FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

It’s hardly been an OFF-season for Connecticut Whale/New York Rangers center Kris Newbury.

First, Newbury’s wife, Amanda, gave birth to the couple’s third child, Jorja, on May 7.

“The little one is growing like a weed,” proud papa said with a wide smile.

Newbury also was involved in plenty of off-ice activities, mostly baseball, with 8-year-old son Jake and 6-year-old daughter Jaidyn. And when not busy with the kids, Newbury was working out 2-to-3 hours four days a week with former Whale strength and conditioning coach Jeremy Goodman at Future Fitness Sport Specific Training at Champions Skating Center, the Whale’s practice facility when they’re not at the XL Center in Hartford.

BOYLE BACK IN BLUE

BY: Bruce Berlet

The expected became reality late Thursday night when center Brian Boyle signed a three-year, $5.1 million contract with the Rangers, averting a salary arbitration hearing on July 25.

The Rangers also signed forward Andreas Thuresson to a one-year, two-way contract for $632,500 at the NHL level and $105,000 in the AHL. Thuresson was acquired from Nashville on July 2 for forward Brodie Dupont, who signed a one-year, two-way contract ($550,000 NHL/$80,000 AHL) with the Predators last Friday.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

There’s not suppose to be any cheering in the press box, but I can assure you that all those who have covered the Hartford Wolf Pack / Connecticut Whale over the franchise’s 14 seasons couldn’t be happier for New York Rangers defenseman Michael Sauer.

I can still picture Sauer with his arm in a sling from his latest in a series of injuries during the 2009-10 season, when he missed 38 of 80 games as the Wolf Pack failed to make the playoffs for the only time in team history. But the personable blueliner seemingly had a perpetual smile on his face, an upbeat hello and tone in his voice and a determination to return from any setback.

DUPONT SIGNS IN NASHVILLE

Nashville Predators Sign Brodie Dupont

By Press Release – Nashville Predators

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 8, 2011) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed restricted free agent forward Brodie Dupont to a one-year, two-way contract worth $550,000 at the NHL level and $80,000 at the AHL level.

Dupont, 24 (2/17/87), was acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on Saturday. He ranked third on the Connecticut Whale in points (14g-31a-45pts) and assists and second in power-play goals (9) in 2010-11. The Russell, Man., native made his NHL debut with the Rangers last season, appearing in a 3-2 victory over Atlanta on Jan. 22, 2011. In 297 American Hockey League games since 2007-08, Dupont has 148 points (58g-90a) and 389 penalty minutes.

A third-round selection (66th overall) of the New York Rangers in the 2005 Entry Draft, the 6-2, 210-pound left wing played 214 career games with the Western Hockey League’s Calgary Hitmen from 2003-07, registering 149 points (81g-68a) along with 324 penalty minutes.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

The melancholy filtered through the phone line.

Brodie Dupont, the player with the longest standing with the Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale, had got his wish this week when he was qualified by the parent New York Rangers.

But Saturday the multi-purpose forward suddenly found himself headed elsewhere.

Dupont, a third-round pick in 2005 who played in his first NHL game last season, was traded to the Nashville Predators for forward Andreas Thuresson.

BRODIE DUPONT TRADED

Brodie Dupont, who’s spent the last four years in Hartford and finally broke through getting his first experience in the NHL this past year playing one game with the New York Rangers, was traded by the only team he’s ever played for as a pro to the Nashville Predators for forward Andreas Thuresson.

Thuresson is 23 years old and has played 22 games in the NHL with the Predators where he notched a goal and two helpers.

TO QUALIFY OR NOT TO QUALIFY

For young restricted free agents, whether their parent teams qualify them or not is one of the most stressful times of their career.

Get qualified and the dream continues. Don’t be qualified and you’re hitting the unemployment line looking for work.

For the New York Rangers that time has come and gone and all of their restricted free agents have found out what’s in the envelope.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

BY: Bruce Berlet

The Connecticut Whale has made the offseason a lot more pleasant and relaxing for Jared Nightingale.

The Whale exercised their 2011-12 option on the AHL contract of the unrestricted defenseman six weeks before the parent New York Rangers had to make an offer by the July 1 deadline.

So instead of wondering his status for next season, Nightingale is free to work out and practice with close friend Zak McClellan while working odd jobs for the business of Zak’s dad in Frankenmuth, Mich.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

HARTFORD, CT. – The XL Center ice was being scraped away and melted down as most Connecticut Whale players cleaned out their lockers, packed for outposts worldwide, picked up their summer training manuals and had exit meetings with coach Ken Gernander and assistant J.J. Daigneault earlier than desired on Monday.

FROM THE CREASE with BRUCE BERLET

By Bruce Berlet

HARTFORD, CT – There’s bad luck, and there’s REALLY bad luck.

Then there’s the bizarre one-in-a-million bad luck that Connecticut Whale wing Mats Zuccarello suffered Thursday night in Game 5 of the Atlantic Division semifinals against the Portland Pirates at Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland.

As “The Norwegian Hobbit” chased a puck along the boards late in the first period, two fingers on his left hand got caught in the photographer’s camera hole in the plexi-glass, resulting in a broken hand that will sideline him four-to-six weeks, ending his first season in North America unless the Whale or parent New York Rangers make long, long runs in the playoffs.