March 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers obtained Clarke MacArthur from Buffalo for a third- and fourth-round pick this year. McArthur, a left wing, has 13 goals and 13 assist in 60 games. The 24-year-old is 5-foot-11, 191 pounds."
March 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers have signed defenseman Chris Chelios, the team announced Tuesday. Chelios, 48, has been playing for the Thrashers’ AHL affiliate in Chicago this season, although he was not property of the Thrashers. He signs with the Thrashers as an unrestricted free agent. He appeared in 44 games for the Wolves this season with five goals and 16 assists. He was also a plus-35. Chelios must clear waivers, which the Thrashers will know by noon Wednesday. If he is not claimed by another team, he will remain in Chicago. However, he will be available to the Thrashers. According to GM Don Waddell, Chelios gives the team veteran depth in case of injury. “You never know,” Waddell said when asked ..."
February 17
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Reports out of Winnipeg that the Thrashers have been sold and will relocate to the city next season are false, according to team officials. Thrashers general manager Don Waddell told the team's Web site that "there is absolutely nothing to it, and there is no forthcoming announcement or plans for relocation.""
February 9
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Thrashers goaltender Kari Lehtonen practiced with the team Monday after returning from a two-week conditioning assignment at AHL Chicago. There is no timetable for Lehtonen, returning from two off-season back surgeries, to play his first NHL game since April 11, 2009. "Kari is not going to go just yet," Thrashers coach John Anderson said. "We'll see what he looks like on a day-to-day basis. I don't want to set him up to fail. I want to make sure he's 100 percent ready to go in and make an impact for us. "I don't know exactly what we are going to do. We might carry three [goaltenders]. We still have two or three weeks to decide.""
February 4
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Ilya Kovalchuk's days in Atlanta are numbered. Kovalchuk was informed by Thrashers general manager Don Waddell after practice Wednesday that he will be traded. Kovalchuk then phoned agent Jay Grossman, who later was told the same thing by Waddell. "It certainly appears to be the direction the club is moving in," Grossman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Ilya's disappointed. But we appreciate the fact they've been honest about what their plans are." Waddell was not available for comment. Negotiations between the Thrashers and its captain and star player, who will become an unrestricted free agent following the season, have been ongoing for months without reaching agreement on either ..."
February 3
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Trade talks between the Thrashers and several teams involving star Ilya Kovalchuk have heated up in the last few days, according to two people familiar with the situation. Thrashers general manager Don Waddell had no comment other than to say that the franchise and Kovalchuk's agent have not had any new talks in more than a week. Both sides currently have proposals on the table that differ in salary and length of contract. Kovalchuk, the franchise's all-time leader in games, points, goals and assists, becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Waddell was in Philadelphia last week scouting the Flyers and Islanders. It also has been reported recently that the Kings and Bruins are ..."
January 31
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Four months into the season and the Ilya Kovalchuk contract situation has yet to be resolved. While both the Thrashers and Kovalchuk's representatives continue to negotiate, the same options remain today that were present this summer. • Kovalchuk signs a long-term deal. • The Thrashers trade Kovalchuk. • No move is made before the end of the season. What will happen to the Thrashers' franchise player? Here is a closer look at the situation and the options: Sign Both sides have offers on the table. However, in the words of Thrashers general manager Don Waddell, they differ regarding the value of the player. The length of the contract likely is in the 10-to-12 year range."
January 28
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
It's taken awhile - a long while - but the Thrashers will soon finally face a hard decision it dodged four months ago. The franchise is not going to keep three goaltenders and soon, it will have three. Who is the odd-man out?Johan Hedberg, Ondrej Pavelec or Kari Lehtonen? Lehtonen made his second conditioning start at AHL Chicago Wednesday, part of his rehab from two offseason back surgeries. His return is imminent.; the two-week rehab assignment ends next week. The decision on what two players to keep was to have been made during September training camp. However, Lehtonen's back woes put any move on hold. The depth was good thing, but only for so long. "The plan now is for [Lehtonen] to ..."
January 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said Monday that he is not actively seeking to trade star Ilya Kovalchuk. However, a trade remains a possibility should a new contract agreement not be reached. Waddell said unequivocally in May that he would not trade Kovalchuk, who will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, if contract talks reached an impasse. "Our first priority still remains to sign him," Waddell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday. "That's clear. I probably didn't leave the door open enough at the beginning of the year because, obviously, I was hoping that this would be long done by now. We also have to protect the asset. He's an asset to our ..."
