Atlanta Prospect Updates

The Atlanta Thrashers are already trying to get Finnish phenom goaltender Kari Lehtonen signed and possibly bring him over to North America before the end of the NHL season. That of course depends on if Lehtonen's Finnish Elite League team makes it deep into the playoffs.

The FEL regular season ends on March 9th for Jokerit, but they will likely make the playoffs with ease, and the earliest they could be eliminated would be March 18th. If they make it all the way and win the Championship, Lehtonen would be playing until April 10, which is a week after the NHL season ends. He still must complete his military service for Finland and he will likely do that this summer.

Either way, Thrashers General Manager Don Waddell has said that Kari will be in North America by next year. "Lehtonen... is one guy we're hoping will be in camp, and obviously his play will dictate whether he'll be here or in Chicago."

Tommi Santala is another Thrashers' prospect in Finland is expected to be signed this summer and be brought over for training camp next year. Santala has tallied 11 goals and 30 assists in 40 games so far for HPK of the FEL. He is tied for first in scoring in the FEL and has played fewer games than the other leading scorers.

Another glowing stat for Santala is his +/- statistics. He is a +21 on the season and that is good enough to put him in the top five in the league for best plus/minus.

"He's had a very good year this year. We would've brought him last year, but he had a bad ankle injury, he tore his Achilles tendon, which slowed him down," says GM Don Waddell.

Coming from the Russian League is defenseman Ilya Nikulin. As if Atlanta did not already have enough of Ilya fever, they will get more in the future as the Thrashers are expected to sign Nikulin over the summer and bring him over to play for the Wolves next year.

Don Waddell is happy about Nikulin's development, but feels this year it is time to get him out of Russia and bring him to the United States. "Our Russian scout says he's fine, he's developing, you know he plays in the best league in Russia, and [our scout] advises that we get him out of there after this year and get him over to North America so he continues his development."

Another prospect for Atlanta who is doing very well is Simon Gamache. Unlike Lehtonen, Santala and Nikulin, Gamache is already under contract and is playing this season with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Gamache is on a tear this year with the Wolves and is second on the team in scoring with 21 goals and 24 assists.

Gamache has progressed very nicely for the Thrashers going from a marginal ninth round pick, who was the last pick overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft to a interesting part of the Thrashers future plans.

He began the upward climb two years ago when he lead the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in scoring for the regular season, 184 points, and breaking Mario Lemieux's playoff point record which is now set at 57 points.

Last year, he began his professional career with the Chicago Wolves and was very inconsistent both offensively and defensively and was a healthy scratch most nights. The Thrashers wanted to continue to develop Gamache so they reassigned him to the Greenville Grrrowl of the East Coast Hockey League where he flourished. He was one of the key pieces to the Grrrowl's Championship run. He was named Playoff Co-MVP for his 15 goals and 9 assists in 17 games.

Gamache's season began with a trip to Atlanta's Rookie camp during July, followed then by the Thrashers regular training camp, however, it was clear he was not ready for the NHL, so Atlanta reassigned him to Chicago. Since he was sent down, he has led all Thrashers prospects in scoring.

Waddell still wants to remain careful with Gamache so his confidence is not ruined, therefore he will not be a call up for the Thrashers this year. He will come to training camp in the fall, and certainly push for a roster spot if he can continue his success for the rest of the Wolves regular season and the playoffs if the Wolves make it.