The Captain Is Back

WHITFIELD RETURNS FROM BOSTON
Providence Captain has Appeared in 14 NHL Games on Year
January 27, 2010

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins have assigned forward Trent Whitfield to Providence. With the move, the P-Bruins have 23 players on their roster, including 15 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders.

Whitfield, 32, returns to Providence from his second stint in Boston this year. During his most recent NHL run, which began on January 8, the veteran appeared in seven games for the parent Bruins, averaging 19 shifts and 14 minutes per game. Whitfield registered his first Boston point with an assist on January 21 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In 26 games for Providence, the club's captain is tied for fourth on the team in scoring with 20 points and shares third place with nine goals. Whitfield registered points in three straight P-Bruins games just prior to his recall from Dec. 29 - Jan. 2, totaling two goals and two assists. The 12th year pro and native of Alameda, Saskatchewan, was signed by Boston as a free agent on July 13, 2009. Whitfield was originally selected by the Bruins 100th overall in round four of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.


P-BRUINS TRIM ROSTER BY TWO
Marquardt & Ross Head to Reading of ECHL
January 26, 2010

Providence, RI - The Providence Bruins, in their 18th year in the American Hockey League, announced that the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins have reassigned forward Matt Marquardt to the ECHL's Reading Royals. Defenseman Jared Ross has also been assigned to Reading. With the moves, the P-Bruins have 22 players on their roster, including 14 forwards, six defensemen and two goaltenders.

Marquardt, 22, has spent the majority of the season in Providence, tallying eight points, all assists, 19 penalty minutes and a minus-eight rating in 33 games. The second-year pro also appeared in three games for Reading, where he registered one assist after being reassigned to the Royals on December 28, 2009. He returned to the P-Bruins on January 8.

As a rookie last season, Marquardt suited up for 71 regular season games for Providence, recording nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. The forward added one goal and one assist in nine postseason outings after missing 11 straight games in April due to injury. Prior to turning pro, Marquardt enjoyed four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Moncton Wildcats and Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The North Bay, Ontario, native was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets 194th overall in round seven of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft before later being traded to Boston for defenseman Jonathan Sigalet on May 27, 2008.

Ross, 25, returns to Reading, where he has appeared in 20 games, totaling three goals and two assists. Over two call-ups to Providence, the defenseman recorded two assists in 18 contests, along with a minus-five rating. Both points came since the rookie's latest recall on December 11, 2009 as he tallied his first AHL helper against the Lowell Devils on December 20, 2009.

Prior to turning pro, the undrafted Ross spent four seasons with the St. Lawrence University Saints, where he recorded 48 points (22g, 26a) in 134 collegiate games. The Stony Island, Nova Scotia, native later made his pro debut during the 2009 ECHL playoffs following the conclusion of his senior season, collecting one assist in two playoff games for the Elmira Jackals. Ross signed an AHL contract with Providence on August 11, 2009 and participated in the P-Bruins' training camp this season before being assigned to Reading.


*Information gathered from www.providencebruins.com
**All photos taken by T.Chace Jr.