Your daily links from the weekend:

• AJC - THRASHERS: Rookie Valabik shows toughness
• AJC (3/30) - INSIDE THE NHL: Thrashers: Ovechkin MVP
• AJC (3/29) - HURRICANES 7, THRASHERS 1: Record 21 penalties crush effort
• AJC (3/29) – Thrashers Report
• Thrashers.com - Thrashers Recall Jordan LaVallee from Chicago (AHL)
• St. Petersburg Times - U.S. had to convince Tortorella to take coaching gig; Don Waddell quoted
• ESPN.com – Thrashers-Hurricanes video highlights
• NHL.com – Southeast Division Notes; Slava Kozlov mentioned
• ESPN.com - Trade in a Cy Young Award for spot on the Cup? Glavine's game; Thrashers mentioned
• USA Today - Wild, Capitals, Oilers still have work to do; Thrashers mentioned
• Sports Network - 'Canes thrash Thrashers

As you've probably heard by now, Jordan LaVallee has been called up from the Wolves and will make his NHL debt tonight you can listen on 680 The Fan or watch on Center Ice). Once I know what line he'll be playing on I'll let you know. He will be wearing #50- the same number he wore in training camp. In other prospect news, defenseman Arturs Kulda, whose Peterborough Petes were eliminated form the OHL playoffs, signed an Amateur Tryout Offer with the Wolves and has joined them for the (presumably) the rest of their season. Here's an update on how the rest of the North American based prospects are doing in their respective playoff quests.

• C Angelo Esposito, Quebec Remparts. Quebec has a 3-2 lead in their first round QMJHL series and Esposito has 3 goals and  assists in those 5 games.
• LW Michael Forney, North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux play Boston College in the Frozen Four on April 10.
• C Riley Holzapfel, Moose Jaw Warriors. Moose Jaw fell to Calgary 4-2 in the opening round of the WHL playoffs.
• C Rylan Kaip, North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux play Boston College in the Frozen Four on April 10.
• RW Andrew Kozek, North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux play Boston College in the Frozen Four on April 10.
• RW Spencer Machacek, Vancouver Giants. Vancouver swept Chilliwack and plays the Tri-City Americans in the second round of the WHL playoffs.
• C Jesse Martin, Denver. Denver lost to Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday.
• D Will O'Neill, Omaha (USHL). The USHL season runs until April 5. Omaha has clinched their division title.
• D Paul Postma, Calgary Hitmen. The Hitmen won their series against the Warriors 4-2 and will play the Swift Current Broncos in the second round.

I can't comment on impending free agents from other teams without getting myself or the team in trouble, but that didn't stop me from spending a good chunk of time analyzing this list this afternoon. Many of the players listed will probably re-sign with their current teams before they ever even hit the market, but it's still tempting to come up with a shopping list now. Take a look at TSN's list of potential free agents and let me know who you'd like to see in a Thrashers uniform.

The win last night was a long time coming, and it sure was nice to see. Particularly nice to see were Kari's reaction after giving up a late goal and Colby Armstrong's jubilation after Holik scored the empty-netter.

It has been suggested that there is nothing left to play for except for draft position, but that's nonsense.

Nobody on this team should want to lose any given game. You want your players to hate losses and you want them to be excited about wins, even if they are all but meaningless. There have been a lot of losses this season, and it would have been very easy for some players to just accept them and get used to it. The fire showed by Lehtonen when he swung his stick at the goal post after giving up the second goal last night shows that he still hates losing. The excitement shown by Colby Armstrong after a teammate scored into an empty net to virtually secure a win shows that he'd still rather win than do anything else. There is still a lot to play for.

After the game Mark Recchi was honest and said it felt good to deny the Panthers a shot at making the playoffs. Good for him. Not only does it show how competitive he is, but it shows that he's looking for ways to make these games meaningful. Whether it's a player with an expiring contract looking to improve his numbers heading into contract talks or a returning player that wants to build off of something positive at the end of the year, there are still reasons to battle through these last four games. Colby Armstrong can still make a big impression on his teammates, coaches and management before this season wraps up and that impression will carry over to training camp. It will temper the thoughts of management as they seek out free agents. Contracts and roles are on the line, not to mention the pride that you hope everyone is still playing for. Very few players on the current roster have expiring contracts, so the core of this team is unlikely to change from this season to next (although there will likely be some key additions). Nobody wants to return next season with a bunch of guys that gave up on each other down the stretch. It was a bad season and everyone knows it, but what happens tonight in Raleigh and next week in Tampa and Atlanta can lay the groundwork for a better season in 2008-09.

