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Post by omnimaga on Nov 17, 2009 2:20:05 GMT -5
Also, everytime I watch Trashers clips, I can't even hear the crowd. When they score I hear cheering, but I think even Phoenix Coyotes fans are louder. x.x
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Post by vivianmb on Nov 22, 2009 17:52:26 GMT -5
was gonna tune into my center ice for the Thrashers v. TB lightning, to see how poor the crowd was on a sunday(yyou know the whole church, football excuse)but...
LOL.... it is not televised ANYWHERE. why show it when nobody is gonna watch it?
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Post by selanne405 on Nov 22, 2009 21:37:01 GMT -5
was gonna tune into my center ice for the Thrashers v. TB lightning, to see how poor the crowd was on a sunday(yyou know the whole church, football excuse)but... LOL.... it is not televised ANYWHERE. why show it when nobody is gonna watch it? I saw the highlights and wow it was bad.......even for the thrashers. Cant even imagine how much theyre going to loose this year |
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Post by Hobble on Nov 22, 2009 21:50:06 GMT -5
HOW CAN THESE TEAMS ACTUALLY STAY IN THESE CITIES?!?
It amazes me how hypocritical and league/Bettman can be...
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Post by Bob E on Nov 23, 2009 19:10:14 GMT -5
When i watch highlights from Atlanta, Phoenix, TB, Florida, NYI, Carolina, etc, etc, - it reminds me of pre-season college hockey or maybe ECHL games. I keep asking myself - is this NHL hockey? And they (Bettman, NHL brass, etc) think this is the future of the game? Ridiculous.
Where is the excitement or atmosphere in the building? It seems non-existent. You know, when your team's best player - or the best player on the other team - is rushing the puck and has a good scoring chance... There's a collective 'hush' or 'edge of your seat' reaction happening. You remember, whenever Gretzky had the puck behind our net or Hawerchuk whined it up behind our net, leading the rush.
I was at the Moose game on Saturday - and there seemed to be way more 'atmosphere' at that game then you sense from watching games on the NHL network. Guess that's because most Moose fans are actually watching and understanding the game.
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Post by jhendrix70 on Nov 23, 2009 23:17:25 GMT -5
I was at the Moose game on Saturday - and there seemed to be way more 'atmosphere' at that game then you sense from watching games on the NHL network. Guess that's because most Moose fans are actually watching and understanding the game. NHL hockey is the greatest level of hockey played however; it's the FANS that make the NHL special & without that; it's just any old Hockey game. Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, etc... all have amazing, passionate fans & where there is a lack of fan involvement and interest; there is a major lack of passion. |
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Post by NewJets on Dec 1, 2009 10:45:06 GMT -5
It just boggles my mind why the NHL went back to Atlanta in the first place.
Didn't they learn anything from before?
And its a different situation for us. We never had a lack of fan support -- we just needed a new building and new ownership. Atlanta has NEVER had the support -- not in the 70s and not in 2009.
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Post by ~Jiffy~ on Dec 1, 2009 11:42:37 GMT -5
I totally understand the confusion on this as well.
It seems like there is the people which come in at the thousands that moving these teams is a no brainer. BUT the people that control this, can't seem to see it!
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Post by vivianmb on Dec 3, 2009 19:23:46 GMT -5
the islanders in atlanta tonight... dead empty. on channel 324 shaw.
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Post by davebabych on Dec 4, 2009 8:17:55 GMT -5
the islanders in atlanta tonight... dead empty. on channel 324 shaw. I saw the highlights on Sportscentre, it looked pretty empty. The announced crowd was around 11,000. I was watching Sportcentre, and it was either Onrait or O'toole who said something like "Islanders playing in front of... empty seats. Announced crowd, 11000. I wonder where they hid 11,000 people?" |
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Post by USApegger on Dec 4, 2009 12:14:56 GMT -5
Seems like their basketball team doesn't draw very well either, saw highlights of them the other night and it appeared that the upper deck had been curtained off
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Post by pegger5 on Dec 4, 2009 14:58:43 GMT -5
Seems like their basketball team doesn't draw very well either, saw highlights of them the other night and it appeared that the upper deck had been curtained off Maybe 3000 fans there... TOPS What a mess... |
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Post by Pokey on Dec 4, 2009 15:39:09 GMT -5
Atlanta is a piss poor sports city.
