Off-Season Ramble

I’m not sure what else to do in a hockey offseason (for all intents and purposes when you’re a Thrashers fan). Sit back and reflect on the season, how atrocious and awesome it was at the same time. Atrocious: the Atlanta Thrashers could contend with the Islanders for the worst team in the league in 08-09. Awesome: By the end of the season, it was contending with Colorado and Tampa Bay, and I sit here and laugh at the Dolts.

Colorado was by far a disappointment. Joe Sakic: you make $6 mil a year. Why are you using a snowblower? Starting in the 07-08 season, the Avalanche injuries were just mind blowing. By the end of the ‘09 season, it was the Lake Erie Monsters, and the Wolves were able to shut them out 5-0. My hat is off to Colorado for their worst season since the Nordiques in the early 90’s. I bow my head in mourning.

This is probably one of the more annoying offseasons for a Thrashers/Wolves fan living in Chicago. I’ve acknowledged the massive bandwagon, but I’m starting to remember a time that I was perfectly content and in peace as a Thrashers fan because nobody cared about hockey. Nobody. Now, suddenly, I face harassment via phone calls, text messages, Facebook, and most notably in the hallways of my c0llege campus telling me how much my team sucks. These same people harassing me could name probably 2 Blackhawks, one of them being “Kane” without knowledge of a first name. It’s pathetic. I always thank myself for loving hockey when the rest of Chicago didn’t, but being a hockey fan is pretty annoying for the first time.

Anyway, what about the Thrashers. In a nutshell, here’s what needs to happen from now and be done no later than October 1:

• Let Eric Freakin’ Perrin walk far, far away, not even glancing in his direction or acknowledging that he ever played for the NHL. Despite the impression he made to NHL Live a few weeks back, he is an AHL player. If he can’t even find his groove in Tampa Bay, he doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell succeeding on a team like Anaheim or Washington. He also meant what he said to the AJC, and late-season surge or not, Colby Armstrong can replace one of the few players in the league shorter than me. What’s the hurt in adding a little extra scoring to our checking line?
• How do we replace Colby? Get that f**king depth/upgrade that Kovalchuk is asking for, Mr. Waddell. We might be one RW away on the top 6 for contending, or (as much as this hurts like hell to say) we may have to trade White. I struggle with that one, though, as he’s a perfect fit for Anderson’s system and he’s had the best season of his career. I’d try for a RW and make a White trade a really big plan B.
• Re-signing Kovalchuk is obvious, but I almost hate the idea of smothering him with all this “priority number one” stuff that’s been so vocal to the media. Keep his interest in mind. Priority one should be setting the stage for Kovalchuk to re-sign, not just plain re-signing him. There’s no direction for the future yet. If he’s not re-signed by season start, let him Hossa us.
• Draft MSP. That’s it. If he’s taken 3rd… Duchene. These are the guys ready to make an immediate impact, and the Thrashers may need that if Atlanta’s still not an attractive place for attractive free agents. And for the love of holy Christ, do not trade ANY of our 1st or 2nd round picks.

That is all. Your thoughts, readers?

Here’s a personal note to Rawhide at the AJC: thanks for linking up my blog, and my sincerest apologies for my negligence in keeping up with it.