ESTERO, Fla. — The reigning ECHL champion Florida Everblades have announced that they have signed Cornell graduate Sean Whitney for the upcoming 2012-13 season. Whitney played 101 career games as a defenseman for the Big Red, earning an ECAC Hockey championship and three trips to the NCAA tournament in his East Hill tenure.
 
Whitney evolved into a solid all-around defenseman and, alongside Braden Birch, was often matched up against the opposition's top lines in the 2011-12 season. The pairing didn't surrender a five-on-five goal until Jan. 28 last season.
 
Offensively, Whitney scored both of his goals on the season in the ECAC Hockey quarterfinal sweep of Dartmouth in early March. The first goal came 17 minutes, 40 seconds into double overtime of Game 1 in what was at the time the longest game ever played at Lynah Rink. Whitney then capped the scoring in a 3-0 shutout of Dartmouth the next night with another long-range shot that sailed into the top portion of the net. His plus-10 rating on the year was the highest of his career, and his total of 11 points tied a career high.
 
While Whitney will be new to the professional ranks, the Everblades' home rink will be a familiar sight for him. He had three assists in seven career games at the Florida College Hockey Classic, which is played annually in December at Germain Arena. The Everblades will be embarking on their 15th season, having won the Kelly Cup last year. They are affiliated with both the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning.