Forward Chris Thorburn is all fired up and ready to go.

Chris Thorburn can relate to the struggles the Atlanta Thrashers have gone through so far in the 2007-08 season.

He's got the tools and the talent to compete on the NHL level, his expectations are high, but he's just had a difficult time getting started. Or in his case, just get a start. The 24-year-old native of  Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., who has seen the ice in just one game this season, skating a total of 4:42 over six shifts against Ottawa on Oct. 10.

"Obviously we've got a pretty strong lineup so it's tough to get in," said Thorburn, a former second-round pick by Buffalo in 2001, who was acquired by Atlanta from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a third-round draft pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. "I've just got to keep working hard, stay sharp and hopefully I can get back into the lineup on a regular basis."

No one would be surprised if Thorburn’s frustration level mounted as he waits for a chance to play. But if he is frustrated it hasn’t showed outwardly as he continues to work hard and keep a positive attitude. He knows that he fills a certain role on this team and that at some point he will be needed. 

"I see myself as a rugged forward creating energy every night on a consistent basis," he said. "Some nights I might get limited minutes but it's up to me to go out there and create some energy if the team needs that. It's my job to stay ready and when I get the call I go do my job and fulfill the expectations of the team."

To that end, on gameday morning you'll see the rugged 6-3, 225-pound wing tirelessly and enthusiastically running drills with assistant coach Steve Weeks, long after the rest of the team has showered and is preparing for the pre-game meeting.

Thorburn, who scored three goals and added two assists with 69 penalty minutes in 39 games with the Penguins last season, knows he can only wait for that shot that he knows is coming and that it's on him to make it hard for the coaches to keep him out of the lineup.

"It's my job to show them that I'm desperate to get in and when I do just show them that I want to be in the lineup every night," he said. "I have to show them what they want to see when the time comes."

Helping alleviate any frustration as he bides his time is his genuine appreciation for Atlanta and the opportunity to enjoy the city.

"Me and my girlfriend check out a lot of restaurants," he said. "Atlanta has a lot of things that we don't have back home.

“Maggiano's is a top spot that we like to check out,” he continued. “It's is just like a homemade meal when you go in there. It's got that homey feel to it. That's what we like most about it as well as the food. We're simple people, but Maggiano's definitely ranks top on our list."

When not venturing out for a good meal, Thorburn prefers to spend a quiet night at home, which only recently meant not playing hide-and-seek for things out of moving boxes.

"It's been pretty hectic setting up the apartment," he said. "We just moved in a couple of weeks ago. So getting our stuff down here from Pittsburgh and moving it all in has been quite a process. We just like to lay low, watch movies and just hang out. Our team schedule's pretty sick, so we haven't been able to do too much as far as exploring the city. But so far, from what we've seen it's been great."

He also admits exploring hockeyfights.com, which is not so much a guilty pleasure as it is a scouting mission.

"I've checked it out a couple of times," said the winger, who earned 333 PIMs in 253 games in the Ontario Hockey League. "If you're playing against a guy and you want to see what he's all about, if you haven't seen him, then you check him out. I know guys talk about it in the dressing room, 'Did you see that fight last night?' So it's just somewhere I can go back and check some recaps of what happened the nights before as far as the physical parts are concerned."

He does, however, take issue with their scoring system.

"They don't give me too good scores. So I might have to complain about that," he  said with a laugh. "But they do a great job. It draws a lot of fans and that's helped sell our game."

Selling Atlanta has been an easy one for Thorburn.

"I hope this is somewhere I can plant some roots and an organization I can get familiar with," he said. "From the day I got here in late August they've treated me so well. It's a first-class organization. I'm just proud to be a part of it and hopefully I can contribute like they expect me to."