A NEW KID IN TOWN AND OTHER AHL NEWS

We don’t know anything about Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, but if he can put the kind of numbers up in the American League as he did in the QMJHL, then he’ll be  lethal addition to the offense.

Question is though, hasn’t the organization already been down the smaller guy / scorer, trip a ton of times already? The Whale need more size. GM Jim Schoenfeld certainly knows that and those signings are likely still to come.

GRUMET-MORRIS HERE FOR GOOD

WHALE SIGN DOV GRUMET-MORRIS TO AHL CONTRACT

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Goaltender had been Playing with Whale on PTO

HARTFORD, CT: Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris to an American Hockey League contract.

Grumet-Morris, who had been under a Professional Tryout (PTO) with the Whale, has played 10 games in the Connecticut net this season, going 4-3-1 with a 2.16 goals-against average and a 91.9% save percentage.  The sixth-year pro has also appeared in 24 ECHL games this season with the Greenville Road Warriors, and carries the top GAA in the league at 2.32.  Grumet-Morris is also tied for the ECHL lead in shutouts with three, and his save percentage of 92.2 ranks second in the league.

Grumet-Morris, originally a fifth-round draft pick (161^st overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2002 NHL Draft out of Harvard University, has 37 career games of AHL experience with the San Antonio Rampage, Portland Pirates, Hamilton Bulldogs, Manitoba Moose, Milwaukee Admirals and Whale, with a record of 12-15-6, a 2.50 GAA, a 91.5% save percentage and four shutouts.  In 72 career ECHL games, the 6-2, 205-pound Evanston, IL native has a record of 46-19-5, a 2.48 GAA, 91.5% save percentage and three shutouts.

Prior to this season, the 29-year-old Grumet-Morris spent the previous two campaigns in Europe, playing in Austria and Slovenia.

The Whale are back in action tonight, as they return to the XL Center to host the Springfield Falcons in a 7:00 PM game.  There will be a “Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl Appreciation Night” promotion for that game, as Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl ticket purchasers who present their Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl ticket stub at the XL Center ticket office can purchase one $19 or $12 ticket for the March 2 game, and receive a second of equal or lesser value free.  On top of that, the Whale will add a coupon for 15% off all Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl merchandise.  The coupon is redeemable at the Whale Pro Shop, which is located in the Hartford Store at 45 Pratt St. in downtown Hartford and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4:30 PM.  The coupon is good only for Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl merchandise.

Tickets for all 2010-11 Whale home games are available now at the XL Center box office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.ctwhale.com.  Tickets start at $7 each at the XL Center ticket office on game day.

For information on Whale ticket packages, group sales and VIP packages, call (860) 728-3366.

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

Since 1972, the CT Lottery has generated more than $19.3 billion in sales and has transferred nearly $6.7 billion to the state’s General Fund.  Prizes have exceeded more than $11.1 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, call (860) 713-2000, or visit the CT Lottery web site at ctlottery.org.

FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet

By Bruce Berlet

Talk about a tough act to follow.

Yes, even Connecticut Whale wing Brodie Dupont admitted he didn’t know what he could do for an encore as defending money-earning champion in the eighth Tip-A-Whale Dinner and Sports Carnival at the XL Center on Sunday from 4-7 p.m.

STOCK PILING FORWARDS

Desperately seeking some combination of players that will give 60-minutes night in and night out, the Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale are looking for help wherever they can find it.

As a result, the team has brought on Tyler Donati, who hasn’t done much and moved out disgruntled defenseman Nigel Williams for Stu Bickel and now comes word that the team has acquired Oren Eizenman from the Syracuse Crunch in exchange for future considerations.

Eizenman has essentially been an ECHL player over the last three years. His best season was in 2007-2008 for Fresno in the ECHL when he had 66 points (27g, 39a) in 53 games. He also put up 59 points (21g, 38a) last season.

For his career, he has played 49 AHL games he has 2 goals and 7 assists. For his ECHL career he has 140 games with 56g and 100a for 156 points.

Here’s an interesting story on the Israeli forward

Here’s the official release:

WP ACQUIRE FORWARD OREN EIZENMAN

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Has Split Season between Syracuse, Elmira

Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has acquired AHL-contracted forward Oren Eizenman from the Syracuse Crunch in a trade, in exchange for future considerations.

