Thrashers Send Four to Chicago
October 4, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
The Atlanta Thrashers have assigned forwards PATRICK RISSMILLER and FREDRIK PETTERSSON (PEH-tuhr-sohn) and defensemen ARTURS KULDA (AHR-tuhrs KOOL-da) and ANDREY ZUBAREV (AWN-dray ZOO-bah-rehv) to the Chicago Wolves.
KULDA ranked second among Wolves defensemen with a career-high 19 assists and third among club blueliners with a career-best 25 points in 66 games with Chicago last season. The 22-year-old defenseman also established a franchise record and led the American Hockey League with a +47 plus/minus rating - the highest in the AHL since 1992-93 - after posting a plus or even rating in 56 of his 66 outings. The Riga, Latvia, native also made his National Hockey League debut in four games with Atlanta last season, notching two assists and a +2 plus/minus rating.
Overall, KULDA has collected 41 points (7G, 34A) in 128 career outings with the Wolves from 2007 to 2010. He also has accrued 11 points (2G, 9A) and 40 penalty minutes in 36 career Calder Cup playoff games, which includes helping Chicago capture the league title in 2008.
RISSMILLER ranked second on the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins with 47 points (20G, 27A) in 69 outings last season. He also notched two assists in six contests with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). The 31-year-old left wing has appeared in 182 career NHL games with the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks over parts of five seasons (2003-04; 2005-09), accruing 45 points (18G, 27A). The Belmont, Mass., native also has racked up 98 goals and 282 points in 417 career AHL outings with Grand Rapids (2009-10), Hartford (2008-10) and the Cleveland Barons (2002-06).
ZUBAREV was Atlanta's sixth choice, 187th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and will make his North American debut with the Wolves this season, after competing in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League and the now defunct Russian Super League from 2003 to 2010. Last year, the 23-year-old defenseman set career highs with seven goals and 16 points in 55 outings with Atlant Moscow Oblast (KHL). Overall, the Ufa, Russia, native registered 20 points (7G, 13A) and 123 penalty minutes in 90 career KHL contests (2008-10) and 20 points (6G, 14A) and 164 penalty minutes in 110 Russian Super League games with Ufa (2003-05) and Ak-Bars-Kazan (2005-08).
PETTERSSON spent the past three seasons with Vastra Frolunda of the Swedish Elite League, where he compiled 34 goals, 77 points and 172 penalty minutes in 160 outings from 2007 to 2010. The 23-year-old left wing also spent two seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Calgary Hitmen, where he notched 93 points (43G, 50A) in 111 contests.
The Wolves will open their 17th season in Texas when they battle the San Antonio Rampage at the AT&T Center on Fri., Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. The club will face the Milwaukee Admirals in an Amtrak Rivalry matchup for the team's home opener, presented by LifeSource, at the Allstate Arena on Sat., Oct. 16, at 7 p.m.
Tickets for all regular-season home games are on sale now - visit chicagowolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES for more information.
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