Manny & Damon Sign With Rays

Manny Ramirez (L), Johnny Damon (R)

When Johnny Damon left the Boston Red Sox in 2005, he was seen as a traitor for going to the New York Yankees. So when the Yankees came to town nine times in his time there, he was booed to no end by the Fenway Faithful.

When Damon came to town with the Detroit Tigers in 2010, the Fenway Faithful never got a chance to do anything good or bad towards Damon because he was out with an injury. And since they only came once last year, there was nothing that could be done.

But you can be darn sure that when Damon comes to Fenway Park in 2011 he’ll be booed once again. And on top of it all, the Fenway Faithful can get some extra booing in towards Manny Ramirez.

The reason why both of them will get the good ol’ visitors/enemies routine is the fact that both of them have agreed to one-year deals with the Tampa Bay Rays according to Jon Heyman of SI.com. Heyman reports that Damon will get $5.25 million plus another $750K in attendance bonuses (good luck with that as they only drew just over 23,000 fans last year and that’s because the team was actually relevant). Manny will get $2 million which is usually what he carries around as pocket change.

Both deals are subject to them passing physicals.

Nothing like signing a few Red Sox rejects to help your team. Good luck with that Tampa Bay, especially Manny.

Photo credits: AP Photo (Ramirez), Getty Images (Damon)

Red Sox Extend PDC With Portland Sea Dogs

The Boston Red Sox and Portland (ME) Sea Dogs today announced the extension of their Player Development Contract (PDC) for an additional two years. The extension keeps the Red Sox Eastern League Double-A affiliate in Portland through the 2014 season.

Boston Red SoxRed Sox Director of Player Development Mike Hazen and Sea Dogs President Charlie Eshbach made the announcement.

“We are delighted to extend our relationship with the Portland Sea Dogs for an additional two seasons,” said Hazen. “We are extremely fortunate to work with some of the best people in minor league baseball in Portland. The Burke family, Charlie Eshbach, and the entire Sea Dogs organization always go above and beyond to provide support to our players and staff. With the Sea Dogs, our minor leaguers experience the ideal environment to succeed and grow.”

The Red Sox originally entered into an agreement with the Sea Dogs following the 2002 season when Portland changed affiliations from the Florida Marlins. At that time, a likeness of Fenway Park’s Green Monster was erected at Hadlock Field and the skyboxes were renamed in honor of former Red Sox legendary hitters. The PDC was last extended with a four-year extension through 2012 in July 2007.

“We are thrilled with the extension of the PDC with the Boston Red Sox,” said Eshbach. “The caliber of the people we work with is for us the most important part of the affiliation. Working with the Red Sox ownership, Mike Hazen, the coaching staffs, and the entire Red Sox organization has been a wonderful experience. We are grateful that our fans will continue to see exceptional talent in Portland as the players develop their skills on their way to Fenway Park.”

The Sea Dogs have advanced to postseason play four times in eight seasons since becoming an affiliate of the Red Sox, including their first Eastern League Championship in 2006. Sea Dogs alumni currently with the Red Sox include Daniel Bard, Clay Buchholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Jed Lowrie, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, and Kevin Youkilis.

Portland is one of Boston’s six minor league affiliates, joining Triple-A Pawtucket (International League), Single-A Salem (Carolina League), Single-A Greenville (South Atlantic League), Short-A Lowell (New York-Penn League) and Rookie Gulf Coast Red Sox (Gulf Coast League).

Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish is scheduled as the featured guest at the 18th Annual Portland Sea Dogs Hot Stove Dinner tonight at the Marriott Hotel at Sable Oaks in South Portland, ME. Kalish, who played for the Sea Dogs in 2009 and 2010, was awarded the Harry Agganis Red Sox Rookie of the Year Award by the Boston Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America after hitting .252 with four home runs and 24 RBI over 53 games in his Major League debut with the Red Sox in 2010.

Report: Red Sox Thought About Trading Papelbon

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com, the Boston Red Sox explored the possibility of trading their closer Jonathan Papelbon if they could have signed former free agent closer Rafael Soriano.

In this Sept. 21, 2010, file photo, Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon scratches his head as he walks off the mound after giving up four earned runs to the Baltimore Orioles in a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston.The Red Sox showed interest in Soriano, and appeared willing to do a one-year deal for him to be their closer. Had that happened, Boston would have found a new home for Papelbon, probably Oakland or the White Sox.

The Red Sox were unable to trade Papelbon because teams saw a high number like this on the horizon.

The high number Heyman is talking about is the $12 million contract that Papelbon got in an arbitration deal with the Red Sox. Soriano ended up signing a three-year, $35 million contract with the New York Yankees.

It’s definitely looking more and more like this will be Papelbon’s final season in Boston. With Daniel Bard waiting in the wings and Bobby Jenks signed for two years, the Red Sox can let him go.

But as Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal points out, the Red Sox could end up losing Papelbon without getting anything in return for him.

