Thirty is not quite the new 23, but the Atlanta Thrashers are inching ever so closely to an opening day lineup.
Atlanta cut three more players from their training camp roster and placed another on Injured Reserve, leaving the team seven players above the maximum for its season opener on October 8 vs. the Washington Capitals at Philips Arena.
The dream ends for forwards Riley Holzapfel and Spencer Machacek along with blueliner Noah Welch, all of whom were released with the intention of assigning them to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. The Wolves opened up their training camp on Monday.
The Thrashers also placed center Patrice Cormier on the IR. Cormier broke his foot in the team’s final day of prospect camp, blocking a shot in the waning seconds of his squad’s 4-1 loss.
Atlanta, which has 18 forwards, 10 defensemen and two goaltenders left on its roster, will more likely than not pare three blueliners and four or five forwards before the opener.
The Thrashers may have as little as 20 and as many as 23 players on its opening day roster.
The battle for Atlanta’s final spot on the blueline is turning into a four-way race between Arturs Kulda, Freddy Meyer, Boris Valabik and Andrey Zubarev. With the top six defensemen set, the Thrashers may opt to keep a veteran like Meyer or Valabik on the roster over the younger Kulda and Zubarev, who both can benefit from playing time in the minors.
The situation at forward is complicated a bit by injuries to Jim Slater (wrist) and Andrew Kozek (hernia surgery), who like center Nik Antropov and non-roster invitee Enver Lisin have yet to appear in a game this season. Assuming Slater and Kozek begin the season on the IR, Atlanta must cut at least two or three forwards to make it to the final opening roster limit of 23.
Patrick Rissmiller, Anthony Stewart, Fredrik Pettersson, first round pick Alex Burmistrov and Lisin are amongst the candidates most likely to begin the season in Chicago, juniors or released from their tryout contract. Add Kozek to that list if he proves healthy through the rest of training camp.
Atlanta takes on the Nashville Predators in the Music City later Monday. Antropov, Kozek, Slater and Lisin were amongst eight Thrashers players not on the roster for this one. Bryan Little, Ron Hainsey, Johnny Oduya and Valabik will also take a seat for the contest against Atlanta’s closest geographical rival.
Atlanta Thrashers Roster (as of September 27, 2010)
Forwards (18): Nik Antropov, Niclas Bergfors, Eric Boulton, Alex Burmistrov, Nigel Dawes, Ben Eager, Evander Kane, Andrew Kozek, Andrew Ladd, Enver Lisin*, Bryan Little, Fredrik Modin, Fredrik Pettersson, Rich Peverley, Patrick Rissmiller, Jim Slater, Anthony Stewart, Chris Thorburn
Defensemen (10): Zach Bogosian, Dustin Byfuglien, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Arturs Kulda, Freddy Meyer, Johnny Oduya, Brent Sopel, Boris Valabik, Andrey Zubarev
Goaltenders (2): Chris Mason, Ondrej Pavelec
* - in camp on a professional tryout contract.
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