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Atlanta Thrashers Players Respond To Relocation, Thank 'All The Loyal Fans In Atlanta'

Andrew Ladd and Tim Stapleton have expressed mixed feelings about the Atlanta Thrashers pending move to Winnipeg. Meanwhile, Evander Kane, perhaps the player Manitoba is most excited about, thanked Atlanta's "passionate fans" and the "great city of Atlanta" while throwing his weight behind the movement to market the team as the Winnipeg Jets:

I want to thank all the Thrahsers Fans that supported us in Atlanta for my two years there. Very unfortunate there will be no NHL hockeyless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply

My personal favorite Atlanta Thrashers player, Anthony Stewart, stood up for the city's fans in their darkest hour:

I want to thank all of the loyal fans in Atlanta you were as passionate as any other city... Looking forward to the new challenge! Thanks!!less than a minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® Favorite Retweet Reply

Ben Maxwell said Winnipeg should be fun and told Winnipeg fans they deserved to get a team, while thanking Atlanta fans and delivering a polite but unreasonable request:

Thanks to the fans during my short lived time in Atlanta! Please try to continue to be a part of what develops in Winnipeg!less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply

Blake Wheeler also said goodbye:

Our time was short Atlanta but thanks to all the fans and their supportless than a minute ago via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply

Check back with SB Nation Atlanta's frequently updated Thrashers sale StoryStream for the latest updates. For discussion, join Bird Watchers Anonymous, SB Nation's Atlanta Thrashers community or head to one of our 34 other hockey communities. For more hockey, visit SB Nation's NHL hub.

Photographs by coka_koehler used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.