According to the rules, the Red Sox have to offer Papelbon salary arbitration to collect draft picks. After having earned $12 million in 2011, Papelbon would be in line to ask for a salary around $14 or $15 million — which would be the second-highest salary for any relief pitcher in history, trailing only the otherworldly Mariano Rivera.

If the relief-pitching market remains as depressed next winter as it is now — Jenks signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the Red Sox despite an impressive career track record — Papelbon might well accept arbitration and return to Boston, a jolt to a payroll that will start absorbing the Adrian Gonzalez contract extension that same year.

But losing Papelbon wouldn’t guarantee compensation picks. The Red Sox would have to take a pretty big financial gamble — a $14-$15 million gamble — to get those picks.

Although there is no official Gonzalez contract extension, we all know that it’s coming sometime after opening day this year. My guess would be right around the first homestand for the Red Sox which begins on April 8th against the Yankees.

It makes you wonder if the Red Sox will explore trading Papelbon around the trading deadline to get something in return. Otherwise, they’ll have to roll the dice and hope for the best when the time comes next year.

Photo credit: AP Photo

Blaine Stoughton and John Anderson Added to Player Roster for Whalers vs. Bruins Legends Game at Harvest-Properties.com “Whale Bowl” February 19

Hartford, CT …  Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that Blaine Stoughton and John Anderson will join the group of featured players for the Hartford Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends game February 19, 2011 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

Whale BowlThe legends game comprises part of the “Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl,” the featured event of the two-week outdoor Whalers Hockey Fest spectacular at Rentschler Field that will include numerous collegiate, high school, prep school and youth hockey games.  The legends game will face off at 4:00 PM on February 19 and will be followed by the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM.

Stoughton, a forward from Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, played one season for the WHA’s New England Whalers and five more NHL seasons for the Hartford Whalers, including their first season of existence. Stoughton played 36 games for New England during the 1978-79 season, totaling 12 points with nine goals and three assists. In his five NHL seasons with Hartford, Stoughton reached the 100-point mark once, and topped 50 goals twice. In 357 career NHL games with the Whalers, Stoughton accumulated 219 goals, which is third-most in Whaler NHL history behind Ron Francis’ 264 and Kevin Dineen’s 235.  Stoughton also had 158 NHL assists with the Whalers for 377 points, which ranks fourth in Whaler NHL history.

Originally the seventh overall pick in the 1973 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Stoughton skated in a total of 526 NHL games with the Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and the Whalers, scoring 258 goals and adding 191 assists for 449 total points, along with 204 penalty minutes. Stoughton is also a veteran of 219 WHA contests, in which he totaled 89 goals and 90 assists for 179 points with the Cincinnati Stingers, Indianapolis Racers and the Whalers.

Stoughton also coached at three different professional levels from 1992-97, serving as an assistant coach for the IHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, the AHL’s Springfield Falcons and as head coach for the Austin Ice Bats of the WPHL.

Anderson, a left wing and a native of Toronto, Ontario, played four seasons with the Hartford Whalers from 1985-89 as part of a 17-year professional career. His best season as a member of the Whalers came during the 1986-87 season, when he totaled 31 goals and 44 assists for 75 points in 76 games. All told, Anderson skated in 215 games for the Whalers, scoring 72 goals and adding 117 assists for 189 points.

Anderson, the eleventh overall pick in the 1977 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs, played in a total of 814 NHL games as a member of the Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques and Whalers.

He is also the owner of a successful coaching career, heading the Chicago Wolves of the IHL and AHL from 1997-2008 and winning the Turner Cup and Calder Cup twice each. He is the Wolves’ franchise coaching leader with 371 wins behind the bench. Anderson served as the head coach of the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers from 2008-2010, leading the team to a second place finish in the Southeast Division during the 2009-10 season.

Tickets for the February 19 Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, which include admission to both the AHL game and the legends game, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the Bushnell box office from Monday through Friday, 12 noon-5:00 PM.  Ticket prices range from $20 to $85 and can also be purchased by calling the Connecticut Whale at 860-728-3366.  Tickets purchased online can be printed immediately (via Ticketmaster).

George DeLeone Named Offensive Coordinator at UConn

It’s official. George DeLeone has been named the new offensive coordinator for the UConn Huskies football team. Here’s the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. – George DeLeone, a 1970 University of Connecticut graduate and a veteran coach of 40 football seasons, has been named the offensive coordinator on the UConn staff under new head coach Paul Pasqualoni.

George DeLeone is the new offensive coordinator at UConn.The New Haven, Conn., native has coached in 12 bowl games, including the Fiesta, Gator and Orange Bowl. He returns to the college ranks after serving as the tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins since 2008 as he helped lead the team to the AFC East championship in 2008.

DeLeone and Pasqualoni have a long coaching history together as they have been on the same staff, both professionally and collegiately, for 25 years. DeLeone was part of Pasqualoni’s staff for 13 of the 14 years that Pasqualoni was the head coach at Syracuse (1991-2004). The only year that DeLeone was not on that staff was in 1997 when he was the offensive line coach for the San Diego Chargers.

