ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Thrashers open their season Friday night against Washington, and new coach John Anderson knows the enormity of his task.

The Atlanta franchise has been mostly irrelevant during its nine years in the league. The Thrashers have been to the playoffs only once and they've never won a postseason game. Last season they had the NHL's third-worst record.

The Thrashers fired coach Bob Hartley early last season and wound up 18 points behind the last playoff qualifier in the Eastern Conference.

The Thrashers have traditionally had one of the league's lowest payrolls and traded one of their best players, Marian Hossa, to Stanley Cup finalist Pittsburgh rather than give him a lucrative new contract.

Anderson and his players have little choice except to ignore what goes on off the ice.

The new coach is trying to install a system that stresses puck control and organized breakouts from the defensive zone. Last season, the Thrashers looked as though their main objective was just clearing it to the other end.

Anderson's main goal is cutting down on the number of goals, which he hopes to accomplish with a more aggressive, offense-oriented group of defensemen.