Sunday, October 14, 2007

 

So, It's 0-5, Then?

by Greg

Allow me to change course once again and proclaim myself "alarmed" with your 2007-2008 Atlanta Thrashers. I was planning to go to Saturday night's game with New Jersey, but in the end, blew it off (hockey has failed in the South!) and watched from the comfort of my couch. All things considered, the right decision.

I got engrossed with cooking dinner and drinking a bottle of wine, and so got into it a bit late -- turned it on during a phone conversation with my Mom, which went something like this:

Mom: "Dad's fine, sister's fine, etc etc"

I turn on tv, Patrik Elias scores to make it 2-1.

Me: "(word that you don't normally say in conversation with your dear sainted mother)"

Mom: "Excuse me?"

I should have just turned it off there. Instead, I got my hopes raised by the first decent period they've played all year, made mouth farts as the announcers talked about the need to "play a full 60 minutes" (perhaps the most inane thing a hockey commentator can say?), then watched in sorrow as the Thrashers, indeed, didn't play a full 60 minutes. God, that sucked.

This isn't a case of a team getting a few bad breaks. Kari Lehtonen was considerably less than spectacular last night, but he wasn't helped by his defense's complete inability to clear out the front of the net. The third period is just an ugly haze of red wine, Devils surrounding Lehtonen, and shattered dreams.

There's also not much to be scared of offensively, especially with Hossa out. Kovalchuk, ok. Slava Kozlov and Todd White aren't doing much. The kids are yet to accomplish much.

The double-barreled rumors are getting going -- will Hossa be traded? (if so, the Thrashers are in contention for whoever goes #1 next year) and will Hartley be fired? (wasn't his fault that the team's glaring needs weren't addressed, but they should be doing better than this regardless.) I know, I know, it's early yet, but this is shaping up to be a long year.

Labels:


Comments:
I'm not sure why Hartley has stayed this long, since he seemingly has done a poor job of coaching the Thrashees. Kovalchuk and Kozlov have failed to do anything in the defensive zone, and when I watch the Thrashers, I just get the feeling that they are asking to be scored on.

It's time to stop blaming injuries (not that you have too much) and start getting results.
 
"hockey has failed in the South!"

Speak for yourself--everything is great in the Caniac Nation right now!
 
I don't mean to blame it on injuries -- they should be capable of winning without Hossa. Their suckiness is universal, and isn't just the lack of one guy.

They should be capable of winning a game where they scored five freakin' goals on Brodeur, for god's sake. Ah, now I'm riled up again.

As for "hockey has failed in the South," wasn't serious.
 
Can´t help, but that Trashers D looks damn ugly. Where is a Kloucek when you need one?
 
Instead of putting most of the blame on the forwards (Ilya, Holik, etc.), put the blame on Exelby (that penalty in the final 2 minutes was boneheaded)...

Waddell has had 7 years to draft a quality d-man and hasn't...
 
1) Wayne hit the nail on the head, Don Waddell's job should be onm the line this season. If they don't make the playoffs or fall out of the race early he deserves the axe!
2) Of course Bob Hartley will feel the heat first.
 
Where is a Kloucek when you need one?

Vak Fan, I like the way you think.
 
Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?