Halloween treats, and tricks.

TRICK: Pavelec honours Jacques Plant.
I might've given up on blogging about the Thrashers, but it is absolutely worth mentioning that last night, Ondrej Pavelec accidentally honoured the 50th anniversary of Jacques Plant storming off the ice and refusing to return without a mask. You know the part in Transformers 2 when Simmons is climbing the pyramid and is right beneath Devastator's swinging steel wrecking balls? Yeah, that's Pavelec. Had no choice but to take a shot, maskless, and made a shoulder save on it. Ondrej Pavelec, here's to you. Curious here, if he had stood up and moved from the crease, would the play be blown dead and/or the goal negated if one was subsequently scored? The Thrashers went on to, well, Thrash the Senators, 4-2. Well done,former team. Very well done!

TREAT: How's Looch doin?
Milan Lucic made a visit to the NESN desk to join Kathryn (irregardless is not a word, lady) Tappen and Barry Pederson this past Hallow's Eve. This might be the most charming and charismatic 21 year old I've ever ran across. Everyone calls/ed Crosby "poised" and "mature" but he's so wooden, as if saying his lines by rote. This guy has more than the standard 82 hockey cliches memorised. He's made up his own. Admirable, but the rapport with the press can be analogised as such; Lucic and Crosby equals Bill Clinton and Hilary. Looch glad-hands the cliches, I can't lie, but he adds in so much colour and humour into his answers. Check him out.

Also, two other semi-relevant points. #1 - Did anyone else see the "Big Mouth" segment where Jack and Brick joined the Philly broadcasters in the 2nd intermission of that painful loss? Jack and Brick were so natty and sharp-dressed-men in comparison to the Philly guys. And a lot more entertaining to listen to but I wouldn't know since NHL Network aired the Comcast feed. #2 - Looch is also so well dressed. He wears a suit well.

TREAT AND A TRICK: Pony shuts up the Habs cult.
The Habs were leading the Leafs by 2 (hardest lead to hold) with 4 minutes to go in the 3rd. The smarmy cult of Habs fans had begun singing the Goodbye song (na-na-na-na na-na-na-na hey-hey-hey, good byyyyyyye (one of the things I really do miss in hockey these days, I have to admit), when Alexei Ponikarovsky scored, and shut the fans up. The Leafs then promptly potted another, and the game went to OT. Then it went to the shootout. And the Leafs, being the Leafs, did not win. BUT! In their defence, how the hell are you supposed to focus on the shots you have when that butt ugly and dizzying striped jersey in front of you all night? I hate that jersey. That is THE WORST jersey in the NHL.

TREAT: Tuuuuuuks gets the S v Edmonton
A lot of people in the hockey world (although not Bruins or Team Finland fans) were really first introduced to Tuukka Rask when he lost his shit down Providence. Last night he tricked the Oilers and gave them a shutout for their efforts. The game was typical Oiler hockey, which is to say, fast, quick transition, constant line changes on the fly, few whistles, lots of hits, lots of back check, fore check and hip check! It was totally a game the Bruins were up for. As someone who's also a fan of the Oilers (OH GOD GATOR GET A JOB WITH THE OIL, SOB!), I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Bruins step right up and play in stride. A great 60 minute game with full effort.

TREAT: Wheeler and Sobotka are the shit
For what it's worth, Sobotka better stay up in Boston, and he, Wheels and Paille will be the Kessel-Savard-Lucic line of this season. The last 6 seconds of the 2nd period were breath-taking, heart-stopping, and fist-pumpingly awesome. In the most deliciously vicious cycle, Vladi made a point-blank shot on Khabibulin, Ryder sent the rebound to Wheeler, Wheels threaded it to Vladi, and again he shot on Twitchy. Three times in just seconds and the 4th one went in, popped the water bottle, and caused the fans to raise the roof in celebration. So loudly that few heard the period-over siren 0:02 seconds before the puck crossed the line. But Vladi and Wheels heard. And they made sure the next two counted. Wheel from Vladi, then Vladi from Wheels, and the Bruins sent the Oilers away with 0 points and a shutty.

If I were the GM....

You know how I love me some Kari Lehtonen. But wait! This year there is not just one other goalie competing for his spot, not just two, but THREE! THREE GOALIES! Honestly I think there might even be four if we consider the baby goalie from last summer's draft. But we'll skip him for right now (no offence, baby goalie whose name I can't recall... Danique? I dunno. It's too early.)

Kari Lehtonen
A super-star of Patrick Roy magnitude when not injured or recovering from injury. Kari's not yet made his first camp appearance, but is expected today, as he's still recovering from his off-season laminotomy. I've been there, twice, and frankly I was pretty surprised that he thought he would be ready for camp. While he's likely recovered from the invasion of the procedure, there's a sizeable entry point in the skin that one can not risk opening. What's the number one thing one can do to open an incision like that? Play goal. OK and swing dancing, but I'm not really guessing that's a big hobby of Kari's. Golf also a little questionable, but I've never seen the kid on the links, although it IS great therapy for when your entire team pisses you off. I'm digressing, where was I? Oh yes! This has to be Kari's year. It has to be the year he throws down, ignores how his team plays in front of him (although really, Ex is gone, Kubina's here, Bogo's healthy, let's hope for the best shall we?), and just gets into his zone. A zone not unlike the one he was in once the Thrashers were mathematically eliminated last season. When was that anyway? January? I can't tell you how many games I have DVD'd labeled "THRASH BLOW, KARI SHINES!" It's time he stops depending on the team in front of him, and starts believing in himself, and frankly, says FUCK ALL HATERS! You can do it, Karppa. I believe in you.

Ondrej Pavelec
Not a franchise goalie, but a possible cornerstone to focus a rebuild around. Ondrej's probably pretty god damned pissed off right about now. He's proven he's an NHL calibre goalie, and yet, here he still is, the third in line of a team with four or five signed goalies. Which means time relegated to the bench, or a lot more time in Chicago. How many more Calders will he need to win to get his due shot in the Show? For his sake, I hope the team will cut him lose if he doesn't land one of the two coveted spots on the Thrashers. Hahaha, I said "coveted spots on the Thrashers." I crack me up!

Johan Hedburg
Had one fantastic year in the NHL, and is one of the best veterans in the game to learn from. If I were running this team, I would kindly suggest Johan hang 'em up, and let us hire him on as a goaltending coach, which if memory serves, the team still doesn't have. In my honest opinion, there is probably no better NHL goalie to learn from. One of the adages of hockey is that the best players are the worst coaches, and I'm not saying JoJo is a "worst player" but he is not in the upper stratosphere. Plus he has his own goalie school in Leksand. Plus he owns a team in Sweden. Plus he doesn't take anything personally and lets it all roll off his back. And PLUS, he was brought in to Atlanta specifically to mentor Kari. Let's just keep traveling down the path fate started laying out, and offer him a high-paying job as goalie coach.

Manny Legace
Oh Manny, how you  make me laugh. I have a soft spot for this guy, even if I could not give a shit less about any of the teams he played for previously. He's affable, charming, has a thick skin, has won a Cup or two (I think? I'm probably wrong), and has been an All Star multiple times. This is a good guy, and one that is desperately needed in the room. He's the Colby Armstrong of goalies. Or the Marc Savard, to go back in time a little. He would also do well to serve as a goalie coach/mentor, but dollars to donuts, Kari is not going to take to him like he did to Johan. The Scandinavian connection between the other two goalies, despite the tension that was apparent between them last season, is too strong a bond for Kari to break off and immediately turn to a new mentor.

So in summation, if I were the GM, here's what I would do about the goalie situation:

1. Buy out Hedberg's contract and offer him a well-paid position as goalie coach;
2. Trade Pavelec to a team desperately in need of a cornerstone goalie, in exchange for a Savard-like passer;
3. Name Legace the back-up goalie, and split it 70/30 between he and Lehtonen;
4. Assign Lehtonen a sports psychologist, perhaps Marty Brodeur has some free time, to help him grow a thicker skin, and learn to ignore everything around him but the puck.

That's what I'd do if I were the GM. But I'm not, so speaking as me, my offered solution is to trade Kari to the Capitals (seriously, how the fuck is Jose Theodore able to focus and play? If I lost one of the kids in my life, that would be it, I couldn't go on.) in exchange for Boyd Gordon and Karl Alzner, and then all would be right in the world.

Also, I'd like to take a brief moment to point out just how much the Thrashers lost when they let Marc Savard go:

 

Marc Savard is so damned good, he doesn't even have to play to score.  FYI the GWG was scored by Jeff Penner. Well done, NHL.com. You guys keep working out the kinks, eh?

LASTLY! I've started a new blog. It's a generic hockey blog, so I don't bore the Thrash fans with my ramblings about all the other teams and players I pay attention to. It's called English & Profanity. Bookmark me!

"Pavelec is the new franchise goaltender for Atlanta"

So I found this article called "Finding Replacement Goalies." Read:

Ondrej Pavelec, G, Thrashers: The reason Schneider doesn't lead the AHL in save percentage is because Pavelec's nine starts still qualify him for the lead. Pavelec was an unceremonious 5-3-1 before being recalled, but his 1.54 goals-against average and league-leading .947 save percentage tell a different story. Kari Lehtonen had this season to shake the label of injury-prone underperformer, but considering his current IR status and terrible stats, the torch has been passed. Pavelec is the new franchise goaltender for Atlanta. It's now just a question of how long it takes for him to grab the reins for good. Johan Hedberg is still starting more games, but the longer Lehtonen is on the IR, the more frequently we should expect to see an improving Pavelec between the pipes. A great goaltender can still have strong fantasy numbers on a bad team (such as Luongo in his Florida Panthers days), and Pavelec has the skills to be a great goaltender. It's just a matter of realizing those skills now. Pick him up if you see any kind of momentum building for him.

