to what's occurring currently. Deep analysis of the team is happening all over North America. Of course, some Thrashers fans have this discussion down pat over at their ends (name check to Southeast Shootout, Talons, and Talking Thrash), but the rest of the league could've cared less up until this point.

With that said, people are still writing off the team, saying that there isn't much to the squad to keep them in a high-intensity series against legitimate contenders for a week straight, two weeks if the writer is in a generous mood at the time they pen the piece on the Thrashers' likely outcome in this playoff race. Talking Thrash broke some predictions down and basically said that most of the media have the Rangers over the Thrash in five or six, and you take out "homers" like Darren Eliot and Scott Burnside and that's even less backing for a team that is as powerful as the Thrashers.

The point of this whole blahblahblah-ing is that the word is out - the Atlanta Thrashers are in the playoffs for the first time in their seven year existence. Everyone is recognizing it and there's no denying it. This team is poised to make a run, not just "an appearance". You can break down the series as much as you want to and make predictions out of the wazoo, but the fact of the matter is that Thursday nite starts a new era in Atlanta - Blueland. Let Blueland Nation overtake the city and cause a stir among the locals. If you aren't in the loop, be prepared to get bowled over in blue for as long as it takes.

Marian Hossa was run out of Ottawa because he couldn't compete at the level that playofff hockey (or Ottawa, for that matter) demanded. Scott Mellanby has appeared in more games than anyone in the league currently without a championship to his name. Ilya Kovalchuk is questioned as someone who can provide plenty of energy during the regular season, but what about when the pressure is really on? And then there's the question-mark about Kari Lehtonen - sure, he's competed a bunch on the junior level and in the AHL, but surely he cannot be enough to handle teams that will go for his throat at any given time.

The doubts linger... for now. Come Thursday, they will be silenced... for a moment, at least. Let the excitement carry over Blueland all of Thursday and let this sensation carry the team throughout whatever they come across in their journey toward the future of the team, toward the future of hockey in Atlanta, toward the future of hockey in the South.

I'll be there in the flesh and, unfortunately, it will be the only playoff hockey I will experience... unless the Thrashers make it past the first round. The job prevents me from doing such, so I'll have to live vicariously through the blogs and through the AJC and through friends and family. But there's no doubt in my mind that I'm missing the first ever playoff game in Philips Arena. I'll be there super early to check out everything that's going on and I'll have the camera ready for anything and everything. It's going to be an event, that's for sure. I thought I knew what playoff hockey was back on the Isle all those years ago... I'm ready for the madness to kick back in.

LET'S GO THRASHERS!

The time is now, Atlanta!

Yeah, it's been a while since the last hockey-related post. But that's ok. I mean, I could've responded to the San Jose game from last week, but nothing pleasant would've come from that. I would've posted about how I went to practice yesterday morning, but I honestly don't have much internet access at the new job, so that just wasn't possible. However, pics from that will be posted either later on tonite or tomorrow.

Here's something I just thought about, and it's a completely honest thought. April 7 is a HUGE day for Atlanta fans, and for Tampa Bay fans as well. That's the day that both of our seasons come to a colliding end at Philips. And, of course, we all know what's at stake here - a division title and home-ice advantage in the playoffs. That's nothing to take lightly for sure.

I've noticed that a lot of Thrashers fans are concerned about this race to the top culminating on that dreaded day - April 7. Bunches of people are worried to all hell that this creates the ultimate problem - choking when it counts.

Here's where I could get blasted for my opinions...

I say, let that happen. Let the ultimate precursor to the playoffs happen right here in Atlanta on the 7th against the Lightning. If a division title is on the line, our spot is already guaranteed for the playoffs, and that's what Thrashers nation has been pulling their hairs out all season long. This was the make-or-break year for the team, the players, the organization - EVERYTHING. If we're worried about a division title at the end, that's when we know we've made it.

Of course, it's great to want more, and I'd love to secure the division days before that and really put it to the Lightning. For me, the number one priority is to win the division, not simply to get to the playoffs.

So why am I really hinting at that if that's what it comes down to?

We need this kind of atmosphere. We need the residents of Blueland to feel what it's like to arrive at crunch time. Let's face it - the city will get wrapped around the team for THIS ONE DAY and it will create a sensation before the push INTO the playoffs occurs. Win or lose, a great mindset will happen to Atlanta fans, something that has yet to happen EVER in the six or seven years of the team's existence. Let's get playoff fever started.

