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March of the Penguins

Boy, I'm glad its over aren't you? Maybe now I can actually get some work done at the office! I said in an earlier post, that I had complete confidence Don Waddell would get the right deal done. I think it would be hard to argue that now. It hurts to lose Hossa. I'll save that article for another day. Right now, I'd like to take a look at the actual trade and give my thoughts.

Gone: Hossa, Dupuis

New Thrash: Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Espisito and a 1st round '08 pick

We all knew Hossa was gone at the end of the year. Dupuis had a chance to stay, and maybe we will sign him in the offseason, but a trade certainly hurts those chances. It seems to me we got a lot in return for two players that could have walked at the end of the year. Hossa almost certainly will not sign with the Pens next year. I don't think they have the cap room. He is purely a rental.

Speaking of rentals.... remember last year when the entire league was flipping out over how much we gave up for Tkchuck: Metropolit, 1st and 3rd in '07, and 2nd in '08. Now, lets compare the two deals. Metro didn't fit into our plans for '08 so he was going to leave anyway. So, to me that means all we gave up were two picks in the weak '07 draft and our 2nd rounder in the '08 draft. Not too bad if you consider the impact Tkchuck had on our franchise.

Now, the Hossa deal: Colby Armstrong will become a fan favorite at Philips. He hits, can score, and will be a great teammate. He can play on any of the top 3 lines. Signed through next year at a good price and then he is a RFA. Christensen has a similar contract to Armstrong. Great on the faceoff, great at the shootout, and will probably be a 1-2 line center on this team. Espisito was a first round pick last year that seems to have potential. I'll refrain from commenting on him too much as I have never seen him play, but he seems to have upside. And we get a first round pick in the deep draft this year that we can use or trade for immediate help.

Seems to me we did better than the Blues did last year in the trade with us. Lots of people have problems with Waddell. Some deserved, some not. Give him credit for what looks to be a pretty good deal with his back against the wall.

I strongly believe the makeup of this team needs to be changed. We have had a lot of Europeans on this team for far too long. I'm not trying to say anything negative. But you cannot dispute that, for the most part, their style of play is soft and fades in the playoffs. Obviously I'm not talking about guys like Holik, or Kovy. The point I'm trying to make is you need guys like Armstrong if you want to make it in the playoffs. This is a huge chance for us to change the direction of our team. We could very easily wind up with the NUMBER 1 pick in the draft! And we will have a ton of cap space to spend money this offseason (SIGN JASON SMITH!).

Come on Waddell. Looks like you get a do-over. Build a team that is tough and plays with grit. It can be done quickly with our cap space and the '08 draft picks. Don't get too down Blueland. I still think the future is bright.

For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.

The Game Last Night

Our first post-Hossa game extended our losing streak to 4. Fabulous. I had high hopes for this road trip; I thought it might propel us to first place in the division. But maybe I'm being ungrateful; maybe fourth is close enough to first.

We actually played pretty well in the first two periods: Kari was again our saving grace, and it goes without saying that I was pleased that the Czar scored a goal. Why did we collapse in the third period? Are we cursed or are we just easily rattled? Are we trying to set a new losing streak record? Why haven't we played a consistently solid game and won decisively since that first post-All Star game against the Penguins? Why? WHY?

Apres moi le deluge...

I'll leave an open thread on the departure of Hossa. Thoughts? Predictions? Lamentations?

4 Hours and Counting...

Here we go kids. Be sure to buckle up! Mats Sundin has stated he will not wave his no trade, so he will remain a Leaf. This leaves Hossa as the only big name on the market (that we know of) that is for sure to be moved at the deadline. I can't say it any better than Bob McKenzie of TSN, so here is what he has to say:

"As part of the fallout from the Sundin decision, I expect to see some action sooner rather than later. The happiest guy in the world has to be Thrashers' GM Don Waddell. He's sitting there with Marian Hossa whom he has every intention of trading before Tuesday's deadline and this will likely accelerate the process. A lot of the teams who were interested in Hossa were also interested in Sundin, but they were likely holding back and waiting to see what the Sundin deal was going to bring and how much it would cost to get Sundin as opposed to Hossa.

