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Post by WJG on Apr 13, 2010 13:19:24 GMT -5
The Thrashers have 14 players that become UFA this summer and 6 players that become RFA, and they haven't attempted to re-sign even a single player in months. The only player scheduled to become a FA that they re-signed this season was Rich Peverley on October 20th, 2009. Kovalchuk (UFA) and Lehtonen (RFA) were both traded before the trade deadline. www.nhlnumbers.com/overview.php?team=ATL&season=0910It seems like either the players (ie. Kovalchuk) know something or the management knows something. |
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Post by ~Jiffy~ on Apr 13, 2010 13:42:47 GMT -5
You know .... the NHL and Bettman, along with many americans are really sick of hearing about Winnipeg this and that. I suggest if they want to shut us up once and for all, to sell us a team. Does this not make sense?  its coming ... fast |
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Post by trebendan on Apr 14, 2010 12:27:59 GMT -5
With the Thrashers firing their coaches, moving Dudley (a former Jet) to GM and Waddell to president, does this mean a move to Winnipeg is imminent or is there no relation?
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Post by Hobble on Apr 14, 2010 12:45:50 GMT -5
The minute the Thrashers land in Winnipeg, I hope Waddell is promoted even further... to the unemployment line...
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Post by ~Jiffy~ on Apr 14, 2010 12:57:25 GMT -5
^
LMAO
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Post by scottie65 on Apr 14, 2010 14:26:13 GMT -5
The minute the Thrashers land in Winnipeg, I hope Waddell is promoted even further... to the unemployment line... I couldn't agree more! This guy is an awful hockey exec. The only reason he's been able to stay on as long as he has is that he's in a market where no one know anything about hockey. His record in a traditional hockey market would surely have had him terminated seasons ago. Zinger will do a much better job with this team when they start playing here. |
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Post by bm1984 on Apr 14, 2010 14:38:38 GMT -5
I would have a strong belief that if we get a team that has no proven record of winning, most of the staff would be jettisoned in order to build from the ground up. If we got the Coyotes, I would think they would retain some of the organization since they have been successful this year. I can't see much staying if we were to relocate a team like Atlanta.
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Post by tsmof on Apr 14, 2010 19:09:53 GMT -5
This might just be my ignorance of basketball, because I dont really give a sh1t about it... but isn't Waddell involved with the Atlanta Hawks to some degree? Wadell is hired by Atlanta Spirit group and is involved in both organizations, I thought. If the Thrashers move... I'd suspect Wadell stays in ATL.
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Post by scottie65 on Apr 15, 2010 13:08:27 GMT -5
Q and A with Thrashers co-owner Bruce Levenson9:34 am April 15, 2010, by Chris Vivlamore Here is the transcript from my interview with Atlanta Spirit co-owner Bruce Levenson done Wednesday night after the franchise promoted Don Waddell to president, promoted Rick Dudley to general manager and did not retain its coaching staff. Q. Why the organizational changes? Why now? A. We obviously had this in mind when we brought Rick [Dudley] in a year ago. We thought it was a wise investment to have another voice at the table that had achieved a fair amount of success in this league. We wanted to get to know him and it was an opportunity to do that. He’s a rink rat and I mean that in a very flattering way. It was an opportunity for him to do that and see how it goes. We talked about it over the course of the year and in recent weeks it just all came together. If we were going to do this, this was the time. Way ahead of the draft. The decision was made to go into a different direction with the coaching staff and we wanted Rick to head up the effort in putting a new staff together. The timing just seemed right. Over the year, I had the opportunity to see Rick in action. Trade deadline day. It was an opportunity for me to watch him up close over the course of the year. The whole [Ilya] Kovalchuk negotiation and ultimately the trade. I had a really, really good feeling about this and so did Don. Q. How soon after the season did you decide to go in a different direction with the coaching staff? A. There is an on-going assessment of this coaching staff throughout the season. At the end of the season, there is a more thorough assessment that culminated in a discussion Monday in which this was the recommendation of our hockey operations people and I agreed with that recommendation. Q. Waddell has taken a lot of criticism as GM. What was the thinking of moving him to the business side? Was it as much to get him out of the GM position or keeping a loyal person who has worked for you as long as you’ve owned the team? A. I get a lot of e-mails from fans and season-ticket holders, all very passionate about team and wanting as much success for the team as I want. The e-mails, I’ve never done an actual count as there are hundreds and hundreds of them, run about 50-50 with some saying if you don’t remove Don as GM I’m not going to renew my season tickets. And there are others that say if you do remove Don as GM I won’t renew my season tickets. It’s kind of 50-50. Don has burned a lot of bridges in this town and his built an enormous amount of bridges. I’ve been around professional sports for a couple of decades and of the general managers that I have gotten to know, he brings a pretty unique skill set. He has the hockey personnel piece and he also has a business side to him that I haven’t seen in any other GM. It started to make sense. We need to rebuild both here. We need to rebuild the business side and we obviously need to rebuild the on-ice product. But are pointed in the right direction now and Don has a terrific relationship with our business partners. I spend a fair amount of time with our business partners with Don. So I’ve seen the relationships he’s built over all the years here. Nobody wants more for the success of the Atlanta Thrashers than Don Waddell. We think this is an opportune time for him to channel that passion and his business experience into bringing fans back into the stands. It obviously has to go hand in hand with the on-ice product that we can be proud of and our fans can be proud of. Q. How will his role be different than that of Bernie Mullin? A. Since Bernie left, Don took on some of Bernie’s responsibilities. This is really a focus. We have to focus our sales, our marketing, our sponsorship relationships, our season-ticket plans. All of that now is going to get a focus at the very top of the organization. I think that’s needed if we are going to turn this thing around. Q. How frustrating is it as an owner to see where the Thrashers are as compared to where the Hawks are? A. It’s been six years [since Atlanta Spirit has owned the franchises]. We have learned an enormous amount. We came in as rookie owners six years ago. We’ve learned an enormous amount about building a sports team. We’ve made mistakes along with way with both teams. We also did some positive things with both the teams. The goal from the beginning, and we said this then, was to bring a quality product on the ice and a quality product on the court. We understood that was what was needed for us to achieve success here. It is gratifying on the one hand to look at what we’ve done with the Hawks. I’m extremely proud of that. We’ve had an improved every year that we’ve owned the team. I don’t think any new ownership group in the history of professional sports has had the string that we’ve had on the Hawks side. That’s gratifying. But yes, it’s been unbelievably frustrating. I can look back at mistakes that we’ve made and wish that we haven’t made them. But it’s been extremely frustrating. After we got as far as we got (in making the playoffs) we hit a wall. We had to start over. Nobody likes to take two steps back, but we had to take two steps back. I’m a three-quarters full guy. I don’t want to overhype the direction I think we are headed in, but based on what we’ve learned over the six years, I feel good about the direction that the hockey team is headed in the right direction. Q. Do you consider this one-step back? A. I think this is an important step forward. I think we now have a guy that’s going to be focused on the business side and I know from working with him very, very closely over six years that he’s very good at that. And we have a guy that’s going to be focused on the hockey side, on the personnel side that A has a resume, but resumes and only take you so far but B I’ve had the personal experience of working with him for a year whom I also feel very good about. Q. How is the ownership currently working? There is still the on-going litigation. Can you also speak to how the search for investors is going? A. It’s working as its worked. And it has worked. It’s worked fine. It has not had any impact. I can understand how a fan could look at it and say Geez, this is dysfunctional group, a bunch of wealthy guys fighting with each other. We have a legitimate dispute between two sides that’s been working its way through the legal process. I would dare you to find one example where that has impacted any of the decisions that we have made on the Hawks and in hopefully rebuilding the Thrashers. It doesn’t impact. It has no impact. It will ultimately come to a conclusion. It’s pretty much disappeared, I think, from the public psyche. It just never did have an impact. We have been ideally looking for an investor to come in and play a role in the Atlanta Thrashers – ideally a local investor who would give us more financial muscle, if you will, in this community. We haven’t found that person yet but we are continuing to look. Q. If that person comes in, is it to keep the team here? Or could that person come in with majority ownership and move the franchise?
