DULUTH — Ilya Kovalchuk likes the direction of the Atlanta Thrashers. That might just help the team keep him beyond this season.

Kovalchuk said Wednesday he's unlikely to have an agreement before this weekend's season opener, as the team had hoped, but remains optimistic about reaching a contract extension.

The Atlanta captain, who had team-leading 43 goals and 91 points last season, is entering the final year of his current deal and could become an unrestricted free agent.

"I didn't put any pressure on them and they didn't put any pressure on me," Kovalchuk said. "Hopefully we'll get it done some time."

Looking ahead to Saturday's night game against Tampa Bay, the Thrashers also announced that first-round pick Evander Kane made the opening roster and named another youngster, Ondrej Pavelec, to start at goalie in place of Kari Lehtonen, who will begin on the injured list as he recovers from offseason back surgery.

But the major question facing the Thrashers is Kovalchuk's status.

General manager Don Waddell said he met with Jay Grossman, Kovalchuk's agent, in Atlanta last week and that negotiations are continuing.

Waddell, who had previously said he hoped to have a deal done before the start of the season, downplayed that has an important timeline.

"It's a work in progress," he said. "I still feel confident that we'll get something done. Whether it happens by Saturday isn't a big issue."

Kovalchuk agreed.

"I've got a year left on my contract," the high-scoring Russian winger said. "Nobody is in a rush. We're still talking."

The Thrashers have reached the NHL playoffs just once since entering the league in 1999. Kovalchuk made it clear after last season that he wasn't interested in re-signing with a team that showed no commitment toward winning.

Since then, Atlanta added center Nik Antropov, coming off a career-best season with 28 goals and 59 points, and defenseman Pavel Kubina.

"We've got more size and experience now," Kovalchuk said. "Now we have what it takes to win and make the playoffs. I'm ready to go. I'm excited."

Waddell and second-year coach John Anderson both said they would consider it a "failure" if the team didn't qualify for the playoffs after finishing with the league's fourth-worst record (35-47) last season.

"We're bigger, faster and hopefully smarter," Anderson said. "We're a much better team."

Whether that translates into more wins might depend on Pavelec, who has played only 19 NHL games. The 22-year-old Czech will handle the goaltending until Lehtonen returns, with Johan Hedberg as the backup. Lehtonen just resumed skating and is unlikely to be ready before November.

Kane, the fourth overall pick in the June draft, made the opening roster even though he only turned 18 in August. He will play left wing on the third line.

"My goal was to make the team and now I have to stick," Kane said. "That's the next challenge."

The quick development of young players such as Kane, Bryan Little and Zach Bogosian are important in getting Kovalchuk to re-sign.

"He skates like the wind," Kovalchuk said of Kane. "He's got unbelievable talent and there is a lot of fire in his eyes. I've very excited that they kept him here."