Eizenman, a 6-0, 190-pound fourth-year pro, has been on loan from the Crunch to the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL, for whom he has five goals and 12 assists for 17 points, along with four penalty minutes, in 12 games.  Those totals are good for second on the team in assists and third in points, and Eizenman’s plus/minus rating of +10 is second-best on the Jackals’ club, and his 12 assists rank tied for fifth overall in the ECHL.  The 25-year-old Toronto native has also suited up for three AHL games with the Crunch, going scoreless and Even with two shots on goal.

Last season Eizenman logged seven AHL games with the Milwaukee Admirals, chipping in one assist, and tallied 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points, plus 61 PIM, in 61 games with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder.  He finished second on the Thunder club in assists, third in points and fourth in goals, and also led the team in playoff points and assists, with three goals and 16 assists for 19 points in 15 post-season games.

In 49 career AHL games with Milwaukee, the Worcester Sharks, Manitoba Moose, San Antonio Rampage and Crunch, Eizenman has posted two goals and seven assists for nine points, along with 10 penalty minutes.  In 140 total ECHL outings with the Fresno Falcons, Thunder and Jackals, he has chalked up 56 goals and 100 assists for 156 points, plus 107 PIM.

Here are his numbers:

DANE BYERS TRADED

The New York Rangers have traded Wolf Pack captain Dane Byers to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Chad Kolarik. Kolarik appears to be a career AHL players having bounced between Springfield, Syracuse and the San Antonio Rampage.

This is CLEARLY a message being sent by the organization to a listless and underachieving team. If they will trade the captain, they will trade anyone.

Byers has been a good team-guy for the Wolf Pack. He played five games in 2005-2006 after his season with the Prince Albert Raiders ended. He joined the team in 2006-2007 and put 17 goals and 30 helpers in the net for 47 points in 78 games.

Byers improved in 2007-2008 when he put 23 goals and 23 assists on his ledger for 46 points but in 73 games. That season he got his first taste of the NHL getting into one game with the Blueshirts.

In 2008-2009 he blew out his knee just 9 games into the season and after putting up 4 goals and three assists. Byers came back for the playoffs tat year and played well in 6 games putting in 3g and an assist.

Last season he continued to improve posting 51 points in 74 games (25g, 26a).

Byers may best be remembered by New York Rangers fans for his being called up and literally arriving just as the game was about to start after his plane was delayed. He played in 5 games for the Rangers last season and scored his first NHL goal.

Dane Byers will ALWAYS be remembered among Wolf Pack fans for being one of the classiest players in team history and for always answering the bell when it came to answer for his teammates.

Chad Kolarik really hasn’t done much in the AHL. He had his best season in 2008-2009 when he tallied 20g and 30 a for 50 pts in 76 games. He’s played two games in the NHL last season with Columbus.

So far this season, the 5’11, 175 pound center from Pennsylvania has 4g and 6a for 10 points in 13 games.

This is clearly not a move to improve the team in terms of talent. It’s clearly a message move being sent to the team that anyone can be sent packing (pardon the pun).

Do not be remotely surprised if this is not the only move the team makes to shake things up here.

What will be worse still for the now former Wolf Pack captain is that he will be in the house as a member of the Springfield Falcons on Saturday night when the team plays their last game as the Wolf Pack. (Thank you to Gerry Cantlon for reminding us of that sad fact).

“Obviously when you go through a streak like this you know that changes are pretty much inevitable,” Dale Weise told Howlings.  ”It’s a way to shake up the team and obviously to see a guy like Dane Byers go is rough. He’s been a team Captain for two years and he’s been here with me for three years and one of my really good friends. It’ll be tough to see him go.”

Weise would be one of the leading candidates, along with Wade Redden, to be named team captain in Byers place.

Here’s the official release:

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has acquired forward Chad Kolarik from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Dane Byers.

Kolarik, 24, has registered four goals and six assists for 10 points, along with 18 penalty minutes in 13 games with the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season.  He ranks third on Springfield in scoring with 10 points, is tied for second in assists and ranks fourth in goals.  He also leads the team and ranks 14th in the AHL with 46 shots on goal, and is tied for the team lead and ninth in the league with three power play goals.  Kolarik has registered three multi-point performances this season, including a two-goal effort in Springfield’s season opener, a 5-1 win, on October 8 at Providence.  He recorded nine points (four goals, five assists) in nine games to begin the season, including a season-high, three-game scoring streak from October 22 vs. Portland to October 29 at Hartford (two goals, three assists over the span).

