Finally the puck drops on the real Thrashers season - one, I'm assuming, involves a real Thrashers win. Thrash take on Caps tonight at 7:30 at Philips Arena. It'll be Pavelec vs. Neuvirth, so God knows what the score'll be. I have a theory that if the Thrashers can use their presence on the ice (article on a shift to Western Conference style hockey forthcoming) to hold the Capitals' scorers in check, and if Pavs is on his game tonight, we can win.

 

Of course, I have had many other theories in my life too, like the theory that it's ok to put a Chinese takeout container in the microwave without it exploding into metal-induced flame, so I could be completely wrong.

For the Caps side of things, please head over to my good buds at Rock the Red.net. Their game preview's a good way to get an idea of what to expect from the opposition.  If you're more interested in the Thrashers' side of things, I'll be doing a gameday storystream with constant updates all day long at SBNation Atlanta.  Do follow along!

Jay McClement: Red Wings killer.

In case you've been living under a rock and have somehow missed this factoid, it's election season.  Congressmen and gubernatorial candidates are all out there stumping for your vote, and chances are fairly good that you think that they're all full of it and you don't care for any of them. Honestly, if I have to hear about either Nathan Deal or Roy Barnes and what they say they'll do (but of course won't) one more time, I'll scream.

Well, forget all of that political stuff. Support someone who will make a difference that you can actually see... on the ice. Join St. Louis Game Time's campaign to get Silent Jay McClement the damn Selke Trophy. Brad outlines just exactly why Jay deserves our support over guys like Pavel Datsyuk, and it's not because Jay's a Blue and Dats is a Wing. It's about stats and ability over a reputation that's five years old. McClement's had an even plus/minus against the Western Conference's top lines. He led the league in shorthanded ice time for forwards. He's fourth overall in the league in SH ice time.

Yeah, sure, he doesn't score a ton of goals, but last I checked this was the Selke, not the Hart or the Rocket Richard trophy. Silent Jay goes out there every night, works his butt off, does his job, and doesn't crow about it. Isn't it high time someone does?

Throughout the season, mention to people how awesome McClement is. Drop it in passing in a Facebook status message ("Hey, isn't Jay McClement just the most??"). Irritate Kerbs and Panger and every pundit on Twitter about how wonderful you think he is and how much he contributes to a PK that was first in the league last season. Get Jay McClement the notoriety that he deserves.

Admit it - his contributions to the Blues will probably impact your daily life more than the 85 year old you're re-electing to the Senate will.

From, um, me:

 

To make his staying with the club official, the Thrashers had to sign Alexander Burmistrov to a contract by 3:00 today. They accomplished that last night, signing the eighteen year old Russian to an entry level deal. While some Thrashers fans questioned Burmistrov’s staying with the club, his hard work throughout the preseason and his dedication to working out and putting on weight apparently made an impression on general manager Rick Dudley.

According to league rules, Burmistrov may play in nine NHL games this season before it activates the first year of his contract. This is a good chance for him to get acquainted with the team, and if at the end of those nine games he needs to return to his OHL team he can.Jim Slater might be healed up by then, and this is a no-risk roster move for the team.

Due to age restrictions, Burmistrov cannot be demoted to the Thrashers’ AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves.

 

 

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Yes, they also cut Kulda, Rissmiller, and Zubarev, but Pettersson's the one that surprises me most.  I'll be previewing the new season every day this week leading up to the puck drop of the season opener on Friday, and today's installment at SBNation Atlanta is regarding the roster shaping up, and some guys shipping out.

Here's a taste:

The forwards cut are a mixed bag. Patrick Rissmiller, acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers in which the Thrashers sent them Todd White, will have to clear waivers to go to Chicago. He was not terrible during the pre-season, but also failed to impress in his bid to make it back into the NHL. Fredrik Pettersson, however, was considered by many a lock to make the team. The small, scrappy forward clicked with Bryan Little, but was not used regularly with him during the pre-season.