December 22
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Contract negotiations between Ilya Kovalchuk and the Thrashers have hit a "snag" general manager Don Waddell said Monday. "Our position is different than his position right now," Waddell told the Journal-Constitution. "Their position is fixed years with money and we have a different side of that. That's what we have to work through. We've gotten through every thing else, now we have to make it through that." Kovalchuk's agent, Jay Grossman, met with Waddell over the weekend and left Atlanta Sunday. Waddell said he remained optimistic that a new deal would get done. Kovalchuk, who is scheduled to become a free agent following the season, reiterated Monday that he would like to remain with ..."
December 18
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
A few days before the Thrashers opened this season, general manager Don Waddell expressed great optimism about his chances of signing Ilya Kovalchuk to a contract extension. He punctuated his remarks with, "I don't think we'll be talking about this at Christmas time." A week before Christmas, Waddell continues to express great optimism. About that Christmas quote? "I never said what year," he said. Funny man. I'm guessing funny man is funny in public but he's getting a little nervous out of public view. There was a report this week in a Russian sports newspaper that negotiations between the Thrashers and Kovalchuk now are at an impasse, that he asked for a 10-year contract at the ..."
December 18
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell claimed a report stating that negotiations with star player Ilya Kovalchuk were at an impasse is "certainly false." "[Kovalchuk's agent] Jay [Grossman] is actually coming in here [Saturday] and we'll meet again," Waddell said Thursday night. "We will continue our talks. They have been really positive. I have not seen a sign yet that we aren't going to be able to get this deal done." According to a report in the newspaper Sovetsky Sport in Kovalchuk's native Russia, contract talks have stalled after the team balked at a 10-year, $11.5 million per year deal. The report also stated that Waddell is considering trade options and that Vancouver and Los ..."
December 18
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell claimed a report stating that negotiations with star player Ilya Kovalchuk were at an impasse is "certainly false." "[Kovalchuk's agent] Jay [Grossman] is actually coming in here [Saturday] and we'll meet again," Waddell said Thursday night. "We will continue our talks. They have been really positive. I have not seen a sign yet that we aren't going to be able to get this deal done." According to a report in the newspaper Sovetsky Sport in Kovalchuk's native Russia, contract talks have stalled after the team balked at a 10-year, $11.5 million deal. The report also stated that Waddell is considering trade options and that Vancouver and Los Angeles are ..."
December 8
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Angelo Esposito admits to having a 'why me?' moment. That's over now. There is work - more work -- to be done. The 20-year-old Thrashers prospect will undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee Tuesday, his second such procedure in 10 months. He then faces the same rehabilitation process he just completed. "Yes," Esposito said Monday when asked if he wondered why such misfortune has followed him. "There always is, but I've had so many ups and downs since I was 16. It's just making me a better player. My family and myself believe that everything happens for a reason. So it happened and I just have to get stronger. "[I've been] talking to friends and family. That's what helps ..."
December 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
A couple of notes from practice. Nik Antropov and Boris Valabik missed the skate. Antropov was given a maintence day. He was at the rink working out and I spoke to him at length for an upcoming feature. Valabik had a minor procedure following his ankle surgery. He is not expected to miss any additional time. Defenseman Noah Welch was put on waivers today after passing his physical yesterday, according to GM Don Waddell. If he clears waivers, he will be sent to Chicago to begin practicing with the Wolves as part of his return from offseason knee surgery. Coach John Anderson would not say who will start in goal tomorrow against the Islanders. A decision was to be made later today. He did ..."
December 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers won a game. The Panthers lost a goaltender. Max Afinogenov's goal with 5.5 seconds remaining gave the Thrashers a 4-3 victory over Florida, their fourth straight victory, Monday night. Late-game heroics have become routine for Afinogenov. The game-winner was his 11th goal of the season and eighth in the third period. Five of the late goals have come in the final minute and a half of games. "It's a lot of fun," Afinogenov said. "We are winning games and playing with these guys is unbelievable." It wasn't the Panthers' night. In a bizarre play early on, Florida's Tomas Vokoun was taken off the ice on a stretcher after he was hit squarely in the head by the swung stick of his ..."
December 1
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
"
Keith Ballard was too devastated to talk. He shook his head no, and walked out of the visitors' dressing room without a word. The Panthers' defenseman had played most of Monday game with the guilt of having sent his goalie to the hospital by swinging his stick in frustration and accidentally striking him in the head. Then, when it didn't seem Ballard's night could get any worse, the Thrashers scored the winning goal with 5.5 seconds left when Maxim Afinogenov's shot hit Ballard's stick and went in. The Panthers lost to the Thrashers 4-3 at Philips Arena – their fifth consecutive loss. Their only consolation was that goalie Tomas Vokoun would be flying home with them. Vokoun was released ..."
November 11
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Ilya Kovalchuk is indeed a fast healer. The Thrashers' captain appears ready to return to the lineup less than three weeks after breaking a bone in his right foot. Coach John Anderson told the AJC that he is "95 percent" sure that Kovalchuk will play Thursday against the New York Rangers. Kovalchuk went through a full team practice Tuesday. The forward skated Monday, an off-day for the team, for the first time since the injury. "We'll see how it feels [Wednesday] and take it from there," Kovalchuk said. "If it's sore, I'll take it easy. If it's going to be good, I'll skate with the team again." Kovalchuk said he would consult with team trainers Wednesday about his status. He participated ..."
November 5
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Kari Lehtonen underwent another back surgery on Friday. The procedure was to remove edges of bone that were applying pressure to nerve roots in his back at two locations. The surgery was performed by Dr. Paul Maurer at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. The locations on the back were different than the location of the surgery he had on July 20. The team says he will be sidelined for 6 to 8 weeks. Thrashers had a late optional skate on Wednesday. They start at 1 p.m. We'll need to check the status of Ron Hainsey, who missed both games in Canada. He left last Friday's practice with an undisclosed injury that coach John Anderson said was "day-to-day." I will let you know if I find ..."
October 27
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The big question was: How good are the Thrashers? The bigger question is: How good are the Thrashers without Ilya Kovalchuk? The high-scoring forward suffered a broken bone in his right foot Saturday night and is expected to miss four weeks, the team announced after its star player underwent a CT scan Monday. The team captain who was tied for the NHL lead with nine goals, Kovalchuk was hit in the foot by a shot during the first period of the 4-3 loss to San Jose. "It's never good when you lose your best player, top scorer, captain," defenseman Zach Bogosian said. "There is not much we can do about it. We just have to come together as a team and step up. That's the bottom line. Everyone ..."
October 25
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers lost more than a game Saturday. They lost Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk took a shot off his foot in the first period and did not return in a 4-3 loss to San Jose. The exact nature and extent of the injury was not immediately known. Thrashers coach John Anderson said Kovalchuk would visit a doctor Monday to determine the next course of action. "He'll have a scan and an X-ray, and we'll figure out what it is," Anderson said. "He was walking, but tentatively, otherwise he would have come back and played." The Thrashers' captain, who entered the game tied for the NHL lead with nine goals, played only 3 minutes, 54 seconds in four shifts. It was another slow start that led to the ..."
October 24
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Goaltender Kari Lehtonen is no closer to returning to the Thrashers than he was soon after offseason back surgery. According to Thrashers general manager Don Waddell, Lehtonen again experienced pain in his legs while rehabbing from July surgery to repair a herniated disc. He recently received another epidural injection to reduce inflammation, and he has stopped skating. Waddell said Friday that Lehtonen is scheduled for another examination by doctors to determine the next course of action. Waddell said he would not label the current situation a setback. "When you are dealing with the back, everyone heals at a different rate," Waddell said. "He is progressing very slowly." Lehtonen signed a ..."
October 20
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers are working on a contract extension for forward Rich Peverley, according to a person familiar with the situation. The new deal is expected to be announced in the next several days."
October 19
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers are working on a contract extension with forward Rich Peverley, according to a person familiar with the situation. A deal is expected to be announced within the next several days. Peverley, claimed off waivers from Nashville last season, is second on the team in scoring this year with seven points, including four goals. He trails only Ilya Kovalchuk in both categories. Peverley had 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 39 games after the Thrashers claimed him last season. Kovalchuk's fast start It's not often that Kovalchuk doesn't get a shot on goal but that was the case in the Thrashers' 4-2 win at New Jersey on Friday. The Thrashers captain was shut out. That was not the ..."
October 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
It is unlikely that Ilya Kovalchuk will re-sign with the Thrashers before the start of the regular season on Saturday. General manager Don Waddell said Wednesday he remained "confident" that a new deal with the Thrashers' franchise player would be reached and sooner rather than later. "I don't think it's going to get done before opening night," Waddell said. "We're going to talk again in the next 24 hours but I don't see it getting done." Waddell later added: "I don't think we'll be talking about this at Christmas time." Waddell previously said he'd thought there would be a new deal struck before the start of the season. Kovalchuk is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. ..."
September 29
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers released goaltender Manny Legace and forward Dan Fritsche on Monday, cutting the training camp roster to 25 players. Legace and Fritsche were both in camp on pro tryouts. The release of Legace leaves the Thrashers with three goaltenders – Johan Hedberg, Ondrej Pavelec and Kari Lehtonen, who is several weeks away from returning from offseason back surgery. The Thrashers still must trim their roster by two players before Wednesday's 3 p.m. NHL deadline for opening day rosters."