DeLeone and Pasqualoni were both assistant coaches at Syracuse from 1987-90 and were together at Southern Connecticut from 1976-79 as DeLeone was the head coach and Pasqualoni was an assistant. They were on the same staff of the Dolphins in 2008-09.

“It is a tremendous honor to return to UConn,” says DeLeone. “It is my school and I am excited to continue the development of the success that the program has enjoyed in recent years. It is also special to be working again with Coach Pasqualoni. He is a man of great values and standards. He treats student-athletes in a positive manner in terms of how that should compete and work. He wants student-athletes to get values out of football that they will have for the rest of their lives. I am in sync with him in what we believe in. We have had some good runs together and I hope to have that same type of success with him here at Connecticut.”

Prior to joining the Dolphins, DeLeone was the offensive coordinator at Temple (2006-07) and the run game coordinator/offensive line coach in 2005.

“George is going to be an outstanding addition to our football coaching staff here at Connecticut,” says Pasqualoni. “He brings an outstanding background and a high level of experience in Division I and professional football. George is one of the most highly respected coaches in the country on all levels of football. As we build our staff here, I think it is important to have people who have ties to the area and the University which George certainly has.”

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

He originally joined the Syracuse staff in 1985 and was the offensive line coach for two seasons before becoming the offensive coordinator in 1987. Following his year with the Chargers, he returned to SU seven more seasons as the defensive coordinator in 1998 and the offensive coordinator from 1999-2004.

During his career at Syracuse, the Orange played in 12 bowl games, posting an 8-3-1 record. While working with the offensive line at SU, five of his players were drafted by the NFL and as offensive coordinator, five players were named first team All-American. Syracuse won three BIG EAST Championships during DeLeone’s tenure there – 1996, 1998 and 2004.

He served as the offensive coordinator at Holy Cross in 1984 and was on the Rutgers staff from 1980-83, serving in a number of roles, including defensive coordinator from 1981-82.

DeLeone began his coaching career at Southern Connecticut as an assistant coach in 1970 and was the head coach of the Owls from 1970-75.

DeLeone graduated from UConn in 1970 with a degree in physical education and earned a master’s degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut in 1971. He is a graduate of Fairfield Prep (Conn.) High School. Born on May 9, 1948, he is the father of two sons – Andy and Mark.

YEAR-BY-YEAR WITH George DeLeone

Year School/Team Position

  • 1970 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach Eastern Football Conference Champions
  • 1971 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
  • 1972 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
  • 1973 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
  • 1974 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
  • 1975 Southern Connecticut Offensive Line Coach
  • 1976 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
  • 1977 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
  • 1978 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
  • 1979 Southern Connecticut Head Coach
  • 1980 Rutgers Defensive Line Coach
  • 1981 Rutgers Defensive Coordinator/LBs
  • 1982 Rutgers Defensive Coordinator/LBs
  • 1983 Rutgers Offensive Line/Special Teams Coach
  • 1984 Holy Cross Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
  • 1985 Syracuse Offensive Line Coach Cherry Bowl
  • 1986 Syracuse Offensive Line Coach
  • 1987 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Sugar Bowl (Tie)
  • 1988 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Hall of Fame Bowl Champions
  • 1989 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Peach Bowl Champions
  • 1990 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Aloha Bowl Champions
  • 1991 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Hall of Fame Bowl Champions
  • 1992 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Fiesta Bowl Champions
  • 1993 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
  • 1994 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
  • 1995 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Gator Bowl Champions
  • 1996 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Liberty Bowl Champions
  • 1997 San Diego Chargers Offensive Line Coach
  • 1998 Syracuse Defensive Coordinator/LBs Orange Bowl
  • 1999 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line Music City Bowl Champions
  • 2000 Syracuse Offensive Coordinator/QBs
  • 2001 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line Insight Bowl Champions
  • 2002 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line
  • 2003 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line
  • 2004 Syracuse Asst. Head Coach/OC/Off. Line Champs Sports Bowl
  • 2005 Mississippi Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator
  • 2006 Temple Offensive Coordinator/QBs
  • 2007 Temple Offensive Coordinator/Off. Line
  • 2008 Miami Dolphins Tight Ends Coach AFC East Champions
  • 2009 Miami Dolphins Tight Ends Coach
  • 2010 Miami Dolphins Tight Ends Coach

Hockey Hall of Famer Brad Park to Appear at CT Whale Home Game Sat., January 29

HARTFORD, January 21, 2011: Whalers Sports & Entertainment president and COO Howard Baldwin, Jr. announced today that Hall of Fame ex-NHL defenseman Brad Park will be making a special appearance at the Connecticut Whale’s home game next Saturday, January 29 at the XL Center against the Portland Pirates.

Brad ParkPark will be signing autographs, and meeting and greeting fans, in the XL Center atrium from 6:00-7:00 PM on January 29, and will also drop a ceremonial first puck before the 7:00 faceoff between the Whale and Pirates.

