Thrashers thrilled with Kozlov signing

By Keith Parsons

DULUTH — Re-signing free agent Slava Kozlov was the top priority this offseason for Atlanta Thrashers general manager Don Waddell. So much so that he spoke with Kozlov’s agent, Scott Lites, every day.
‘‘I spent more time talking to the agent than I did to my wife this summer — which I’ve heard about, by the way,’’ Waddell quipped earlier this week.
Kozlov signed the largest contract in franchise history about 11 days ago, a three-year deal worth $10 million. The club holds an option for a fourth year that would pay him another $2.5 million, and he got a $500,000 signing bonus.
The 31-year-old Russian made it clear after the season that he wanted to stay with Atlanta, which acquired him from Buffalo in 2002 on the day of the entry draft. He ranked second on the team in scoring last year, behind All-Star Dany Heatley, and he set a team record with 49 assists.
He also teamed with other veterans, such as Shawn McEachern, to provide leadership for one of the youngest teams in the league. The Thrashers had a franchise-record 31 victories — nine more than their previous best and 13 more than the year before.
They went 19-14-5-1 after Bob Hartley took over as coach on Jan. 15, including 8-3-1-1 in their final 13 games.
‘‘I enjoyed last year so much,’’ Kozlov said. ‘‘I like Bob Hartley, he gave me a chance to play a lot, and I like to be around Dany. We all had so much fun last year. We can’t wait for this season.’’
Kozlov arrived back in the Atlanta area this week to get his children settled in school, and he’ll train at the team’s facilities in a northern suburb until training camp starts in September.
‘‘Summer’s long enough,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m looking forward to camp.’’
Heatley was there Monday, too, sporting a new, more closely cropped haircut. He didn’t go so far as to openly lobby for Kozlov to stay with the Thrashers, but he made sure he told his teammate at the end of last season that he wanted him back in Atlanta.
‘‘For sure, we needed him back,’’ said Heatley, who led the team with 70 points. ‘‘He’s an important part of this team. I didn’t talk to him during the negotiations, but I stayed in touch with Don and followed what was going on.
‘‘Like everybody else, I’m very happy he’s back.’’
After Curt Fraser was fired last December, Waddell coached the team on an interim basis for 10 games. He paired Heatley and Kozlov on the same line with Marc Savard, and that’s when Heatley seemed to get going.
He had his first NHL hat trick during Waddell’s brief tenure as coach, and after Hartley was hired, he kept Heatley and Kozlov together. <-->