Atlanta Thrashers

[TheDevilMadeMe]

And aren't the owners of the arena also the owners of the, ummm...team? Just a crappy, underhanded situation really. I think the team was basically a throw-in in the purchase of the arena so the owners treated the Thrashers like the red-headed step child from day one.

this is the impression that I get too. they basically bought the package - the NBA team, the NHL team, and the arena - with the intention of dumping the NHL team.

 

[revolverjgw]

They're kind of notable for having four very high-end scoring talents who all had elite seasons there... Kovalchuk, Heatley, Savard and Hossa. That's more than Columbus, Minnesota and Nashville can claim.

Wish the Habs could get some talent like that...

 

[Payinthedues]

1. A team that showed promise at various times in their history, but was ultimately let down repeatedly by Don Waddell and ASG (the owners). One of the worst track records by a GM or as owners in NHL history.

2. The southern expansion team Gary Bettman let walk away. He was willing to sell the Predators to a con man to keep them out of Canada. He has moved heaven and earth to keep the moribund Coyotes in the failed market of Phoenix, likely just because the optics of moving a team back to its original location would be seen as an admission of failure. But for whatever reason, he let Atlanta pull up stakes without any sort of fight. Not really sure why, and if I was a Thrashers fan I'd feel pretty betrayed. There's no way Atlanta should have been moved before Phoenix (who will move anyway).

Slight fix, but this is very fair.

 

[Chain Attack]

Is Waddell a bad GM or the scapegoat of bad circumstances?
No need to bring up Patrick Stefan as that can happen to ANY team. The fact is the Atlanta Thrashers were on the rise before the Healtey/Snyder incident took place. Waddell did the right thing by turning that asset into Marian Hossa (a great player) but Hossa's alligiance to the Thrashers wasn't as strong as Waddell rightfully anticipated, so once again he did the right thing by being active at the deadline and getting what was probably the best offer they could for Hossa at the time. Many people in the media thought Pittsburgh overpaid for what was seen and turned out to be a rental player. What did the Panthers do with Jaybo? Nothing. Then you have the contract situatuion with Kovalchuk. How much money were they suppose to throw at him? Waddell's job was to build a team on a limited budget...I'm sure he would've loved to keep Kovalchuk around for 12 more years or whatever it was but once again he could see the feeling wasn't mutual, so he turned that player into future assets which could pay dividends for Winnipeg in the future. Then you have this problem with the minor league Chicago Wolves, an organization that prides itself on winning first and developing young talent second. Is it any wonder things turned out the way they did? A lot of people like the current direction of this Thrashers team, the question is will they put their egos aside and give Waddell the credit he deserves if this core group of players he oversaw manages to turn things around in Winnipeg? Only time will tell.

 

[begbeee]

Has the potential to be relocated something to do with a history?

I dont remember any successful team which have been relocated.

Colorado Rockies, Seals, Scouts, Jets, Nordiques, Flames, Thrashers, Whalers... All of them were unable to succeed. Mostly they finnished in regular season or hardly made it to playoffs. There is no Hart, Ross, Vezina or Norris trophy winner from their former players.

When there are another rumors about relocation nowadays, it is always about unsuccessful team like Blue Jackets, Coyotes or Panthers.
Ducks, Senators, Sharks or Lightings were terrible team back in 90's but they fought for their places in the NHL and after their SC or playoffs runs it's hard to imagine relocating a cup winner.

IF Thrashers made playoffs regulary with maybe one SCF run, would it be harder to relocate them now?

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Is Waddell a bad GM or the scapegoat of bad circumstances?
No need to bring up Patrick Stefan as that can happen to ANY team. The fact is the Atlanta Thrashers were on the rise before the Healtey/Snyder incident took place. Waddell did the right thing by turning that asset into Marian Hossa (a great player) but Hossa's alligiance to the Thrashers wasn't as strong as Waddell rightfully anticipated, so once again he did the right thing by being active at the deadline and getting what was probably the best offer they could for Hossa at the time. Many people in the media thought Pittsburgh overpaid for what was seen and turned out to be a rental player. What did the Panthers do with Jaybo? Nothing. Then you have the contract situatuion with Kovalchuk. How much money were they suppose to throw at him? Waddell's job was to build a team on a limited budget...I'm sure he would've loved to keep Kovalchuk around for 12 more years or whatever it was but once again he could see the feeling wasn't mutual, so he turned that player into future assets which could pay dividends for Winnipeg in the future. Then you have this problem with the minor league Chicago Wolves, an organization that prides itself on winning first and developing young talent second. Is it any wonder things turned out the way they did? A lot of people like the current direction of this Thrashers team, the question is will they put their egos aside and give Waddell the credit he deserves if this core group of players he oversaw manages to turn things around in Winnipeg? Only time will tell.

i think waddell will be remembered most for two mind-bogglingly shortsighted trades. braydon coburn to rent alexei zhitnik. 2 first rounders, a second, and a third to rent keith tkachuk. would you re-sign with a team that makes trades like that? pretty clear there's no future there.

