BILOXI, Miss. � The Mississippi Sea Wolves of the ECHL announced today that defenseman Jim Baxter has been loaned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League.
Baxter, 24, earns his first-ever AHL call up in his fifth professional season. The 6-foot-3 and 215-pound Baxter ranks second among ECHL defensemen with 58 points. He is tied for second on the blueline with 16 goals and ranks first with five game-winning goals and 11.9 shooting percentage. A native of Brantford, Ontario, Baxter has an overall plus/minus of +20 and was named the C&T Hockey Products ECHL Plus Performer of the Month for December with a plus/minus of +13. In 2002-03, Baxter was named the ECHL Defenseman of the Year and All-ECHL First Team Defenseman. He was selected by the Boston Bruins in the seventh round, 180th overall in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and Baxter was also chosen in the seventh round, 202nd overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 1999.
Baxter is expected to make his AHL debut with Grand Rapids at 7 p.m. tomorrow as the Griffins visit the San Antonio Rampage at the SBC Center.
Baxter becomes the fifth Mississippi player to receive an AHL call-up this season joining Greg Gardner (Rochester), Brent Gauvreau (Bridgeport), Jeff Hutchins (Houston and Rochester) and Travis Lisabeth (Manchester).
The Sea Wolves get back into action at 7:35 p.m. on Friday and Saturday against the Florida Everblades at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. On Friday, promotions include 2-for-1 military, sponsored by Keesler Federal Credit Union and a postgame jersey action to benefit Youth For Christ. The broadcast gets underway at 7:20 p.m. with the Nextel Pregame Show on ESPN Radio WXBD-AM 1490 and online at msseawolves.com.
On Saturday, promotions consist of $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and �Jersey Bottle Buddies� giveaway to the first 1,500 fans. Game coverage begins at 7:20 p.m. with the Nextel Pregame Show on WTNI-AM 1640 and online at msseawolves.com.
Individual game tickets can be purchased at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum box office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and by calling (228) 594-3707.
Flex packs, discounted group tickets and fundraiser opportunities are available by calling (228) 275-WOLF.
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