Preview: So after finishing the Northwest division, I'm ecstatic with how the division previews are going.

There's been some great conversation and discussion over where teams will end up and how individual players will do, and there's been some positive response to the integration of teams' Community Leaders.

Unfortunately, we're shot on a couple of CL's in the Southeast division—in fact, I'm pretty sure every team needs one.

So I guess we're stuck with just one point of view. Hopefully that suffices...

For a long time, the Atlanta Thrashers weren't really good for anything. I mean, there's being an expansion team, and then there's being flat-out terrible for your entire existence. (Ironic note during the writing: I'm listening to Eternity by Big and Rich. So are the Atlanta Thrashers going to be eternally dreadful? I'm scared to find out.)

Sometimes they'd have a couple of bench-clearing brawls, but aside from that, the Thrash were usually good for a laugh...unless, of course, they were playing the Toronto Maple Leafs, in which case the Buds were good laugh for a Thrasher fan.

Following another sub-.500 season (their sixth in eight years), the Thrashers should have sought out some heavy changes, and some dramatic improvements.

Well...at least they got rid of Bobby Holik.

Roster Additions: Ron Hainsey-D (Free Agent), Eric Boulton-F (Free Agent), Jason Williams-F (F.A.), Marty Reasoner-F (F.A.).

Roster Subtractions: Bobby Holik-F (F.A.), Karel Pilar-D (F.A.), Mark Recchi-F (F.A.), Steve Rucchin-F (Retirement), Jason Krog-F (F.A.), Joel Kwiatkowski-D (F.A.), Steve McCarthy-D (Europe.)

How did 2007/'08 go? 34-40-8, 76 points, 14th in conference, fourth in Southeast division

2008/'09 Goal: Top 12 in conference, third in division

Let's break'er down...

As I said before, the Atlanta Thrashers have been bogged down by mediocrity for their entire franchise history. They’ve only finished above third in their division twice, and the lone time that the Thrashers finished first in their division, ensuring them of their first playoff spot in history, they were swept by the New York Rangers.

Because of that, one has to start to wonder how much longer young superstars like Ilya Kovalchuk are going to stick it out before the lure of greener pastures starts to drag them away from the troublesome Thrashers.

Either that or they might throw themselves off of a bridge.

To be honest, I wouldn't really blame Ilya Kovalchuk for charging a ridiculous price for his services during free agency—so long as Atlanta can't afford to keep him, he'll still be respected a bit in my eyes.

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