Your daily links:

• AJC - THRASHERS 3, PANTHERS 2: Pride shows in rare road victory
• Thrashers.com - The Little Enstrom That Could
• Thrashers.com - Thrashers Sign 2007 Draft Choice Spencer Machacek
• ESPN.com – Ilya Kovalchuk: The Ultimate NHL Player – Shot (photo gallery)
• ESPN.com - It's alive! Our ultimate NHL player; Ilya Kovalchuk mentioned
• AJC – Thrashers Report
• CBSSportsline.com - Two stand out, but others to consider in rookie race; Tobias Enstrom mentioned
• Raleigh News & Observer – Eye on the Hurricanes; Thrashers-Hurricanes previewed
• Stats LLC – Thrashers-Hurricanes preview
• ESPN.com - Tortorella will serve as head coach, Sullivan to assist; Don Waddell mentioned
• AJC.com – Thrashers Blog: Machacek in the mix
• Prince George Citizen - Where are all the fans? WHL’s first-round story is attendance; Recchi, Machacek mentioned (scroll)
• FoxSports.com - Avery hated by fans, but can get the job done; Ilya Kovalchuk mentioned
• Palm Beach Post - Panthers' playoff hopes all but over; Thrashers-Panthers recapped
• AP - Thrashers end 5-game slide with 3-2 win over Panthers

The news leaked out a few days ago that it was on the verge of happening but now it's official- the Thrashers have signed Spencer Machacek to an entry-level contract. Machacek is in his third year with the Vancouver Giants in the WHL and went from scoring 21 goals and 45 points last season heading into the draft to notching 33 goals and 78 points this season as the captain of the Giants. They bumped the Chilliwack Bruins out of the playoffs last night and are awaiting their second round opponent in the WHL playoffs.

Craig Custance writes that Machacek may get the chance to join the Wolves after his team finishes up (don't hold your breath- Vancouver is poised for a deep run and might not finish up until May) and that talks are ongoing with Angelo Esposito who still has another year of junior left. One junior player that Craig didn't mention is Riley Holzapfel, whose Moose Jaw Warriors are one game away from being eliminated form the WHL playoffs. I haven't talked to Don Waddell about him, but if the Warriors get bounced I could certainly see him heading to Chicago to get some pro experience under his belt. I'm not sure how that would impact his entry-level contract status though. I'll let you know what I find out (UPDATE: Holzapfel can sign an Amateur Tryout Offer (ATO) and join the Wolves without it impacting his entry-level deal, which is what I thought. Both Holzapfel and Machacek can go pro at the end of their junior seasons or go back to junior next year for an overage season, though that's fairly rare for players of their ability).

I can tell you this- I really like the potential future of this club. Holzapfel saw a drop in production this season but still averaged close to a point per game in the defensive WHL. Machacek is going to be a nice power forward who likes to get his nose dirty in the corners and in front of the net, and Angelo Esposito has potential to be a high-scoring winger forward. It's almost certain that the Thrashers are going to be picking in the top five (if not higher) in the NHL draft this year and if there are plenty of top defensemen to be had there. The cupboards aren't as bare as many people would have you believe and the Thrashers have the potential to be a good, young team in the very near future.

Your daily links:

• AJC - Little things make Havelid a big deal
• AP – Thrashers-Panthers preview
• Washington Times - Players try hands at being owners; Mark Recchi quoted
• USA Today - Many low-payroll teams sit below the playoff line; Thrashers mentioned
• North Bay Nugget - Four to share DIA sports award; Thrashers mentioned
• NHL.com – The Hot List; Thrashers mentioned (scroll)
• Palm Beach Post - Loss, criticism linger for Panthers; Thrashers-Panthers mentioned

Sports Unlimited Magazine (SU) just posted some thrashers features and both of them are available online for your reding enjoyment.

The first profiles Swedish rookie sensations Toby Enstrom and Nicklas Backstrom. The second highlights the unorthodox career path of Eric Perrin who just might be the second most pleasant surprise of this season (behind Enstrom). I give Don Waddell all the credit in the world for taking his lumps and biting his tongue when criticized when he has every right in the world to point to guys like Eric Perrin and Tobias Enstrom who have greatly exceeded expectations.

Both articles make for a good read, and if you like what SU offers feel free to let them know. They like feedback, and feedback from hockey fans could lead to more hockey content.

The season is winding down for the Thrashers, but many of their prospects are gearing up for the AHL, ECHL, NCAA and CHL playoffs. Here is a quick rundown of how the amateur North American prospects are doing:

• C John Albert, Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell short in the CCHA tournament and didn't get a bid to the NCAA tournment.
• C Angelo Esposito, Quebec Remparts. Quebec leads Chicoutimi 2-1 in the opening round of the QMJHL playoffs.
• LW Michael Forney, North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux play Princeton in the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. North Dakota finished third in the WCHA tourney.
• C Riley Holzapfel, Moose Jaw Warriors. Moose Jaw trails Calgary 2-1 in the opening round of the WHL playoffs. Game three is tonight.
• C Rylan Kaip, North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux play Princeton in the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. North Dakota finished third in the WCHA tourney.
• RW Andrew Kozek, North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux play Princeton in the opening round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday. North Dakota finished third in the WCHA tourney.
• D Arturs Kulda, Peterborough Petes. The Petes fell 4-1 to Belleville in the opening round of the OHL playoffs.
• RW Spencer Machacek, Vancouver Giants. Vancouver leads the Chilliwack Bruins 3-0 in the opening round of the WHL playoffs. Game four is tonight.
• C Jesse Martin, Denver. Denver faces Wisconsin as a two seed in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday.
• D Will O'Neill, Omaha (USHL). The USHL season runs until April 5. Omaha has clinched their division title.
• D Paul Postma, Calgary Hitmen. The Hitmen will try to tie up their opening round WHL series with Riley Holzapfel and Moose Jaw tonight. They trail 2-1.
• RW Matt Siddall, Northern Michigan. Northern Michigan's season is over after finishing third in the CCHA.

As for the ECHL and AHL prospects, the Gwinnett Gladiators have clinched a playoff spot and are battling for position. they open the ECHL playoffs at home on April 8 while the AHL's Chicago Wolves are first in their division and conference and wrap up their regular season on April 13.

A couple of quick notes:

• Free agency will start on July 1 once again. The NHL wanted it moved to July 7 to move it away from Canada Day (July 1) and Independence day but the NHLPA shot the idea down pretty quickly. Once again I'll be spending Canada Day on my couch with my laptop, waiting for our PR guys to call me with free agent news. Thanks for nothing NHLPA.
• Montreal, Detroit and San Jose have all clinched playoff spots. Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Anaheim can join them tonight if the chips fall just the right ways.
• Don Waddell is talking to his coaching staff about using the last callup spot. He said we have enough defensemen for the rest of the season but that they might opt to look at another forward. If the Thrashers want to look at someone who hasn't gotten any NHL time under their belt then Jordan LaVallee is probably the leading candidate. He has 19 goals and 20 assists in 69 games with the Wolves. Nothing spectacular, but he's 6'3" and 210 lbs, so he's a big body that can bang and grind.
• Speaking of prospects, Riley Holzapfel is playing in the opening round of the WHL playoffs with Moosejaw. If the Warriors get bounced could he be sent to Chicago to get some pro experience? That's what happened to Bryan Little last spring, and Holzapfel is under contract.

The NHL didn't do the Thrashers any favors in the scheduling department. The team hasn't played since Friday and doesn't have a game until Thursday. Then they play four times in five nights in four different cities. Nice, huh?

Even pros can get a little bit of rust during a lengthy break so to help simulate game conditions today's practice consisted of a lot of skating. A lot. Whether it was two-on-two drills going the length of the ice or across it, there were always goalies involved and players changed on the fly after 45-60 second 'shifts'. It was the most skating I've seen at a practice in a while and they guys seemed to enjoy it. One of the highlights was when Boris Valabik picked Bryan Little's pocket inside the blueline and went the length of the ice on a breakaway. Little, who has pretty good wheels, couldn't quite catch the big Slovak and Boris got a shot off on Moose. Valabik isn't necessarily fast, but his speed is deceptive because his strides are so long. Little's legs were pumping compared to Valabik's as he tried to chase him down.

After the practice the mood was light in the locker room. For all of the message board chatter about their being attitude problems and bad blood (none of which I've seen), everyone was in good spirits. Several players commented on how hard Alexei Zhitnik worked in practice and compliments were given to Exelby and Thorburn as well.

As the season winds down for the Thrashers some attention will shift to the World Championships in Quebec City and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Most countries draw heavily form NHL teams that didn't make the playoffs and some players who are out in the first round end up playing as well. Colby Armstrong played for the Canadian squad last year and he'd jump at the chance to do it again.

"It's a short tournament but it's a great experience and a huge honor, especially since it's going to be in Canada this year. It'd be great, but we'll see if I can crack the squad this year."

Last year he played on a line with Jordan Staal and Jonathan Toews.

"We were a good little line. Toews is a heck of a player and Jordan is a big guy that can skate- another great player. We were pretty good on the big ice together."

Given that he scored the gold medal clinching goal in Moscow last year, Armstrong probably stands a pretty good chance of being invited back. Chicago's playoff hopes aren't looking good so he may even be reunited with Toews. What other Thrashers would you like to see play in the World Championships? It's a great tournament and it's a shame it doesn't get more coverage in the United States. They really can't afford to move it later in the year though because by then NHL players are ready for their off-season. Right now the national teams draw from players who are disappointed about missing the playoffs and still have a fire to play in May.

Your daily links:

• AJC (3/23) - INSIDE THE NHL: Thrashers who still have goals to meet
• AJC (3/22) - CAPITALS 5, THRASHERS 3: Defense collapses in third period
• AJC (3/22) – Thrashers Report (D2)
• AJC (3/23) - MAKING HEALTHY FUN: Food For Thought; Thrashers mentioned (scroll)
• Atlantathrashers.com – From the Press Box; Thrashers-Capitals recapped
• Washington Post – Capitals Report; Tobias Enstrom mentioned
• NHL.com - Southeast: Anderson saves Panthers' season; Slava Kozlov mentioned (scroll)
• Philadelphia Inquirer - Flyers practice 6-on-5 drills; Kovalchuk, Kozlov mentioned
• Edmonton Sun – Coaches Cornered; Don Waddell mentioned
• Raleigh News & Observer - A team in trouble; Thrashers featured
• ESPN.com – Thrashers-Capitals video highlights
• Washington Post - Caps' Late Rally Stokes Playoff Hope; Thrashers-Capitals recapped
• AP - Ovechkin's 60th Goal Helps Capitals beat Thrashers

 

Viktor Kozlov has outscored Slava Kozlov in two NHL seasons and is on his way to doing it a third time this season. In 1999-00 he had 70 points to Slava's 36 and in 2001-02 he had 27 to Slava's 22. This year Viktor has 46 points compared to Slava's 39. Since Viktor joined the NHL Slava has outscored him 669 points to 448 and has played in 104 more playoff games than Viktor, who has played in just 14. Slava calls Viktor a 'good buddy of mine' but has never played with him at any level of hockey, which is somewhat surprising given that the two players have combined for 17 appearances with Russia in international play (10 times for Slava, 7 for Viktor).

Congratulations to Austin R. who is today's winner. Trivia now goes on hiatus for a week and returns on April 1 for the second last home game.

There wasn't a lot to report from today's morning skate. there are a few lineup changes to report though:

• Kari Lehtonen gets the start in goal. He's 2-3-0 against the Caps this season with a 2.96 GAA and .917 save percentage.
• Garnet Exelby is back in and while it was never stated explicitly who would be out, Zhitnik and Kwiatkowski were still on the ice half an hour after everyone else was off and I don't believe Ken Klee skate.
• Boris Valabik will be paired with Mark Popovic. Boris knows Popovic's game having played with him in Chicago, though they've never been paired together before.
• Here is Don Waddell's post-skate scrum video.

Other notes:

• Erik Christensen watched the bulk of the skate in workout clothes form the bench. It's normal for injured players to be in the arena on gamedays but normally they just work out and get checked by the medical staff and trainer. Most of them don't watch the skate. Christensen's presence on the bench is just another sign that he's incredibly disappointed to be out. He's still hanging around the team to get to know the players and feel like a part of the action whether he's playing or not.
• Kovy and Ovy had a good chat while Ovechkin watched the skate from the visiting bench.
• Slava Kozlov spoke highly of his good friend Sergei Fedorov who has provided some veteran leadership down the stretch for the Caps. Washington has to be almost perfect to make the playoffs and Fedorov is one of the few Caps with significant playoff experience. Kozlov pointed out how versatile he is and said that while he won't get a lot of points he's still dangerous. He's also a great mentor for young Russians like Ovechkin and Semin.
• Boris says the nerves are gone and he expects more from himself tonight. He said that the team has given him a lot of support and he's ready to move on from his first game and show what he can do. He isn't looking down the road and would rather focus on playing each game than think of this as a tryout for next season. Boris is one of five players staying at a hotel right now (along with Little, Kwiatkoswki, Armstrong and Christensen) and he said he's been spending plenty of time with those guys. Army is the group chauffeur and commented that Boris fits nicely in the back seat of his car. No word form the two people jammed back there with him on just how roomy it is.

Keep in mind that tonight is Autism Awareness Night and doors will open early at 6pm. Bring money for $1 hot dogs, soft drinks and popcorn (until 6:30). Prior to the game Niclas Havelid will be presented with the Gilner-Reeves Award for community service.

The Thrashers face the Capitals for the last time tonight and so far they've had the edge in the season series, going 4-3-0 against Washington. Ilya loves these games, as does Alex Ovechkin who is always a thorn in Atlanta's side. Given how heated games between the division rivals can get it should be interesting to see how Boris plays tonight. He's not one to shy away from the rough stuff and he quick to jump to the defense of teammates. It should be a good one. The trivia question to win two tickets to the tilt is below. Good luck.

Answer the question below and send your response to thrashers.mailbag@atlantaspirit.com by 2 pm and you could be the winner of two tickets to tonight's game. Please read all of the rules below.

Please read the official rules and regulations for the contest before entering and be aware that you will have to sign and return a form or two if you are selected. You also must be 18 years of age to win Submit your answers (thrashers.mailbag@atlantaspirit.com), and check back at 2:00 p.m. for the answer and to see if you've won!

Thank you to The Thomas Eye Group for sponsoring this year's trivia contest.

Abbreviated rules:
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The Blueland Blog Trivia Contest sponsored by Thomas Eye Group (the "Contest") is open to legal residents of the U.S. and Georgia who are at least 18 years of age at the time of entry, reside within 75 miles of Philips Arena and have Internet access as of the date and time the Contest was first made known to the public. Subject to additional terms and conditions of the Official Rules. Click here for Official Rules . One (1) entry per person per Entry Period. Entry Period is from 10AM EST to 2PM EST each Thrashers home game day. Odds of winning depend on number of correct entries received. Total AMV of prizes: $2,378. Void wherever prohibited. Entry forms must be filled out in full. Contest ends April 5, 2008 at 2:00 PM EST.

A couple notes about tomorrow night's games against the Capitals:

• In case you haven't heard, the CNN Center food court and main atrium are closed until Monday while they work on repairing the areas damaged during the storms. How does this impact you? Well, if you're accustomed to eating in the food court before hand you're out of luck. The doors from CNN Center to Philips Arena WILL be operational though and you can enter CNN Center through the plaza entrance which is down the stairs from the Philips Arena box office. More importantly, all doors to Philips Arena will open to the public at 6pm instead of 6:30, and hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks will be on sale for $1 each from 6-6:30.
   
• Tomorrow night is Autism Awareness Night. Once again were teaming up with Athletes Against Autism and the Mellanby Autism Foundation to raise funds and awareness. Scott Mellanby will be at the game and will be doing some media appearances. You can help the cause by buying 50/50 tickets and bidding on the silent auction items at the Thrashers Foundation table.
   
• Friday night is also the last Shane's Rib Shack Family Pack night.

If you have concerns about street closures tonight, here is the latest update for the Philips Arena area. Some of the parking lots in the area around Centennial Olympic Park are closed, so there might be a bit less parking than normal. MARTA might be a good option for those that live close to stations.