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Post by jimnill on Dec 4, 2009 17:15:59 GMT -5
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Post by Bob E on Dec 5, 2009 19:33:45 GMT -5
wow. if they had 11,000 at the game - phillips must seat 50,000. looked like an argo or blue jays game. empty seats outnumber bumms in the seats 4 to 1.
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Post by Bob E on Dec 31, 2009 16:54:28 GMT -5
Thrashers’ uncertain future may contribute to Kovalchuk’s exit
2:48 pm December 30, 2009, by Jeff Schultz
Odds are that Ilya Kovalchuk will be celebrating goals for another team soon.
There is an undercurrent in the Ilya Kovalchuk negotiations that goes far beyond what most protracted player-management negotiations eventually come down to, which is, of course: “Pay me like I’m great, because I am,” countered immediately by, “You’d be a lot greater if we could find a helmet to fit over your inflated, blimpy head.”
And that undercurrent is this: Hockey’s uncertain future in Atlanta.
If the Thrashers can’t re-sign Kovalchuk – and I now believe the chances of a deal are just this side of dead — it will be at least in part because of the backdrop of ownership’s uncertain long-term commitment to hockey and the possibility of the franchise being sold and moved during the period of Kovalchuk’s contract.
This has become abundantly clear, especially given Kovalchuk’s recent comments about desiring to spend the rest of his career in Atlanta, and Waddell’s contention that these talks are all about money. If Waddell believes that all Kovalchuk cares about is money, he’s failing to recognize that it’s the only thing the player can control.
I don’t blame Kovalchuk if he’s asking for a max contract (annual salary equal to 20 percent of the team’s cap, or currently about $11 million) for probably 10 to 12 years.
I also wouldn’t blame Waddell (or ownership) if they say, “We can’t do that,” and Kovalchuk ends up being traded before the deadline. The real problem is what led to all of this.
Years of mismanagement and/or neglect ran down a franchise in a second-chance NHL market, where commissioner Gary Bettman desperately wants hockey to succeed. Even with matters at the Atlanta Spirit somewhat stabilizing (emphasis on somewhat), the Steve Belkin vs. non-Belkins matter is not yet closed. Ultimately, Belkin likely will be out of the picture. Rumors persist that the remaining owners will be looking to sell the team (something they’ve long denied). Problem: Finding an owner who would keep the team in Atlanta is not going to be easy, especially in this economy.
Back to Kovalchuk. He and his wife, Nicole, have two children and a third on the way. They’re settled. When Kovalchuk says his first choice is to stay here, I believe him. (When Marian Hossa said it, I laughed inside.)
A player can ask for a no-trade clause in his contract. But he can’t ask for a clause that reads, “If the franchise relocates to Winnipeg or Quebec, the player can opt out.” Doesn’t work that way. And I would like to see the look on the face of the next owner when the Thrashers tell him, “Well, we can bring Todd White with us but not Kovalchuk.”
Kovalchuk can’t be guaranteed of anything: 1) That the Atlanta Spirit will keep the team and spend to keep and acquire players (according to NHLnumbers.com, the Thrashers rank only 23rd out of 30 teams in payroll); 2) That anybody who purchases the team will keep it in Atlanta and also spend to compete.
Look at the past. Look at the present. Look at the future. There is no reason for Kovalchuk to feel comfortable.
The only thing he can control is his salary. (And by the way: Do you really believe the difference in him making $9 million and $11 million next season will be the difference in whether the Thrashers are successful or not, given what we’ve witnessed?) Given everything, and the fact he is staring at unrestricted free agency, why would he not ask for the most he can get? Would he get it on the open market? Probably yes. It only takes one big-market team to jump (New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto, or maybe star-crazed Los Angeles).
