Don't get Mark Popovic wrong. He enjoyed his year in Russia. It's just that he would rather not go back.
The former Thrashers defenseman is back with the team, trying to land a roster spot without a contract on a pro tryout. He spent last season playing for St. Petersburg in the KHL. Excellent accommodations. Good — and sometimes interesting — food. But ...
"[The KHL] is the second-best league in the world," Popovic said. "The one thing I miss is it's not as competitive every night. The top 10 teams are great. The bottom 10 teams are not as good. That's something I really missed. In the NHL, every night is a big night, every night guys show up to play. That's one of the reasons I'd love to come back."
Popovic had 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) for St. Petersburg. When an NHL contract offer did not come this summer, Popovic weighed his options and chose to re-join the Thrashers for a tryout. Familiarity with the organization, the system and the coach played a big part in his decision.
Popovic played two AHL seasons in Chicago for coach John Anderson and played 43 games over three seasons for the Thrashers, including 33 games in 2007-08, with three assists.
"I've played well for [Anderson] before," Popovic said. "He knows what I can do. I still have to come in here and outplay everyone else, and that's what I intend to do."
Popovic scored a first-period goal in the Thrashers' 4-2 exhibition win over Carolina on Monday. He finished a plus-2. He also led the Thrashers in ice time (24:42) in their exhibition season opener against Nashville.
"He had a great game," Anderson said of Monday's victory. "I always tell him, because he's such a good skater, he's got the green light to skate up the ice."
While in Russia, Popovic did his best to learn the language. Communication was "a lot of charades, a lot of sign language." He learned the alphabet and some words. He can even read a little Russian.
"I found a way to communicate," he said. "I embraced the whole thing of living in Russia."
Including the food.
"There were a lot of great restaurants in St. Petersburg and Moscow," Popovic said. "Some of the cities we were in, you had to be pretty open-minded to try new things. Fortunately, I am. ... I'll try anything."
Now, he's trying to earn a spot in the NHL. He knows it won't be easy.
"I've been around long enough to know none of it's in my control," he said. "If I play like I did [Monday] night, if I show up every day like I've been doing, that's all I can do."
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