6-4, 215 lb forward Patrick Rissmiller was acquired from the New York Rangers on August 1 in the Todd White trade (along with Donald Brashear who was then bought out) and after spending the last two season in the AHL he’s anxious to prove he can still play in the NHL like he did for the San Jose Sharks from 2005-08.

Here is what he had to say about the opportunity he has in Atlanta:

On being traded to Atlanta:

“I’m excited for the opportunity and I’ve been looking forward to coming down early to get acquainted with some of the guys and make sure I’m ready to play when camp opens so I can take advantage of this opportunity.”

On the chance to get back to the NHL after two seasons with the AHL Hartford Wolfpack:

“Things didn’t work out when I signed in New York but I’ve been hoping for another chance and this is it. I’m motivated, I’m excited, and I’m looking forward to it. It’s nice to get down here and skate. It kind of gets the ball rolling.”

On his style of play when he was with the Sharks:

“In San Jose I was a checking line forward. I killed penalties and was a physical defensive forward who was responsible in my own end and chipped in on offense (seven goals and 22 points in 2006-07). I think I can contribute even more on offense but I’m a defense first guy who’s accountable. I want my coaches to trust me and I want to put in some goals when I can.”

On if he knows any other players on the roster:

“Just Boults a little bit from our agent, but other than that I don’t kno wanyone. I’ve played against a couple guys over the years and know them a little bit through passing, but other than that it’s a new group of guys for me. Everyone has been in the same boat at some point though, so it’s easy to get to know guys.”

On when he got to Atlanta:

“I got in yesterday. I was supposed to come in Sunday night but there was bad weather in New York so I came in early yesterday morning. I skated for the first time today and now it’s just three more weeks until camp. I’m excited.”

Future Thrashers Alex Burmistrov and Patrice Cormier attended the grand opening of The ICE hockey rink in Cumming, GA on Saturday along with Team President and Atlanta Spirit Executive Vice President Don Waddell and broadcasters Darren Eliot and Dan Kamal. while they were there the players signed autographs and posed for pictures with the many of the hundreds of people in attendance.

Burmistrov and Cormier at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The ICE is a state of the art rink that will be the home base of the Bandits travel teams (the Squirt team will be coached by JA Schneider, brother of Mathieu Schneider, and the PeeWee squad will be coached by Stephane
Normandeau, formerly of the MIC) as well as the site of men’s league games, youth hockey leagues and public skates. Ice time is already booked solid for the upcoming season and there’s so much demand that there’s already talk of adding a second ice sheet.

The opening of the MIC gives the Atlanta area five hockey rinks including the IceForums in Duluth and Kennesaw, the MIC in Marietta and the Cooler in Alpharetta.

Thrashers president Don Waddell is excited about the new rink in Cumming and what it means for hockey in Atlanta.

“It’s tremendous for several reasons. First of all, it’s a first class facility. Secondly, I’ve said since the Thrashers have been here, we need more sheets of ice in the city. What Paul and Sandy have been able to do here is very nice and the hockey community is being rewarded with a great facility.”

With demand for ice time climbing every year The ICE is filling a need and Waddell doesn’t think there’s any fear of the rink taking customers away from other facilities in the city.

“I’ve been saying for a while that I think we could use another three or four sheets in the city before we get to a situation where rinks are going to be truly competing with each other. As quick as this rink has filled up the others have too. That just shows you the demand for ice that exists in the area.”

So if you’re in the Cumming area, check out The ICE.

Fans enjoying the free public skate.

Burmistrov and Cormier posing for a picture.

On Friday I posted a Q&A with Boris Valabik in which he said his surgically repaired knee is ready to go. I also spoke to Nik Antropov this week and it sounds like his hip, which he injured last season, is also on track, though not yet 100%.

When I asked him if had been skating lately he said:

“I just skated a couple times last week. Nothing special. I’m taking it slowly. I had to do rehab all summer on my hip, as you know. It’s getting better. It’ll be back to normal for training camp. That’s been the plan, It’s what the doctors said all along and it’s on schedule.”

Antropov got Canadian citizenship about five years ago and spends his summers in the Toronto area (though he took his family on a Caribbean vacation this summer). What did he do with his free time this summer?

“I fished my brains out.”

Antropov’s fish of choice is bass but the hockey calendar and fishing calendar don’t line up quite right for him to score many big catches.

” I didn’t catch any big ones this year,” he said. “It was a short summer because the kids started school August 9th and the better fishing in Ontario is in late August.”

The Thrashers’ leading scorer from last season hasn’t had a chance to check out the Georgia lakes yet but he’s hoping he can rectify that soon.

Last summer when he signed with the Thrashers Antropov said he preferred playing right wing to center. John Anderson put him at center anyway and he wound up scoring a career-high 67 points. So which position does he prefer now?

“It’s up to the coaches. I feel comfortable at either position. I grew up playing center and played it right up until I came to the NHL. I was drafted as a center and then moved to wing, so I can play either. Whatever the coaches want.”

With so many players on the roster who can play multiple forward positions (Antropov, Little, Peverley, Ladd, Kane, Slater, Thorburn) its going to be interesting to see how the lines come together.

If you missed it earlier in the week here is a video interview with Nik:

Hockey is in the air and that means members of the Thrashers organization will be out and about in the community for the next three days.

Tomorrow team president Don Wadell and top prospects Alex Burmistrov and Patrice Cormier will be at the grand opening of the new ICE hockey rink in Cumming, GA for their grand opening between 11am and 1 pm. They’ll take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony and sign autographs while they’re there. There’s also free public skating from 11-3 so check it out. Here are the details.

On Sunday Bryan Little will be in Duluth with Darren Eliot to hand out jerseys as part of the Junior Thrashers Jersey day that kicks off their fall hockey program. Little is an RFA but the fact that he’s happy to do appearances like this without a contract is a very, very good indicator that talks are going well. Who knows- maybe something will get done between now and then.

On Monday Don Waddell will be at Children’s Health Care of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding where the Atlanta Thrashers Foundation and Atlanta Hawks Foundation will present the hospital with a $100,000 donation.

It’s been a busy day for the Thrashers front office. Just a few hours after signing defenseman Freddy Meyer the team has announced that former Buffalo Sabre Clint Malarchuk has been hired as a goaltending consultant. Malarchuk will spend some of his time in Atlanta working with Ondrej Pavelec and Chris Mason and will also travel to work with other goalies in the organization whether they’re in the AHL, ECHL, CHL or college (if NCAA rules permit it of course).

Malarchuk was most recently the goaltending coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets (he was their goalie coach during Steve Mason’s phenomenal rookie year) and has also worked for the Florida Panthers, Idaho Steelheads (as a head coach).

Who was the GM in Florida when Malarchuk was there? Rick Dudley. Dudley also coached Malarchuk in Buffalo (1989-90 through 1991-92) and played with him with the AHL Fredericton Express (1981-82).

Despite being a fairly good NHL goalie (his career record was 141-130-45) Malarchuk is probably most famous for having his carotid artery slashed by a skate in a gruesome on-ice accident in 1989 versus the St. Louis Blues (it’s on YouTube if you want to watch it, but it’s pretty graphic). As frightening as the incident was Malarchuk was back in net for the Sabres a week later. His return marked the end of the NHL career of the journeyman netminder who was called up from Rochester to fill in during his absence, but he has done alright for himself since then, parlaying an average hockey career into an outstanding broadcasting career. That journeyman goalie was Thrashers TV analyst Darren Eliot.