SCHOENFELD ORDERS A “KLASSEN” OF DEFENSE FOR WHALE 

UPDATED:

Official Release:

WHALE ADD DEFENSEMAN SAM KLASSEN TO ROSTER

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Reassigned from ECHL Greenville 

Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the parent New York Rangers have reassigned defenseman Sam Klassen to the Whale from its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.

A second-year pro out of the Western Hockey League, Klassen has skated in 23 games with the Road Warriors this season, registering one goal and four assists for five points, along with 26 penalty minutes.

Klassen, who stands 6-2, weighs 199 pounds and hails from Watrous, Saskatchewan, played three games with the Whale last year, going scoreless with four penalty minutes.  In 66 ECHL games as a rookie with Greenville, Klassen posted three goals and 14 assists for 17 points, plus 80 PIM.  He tied for second among Road Warrior blueliners in assists and ranked third among team defensemen in points.  Klassen’s plus/minus of +16 was good for a tie for tops on the club for a defenseman, and tied him for fifth overall on the team.

Klassen signed as a free agent with the Rangers July 27, 2009, after four WHL seasons with the Saskatoon Blades.

The Whale return to action tomorrow night, Wednesday, December 21, at the XL Center for their last game before Christmas, a 7:00 contest against the Adirondack Phantoms. That is “Ugly Holiday Sweater Night”, as fans who wear an ugly holiday sweater to the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center can get a 50% discount on upper-level seats, and lower-level end-zone seats.

Tickets to 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 & 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.

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The AHL transaction page reveals that the Connecticut Whale have answered the question, at least temporarily, who will fill the void on the backline with the Wade Redden injury and the call-ups of Time Erixon and Stu Bickel…it’s Sam Klassen.

The Whale brought back Lee Baldwin Monday and Tuesday it’s Klassen.

It’s pretty safe to say at this point that the team is finished with Jyri Niemi at this point given that even though they had two open positions, they didn’t feel he was their guy.

More later when the call-up is made official.