As was widely reported this weekend, Thrashers General Manager Rick Dudley was informed that he would be bought out upon the team's move to Winnipeg. He and Don Waddell both will be out of a job come June 21st, though only one of those two is thought to have any future with an NHL franchise.
Kevin Cheveldayoff was general manager of the Thrashers' AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves for twelve years, winning four titles with them before moving on to be an assistant GM for the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he nabbed a Stanley Cup ring.
Dudley, of course, was partial architect of that same Cup winning team, as well as the 2004 Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Both of these teams won the Cup promptly after Dudley had moved on in his career. Maybe True North Sports and Entertainment want to see if that happens for a third time - but it's more likely that they just want to hose away all traces of this franchise being in Atlanta, and if that includes one of the best and most well-respected GMs in the game, then so be it. Their loss is another team's gain.
The coaching staff seems to be next on the chopping block, with Craig Ramsay having a meeting with TNSE sometime this week. No Rammer might be a bit of an unpleasant surprise for Blake Wheeler and Mark Stuart, who were happy to play for their old assistant coach in Boston.
Check back with SB Nation Atlanta's frequently updated Thrashers sale StoryStream for the latest updates. For discussion, join Bird Watchers Anonymous, SB Nation's Atlanta Thrashers community or Behind The Net, our Winnipeg NHL community. For more hockey, visit SB Nation's NHL hub.