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Loading ...Unless, of course, you’re a Thrashers fan–in which case you’re wondering WTF your GM is smoking.
Let’s be real here, kids–Don Waddell should have been fired by the Thrashers three seasons ago. The dude’s got little if any mojo as a GM, as far as I’m concerned.
DWGM’s first ever NHL draft pick: Patrik Stefan, who the Thrashers rushed to take over guys like Nick Boynton, the Sedinbots, Frankie Kaberle, Martin Erat, Ryan Miller, Henrik Zetterberg, and Martin Havlat. You know, guys that are still playing and have actually done something other than get concussions, play like a career AHLer, and pwn himself in front of an empty-net.
Sure, he’s gotten some good ones since then–Heatley, Kovalchuk, Lehtonen (though his groin issues are calling that pick into question)–but overall his drafting history? Meh. And that is saying something, when you consider that the team I barrack for has what is generally considered the worst (and is definitely the smallest) scouting staff in the NHL.
And trades? Let’s see….Dany Heatley for Marian Hossa–OK, I can dig that. But it only comes out as a good thing for Atlanta if the Thrashers ever make the playoffs and wind up doing better than the Sens. Braydon Coburn for Alexei Zhitnik? Glen Metropolit, a first-rounder, a second rounder (2008), and a third rounder(2007) for Keith “Pass the donuts” Tkachuk? And ANOTHER first-rounder if they re-sign the guy?
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend. Pass it over to me.
And don’t get me started on the debacle that was Turin. Derian Hatcher, Don? Mike “I’m going to do what I want instead of what Coach tells me to do?” Modano? Letting your coach take the fall because some of the older guys on the team didn’t even listen to him? What the hells were you thinking there, mang? Were you hitting the same sauce as Wayne Gretzky was when he chose Team Canada? Did you two share a crackpipe or something? Seriously, I’m asking here.
Next up: DWGM guarantees a playoff spot for the Thrashers, and the team responds by promptly tanking even more than they’re tanking already.
You heard it here first.
Don’t forget that Wads took Braydon Coburn - the bluechip d-man he just sent to Philly for 73-year-old Alexei Zhitnik - with the pick directly before Calgary took Dion Phaneuf. Brilliant!
Next up: DWGM guarantees a playoff spot for the Thrashers, and the team responds by promptly tanking even more than they’re tanking already.
You heard it here first.
No fair calling that, when it already happened last year.
I’m by no means a Don Waddell supporter, but to be fair about that 1999 draft, and with specific reference to the Sedinbots…
Vancouver, who already held the #3 pick in that draft, worked really hard to obtain the #1 pick, which they dealt to Atlanta for the #2 pick and a conditional. Everyone knew that there was a lot of wheeling and dealing done by Brian Burke and it was all so that he could have consecutive picks with which to grab the Sedinbots. There must have been an agreement in the VAN-ATL trade that the Thrash not take Daniel with the first pick.
Still, though, your point stands. Stefan was a terrible pick. Not just in retrospect, but even at the time, it was a dumb pick.
I hope you’re right. I hope they continue their downward spiral and miss the playoffs. Then these rentals will have been another Atlanta disaster.