If Nik Antropov and Pavel Kubina were underappreciated in Toronto, don't expect Atlanta Thrashers coach John Anderson to give them back now.
The ex-Leafs come back tonight playing big roles for their new team, Antropov with 23 points in 26 games and a plus-13, Kubina improving from a minus-15 with the Leafs last season to plus-16 so far this season and leading the club in ice time.
"It's going to be special for me," Antropov told the Journal Constitution. "It's going to be interesting, back where I spent most of my career, almost 10 years."
The issue of whether to play the 6-foot-6 Kazakh at centre or wing was quickly settled by Anderson.
"I came to him at the start of the year and said: 'I'm going to put you at centre and I know you haven't been there a lot, but just bear with us,' " Anderson told Sun Media yesterday.
"If it didn't work out, it's an easier transition from centre to wing."
But Antropov hit it off with speed demon Maxim Afinogenov and crafty old Slava Kozlov. He sometimes appears with top gun Ilya Kovalchuk, as well.
"They're so freaking fast that (Antropov's skating) doesn't matter," Anderson said. "Nik sees the ice so well, too."
Antropov was traded to the Rangers at last season's deadline for a second-round pick, while Kubina departed in the summer in a trade that boiled down to the Leafs getting the seldom-used defenceman Garnet Exelby and using throw-in Colin Stuart to get Wayne Primeau from Calgary.
"There are a lot of changes, a lot of new guys there," Kubina told the Journal Constitution. "I'm happy where I am right now. We're playing some good hockey lately. I'll take (tonight) as every other game."
Kubina also is comfortable being back in the Southeast Division, where he won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
"Kubina is logging so much ice time and now he relishes it," Anderson said. "He's so strong around the net. He's another guy who's not so fleet of foot, but has quick hands for an outlet pass."
LANCE.HORNBY@SUNMEDIA.CA