As Ben Wright of the Blueland Blog points out, the twenty five players on the roster right now can all start the season together if Jim Slater and Andrew Kozek begin the season on injured reserve.  That means that new arrivals Nigel Dawes and Freddy Modin will be on the roster opening night, as will rookies Anthony Stewart and first round pick Alex Burmistrov.

For one team that's covered on this blog, pre-season being over is almost a blessing.  For the other, it was a solid outing in games that, while meaningless standings wise, still shows the development and growth of a franchise.

I'll let you pick which is which.

Anywho, final cuts are coming here shortly, and the NHL rosters'll be finalized. Once the rosters are set, which they have to be by Wednesday, I'll dash off a season preview for each team - it's useless to do so when you're not sure who'll be on your squad.

One positive for the Thrashers - goaltending and defense have been solid. The line changing and scratches and whatnot have hampered an offense who, generally, is unfamiliar with each other and who'll need some consistency before they click.  Friday'll be here before you know it. Time for our annual opening night victory over the Caps - I honestly don't think that DC knows what to expect.

In his head.

Everyone plays "armchair general manager" once in a while, questioning the moves that their favorite teams make when things aren't working out for the best. Heck, there's even the "Be a GM" mode of gameplay on NHL11. Pundits commentate on the radio and television, tossing out their expertise.  And no, I don't expect a pundit has to be a former GM to give good advice. Look at Mike Milbury. I listen to him as much as I listen to techno-polka.

The look the dog has on his face is the exact same one that McGuire and Milbury get when Roenick goes on a rant.

Milbury's NBC sparring partner Jeremy Roenick has a weekly radio show.  It's appropriate, because JR has a face for radio, and because he is one of the more opinionated guys in hockey. For some reason, this week he decided to take on the Thrashers' organization and the decision to move Dustin Byfuglien to defense.  Quoteth JR:

“That might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.  Dustin Byfuglien as a defenseman.  I would love to play against Dustin Byfuglien as a defenseman.  I would turn him inside out, left, right and center every single time.  This kid, he made his living in front of the net scoring goals during the playoffs for the Chicago Blackhawks.  Why on earth would you put him back as a defenseman?  This kid is strong, he’s powerful, he’s a great skater.  Put him in front of the net as a forward.  That’s where you want him to do all his damage.  Playing him as a defenseman?  Maybe that’s why the Thrashers are 0-3 in preseason.   Maybe that’s why nobody comes to watch their games.  It’s crazy.  What are they thinking?  They already have a GM that doesn’t know the game whatsoever.  But, hey, that’s just my opinion.  Like me or hate me if you don’t [agree].  I’m not a big fan of Atlanta for a lot of reasons but the fact that they’re going to play Dustin Byfuglien [as a defenseman], my goodness gracious.”

Byfuglien was drafted in 2003 by the Blackhawks as a defenseman. That's his natural position, and one that he has repeatedly said that he would like to return to - and scored 19 goals and 17 assists playing at. The Hawks moved him up to a forward because they were lacking that go to the net grit and size that wins you games in the Western Conference. It's not all Ramsay and Dudley's decision to move Buff to D. I'm sure that if Byfuglien hadn't've expressed interest in returning to that position he wouldn't've. We need someone like him playing forward, as well.

Roenick knows good and well that pre-season games do not depend on having one guy move from forward to defenseman. I know he's insinuating that it's decisions like this one that has caused the Thrashers to not play well, but choosing the shifting of Buff to highlight that is inane. It's the preseason. They're line-juggling nd working things out. And, as further proof that the pre-season doesn't matter, the Blackhawks started last season 0-3 as well. The same Blackhawks who raised the Cup and made JR cry like a two year old wanting a candy bar.

Yeah, JR. There you go. Let it all out.

As far as him calling out the GM, he's referring to Waddell, not to Rick Dudley. Roenick, who apparently can hate a team but not bother to know who's in charge of it anymore, dislikes Don Waddell because DW didn't choose him to participate in the 2006 Olympics. Roenick would have been thirty six at the time. I think that Waddell made the right decision concerning the Olympic roster, but JR holds a grudge, and has let his being upset at Waddell for some supposed slight four years ago color his opinion of the entire Thrashers franchise.

