Looking Ahead with the Atlanta Thrashers

Well, the Atlanta Thrashers' inaugural playoff run ended just as quickly as it started.

After getting swept out of the first round by the New York Rangers, the Thrashers returned home to pack up their things and wonder what might have been.

Thrashers GM Don Waddell told reporters at the Duluth practice facility that the team was in fact disappointed by their playoff performance but still proud of their division title.

Now, the Thrashers need to focus on 2008. If they win the division and get swept out of the playoffs next year, it won't be so easy to look on the bright side.

As it stands, Waddell and head coach Bob Hartley both look set to return to the Thrashers in '08. It's a good thing, too because they have quite an offseason of work ahead of them.

The Thrashers only have eight players currently under contract for next year, which means the franchise has some leeway in shaping its roster.

One of the complaints about the '07 Thrashers was that they were too old, and as a result lacked the speed necessary to compete in the new NHL.

This year, Atlanta relied on a number of aging veterans Scott Mellanby (41), Greg de Vries (34), Bobby Holik (36), Slava Kozlov (35), and Keith Tkachuk (35). Having players in their mid-30 s isn't necessarily a problem...unless of course you have too many of them.

So it went with the Thrashers in 2007, according to their critics.

Mellanby, a 21-year veteran, says he's 99 percent retired. He'll be missed but that doesn't mean the Thrashers don't need to get younger. Waddell, for his part, has already promised that they will, and he and Hartley are on their way to Chicago to check out the Thrashers' minor league affiliate in the AHL.

Defense has got to be a priority. With only two defenseman under contract, Waddell has said that the team s top defensive prospects including Marc Popovic and Boris Valabik will get a look in training camp.

There are also several young forwards who will get a shot in camp. That group includes Darren Haydar (AHL MVP), Brett Sterling (AHL Rookie of the Year), Colin Stuart, and newly-signed teenager Bryan Little.

According to Waddell, Little s skill is such that it's only a matter of time before the youngster starts making noise in Blueland.

As much as the Thrashers stand to benefit from the youth movement, they'd do well to keep a handful of veterans in the fold. The key is staying as young as possible while bringing back the most important pieces of the 2007 puzzle.

While Tkachuk did not rule out a return to Atlanta, he was very noncommittal. The Thrashers should re-sign him and immediately make him their captain. The role would be a logical fit for a fighter with the heart, grit, and skill to lead his teammates.

The Thrashers also need to bring back the mini-French connection of Eric Belanger and Pascal Dupuis.

Belanger, a center, made the Kozlov-Marian Hossa line work. He was solid on faceoffs and put up tremendous offensive numbers. He is also a capable penalty killer.

Dupuis, or Duper as Hartley affectionately refers to him, is a tremendous player who shows up big-time in the playoffs. He brings speed and heart to the team, and he's great on the penalty kill. Memo to the Thrashers: PLEASE bring this guy back.

Forward Jon Sim is also a keeper. Simmer was hurt down the stretch and was ineffective in the playoffs as a result but has a great shot and a better attitude.

Sim, Dupuis and Belanger have all said that they want to come back.

If Kozlov can take another mid-range contract, the team should bring him back too and maybe consider him as a captain. When he's in the game, he's automatically the smartest player on the ice.

The team has several free agents on defense, but the most important ones Garnet Exelby and Steve McCarthy are restricted. That means the Thrashers have the right to match other teams' offers and are compensated with draft picks in the event of a departure. Look for the team to lock up both players with lengthy contracts.

So the news isn t all bad in Atlanta, and the Thrashers have a lot to look forward to. Next year, though, it's put up or shut up time for the team.