"You are Nik Antropov.

Last summer you were heavily recruited to sign a free-agent deal with the Atlanta Thrashers, a franchise that has never won a playoff game.

The man wooing you to Dixie is none other than star forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who calls you singing the virtues of the Thrashers franchise and the direction in which it is headed.

You buy the sales pitch. Having been Kovalchuk's teammate with Ak-Bars Kazan of the Russian elite league during the lockout of 2004-05, you ink a four-year, $16-million US deal with the Thrashers.

Within days of putting pen to paper, you are being wined and dined by Kovalchuk. Better yet, you are on his line when the '09-10 season kicks off, a harbinger of the career season you are about to enjoy.

But wait.

By mid-season, it becomes clear that Kovalchuk wants out. A pending unrestricted free agent, he and the Thrashers can't come to a deal on a long-term extension.

Sure enough, on Feb. 5, you watch your buddy Kovalchuk, allegedly having just turned down a reported 12-year, $101-million offer from Atlanta, get traded to the New Jersey Devils along with defenceman Anssi Salmela for defenceman John Oduya, forwards Niclas Bergfors, Patrice Cormier and the Devils first round draft pick in 2010. The two team's also swap second-round picks in the 2010 draft."