Atlanta Thrashers 06-07 - Who played center?

[mattihp]

I was browsing for oddities in stats when I came to the 06-07 season by the Atlanta Thrashers.

It was the only season when Marián Hossa scored 100 points in one season.

But the odd thing is that after the top three scorers there is a drop in 40 points. None of these three players is traditionally a center.

Who took the draws between Kovalchuk and Hossa/Kozlov that year? Or were the big two seperated in lines? Slava Kozlov only took 67 faceoffs that year so he doesn't seem to be a likely candidate

I know Bobby Holik was brought in to be the top centerman but he notched 29 points in 82 games and that would be remarkable.

Click to read more...

 

[Doctor No]

Here's how Strat-o-Matic carded them:

These were end-of-season rosters (line numbers listed), so:

Kovalchuk - Tkachuk - Sim
Kozlov - Belanger - Hossa
Larsen - Holik - Vigier

 

[Michael Farkas]

Kovalchuk got mixed and matched because he was double-shifted...but he played most of the year in this fashion:
Kovalchuk-Rucchin-Mellanby

After the deadline, that seemed to become more Kovalchuk-Tkachuk-Mellanby, but Jon Sim would regularly fill in Mellanby's spot...

Kozlov-Metropolit-Hossa was a nice little donut line for a good bit...and then I think Eric Belanger came in...

Niko Kapanen and Jim Slater also played center I do believe...and of course Holik...

 

[pnep]

Depth 2006-07.pdf

 

[mattihp]

Wow. That season was a mess. I am sure they would have fared better if one of those mediocre centermen got to play with one of the stars most of the time. Niko could for sure hit 45-50 points considering his skill for dishing out the puck in Dallas.

 

[Michael Farkas]

I was a big Niko Kapanen fan when he came in...I think I tried to get my Stars jersey customized for him and then he got dealt or otherwise moved on and I gave up...

 

[Doctor No]

I was a big Niko Kapanen fan when he came in...I think I tried to get my Stars jersey customized for him and then he got dealt or otherwise moved on and I gave up...

Least you figured it out before you threw down your wallet. I have two Avalanche sweaters; a rookie Chris Drury (good choice in retrospect) and a rookie T.J. Galiardi (ummm….)

 

[Big Phil]

First thought I had was that Marc Savard was still there, but he was on Boston by then. But yeah, that is a bunch of low cards at centre there. No wonder that team vanished in the playoffs.

 

[The Wizard of Oz]

Might be something to the adage of being strong down the middle huh. I remember watching Kovi losing his cool taking runs at whatever pest was on the the other team. They were out of their depth. Even Kozlov a consistent and clutch playoff performer was left off the score sheet.

 

[Voight]

Depth 2006-07.pdf

Not to get OT but from what I remember the Ducks had Penner on Getzlafs other wing