Park is also slated to be among the Boston Bruins legends who take the ice against Whalers legends February 19 at Rentschler Field in the Harvest-Properties.com “Whale Bowl”. The Whale bowl is the featured event of the two-week outdoor Whalers Hockey Fest spectacular at Rentschler Field that will include numerous collegiate, high school, prep school and youth hockey games. The legends game will face off at 4:00 PM on February 19 and will be followed by the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM.

Park, who was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, was a seven-time NHL All-Star and scored 213 goals and added 683 assists (an NHL record for defensemen at the time of his retirement in 1985) for 896 points in 1,113 career NHL games over 17 seasons. Eight of those years were spent with the Bruins, and Park is fourth all-time in franchise history in points among defensemen. His 417 Bruin points included 100 goals 317 assists, in 501 total games. In addition to his time with Boston, Park also played six-plus seasons with the New York Rangers, who selected him second overall in the 1966 NHL Amateur Draft, and finished his career with the Detroit Red Wings.

Tickets for the January 29 Whale/Pirates contest at the XL Center, and 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.

Paw Prints – The Daily UConn Roundup – 1/21

Paw Prints The Daily Roundup

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as some of the other sports. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Looking at Big East attendance in 2010 [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Best Big East games of 2010: Nos. 3 and 2 [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Best Big East games of 2010: No. 1 [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Seven Big East players in Senior Bowl [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

Reyes Returning To UConn For Senior Season [Hartford Courant]

UConn’s Enrollment Standards A Convenient Excuse For Edsall [Hartford Courant]

George DeLeone To Be UConn’s Offensive Coordinator [Hartford Courant]

Getting To The Source Of The Pasqualoni Hire [Hartford Courant]

Former East Ridge and UConn linebacker Greg Lloyd prepares for East-West Shrine Game [Orlando Sentinel]

FIU looks to hire UConn’s Orlando as defensive coordinator [Miami Herald]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Reaction to Samarie Walker’s departure [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Geno Auriemma And Samarie Walker Speak [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Geno Auriemma, Maya Moore, Stef Dolson And Bria Hartley On The Departure Of Samarie [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Geno Auriemma Doesn’t Seem Particularly Worried About Things [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Candace Parker Would Send Her Daughter To UConn [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Auriemma could never quite tell where Walker stood [Vickie Fulkerson – The Day]

UConn women defection list [CT Post]

Samarie Walker Leaves UConn [Hartford Courant]

Samarie Walker to transfer [Hartford Courant]

Walker quits team, plans to transfer [The Day]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Kemba and Jimmer [David Borges – New Haven Register]

Bruce Pearl Returns To Bench Saturday Vs. UConn [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennesse Coach Bruce Pearl On His Team [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun On Kemba Walker’s Scoring Ability [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun On Big East Conference Call [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

The Jeremy Lamb-Richard Hamilton Comparison [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

UConn’s 15-2 Start … A Surprise? [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Jim Calhoun On Tennessee [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennessee’s Key Players — Hopson And Harris [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Bruce Pearl’s Thoughts On UConn [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Tennessee, with its head coach, heading to Hartford [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

Is he the best…around? [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

Big East Controlling Men’s Basketball [Hartford Courant]

Pearl Making Brief Return Against UConn [Hartford Courant]

Vols’ Pearl will be on sideline in Hartford [Hartford Courant]

Whale Recall Forward Chris McKelvie from Greenville

HARTFORD, January 20, 2011:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has recalled forward Chris McKelvie from its ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Road Warriors.

CT WhaleMcKelvie, a 6-1, 195-pound rookie out of Bemidji State University, has skated in 16 games for the Road Warriors this season and has scored three goals and added three assists for six points, while serving 20 minutes in penalties.  Prior to being loaned to Greenville December 4, McKelvie, 25, also skated in 15 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale this season, totaling one goal and two assists for three points, along with 15 penalty minutes.

McKelvie, a native of New Brighton, Minnesota signed an AHL contract with the Wolf Pack prior to the 2010-11 season. He played six games for the Wolf Pack in the 2009-10 season while on an Amateur Tryout Agreement, after spending four seasons with Bemidji State, where he totaled 18 goals and 15 assists for 33 points in 120 games for the Beavers.

The Whale are back in action tomorrow night, Friday, January 21, hosting the Hamilton Bulldogs in a 7:00 PM game at the XL Center.  Fans can meet ex-Hartford Wolf Pack favorites Todd Hall and Terry Virtue, who will be signing autographs in the XL Center atrium from 6:00-7:00 PM, and being a Friday night, it’s a Guida’s Family Value Night.  Family Value packages start as low as $48 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Whale souvenir. Guida’s Family Value Night packs are available at the XL Center ticket office and on-line at www.CTwhale.com.

Tickets for all 2010-11 Whale home games are available now at the XL Center ticket 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.

Rentschler Field Rink Construction Under Way

Artist rendering of Rentschler Field courtesy of Whaler Nation

By Bruce Berlet

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. – As Howard Baldwin and his son, Howard Jr., walked into the Rentschler Field press box just after noon Thursday, their jaws seemingly dropped to the floor as they spoke as one.

