Currently, the Winnipeg Jets are in their fourth year after relocating from Atlanta, and much like many of those Thrashers teams, the Jets aren't getting anywhere. It so happens that I found a copy of The Hockey News yearbook for the 2010-11 season, the last to feature the Thrashers before the move to Winnipeg. Let's leaf through their analysis, shall we?
The Thrashers were picked to finish eleventh in the Eastern Conference despite picking up four players from the Chicago Blackhawks team that won the Stanley Cup the previous season. Their leading point getter in the 2009-10 season was Nik Antropov, almost by default, as Ilya Kovalchuk was traded mid-season. In addition to the four Blackhawks (Ben Eager, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, and Brent Sopel), they also picked up Chris Mason in goal. They also got a new coach in Craig Ramsay, who replaced John Anderson after a few lackluster years.
Predictably, the Thrashers missed the playoffs, and in late May, the Thrashers would be no more, as the True North ownership group would buy the team and move them to Winnipeg.
What of the top prospects that year? Of the ten listed, only Paul Postma remains with the team while others such as Daultan Leveille and Angelo Esposito never made it to big club. The only other player to make the NHL with any significant playing time was Alexander Burmistrov, who was rushed to the NHL too early and never fulfilled his potential. He is currently playing with Ak Bars Kazan of the KHL.
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