Waddell insists Thrashers not 'packing it in' with Hossa trade

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Thrashers general manager Don Waddell insists he didn't give up on making the playoffs when he gave up on re-signing Marian Hossa.

Hossa and Pascal Dupuis were traded to Pittsburgh yesterday for a package that makes Waddell's roster younger. But the Thrashers' general manager and interim coach says more veterans would have left town if he had given up on this season.

He noted that Atlanta still has other unrestricted free agents -- Bobby Holik and Mark Recchi -- and says there are others the team could have traded.

But he said with 18 games left, the Thrashers are not giving up on the playoffs.

Waddell ackowledged that they need to have a good run. But he said it they were packing it in for the season, they would have looked at the trade deadline differently -- and maybe gotten a couple more first-round picks.