Perrin and Pavelec interviews (video)

Perrin during 2nd intermission:



Pavelec post-game:




Videos courtesy SportSouth

Pavelec ponies up

Atlanta Thrashers prospect goaltender Ondrej Pavelec has been in the headlines twice in the past six months, once for backstopping the Chicago Wolves to the 2008 Calder Cup in June and second for refusing assignment to Chicago earlier this season. Pavelec and his agent, Allan Walsh, eventually relented, and Pavelec is once again toward the very top of the AHL statistical leaders in save percentage and goals-against average after deciding to report to Chicago for a second season. His stellar play, however, has already earned him recalls to Atlanta in early November.

McKeen's correspondent Kevin Wey recently had the opportunity to talk with Pavelec the day before the Thrashers recalled him for the first time in 2008-09. Pavelec discussed his training camp and the subsequent holdout, his rookie season in the AHL, his two seasons in the QMJHL, the adjustments and improvements he's made along the way, playing in and for the Czech Republic, his respect for Martin Brodeur, and the Wolves' rivalry with the Rockford IceHogs.

McKeen's: You were one of the final cuts in Atlanta, with the Thrashers already having Lehtonen and Hedberg, but you're off to a great start in the AHL this season. What are some of the things you worked on over the summer?
Pavelec: I did the same thing as the summer before. I come to Montreal and trained with a trainer (Paul Gagne) there and a couple guys from the NHL. I spent almost one month there, and I did the same thing this summer. It was a short summer, it was a long season. So, I took a couple weeks off and then I started practicing, nothing special. It was working the summer before, so I didn't change anything.

McKeen's: When Atlanta assigned you to Chicago, what did they tell you?
Pavelec: Well, they told me it's better for me to play every game than sit on the bench. I think about it after that, and then I said I'm not going to go to Chicago. You probably read that story about me and my agent (Allan Walsh), what we did. It was simple, what we did before, I don't want to come to training camp next year and feel the same thing. I didn't have a chance to show how I can play. So, that's only one reason why we did that. But, I expect, before the season, I'm going to play one more year in Chicago. I just want to play more games, NHL games, that's why we did it. Like I said, I don't want to come to training camp again and have no chance to make a team.

McKeen's: I could ask a couple more questions regarding that, but I think I'll make sure I don't get you in any trouble. Now, last season, you put up some really good numbers and you helped lead the Wolves to the Calder Cup. What were some of the keys to your success last season and what were some of the things that improved in your game the most during last year?
Pavelec: Oh, I think it wasn't just about me, it was the whole team. We had a couple great forwards, and great defense. We had a great PK, that was a key, and we had the best powerplay. Me, I just tried to focus for every game. Now I have a little bit more experience with the games and with the playoffs. I think when they called me up, Atlanta, I spent two months there, I think it was a huge reason why we made the Cup, because it gave me a lot of confidence because I saw I can play in "The Show" and I can win the game. When they sent me down, I felt more comfortable in the net and, like I said, if you play more games, then you feel more comfortable. Last year, I played 90 games or so, so it was a great season.

McKeen's: With that, what were some of the differences you noticed after having played that two months in Atlanta and then in the AHL, differences in the play and how things work?
Pavelec: It's not a big difference. It's just the little things, especially for a goalie, I have to stop the puck anyway. But, I think it was a big reason (pauses), to make a mistake in the NHL, it's a goal, all of the time. It's just the little things. The players there (in the NHL), they know what they're supposed to do and they do it. So, it's not too many shots there, it's like 30 or 35 shots in a game, but it's not a big difference between AHL and NHL, for me. If you ask a player, they tell you it's a big difference with speed and stuff like that. But, for me, I just stop the puck anyway. Like I said, the big difference is if you make a mistake, it's a goal, and they have better shots as well.

McKeen's: It sounds like it was a situation where you got used to having to make no mistakes up there and then bringing that down to the AHL and things going very well, since AHL players and teams don't always capitalize on the small mistakes goalies make.
Pavelec: Like I said, I'll give you example. A couple games ago, we played in Quad City, and in the first period they had three times an empty net, and they missed it. Then we scored and we won the game 1-0. But, if we were in the NHL, and they had three times empty net, it's going to be 3-0 and no points. That, I think, is the big difference.

