From icecats@...;
WORCESTER, MA – Worcester IceCats President and General Manager John
S. Ferguson
announced today that the American Hockey League (AHL) club had agreed
to a
contract with defenseman Terry Virtue. Terms of the multi-year pact
were not
released.

Virtue was an original member of the IceCats, suiting up for 73 games
during the
team's inaugural season in 1994-95. He continued with the club
through the
1997-98 campaign. Despite playing in the AHL rival cities of
Providence and
Hartford over the last four seasons, the crafty defenseman continues
to pace the
IceCats in several all-time categories. He is the all-time Worcester
leader in
games played (303), assists (108), points (153) and penalty minutes
(873).


The former IceCats captain returns to Worcester with a wealth of
experience and
two AHL Championship rings. Ferguson noted that these
characteristics were
important to the `Cats and formed the foundation of the Virtue
signing. "Terry
is a proven leader, a strong skater and he will give our team good
speed in
transition. We welcome him back to the organization and trust that
he will
bring with him and share the experiences gained in winning two Calder
Cups."


Virtue's professional career began in 1991 with Roanoke of the East
Coast Hockey
League (ECHL). He broke into the AHL with Cape Breton two seasons
later. The
undrafted free agent signed his first National Hockey League (NHL)
contract with
the St. Louis Blues in January of 1996. The 6-0, 195 pounder was
later tendered
free agent contracts by the Boston Bruins and the New York Rangers.
Virtue has
played a total of five games in the NHL, four with Boston and one
with New York.



Virtue's regular season `Cats totals reflect 303 games, 45 goals, 108
assists
and 873 penalty minutes: 303(45/108/153)873. In the four seasons
away from the
IceCats, the Ontario native logged 33 games against his old mates.
In those
contests, he scored a total of three goals, 10 assists and 63 penalty
minutes:
33(3/10/13)63. His regular season AHL totals include 619 games
played and 299
points.


"My family and I are really excited to be returning to Worcester,"
remarked
Virtue. "We made a lot of good friends in the city and have always
considered
it our second home."