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Thrashers Fans Set To Say Good-Bye To a Couple Favorites |
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After Friday night’s date in D.C, Atlanta will return home to close out the season against the Penguins. As such, Thrashers fans will be set to say good-bye to a pair of players that have become favorites over the past several years…Slava Kozlov and Johan Hedberg.
Given their UFA status this summer and their ages, it is most likely that these two will end their time in Thrasherville, and both will truly be missed.
Kozlov is finishing his seventh season in Atlanta after spending his first ten NHL seasons in Detroit and one in Buffalo. The Russian winger has scored 145 goals and 270 assists in 536 games as a Thrasher. While here, three times he played in all 82 games during the year and once he played in all but one game.
Kozlov’s career totals are 356 goals and 496 assists in 1,181 regular season games. He has 42 goals and 37 assists while playing in 118 playoff games.
Slava has been nothing but a true professional not only in Atlanta, but throughout his entire career. His dedication and work ethic are second to none and he has always been nothing but a class act.
While his stats this season are far below what we have come to expect from him, as a whole he has been nothing but an admirable player and the team and community is indeed better off having benefited from his time here.
Johan Hedberg came to Atlanta in 2006 primarily in the role of a back up to Kari Lehtonen. But given the Finns’ constant health issues, he was called upon to start long stints on several occasions. This year, after Lehtonen was unable to go at the start of the season, Hedberg began the season backing up young Ondrej Pavelec. But after he hit a wall just after Thanksgiving, Moose once again stepped in to fill the gap.
Hedberg is one of the main reason’s the Thrashers even had a chance to compete for a playoff spot for as long as they did this year, going 20-16-6 with a 2.68 GAA and career high .913 SV%.
He enters this last weekend with a mark of 56-47-12 and 3 shutouts as a Thrasher. His career numbers are 122-144-14-15 with a 2.94 GAA, .900 SV% and 13 shutouts. He is 10-12 in postseason play with a .914 SV% and 2.33 GAA
Like Kozlov, he has endeared himself to his teammates and fans. Always giving his best effort on the ice, in the locker room and in the community.
In other news, the Thrashers recall defenseman Arturs Kulda from the Chicago Wolves. He should start in place of Pavel Kubina who will miss the last two games due to injury. Nik Antropov and Toss White will also miss the Caps and Pens games this weekend due to health issues.
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