Holik signing in Atlanta
Sportsnet.ca -- One of the league´s best two-way players is heading to Atlanta.
Holik was set to earn $6.726 million next season after the 24 per cent rollback, but the New York Rangers bought out his contract last week under the new rules of the collective bargaining agreement.
One of the NHL´s best two-way centers, Holike signed in New York in 2002 for $45 million over five years. In 2003-04, Holik scored 25 goals and 31 assists for the New York Rangers.
Before signing in New York, Holik played 10 seasons for the New Jersey Devils after being acquired from the Hartford Whales in a 1992 trade for Eric Weinrich and Sean Burke. With New Jersey, Holik won Stanley Cups in 1995 and 2000. He posted three consecutive 60-plus point seasons from 1996-99 and routinely appeared in around 80 games. Holik also recorded lofty plus-minus totals and finished his Devils´ career a plus-136.
Holik was drafted 10th overall by the Whalers in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. The Jihlava, Czechoslovakia native debuted for Hartford on Oct. 4, 1990, and beat Patrick Roy for his first NHL goal nine days later.
Atlanta va avoir enfin un bon centre pour jouer avec Heatley et Kovalchuk