Thrashed: An Atlanta Hockey Story

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The Arizona Coyotes venture in Glendale has been a literal money pit: Tens of millions of dollars lost by the Coyotes, the NHL, and the city of Glendale over years of futility and arguments. After long struggling to find footing, Glendale is booting the Coyotes out of their city after next year. The potential of them moving (again) is very real, but in this situation, I think it's best to revisit the last team that moved in the NHL: The Atlanta Thrashers.
In 1999, there was optimism for hockey in Atlanta: Their first team in the Flames had fizzled out, but things were different this time. Yes, they were quite different. This video will explain why; and perhaps help us understand that the Thrashers never had a chance in the first place, due to the team, ownership, and the NHL itself.

[@archangelgv2811]

"The Mascot Getting arrested in a low speed chase in a zamboni" might be the funniest hockey related thing I've ever heard

[@philly_sports1558]

Sounds like something Gritty would do but they beat him to the punch.

[@Canada1994]

I remember hearing about that being part of a stunt to drum up ticket sales where he would be released if more than 500 people showed up to any Thrasher home game and it failed. I'm Canadian and I'm so glad that they are thriving in Winnipeg now (though I would've liked the poetic justice of Pheonix moving back to Winnipeg). I also remember the Canadian Sports Center doing an interview with the five or six black players on the Thrashers on MLK day (who were only on the team as part of that marketing gimmick to appeal to Atlanta's black community). I'm also from Owen Sound Ontario and we have Dan Snyder honoured as the first alumni player in the Owen Sound Plater/Attack organization in the OHL since the crash that killed him.

[@FelipeYoshioCordeirodeSouza]

Now get the Nordiques back too

[@Canada1994]

@@FelipeYoshioCordeirodeSouza I agree. Just the Expos and Nordiques and we have all the teams back that we lost. I'm not getting my hopes up on another NBA team in Vancouver since Seattle is going to get the Super Sonics back one day.

[@lsh3rd]

I remember this... it happened just up the road from me... they used the local rink's Zamboni as part of the stunt. The funny thing about it was that the arena up the road that hosts our local minor league team had a delay of game the night before because their Zamboni broke and I told my friend who complained about this, "I want to see a Zamboni driving up Satellite Blvd" - in reference to getting the Zamboni from the rink to cut the ice in the arena so they could start the game. This stunt literally happened the next morning! (Update, looking back at our conversation on 12/14/2010, that Gladiators game was actually an away game in Greenville, SC, but still funny nevertheless that I made the comment)

[@Septicor]

I dated a girl from Atlanta, and during a random conversation she mentioned that the state bird was the Thrasher, I stopped and derped for not realizing that's where the team name came from.

[@Junketsuadidas]

If you think that’s bad, it was years before I even realized the logo was a bird LOL

[@glaxko2]

Depends who you ask. Some say the state bird is the Thrasher, others will say it's the Flame.

[@sergiowinter5383]

I didn't even know they had a state bird

[@skippythealien9627]

@@Junketsuadidas That logo honestly looks like a golden brown cyclone...and with a name like Thrashers if you didn't know that it was actually a bird, then yes a cyclone is fitting for a logo

[@freeparking301]

Brown cyclone? Like a shitstorm? Makes sense.

[@kenmograd2009]

One of St. Louis’s sports reporters, Frank Cusumano, said this after the Rams moved back to LA: “There is no such thing as a bad sports city; however, there is such a thing as bad owners.” I think that statement makes perfect sense for Atlanta hockey.

[@thepassingstatic6268]

This is proven all the more with LA winning a SB last year and barely anyone in LA cared

[@johneddy908]

That's what happens when you put out-of-staters into the picture; that's what happened to the NBA's Seattle Supersonics who would move to Oklahoma City.

[@1bert719]

This is why I call the Calgary vs Winnipeg match ups the "Battle of Atlanta" 😉

[@Falconforge89]

That’s colder than the other side of the pillow

[@MrL1983]

And regardless of who wins, Atlanta will be metaphorically torched. William T. Sherman approves.

[@FelipeYoshioCordeirodeSouza]

​@@Falconforge89RIP Stuart Scott

[@eliasmathew797]

Nice😂

[@xaviersaavedra7442]

Someone call Sherman!

[@obsidian00]

I was there on day freaking one…at the Dave and Buster’s in Marietta, Ga. where the draft party was being held…sure I was working Security at the time but I instantly became a fan! I enjoyed being a Thrashers’ fan…I knew it wouldn’t last though, Atlanta had been there before :-(

[@shantheman6879]

You can always root for the Jets.

[@mclovin2155]

@@shantheman6879 why would he waste his time on them? Not everybody wants to be disappointed every year.

[@obijuanquenobi1911]

I was taken to the first game as a 7 year old just to watch us get shitted on by New Jersey. It was entertaining for me at the time. I did enjoy being a fan despite the team not doing much. I’m a bit sad that they’re gone to Winnipeg.

[@BSTStudios]

Hell yeah the by I-75 the place legends go to!

[@GeorgeDubya43]

@@shantheman6879 Most Thrashers fans became Predators fans

[@wallballman8]

As an Atlantan that grew up going to Thrashers games, thank you for this video. Did it make me angry all over again? Yes. But you highlighted the real reasons the Thrashers failed instead of the "Atlanta doesn't give a fuck about hockey" response I get from many others. That arena was so fun, the Thrasher heads blowing fire after every goal, the light blue jerseys (controversial take, I know), and just stepping inside and feeling the ice from a warm Atlanta autumn. The Thrashers taught me how to love hockey and how to be a hockey fan, and I still miss them to this day. It's fuck Atlanta Spirit until the day I die. I will always believe in Blueland.

[@matthewpulama106]

The fact that Atlanta Spirit Group has the gall to call the Thrashers an "old shame" is another reason why they need to be put in the guillotine.

[@tracksdodge4436]

Playoff hockey always brings the hatred back I have for Atlanta Spirit. I became a fan of hockey because of going to the Thrashers with my dad. I go to the Gladiators games as often as possible but….we need an NHL team in the city.

