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Sunday, July 6, 2008
Thrashers At Offseason’s Midpoint
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I hope everyone enjoyed the Independence Day holiday weekend… I certainly did. As we were all watching the rocket’s red glare and grilling with family and friends, one small milestone passed for Thrashers fans.
The mid-point of our offseason.
Yup…it was three months ago this past Saturday that the Thrashers brought to a merciful end the 2007-08 season with a 4-1 win over division rival Tampa Bay. Three months from now, we shall see the beginning of a new season as the John Anderson era in Blueland gets underway.
Of course, what didn’t occur over the past weekend was any real activity regarding further additions to the Thrashers roster. Thus far, the UFA signing season has netted the organ-I-zation but one such free agent signing, defender Ron Hainsey…albeit a very solid acquisition.
However, there was news from last Thursday that Ilya Nikulin is thiiiiiis close to signing with the team and adding yet another new and welcome face to the blueline. Nikulin was the 31st overall pick by Atlanta in the 2000 draft and has been spending his time since playing in Russia. The money aspect of the contract, according to his agent Scott Lites, has been worked out. The remaining issue to be hammered out, it seems, is how much time his client would be required to spend in Chicago with the Thrashers AHL affiliate Wolves. In Mike Knobler’s piece, he is willing to allow for up to 2 weeks in this regards, but does not want Nikulin to spend “his whole season down there”.
Now, if indeed Don Waddell is successful in bringing over the 6’-3” 211 pound defender, (er, ah…excuse me…that is 191cm, 96kg)…then we fans would be treated to quite the re-tooled and re-vamped defensive corps. Out would be Zhitnik and McCarthy…in would come Hainsey and Nikulin. Remaining would be Havelid and Enstrom…rounding out the squad would be Zach Bogosian and either Klee, XLB or Valabik.
Other Odds-N-Ends
Still no word on the finalization of Kari Lehtonen’s contract…however his name did not show up on the salary arbitration list either.
Apparently, the NHL has it’s own version of the Hatfields and McCoys.
Scott Burnside of ESPN.com doesn’t feel that Jaromir Jagr’s defection to the Russian elite league’s Avangard Omsk is a trend-setting move. But he does think that the Rangers will probably be better off for it.
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