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There is very few positive things to be said here.
The Thrashers go into the season with their offense looking something like this:
Kovalchuk is their everything. He can score, assist and adds the element of fear, but how can he possibly do it alone? He has Justin Williams to help. And Christensen, and Armstrong, and Slava Kozlov, maybe Todd White? Anything there that can help? No. They're dead.
As for defense, one of the more interesting signings was Ron Hainsey's 5 year contract which averages out to 4.5 million per season. Especially with Enstrom making strides to become the new PP QB. Exelby is a quality shutdown defender, Havelid is average. Ken Klee is...average at best.
Zach Bogosian literally just turned 18 this July, but he'll play, for no other reason than the Thrashers have no one else. He's going to be one of the premiere defenders in the league - and I think a lot of people are wondering if this experience will hurt his devlopement, or hinder it.
In nets, the Thrashers have Lehtonen, who is a highly skilled, but often injured goaltender. He'll have to post career highs in every category and remain injury free if the Thrashers have any hope at all to make the playoffs (which they don't).
However, a bright spot for Atlanta is their future goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec. He's apparently ready to go - and with him coming up the pipeline, Lehtonen could be moved for picks and/or prospects.
Team Grade: F
Prediction: 15th in the East
The Thrashers go into the season with their offense looking something like this:
Kovalchuk is their everything. He can score, assist and adds the element of fear, but how can he possibly do it alone? He has Justin Williams to help. And Christensen, and Armstrong, and Slava Kozlov, maybe Todd White? Anything there that can help? No. They're dead.
As for defense, one of the more interesting signings was Ron Hainsey's 5 year contract which averages out to 4.5 million per season. Especially with Enstrom making strides to become the new PP QB. Exelby is a quality shutdown defender, Havelid is average. Ken Klee is...average at best.
Zach Bogosian literally just turned 18 this July, but he'll play, for no other reason than the Thrashers have no one else. He's going to be one of the premiere defenders in the league - and I think a lot of people are wondering if this experience will hurt his devlopement, or hinder it.
In nets, the Thrashers have Lehtonen, who is a highly skilled, but often injured goaltender. He'll have to post career highs in every category and remain injury free if the Thrashers have any hope at all to make the playoffs (which they don't).
However, a bright spot for Atlanta is their future goaltender, Ondrej Pavelec. He's apparently ready to go - and with him coming up the pipeline, Lehtonen could be moved for picks and/or prospects.
Team Grade: F
Prediction: 15th in the East