Like I said, if we can really rid ourselves of the stress that this race to the top created, I'm all for it. But if the moment arrives on April 7th for our PLAYOFF POSITIONING glory to be secured, I'm not going to run away, duck, and cover, and come out when it's all over. I'm going to be there louder than ever, ready to get the Lighting back to Florida to figure out what they did wrong and how they couldn't top us that one time when it all mattered.

I'd be more concerned if the entire PLAYOFFS were on the line for this matchup. But, seriously, if we're worrying about playoff positioning as opposed to simply living another few days in the league, I think things will be OK if we lose one game, but know that we'll be back around in the coming days - something that was the plan from day one of this season for the Atlanta Thrashers.

The time is now, Atlanta! Get behind your team while you still can, because they sure as hell are going to need you now than they ever have before! Let's lock this one up in the easiest way possible - WIN! And if we face a few struggles along the way and all the marbles are on the table on April 7, don't you dare turn away then! Let's play a TREMENDOUS role in getting the team to the next step in their short history in the National Hockey League and propel them to the top of the division!

Let's go Thrashers and let's bring it on the 7th, Blueland faithful! This is what we've all waited for!

Thrashers Update-a-roos!

It's been a while since the last Thrashers update, so hopefully I can get back on track a bit. Suddenly, I find myself stuck blogless (in terms of Thrashers-related stuffs) as I did after my Raleigh adventures. Remembering that event, I entered into the wonderful black hole in terms of writing and basically missed out on the trade deadline, where the Thrashers beefed up the lineup to what it is today with Tkachuk, Zhitnik, and DOO-PWEEZ. Now, I find myself struggling to meet the needs when this squad is at the tail end of their great season, still fighting harder than ever. And here I am, still missing out on posts. One excuse that I can make, however, is that, when I wax Thrashers, I usually do it in recap fashion (i.e. after I actually watch a game). For the past few games (since the Montreal game, obv), I've either watched portions of games or haven't watched at all. And who wants to hear someone ramble on about a game that they watched only 10 minutes of, you know?

Meh.

Placement Placement Placement... Just Take Charge!
Currently, the Thrashers sit atop the Southeast Division with a four point lead over Floridian pests Tampa Bay. There are no games in hand here, so if the Thrashers keep up their game, as does Tampa, Atlanta will be sitting pretty come April 7th at Philips. Things aren't that simple, unfortunately. Six of the next eight games for the Thrashers are against legitimate playoff contenders, whereas Tampa plays five of their next eight against similar teams. The home ice advantage also goes toward Tampa as they play 3/4 of their remaining matches at home, as the Thrash do four at home and four on the road. What really needs to be the factor is that the bigger team needs to stand tall right now. Despite however you look at the circumstances surrounding these upcoming eight games, each game day must be met with a clean slate. Focusing too much on extraneous factors will only take a toll on the members of a team, if not the entire team. The Thrashers absolutely must not fold at this point in the season. Hopefully we got all of that garbage out of the way during the February road trip, or February altogether. At least we don't have Mike Dunham as the stalwart goaltender this season. No choking allowed, boys. Worry about where you are in the conference after the season... or don't worry about it at all! Just come to the rink each game day and PLAY - it really is that simple.



Strong Isle REP-RAZENT!
First, he finally jumped the hurdle and made it into camp last summer. Then he got signed. Now, it's Dave Caruso - "hometown" favorite. This was a great story for Jeff Francouer (sp?) with the Braves a few years ago... in a town that's kinda crazy about baseball. But for a hockey goalie to make it... from GEORGIA... IN Georgia? I can't say it enough about this story, and I only hope that it continues to pan out for the guy - but this is so awesome.

Damn, here's where the bias comes into play!

Off the bat, I heard that Caruso was right out of school - I graduated from school last December, so I feel ya on that one, Dave. After I got word that he was originally from Long Island, I found out this guy is officially my homeboy. And then there was this article that hit the presses today, saying he is from not just Long Island, but Hicksville. Instantly, there were tears in my eyes. If only he were Polish, then it would be over. But seriously, this is the ultimate story of someone from my hometown making it, and making it HERE. Anytime there is any word of someone from your hometown, your high school, etc. making a splash, you follow it. Hell, I never even went to the school, but because I'm tied to it by my girlfriend's family (because she went there, as well as her brother, and her mom teaches right by there), I will always follow Calvin Johnson because he's a graduate of Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone.

