The Atlanta Thrashers lost out in the bidding war for Brian Campbell but managed to find a good puckmoving defenseman on the second day of the NHL’s UFA market, signing Ron Hainsey to a five-year, $22.5 million contract.

Hainsey will earn $4.5 million per season over the next five years against the Thrashers cap, a considerable raise over the $900K he earned last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets and about $1 million more than he was anticipated to make in this year’s UFA market.

It was a move GM Don Waddell desperately needed to make after having deal away promising Braydon Coburn in February 2007 for a fading Alexei Zhitnik whom in turn Waddell recently bought out of the remainder of his contrat.

The Thrashers have lacked a blueliner to anchor their powerplay and jump-start their offensive game for some time and Hainsey should be capable of filling that role and play big minutes on the Atlanta blueline.

He really thrived over the past two seasons in Columbus for head coach Ken Hitchcock and the skills he learned there should make him a worthwhile addition in Atlanta.