Jul. 11, 2008 - 7:33 a.m. ET
The Atlanta Thrahsers hope Angelo Esposito's young career will start to rebound with a fresh start and relaxed expectations.
Esposito was acquired by the Atlanta Thrashers from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Marian Hossa deal. There was a time Esposito was compared to Sidney Crosby and projected as the first pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. However, Esposito began to have trouble living up to expectations even before the draft, and he ended up slipping to 20th overall as a result. Pittsburgh changed his position from Center to Left Wing, but that only seemed to add to his problems in the minors. However, Atlanta has moved him back to his natural position and has advised him not to worry about the past. We'll see what Esposito does with the fresh start next season.