Boris Valabik is no longer on the Atlanta Thrashers roster.
Atlanta placed the former first round pick on waivers on Friday. The move cleared the way for Jim Slater to join the 23-man roster.
If Valabik clears waivers, he will be sent to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. However, it’s possible that a team will claim the 6-foot-7, 245-pound Slovak defenseman.
The 24-year-old Valabik had not appeared in a game for the Thrashers this season. He did play in appeared in one preseason tilt for Atlanta and did not play particularly well. He finished minus-3.
Valabik, who was selected 10th overall in the 2004 draft, has no goals and seven assists in 80 games over three seasons with the Thrahers.
It looked like Valabik may have been needed for Friday’s contest against the Anaheim Ducks. Ron Hainsey left the club for the birth of his firstborn child and was not expected back this weekend. Zach Bogosian was limited in practice because of an upper-body injury.
Obviously, one of the two players will suit up in Anaheim.
Slater missed all of training camp and Atlanta’s first four games with a wrist injury. He was cleared by team physicians and resumed full-contact practice this week. Slater had a career-best 11 goals and seven assists in 61 games last season.
He has notched 88 points (42 goals and 46 assists) in 335 games over four professional seasons with Atlanta.
The AJC's Chris Vivlamore tweets that Andrew Kozek has also been activate from the IR and assigned to Chicago.
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