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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 2574309" data-attributes="member: 2012">Thrashers begin training camp with Bondra - but no KovalchukSportsnet.caSeptember 13 @ 18:47, EST DULUTH, Ga. (AP) - Seventeen months after their last game, the Atlanta Thrashers finally got back on the ice.Peter Bondra was there. Ilya Kovalchuk was not. The Thrashers opened training camp Tuesday with a full-speed workout that left the team's newest player gasping for breath. Bondra, 37, said he's never been through such a strenuous practice on the first day."After you sit down, it feels good," he quipped. "But we're all going to benefit from this hard work. The better shape we're in, the better we'll be on the ice."But the Thrashers have yet to sign Kovalchuk, a 41-goal scorer in the last season before the lockout. The restricted free agent is playing in his native Russia and, according to his agent, might just stay there for the entire season if a deal can't be reached with the Thrashers.General manager Don Waddell said he's offered a five-year contract at terms slightly better than Columbus's Rick Nash, who got $27 million US for the same-length deal. Both were restricted free agents after tying for the NHL goal-scoring title in 2003-04."I feel like we've made a big push to sign Ilya," Waddell said. "He's a big part of our past, and we want him to be a big part of our future. Unfortunately, this is a business first and a sport second. But we're going to do everything in our power to get Ilya here."The Thrashers had no trouble persuading Bondra to come aboard. In fact, they had brushed off the unrestricted free agent for several weeks, not wanting to commit money that might be needed to sign Kovalchuk under the league's new $39-million salary cap.But Bondra kept lowering the price, finally agreeing on an incentive-laden deal that guarantees him a base salary of $505,000 - far less than he could have made with another team. He could earn another $2.9 million in bonuses if the Thrashers win the Stanley Cup.Bondra was so eager to play in Atlanta that he took part in the first day of training camp, even though he had yet to sign his new deal. Waddell said there were still some insurance issues to work out, but he expected things to be finalized in a day or two.Only 23 goals short of 500 in his career, Bondra believes the Thrashers are finally a post-season contender after missing the playoffs in their first five seasons. Atlanta signed centre Bobby Holik, traded for Marian Hossa, brought in several new defencemen and groomed top prospect Kari Lehtonen to take over in goal."I really believe this is going to be our year," Bondra said.Of course, the Thrashers would be even stronger with Kovalchuk, one of the league's most dynamic offensive players and someone who would surely thrive in the post-lockout NHL, with all the new rules that are designed to open up the game and produce more scoring chances."You want to see one of the top players in your lineup," Hossa said. "He's a big part of this hockey club."But Waddell insists that he's brought in enough talent for the Thrashers to contend for the championship, even if Kovalchuk stays in Russia.The team still has several weeks to work out a deal, facing an important deadline on Oct. 5. After that, if Kovalchuk continues to play in Russia, he would have to clear waivers to rejoin the Thrashers - effectively ending any chances of rejoining the NHL this season.If Kovalchuk quit his Russian team by Oct. 5, he would have until Dec. 1 to sign with the Thrashers in order to be eligible to play this season."Ilya makes us a better team," Waddell said. "But with the other pieces we've put in place, we're confident that we're ready to take that next step.</blockquote>

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