PuckUpdate .: The Hockey Blog :: Archives (category)

Free Agents: No 404 For Us: Larry Brooks points out no one wants to play in Atlanta, Edmonton, or Long Island. I get the Isle burn, because they still have that crazy management reputation, even if it's much calmer out there, but I'm not sure why...... , posted on July 07, 2008 more

Goodnight, Bob: Goodbye, Bob Hartley. When he was hired to coach the Thrashers in January, 2003, a lot of people speculated this was GM Don Wadell's last chance to make some kind of success of his franchise. Hartley brought Atlanta into the...... , posted on October 18, 2007 more

Isles Stock Up...Finally: You really have to respect the Islanders. They were shut out of the top-tier free agents big time, but they didn't fold. They're still working hard. They just landed Bill Guerin and Mike Comrie . Depending on which Guerin shows...... , posted on July 06, 2007 more

Bowman Not a Big Fan of the TPS Report: Did anyone else know the Leafs were talking to Scotty Bowman? That's kind of random. And what was the position? Higher than GM? I like how the Leafs have an organizational chart by M.C. Escher. Damien Cox wonders why anyone...... , posted on June 27, 2007 more

The Hall Terminal: I know I briefly touched on playoff ratings being down, but I'm not convinced hockey is done with. I had class last night, with my phone set to get scores from the end of each period of Rangers-Thrashers (thanks 4info.net!),...... , posted on April 19, 2007 more

Blue Hairs and Low Ratings: Not to be too obsessed with Atlanta and their constant goalie-swapping, but John Dellapina had a great tidbit in his blog — one that I hadn't heard before: While Hartley's first goalie switch -- from a shaky Lehtonen to a...... , posted on April 18, 2007 more

Goalie Switch! Again.: Thrashers coach Bob Hartley has tapped game one goalie Kari Lehtonen for game three against the Rangers, which is pretty crazy. I can't even imagine what Lehtonen's confidence is like after the quick hook after his playoff debut. And I...... , posted on April 17, 2007 more

Goalie Crazy!: Goalie Rick DiPietro sure looked sharp leading the Islanders over Buffalo in game two this weekend, but Greg Logan, who covers the Isles for Newsday, noticed some small things that could indicate DiPietro isn't at 100%: Two small moments caught...... , posted on April 16, 2007 more

Hartley Hearts Hotlanta: This is interesting: Thrashers coach Bob Hartley is in the walk year of his contract. I really love watching Hartley coach in Atlanta. He's got a lot of interesting pieces he's not afraid to mix and match. Ilya Kovalchuk and...... , posted on April 05, 2007 more

You Can't Spell Good without Some D. And Some O. And the Other O. And Obviously, a G: I think I should have seen Keith Tkachuk to Atlanta coming (login info.). I haven't watched a ton of the Thrashers this season, but one interesting thing I noticed is that Bob Hartley likes to put his offensive wingers on...... , posted on February 26, 2007 more

Funny Headlines: Thrashers need wins, luck for playoffs Yeah. No other NHL teams need/needed wins and/or luck to make the playoffs. I propose this headline: Thrashers need ice, pucks for hockey This isn't a funny headline, but Phil Mushnick isn't a...... , posted on April 18, 2006 more

Goalie Kings: I'm really, really loving all of the rookie goalies who are getting hot. I can't think of anything more depressing than watching a goalie struggle. Seriously. Like that thing in Atlanta, where they're just keeping the net open, like it's...... , posted on October 18, 2005 more

The Battle of Insomnia: How great was Edmonton-Calgary Saturday night? You've got to love the Battle of Alberta. And there are seven to go. Calgary won 3-0, but it was still a great game. Especially Jarome Iginla's beautiful goal, where he was able to...... , posted on October 17, 2005 more

A Three Asterisk Kind of Morning...: Interesting. Larry Brooks says there's a rumor the Thrashers might be low-balling Ilya Kovalchuk at the suggestion of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman (login info.). I really do love the idea of a sport where the commissioner chases his best players...... , posted on September 12, 2005 more

SI Back to TV?: Friday's Post had an interesting article suggesting Sports Illustrated is looking to return to TV via OLN (login info.). I point this out only because as OLN currently has a pretty limited inventory of sports properties right now, an SI/OLN...... , posted on August 28, 2005 more

