AJC > Sports > Thrashers > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 26
Monday, January 26, 2009
Welcome back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Thrashers returned to the ice this afternoon for the first time since their game Wednesday night at Philadelphia. The All-Star break apparently wasn’t enough time for Jim Slater’s shoulder to fully heal; he didn’t practice today. Garnet Exelby did and is traveling with the team to Dallas for Tuesday night’s game, but it will be at least a week before he’s in condition to play, coach John Anderson told me. Exelby said he expects doctors to clear him to play sometime this week, but there’s definitely a difference between being cleared to play and being ready to play.
I asked Anderson if Exelby will do a conditioning assignment with the Chicago Wolves, as Zach Bogosian did. Anderson said that’s a question that has yet to come up. There’s also no word on what will happen when Exelby returns and the Thrashers have eight defensemen (assuming no one gets hurt in the interim). Anderson said there’s no guarantee the Thrashers wouldn’t keep all eight on the roster; that would create competition. Also possible, I think, is that Nathan Oystrick or Boris Valabik goes back to Chicago, though not necessarily for long. The trade deadline could bring some changes the first week in March. Oystrick would have to clear waivers to go to Chicago. Valabik was in Chicago during the All-Star break fetching things he had left there when he got called up to the Thrashers two months ago.
Both teams are likely to look a bit rusty Tuesday night.
Some hot streaks the Thrashers hope will survive the All-Star break: Ilya Kovalchuk’s goal-scoring streak, Rich Peverley’s point-scoring streak, Eric Perrin’s two goals in the last three games, Chris Thorburn’s goals in back-to-back games and in three of the last five games.
