Number 18

Mathieu will wear #18 for the Thrashers. For those of you with good memories, #18 was the number he wore when he broke into the league with Montreal. That may have been part of the reason he chose it, but he attributes the choice to his son, Micah:

"My son Micah picked that number. It was actually the first number I had when I came in the league. I was number 18 in Montreal for one season until Denis Savard came to our team and I gave him 18. It's also the Chai, or 'good luck' in Hebrew as well. But I was given number 18 in Montreal. I didn't pick it but it was a good number for me. I gave my kids four choices and Micah was the one that really liked 18, so he won out."

To see more from his first Q&A since the trade to Atlanta, see the atlantathrashers.com.

In other news, Mathieu is expected make his Thrashers debut Saturday in the team's last preseason game.