Rico Fata claimed by Atlanta Thrashers

[ville5]

Best of luck to Rico things weren't gonna work out here. No matter what he's done recently in WB.

[Penspal]

Deuce.......I'm glad that no one has made the connection to 1/2 half of his salary.

Once again, good luck Rico

Penspal

[sdm5055]

That was the chance the Pens took in recalling Rico... the same chance they took when they sent him down.

So, if my understanding is correct, the Pens still have to pay half his salary for the rest of his contract?

I believe they only have to pay for half of the remainder of the season, but if his contract is up this summer then i guess that would be the remainder if his contract

[Zscout]

I am surprised that it is Rico that was grabbed and not Koltsov when he came back through.
Watch him take off now! At half price for the Thrashers.

[rb44]

Argh why couldnt GLACIERCOTT go the way of Waivers instead

[ville5]

[quote="Tocchet"]Fata was being recalled, not being put through waivers for a trade.

I was hoping that he'd be able to bring some speed, energy and scoring on the lower lines since he seemed to be playing very well offensively for WBS recently. IMO, he's better than Koltsov at the NHL level.

Hopefully he sticks with the Thrashers and makes a career of it in the NHL.[/quote]

There'll definitely be no pressure in Atlanta for Fata to produce offensively. I think that was part of the problem here. Especially with our early season struggles. Rico was probably pressing himself to produce. In Atlanta, with all the big guns, maybe he can relax and let the offense come.

[Draftnik]

Fata probably won't be long for Atlanta:

http://www.ajc.com/thrashers/content/sp ... shnot.html

"He's a guy we're intrigued by," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. "It's an experiment. I can't tell you it will work out."




He will be back in Pitt or WBS (waived by ATL) whenever Atlanta starts to add some real players for their playoff drive.

Waddell better figure out a way to get Ryan Miller on the Olympic team.

[Mad City Mike]

Waddell better figure out a way to get Ryan Miller on the Olympic team.

No kidding. Grahame, DiPietro, and Esche all stink, and the best goalie is sitting at home. Go figure. We can only hope Esche gets hurt again.

[relantel]

He will be back in Pitt or WBS (waived by ATL) whenever Atlanta starts to add some real players for their playoff drive.

I'd think he's worth another chance. Specially since we're already paying him. It wouldn't be the first time that we claimed back a player off of waivers that was taken from us off waivers the same season. If I recall, Boston claimed Lang in the fall of 97, followed by the Pens claiming him back fairly quickly.

[Pipes Hochuli]

the only thing i will miss is watching rico fly around on the ice to eventually fall. that and calling him "rico dangerous"

[Elivenspire]

The reason Rico never produced this season, or in his earlier seasons with Calgary and NY, is because teams mis-use his speed. When the Pens let him free with Malone last season, he put up decent numbers for a young squad. This year, and in past, teams try to use him to kill powerplays and play defense, when his speed can create so much, and force so many penalties in the new league. I think he would have been a great addition to Sid's line, instead of Rita or Surrovy. Now Endicott has a secured spot on the roster, just proof that CP has no clue what hockey talent is any more.

[netwolf]

If I recall, Boston claimed Lang in the fall of 97, followed by the Pens claiming him back fairly quickly.

I remember that. The really odd part about it was that Boston picked him up because Joe Thornton had been hurt in a preseason game against the Penguins. It ended up not being series, so Boston threw him back in the pond in a manner of speaking.