At 36, Kozlov as productive as ever

Other Thrashers players took a wait-and-see approach to Tuesday’s post-practice meal. Not Slava Kozlov.

There was a new caterer, and Kozlov had questions. Is there salad? Is there soup? He wanted to know. He needed to know.

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Mikki K. Harris/mkharris@ajc.com

Slava Kozlov is tied for second on the Thrashers with 70 points and ranks third with 24 goals.

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Sure, only six games remain in the Thrashers’ season and they’ve long been out of the playoff hunt, but Kozlov was still taking care of his body. He believes what he does in the dining room and the gym keeps him on the ice, and who’s to argue?

Every night he plays he sets a franchise record for consecutive games. Wednesday night’s will be No. 196. A month shy of his 37th birthday he is about to conclude one of the most productive of his 17 NHL seasons. Not bad for a man coming back from offseason knee and shoulder surgeries.

On Wednesday, the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association honors Kozlov for those accomplishments by naming him the Thrashers’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

Thrashers coach John Anderson routinely offered his oldest players the option of skipping a morning skate. Former Thrasher Mathieu Schneider, 39, frequently took him up on it. Kozlov didn’t.

His work didn’t start when the season did.

“I was here most of the summer, and he was in the gym every day,” Anderson said.

Kozlov learned those work habits when he broke into the league with the Detroit Red Wings. He was an 18-year-old Russian kid who could bench press 130 pounds twice.

“I was so skinny,” Kozlov said. “Detroit was patient with me.”

He watched his Russian and Canadian teammates. He learned from Steve Yzerman, who didn’t smoke, didn’t drink and always worked out.

“Fitness is No. 1,” Kozlov said. “If you’re not going to take care of your body, it’s going to be tough to play. When I was 18, 20, I didn’t go to the gym every day. Now, I do.”

Kozlov is tied for second on the team with 70 points and ranks third with 24 goals. His 42 power-play points are just one behind NHL leader Alex Ovechkin.

Piece of cake?

Not for Kozlov.

“He won’t eat anything with fat in it,” Anderson said.