 

[MS]

12 years and never won a playoff game. Legacy of total failure.

Don Waddell is the Stu Jackson of the NHL. Bumbling fool of a GM who was given oodles of top-5 picks to work with but was never able to craft a roster that was anything but ... some top-5 draft picks surrounding expansion-level talent.

 

[Seanconn*]

the team Kovalchuk started his carreer with, then got traded from, and shortly after relocated.

 

[tony d]

As a team that could have been so much better but wasn't. Lots of great players played for the team. Hopefully in Winnipeg the team can be much better.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Colorado Rockies, Seals, Scouts, Jets, Nordiques, Flames, Thrashers, Whalers... All of them were unable to succeed. Mostly they finnished in regular season or hardly made it to playoffs. There is no Hart, Ross, Vezina or Norris trophy winner from their former players.

Indeed, Atlanta will join Hamilton as the only "former NHL" city where a player won a major award (Billy Burch won the Hart in 1925 for the Hamilton Tigers).

Atlanta claims three Calders (Vail and Plett for the Flames, Heatley for the Thrashers) and a Lady Byng (Bob MacMillan for the Flames).

Edit: Derp, and the obvious... a Rocket Richard Trophy for Kovalchuk.

 

[optimus2861]

The Atlanta Flames may have made the playoffs a few times, but they never won a series either. They only won two playoff games, even. So Atlanta is sadly saddled with a history of NHL futility that few outside the city will bother to remember.

 

[overpass]

Has the potential to be relocated something to do with a history?

I dont remember any successful team which have been relocated.

Colorado Rockies, Seals, Scouts, Jets, Nordiques, Flames, Thrashers, Whalers... All of them were unable to succeed. Mostly they finnished in regular season or hardly made it to playoffs. There is no Hart, Ross, Vezina or Norris trophy winner from their former players.

When there are another rumors about relocation nowadays, it is always about unsuccessful team like Blue Jackets, Coyotes or Panthers.
Ducks, Senators, Sharks or Lightings were terrible team back in 90's but they fought for their places in the NHL and after their SC or playoffs runs it's hard to imagine relocating a cup winner.

IF Thrashers made playoffs regulary with maybe one SCF run, would it be harder to relocate them now?

The Ottawa Senators moved in the 30s after a very successful history. Not enough people or private money in Depression-era Ottawa, and the owners couldn't continue to operate at a loss.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

the team Kovalchuk started his carreer with, then got traded from, and shortly after relocated.

Makes me wonder if the team would have still have been on the move today had Kovalchuk re-upped on that long-term, $100 million deal with the Thrashers.

The Thrashers franchise will be remembered by inept management/ownership and horrible on-ice results. A division title is nice, but no playoff wins in their history will carry on forever.

 

[begbeee]

The Ottawa Senators moved in the 30s after a very successful history. Not enough people or private money in Depression-era Ottawa, and the owners couldn't continue to operate at a loss.

That is prehistory.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

The Ottawa Senators moved in the 30s after a very successful history. Not enough people or private money in Depression-era Ottawa, and the owners couldn't continue to operate at a loss.

Well, if you go back that far you can also look at the Montreal Maroons who made the Finals three times and had won two Cups and they didn't merely relocate, they disappeared.

It's kinda sad actually, I think nowadays Montreal may well be able to handle two NHL franchises.

 

[brianscot]

The Thrashers will also be a monument to Gary Bettman's regime.

A top 10 US television market doesn't automatically guarantee franchise success; the NHL isn't the NBA; and comments like the following from the League's Commish about Atlanta demonstrates his vision:

“Demonstrating your dissatisfaction by not going to games is an interesting strategy. It’s your absolute right. But if it becomes a turnoff for anybody who might want to buy the franchise, the long-term consequences could be severe.â€

Wow. So bad attendance hinders selling a franchise? Who knew?

