The Thrashers have now confirmed that GM Rick Dudley has hired Craig Ramsay as the team’s fifth head coach. The team was rumored to have decided on Ramsay last night, but it was not officially announced until about 3:30 p.m. today. Ramsay was most recently an assistant with the Boston Bruins.
“Craig is very well-respected in the hockey community and we’re excited to add a coach of his caliber to our organization” said Dudley. “He is widely regarded as an excellent teacher and he is the right choice to help further develop our team and lead us to our ultimate goal.”
Over night, Dudley confirmed two trades in which the Thrash have dealt a total of five players and three draft choices in the transactions.
In return, Atlanta received Stanley Cup playoff star Dustin Byfuglien, Ben Eager, Akim Aliu and Brent Sopel from the Chicago Blackhawks as well as future considerations from the San Jose Sharks. Atlanta sent the Blackhawks Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Crabb, Jeremy Morin and two 2010 draft picks while San Jose received Mike Vernace, Brett Starling and the Thrashers’ 2010 seventh-round draft pick.
"This deal immediately improves our hockey club and adds valuable size, speed and Stanley Cup experience to our roster," Dudley told the team website. "Dustin Byfuglien is a prototypical power forward and another young, rising star we are adding to our roster. With Brent Sopel and Ben Eager we also get a defensive-minded defenseman who is one of the better penalty killers in the league, and a tough, checking line forward who is an outstanding forchecker. Akim Aliu joins our stable of talented prospects."
Also, The Sporting News and the Minneapolis Star Tribune have reported that the Thrashers are trying to hire John Torchetti as assistant coach. Torchetti was interviewed recently by Atlanta as a possible head coaching candidate. Ramsey has served as head coach at Buffalo and Philadelphia while Torchetti is an associate coach at Chicago and has been an assistant at Tampa Bay and interim head coach with the L.A. Kings and Florida Panthers.
WHAT THIS MEANS …
The new GM has obviously been very busy since being hired. Thrashers fans have to be pleased with these moves, which immediately change the face and personality of the franchise. It also proves that the ownership group still believes in the franchise and that Atlanta can support it.
The history of pro sports in Atlanta shows that the city can and will support a winner. It is good to see that the Thrashers are desperately trying to win and win soon.
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I like the direction that this franchise is headed. Hopefully, they can finally win a playoff game.
Can we open up the wallet now and resign Big Buff? We’d better. That guy was da bomb against the Flyers and hopefully he leads us to the playoffs. Then Daddy Warbucks will open up the wallet and buy a PLAYOFF SUITE!
Make it RAIN Y’ALL!
Is that the same assistant coach from the 1980 Miracle on Ice? (OK, fine, the only reason I know is from the movie)
Ramsay is actually Canadian, so he was not a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” squad.