The Waiting is the Hardest Part

“He is eager for the season to commence,” said Jay Grossman, Kovalachuk’s agent. “He said he has had the best offseason workout program that he’s ever had. He’s the captain and he wants to lead.”

From ajc.com

Just play already.

The Kovy Wars

Let me just go ahead and add Rory Boylens to the list of Good Hockey People.

After writing and article entitled "Thrashers shouldn't put Kovalchuk ahead of the team"*, and the ensuing rebuttal from the Chronicle Staff, Rory drops himself directly in the line of fire by engaging a full 2/3rds of the Thrashers' fan base** in the comment section.

Good work, Rory.




*Which is well written, but based on a flawed premise.
**We got jokes.

IIHF Tourney Info

USA just got by Latvia 4-2. Esche was the best we could do? Yikes. 

Here's the schedule.

One down, two to go.

More info - http://www.iihf.com/

Go USA.

Go Kovy.

An Open Letter to Brooks Orpik

Dear Brooks Orpik,

Dude, you're making it very hard for me to continue hating the Penguins.

Stop it. Stop it right now.

The reasons for hating the Pens are numerous and egregious.

Reason #1:


Okay, okay, you're right... that's too easy. I promise, I won't bring him up anymore...

But, c'mon, he's just such a.....

I know. I'll behave. Sorry.

Reason #2:

Tyler Freaking Kennedy

Seriously, he looks like one of the kids I routinely kick out of my store for playing obnoxiously loud (and incredibly awful) Metallica covers. And how can you really take seriously anyone who wears a shirt like this:


Mm-hm. Yup. Moving on.


Reason #3:

Matt Cooke

Why Matt? WHY MATT? Um, for starters:

Oh, and there's always:

And... well... I really didn't want to bring this up, but....

He eats babies.

I know, I know... a pretty shocking & heavy allegation, but see for yourself:

Matt Cooke, basting a baby.

Matt Cooke, upon being told eating a baby is a Game Misconduct.

I didn't think it'd come to that. I'm sorry you had to hear it this way, Brooks.

And really, there are so many other reasons why hating the Pens is just so gosh-darn easy. But for the sake of time I'm gonna skip to the only reason why I like the Pens:

That's right, baby... you.

I knew there was something special when I first saw The Shift.

And then, the Greatest. Shop. Ever.

C'mon, dude... it's freaking hilarious.

But what really locked me in was this past Sunday's game against the Flyers. You took that high stick to the face, and before anyone knew what was going on, you were back out on the bench, ready to go. As a matter of fact, you were so fast, no pictures survive of the alleged "event," so we present an artists rendering:

Note manly unnecessary stitches.

This brings me to my suggestion: you should pull a Geno, and defect to Atlanta. Srsly, it's like a whole other country down here, Pittsburgh wouldn't even know where to find you. Why are you looking at me like that? Here are some reasons why this is good idea:

1) Instant Fame
With that manly studliness that you posses, you would be a household name here in the footbawl-lovin' south. I can hear it now: "Wooo-eeee, boy! I cain't tell whut thay whus doin with that thar rubber thingy, but boyhowdy that Oar-pick shore can lay um out! I ain't never goin back to no footbawl game!"*

*ED NOTE: We here at the Outsider love the south, and do not wish to offend. We're merely using this horribly outdated stereotype for comedic effect. Thanks for your understanding. That shirt looks great on you, by the way.

2) Colby's Already Here.
He can save you a seat at lunch and a locker next to his. Oh, and I think he was looking for someone to double with him and Diane Lane.

3) I Will Buy You a Beer Whenever You Like
No kidding, all you have to do is call me up. Just give your phone to the bartender/waiter, and BAM. Free beer. Bud, Guinness, even the old Pottsville Pisswater. But watch those carbs, buddy...

4) Playing With Ilya Kovalchuk, King of Russia
See, people don't know it yet, but Kovy will go down as the greatest Russian leader since Czar Nicolas II. Not only is he a scoring machine, but he's also:

magic...

great at scoring Hawks' tickets, and...

