Is This the Thrashers' Year?

Before the season starter, Atlanta star Ilya Kovalchuk brashly proclaimed "This is our year."

Crazy? Well, maybe not. Thrashers defenseman Ron Hainsey told FanHouse by phone this week that the team's forwards are so talented the club can contend, despite the fourth-worst finish in the league last year.

"We have a team that has no excuse except under-performance not to be in the playoffs," Hainsey said. "We match up with anyone, especially with our skill up front."

That starts with Kovalchuk, naturally, and the main storyline this year for the Thrashers might be the left wing's contract status. There's a lot of talk about a new deal, but he'd like to see the team take a step forward before any long-term commitment.

The rest of the Thrashers very much want Kovalchuk to stay around -- a two-time 52-goal scorer who is also Atlanta's captain -- but Hainsey said, "I've learned you just never know with these things, so why worry about it? There's a lot that plays into it and we can't control it. Obviously, we want to keep him here."

"I've learned you just never know with these things, so why worry about it? There's a lot that plays into it and we can't control it. Obviously, we want to keep him here." -- Rod Hainsey on Ilya Kovalchuk It might help that Atlanta added center Nik Antropov, who like Kovalchuk is from Russia, and defenseman Pavel Kubina. Atlanta's defense should be much improved with Kubina arriving from Toronto and with highly promising Zach Bogosian getting some experience last year, playing 47 games despite missing two months with a broken leg. Hainsey described himself as "pumped up" about what Bogosian might accomplish, but he knows how demanding the NHL is at that age.

"He still has a lot to learn," Hainsley said. "He's 19, and we're putting a lot on him. The good thing is, we have guys around him who can help bring him along. There are going to be times when he is a little unsettled because defense when you're young, every mistake is so magnified because it's usually in the net."

Better defense is a key because the Thrashers had the second-worst goals against average in the NHL last year and goaltending isn't expected to be the team's biggest strength. With Kari Lehtonen out after back surgery and unlikely to return for several weeks, Ondrej Pavelec is in goal. Hainsey said he was "tremendous" in his first game, stopping 36 of 39 shots.

"Pavelec is our guy," Hainsley said. "We're hoping he plays like an All-Star this first month."

Bogosian had a goal in Atlanta's season-opening victory over the Lightning last week; fellow defenseman Anssi Salmela also had a goal and Kovalchuk had two goals and an assist in the 6-3 victory. Rookie forward Evander Kane,18, picked up his first NHL point, with an assist on a second-period goal by Rich Peverley.

"All the things he did were positive," Hainsey said of Kane's play. "He's physically mature for a kid his age and he can add to our team. I know he has a lot of offensive capability. It would be a real plus if he can handle the everyday grind while facing 230-pound defensemen and not hurt us defensively."

That clear-cut win, and the Thrashers' fine finish last year (they won 12 of their final 18) might be signs that things are pointing up for Atlanta. And Thursday night, the team gets a barometer on where they are, starting a five-city road trip at St. Louis, which is coming off two wins in Sweden against Detroit.

"They're coming off a big trip and this will be a good test for us," Hainsey said. "At the same time, we're going on a trip and we're looking to play solid and to get two points every game."