The Thrashers just lost two heart wrenching games this weekend. This post from Battle of Alberta makes some interesting points about "consistency" and what that word really means.The Battle of Alberta: On Consistency

This is what comes to mind when I'm driving the boy to school in the morning, and I hear the guy doing the morning sports update declare that the Flames put forth "no effort last night" in "another inconsistent performance" losing to whoever. You know, for a tubbo in a windowless room to claim that a pro hockey team didn't try -- that's 18-20 guys who are in the top one-thousandth of hockey players who have ever tried to succeed at it -- is self-evidently shameful, but that's beside today's points. One of which is simply that sometimes people have a bad game despite preparing well and wanting it really, really bad. (God help the poor Olympic athlete who has the wrong bad day.)

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Chris O'Meara - AP

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Watching the Thrashers last night was pretty rough. In fact, I nearly turned the game off, and I almost never think about turning off a live hockey game.

It was a night where not a whole lot went right for the Thrashers: they were beat at even-strength, they were beat at special teams, they were beat on a penalty shot. They lost an important game to a division rival that clearly wanted the win more. After a strong start, the Thrashers ended up on a couple successive penalty kills and just never regained momentum.

In a game where the Thrashers were outscored 4-2 at even-strength, the "180 Line" of Little - Antropov - Bergfors ended up as a +3 with 3 points (that's +1, 1 point each) and a total of 12 shots.

12 shots! Compare that to the Peverley line (6 shots, -5, 1 point total) and the Kane/Artyukhin-Slater-Armstrong line (4 shots, -2, 2 points between the 4)... Clearly the Thrashers have found a solid top line. More on these guys after the jump...

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Thrashers played a terrific game last night, even our SB Nation blogger had some nice comments.

Thrashers 6, Islanders 3: And it wasn't even that close - Lighthouse Hockey
The Islanders made critical mistakes to fall behind 3-0 in the first 10 minutes, ultimately falling to Atlanta 6-3.

Atlanta has a favorable schedule and this author likes their playoff chances because of it.

Why the Atlanta Thrashers Will Make the Playoffs | The Hockey Writers
GM Don Waddell believes that his team is a buyer and can make the playoffs. I wholeheartedly agree with this...

John Mannaso on the "Ewing Effect" and the post-Kovy Thrashers

A Yankee Whistles in Dixie: The Thrashers and the Ewing (Kovalchuk?) Theory

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Welcome to Atlanta, Clarke MacArthur and Evgeny Artyukhin.

The Atlanta Thrashers have added Clarke MacArthur for a 3rd and 4th round picks.

I'll update this post as more info becomes available.

A rough translation from Russian press

"Atlanta coach likes playing in four [lines], while I think that it’s impossible to play the whole match this way as we simply lose the rhythm. Ilya and I tried to explain that it’s necessary to change picture of the game sometimes.

"In order to catch the rhythm it’s better to play in two or three [lines], but Anderson doesn’t feel it. Maybe he is inexperienced or maybe he sticks to his own directions after he won the cup in AHL".

"I played both in AHL and NHL and these are absolutely different leagues. Not all coaches, who won something with the farm-club, can achieve something serious in NHL, and vice versa".

You can argue the merits of rolling for lines, but the Thrashers are playing winning hockey while rolling four lines--which they never did with Ilya on the roster. Furthermore, to suggest that Kovalchuk didn't get a mountain of ice time from Coach Anderson is simply not accurate. Ilya Kovalchuk led all NHL forwards in ice time  during most of his seasons in Atlanta. The 4th line usually averaged about 8 minutes when Kovalchuk was here because the top three lines got more ice time.

He also took offense to comments that the Thrashers won nothing with Kovalchuk:

"I was negatively surprised when Atlanta managers said after Ilya Kovalchuk’s quit that they hadn’t won any cup match in eight years with this player. Kovalchuk has done a lot for this team and I was hurt by these words. It means that it’s time for me to leave the club too".

Thrashers prospect Paul Postma posted some huge numbers his last year in junior hockey. This season he turned professional and began playing for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL. He got off to a slow start but lately his offense has picked up. Last night he scored a hat trick (very impressive for a defenseman) in the Wolves victory. Below is a collection of game highlights courtesy of Mr. Wolfkeeper. Enjoy.

Chicago Wolves vs San Antonio Rampage, 2/21/2010 Part 2 (via wolfkeeper80)

Thrashers have one of the better scoring defenses in the NHL

The league's top-scoring blue lines (and where your team ranks) - From The Rink
Ever wonder which team's blue line chips in the most points? Check out this list to see the league leaders as we head into the Olympic break.

Some thoughts about how much Ilya Kovalchuk should be paid.

The Hockey Symposium: Kovalchuk’s Next Contract and the Max Salary Debate


Sharks blog lusts for Kubina.

Trade Targets: Pavel Kubina (ATL) - Fear The Fin
Trade Targets: Pavel Kubina (ATL)

Chicago Wolves look in on Coach Anderson

Breakaway Magazine - Issue 11
Chicagowolves.com is the official website of the 2008 Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves hockey team.

OK this just made me laugh, perfect for a case of "the mondays"

Cane's Country has a two part interview with new owner of Charlotte AHL franchise. Guess what? He grew up a fan of Atlanta Flames!

Canes Country Q&A: Interview With Charlotte Checkers Owner Michael Kahn, Part 1 - Canes Country
Part 1 of a two-part interview with Charlotte Checkers owner Michael Kahn, who purchased the Albany River Rats and is bringing the AHL to Charlotte.

Canes Country Q&A: Interview With Charlotte Checkers Owner Michael Kahn, Part 2 - Canes Country
The second part of Canes Country's interview with Charlotte Checkers owner Michael Kahn, who purchased the Albany River Rats and is bringing the AHL to Charlotte.

People complain about the Thrashers relationship with the Wolves. Rochester is complaining about inattention from Florida Panthers.

Rochester media slams "absence" of Panthers management - Litter Box Cats
Florida brass "should be with Amerks"

NHL.com profiles Southeast Division Prospects.

Southeast: Good future growing on the farm - NHL.com - Division Notebooks
If their prospects continue to develop the way they have so far, it looks like the Southeast Division teams are in good shape moving forward.