In The Crease

Expect the Thrashers to announce soon the signing of standout goal-tender prospect Kari Lehtonen (below), who was the team's No, I draft choice in 2002. Atlanta, which has a core of young talent up front led by stars Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk, has to improve in net to become a playoff team. Last season Lehtonen, 19, played for Jokerit of the Finnish Elite League and went 23-14-6 with a sparkling 1.98 goals-against average....

Outspoken Rangers center Bobby Holik, who signed a five-year, $45 million free-agent contract with New York last summer, was told at season's end by general manager Glen Sather to show up for training camp in better shape than he was last September and to keep his views to himself next season. Holik, whose blunt opinions sometimes made him unpopular in the dressing room when he played with the Devils, turned off many of his new teammates....

In round 3 of the playoffs the league must clamp down on obstruction penalties again. After successfully keeping obstruction to a minimum in round I, referees allowed much more clutching and grabbing in the second round, and many skilled players were unnecessarily taken off their games.