2007–08 Atlanta Thrashers season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	2007–08
Year:	2007
Team:	Atlanta Thrashers
Conferencerank:	14th
Divisionrank:	4th
Record:	31–34–9
Homerecord:	16–13–2
Roadrecord:	13–15–2
Goalsfor:	157
Goalsagainst:	191
Coach:	Bob Hartley (Oct.) Don Waddell (Oct.–Apr.) interim
Altcaptain:	Niclas Havelid Marian Hossa (Oct.–Feb.) Ilya Kovalchuk Vyacheslav Kozlov Mark Recchi (Feb.–Apr.)
Attendance:	15,831 (85.4%)
Goalsleader:	Ilya Kovalchuk (52)
Assistsleader:	Ilya Kovalchuk (35)
Pointsleader:	Ilya Kovalchuk (87)
Plusminusleader:	Colby Armstrong (+4) Darren Haydar (+4)
Pimleader:	Eric Boulton (91)
Winsleader:	Johan Hedberg (13) Kari Lehtonen (13)
Gaaleader:	Ondrej Pavelec (3.11)

The 2007–08 Atlanta Thrashers season began on October 5, 2007. It was the Atlanta Thrashers' ninth season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Key dates prior to the start of the season:

The 2007 NHL Entry Draft took place in Columbus, Ohio, on June 22–23.
The free agency period began on July 1.

Regular season

Starting off 0–6–0, the Thrashers fired head coach Bob Hartley on October 17, 2007, replacing him on an interim basis with general manager Don Waddell.

On December 23, 2007, Marian Hossa scored just 19 seconds into overtime to give Atlanta a 3–2 road win over the St. Louis Blues.^[1] Hossa tied Martin Erat, who also scored 15 seconds into the overtime period of the Predators' November 15, 2007, 5–4 home win over the Chicago Blackhawks, for the fastest overtime goal of the 2007–08 regular season.^[2] ^[3] ^[4]

Excluding six shootout goals, the Thrashers allowed 266 goals, tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the most in the NHL.^[5] ^[6]

Conference standings

Schedule and results

October

Record: 4–8–0; Home: 1–3–0; Road: 3–5–0

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
1	October 5		3 – 1	Atlanta			18,707	0–1–0	0
2	October 6	Atlanta	2 – 5				19,220	0–2–0	0
3	October 10	Ottawa	3 – 1	Atlanta		Lehtonen	12,751	0–3–0	0
4	October 11	Atlanta	0 – 6	Buffalo		Lehtonen	18,690	0–4–0	0
5	October 13	New Jersey	6 – 4	Atlanta		Lehtonen	15,606	0–5–0	0
6	October 16	Atlanta	0 – 4			Hedberg	18,933	0–6–0	0
7	October 18	NY Rangers	3 – 5	Atlanta		Hedberg	14,076	1–6–0	2
8	October 20	Atlanta	2 – 6	Tampa Bay		Hedberg	19,420	1–7–0	2
9	October 23	Atlanta	5 – 4	Toronto	SO	Hedberg	19,210	2–7–0	4
10	October 25	Atlanta	0 – 3	Nashville		Hedberg	13,383	2–8–0	4
11	October 27	Atlanta	3 – 2	Chicago		Hedberg	15,789	3–8–0	6
12	October 30	Atlanta	3 – 2	Montreal	SO	Hedberg	21,273	4–8–0	8