McKeen's: What you said reminded me of the Philadelphia/Atlanta game a little while back, 7-0.
Pavelec: I didn't see that game, I just saw the highlights. What I heard, it was a pretty bad game for Atlanta.

McKeen's: Obviously, last year, coming into the AHL, you had played the previous two years with Cape Breton in "The Q." What were some of the biggest adjustments you faced coming into the AHL, and NHL, coming out of the QMJHL?
Pavelec: Well, it was a great experience in "The Q." I played there two years. Years before, in Czech [Republic], I'd play 50 games, maybe, in a year. Then I played 70-plus playoffs, so it was a huge difference. I think it was a good preparation for higher levels. Here, there are stronger players, they have a better shot in the AHL, smarter a little bit. Like I said, I think it's the same difference between "Q" and AHL and AHL between NHL. In NHL, there are stronger players, bigger players, quicker, smarter than in Q. There, you're playing against 18-year-old kids, so there's a little bit of difference.

McKeen's: While you were in Atlanta last year, you were going through the aftermath of coach [Bob] Hartley being fired. What was it like being up there for that?
Pavelec: I came in there after the game when they fired the coach, so it was everything new for the team. I think it was better for the team. Go up there, a couple guys, playing with the general manager as the coach, we played more defensively, I think. Like I said, I came in there the game after they fired the coach, so I think everybody showed how they can play even more. So, I came in there at a good time.

McKeen's: Yeah, everyone kind of has to pick their game up, because after the coach goes, players can easily go next.
Pavelec: That's right. Coach going first, and then the players going.

McKeen's: It's easier to change one coach than 23 players.
Pavelec: Right. You can change, maybe, three players, a couple players.

McKeen's: Going to a more cheerful topic, as we touched upon, you won the Calder Cup, which is why your season lasted so long. In that success, what were some of the highlights for you?
Pavelec: Best moment? I think all of the playoffs was unbelievable for everybody, but I've got two moments. One moment was in the second round against Rockford. We lost Game 5 at home, 6-1, so it was 3-2 for Rockford, and we went into Rockford, we'd never won there before, I think, and we won the game there, 4-3 or 3-2. It was a huge game for us. It was sellout in Rockford and we beat Rockford, and then we come home and we won Game 7. It was a big moment. The second, I think last minute in Game 6 in the Finals. Everybody knew we're going to win the Cup, so the last two minutes were amazing. So, that's probably the highlight, the last two minutes of the season.

McKeen's: Certainly. The realization of such a big goal is always exhilarating. Going back to your time in "The Q" you were the QMJHL Rookie of the Year, and obviously were on the All-Rookie Team, won the Jacques Plante Trophy twice, QMJHL First-Team All-Star, Legace Trophy winner, and more. With all of the success, you were obviously fairly well-prepared coming out of the Czech Republic, but what were the biggest adjustments coming from the Czech Republic to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League?
Pavelec: For sure. Before I made the decision I was going to Canada, I talked about it with my agent. We tried to find the right team for me, and we found Cape Breton in "The Q." I like "The Q," as a league, I think it's the best league for a goalie. Everybody's going to the net and it's a more offensive league. Everybody's shooting from everywhere. I think it's a good league for goalies, and another thing, I had two goalie coaches there. One goalie coach was Vincent Riendeau, he played a few years in the NHL, and there was a younger guy who was also a great coach. So, I had two goalie coaches there, and we worked every practice. Those things, I think, were what helped me.

McKeen's: Were there any particular changes you had to make to your style coming out of Kladno, after you were drafted by the Thrashers?
Pavelec: When I played in Czech [Republic], I wasn't that butterfly goalie. I just tried to stand up. But, coming to "The Q," they showed me some little things that can be better. I didn't play the puck well before I came into "The Q," so we worked on it every practice. I didn't change a lot, but I just changed little things, like playing the puck, and I just tried to be in better position. In the Czech [Republic], you don't have to skate too much, I think. When I came to "The Q," I had to skate, and face the play, and face a lot of shots. Like I said, it was a great experience, and I don't think I changed my style a lot, just the little things.

McKeen's: With skating less, did that come down to the wider ice in Europe, where players don't really charge the corners like they do here in North America?
Pavelec: In the Czech [Republic], it was bigger ice, huge ice there. So, I didn't have to play the puck too much. Then I come to "The Q," dealing with the smaller ice, the corner was, like, so close to me. The first couple games, it was hard for me, and we lost. But, after a couple weeks and a couple games, I was ready for it. Like I said, it was a huge difference with the goalie coach there. He said it's going to be a little problem for me the first couple games, playing the puck, but it was normal for a European goalie coming into Canada or the U.S. It's a little bit different. Like I said, it was a good choice to come to Canada, because if you play in Europe and then you have to play in the AHL, I think it's a big problem. I think the junior league was good preparation for me to play at the next level.