[@PatrickRoy30]

They were literally the dumbest people possible. In the mid 2000’s they were actively looking to hire a goalie coach… for 1 day a week… an NHL franchise believed that their goalies only needed specific coaching, 1 day a week. Just mind blowingly stupid decision after stupid decision.

[@jarvisfrederick671]

That logo was hideous

[@afhostie]

I loved the blue jerseys, apart from the bird which was always weird to me

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

The NHL’s biggest failure over the past two to three decades so far has been expanding all over the South and Southwest but never finding a way to truly make professional hockey popular in two of North America’s largest markets in those areas: Atlanta and Houston.

[@yuh7610]

I still run into fans in atlanta and around Georgia constantly, the fan support was always available, the owners just didn't care for us at all

[@aliceliska]

At least they hit it great with Dallas

[@independentaquaman7424]

I disagree regarding the Atlanta bit. Even Trump failed heavily there. Lol

[@UserName-ts3sp]

houston: they weren’t ready for the 97 expansion, and better options in vegas (completely untapped) and seattle were available. they should be first in line for a team atlanta: bad ownership, and the lease ran out (thrashers). that’s what it really was for the flames and thrashers. get solid ownership and they can have success in atlanta. but good ownership isn’t a given. may take a couple of them to get it right. it took a while for tampa and nashville to get dedicated owners. tampa was once owned by the japanese mafia.

[@NoonyJW]

@@independentaquaman7424 mostly black city shouldn’t be a surprise

[@philly_sports1558]

That team in 2007 was actually sick. Ilya Kovalchuk, Marian Hossa, Slava Kozlov, and even Keith Tkachuk. I think the fact that they got swept against the Rangers in the first round and never recovered was the beginning of the end. They actually had something but they immediately lost it.

[@co81385]

I agree, that team had a lot of potential that never got to see its ceiling.

[@purplesword5536]

Agreed they never built on that 06-07 team. The sweep by the rangers was awful, never recovered from it. Had as you said some sick talent but hank was great in that series.

[@obijuanquenobi1911]

I didn’t think we would win against Rangers but I wasn’t expecting a blowout either

[@JHockeyFan]

If Heatley doesn’t crash his car, maybe history is completely different in Atlanta.

[@purplesword5536]

@@JHockeyFan that's a good pt..

[@curtmcgirt1]

ATL United showed that a non-core sport could THRIVE in this city. They prove that the Thrashers should have worked

[@coreylineberry8557]

I'm hoping Charlotte FC will take off like Atlanta United.

[@bigravensfan21]

Wasn't soccer already popular in the area?

[@curtmcgirt1]

@@bigravensfan21 yes, but there were lots of doubts about ATLUTD prior to 2017. The Thrashers were used as a cudgel from the day United was announced in 2014

[@DeosPraetorian]

@@curtmcgirt1 difference is that United actually won something

[@AutoArtemAuto]

@@DeosPraetorian Also, Atlanta United had a owner that gave a shit about them. The Thrashers didn't have that at all.

[@JWex-jy7sk]

Learned a lot about them when "The Hockey Guy" did a video about the Thrashers on his KZbin channel! Like he said...It was never due to attendance, they were never at the very bottom of the league in that category. It was just more terrible ownership that really didn't know how to run this team from a financial standpoint, and it became so bad to where they couldn't even afford to renew the arena lease. Thrashers in their final 6 years in Atlanta ended up losing $120 million financially

[@djtrankilo231]

That video got me following THG for the same reason. His takes are interesting

[@AutoArtemAuto]

I try to show videos like these to tone-deaf hockey elitists and purists who keep blaming the city of Atlanta and fan attendance for the Thrashers failures. Shit ownership.

[@djtrankilo231]

@@AutoArtemAuto to be fair though, Atlanta does have a fairweather attitude towards their teams. When Atlanta United won the MLS Cup, hardly anybody showed up to the parade.

[@AutoArtemAuto]

@@djtrankilo231 To be fair, it's a sports city where the fans have experienced pain and misery from the other teams choking and bringing them heartache left and right for decades. It must have been surreal and people were working that day. Plus, to people in the southern United States, cold weather is an absolute bitch outside in December. Trust me.

[@djtrankilo231]

@@AutoArtemAuto as someone from the Midwest that constantly visits the South, it's getting even colder now in the winter. Just ad bad as up here

[@mattrothmann]

I’m glad Tree doesn’t blame the city or the fans for the Thrashers moving. It’s important to note that the Thrashers had actually sold more seats than the Hawks did during the regular season during their time up until 2011 and it was because our owners left us for dead that we ended up being relocated to Winnipeg. Idk if this was confirmed true or not but I also heard reports that Kovalchuk chose to not resign with us in 2010 because the owners and management could not guarantee him that the team would remain in Atlanta. It was just a very awful time once Atlanta Spirit got their hands on the Thrashers and cared more for the Hawks despite having less attendance during that time.

[@Jfraire99]

Considering where the Hawks are now makes me wonder if the Thrashers would've been in a similar spot to them today. Cities that have multiple teams all have their success happen pretty close to one another. 2016 saw Cleveland's Cavaliers, and Indians with now the Browns emerging. D.C's Nationals and Capitals won championships within a year of eachother then the Wizards and Football Team just made the playoffs. Boston/New England's Red Sox and Patriots won a championship the same year then had the Bruins make the finals. Last year the city of Los Angeles had the Dodgers and Lakers win championships. This year Tampa Bay just had the Buccaneers and Lightning win with the Rays making the most current World Series so far as their still in their season.

[@c2thefuture]

A common misconception is that Atlanta moved due to poor attendance. That's only part of the issue. Poor attendance didn't kill the Thrashers, Atlanta Spirit did

[@marcus813]

Atlanta Spirit had no clue about how to run a hockey franchise. It seemed to care lots more about the Hawks and it showed. I think that if an ownership group gave a damn, it would be very successful in Metro Atlanta sometime down the road.

[@Legion_Immortal]

@@marcus813 That's because they never wanted the Thrashers. They only wanted the Hawks and Phillips Arena.

[@iplayfhorn]

@@Legion_Immortal Exactly.

[@obsidian00]

Damn near every game was packed! We loved Hockey in the South

[@TheFaustianMan]

It's a black city. they don't care about hockey. NFL and NBA. Just how it works.

