When I first saw the TSN report that the Thrashers had waived Alexei Zhitnik, my first thought was to comment on it right away. However, upon further review…I figured it might just be prudent to wait 18 hours to allow general manager Don Waddell time to deny the report first.

That time now having passed…

Apparently the Thrashers have waived the veteran defender. If no team picks up the 35-year old then the team more than likely will move to buy out his contract on Monday.

I guess someone in the organ-I-zation has indeed been talking about the possibility that Zhit will not be a big part of the team’s future… contrary to the comments made by Waddell just a week and a half ago.

Certainly, Zhit wasn’t solely to blame for the blueline’s poor performance and maybe he received more scrutiny for it than he deserved. Regardless, this is a proper move to make in an attempt to help revamp a defense that was…well…just awful last year. It’s a move that was needed in order for the team to…move in the right direction.

Ya know, given the fact that Waddell denied the report that John Anderson was being hired as the new coach the night before it was announced he was indeed hired…and now this reversal on Zhitnik’s situation…I’m kinda hoping sometime later this week we read somewhere that Waddell is denying reports that the team has signed free agent defender Brian Campbell.

More Things You Might Want To Know…Or Not

In the same TSN piece about Zhitnik, it was reported that Todd Bertuzzi had cleared waivers. Personally, I like the thought of the 33-year old winger in Thrasher blue. He certainly would bring some fire and passion to Anderson’s O-fense.

Jeff Carter won’t be a free agent this summer as the Flyers have signed the 23-year old center to a multiyear contract. Carter has 66 goals and 132 points in three seasons. He added 6 goals and 5 helpers in last spring’s playoffs.

Darren Eliot thinks new Tampa Bay coach Barry Melrose will feel right at home in the Southeast Division. As well as discussing the Tampa Bay Mullets new coach, he also takes a look at the three other southeast teams with new coaches since this time last year.

Terry Frei of the Denver Post has this interesting read on Jose Theodore. I post this if for no other reason than to share with you the line that reads, “If former vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen had been a hockey fan, he would have looked at Theodore and intoned, “You’re no Patrick Roy.”

It looks like the Mullets have acquired the rights to left-wingers Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts from the Pittsburgh Penguins in return for a conditional draft pick next summer.

And finally…we have this “fluff” piece regarding a major league ball player who has landed on the 15-day disabled list. His injury coming from… a pillow. While reading this, keep in mind the image of the afore-mentioned Ryan Malone taking a puck to the face, getting stitched up, then returning to play in game five of the Stanley Cup finals.

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