McKeen's: A good stepping-stone. With the puckhandling improvements, what were some of the tips they gave you or some of the skills you had to pick up or do slightly different?
Pavelec: They showed me how to stop the puck and they showed me if I'm going behind the net to stop the puck, I have to see before where the players are. So, I cannot go and stop the puck and have no idea where the players are. So, before I come in to stop the puck, I check the players, where they are, then I make a decision.

McKeen's: It's kind of like the defensemen in front of you, if the puck's lose and they're skating back, they'll be taking a look or two on their way back.
Pavelec: Yeah, and another thing is the communication between me and the defense. I think I improved a lot over two years ago, but I still work on it.

McKeen's: With the communication, how much English did you know before coming to Cape Breton?
Pavelec: Well, I knew just a few words, like numbers and days. That's all. I didn't speak English before. But, it wasn't that hard to remember a couple of words. The communication between me and the defensemen was important and it's helped me a lot since.

McKeen's: We've talked a lot about improvements, but what would you say are your strengths already as a goaltender?
Pavelec: It's hard to answer. You have to ask my coach, or the goalie coach. But I think my glove, it's ready for the first shot. Everything, you have to improve everyday. There's nothing perfect. If everything's perfect, I am in the NHL and winning the Stanley Cup. Like, every goalie has little things to work on every day.

McKeen's: You've represented your country on a few occasions, at the U-17 World Junior Cup, U-18 World Championships, and the World Junior Championships. What were some of the highlights of those experiences for you and are there hopes to once again represent the Czech Republic again, be it at the World Championships or the Olympics?
Pavelec: Every player will tell you if you can represent your country, it's a huge thing. If you put the Czech jersey on and you come in on the ice, especially in front of your fans, it's amazing. When I was 17, 16, I had the Czech jersey on, and it was a special time, not just for me but for my parents. It was a good experience. The junior league in Czech [Republic], I don't want to say it's bad league, but if you played for the national team, it was better. You know what I mean? The players shoot better and you play against the better players. So, it was a huge thing to play with the Czech jersey.

McKeen's: As far as representing the Czech Republic in the future, who are some of your fellow Czech netminders that you think you'll need to beat out to be able to represent your country once again?
Pavelec: Well, for sure I have to beat Tomas Vokoun. In Czech [Republic], we have a couple great goalies there, in the league, and in Europe as well. In the NHL, it's Tomas Vokoun, he's the number one goalie for sure for, I think, a couple more years. So, it's going to be hard, and for me it's going to be a huge thing if I have a chance to play again with the Czech jersey.

McKeen's: Now, going way back to your youth, when did you first start playing hockey, how did you get that start, and when did you first start playing goalie?
Pavelec: Oh, I think I was five years old, my first step on the ice. Why I started playing hockey? I think my sister, she played hockey as well. She's a forward, and she said one day she had a little brother at home, so the coaches said bring him to the rink and have him try to play. So, the first day, I come into the rink, it was the greatest. I remember that day. So, it was huge. Then I started to skate with the chair on the ice. When I skate without the chair, they gave me the goalie gear to go to the net, so I had no choice.

McKeen's: So you've been goalie the entire time.
Pavelec: (Smiles) I've never scored a goal.

McKeen's: I guess if you work on your puckhandling a lot…
Pavelec: Maybe. One day. One day.

McKeen's: (Chuckles) Growing up, who were some of your favorite players and why, and who would you like to equate to today?
Pavelec: I don't have a goalie that I like for style, but I like Martin Brodeur. How he plays the puck, as well, how he plays 17 years in the NHL, and he plays almost every game. He won the Stanley Cup three times, the Vezina Trophy, and to be the number one goalie 17 years, it's huge. That's why I like him.

McKeen's: On the other side of that, to the degree a job in the NHL can suck, one of the jobs that sucks the most is being Martin Brodeur's backup goalie. It's like, "Maybe I'll play ten games this year."
Pavelec: Yeah, it's a hard job to have. But…

McKeen's: You are getting paid to play hockey, though.
Pavelec: Yeah, it's alright. But, I think he's a great person as well. You have to be a great person if you win the trophies like that, and year by year, he plays 80 games. It's unbelievable.

McKeen's: Lastly, with a full season of AHL hockey under your belt, who have been some of the opponents you've faced in the AHL that have impressed you the most and why?
Pavelec: Why? It's not between me and another goalie and other players, but it's between Chicago and, I think, Rockford. When we play there, the people are going crazy there, the fans. Every time, it's a big game against Rockford.

McKeen's: Is there any added competition with you being in Chicago, roughly, and Rockford being the Blackhawks' affiliate team, and there having been nights in the past when the Wolves and Blackhawks played on the same night and Wolves outdrew the Blackhawks? Does that Chicago competition add anything?
Pavelec: Not for me, no. Maybe for the GM or the coaches, it's a little bit different than for me. For me, I just play to beat Rockford. But, you can feel the difference in the games.