[@kcjc]

I’ve always had a soft spot for the Thrashers despite not having a reason to. I distinctly remember weirding out the cashier with my excitement from finding a Thrashers mug on clearance at the sports store in the mall a couple years ago.

[@Zach-mw5so]

Do you still have the mug? What do you drink out of it?

[@kcjc]

@@Zach-mw5so I do, if you google NHL 3D ceramic mug the first image will be a one just like it but for the Ducks. It’s good because I don’t have to worry about anything flaking off after cleaning it. I randomly use it during breakfast just for the novelty of owning it lol.

[@Zach-mw5so]

@@kcjc haha that’s funny man. And wholesome. Enjoy the rest of your week :)

[@dtskicks]

As a Canes fan, I miss our little rivalry with Atlanta, and wish there was still a team there.

[@mesousagaby740]

Well, at least you took their "PLEASE COME TO OUR GAAAAAAAAMES" meme.

[@dtskicks]

I very much look forward to 'Hurricanes Man' anytime he mentions us lol.

[@FelipeYoshioCordeirodeSouza]

And we want the Whalers back

[@ajevans1422]

I mean maybe Atlanta will get another chance but it will not happen anytime soon. Especially with Houston wanting a team. They just kept rolling snake eyes and Atlanta hockey was horrid to watch and was a clown show that rivals the Sens and Washington (Name can’t be found.)

[@MarloSoBalJr]

@@ajevans1422 I doubt it. It failed twice and with the Coyotes' uncertainty in Arizona, Houston or even SLC may snatch that bid

[@Coop22]

Glad someone with a voice is pointing out what most everyone in Atlanta knows. The ownership let this team die and move away. When the Thrashers were "good" for their standards, attendance was solid and fan support around the city was buzzing. Once Kovy went to NJ, that was the end of the team. There was no plan to rebuild, only ship off. Thankfully, 2015 re sparked my interest in hockey with the likable underdog Lightning playing for a cup, and have been a fan ever since. Most ATL fans either went NSH, CAR, or TBL.

[@justice4all371]

Much like St. Louis in football. It’s easy to write them off as an irrelevant football city, but they were given a raw deal with two snake owners. (Bill Bidwill and Stan Kroenke) Everybody knows how infamous the Browns and Lions are, but the Rams between 2005-2015 had the worst record in the NFL. Then the organization flips the switch and becomes ambitious after relocating to LA!

[@Murph_gaming]

@@justice4all371 At least St.Louis can say that they celebrated a Super Bowl win

[@TerminalSports45]

You know, once the media blackouts finally ended.

[@lildurpy]

Did any ATL fans follow the team to WPG?

[@tracksdodge4436]

@@lildurpy doubtful, even at Gladiator games when the Winnipeg jerseys are shown there’s a chorus of boos all these years later.

[@DoTheAstralPlane]

If you need any evidence of how bad Atlanta Spirit was, just look at the Hawks now after new ownership took over. Completely revitalized fanbase, great team, good public image, star power, and more playoff success than ever in franchise history. And it took only about 5-6 years.

[@Brock_900]

I lived in ATL in 2006. Atlanta Spirit was horrible for the NBA and the NHL. The GM's would go on sports talk radio quite often to explain trades and what not and it seemed they were getting marching orders from ownership on what to do. It was unbelievable.

[@MordecaiTheAwesomeBluejay]

This did not aged well lmao

[@patrickracer43]

I don't think anyone can blame the Thrashers for trading Heatley, he felt like he couldn't play in Atlanta... also, unlike with the Hawks, the Thrashers couldn't use Magic City as a attraction for free agents... also, the Thrashers probably could have stayed if Billionaire Ted owned the team like he does most of Atlanta

[@6Snaus]

And I don't think anyone should blame Heatley either. It was the worst moment of his life, and staying in Atlanta would've meant re-living it in perpetuity.

[@JHockeyFan]

If Heatley doesn’t crash his car, the Thrashers may have had a different outcome. Imagine Heater and Kovy together for 10 years plus instead of 2.5 years. Would have been fun

[@patrickracer43]

@F KZbin Idiots! for the want of beating Vince Macmahon,World Championship Wrestling was lost

[@iplayfhorn]

Turner did own the team. He had to dump the Thrashers, the Braves, and the Hawks when the TimeWarner/AOL merger became a dumspter fire. Turner doesn't own squat in Atlanta anymore.

[@patrickracer43]

@@iplayfhorn I think if the AOL/TimeWarner merger doesn't happen, the Thrashers and World Championship Wrestling are still around today... because my God was that a disastrous business merger

[@NoonyJW]

Seeing what has happened with Atlanta United in MLS pretty much being the most popular team in a sport thought to have no appeal in the south gives me hope that maybe another NHL team can be given to this city, Atlanta Gladiators is already a great brand 👀

[@grapes481]

I visited Atlanta this summer, I saw more soccer Jerseys than Falcons jerseys there.

[@epicchk4319]

MLS Europes Millionaire Retirement Home

[@Donutinator24]

Right, the care needs to be mutual. AUFC packing fucking 70k in Mercedez Benz consistently pre-rona cause Blank put people who gave a shit about being great at the sport in charge. I think he cares more about the soccer team than the Falcons lol

[@nb_nic]

@@Donutinator24 he just cares too much about the falcons and Bobby Petrino permanently fucked his ability to be objective about coaches and GMs. he felt like he got fired by him and hated it and thats what started the trend of him giving coaches and GMs too long of a leash, at least imo. Atlanta United has success mostly because he is hands off, imo

[@vaporterra]

@@epicchk4319 Yet the all star game that took place literally yesterday featured Cade Cowell and Ricardo Pepi two promising youth products. Guess that doesn’t fit your lazy narrative

[@dantrue4769]

Fun fact: Matt McConnell took over the coyotes play by play once atlanta moved. I feel for this guy. He has been stuck trying to be optimistic while watching these two teams over the last 15+ years. At least he and tyson Nash are one of the more entertaining duos in the league.

[@djtrankilo231]

And the Yotes have Biznasty

[@mathewlee5712]

I find Matt McConnell and Tyson Nash boring to listen .

