Tonight’s game wasn’t one for the ages. Or even for the week. It was a disappointing wrap-up to a season that saw too many highs and lows to count. Too many positives overwhelmed by negatives. Too many defensive errors, too many lapses in goaltending, and too many moments of “why bother?”
This game and this season went hand-in-hand.
Before the game, forward Chris Thorburn won the much deserved “player’s player” award, which honors the player that the team most felt carried the team on his shoulders, and who worked the hardest all season. Thorburn drug the team along with him at times. He, along with Eric Boulton and Jim Slater, never took a shift off all season long, and all three of them are a vital, integral part of this Thrashers team.
Bryan Little was awarded the Dan Snyder Memorial Award, for the player who works the hardest with the least recognition. Little deserves to be recognized for his season, in which he netted 18 goals and 29 assists in a comback year. He also lead the team with a +/- rating of an overall +12, which is outstanding.
Kudos goes to Andrew Ladd for tacking on his career leading 29th goal, and to Tim Stapleton for his fourth goal of the season. Both goals came on Atlanta’s powerplay.
The next step in Atlanta’s mission, which apparently is to grow with as many starts and fits as possible, is Tuesday night. Tuesday is the draft lottery. Atlanta can finish as high as second or as low as sixth.
Thank you everyone for following along through the highs and the lows this season. Please check back in the upcoming week for some draft lottery and playoff coverage now that the sixteen playoff teams are all set and ready to go. I hope everyone had an enjoyable season, and I’ll see everyone in June at the draft party. Happy spring, everyone.