Thrashers to Host Girls’ & Women’s Hockey Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 24

Annual Event Surrounding Game against the San Jose Sharks at Philips Arena to Recognize Female Participation in Hockey in the Southeast

The Atlanta Thrashers, along with USA Hockey, are hosting Girls’ & Women’s Hockey Weekend on Saturday, Oct. 24, surrounding their game against the San Jose Sharks at Philips Arena at 7 p.m.

The annual showcase, which includes several events and activities throughout the day, is dedicated to recognizing female participation in hockey throughout the Southeast. This year’s event will feature two-time member of the United States women’s Olympic hockey team and Harvard graduate Julie Chu.

Chu will participate in several events, including an on-ice clinic for girls and women, along with members of the Thrashers Hockey Development Team, at Philips Arena from 1-3 p.m. She will also address participants in the showcase from 6-6:45 p.m. to discuss her experiences in the sport and will hold a meet-and-greet with members of the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Go Girl Go program.

Also planned for the event are special pre-game introductions of 12 local girls hockey players (ages 6-16), who will skate onto the ice along with their counterparts from the Thrashers and Sharks starting line-ups prior to the national anthem. Girls and women hockey players will also be featured on-ice during both intermissions in a scrimmage and shootout, respectively.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500. Individual tickets for all Thrashers games at Philips Arena can be purchased by visiting atlantathrashers.com, calling (800) 326-4000, or by visiting the Philips Arena Box Office or any Ticketmaster Ticket Outlet.
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Thrashers Agree to Terms with Unrestricted Free Agent Forward Maxim Afinogenov

The Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to terms on a contract with unrestricted free agent forward Maxim Afinogenov, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Afinogenov (ah-fihn-ah-GEHN-ahf), 30, recorded two points (one goal, one assist) in three pre-season games for the Thrashers after joining the team during training camp on a professional try-out agreement.

A veteran of nine NHL seasons, Afinogenov has recorded 334 points (134 goals, 200 assists) in 569 games with the Buffalo Sabres, including 32 power play goals and 20 game-winning goals. Last season, the 6-0, 190-pound right wing tallied 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 48 games with the Sabres. He has also appeared in 49 playoff games for Buffalo, recording 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists).

During his NHL career, Afinogenov has tallied 20-or-more goals on three occasions, including the 2006-07 season when he recorded a career-best 23, and has surpassed the 60-point mark twice, including a career-high 73 points (22 goals, 51 points) in 2005-06. In 2005-06, he also set career highs with 11 power play goals, 241 shots on goal and 84 penalty minutes.

A native of Moscow, Afinogenov has represented Russia in international competition on 11 occasions, including the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games. He has also represented his country in the World Cup of Hockey (2005), the World Championships (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2008) and the World Junior Championships (1998 and 1999).

Afinogenov, who was originally selected by Buffalo in the third round, 69th overall, of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, spent three seasons with Dynamo Moscow in Russia prior to his NHL career.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.
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Atlanta Thrashers to Host Annual Face-Off Event for Season Ticket Holders on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Philips Arena from 6-9 p.m.

The Atlanta Thrashers will host their annual Face-Off Event at Philips Arena on Thursday, Oct. 1, from 6-9 p.m. The event gives season ticket holders a first glance at the 2009-10 Atlanta Thrashers roster and a chance to meet and interact with all of their favorite players, coaches and management.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. with team introductions beginning at 6:45 p.m. Other activities scheduled include an autograph session with all members of the team, interactive games and an equipment sale.

What: Atlanta Thrashers Face-Off Event
Who: Atlanta Thrashers Players, Coaches and Staff
When: Thursday, Oct. 1, from 6-9 p.m.
Where: Philips Arena

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.
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Thrashers Trim Training Camp Roster by 10 Players

Nine Assigned to Chicago (AHL); One Released

The Atlanta Thrashers have assigned nine players to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Additionally, one player was released from his try-out contract.

Forwards Angelo Esposito, Riley Holzapfel, Rylan Kaip, Andrew Kozek, Jordan LaVallee, Brett Sterling and Anthony Stewart, along with defenseman Chad Denny and goaltender Peter Mannino will report to Chicago. Forward Kevin Doell, who is under contract with the Wolves, has been released from Atlanta’s training camp.