[@sportsmaster1364]

Same way I felt for Kevin Quinn when he was doing the Oilers broadcasts. Only two years worth getting excited for were 2006 and 2017. The rest of his time here was COVID cutting short `19-`20, a first round exit in `03, and a whooooooole lotta nothing else.

[@knightradiant4990]

I had a soft spot for this team. I liked the color scheme, logo, and name. I was always rooting for them and was sad when they moved.

[@reaverofsouls]

Those 3rd jerseys were excellent

[@Mike_Poppe]

I go to school down south and own a thrashers jersey, every time I wear it out people look as if they’ve seen a ghost. I’ve even gotten a few go thrashers walking around. I feel bad for these fans.

[@yuh7610]

Grew up with season tickets to them, met Kane when he was a rookie at a game, so many countless memories. Clicked so fucking fast lmaooo

[@joemichigan4945]

I completely agree. I used to also think the reason they failed was because Atlanta wasn't a hockey city, but Vegas, Tampa and Nashville have proven that if you win the fans will come

[@emmettrego9719]

Coyotes experienced this kind of turmoil in a way more frustrating way

[@samuelfrick3475]

And the Coyotes way of losing their team

[@fammithommproductions]

It's honestly quite depressing to see that having another NHL team in Atlanta is practically out of the question because of what Atlanta Spirit did to the team.

[@marcus813]

Atlanta Spirit was so toxic that it left many people from outside Metro Atlanta with tons of misconceptions about the hockey fans there. I hope the fans there get another shot, but with an ownership group that cares this time.

[@GeorgeDubya43]

@@marcus813 if Tony Ressler or Arthur Blank owned the team, they would have no issues

[@sadbravesfan]

If Atlanta ever gets another team I'll probably be old af. Or dead.

[@sportsmaster1364]

@@GeorgeDubya43 it's too bad Ted Turner sold the team in the first place, Ted clearly cared more than Atlanta Spirit ever did

[@thepassingstatic6268]

@@GeorgeDubya43 outside of fake crowd noise maybe

[@reaverofsouls]

Went to a lot of games when I moved to Pittsburgh in 06, and I always loved seeing the Thrashers on the ice. That combo of Kovalchuk and Hossa was lethal. Plus their jerseys, all of em, were top tier.

[@JHockeyFan]

Imagine Heater and Kovy for 10 years plus in Atlanta instead of 2.5 years. If Heatley doesn’t crash his car, history is completely different

[@digitalrailroader]

7:02 if i remember correctly, the Predators were also swept in the 2007 playoffs, and they were also dealing with ownership issues; former Blackberry CEO Jim Balsillie was wanting to purchase the team from then owner at the time Craig Leipold (current owner of the Wild) and then immediately move them to Canada but a group of local Nashville businessmen outbid Jim Balsillie and they formed the predators current owner Predators Holdings LLC which did the exact opposite of Atlanta Spirit and allowed the team to thrive and stay in Nashville.

[@JHockeyFan]

Yes Paul Kariya left in UFA in 2007 because he thought the Predators were moving.

[@CujoF175]

Who’s here after the Tempe proposal for the coyotes fell through?

[@tehbeernerd]

One of these days, Jon Bois could make a video series about the Thrashers.

[@elijahechicagobearsboyd5734]

And tree would hate, every second of it LMAO! Secret base is literally stealing urinating tree's video topics.

[@AutoArtemAuto]

Tree's Legacy of Failure videos feel closer to an Abridged version by TFS, while SB Dorktown is closer to a Down The Rabbit Hole by Fredrik Knudsen. Both are enjoyable.

[@DeosPraetorian]

@@elijahechicagobearsboyd5734 how is it stealing his topics?

[@serraramayfield9230]

@@elijahechicagobearsboyd5734 um, he actually likes those videos

[@RandomCat125]

You know even though they were a failure, I still miss them

[@maggie_sketchess]

I'm a Chicago Wolves fan. The Wolves were affiliated with the Thrashers the entirety of their short existence. Dan Snyder is still honored and idolized by the Wolves. Every year since his death; they reward the best performer and biggest community guy with the Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award. Snyder meant a lot to this team in his years. Thank you for mentioning him. We miss you Snydes ❤

[@acedetective7280]

Used to watch Dan when he was with Orlando in the IHL before the league folded (still hate that Grand Rapids got to join the AHL not us). When the Solar Bears came back in the ECHL one of the first things the team did was have a ceremony honoring Dan.

[@clipobserver]

I remember I went to a Lightning game against the Thrashers with the youth group I was in. After the Bolts won, as we were leaving from the parking garage, Lightning fans were chanting "We're not last" over and over.

[@Mikgwerd]

Ah the good ol bad days, where the supposedly neutral AP sports writers would routinely use the adjective 'lowly' for either team.

[@SGBassplayer]

God bless you. You absolutely nailed it. The NHL Board of Governors approving Atlanta Spirit as new owners was the equivalent of a judge assigning custody of a foster child to Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan.

[@BrianCole]

watching this now in anticipation of the next coyotes video

[@kaiuche8640]

Full circle (mostly) came

[@ItZScientific]

Atlanta: This draft will be phenomenal, and if all else fails, at least we have a working laptop battery Ottawa: Mumbles vicious curses in French.

[@Awesometrax]

And Ottawa did not apologize after said curses.

[@FelipeYoshioCordeirodeSouza]

Like Quebec City?

[@clubpenguin13531]

@@avecaesar8519 but they are bilingual

[@N_manMETA11]

I was under the impression Ottawa was more influenced by Native Americans (y'know, based on the City's literal name), I'm fairly certain they aren't French, being that it's in Ontario, meaning it was most likely an English project city, rather than a French establishing post like Montreal and Q City were.

[@FalcoNat]

Ottawa is in Ontario. Gatineau is on the Quebec side.

[@AddaeAkono]

About time you made a Thrashers video. As an Atlanta sports fan, I've been to only one Thrashers game when they played against the NY Rangers and I think they won that game. Fuck the Atlanta Spirit Group for driving the Thrashers out of town and setting the Hawks back several years with that Joe Johnson deal.

[@AutoArtemAuto]

Hell, they almost shipped the Hawks to Austin, Texas several years ago. Shit owners.

[@TjSamson]

@@AutoArtemAuto Really? How come I haven't heard this one.

