CLEAR DAY LIST IS PUBLIC

Here is your CTWhale clear day list.

This is the team that the Whale management gives them the best chance to win the rest of the way and to compete in the Calder Cup playoffs.

No real surprises but one question answered and that is that Sean Avery will NOT be playing for the Whale for the rest of the season. For whatever reason, and neither he nor the team have gone public with the reason why, but Avery has just not availed himself to be a part of this group and therefore won’t be playing with the Whale.

The interesting question that DOES come of this, is surrounding Avery’s future, as in, “Does he even have one in the NHL going forward?” That question will get answered this coming summer when Avery becomes an unrestricted free agent.

SOME THOUGHTS

Chris McKelvie heading to the ECHL to play with Greenville is disappointing. He’s a good, hard-working, versatile player that just doesn’t have a spot right now.

Defenseman Blake Parlett did make the list so if he’s needed, he can and will be recalled from Greenville of the ECHL, where he’s playing now.

Congratulations to Jeff Prough, who after spending much of the season in Greenville will be here the rest of the way.

Disappointed to see that Francois Bouchard did not make the list and that his wrist injury has effectively ended his season.

In looking down the various rosters, no real surprises jumped out.

To see the entire list of all thirty teams, visit TheAHL.com.

So now with the Clear Day list behind, it’s on to watching where this all goes for the New York Rangers‘ top affiliate the Connecticut Whale.

Here’s the official release:

WHALE ANNOUNCE “CLEAR DAY” PLAYOFF ROSTER
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Chris McKelvie Loaned to ECHL Greenville

Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today the team’s 22-man “Clear Day” playoff list, and that forward Chris McKelvie has been loaned to the Whale’s ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.

Per AHL by-laws, only the 20 skaters and two goaltenders on the Clear Day roster are eligible to suit up for the Whale for the remainder of the AHL regular season and the Calder Cup playoffs, unless emergency conditions result from recalls, injuries or suspensions.

Signed Junior players, or players who join the team on amateur tryout agreements after their Junior or college seasons are complete, are also allowed to see action for AHL teams during this period, regardless of whether or not emergency conditions exist.

Following is the Whale’s Clear Day list:

Goaltenders (2): Chad Johnson, Cameron Talbot

Defensemen (8): Brendan Bell, Tim Erixon, Sam Klassen, Jared Nightingale, Blake Parlett, Wade Redden, Pavel Valentenko, Mike Vernace

Forwards (12): Jonathan Audy-Marchessault, Ryan Bourque, Andre Deveaux, Tommy Grant, Kris Newbury, Jordan Owens, Jeff Prough, Scott Tanski, Kelsey Tessier, Andreas Thuresson, Casey Wellman, Mats Zuccarello

McKelvie has skated in 38 games with the Whale this year, and the second-year pro out of Bemidji State University has scored two goals and added three assists for five points, while serving 42 minutes in penalties.

The Whale’s next action is this Friday night, March 9 at the XL Center, a GEICO Connecticut Cup game vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. That game faces off at 7:00 PM, and fans can take advantage of a special food combo at every remaining Whale Friday home game, as a hot dog and a 12-ounce soda is only $5.

Then this Saturday night, February 10, when the Norfolk Admirals visit the XL Center for a 7:00 game, is CT Hockey Hall of Fame Night. The night marks the enshrinement of a new class of 2012 inductees into the CT Hockey Hall of Fame, which has adopted eight members from the storied Hartford Whalers Hall of Fame. The new inductees are: Connecticut-bred Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, ex-Hartford Whalers 56-goal scorer Blaine Stoughton, former Whalers goaltender Mike Liut, former Whalers captain Pat Verbeek, Connecticut Whale/Hartford Wolf Pack franchise icon, long-time captain and current head coach Ken Gernander, three-time Olympic medalist for Team USA and all-time NCAA women’s leading scorer Julie Chu, and one of the founders of the New England Whalers, William E. Barnes. There will be an induction ceremony during the game, and fans can take home a special souvenir, as 5,000 Hall of Fame posters will be given away, courtesy of SuperCuts.

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 and 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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