We’ve gotten the official word and Ilya Kovalchuk has a broken bone in his right foot. The injury could keep him out anywhere from three to five weeks according to GM Don Waddell’s statement in this video, but knowing Kovy and his competitive streak he’ll be back as soon as the doctors will let him play.
The good news is that this Thrashers team is the deepest in team history, and while losing Kovalchuk is a major blow, it’s not a debilitating one. In some past seasons the injury would be devastating. This year the Thrashers have the talent to win games without their captain. The question is simply who will step up in his absence. Will it be the Russian contingent? Bryan Little? Todd White? Rich Peverley, who is already averaging over a point per game? Or maybe Evander Kaneor Colby Armstrong?
Realistically it will fall to everyone to raise their game, particularly the players who have been held goal-less so far.
Someone on the team message boards has already taken the time to list the games Kovalchuk could potentially miss (thanks alphabets) and here’s how it looks:
..2 weeks:
Oct 29 WAS
Oct 31 @OTT
Nov 3 @MTL
Nov 5 CBJ
Nov 7 @NYI
Nov 8 STL
(Total of six games)
…3 weeks:
Nov 12 @NYR
Nov 13 LAK
Nov 15 EDM
(Total of nine games)
…4 weeks:
Nov 19 BOS
Nov 21 PIT
Nov 22 TBL
Nov 25 @DET (?)
(Total of 12-13 games)
It’s not an easy schedule but not a particularly bad one either, and the toughest games are towards the end (Pittsburgh and Detroit). I’m very optimistic that the Thrashers can play .500 hockey or better without Ilya Kovalchuk if they play a team game, get contributions from everyone, and get good goaltending. What do you think?
i Think this team is hot, with Kovalchuk they are burning, without him they are still hot…good hockey overall, my opinion would be to send Kane to the first line, for the reason of testing, you know the youth is always cocky, and striving for stardom, but i think he is different, or even if he’s not, this is a test that he needs to take, it’s like the SAT…if he scores 1 or 2 goals on that top line, he’ll put a end to the doubt weather to send him back or not…cause defensively i heard he already proved himself……Lets test the kid, give him a hard situation, see if he cracks under the pressure or actually shows 50+ goalscoring ability….I see him as the next Iginla
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Forget about calling up other forwards. Jimmy Slater’s got a chip on the shoulder the size of the state of Michigan to get back out there and prove his worth. Put him back on the 4th line, put The Czar on IR, and call up Manny Legace to play in goal. The 2 goalies we have had both had their confidence seriously rattled recently, and we need to create genuine competition and hunger between these guys to be the number 1 goaltender. So call up a guy who was an All-Star not too long ago, and let’s see what happens.
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Chris- Manny Legace would have to be signed by the Thrashers to be called up and while that’s possible, I don’t think it’s necessary.
Pavelec was fine on Saturday after he replaced Hedberg and I don’t think there’s any reason to think he can’t bounce back. Many good goalies have been pulled.
I agree with you about giving Slater a chance though. If Kane plays with Max and Nik Antropov then Reasoner could slide up to play with Peverley and Armstrong and Slater could skate between Boulton and Thorburn.
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Strong play in Kovy’s abscence could give him a good reason to have faith and re-sign. Of course, there is the flip side to that coin….
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Man this is very bad news. It has been stated and seen before: As Kovy goes, so does the team. This team as a whole really has to pull together and everyone needs to step it up. I’ve been disappointed in Little. He’s been almost invisible this season except a couple of assists. He doesn’t seem to be doing what made him successful last season and that’s getting in the tough areas in front of the crease. That second line needs go wake up and get going. Thrashers can’t afford to have bad 1st periods and bad defensive coverages like these last two games. They have shown that can try and come back, but to try and score 5 goals a game is a tall order without Kovy.
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Welp — we’re boned.
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Well, the last couple games have been what I hope will have been uncharacteristic of the thrashers. they’ve fallen behind early and without Kovalchuk it’s going to be even tougher. The pressure in my opinion falls on the goalies. I assume the thrashers are going to continue regularly switching Hedberg and Pavelec in goal and that’s fine as long as they stay consistent. If Pavelec plays like he did in the first few games, and Peverley, Kozlov, and Little, and Kane and really everybody steps up, we should be okay. Bottom line is we have been dumping the puck towards goal, whether it be a SOG or not, and the thrashers haven’t been capitalizing. Somebody has to step up in that area of play. Also, as much as we all love KOVY, it will be better if he sits 5 weeks and fully recovers than if he sits two weeks, and gets an injury that puts him out for the season. Thrashers learned that the hard way with Lehtonen.
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save for the goaltending on saturday, the thrashers played very well against a top tier team (the sharks) without their captain. the thrash were not only missing their leading scorer, they were missing a full set of 12 forwards: the lines were jumbled and players were stressed to play more than normal with only 11 in rotation which is really tough. they still almost came back to tie the game though! im not as concerned about kovalchuk being gone for a month as i am concerned about our soft goaltending. missing kovalchuk really hurts but i think our team can manage for the time being. but whose going to step it up in net and be consistent?
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I saw a couple guys step up Saturday, Pevs and Kaner, and definitely Hainsey. Mad Max needs some speed to go with, and once he and Kane get a few practices together I think they’ll make some noise. Ben’s right (Wright?), this’s a deep team for a change, Kovy’s got backup and I have to believe we’ll survive this.
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Come on ya’ll….its maximum 15 games… the NHL season is 82 games, he played 8 already and done did a great job…. he’ll play ATLEAST 50 games, in which if he plays like he is playing now, he’ll score 45 or 50 goals…..which will be 59 counting the ones he has now….And not too many teams have that kind of armor….
Kane needs to get on that top line with Afinogenov and Antropov…. Peverley is gonna do great just watch, i got faith in this team!
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@apache: 15 games is **huge**. When teams are making or not making the playoffs by a few points, each and every point counts and 15 games = 30 possible points. These points count just as much as the ones at the end of the season. Any points we drop while he’s out are lost even if he scores 200 goals after he gets back. I don’t care if Kovy manages a 40-, 50- or 60-goal season; the only thing that matters is how many points we rack up in the W column. That said, I do agree with the earlier comments about how much more depth we have this year compared to years past and the next few weeks will be a very interesting test of this team’s character and heart. If the Thrash show up every game and start playing for real from the first drop of the puck (as opposed to after giving up an early goal), it’ll be a fun ride.
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if the team does step up and win at least half of their games might convince that this team is for real in kovy’s eyes and he signs a contract!!
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@GL, that’s my point, his job is to score, and he will do his job, but the team as a whole is after the points, so that’s what i am saying, he shouldn’t be such a HUUUUGE loss…. there is 25 players on that team, and they are all talented and good at scoring, Kane proved it, Peverley proved it, Antropov and Afinogenov are yet to blow up, but they will…they will do fine, my opinion
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dont get me wrong, kovalchuk is a huge factor to this team. he is arguably one of the best players in the nhl. but with new studs like kane, its time for them to step up and take leadership. this thrsher teams is probably our best in franchise history on paper and in my opinion. the fact that kovalchuk is out of the lineup for a few weeks is brutal, but we cant dwell on that because it will make the three weeks go by slower. have faith in the young talent and get it done thrashers!!!
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i also forgot to add, chris thorburn is a stud. i skated with him a few times this summer, along with some other thrashers, and i could see how hard they were working on and off the ice. with thorburn and a few other veteran players this team should be on their way.
BELIEVE!!!
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