Whale Sign Jordan Owens

WHALE SIGN JORDAN OWENS TO AHL CONTRACT

Fifth-year Pro has Two Goals in Twelve Games

HARTFORD, November 7, 2011:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the Whale has signed forward Jordan Owens to an American Hockey League contract.

Owens, a fifth-year pro who is in his second tour of duty with the Whale franchise, had been playing this season on a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement with the Whale.  The 6-0, 193-pound Toronto native has scored two goals and has 11 penalty minutes in 12 games on the year.

Owens, 25, played 160 games in a Hartford Wolf Pack uniform starting in the 2006-07 season, registering 25 goals and 45 assists for 70 points, plus 163 PIM, before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings for current Whale teammate Kris Newbury March 3, 2010.  After the trade, Owens skated with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate, to which he contributed six goals and 14 assists for 20 points, while serving 101 minutes in penalties, in 60 games last season.

In 249 career AHL games with the Whale/Wolf Pack and Griffins, Owens has totaled 34 goals and 63 assists for 97 points, along with 297 PIM.  Prior to turning pro with the Wolf Pack late in the 2006-07 campaign, he spent three seasons in the OHL with the Mississauga IceDogs.

Report: Rangers sign Anton Stralman

Via Bob McKenzie, the Rangers have signed right-handed defenseman Anton Stralman to a one-year contract worth $900,000. The team has not yet confirmed the signing according to Steve Zipay. The Rangers’ interest in Stralman has been rumored for what feels like weeks now, and the move just adds some blue line depth given Marc Staal’s continued absence due to concussion-like symptoms.

Lee Baldwin Reassigned To Greenville

Here’s the press release:

LEE BALDWIN REASSIGNED TO GREENVILLE

Defenseman Dressed in Three Games for Whale this Season

HARTFORD, November 3, 2011:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned defenseman Lee Baldwin from the Whale to its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.

Baldwin, a second-year pro, was scoreless and +2, with six shots on goal, in three games this year with the Whale, after missing the first four games of the season due to injury.  He was signed as a free agent by the Rangers March 22, 2010, out of the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

The Whale return to action at the XL Center tomorrow night, Friday, November 4, hosting the new St. John’s IceCaps in a 7:00 game.  That will be a special “Power Ghouls” Night, complete with an on-ice costume parade and a special buy-one-get-one-free ticket with costume.

Friday night’s game will feature a Halloween costume parade on the ice during the first intermission, and prizes will be awarded for best kid’s costume and best adult’s costume.  Also, fans who come in costume can take advantage of a buy-one-get-one-free offer on Upper Level tickets for Friday’s game.  That discount is available for both kids’ and adults’ tickets, through the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center only.

CL&P employees who present their company ID at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center will also be extended the buy-one-get-one-free offer on Upper Level tickets for Friday night.

Tickets to Friday night’s game, and all 2011-12 Whale home games, are on sale now at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, as well as on-line at www.ctwhale.com and through TicketMaster Charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.

Save on your tickets, and get the best seats, with a ticket plan for the Whale’s 2011-12 AHL campaign, which are on sale now. For information on season seats and mini plans, visit www.ctwhale.com, or call the CT Whale ticket office at (860) 728-3366 to talk with an account executive today.

The AHL’s Connecticut Whale is operated by Whalers Sports and Entertainment, a Hartford-based sports marketing and event firm founded by Howard Baldwin and Howard Baldwin, Jr..  The team is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.

Since 1972, the CT Lottery has generated nearly $21.4 billion in sales and has transferred more than $7.2 billion to the state’s General Fund. Prizes have exceeded $12.3 billion. Purchasers must be 18 years or older. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-346-6238. For more information about the Connecticut Lottery Corporation, visit ctlottery.org.

Sean Avery Clears Re-Entry Waivers

As expected, Sean Avery has cleared re-entry waivers, and will be able to join the Rangers during their practice tomorrow. It is unknown if he will be inserted into the lineup, as the Rangers played a complete 60 minutes last night in their 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. The likely candidates to come out of the lineup are Erik Christensen, Wojtek Wolski, and recent call up Andre Deveaux. Considering the way both Christensen and Deveaux played last night, the front runner to sit if Avery dresses would be Wolski. As Suit pointed out in the comments of the recap, Wolski’s play without the puck wasn’t that strong, which may work against him.

Of course, there is a chance that Avery doesn’t even dress. Considering how well the team played, that is a legitimate possibility. Since Avery cleared re-entry waivers, his salary is added back to the books, with a 50% split between the Rangers and the Dallas Stars.

