The Thrashers are still four points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, but added some key pieces to their penalty kill that might just help them right the sinking ship that the season had become. They're sitting four points ahead of the last place Florida Panthers, who were the biggest sellers at the trade deadline - they shed seven NHL roster players, including Radek Dvorak to the Thrashers. Jumping Carolina depends greatly on the upcoming schedule - the Thrashers need to win tonight and Thursday while the Hurricanes need to be beaten by the Panthers and Sabres to fall out of contention. Of course, a win by the the Sabres will put them into eighth place into the Eastern Conference, but it still puts the Thrashers into third place in the East.
↵The Lightning and the Capitals are well out of the Thrashers' reach, but that's not their concern. The team needs to salvage what could have been a sure fire bet for the playoffs.
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