September 25
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
While Thrashers coach John Anderson said that the team would make roster cuts Thursday, team officials have decided to wait. The roster has 37 players; the roster limit for the regular season is 23 players. The deadline is next Wednesday. The Thrashers play their fifth preseason game Friday night at Carolina and will likely use that game to take a longer look at players on the bubble. Anderson said he will start Manny Legace, a pro tryout invitee, in goal against the Hurricanes. The 36-year-old Legace, waived last year by the St. Louis Blues, was an all-star in 2008 and helped the Detroit Red Wings win a Stanley Cup in 2002. The team acquired Anaheim defenseman and former Thrasher Steve ..."
September 17
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers will bring Maxim Afinogenov, who played in Buffalo last season, into training camp for a pro tryout. He is expected to arrive Thursday night. Afinogenov was injured much of last season, but the 6-foot-1, 191-pound Russian forward led the Sabres in scoring in 2005-06 with 73 points. "He's a high-end guy, a skill guy," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. "It doesn't hurt. We'll see what happens.""
August 25
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell described the ongoing contract negotiations with star Ilya Kovalchuk as "constructive" and said Monday that he is optimistic that a new deal would be completed. Waddell said the two sides have exchanged contract proposals. "We've had several face-to-face meetings," Waddell said. "We've had some very, very long discussions." Kovalchuk, the franchise's all-time leader in goals, points and games played, is entering the final year of his contract. The earliest the team could begin negotiating a new contract in the offseason was July 1. Waddell has said previously he wanted to get a deal done before the start of the season. The Thrashers report to training ..."
July 21
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
In the past several weeks, the Thrashers have signed a free agent forward (Nik Antropov), traded for a top-four defenseman (Pavel Kubina) and drafted potential top scorer (Evander Kane). Whether they keep the only player that most people walking around the streets of Atlanta can actually identify is another matter. Negotiations are expected to heat up this week between general manager Don Waddell and Ilya Kovalchuk's agent, Jay Grossman. The two sides aren't saying much publicly that they haven't said before. Waddell sent me an email Monday, saying: "It's our goal to sign Ilya to a long-term deal." Grossman declined comment. (He's known as a tough agent, but issuing negotiating rhetoric to ..."
June 30
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers made qualifying contract offers to seven players Monday, ensuring that they will remain with the team for the 2009-10 season. The club made the one-year offers to restricted free agent forwards Colby Armstrong, Jordan Lavallee and Jim Slater, defensemen Scott Lehman, Grant Lewis and Boris Valabik and goaltender Kari Lehtonen. Forward Chris Thorburn and goalie Dan Turple were not made offers, making them unrestricted free agents on Wednesday. The Thrashers said they will continue negotiations with Thorburn and expect to re-sign him."
June 29
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The Thrashers made qualifying offers to several restricted free agents on Monday. The Thrashers made qualifying offers to restricted free agents Colby Armstrong, Jordan Lavallee, Scott Lehman, Kari Lehtonen, Grant Lewis, Jim Slater and Boris Valabik. Offers were not made to Chris Thorburn and Dan Turple, meaning they will become unrestricted free agents on July 1."
June 12
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
columnist Mark Bradley
"
This has Marian Hossa written all over it, only in larger letters. The Thrashers dumped their second-best player at the 2008 trading deadline because they knew they couldn't re-sign him. Their best player is about to enter the final season of his contract, and Don Waddell shouldn't let Ilya Kovalchuk enter it as a Thrasher. Kovalchuk was the NHL's 11th-highest-paid player in 2008-2009, and some club will make him one of the top five come 2010-2011. It would be an upset if that team is the Thrashers. And if they can't keep him, they should trade him. Last month Waddell, the Thrashers' GM, told esteemed colleague Chris Vivlamore he wouldn't trade Kovalchuk this summer or at the deadline or ..."
May 28
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"
The track record is clear. The Thrashers have made one playoff appearance in nine seasons in Atlanta. They didn't win a game. One thing has been constant over the past 10 years — general manager Don Waddell. Ownership has changed. Players have come and gone. Heck, there is even a new sweater. Still, Waddell remains. So as the franchise faces perhaps the most critical off-season in its history, there are questions. Will Waddell remain to lead the Thrashers into their next phase? And if so, why will this time be different? Waddell has no plans to leave. He told the Journal-Constitution in a recent interview that there have been no talks with ownership to replace him. Waddell would not reveal ..."