TOMMY GRANT SIGNS ATO 

WHALE SIGN FORWARD TOMMY GRANT TO ATO

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Leading Scorer from University of Alaska-Anchorage

HARTFORD, CT: Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Tommy Grant to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement.   Grant, a 6-2, 195-pound native of North Vancouver, B.C., comes to the Whale after four seasons at the University of Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA).  Grant, 24, led the Seawolves in points and goals this year, with 16-16-32 in 37 games, and his 57 penalty minutes were the second-most on the team.  Five of Grant’s 16 goals were game-winners, which was good for a tie for fourth in the WCHA in that category. In 134 career games with Alaska-Anchorage, Grant struck for 45 goals and 45 assists for 90 points and served 179 minutes in penalties.

TOMMY GRANT’S AMATEUR RECORD

(stats provided by hockeydb.com)

The Whale return to action tonight at the XL Center, hosting the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in GEICO Connecticut Cup action at 7:00.  Tonight is “Howe Family Night”, as the Whale honor the great Gordie Howe, his sons Mark and Marty and late wife Colleen.

The entire Howe clan will be saluted for their contributions to hockey in the Hartford market, as Gordie, Mark and Marty will be on the ice for a first-intermission ceremony, during which a banner honoring entire Howe family will be raised to the XL Center rafters.  Before the game, starting at 5:30 PM in the XL Center atrium, Gordie Howe will be signing copies of the colorful, 185-page book “Howe #9”, which can be purchased for $70.  Also, 2,000 fans will receive a free commemorative 36-page Gordie Howe tribute program, loaded with full color photos and stories.

The Whale players will wear special 1978-vintage “#9 Gordie Howe” New England Whaler white home jerseys during their pre-game warmup skate.  Ten of those jerseys, which are all autographed by Gordie Howe, will be up for bids during the game.  That will be via silent auction through the start of the second intermission and then in a live auction, among the highest silent-auction bidders, in the second intermission.

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.

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