Aside from the financial chaos in places such as Buffalo, the biggest on-ice mess in the NHL right now appears to be Atlanta where the Thrashers are beginning a prove-it-to-us fourth season.

	Shawn McEachern leads the Thrashers with four goals in five games.

So far, the Thrashers aren't proving anything to the fans of Atlanta who expected far better than the 0-4-0-1 start. But it's not just their record. The Thrashers appear to be playing pond hockey -- and it is not because of the new rules regarding interference.

The Thrashers scored a combined nine goals last Friday and Saturday, and for that they came away with two losses -- to Tampa Bay and the Islanders. Tune into their games and you will see a defense that continues to pinch at inopportune times, an inability to win key faceoffs, and a lack of commitment to defense.

What is most maddening is that there are times when the team appears on the verge of being a playoff-ready team. They've got major pieces in place with Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk. They've got what they expected and more from Shawn McEachern.

Last Saturday night, with the Braves again banished from the baseball postseason, the Thrashers drew only 13,653 for a home game. It is time for a be-on-alert notice to coach Curt Fraser.

Fraser is in the final year of a contract, and he was only extended one year to get through last season. If you want an ominous quote, go back to the preseason and recall that general manager Don Waddell said the following:

"We'll evaluate things after 10 games ... I don't want to start 2-8."

The way things are going, 2-8 might be the upside.

Johansson providing Captials stability

	Johansson

It seems almost silly to suggest a team is on a critical road trip in October, but the Washington Capitals are in the midst of an eight-game trip that could set their season into motion -- one way or the other.

The Caps are at the mercy of the powers-that-be who run the MCI Center and have been forced on the road, not by the NHL's schedule makers, but by the booking policies at their home building.

Instead of scheduling around the sports tenants, the Caps and Bullets, the MCI Center is booked around other events. Thus, Disney on Ice and a horse show have forced the Caps on the road until next Wednesday, by which time they will have been to New York, Tampa Bay, Florida and Pittsburgh.

That being said, the Caps look a whole lot better with Calle Johansson back in the lineup. It is just another example of how critical it is to have a solid guy on defense, and how important they are to long-term steadiness -- both for the season and as a franchise.

Remember, the Caps had high expectations with Jaromir Jagr last season, but they were demolished by injuries, and goalie Olaf Kolzig had a subpar season.

But the absence of Johansson was the most critical. It is a case study the Calgary Flames might have considered when they moved highly-regarded young defenseman Derek Morris to Colorado for Chris Drury.

Predators on the prowl?
On the other hand, the Nashville Predators' Eastern Conference road tip hardly looks winless when you dig a little deeper. The Predators took the Devils to overtime Friday night, before losing in overtime, and the next night tied the Rangers in New York.

Despite a rocky start in the standings, the Predators gave both the Devils and Rangers fits with their speed.

Canadiens' crease crisis

	Hackett

The first early-season crisis has already hit Montreal where the public waits to see how coach Michel Therrien will use his goaltenders. Simple facts (and stats) indicate that Jeff Hackett has played better than Jose Theodore.

Then again, Theodore is the MVP and generally is regarded as one of the great young stars of the game. Beyond that, he is also French -- and that still counts for something with many of the fans in Montreal.

It's never easy with goalies, and as the old saying goes: One is not enough, two is too many, and three is impossible.

And it's even more impossible when a goalie controversy in Montreal is mixed up with a French lesson and a fan base that half expects Hackett to be traded to make room for Mathieu Garon.

Tocchet (and Toccet) ready to run
Toccet -- the horse named (and misspelled) after Rick Tocchet will run in the Breeders Cup on Saturday. In the meantime, the real Tocchet is mulling over some offers from NHL teams to either come back as a player or coach.

The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim have shown some interest, but Tocchet isn't ready to commit to another NHL season. He is also considering an opportunity to run minor league hockey teams in Atlantic City and suburban Philadelphia in the south Jersey area.

However, Tocchet works out every day, and the guess here is that later this season when a team with a chance to win the Cup calls with an offer, Tocchet will get his gear and head for a final run in the NHL.

Short shifts