Atlanta Thrashers sign Fredrik Modin
The Atlanta Thrashers have announced that they have signed forward Fredrik Modin to a one-year deal worth $800,000. Modin spent last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Los Angeles Kings and became a free agent at the start of the off-season.
Modin was drafted 64th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the third round of the 1994 National Hockey League entry draft. Modin would spend three seasons with the Maple Leafs before joining the Tampa Bay Lightning for 1999-2000. He would spend six years with the club posting his best numbers in the 2003-04 season when he managed 29 goals and 57 points. The native of Sweden would then join the Blue Jackets where he would stay until being traded to the Kings partway through last season.
Modin provides the Thrashers with more size on the wing, at 6’4” Modin has the ability to dig in the corners and retrieve pucks. Moreover, the big winger is also a sound defensive player who is a plus-3 in his career. Modin can be expected to fill the role of shutdown man on the clubs third line, while playing plenty of minutes on the team’s penalty kill. In addition, Modin will bring some much needed experience to a very young forward core. The Thrashers are in the midst of a rebuild and although it is unlikely Modin will be with the club for a long time his input this season could go a long way in the squad’s overall development.
Over the past three seasons Modin has had trouble staying healthy, having not played over 50 games since the 2006-07 season. Although he is still effective it has become more-and-more difficult for him to remain in the line-up. If the 35-year-old hopes to remain in the League past this season he will need to improve on last year’s performance.
Last season split between the Blue Jackets and the Kings Modin registered five goals and six assists for 11 points in 44 games.
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