A. We bought the Atlanta Thrashers. In doing that we signed agreements with the NHL. Even if we wanted to talk to somebody about moving, we are forbidden from doing that under our agreements with the NHL. Even if we wanted to talk to somebody who wanted to move it, it’s clearly stated in our agreements. We are forbidden from doing that. We’ve never had those discussions. Every rumor that’s been published, and I’ve seen rumors we were moving to Quebec, to Hamilton, to Winnipeg, Seattle, they’ve been 100 percent unfounded and unfair.Q. You have 10 unrestricted free agents, how do you see the payroll changing? You are in the bottom third in the NHL in payroll. Do you expect it to stay there? Is there a budget in place? A. We were running right near $50 million. I hope we can achieve with the Thrashers what we’ve been able to achieve with the Hawks — to build a winning team in a financially responsible manner. That’s what we’ve done with the Hawks. There are ways to measure that like payroll dollars per win. We are at the very top of the NBA and there are a lot of jealous owners with what we’ve been able to accomplish there. I hope we will be able accomplish that. We don’t have an unlimited budget here unfortunately to spend on players. That would make it much easier so we are going to try to do that in a responsible way. blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-thrashers-blog/2010/04/15/qa-with-thrashers-co-owner-bruce-levenson/
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Post by Steener25 on Apr 15, 2010 14:18:16 GMT -5
Here is an Atlanta fan's opinion of local Thrashers interest off of HFBOARDS...about sums it up
"
Quote:
Originally Posted by ovi1 View Post
Fogive me.......but are you not from Atlanta? Why do you want Winnipeg to get your team?
I agree with you 100%, but it just seams odd. Also, Bettman will never give Winnipeg a team. After what transpired in Glendale the last few days it become abundantly clear that this deal was already in place and that IceEdge was just a prop. Bettman and the city bent over so far backwards for this team that I cant believe their backs didn't snap.
Hockey will work in Winnipeg, Bettman will NOT work for the NHL.
I definitely like having a team in Atlanta so I get to go to games but it doesn't change the atmosphere about hockey down here. No one cares. It's not like I get to talk hockey with anyone and it's difficult to get people to go to games with me unless the tickets are free. People just don't like hockey.
Like I've said before, I'm an NHL fan first and a logical thinker as well. The game should be played up north because that's where it belongs. I'd rather put common sense and the NHL in healthier markets than to have a dying team here for selfish reasons.
If Winnipeg / QC / Hamilton could support a team better than Atlanta (and they can), then I'm all for relocating the team where it will be appreciated. (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=756363&page=31)
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Post by Puckschmuck on Apr 15, 2010 21:09:52 GMT -5
Here is an Atlanta fan's opinion of local Thrashers interest off of HFBOARDS...about sums it up " Quote: Originally Posted by ovi1 View Post Fogive me.......but are you not from Atlanta? Why do you want Winnipeg to get your team? I agree with you 100%, but it just seams odd. Also, Bettman will never give Winnipeg a team. After what transpired in Glendale the last few days it become abundantly clear that this deal was already in place and that IceEdge was just a prop. Bettman and the city bent over so far backwards for this team that I cant believe their backs didn't snap. Hockey will work in Winnipeg, Bettman will NOT work for the NHL. I definitely like having a team in Atlanta so I get to go to games but it doesn't change the atmosphere about hockey down here. No one cares. It's not like I get to talk hockey with anyone and it's difficult to get people to go to games with me unless the tickets are free. People just don't like hockey. Like I've said before, I'm an NHL fan first and a logical thinker as well. The game should be played up north because that's where it belongs. I'd rather put common sense and the NHL in healthier markets than to have a dying team here for selfish reasons. If Winnipeg / QC / Hamilton could support a team better than Atlanta (and they can), then I'm all for relocating the team where it will be appreciated. (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=756363&page=31) Guess what though? This guy is NOT a Thrashers fan. You know what is even worse? He is FROM Winnipeg!!!!! |
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Post by jetsfan99 on May 3, 2010 17:41:20 GMT -5
I heard That Atlanta will be interviewing Scott Arniel for the head coaching job, hopefully if he gets it he won't even have to move!
