UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE (12/17/06)

UKRAINIAN PRO HOCKEY UPDATE

by Ihor Stelmach

Two new Ukes Thrashers

Having missed the playoffs by two measly points - a disappointing scenario never considered possible by team management when it assembled the 2005-2006 squad - the Atlanta Thrashers scaled down in their approach and payroll. Gone are Marc Savard, one of the league's top playmakers, and aging Ukraine-born sniper Peter Bondra, a player whose original signing could only have come with post-season games in mind. Gone also is defenseman Jaroslav Modry, dealt to Dallas along with first-ever draftee Patrik Stefan for defenseminded Niko Kapanen. Replacements for Savard and Modry? Read on.

Vishnevski acquired from Ducks

Atlanta acquired defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Karl Stewart, a second-round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and a conditional fourth-round selection in 2008.

"Vitaly is an excellent addition to our existing group of defensemen and we're excited to have him on our roster," said Executive Vice-President and General Manager Don Waddell in an official team press release. "He brings a considerable physical presence to our blueline and is a solid all-around player that our fans will quickly embrace."

Vishnevski, 26, has earned 48 points (11 goals, 37 assists) and 403 penalty minutes in 416 NHL games with Anaheim in six NHL seasons prior to 2006-2007. The 6-2, 205-pound defender has also tallied five assists in 36 career Stanley Cup playoff games, helping the Ducks reach the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals and the 2006 Western Conference Finals.

The native of Kharkiv, Ukraine, skated in a career-high 82 games with Anaheim last season, notching eight points (one goal, seven assists), 91 penalty minutes, a plus-eight rating with an average 16:25 minutes of ice time per game. He also appeared in all 16 playoff games for the Ducks, recording four assists.

Vishnevski, who was selected by Anaheim in the first round, fifth overall, in the 1998 entry draft, set career highs with six goals and 16 points in 2003-2004, and recorded a career-best 10 assists in 2000-2001 and 2003-2004. He has played in 70+ games in the past five NHL seasons, including at least 80 twice.

In 1999 Vishnevski helped Russia capture the gold medal at the World Junior Championships and was named the tournament's best defenseman. He has represented Russia at the 2001 World Championships and the 1998 World Junior Championships, and also played in his second European Junior Championships as a member of Russia's 18-and-under club in 1998. He debuted in the Russian elite league in 1998-1999 with Yaroslavl, and made his North American debut with Cincinnati and Anaheim in 1999-2000.

Thrashers ink free agent Metropolit

This past summer the Atlanta Thrashers signed unrestricted free agent forward Glen Metropolit. Terms of the contract were not initially disclosed by Executive VP-GM Don Waddell. Metropolit, 32, led Lugano to the Swiss National League Championship last season with 27 points (nine goals, 18 assists) in 17 playoff games. During the regular season, Metropolit led the entire league with 39 assists and 63 points in only 44 games. He spent the previous two seasons with Jokerit-Helsinki of the Finnish Elite League from 2003-2005, posting 97 points (31 goals, 66 assists) in 106 games.

The 5-10, 200-pound center/right wing has registered 47 points (10 goals, 37 assists) in 103 NHL games over parts of four seasons with Washington and Tampa Bay. He set NHL career highs with 16 assists and 17 points with the Capitals in 2001-2002. The native of Toronto, has collected 484 points (185 goals, 299 assists) in 455 minor league games in the American Hockey League, the former International Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League, including one game with the Atlanta Knights in 1995-1996.

Colorado's Konowalchuk calls it quits

On September 29 Colorado Avalanche left wing Steve Konowalchuk announced he retired from professional hockey after a 13-year career in the National Hockey League.

Konowalchuk made this difficult decision official after undergoing an additional series of tests related to his heart condition. The condition was detected during medical tests all Avalanche players underwent prior to the start of training camp. Results from a standard EKG test revealed an abnormal reading.

