2008 Thrashers Prospect Camp -- Day 1

It was a short day, so this won't be terribly long. Individual player impressions will come tomorrow.

Zach Bogosian started camp off his way, checking an unsuspecting Arturs Kulda into the boards and onto the ice on the opening skate-around. He didn't hit him hard, but Kulda wasn't expecting it.

I wrote in my notebook, "ice looks terrible," and afterwards John Anderson said "the ice was a little soft." The Thrashers sheet used to be exceptionally good. But it wasn't nearly as cold in the IceForum today as most days, and they do go hand in hand. There was a good crowd, maybe 60 or so. Three TV crews were out. With the Braves on the road, they need pictures of something.

There were three rostered players not on the ice. One was Chad Denny. I actually ran into him near the door to the locker room and asked why he wasn't out there. "No gear" he said. He flew in today from Portland, Maine but his gear was behind him. He said that Michelle (Director of Team Services) was picking it up right then. Danick Paquette is sick, according to (Director of Scouting and Player Development) Dan Marr. He ate something bad at the mall. I asked if it was salsa, given the salmonella outbreak. He said no, it's mostly a precaution. Paquette was only going to be here for a couple days anyway because he's going to a skating camp in Europe for three weeks. Rylan Kaip missed today for what is officially "personal reasons." I'll go talk to him to get some comments later in the week. He arrives tonight.

Center John Albert skates just like Bryan Little and even has the curls coming out the sides of the helmet too. I did a double take.

Team Blue won the one-on-goalie scoring race, with a Bogosian slapper as the winner. Anderson praised him for his good stick today -- poke checking, and showing his natural size and strength. Anderson said the way he was playing his 2 on 1's, they wanted to adjust that a little bit, playing off the nearside post.

I congratulated Anderson on his new job, and asked if it came with unlimited sunscreen. "I tan so well," he said sarcastically. No, it came with a sunbrella hat, he joked. The mere fact that he knows the word for sunbrella may indicate the very fair-skinned guy burns more than most of us.

A window into an assistant coaching position? Anderson talking about Bogosian said "starting off here with a lot of his peers is a great start, and to acclimate him to myself and Todd Nelson, how we deal with players, that's a good start for him. When the big boys get in, it'll be much easier for him." Given that Bogosian is unlikely to see a minute in the AHL, it's pretty certain Anderson was talking about Atlanta.

Systems work will be done in future days. Random fact: Cody Crichton is Anderson's nephew.