At the end of the first round of the 2008 WHL playoffs, he signed his first NHL contract with the Thrashers on March 28, 2008. Reporting to the Thrashers' training camp for the 2008–09 season, he was assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) on September 27.
At the conclusion of the first round of the 2008 WHL playoffs, he signed his initial NHL contract with the Thrashers on March 28, 2008. Upon reporting to the Thrashers' training camp for the 2008–09 season, he was assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) on September 27.