Even if Kovalchuk’s next deal falls short of the max, he still can control where he signs. He can pick a stable franchise, one that he believes is committed to winning — and staying put.
The Thrashers offer no guarantees. Please excuse Kovalchuk if he wants something more.
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Post by Trent Steele on Jan 6, 2010 12:26:55 GMT -5
Date to watch for is Feb 15th. This is the beginning of the Olympic Break. I think the trade deadline is March 8th, which is the week following the break. If he hasn't signed by the Olympic Break, he will be traded.
While Waddell can't write a 'no-relocation' clause into the contract, you would think that he could give Kovi some sort of verbal reassurance that the team won't be moving. The fact that he can't or won't is quite telling. Waddell is pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place since he can't guarantee that they won't move, and trading Kovalchuk will pretty much sink what is left of the franchise. Best case for us is for them to trade Kovi for some high draft picks.
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Post by trebendan on Jan 6, 2010 13:36:55 GMT -5
Trade deadline is Mar 3. There is a freeze in effect during the Olympics. I wonder if Waddell would want to trade Kovalchuk prior to the Olympics. If Kovalchuk gets hurt during the Olympics....
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Post by Trent Steele on Jan 6, 2010 16:49:24 GMT -5
Thanks for the correction, I was just going from memory, and my memory is going...  While there is a freeze, that just means they can't make an official trade during that time...he can still shop him around and have a deal ready to go when they resume play. |
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Post by WpgJets2008 on Jan 6, 2010 20:33:52 GMT -5
Trade deadline is Mar 3. There is a freeze in effect during the Olympics. I wonder if Waddell would want to trade Kovalchuk prior to the Olympics. If Kovalchuk gets hurt during the Olympics.... 1) I forgot about the roster freeze over the Olympics. With the March 3rd trade deadline, it effectively moves the deadline to before the Olympics for major trades like this. Although GMs agree to deals and sign them later on before the deadline, but that would be risky for both GMs for a deal of this magnitude. 2) Here's a thought - ok I admit, wishful thinking on my part - what if the deal to sell the team has effectively been already worked out (terms, assets, player contracts, staff, effective date, but without the price being set totally) and the new owner is either happy to let Kovie walk or is pulling strings to ensure he stays??? 3) You know, relocation and new ownership may be the complicating factor to this deal. At $9 or more million a season, I would be happy to let him walk instead of seeing him relocate with the team here. Any player making more than $9 million, effective "caps" out any chance that team has of being a contender because too few dollars are left to fill out such a good roster. But on the other hand, I agree with Bettman when he told the TB owners to keep Lecavalier for the sake of themselves and the franchise. I am sure Kovie in Atlanta means as much. So whether the teams leaves or stays drives the decision to sign or trade Kovie, regardless of his salary. 4) Phoenix probably can't spend as much as what Kovie is asking for - but you never know with the NHL at the helm. And if I'm one of the other 28 GMs, you know that Waddell can't afford to lose him as an UFA. (That would be Waddell's job loss.) So all the pressure is on Waddell to get a good deal back. Otherwise, Kovie would have been signed by now. Being a good player on a bad team, he has no where to go but up on the ice, so any deal that is made will sure to not look good on Waddell later. And if this trade is like the Hossa trade (mostly younger guys and picks for the future and no real talent for the current or next season) then you can expect an eroded season ticket holder base for next season on top of a bad US economy. Waddell can't afford another Hossa like trade for himself and for the franchise in Atlanta. However, what contender is going to exchange talent for talent down the stretch? That leaves the "pretending" teams to work out a deal that helps both clubs today and for the future.5) On the hockey side Waddell should trade him cross conference. Alot of established teams, such as LA, are doing very well this season so I would be very surprised if they made such a major change leading up to the deadline. I can't believe the stories about the Flames being at the front of the line, since Calgary would have two dominant wingers on the same team and little at center to feed them pucks. That would be a totally "un-salary cap balanced" team. Chris |
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