The Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent defenseman Karel Pilar and forward Milan Bartovic, according to Executive Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Pilar, 29, recorded seven points (two goals, five assists) in 10 games last season after joining the Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League) on March 5, 2007. The 6-3, 210-pound defensemen missed the majority of the 2005-06 and 2006-07 campaigns with a heart ailment, and spent the 2004-05 season with HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Republic, where he led all defensemen and ranked sixth on the team with 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) in 52 games.
The native of Prague, Czech Republic has totaled 30 points (six goals, 24 assists) in 90 NHL games over three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, averaging 17:38 of ice time during that span. He added 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 75 AHL games over four seasons with the Marlies and St. John’s Maple Leafs. During his last NHL season in 2003-04, Pilar tallied 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 50 games with the Maple Leafs. Pilar was selected by Toronto in the second round, 39th overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.
Bartovic, 26, split last season between the Zurich Lions of the Swiss League and the IF Malmo Redhawks of the Swedish Elite League. The 5-11, 200-pound forward appeared in 24 games with Malmo, recording five points (one goal, four assists) and 26 penalty minutes prior to the move to Switzerland. He added five points (two goals, three assists) and two penalty minutes in 12 regular-season games with Zurich and recorded one assists in three playoff games.
The native of Trencin, Slovakia has appeared in 50 NHL games with Buffalo and Chicago, tallying 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) and 26 penalty minutes. He has registered 137 points (72 goals, 65 assists) in 319 career AHL games with Rochester and Norfolk and has four assists in 23 Calder Cup Playoff contests. Bartovic was originally selected by Buffalo in the second round, 35th overall, of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He was traded to the Blackhawks in exchange for goaltender Michael Leighton on Oct. 4, 2005 |
