BUFFALO – The Buffalo Beauts bolstered their roster by adding a veteran free agent forward. Grace Klienbach comes over to Buffalo after three solid seasons with the Connecticut Whale. The 27-year-old right-handed shooter played her rookie NWHL season in 2017-18. Klienbach returned to Connecticut for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons as well. With 41 NWHL regular season games under her belt, she is ready to try on a Beauts jersey for the first time.
“I wanted to sign with Buffalo because I believe in the team environment that they provide,” said Klienbach. “The entire staff of the Beauts are there because they truly care about the players and want to improve them as players and as people. I believe playing in Buffalo will help me get my game to the next level. I couldn’t be more excited to get started!”
A physical, driven player, Klienbach has gone 2-8-10 for scoring in her 41 regular season contests. She has scored one playoff goal as well in three postseason games for Connecticut. Her tenacious style of play saw her named to the NWHL All-Star Game in Boston in 2020. As a testament to her character as a professional on and off the ice, Klienbach was Connecticut’s recipient of the 2021 NWHL Foundation Award. The award is given annually to the individual who most actively applies the core values of hockey to her community.
“It’ll be wonderful to have Grace playing for us instead of against us for a change,” said Beauts GM Nate Oliver. “She is the kind of player that you wish you had six or seven of on your roster. A ‘Charlie Hustle’ of sorts. Just never stops driving, never stops battling, never stops competing on every play, but is always a sounding board and phenomenal teammate for her club. We were lucky to acquire Grace.”
Klienbach played her collegiate hockey for Neumann University, serving as an assistant captain during her senior 2016-17 season. She scored 21 goals, 30 assists and 51 points in 100 NCAA games. Klienbach also chalked up 238 penalty minutes during that time too. Her career highs for goals (14), assists (15) and points (29) all came during her senior campaign across 25 games played.
Klienbach is one of the final pieces to the Beauts’ puzzle for a winning hockey team – a team that is vying for a championship.
“Our team will always be able to count on my work ethic,” Klienbach said. “I show up every day and give it my all. I want to help add to the Beauts’ success this year by using my speed, physicality, and playing a smart game. I’m excited to give everything I have to the Beauts organization and to my teammates to help our chase for the Isobel Cup!”
