The Atlanta Thrashers finished second in your Northeast Division in 2009. It's really bad for Atlanta because second submit the division was just good for 10th add the Eastern Conference.Finishing second in the division appears to be really the only possible expectation for your Thrashers making the dominance with the Washington Capitals to their division. The second-place finish was the best Atlanta has finished since 2006-07 when it won the division and reached the playoffs to your only amount of time in the franchise's 11-year existence.The Thrashers could be worth keeping an eye on 2010, not by reason of high expectations, but simply because this season represents a radical difference in direction to your franchise. Definitely, after pairing Ilya Kovalchuk and Marion Hossa together and not just having the ability to win a single playoff game, a new experience of direction is sorely needed.If your goal can be to win the Stanley Cup the Thrashers did the most effective job they will during the offseason of imitating the reigning champion Chicago Blackhawks, bringing aboard six players who etched their name on Lord Stanley's Cup earlier this June.In addition they completely purged forward office and coaching staff. This hadn't drive them long either: just three days following the 2009-10 campaign concluded, coach John Anderson brilliant staff lost. The General Manager the Thrashers ever knew, Don Waddell, became President of Hockey Operations and Rick Dudley took over GM duties.Former Boston Bruins assistant coach Craig Ramsay was hired as head coach and over the summer Ramsay built his staff with assistants from different staffs throughout the league.A number of these were risky moves, nonetheless it was clear while using the not enough progress and dearth of fan approval that departures out of the status quo had to be made.Atlanta through with 83 points last season, 88 were were required to get to the playoffs. Completely blowing up the roster might seemed necessary, but Atlanta management needs to have felt the fact that team was around five points outside of like a postseason contender.The Atlanta Thrashers schedule opens inside your home against division favorites Washington on Friday, Oct. 8. Atlanta then begins a four-game journey that starts in Tampa Bay and winds up around the West Coast from Houston to Anaheim and next San Jose. Eight of Atlanta's first 12 games are stored on the trail.Offseason MovesLike a proficient Black Friday shopper, Atlanta require waited in line overnight in the Blackhawks fire sale to get started. They induced board the high-character and versatile Dustin Byfuglien, winger Ben Eager, forwards Akim Aliu and Andrew Ladd and defensemen Brent Sopel. Atlanta only must shed prospects and draft picks from the purge in the Blackhawks.Free agent losses included Colby Armstrong to Toronto and Johan Hedberg to New Jersey. Armstrong will probably be sorely missed together with the losing Hedberg could have also been felt more acutely had Atlanta not brought in veteran goalie Chris Mason from St. Louis. Mason will spell Ondrej Pavelec in net. Pavelec started 42 games last season and finished accompanied by a 3.29 GAA when compared with Hedberg's 2.62 in 47 games.Former winger Maxim Afinogenov is on to Russia to learn from the KHL after scoring 24 goals last season. His 61 total points were second to the team only to center Nik Antropov.Atlanta Thrashers Predictions: OutlookThere was it will always be upgrades entirely from your GM to the assistant coaches for Atlanta, but those ought not to pay dividends for around another season. About the ice there's outright downgrades. Nobody can match Ilya Kovalchuck's ability and then the scoring from Afinogenov is going to be sorely missed as will the intangibles a Colby Armstrong gives the team and the goaltending ability of Hedberg.The Atlanta Thrashers will be one of many hungriest teams in your league after never after winning a playoff game, however right now the roster is chock-full of players at risk of a Stanley Cup hangover. The best year from this new experiment has 'doom' written throughout it.Atlanta Thrashers NHL OddsThe Atlanta Thrashers have longshot odds to win the Southeast Division (+2000), but then again doesn't everybody ideal Capitals? Atlanta's odds to win the Eastern Conference are +4000, really the only teams with worse likelihood is that the Panthers and Islanders. If you're looking for that lottery-sized payout, Atlanta is +80,000 to win the Stanley Cup. Their 'over/under' for season point total is 82.5. NHL the probability is thanks to BetUS.NHL Predictions for Atlanta ThrashersA year after finishing with 83 points the Thrashers' 'over/under' is 82.5 that's without their two biggest offensive weapons and goalie issues. Atlanta will struggle to replace Kovalchuck, especially, as well as whole Chicago Blackhawk reunion may backfire greatly. Atlanta arrive nowhere near 82.5 points.
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