Pony recalled

The Atlanta Thrashers have recalled goaltender Ondrej Pavelec from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.

Pony reassigned to Chicago - we're status quo for now

From the Thrash site (ps: why does google not crawl or index the team sites? dickweeds). Thanks to the amazingly gorgeous AND talented Lisa over at TheThrashers411 for updating me immediately and keeping me from being checked into the nuthatch. Love you grrl!

Pavelec, 21, appeared in three games with the Thrashers, recording a 2-0-0 record with a 2.57 goals-against average and a .889 save percentage. The Kladno, Czech Republic native has posted a 5-3-0 record with a 2.96 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 10 career NHL games.

 The 6-2, 215-pound net minder has appeared in nine games for the Wolves this season, registering a 5-3-1 record with a 1.54 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage. At the time of his recall, he was tied for first in the AHL with two shutouts, tied for second in wins, and ranked fourth in goals-against average and save percentage. Pavelec was named the Reebok X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October and has allowed two-or-fewer goals in eight-of his-nine games with Chicago.

OK. I think I'm calmer. And feel better that our boys are not going to La-La Land. Am I the only one totally possessive of our players? Like, IMO, they can only go to the Wolves and back. Nothing in between. I feel much better. Now I gotta wait for effin' days for Thrashers hockey? Who made this schedule?!

Video interview with Pavelec

From last night's 2nd intermission:

Pony riding high

The American Hockey League announced today that Ondrej Pavelec of the Chicago Wolves has been named the Reebok X-Pulse/AHL Goaltender of the Month for October. Pavelec played every minute of Chicago's nine games during the month, going 5-3-1 with a 1.54 goals-against average, a .947 save percentage and two shutouts.

Pavelec, who also started all 24 of the Wolves' postseason games last spring, began his second professional season with a pair of losses despite giving up just two goals in each. He earned his first win of 2008-09 with a 25-save shutout at Quad City on Oct. 17, and made 29 saves as Chicago won its home opener, 3-2, vs. Peoria on Oct. 18. Pavelec stopped 32 shots in a 3-1 victory over San Antonio on Oct. 21, and shut out Providence with 35 saves on Oct. 29.

In recognition of his achievement, Pavelec will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Wolves home game.

Congrats, Pony!

Perrin, Pavelec, and Lehtonen, oh my!

Bonne anniversaire, Perrsy! Ne pas laisser 3 heures  ruiner les 21 autres.

Gratuluji, Pony. To nejlepší ze štěstí když zde!

Kärppä, olosi paranee pian... Atlanta, tai muualla. Ehkä jossain on puolustajat?

Now listen. Do you know what the score was when Pony came in at the start of the 3rd? It was 6-0. With 20:00 to go. With Johan in net. And allllllll sorts of people are talking shit about how bad Kari's playing and how Kari needs to be traded now, and how Ondrej needs to come in and Kari's to be traded. Here's a thinker for those Mensa candidates: Kari has continually been lit up for anywhere from 4-8 goals, while have a SV% of generally in the .910-.918 range. The team that lost 2 games in a row to Philly, with St Marty at the helm, has lit Johan up for 6 as of the end of the 2nd. Find the common theme. To wrap up, do you REALLY want to bring another a brilliant young goaltender into this situation and break him? Just mull that over for a bit. Because I'll be honest. I don't think any goaltender would be able to win with this team. Not until they step it up and play NHL calibre hockey and they actually play for 60 minutes.

On the other hand, Broddy's 9 games away from being the all-time winningest goalie. Thrash aren't playing them in the next 10-16 games are they?

Today's edition of He said/He said

Thrashers, goalie still at impasse over demotion

By MIKE KNOBLER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Ondrej Pavelec’s agent said Tuesday night the Thrashers prospect’s status remained in limbo. Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said he believed that limbo wouldn’t last for long.

Pavelec has refused to report to the Thrashers’ minor-league affiliate in Chicago, and agent Allan Walsh has accused Waddell of breaking his word.

“We’re in discussions with the Thrashers and with Ondrej about his future,” agent Allan Walsh said, adding that he could say nothing further.

“I fully expect Ondrej to be a Chicago Wolf,” Waddell said Tuesday night. “There’s no reason for me to think he won’t report. We’ve had great conversations [with Pavelec].”

Waddell added that he expects Pavelec to one day be back with the Thrashers, perhaps soon. He also said the Thrashers tell every player they send to Chicago that they’re free to take a few days to report.

Pavelec, 21, was in net for the team’s only exhibition victory, but he also allowed four goals in the third period of Friday night’s loss to Nashville.

