CANTLON: HARTFORD WOLF PACK OFF SEASON VOL 9

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The New York Rangers have just four picks in this year's NHL Entry Draft. The Rangers’ highest pick this year is in the second round at No. 63 and is the only pick the Rangers have through the first three rounds. The draft was held in Montreal following a two-year absence because of the pandemic. The Rangers also have a fourth-round pick (#111), which was initially a Winnipeg Jets’ pick but made its way to New York via the Vegas Golden Knights as part of the Brett Howden trade. The Rangers also have pick No. 159 in the fifth round and lastly at number 191 in the sixth round. The Rangers lost their 2022 first-round pick due to the conditions of the trade for Andrew Copp, whom President/GM Chris Drury acquired from the Jets at this year’s trade deadline in exchange for three draft picks and prospect Morgan Barron. The three draft picks were two conditional second-rounders and a 2023 fifth-round selection. The 2022 second-round pick the Rangers sent to Winnipeg became a first-round (number 30) since they reached the conference final, and Copp played in at least half of their playoff games. SECOND PICK For the other conditional second-round pick, the Jets had the option of taking the Blues’ original 2022 pick or the Rangers' in 2023. Instead, Winnipeg decided on this year’s second-rounder (number 55), which the Rangers acquired from St. Louis as part of the Pavel Buchnevich trade that also brought in the recently re-signed Sammy Blais. The Rangers' first selection in the second round (59th overall) was Adam Sykora, no relation to former NHL’er Petr. The young Slovak center showed a lot of little things in all departments, and the Rangers hope he grows into his body. Last week he was the first overall selection by the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL) in the CHL Import Draft. The second pick in the third round (97th overall) of the draft, the Rangers selected LW Byrce McConnell-Barker. He's a solid 6’1 and 195-pounds with Sault Ste Marie (OHL) and had 23 goals in 68 games in the first season. FOURTH ROUND In the fourth round (111th overall), a center Noah Laba from Lincoln (USHL), a Colgate (ECACHL) commit next year, had 15 goals, 24 assists, and 39 points in 50 games. In the fifth round (159th overall), the Rangers selected a defenseman, Victor Mancini. He didn’t take the usual route. He's 6’3, 215-pounds, and was at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC). Laba played junior in Sweden for Frolunda HC and was named the team captain in his last season. His father, Bob, was all over the hockey map here and in Europe, from Michigan Tech as a head coach for four years as an assistant at Lake Superior State and Ferris State. He helped develop the fledgling hockey program nationally in South Africa. FIFTH ROUND In the fifth round (161st overall), they took Russian Maxim Barbashav, the younger brother of St. Louis Blue Ivan Barbashav from Moncton (QMJHL). At 6’1, 185-pounds, he has good size, and his first year's numbers include 15 goals and 42 points in 59 games. He was taken as the last pick of the round. The last Rangers pick has a familiar last name, defenseman Zakary Karpa. the son of former Bridgeport Sound Tiger, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Ranger David Karpa from Harvard (ECACHL). Karpa was taken in the sixth round (191st overall). In 33 games in his freshmen year, he had six goals and 12 points. He has a twin brother Jakob. None of these picks will be in Hartford/New York for some time. GEORGIEV FINALLY DEPARTS After five seasons, the Rangers finally traded goalie Alexander Georgiev. The former Wolf Pack was sent to the Stanley Cup champion, the Colorado Avalanche. Georgiev heads west for a third and fifth-draft pick and a third-round selection next year. The strategy increases their draft picks from four to six for Friday’s draft, rounds two through seven. The move came just hours before a CBA imposed the deadline of giving him a qualifying offer of $2.65M. He last played in Hartford for eleven games for the Pack in 2018-19. NHL DRAFT CONTINUED Nick Malik, the goalie son ex-Hartford Whaler, Ranger, Beast of New Haven, and Springfield Falcon, Marek Malik, was taken by Tampa Bay in the fifth round. David Spacek, the son of former Beast of New Haven's Jaroslav Spacek, was called by