Make or Break Week for the Thrashers
At noon on Tuesday the NHL Free Agent signing period will open. Arguably this is the most important non-regular season week in franchise history so far. As of this moment the Thrashers sit at a crossroads.
In their nine year history they have made the playoffs just once, they have won zero post-season games. In a front-running sports town like Atlanta with millions of transplants winning is the shortest route to box office success. There simply hasn't been enough winning around here so far.
Even worse the "loser" perception extends beyond casual sports fans in Atlanta to hard core hockey fanatics. Every franchise has their skeptical fans but the level of dubiousness and cynicism about this team is at an all time high. I know a very large number of local hockey players who are sitting on their wallets saying "show me something."
The people I'm talking about play hockey multiple nights a week, invest in the NHL CenterIce package or buy a large HD TV just to fulfill their hockey habit. Even among this group the attitude toward the Thrashers is simply UGLY. Based on what I'm hearing the bean counters at the Thrashers are probably looking at some scary season ticket renewal numbers right now.
One of the biggest mis-perceptions out there among fans is that Atlanta Spirit is not willing to spend money. The more conspiratorial folks suggest that the owners are trying to wreck the franchise so as to lower the price the winners of the intra-owner lawsuit has to pay to the losers.
But here are the facts. In the first season that Atlanta Spirit controlled the Thrashers franchise Atlanta spend OVER the salary cap. The cap was set at $39 million and Peter Bonrdra's performance bonuses pushed the Thrashers to $40.2 million. Your Atlanta Thrashers were #1 in the NHL in cap spending--and missed the playoffs.
The following year the cap rose to $44 million and the Thrashers spent $43.7 million--again right up close to the limit (they ranked 10th out of 30 teams that year). Last season the cap rose to to $50 million and the Thrashers spent about $44 million which ranked them 23rd out of 30 teams (they shed some salary in the Hossa for Christensen + Armstrong exchange).
If you combine the three post-lockout season during which Atlanta Spirit has owned this hockey franchise they have spent $127.5 million (and made the playoffs once) while the salary cap limited them to a maximum of $133 million. Over that three year span the Thrashers rank 13th out of 30 teams in money spent on payroll.
Here are the facts:
Has Don Waddell learned anything from these errors? The answer to that question is enormous.
It is enormous because if DW has another poor free agent summer, Ilya Kovalchuk will probably leave Atlanta in two years. If DW has another poor summer the fans stay away and this city gets the "failed NHL market" label. The Thrashers will either return to the playoffs and excite the fans and their star Ilya Kovalchuk or another fatal spiral will begin. If DW has another poor summer the team will miss the playoffs, the GM will probably be fired, Kovalchuk will probably refuse to re-sign and a new GM will take over with a giant rebuilding project on his hands during the 10th anniversary season of the Thrashers. (Happy 10th Season Thrasher fans!!!!)
I like Don Waddell as a person, but I'm really tired of seeing a bad hockey product out there on the ice. The clock is ticking. This is a make or break week for Don Waddell, the Atlanta Thrashers and perhaps even NHL hockey in Atlanta. I know I'm not sleeping well thinking about all this, I'm guessing he isn't either.
In their nine year history they have made the playoffs just once, they have won zero post-season games. In a front-running sports town like Atlanta with millions of transplants winning is the shortest route to box office success. There simply hasn't been enough winning around here so far.
Even worse the "loser" perception extends beyond casual sports fans in Atlanta to hard core hockey fanatics. Every franchise has their skeptical fans but the level of dubiousness and cynicism about this team is at an all time high. I know a very large number of local hockey players who are sitting on their wallets saying "show me something."
The people I'm talking about play hockey multiple nights a week, invest in the NHL CenterIce package or buy a large HD TV just to fulfill their hockey habit. Even among this group the attitude toward the Thrashers is simply UGLY. Based on what I'm hearing the bean counters at the Thrashers are probably looking at some scary season ticket renewal numbers right now.
One of the biggest mis-perceptions out there among fans is that Atlanta Spirit is not willing to spend money. The more conspiratorial folks suggest that the owners are trying to wreck the franchise so as to lower the price the winners of the intra-owner lawsuit has to pay to the losers.