When asked after the victory what he thought of his chances to make the team, Pavelec replied, “It’s a question for Coach, I think. [Thrashers goalies Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg] both have contracts. I’ll try and do my best, and we’ll see.”

But his agent told Sporting News Today this weekend that the Thrashers hadn’t given Pavelec a fair shot.

[Deletia: all the same shit we've seen in every article]

Waddell said the organization is treating Pavelec right by giving him a chance to play regularly rather than spending most nights watching Lehtonen in net.

“He and Kari are both starting goalies,” Waddell said. “You can’t have two starting goalies on a team. It doesn’t make sense. He’s 21. He needs to play.”

Basically what D-wad is saying between the lines is that Karppa's just got the one year contract, at the end of it, we'll move him, we'll bring Ondrej in to be the backup and we've still got Moose here to mentor. So how do we handle this now? Because I think Pavelec's agent's bottom line is,  Ondrej is NOT going to the AHL. Did I understand that right? That's what you got out of it yes? Now the question is - is it ONDREJ that doesn't want to go to the AHL, or is it ONDREJ'S AGENT that doesn't want him to go? If the answer is the latter, he needs to fire said agent, post-haste, and hook himself up with one that just a, a....  shred more decency who is capable of worrying about his PLAYERS and not about THE KWON.

So what do we do? Easy.

Trade one.

Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to put together a little poll here.
Which goalie do we trade.
Where do we trade him.
Who do we get in return?

Please respond in comment - anonymous is totally cool - and we'll see what we the fans, the money-paying fans, think.

Aaaaaaaaaand......... GO!

Let's talk Atlanta's goalies

Maybe you've noticed, maybe you haven't, but the goalies are kind of my wheelhouse. So allow me, if you will, some time and space to craft up some prognostications.

EDIT: So I was listening to the radio broadcast, and from what I remember, Ondrej was upset with his demotion, and it seemed that the second he was cut, his agent was calling the team, threatening that he won't report to Chicago, that they're in breach of contract, that they used the 4GAA last night out of context in deciding who the better goalies were. Now I will posit that perhaps Pony made the call in a fit of blind rage and frustration. I would have. And there are some that posit his agent (Allan Walsh, if you're interested) had been waiting for exactly a situation of this magnitude, where he caught Waddell in a lie, and in a potential breach of contract, and lo his day hath come. So in a way, Ondrej would be nothing more than a mere pawn in this little game. Which fucking sucks. I'm just not sure if I buy that, being that Walsh also reps Havlat, Elias, Fleury. Unless there is some long-buried hatched between he and D-Wad.

Back to my earlier rambling.

I think we all saw what happened end of last season when the Caps picked up Huet, but didn't do anything about Johnson or Kolzig. One goalie sat in the stands, watching his team play, and another sat on the bench, and watched his team, the franchise he'd worked his entire career to build, start tearing it up.

I don't think D-Wad'll carry 3 goalies, although that would be a convenient loophole in the cap thing, seeing as how we've got an eNORmous cushion still to play with.

So let's say you're Don Waddell. You have three options.

1. Let Pavelec walk.
2. Trade Lehtonen, keep Pavelec, Hedberg.
3. Trade Hedberg, keep Pavelec, Lehtonen.

I can sit here for another week or so and come up with totally valid theories about what will happen. I must say, this is completely and totally out of left field. At least to me. Maybe some of you knew and didn't share. But either way, we have a glut of goalies who all want to play up.

Hey remember that season we had 13 goalies? Yeahhhh, good times.

Here are my theories on those three choices:

1. Pony can walk, and likely get signed with another team in need of an upcoming goalie (Jersey maybe), or he can walk even further, and sign with the KHL. Atlanta would have to release him from his contract for that, especially given the pissing contest Radulov stirred up between the NHL and KHL. But either way, Pony got options. But would this happen? Would Waddell lose face, publicly being called out for lying (hah, it's about time someone did it in the media) and get the reputation of a GM who feeds lines to his players? Would Atlanta Spirit let it happen?

2. Off the top of my head, I can think of 5 other teams in the NHL where Kari would be a good fit, and he would have the required defencive corps in front of him to enable him to properly do his job, and not have to stop every day thing sent his way. This is a guy who loves the game of hockey. He has said in the past that if it came down to it, he'd play for less money, just so he could keep playing. And he's totally got the talent and the ability to be one of the top netminders in the NHL. The damage done to him was done by this club, and to be frank, keeping Pavelec in the same situation risks damaging him similiarly, despite Hartley being gone now. Additionally, what would the spin be on trading Kari, and what could be gotten in return? Some really great D? An all-star center for Ilya? The sky's the limit. As for the spin, he's been being groomed for his career as an NHL player, and now he's ready, what do have to offer us?  Dunno if Atlanta would want to let go of one of their only commonly acknowledged stars.