Montreal and Ottawa appear to be the two front-runners for Marian Hossa's services and there is every reason to believe that this is a trade that could go down as early as Monday as opposed to Tuesday. Waddell had an extended stay in Toronto after the Thrashers' played the Maple Leafs last Saturday. He watched the Hamilton Bulldogs play the Toronto Marlies in an AHL game as he attempted to size up some of the Habs' prospects."

People give Don Waddell a hard time, but you can't dispute most of his trades. In my opinion, that is his strongest aspect as a GM. I have every confidence that he will make the right deal.

For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.

Coach's Corner, Feb 23

A Team of Ghosts

That's what the Thrashers are at the moment. Our defense is insubstantial in both senses of the word: we let every single player from the Canes, or any opposing team, skate clean past our "defense" and pretty much offer them the net in the hope that our goaltender will get us through. We never attack the opposing offense's bodies; we just stare at the puck being passed, heads clicking back and forth like tennis spectators, and wait for someone to shoot the puck into Kari's glove. Which, of course, can't ALWAYS happen.

Meanwhile, our offense didn't pick up the whole "To Score a Goal You Must Shoot the Puck" concept when they were in hockey school.

Toby Enstrom is a skilled defenseman, but his sly and subtle finesse isn't always what's needed against a solid offense. We always need a big, aggressive thug to hit somebody. Which brings me to our other Achilles heel (this team has at least four heels): lack of passion. Sometimes it appears we just show up to the arena knowing we're going to lose, resolved to lose in fact, and not giving a fuck. In some games it seems like we have no drive, no aggression, no energy or life. Jesus H. Christ guys, show some grit! PUNCH SOMEONE IN THE MOUTH!!!

Message from the Blueland Chronicle to the Thrashers:

Jumbotron Nominees #2

To be played after the opposing team scores a goal:

Kari's Krib

I'm sure you've all seen this via Fire Wagon Hockey already, but here's the link to Mr. Lehtonen's pad nonetheless.

I quite like Kari's place; it's minimalist but warm, spacious and modern without being pretentious. Scandinavian, in a word. I never would have pegged him as a Brookhaven man, though. I wonder where the other Thrashers live...I know that Kovy lives in Buckhead (only the best for the Czar), but aside from Kari that's about all I know.

I imagine Exelby and Holik glam it up in the Piedmont Park area. Yes, I can see it now...

Trade Deadline Madness

I'll second Morty's most recent post singing Little Kovy's praises. I think a three year deal is just fine. Hopefully they will get it done. I also will not comment on all the Hossa rumors. We still have a week to go, and I'm doing my best not to get caught up in it. I'll admit, it's very difficult. I will say this... I don't think anything will happen until after the Carolina game on Thursday. Why not at least keep Hossa until AFTER that game. To this point, the biggest two points of the year. Keep Hoss until at least Friday.

Lots of other rumors circulating about the trade deadline. The only thing I'd like to see us do is dump Zhitnik. He has played much better recently. The reason I think we should dump him for WHATEVER we can get, is because of his nearly $4 million price tag for next year. That is money that can certainly be better spent. Zhitnik also has some trade value. An offensive defenseman draws interest, even if they haven't had a great year. A team needing this would most certainly give up a draft pick (I don't care what round) in order to get him. Lets get him off the books for next year to free up the money.

I also would like to see us keep Holik. I think he has been a great Captain, albeit overpaid. This is his time of year and I think we need his physical presence. We also need his skill on the faceoff. I'd love to see us resign him next year. .. don't start yelling at me yet!! I'd love to see us resign him, and pay him as a third line center, not a first line center.

Looks like it will be a long week in Blueland. Lets hope we all survive.

For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.

Dupuis Wants to Stay + More Hossa Rumors

Essential post from Craig Custance.

