By Bud L. Ellis
Maybe this will be the year where the Atlanta Thrashers begin building a winning tradition.
For a franchise that’s entering its second decade of existence, Atlanta has a woeful history: one playoff appearance (in 2006-07) and zero playoff victories. (Read More…)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 7:12 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Brent Sopel, Chris Mason, Craig Ramsay, Dustin Byfuglien, Freddy Meyer, John Anderson, National Hockey League
By Bud L. Ellis
The offseason makeover of the Atlanta Thrashers continued Monday, with the hiring of Mike Stothers to finish out the coaching staff.
Stothers comes to Atlanta after a career spent coaching mostly in the minor leagues. He did spent 2000-02 behind the bench with the Philadelphia Flyers, serving as an assistant along with newly named Thrashers’ head coach Craig Ramsay. (Read More…)
Monday, July 12, 2010 at 8:25 pm by bud
Tags: American Hockey League, Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Craig Ramsay, Grand Rapids Griffins, John Anderson, John Torchetti, Mike Stothers, National Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Owen Sound, Philadelphia Flyers
By Bud L. Ellis
Four days after another season ended with the Atlanta Thrashers looking from the outside at the NHL playoffs, the franchise made wholesale changes in the hope of skating past game No. 82 next spring.
The Thrashers fired head coach John Anderson and the entire coaching staff after two seasons. Much maligned general manager Don Waddell, who held the position since the franchise’s inception in 1999, was moved into the president’s role, and assistant GM Rick Dudley was promoted to replace Waddell.
The Thrashers hope the moves will reset a franchise that has missed the playoffs in nine of their 10 seasons of existence.
Atlanta, which traded superstar Ilya Kovalchuk at the trade deadline following a contract extension impasse with the Russian sharpshooter, actually played one game over .500 after dealing Kovalchuk to New Jersey in February. But a five-game losing streak in late February and early March put the Thrashers in a hole from which they could not recover.
Two or three wins more would’ve put the Thrashers in the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and just the second time in franchise history. But after Atlanta was eliminated from postseason contention with a home loss last Tuesday to New Jersey, many figured changes would be afoot.
Dudley does bring a positive vibe to a franchise desperately in need of something positive. He helped built successful teams in Tampa Bay and Chicago.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 10:12 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Chicago Blackhawks, Don Waddell, Ilya Kovalchuk, John Anderson, New Jersey Devils, Rick Dudley, Tampa Bay Lightning