November

Record: 7–5–0; Home: 3–3–0; Road: 4–2–0

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
13	November 1	Atlanta	4 – 6	Ottawa			18,538	4–9–0	8
14	November 3	Atlanta	6 – 4	Tampa Bay		Pavelec	19,155	5–9–0	10
15	November 6	Washington	1 – 2	Atlanta	OT	Pavelec	15,530	6–9–0	12
16	November 9	Atlanta	4 – 1	Florida		Pavelec	14,268	7–9–0	14
17	November 10	Carolina	5 – 3	Atlanta		Pavelec	18,545	7–10–0	14
18	November 13	Florida	2 – 3	Atlanta	OT	Hedberg	12,599	8–10–0	16
19	November 16	Atlanta	3 – 0	Carolina		Hedberg	14,632	9–10–0	18
20	November 19	Tampa Bay	3 – 4	Atlanta	OT	Hedberg	13,419	10–10–0	20
21	November 21	Atlanta	5 – 1	Washington		Hedberg	11,669	11–10–0	22
22	November 23	New Jersey	3 – 0	Atlanta		Hedberg	18,545	11–11–0	22
23	November 24	Atlanta	0 – 5	Pittsburgh		Pavelec	17,132	11–12–0	22
24	November 29	Toronto	4 – 2	Atlanta		Hedberg	14,031	11–13–0	22

December

Record: 8–7–1; Home: 6–3–0; Road: 2–4–1

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
25	December 1	Atlanta	4 – 0	NY Islanders		Lehtonen	15,355	12–13–0	24
26	December 2	Atlanta	2 – 3	New Jersey	SO	Hedberg	14,978	12–13–1	25
27	December 5	NY Islanders	3 – 4	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	14,018	13–13–1	27
28	December 7	NY Rangers	2 – 4	Atlanta		Hedberg	18,204	14–13–1	29
29	December 8	Atlanta	3 – 6	Washington		Lehtonen	14,014	14–14–1	29
30	December 12	Boston	5 – 3	Atlanta		Hedberg	14,265	14–15–1	29
31	December 14	Toronto	4 – 0	Atlanta		Lehtonen	16,424	14–16–1	29
32	December 15	Atlanta	3 – 7	Ottawa		Hedberg	20,082	14–17–1	29
33	December 18	Tampa Bay	2 – 6	Atlanta		Lehtonen	14,060	15–17–1	31
34	December 20	Ottawa	2 – 3	Atlanta		Lehtonen	14,085	16–17–1	33
35	December 22	Montreal	2 – 3	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	17,153	17–17–1	35
36	December 23	Atlanta	3 – 2	St. Louis	OT	Lehtonen	17,731	18–17–1	37
37	December 26	Atlanta	0 – 2	Columbus		Lehtonen	15,726	18–18–1	37
38	December 27	Florida	5 – 3	Atlanta		Lehtonen	16,080	18–19–1	37
39	December 29	Boston	0 – 5	Atlanta		Lehtonen	18,545	19–19–1	39
40	December 31	Atlanta	2 – 5	Boston		Lehtonen	17,565	19–20–1	39

January

Record: 5–4–3; Home: 3–2–2; Road: 2–2–1

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
41	January 2	Atlanta	5 – 4	Carolina	OT	Hedberg	13,506	20–20–1	41
42	January 4	Carolina	4 – 3	Atlanta		Lehtonen	16,097	20–21–1	41
43	January 6	Buffalo	2 – 5	Atlanta		Hedberg	15,213	21–21–1	43
44	January 8	Philadelphia	4 – 1	Atlanta		Hedberg	13,047	21–22–1	43
45	January 10	Florida	3 – 2	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	14,805	21–22–2	44
46	January 12	Pittsburgh	2 – 3	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	18,545	22–22–2	46
47	January 15	Atlanta	5 – 1	Detroit		Lehtonen	17,408	23–22–2	48
48	January 17	Montreal	3 – 2	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	16,181	23–22–3	49
49	January 18	Atlanta	1 – 10	Buffalo		Hedberg	18,690	23–23–3	49
50	January 20	Edmonton	4 – 2	Atlanta		Lehtonen	16,683	23–24–3	49
51	January 22	Atlanta	0 – 4	NY Rangers		Lehtonen	18,200	23–25–3	49
52	January 24	Atlanta	1 – 2	NY Rangers	SO	Hedberg	18,200	23–25–4	50
53	January 30	Pittsburgh	1 – 4	Atlanta		Lehtonen	14,070	24–25–4	52