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Post by trebendan on May 27, 2010 9:05:06 GMT -5
From the Hockey News:
Los Angeles-based filmmaker Rollins says he 'would love' owning Thrashers
2010-05-26 23:10:00
ATLANTA - Los Angeles-based filmmaker and Atlanta native Stephen Rollins says he is gathering information for a possible bid to buy the Atlanta Thrashers.
Rollins denied reports he already has made an offer for the team.
Rollins told The Associated Press on Wednesday in a telephone interview he has talked with Bruce Levenson, one of the team's owners.
He laughed when asked if his only interest would be as a majority owner.
"You better believe it," Rollins said. "I live, breathe, eat, sleep hockey, especially Thrashers hockey."
Rollins, 39, is the head of Lightning Pictures who had his start as a writer, director and producer while growing up in Atlanta. He said he became a hockey fan after a player from the old NHL Atlanta Flames gave his mother a hockey stick "and said when I was big enough to play with it to give it to me. I started skating when I was about six or seven."
Rollins became a devoted fan of the minor league Atlanta Knights and said he took a lead role in a group which in 1996 gathered 35,000 signatures in support of the NHL awarding an expansion franchise to Atlanta. That franchise became the Thrashers.
He said he has remained a long-distance fan of the Thrashers. He said he wears his Thrashers jersey to work on game days.
"I would like to own a team and if it presented itself to be Atlanta I would be more than ecstatic because of my hometown and everything I went through to help try to bring a franchise there to begin with," Rollins said.
Owners of the Thrashers and NBA Atlanta Hawks have sought new investors for a year.
"We are currently talking to a number of people or groups who have expressed an interest in partial or significant stakes in one or both teams," Levenson said last week.
Levenson did not immediately return phone and email messages Wednesday night.
"We are only allowed to talk to folks about buying the Atlanta Thrashers in Atlanta," Levenson said last week, adding that was the mandate from the NHL.
Rollins said he has been troubled by rumours the team could move to Canada. He said he would have a marketing plan to bring more fans to Philips Arena.
"I think if you get out into the community and start promoting the team and start having the hockey activities you once did, I really think this thing could be turned around," Rollins said.
"You could wake a sleeping giant very fast. That's my hope for the Atlanta franchise, no matter who's owning it."
Rollins did not put a timetable on his current process of "looking at the numbers."
"I can say that my interest is definitely there if the situation presents itself properly," he said. "If it does, if I could be a part of that, then nothing would make me happier. I find it hard to find anyone who wants to see the NHL and the Thrashers thrive in Atlanta more than myself."
The Thrashers, who played their inaugural season in 1999-2000, were swept by the New York Rangers in 2007 in the team's only playoff appearance.
John Anderson was fired as coach and Don Waddell was moved from general manager to team president in a major shakeup after the Thrashers missed this year's playoffs. Rick Dudley was promoted to general manager. The team has not hired a new coach.