...um, ignore this one. I'm sure there's a very good and rational explanation. For a leather kilt...

Besides, would you rather play for a captain that fights like this...

...or like this?

Sorry, sorry, I said I wouldn't mention him... sorry.

Anyway, take some time to think it over. We don't need answer now, you've got important things to do. Just take some time, consider all the facts, make a rational decision. But I have a feeling....

....next round. Is on me.


Your friend,
Aaron @ blueland outsider

Everything You Need to Know About Last Night's Game

Angry Russian, indeed.

Gameday Panthers & Miscellany

Yea, I'm back. Jury duty is worse than I ever could've expected. Disrupts your life in every possible way. I'd rather not talk about it. Still slowly reintroducing myself into the world.

Thrash tonight. We got the Panthers. Their entire season evidently hangs on this one game. The Thrashers (through years of practice) have developed a keen knack for dashing playoff hopes - we got this one in the bag.

All trendy detached irony aside, I'm extremely excited for next season. The Toby-Bogo pairing is probably the best young D pair in the league. The emergence of the Chicago Pipeline, the miracle that is Rich Peverley, and the wonder that is Ilya Kovalchuk all point toward (at the very least) better things next year. Add some potential FA signings, and we may just have a playoff contender.

Some points to consider:
- The best UFA option not named Hossa (to my eyes) would be Mike Cammalleri. Bruce Boudreau once said that Cammalleri is "the smartest player I’ve had the good fortune to coach. He sees the ice well. He can take a one-timer better than any player I’ve seen. He reads plays like Gretzky and Lemieux.” If Cams looks for the upper-range of his assumed asking price the Flames may have to watch him walk - a situation now somewhat eased by the aquisition of Ollie Jokinen. C'mon, tell me a power play unit that could include both Kovy (shoots right) and Cammalleri (shoots left) doesn't make you salivate. Kovy's more than willing to pass, as we've seen all year, so this duo would be pretty exciting to watch. Some concerns: Chemistry, for one. How would he fit in this dressing room, and more importantly, on the ice with Kovy. Then there's salary. Word on the street is a range of $5-8 mil for Cams, and we'd likely be paying the upper end of such a range. Would the ASG assent to something like that? What do you think?

- As a side note, imagine this headline: Maxim Afinogenov Reinvigorates Career in Atlanta. I could see that happening.

Recipe of the Week. Next time you're out at Cracker Barrel (Craker Barrel? You brought her! Ba dum bum. Thanks, Derek.), ask the waitress for an extra plate of biscuits and a little bottle of that blueberry syrup. Drop those in a to-go container, and that's half a meal right there, brother.

Betty Crocker I ain't.

A Display of Manliness That Just May End Your Will To Live. Please pay a visit to the brethren over at the Chronicle. It seems these mythological Kovy commercials do exist. And they are cooler than anything you'll ever do. That's why he is the Ruler of These Parts.

Colby Armstrong is My Second Favorite Player. I thought that deserved a bullet point.

Jeremy Heilpern is smarter than everyone. If the Thrashers don't hire this guy, I'll be... fricken... suprised. (We'll have to put in the liner notes, "during this joke, he points to the back"...)

Boston Gets the Classic. On Frozen Blog with the big-time artists' conception. I'm still holding out for Pens/Flyers in Happy Valley. I can combine a trip home with some hockey madness. But at this point, I'm not so sure I'd have a team to root for.

What's This? Yup, call me Roger Swain, cause I got me a Victory Garden.

Tomatoes, green beans, basil, chives, and sundry other green leafys. Just doin my part to support the cause.

A year-end retrospective may be in the works. Let's see how I feel about that idea tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, anyone else going to the practice?

Peath out.

Go Thrashers.

