Ryan Cirillo, who started his junior career with the Niagara Falls Thunder before playing four seasons in the ECHL and Western Professional Hockey League, is returning to the ice after a 12-year absence at age 35.

The Welland Whalers said though Cirillo made his mark in the OHL and professionally as a forward, the 5-foot-10, 178-pound Fort Erie native and Niagara Regional Police officer is being counted on to bolster the senior A team’s blue-line when he steps back on the ice as early as this weekend.

“He’s a very talented player who will certainly help us on defence,” Tim Toffolo, the Whalers owner and director of hockey operations, said.

Cirillo is expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Whalers host the Norwood Vipers in a 7:30 p.m. faceoff at Welland Arena and again the following afternoon when they play the Stoney Creek Generals in a road game.

Toffolo isn’t worried Cirillo, whose last year as a pro was 2000-01 with the Monroe, La., Moccasins in the Western Professional Hockey League, will need a prolonged period to get back into game shape after a decade of playing pickup hockey.

“Ryan skated with us last night and, believe me, there’s no rust there,” Toffolo, who also owns the junior B Port Colborne Pirates, said.

A week after acquiring Thorold Blackhawks graduates Chris Rici, Fraser Smith and Bill Zelba and former Welland Junior Canadians Jason Hill, the Whalers also signed one-time Niagara Falls Canucks standouts Josh Dadic and John Rorison as part of the team’s ongoing effort to become more competitive in the Allan Cup Hockey league. Toffolo said the team is specifically interested in acquiring players who have competed professionally or at “high-level “ colleges.

“We’re getting guys who really know how to play at this level,” he said.

These latest additions won’t result in any subtractions from the lineup that started the season in late October.

“We can have a 28-man roster and we’re not there yet.”

After finishing last as an expansion team in their inaugural season in the league, the Whalers are winless heading into action this weekend. They have lost five games in regulation, two in overtime and one in a shootout and trail the fifth-place Norwood Vipers by one point and the defending Dundas Real McCoys by three.

The Whalers have placed a premium on acquiring players with a knack for finding the back of the net. Welland’s 25 goals, an average of a little more than three per game, is the fewest in the six-team league, while its goals-allowed average of six is second only to Norwood, which has surrendered eight each time it has taken the ice.

bernd.franke@sunmedia.ca

Ryan Cirillo, who started his junior career with the Niagara Falls Thunder before playing four seasons in the ECHL and Western Professional Hockey League, is returning to the ice after a 12-year absence at age 35.

The Welland Whalers said though Cirillo made his mark in the OHL and professionally as a forward, the 5-foot-10, 178-pound Fort Erie native and Niagara Regional Police officer is being counted on to bolster the senior A team’s blue-line when he steps back on the ice as early as this weekend.

“He’s a very talented player who will certainly help us on defence,” Tim Toffolo, the Whalers owner and director of hockey operations, said.

Cirillo is expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Whalers host the Norwood Vipers in a 7:30 p.m. faceoff at Welland Arena and again the following afternoon when they play the Stoney Creek Generals in a road game.

Toffolo isn’t worried Cirillo, whose last year as a pro was 2000-01 with the Monroe, La., Moccasins in the Western Professional Hockey League, will need a prolonged period to get back into game shape after a decade of playing pickup hockey.

“Ryan skated with us last night and, believe me, there’s no rust there,” Toffolo, who also owns the junior B Port Colborne Pirates, said.

A week after acquiring Thorold Blackhawks graduates Chris Rici, Fraser Smith and Bill Zelba and former Welland Junior Canadians Jason Hill, the Whalers also signed one-time Niagara Falls Canucks standouts Josh Dadic and John Rorison as part of the team’s ongoing effort to become more competitive in the Allan Cup Hockey league. Toffolo said the team is specifically interested in acquiring players who have competed professionally or at “high-level “ colleges.

“We’re getting guys who really know how to play at this level,” he said.

These latest additions won’t result in any subtractions from the lineup that started the season in late October.

“We can have a 28-man roster and we’re not there yet.”

After finishing last as an expansion team in their inaugural season in the league, the Whalers are winless heading into action this weekend. They have lost five games in regulation, two in overtime and one in a shootout and trail the fifth-place Norwood Vipers by one point and the defending Dundas Real McCoys by three.

The Whalers have placed a premium on acquiring players with a knack for finding the back of the net. Welland’s 25 goals, an average of a little more than three per game, is the fewest in the six-team league, while its goals-allowed average of six is second only to Norwood, which has surrendered eight each time it has taken the ice.

bernd.franke@sunmedia.ca

Ryan Cirillo, who started his junior career with the Niagara Falls Thunder before playing four seasons in the ECHL and Western Professional Hockey League, is returning to the ice after a 12-year absence at age 35.

The Welland Whalers said though Cirillo made his mark in the OHL and professionally as a forward, the 5-foot-10, 178-pound Fort Erie native and Niagara Regional Police officer is being counted on to bolster the senior A team’s blue-line when he steps back on the ice as early as this weekend.

“He’s a very talented player who will certainly help us on defence,” Tim Toffolo, the Whalers owner and director of hockey operations, said.

Cirillo is expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Whalers host the Norwood Vipers in a 7:30 p.m. faceoff at Welland Arena and again the following afternoon when they play the Stoney Creek Generals in a road game.

Toffolo isn’t worried Cirillo, whose last year as a pro was 2000-01 with the Monroe, La., Moccasins in the Western Professional Hockey League, will need a prolonged period to get back into game shape after a decade of playing pickup hockey.

“Ryan skated with us last night and, believe me, there’s no rust there,” Toffolo, who also owns the junior B Port Colborne Pirates, said.

