It was nearing midnight in the Czech Republic and Pavel Kubina was taking no chances.
"Nothing has been confirmed," the defenceman said over the phone. "Until the trade is done, I'm still a Leaf."
But mere minutes later, the league confirmed the news: Kubina was an Atlanta Thrasher, dealt along with the rights to centre Tim Stapleton for defenceman Garnet Exelby and minor-league winger Colin Stuart.
Kubina had been a whipping boy for Leafs Nation since inking a four-year, $20-million US deal with Toronto in 2006. But after 40-point campaigns the past two seasons, the veteran, with one year left on his contract, became an attractive commodity for the Thrashers.
"Being in the Southeast conference, I'm very familiar with Pavel from his Tampa days," Thrashers general manager Don Waddell said. "We think we have acquired a fine top-four defenceman."