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Post by jhendrix70 on May 27, 2010 13:01:27 GMT -5
Seems like he's in a rush to lose money. Good for him  |
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Post by nosunbelt on Jun 10, 2010 12:39:54 GMT -5
Here is an Atlanta fan's opinion of local Thrashers interest off of HFBOARDS...about sums it up " Quote: Originally Posted by ovi1 View Post Fogive me.......but are you not from Atlanta? Why do you want Winnipeg to get your team? I agree with you 100%, but it just seams odd. Also, Bettman will never give Winnipeg a team. After what transpired in Glendale the last few days it become abundantly clear that this deal was already in place and that IceEdge was just a prop. Bettman and the city bent over so far backwards for this team that I cant believe their backs didn't snap. Hockey will work in Winnipeg, Bettman will NOT work for the NHL. I definitely like having a team in Atlanta so I get to go to games but it doesn't change the atmosphere about hockey down here. No one cares. It's not like I get to talk hockey with anyone and it's difficult to get people to go to games with me unless the tickets are free. People just don't like hockey. Like I've said before, I'm an NHL fan first and a logical thinker as well. The game should be played up north because that's where it belongs. I'd rather put common sense and the NHL in healthier markets than to have a dying team here for selfish reasons. If Winnipeg / QC / Hamilton could support a team better than Atlanta (and they can), then I'm all for relocating the team where it will be appreciated. (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=756363&page=31) Guess what though? This guy is NOT a Thrashers fan. You know what is even worse? He is FROM Winnipeg!!!!! Actually that was me! And I'm not from Winnipeg. I'm from New York. I'm a Rangers fan. Stop opening your mouth when you don't know what the **** you're talking about. As for not being a Thrashers fan, there ARE NO Thrashers fans here. |
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Post by trebendan on Sept 3, 2010 8:54:21 GMT -5
From Burnside's (ESPN.com) article about Hulsizer:
"It's unknown what role the Ice Edge Group will play as negotiations between Hulsizer and Glendale proceed. But there is a likelihood some members of the Ice Edge group will stay on as minority investors and/or in some sort of operations role if Hulsizer is successful in purchasing the team.
Ice Edge also could move on to invest in another NHL franchise.
When Glendale moved to freeze Ice Edge out of the ownership process last spring in favor of Reinsdorf, NHL officials brokered meetings between Ice Edge officials and team officials in Nashville and Atlanta. Both franchises are looking to add investors."
Looks like Nashville's ownership issues are settled, but let's see what happens in Atlanta.
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Post by Bob E on Sept 3, 2010 18:08:40 GMT -5
not sure how 'Looking to add investors' helps right now.
There needs to be a process of where no new investors come forward - because they don't like flushing their money away - and existing owners say screw it i'm selling.
Don't seem to be there with Atlanta or Nashville, yet - IMHO.
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Post by trebendan on Sept 30, 2010 21:25:43 GMT -5
It looks like MLB's Atlanta Braves are going to make the 2010 playoffs. I can't imagine that'll help the Thrashers attendance in October. I'll be curious to see how few attendees the Thrashers get for their first couple of home games.
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Post by hockeyguy on Oct 1, 2010 7:07:31 GMT -5
Well there exhibition attendance sucks really bad so far!!
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Post by nosunbelt on Oct 2, 2010 10:36:24 GMT -5
I was at the Braves - Phillies game last night (donning my authenitc Derek Jeter jersey  ) and saw one older gentleman wearing a Thrashers jersey. I struck up a conversation with him. I basically asked why he was wearing a hockey jersey at a Braves game and he said that he wanted to show support for the Thrashers because the rumors are starting to get around that this could be the last year in Atlanta. I told him that I hadn't heard anything as of late other than the team was up for sale not like the Phoenix situation. Apparently his wife's brother (or something like that) works for Phillips Arena and he said that there have been conversations as of late with a possible buyer in Canada. Now I asked what city and he didn't know but was hearing Winnipeg and Quebec City. Of course the conversation moved into the Phoenix thing and I told him that I was pretty sure that TNSE was going to purchase the Yotes while an arena is likely to be built in Quebec City. He wasn't as up to speed on all of this as I was (being on these boards every day). We talked about the lack of support here and that this is just not a hockey city. He, of course, disagreed and felt that the team would do well if they put a competitive franchise on the ice. He is right to a certain extent but let's face it. This team's seasons are numbered. Now, I know this is just some guy and I was probably hearing this 17th hand but it was interesting. The current ownership is trying to sell the Hawks/Thrashers/Phillips Arena as a whole however they are not generating much interest and my guess would be because of the Thrashers. I think they'll be in Quebec City soon. |
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) and saw one older gentleman wearing a Thrashers jersey. I struck up a conversation with him.