[@AutoArtemAuto]

@@TjSamson There was a lot of shit going on with that group of vultures. Some of the majority members nearly sold them to Austin, Texas in 2011, around the same time they sold the Thrashers to Winnipeg. The man who would have purchased them... David McDavid. The same man who Atlanta Spirit Group beat out of buying the Hawks and Thrashers in 2003. Stated before: Shit owners.

[@MrWillc1975]

I want to thank you so much for putting the TRUTH for what really happened to our Thrashers and the way they left . I'm for one had been a long time Thrashers fan since the beginning to the end ( 1999 - 2011 ) . I used to be 10 game pack ticket holder and I loved spending my time going to what was then Phillips Arena ( Now State Farm Arena ) to watch Thrashers hockey . I'll never forget the when I went to game 2 of our playoff game against the Rangers and how loud it was and you could feel the vibrations from the roof , that was awesome and something I'll never forget . like all hockey fan's I was heart broken on the day the team was sold and to have Winnipeg fans come to our chat rooms and laughing and pouring salt on our wombs saying that our fans and our city didn't deserve to have a hockey without them knowing the really story about what happened at the time really left me bitter and I'm glad to see this video come out and now I hope it will set the record straight about our fans that loved the Thrashers and to this day I still have my original Thrashers jersey and a couple of pucks and the a ticket stub from our first NHL regular season home game against the Devils in 1999 . I do hope hockey will find it way back someday ( As long at Bettman is around , I doubt it ) and if it does I'll probably be too old or in nursing home by then to enjoy it . Long live Blueland and the Thrashers and our fans !

[@alexatl89]

I legit cried when the Thrashers left Atlanta. It felt like a REAL gut punch. Fun story: My old boss had season tickets for the Thrashers for years. When the team go relocated and became the Jets, the new owners refused to return his deposit for season tickets.

[@TyTyson98]

How do you hold onto season ticket deposits for a team that doesnt play in that city any more?

[@alexatl89]

@@TyTyson98 carefully I guess

[@morganv7895]

Don’t worry bro, I live in San Antonio, I know how it feels. We lost our beloved AHL team to Las Vegas, it was awful

[@TyTyson98]

@@morganv7895 I sympathize for you guys. You guys really got screwed on how that happened and then when COVID cut off the rest of the season.

[@morganv7895]

@@TyTyson98 Yep, we were on our way to make the playoffs, but then COVID happened

[@maxleitschuh7076]

The Thrashers also had the misfortune of arriving in some godawful draft years. Their first 4 drafts had them picking 1st overall twice and 2nd overall twice - and those were 4 of the weakest drafts the NHL has ever had (unless you were picking a Swede in the 7th round). By the time some really good draft classes came around the Thrashers had moved "up" from being terrible to being mediocre, so they weren't in the mix for the real superstars that came into the league in the mid-2000s.

[@CujoF175]

Who’s here after the Coyotes got sold and moved to Utah?

[@alexgiglio899]

I knew this was going to happen when you posted the mascot commercial

[@StevexOwnz]

what mascot commercial?

[@trevorwilcox4037]

Thank you for doing us justice. Growing up an Atlanta fan, we were hitting the peak of our love for the team when they went to the playoffs, but after that it went downhill really fast. The management didn’t care about the team or happiness of the fans and kept taking away the thrashers from us. Players leaving left and right, insulting pandering for us to come see games at high prices when the economy and the on ice product are in the toilet… we didn’t show up because we didn’t love the team, we didn’t show up because there was nothing to show up to.

[@Princess_Aurora]

The poor decisions run in Alanta’s blood, so making poor moves isn’t anything new for Alanta.

[@kashakamcpherson9719]

That's Atlanta

[@Andrew-]

I miss the Thrashers, but I'm happy for Winnipeg. It's no fun watching Arizona get hung out to dry.

[@tetrachromedreamcoat8292]

fortunately, the coyotes have three things that the thrashers didn't (time, ownership and a plan) but, yeah, if anything, i'd just prefer for all three cities to have teams.

[@crazyluigi6664]

@@tetrachromedreamcoat8292 Agreed. In fact, bring back both the Quebec Nordiques and Hartford Whalers as well, while we're at it! Or even better, include teams for Kansas City and Houston as well, just so we can be done with the conversation for those places!

[@sammydee9215]

@F KZbin Idiots! not exactly. That arena in Tempe is being privately funded so taxpayers don’t have any say. Tempe has even been caught in the coyotes since 2015.

[@zyzzy-ko4ww]

The Atlanta Thrashers haven't played a single NHL game since July 4, 2011 and they've STILL fared better than the toronto make-believes (who have been avoiding postseason glory since 1967, hence the lowercase letters) during said time span.

[@totallyadude4032]

Atlanta loves our sports, give them a good owner and we would love a return of the Thrashers. We got screwed by a ownership group who only wanted the Hawks. To this day you can find Thrashers gear all over ATL, give us a real chance for once and stop screwing us 😞

[@michaeldeantonio6295]

Thank you for this very thoughtful and in depth analysis of my former Thrashers. I was a diehard fan, I attended their only home playoff games and their final game ever. I hate seeing th lazy and ignorant crowd that screams it was the city or the fans without even knowing a thing about the organization. Truthfully this one still hurts and I hope hockey will come back some day to Atlanta. But the NHL bailee out the Coyotes and pushed for them to stay. Winnipeg will never be a successful franchise as no good players want to make a career there, that city is consistently voted the worst NHL road trip. But as an Atlanta native, I've learned to expect disappointment from our sports teams.

[@mehere8299]

Winnipeg is a successful franchise! They make money every year!

[@michaeldeantonio6295]

@@mehere8299 lol every NHL player votes Winnipeg the worst road trip. They have the smallest arena in the league by far. They're never going to win a cup, the best players will never want to live in that dump. So much success...

[@karlc2869]

Fun fact: Mike Comrie (Hilary Duff's ex husband) scored the final NHL goal at the then-Philips (now State Farm) Arena against the departing Thrashers in 2011 right before they became the reborn Jets in Winnipeg.

[@serisothikos]

The primary memory I have of the Thrashers as a Bruins fan is Evander Kane one-punching Matt Cooke. We'll always have that.

