Like the great American poets Jermaine Dupri and Christopher Brian Bridges once said, “Welcome to Atlanta.”
The phrase applies to yet another Chicago Blackhawks player from last year’s Stanley Cup winning team: Andrew Ladd. He becomes the fourth Blackhawk dealt away in the post Stanley Cup fire sale. Chicago has now dealt away three more players in the six days GM Stan Bowman said all the wheeling and dealing was done. Yes, they’ve kept their stars in tact, but a lot of the color and personality of the team is now gone. And much of it is reuniting in Hotlanta. Maybe we can crown the Atlanta Thrashers the 2010-11 Stanley Cup Champions (And if I get an idiot commenters, I’m warning you that was a joke)
By Paul M. Banks
The Hawks have acquired defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy (ee-VAHN, vihsh-NEHV-skee), the 27th overall selection in the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft, and a second round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for left wing Andrew Ladd.
Vishnevskiy, 22, has notched two assists and two penalty minutes in five games with the Dallas Stars over the past two seasons, which includes being held scoreless in two contests last season. The Barnaul, Russia, native spent the majority of the 2009-10 season in the American Hockey League with the Texas Stars and Chicago Wolves collecting 26 assists, 36 points and 28 penalty minutes in 79 regular-season games during his second professional campaign. He was acquired by the Thrashers, the Wolves NHL affiliate, from the Dallas Stars on February 9, 2010.
Dallas’ first choice, 27th overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Vishnevskiy made his NHL debut with the club in 2008-09, tallying two assists in three games. He also appeared in 67 matchups with the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen that season, collecting 13 assists and 19 points in 67 contests. Prior to turning pro, he accumulated 44 goals, 100 assists, 144 points and 197 penalty minutes in 159 career QMJHL regular-season games for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies spanning three seasons (2005-2008).
Ladd, 24, registered 99 points (37G, 62) and 99 penalty minutes in 184 regular-season games over parts of three seasons with the Blackhawks, which includes 38 points (17G, 21A) and 67 penalty minutes in 82 contests in 2009-10. Ladd, who also appeared in 36 Stanley Cup Playoff tilts with Chicago over the last two years (6G, 4A), was acquired by the Blackhawks via a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on February 26, 2008.
Written by Paul M. Banks, President and CEO of The Sports Bank.net , a Midwest focused webzine. He is also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, the Chicago Tribune’s blog network, Walter Football.com, the Washington Times Communities, Yardbarker Network, and Fox Sports.com
You can follow him on Twitter @thesportsbank and @bigtenguru