DEL.ICIO.USNHL: ATLANTA THRASHERS
Thrashers’ priorities this offseason
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, April 13, 2009
Job No. 2 for the Thrashers this summer is signing Ilya Kovalchuk to a new contract.
That might be impossible unless they complete job No. 1, finding Kovalchuk a few new teammates.
Mikki K. Harris/mkharris@ajc.com
Thrashers captain Ilya Kovalchuk is under contract through next season. He says he’s not worried about an extension, but more concerned what other moves the team makes.
The Thrashers’ captain is eligible to negotiate and sign a contract extension on July 1 but wants to see the team’s other offseason moves before making his decision.
“That will be a big factor,” Kovalchuk said Monday, two days after the Thrashers ended a 35-41-6 season. “I want to see them do something to get everybody better, the whole organization. If I feel like we’re in the right direction, for sure I think we’ll figure out a way to sign a new deal.”
Kovalchuk is under contract through next season. If he doesn’t sign an extension by opening day, though, his contract situation is sure to become the big story until he signs or gets traded. That’s what happened in 2007-08 with former Thrashers star Marian Hossa.
But Kovalchuk said he doesn’t need to get the extension resolved before the start of the season. Uncertainty about which team he’d be playing for in 2010-11 wouldn’t stop him from being successful while fulfilling his current Thrashers contract in 2009-10, he said.
“I’m that kind of guy when I’ve got a contract I don’t think about anything else, I just play and I try to get over with it,” he said. “If you sign the paper you have to do what it says on it. After it’s done, if nothing is going to happen, we’ll talk after.”
Here’s the state of the Thrashers, position by position, going into the offseason.
FORWARDS
• Unrestricted free agents:Eric Perrin, Marty Reasoner
• Restricted free agents: Colby Armstrong, Joey Crabb, Jim Slater, Chris Thorburn
• Needs: The Thrashers had five 20-goal scorers this season but still could use another legitimate top-six forward. There’s about a one in nine chance they will grab one tonight by winning the John Tavares Sweepstakes, otherwise known as the NHL draft lottery. Two years ago, Tavares broke the Ontario Hockey League record for most goals scored by a 16-year-old. The previous record-holder: Wayne Gretzky. The Thrashers also could use a big forward who can help kill penalties.
• Outlook: If the Thrashers don’t cash in on their 10.7 percent chance to win the lottery, they’ll select fourth or fifth and probably will have to turn to free agency or a trade to pick up an NHL-ready top-six forward. The most intriguing internal candidate for the job, center Angelo Esposito, 20, tore an anterior cruciate ligament in February but is expected to be able to play in preseason camp. Look for the Thrashers to re-sign Reasoner, Armstrong, Crabb and Slater. Thorburn is a maybe.
DEFENSEMAN
• Unrestricted free agent: Nathan Oystrick
• Restricted free agents: Anssi Salmela, Boris Valabik
• Needs: A lock-down defensive-minded defenseman. The Thrashers allowed more goals this season than anybody but Toronto.
• Outlook: The trio of Zach Bogosian, Tobias Enstrom and Ron Hainsey form a solid core around which to build. Valabik remains a work in progress. Garnet Exelby provided toughness and leadership. Oystrick was a healthy scratch too often to feel confident about being re-signed. The defensive-minded defenseman the Thrashers need will have to come via free agency or trade.
GOALIES
• Unrestricted free agents: None
• Restricted free agent: Kari Lehtonen
• Needs: None
• Outlook: The Thrashers have three goalies for two spots and probably need to trade one to fill a hole at forward or defense. Lehtonen was strong when healthy the second half of the season. Ondrej Pavelec has talent but might be too young for the top job. Johan Hedberg earns his teammates’ respect and remains up to the task of being an NHL backup but wouldn’t bring much in a trade.
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