Don Cherry
12-27-2002, 11:22 AM
San Jose:baghead: , Colorado:baghead: , Calgary:baghead: , now Atlanta:baghead: . Other teams aren't waiting for things to turn around on their own. Lame duck league ownership...:rolleyes:
Dec 27, 2002
Last-place Thrashers fire Fraser
http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/73025.html
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) -- Of all the losses the Atlanta Thrashers endured with coach Curt Fraser -- and there were plenty -- two in the past month stuck out to general manager Don Waddell.
The Thrashers blew late two-goal leads and lost in overtime at Washington on Dec. 5, and again at home against Carolina last Friday night.
"They're unacceptable," Waddell said, referring to those losses. "You can't lose a game when you have a two-goal lead in the third period."
Fraser was fired Thursday after 31/2 seasons, and Waddell will be the interim coach when Atlanta plays at Carolina on Friday night. Waddell's only previous coaching experience was in the minor leagues a decade ago, when he was coach and GM in San Diego.
The news came hours before the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, also owned by AOL Time Warner Inc., fired coach Lon Kruger.
Fraser is the fourth NHL coach to be dismissed since the start of the season, following Darryl Sutter (San Jose), Greg Gilbert (Calgary) and Bob Hartley (Colorado).
Waddell said he made his decision Tuesday, a day after Atlanta lost 5-1 to Toronto.
"Talking with Curt ... he was devastated after that loss," Waddell said. "This is probably the toughest business decision I've ever made. He's a good friend of mine, a good person."
Assistant coach Tim Bothwell also was fired. Goaltending coach Steve Weeks will help Waddell as an assistant, and defenseman Uwe Krupp will act as an assistant while on injured reserve.
Dec 27, 2002
Last-place Thrashers fire Fraser
http://nhl.com/onthefly/news/73025.html
DULUTH, Ga. (AP) -- Of all the losses the Atlanta Thrashers endured with coach Curt Fraser -- and there were plenty -- two in the past month stuck out to general manager Don Waddell.
The Thrashers blew late two-goal leads and lost in overtime at Washington on Dec. 5, and again at home against Carolina last Friday night.
"They're unacceptable," Waddell said, referring to those losses. "You can't lose a game when you have a two-goal lead in the third period."
Fraser was fired Thursday after 31/2 seasons, and Waddell will be the interim coach when Atlanta plays at Carolina on Friday night. Waddell's only previous coaching experience was in the minor leagues a decade ago, when he was coach and GM in San Diego.
The news came hours before the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, also owned by AOL Time Warner Inc., fired coach Lon Kruger.
Fraser is the fourth NHL coach to be dismissed since the start of the season, following Darryl Sutter (San Jose), Greg Gilbert (Calgary) and Bob Hartley (Colorado).
Waddell said he made his decision Tuesday, a day after Atlanta lost 5-1 to Toronto.
"Talking with Curt ... he was devastated after that loss," Waddell said. "This is probably the toughest business decision I've ever made. He's a good friend of mine, a good person."
Assistant coach Tim Bothwell also was fired. Goaltending coach Steve Weeks will help Waddell as an assistant, and defenseman Uwe Krupp will act as an assistant while on injured reserve.