What I Learned Last Night

- Todd White, CPA = $$ in the Bank


- It occurs to me that Kovy may not have read my letter. Watching angry Kovy in the time-out box was no fun...
- Angry Sean, however, was very entertaining.
- After a game, I find I can sing very much like that fellow from Kings of Leon.
- Marty Reasoner. Give the man anything he desires.
- I hate Ranger fans.
- Did we have the rookie officiating crew last night? Our no goal looked pretty good to me, and their no goal took way too long to disallow.

Gameday Rangers: An Open Letter to Ilya Kovalchuk

Dear Ilya,

Hey dude! Can't wait to see you guys tonight; I actually got really good tickets this time, instead of that icebox up in the 300s I usually sit in. Well, not that it would take much to get better tickets, someone's always giving away something some where....

But don't think about that.

Anyway, in case you weren't sure who you were playing tonight, it's the New York *expletive* Rangers. Yea, that team with the $20mil "top line" that's averaging 50 points each. Yea, I know, right? Total.... whatever that Russian word was. They're in and out of the playoffs depending on what time it is, and on whether or not King Henrik has had his Wheaties. I mean, c'mon.. they had to go and bring back Torts, for pete's sake...

But also on the FYI tip... I don't know if you noticed, but they got Sean back. Yeah, the America's Top Model reject from the playoffs. But hey, that whole "Avery Rule" thing was kinda amusing, just cause it's Marty, right?

No? Okay, moving on.

My point here is this:

See, that's the Angry Kovy. You know where angry Kovy sits? In the time out box. Yes. Shame. You know who we want to see more of? Good-Lord-Where'd-That-Come-From Kovy:

And that's the thing, that Kovy there is... no offense here... a teensy bit more productive than angry Kovy. But, hey, in the moment, I like Angry Kovy just as much as I like Boults and Thor, and even Oyster-man lately. But just cause it feels good, well, that doesn't quite make it right. Y'know, Ryan Kennedy over at the Hockey News actually had some pretty good advice. He wrote that after you & that caveman Ian White mixed it up a little. But if Crosby can get away with throwing an occasional trantrum like the straight-laced 9th grade honor student who just can't take the pressure (or the bullying) anymore, why can't you?

But I digress. Before you let Mr. Avery get under your skin again, may I make a sugestion? Here's what he looks like to you:


Yea, it'd be real is to give in to the Dark Side and wipe that smirk off his face. But two things: 1) that'd probably get you at least 2 minutes of shame, and 2) ewwwww, you don't know where that face has been. But here's what Seany-boy looks like to the rest of us:

Yup. A great big tool. This joker is a headset mic away from being a Backstreet Boy. And just cause I'm in a little 'shoppin kinda mood:

Srsly, this guy is more worried about matching belts & shoes that anything else. So when you see this:


Just think:


Ooo ooo ooo.... and then.... and then.... and then you could check him real hard into the boards, and say something like "Blue shirts are so last year" in that bad motha Russian accent and skate away and score, like, a bazillion hat tricks. That would be SO awesome.

Anyway, do good tonight, congrats on the new baby, and anytime you need to hug it out, I'm here.

Your friend,
Aaron @ Blueland Outsider


Other business:

- Pens fans, someone please explain to me what use Matt Cooke is to your team. Other than, you know, hitting people really hard in slightly dirty ways. Cause he can't hit the broad side of a barn.

(Any mentions of Patrik Stefan will be ignored. We have Don Waddell. You have Ray Shero. We get, like, 10,000 mulligans when it come to draft choices.)

- As if this post didn't have enough pictures. Here's a warning to all the refs out there:


Get that whistle ready. He'll say things, & you'll cry.

Buncha pansies.

Go Thrashers.
Rangers suck.

