UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Colby Armstrong was deep in his game-day nap at the Penguins' hotel yesterday afternoon when the phone call came.

The one that changed his plans and changed his life.

Armstrong was informed that he, along with Erik Christensen, prospect Angelo Esposito and a first-round draft choice had been dealt to Atlanta for right winger Marian Hossa and forward Pascal Dupuis.

"I was sleeping sound, getting ready to play [against the New York Islanders last night]," Armstrong said. "And I woke up to that. I didn't have a clue it was coming."

But it did, so while their former teammates went through warm-ups, Armstrong and Christensen stood near a loading dock at Nassau Coliseum, collecting their equipment and saying some final goodbyes.

Being traded is a new experience for Armstrong; Christensen went through it in junior hockey. And, while Armstrong seemed comfortable in a blue-collar niche with the Penguins. Christensen believes he will benefit from a fresh start.

It is not, after all, easy to be a skilled center on a team that employs Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

"I've really enjoyed my time here," Christensen said. "But I think in the end, I'm more excited than sad. I'll miss the guys and I'll miss the organization ... but I'm excited about the opportunity I'll possibly get in Atlanta. More than anything, I think it will be good for my career."

He'll get to renew acquaintances with his old teammates Sunday, when Atlanta visits Mellon Arena at 3:08 p.m.

"It will be very, very different," Christensen said.

At the very least.

"No booing me," Armstrong said, smiling. "It will be strange. It was tough to look my friends in the eye when they came to say goodbye to me. It's a weird thing."

The Penguins have a 10-4-4 record since Sidney Crosby got a high ankle sprain Jan. 18.

Players such as Evgeni Malkin and Ty Conklin, among others, have been lavishly praised for their work in Crosby's absence, but Islanders coach Ted Nolan believes the contribution of his Penguins counterpart, Michel Therrien, should not be overlooked.

"Sometimes coaches don't get enough credit, and sometimes they get too much blame," Nolan said.

"The coach there did a great job of keeping those guys focused. When you lose a guy like Crosby, it's a tough chore, but he's done a great job."

Crosby and left winger Gary Roberts (broken leg, high ankle sprain) skated yesterday for about a half-hour with no apparent problem, team officials said. ... Islanders center Mike Comrie, a candidate to be dealt before the deadline, snuffed that possibility by signing a one-year, $4 million contract yesterday. ... Penguins left winger Jarkko Ruutu, who had his leg stomped by Chris Simon in a Dec. 15 game at the Coliseum, said facing Simon last night for the first time since that incident wouldn't "make a difference to me," but the point became moot when Simon was traded to Minnesota a few hours before the game.