HARTFORD, CT - Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have recalled forward Chris Kreider from loan to the Whale, and that defenseman Matt Gilroy has been released from his AHL Contract.
Gilroy has signed an NHL free agent contract with the Rangers, and both players will be joining the Rangers for the start of their NHL training camp.
Kreider, the Rangers’ first-round pick (19th overall) in 2009, has scored five goals and added seven assists for 12 points, and registered 55 penalty minutes, in 33 games with the Whale. The rookie out of Boston College finished last season by posting 5-2-7 in 18 playoff games with the Rangers, after winning an NCAA championship with the Eagles (23-22-45, 66 PIM in 44 GP).
Gilroy, a fourth-year pro with 194 NHL games-played to his credit, led all Whale defensemen in goals with six, and also had nine assists for 15 points, in 34 games with Connecticut, along with 14 penalty minutes. The former Hobey Baker Award-winner with Boston University split last season between the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning (2-15-17, 16 PIM in 53 GP) and Ottawa Senators (14 GP, 1-2-3, 2 PIM), after playing his first two pro years with the Rangers.
The Whale are back in action later today in Hershey, taking on the Bears at 5:00 PM in the second of back-to-back games between the two clubs. All of the action can be heard live on “Beethoven Radio” AM 1290. Fans can also listen on-line at www.ctwhale.com, and video streaming is available at www.ahllive.com). The next home game for the Whale is Wednesday, January 23, a 7:00 battle with the Adirondack Phantoms.
Whale tickets start as low as $10 each ($12 each when tickets are purchased on the day of the game), at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, through TicketMaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.
