Atlanta Thrashers Have Become One

Where would the Thrashers be without a forward who has both laced up the skates and used them to lead the team this season?

Kozlov has 41 points and is one of nine players who have played in every game. Plus he has a name that makes you understand why Madden commentates for football.

With Ilya Kovalchuk skating closer and closer to the last season in his contract, the questions about his future in Atlanta are like popcorn kernels in peanut oil: They've been asked on occasion, but as the season gets closer to the trade deadline they will pop up with a frequency soon to reach its crescendo.

Luckily for GM Don Waddell, the team appears nowhere close to playoff-bound in '09. If they were on the precipice, the pressure for making a trade might be higher in order to get something in return for the all-star.

However, it's mid-January. The oil is getting uncomfortably warm. Waddell should practice the following response: "Kovy is a Thrasher."

Repeat until he is not.

Last year the Atlanta Falcons established themselves as the unluckiest franchise in the history of sports when their star QB turned felon "doggie style," they only managed four wins and their head coach took an early vacation to...Fayetteville, AR.

The Falcons took that (dis)honor away from their cross town neighbors, the Thrashers. From a car wreck that claimed one young player's life and sent another to a different city, to being purchased by a group of owners that didn't know hockey from horse racing before signing on the dotted line—the Thrashers embrace bad luck as if it were all they had.

Oh. And did I mention that the year Atlanta was supposed to parlay an All-Star game hosting into a fabulous season the players and owners played a different game altogether.

They bowled a perfect game...STRIKE!

Zach Bogosian was selected in the first round and third overall in last year's entry draft. He's 18 years old and has great size for an NHL defenseman.

Despite his rookie status and young age, Bogosian has almost solely logged ice time on the big ice in Atlanta. Unfortunately, he has spent a lot of time injured with a broken leg and has recently made his way off of IR.

Fans are hoping to see an energized youngster down the stretch at Phillips Arena.

While other young stars have evolved into bonafide NHL players, Thrashers goalie Kari Lehtonen has fans still playing the waiting game.

Case in point—January 8th he records a shut out against the Devils on the road while turning away 29 shots. The next game on the 10th at Florida, he allows seven goals on 27 shots for a .758 Goals Against Avg.

Moments of brilliance followed by streaks of inconsistency would only last this long in Atlanta.

They've spent more time in court than OJ Simpson and have failed to put money into the franchises they once embraced and pledged to revitalize.

Hey Spirit...show some! Professional teams need money to survive and compete. Open your wallets! You wouldn't refuse to put gas in a brand new Ferrari would you?

Maybe you would....bad question.

Garnet leads the team in a new stat this season, Time On Couch. Ironically he has been one of the team leaders in seasons past for TOI (Time On Ice). This year he leads the league in penalty minutes...in EA Sports version of the league.

Signing Ron Hainsey in the off season created little excitement in Atlanta, or anywhere else. But the free agent defenseman has been a welcome surprise. He's logged quality minutes and has made good use of them: 22 points with five goals.

His plus/minus is a paltry -18. But on a team that has given up over three goals a game, even for a defenseman that statistic may be misleading.

After firing Bob Hartley a few games into the 2007-08 season and taking over the bench himself, Waddell decided to replace himself with their Chicago Wolves affiliate coach, Jon Anderson.

Coach Anderson, how did you ever squeeze 14 wins from this team?

With a shot that lights the lamp over 20% of the time and 19 goals to lead the team, Bryan Little is a force to be reckoned with—or at least deserving of more opponents' forechecks.

If only there was another skater who could force some defensive attention, Little might have the space to produce even more offense.

And for my favorite award...

He leads the team in penalty minutes and seems to enjoy cross checking opponents as much as Exelby. Or at least as much as your local accountant.

On a team with little to cheer for, there's always Thrasher "enforcer" Eric Boulton's right cross.

January 14th it seemed the stars may be aligning for a rare win at Phillips Arena. It was the first game for Kovy wearing the captain's sweater. It was center Rich Peverley's first game as a Thrasher. Bogosian had returned from a brief stint in AHL Chicago following his removal from the IR. Another cellar dweller was the night's opponent.

Fans saw a team full of spunk and energy in the first period, showing signs of life after a pre-ice speech from their new captain. The first intermission commenced with the Thrashers tied at 2-2 with the visiting Senators. Chris Thorburn had scored at 15:28 of the first period to give the Thrashers a 2-1 lead.

They would not score again. Perhaps exhausted, maybe just overmatched, the Thrashers gave up the game winning goal at 14:23 of the second period and could not find the equalizer.

Sadly, there may not be an equalizer for this season. Maybe Lady Luck will smile on Phillips Arena ice next season.