I have some quotes from John Anderson and Kari to write up, but he’s on his way to Chicago today to join the Wolves for a conditioning assignment. Under NHL rules the assignment can last up to two weeks, which would put Lehtonen back in Atlanta around February 6, giving him about a week with the Thrashers before the Olympic break.
The Wolves play tonight (in Milwaukee), tomorrow (in Peoria) and on Sunday (at home) and will play eight games during the two week span that Lehtonen could spend with the team. He expects to play his first game tomorrow.
More to come…
**UPDATE**
Following today’s practice John Anderson talked about Lehtonen’s progress and his conditioning assignment:
He’s on his way today. He’s going to Chicago and he’ll play this weekend. We’ll see what happens. We’re sending him down for two weeks on a conditioning stint and at this point I don’t think he’s in the very best condition. But you get to a point where you hit a bit of a wall, so he’s got to play games to really get the game shape thing. You can run stairmaster and bike all you want and skate as much as you want in practice, but it’s not like game shape. That’s the reason for it.
Kari was reached by conference call and here is what he had to say about going to Chicago to play with his former team for a little while
On going to Chicago:
It’s been a long time since I last played so I’m very excited. Hopefully everything is going to go well. It’s going to be tough but it’s the only way to get back at it. Otherwise it’s great to be able to go see all of the great friends I have in the organization. It’s going to be fun to go back also.
On what makes it tough:
I think it’s going to be learning to play games. I think the biggest thing is going to be reading different plays and different situations. You can only do so much in a practice to prepare yourself, and practices are not quite the same as games, so that’s why it’s going to be interesting and challenging. I’m just glad that it’s finally time for me to play again.
On how much he expects to play:
I understood that I’m going to play tomorrow- Saturday- and then we’ll see after that what I’m going to do. We’ll just go day by day and get some games in there. I’m going to prepare myself to come back here.
On if he is nervous about his back:
Everything feels good but the games are going to be the real test. I’m really positive now and I believe everything is going to be fine, but that’s one thing that I’m not 100 percent sure what’s going to happen. I believe everything is going to be fine and that’s why we’re doing this, to test that everything is okay.
On what the most difficult part of the rehab process has been:
There have been many things. The biggest thing has not being able to play games. That’s the most fun time as a hockey player, and the most awful time is going to the rink and knowing you’re not going to play for a couple more months. Working hard every day it’s frustrating when you can’t get any rewards playing-wise from that. It’s been a long ride and hopefully now it’s over.
You can track Lehtonen’s progress at Chicagowolves.com as they battle for a playoff spot.
Can we make it 2 years please?
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Great news. I hope he will healthy and ready to play.
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Please, Andi. We need help ‘tween the pipes. I’ll give Kari another shot.
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Please, Sean. We need help ‘tween the blue lines. I’ll give anything for a 2-way forward.
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Do the Wolves and the AHL have games during the Olympic Break? Seems like if they do, they should’ve waited an extra week, right? Now Kari will play 2-3 games and then have 2 1/2 weeks off!!!
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Need Kari healthy so he can be traded. Kari is a good goalie but he cannot stay healthy. UFA after this season I believe…And just incase anyone cares, see what Bob McKenzie has to say about Kovalchuk….http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=307228
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Kari is an RFA after this season.
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Thanks Ben. I am die hard Thrashers fan from the Ottawa area and I am not happy to see the direction in which things are going right now. Pretty dissappointed at the feeling Kovalchuk is going to get traded. At the same time, I am happy Kari will be back but the guy has no luck whatsoever when it comes to injuries. What does a team do when their franchise player gets traded, and we are not talking Boston here. This is Atlanta, groom great players and then they leave.
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hopefully kari will be on his game and we can get rid of pavelec, you guys are stupid if you think pavelec is better than kari. He started the season well but has since turned into a dud
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Pingback: News: Lehtonen Headed to Chicago on Conditioning Assignment « KARILA, The Epic of Kari Lehtonen
jay bizzle…I don’t know as anyone said Pavs is better than Kari? He is a few years younger than Kari and still learning. I think it’s pretty tough to call any goalie playing with an offensive style team a dud. He has won some games for the team this year and has had some off games as well. I watched him make 50, yes, 50 stops in Ottawa on Halloween and what a performance that was. P.s. I am not sure there is a large market for Pavelec right now.
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Kari has had plenty of shots. Too many if you ask me, so sorry Kari I hope you get traded!!!!
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Oh and I forgot to add that every season he has missed to many games. If you cannot stay healthy how can you be the #1 goalie?
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Wow…I just read the McKenzie column and my heart sank as I continued. I just cannot believe that we are going to let him go. This team, while we have had our struggles, is on the cusp of a legitimate contender. Until a trade happens I am going to believe that we are doing everything we can to sign him.
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Kari has always been my favorite player. I’ve doubted him the past two seasons but theres still hope.
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Pavs is the man !!
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Part of the reason he could not stay healthy was because of the back problem. I for one am happy and excited to see a healthy Kari play for the team again.
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Kari sucks.. Need a decent goalie.. Get rid of him and Pav.. At least Hedberg tries during practices and the games.. The other two don’t even put in the effort.
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Kari’s winning% is way better than Roberto Luongo’s after his five years in Florida. Kari faced few shots more per game but otherwise same kind of situation with a crappy team. Kari has been injured so you can blame him for that but otherwise you should keep your yap shut.
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I miss Pasi
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