TSN:

The Atlanta Thrashers hired John Anderson as their new head coach on Thursday, promoting him from their American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago.

Anderson has won four minor-league titles as a head coach, including the 2008 Calder Cup with the Wolves earlier this month.

Anderson, 51, also guided the Wolves to the Calder Cup in 2002 and the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup in 1998 and 2000.

Toronto’s first pick (11th overall) in the 1977 amateur draft, Anderson played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Maple Leafs (1977-1985); Quebec Nordiques (1985-86); and Hartford Whalers (1986-1989).

Habster:

There are conflicting reports this morning concerning the hiring of John Anderson as the Thrasher head coach. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Don Waddell is denying that he has hired Anderson (Waddell denies hiring coach) as their head coach but you’d have to believe this is just posturing on Waddell’s part for whatever reason.

TSN is very connected to the NHL and rarely makes mistakes, though I’m curious why Waddell is so adamant about the denial.