The Thrashers opened their pre-season schedule in Nashville on Sept. 17 and Tampa Bay on Sept. 18, earning a 0-1-1 record. The team will host Carolina on Monday, Sept. 21 (7 p.m.), Nashville on Wednesday, Sept. 23 (7 p.m.) and Tampa Bay on Sunday Sept. 27 (5 p.m.) prior to the opening of the 2009-10 NHL Regular Season when the Lighthing visit at Philips Arena on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.
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Thrashers and SportSouth Announce 61-Game Television Schedule for 2009-10

Play-by-Play Announcer Matt McConnell to Join Analyst Darren Eliot in the SportSouth Booth

The Atlanta Thrashers and SportSouth, the team’s regional cable partner, have announced the 61-game television schedule (see attached) for the 2009-10 NHL regular season. In all, 61 of the Thrashers 82 regular-season games will be televised locally, including 60 games on SportSouth and one on FOX Sports South. Thrashers games to be broadcast by SportSouth in HD will be released at a later date.

Coverage of the Thrashers 2009-10 regular season will begin on opening night, Saturday, Oct. 3, when they host the Southeast Division-rival Tampa Bay Lightning at Philips Arena at 7 p.m. Overall, 27 home games and 34 road games will be televised throughout the season. Thirty-two of the final 33 road games will be televised by SportSouth, as well as 42 of the team’s final 47 games of the season.

Throughout the season, several key match-ups will be televised including 19 games against Southeast Division rivals (Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington), all four games against the 2009 Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins (Nov. 21, Jan. 5, April 3 and April 10) and the Thrashers lone match-up against 2009 Western Conference-champion Detroit Red Wings (Nov. 25). SportSouth’s coverage also highlights several intra-conference games, televising 13 of the Thrashers contests against Western Conference opponents, incuding match-ups against Chicago (Feb. 13), Columbus (Nov. 5 and March 11) and Anaheim (Jan. 26).

Matt McConnell, the Thrashers original television play-by-play announcer, returns to the SportSouth broadcast booth for the 2009-10 season. McConnell served as the television voice of the team from 1999-00 to 2002-03, and is entering his fifth season in a play-by-play role for the Thrashers. During the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, he co-hosted SportSouth’s Thrashers LIVE and also served as a fill-in announcer for select Thrashers games over the past two seasons.

Darren Eliot, who has served as the Thrashers television analyst since the team’s inception, will join McConnell in the SportSouth broadcast booth for all televised games. In addition to game telecasts, McConnell and Eliot will also co-host Thrashers LIVE expanded post-game coverage on SportSouth.

Thrashers’ telecasts on SportSouth are available in Georgia and South Carolina, as well as Alabama (excluding the Huntsville/Decatur DMA) and Mississippi (excluding Mississippi counties in the Memphis DMA and the counties of Pontotoc, Union, Lee, Itawamba, Prentiss and Tishomingo in the Columbus/Tupelo/West Point DMA).

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.
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Thrashers Re-Sign Restricted Free Agent Defenseman Boris Valabik

The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed restricted free agent defenseman Boris Valabik to a multiple-year contract, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Valabik, 23, recorded five assists and 132 penalty minutes in 50 games with the Thrashers last season. He recorded his first career NHL point (assist) on Dec. 10 vs. the New York Rangers and registered a season-high three-game point streak from Dec. 20 to Dec. 23, posting three assists in that span.

The 6-7, 240-pound defenseman has appeared in 57 career NHL games with Atlanta, earning five assists and 174 penalty minutes. Valabik has also played in 119 career games for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League where he has registered 20 points (four goals, 16 assists) and 434 penalty minutes. During the 2008 post-season, he tallied four points (three goals, one assist) and helped the Wolves capture the Calder Cup Championship.