For now, I'll go without commenting on the rumors swirling around Hossa. I WOULD, on the other hand, like to add my two cents to the possibility of Dupuis being signed to a long-term contract. Dupuis is a valuable asset: he skates fast, he scores goals, he won the game against Martin Brodeur the other night. We haven't sung his praises and chronicled his heroic deeds quite enough on the Blueland Chronicle, so let me clarify our editorial position:

Pascal Dupuis will henceforth be known (on this blog anyway) as Little Kovalchuk.

The End of Fidel and the Consequences for Hockey

Well, there you go: no more El Presidente. The Blueland Chronicle's man in Havana is off this week (what a terrible irony!) so I'm afraid you'll have to direct your attention to less reputable news sources. The New York Times' take is here, the Guardian's is here.

The implications are huge, of course. For one, we might actually get a chance to GO to Cuba now, and I've always wanted to see the place. Secondly (though probably more importantly) the citizens of Cuba might finally be granted something in the way of individual freedoms and political rights. Thirdly, poor Hugo Chavez is now without an amigo among heads of state in this hemisphere, and his face will come to resemble a sad fat kid's even more now.

But since this is a hockey blog of some kind, we should take a moment to consider what the consequences of Castro's resignation might be for hockey. You see, Cuba used to be a quasi-colony of the United States; it was never an official territory like Puerto Rico, but everyone knows that from the time of the Spanish-American War in 1898 to the Revolution of the 1950s Cuba was an elegant Caribbean Las Vegas. After the US liberated Cuba from Spanish rule, the country was formally independent but heavily enmeshed with US interests and strategies, and it provided a helpful outpost for the US military during both world wars.

Castro's revolution and the American embargo that followed abolished all of that, and the people of Cuba are living with the consequences today. Since Castro has stepped down and relinquished power permanently, the possibility of an end to the embargo and more commercial and cultural engagement with the benighted island seems all of a sudden quite likely. Barack Obama is the first of the Presidential candidates to offer a reaction, and it looks like he's advocating just that. Given all these new conditions, I think it's only fitting that we finish that McKinley and Roosevelt started in 1898 and 1) annex the place and 2) lobby the NHL to expand itself to the Caribbean.

I'm not kidding. Imagine what a test of the NHL Commissioner's mettle it would be, what a bold experiment, what a great advertisement for hockey around the world! They thought it was a challenge to establish hockey teams in non-traditional markets like L.A. and Phoenix and Dallas and Atlanta; imagine what a noble struggle relocating the Hurricanes to Havana will be! Ice hockey in Cuba, I can see it now...

Do any of you share my vision?

Corporate Logos on Hockey Jerseys?

I strongly suggest all of you go over to Fire Wagon Hockey to read an article on the possibility of hockey jerseys going corporate, a la football clubs in Europe and Latin America. Be afraid.

Jumbotron Nominees #1

This is the first post in a new series brought to you, reader, from the Blueland Chronicle. As I'm sure you, as a citizen of Blueland, know: At Philips Arena (and some other hockey venues, I've heard; though the ones in Canada I've seen are totally bereft) the Jumbotron Screen graces us with clips from all sorts of movies at various points in the game. The purpose of these clips and montages is to rouse the crowd into a bloodlusting fury, and I can attest it's quite exciting.

I love several of the clips and montages they play at Blueland, my personal favorites being the footage of Jean-Claude Van Damme dancing (played when we score a goal), the infamous "Unleash the Fury" montage, and the montage they play before an overtime that concludes with a scene from the magnificent Western Tombstone in which Kurt Russell-Wyatt Earp bellows, "Hell's comin' with me, ya hear? HELL'S COMIN' WITH ME!!!"

I get chills every time.

Some of the clips and montage are mediocre, though, and we here at the Blueland Chronicle would like to share a series of different movie clips with you readers, clips that we think would make a fine addition to the old stand-by's of Blueland. I posted Kenneth Branagh giving the "band of brothers" speech from Shakespeare's Henry V a few days ago; that's simply the most stirring speech of all time and it pumps me up more than any scene from Remember the Titans. I accept, though, that Blueland might not respond to the Bard in the same way I do...and yes, I'm a snob.