3. Which leaves Moose being traded. If I were the GM, and I love Moose a whole whole lot, but you can't make business decisions with your heart, can you? I would trade Moose if I had D-Wad's job. I would send him to a team that actually has a shot at winning the Cup, because hello, he's getting older. And there are a SHITLOAD of teams out there in desperate need of a GOOD backup. Plus the experience and leadership he brings to a team are invaluable. Would it be a crushing loss to our organisation? Yes. Which is why it probably won't happen. But it would also be a great move for Moose.

So let's say we went with option 3 and traded Moose. The next problem is, is Kari ready to mentor a younger goalie? Johan was brought in to mentor Kari specifically. And while I've not actually seen him play yet this season (DAMN IT SPORTSOUTH! STOP SHOWING FISHING!), I'm reading the event summaries and game summaries, and looking at the shot charts, and I get it. Someone just put some new garnish on it, blew off the dust, and served up the same old shit as last year. So while Kari's under the pressure of maintaining a sv% above .900, if nothing else, oh and win a game if the team could score once in a while (We love you Crusher and Army!), is that really the best time for him to be helping another goalie adjust to the NHL? Nothing against Kari at all, or Pony, but ..... perhaps....

I HAVE A BRILLIANT IDEA!

Buy out Moose's contract next season.
Give him a big fat salary to be the goalie coach from next season out
Keep Pony in the AHL this season, called up when necessary
Pony and Kari play 41/41 next season

Huh! HUH! Is that a good idea or what! I thnk it is!

So you know what we do?

We wait.

And when D-Wad invariably makes the wrong choice, and it invariably goes horribly awry, then, and only then, shall we call for his impeachment.

Who's with me?!

Pavelec cut, refuses the Wolves. KHL on the horizon?

If there is one thing this team is aces at, it's breaking stellar young goalies. This probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but it still stings. And stinks.

By Craig Custance - Sporting News

Ondrej Pavelec, the top prospect in the Atlanta Thrashers organization, will not be reporting to the AHL his agent told Sporting News.

The 21-year old goalie was sent to the AHL's Chicago Wolves on Saturday by the team after seeing action in only two Thrashers preseason games. He started the first preseason game, earning the win, and came in relief of Johan Hedberg for the third period of Friday night's loss to Nashville. He allowed four goals in the period.

Allan Walsh, Pavelec's agent, said the Thrashers organization didn't keep promises given to the young goalie when he signed with the team, so he wants out.

"When Ondrej signed two years ago, [Thrashers GM Don Waddell] gave Ondrej his word. He sat there at the table and gave Ondrej his personal word that Ondrej would never be held back," Walsh told SN. "Last year he led Chicago to an American League championship. This year he played in the first exhibition game and then the third period on October 3 -- they threw him into the game cold in the third period. That is criminal mismanagement of a young goalie."

Walsh said he wouldn't have had a problem if Pavelec had been given an honest opportunity to make the team and gotten beaten out. But he said the young goalie was never given a fair chance to make the roster, something he said was part of the agreement with Atlanta.

"He will never be part of an organization that doesn't keep its word and treats players in this manner," Walsh said.

Walsh said Pavelec has options, including several interested teams in Russia or he would welcome a trade from the Thrashers.

"We're evaluating where his next step is," Walsh said. "He's most likely going to get on a plane and go home right now."

Waddell was not immediately available for comment.

Ondřeji , nepůjdeš prosim!

Pavelec gets first NHL game

Ondrej Pavelec got his first NHL game on Saturday when Hedberg was yanked after allowing 5 Lightning goals. Here's the only article we found about it. More will be added as we find them.

AJC: Pavelec makes NHL debut

We didn't watch the game because we had other stuff going on, but reading the reviews, we're kind of glad we missed it. So let the prognostication begin. Who will be the next to go? What will the next big move be for the Thrash? We do have some inside information that a certain American-born big-gun natural-center who is being held back by his NHL club has expressed interested in beginning discussions about getting traded to the Thrashers. Granted there's Todd White and Eric Perrin (who is being way too under-utilized in our opinion - the Thrashers have the record-holding point getter for UVM and don't seem to be using him in clutch situations), but given proper linemates and a certain amount of freedom, said player could really open the game up for the team, and be the center Kovy needs to light it up.

Whether that would make a difference or not remains to be seen, especially since really what's needed (in addition to a top center) is a Chris Pronger or Sheldon Souray-type defenceman. We're in a bad situation where our questionably top d-men are mentoring the youngsters, and teaching them bad habits (see: Brendan Witt/Steve Eminger).

So would a new coach even make a difference? Herbie Brooks is dead, and he's all we can imagine really turning this team around in the right way. We'd love to be proved wrong, but we believe the problem lies with the mentality of the players. At this point - it's up to them to make the difference.