Pair of Thrashers earn All-Star nod

By Bud L. Ellis

A pair of Atlanta Thrashers defensemen who are a key part of the franchise’s turnaround season will display their talents during the NHL All-Star game.

Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom will represent the Thrashers during the All-Star game, Jan. 31 in Raleigh, N.C. (Read More…)

Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 3:00 pm by bud

Tags: Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Chicago Blackhawks, Dustin Byfuglien, NHL All-Star game, Philadelphia Flyers, Philips Arena, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tobias Enstrom, Washington Capitals

Thrashers fall flat in homecoming

By Bud L. Ellis

Coming home after two big victories on the road, the Atlanta Thrashers destroyed all that momentum inside one lackluster period Wednesday night.

Playing inside a quiet Philips Arena, the Thrashers mustered just two shots in the first period, fell behind and could not catch up. Despite a solid effort by Chris Mason in goal, the Thrashers were hammered 4-1 by Buffalo in a game that really wasn’t that close. (Read More…)

Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 6:27 pm by bud

Tags: Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Buffalo Sabres, Chris Mason, National Hockey League, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tobias Enstrom, Washington Capitals

Thrashers back home as Pavelec returns to practice

By Bud L. Ellis

The good news for the Atlanta Thrashers is, for now, the young team has survived – and even thrived – through a rough first 11 days of the National Hockey League season.

Even better news: goalie Ondrej Pavelec returned to the ice Tuesday, a week and a half after he fainted during the opening minutes of the Thrashers’ season opener at Philips Arena. (Read More…)

Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 7:18 pm by bud

Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Chris Mason, Los Angeles Kings, National Hockey League, Ondrej Pavelec, San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals

Kovy era over: Thrashers trade star to New Jersey

By Bud L. Ellis

In eight years, Ilya Kovalchuk wrote his name all over the Atlanta Thrashers’ record book, becoming the franchise’s cornerstone and the face of hockey in Atlanta.

That era ended Thursday night with the soon-to-be free-agent Kovalchuk packing his bags for New Jersey and the Thrashers looking to move on without their career leader in games, points, goals and assists.

Ending months of tense contract negotiations during which general manager Don Waddell offered as much as $100 million, the Thrashers dealt the perennial All-Star left winger to the Devils as part of a deal involving five players, three draft picks and plenty of teeth-grinding in Atlanta on who to blame for Kovalchuk’s departure.

Atlanta also sends defenseman Anssi Salmela, traded from New Jersey last year for Niclas Havelid, to the Devils. In return, Atlanta gets defenseman Johnny Oduya, rookie forward Niclas Bergfors and prospect Patrice Cormier.

Bergfors is fifth in the NHL in rookie scoring, with 13 goals and 14 assists. Oduya is a strong defenseman who has just four points this year, but scored 27 points a year ago while playing all 82 games. Cormier had 31 goals in 31 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before being suspended for the rest of the season for a high elbow.

Without a doubt, though, the centerpiece is Kovalchuk, who scored 31 goals with 27 assists in 49 games for an Atlanta team just one point out of a playoff spot. But Kovalchuk, who will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, and the Thrashers could not come to terms. Rather than keep him and risk getting nothing in return if a contract couldn’t be reached, the Thrashers decided to roll the dice that they could make the playoffs without their top scorer.

For many, the blame rests with Waddell, who wasn’t aggressive enough early on in negotiations. For some, the blame rests with Kovalchuk, who was offered plenty of money but wanted the absolute max salary possible.

Either way, the Thrashers’ playoff chase begins anew Friday night against Eastern Conference leader Washington. For the first time since April 2001, they’ll take the ice without Kovalchuk as part of their organization.

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Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 8:36 pm by bud

Tags: Anssi Salmela, Atlanta Thrashers, Don Waddell, Ilya Kovalchuk, Johnny Oduya, National Hockey League, New Jersey Devils, Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier, Washington Capitals

Thrashers face nemesis as playoff chase heats up

By Bud L. Ellis

The Atlanta Thrashers find themselves in a logjam for the final Eastern Conference playoffs spots. Every game leading up to the Olympic break is critical for a team that’s fighting to be in position to make a postseason push come March.

This is not the time the Thrashers want to see Antero Niittymaki in the pipes at the opposite end of the rink. But that’s likely what will be the case Tuesday at Philips Arena, when Atlanta plays host to Tampa Bay.

Niittymaki is 15-0-0 – yes, 15-0-0! – against the Thrashers in his career, with a 1.79 goals against average. Two of those wins have come this season, including a 2-1 shootout victory on Jan. 23 during which Niittymaki stuffed the Thrashers through five rounds of the shootout.

Both teams are coming off tough road losses. Saturday, the Thrashers battled back from an early 2-0 deficit only to lose in Nashville, 4-3. Sunday, the Lightning fought back to tie red-hot Washington before the Caps prevailed 3-2, extending Washington’s win streak to 10 games.

If the playoffs opened today, both teams would just miss a postseason spot. Atlanta wakes up tied for ninth with Montreal with 56 points, one point out of eighth. Tampa Bay sits with 55 points, tied for 11th with Boston.

—30—

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:27 am by bud

Tags: Antero Niittymaki, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadians, Nashville Predators, National Hockey League, Philips Arena, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals

Thrashers skidding as Kovalchuk, team remain apart on money

By Bud L. Ellis

The ugly truth behind the Atlanta Thrashers’ recent skid is thing could get worse … much worse.

With superstar winger and soon-to-be free agent Ilya Kovalchuk still not signed, Atlanta’s 1-6-3 record in its past 10 games is merely a companion part of the misery suffered by fans of a team that in the past month has fell from sixth in the Eastern Conference to 11th.

Certainly, there is plenty of time for a turnaround. Atlanta opened play Tuesday night just four points behind eighth-place Montreal for the final playoff spot. But a lack of special teams, a troubling habit of falling behind early and a defense that’s giving up way too many shots have combined for a snowball effect.

The last time out, Washington hung a snowman on Atlanta (that’s eight goals), handing the Thrashers their worst loss of the season in an 8-1 drubbling at Philips Arena.

As for Kovalchuk? He leads the team in goals (25) and points (47), and stands tied for third in assists. But the team and Kovalchuk remain in disagreement on the amount the All-Star should be paid. It’s possible he will be traded before the NHL trade deadline in early March, but the Thrashers hold out hope they can reach an agreement before then.

A few wins wouldn’t hurt, either.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010 at 6:23 pm by bud

Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, Philips Arena, Washington Capitals