My more populist suggestion for this post is an old stand-by and a classic in its own way, of course. Imagine this before an overtime...take it away, Jules!



More suggestions/nominees are welcome.

Coach's Corner

Now, our most loyal readers will know that The Blueland Chronicle strongly supports the great, Don Cherry. Well, now we are putting our money where our mouth is. Starting today, you will be able to watch each week's episode of Coach's Corner right here at the Chronicle. Enjoy...

Heart Attack Game followed by Punching Hole in the Wall Game

I'll have to second Big Shooter's two posts about this weekend. The game against the Devils was probably the most exciting and dramatic of the year; I nearly had a heart attack during the shootout. Moose was wonderful, Kovalchuk looked like he was on the mend a bit (scoring a goal in regulation and in the shootout), Hossa played exceptionally well, etc. etc.

When Hossa scored to tie it up with roughly 18 seconds left in the game I screamed and threw a pillow across my apartment. I knocked some things over, but I don't think my neighbors were too disturbed. In fact, they probably weren't even home; since they don't have the beautiful disease of hockey addiction they were out enjoying a Friday night on the town like normal folk.

As for the game against the Islanders, I, uh, I....I'd rather not.

Thrashers vs Islanders: Post Game Commentary

Way to Go Boys!!

Huge two points. HUGE!!! Interesting observation from last night... I think that is the first time in three years that I've seen Hossa take a slap shot. It sure caught Marty off guard in the shootout didn't it?

Here's to the effort the boys put up last night! It's going to take that kind of play the rest of the year if we are going to make it. Captain Carolina is down with an ACL tear. Washington hopefully will slow down. Other than Vokoun, I don't think the Panthers have what it takes. All we need now is for the Late Slava Kozlov to awake from the dead. Especially if you know what happens before the trade deadline. Good Lord, he is a scary looking man.

For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.

Our Mission Tonight

Destroy

Valentine's Day With My True Love

Valentine's Day... what a load of crap! Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's take a moment to reflect on our true love, the Thrashers. In particular, I'd like to take a look at the goaltending situation. Boy we've all been through a lot with THAT relationship haven't we! But, like any true love, we have struggled through the hard times to get where we are. God bless Kari. There are those who say he is inconsistent; well, sometimes I guess. He's still young. Let's step in the way back machine and go through each goalie:

1. The One Who Shall Not Be Named: Wow, our first goalie. And if memory serves, the first EVER Thrasher. Even before the expansion draft. What a colossal mistake. No more needs to be said.
2. Norm "Double Cheeseburger" Maracle: The name says it all doesn't it? The best memory I have is when he shut out the Flyers 1-0. I think that was the last time we beat them wasn't it? In my opinion just as big a mistake, if not bigger, than #1.
3. Scott Fankhouser: Faith in Fank! God I loved Fankhouser. I still think he never got the shot that he deserved. One of the few bright spots in the early years.
4. Scott Langkow: Just another name in the long list of goalies. Not much talent here. I think he only played 10 games or so. Still, to me better than #1 or 2... not saying much!
5. Rich Tabaracci: Finally, a real goalie I thought! Too bad he only played one game for us! We have a history of getting goalies at the end of their career.
6. Trevor Kidd: Got him in the expansion draft, but then traded him away before he played a game. At the time, I thought to myself I'd rather have him than #1.
7. Milan Hnilicka: Our best goalie to this point. Still love his name! When we had a hard time trying to sign him in the offseason, I thought we should dump him and go after Dafoe. We didn't, and still wound up with Dafoe in mid-season. I'll address that a little later.
8. Frederic Cassivi: Everyone rooted for this guy. He was adequate. Played about as good as his talent would allow. I guess that's all you can ask of someone.
9. Pasi Nurminen: Ah, good 'ole Pasi. The fan favorite. Too bad his knee injury ended his career. He flopped around a lot, but he was good and fun to watch!
10. Byron Dafoe: As I said earlier, I wanted him so bad in the offseason. It didn't happen 'til mid-season. He missed half the year due to not having a team, and never recovered. In my opinion, the first true #1 goalie on our team. My gosh it didn't turn out that way. Injury after injury (remember when he slipped on the ice outside of the hotel!). Another goalie that was great for his previous teams, and sucked when he got here.
11. Adam Berkhoel: Career minor leaguer forced into action due to injuries.
12. Michael Garnett: Career minor leaguer forced into action due to injuries. Seeing a pattern here? He actually played above his head while he was here. Good for him.
13. Mike Dunham: Son of a bitch.
14. Steve Shields: See Byron Dafoe. See Rich Tabaracci. Stevie still has the BEST goalie mask of all time!
15. Johan Hedberg: MOOOOOOOOOOSE!!! The best free agent signing in our history. What a teammate! The Anti-Norm Maracle.
16. Ondrej Pavelec: Tons of potential here. Ondrej, Moose, and Kari. One will be the odd man out.
17. Kari Lehtonen: Remember when he got called up at the end of the year and won the last 4 games! I think Kari has all the potential in the world. And we are starting to see the results.

