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Bill Tiller, Atlanta Thrashers |
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Ek's note: We are pleased to welcome Bill Tiller to blog on the Thrashers. Bill has a successful blog over at http://blogs.ajc.com/iceman-thrashers-blog/ and we are happy to bring his perspective to helm our Thrashers community.
Kovy Speaks – So Who’s Listening?
“We need to sign some free agents and spend some money…because I don’t want to compete for a playoff spot, I want to compete for the Cup. I think this city deserves it.”
Those were the words of Atlanta’s captain Ilya Kovalchuk shortly after the only NHL team he has ever played for finished yet another season out of the playoffs.
Regarding whether he feels the Thrashers organ-I-zation should open up the pocket book and spend to such a degree that it would put them closer to the salary cap rather than the floor, the Russian phenom who turns 26-years of age on Wednesday first replied, “Oh, yeah…”, then scaled down his remarks with, “I don’t know. I’m not an owner, but I know for sure we need more players. We’ve got one of the best front lines. We need more tough guys. We need help.”
We need help.
This is a distress flare being sent up to get the attention of those who can do just that…help.
Kovalchuk is entering into his final year of a contract that was signed at the beginning of the 2005-06 season. Starting in July, general manager Don Waddell can start officially negotiating a new deal with Kovy and his agent. Rest assured that this priority sits atop Waddell’s summertime “To-Do” list.
Or, as radio voice of the Thrashers Dan Kamal put it in an interview on trade deadline day last month, “priority ONE is re-signing Kovy for the Thrashers…and there is no 1-a or 1-b to this”.
Indeed.
Now, many speculate that Kovalchuk is preparing to bolt Atlanta…that he’s getting ready to “Marian Hossa” our butts this winter by refusing to sign and force a trade at the deadline.
I, however, respectfully disagree. I believe that he does want to remain in Atlanta and help this franchise…the one that has invested so much hope in him…finally climb out of the muck and grime that is the lower-tier of the NHL to one that is putting up far more respectable numbers in the NHL standings.
Of course, I also realize that he wants to be on a team that competes and participates in the annual spring tournament for Lord Stanley’s Cup, (DUH5).
But the fact is, if I read him correctly, he does indeed feel that he can do both…remain a Thrasher and skate in the playoffs on a regular basis, even challenging for a Stanley Cup Championship. The 22-18-1 record that Atlanta played to over the course of the second half of the season shows that there is a core to build from here. The offense scored goals at a rate of 3.05 per game and he seems to be happy with Bryan Little and Todd White with whom he finished the year playing with.
But again, as he puts it, this team still needs help…the defense still gives up way too many shots on goal, (32.7), allows an abysmal amount of goals, (3.40 per game) and the lower lines need some bulk… and he is making it known to those who matter that such help goes beyond simply re-signing him.
Obviously, Don Waddell is one such character, but in honesty I think he “gets it”. And understand, I’ve been very critical of the only general manager this team has ever known for quite some time. He owns a 273-367-53-35 record over the nine seasons of play, (a .436 points %), one playoff appearance and zero playoff wins. He’s managed the team to back-to-back 76 point seasons, could not convince Hossa to remain here last year…and don’t even get me started with the whole Coburn for Zhitnik deal of 2007.
But the fact of the matter is that I do believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that D-Dub is ready to do everything he possibly can to lock up Kovalchuk here for years to come and is willing and ready to pay him handsomely for it.
The ones who need to heed Kovy’s message here is the great octo-cluster known as The Atlanta Spirit, LCC.
Since taking over this team, and the Hawks, in September of 2003…they have been the model example of just how not to run a professional sports franchise. For almost four of the six years they have owned the team, seven of the eight members of the group have been locked in a legal battle with the remaining partner, Steve Belkin. This all stemming from a disagreement they had over a deal involving the Hawks and Phoenix Suns of the NBA.
The Spirit Clowns have run this team on the cheap for the past several seasons and the talent level has been lowered along with the payroll.
This is what Ilya Kovalchuk is commenting on and stating quite clearly needs to change…this summer.
Kovy’s been a Thrasher since being the overall number one pick in the 2001 entry draft. He’s seen such talent as Dany Heatley, Marc Savard and Marian Hossa come and go. He’s the face of this Thrashers organ-I-zation in the city of Atlanta…the one so many of the casual sports fans come to Philips Arena to see… and he’s one of the premier players in the league today.
And he’s the one sending a direct message to Bruce Levinson and the rest of the Spiriteers…one that says, “We all know it’s going to cost you a lot to keep me here, but I can get that money in other cities as well. If you want to be the team that is allowed to buy my services in the future…start putting the good of the team first and do what’s right”.
And what’s right is to allow the general manager to not only re-sign his star player…but also equip him with the tools to perform his job here.
I hope your listening, Spirit Boys. Because if the team is need of help now…imagine how much it’ll need if #17 is wearing anything but Thrasher blue this time next year.
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