Heatley-Hossa. Oprah-Uma: Honest to goodness, when I read that the Senators were giving Marian Hossa a three-year contract for $5 million, $6 million, and $7 million, my first thought was that Ottawa was looking to move him. Under the NHL cap, contracts...... , posted on August 24, 2005 more

Bondra Hot for 'lanta?: One thing interesting about the cap. It really has allowed a lot of teams to become suddenly very competitive. Take the Thrashers. Peter Bondra is supposedly thinking of hooking up with them (login info.). They have quite a nice set...... , posted on August 22, 2005 more

Tip of the Cap: Things are picking up a bit in terms of signings. The Thrashers signed center Bobby Holik to a three year/$12.75 million deal (login info.). According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Devils offered Holik the same money, but he saw Atlanta...... , posted on August 03, 2005 more

The Crosby Show: So the big hockey blog meme seems to be which team should wind up with Sidney Crosby: Ben Wright weighs in here. Jes Golbez gets his in here. OffWing gets his two cents in here. PJ from Sharkspage gives his...... , posted on July 21, 2005 more

McCabe: 'I Can't Play Anywhere?': I'm glad I'm not playing in Europe. It must be tough there. First NHLer Marc Savard is cut by his Swiss team. Now, Toronto defenseman Bryan McCabe left his Swedish club after spending a game as a healthy scratch. I...... , posted on December 13, 2004 more

Thrashers Sure Do Look Good: This isn't an entirely hockey thing, but Paul Lukas' Uni Watch, the definitive column on sports uniforms has moved from Slate to ESPN.com's Page Two. And of course, it originated in the Village Voice. But the important thing is, it...... , posted on August 09, 2004 more

XHA: The WHA is going to be like the XFL of hockey. Moe Mantha, the coach of the Detroit Gladiators picked Atlanta's Dany Heatley in the WHA realistic fantasy draft. Then he grabbed Alexander Perezhogin, last seen brutally attacking Garrett Stafford...... , posted on July 23, 2004 more

Losing Around the League: One thing about sports: some teams win, but the rest lose. I don't make the rules. I just write about the games. Here's what's going on with some struggling teams: * Over in Atlanta, they haven't won in ten games....... , posted on February 13, 2004 more

Heatley and Thrashers Skate, Skate, Skate: Man oh man. Was Dany Heatley's return to the Thrashers a jolt or what? The Thrashers were animals on the ice. Their feet never stopped moving. They all looked electric. Almost too electric. They couldn't connect on a lot of...... , posted on January 29, 2004 more

Return of the Macks: It's a big week, or at least time of season, for NHL comebacks. The Thrashers suddenly announced Dany Heatley's return to the line-up. He'll be back Wednesday night. Meanwhile, over in Detroit, they're getting ready for the return of Dominik...... , posted on January 28, 2004 more

Dafoe Ready to Step Up: SI.com has an interesting item on coach Bob Hartley's reluctance to play backup goalie Byron Dafoe. After a good start, number one goalie Pasi Nurminen is beginning to struggle. He had a save percentage of .929 in October, but it...... , posted on December 08, 2003 more

Kovalchuk's Cap Collection: Geez. The Thrasher's season looked over before it started, what with the death of Dan Snyder and Dany Heatley's involvement. But the personal horror of it all aside, Atlanta is hot. They're undefeated at home. And Ilya Kovalchuk put up...... , posted on October 24, 2003 more

Thrashers Thrive; Dafoe Watches: So who would have thought the Thrashers, with all their tragedy, and their lack of depth, would be undefeated five games into the season? Certainly not me. Saturday night the Thrashers whipped Chicago 7-2. But you know who the real...... , posted on October 20, 2003 more

Heatley Charged: OK. Let's forget for a minute the emotional implications of Atlanta Thrasher Dany Heatley's 80 mph car crash. Let's forget about Dan Snyder, and how this 25-year-old kid's family is praying that he'll survive and function. Let's be clinical. What...... , posted on October 01, 2003 more

Thrashers Sold to Someone Else: So the Atlanta Thrashers (and Hawks) aren't being sold to Texas businessman David McDavid. Turner Broadcasting, part of the AOL Time Warner corporate machine, will instead sell the two teams to a local partnership. Sources close to Turner tell PuckUpdate...... , posted on September 16, 2003 more

