Thrashers sign Enstrom to contract extension

NHL All-Rookie team defenseman Tobias Enstrom has demonstrated his faith in the Thrashers’ future by signing a contract extension that could keep him with the team through the 2012-13 season.

Neither the team nor Enstrom disclosed the salaries to be paid under the four-year extension announced Wednesday. The new contract takes effect after his current two-season, $750,000-a-year deal expires at the end of this season, when he would have become a restricted free agent.

“I’m really happy to be a part of this organization for four more years,” Enstrom said. “I really like it here. This is the team that drafted me [in the eighth round in 2003]. I really want to be a part of something good coming up here.”

Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said signing Enstrom signals the franchise is committed to succeed.

“He was one of our key players last year, and we think he’s going to be a big part of our future,” Waddell said. “I think it sends a lot of messages, for our fans, for our players. I took this to the ownership and 100 percent got support from all ownership groups to extend this deal. … We’ve talked about keeping our young players and keeping them long-term. This is a big step for that.”

Enstrom set a Thrashers record last season by averaging 24 minutes, 28 seconds per game on the ice. He had 38 points, tying the franchise record for a defenseman.

Also Wednesday, the Thrashers got good news when an MRI on center Erik Christensen’s shoulder came back negative. He is listed as day to day, coach John Anderson said, the biggest determinant of when Christensen returns to the ice being how Christensen feels. Forward Brad Larsen is also day to day after missing Tuesday and Wednesday practices with an abdominal strain. Defenseman Zach Bogosian, who returned for the first half of practice on Tuesday but sat out the Tuesday intrasquad game, practiced again on Wednesday as he recovers from a strained hip flexor.