“Awesome,” they said in stereo while getting their first look at the start of the rink that will host Outdoor Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Fest 2011 on Feb. 11-23.

Whale Bowl 2011“It’s unbelievable,” said the elder Baldwin, chairman and CEO of Whalers Sports and Entertainment. “I had no idea it would be so visibly attractive, and the sight lines are unbelievable. I was worried when the rink was moved (west toward the luxury boxes), but it’s fantastic.”

Howard Jr., the president and COO of WSE, said this was everything that the organization has been working for since it announced plans to have about 30 outdoor games on June 2.

“I’m just blown away by it,” he said. “I hadn’t seen (the area) in a week and thought the weather would have set us back a little bit. Every time there’s a snowstorm I panic, so I can’t believe what’s been done already.”

Jim Hartnett, the founder and president of EIS Rinks LLC and the man who is supervising the rink installation, said the snow, rain and ice didn’t put a serious crimp in the $300,000 project. Work began Monday, and the 600 feet of lumber for the mini-boards rimming the rink that will hold the water in the freezing process was already down. Hartnett and his 12-person crew also had laid the 25,000 square feet of armor decking that will allow workers to walk and trucks to maneuver around the edge of the rink before players use it to get to the ice surface.

“We lost a day-and-half with snow removal and other things, but for all practical purposes, Stage I is complete,” Hartnett said. “But I kept telling guys that I come from Syracuse where we have winters, and I kept hearing about how mild it is in New England. I’ll never believe that tale again.”

Hartnett, whose company has built more than 400 rinks over 30 years, including for the NHL’s Washington Capitals, said the armor decking is to protect the field and will give everyone great access to the rink. The armor decking was developed by the military mostly for Desert Storm, so they could land planes on it in the desert.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Hartnett, a rink refrigeration specialist with more than 30 years of experience in the indoor and outdoor rink business in North America, said the wooden box was 93 feet wide and 208 feet long. The ice surface will be 85 feet wide and 200 feet long, so there will be room for the workers and for the Zamboni leafs on the end.

EIS Rinks handled the installation for the AHL’s first outdoor game last Feb. 19 in Syracuse, N.Y., that drew a league-record 21,508 to see the Crunch’s 2-1 victory over the Binghamton Senators on a goal by former Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman Dave Liffiton in the second period. Baldwin, Baldwin & Co. hope to surpass that number on Feb. 19, when the Connecticut Whale faces the Providence Bruins at 7 p.m. after the Hartford Whalers legends play the Boston Bruins legends at 4 p.m. And so far, so good, as more than 13,000 tickets have been sold for the doubleheader.

Hartnett said snow during construction is “just a pain in the neck” but something that has to be dealt with during the loss of time. He said rain or warm weather can be a problem at certain periods.

“My best thing would be that once we get the sand placed, it gets cold and stays cold because then I have a brick-hard surface to work on,” Hartnett said. “Then I can actually take the machines out there and don’t just have to work around the edges. But if it rains when we get all the sand in, we’ll have a bit of a mud pit, and it gets really harder to deal with because you can’t have tracks and footprints. Little shoeprints is fine, but once it’s frozen, it can be a problem.”

Hartnett said 800 tons of sand is scheduled to be placed Friday, but because of a forecast for snow, he will wait until Friday morning to decide whether to go ahead or cancel the trucks and have people remove snow and start placing the sand on Monday. Placing the sand usually takes about six days, depending on weather. To prevent the sand from migrating into the grass field, 25,000 square feet of geotec fabric was laid down

Throughout the sand will lie about 10 miles of refrigeration tubing, which will be attached to a refrigeration unit that has 400 tons of capacity. It will take 30,000 gallons of water (and three days) to make the ice – 10,000 gallons an inch deep – and the dasher boards will be the standard professional hockey league system.

A crew will be doing different projects concurrently with the goal being to complete the work by Feb. 9. Then the ice will be fractured to get rid of the cracks and low spots and then flooded over. Youth teams will play for two days to fracture the ice more before games begin on Feb. 11.

The ice will be groomed to preserve its quality before an opening-night tripleheader: Cushing girls vs. Hotchkiss girls, 4 p.m.; Cushing boys vs. Canterbury boys, 6 p.m.; cthockey.com, 10 p.m.

About 30 games will be played through Feb. 21 involving 18 youth teams, 14 high school teams, 12 prep school teams, 10 college teams, four junior teams and the featured attraction, the Harvest-Properties.com “Whale Bowl”, on Feb. 19. More than a dozen celebrities will play on the legends teams, and with each team having about 25 players, more than 1,700 amateur athletes will be playing in the event over 13 days.

There will be a free open public skate on Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. If teams are still interested in participating, call 860-728-3366.

“The ice is all sold out, so we’re going to have a huge public skating session so everybody around the area can celebrate this, not only if you’re a hockey player,” Howard Jr. said.

Baldwin Sr. said he is a bit amazed that everything has fallen into place in less than eight months since he announced the project and that he will be doing his “snow prayers” for good weather between now and Feb. 23.