February

Record: 4–6–2; Home: 3–3–0; Road: 1–4–2

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
54	February 1	Buffalo	4 – 5	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	17,064	25–25–4	54
55	February 2	Atlanta	2 – 0	Washington		Lehtonen		26–25–4	56
56	February 5	Philadelphia	3 – 2	Atlanta		Lehtonen	15,082	26–26–4	56
57	February 7	Vancouver	2 – 1	Atlanta		Lehtonen	16,813	26–27–4	56
58	February 9	Tampa Bay	1 – 2	Atlanta	OT	Lehtonen	18,879	27–27–4	58
59	February 13	Washington	2 – 3	Atlanta	SO	Lehtonen	15,285	28–27–4	60
60	February 15	Atlanta	4 – 3	New Jersey	SO	Hedberg	14,475	29–27–4	62
61	February 16	Atlanta	1 – 4	NY Islanders		Lehtonen	16,234	29–28–4	62
62	February 21	Atlanta	3 – 5	Carolina		Lehtonen	13,548	29–29–4	62
63	February 23	Atlanta	1 – 3	Toronto		Lehtonen	19,390	29–30–4	62
64	February 26	Atlanta	1 – 5	Montreal		Lehtonen	21,273	29–31–4	62
65	February 28	NY Islanders	5 – 4	Atlanta	OT	Lehtonen	16,332	29–31–5	63

March

Record:2–4–2; Home:2–3–0; Road:0–1–3

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
66	March 1	Atlanta	2 – 3	Boston	OT	Hedberg	17,565	29–31–6	64
67	March 2	Atlanta	2 – 3	Pittsburgh	SO	Lehtonen	17,132	29–31–7	65
68	March 5	Carolina	6 – 3	Atlanta		Hedberg	13,032	29–32–7	65
69	March 7	Minnesota	2 – 3	Atlanta	SO	Hedberg	18,709	30–32–7	67
70	March 8	Atlanta	2 – 3	Florida	OT	Lehtonen	16,614	30–32–8	68
71	March 11	Colorado	5 – 2	Atlanta		Hedberg	14,089	30–33–8	69
72	March 13	Calgary	4 – 6	Atlanta		Lehtonen	16,244	31–33–8	70
73	March 14	Atlanta	1 – 4	Washington		Lehtonen	18,208	31–34–8	70
74	March 16	Atlanta	1 – 3	Florida		Hedberg	15,704	31–35–8	70
75	March 18	Atlanta	2 – 3	Philadelphia		Lehtonen	19,564	31–36–8	70
76	March 19	Carolina	5 – 3	Atlanta		Hedberg	13,251	31–37–8	70
77	March 21	Washington	5 – 3	Atlanta		Lehtonen	18,562	31–38–8	70
78	March 27	Atlanta	3 - 2	Florida				32–38–8	72
79	March 28	Atlanta	1 - 7	Carolina				32–39–8	72
80	March 31	Atlanta	2 - 0	Tampa Bay				33–39–8	74

April

Record:1-1-0; Home:1-1-0; Road:0-0-0

	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
81	April 1	Florida	3 - 2	Atlanta				33–40–8	74
82	April 5	Tampa Bay	1 - 4	Atlanta				34–40–8	76

Playoffs

A year after winning the Southeast Division, the Thrashers failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

	Regular season
Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
	79	52	35	87	52
	60	26	22	48	30
	81	12	33	45	26
	82	17	24	41	26
	53	12	28	40	20
	82	5	33	38	42
	74	14	23	37	36
	82	15	19	34	90
	73	5	13	18	92
	48	6	10	16	18
	62	10	5	15	24
	81	1	10	11	42
	69	8	5	13	41
	18	4	7	11	6
	72	1	9	10	60
	74	4	5	9	127
	65	3	5	8	58
	16	1	7	8	2
	79	2	5	7	85
	55	1	6	7	48
	18	0	5	5	20
	18	3	2	5	6
	62	1	3	4	12
	10	2	2	4	2
	13	1	2	3	14
	33	0	2	2	10
	2	1	1	2	0
	8	0	1	1	4
	7	0	0	0	42