Prior to his professional career, Valabik accumulated 30 points (four goals, 26 assists) and 725 penalty minutes in 163 career games with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. The Nitra, Slovakia, native has represented his country in international competition four times, including the 2009 World Championships as well as the 2005 and 2006 World Junior Championships and the 2004 World Under-18 Championships.

Valabik was selected by the Thrashers in the first round, 10th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.
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Thrashers Agree to Terms with Restricted Free Agents Scott Lehman, Grant Lewis and Tim Stapleton

The Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to terms with restricted free agent defensemen Scott Lehman and Grant Lewis, along with forward Tim Stapleton, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Lehman, 23, appeared in 50 games with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League last season, posting five points (two goals, three assists) with 86 penalty minutes. The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman earned his first-career NHL recall and made his NHL debut on Dec. 18 vs. Pittsburgh.

The Fort McMurray, Alta., native has recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 93 career games with the Wolves. Lehman has also appeared in 78 ECHL games with Gwinnett, accumulating 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 78 games.

Prior to his professional career, Lehman tallied 121 points (15 goals, 106 assists) in 244 regular season games with Toronto St. Michael’s of the Ontario Hockey League. In 51 playoff games with St. Michael’s, he registered 14 points (five goals, nine assists).

Lehman was selected by the Thrashers in the third round, 76th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Lewis, 24, recorded 22 assists and earned a plus-17 rating in 54 games with the Wolves last season. He ranked second on the club in plus/minus rating and tied for fourth among team defensemen in assists. The 6-3, 200-pound defenseman made his NHL debut on Mar. 3 vs. Florida, posting one shot on goal in 15:29 of ice time.

In 97 career AHL games with Chicago, Lewis has collected 38 points (two goals, 36 assists). He played in two Calder Cup Playoff games en route to capturing the 2008 Calder Cup.

Prior his professional career, the Pittsburgh, Penn., native played for Dartmouth College from 2003-04 to 2006-07, registering 77 points (13 goals, 64 assists) and 172 penalty minutes. Following the 2003-04 season, Lewis was named to the ECAC First All-Star Team and ECAC All-Rookie Team.

Lewis was originally selected by the Thrashers in the second round, 40th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Stapleton, 26, scored one goal in four games with the Maple Leafs last season. He made his NHL debut on Feb. 26 at the New York Islanders and scored his first NHL goal in his next game on Feb. 28 at Ottawa. The 5-9, 160-pound center also appeared in 70 games with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, recording 79 points (28 goals, 51 assists). Stapleton led the Marlies in points, goals and assists and ranked second on the team with eight power play tallies. He added two goals in six Calder Cup Playoff games with Toronto.

The La Grange, Ill., native has posted 84 points (28 goals, 56 assists) in 79 career AHL games with Portland and Toronto, adding two goals in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games. He spent two seasons with Jokerit Helsinki in Finland, recording 110 points (48 goals, 62 assists) in 111 games. Prior to his professional career, Stapleton played four seasons with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, registering 152 points (63 goals, 89 assists) in 162 games. He was signed by Toronto as a free agent on June 6, 2008.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.

Thrashers Sign Unrestricted Free Agents Anthony Stewart and Noah Welch

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed unrestricted free agent forward Anthony Stewart and unrestricted free agent defenseman Noah Welch, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Stewart, 24, has recorded 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 105 career NHL games with Florida and 66 points (29 goals, 37 assists) in 130 American Hockey League games with Rochester and San Antonio. The 6-2, 240-pound center appeared in 59 games with the Florida Panthers last season, recording seven points (two goals, five assists).

Prior to his professional career, the La Salle, Quebec, native played four seasons of junior hockey with Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League from 2001-02 to 2004-05. He appeared in 248 regular season games with the Frontenacs, earning 238 points (118 goals, 120 assists) and added seven points (three goals, four assists) in six OHL post-season contests. He was originally selected by Florida in the first round, 25th overall, of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Welch, 26, has seen action in 73 career NHL games with Pittsburgh, Florida and Tampa Bay, recording nine points (four goals, five assists). The 6-4, 220-pound defenseman has earned 59 points (16 goals, 43 assists) in 122 AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Rochester. The Brighton, Mass., native appeared in 40 NHL games last season with Florida and Tampa Bay, recording two points (one goal, one assist) and also tallied three assists in seven AHL games with the Rochester.

