McILRATH IS IN THE FOLD 

WHALE SIGN DEFENSEMAN DYLAN McILRATH TO ATO

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Rangers’ top Pick, Tenth Overall, in 2010 Draft

HARTFORD, CT: Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed defenseman Dylan McIlrath to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement.

McIlrath, 18, was the parent New York Rangers’ first-round pick (10^th overall) in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.  The 6-5, 215-pound Winnipeg, Manitoba native has played the last three seasons in the Western Hockey League for the Moose Jaw Warriors.  In 2010-11, McIlrath skated in 62 games for the Warriors, notching five goals and adding 18 assists for 23 points.  Those numbers were good for third among Moose Jaw defensemen in points and goals, and McIlrath’s penalty minute total of 153 ranked second overall on the team.  In six postseason games with the Warriors, he was scoreless with 15 PIM.

In 180 career WHL games with Moose Jaw, McIlrath has amassed totals of 13 goals and 38 assists for 51 points, along with 424 PIM.  He agreed to terms on an NHL contract with the Rangers March 16.

The Whale are next in action this Friday night, April 8 at Bridgeport, as they take on the Sound Tigers in a GEICO Connecticut Cup game (7:00 faceoff, www.ctwhale.com, www.wtic.com).  That is the front half of a home-and-home set between the two Nutmeg-State rivals, who will face off at the XL Center on Saturday night in a 7:00 contest.  Free Whale travel mugs will be given away to 3,000 fans that night, courtesy of CT DOT, and there will be a Connecticut Whale Auction and Sale, starting at 5:00 PM in the XL Center atrium.  Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl game-used Whalers and Bruins jerseys, as well as Whale Bowl sticks, will be up for bid, and CT Whale used sticks and game equipment will be available for sale at great prices.

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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