“It’s a great thing to see the rink laid out and how hard everybody is working … I wouldn’t kid you. I’m a little overwhelmed,” he said. “It’s going to be a great event, and the whole organization has done such a great job because it’s a much harder and much bigger task than what any of us thought it would be when we sat up there (in the press box) announcing it. It’s a tremendous amount of work, and the ticket sales are great.

“This will be a wonderful moment for hockey in Connecticut and in Hartford, and now everyone can see that this is real.”

Howard Jr. then piped in, “We want to get 38,000 (a sellout). This is a great tribute to my father, and everything that he has done. We’re just pumped up, and it’s exciting because it’s for mites all the way up to the pros. It makes sense to have every person from every level involved. They can celebrate hockey.”

Howard Sr. reiterated Whalers Sports and Entertainment’s main objective is to revive the local hockey market, and the group wanted to have some special events such as the Whalers Summer Festival in August and now the Winter Fest.

“Things just evolved, and we were able to get more and more teams to play after we took over control of the team,” he said. “Then we could get them to play, and it just built up. The ultimate goal is to enjoy the journey, which is just the way we are. The AHL is a great league, and we’re proud to be in it. And there’s great hockey heritage in Hartford, whether it be WHA, NHL and now AHL.

“If the end result is the NHL, which, of course, everyone would love, then great. These are the kind of things that will make the NHL sit up or stand up and take notice and remind them (of what WSE wants to do). We’ve already done it because the attendance has doubled since we did the rebrand (on Nov. 27). So it has already taken effect, and now we just have to keep building it.”

Baldwin said he has invited NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to the Feb. 19 doubleheader.

“I just saw Gary in New York last week, and I think if he can come, he’d love to come,” Baldwin said. “He wants us to do well. The NHL wants hockey to do well. This will be a great event, and Feb. 19 will be a great day for hockey. And remember who said that, my friend Bob Johnson (the NHL Hall of Fame coach and father of former Whalers and Olympic gold medal-winning center Mark Johnson). He always said, ‘It’s a great day for hockey,’ and this will be a great two weeks for hockey.”

In keeping with Johnson’s upbeat theme and nature, it will be “a great day to play two” on Feb. 19 – or any other day for that matter.

WHALE RANGERS GET MORE OLD/NEW FACES

After being called up by the New York Rangers for the first time last week, Whale center Kris Newbury joked the NHL team had become “the Connecticut Rangers.”

Newbury didn’t how right he really would be.

Wednesday brought the call-ups to New York for wings Chad Kolarik and Brodie Dupont, who replaced former Hartford Wolf Pack forward Brandon Dubinsky and wing Ruslan Fedotenko.

Kolarik was summoned when the Rangers learned that Dubinsky, their leader in goals (17) and points (38), would be out 3-to-4 weeks with a stress fracture in his left leg. Kolarik joined the Rangers after he had two shorthanded goals and two assists and was plus-4 in the first period of a 6-3 victory over the league-leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Sunday. He set a franchise record for shorthanded goals in a period and tied team records for shorthanded goals in a game and points in a period. The Whale is 17-7-0-4 since Kolarik was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets and Springfield Falcons for former Wolf Pack captain Dane Byers on Nov. 8.

Dupont got his first call-up in his fourth season in the Rangers’ organization after getting five of his eight goals and three of his 12 assists in the last 11 games. Dupont was the sixth Whale forward to be called up this season, and he and Kolarik rejoin Newbury and wings Mats Zuccarello and Dale Weise. And rookie defenseman Ryan McDonagh changed places with Michael Del Zotto on Jan. 3.

“It has been a little bit unique,” Gernander said of the run of injuries. “But now there’s more opportunity for everyone.”

The loss of Dubinsky and Fedotenko came after injuries to former Wolf Pack right wing Ryan Callahan, Vinny Prospal, Alex Frolov, Erik Christensen and Derek Boogaard. And sniper Marian Gaborik and captain/Trumbull native Chris Drury have returned after lengthy absences early in the season. Frolov is out for the season, Prospal and Boogaard indefinitely, while Callahan and Christensen have resumed skating and are expected to return Feb. 1 for the first game after the All-Star break.

The numerous injuries in New York have also taxed the Whale lineup, but Gernander and assistants J.J. Daigneault and Pat Boller have done a masterful job of rallying the team from last in the Atlantic Division to a solid position to return to the playoffs for the 13th time in 14 AHL seasons.

And several in the Rangers family took note after a 7-0 home win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday night.

“You know what?” Rangers coach John Tortorella started. “Kenny and his staff have done a tremendous job, especially with the year we’re going through with injuries, these guys come up and it’s a pretty seamless process as far as their understanding how we play. They try to play very similar to us. They’re in shape, and they come in and produce.

“So not too much is talked about Kenny Gernander and his staff, but they’ve done one hell of a job as to keeping their team afloat while we’re taking half of their club and trying to compete in this league. So they deserve a lot of credit.”

Goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who made 22 saves to notch his league-leading-tying seventh shutout of the season, and wing Brandon Prust concurred with their coach.