Minnesota in the fifth round. Landon Sim of London (OHL), the son ex-Sound Tiger Jon Sim, was taken in the sixth round. The youngest son of a former Whaler and the new scout with the Philadelphia Flyers, Sami Kapanen, Konsta Kapanen, was NOT selected. IN MEMORIAM Life intrudes at the worst times. On the eve of the draft, a sad development as former Whaler, a San Jose scout and skills development coach for their AHL team, Bryan Marchment, died suddenly in Montreal at the Sheraton Hotel next door to the Bell Centre at age 53. His son Mason is a member of the Florida Panthers. He also leaves behind his wife Kim, and daughter, Logan. Marchment played for nine NHL teams and was known as an abrasive player in his day, compiling over 2,307 PIM in 926 games and had a long-running feud with Mark Messier and Mike Gartner. QMJHL DRAFT The last of the amateur drafts took place on Monday and Tuesday before the NHL Draft by the QMJHL. The US portion of the league draft took place Tuesday after the main draft saw six members from Connecticut of the 36 players selected. The first one, taken second overall in the US portion, was Lucas St. Louis, the youngest son of current Montreal head coach, Hockey Hall of Famer, and former Ranger, Marty St. Louis. St. Louis, the youngest son of the former Ranger, is regarded as a very talented player from the Greenwich-based Brunswick School and was taken by the Victoriaville Tigres. The following selection was 13th in Stamford’s Matej Teply from the Selects Academy at South Kent Prep by the Acadie-Bathhurst Titan. CT CHIEFS U15 STUD TAKEN Then 17th overall, from Westport, was the Charlottetown (PEI) Islanders took Aryx Siefker of the CT Chiefs U-15 squad (AYHL). He is a Winchendon Prep School (MAPREP) commit next year. Then the following three selections came back-to-back. Taken 22nd was Ryan Lucarelli, from the New Milford-basedthe Val D’Or Foreurs took Canterbury Prep Saints teams. Then Spencer Morrow (Darien), one of the four hockey-playing nephews and nieces of former Whaler and Springfield Indians player Scott Morrow, was selected by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Older brother Scott (a Carolina NHL draftee) is at UMASS, and younger sister Sydney is heading to Ohio State (Big 10) in the fall. The youngest Sophie keeps the family tradition alive by playing with the Shattuck’s St Mary’s Sabres (MNPREP). The last Connecticut player was Blake Burke of Trumbull, who went 24th to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. MORE DRAFT NEWS The first round of the general regional draft featuring selections from the Canadian territories of Quebec in the Canadian provinces that comprise the Maritimes of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland/Labrador area. Tomas Lavoie, a defenseman, was taken first overall by the Cape Breton (NS) Eagles. He is no relation to former New Haven Senator Domenic Lavoie. Four US players were selected in the first round. First went Bill Zannon, who was taken sixth by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies from Northwood Prep (NYPREP). Owen Phillips was taken by his hometown Halifax Mooseheads from the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite U-15 (T1EHL) in Pennsylvania. Then Williams Shields of Nova Scotia was taken by Cape Breton at number 11, From upstate NY near Rochester, Bishop Kearney HS (NYPREP). Then the next pick from the Selects Academy program at RI’s Mt. Charles Academy program was Sacha Boisvert by Chicoutimi. The first of four taken from the team. In the later rounds Tyler Wood, a PEI native was drafted from the Selects Academy program at South Kent Prep in the sixth round and 96th overall by Rouyn-Noranda. WOLF PACK 2022-23 Twenty-six players are either under a contract to return on their current contracts for the 2022-23 edition of the Wolf Pack. Even though the team needs an overhaul, there are few roster spots. A particularly vexing issue that has plagued them the past few years is the surplus of defensemen. Zac Jones and Matt Robertson are back under the second year of their contracts for another year. Also, Zach Guittari (Loomis Chaffee) returns on a one-year AHL deal for the Rhode Island native. Another is Nils Lundkvist, who has two years to RFA status and had a less than stellar first year in NY and Hartford, both players are from Sweden. Others who played secondary roles are Brandon Scanlin, Zach