Gameday Wings

Can I tell you something? I hate the Red Wings. Have for a long, long time. I would lug my Dreamcast up to my buddy Rob's place, and we'd drink Strongbow and have it out until the wee hours. I was the Rangers (whom, ironically, I also now despise), and Rob was the Wings. Nothing would piss me off more than to see Stephane Quintal botch the reception of an Adam Graves pass, and next thing I know, there goes Federov trucking it down the ice... ah... jeeze.. LKASJFKASHFUIWANC!!!1! aaaaand he flips it right past Richter. Garbage. This sucks, I'm going home. Huh? We have HOW many bottles of Strongbow left? Crap. Fine, one more game. Then I'd make Rob pay with a steady string of Nedved - Fleury one timers. Eat THAT, Osbad... Yeah, we had the two-line pass & offsides off... didn't everybody?

Trip down memory lane notwithstanding, I really dislike Red Wing fans. The minute you mention that you're a hockey fan, out comes this stream of babble that inevitably includes "11 Cups, baby!"; "Scotty Bowman"; "11 Cups!"; "Dynasty"; "Stevie Y"; "Who else has 11 Cups? Yea, the Habs don't count..."; "The Joe" and/or "Hockeytown"; and the not-so-subtle insinuation that fans of sunbelt teams aren't really fans of hockey. Classy.

Anyway, Kovy sounds pumped. Me too.

AO can be a classless punk. But we knew that.

Elliotte Friedman of the CBC talks about Crosby's groin punching and general clownery. He says it's an improvement. Like Jarome Iginla. Mm-hm. Cause I love it when Jarome violates the third-man-in rule, uses another man's crotchial area as a speed bag, and then proceeds to cry because another guy looked at him funny.

Go Thrashers.

Wings suck.

Gameday, Oilers

Tonight in Edmonton
First off, the Oilers' website totaly curb-stomps ours for preview value. Instead of just the obligatory wire preview you get that + game notes + stat comparison + head-to-head stats... Thrasher web guys, the house tours and Blue Crew segments are nice and all, but this is a value-added service with low overhead - ya dig?

It might get chippy tonight with the Oil clamoring to hold on to a playoff spot. Good showing on the Oilers message board. That comic book thingy had me 'til panel 4.

Kovy Since the 'C'
20G - 15A - 35P, +4

I'll predict a 3pt night, 2G - 1A, Thrash roll 4-2 in regs. Oilers drop to tenth, and Molson flies off the shelves in Northern Alberta in record amounts as Oiler fans drown their sorrows.

Go Thrashers.

When Did We Get a Hockey Team?

Friday Night's Game. Habs taking liberties; PIMs for everybody!; Habs watch playoff seeding (and maybe even hopes) fade; O'Byrne's a joke; X gets 10 for allegedly being a Francophobe. Oh yea, and a shutout for Kari.

Sunday's Game. Bry-Bry (again) with the leadoff tally; jobbing by CalGARY; Toby with a MONSTER shot; more jobbing by CalGARY; Kovy being Kovy; even more jobbing by CalGARY; and Bry-Bry (again) with the final word. Oh yea, and a Greek God goal thrown in for good measure.

Obligatory Stupid Question: Where was this team in October? With all of the different guys that have been moved from the team, I wonder how the chemestry has been affected. Did we dump some malcontents? Did we move some bodies that didn't jive with the of the team, not from any mental issues, but simply years of habit? At this point, you could ask these questions without having to name names, and I'd really like to know.

The Finer Points. Team play. That's the buzzword. Only Boris was a minus this weekend, and only Bogosian was over +1 (+2). There wasn't on line that led, or one line that let everybody down.

"Live together, die alone."

Um, thanks, Jack.

The cycles in both weekend games looked tighter & crisper, but the boys didn't back down from a physical game, either. I've had the recurring thought that we need a little more grit, but watching both games put that to bed. Friday night's backcheck looked a little sloppy at times. But when the average age of your defense is 24, that's gonna happen. Then came Sunday, and all fears were assuaged. Add the recently arrived Mr. Salmela, and we might just have a defense. Then again, that's what we said at the beginning of the year, too. But I choose hope.



