ATLANTA — The Thrashers made a major shake-up Wednesday after again missing the playoffs, firing coach John Anderson and appointing Rick Dudley to replace Don Waddell as the general manager.
Waddell was promoted to team president and will be responsible mainly for the business aspects of a franchise that has made the postseason once since entering the NHL in 1999.
Dudley, who joined the Thrashers as associate general manager last summer, will run the hockey operations, looking to bolster a roster that dealt its top player, Ilya Kovalchuk, at this season’s trade deadline when it couldn’t come to terms on a new contract. He also needs to put fans in the seats — the Thrashers averaged 13,607 this season, third-lowest in the league and a major reason the franchise has been subjected to numerous reports it will become the second NHL team to leave Atlanta (the Flames moved to Calgary in 1980).
Anderson was 70-75-19 in his two seasons in Atlanta.
Footnotes.
The Blues removed the “interim” tag from Davis Payne’s job title, making the 39-year-old the NHL’s youngest coach. Payne led the Blues to a 23-15-4 record after taking over Jan. 2.
• Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell returned to practice for the first time since he broke a collarbone and a rib after a hit from Washington’s Alex Ovechkin on March 14, but there is no timetable for his return.
• Sabres forward Drew Stafford (concussion) likely will miss tonight’s game against the Bruins, while coach Lindy Ruff said center Tim Connolly (foot) “looks like a go” but forward Jochen Hecht (upper body) is questionable.
The Associated Press
