Thrashers scout on Larsson

Swedes in the first round two years in a row is likely impossible to happen on the Thrashers, but I ran across this quote that was mildly interesting, out of what I think is the Gotland, Sweden newspaper. Talks about Johan Larsson, who made a big run up some draft lists with his performance at the U18 World Championships in Minsk.

Google translation of the section:

[quote] Fredrik Jax, Atlanta Thrashers scout, has seen Johan Larsson several times in Brynäs J20 and he is one of the scouts who were not surprised at the hysteria created by Larsson still in hockey circles.
- It is strongly influenced by him to perform as he does. John takes with the team. He is a true team player and important in all parts of the game.
Like most other scouts, Jax avoids answering the question whether Atlanta would be interested in Larsson. Precisely because it is so secret between the clubs.
- I can not sit and talk about right now. He is a good player clearly. We make a list of those we are interested in, says Jax.[/quote]

Hockey looking better than Goldman Sachs?

According to his LinkedIn profile, former Thrashers prospect Colin FitzRandolph is still employed at Goldman Sachs.

The news coming out of the investigation of that company just gets worse and worse.

I wonder if he is thinking he should have pursued hockey instead of jumping straight from Saint Lawrence to Wall Street.
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Glads as Knights

Glads as Knights...Gladys Knights...get it?

Anyway, here's some pictures I took before chasing Brady Calla around the building, no thanks to Malcolm Cameron.

Michael Forney.


Chad Denny.

Kaip and Kozek at UND game

I went to the Sears Centre in Chicago last weekend for the Shillelagh Tournament featuring Notre Dame and North Dakota. In the championship game, I looked to the left of the press box, and who's sitting there but Rylan Kaip, drinking a beer, and Andrew Kozek. They were there to see their alma mater of course. Kozek was interviewed on the UND broadcast during the second intermission. Tilt your head for the photo.


The tournament was a great time, the arena was efficient logistically and the Notre Dame and UND media relations guys were very professional and nice. I will definitely go back.
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Where are they now? Jimmy Sharrow

I went to Wheeling Nailers pre-game skate today to talk to one of the prospects that Pittsburgh sent down. Jimmy Sharrow is there now, having signed a contract just last week. Wheeling, though it has some very good Penguins prospects come through there, is the place that Thrasher prospects go to die. Both Mike Vannelli and Lane Manson retired after playing just a few games for Wheeling. We'll see if Sharrow lasts all season.

Schell invited to Rockford camp

Former prospect Brad Schell is an invitee at AHL Rockford IceHogs camp. The IceHogs obviously would have seen him play last year in Gwinnett. Click here for the press release.

I'm a little surprised he didn't head to Europe this year.
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2009 Traverse City Prospects Tournament review

I attended the Traverse City Tournament this year and was able to catch most of all four Thrasher games. If one had traveled all that way just to see the Thrashers, there wouldn't have been much reward, as the team had just spotty talent. They finished seventh out of eight, but had to go to a shootout to do it.

Let's start with the two best players: Evander Kane and Eric O'Dell. O'Dell doesn't get a lot of publicity, but he's quite good. Not flashy, but solid and effective. The only question is how he'll fit in at the NHL level. But I think he'll make it somehow. Originally drafted by Anaheim.

I talked a lot about Kane in my Day 4 game summary, so you can read that for more detail, but basically he played well, one of the top 5 or 10 guys in the tournament I'd say, but looks like a very good junior player, not an NHLer quite yet because he hasn't filled out. Here's a picture of him talking to his dad outside the rink that shows how thin he is:

Also solid was Levko Koper. Plays a very simple game, but it's effective. Not sure he's a player, but don't see any huge flaws. A checker in any case.

Next we have two goats: Jeremy Morin and Jimmy Bubnick. I didn't like Morin at the U18s in April, and liked him even less after seeing him this week. His puck skills are bad for someone with such a good shot -- a demonstration that when he has the puck he shoots it, no matter what. Doesn't matter if there's a better play to be made. Poor hockey sense in that way, and many other ways too. He also doesn't do the little things correctly, or more to the point, doesn't know what he should be doing. He had to be screamed off the ice by the bench for lining up on a faceoff making it too many men. A faceoff! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. He's going to the OHL because he didn't qualify academically for college. It's all related.

Jimmy Bubnick didn't do anything, but it wasn't for lack of trying, it was for lack of skill. Not much to see here.

On Ben Chiarot, I was writing in my notebook "Effort? Doesn't skate hard," when the two scouts behind me said "that Chiarot is lazy." So there you go.

Others: Postma and Paquette played pretty much as expected. Mike Forney had to be searched for, which isn't good. Cody Sol was fine, for what he is. I'm not sure how Andrew Kozek managed to get all those points. That's a head scratcher. Tryout Philip Paquet seemed unreliable on the blue line. Tryout Josh Unice wasn't great in goal, but neither was draftee Chris Carrozzi.