 

[SealsFan]

To defend my Seals a bit... during the pre-internet, pre-cable TV era, the west coast was a lonely outpost of hockey with most of the NHL located in the eastern half of the continent. Unless they were winning Cups, it was easy for the Seals, Kings or Canucks to receive far less attention than others.

In this modern hockey era with access to instantaneous information, it's more significant if you've done nothing to distinguish yourself.

 

[popculturereference]

While I am going to enjoy Winnipeg's return to the NHL, I do feel bad for Atlanta. It felt like they were finally turning the corner, and icing a team that could eventually make the playoffs.

However, to me, I will always remember Atlanta for trying to ice a one line team, without much depth. At best, their defense was mediocre. I think when their careers are done, Atlanta will also be seen as producing two fairly good goaltenders in Pavelec and Lehtonen.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Is Waddell a bad GM or the scapegoat of bad circumstances?
No need to bring up Patrick Stefan as that can happen to ANY team. The fact is the Atlanta Thrashers were on the rise before the Healtey/Snyder incident took place. Waddell did the right thing by turning that asset into Marian Hossa (a great player) but Hossa's alligiance to the Thrashers wasn't as strong as Waddell rightfully anticipated, so once again he did the right thing by being active at the deadline and getting what was probably the best offer they could for Hossa at the time. Many people in the media thought Pittsburgh overpaid for what was seen and turned out to be a rental player. What did the Panthers do with Jaybo? Nothing. Then you have the contract situatuion with Kovalchuk. How much money were they suppose to throw at him? Waddell's job was to build a team on a limited budget...I'm sure he would've loved to keep Kovalchuk around for 12 more years or whatever it was but once again he could see the feeling wasn't mutual, so he turned that player into future assets which could pay dividends for Winnipeg in the future. Then you have this problem with the minor league Chicago Wolves, an organization that prides itself on winning first and developing young talent second. Is it any wonder things turned out the way they did? A lot of people like the current direction of this Thrashers team, the question is will they put their egos aside and give Waddell the credit he deserves if this core group of players he oversaw manages to turn things around in Winnipeg? Only time will tell.

Waddell's draft record is abysmal. Outside of the Kovalchuk and Heatley no-brainers, Atlanta has virtually nothing to show from the draft up until Bryan Little in year 8. The Stefan bust can be forgiven for the fact that the 1999 draft was pretty much the worst in history. Lehtonen may be a serviceable NHL goalie, but was poor value at #2 overall. Coburn has turned out decent, but was wasted on renting Alexei Zhitnik. Boris Valabik was a bust, and Alex Bouret was an awful pick (Waddell traded him for practically nothing just two years after drafting him anyway).

Outside of the first round, Tobias Enstrom (239th overall) was the only impactful selection, Ondrej Pavelic pending. After that, Garnet Exelby, Darcy Hordichuk, and Jim Slater are probably the next best players drafted by Atlanta. Ouch.

Like MS states, this was basically a perpetual expansion team given respectability at various times by Heatley, Kovalchuk, Hossa, and Savard.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

I'm going to remember the developing rivalry with the Caps, but when I hear the Thrashers, I will think Don Waddell (Sp) and how he was able to keep a job.

 

[nutbar]

The Atlanta Flames may have made the playoffs a few times, but they never won a series either. They only won two playoff games, even. So Atlanta is sadly saddled with a history of NHL futility that few outside the city will bother to remember.

Third time's the charm...

 

[nutbar]

The Atlanta Flames may have made the playoffs a few times, but they never won a series either. They only won two playoff games, even. So Atlanta is sadly saddled with a history of NHL futility that few outside the city will bother to remember.

Interestingly, the Atlanta Flames actually had a winning record in regular season play.

 

[SilverSeven]

The Ottawa Senators moved in the 30s after a very successful history. Not enough people or private money in Depression-era Ottawa, and the owners couldn't continue to operate at a loss.

I highlighted the two things that make that vastly different than ANY situation today.

 

[begbeee]

Actually after 2 months of play Thrashers seem to be forgotten. No whinning anymore, noone cares...

 

[Hardyvan123]

12 years and never won a playoff game. Legacy of total failure.

Don Waddell is the Stu Jackson of the NHL. Bumbling fool of a GM who was given oodles of top-5 picks to work with but was never able to craft a roster that was anything but ... some top-5 draft picks surrounding expansion-level talent.

Easy there Bigboy no one had a worse record than Stu we are taking 5 man Bball which is much easier to build a team in.

Comparing S** J***son with anyone should always be spelled that way IMO as his tenure in Vancouver was a complete joke.