The 5-11, 195-pounder has skated in 165 career AHL contests with the Springfield Falcons, Syracuse Crunch and San Antonio Rampage, registering 50 goals and 60 assists for 110 points, along with 120 penalty minutes.  He split the 2009-10 season between San Antonio and Syracuse, recording a career-high, 26 goals and tying his career-high in scoring with 50 points in 76 games.  He also appeared in two games with the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, making his NHL debut on April 5, 2010 at St. Louis.  In 2008-09, Kolarik established a career-high with 30 assists and 50 points in 76 games with San Antonio.  He made his professional debut with San Antonio on April 16 in the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, and notched a hat trick in his next game two days later.

Prior to turning professional, Kolarik appeared in 163 career games over four seasons with the University of Michigan Wolverines of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), registering 78 goals and 96 assists for 174 points, along with 131 penalty minutes.  He helped the Wolverines capture the CCHA regular season and tournament titles, and led Michigan to NCAA Frozen Four as a senior in 2007-08.  Kolarik was named a Second Team All-American, NCAA All-Regional Team (East) and All-CCHA First Team All-Star that season after registering career-highs with 30 goals, 56 points, seven game winning goals, four shorthanded goals, and a plus-27 rating in 39 games.

The Abington, Pennsylvania native was originally selected as Phoenix’s seventh round pick, 199th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Byers, 24, has registered three goals and six assists for nine points, along with 25 penalty minutes in 16 games with Hartford (AHL) this season.  The Nipawin, Saskatchewan native was originally the Rangers’ second round choice, 48th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

DOV GRUMET-MORRIS SIGNED TO PTO

The number one question on everyone’s mind is why? Both Wolf Pack goaltenders are doing so well. What we can tell you at this point is that there is an injury but we don’t know yet to which goaltender, whether it’s Chad Johnson or Cam Talbot. We’ll look and see what we can find out. 

WOLF PACK SIGN GOALTENDER DOV GRUMET-MORRIS TO PTO

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Sixth-year Pro has AHL Experience with Five Different Teams 

Hartford Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed goaltender Dov Grumet-Morris to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement.

Grumet-Morris, a sixth-year pro out of Harvard University, was in training camp with the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors, after having attended the Wolf Pack’s camp and playing in two preseason games with the Pack, stopping all 27 of the shots he faced in 65 minutes of work (1-0-0).

The 6-2, 205-pound Grumet-Morris spent the last two seasons in Austria, appearing in 39 games last year with Jesenice.  Prior to heading over to Europe, the 28-year-old Evanston, IL native logged a total of 27 AHL games in his first three pro seasons, with the San Antonio Rampage, Portland Pirates, Hamilton Bulldogs, Manitoba Moose and Milwaukee Admirals.  His career AHL record is 8-12-5, with a 2.62 goals-against average, 91.4% save percentage and four shutouts.

Grumet-Morris has also seen 48 career games of action in the ECHL with the Cincinnati Cyclones, going 31-11-4 with a 2.56 GAA and a 91.2% save percentage.  He was originally a fifth-round draft pick (161^st overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2002 NHL Draft.
 

The Wolf Pack are back in home-ice action at the XL Center this Wednesday, October 20, taking on the Norfolk Admirals at 7:00 PM.  Tickets for that and all 2010-11 home games are available now at the XL Center box office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

Season tickets for the Wolf Pack’s 2010-11 AHL season are also on sale now. For information on season seats, and all of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com, or call (860) 728-3366 to talk with an account executive today.

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

Since 1972, the CT Lottery has generated more than $19.3 billion in sales and has transferred nearly $6.7 billion to the state’s General Fund.  Prizes have exceeded more than $11.1 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, call (860) 713-2000, or visit the CT Lottery web site at ctlottery.org

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY

It was another big day for the Hartford Wolf Pack and the soon to be Connecticut Whale.

There were lots of announcements, not the least of which was that Bob Crawford, the only announcer the team has known for it’s 13 years has been resigned and will continue on into the future as the voice of the Connecticut Whale.

Congratulations are due not only for a terrific announcer but an even better human being. Bob has been EXCEPTIONALLY helpful to us and gave us a chance and treated us as he would have any other professional even when we didn’t deserve it. We’re grateful for that and wish Bob nothing but the greatest of everything moving forward.

Here’s that official release:

BOB CRAWFORD TO CONTINUE AS “VOICE” OF WOLF PACK/WHALE

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Has been at the Mike Since Wolf Pack’s Inception 
 
Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that it has reached an agreement with Bob Crawford to continue as play-by-play voice of the Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale.