Kovy Since the 'C'

Gms	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	SOG	Pts/G	S%	Pts/G
23	20	13	33	2	5	90	1.43	22.22%	1.43

Money. As in: "The man is." As in "Show him the." We know what he's capable of. Now, he's proving it. The crowd was LOUD Sunday, especially toward the end.

Goals. We has 'em.
The way I see it, this team is playing against itself. More specificly, the 5-9-2 record of last year's Thrashers. That's .375 points per game. For the remainder of the year, we have 16 games, 12 against playoff (or within spitting distance of a playoff spot) teams, 6 on the road, 6 at home. If we could pull off a 9-7 record over that span (.889 points per game), I will be convinced. I know, a lot to ask. The team that showed up this weekend could do it.

Miscellany

Putting Things Right. VERY inexcusably belated props to Here Come The Bruins for the recognition of the Thrashers' blogosphere. Big huge thanks.

Caption Contest. The crew @ Barry Melrose Rocks has a caption contest featuring our very own Eric Boulton. Go compete.

Good Numbers. Just doing a little statistical analysis (something I promised myself I'd do better with), and decided to examine Kovy's performance both before & after being awarded the 'C'

	W	L	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GTG	GWG	SOG	S%	P/G
Before	14	29	16	27	43	-13	31	5	0	0	2	137	11.68%	1
After	9	11	18	10	28	3	6	5	0	1	2	80	22.50%	1.4

I knew Kovy was playing well, but not goal-doubling well. And, yes, the argument of sample size is valid (43 games before, only 20 after). But you can say with surety: Kovy's playing like Kovy should play. But that brings me to my next point...

Where the crap has this team been hiding? Y'know... the team that may not win, but leaves it out on the ice a lot more than it used too. I'm sure you've all read the latest monologue from Jeff "I used to be a fan" Schultz. My issue is not with Jeff, though he should be taken to task for not making this point clearer in his season-long "throw the team under the bus" bit. My point is stated nicely by long-time commenter named GaVaHokie (solid commenter, btw):

I’ve always blamed the players… I think they could’ve played like this all year… there’s nothing wrong with this team but effort… if they gave this effort all year, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Nobody seems to play like they care until their job is on the line, or they’re trying to look good for a trade… look how Schneider is doing in Montreal now.

I don't know about the "not having this conversation right now" thing (we would've won about 5 more games, I believe), but the situation wouldn't seem nearly as dire. There has been a rotating list of players who've needed a fit lit under 'em, and it's only been recently that everyone's been on (anything close to resembling) the same page. I fully support the protest, the root of this issue is the ownership group that has taken buffoonery to a level unreachable by mortal men - but why are these players just now "gelling"?

Attention Canadiocentric Hockey Media: Kovy likes it here - SHUT UP and live with it.

From Puck Daddy:

Let's get back to talking about Atlanta. What is keeping you in the city apart from the contract? Would you live through a move with difficulties?

"I never thought about it. I like everything in Atlanta. The organization treats me very well. My daughter is in kindergarten. She has also started doing athletics. Nicole settled well: she became busy, got new friends. We expect an addition to our family..."

And then from Sovetsky Sport:

Q: General manager of Atlanta Don Waddell gave a guarantee that he would not trade you. Do you believe him? Do you sleep well at night?

A: I always sleep well. But trades - that is business. If it happens, it happens. But I wouldn't be happy to leave Atlanta.

Q: But if tomorrow you were to wake up and find out that they had traded you to Washington, would that be a good or a bad dream?

A: It would be a provocative dream. I like everything in Atlanta. I have played here since the first day of my career. I very much hope that we will build a respectable strong team. The city is wonderful, the fans are great. We must play significantly better.

So, guys, go ahead and make up some more crap about how Kovy desperately wants out of Atlanta.

Oh, and the always fabulous ladies of Puck Huffers are discovering what we knew all along. (Careful, that link might not be suitable for... well, anyone anywhere. But you just may become addicted to their wonderful, warped view of things.)

Off-topic. Anyone else remember this Kids In The Hall bit?


