Are you comfortable settling for losers every season?
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=521224
This is what I'm talking about...fans in Atlanta don't make demands for a quality product from the Thrashers ownership or management. They bitch and moan about giving away tickets that de-value their season ticket purchase (like last season's revolt), but they don't have the same passion for demanding a quality team on the ice. We're settling for losers, minor league coaching and mismanagement.
Here's an interesting article about Ilya's eyes being opened to a team that demands more than mediocrity. He also has some good things to say about Atlanta.
IMO, we'd do well to do some housecleaning after this debacle of a season, and try to re-sign our captain this summer. His 35-40 points are a lot to try and make up in just draft picks, overpaid UFA's and soon-to-retire vets.
An excerpt:
Expectations in Jersey exciting for Kovalchuk
NEWARK, N.J. -- Ilya Kovalchuk doesn't require the Vladimir Zharkov
shuttle service to and from Prudential Center anymore. That's good news
considering Kovalchuk has had to tell his younger Russian teammate to
slow his Porsche down a few times.
The Devils left wing finally got his car earlier this week after having
it shipped from Atlanta. He also has his own apartment in Hoboken and
as soon his wife, Nicole, gives birth (she's due any day now), he will
be all set up just in time for the fun to begin.
Kovalchuk has a different air about him as spring gets set to dawn
because instead of trying to scratch and claw with the Thrashers just
to make early April games mean something, he is scratching and clawing
with the Devils so they can secure home-ice advantage and perhaps the
Atlantic Division title.
In a way, for Kovalchuk it's almost, well, like weird.
"The expectation is different, that's for sure," said Kovalchuk, who
had his first three-point night as a Devil in Friday's 3-1 win over
Pittsburgh. "I don't want to just be in the playoffs. That's not my
goal. You want to win and I think everyone in this locker room is on
the same page so that's very important. I wish Atlanta is going to make
the playoffs and go far because I have all great memories for that
team, but I'm part of the Devils now."
He learned what that means earlier this week when coach Jacques Lemaire called a team meeting that turned into a players-only meeting following the Devils' winless swing through Western Canada.
Kovalchuk couldn't believe it. Never before in his career had
back-to-back road losses called for a team meeting. But he ate it up.
He loved it.
"Again, that's expectations," he said. "The fans and the coaches know we have a
lot of great players in this locker room and they know we can play.
When you slow down a bit they have to be right on you and tell you
that. That's how it's supposed to be. It wasn't exciting, but I was
surprised a little bit. I think that's the right thing to do."
(more after this at the link)
This is what I'm talking about...fans in Atlanta don't make demands for a quality product from the Thrashers ownership or management. They bitch and moan about giving away tickets that de-value their season ticket purchase (like last season's revolt), but they don't have the same passion for demanding a quality team on the ice. We're settling for losers, minor league coaching and mismanagement.
Here's an interesting article about Ilya's eyes being opened to a team that demands more than mediocrity. He also has some good things to say about Atlanta.
IMO, we'd do well to do some housecleaning after this debacle of a season, and try to re-sign our captain this summer. His 35-40 points are a lot to try and make up in just draft picks, overpaid UFA's and soon-to-retire vets.
An excerpt:
Expectations in Jersey exciting for Kovalchuk
Saturday, 03.13.2010 / 12:15 AM
By Dan Rosen - NHL.com Staff WriterNEWARK, N.J. -- Ilya Kovalchuk doesn't require the Vladimir Zharkov
shuttle service to and from Prudential Center anymore. That's good news
considering Kovalchuk has had to tell his younger Russian teammate to
slow his Porsche down a few times.
The Devils left wing finally got his car earlier this week after having
it shipped from Atlanta. He also has his own apartment in Hoboken and
as soon his wife, Nicole, gives birth (she's due any day now), he will
be all set up just in time for the fun to begin.
Kovalchuk has a different air about him as spring gets set to dawn
because instead of trying to scratch and claw with the Thrashers just
to make early April games mean something, he is scratching and clawing
with the Devils so they can secure home-ice advantage and perhaps the
Atlantic Division title.
In a way, for Kovalchuk it's almost, well, like weird.
"The expectation is different, that's for sure," said Kovalchuk, who
had his first three-point night as a Devil in Friday's 3-1 win over
Pittsburgh. "I don't want to just be in the playoffs. That's not my
goal. You want to win and I think everyone in this locker room is on
the same page so that's very important. I wish Atlanta is going to make
the playoffs and go far because I have all great memories for that
team, but I'm part of the Devils now."
He learned what that means earlier this week when coach Jacques Lemaire called a team meeting that turned into a players-only meeting following the Devils' winless swing through Western Canada.
Kovalchuk couldn't believe it. Never before in his career had
back-to-back road losses called for a team meeting. But he ate it up.
He loved it.
"Again, that's expectations," he said. "The fans and the coaches know we have a
lot of great players in this locker room and they know we can play.
When you slow down a bit they have to be right on you and tell you
that. That's how it's supposed to be. It wasn't exciting, but I was
surprised a little bit. I think that's the right thing to do."
(more after this at the link)
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Dj Nowhere on -
Kovy's a team killer, no thanks. So other than not going to the games, what do you want people to do?
-
Permalink Reply by Thrashfan01 on -
Yes he is gone......and.......
Are we going to bitch because the owners decided not to spend more than 100 mil over 12 years on a single player who was part of one playoff team?
Really?
-
Permalink Reply by Mr. Heat Miser on -
Who gives a rat's ass about Ilya anymore? Old news.
-
Permalink Reply by DanTheMan on -
Easy to say from Kovy when you join a team that`s already making the playoffs hands down. I'd like to see him sign somewhere like Edmonton or Colombus and see if he could really turn a team around
-
Permalink Reply by TwistedWrister82 on -
Columbus would be a playoff team with Kovy there. The CBJs are just missing a LW or C to compliment Ricky Nash.
DanTheMan said:Easy to say from Kovy when you join a team that`s already making the playoffs hands down. I'd like to see him sign somewhere like Edmonton or Colombus and see if he could really turn a team around
-
Permalink Reply by Andyman on -
minor league coaching like say Washington or Pittsburgh? I swear to god you cry more than Crosby
-
Permalink Reply by TwistedWrister82 on
-
And you cry more about Crosby than Crosby "whines". :)
I'll give you the fact that his first year and a half he dove/whined, now he doesn't.
Andyman said:minor league coaching like say Washington or Pittsburgh? I swear to god you cry more than Crosby
-
Permalink Reply by Tommy Rock on -
I think this quote is telling:
Never before in his career had
back-to-back road losses called for a team meeting.
The Thrashers usually wait until the 5th straight loss before they seem to get alarmed.
Not missing Kovy though.
About
Birthdays
© 2010 Created by Billsen.
Powered by 
.