Prior to his professional career, Welch played four seasons of college hockey at Harvard University (ECAC) from 2001-02 to 2004-05. He registered 76 points (23 goals, 53 assists) in 129 games with the Crimson and was named to the NCAA East First All-American Team following his senior season. Welch was selected by Pittsburgh in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets for the 2009-10 regular season start as low as $10 per game and are available by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.
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Thrashers Assign Seven Players to Chicago (AHL), One to Juniors

The Atlanta Thrashers have assigned forwards Riley Holzapfel, Rylan Kaip and Spencer Machacek, defensemen Chad Denny, Scott Lehman, Grant Lewis and goaltender Dan Turple to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. The Thrashers also returned forward Angelo Esposito to his junior team, Montreal of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

The Thrashers now have 33 players on their training camp roster (please see attachment), including 20 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goaltenders.

The Thrashers, who have a 1-1 record in two road preseason games, continue the 2008 exhibition schedule at Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 28 (5 p.m.). The Thrashers begin their home pre-season schedule against Detroit on Oct. 1 (7 p.m.) and host Nashville on Oct. 3 (7:30 p.m.) and St. Louis on Oct. 4 (7 p.m.) prior to the opening of the 2008-09 NHL Regular-Season schedule when they host the Washington Capitals at Philips Arena on Friday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Season Tickets for the Atlanta Thrashers start at $10 per game and are available for the 2008-09 season by calling (866) 715-1500 or visiting atlantathrashers.com. Individual tickets for all regular-season Thrashers games at Philips Arena can be purchased by visiting atlantathrashers.com, calling (800) 326-4000, or by visiting the Philips Arena Box Office or any Ticketmaster Ticket Outlet.
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Thrashers Offer 2008-09 Mini-Plan Ticket Packages

Atlanta Thrashers mini-plan ticket packages, along with full-season and half-season plans, for the 2008-09 Regular-Season are on sale now. Mini-Plans for the upcoming season include 13-game and seven-game Weekend Packs and All-Star Packs (please see attachment for specific games), featuring the best games and top opponents at Philips Arena this season at a great value.

The 13-game Weekend Pack includes 12 Friday, Saturday and Sunday games and one Thursday game during the 2008-09 season. This plan is highlighted games against the Pittsburgh Penguins (Thursday, Dec. 18), Boston Bruins (Sunday, Dec. 28), Philadelphia Flyers (Sunday, Feb. 8) and the Stanley Cup-winning Detroit Red Wings (Friday, March 20).

The seven-game Weekend Pack features six Friday, Saturday and Sunday games along with one Thursday game for the upcoming season. Opponents for this option include the Buffalo Sabres (Saturday, Oct. 18), Penguins (Thursday, Dec. 18) and the Red Wings (Friday, March 20).

Fans can also choose the 13-game All-Star Pack, which features the Thrashers marquee games and best opponents for the 2008-09 season, including contests against the Penguins (Thursday, Nov. 20), New York Rangers (Wednesday, Dec. 10), Chicago Blackhawks (Wednesday, Feb. 11) and Montreal Canadiens (Friday, March 6).

The seven-game All-Star Pack is highlighted by seven of the top games in Blueland this season, including games against the Southeast Division-rival Washington Capitals (Friday, Oct. 10), Penguins (Thursday, Nov. 20) and Canadiens (Friday, March 6).

Thrashers Announce 2008-09 NHL Regular-Season Schedule

The Atlanta Thrashers, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, has announced the entire 82-game schedule for the 2008-09 NHL regular season (see attachment for complete schedule). Individual game tickets for the regular season will go on sale Saturday, Sept. 20 at 10 a.m.

The Thrashers, who open the season on Friday, Oct. 10 at home against the defending Southeast Division-champion Washington Capitals (7:30 p.m.), will host 23 different opponents at Philips Arena over the 41-game regular-season home schedule, including nine teams from the Western Conference.

This season’s Thrashers schedule is highlighted by 22 weekend games at Philips Arena, including 10 Friday games, six Saturday games and six Sunday games. Along with seven Thursday contests, 29 home games this season will be held between Thursday and Sunday.

Under the NHL’s new schedule format, Atlanta increases the amount of games it plays against Western Conference opponents by lessening the amount of games against teams in the Southeast Division (from eight to six). The resulting eight games are reallocated against the Western Conference.

Due to the format change, Thrasher’s fans will enjoy seeing additional Western Conference teams in action at Philips Arena this season, including the Stanley Cup-champion Detroit Red Wings (March 20, 7:30 p.m.). Overall, the Thrashers will play each non-conference team once with an additional game against three select teams (Colorado, Detroit and Nashville) for a total of 18 games against Western Conference opponents (nine home, nine road), up from 10 total games in the old format.

The Thrashers will now play Southeast Division rivals (Carolina, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington) six times, including three at home and three on the road (24 games in total). Atlanta will face Atlantic Division teams (New Jersey, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) and Northeast Division teams (Boston, Buffalo, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto) four times each (40 games in total).

Every team in the NHL will appear at Philips Arena this season with the exception of Anaheim, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Jose.

Start times for Thrashers home games held Monday through Thursday and on Saturday will continue to be at 7 p.m., with the exception of Jan. 14 vs. Ottawa (7:30 p.m.). All Friday games begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday home games will start at either 3 p.m. (Nov. 30 vs. St. Louis, Feb. 8 vs. Philadelphia, March 8 vs. Calgary) or 5 p.m. (Nov. 2 vs. Florida, Dec. 28 vs. Boston, Jan. 4 vs. Tampa Bay).

As previously released, the six-game preseason schedule is highlighted by three games at Philips Arena, including contests against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m., the Nashville Predators on Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. and the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.

Thrashers Agree to Terms With Unrestricted Free Agent Forward Marty Reasoner

The Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent forward Marty Reasoner, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Reasoner, 31, has appeared in 465 career games over nine NHL seasons with Edmonton, Boston and St. Louis, earning 176 points (64 goals, 112 assists). He has also recorded eight points (six goals, two assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games with Edmonton and St. Louis.

The 6-1, 205-pound center appeared in all 82 games for the Oilers last season, his sixth with the team, recording 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists). He played in his 400th career NHL game on Nov. 10 at Calgary and recorded a season-high three points (one goal, two assists) on Mar. 22 vs. Colorado.

Reasoner played in 124 American Hockey League games with Worcester and Hamilton in parts of four seasons, totaling 127 points (57 goals, 70 assists) and a plus-15 rating. He has three points (two goals, one assist) in four Calder Cup Playoff games with Worcester in 1998-99.

The Honeoye Falls, N.Y., played three seasons with the Boston College Eagles of Hockey East from 1995-1998, where he tallied 162 points (69 goals, 93 assists) in 111 games. He was selected as the Hockey East Rookie of the Year following the 1995-96 season and was named to the NCAA East First All-American Team in 1997-98.

He has represented the United States in international competition on five occasions, including the World Championships (2002, 2003, and 2006) and the World Junior Championships (1996 and 1997).

Reasoner, who was selected by St. Louis in the first round, 14th overall, of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, was traded to Edmonton by the Blues with Jochen Hecht and Jan Horacek for Doug Weight and Michel Reisen on July 1, 2001. He was later traded to Boston by the Oilers with Yan Stastny and Edmonton’s second round selection (Milan Lucic) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft for Sergei Samsonov on Mar. 9, 2006. Reasoner signed with the Oilers as a free agent on July 4, 2006.

Thrashers Re-Sign Forward Joey Crabb and Defenseman Nathan Oystrick

The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed forward Joey Crabb and defenseman Nathan Oystrick, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Crabb, 25, appeared in 72 games for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League last season, recording 35 points (nine goals, 26 assists), two shorthanded goals and a plus-10 rating. The 6-1, 190-pound right wing helped the Wolves capture the 2008 AHL Calder Cup Championship, tallying five points (one goal, four assists) in 24 playoff games.

