This is not the news the Atlanta Thrashers were hoping for.  Star player, Ilya Kovalchuk, has been diagnosed with a broken foot and is expected to be out of the lineup for 3-5 weeks.  It’s still so early in the season so hopefully he’ll heal nicely and be back with the team for most of December.

Thrashers GM, Don Waddell, said: “injuries are a part of the game. It’s very disappointing for Kovy and for us to lose him.  Now it’s an opportunity for some other players to step up. The time that he’ll be lost, we’ll miss him, but our …read more

Finnish goaltender, Kari Lehtonen, will be back on the Atlanta Thrashers roster after the restricted free agent signed a contract extension with the team (no details were disclosed).
I think that Lehtonen is a very promising young goaltender but I do think he needs more focused training.  I’m not sure about the trainers down in Atlanta but I think that Lehtonen could do a lot better with the right kind of support.

While he posted a mediocre 19-22-3 record and a 3.06 goals against average, he also managed to pull off three shutouts and a .911 save percentage in 46 games.  He …read more

The Atlanta Thrashers have added Evander Kane to their lineup after picking him fourth overall at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.  I really enjoyed watching him during the World Junior championships and I think that he could be a real asset. 
I know a lot of people have been wondering if he’s coachable after some reports suggested he was hard to work with but I am hoping it’s just a matter of him being very competitive.  I think a good coach could give him the direction he needs.  He led the WHL with 23 power-play goals with the Vancouver Giants …read more

The Montreal Canadiens have definitely been struggling but, last night, they finally had reason to celebrate.  In a game against the Atlanta Thrashers, Alex Tanguay earned five (two goals, two assists) points for the third time in his career and helped lift the Habs to a 6-3 victory.

Tanguay is one of my favorite players in the league (if you’re a regular reader, you’ll know I was crushed when the Calgary Flames traded him) so I was thrilled when I saw the highlights last night.  Tanguay, along with fellow veteran, Alex Kovalev and captain Saku Koivu, won this game for Montreal.  …read more

The Edmonton Oilers might have been celebrating the return of captain, Ethan Moreau, but the excited was short-lived since they went on to lose 4-3 in overtime against the visiting Atlanta Thrashers.  Unfortunately, the night also turned bittersweet for the victorious team since they lost their captain, Ilya Kovalchuk to an undisclosed upper body injury during the first period.  "We don’t want to say too much right now because we don’t know for sure," said head coach John Anderson. "He’s day to day as we speak right now. He had a little problem yesterday and I didn’t practice him. He …read more

The Anaheim Ducks have acquired Erik Christensen from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for prospect, Eric O’Dell.  
If you remember, Christensen was part of that blockbuster deal at last year’s trade deadline when he, along with Colby Armstrong, Angelo Esposito and a first round draft pick were traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis.
So far, Christensen has 15 goals and 14 assists in 47 games this season. 
image: TSN

The New Jersey Devils acquired Niclas Havelid from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for defenseman, Anssi Salmela. 
The veteran defenceman, who had two goals and 13 assists in 63 games this season with Atlanta, will add some depth to the blue line for the Devils.
"Niclas Havelid is a veteran defenseman who brings a wealth of experience to our hockey team," New Jersey GM Lou Lamoriello said. "We look forward to Niclas joining our defensive corps."

Ilya Kovalchuk has been named the new captain of the Atlanta Thrashers.  The team had been without a captain for the first half of the season. 
The 25-year-old is the club’s seventh captain but he will also be just the “fifth Russian-born and trained player in NHL history to become a team captain.”
He has been an alternate for the past two seasons alongside Colby Armstrong, Niclas Havelid, Slava Kozlov and Mathieu Schneider.
"Ilya has earned the opportunity to take a larger leadership role on this team and has grown into this position over his six-plus seasons as a member of …read more

Retroactive to October 31, 2008, Kari Lehtonen has been placed on the injured reserve.  The Atlanta Thrashers goaltender has been out of the lineup for more than three weeks – first because of an illness and then because of some back problems.
Lehtonen was off to a rocky start with a 3.44 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.  Maybe things will improve by the time he’s reactivated.
image: TSN

Philadelphia Flyers @ Atlanta Thrashers – October 28, 2008
WOW.  What else can you really say?  Well, I guess you can say that, for some reason, the Atlanta Thrashers seem to just fall apart when they have to play against the Philadelphia Flyers… It was a nightmare of a game for any Atlanta fan to watch their team not only get beat but shut out with a score of 7-0.  Let me say it again – WOW…  Here is the scoring summary:

PHI: Lupul, J. (01:20 in 1st), Knuble, M. (03:13 in 2nd), Gagne, S. (SHG, 19:45 in 2nd), Knuble, M. …read more