The moral of this story is that anyone can make it anywhere. There are times when that's incredibly hard to believe, but it's so relieving to know that things like this really do happen. Keep it up, Dave, we're pulling for ya!

Dangerous Fins, Bite?
Tomorrow's matchup at Philips includes a skirmish with a pretty powerful Sharks team from San Jose - second in their division and sixth in the West. In the middle of a four game east-coast trip, these Sharks will also be in the hunt for more. The Dallas Stars are only one point behind them in the division and San Jose is only one point behind fifth place Minnesota. This is still a crucial game for the Thrashers, so there's no need to go into the details about this game for them. This game won't pan out like a typical mid-season game, like how it was when Anaheim came to town back in January. So don't expect San Jose to come out flat. They have one of the best power play units in the league and a great one-two goalie tandem with Nabokov and Toskala. Dominant forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Milan Michalek, and Johnathan Cheechoo stand strong, along with new acquisition Bill Guerin. They also have a great young crop of players, including Steve Bernier, Matt Carle, and recent scoring threat Ryane Clowe. This isn't a team to second guess, that's for sure. It'll prove to be a great game. The Sharks play tonight against struggling Chicago, then get a few zzz's in time for the Atlanta game, which'll feature a Thrashers team that's rested since Sunday's winning performance against Buffalo. While it could take a while for the goalies to get a little warmed up (especially since SJS loves to rotate their goalies), I'm sure the offense will take charge and early scoring should be rewarded come the end of the game. We'll see how this one pans out... hopefully I can get my paws on some tickets and make it up to the Phil for some Thrashin'.

vs. Panthers - 2007/03/06

Even though the newly-revamped Blueland Blog used the above pic to capture the essence of last nite's game, I really have to follow suit.

First off, yeah, welcome back, Thrashers. I mean, really. Last nite's game wasn't a great game by any means. Truth be told, I did feel uneasy after the first period - but that was probably due to the fact that I weakly attempted to slam down a huge Amber Bock from the food court prior to the game. But the early play of the Thrash (against the underestimated - true - but still weak Panthers) did cause concern, especially after their recent winning ways.

Oh, and how one streak picks up where the other left off!

As I was starting to mention, last nite's game wasn't a perfect Thrashers victory. In fact, it wasn't that pretty, or that great. What matters the most, however, is the reality that the Thrashers are back in first place. They are playing some consistent hockey right now and that's what's going to win games. You don't have to always outplay your opponents for 60 minutes. Then again, that's been some of the team's struggles - showing up early and not finishing. I think a safe ratio is to play for about 55 minutes, and maybe cruise a little for five. Note that cruising is not synonamous with "falling apart completely."

Things really looked great in the second, when Kovy made a great open-ice pass up to a streaking Tkachuk and made the play count. The trades Waddell & Co. conjured up are proving valuable RIGHT NOW, and that's the point. Even though I loved the guy, can you really imagine Metropolit and Kovy getting together for a goal like that? Despite Tkachuk's tendencies to crash the net and really cause a goalie havoc in front, the guy can still move and score like a champ.

Hossa's goal in the third really brought the team back after a really poor Panthers goal that was just sloppy on our end. What was even worse was the blown coverage from Sutton that resulted in the wide-open Kolnik to wine-and-dine at the Thrashers' expense.

It was the picture that decided it all. With a great combination of Mellanby and newcomer Alexei Zhitnik, Kovalchuk made the strategizing count and put a dagger in the Cats' evening. I will never tire of Kovy's goal celebrations, and last nite's was perfection. I even fantasize about getting on one knee and pumping my fist as hard as possible after I get a strike whenever I bowl, but I always seem to get the timing off (i.e. plan out the celebration, only to be left with another open frame).

Bowling aside, the game last nite was a great display of a team that is ready to take charge of not only their own game, but their own destiny. We all know what's on the line - a playoff spot. Last year, I would've said that the team assembled in October was playoff-bound, but definitely not a first place team. When they didn't make the playoffs, it was a disaster. This season, I really felt that this team could win the division. After the recent acquisitions, I'm certain that this can happen. But for me, getting into the playoffs is not the goal here - it's to win, and really make a statement at doing such. Winning the Southeast Division does this. And even though we know that the team isn't exactly the strongest at home (especially in front of capacity crowds), home-ice advantage is tremendous. I've also read in the past (cannot provide sources at the time, but please refresh my memory here!) that Philips is one of the loudest arenas when it's rocking. I truly feel that this team can make a sizable run in the post-season and do the organization, the fans, and the city proud.