Good times.

Wow. This. Is. Teh Awesum.

http://nhlol.blogspot.com

For gems like this:

Gameday v. Islanders & Nuggets

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts:

Re: Canadian Media Loves Atlanta. Darren Dreger recently posted one of those "Top 10 Players to Watch at the Deadline" things that get so popular 'round this time of year. The usual suspects: Tkachuk, Bouwmeester, the Toronto Maples Leafs...

...and Colby Armstrong?

C'mon, Dreg... seriously? He says:

"[Pittsburgh] would like to see him reunited with Penguins captain Sidney Crosby."

Um, so they can hang out on the weekends? I don't recall Army getting a ton of top line minutes in the 'burgh. I mean, at least make it plausible. Like: "The Pens would really like to have more guys to slam into Colton Orr during Ranger games."

Re: Great Diplomats - Roosevelt, Churchill, Kovalchuk...

First, we had the Malkin-Ovechkin Accords of 2009. Then we had high praise from one of them Kostitsyn boys. Now I find this thought running through my head: What kind of effect could Kovy now have on bringing Illya Nikulin into the fold? Hmmm...

(Yes, that bullet point was just an excuse to post that sweet 'shop.)


Re: Great Writing Speaks For Itself. From Puck Daddy: "Flyers Upset the NHL Thinks They're the Flyers." Great mysteries revealed within.

Re: The Isles Tonight. The frontrunners for the John Tavares Sweepstakes (i.e. "Yet Another Chance to Prove the Islanders Should Be Relocated Before the Thrashers") are in Phillips tonight. Lets review the checklist:

___ Move legs
___ Hit people
___ Shoot puck

Some (if not all) of these tricks may work against the Islanders.

But you gotta show up.

Go Thrashers.

Just Cause I Found A Bigger Pic

Back to Business

Look at that face. Someone forgot to tell Ilya it's an exhibition.

And who doesn't love this guy? Well, my brother, for one. His favorite nicknames for Ovechkin: "Ovary" and "Caveman Lawyer". Seriously, I have uncles that dress up like this. Y'know what we do with them? Well, besides cutting off their alcohol consumption, we hide them. And we never speak of that moment again. That, my friends, is the power of the 'Vech. Gaze and dream, young Russians... gaze and dream. And for those that thought OVs twitter account was nothing more than a PR firm intern, well, I give you this tidbit from Puck Daddy:

Ovechkin then skated over to the stands, tossing the hat and glasses into the crowd. Later, he was shown with a cell phone in his hand on the bench - text messaging a vote for himself, perhaps?

So, the tweet that hit my celly while I was under the car fighting an alternator may just have been the 'Vech? Take that, cynics!


But I'm ready for the games to count again.

Insight

From Kevin Allen's Mucking & Grinding:

Since being plucked from the Nashville Predators earlier this month, Rich Peverley has become an instant sensation in Atlanta, producing two goals and five assists in four games as Kovalchuk’s center. With Peverley playing a key role, the Thrashers have won three games in a row.

“I can’t say I expected this, but we liked his skill,” Waddell said. “Kovy really likes him. He came up to me after the first game with him, and said, 'Don, good player.'”

Kovy Likes him. Good enough for me.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go, Part 2

Continuing the theme, I give you tonight's top line, left to right:

17 LW Ilya Kovalchuck (C)

Pros: 500 points in 500 games; unbelievable slapshot; even more amazing wrist shot; the celebrations:


Cons: Tends to cheat a little defensively.

Verdict: Stay.
Please, please, please for the love of hockey in this town, Stay.


47 C Rich Peverley

Pros: Almost a point-per-game in 4 years in the AHL; rated among the top 20 Preds prospects by HockeysFuture.com (great interview with the magnificent Holly Gunning to be found here); all stats point to a possible top scoring forward

Cons: "Knock, knock"
"Who's there?"
"Rich Peverley"
"Ummm.... who?"

