Rebuilding 1999-00 Atlanta Thrashers
The 1990-00 Atlanta Thrashers were statistically the worst team in the last two decades.
They only got 39 points that season and has a -43 goal differencial.
These are the moves I would make if i were in charge of rebuilding the Atlanta Thrashers
Since the Atlanta Thrashers are a rebuilding Franchise, they should trade away their most attractive assets and accumulate as many picks in the next 4 drafts as possible.
Before the 2000 draft, the Thrashers make 3 trades:
The First player moved is Andrew Brunette, who was their leading scorer the previous season.
Andrew Brunette is traded to the Minnesota Wild for 2nd round pick 2000, 2nd round pick 2001.
The Minnesota Wild were an expansion team coming into the league and Brunette would be a great core player for them.
Then the Thrashers trade Ray Ferraro to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for 2nd round pick 2001.
Adding Ferraro gives the Mighty ducks great depth down at the Center position.
The 1st overall pick, Patrik Stefan is traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Pavel Kubina, 1st round pick 2001.
Back in 2000, Stefan was entering his second year in the league and still had plenty of trade value,
but he just doesn't fit the team that the Thrashers are trying to build.
In the 2000 draft, the Atlanta Thrashers had the 2nd pick overall pick and selected Dany Heatley with that pick;
this pick still stands because Heatley was an All star and a star in the league for a decade.
Changes in 2000 draft:
31-Antoine Vermette
33-Nick Schultz (pick acquired from MIN)
168-Henrik Lundqvist
The 2000-01 Atlanta finish with a worse record than they did originally with the loss of Ferraro, Brunnette and Stefan;
they end up with the worst record in the league once again.
Originally, the Atlanta Thrashers select Ilya Kovalchuk with the 1st pick in the 2001 draft;
this picks stands cause Kovalchuk is went on to because the one of the best players in franchise history.
Changes in 2001 draft:
3-Mikko Koivu
35-Mike Cammalleri (pick acquired from MIN)
36-Jason Pominville (pick acquired from ANA)
135-Mike Smith
199-Johnny Oduya
The 2001-02 Atlanta Thrashers finish with a slightly better record with Kovalchuk and Heatley now on the team;
they end with the 2nd worst in the league.
After drafting Lundqvist and Smith, the Thrashers won't need to pick Kari Lehtonen at 2,
so the Thrashers trade down at the 2002 draft getting the 4th pick in 2002, 1st + 2nd round pick 2003 from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Pavel Kubina is traded to the Edmonton Oilers for 2nd round pick 2002, 2nd round pick 2004.
Pavel Kubina will eventually be squeezed out of the top 4 so they might as well move him for some picks.
Atlanta Thrashers trade also Tony Hrkac, Yanic Tremblay to the Detroit Red Wings for 3rd round pick 2002, 4th round pick 2003.
Changes in 2002 Draft:
4-Joni Pitkanen (acquired from PHI)
44-Duncan Keith (acquired from EDM)
95-Valtteri Filppula (acquired from DET)
124-Tom Gilbert
144-James Wisnewski
230-Max Talbot
The Thrashers finish with the same record as they did originally in the 2002-03 season.
Before the 2003 draft, the Thrashers make a blockbuster trade.
Atlanta Thrashers trade Dany Heatley to the LA Kings for Alex Frolov, Joe Corvo, pick 13, 27.
Even though Dany Heatley is a premier player in the game, the Thrashers aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so i think i would be best to get prospects and picks for him.
Atlanta Thrashers also trade Slava Kozlov to the Boston Bruins for 2nd round pick 2003, 2nd round pick 2004.
The Boston Bruins are a border line playoff team at this point but with the addition of Kozlov they add some scoring on the wing.
At the 2003 draft, the Thrashers trade pick 8 to the New York Islanders for pick 15, 48, 2nd round pick 2004.
Changes in 2003 draft:
13-Ryan Getzlaf (acquired from LA)
15-Zach Parise (acquired from NYI)
24-Mike Richards (acquired from PHI)
27-Corey Perry (acquired from LA)
45-Patrice Bergeron (acquired from BOS)
48-Shea Weber (acquired from NYI)
269-Jaroslav Halak
There is no change in draft position for the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2004 draft as they finished with an identical record as they had originally.
Changes in 2004 draft:
10-Alexander Radulov
40-Blake Comeau
44-Carl Soderberg (from EDM)
47-David Booth (from NYI)
64-Alexei Emelin (from BOS)
204-Mark Streit
Due to the salary cap, the Thrashers will not be able to keep all these players, so they will need to make some trades.
Atlanta Thrashers trade Mike Richards to the Boston Bruins for Brad Boyes, 1st round pick 2005.
Without Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins need a young two way Center and Mike Richards is the perfect fit for that role.
Brad Boyes was a very good scorer in the league for a few years, he would do well on a line with Kovalchuk and Bergeron.
The Thrashers also trade Mikko Koivu, James Wisnewski to Nashville Predators for Martin Erat, Dan Hamhuis, 2nd round pick 2005, 2nd round pick 2006.
The Predators really need a second line center to play behind David Legwand and Mikko Koivu is the perfect second line center.
Martin Erat is a perfect complement on the third line with Antoine Vermette and Jason Pominville and Dan Hamhuis is a good 2nd pair defenseman.
Then Alex Frolov, Frantisek Kaberle are traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Alex Steen, 2nd round pick 2006.
The Maple Leafs need a 2nd line LW and a Top 4 defenseman; Frolov and Kaberle will give a much needed boost to the team.
Alex Steen stuggled to produce in Toronto, so perhaps a change in scenary will help him.
Mike Cammalleri is dealt to the Florida Panthers for 1st round pick 2006.
Cammalleri doesn't have fit on the team so he gets moved for a 1st round pick.
After getting many blue chip prospects, the team would be ready to be contenders by the 2006-07 season;
this is how the lineup would look like:
I.Kovalchuk-P.Bergeron-B.Boyes
Z.Parise-R.Getzlaf-C.Perry
M.Erat-A.Vermette-J.Pominville
A.Steen-V.Filppula-M.Talbot
J.Pitkanen-S.Weber
D.Keith-D.Hamhuis
J.Corvo-N.Schultz
H.Lundqvist
M.Smith
Spares: T.Gilbert
Prospects: Alex Radulov, David Booth, Blake Comeau, Mark Streit, Alexei Emelin, Johnny Oduya, Jaroslav Halak.
With the team the Atlanta Thrashers have constructed, they would be contenders for the next 2-3 years.
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