A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Crabb has appeared in 135 games with the Wolves over two seasons, recording 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists). He has also appeared in 30 AHL playoff games with Chicago, registering five points (one goal, four assists).

Crabb played four seasons with Colorado College of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association from 2002-03 to 2005-06, recording 110 points (53 goals, 57 assists) and 145 penalty minutes in 158 games. Prior to his collegiate career, Crabb spent one season with Green Bay of the United States Hockey League and two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program.

Crabb was selected by the NY Rangers in the seventh round, 226th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and originally signed with the Thrashers as a free agent on Aug. 31, 2006.

Oystrick, 25, played in all 80 games for the Chicago Wolves last season, recording 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists) and 159 shots. Among team defenseman, Oystrick tied for first on the team in assists, ranked second in points and tied for second in goals and power play goals (eight). The 6-0, 215-pound native of Regina, Saskatchewan also appeared in all 24 playoff games for the Wolves, helping them to the Calder Cup Championship while registering 11 points (three goals, eight assists).

In parts of three seasons with the Wolves, Oystrick has appeared in 162 games, recording 91 points (29 goals, 62 assists). He has also played in 39 Calder Cup Playoff games for Chicago over two seasons, tallying 17 points (three goals, 14 assists).

Oystrick spent four seasons with Northern Michigan of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association where he tallied 89 points (26 goals, 53 assists) in 151 games from 2002-06. Prior to attending college, Oystrick recorded 101 points (24 goals, 77 assists) and 372 penalty minutes in two season with South Surrey of the British Columbia Hockey League from 2000-02.

Oystrick was originally selected by the Thrashers in the seventh round, 198th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

Thrashers Sign Unrestricted Free Agent Forward Jason Williams

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed unrestricted free agent forward Jason Williams, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. As per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Williams, 27, recorded 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 43 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season. He recorded a season-high six-game point streak from Feb. 23 – Mar. 4, recording nine points (three goals, six assists) in that span and tallied a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) on Oct. 20 at Toronto. The 5-11, 195-pound right wing missed 39 games last season due to injury.

The native of London, Ontario has appeared in 296 career NHL games with Chicago and Detroit, recording 158 points (66 goals, 92 assists). He has registered two points (one goal, one assist) in 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Red Wings and was a member of the 2002 Stanley Cup Championship team.

Williams represented Canada at the 2006 World Championships, recording seven points (two goals, five assists) in nine games. He played with Assat Pori of SM-Liiga in Finland during the 2004-05 season and recorded 43 points (26 goals, 17 assists) in 43 games. He spent parts of three seasons in the American Hockey League from 2000-2003, tallying 94 points (70 goals, 94 assists) in 173 games with Cincinnati and Grand Rapids.

Prior to his professional career, Williams played four seasons of junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, where he recorded 194 points (74 goals, 120 assists) in 249 career regular-season games. He added eight points (four goals, four assists) in 24 OHL playoff games and was named to the OHL Third All-Star Team following the 1999-00 season.

Williams was originally signed as a free agent by the Red Wings on Sept. 18, 2000 and was traded to Chicago for Kyle Calder on Feb. 26, 2007.

Thrashers Name Tommy Alva Head Athletic Trainer

The Atlanta Thrashers have named Tommy Alva as head athletic trainer, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. He will be responsible for the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of player injuries and assisting with the overall medical and training programs of the organization.

Alva joins the Thrashers after serving as the head athletic trainer for the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League during the 2007-08 season and spent the previous four years as assistant athletic trainer for the Dallas Stars from 2003-04 to 2006-07.

Prior to his role with the Stars, he spent one season as the head athletic trainer for the Barcelona Dragons of NFL Europe in 2000 and worked as the head athletic trainer for the Dallas Burn of Major League Soccer for four seasons from 1996-2000.

Alva also has experience as the medical coordinator for the Texas Collegiate Baseball League, as the athletic training coordinator for the Presbyterian Sports Network and as a summer assistant trainer for the NFL’s New York Jets. He also spent six years working in an athletic training capacity at two Dallas-area high schools.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Alva earned his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from Henderson State University in Arkansas. He and his wife, Stephanie, have a son, Kaleb, and reside in Lawrenceville.

