Thrashers Sign Eric Boulton, Ramzi Abid and Scott Barney

[VodkaFish]

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed unrestricted free agent forwards Eric Boulton, Ramzi Abid and Scott Barney, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.

Boulton (pronounced BOHL-tuhn) has registered 17 points (five goals, 11 assists) and 511 penalty minutes in 172 NHL games with Buffalo from 2000-04. The 6-0, 225-pound left wing notched 39 points (23 goals, 16 assists) and 124 penalty minutes in 48 games with the Columbia Inferno (ECHL) last season. The 28-year old forward set professional career highs and shared second on the Inferno in goals, ranked sixth on the club in points, and third in penalty minutes.

The native of Halifax, Nova Scotia set NHL career highs with five assists, six points and 178 penalty minutes with the Sabres in 2002-03. Boulton, who was signed as a free agent with Buffalo on Sept. 14, 1999, has earned 92 points (45 goals, 50 assists) and 1,250 penalty minutes in 271 minor-league games in the AHL, former International Hockey League and ECHL.

Boulton, selected by the New York Rangers in the ninth round (234th overall) in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, collected 72 points (28 goals, 44 assists) and 651 penalty minutes in 162 games over three seasons in the OHL with Oshawa and Sarnia.

Abid (pronounced a-BIHD, RAM-zee) has recorded 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) and 59 penalty minutes in 49 career NHL games with Phoenix and Pittsburgh. The 6-2, 210-pound left wing registered 55 points (26 goals, 29 assists) and 119 penalty minutes in 78 games with Wilkes-Barre (AHL) in 2004-05. Abid set AHL career highs in goals, assists and points last season, and finished second on the team in goals, third in points and sixth in assists.

The native of Montreal, Quebec made his NHL debut with Phoenix in 2002-03, notching 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 30 games, and was scoreless in three games with Pittsburgh. Abid earned 133 points (65 goals, 68 assists) and 554 penalty minutes in 188 AHL games with Springfield and Wilkes-Barre from 2000-05.

Abid, 25, collected 392 points (155 goals, 237 assists) and 815 penalty minutes in 250 games over four seasons in the QMJHL with Chicoutimi, Acadie-Bathurst and Halifax from 1996-2000. Abid, who was selected by Phoenix in the third round (85th overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, was named to the QMJHL All-Star First Team in 1998 and 2000, and was named to the Canadian Major Junior All-Star First Team in 2000. He led the QMJHL in scoring with 135 points (50 goals, 85 assists), and captured league MVP honors in 1998. Abid collected junior career highs with 67 goals, 91 assists and 158 points with Acadie-Bathurst and Halifax in 1999-2000.

Barney, 26, has registered 11 points (five goals, six assists) and four penalty minutes in 24 NHL games with Los Angeles. The 6-4, 210-pound center set career highs with five goals, six assists and 11 points with the Kings in 2003-04. He was scoreless in five games with Los Angles in 2002-03, after missing three seasons from 1999-2002 due to a back injury suffered in training camp on Sept. 28, 1999.

The native of Oshawa, Ontario has notched 52 points (33 points, 19 assists) and 104 penalty minutes in 106 AHL games over three seasons with Springfield and Manchester from 1999-04. Barney, who was selected by the Kings in the second round, 29th overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, earned 243 points (128 goals, 115 assists) and 302 penalty minutes in 230 OHL games with Peterborough from 1995-99.

[Fight Fan]

They get rid of Lessard to sign Boulton...

[Fotiu]

They got rid of Lessard??
Wtf?
Has any other team signed him?

[OLLBLUEEYZ]

Wow.... Boulton is a Hotlanta Thrasher! What say you Fighting Wombats ?

[votingbooth_42]

Hmmm...not really sure what to say about this signing. I'm indifferent I guess. Boulton is an entertaining fighter because he always gets so pissed off when he fights. He's kind of a bully sometimes (not that I nessecarily mind, I mean a tough guy's gotta have an edge), but I enjoy watching the guy. Peters shall get full-time enforcer duty with BUF then ey? Sweetness. If it's true Lessard is gone, I hope DET picks him up! I don't really like him but I've got nothing against him and Wings hockey needs something entertaining this year!

[Fear The Mullet]

yeah this makes no sense.
Lessard beats on Boulton every game, so the Thrashers sign him to save him, I guess.

And Lessard was tendered an offer ( a two-way contract) so it's up to him if he stays. But he'll probably go elsewhere as the Thrashers are fukking him. Lessard has earned a spot IMO with the Thrash.