The post-mortem from the beat blogger for the Thrashers.

Thrasherville will not soon forget what Atlanta Spirit did here » Comment Page 4 | Atlanta Thrashers: Ice Man

edit to add: Regular staff columnist also sums it up
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-bl...iven-a-chance/

I believe it is an option (although with True North there is never anything but 'No Comment' so everything is hearsay). The local speculation seems to lead to the following list of candidates:

Winnipeg Jets
Manitoba Jets
Manitoba Moose
Manitoba Falcons
Manitoba Polar Bears

I'm not sure anyone really has a good handle on what way TNSE is leading at this point, I think they've just floated those names out there over the past few weeks to get an idea of public reaction.

I'd be very disappointed if it's anything except the Jets but who knows. I loved those uniforms but I guess even if they keep the name there's a good chance the uniforms will be updated.

You never go full Cleveland in a sporting matter.

Agreed. The best fans in sports are the diehards of poorly supported teams/sinking ships. From one who is a fan of a couple such teams, it sucks most of the time even if you aren't losing your team outright. No diehard ever deserves to go through this.

In happier news (and a bit of smart marketing), the ECHL Gwinnett Gladiators issued a press release today highlighting their season opener in October & made mention of negotiations underway to secure new NHL & AHL affiliation agreements. They also pointed out the new three year lease extension they signed last week (allaying fears that they might move downtown from the suburbs that have worked well for them).

Smart move on their part, definitely wise to point out that they aren't likely to remain tied to the Thrasers franchise (whatever it'll be called).

Chris Pronger Thinks He Is Not On Air, Says A "Shitfaced" Mike Keenan Once Stormed Gretzky's Hotel

I think that's awesome. I'll never forget Mike Keenan and the time he spent here in St. Louis as the Blues coach.

Any chance the Glads would be interested in stepping up in weight class to the AHL in the future? It totally blows that Atlanta's gone, but it'd be neat to see Gwinnett move up to the A and give the Checkers a local rival along with Norfolk (not to mention kinda-sorta add to the Charlotte-Atlanta regional rivalry already ongoing overall).

So Winnipeg will play in the East?

I suppose there's always a chance, if the AHL was looking to expand, etc. There was some minor chatter at least among Thrasher fans about that possibility.

I kind of get a sense that the owners may be reasonably content where they're at. Less travel, 5th in attendance about 20% above the league average, not much pressure (that I can see) from their affiliated clubs. The attendance wouldn't likely change much (if any) with a move up & I think an uptick in ticket prices would turn fans off in a hurry, not sure how many additional costs they'd absorb with a league change but the travel would definitely be worse. At least for the next couple of years I see them staying right where they are & I'm okay with that.

I really hope they name them the Jets and retain at least the team colors with an updated logo. I believe the old Jets records carried over to Phoenix but who cares? Winnipeg gets their team back. I know if Hartford got a team back I'd want them to be the Whalers.

For next year they will play in the East in the Southeast division.

Looks like he was right all along

Atlanta Thrashers will move to Winnipeg; KC to host exhibition game - KansasCity.com

Another masterful NHL decision. They are already probably the weakest team on the ice in the league in a market that is very touch and go to begin with, let's give them a backbreaking road schedule. Not setting the team up for failure at all.

How long have they known that Atlanta was a real possibility to move to Winnipeg for?

Darren Dreger reporting Colin Campbell is stepping down and speculating Brendan Shanahan will take the role.

That sounds awesome... have a lot of respect for Shanny

The bruins powerplay is worse than the second Caddyshack

This. They've had a fuckload of opportunities in this game and haven't really done jack.

They've had two 5 on 3 this game so far and nothing. That's going to come back to bite (no pun intended) them.

Burrows BIT Bergeron?

What a classless POS move.

I've said this before...if you put your fingers in someone's mouth you deserve to get bit.

I blame Matt Cooke

I blame Crosby for all the diving.

No actually I do blame Cooke...where do you think burrows first learned it?

I'd blame Mike Richards, but the last thing the NHL needs while trying to showcase their finals in a captain crying to the media.

That would be true if he talked to the media

Bah...fuck embedding

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmgT15PTUjA

And, yes I know it's nearly 2 seasons old.

Fuck. Seriously...how do you lose with 18 fucking seconds left?!?!?!?

Ugh.

This was a game that Thomas essentially stole for them and they couldn't deliver. I'm not sure at all that they can beat Vancouver in this series.

Stanley Cup Finals
2010 Game 1 - 11 goals
2011 Game 1 - 1 goal

Hey Turner, if you're still following...maybe update this now that the Finals are underway? If you can't get around to it, no worries, I can try to work the numbers tomorrow.

Would be curious to hear what casual sports fans who watched game 1 without regularly watching the NHL would say. Like Sak pointed out, 11 goals last year. While I enjoyed the game, outside of all the penalties, new watchers probably won't be tuning in to game 2.

