Drew MacIntyre has a tall order in front of him.
As a free agent last summer, the goaltender considered all his options. One was with the Thrashers and it looked like a long shot. He signed a two-year deal knowing the team already had Kari Lehtonen, Johan Hedberg and Ondrej Pavelec on the roster.
“It was kind of scaring me away for a while, but then I realized they were really interested in me,” MacIntyre said at Thrashers training camp. “At this stage in your career, that’s what you want.”
This stage in his career comes after six seasons in the minor leagues. He has appeared in just two NHL games, both with Vancouver in 2007-08. He has played a total of 61 minutes.
He came to Atlanta knowing the competition in front of him. Then Manny Legace, a former All-Star and Stanley Cup winner, was added to the mix as a late signee.
“I want to play the best that I can play,” MacIntyre said. “I think that if I do that, I will be in a good situation. What situation? I don’t know but if I play the way that I can, I will help my situation. Who knows? You try not to think about that kind of stuff. Just go out there and play your game and let them make their decisions.”
Thrashers general manager Don Waddell has spoken highly of the abilities of MacIntyre, who led the AHL in wins last season.
“They gave me a two-year deal and basically said that they believe in me,” MacIntyre said. “This will be my seventh year bouncing around in the minors. You want to hear that.”
If MacIntyre is sent back to the AHL, he will go willingly.
“If there is a place to go, Chicago is a great place to go,” he said of the Thrashers’ AHL affiliate. “They have a great team. I’ve been in the minors so long, I feel I’m ready to make this step. I’m never going to complain. I’ll work just as hard and try to get back up here as soon as I can. That was my goal seven years ago and that’s my goal today.”
Prospects game
The Thrashers defeated Nashville 6-3 in a prospect game Monday night at the IceForum in Duluth. Jeremy Morin scored two goals and Scott Lehman, Darryl Smith, Matt Anderson and Eric O’Dell all scored once. The two teams play again Tuesday at 1 p.m.
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