ATLANTA -- You don't have to tell Thrashers rookie RW Ilya Kovalchuk to shoot the puck. He likes to shoot it. He likes to carry it. He likes to possess it. So much so, one scout eyeing the explosive Kovalchuk at last winter's World Junior Championship cracked, "he can skate the puck past five opponents and four teammates on the same rush."

That's why a small group of media gathered at a Monday morning practice at the Philips Arena couldn't help but laugh when one of the Thrashers -- watching a half-ice two-on-two drill -- sarcastically yelled to his 18-year-old teammate, "Shoot!"

No, you don't have to tell the speedy Kovalchuk to shoot. Nor do you have to tell anyone in the Thrashers organization how special this kid can be.

"So far, he's been really good," says Atlanta GM Don Waddell, who shunned several draft-week trade offers, opting to keep the first overall pick and select Kovalchuk.

While being "really good," Kovalchuk's been learning a little something every day, both on and off the ice.

On the rink, he's learning how to play in the NHL. "Somewhere, where he used to play, the coaches told him it would be a good idea for him to go behind the net, get the puck and try to outskate as many opponents as possible," says Thrashers coach Curt Fraser, a gritty winger during the 1970s and '80s with the Canucks, Hawks and North Stars. "Then, he'd go to the bench for about 30 seconds, catch his breath, and go and do it again.

"In this league, you don't do things that way," Fraser says with a laugh. "We tell him that every day and he's been picking up what we want him to do here. He's so talented. But, we all have to remember he's just a kid."

A kid with nine -- yeah, nine -- fewer teeth after a run-in with the dentist last week. (Believe it or not, the punchline to this story is straight irony: Kovalchuk's mother is a dentist back in Russia.)

"I don't know anyone who's had nine teeth pulled at the same time," Fraser says. "Because of that, he hasn't been able to eat too much solid food, so his energy level has been down. He didn't have too much zip in our home opener on Saturday [a 5-2 loss to the Hurricanes], but day by day, he's getting it back."

Away from the rink, he's learning about life in North America. At this time, he speaks almost no English. So, veteran Czech defenseman Jiri Slegr, who speaks Russian, acts as an interpreter and keeps an eye on the club's prized prospect.

Kovalchuk (pronounced, "Koval-chook" by Fraser) is also building a friendship with 20-year-old linemate Dany Heatley, a power LW who was the club's top pick (second overall) in the 2000 draft. Waddell and Fraser expect their baby-faced duo to anchor Atlanta's offensive attack for many years to come.

Kovalchuk, with his flashy style, is the one who'll get the most attention. One GM has already compared him to Maurice "Rocket" Richard. That's the highest form of flattery for even the most dynamic prospect.

Can he live up to such standards? Who knows. Certainly, he's a lot of fun to watch.

For fans, Kovalchuk will be very easy to spot on the ice. He'll be the guy with the puck ... or shooting it.

E.J. Hradek writes puck for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.