Thrashers sign Dafoe

[Cane Says]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Thrashers reached a tentative agreement on a contract with free-agent goaltender Byron Dafoe on Tuesday.
“We’re in great shape,” said Bryant McBride, Dafoe’s agent. “All we need to do is cross some T’s and dot some I’s.”
The deal is for one year with a player option in 2003-04. It was expected to be completed Wednesday, when McBride will be in Atlanta.
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said he does not view the 31-year-old Dafoe as a short-term stopgap for one of the league’s worst teams.
“I think we’re going to try to develop a long-term partnership,” Waddell said. “His past has proven him to be a very good goalie and we hope that this will last longer than one year.”
Dafoe, who had a career-high 35 wins last season in leading the Boston Bruins to the best record in the Eastern Conference, has been working out with the Merrimack College hockey team in North Andover, Mass.
”(Dafoe) is eager to get going,” Waddell said. “He has been skating five days a week and taking shots ... although nothing like at the pro level.”
The Thrashers went winless in their first nine games (0-8-0-1) this season and entered Tuesday night’s game against Florida last in the NHL in goals-against average. They have been using Milan Hnilicka and Pasi Nurminen in goal.
Hnilicka has been awful, going 0-9-0 with a 4.16 goals-against average. Nurminen took over the No. 1 job by going 4-1-1 with a 2.46 goals-against average and .911 save percentage over a six-game stretch that quelled the search for a top goalie for a while.
But Nurminen was chased Friday against Phoenix, giving up five goals in two periods. Hnilicka replaced him and stopped all 17 shots he faced in the third period.
That earned Hnilicka a start Sunday against Anaheim, but he, too, was chased in the second period after giving up four goals on 20 shots.
Waiting in the wings is 19-year-old Finnish goalie Kari Lehtonen, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2002 draft.
“European goalies sometimes need a year or two in the minors,” Waddell said. “And it would be nice not to have to put so much pressure on him to hurry.”
Dafoe is yet to play this season. He had a 2.21 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage for Boston last season, finishing fourth in the league in wins.

[Count Cane]

This move can in no way hurt Atl. They have some talent on this team and a solid goaltender may spur their defensemen to play better. Two years should be just about right to bring their no. 1 pick into the NHL. Atlantas biggest concern now is boosting attendance and maybe the signing of a legitimate number 1 goalie will spur some fan interest.