Slumping Thrashers recall 48-year-old Chelios

By Chris Vivlamore

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Thrashers appear ready to use every available recourse to make the playoffs, including turning back the hands of time.

The team recalled 25-year NHL veteran Chris Chelios from AHL Chicago on Wednesday. The 48-year-old defenseman is expected to be in the lineup Thursday night against the Blue Jackets.

The Thrashers have lost three straight games and are 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, four points out of the last playoff spot.

“I don’t like the way the team has been playing lately,” Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. “We are a desperate team right now and we have to get back on track soon. ... With the situation now, our backs are against the wall. Bringing in a veteran presence made more sense than bringing in a younger guy.”

A three-time Stanley Cup winner with Montreal and Detroit, Chelios appeared in 46 games this season with Chicago. He had 22 points (five goals, 17 assists) and is fourth in the AHL with a plus-34 rating.

Thrashers coach John Anderson said Chelios’ leadership and veteran presence will be counted on immediately.

“Certainly, he’s played a leadership role on championship teams,” Anderson said. “That’s what we’ll use him for. We have lots of tools here and we are going to try to use every one of them, whatever it takes to make the playoffs.

“Hopefully some of his championship experience will rub off on us. Maybe he can push buttons that other guys don’t realize need to be pushed.”

Chelios has appeared in 1,644 NHL games with the Red Wings, Blackhawks and Canadiens with 948 points (185 goals, 763 assists). He won the Stanley Cup in Montreal (1986) and Detroit (2002 and 2008) and holds the NHL record with 266 playoff games.

The 6-foot, 190-pounder won three Norris Trophy Awards as the NHL’s top defenseman, appeared in 11 All-Star Games and captained three U.S. Olympic teams.

“He was my favorite player growing up,” 19-year-old defenseman Zach Bogosian said. “He’s got a lot of assets. Leadership will be the number one thing. I think it will be good for us to have that veteran presence in the room to help out guys like myself. ... I’m pretty excited that he’s going to be here.”

Notes

• The potential game-tying goal that was disallowed in Tuesday’s loss to Nashville was a non-reviewable play because it was a judgment call by the on-ice official, according to officials at the NHL.

Chris Thorburn was in the crease when the puck hit his skate and got past Predators goaltender Dan Ellis. According to Rule 69.1, a player may not by contact interfere with the goaltender’s ability to play his position. “He did not allow him to appropriately play the position,” NHL official EJ McGuire said.

• Evander Kane, who will miss three weeks with a fractured left foot, admitted that he was disappointed with the injury but is concentrating on a speedy recovery.

“You play hockey, it’s a physical sport, injuries happen,” Kane said. “It was disappointing to get injured, but you can’t sit here and feel sorry for yourself. Nobody else does. It’s all about what you do after and I’m just trying to get back as soon as possible.”

Kane described the injury to the top of his foot as similar to the break that kept Ilya Kovalchuk out three weeks (six games) earlier this season. If Kane is out a full three weeks, he could miss 14 games due to the packed March schedule.

• With a three-game losing streak compounded by the loss of Kane, Anderson juggled his lines at Wednesday’s practice. With Nik Antropov missing practice with a maintenance day, the lines were: Niclas Bergfors, Marty Reasoner, Bryan Little; Slava Kozlov, Rich Peverley, Maxim Afinogenov; Clarke MacArthur, Todd White, Colby Armstrong; Evgeny Artyukhin, Jim Slater, Chris Thorburn, Eric Boulton.