Everyone wrote the obituary of hockey in Atlanta during the lockout--and here we are 5 years later....

Everyone wrote the obituary of hockey in Atlanta during the lockout--and here we are 5 years later. We are committed to building a team here. This is one of the largest markets in the USA, I'd rather own a team here than a number of other NHL cities. We wouldn't have made a $101 million offer to Kovalchuk if we planned on bailing on hockey. I live in DC and I remember a game when the Thrashers traveled up to play the Caps. We beat them in their building and Kovy had two goals that night...It was a Monday night and there was nobody in the building--just a few thousand people. And now the Caps are the hottest ticket in DC. That's what winning can do.

-Thrashers part-owner Bruce Levenson at a season ticket holder event. Complete coverage of the Q&A at Bird Watchers Anonymous.

http://www.birdwatchersanonymous.com/2010/2/7/1299185/thrashers-travel-travails-team#storyjump

about 1 month ago Mike Chen 6 comments 0 recs |

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You know what else building a winner does? Makes players want to play for you. Just saying

We require, as a team, proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence.
DION F*****G PHANEUF

by Belligerent Burkie on Feb 7, 2010 9:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Unless you’re Edmonton or Buffalo, in which case it takes (A) acquiring the guy via trade or draft, (B) a minor miracle, or © all the other spots around the league to be filled.

by Irish Blues on Feb 7, 2010 10:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

How true that is…..

"Grind now, shine later." - Wesley Johnson

by Afino on Feb 8, 2010 7:27 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ovechkin signed for life with the Capitals AND THEN the team became an unstoppable force in the Eastern Conference. They had been winning more games than losing for about a month when he signed that megadeal. Sometimes, the players have to return the favour. Both sides need to trust each other, unfortunately for Atlanta, Kovalchuk didn’t show that trust in the team.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Feb 7, 2010 11:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess we can judge after Kovy signs, but the fact that he wasn’t willing to budge from wanting the max seems very strange for a guy who seems genuinely affectionate about the Atlanta community (from his interviews). Maybe it really is all about the money for him.

by Mike Chen on Feb 8, 2010 12:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That or he has PR guys who tell him to say the right things so that he doesn’t break the spirit of the fans by saying that he plain and simply doesn’t want to play in Atlanta.

We require, as a team, proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence.
DION F*****G PHANEUF

by Belligerent Burkie on Feb 8, 2010 2:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs