Kari Lehtonen era comes to an end in Thrasherville
Tuesday night the Atlanta Thrashers shipped off Kari Lehtonen to the Dallas Stars in return for defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy and a fourth round draft pick.
Kari Lehtonen, seen here in action last spring against the Caps, was the Thrashers second overall pick in 2002 (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)
With this deal, combined with the one that sent Ilya Kovalchuk to New Jersey last week, the Thrashers have dumped quite a bit of salary of late. Lehtonen is scheduled to be an RFA this summer and is currently making $3 million…Vishnevskiy will be an RFA in 2011 and is being paid just under $850,000 per season.
Vishnevskiy was the 27th overall draft pick in the 2006 draft and has played in a total of 5 NHL games…two this season. He has two assists in those games…both coming last season and both on the power play. In between periods of the Stars game in Chicago, Craig Ludwig…a former NHL defenseman for Montreal and Stars… said that the Thrashers are getting an offensive-minded blueliner but needs some work on his play in the defensive zone.
Lehtonen departs Thrasherville having just returned to the club from his conditioning stint with the Wolves and has yet to play in the NHL since last spring. He compiled a career record of 94-83-17 in 204 games played in Atlanta…196 were starts…with a 2.87 GAA, .912 SV% and 14 shutouts.
So…unless there is another trade planned to bring in a proven number one goalie…it looks as though Johan Hedberg and Ondrej Pavelec will be the ones between the pipes as the Thrashers look to make any playoff push this season. To that point, Chris Vivlamore tweeted that Don Waddell told him, “They have proved to be capable of carrying the load”.
Ivan Vishnevskiy was a first-round draft pick in 2006 and has played in 5 NHL games (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
With Kari’s departure, the Thrashers have parted ways with all of their top pick in their first five drafts.
Patrick Stefan, the top pick in 1999, is no longer playing hockey and is a player agent living in California.
Dany Healey, pick second overall in 2000, was traded away in 2005 to Ottawa and now plays in San Jose.
Ilya Kovalchuk, 2001’s overall number one, was dealt away last week to New Jersey.
Kari Lehtonen, second overall in 2002, as we have discussed is off to the Big D.
Braydon Coburn, the eighth overall draft pick in 2003, was shipped off to Philadelphia in 2006 in exchange for Alexei Zhitnik.
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171 comments Add your comment
Russian
February 10th, 2010
11:18 am
**to R.Stroz**
OK You are saying that:
1. Army will be gone. I am fine with this move. I hope we get Prospect or First pick will be great.
2. Kubina is second. It will be sucks. He is good D-man
3. Max is moving also. I do not like this idea.
What is about Slava? I like to move him ASAP. He is getting….. almost $4.0 mln.
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
11:21 am
Afinogenov next soley because of the ‘wanting out’ rumor.
Kevin Allen nailed it with Army. He’ll get dealt a few minutes before the deadline when his value is at the absolute highest. We all but know teams will be on the phone with DW bidding against one another for him.
I thought I heard DW was planning on speaking to Kubina’s agent about an extension now that Kovalchuk has been resolved?
I think picks and prospects will be dealt a good bit as parts of packages to other teams too.
Russ
February 10th, 2010
11:26 am
I would hope after the Kovy trade was completed that DW turned his focus to Armstrong and Kubina. He needs to gauge whether they have any desire to sign here (hopefully his gauge is working better than when assessing Kovy). If they do he needs to get them signed to extensions ASAP. They are both solid players in the roles they fill. Being proactive and getting a couple of solid veterans to re-sign here would go a long way in restoring confidence in the organization. Unfortunately, they would be the exception if they had any desire to stay.
Smoothie
February 10th, 2010
11:34 am
Per Darren Dreger of TSN: “Interest picking up in Ponikarovsky…as many as 10 teams inquiring. Likely March 3rd trade. At least 2nd rounder in return.”
3:37 PM Feb 5th from mobile web
I hope to hell we are one of the interested 10. His salary is only $2.5 M so he is very affordable at the deadline. His career avgs are 20-22 G, 25-26 A and he’s typically a plus player between +5 and +15. And fancy this, he’s a LW!?
Poni – Antro – Bergie
Kaner – Pevs – Little (sianorah Max!)
Slater – Reasy – Thorbs
shoot it
February 10th, 2010
11:35 am
Waddell is a true innovator in hockey. He is now preparing a team that will skate 2 forwards and 3 defensemen…
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
11:37 am
Smoothie – Also worth noting that Ponikarovsky is very good friends and former roomate of Nik Antropov. I’m really hoping we get him. I know we had scouts watching Toronto the other night… but 14 other teams did too.
Smoothie
February 10th, 2010
11:38 am
Afinogenov is not going anywhere unless we can get a replacement before or at the deadline. He’s only making $800 K so why trade him unless you can’t get a replacement like Ponikarovsky? Max has no incentive to tank if he doesn’t get his way. The only way to drive up his value on the free market is to play well down the stretch no matter who he is playing for.
1) Army – gone at the deadline like KA says; hopefully for a 2nd rounder
2) Finny – if we are buyers, hopefully after we get Poni; if we are sellers, he’s gone the same day as Army
3) Kubes – last resort if a) his agent says “piss off” and b) we don’t get at least 3 points in the next 3 games.
I’m not convinced this past week was the beginning of a salary dump. If Kubina goes before Friday at 3 pm, then I’ll jump on the bandwagon.
Alan R.
February 10th, 2010
11:43 am
Stroz,
Armstrong? Gone.
Kubina? If contract extension talks sour, gone.
Afinogenov? Stays. Cheap and efficient? Why, again, do we get rid of him?
World Be Free
February 10th, 2010
11:58 am
You guys are all looking at fire sale mode, but I am not so convinced. I know Dudley talked last Friday about the future, but I am not so sure all the guys mentioned today will be gone on March 3rd.
Max wants out? I think J.B. put it best, but I’ll say it as well. Nobody wanted to give Max a TRYOUT, much less a contract and significant ice time. He dug his big hole in Buffalo and Atlanta gave him a chance to climb out and reestablish his NHL reputation.
If Max truly wants out, I can go back to my numerous anti-Max postings of 2009 and tell you folks “I told you so” about Max.
Nikita (in PA)
February 10th, 2010
12:06 pm
Why get rid of Finny? Terrible defensive play, and a reported bad attitude. But he is cheap and we don’t own him at the end of the season. So, if we can get more for him than we pay him, I say trade him — otherwise keep him till he expires.
I really, sincerely, do not want to see Kubina gone. He is desperately needed.
Army…maybe. He is one of few Thrasher players who came in playing like Anderson wants, which is to say consistently moving into the offensive zone.
Badger Bob
February 10th, 2010
12:16 pm
Some think it’s a salary dump because we trade a player who turns down the 2nd most lucritive contract in NHL history and then trade a third goalie who had used up all his chances with this organization? Octocluster is a mess and I wouldn’t put anything past them, but to conclude it is a salary dump from these two moves is sketchy.
My (ever rosy) take is that this is “we’re moving anyone who has indicated in the past they don’t want to be here”. Kovy, obviously. Kari, as demonstrated through his lack of commitment to conditioning. Army qualifies with his 1 yr RFA contract (which was the right move for his career), so he’s unfortunately gone. But I’ll join the salary dump / abandoned hope for this year posters if Kubina moves.
I want to keep Finny, but do worry about his attitude (see reaction to Bogo collision in Washington).
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
12:16 pm
Posted this on Chris’ blog as well…
Apparently all our pending UFA’s are in high demand. According to thefourthperiod.com, ATL is getting alot of calls from teams interested in a number of players…
Spud Webb
February 10th, 2010
12:17 pm
ahahahahhaahhahahahahhaha…”said that the Thrashers are getting an offensive-minded blueliner but needs some work on his play in the defensive zone”. Wow, we got a dman who cant play D, what a return for us. GREAT job don. ahhahahhahahahhahahhahahhahahahhahahhahahhahahhahahahhaahahhahhahahahhahahhahahhahahhahah
Spud Webb
February 10th, 2010
12:21 pm
True JB and for virtually nothing you can get these players.
World Be Free
February 10th, 2010
12:25 pm
J.B.-I was just reading that as well on TFP.
I have post caught between 2 universes that doubts we’d be sellers. Now I am not so sure, who knows.
Pittsburgh Pirate Fan
February 10th, 2010
12:33 pm
10 years later and the Thrashers are STILL an expansion team?!
We can’t make it with out own first round picks, maybe we can with other team’s first picks (Ivan and Bergfors).
Whisky – Tango – Foxtrot
Ten Years After – without Alvin Lee
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
12:54 pm
Sellers in the sense we’re unloading UFA’s early, but not an all out firesale or blowing up of the roster. We’re not trading for rentals according to DW. Assuming we get 2 of the next three, I’d still say buyers for sure.
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
1:04 pm
Badger Bob –
I want to keep Finny, but do worry about his attitude (see reaction to Bogo collision in Washington).
What was this all about? I haven’t heard anything on this… anyone care to enlighten me?
Dwayne
February 10th, 2010
1:16 pm
YEAH, there is a game tonite!!!!! This drivel is getting stale. But stew-pit me, I still read it. Love the kool-aid…..Go Thrashers!!!
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
1:32 pm
I’m in the same boat Dwayne.
I get sick of it sometimes, but I CAN’T LOOK AWAY!!!!!
I could have worse habits I suppose…
Smoothie
February 10th, 2010
1:40 pm
Would be nice if our beat writer would be kind enough to get out of bed and give us a morning skate report. But alas, I guess there’s not much else to report. I would like it if he would ask JA who would get the call if another D-man, shudders, goes down? Kulda? Oystie? Who?
R. Stroz
February 10th, 2010
1:48 pm
Why aren’t any of the GMs interested in Todd White?
Charmin could get on a roll.
Red Light
February 10th, 2010
1:55 pm
Smoothie: It’s Mountain time and I doubt the Thrashers are even off the ice yet. Give him a little slack, he might have been discussing the trap with Anderson, and that could take 15 to 20 seconds.
Spanky Von Hockeystick
February 10th, 2010
2:02 pm
Kari always looked out of shape for a pro athlete. Consistency? None. He is technically great but seems to have no drive. Perhaps this will wake him up and make him work hard. Sometimes that is just what a kid needs.
Mrs. Zoomo
February 10th, 2010
2:08 pm
I wasn’t surprised by this trade and like it – Kari is too injury prone.
Dwayne
February 10th, 2010
2:17 pm
Bad habits…, thank God yall cant see me picking my nose while I type with my clean finger.
Smoothie
February 10th, 2010
2:17 pm
Red Light – LOL. Fair enough, just figured the Thrashers might request to be on the ice first because they normally don’t screw with their east coast time in terms of getting up and working. I thought I recall JA attributing their success on the WC last year to that reason.
Oh well, he did tweet a few mins ago that Hedberg would be in goal. At least JA realizes Moose should play 2 of 3 on this trip.
Stay Thirsty My Friends
February 10th, 2010
2:24 pm
Per Kamal on twitter – Kozlov is your only scratch tonight. Thrashers are carrying six D at the moment.
raindawg722
February 10th, 2010
2:36 pm
World Be Free, your faith in Dudley has one fatal flaw: the very real possibility that Waddell has given him cooties.
World Be Free
February 10th, 2010
2:41 pm
Rain-let’s hope not, Duds is a good man.
Ronald McDonald
February 10th, 2010
2:45 pm
The HamBurglar has left the building.
Hockey Biltong
February 10th, 2010
2:55 pm
Kings, Flames,Wings and Bruins, per Kevin Allen, have been speaking with ATL.
Draw your own conclusions, and I’m sure you will!!!
Hockey Biltong
February 10th, 2010
2:56 pm
“Moriarty? What’s with the negative vibes????”
NASCAR Dave
February 10th, 2010
2:59 pm
They have to clear LOTS and LOTS of Salary off the books to make room for all those Washed Up Has-Been Free Agents Ole Donnie Boy’s gonna OVERPAY to bring here, because we all know nobody WANTS to come here unless they are OVERPAID, which is the only option a guy like Donnie Boy has… These players aren’t stupid, they see Waddell’s Track record…
Rockem Sockem Thrasher
February 10th, 2010
3:15 pm
Looks like Vishnevskiy has been assigned to Chicago.
http://theahl.com/vishnevskiy-traded-to-atlanta-assigned-to-chicago-p140644
Matt
February 10th, 2010
3:16 pm
Negative “waves” Moriarty, always with the negative “waves”.
“Kelly’s Heroes” may be the most awesome war movie ever filmed.
Moriarty on this blog = “Sten” bag, Tumbling “Sage” brush, and “Formula One” Dave
Crap Game
February 10th, 2010
3:29 pm
Matt: Waddell is actually Oddball
“We see our role as essentially defensive in nature. While our opponents are advancing so fast and everyone’s knocking themselves out to be heroes, we are holding ourselves in reserve…but for 1.6 million dollars, we could become heroes for three days.
Badger Bob
February 10th, 2010
3:33 pm
JR, re: Finny, sure I’m reading way too much into one little thing, but then that’s what posters do, right? Bogo and Max collided (Bogo steamrolled him a bit) in front of the Caps net. Max goes down and is very slow getting out of the zone. On replay, it shows him slamming the door at the bench more pissed than I’ve ever seen him. The anger doesn’t seem to be over an injury since he didn’t miss a shift. I only noticed because I was watching for signs of him being peeved at Kovy’s departure. He looked fine in the FLA game, though, so it may be nothing.
I’d certainly think we hold Max and Kubes so long as their attitude is good. They are motivated to impress as UFAs
R. Stroz
February 10th, 2010
3:37 pm
Per Craig Custance’s twitter page:
Waddell said ATL isn’t in full sell mode: “We’re not looking to move UFAs out for the sake they’re UFAs. We’re trying to win also.”
Interpretation of Waddellspeak:
1) We are in sell mode, just not every player on the team.
2) We are moving the pending UFAs with any contract cost of substance.
3) Of course we want to win, but the playoffs aren’t likely
J.B.
February 10th, 2010
3:39 pm
I like Max. I think he’s been a great addition to the team. If it was nothing then I’ll retract my prediction of him going next. If he can handle Kovy being on another team, then I have no problem with him staying a thrasher at all. (This revelation renders all my previous posts null and void). You know, I thought he was actually closer to Kozzy, even living with him after he got the contract from Atlanta…
Pittsburgh Pirate Fan
February 10th, 2010
4:54 pm
Matt-Better than “Dirty Dozen”?
And yes, Waddell is Odd Ball (Donald Sutherland) for sure!
Mr. Heat Miser
February 10th, 2010
5:02 pm
I think DW as “Crap Game” has a better ring
R. Stroz
February 10th, 2010
5:13 pm
Does anyone have a good link to the prospects available in 2010 entry draft?
I have an idea we are looking at a lottery pick again after the salary dump is completed.
Red Light
February 10th, 2010
6:31 pm
Try this Stroz
http://www.thescoutingreport.org
JR
February 10th, 2010
6:39 pm
has max actually said anything about wanting out?
NASCAR Dave
February 10th, 2010
6:40 pm
Thanks for the Link, RED LIGHT.
Obviously, we need to trade up and get that #1 Pick and get TAYLOR HALL, if we don’t rightfully “earn” the Number 1 Pick after the Firesale…
Matt
February 10th, 2010
7:11 pm
Crap Game – “If I hear any more threats against Captain Maitland’s (Don Waddell’s) life, if I hear any more wild talk about going down to headquarters and killing the General (The Octocluster), or “ravishing” (word changed to protect the innocent) the nurses at the field hospital, I’m going to strangle the guy with my bare hands! You understand that?”
Yung JB from MTL
February 10th, 2010
7:25 pm
GAMEE TONITE!
we really need some offence, Ponikarovsky will be the BEST addition ever (after Pevs). I remember watching Habs games and seeing him and Antro play like brothers. I would keep Kubina, trade Kozlov and White (same package or two different retarded teams wanting them).
Army has two choices
a)Great attitude, plays hard, never quits and is a great 3rd liner with Kane and Slater.
b)We just have too much 3rd-4th liners in Chi-town (Cormier,Crabb, Machachek,etc)
Just asking you guys. What ever happened to Esposito, Lasu, Paquette and Leveillé
Nikita (in PA)
February 10th, 2010
8:22 pm
What if Todd White is the next trade?
JR
February 10th, 2010
8:31 pm
seriously, who would want him?