Thrashers take time to honor 'one of the family'

ELMIRA, Ontario -- Graham Snyder stood inside the arena named after his son and watched the players skate by. The Atlanta Thrashers had made the two-hour bus ride from Buffalo to practice on a sheet of ice Graham worked hard to help build. And he was soaking in the scene. "It really is an emotional day and a happy day," Snyder said, watching the Thrashers along with 1,500 fans who packed into the stands to see an NHL practice. "It's probably something pretty unique. Not too many teams, I don't think, would go to these lengths to make sure they are here." But the Thrashers never would have missed this. The bond between the Snyder family and the team is special, and as strong as ever—even six years after former Thrasher Dan Snyder was killed in a car accident. Standing a few feet away from Snyder's father, Atlanta general manager Don Waddell shook hands with fans from Snyder's hometown, and signed autographs. Waddell would have liked...