Exorcism

Before we get started I need your pictures. Not those pictures, Thrasher-related fan pictures taken within Blueland. I’d like to begin posting fan photos on the site. If you have good ones, please send them to me at sean@suckerhead.com. On with the show…

Can I get a "halleluiah" from the choir? Amen! Now exhale. You’re smiling aren’t you? You’re relieved and excited because the Thrashers have finally arrived ready to compete. The first winless season in NHL history, which looked entirely possible a week ago, is now just a memory. Buckle up Blueland, game on!

The Atlanta Thrashers beat the New York Rangers like they stole something last night. The final score of 5-3 did not reflect the domination by the squad in blue. From the drop of the puck the Thrashers had jump and energy. They had cohesion and purpose. The boys played with determination. With the hearts beating once again, we broke the seal and got into the win column.

This was not the same team that started the season 0-6. The personnel is the same but the performance and effort put forth last night reminded us why this team won the division last year. Most obvious was that the Thrashers played relaxed and hungry. The tension was removed, replaced by a competitive fire. Every aspect of the Thrashers game last night bared no resemblance to the previous 6 games. Captain Holik was everywhere. Slava reignited his intensity. Slater skated feverishly and played a physical game. Little showed that he is weapon and is going to cause excitement in Blueland for years to come. In summary, they did everything better last night, every aspect of their game was improved. A couple shaky PK’s in the waning moments was the only negative but the game was over for all intensive purposes when these occurred. This is the team we all expected to show up on opening night. Why did it take so long? Perhaps a leadership problem? I’ve had a couple days to process the recent events. Here goes….

Blaming Hartley entirely is ridiculous. The team's play up until last night has been lethargic at best, pathetic at worst. An NHL player or any professional athlete has to be self-motivating. Regardless of leadership issues, the play of veterans such as Holik and Kozlov had been unacceptable. Lack of chemistry and team morale does not explain or justify 0-6.

Bob Hartley is charismatic. He was a great salesman for our team. Coach is a colorful and very quotable character. He is a competitor. If I had a party and could invite anyone on the planet, he would be on the guest list. All that being said I am glad he is gone for the following reasons:

1. His system is weak or non-existent in certain aspects of the game. Our special team’s performance has been a sore spot for years. His passive PK philosophy, (A.K.A – stand around, screen our own Goalie and watch the opponent score a PP goal,) is mind-numbing and ineffective.
2. No connection with veteran players – I have no proof of the following since I was never invited to a team meeting but the rumor is that Vets don’t want to play for him. This was the reason he was run out of Colorado allegedly. Also, it is rumored that Hossa would not have resigned if Hartley was still on the bench. Given the choice b/t Hossa and Hartley? You know the answer.
3. Too many gut decisions -Hartley’s constant tinkering with the lines and poor line combinations was the major reason for the lack of chemistry on this team. This caused palpable tension on the ice. The Thrashers were not playing to win. They were playing not to lose which inevitably results in losses.
4. The Atlanta Spirit will not tolerate failure – By making this change early they showed they are here to win. Face it folks, a change needed to be made now or we were heading for 0-10 and a wait til next year mentality. Our franchise and fan base is not firmly established like a Boston, Toronto, New York, etc. One horrid season at this point could result in the Atlanta losing the team conversation starting again. I commend the Owners for pulling the trigger on this move before the season was lost.
5. Everyone is expendable – The goal is team success and no one individual is irreplaceable. This is the cruel reality of professional life. Getting comfortable in your job will not result in better performance. The Atlanta organization graphically showed that anyone can be replaced. The players appeared to have gotten the point and played with fire in their bellies.

Why Not Don?

Many fans I spoke to last night wondered why Waddell was not shown the door instead of Coach Hartley. After all, the off-season moves he made were not exactly news worthy. We lost many key players and added a few role players. This is not the strategy you use to go after a CUP. But let’s look at his track record. The Thrashers have improved every year since season two. We’ve never taken a step back. Also, anyone remember the moves he made last year? The addition of Walt, Dupuis, Belanger and Richie Z were instrumental in our first division title and playoff appearance. Lastly, Don was financially hamstrung by the on-going litigation within the ownership group this off-season. He could not use all of the cap room to acquire new talent.

That’s more than enough reflection and analysis of the past. Yesterday is gone and the next game is all that matters. The Thrashers were resurrected last night and the season is not even remotely lost. There are 75 games remaining this year and we are back on the map. Some the demons were exercised last night and I think we all feel much better today about our beloved squad. Now we hit the road for 15 days. Thanks NHL for this brutal schedule. If the Thrashers can have a .500 or better road trip, we are back in business. Keep the faith brothers and sisters!

Your Loyal Servant,

Sean Grace