Other than lack of name recognition, Peverley looks like a keeper. An RFA with a cap hit this year of $244,000, and 2 more years at roughly $500,00 each, Pevs looks like a forward who cold find space on not only this roster, but some others as well (ooooh, trade bait!).

Verdict: Stay.

20 LW Colby Armstrong

Pros: Great locker room guy; fan favorite (rumor has it, some Pens fans cried when they learned of Army's trade); has at least 20g/20a potential; pretty chippy, likes to agitate, but in a good way; massive hits; just a ton of fun to watch.

Cons: Still prone to making "young guy" mistakes; hasn't had a consistent enough role to establish an identity.

A hard hitter, a point-producer, fan-favorite, and locker room glue. As long as he likes Atlanta, I'll have him.

Verdict: Stay.

Tonights game v. Sens: The team we love to hate, the only team in the league more depressing to watch (c'mon, those preseason expectations were at least a little higher than 34pts at the midpoint). We can leapfrog 'em with a regulation win, boys. All eyes on Pevs. And Little. And Bogo. All hands on deck, full speed ahead.

Go Thrashers.

Tibits and such...

Just because I feel compelled to comment, and no one is around to stop me...

Re: Florida game. Y'know, I actually had hope after Kovy's goal in the third... the whole thing about not going quietly into that good night and such... but, too little, too late. C'mon Kari, time to put on the big-boy pads and play like a pro. No matter what time the game starts.

Re: Kovy's captaincy. If what Waddell says is true about the other A's giving him the thumbs-up, that's a tremendous vote of confidence. It also puts to bed the biggest fear in my mind: that Kovy was a locker room problem. Now, most games (especially the games that resulted in a win), that thought would never even cross my mind. But other games... The rap on him was that he was a selfish "showoffy" player. In my mind, that conjured up images of a locker room demeanor that would be less than productive. Not along the lines of a Sean Avery, but more like a bizzaro-Avery: so quiet and reserved that his on-ice celebrations and actions would cause others to avoid him. Throw in a lack of production from the rest of the team and a scoring slump, and that thought started to creep in more & more. So when the trade rumors stared to float around, I started to wonder, "Is this how he's gonna go?" Giving Kovy the 'C' (and more importantly his decision to accept it) is a huge bright spot in a pretty dismal time.

Re: Rich Peverley. On the ajc beat blog, a commenter made this statement:

It’s kind of embarrassing when you grab a waived guy and make him the first line center, eh?

I understand the point: how good can your team actually be when you pull a guy off the wire and then drop him on the top line for the very next game.

But then there's the chemistry. Just like Savard coming over from Calgary improved his point total considerably (btw... required reading: Mike Chen's article on Savard and the "unraveling"), this might be the move that Pevvy needs to jumpstart his offense. You can never make judgement calls on how a line will play together until they actually play together. Who predicted the success of the Kahlua line before the season started? If I remember correctly, it was Slava who said they were so successful because they think so much alike. Rich may have a mindset that fits Kovy's game perfectly. On paper, Kovy-Pevvy-Army makes a lot of sense. Super-offensive left wing, offensively-minded centerman, and gritty right wing. Let's give it a shot. Johnny A. may have some experience with/against Pevvy. Besides, it's not like there's another number one center kicking around to mortgage the farm for...

...oh, wait...

Re: Speaking of Johnny A... He and our esteemed GM were taking to the airwaves today. Check out Rawhides' recaps.

Re: "James Wisniewski, the Audubon Society is on line 1 for you..." The Blackhawks hate pigeons. Pigeons, stay away from the Blackhawks.

Re: The newest Thrasher/Wolf. Welcome Brett Skinner. Trade bait, or Chicago depth?

Maybe?

Thrashers' new tagline: "Hey, at least you're not in the KHL..."


Oh, and: Trade Kovalchuck? Yeah, we'd need a little thing called "foresight" to be able to handle that correctly. Thanks anyway, Proteau.