Dave Nonis

TOMORROW DAVE NONIS WILL BE IN TORONTO TO MEET WITH THE LEAFS…
IT’S NO SECRET WHAT THE PLAN IS…
HIRE NONIS AND LET HIM RUN THE TEAM FOR A YEAR UNTIL BRIAN BURKE TAKES OVER…
A WEEK AGO THAT APPEARED TO BE A SLAM DUNK…
NOT ANY MORE…
THE ATLANTA THRASHERS ARE NOW IN THE PICTURE…
GENERAL MANAGER DON WADDELL HAS BEEN ASKED BY OWNERSHIP TO ACCEPT ANOTHER MANAGEMENT POSITION…
WADDELL IS EXPECTED TO MAKE THAT DECISION AFTER THE WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS…
WORD HAS IT…NONIS HAS BEEN OFFERED THE GM JOB IN ATLANTA…
IN A PERFECT WORLD…NONIS WOULD RATHER WORK IN A TRADITIONAL HOCKEY MARKET…
BUT CLEARLY THE PRIOITY IS TO REMAIN A GENERAL MANAGER AND NOT TAKE A STEP BACKWARD TO ONCE AGAIN WORK IN THE SHADOW OF BURKE…
BOTH THE THRASHERS AND THE LEAFS ARE A MESS…
BUT THE SITUATION IN ATLANTA IS IN MANY WAYS MORE ATTRACTIVE…
TO START WITH…THE THRASHERS HAVE A LIGITIMATE FRANCHISE PLAYER IN ILYA KOVALCHUK WITH 2 MORE YEARS LEFT ON HIS CONTRACT…
THEY ALSO HAVE TWO FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICKS THIS YEAR INCLUDING THE NUMBER 3 CHOICE OVER ALL…WHICH WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY GIVE THEM ANOTHER FRANCHISE PLAYER TO BUILD AROUND…
THE LEAFS HAVE THE 7TH OVER ALL PICK…
THE THRASHERS HAVE ONLY ONE PLAYER WITH A NO TRADE CLAUSE…SLAVA KOZLOV…
THE LEAFS ARE LOADED WITH THEM…
IN ATLANTA NONIS WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHO HE’S WORKING FOR…
THE TEAM IS OWNED BY BRUCE LEVENSON AND MICHAEL GEARON…
IN TORONTO…ON ANY DAY…IT’S ANYBODY’S GUESS WHO’S RUNNING THE SHOW…
TIME IS DEFINITELY ON THE SIDE OF NONIS…
THE ENTRY DRAFT IS ONLY A MONTH AWAY AND THE FREE AGENT MARKET OPENS IS ABOUT 6 WEEKS…
IT ALL LEAVES TWO VERY BIG QUESTIONS…WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LEAFS IF NONIS TAKES THE ATLANTA JOB???
AND SECONDLY…CAN THAT ORGANIZATION AFFORD TO WASTE ANOTHER YEAR WAITING FOR BURKE???
WE’LL KNOW A LOT MORE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS…