Thrashers Sign Freddy Meyer

The Thrashers have added some more depth on the blueline, inking New Hampshire native and former Islander Freddy Meyer to a contract.

The 29-year-old Boston University product signed as a free agent with the Flyers in 2003-04 and spent some time in the AHL before putting up the best numbers of his career in Philly as a rookie in 2005-06 when he scored six goals and added 21 assists. In 266 NHL games Meyer has 19 goals and 71 points, with 11 goals and 39 of those points coming in his 178 games as an Islander.

In 64 games last season Meyer averaged 16:46 of ice time with 1:51 of it being on the penalty kill. At 5’10″ he isn’t huge but he’s a solid 192 lbs and likes to hit. Despite being limited to 64 games last season he ked New York in hits with 178. That would put him second on last year’s Thrashers team behind Zach Bogosian and his 196 hits (next up was Schubert with 150).

Meyer does have a history of groin, abdominal and back injuries but if he can overcome that he could be a very nice depth piece on an increasingly crowded blueline. Meyer joins Bogosian, Enstrom, Hainsey, Oduya, Sopel and Valabik as the seventh defenseman on the team who is an established NHL player and he and Valabik will likely be trying to fend off Arturs Kulda, Jaime Sifers, Noah Welch and possibly Andrei Zubarev (assuming the rumors of him signing are true) who will all be fighting to crack the roster.