I had an opportunity to speak with Thrashers GM Rick Dudley on the last day of Prospect Camp. I asked him if the recent re-signing of veterans (like Eric Boulton) and depth players (Anthony Stewart) would pose obstacles to young players making the team. Dudley replied that the team would move contracts if the young players demonstrated that they were ready for the NHL in camp. He said that he could imagine perhaps three rookies in the NHL lineup depending on how their NHL camps go.

Looking at the roster as it is presently constructed, I feel that we are 1 or 2 players away from being a very good team.  Can Patrice Cormier step in and fill a 3rd/4th line checking role? I certainly hope so.  However, it seems that the current collection of players may struggle to find the back of the net.  Even if the group Dudley has assembled in his first year as our full-time general manager can play a much more defensively sound game than Thrashers' teams of previous seasons, we likely aren't going to dramatically reduce our goals allowed to the point where we are among the league's best at limiting goals for the opposition.  I would be happy to borderline ecstatic if we could just reduce our goals allowed to the league average next season.  Last season, we finished 24th in the NHL in goals allowed with a total of 256, and 12th in the league in scoring with 234 goals for.  The median of the league was somewhere between 225-233 goals allowed, and 225 goals for. 

Looking at the playoff teams from the 09-10 season, 13 of the 16 had positive goal differentials, with the Nashville Predators even in goals for and goals against, and Montreal and Ottawa having a small, but negative goal differential.  Further analysis of the 8 playoff teams in the Eastern Conference shows that they were all among the conference leaders in fewest goals allowed, as the 8 playoff teams all finished in the top 9, with the NY Rangers the only non-playoff team to be in the top 8 of the East in goals allowed: the same Rangers that effectively had a play-in game with the Flyers for the last playoff spot on the final day of regular season action.  Out west, the trend seems to hold up as well, with the 8 playoff teams all finishing in the top 10 of the Western Conference in goals allowed: Calgary and St. Louis were the two non-playoff teams to finish in the top 8 of the West in goals allowed. 

Clearly, we need to reduce our goals allowed to have a shot at the playoffs.  However, our current lineup may also lack the punch to score enough goals for us to be serious playoff contenders, even if we can reduce our goals allowed.  Below are the career highs for goals scored by every player on our roster, as well as their goal totals from last season.

While it is completely unrealistic to think that every player on our roster could have career a year in terms of goal scoring, if that outcome were to occur, our total goals for would be 269, which would have been good enough for 4th best in the league a year ago behind Washington, Vancouver, and Chicago, and ahead of San Jose and Pittsburgh: clearly some of the best teams in the league during the regular season last year.  If our players could only replicate last season's totals for goals scored at 204, that number would tie us for last in the league with Calgary.  Our goal total for the 2010-11 season will likely be somewhere in the middle of those two totals, assuming the totals for Evander Kane, Niclas Bergfors, and Zach Bogosian go up with increased power play time, and Bryan Little can rebound to put in at least 20 goals next year.

I've thrown out all these stats and numbers to try to illustrate that with the way our roster currently looks, we'll likely be right around the league average in goals scored.  Given that the majority of playoff teams were among the best in goals allowed, and most had a positive goal differential last year, we either need to 1) hope and pray to the hockey gods that Craig Ramsay's new systems will allow us to reduce our goals allowed to get us to the middle of pack in the league for goals allowed, or 2) we need to acquire another 20 goal scorer to help offset the additional goals over the league average we'll give up: think of this as kind of like the 2008-09 Washington Capitals approach to goal differential.  At this point, Rick Dudley can only have an effect on one of these scenarios, and that's going out and getting another 20 goal scorer to put in our lineup.  There are still a few 20 goal scorers left on the free agent market at this point that we could target, including, but not limited to Alexander Frolov, Lee Stempniak, and Alexei Ponikarovsky.  We could also certainly bring back Maxim Afinogenov.  I don't really want to get into a debate over which guy we should bring in over the other possibilities: I'm simply stating we need to add another top 6 player if we have serious playoff aspirations. 

What are some of the thoughts or concerns y'all have about our team going into the 2010-11 season?

Most of us saw Dustin Byfuglien in the playoffs but being in the Western conference didn't see many of his games, if any, in the regular season. In order to see how good he really is and how he might fit into the Thrashers I reviewed some video. I watched 4 full games archived online from the last Blackhawks regular season (from 4 different points in the season) and solely watched Byfuglien and made notes on every shift. I also re-watched every goal he scored in the NHL to see under what kinds of conditions he can score. I'll spare you (and myself) all of the details and instead give summaries and my overall impressions.

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On Forbes' Most-Losing Pro Sports teams, the Thrashers are listed at No.9, which I guess would be alright with me if their information wasn't so terrible. This is what they said:

"The Thrashers currently have no coach or general manager. Ownership is actively seeking new investors. And their top prospect is facing criminal charges for an on-ice hit. 'Nuff said?"

Forbes made 4 statements here and 2 were wrong. Yes, we don't have a coach but no GM? I guess Rick Dudley died overnight. ASG is seeking investors, but the next statement  is just wrong. Since when is Patrice Cormier our top prospect? What about Jeremy Morin, Carl Klingberg, Vishnevskiy, and Kulda?

