The Atlanta Thrashers finished second in the Northeast Division during the past year. It's to bad this time for Atlanta because second devote the division only agreed to be good enough for 10th put in place the Eastern Conference.Finishing second inside the division is definetly the sole possible expectation for that Thrashers for the dominance within the Washington Capitals within their division. The second-place finish was the most beneficial Atlanta has finished since 2006-07 when it won the division and reached the playoffs for those only in time the franchise's 11-year existence.The Thrashers can be worth keeping an eye on this season, not caused by high expectations, but simply because this season represents a radical alteration of direction with the franchise. Surely, after pairing Ilya Kovalchuk and Marion Hossa together without having to having the ability to win a solitary playoff game, a new experience of direction is sorely needed.In case the goal is to win the Stanley Cup the Thrashers did the very best job put on while in the offseason of imitating the reigning champion Chicago Blackhawks, bringing aboard six players who etched their name on Lord Stanley's Cup the 2009 June.They even completely purged entry office and coaching staff. This didn't drive them long either: just three days right after the 2009-10 campaign concluded, coach John Anderson remarkable staff lost. The only real 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 from your summer Ramsay built his staff with assistants from different staffs to the league.Some of these were risky moves, but it really was clear considering the insufficient progress and dearth of fan approval that departures in the status quo needed to be made.Atlanta carried out with 83 points last season, 88 were should make it to the playoffs. Completely blowing up the roster may not have seemed necessary, but Atlanta management have to have felt that this team was even more than five points clear of becoming a postseason contender.The Atlanta Thrashers schedule opens in your house against division favorites Washington on Friday, Oct. 8. Atlanta then begins a four-game road trip that starts in Tampa Bay and ends up to the West Coast from La to Anaheim after which you can San Jose. Eight of Atlanta's first 12 games are stored on the.Offseason MovesLike an experienced Black Friday shopper, Atlanta have to have waited in line overnight to your Blackhawks fire sale to start out. They activated 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 inside the purge on the Blackhawks.Free agent losses included Colby Armstrong to Toronto and Johan Hedberg to New Jersey. Armstrong is going to be sorely missed as well as the diminished Hedberg might been felt more acutely had Atlanta not made possible veteran goalie Chris Mason from St. Louis. Mason will spell Ondrej Pavelec in net. Pavelec started 42 games last season and handle along with a 3.29 GAA compared with Hedberg's 2.62 in 47 games.Former winger Maxim Afinogenov is to Russia to spend time playing during the KHL after scoring 24 goals last season. His 61 total points were second for the team and then center Nik Antropov.Atlanta Thrashers Predictions: OutlookThere was simply upgrades completely with the GM to your assistant coaches for Atlanta, but those need not pay dividends for at least another season. About the ice clearly there was just downgrades. Nobody can match Ilya Kovalchuck's ability together with the scoring from Afinogenov could be sorely missed as will the intangibles a Colby Armstrong produces in the c's as well as goaltending ability of Hedberg.The Atlanta Thrashers have to be one of the many hungriest teams within the league after never having won a playoff game, now the roster is chock-full of players in danger of a Stanley Cup hangover. The original year about this new experiment has 'doom' written all over the place it.Atlanta Thrashers NHL OddsThe Atlanta Thrashers have longshot odds to win the Southeast Division (+2000), however doesn't everybody besides the Capitals? Atlanta's odds to win the Eastern Conference are +4000, the sole teams with worse odds are the Panthers and Islanders. You have to know for just a lottery-sized payout, Atlanta is +80,000 to win the Stanley Cup. Their 'over/under' for season point total is 82.5. NHL itrrrs likely for BetUS.NHL Predictions for Atlanta ThrashersA year after finishing with 83 points the Thrashers' 'over/under' is 82.5 that is certainly without their two biggest offensive weapons and goalie issues. Atlanta will find it hard to replace Kovalchuck, especially, and the whole Chicago Blackhawk reunion may backfire greatly. Atlanta arrive nowhere near 82.5 points.