Thrashers Re-Sign Unrestricted Free Agent Forward Eric Boulton

The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed unrestricted free agent forward Eric Boulton to a multiple-year contract, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. As per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Boulton, 31, appeared in a career-high 74 games for the Thrashers last season, tying career-highs with four goals, five assists and nine points. He also led the team with 127 penalty minutes.

The 6-1, 225-pound left wing has spent seven seasons in the NHL, recording 42 points (16 goals, 25 assists) and 774 penalty minutes in 342 career games with Buffalo and Atlanta. Boulton has tallied 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) and 263 penalty minutes in 170 games with Atlanta over the last three seasons (2005-2008).

Prior to making his NHL debut in 2000-01, Boulton recorded 131 points (65 goals, 66 assists) in 319 career minor-league games with Charlotte (ECHL), Binghamton (AHL), Fort Wayne (IHL), Kentucky (AHL), Rochester (AHL) and Columbia (ECHL).

The native of Halifax, Nova Scotia was originally signed as a free agent by Atlanta on Aug. 8, 2005. He was selected by the New York Rangers in the ninth round, 234th overall, of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets start as low as $10 per game and are on sale now for the 2008-09 season by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.

Thrashers Announce 2008 Preseason Schedule

The Atlanta Thrashers announced today a six-game preseason schedule that features three games at Philips Arena against the Detroit Red Wings (Oct. 1), Nashville Predators (Oct. 3) and St. Louis Blues (Oct. 4). The Thrashers will visit Nashville, St. Louis and Detroit for preseason match-ups against the Predators (Sept. 25), Blues (Sept. 26) and Red Wings (Sept. 28).

In addition to its preseason schedule, the team will travel to Nashville and compete in two prospect games against the Predators on Sept. 22 (7 p.m.) and Sept. 23 (Noon). More information on the games will be provided at a future date.

The Thrashers will also participate in the annual Traverse City Prospect Evaluation Tournament, hosted by the Red Wings at the Center I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, Mich., from Sept. 11-17. Details will be supplied in August.

Atlanta Thrashers Season Tickets start as low as $10 per game and are on sale now for the 2008-09 season by visiting atlantathrashers.com or calling (866) 715-1500.

Thrashers Select Zach Bogosian with Third Overall Pick in 2008 NHL Entry Draft

The Atlanta Thrashers have selected defenseman Zach Bogosian with their first-round choice, third overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.

Bogosian, 17, was the second-ranked North American skater entering the draft and appeared in 60 games with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last season. He ranked second among league defenseman with 50 assists and was the only defenseman to lead his team in points with 61 (11 goals, 50 assists). He added three assists in five post-season contests against Belleville.

The 6-2, 200-pound defenseman represented the Eastern Conference at the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic and also participated in the CHL Top Prospects Game. He is described by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service as a “franchise player for a National Hockey League team and is ready to make the jump to the NHL very quickly.”

The native of Massena, N.Y. has recorded 94 points (18 goals, 76 assists) and 135 penalty minutes in 127 career games over two seasons with Peterborough. He was selected by the Petes in the first round, 19th overall, of the 2006 OHL Priority Draft.

Prior to his time in Peterborough, Bogosian played two seasons at Cushing Academy (Mass.) from 2004-2006 where former NHL All-Star Ray Bourque was an assistant coach.

Thrashers Add Five Players in Day Two of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft

The Atlanta Thrashers selected five players on Day Two of this weekend’s 2008 NHL Entry Draft, held at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario. Atlanta held seven selections in all over the two-day draft, including two first-round choices used on defenseman Zach Bogosian (third overall) and center Daultan Leveille (29th overall).

The Thrashers owned one choice each in Rounds 3-7 and selected right wing Danick Paquette (third round, 64th overall), right wing Vinny Saponari (fourth round, 94th overall), left wing Nicklas Lasu (fifth round, 124th overall), goaltender Chris Carrozzi (sixth round, 154th overall) and defenseman Zach Redmond (seventh round, 184th overall).

Daquette, 17, recorded 42 points (29 goals, 13 assists) in 63 games with the Lewiston MAINEiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season. The 6-0, 210-pound right wing finished third on his team with 29 goals and was second in the QMJHL with 213 penalty minutes. The Montreal, Quebec native has totaled 60 points (33 goals, 27 assists) and 325 penalty minutes in 126 games over two seasons in Lewiston.

Saponari, 18, spent the last two years in Ann Arbor, Mich. with the United States Development Program and tallied 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games with the Under-18 team during the 2007-08 season. The 6-0, 180-pound right wing appeared in 60 games with the USDP in 2006-07, including 39 games with the Under-17 team where he recorded 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) and 21 games with the Under-18 team, tallying seven points (four goals, three assists) in those games. The Atlanta, Ga. native is the first Georgia-born player to play for the USDP and will join his brother Victor at Boston University (Hockey East) next season. Prior to his time in Ann Arbor, Saponari played for Culver Military Academy (Ind.) in 2005-06 and led the team with 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists).

Lasu, 18, recorded 53 points (19 goals, 34 assists) in 41 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Jr. League during the 2007-08 campaign. The 5-11, 180-pound left wing also appeared in two games with Frolunda’s Swedish Elite League team. The Molndal, Sweden native was the ranked 31st among European Skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting Service.

Carrozzi, 18, appeared in 47 games with the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) last year, compiling a 25-18-2 record with a 2.75 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage, along with four shutouts. He started all four post-season contests for the Majors. The Ottawa, Ontario native has earned a 31-25-3-1 record with a 3.24 goals-against average, a .905 save percentage and four shutouts in 72 games over two seasons with the Majors. The 6-3, 185-pound goaltender was a member of the Gold Medal winning Team Canada at the 2008 Under-18 IIHF World Championships and won a Gold Medal with Team Ontario at the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

Redmond, 19, just completed his freshman season at Ferris State University (CCHA), where he recorded 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) in 37 games. The 6-1, 190-pound defenseman ranked second on the team among first-year players and sixth overall in points. Prior to beginning his collegiate career, the Traverse City, Mich. native played two seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League (USHL), recording 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 108 games from 2005-07.

Thrashers Select Daultan Leveille with 29th Overall Pick in 2008 NHL Entry Draft

The Atlanta Thrashers have selected forward Daultan Leveille with their first-round choice, 29th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.

Leveille, 17, appeared in 45 games for the St. Catherines Falcons of the Golden Horseshoe Junior Hockey League (GHL) last season. He led the team with 29 goals and ranked third with 56 points and 27 assists. Leveille paced the GHL with six shorthanded goals and recorded three points (one goal, two assists) in the 2008 GHL All-Star Game.

The 5-11, 165-pound center led the Falcons with 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 16 post-season contests. He tied for first in the league in goals (14), including three game-winning goals and eight multiple-point games during the playoff run. Leveille recorded at least one point in 15-out-of-16 playoff games, including a 10-game point streak from Feb. 29 – March 26, tallying 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in that span.

The St. Catherines, Ontario native has registered 101 points (48 goals, 53 assists) in 93 career games over two seasons with the Falcons. Leveille will attend Michigan State University in the fall of 2008.

Earlier tonight (June 20, 2008) the Thrashers selected defenseman Zach Bogosian with the third overall choice. Bogosian appeared in 60 games with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League last season and was the only defenseman to lead his team in points with 61 (11 goals, 50 assists).

The native of Massena, N.Y. has recorded 94 points (18 goals, 76 assists) and 135 penalty minutes in 127 career games over two seasons with Peterborough. He represented the Eastern Conference at the 2008 OHL All-Star Classic and participated in the CHL Top Prospects Game.

Prior to his time in Peterborough, Bogosian played two seasons at Cushing Academy (Mass.) from 2004-2006 where former NHL All-Star Ray Bourque was an assistant coach.
The Thrashers own five additional choices in this year’s draft, beginning in the third round. The seven-round draft resumes Saturday with the second round starting at 10 a.m.