[@Massachamp08]

wow I found this very informative, I kinda feel bad for Atlanta hockey fans now that I know the background of the Thrashers demise

[@GeorgeDubya43]

Yep it was all ASG

[@Massachamp08]

@@GeorgeDubya43 that shitshow of an ownership group kinda gave me flashbacks to a falling out I had to a former job I used to have early in this year, so I sympathize with Thrashers fans

[@GeorgeDubya43]

@@Massachamp08 if Tony Ressler or Arthur blank brought the Coyotes here they would thrive

[@Massachamp08]

@@GeorgeDubya43 honestly I dont think the Coyotes are viable in Arizona, if the team and city lose money on the team and the NHL knows it, its clear they are probably better off somewhere else, it sucks but sometimes it is just inevitable

[@patricklawless5644]

the ownership of the Coyotes seems to finally be legit, but that team should never have been allowed to move out to Glendale. The league and the city got hoodwinked by Steve Ellman with the development of Westgate. The arena is far away from the center of Phoenix and the city of Scottsdale where a big part of the fan base lives. Public transport is awful in the Valley. Hopefully the team can find a new place to play, either downtown or over in Tempe which is at least on the Eastern side of the metro area and where ASU is located. Phoenix isn't a traditional hockey market, but the Coyotes have, for all their faults, done an OK job investing into hockey programs in the area. Auston Matthews grew up in Scottsdale. Hockey can work in the Valley, just like it works in LA, Tampa, Miami, Dallas, Nashville and a host of non-traditional markets. Just takes the right ownership and a good location. Until the team can find a permanent home, they're going to be strapped for cash, but there are viable locations in a metro area of 5 million residents.

[@AZ20_AZ20_]

As a Bolts fan, who knows where the Bolts would be right now or if they'd even still exist if Jeff Vinik didn't buy the team. He's changed so much about the team we love and the city so I guess we just got lucky. Wish I could say the same about the Thrashers.

[@christopherantoine9657]

If Atlanta has gotten two hockey teams I wouldn’t be surprised if they can get three. Like people in the comments have mentioned, it’s a great market to tap into and the fan support is there, it’s just going to come down to ownership and smart business decisions.

[@Shawn6751]

Savannah deserves a chance and heck if the ECHL rivalry between Savannah and Atlanta is a success then it will draw an upgraded rivalry between Atlanta and Savannah in the NHL. Bring back Blueland and give me a Savannahian a team as a perfect name~Savannah Regulators

[@mehere8299]

After all, Saskatoon needs a team in 20 years.

[@MichaelPalmateerPhotography]

The ATL gladiators are a thriving team in the ECHL Hockey is growing in georgia

[@OpeoAslam]

They really should've kept the Gwinnett name instead of changing to Atlanta.

[@GLee-oe3op]

There should never have been a team there. The climate is way too hot for pro level ice

[@BobBigWheels]

@@GLee-oe3op What about Tampa? Or the Panthers? Dallas? Nashville is only a couple of hours north of Atlanta.

[@AutoArtemAuto]

@@GLee-oe3op Tell that to the Florida Panthers. Sunrise is located in the hottest part of Florida, yet they're still there.

[@usernamegenerico]

@@GLee-oe3op I think you severely underestimate the power of modern refrigeration.

[@SirZapdos]

I don't know if it's a coincidence but right after moving to Winnipeg, the franchise's scouting became good again: 2011: Scheifele and Lowry 2012: Trouba and Hellebuyck 2013: Morrissey and Copp 2014: Ehlers 2015: Connor Lots of hits in the first round but also some useful players in the later rounds, including a franchise goalie.

[@fammithommproductions]

That's because Winnipeg had management who actually knew what they were doing.

[@UserName-ts3sp]

good ownership leads to bringing in good scouts and executives

[@sparrow-we7ip]

@@fammithommproductions You can thank Chicago for Chevy

[@paully0058]

2015: Connor, Roslovic, Harkins, Appleton. Great Draft, wish Roslovic would've worked out, and I love that we got Appleton back!!

[@glaxko2]

BRING BACK OUR THRASHERS

[@KS__99]

BOY DO I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU

[@c.r.b5420]

Thank You!!! I have been waiting for u do a video on them!!!! Thank You!!!

[@ryanlevis7532]

The Thrashers could become a thing again 👀

[@scottymacdewder5229]

"And just like General Sherman, the flames torched Atlanta for 16 million dollars."

[@NJDevils91730]

I’m a Devils fan so I’m forever grateful that we got a chance to watch Kovy play for us but I always liked the Thrashers and thought it was an absolute shame how things ended for them and their fans. In the case of Kovy, he seemed like he really loved it there and actually wanted to stay had there been any inkling of stability from ownership or management.

[@cameronkehler9361]

That Alexei Zhitnik for Brayden Corburn deadline deal in 07 was a train wreck for Atlanta. Flyers are still reaping the benefits of that trade.

[@paully0058]

Not to mention choosing Coburn over Parise, Kesler, Perry, Getzlaf, Phaneuf, Jeff Carter and Brent Burns kind ruined the franchise too.

[@MutomboFingerWag55]

Love the background music! Brings back good memories of playing NHL 2002 and Wave Race!

[@acemacneill]

The ownership was total dogshit who didn't care about results. Thank you for making this, Tree.

[@brianareynolds17]

We all desperately want the Thrashers back here in Atlanta with competent ownership

[@jcompton3947]

Tree's longform historical videos are my favorite KZbin genre. Plus that Drake Lake music when transitioning to the Thrashers expansion? Chef's kiss.

[@christianrutledge4894]

Fuck yes Tree! I have been waiting a long time for a video about the Thrashers and hockey in the city of Atlanta. THANK YOU!

[@d4xfg838]

Hell yeah! Wondered about this team being talked about

[@sumedhgarimella6024]

I grew up near Atlanta and remember rooting for the Thrashers for their last season here (cuz I was 10 and didn't care about hockey before then). It was sad. And then their move was sad too. But being Chicago born, I just became a Blackhawks fan and then they won 2 Stanley Cups.

[@odcoordinator1780]

Any one else back after hearing Atlanta is back on the potential expansion list?