“Absolutely,” Lundqvist said if had to like the way the Whale players played. “They’re Rangers guys now (smiling). They’re playing really well. They look comfortable out there. They make good decisions, and you know that’s the only thing you can ask for, so hopefully they can keep going.”

Said Prust: “It’s great. They’ve stepped into the lineup and done a great job for us, and we need that. We got some guys out of the lineup, and it’s about everybody stepping up and making sure we all do our jobs and do our roles well.”

After practice Wednesday, Gernander said he hadn’t heard of Tortorella’s compliments. When told the gist of what Tortorella had said, Gernander said, “That’s nice to hear.”

When the Rangers faced the Hurricanes Thursday night, 11 of their 18 skaters were Hartford graduates: forwards Zuccarello, Weise, Newbury, Kolarik, Dupont and Artem Anisimov (career-high four assists Wednesday night) and defensemen Marc Staal, Dan Girardi, Matt Gilroy and rookies McDonagh and Michael Sauer. And that doesn’t count the injured Dubinsky and Callahan.

The promotions Wednesday left the Whale with only 10 healthy forwards and seven defensemen for practice. Veteran Wade Redden and rookie Jyri Niemi, a defensive pairing for much of the season, practiced with the team for the third consecutive day and will be ready for a game Friday night against the North Division-leading Hamilton Bulldogs.

To fill one of the forward openings, the Whale recalled rookie wing Chris McKelvie from the ECHL’s Greenville Road Warriors. McKelvie started the season with Whale and had one goal and two assists in 15 games before being reassigned on Dec. 4. He had three goals and three assists in 16 games with Greenville.

“He’s definitely a good skater who gives us some flexibility because he’s a role player who can kill penalties,” Gernander said.

The newest face with the Whale is goalie Pier-Olivier Pelletier, who was signed to a professional tryout contract to back up Chad Johnson. Pelletier, 23, the Phoenix Coyotes’ second-round pick in 2005 from St.-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!, Quebec, was 10-6-3 with the Laredo Bucks of the CHL and Elmira Jackals of the ECHL last season as a rookie. He was 6-9-4 with a 3.33 GAA, .895 save percentage and one shutout in 21 games with Laredo this season.

Pelletier was needed after Cam Talbot sustained a high ankle sprain when a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton player fell on him in the final minute of Sunday’s game. He has had extensive treatment the last four days with trainer Damian Hess and hopes to return next week.

VIRTUE, HALL VISIT AND SIGN AS WHALE’S HOMESTAND ENDS

The Whale’s three-game homestand ends against the Bulldogs (23-13-1-4) on Friday night, when former Hartford Wolf Pack standouts and close friends Terry Virtue and Todd Hall of Hamden will sign autographs in the XL Center atrium from 6-7 p.m. and then drop the ceremonial first puck. Virtue is an assistant coach with Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League, whose owners include former Hartford Whalers right wing Paul MacDermid. Hall is an assistant coach with the third-ranked Hamden High hockey team, which won the state Division I title the last two years.

Virtue will be making a pit stop on his way from his home in Tara, Ont., to Worcester, Mass., where he’ll be one of the first six inductees into the Worcester Hockey Hall of Fame on Saturday at the DCU Center. It’s “Salute to the IceCats Night,” the name of the AHL franchise that preceded the Sharks in Worcester, and Virtue will be inducted with former Whalers wing Scott Young, Kelly O’Leary, Eddie Bates, Larz Anderson and Marvin Degon Sr., father of former Wolf Pack defenseman Martin Degon.

The Bulldogs have won two in a row despite the fact that their top two All-Star scorers, center David Desharnais (10 goals, 35 assists) and former New Canaan High School and Taft School-Watertown star wing Max Pacioretty (17, 15), are on recall to the Montreal Canadiens. The remaining top offensive threats are center Ben Maxwell (6, 19), right wings Aaron Palushaj (5, 17) and J.T. Wyman (10, 9), and defenseman Brendon Nash (2, 17). Center Ryan Russell, the Rangers’ seventh-round pick in 2005 who never played in the organization, has six goals and two assists and is plus-11 in 40 games. Veteran Curtis Sanford (16-7-1), who will make his AHL All-Star debut next week, is No. 1 in the league in goals-against average (1.74) and save percentage (.938), which improved with back-to-back shutouts on Friday night and Tuesday night. He won a classic goaltending duel with Jean-Philippe Levasseur of Syracuse 1-0 in a shootout on Friday, when he made 22 saves in regulation and overtime, while Levasseur had a season-high 46 stops. After surrendering an opening-round shootout goal to former Avon Old Farms standout Nick Bonino, Sanford stopped the Crunch’s next four shooters to notch the win. Ben Maxwell and rookie Alexander Avtsin scored for the Bulldogs as Sanford got his third shutout of the season. Levasseur also got credit for a shutout, his third of the season. Then on Tuesday night, Sanford had 22 saves in a 7-0 romp over the Rochester Americans as Russell had one goal and two assists.

