Thrashers Agree to Terms with Unrestricted Free Agent Defenseman Shawn Heins

ATLANTA (Sept. 10, 2003) -- The Atlanta Thrashers have agreed to terms with unrestricted free agent defenseman Shawn Heins, according to Vice President and General Manager Don Waddell.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Heins, 29, split last season between San Jose and Pittsburgh, notching one assist and nine penalty minutes in 20 games with the Sharks and two points (one goal, one assist) and 33 penalty minutes in 27 games for the Penguins.  The 6-4, 210-pound defenseman has collected 12 points (four goals, eight assists) and 138 penalty minutes in 108 NHL games with San Jose and Pittsburgh from 1999-2003.

Heins, who signed with San Jose as a free agent on Sept. 5, 1997, has earned 67 points (13 goals, 54 assists) and 446 penalty minutes in 88 career AHL games with Cape Breton and Kentucky.  The native of Eganville, Ontario, notched 50 points (22 goals, 28 assists) and 303 penalty minutes for Kansas City of the former International Hockey League in 1997-98, and earned 50 points (13 goals, 37 assists) and 405 penalty minutes in 118 career ECHL games with Mobile from 1995-97. He also played 36 games for the Canadian National Team during the 1998-99 season, notching 21 points (five goals, 16 assists) and 66 penalty minutes.

Prior to beginning his professional career, Heins collected 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) and 190 penalty minutes in two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with Peterborough and Windsor from 1991-93.  He added 129 points (46 goals, 73 assists) and 438 penalty minutes in 67 games for Renfrew of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association from 1993-95.