Quite frankly, as someone who has never won a Stanley Cup, I don't see Roenick's authority to second guess the Thrashers coming from anywhere except the confines of his delusions of grandeur.Maybe he just needs to keep taking his anger out on Milbury. At least that's entertaining.

The Thrashers continued lopping at the camp roster today, sending down  Welch, Machacek and Holzapfel to the Chicago Wolves. Patrice Cormier, he of the broken foot, will be starting the season on the injured reserve. If you remember, Cormier broke it on the last day of rookie camp blocking a shot in a prospect game that his team was going to lose.  That takes either heart or stupidity, or a mix of both.  Actions like that show why Cormier was considered a locker room leader during prospect camp, and one of the most (some might say overly) hyped players of the offseason heading into training camp.  Speculation assumed that a roster spot was Cormier's to miss out on - and that probably was true - though his broken foot might leave room for Fredrik Pettersson to scoot into the roster.  Pettersson's playing so well (more on that over on NHLHotstove.com later) that justifying not having him on the opening night roster will be difficult.

Instead of on the ice, Cormier will start the new season on injured reserve.  The Thrashers put him on IR instead of sending him down to the Wolves to be put on their IR, since players are on the injured reserve at the level that they got injured.  They'd have to be physically cleared to get sent down.  Players on the IR don't count against the 23 man roster limit, though he can travel with the club. This'd give him a taste of the NHL travel schedule, as well as would give him an opportunity to observe skates and the like when the team is on the road, if he so chooses.

He can't play for seven days - which is fine since he'll probably be out for another month and a half.  But, this raises a question - if he starts the year on IR, and then is activated off of it when his foot heals, will this bump one of the  rookies who fought through camp to get that roster spot down to the AHL?  And - bigger question, though it doesn't matter - is that fair?

Rookies and invites remaining at forward are Enver Lisin, Alex Burmistrov, Andrew Kozek, Fredrik Pettersson, and Anthony Stewart.  I'm hesitant to throw Patrick Rissmiller in as a rookie since he does have NHL experience under his belt, but he's fighting for a spot nonetheless.  Would the Thrashers be better served by letting one of these guys give it a go until Cormier was healthy?   A problem with that is Burmistrov's probably the front-runner for a position (other than Pettersson), but as far as age goes he's not eligible to play in the AHL.  It's either 9 games and up or get sent to juniors.  The other players are good, but it's doubtful that they're of Cormier's impact level.

A holding pattern until Cormier recovers might be the best route for the Thrashers, and with Cormier nearby, that's a distinct option for the Thrashers to choose.

These'll get posted a few at a time, since it takes forever for them to upload. Thank you to my good buddy Lauren for the footage. The first is Chris Mason discussing what he thinks the newest Thrashers are going to do to impact the future.

 

 

The second is of Craig Ramsay discussing accountability. Hint: the players'll have it this season.

 

Here Ramsay further discusses accountability as it pertains to defense:

 

Finally, Chris Mason discusses his motivation for signing with the Atlanta Thrashers:

You knew this was going to appear here.

I swear to God, I've been meaning to write this for two weeks - check my other posts and see the teasers I've dropped behind me like a horse drops poo.  Brad just stole my thunder, that's all.  Totally. Because that was his intention.  He came over here, noticed I was going to do something on Eric Brewer and went "Hey!  I'll write it first and teach that poke-ass a lesson."  Lesson learned.

I have to be contrary and argue that maybe Eric Brewer isn't that bad of a choice for Blues captain.  Granted, there have been very few fans who have been happy with this decision since Andy Murray gave it to him a few seasons back - and I've not always been a huge fan of Brewer based on his play.  Of course, as a fan I matter in the inner workings of team leadership about as much as a speck matters in the grand scheme of the universe.  Barret Jackman told me so:

"[E]verybody in this dressing room knows that Brew is our captain and nobody has ever questioned that. I don't care what five or 10 people sitting in their mom's basement or blogging about who does what, they've never been in this room and they'll never know how much Brew means to this team."