Breaking News: Sean Avery Being Placed On Re-entry Waivers

According to Larry Brooks via Twitter (his source was Bommer Esiason and Nick Kypreos), Sean Avery will be placed on re-entry waivers tomorrow, making him eligible for Thursday’s tilt against the Ducks.

Whether another team is interested in acquiring him is uncertain, but chances are Sather is giving the fans (well half of them anyway according to our polls) what they want for the time being.

For the other half of this fan base, all we can hope for now is that Torts and Sean can somehow get on the same page. Maybe Richards can be a middleman if issues arise? Who knows…

Sean has some skill no doubt, but his coach-ability has been questioned by every NHL coach he has ever played for. If this rumor is true, and he does end up back on the team, hopefully the relationship between Sean and Torts is somehow salvageable. I mean you would have to assume Torts gave the okay to Glen to make this move? Maybe, maybe not.

Either way, things are about to get interesting…

Get well soon Rupper

Tim Erixon Sent To AHL

In what is the third and likely final roster move today, the New York Rangers sent defenseman Tim Erixon back to the CT Whale of the AHL. Erixon was supposed to start the season in the AHL, but was called up after the injuries to Marc Staal and Mike Sauer. Erixon started strong, and has shown that he is a very capable defenseman, but he needs to play 20 minutes a game to hone his craft at the North American level. In nine games, Erixon did not register a point, and finished with six PIMs and a -2 rating.

There were no defensive call ups to replace Erixon, which means Jeff Woywitka will be in the lineup on Monday night.

Rangers Call Up Andre Deveaux; Anisimov Not At Practice

The New York Rangers have called up forward Andre Deveaux from the Connecticut Whale.  In nine games with the Whale this year, Deveaux has four goals, two assists, and 23 PIMs.  This move is likely in response to some lingering affects of the Zenon Konopka hit on Artem Anisimov, a hit in which Anisimov landed awkwardly –face first– against the glass. Anisimov was not skating in practice today.

I missed the part where Kris Newbury was sent back to the Whale. So calling up Deveaux and sending down Newbury are the moves for the day, which eliminates the point I made about Anisimov being out of practice. In six games with the Rangers, Newbury did not register a point, but had 24 PIMs and a +2 rating.

Brendan Bell Returned To CT

The Rangers have sent defenseman Brendan Bell back to the CT Whale after a brief call up for the Western Canada run. Bell played in one game, and made one egregious mistake where he pinched too early, which led to an Edmonton goal. In his one game, he finished with no points and a -1 rating, coming from that error in judgement. The move, although unsurprising, might signal that Mike Sauer, out for about a month (including preseason) with a shoulder injury, might be ready to return to the lineup.

The press release is after the jump:

Read more »

Rangers Recall Brendan Bell

The roster moves continue for the New York Rangers, as they have recalled defenseman Brendan Bell from the Connecticut Whale. This is likely due to the Mike Sauer shoulder injury, as he did not practice last week and did not play in last night’s loss to the New York Islanders. Bell was the last player assigned to the Whale after the trip to Europe, as the Rangers needed him around because of the injury bug that has plagued the blue line. In two games with the Whale, Bell has an assist and 12 PIMs.

It is likely that Bell will get a look on defense in place of Jeff Woywitka, who finished with a -1 rating and under 13 minutes of ice time in last night’s loss. He wasn’t noticeable in the game, which is not necessarily a negative. It looks like the coaching staff is going to go with a make shift defense until Sauer and Marc Staal get healthy.

Bell does not need to clear re-entry waivers, as he did not spend 40 games with an NHL club last season.

Mats Zuccarello Sent to Connecticut; Kris Newbury Called Up

Following the New York Rangers 4-2 loss against the New York Islanders last night, the Blueshirts made two roster moves that are likely to shake things up among the fanbase and with the team. Mats Zuccarello was sent to the CT Whale, and Kris Newbury was called up to the NHL. Zuccarello had seen less than ten minutes of ice time in each of the first three games, and did not seem to impress the coaching staff (thus not earning more time).  Meanwhile, Newbury has been the Whale’s best player through their first few games, and has certainly earned a call up.

Zuccarello’s waiver status gave him a short leash, so it is not surprising that he was sent down so quickly. Having played three games this season, Zuccarello had just 15 games remaining before he would have to clear waivers. Newbury will need to clear re-entry waivers before joining the Rangers, per article 50.9 of the CBA, whereby any player requiring regular waivers needs to clear re-entry waivers. If my understanding of that clause is unclear, then I believe he still needs to clear because he makes more than $95,000 in the AHL ($250,000), again per article 50.9 of the CBA. 

Newbury does not need re-entry waivers, as he did not spend 40 games on an NHL roster last season.