Addendum to this thread, Snyder never regained conciousness from the crash while teammate and rising star Dany Heatley suffered only minor injuries. However, this changes the complexion of the season heavily.
Though the Thrashers were not expected to climb out of the cellar, their stellar tandem of Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk along with the other rising talents are likely to excel in the league. Young teams can succeed in the NHL, as the Minnesota Wild demonstrated last season, but things are looking grim for Atlanta, with one player dead and another facing criminal charges.
Though the Thrashers were not expected to climb out of the cellar, their stellar tandem of Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk along with the other rising talents are likely to excel in the league. Young teams can succeed in the NHL, as the Minnesota Wild demonstrated last season, but things are looking grim for Atlanta, with one player dead and another facing criminal charges.