Honestly, when the Atlanta Thrashers picked up former Toronto Maple Leafs center Nik Antropov, I was expecting minimal results. Instead, the big center produced the best statistical season of his career in 2009-10, with 24 goals and career highs in assists (43) and points (67).
The 2010-11 season hasn’t been as kind to Antropov so far (seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points with a -7 rating), but he’s still another large player who makes the Thrashers a robust, tough group to deal with. Unfortunately, a hip injury forced Atlanta to place the Russian on the injured reserve.
The team recalled Tim Stapleton to take Antropov’s spot in the lineup. As you may recall, they recently signed Stapleton to a two-year deal, so maybe Antropov’s loss is Stapleton’s gain. It’s not clear how long Antropov will be out, but we’ll keep an eye on his injury situation.