[@Supernova2464]

I found it! You are the first comment I found mentioning this!

[@ItMeT0ken]

Dont give me hope

[@Raidersfan-od7xl]

too late

[@Supernova2464]

@@Raidersfan-od7xl maybe Arizona will move in now LOL

[@patrickracer43]

Say what you want about the Thrashers, they had some of the best jerseys

[@marcus813]

I really liked their light blue tops.

[@shawklan27]

Ngl I kinda miss them. They had great jerseys and logos but yeah they weren't the best.

[@crazyluigi6664]

Would rather have them around than the Columbus Blue Jackets, to be honest with you. Outside of that upset over Tampa Bay, they haven't really done much at all.

[@djtrankilo231]

@@crazyluigi6664 I don't even think anyone in Ohio cares about hockey. It's a football state and I'm sure in Columbus, people care more about the Columbus Crew than the Blue Jackets (USMNT having a winning streak against Mexico at Columbus Crew stadium may be another reason why).

[@crazyluigi6664]

@@djtrankilo231 Yeah, I can believe that. After all, they have better interests in other sports like basketball, baseball, and football anyway.

[@vaporterra]

@@crazyluigi6664 I figure just by existing in the Midwest there’s bound to be some hockey interest there but certainly not Chicago or Detroit levels

[@sadbravesfan]

I forgot all about CBJ and now I'm thinking how the fuck does Ohio have an NHL team but Atlanta doesn't.

[@canadiansoviet]

Tree was that NHL 99 main screen music? Classic!! Same with Donkey Kong Country 2. Great as always!

[@seannicol7309]

My dad was a season ticket holder. I remember going to the home playoff games (I only went to one he took his father to the other) it was energetic in there. I miss the thrashers local youth hockey was starting to grow a lot right before they left. We’ve always played poor ownership. The Thrashers had fans but when the economy tanked who was going to keep buying tickets to see them lose. A lot of people in Atlanta miss them but there’s no way we’ll ever get a third team here. Real shame. If Arthur Blank was able to buy them like he wanted too the team could probably still be around today. 😭

[@phillipjohnson8285]

Thanks for making this video! Our attendance was above average during our playoff season. The last 3 years were wild... the message boards would be talking more about ownership than the actual team.

[@sadbravesfan]

Oh damn I remember being on the message boards

[@mesousagaby740]

10:06 So...Atlanta was the original "PLEASE COME TO OUR GAAAAAAAMES" meme? What a twist.

[@TheNewChevyRoll48]

Hurricanes guy would've been driven insane in Atlanta

[@cheetohands9]

A new Utree video right when my lunch break starts? I guess it’s gonna be a good day after all

[@wowfanatic100]

Was born in Atlanta and grew up with the Thrashers as my team. Went to their first game! I still think the Thrashers have the best jersey colors in the league.

[@Thrash2010ATL]

My old home team...such a shame. I loved every minute of every game I went to!!!

[@xlxl9440]

Not so fast with Atlanta not getting another NHL Hockey team. Apparently the Atlanta market is just too big. There's now talk of a new arena and team located in suburban Alpharetta. It is actually pretty fleshed out. So ATL could very well be set for an expansion team. It is worth noting per the video that it wasn't because of the lack of fan support for hockey. Both the Flames and the Thrashers were done in by mismanagement.

[@GeorgeDubya43]

It’s still 3-4 years away but it’ll happen, along with Houston and/or Salt Lake City

[@AutoArtemAuto]

​@@GeorgeDubya43 Update. Salt Lake City is going to get one... From Arizona.

[@brandosapien9016]

Thank you, Tree. I didn’t watch hockey again until the Golden Knights came around, and now hockey is my favorite sport. And you’re right, as soon as you uttered *they who shall not be named* my blood pressure skyrocketed. At least the Hawks survived that disaster, and now they’re one of the best teams in the NBA. That, and your example about the Lightning, makes you wonder what they’d be like had they stayed. It’s all hypothetical now. I’m glad the people of Winnipeg are enjoying the return of their Jets.

[@willp.8120]

Their Jets are in Glendale.

[@NB3228]

Coyotes fan here, raised a rangers fan as the folks were from NY but they stressed having pride in your home town team, putting money right now on us moving to Houston but hoping the Tempe deal comes through. Waiting to see the level of dedication the new owners and management have to keeping the team here in AZ.

[@Tikitackfouls]

Hopefully not. Houston only supports winners unless you are the Texans

[@UHOH_415]

I’ve always wanted to know the Story of what happened to the thrashers for the longest of times.

[@bjnt92281]

If the NBA gave Chicago three tries and the NFL the same with Cleveland, I see no reason Atlanta won’t get another shot at the NHL in the future.

[@crazyluigi6664]

If you had to ask me, it's because the NHL is too stupid (and arguably, too conservative as a league for their own good (and before you ask why I say that there's the fact that they were okay with only 6 teams for over 20 years, not to mention they expand to the worst places possible for their own good)).

[@andyjohnson5244]

These videos lately have been top notch. Between the Coyotes, Angels and this video I’m impressed

[@djtrankilo231]

The Thrashers were my Eastern Conference team 🥺🥺 I remember watching their games in the early 2000s on Turner South. The potential I saw in that team. Makes me wonder if my family down in the ATL area would've been as hooked on the Thrashers as they are now on Atlanta United

[@marcusg3824]

We need a Doug MacClean: A Legacy of Incompetence and we need it now

[@sawyertuide7636]

He’s more or less forgotten though

[@marcusg3824]

@@sawyertuide7636 not in Columbus he’s not. He’s on the Sacred Shitlist with the likes of Jeff Carter and Adam Foote

[@sawyertuide7636]

@@marcusg3824 That was Scot Howson

[@marcusg3824]

@@sawyertuide7636 The trade would’ve worked if not for FJC being a prick. Howson wasn’t good but we don’t particularly hate him, at least he had an understandable vision he tried to execute

[@sawyertuide7636]

@@marcusg3824 True but McClean is best left forgotten in CBJ.

[@spiv]

damn, i thought it was attendance too. i remember seeing ticket prices for thrashers games starting at $11. didnt think the issues were way at the top. i mean all owners have to do is hire smart people to manage the team for you, but they just didnt give their own team a chance. i miss the thrasher's lopsided jerseys.

