Sadowski: Hartley is working magic with Atlanta

Friday, December 29, 2006

You have to feel good for Bob Hartley, who guided the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title in 2001 and could be on track to do the same in Atlanta, of all places.

The Thrashers, who joined the NHL in 1999-2000, posted the first winning record in team history last season under Hartley and have taken a relatively comfortable lead in the Southeast Division this season.

The once maligned Southeast, remember, has produced the past two Stanley Cup winners: Carolina and Tampa Bay.

Barring a second-half collapse, the Thrashers will make their first postseason appearance in the spring and could do plenty of damage.

Hartley, a former windshield factory worker, never did get enough credit for the job he did in Colorado, even if his championship team was loaded with the kind of talent that couldn't be assembled now with the restraints of a salary cap.

But it can't be that easy keeping egos in check with a roster full of superstars, either, and Hartley still owns Avalanche coaching records for wins in the regular season (193) and playoffs (49); he was behind the Colorado bench for a little less than 4 1/2 seasons.

Shortly after getting fired by the Avalanche in December 2002, 31 games into the season, Hartley was hired by Thrashers general manager Don Waddell, who had replaced coach Curt Fraser on an interim basis.

Hartley inherited a team that had won 12 of 43 games and posted a 19-15-5 mark the rest of the way.

Hartley held the Thrashers together the next season during trying times after the death of Dan Snyder in a car accident that involved star Dany Heatley. The club set franchise records for wins (33) and points (78), marks that were shattered last season when Atlanta had 43 wins, 90 points and barely missed the playoffs.

Now, the Thrashers have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference (23-10-6) despite the absence of a big-time center - Marc Savard bolted as a free agent in the summer to sign with Boston - and a defense that has been depleted by injuries.

It helps that Hartley can call upon forwards Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa and Slava Kozlov - they have combined for 59 goals and 137 points - as well as goalie Kari Lehtonen, who is 18-7-6 with four shutouts and a 2.74 goals-against average.

Yet Hartley contends he still isn't quite sure what to expect from his team on a nightly basis.

Sounding a lot like Forrest Gump, Hartley told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Sometimes we're just like a box of chocolates. You have to take a bite to find out what's on the inside."

So far, he is discovering the sweet taste of success.

Tortorella's 'science' is working

Maybe this coaching business isn't all that it's cracked up to be, at least when it comes to putting together line combinations.

Tampa Bay Lightning coach John Tortorella hardly sounded like a rocket scientist when he explained his theory on the subject.

"I just throw lines together," he told the Tampa Tribune. "If we're not getting offense, I just throw a bunch of people together. If something sticks to the wall, you stick with it."

Wild also needs consistency

The Avalanche isn't the only Northwest Division team that could use strong goaltending on a more consistent basis.

Minnesota Wild coach Jacques Lemaire isn't satisfied with the performances he is getting from Manny Fernandez, especially on the road. Fernandez has been in goal for 14 of the Wild's 18 wins, but he's 3-10 on the road with a 3.48 average and .891 saves percentage.

"We've been having average goaltending, there's no doubt," Lemaire told reporters. "On the road, that's what we've been getting, and if we get maybe a real top game from the goalie, we'll get out of it. Somebody's got to help somewhere."

Fitzpatrick frowns at criticism

It doesn't bother Rory Fitzpatrick that he probably won't be playing in the NHL All-Star Game next month, but he took issue with Don Cherry's recent remarks regarding a fan's write-in campaign.

Cherry, a Hockey Night in Canada commentator, said during a segment before Christmas that Internet voters were using the Vancouver Canucks defenseman as a "jerk" to laugh at and that he would be remembered as a "freak."

Fitzpatrick, who has no points and 22 penalty minutes in 23 games this season, has fallen behind Anaheim's Scott Niedermayer and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom in voting for the Western Conference starters on defense.

"I think there's probably a lot of reasons I shouldn't be on the All-Star team, but I don't think 'freak' and 'jerk' are two of those reasons," Fitzpatrick said. "Everyone's got their opinion, but when it comes out personal like that, it doesn't make much sense."

Penguins would pay to stay

There's still hope for Penguins fans concerned the team will leave Pittsburgh, but the club will need to contribute money toward a new arena if it's going to stay.

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, the city and Allegheny County have offered a deal to the Penguins for an arena that is similar to those given the football Steelers and baseball Pirates for their new stadiums.

The Penguins would pay $8.5 million up front and $2.9 million for 30 years. Majestic Star Casino, which was awarded a slots license a week ago by the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission Board, would contribute $7.5 million a year for 30 years and the state $7 million a year for 30 years from gambling revenue.

"I don't know why (the Penguins) are fussing so much about $3 million a year if they can get the rental agreement the Steelers and Pirates have," Jake Haulk, president of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, told the Tribune-Review.

The Penguins were banking on the Isle of Capri winning the slots license because the company had pledged $290 million for a new arena. When it didn't happen, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux said he would have to explore moving the team.

Slap shots

• The Senators will be without their top two centers, Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher, for a while. Spezza already was sidelined for at least four weeks with a knee injury when Fisher hurt his knee in Wednesday's game against the Islanders.

• A new $3.5 million scoreboard was installed at the Pengrowth Saddledome, home of the Flames, during the team's six-game trip before Christmas. It made its debut Tuesday when the Flames played Vancouver.

• Mike Murphy, the league's senior vice president of hockey operations, has expressed interest in the Panthers' vacant assistant general manager position.

Jokinen has shootout touch

• It's no wonder teams are wary about getting involved in overtime shootouts with the Dallas Stars. The Stars went 12-1 in shootouts last season - the only loss came against Anaheim - and they're 3-0 this season. Stars left wing Jussi Jokinen, who has scored 26 goals during the past two seasons, has converted 12 of 16 shots in shootouts.

sadowskir@RockyMountainNews.com