Thursday, June 18, 2009

BREAKING: Reform Afoot in the Thrashers System?



Craig Custance drops a bombshell:

The Atlanta Thrashers have raided the Chicago Blackhawks to bolster their front office. According to an NHL source, the Thrashers have hired Chicago assistant general manager Rick Dudley to be an associate general manager under executive vice president and current GM Don Waddell.

The source told SportingNews.com that Dudley wasn't brought in to replace the longtime Thrashers GM and that it was a Waddell hire. Dudley has been with the Blackhawks since 2004 when he was hired as a hockey ops consultant and was named an assistant GM in July of 2006.

He brings a wealth of experience to the Thrashers front office. He was the general manager of the Florida Panthers for two years (2002-04) and before that was the GM and senior vice president in Tampa Bay. He spent one season as the GM of the Senators.

In Tampa, he acquired players like Nikolai Khabibulin and Martin St. Louis who were key members of the Lightning's Stanley Cup winning team. Dudley was also in the running for the Jack Adams Trophy as head coach of the Buffalo Sabres following the 1989-90 season.


I fully expect a Rafsanjani vs. Khamenei/Mousavi vs. Ahmadinejad type confrontation sometime in the near future.


The breezes of change are blowing, my friends.

3 comments:

Wayne from AL said...

Now, if we can only get a resolution in Belkin vs. Atlanta Spirit, L.L.C....

Razor Catch Prey said...

This is a great sign. He hasn't stuck anywhere very long as GM, but does bring in some great experience. Maybe he will make a difference in signing free agents.

Big Shooter said...

Wasn't he the guy that hired Keenan as coach in Fla?