Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Stevenson signs in Atlanta

Some exceedingly minor Flames news here. What the hell -- it's the off-season, right?

Grant Stevenson has apparently signed with the Atlanta Thrashers. The 27 year-old forward was the QC Flames top scorer last year, managing 30 goals and 73 points in 80 games. He was 10th overall in terms of AHL scoring and one of the top PP producers in the league. His are pretty decent results considering Calgary's farm team was pretty bad last year, particularly in the offense department. With better line mates, Stevenson is a probably a top 5 AHL player in 07/08.

I didn't get to see too much of Stevenson live last year. When I did watch him (preseason) I liked what I saw and I thought he was one of the best "fringe" players on the ice (him and Dustin Boyd stuck out to me). I think he would have been a more worthwhile gamble for the parent club over and above guys like Godard and Smith - but that's just me.

Here's hoping he gets a chance with Atlanta (and he probably will, considering their roster). I dont think he'll ever be an impact NHL player, but he strikes me as a useful 4th line/2nd unit PP guy or injury fill-in.