So while I go aside and say that, for me, first place or bust is the goal, essentially the playoffs are what is at stake. Yeah, we can sneak in as an eight-seed. If we make it to the finals as an eight seed, I really won't be complaining, only pointing my fingers at any nay-sayers, telling them, "I told you so!" Deep down, I want the team to make it into June at any cost, but a first place position would really make me happy and show the rest of the league that we're not to be laughed at anymore. Besides, with all of the hills we've been up and down this season, it would be AMAZING to come out on TOP and prove to the world that's where we belong, now and in future seasons.

Last nite's game really showed me that solid hockey always wins. It doesn't need to be Champions on Ice stuff, it just needs to BE. Even the special teams weren't that fantastic against the Panthers. In other games, it will need to step up. But we're in a transition period where new elements are incorporated into the grand scheme of things. Time will make the transition hopefully easier and I know we're only seeing glimpses of what this team can represent. I just can't wait for April to come around and see where we are among the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

It's good to be at the top again. Let's just keep it that way. See y'all on Thursday!

Lucky Sevens?

So yeah, it's been a while. The ladyfriend and I went to Raleigh to enjoy an away game that was a great one (more on the experiences with this later). We enjoyed the Tampa game from the comfort of our homes, and got disgusted at the gnat that is Martin St. Louis. And we enjoyed sneezing, coughing, and whining during the heartless and mistake-filled loss to Carolina last night.

And then there are these two trades that Don Waddell put together in the past couple of days.

I guess now's not the time of year to start slacking on updates or anything, really.

Just addressing these trades, it's pretty shocking that there was a straight-up trade with Philly, Coburn for Zhitnik. Coburn provided promise for the next few years. Immediately, he didn't come into the team's framework for success. And I'm guessing that's understandable. I mean, after Waddell's ridiculous "guarantee" that the Thrashers were making the playoffs last season, he really needed to pull through this season. But looking at both of these trades (Zhitnik, and Glen Metropolit and everything under the kitchen sink for Keith Tkachuk), it just seems to me that we overpayed a ton for players for the present.

Like I said, Coburn provided promise for the future, and we gave that up for an aging Zhitnik. And then we give up Metropolit (who was an early fave of mine, just because of that name that I always mispronounced, and I preferred it that way) and a bunch of draft picks for a NAME. Sure, Tkachuk can provide that spark and has some great seasons under his belt. But now? I don't know, it just doesn't seem that much like a great deal. Especially with all that we gave up.

Look around the league and you'll see somehow other teams are figuring out the trade market. Carolina gets Anson Carter (who also could provide a great spark, but has yet to find any kind of chemistry this season with Columbus) for a fifth-round pick in '08. Anaheim shops out young d-man Shane O'Brien to Tampa for some goalie and a first-round pick in '07. Despite Carter having a career season with the Sedins in Vancouver last season and having nothing going on in Columbus, I still think that he's nothing to really laugh about. On a team like Carolina, he can cause some serious damage for the opposition (especially division-rivals Atlanta). So to get a legitimate threat for sooooo little is pretty outstanding. And once again Anaheim works their magic by planning for something big later on and getting a first-round pick in next year's draft for #4 or #5 defenseman to the Lightning. Don Waddell should see something here, things that were put on the table already and figure out how the market works. I'm sure that Waddell made an offer to John Davidson and either JD jumped at the chance or really twisted DW's arm (and leg, and neck...) to get this deal done for Tkachuk.

It's common knowledge that this is a big season for everyone - fans, players, GMs, and coaches. With these moves, Waddell gambles tons for instant success. Will all of this work pay off in the end and the Thrashers will not only make it into the playoffs but be a legitimate threat once there? We'll see. But with these moves, it's apparent that playoffs-or-bust is not what's being looked at here. Everyone knows that what the team brings to the table is playoff-worthy, but how far could the current team go? Would a quick first-round exit really mark a successful season for this franchise? Personally, I don't feel like that's really much of an accomplishment - to squeak into the post-season and then find ourselves with an early exit.

Stack the team now, try to really make a statement for the rest of the season and hope it lingers into the next season and then maybe more success will come. I'm assuming that's the mentality behind these trades. Regardless, I'm hoping that these moves put a cattle prod up the team's collective ass and get something started. After last night's effort against Carolina (and the defensive lapses that resulted in a few goals), it's clear that something needed to be done. Here's to hoping that this works out and that we once again sit at the top of the Southeast Division at the end of the season.