PS- Link-http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/25/pro-sports-losing-lifestyle-sport-teams-basketball-football_slide_5.html?partner=yahoosports

Because I have apparently little to no life, or am one of those weird people who relax by writing obnoxiously long articles, I decided to look at fourteen (!) candidates for the coaching position of the Thrashers.  I'd kind of like some feedback to see what you guys think, and I'm really curious as to what Thrasher fans are looking for in a new coach, and who (if anyone) they would like to see in that job in particular.  I've tried wading through the comments sections on the AJC's blogs, and I had to stop before I found a nice steep cliff to fling myself off of.  God.  Anywho, thanks, guys!

Thrashing the Blues: A look at possible replacement coaches for the Thrashers

Now i realize that we are out of the playoffs and that the Washington capitals, the team we faced last night and lost a miserable 5-2 too after two strong periods of play, are in the playoffs, but when i traveled to Washington DC this weekend i just couldn't resist going to the game.

I learned a couple of things:

1. Washington fans have no idea what there talking about

2. theres a lack of Atlanta fans in the DC area

3. Dont pretend to be part of the media to get up close to the team.

I will explain after the jump

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This post might be premature as the Thrashers have not been mathematically eliminated yet.  I think that if they lose to NJ tonight, it is over.  Some people already think it is.  TimmyF posted that we have a 28% chance now of qualifying for the playoffs and said that the Thrashers have to win all 3 games, and either the Flyers or Bruins have to lose.  But then what about the Rangers?  They are still in the hunt too.

I posted something on Blueland Blog that got me thinking.  Who would you all like to see Waddell and Dudley go after that would improve the Thrashers for next year and bring us closer to qualifying for the playoffs and the Stanley Cup?

Please make some educated guesses.  Include players that are RFA's or UFA's.

A year  ago, I agreed with Falconer on Mike Knuble.  I would have loved to see him come here but the Capitals signed him, and they are benefitting from him greatly.  2 years ago, I wished we were able to sign Johnny Oduya; now, he is here because Rick Dudley was given the task of seeing what we could get for Kovalchuk.

I don't know who the Trashers would offer up in a trade or even if they would trade now.  I think that the Thrashers are going to let some guys go, and really add, but who?  Part of me wonders if they just decide to promote from within and bring up Mahachek, Postma, Kulda, Klingberg, and Morin. 

What are your thoughts?

For Immediate Release: April 1, 2010

ATLANTA, Ga.—When HelmetHair hair care products hit shelves this June, they will be defended by NHL star Ron Hainsey, a defenseman for the Atlanta Thrashers. The hockey player has signed on to promote the new HelmetHair line of products, which are specially designed for athletes.

HelmetHair is the latest brainchild of Sutter Labs CEO Dan Sutter. HelmetHair shampoo and conditioners are the first hair care products being released under the new label, and there are already plans underway to introduce HelmetHair styling products.

HelmetHair is designed for athletes who wear helmets on a regular basis. "Hockey players, cyclists, even rock climbers suffer from hair damaged by abrasive helmets," notes Sutter. "HelmetHair is designed to give extra protection to each strand of hair while leaving hair clean and shiny. It’s important to look good when that helmet comes off!"

Someone who understands the importance of looking good both on and off the ice is Hainsey, whose flowing tresses can be seen peeking out of his helmet. When the helmet comes off, it’s apparent that Hainsey’s hair is the real star. "We didn’t actually sign Ron Hainsey," laughs Sutter. "We signed Ron Hainsey’s hair!"

A new ad campaign will be launched in national magazines geared toward females who live active, athletic lifestyles. The campaign will feature the "Win a Lock of Ron Hainsey’s Hair" sweepstakes. One lucky winner will receive a lock of his silky brown hair, tucked into a 14-carat gold locket shaped like the HelmetHair shampoo bottle.

Hainsey will also promote HelmetHair locally through "Test and Touch" appearances throughout metro Atlanta, the home of Sutter Labs. Fans will have the opportunity to get free bottles of HelmetHair autographed by Hainsey, but the real draw will be the opportunity to run their fingers through his hair to see just how effective HelmetHair has been for the hockey star.

"More and more women are participating in sports that require helmets, and we think Ron’s participation will really attract them to HelmetHair," says Sutter. "Of course, Ron has so many female fans that we expect to have a lot of customers outside our target audience!"

Look for HelmetHair products on shelves this June in all major retail stores and select salons. More importantly, look for Ron Hainsey throughout Atlanta, proving why he trusts his legendary hair to HelmetHair. Are you ready to touch the tresses of greatness?

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Hockey is for everyone.  Or so at least the NHL tells us through one of their current marketing programs.  The thinking for the program is sound. The NHL desires to expose people in non traditional hockey markets (urban, southern) to the wonderful game that is professional ice hockey.  Take those people that may not have been exposed to the game and give them an opportunity to appreciate the athletic greatness of the modern NHL player.  Give them a taste of the game so they’ll understand what the fuss is about and go out to buy tickets, watch on television, or purchase NHL related products.  In short grow the game.

Working with boys and girls clubs is admirable, and according to NHL reports they have touched more than 45,000 people with their hockey is for everyone program, but I feel the NHL is missing out on a bigger splash….

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Pogue Mahon commented after the loss to the Leafs that leadership has never been our strong suit.  That's true but what does the future hold regarding the 'C'?  Who and when?

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