But here are the facts. In the first season that Atlanta Spirit controlled the Thrashers franchise Atlanta spend OVER the salary cap. The cap was set at $39 million and Peter Bonrdra's performance bonuses pushed the Thrashers to $40.2 million. Your Atlanta Thrashers were #1 in the NHL in cap spending--and missed the playoffs.
The following year the cap rose to $44 million and the Thrashers spent $43.7 million--again right up close to the limit (they ranked 10th out of 30 teams that year). Last season the cap rose to to $50 million and the Thrashers spent about $44 million which ranked them 23rd out of 30 teams (they shed some salary in the Hossa for Christensen + Armstrong exchange).
If you combine the three post-lockout season during which Atlanta Spirit has owned this hockey franchise they have spent $127.5 million (and made the playoffs once) while the salary cap limited them to a maximum of $133 million. Over that three year span the Thrashers rank 13th out of 30 teams in money spent on payroll.
Here are the facts:
- The Thrashers have spent a lot of money on players.
- The Thrashers have not gotten good value for their money.
Has Don Waddell learned anything from these errors? The answer to that question is enormous.
It is enormous because if DW has another poor free agent summer, Ilya Kovalchuk will probably leave Atlanta in two years. If DW has another poor summer the fans stay away and this city gets the "failed NHL market" label. The Thrashers will either return to the playoffs and excite the fans and their star Ilya Kovalchuk or another fatal spiral will begin. If DW has another poor summer the team will miss the playoffs, the GM will probably be fired, Kovalchuk will probably refuse to re-sign and a new GM will take over with a giant rebuilding project on his hands during the 10th anniversary season of the Thrashers. (Happy 10th Season Thrasher fans!!!!)
I like Don Waddell as a person, but I'm really tired of seeing a bad hockey product out there on the ice. The clock is ticking. This is a make or break week for Don Waddell, the Atlanta Thrashers and perhaps even NHL hockey in Atlanta. I know I'm not sleeping well thinking about all this, I'm guessing he isn't either.
posted by The Falconer at
5:55 PM
4 Comments:
I've never been a believer that money was misspent on Bobby Holik. The problem, in my opinion, was that the money was spent and then the NHL locked out the players. BH was brought to Atlanta for a specific reason at a specific time. Unfortunately, the lockout had a rather large impact on that signing.
If you want to discuss poorly spent funds, look at last years defensive corps. The Thrashers D was improving 2 years ago. Then known entities were exchanged for unknown entities, and the results were horrendous. I don't understand why a team would willingly replace players with their dopplegangers (Devries & Klee). Where was the upside in that personnel move? The largest misuse of salary was to be found in the defensive zone, namely Zhitnick and Klee.
You're right though. Starting tomorrow is a big week for the Thrashers. I don't think they should be pursuing Brian Campbell. Not just yet. I would prefer DW sign younger, sound, although probably less exciting prospects. I think Atlanta needs to concentrate this year on being competitive and putting a better face on the franchise. Not necessarily with the fans, but NHL players.
By
Andrew, at 7:31 PM
Falconer,
I was arguing with someone of the value of Perrin. He thinks that Perrin would be better on the 3rd or 4th line. I told him that he had the most points, but 2nd most goals. His stats say 1st line, but not sure if he can be effective on the line with Kovalchuk. So, I say 2nd line. But even then, we have to wait to see if we get a good center during free agency. Let's say we do get a good center, and he is on the Kovy line or not, which centers would you put on what lines? Just want to know your opinion.
I think that Perrin would be 2nd or 3rd with Christensen on either also, and Thorburn continuing on the 4th line. If so, where would you put Little? Or do you have someone else in mind?
By
Anonymous, at 7:20 AM
I think the perception that the owners are sitting on their cash comes from several sources. The teams lack of success in luring a top D man or center might lead some to believe it's all about the money. The failure to hire a head coach last season and the concession closings at the arena smacks of doing more with less; the latest buzzword in a corporate culture committed to maximum profits at minimal costs.
The fact that ASG has spent it's money unwisely doesn't exactly fill me with confidence in the people running this team.
By
Bongo, at 12:05 PM
Earl Sleek: thanks. I added Lupul back into the post.
By
The Falconer, at 5:02 PM
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