"So, yeah, I'm this blogger..."

As I've mentioned in the past, Friday night the Thrashers are hosting their first blog night. Basically, anyone who has a blog in the Atlanta area (and actually applied for it) will be given press credentials for the game against the New York Islanders Friday and will be allowed to tour the arena, live it up in the press box, and attend the post-game press conference. Needless to say, I'm in for the ride and while I'm unsure if you can expect an actual posting session from the event, definitely expect a follow up on the events that transpired that evening this weekend. I'll have my camera, so I can at least take some pics of things that the typical "commoner" (which is what I thought I was...?) would not be exposed to.

Speaking of this, though, definitely brings on a pretty good topic of debate. I've never given it a second guess because the blogs I read are pretty credible in terms of who they are and what they represent. While this appears to be a one-night-only deal (and that's fine with me!), AJC Thrashers beat writer Craig Custance, uh, blogged about the validity of bloggers and, moreso, wondered if giving press credentials for sporting events to bloggers was acceptable.

Where do I stand on this? Obviously, I'm quite biased, but I still don't feel that "bloggers" need official representation in the press box for events like this. Now, as we've read on Hockey Buzz, Eklund is over at the All-Star Game in Dallas and is writing about it. Now clearly, he is not a member of the press. His main claim to fame is that he somehow has connections in the hockey world and is able to throw out rumors about anyone in the league and provide his readers with a pretty good insight on things that might go unnoticed. But what gives him the right to attend such a high-profile game with such limited credentials, since he also prides himself on being so anonymous in the hockey world?

One can debate that there need to be guidelines established for what determines who can apply for press access to games. That could be quite lengthy, and, as with the internet, those such guidelines will have to change each and every year in order to be on top of changing cultural climates and technology. As a psychology major, I often dealt with trying to be up-to-date when it came to citing sources that originated from the internet, only because it was a constant battle to stay on top of everything and maintain some sort of credibility of what's cited. The same would apply with press guidelines for bloggers.

But in cities like Atlanta - that isn't among the most hockey-friendly places in the country - that already include minimal RECOGNIZED press coverage as it is, you'd be hard pressed to find any other stories about your favorite team locally. Any outsider who reads the paper and maybe watches the 11 o'clock news (on a game day) is exposed to hockey only through those means... maybe spotting a billboard around town, too. That is it! So if someone could get more information about the Thrashers from outside sources - like bloggers - that's definitely a plus for the organization.

So do we reject this and stick with the bare minimum or actually take a gamble and see what the army of bloggers can unleash? The way I see it, it will be a constant battle for upkeep of proper media guidelines for internet-based writers who are not recognized professionally for what they do. Of course, there are the stereotypical "lustful bloggers" who seem to focus all of their energy onto one player, obsess about them, and want to get closer to the action (which this viewpoint seems to be the most popularly held, and that's sad). Do I actually think this represents the majority? Absolutely not. Looking at the blogs that I link, I'd have no problem with them attending a game and writing about it, with press access allowed. But for a full-time thing, I don't think that bloggers should really have thing kind of pull. Yeah, we do collectively have large voices in the community and can provide some great opinions on matters that, whether they are important or not, affect how we feel about our team, and even possibly how the team performs. But with no real boundaries for bloggers to stand by, it would be difficult to control what they say. To allow that kind of liberty into such a highly regarded place as a press box with PROFESSIONALS in the field just doesn't mix to me.

The blog night on Friday is a great event for independent writers in the area. I'm standing with the viewpoint that it's more of an opportunity for me to see what that kind of lifestyle is like and weigh the options on whether I'd like to pursue something in that field. It definitely doesn't hurt that I'm also given all-access (well, close to it) to my favorite team and that I'll probably drool over that alone. If I found MYSELF seeking credentials for every home game (or even half), I think I'd be out of line for doing such. It's just not my place. Could it be in time? Sure. But as someone who's as informal about this (i.e. blogging) as I am, the last thing the Thrashers organization needs is someone who represents that kind of mindset in the mix with reporters from the AJC, or even from other places across the country/continent. People are paid to do the job that I would do, and they deserve the spot when the time arises, not myself. Besides, I'm sure that they'd do a better job with writing about the game/whatever than I would... because they are qualified to do so!

But for moments like Friday night, I'm all about it. It's definitely something new and I'm super excited. More to come on this for sure.