Editing Atlanta Thrashers (section)

===2006–07: Brief success and only playoff appearance===
{{Further|2006–07 NHL season|2006–07 Atlanta Thrashers season}}
[[File:Atlanta Tharshaers Champs.jpg|thumb|Banner in Philips Arena honoring the Thrashers' sole division championship in 2006–07.]]
The Thrashers' [[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07 season]] began with the highest expectations in franchise history, even after the team's second-leading scorer, [[Marc Savard]], departed as a [[free agency (sports)|free agent]] for the Boston Bruins. Veteran center [[Steve Rucchin]], [[Niko Kapanen]] and [[Jon Sim]] were acquired in an effort to make up for the Savard loss. With NHL superstars Marian Hossa and Ilya Kovalchuk, as well as a healthy goaltender in Kari Lehtonen, the Thrashers clinched their first (and only) playoff berth, winning the Southeast Division title with 43 wins and claiming the third seed in the Conference and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. However, they were eliminated from the playoffs on April 18, being swept by the [[New York Rangers]] in four straight games in the conference quarterfinals.

This season was the highest attended the Thrashers ever had, with every home playoff game sold out as well as the season opening and closing games. The team was gaining attention within the league for their playoff debut, and team popularity within Atlanta reached an all-time high. Atlanta-based hip hop artist [[Lil Jon]] publicly showed his support for the team, posing for a picture with the [[Stanley Cup]] while wearing a Thrashers jersey. After this season, the Thrashers' ticket sales would start dwindling due to the housing market crash of 2008, and a stale economy in Atlanta. It did not help matters that the great majority of Thrashers fans lived in Atlanta's northern suburbs, and were not willing to brave Atlanta's infamous traffic to go to games at Philips Arena.<ref name=TheAthletic/>