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ZHL GENERAL MANAGER: |
Timo Armanto |
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The Thrashers made it 2-for-2, selecting left wing Dany Heatley with the second overall pick in the NHL draft. It was the second time in as many years Atlanta snared the top-rated North American prospect. Born in Germany and raised in Calgary, the 6-1, 200-pound Heatley won WCHA Rookie of the Year honors after collecting 27 goals and 25 assists in 35 games at Wisconsin. Asked if he thought he had a chance of making the team in training camp, Heatley said, "That's something we have to talk about. All through the interview process, they were kind of patient with me, they understood the situation. We talked. But like I said, after the draft we'll go from there." ... In the second round, the Thrashers took Russian D Ilya Nikulin, the fifth-ranked European prospect. Some scouts thought he might have cracked the top 10 while others projected him as going in the middle of the second round. ... As a second-year franchise, Atlanta did not lose any players in the expansion draft. ... On June 15, Thrashers C Ray Ferraro put off a career in broadcasting by exercising his option to return for the 2000-01 season. "Ray is a player who works hard every shift and never gives up," GM Don Waddell said. "He gives 100 percent every game and plays every shift like it's his last. He's a standup person on and off the ice and his teammates definitely feed off his intensity." |
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Atlanta Thrashers