Kovy’s not scoring, but others are being more aggressive for Thrashers’ offense

Oct 23 2008

Published by bud006 at 5:00 am under Thrashers Analysis Edit This

By Bud L. Ellis
thrashers.today.com

ATLANTA — Six games in the books, and you’ve got to go down the Atlanta Thrashers’ stat sheet a little bit before you arrive at the name Ilya Kovalchuk.

The sharp-shooting winger has just four points in six games, tied with Nic Havelid for fourth on the team behind Todd White, Bryan Little and Ron Hainsey. Seeing Kovy, who scored 52 goals last season, with two goals and two assists, begs a question:

Are you worried?

The answer is no, there shouldn’t be any worries about Kovy’s production – or lack thereof – in the first half-dozen games this season. If anything, credit the two guys Kovy’s skated with on the top line.

White looks like a (gasp!) first-line pivot after his lackluster season with Atlanta in 2007-08. Dude’s been moving the puck well (he leads the team with five assists), and has been more aggressive shooting the puck. Little looks far more comfortable in the NHL this season than he did in his rookie campaign, leading the team with four goals.

The fact Kovalchuck sits fourth on the team in shots (15, behind Mathieu Schneider, Hainsey and Erik Christensen) is evidence that this year, it’s not going to be Kovy shouldering the burden of the offensive load all alone. And it can’t be. As talented as he is, the Thrashers are going to succeed by getting more offensive production from players who don’t wear No. 17 on their sweater.

The goals will come for Kovy. This we know, as we know the sun rises in the east and taxes are due on April 15. But during times like this, when the shots aren’t falling, it’s comforting to know there are others who – unlike last season – appear willing and eager to try and pick up the slack until No. 17 goes off on one of his patented goal-scoring streaks.