A week after acquiring Thorold Blackhawks graduates Chris Rici, Fraser Smith and Bill Zelba and former Welland Junior Canadians Jason Hill, the Whalers also signed one-time Niagara Falls Canucks standouts Josh Dadic and John Rorison as part of the team’s ongoing effort to become more competitive in the Allan Cup Hockey league. Toffolo said the team is specifically interested in acquiring players who have competed professionally or at “high-level “ colleges.

“We’re getting guys who really know how to play at this level,” he said.

These latest additions won’t result in any subtractions from the lineup that started the season in late October.

“We can have a 28-man roster and we’re not there yet.”

After finishing last as an expansion team in their inaugural season in the league, the Whalers are winless heading into action this weekend. They have lost five games in regulation, two in overtime and one in a shootout and trail the fifth-place Norwood Vipers by one point and the defending Dundas Real McCoys by three.

The Whalers have placed a premium on acquiring players with a knack for finding the back of the net. Welland’s 25 goals, an average of a little more than three per game, is the fewest in the six-team league, while its goals-allowed average of six is second only to Norwood, which has surrendered eight each time it has taken the ice.

bernd.franke@sunmedia.ca

Ryan Cirillo, who started his junior career with the Niagara Falls Thunder before playing four seasons in the ECHL and Western Professional Hockey League, is returning to the ice after a 12-year absence at age 35.

The Welland Whalers said though Cirillo made his mark in the OHL and professionally as a forward, the 5-foot-10, 178-pound Fort Erie native and Niagara Regional Police officer is being counted on to bolster the senior A team’s blue-line when he steps back on the ice as early as this weekend.

“He’s a very talented player who will certainly help us on defence,” Tim Toffolo, the Whalers owner and director of hockey operations, said.

Cirillo is expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Whalers host the Norwood Vipers in a 7:30 p.m. faceoff at Welland Arena and again the following afternoon when they play the Stoney Creek Generals in a road game.

Toffolo isn’t worried Cirillo, whose last year as a pro was 2000-01 with the Monroe, La., Moccasins in the Western Professional Hockey League, will need a prolonged period to get back into game shape after a decade of playing pickup hockey.

“Ryan skated with us last night and, believe me, there’s no rust there,” Toffolo, who also owns the junior B Port Colborne Pirates, said.

A week after acquiring Thorold Blackhawks graduates Chris Rici, Fraser Smith and Bill Zelba and former Welland Junior Canadians Jason Hill, the Whalers also signed one-time Niagara Falls Canucks standouts Josh Dadic and John Rorison as part of the team’s ongoing effort to become more competitive in the Allan Cup Hockey league. Toffolo said the team is specifically interested in acquiring players who have competed professionally or at “high-level “ colleges.

“We’re getting guys who really know how to play at this level,” he said.

These latest additions won’t result in any subtractions from the lineup that started the season in late October.

“We can have a 28-man roster and we’re not there yet.”

After finishing last as an expansion team in their inaugural season in the league, the Whalers are winless heading into action this weekend. They have lost five games in regulation, two in overtime and one in a shootout and trail the fifth-place Norwood Vipers by one point and the defending Dundas Real McCoys by three.

The Whalers have placed a premium on acquiring players with a knack for finding the back of the net. Welland’s 25 goals, an average of a little more than three per game, is the fewest in the six-team league, while its goals-allowed average of six is second only to Norwood, which has surrendered eight each time it has taken the ice.

bernd.franke@sunmedia.ca

Ryan Cirillo, who started his junior career with the Niagara Falls Thunder before playing four seasons in the ECHL and Western Professional Hockey League, is returning to the ice after a 12-year absence at age 35.

The Welland Whalers said though Cirillo made his mark in the OHL and professionally as a forward, the 5-foot-10, 178-pound Fort Erie native and Niagara Regional Police officer is being counted on to bolster the senior A team’s blue-line when he steps back on the ice as early as this weekend.

“He’s a very talented player who will certainly help us on defence,” Tim Toffolo, the Whalers owner and director of hockey operations, said.

Cirillo is expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Whalers host the Norwood Vipers in a 7:30 p.m. faceoff at Welland Arena and again the following afternoon when they play the Stoney Creek Generals in a road game.

Toffolo isn’t worried Cirillo, whose last year as a pro was 2000-01 with the Monroe, La., Moccasins in the Western Professional Hockey League, will need a prolonged period to get back into game shape after a decade of playing pickup hockey.

“Ryan skated with us last night and, believe me, there’s no rust there,” Toffolo, who also owns the junior B Port Colborne Pirates, said.

A week after acquiring Thorold Blackhawks graduates Chris Rici, Fraser Smith and Bill Zelba and former Welland Junior Canadians Jason Hill, the Whalers also signed one-time Niagara Falls Canucks standouts Josh Dadic and John Rorison as part of the team’s ongoing effort to become more competitive in the Allan Cup Hockey league. Toffolo said the team is specifically interested in acquiring players who have competed professionally or at “high-level “ colleges.

“We’re getting guys who really know how to play at this level,” he said.

These latest additions won’t result in any subtractions from the lineup that started the season in late October.

“We can have a 28-man roster and we’re not there yet.”

After finishing last as an expansion team in their inaugural season in the league, the Whalers are winless heading into action this weekend. They have lost five games in regulation, two in overtime and one in a shootout and trail the fifth-place Norwood Vipers by one point and the defending Dundas Real McCoys by three.

The Whalers have placed a premium on acquiring players with a knack for finding the back of the net. Welland’s 25 goals, an average of a little more than three per game, is the fewest in the six-team league, while its goals-allowed average of six is second only to Norwood, which has surrendered eight each time it has taken the ice.

bernd.franke@sunmedia.ca