hockeyfights.com forums - Rangers Sign Matt Gilroy

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with free agent defenseman Matt Gilroy.

Gilroy, 28, has registered six goals and nine assists for 15 points in 34 games with the Connecticut Whale of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, after signing with the team as a free agent on October 8. He leads all Whale defensemen in goals, is tied for first in points and second in assists. He is also tied for second on Connecticut with four power play goals. Gilroy has recorded three multi-point efforts, including two, two-goal performances on October 19 at Norfolk and November 23 at Bridgeport. He ranked fourth on the team in scoring in November with eight points, and tied for second on the Whale with four goals in 10 games.

The North Bellmore, New York native split last season between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators, establishing NHL career-highs in assists (17), points (20) and hits (59) in 67 games. Gilroy also recorded a career-high, four multi-point performances, including three multi-assist efforts. He began the season with Tampa Bay, where he ranked second among team defensemen in assists (15) and points (17) at the time of his trade to Ottawa on February 27. Gilroy also skated in three playoff contests with the Senators.

The 6-1, 199-pounder has skated in 194 career NHL games in three seasons with the Rangers, Tampa Bay and Ottawa, registering 10 goals and 36 assists for 46 points, along with 55 penalty minutes and a plus-seven rating. He returns to the Rangers where he has recorded seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points in 127 games from 2009-10 to 2010-11, after signing with the team as an undrafted free agent on April 17, 2009. Gilroy made his NHL debut on October 2, 2009 at Pittsburgh, and tallied his first career NHL point with the game-winning goal on October 5, 2009 at New Jersey. He tied for sixth among NHL rookie defensemen with a career-high, four goals that season. In 2010-11, Gilroy notched a goal while making his NHL playoff debut on April 13 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Washington.

Prior to turning professional, Gilroy skated in four seasons with Boston University of Hockey East, registering 25 goals and 67 assists for 92 points, along with 46 penalty minutes and a plus-78 rating in 160 career collegiate contests. In 2008-09, he captured the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in collegiate hockey, and was named as a First Team All-American after captaining the Terriers to their fifth NCAA championship.