Sorry for the long post. I just wanted everyone to see what we went through to get to Kari and Company. Many struggles. So, the next time Kari gives up a bad goal, remember how lucky we are to have him. This offseason is going to be very interesting from a goaltending point of view. Three goalies, two spots. Moose without a contract. Kari and Ondrej both very young and very good. I still say Kari is the guy, but you never know what will happen. One thing is for sure... after reading this list, it is safe to say this is a good problem to have.

For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.

There is Only One Thing I Want For Valentines Day

Tonight Carolina plays Pittsburgh. I think it is pretty obvious what I would wish for the outcome to be. It would be a nice gift to the boys I think. Sure, we can't rely on the other teams to lose in our division and only depend on that. I would love it if Carolina, Florida, and Washington just tanked, but I just don't think that's going to happen, especially in the Washington's case. The boys embark on a crucial road trip.

The only thing I want them to do is just take care of their own business, and we'll be fine. I think right now we have a the ability to do wonders. My God, Kari is playing on a level that I haven't seen in a while. Hossa and Perrin are playing very well as well. I have faith in Kovy. I know he hasn't been his usual self, but if it weren't for him we wouldn't be here fighting for the top spot in the south. We should always be grateful of him no matter if he is in a slump. His leg probably still hurts, but he wouldn't want anyone to know this because he would become a target.

I have total faith in this team. When we are playing at our top, we are very hard to touch. This road trip will be a test. I hope to see Hossa back in Blueland with our jersey on. If he left I wouldn't hate him. Being a more recent convert to this greatest of games, I owe a great deal of my love of the game to him. I would be sad to see him go, but because his level of play and his ability to skate and handle made me realize what true talent it takes to be great in this game. I can only hope and wish the boys the best in this cold month of February.

A Poem for Valentine's Day

My true love hath my heart and I have his,
By just exchange one for another given;
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss,
There never was a better bargain driven.
My true love has my heart and I have his.

His heart in me keeps him and me in one,
My heart in him his thoughts and senses guides;
He loves my heart, for once it was his own,
I cherish his, because in me it bides.
My true love hath my heart and I have his.

-Sir Philip Sidney, writing from the point of view of a chick

"Kovy the Czar, Hedberg, and Recchin' Ball, Lehtonen and Koslov, Eric Perrin and Hossa..."

Okay, I was going to save this until the playoffs. But because we're tied with two other teams for the top spot in the Southeast Division, and because we have to fight tooth-and-nail for a playoff position, and because we will be fighting on enemy territory for the next five (crucial, decisive) games, I think it's time to unveil a little speech to the troops, courtesy of Will S.

FIGHT BOYS, FIGHT! All things are ready if our minds be so!

Kari Kills Caps Again

Kari Lehtonen and Uno the Beagle. Does anyone else see the resemblance?

Victory at Madison Square Garden

Uno the Beagle made history in New York tonight.