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

	Regular season
Player	GP	TOI	W	L	OT	GA	SO	SV%	GAA
	48	2707	17	22	5	131	4	.916	2.90
	36	1927	14	15	3	111	1	.892	3.46
	7	347	3	3	0	18	0	.905	3.11

Awards and records

Milestones

Regular season
Player	Milestone	Reached
Tobias Enstrom	1st NHL game	October 5, 2007
Bryan Little	1st NHL game 1st NHL goal 1st NHL point	October 5, 2007
Brett Sterling	1st NHL game	October 5, 2007
Tobias Enstrom	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	October 6, 2007
Darren Haydar	1st NHL goal 1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	October 13, 2007
Bryan Little	1st NHL assist	October 13, 2007
Brett Sterling	1st NHL assist 1st NHL point	October 13, 2007
Ken Klee	800th NHL PIM	October 16, 2007
Ondrej Pavelec	1st NHL game	October 20, 2007
Brett Sterling	1st NHL goal	October 20, 2007
Tobias Enstrom	1st NHL goal	October 23, 2007
Ken Klee	800th NHL game	October 25, 2007
Ilya Kovalchuk	400th NHL game	November 1, 2007
Ondrej Pavelec	1st NHL win	November 3, 2007
Eric Perrin	100th NHL game	November 3, 2007
Todd White	100th NHL goal	November 6, 2007

Transactions

The Thrashers have been involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.

Trades

June 26, 2007	To St. Louis Blues Keith Tkachuk conditional 4th round pick in 2008	To Atlanta Thrashers conditional 1st round pick in 2008
December 8, 2007	To Atlanta Thrashers Mark Recchi	Claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh Penguins
February 26, 2008	To Pittsburgh Penguins Marian Hossa Pascal Dupuis	To Atlanta Thrashers Colby Armstrong Erik Christensen Angelo Esposito 2008 1st round pick (Daultan Leveille)

Free agents

Player	Former team	Contract terms
		4 years, $9.5 million
		2 years, $1.15. million
		2 years, $2.5 million
		2 years, $925,000

Player	New team
	New York Islanders
	Nashville Predators
	Minnesota Wild
	Anaheim Ducks
	Columbus Blue Jackets
	New York Islanders

Draft picks

Atlanta's picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio.^[7]

Round		Player	Position	College/junior/club team (league)
3	67	Spencer Machacek	Right wing	Vancouver Giants (WHL)
4	115	Niclas Lucenius	Center	Tappara (Finland)
6	175	John Albert	Center	U.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
7	205	Paul Postma	Defense	Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

Atlanta will pick third in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, behind the Tampa Bay Lightning and Los Angeles Kings, after failing to move up in the draft lottery. The Thrashers will also have the first round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins, received in the trade for Marian Hossa.^[8]

Farm teams

American Hockey League

The Chicago Wolves are the Thrashers American Hockey League affiliate for the 2007–08 AHL season

ECHL

The Gwinnett Gladiators are the Thrashers ECHL affiliate.

Notes and References

Web site: Atlanta Thrashers at St. Louis Blues Box Score — December 23, 2007.
Web site: 2007-08 NHL Schedule and Results.
Web site: Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators Box Score — November 15, 2007.
http://ww.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2008_games.html{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Web site: 2007-08 NHL Summary.
Web site: 2007-08 NHL Schedule and Results.
2007 NHL Entry Draft Results nhl.com
http://thrashers.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=355064&page=NewsPage&service=page Thrashers Acquire Armstrong, Erik Christensen, 2008 1st Round Selection and Angelo Esposito for Hossa and Dupuis