Here's some video footage I shot from Game 2 and Game 3.
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Unice invited to Traverse City tourney by Thrashers

From the Windsor Star:

If the Holland, Ohio native was looking for a confidence boost with camp opening Wednesday he got it Tuesday night when the Atlanta Thrashers invited him to attend their rookie camp in Traverse City.

Unice is a goaltender perhaps best known for his play for Team USA. He is an unsigned draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Teams don't usually have three on the roster, so that says there's likely something amiss with Carrozzi or Pasquale. Unice isn't exactly a white knight though. Here's his profile.

Gladiators to affiliate with Blue Jackets as well

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Blue Jackets will have a new ECHL affiliation this season, the Dispatch has learned. The franchise will send two or three players to the Gwinnette [sic] Gladiators of the American Conference's South Division.

They are the second team to pull out of Johnstown this summer. Colorado was the other. More evidence that Johnstown is on shaky ground. Financial stability is mentioned in the article too. I wonder if they will even start the season.

The Blue Jackets don't have a lot of guys turning pro this year, which you can tell by how much of their Traverse City tournament roster is invitees. So I don't think you'll see a lot of players sent to Gwinnett. But it will help Gwinnett's roster, there's no doubt about that.

The Blue Jackets' AHL club is the Syracuse Crunch.

(Join me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HollyGunning)
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Dudley discovered Mitch Korn back in the day

This summer I worked on a long feature on the very successful goaltending coach Mitch Korn, who has worked in the NHL for 18 seasons. Interestingly, it was Rick Dudley who first gave Korn his big break into the NHL. If there's something Dudley can do, it's spot talent.

In 1990, Korn was breaking down some video at a camp held at the Buffalo Sabres practice facility. Rick Dudley, then the head coach of the Sabres, walked into the classroom and took in a lesson. A year later, the Sabres called up Korn and wanted to interview him to be their goaltending coach

This chance encounter that led to his big break has become one lesson Korn stresses with young goaltenders: "You never know who is watching."

Korn also talked about completely redoing former Thrasher Steve Shields' game when he turned pro. It's rare that he's done that, but with Shields it was necessary.
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Alabama-Huntsville hockey on shaky ground after CCHA snub

The closest college hockey to Atlanta, University of Alabama-Huntsville, was looking to join a new conference this summer due to the demise of College Hockey America. They applied for entrance to the CCHA, but were denied, in what was a surprise to most watchers.

This raises the specter that UAH could shut down its hockey program altogether. Yes, the team can play as an independent, but for how long? It's hard to get opponents to fill your home dates.

The Fairbanks Athletic Director give insight into what the issues were, and Mike Eidelbes of Inside College Hockey speculates that maybe they will get together at a later time.

There's a Save UAH Hockey Facebook page if you want to keep up with events and show your support.
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Rookie games against Nashville will be Sept. 15 and 16

Per the Predators' press release:

NASHVILLE PREDATORS 2009 PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Date	Opponent	Site	Time (CT)
Mon, Sept. 14	@ Atlanta Thrashers (Rookie Game)	Duluth IceForum	6 pm
Tue, Sept. 15	@ Atlanta Thrashers (Rookie Game)	Duluth IceForum	Noon

"Rookie" is a bit of a misnomer here, since there aren't enough actual NHL rookies to make two teams. These guys entering pro, and those with a year of pro played. Some junior players too, before they get sent back to their clubs. "Prospect" games would be more accurate.

Last year these games were played in Nashville, at the Sommet Center, which is where the Predators play. Atlanta isn't renting out Philips for it though, opting to play them at the training facility. Note that the times given are Central, so this would be 7 pm and 1pm Eastern.
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Alumni who are free agents now

The free agent list came out today and there are lots of Thrashers prospect alumni on it, and some alumni of affiliates too. I'll list them alphabetically by former team. These players are free to sign anywhere now. Some might end up in Europe like Mark Popovic did last year.

Chad Painchaud (ANA) -- he was a throw-in to the Mathieu Schneider trade last fall.
Dan Turple (ATL)
Colton Fretter (BUF)
Pascal Pelletier (CHI) - former Gladiator
Adam Berti (CHI) - former Gladiator
Jimmy Sharrow (CHI)
Brent Krahn (DAL) - former Wolf
Kurtis Foster (MIN)
Junior Lessard (NYI)
Derek Nesbitt (PHO) - former Gladiator
Alex Bourret (PHO) -- it will be interesting to see if he even stays in hockey.
Mike Weaver (STL)

The one with the most chance of seeing another NHL contract is Foster.

Pat Dwyer re-signed with Carolina, a two-way contract.
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2009 Traverse City tourney Sept. 6-10

According to RedWingsCentral, the dates for the annual Traverse City Prospects tournament will be Sept. 6-10.

