Atlanta Thrashers sign veteran Fredrik Modin
The offseason overhaul for Atlanta thrashers continued with a one-year contract between the Thrashers and veteran winger Fredrik Modin.
The Thrashers have let go of Kovalchuk and the new line up makes for a radically different Atlanta team than last year’s. Coming in along with Fredrik would be defenseman Freddy Meyer from the Islanders and forwards Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Ben Eager and Brent Sopel from the Salary Cap plagued Chicago. The former Blackhawks don’t just bring their Stanley Cup experience to Atlanta but also contribute in the way of motivation and confidence for other players on the roster.
Almost half the roster comprises of Thrashers general manager Rick Dudley’s new toys including Modin. The line up hasn’t been tested as a team and puts up significant challenges to work through till the regular season begins. Veterans like Modin would be an essential part of that effort. Dudley’s restless youngsters need the balance of a calm and calculating veteran in the team.
The Thrashers officially announced the signing on Monday but gave no details about the contract. Initial reports that surfaced suggested that the forward could be returning to Sweden for the 2010-2011 season but apparently the Thrashers wanted him more. Modin has a history with the current Atlanta General Manger and with the Head Coach, Craig Ramsey. The trio was with Tampa Bay Lightening in the 2003-2004 season. It was the only time Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup, and Modin proved to be an important part of that team. He scored 29 goals and made 28 assists for a career high of 58 points. He added 19 more points, with 8 goals in 23 playoff games until the Stanley Cup.
Acknowledging the Swedes talents, Dudley said that Fredrik was an experienced veteran and was very well respected in the locker room. “He's won a Stanley Cup, along with an Olympic Gold Medal, and possesses that winning mentality we are looking for.”
Modin struggled in the last season with a knee injury that also kept him down to just 44 games. He missed the first 31 games due to a knee injury, and after returning to the game he was forced out again for 9 more games with a foot injury. Playing between the Los Angeles Kings and the Columbus Blue Jackets, Modin earned 11 points in total during the last season.
Injuries are a serious concern for the forward. In the past 3 seasons, he has been physically fit for only 117 games. However, when Modin is not hampered by injuries, he becomes a force to be reckoned with. Though given his performance over the past few years and his age, Atlanta probably won’t have roster spot for Fredrik unless he is needed.
The 35-year-old Sundvall, Sweden native is coming off a contract that earned him over 3 million a season. Unconfirmed reports place the worth of the Thrashers contract at $800,000 a year. At that price Modin amounts to an insurance premium for the Thrashers. They have nothing to lose and a lot to gain with the Swede’s presence in the locker rooms and on the ice.
Modin was picked 64th overall in the 1994 NHL draft by the Maple Leafs. He stayed with Toronto for three seasons, then moved onto Tampa Bay Lightening until 2006. He has played over 858 NHL games in a career spanning 13 seasons (during the 2004-2005 lockout Fredrik played with the SEL). Through that time span he recorded 225 goals and 227 assists. He has also played 57 playoff games scoring 14 goals and totalling 26 points. In his career, he has crossed the 30 goal mark twice and the 50 points mark three times. Modin also has many international hockey achievements under his belt. He was a silver medallist in the 1994 World Junior Championship. 4 years later, he won the gold medal at the 1998 World Championship and later a bronze medal in the 2001 World Championships.
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