"In Steve's case, the abnormal reading prompted further tests which revealed he has Long QT Syndrome, a genetic disease involving electrical conduction which can lead to irregular heart rhythms," said Dr. Steve Friedrich, Avalanche team cardiologist. "These findings were confirmed through a series of tests Steve underwent at the University of Rochester Cardiac Center in New York, which runs an International LQTS registry and is a research center for the syndrome. Steve and the physicians in Rochester conferred with multiple national centers in order to form a consensus regarding his condition."

"After a complete evaluation from a number of different physicians and experts associated with this condition, we decided this was the best and only alternative for me," said Konowalchuk in an official Colorado Avalanche team press release. "As much as I'll miss the game of hockey and all it's provided for my family and I, my health was the number one priority.

"This has been a very painful process, but I'm very proud of a long NHL career and happy to have a lifetime of special memories and friends to take with me."

"Steve is a true professional and will be known for playing the game as it should be played - with passion and a strong commitment to his team and his teammates," said Avalanche Executive Vice-President and General Manager Francois Giguere. "We will treat him with great respect, the same way he treated the organization since his arrival here in Colorado.

"Our organization will support Steve and his family any way we can," added Giguere in the same press release.

Konowalchuk, 33, a native of Salt Lake City, Utah, was originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the third round, 58th overall, in the 1991 entry draft. He was acquired by the Avalanche from the Capitals along with the Caps' third selection in the 2004 entry draft in exchange for Bates Battaglia and the rights to Jonas Johansson on October 22, 2003. During his 13 NHL seasons, he appeared in -/90 contests, accumulating 171 goals and 22.5 assists. He made 32 NHL playoff appearances, tallying 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists).

Konowalchuk also represented the United States in World Cup Tournaments in 1996 and 2004.

Blues opt yes on Tkachuk

Lame-duck owner Bill Laurie exercised the option year on Keith Tkachuk's contract for this 2006-2007 season. Owner-to-be Dave Checketts was in full agreement with the personnel decision.

Tkachuk, 34, played in 41 games last season with the Blues, recording 36 points on 15 goals and 21 assists to go with 46 penalty minutes.

The Melrose, Mass., native has totalled 868 career points (446 goals, 422 assists) along with 1,907 penalty minutes in 897 NHL contests. He has reached the 30+ goal plateau in over half (eight) of his 14 NHL seasons, collecting 50+ goals on two occasions. The 6-2, 225-pound left winger has recorded 30+ assists in eight of the last 12 campaigns, posting a career high 48 during the 1995-1996 season.

Tkachuk lit the lamp a career best 52 times in the 1995-1996 season, becoming the first American-born player to lead the NHL in goals, while becoming just the fourth player in NHL history to score 50 goals and accumulate 200 penalty minutes in one season. Tkachuk helped the United States capture a silver medal in the 2002 winter Olympics.

Tkachuk was originally the Winnipeg Jets' first round selection, 19th overall, in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.

Isles hope new coach inspires Zhitnik

On the eve of this 2006-2007 season hockey experts tried to determine each NHL team's player most under pressure to perform. For the New York Islanders, the answer could have been Alexei Yashin or goalies Rick DiPietro. But, come to think of it, almost every team in the league can probably include its top centerman and/or its No.1 goalie.

After a while, the discussions can get redundant.

So, getting the vote for Islanders player most needed to improve his two-way performance this season is veteran blueliner Alexei Zhitnik. His first season on Long Island, after signing a lucrative four-year, $14 million contract, was a mini-disaster. It began with a total inability to adapt to the new obstruction crackdown and culminated with a serious ankle injury which managed to put him out of action during the team's unsuccessful playoff push.

This year it is hoped Zhitnik - reunited with his former Sabres coach Ted Nolan - will be a valuable mix with veteran newcomers Brendan Witt and Sean Hill to form a solidly rebuilt defense corps in front of DiPietro.

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