On Feb. 15, the Atlanta Thrashers (31-34-8) were two games above .500, winners of six of their last eight, and breathing down Carolina‚s neck for the lead in the division.
Since then, they’ve won two games. Not in a week, but in a month.
Their fatal losing streak began the very next day, when the Thrashers pitifully just managed 10 shots on goal and allowed 49 shots on goal to the New York Islanders in a 4-1 loss.
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Goaltender Kari Lehtonen (32) of the Atlanta Thrashers stops a shot attempt by David Booth (10) of the Florida Panthers at Bank Atlantic Center on March 8, 2008 in Sunrise, Florida. |
The Thrashers have been outshot in all but two games since Feb. 15, except for two games when they merely managed to equal the opposing team’s shot total.
Atlanta went more than a month between regulation wins, and six weeks between regulation wins at home.
There is one category where Atlanta has managed to leap to the top in the league in: goals allowed.
Sensing a pattern here?
With the team within fingertip reach of a playoff spot, the Thrashers fell flat on their face, day after day, game after game.
Thrashers associate head coach Brad McCrimmon got so fed up with it all that he kicked the team off the ice early from a practice.
Around it all is the glaring proof that the Thrashers lack a team identity around which to rally. While they have had some dramatic and inspiring come-from-behind wins this season, most recently March 13 against Calgary, by and large the Thrashers have not been able to put together any sort of consistent effort night in and night out.
With all of this going on, it’s got to be a bit surprising Thrashers management has recently come out in defense of Atlanta GM and head coach Don Waddell’s future with the team. Ownership believes Waddell should come back next season as general manager despite constructing then coaching this team into its current position.
That announcement, as well as the public revelation that some single game tickets have become available for less than what season ticket holders pay have not gone over well with some season ticket holders, who have pledged not to renew.
It will take a substantial effort in the offseason by Waddell to change the opinions of Atlanta fans moving forward.
Hossa, Dupuis Traded
Considering the situation in Atlanta, it’s not much of a surprise Marian Hossa and the Thrashers were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract. Hossa stated his belief that he wanted to play for a team capable of winning the Stanley Cup, and given Atlanta’s play, it was apparent Lord Stanley wasn’t going to be making a personal visit to the Jewel of the South any time soon.
With that as the backdrop, Waddell went down to the wire on the trading deadline, reportedly considering offers from Montreal, Boston, and San Jose among other teams before settling on an offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Center Erik Christensen and forward Colby Armstrong are the roster players the Thrashers received in return, and both have provided immediate dividends for Atlanta.
Armstrong has posted three goals and four assists in his first nine games with the team to go along with some thundering checks and solid effort on the penalty kill. He will be counted on to bang around on the second line and chip in with some offense as well.
Christensen provides Atlanta with a legitimate second-line center who can also kill penalties and is a good faceoff winner. He’s also known around the league as a terrific shootout specialist, and possesses the offensive skills to become quite dangerous. So far, he’s posted two goals and two assists in nine games.
Atlanta also received prospect center Angelo Esposito, who was very highly rated heading into the 2007 NHL draft, but whose prospects have fallen with his stats over the last season. After posting 39 goals and 59 assists in his first season while pairing with Alexander Radulov with the Quebec Ramparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he fell to 27 goals and 52 assists his second season. This year, he’s posted 30 goals and 39 assists in 55 games with Quebec.
Still, he has tremendous skill with good size at 6-0 and 190 pounds right now, and gives Atlanta a serious center prospect for the very near future.
Interestingly, Atlanta scrambled to try and trade up in the 2007 draft to select Esposito, but were unable to come up with an offer in time. Now, they have him anyway.
Atlanta also picked up a second first-round draft pick for the 2008 draft, which is projected to be quite deep. Atlanta’s pick is virtually assured to be top 5, while Pittsburgh’s might be in the late 20s. The first draft pick may or may not become a roster player next season, but Waddell has hinted he might trade at least one pick for immediate help.
Despite the haul, it’s difficult to look at this trade and believe the Thrashers aren’t making the kind of progress necessary to take the next step in the NHL. When your play on the ice necessitates trading away one of the best players in the league because he didn’t feel you were Stanley Cup material, that’s not a good thing.
The Thrashers organization must take a serious look at how to upgrade the team defense in the offseason, since giving up the most goals in the league is not a model for making the playoffs. A new head coach will go a long way towards establishing a new identity, but that too must be done quickly.
It’s been a long season, and after this past month, it’s shaping up to be an even longer offseason. |