The usual teams will be there, including the Thrashers.
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Rookie games with Nashville would be in ATL this year

Assuming both teams are still agreeable as the summer passes, those two "rookie" games that were played at Nashville last year will be moved to Atlanta this year.

From the Nashville City Paper:

In its first few seasons, Nashville participated in a prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., with several other franchises. Last season, two rookie games with Atlanta were held during the first week of training camp.

Trotz said any rookie camp this year would include reciprocation on those two games with the Thrashers’ prospects, this time in Atlanta.

Last year they were around Sept 23, which was after the start of training camp. If you're going to do them earlier, it would be around the same time that the Traverse City tournament is going on.

Levenson rants on the AJC

Entertaining, if nothing else. From Sports Business Journal, Thrashers co-owner Bruce Levenson:

Yet, from the IT department, to former sports editor Ron Ramos to Swartz, the AJC squandered precious dwindling resources chasing a meaningless dead-end story; one it sought to manufacture from one of a thousand sentences Whammer wrote in an e-mail the AJC should never have traced.

In these tough times, there is a premium on good judgment.

While I'm not a fan of Levenson, kudos for admitting his self-interest in writing that up front. I am surprised Levenson doesn't at least bring up (to then beat down) the reason why newspapers will tell you they don't filter out reader comments. It's because legally if they start doing that, they become liable for them. If they leave them completely unfiltered, then they can't be liable. The lawyers tell them to do this.

We don't have reader comments at the bottom of articles at Hockey's Future, it's just bad news. Instead, we invite readers to discuss the articles on the message boards, which have strict, enforced rules. You shouldn't need the traffic that badly to have to resort to having crap on your site. Having quality content drives traffic. This doesn't seem to be the AJC model though.
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Kevin Doell on Oliver Ekman-Larsson

I was writing a story on draft-eligible Oliver Ekman-Larsson, one of Kevin Doell's teammates from Leksand this year, so I decided to contact him for his input. Doell went above and beyond in helping, which has always seemed to be his approach on everything.

Here's the finished product, which should be interesting to Thrasher fans primarily because OEL is someone the Thrashers are looking at seriously for their No. 4 overall pick.

"He has improved a ton in just the time I was with him in Leksand," Doell said. "He's a great skater with very good hands and makes smart plays with the puck. He has a lot of potential, but probably the most impressive thing about his game is his patience and calmness when he has the puck...

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How you know you have a good GM

Answer: He will only sign year-to-year contracts. This is the sign of someone who knows he can get another job in the NHL and doesn't want to be tied down to a bad situation. He doesn't ask for a long-term deal when he's on a crest.

From the Tennessean:

Predators General Manager David Poile said Friday he's agreed to a new one-year contract through June of 2010.

Last summer, Poile decided to sign year-to-year contracts as a safeguard against unforeseen circumstances like ownership change. His current contract would have expired this June.

Poile's name had come up in speculation regarding the vacant Minnesota Wild general manager's position...

Poile was GM of the Washington Capitals before he came to Nashville. He's done amazing things with the amount of payroll he's given by Nashville. Their coaching staff and scouts have a fantastic reputation around the league.
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Prospects the Thrashers have and haven't talked to for the 2009 draft

I'm at the U18 World Championships, and when I interview players, I generally ask which NHL teams they've talked to. It's not always a good gauge of which teams are the most interested, since some wait to talk to a guy so as not to tip their hand, but it is a good gauge of how much general interest there is in a player. So that's why I ask.

But in the process, I've been able to come up with a list of players that the Thrashers have talked to. Add to that knowledge of Kane from a news report, and my knowledge of Holland, Beck and Latta from my OHL trip and we have a list. I'll update it as I talk to more players.

Have talked to:
Oliver Ekman-Larsson (first-rounder)
Evander Kane (first-rounder)
Carl Klingberg (second rounder)
Anton Lander (third rounder?)
Peter Holland
Taylor Beck
Michael Latta

Have not talked to:
Simon Bertilsson
Robin Lehner
William Wrenn - he said he's done surveys from teams but not talked to them.
Toni Rajala
Chris Lynch


Oliver Ekman-Larsson with Klingberg behind him.

Gladiators, start your mustaches

Last night in Charlotte, the Gladiators clinched a playoff spot. The players had already decided more than a week ago that they would all have mustaches for the playoffs after Matt Siddall brought one back from Chicago. Adam Berti got a jump on things last weekend, and has been showing off his plentiful lip hair:

Kaleniecki has his going, as do Southern, Youngclaus and Turner. Mason has a beard that can be converted. Jeff Pyle is ready for playoffs year-round.

After the clinch I asked alternate captain Andy Brandt, who has some scruff going, "time to get the mustache, huh?" He said "some guys have them already and the guys who don't better get started. There are a couple guys who are sparse up top there. Mine personally comes in red, so that's not too attractive."

The first-round home games are Thursday, Friday, Sunday, April 16, 17 and 19.
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