Heatley: 'I'm On the Game': So I'm pretty lame. I'm psyched Dany Heatley is going to be on the cover of NHL 2004. Fans of the game will recall that Heatley's gap-toothed face graces the opening montage of NHL 2003, where a bunch of players...... , posted on August 21, 2003 more

Dafoe Re-Ups: Thrasher goalie Byron Dafoe exercised the option on his contract. Why wouldn't he? He made a small fortune by winning five games for the Thrashers last season. If he can win six this year, he can probably retire....... , posted on June 13, 2003 more

NHL For Sale: The New York Post is saying that a third of the NHL is for sale. The paper speculates Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Calgary, Anaheim, Atlanta, Ottawa, and New Jersey are up for sale, although in some cases, management denies the teams...... , posted on April 08, 2003 more

Dafoe Surrenders: Mercifully, ever so mercifully, the Byron Dafoe experiment is over in Atlanta. It looks like the oft-injured goaltender will be out for the rest of the season. Dafoe has a sports hernia that needs surgery. He also has a GAA...... , posted on February 24, 2003 more

Hypothetical: Pop quiz, kids. You're an NHL goalie. You're 4-9-1. Your GAA is 4.15 and your save percentage is .868. You keep getting injured. What are you worried about: A) Improving your game B) Getting fired C) Getting your defense to...... , posted on January 22, 2003 more

PuckUpdate: We Report, They Ignore: OK. You have my permission to start ignoring me. Yesterday I reported that Bob Hartley isn't going to the Thrashers (although, to be more specific, I reported what the hometown Atlanta Journal-Constitution was saying). Today I'm proud to report former...... , posted on January 14, 2003 more

Hartley Still Unemployed: Former Colorado coach Bob Hartley isn't coming to Atlanta. Rumors had him landing there, but Thrasher GM Don Waddell says it's not true. Which is good, because I'm not sure how Hartley would do with a struggling team like Atlanta....... , posted on January 13, 2003 more

Fraser Fired, Thrashers Still Suck: The Thrashers fired coach Curt Fraser yesterday. No big shock there. You don't get to run the worst team in the NHL without some people noticing. Fraser had nothing to work with in Atlanta. Whoever comes in next won't have...... , posted on December 27, 2002 more

True Story: Atlanta Shuts Out Toronto: What's weirder? That Atlanta posted a shut out? Or that the shut out was against Toronto? Or is it just weird that Atlanta won? If you're like me, you hear Atlanta won 1-0, and you're thinking "Hmmm. Byron Dafoe is...... , posted on December 17, 2002 more

Dafoe: 'I Wish Unemployment Benefits Lasted Longer': Ouch. I know Byron Dafoe needed to go back to work, but there had to be another team he could have signed with even for a little less money. Dafoe (and the rest of the Thrashers) lost to Montreal in...... , posted on November 27, 2002 more

Lord Byron Storms Atlanta: So it looks like Byron Dafoe will be in the net for Atlanta, as I predicted yesterday (see below). It makes sense, though. The Rangers really couldn't afford him (their corporate owners are shedding properties like crazy) and the Islanders...... , posted on November 20, 2002 more

Tape GUIDING LIGHT for Byron: Time for Byron Dafoe to turn off the soaps and go back to work. The Thrashers have made him an offer. The Islanders and Rangers are also rumored to be interested in the unemployed goaltender. Atlanta is really trying to...... , posted on November 19, 2002 more

Thrashers Tie! Thrashers Tie!: Geez. I hate writing about the Thrashers. I find it very depressing. They finally didn't lose, though. Also, coach Curt Fraser benched Ilya Kovalchuk for not playing any defense (he's -13). Yeah. Obviously it would be nice if Kovalchuk played...... , posted on November 01, 2002 more

Atlanta is Burning...With Losses. Still.: Obviously the Thrashers are in trouble. Their latest plan to fix the team is to demote Tomi Kallio and Dan Snyder while bringing up a bunch of guys from the AHL. According to GM Don Waddell, the team needs a...... , posted on October 31, 2002 more

View From the Bottom: Obviously the Thrashers are bad. It's never a good sign when you're looking to Nashville and saying "Damn. I wish I had their crappy record." But are the Thrashers really this bad? Thrasher GM Don Waddell says Curt Fraser's coaching...... , posted on October 25, 2002 more