Am I alone in wondering why the NHL is going head-to-head with the NBA in terms of the time frame for their finals?

I think its the best of the given options. Playing vs. the NBA finals, on opposite days, gives the best chance to get more casual viewers. Say the SCF started 2-4 weeks ago, those games are competing for viewers vs. multiple NBA games per night for viewers.

That said, as someone who would be watching these games regardless, I am all for trimming 6-8 games and starting the playoffs 2 weeks earlier.

I would definitely be considered a very casual hockey fan (only watch in the playoffs, even then just on and off). But I love a 1-0 hockey game as much as a high scoring one, if not more so. Playoff hockey where goalies are pulling off incredible save after incredible save feels even more intense than a goal-fest.

Sorry about that, I'm on it now.

EDIT: Here's the latest standings with the two players left for each team:

1. Honolulu_Blue - 126 points - Kesler and Chara
2. Dr. Sak - 121 - D. Sedin and Chara
3. Logan - 121 - H. Sedin and Lucic
4. TurnerONU22 - 119 - D. Sedin and Thomas
5. bhlloy - 118 - Luongo and Kaberle
6. Sublime 2 - 109 - Edler and Bergeron
7. Suburban Rhythm - 109 - Kesler and Chara

In non-SCF news, the Rangers acquired defenseman Tim Erixon (Jan's son) from Calgary for Horak and a couple 2nds this year. Calgary wasn't going to be able to sign him before the deadline, but the Rangers got him signed. Considered NHL ready, and the Rangers had him rated in the top 10 if he made it into this draft.

Rangers have a pretty good D for next year

Pretty entertaining game last night.

I am not sure about the Bruins use of Chara in front of the net. I understand the idea/theory behind it. The Blackhawks had great success against Luongo the prior two years thanks in large part to Byfuglien making life a living hell for Luongo in front of that net. I assume that the Bruins were trying to create the same effect with Chara. The problem with Chara, however, is that not only is he more dangerous at the point, but he doesn't do the front of the net thing very effectively. After having watched Holmstrom do this for the last 15 years there is a lot more to it than just standing there. The biggest problem with Chara is that he was always getting out of the way of Luongo right when the shot was coming so Luong had a clear view of the shot and the shooter. I think they need to re-evaluate this strategy.

Definitely agree with this. There's a lot more to it than "get a big guy and park him in front of the net". Power forwards spend years perfecting the skill of screening the goalie and tipping/disrupting pucks. Game 1 of a stanley cup finals is not the time to start experimenting with these kinds of things and tells me that Julien is desperate (although who wouldn't be with those kind of PP numbers)

+1

This is up there with the idea of the sumo goalie-- just get the biggest guy you can and fill up the net. Just get the biggest possible guy at plant him in front of the goalie to screen him...except Chara not getting the "art" of it. Like HB says about Holmstrom, he's perfected it. Alot of times blocking the goalie's view is also blocking the shooters lane.

So long as they don't play on the same night, I don't see it being much of an issue.

The ratings were solid (from a NHL point of view) for last night's game:

Last night’s Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, which featured the Vancouver Canucks defeating the Boston Bruins, 1-0, produced the best overnight rating for a Game 1 in 12 years. The broadcast generated a 3.2 overnight rating and 6 share up 14 percent compared to last year’s Game 1 (Philadelphia-Chicago, 2.8/6) and the best overnight for a Game 1 since 1999 (Buffalo vs. Dallas, 3.7 on Fox).

No suspension for Burrows.

that bites

Milbury is fucking irritating

Go figure Burrows playing comes back to bite the Bruins (pun intended). So much for the B's chances in this series. Thomas stole them Game 1 basically and they couldn't deliver, and now here they fuck up 10 seconds into overtime.

Down 2 games they're not eliminated yet, but I'd imagine their chances are VERY slim. Oh well.

I'm disgusted by there play in the 3rd period of both games. They seem to play a "prevent" type of game, have terrible passes, which inevitably get picked off by Vancouver.

Then once again, start of OT and and yet another piss poor attempt at a pass, which is broken up, and who knows what Thomas was doing jumping that far out of goal, let alone Chara not crashing his guy or even hooking him to make sure he couldn't get around the net to make the worlds easiest goal. Heck a 2 month old baby could of pushed the puck into the net since it was wide open. :banghead: :banghead:

Congrats to the Canucks.. The Biter.. I mean better team won.

Hey, any truth to the rumor that Mike Tyson will be the new mascot? :)

While I can appreciate the hate for Burrows, who by precedent should have been suspended...a bit of irony after Horton plays game 7 vs. Tampa and scores the game and series winner after escaping suspension for the water bottle incident?

I love that the Canucks won last night thanks to Burrows, who shouldn't have even been playing. Thanks for the screw job, NHL.

I don't know if this is supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, sarcastic, or what.