subject: There are 5 questions for Thrashers Examiner Phil Foley [print this page] There are 5 questions for Thrashers Examiner Phil Foley
The Southeast meets Northeast: as the Boston Bruins (17-11-4, 38 points, 2nd Northeast Division, 8th Eastern Conference) host the 2010-11 NHL season's surprise team of the year and the Atlanta Thrashers (19-12-5, 2nd Southeast Division, 5th in the East) tomorrow night at the TD Garden.
The B's will also welcome back their former assistant coach, now Thrashers' head coach, Craig Ramsay. Instead of throwing stats and numbers out there for a preview, the Bruins and Thrashers Examiners each exchanged five questions surrounding their teams for an interesting take on tomorrow night's battle. Here are five questions for Atlanta Thrashers Examiner, Phil Foley. Be sure to check out his link as well for five questions surrounding the Boston Bruins, where to buy Cheap NHL Jerseys? maybe ujersy is a good choice.
Q: One of the most interesting stories for Bruins fans, with the Thrashers, is Craig Ramsay. Atlanta looks like a brand new franchise that has playoff power and post-season spoilers written all over it. Two part question: Keeping the lastseasonor two in mind, how much has the new coaching system helped this Atlanta club, and 2. What has Ramsay done in particular to turn this club around and make this team a true threat in the East?
A: Ramsay has been the teacher that this young group of Thrashers has always needed. He has instilled a discipline into the kids on the club and has created a coherent system where players know their roles and keep to them. This system, which relies on players shooting the puck at net and a defenseman cycling low has worked thus far this season.
You need not look much further than the success of players like Anthony Stewart and Eric Boulton to know that it's working. Both players haven't done much in their NHL careers (well, Boulton has done stuff with his fists), but they've both turned into better offensive players under Ramsay. Each has a hat trick this year.
Q: The players from the Stanley Cup winning Blackhawks have obviously been big additions to the Thrashers. With Ladd being named Captain and Byfuglien really making a name for himself (on defense), what do these guys bring to the team that may have been missing in prior seasons?
A: Both players bring a championship persona that was long missing from a franchise that has never won a postseason game. Ladd, who has two Stanley Cups in his short career, has turned into a team leader and someone that can be relied upon to give guidance to the younger players in the locker room.
Byfuglien gives Atlanta a potent offensive weapon on defense that has been lacking in previous seasons. They both bring a winning attitude they simply haven't really experienced nor tolerated losing, which is refreshing for a franchise that has been mired in mediocrity for most of its 11 years in existence, if you want to buy Vancouver Canucks #22 Jersey, go to ujersy.
Q: The Ilya Kovalchuk drama ended last February. Now that the team is in its first full season without him and the ongoing saga, has that directly impacted the club in a positive way? ie: relying on other players to help contribute to the offense, becoming more of a "team" without No. 17?
A: You can say it's been addition by subtraction when they jettisoned Kovalchuk. Not only did the Thrashers rid themselves of a potential cap headache (which allowed them to trade for Byfuglien and Ladd), but they also became a hockey team.
No longer were they just the Kovalchuks, where one guy took a good portion of the shots and scored a good percentage of goals. With the offense diversified, it actually became harder to defense the Thrashers and they got better on defense by default.
Q: Atlanta has one heck of a schedule thus far this NHL season -- especially this month. Can you break it down for the Hub fans just how crammed their schedule has been and how they have been affected by it -- good and bad.
A: Thursday concludes a stretch of nine games in 14 days for Atlanta and they will have played half the season (41 games) before the calendar turns over to 2011. This has been both a blessing and a curse for Atlanta.
Generally, they've been a better hockey team when they're not rested and in a routine. With a few exceptions (Tuesday's game against St. Louis being one), they've played very well with a short work schedule. Ramsay seems to...
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