[@gen-x-dad]

and thats the problem with attendance figures. I remember before the Jets came back going to a game in TB, and 4 of us could have gone for $200 total for decent seats, free parking, hotdogs, chips, drinks, and hats thrown in. Or we could have bought $20 tickets. Instead, we bought right behind the glass for a treat and the ticket takers checked your seat because the nose bleeds had more people than the better seats and they didnt want people moving down. Tough to say when tickets were $11 that attendance wasnt the problem. I felt terrible for the Thrasher fans even though we got a team back, because I know how that feels. People can say its because fans didnt support, but it's terrible for the fans who did support the team. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[@sadbravesfan]

@@gen-x-dad The Thrashers set the expansion season attendance record (eventually broken by the Wild) and for more than one season had higher attendance than the Blackhawks and the NBA team they shared the arena with. So the fans would've kept showing up if it wasn't for ownership abandoning the team.

[@ethansearcy1608]

I’ve lived in Atlanta my whole life and my dad’s company had a box in Phillips Arena, and I used to go to Thrashers game so much when I was a kid, I have many childhood memories watching them, and one of my school pictures was in a Thrashers jersey, and I have core memories of the mechanical bird head flamethrower going off after a goal. I miss the Thrashers, and I dream of a time when Atlanta gets another team

[@jakedewg.m4708]

I can't believe the mascot got arrested the high-speed chase driving the Zamboni that's what you call a legend😂😂😂

[@daviddavenport1485]

The NHL needs to return to Atlanta. The Thrashers should not have left.

[@gabetalks9275]

Agreed. If the NHL expands to 40 teams, then Atlanta is a must. There's no reason not go there now that the NHL has already touched almost every market in North America. The problem is that the Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques would both make comebacks, and both are classic franchises with a passionate fanbase. It's hard to not pick them over Atlanta.

[@punklover99]

So they can leave again? They had 2 shots and both teams fucked off

[@xypherus777]

Being a hockey fan that didn't start watching until the Thrashers were long gone, thank you Tree

[@dallaschamberlain97]

Coming back to this video after it was announced the Coyotes are moving to Salt Lake City

[@Chimidway88]

Great Video Tree!!!

[@samuelfrick3475]

Arizona’s next

[@corndog6269]

The best highlight of this team was in 2010 when Evander Kane knocked out Matt Cooke

[@kathrynmassey3293]

As a Panthers fan who also happens to live out in Arizona, it hurts a lot to see all the talk of potentially relocating the Yotes. I really enjoy going to their games from time to time, and I always make it a point to go watch the Panthers play them out here every year. As for the Thrashers, it’a such a shame, I started college in Savannah their last year before moving but wasn’t following hockey yet, but I absolutely would have taken a weekend to go see a game if I had been. I know a few people who loved them and miss them dearly, it’s so sad that the management just didn’t care and left them out to dry. Also their jerseys were dope, and I really want a few of them for my collection. Long live Blueland!

[@GamersHolyArmy]

My first hockey game was actually a Thrashers game in its dying days against the Capitals. It didn't really matter to my child brain that both the teams were the drizzling shits, it caught me, and I've been a hockey fan ever since, and for that reason I have a soft spot for the Thrashers.

[@KiloOne]

I still thank the Thrashers for having the right prospects to get the Wolves a pair of Calder Cups. Thank you, Atlanta, your misfortunes turned into our royalties

[@skippythealien9627]

fuck yeah man! Wolves forever baby haha it always cracks me up how much beef they have with the Blackhawks because for years people went out in droves to watch the Wolves instead because the Hawks were such a clusterfuck

[@turnerkirby2508]

Losing a hockey team right before I hit my peak sports interest made me not care really for the sport. I've tried to latch on to the Hurricanes or Predators but they just feel so distant. It's not my hometown team. When Atlanta United was announced to be happening it peaked my soccer interest and I now know more about soccer than hockey. But if Atlanta United can get as large of a fanbase that they have for a "non big 4" sport then I have no doubt the Thrashers could've been successful with competent ownership

[@ajevans1422]

Yeah I was aware of the Atlanta thrashers but I have only seen like a smaller hockey league I got into. I started getting into hockey in 2017 and that was when Nashville got on their great Stanley cup run with Arvi, Johansson,Fisher,Fiala,Callie,Josi, Craig Smith, PK Subban, Craig Smith and Pekka Rinne. The crowd was amazing, the team was real gritty and had good scoring. Also I am from the south and Nashville was the closest team that was good then. I got attached and I will forever cherish that 2017 team.

[@redhurricane24]

Thank you Blueland. Being transferred to Winnipeg did several things, at least in a personal level. It got me a team that I can root for, (used to be a casual hockey fan, but with no real team to attach myself to), it educated me about the prior history of the Winnipeg Jets (I always liked Teemu Selanne from reading SI for Kids issues but this amplified my appreciation for him a lot more), and simply put, the 2017-18 season. Nothing says best Cinco de Mayo ever like watching the Jets win against Nashville on said Cinco de Mayo, (also enjoying myself with my dame at the time to boot). Your sacrifice, at least to me, was not in vain.

[@willp.8120]

Oh, shut up.

[@2021WSchampKJ]

The funny thing about all this? Literally ALL THE OTHER SUNBELT MARKETS (Nashville, Carolina, Dallas, Tampa, etc) have found themselves in similar situations to what the Thrashers went through, but they ALL came out of it. Why? Stable, competent ownership that cared about hockey, success on the ice, building the brand, and involving the community. Look at what Florida’s doing right now. First time ever winning playoff series consecutive years, four straight playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history. This was done by ownership who built the Panthers into the team they are today. It took them a little longer, but it seems like the upset over Boston is the franchise’s watershed moment. Just makes you wonder all the what-ifs about Atlanta.

[@GeorgeDubya43]

The way Seattle and Vegas have worked with the new expansion rules it makes it more likely that Atlanta could finally work assuming they finally have competent ownership.

[@NewsomSportsATL]

I still have many pictures of me when i was very young of when my dad and I had thrashers season tickets… and the 2008 All Star game man… wow I miss #BlueLand