“We are pleased that Bob Crawford will be with us as the play-by-play voice of the Wolf Pack and Whale this season,” WSE chairman Howard Baldwin said.  “Bob is a real fan favorite and is one of the best broadcasters in the business.

“Bob’s return was one of our main priorities upon taking over management control of the Wolf Pack. We are looking forward to working with him this season and beyond.”

Crawford has been calling the action for the Wolf Pack for each of the team’s 13 seasons in the AHL and is a veteran of 22 years of AHL play-by-play.  A native of Chicago, Crawford came to Hartford from Binghamton, NY, where he was the voice of the Binghamton Rangers, the franchise that became the Wolf Pack, for two seasons.  Prior to that, Crawford called games for the Providence Bruins for one year, and he started his professional broadcasting career with the Adirondack Red Wings, broadcasting for six seasons, which included two Calder Cups.

Crawford gained his first broadcasting experience at Harvard University, where he announced Crimson hockey games on student radio station WHRB-FM before graduating in 1988.

Crawford will also maintain his role as the Wolf Pack/Whale’s public relations director with Whalers Sports and Entertainment.

But that wasn’t the only announcement to come out of Connecticut’s capitol today. Three signings filled out the remaining roster spots as the final squad was introduced to the media. Ryan Garlock returns for a second season and Chris McKelvie comes back after playing six games at the end of last season with the Rangers’ top farm team and Kelsey Tessier signs his first professional contract.

Here’s that release:

HARTFORD WOLF PACK/CONNECTICUT WHALE SIGN THREE TO AHL CONTRACTS

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Ryan Garlock Re-signs, Chris McKelvie and Kelsey Tessier Ink Deals 
 
Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed three forwards to American Hockey League contracts.

Veteran Ryan Garlock re-signed with the Wolf Pack/Whale, and the club also inked rookies Chris McKelvie and Kelsey Tessier.

Garlock, a fifth-year pro who originally signed with the Wolf Pack July 20, 2009, played in 59 games with the Wolf Pack last season and posted AHL career-high numbers of seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points.  His plus/minus of +10 was third-best on the Wolf Pack, and he also logged 38 penalty minutes on the season.  Garlock also appeared in four games with the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, scoring one goal and adding two assists for three points.

Originally a second-round draft pick (45^th overall) by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2004 out of the Ontario Hockey League, the 6-0, 202-pound Garlock has skated in 179 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack, San Antonio Rampage, Binghamton Senators, Springfield Falcons, Hershey Bears and Syracuse Crunch, registering a total of 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points, along with 109 PIM.  In 71 career ECHL games with the Checkers and Johnstown Chiefs, the 24-year-old Iroquois Falls, Ontario native has amassed 37 goals and 45 assists for 82 points, plus 85 penalty minutes.

McKelvie, a product of Bemidji State University (College Hockey America), joined the Wolf Pack last season on an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement following the end of his college campaign, and had two goals and one assist for three points, along with two penalty minutes, in six games.  In 37 games with Bemidji State, the 6-1, 195-pound McKelvie notched eight goals and ten assists for 18 points and served 26 minutes in penalties.

In four years at Bemidji State, the New Brighton, Minnesota-born McKelvie, 25, suited up for 120 games, scoring 18 goals and adding 15 assists for 33 points and serving 88 minutes in penalties.

Tessier, 20, comes to the Wolf Pack/Whale from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he split last season between the Quebec Remparts and the Moncton Wildcats.  In 39 games with Quebec, the 5-9, 168-pound Tessier struck for 12 goals and 29 assists for 41 points and had 21 penalty minutes.  After being traded to Moncton, he registered seven goals and five assists for 12 points, along with 12 PIM, in 15 regular-season games, before exploding for a huge playoff.  Tessier led the Moncton squad in postseason points, and finished second in goals and assists, with 14-16-30 in 21 games.  The Fredericton, N.B. native finished second overall in playoff points among QMJHL skaters, and was third in goals, as the Wildcats captured the league playoff championship and earned a trip to the Memorial Cup.

In 249 career QMJHL contests with Quebec and Moncton, Tessier posted 103 goals and 141 assists for 244 points, as well as 189 penalty minutes.

Also on today’s agenda was the announcement of the new scoreboard that was brought in by AEG from The Staples Center in LA. Below you’ll find a time lapse video detailing the removal of the older more outdated board and the installation of the new one.