ATLANTA, Ga. – Two seasons ago, John Anderson was the hottest coaching prospect coming out of the AHL, more than enough reason for the parent Atlanta Thrashers to promote him to the NHL club. Wednesday morning, he joined former Tampa coach Rick Tocchet on the unemployment line.
Thrashers’ owners Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon announced that they had ordered a restructuring of the team’s hockey operations staff. The move cleared out Anderson and assistant coaches Randy Cunneyworth, Todd Nelson and Steve Weeks as well as moving Don Waddell up to the position of President and installing longtime hockey man Rick Dudley as General Manager.
“Although we all are disappointed at not participating in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, we are excited about our future and will continue to build on the team’s strong core of young players with the goal of creating a competitive and successful squad that will make our fans proud,” Levenson and Gearon said in the announcement that was posted on the team’s website and sent to season ticket holders.
Anderson’s 70-75-19 record behind the Thrashers bench might be deceiving to many. After leading the Chicago Wolves to the Calder Cup title, Waddell and the ownership thought he could do the same in Atlanta. However, that was not the case as a combination of personality conflicts with the likes of Slava Kozlov and trades such as the one that sent Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey at the recent trade deadline may have taken their toll.
The Thrashers finished this past season with a 35-34-13 record, missing the playoffs by five points. Anderson told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he was disappointed that he was not given more time to improve the team’s fortunes.
“From last year, I don’t like to use the word rebuilding mode but that’s what we were in,” Anderson said. “Two years later, I think we left the house in pretty good order. We almost made the playoffs. I wish we had. It might have been the difference in my job and some other guys’ jobs.”
Waddell, who had been the general manager since the team came into existence in 1999, presided over just one post-season appearance in that time. His was the face that fans upset with the team’s lack of success took aim at. The Thrashers also suffered through attendance issues throughout Waddell’s time.
In his role as president, Waddell will deal with business issues while Dudley handles hockey operations situations.
“My role within the company has evolved and grown the last few years and the owners and I agree that it is the appropriate time to have Rick assume all hockey-related responsibilities while I shift my primary focus to the business side of the Thrashers,” Waddell said. “I will be less involved with the team on a daily basis but will continue to make myself available to Rick and to lend my experience in any way that allows him to succeed and for us to build this club into a perennial contender.”
Dudley, who has been the associate general manager for the Thrashers for just about a year, is no stranger to the big chair. He was the G.M. of the Ottawa Senators in 1998-1999 and followed that with three years at the helm of the Tampa Bay Lightning. During his time in Tampa, he built the organizational infrastructure and roster that culminated in a Stanley Cup championship in 2004.
He will take over all of the decisions involving the on-ice hockey operations.
“We have a lot of important pieces in place and I look forward to building this organization even further and working closely with Don (Waddell), the owners and our staff towards achieving our goals,” Dudley said. “I’ve been in this situation before and we will accomplish our objectives. I appreciate Don and the owners giving me this opportunity to build on what has already been put in place.”
Dudley’s first tasks will be to hire a new coach and to prepare for the NHL Draft set for June 25 in Los Angeles.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.