Ok, while I'm not in my mom's basement (she doesn't even HAVE one, so there), Jackman has a point.  He could have phrased it a bit better, but he's right - we as fans have never been in the locker room with the team and we've never been privy to what goes on.  Maybe Brewer's significantly more vocal off the ice than he appears when he's on it.  That's the vibe I got after chatting with Louie Korac over Twitter a few weeks ago.  He leads by example and by being the quiet stoic guy.  He's Silent Bob.  Apparently he doesn't talk much, but when he does people in the room listen, because when he does talk, it matters.  That's better than having a huge showboating guy as captain trying to draw attention to himself on and off of the ice.  After a while, no one pays any attention to him.

 

However, the cap'n needs to lead by example on the ice as well as of.  I'm not saying pull the C every time a captain has a bad season, because there are outlying factors there, too, but Brewer's lack of emotion on the ice gives people the wrong idea.  He shows it on occasion - he'll start scrums in the crease and whatnot sometimes - but I'm not sure how much his hesitancy is from the fact that he's been playing injured the past couple of seasons and how much of it's the fact that he seems to have the emotional depth of a puddle.

Brewer's ability to be on the ice for every GA is also frustrating.  Again, this might be because he's been playing hurt for a while (or at the very least not at 100%).  It is pretty inexcusable for a defenseman to have been a plus player only once in a 11 year career (in 2000 he was a +15 for the Oilers).  Since arriving in St. Louis, he's been a total -76.  That's rough for anyone, but for a top pairing defenseman that's atrocious.

My issue with Eric Brewer has never been what I percieve to be his leadership ability, nor do I think it's particularly fair for me to attempt to assess something that I know nothing about.  My only glimpses into him as a leader have come from watching games, and that's a fairly sketchy way to form an opinion about how someone is in charge of a team.  Most fans' opinions of Brewer have been formed that way, and they're equating stats with leadership ability, and that might not be fair.

Of course, you judge the president's ability based on his decisions too.  Is it fair to judge him based on what you see on TV without taking how he works with his cabinet into consideration?  Probably not.  Are both things part of the overall assessment?  Absolutely.  People just have to realize that they're not getting the full picture of how things are going for the team, and much like sitting presidents, their legacy isn't usually determined while in office.

Tonight should give the Blues a chance to bounce back from their 3-1 loss at home last night - which hopefully doesn't mean that the trend of bombing games with soft goals at home continues to this season.  Minnesota's streak of eight billion sell-outs could very well end tonight with the team not keeping the fans happy after a disappointing season last year and a projected equally as disappointing finish to this year.

The Blues have a new line-up for tonight (subject to change, of course), via Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post Dispatch:

Alex Steen-David Backes-Graham Mink

David Perron-Philip McRae-Brad Boyes

Chris Porter-Jay McClement-Tyler Shattock

Stefan Della Rovere-Adam Cracknell-Cam Janssen

Nikita Nikitin-Tyson Strachan

Ian Cole-Roman Polak

Eric Brewer-David Shields

 

Ben Bishop

Jake Allen

I really dig the idea of having Steen and Backes together on one line.  The strength there doesn't only come from goalscoring ability, but it comes from size and an aggressive (read: physical) forecheck that should be able to plow over people.

Also dig the second line - McRae should benefit from the speed of Boyes and Perron, and I'm looking forward to keeping an eye on Brad Boyes for the season.  I really do think he'll rebound for the season without Andy Murray and the stress there - I know I pin a lot on him, but I do think that the team environment had a great deal to do with the lackluster play from so many guys on the squad.

Brewer being back and bigger is nice to see.  I know I keep promising an article on Brewer and his captaincy, but I swear, this week I'll have it.  Maybe.  Hopefully.

For some expert analysis from the Wild point of view, please make sure that you check out The State of Hockey News.  He's got their tentative lines posted and ready to go.