Why must our organization be so sneaky and evasive when it comes to announcing free-agent signings or pretty much any contract for that matter? It seems like they want their fans to be the last ones to know anything news related when it comes to management decisions and/or especially free-agent or new player contracts. No wonder Thrashers fans hate themselves so much. Anyway, Zubarev's Entry-Level Contract should be announced soon or, in other words, by the end of next week. Perhaps they may even let Bryan Little have some money to play hockey in the weeks leading up to training camp?
ADDENDUM: Despite the appearance of disdain and bitterness in the paragraph above, I will commed the Thrashers' brass for actually signing someone, anyone, to something other than a 1-year deal. While Zubarev's ELC is not for the typical 3-year time period, Zubarev isn't your typical entry-level player. He's a 23 year-old veteran from the KHL who will be looking to not only make a name for himself in the next two years, but also get paid handsomely when he turns 25 should he nail down a permanent spot on the Thrashers' blueline.
The best part about signing yet another defenseman is the fact that there will be some serious competition in training camp for the bottom 2, and perhaps even bottom 3, spots on the blueline. In addition to likely starters Zach Bogosian, Tobias Enstrom, Ron Hainsey, Johnny Oduya and Brent Sopel (assuming he actually reports to camp), the Thrashers will be auditioning the following players: 22 y/o Latvian rookie Arturs Kulda, who appears more than ready to play at the NHL level, hard-hitting, 29 y/o journeyman Freddy Meyer, 6' 7" giant "homeboy" Boris Valabik, newly signed 25 y/o Russian defector Andrei Zubarev and lanky, smooth-skating Paul Postma, who possesses all the raw talent in the world, but lacks wisdom and experience when it comes to the finer points of stopping the other team's forwards. There are a few other free-agent journeyman chumps coming to camp as well, but they are rather long shots to play anything more than occasional call-up minutes in the even of a disastrous, injury-plagued regular season campaign.
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