AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2008 > November > 29
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Long wait for Boris
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Boris Valabik hasn’t played in two weeks, since Mathieu Schneider’s return from injury. He’s clearly the seventh best defenseman on the roster, though he does add some size and fighting ability others don’t have.
The Thrashers are halfway through six games in nine days. So, do you play Boris, or do you keep him in the press box? If you play him, who sits?
“A slapshot in the foot, somebody gets sick, you’ve always got to be ready,” Thrashers coach John Anderson said Saturday. “Boris played very well for us when we put him in. I have no problem putting him in. Right now we’re going to stay with what we have, and he’s got to be ready. He’s got a good attitude. I know it’s hard on him, but he’s working hard out there [in practice] and always ready.”
With back-to-back games Tuesday and Wednesday at Montreal and Ottawa, it makes sense to have him with the team. But if everybody’s healthy after those two games, maybe the Thrashers should consider sending Valabik to Chicago so he can play a Friday game at Peoria and a Saturday game at Chicago against Rockford. The Thrashers have only one game this weekend, Saturday at the New York Islanders.
