According to former beat writer Craig Custance (now with the Sporting News) Rick Dudley has been hired as an Assistant.
My initial reaction to this is positive.
The Thrashers front office is short on people with non-Thrashers experience. Dudley should bring a wealth of contacts and knowledge.
The other thing that surprises me about this is that there is an open GM job available right now (Florida). Either Dudley is not in the running for that job or he has been promised a very significant role here in Atlanta.
This could bolster the teams credibility heading into free agency. Fairly or unfairly, Don Waddell is not perceived as top notch management material and that doesn't help the Thrashers sign free agents with choices.