Mathieu Schneider News

At home in Prince Edward Island, Canada, he's known as Lyle Richardson . But around these parts, he's known as Spector, FOXSports.com's Prince of Pucks.

Atlanta rookie defenseman Zach Bogosian and veteran NHL blueliner Mathieu Schneider were a hit as friends and a defensive pair this season -- until the Thrashers dealt Schneider to Montreal at the trade deadline.

The Thrashers' top draft pick last year - No. 3 overall - Bogosian was one of a mere handful of players to immediately make an NHL roster.

Here is the order of selection, pending trades, for the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft.

By now many of you have already seen, read and even commented on this little ditty that was posted by Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch .

I hear you folks. I haven't gone anywhere. Just jumping between different stories during the offseason.

Schneider, top, had arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder but is expected to be rehabilitated in time for training camp.

Habs' Alex Tanguay goes airborne after scoring goal against Atlanta Thrashers at Bell Centre last month.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Once again, Ilya Kovalchuk is Atlanta's runaway MVP after leading the team with 43 goals and 48 assists in 79 games.

With one final tick of the Philips Arena scoreboard clock Saturday night, the Thrashers will head into yet another long, playoff-free offseason.

With three days remaining in the regular season, there are still two playoff berths to be decided.

The last week of a regular season is a good time to look at the offseason horizon for the non-playoff teams and to examine which players are rolling for the contending teams as the playoffs approach.

Today: We take a look around the diamonds on Opening Day in today's photo gallery.

Two things about the 2010 U.S. Olympic team in Vancouver: First, it probably doesn't matter who coaches the team, Ron Wilson or Peter Laviolette or John Tortorella.

The Thrashers sure timed this one right. Anssi Salmela, who took a blow to the chin in Wednesday night's victory over Buffalo, won't be making the trip to Florida and Washington this weekend and will be evaluated again next week.

Other Thrashers players took a wait-and-see approach to Tuesday's post-practice meal.

SURPRISING SEASON: Bryan Little readily admits it. Even he didn't expect a 30-goal season.

AtlantaThrashers.com's Ben Wright posted a serious preview of tonight's match-up between the Thrashers and Red Wings : March 20, AtlantaThrashers.com : Leading up to what might be the most widely anticipated home game of the season, there is surprisingly little news coming out of the Thrashers locker room.

Which player do you feel is playing above their head and is due to return to earth? Steve Ott , a guy usually known for his ability to find the penalty box more often than the net, has simply been on fire since the calendar flipped to 2009.

In the immortal words of former Colts coach Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about playoffs! Are you kidding me? Playoffs?!" Sorry Jimbo, but I do want to talk playoffs -- Fantasy Hockey style.