It will be a special Family Value Night and “City of New Britain Night” at which New Britain Rock Cats mascot Rocky will be on hand with Whale mascots Pucky and Sonar. There will be an autograph signing with a Rock Cats player and a Rock Cats giveaway, and the New Britain High School marching band will perform the national anthem, and during the first intermission and before the game. Tickets in the lower level are $16 and include a soda and pizza slice or hot dog. Visit www.ctwhale.com.

The Whale will visit Springfield on Saturday night to play the Falcons (18-20-1-3), who have lost four in a row. Then the Whale will hold their eighth Tip-A-Player Dinner and Sports Carnival, presented by Aetna, at the XL Center on Sunday from 4-7 p.m. Dinner provided by area restaurants will be served by the Whale players, who will be available for autographs and pictures and competing for “tips” to benefit Gaylord Specialty Healthcare at Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford. The event also will include a silent auction and inflatables and games. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children, and walk-ins are welcome. For more information, contact Lori Leniart at 860-728-3366.

WHALERS-BRUINS LEGENDS FACE OFF ON FEB. 19

Hall of Fame defensemen Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, and Brad Park headline the Bruins legends team that will play against the Hartford Whalers legends Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. before the Whale faces the Providence Bruins at 7 p.m. The doubleheader is part of the “Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest” on Feb. 11-23 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, where construction of the rink began Thursday. In case of bad weather, the Whale-Bruins game will be played Feb. 20 at the XL Center.

Other early commitments for the Bruins team are former captain Rick Middleton, who played 12 season in Beantown and two with the Rangers, Reggie Lemelin, Ken Hodge, Don Marcotte, Rick Smith, Bob Sweeney, Lyndon Byers, Cleon Daskalakis, Jay Miller, Bob Miller (no relation) and Ken “The Rat” Linseman, who was a member of the Whalers as he passed through in a multi-player trade with Philadelphia and Edmonton that included Mark Howe leaving Hartford for the Flyers. Early commitments for the Whalers team are WHA Hall of Famer Andre Lacroix, Garry Swain, Bob Crawford, Chris Kotsopoulos, Jim Dorey, Jordy Douglas, Ray Neufeld, Gordie Roberts, Darren Turcotte, Nelson Emerson, Mark Janssens, Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Norm Barnes and the Babych brothers, Dave and Wayne. Emile “The Cat” Francis, a coach and general manager with the Rangers and Whalers, will be back behind the bench again.

Celebrities scheduled to play with one of the legends teams include Michael Keaton, Alan Thicke and David E. Kelley, son of New England and Hartford Whalers coach and general manager Jack Kelley and the writer of the 1999 hit film “Mystery, Alaska,” which was produced by Whalers Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Howard Baldwin and his wife, Karen. “Mystery, Alaska” cast members slated to appear are Michael Buie, Scott Richard Grimes, Jason Gray-Stanford, Kevin Durand, Fred J. Dukes and Cameron Bancroft, along with Neal McDonough, Kevin Zegers and the Hanson brothers – Steve, Jeff and Dave –  who were the comedic linchpins of the classic movie “Slap Shot.”

Tickets ($20 to $85) for the doubleheader can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the Bushnell box office in Hartford on Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. or by calling the Whale at 860-728-3366. They also can be purchased online and printed immediately at Ticketmaster.com.

Note: Artist rendering of Rentschler Field courtesy of Whaler Nation

Whale Signs Goaltender Pier-Olivier Pelletier to PTO

HARTFORD, January 20, 2011:  Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the club has signed goaltender Pier-Olivier Pelletier to a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO).

CT WhalePelletier, a 6-2, 200-pound second-year pro, comes to the Whale from the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League, for whom he has played in 21 games this season, posting a record of 6-9-4 with one shutout. Pelletier owns a 3.33 goals-against average for the Bucks, as well as an 89.5% save percentage.

The Phoenix Coyotes drafted Pelletier with the 59th overall pick in the second round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. The 23-year-old native of St-Louis-du-Ha!Ha!, Quebec played 165 career games in four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, for the Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Halifax Mooseheads, going 78-62-9 with a 3.24 GAA, an 88.7% save percentage and four shutouts.

Pelletier played 12 games for the University of Waterloo in 2008-09 before turning professional, and split last season among the Thetford Mines Isothermic of the LNAH, the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL and the Bucks.

PIER OLIVIER PELLETIER’S AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL RECORD

The Whale are back in action tomorrow night, Friday, January 21, hosting the Hamilton Bulldogs in a 7:00 PM game at the XL Center.  Fans can meet ex-Hartford Wolf Pack favorites Todd Hall and Terry Virtue, who will be signing autographs in the XL Center atrium from 6:00-7:00 PM, and being a Friday night, it’s a Guida’s Family Value Night.  Family Value packages start as low as $48 and include three tickets, three hot dogs or pizza slices, three sodas and a Whale souvenir. Guida’s Family Value Night packs are available at the XL Center ticket office and on-line at www.CTwhale.com.

Tickets for all 2010-11 Whale home games are available now at the XL Center ticket 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.