Berzolla and Hunter Skinner. Louka Henault was added to the mix. The newcomer just signed from Windsor (OHL). They also just added last year’s training camp invitee among the last cuts Blake Hillman, who split last year with Toledo (ECHL) and s spell with Grand Rapids and most of the second half with Providence to an AHL contract. A question is Jarred Tinordi, a year away from UFA status will he be back reprising the mentor role after being traded at last season’s trade deadline? Up front will see the most significant number of new players. BRODZINSKI BROTHERS Captain Jonny Brodzinski is likely to start the year in Hart City as well as his younger sibling Easton on a new one-year AHL deal. Expected newcomers are Will Cullye (Windsor-OHL), Ryder Korczak (Moose Jaw-WHL), Brennan Othmann (Flint-OHL), and Matt Rempe (Seattle-WHL). From Europe draftee Karl Henrickson, free agent signees Gustav Rydahl (Farjestad BK) and Carl Berglund (who was given a training camp invite), all are from Sweden. Returning on one-year AHL deals are; Tanner Fritz, Alex Whelan and Cristiano Di Giacinto, the last two players were walk-on’s the last two seasons. Patrick Khordorenko comes back on the last year of his contract, and Bobby Trivigno from UMASS will have an entire season to marinate Add one more name to the list, Ryan Lohin, who split last year between Charlotte and Allen (ECHL). Gone is forward Anthony Greco, off to Frölunda HC (Sweden-SHL, whoo was a Group 6 UFA. On the bubble as Group 6 (have reached age 25 and not playing enough NHL games under the CBA) is Kris Merkley and Maxim Letunov (UCONN-HE) both were acquired at the trade deadline. Likely neither will be back. RONNING Reports are that Ronning may sign with the hometown Canucks and be sent to Abbottsford (AHL) nearby. The other returning question marks are forward Lauri Pajuniemi, who has one year left before RFA status and had a rocky relationship with the team in the second half while being injury-riddled. Likely gone are underperforming Justin Richards, Mike O’Leary, and fill-in James Sanchez. Three players who had minor roles have gone to three different teams in Slovakia Abbott Girduckis (HC Presov), Liam Pecararo (HC Slovan Bratislava), and defenseman Hamden’s Mike Lee (HC Nove Zamsky). In goal, expect a whole new cast of characters. Already under contract on a three-year ELC coming in Dylan Garand (Kamloops-WHL) and Olof Lindbom (Kristianstads IK Sweden-Allsvenskan) and a new veteran goalie will more than likely be acquired to shepherd them the. through their pro baptism. Likely to be gone will be Keith Kinkaid, Adam Huska (UCONN-HE), and Tyler Wall. LUKE MARTIN On Friday, defenseman Luke Martin was signed. He played a half-dozen games last year with Colorado (AHL) and most of the year with Utah (ECHL) and earned all ECHL Rookie team status. He has an interesting connection to current and past Wolf Pack and Rangers. He played under the stewardship of current Wolf Pack GM Ryan Martin at the US National Development program. Among his teammates then and is a new teammate are Patrick Khordorenko and current Rangers Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren were USNDTP teammates. He follows a long line of Michigan hockey players to suit up in Hartford from Chris Summers, Chris Brown, Steven Kampfer, Al Montoya and Director of Player Development, Jed Ortmeyer. His older brother Kenny is retired from hockey by nine years was a four-year player and senior captain at Yale. MORE CHANGES Coming in at goal under a three-year ELC deal is Dylan Grand (Kamloops (WHL) and Olof Lindbom, with a two-year ELC from Kristianstads IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan). Add to the training camp net menagerie now is Parker Gaghan who spent part of the year with Florida (ECHL) who went to the Kelly Cup final in a backup role and some time with Milwaukee. Then CT's own Charlie Leddy of Fairfield who spent one year at Avon Old Farms (CTPREP) from the US National Developmental Team (USHL) and played for the US WJC Team was taken by the Devils in the fourth round. He is BC (HE) bound in the fall. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

🏒 #news #hockey Alexander Georgiev Martin Luther King Mask. He is auctioning this mask off. Head over to his page @aghockey for details on how to bid. Proceeds go to minority families in need. @nhl @nhlonnbcsports @nyrangers #nyrangers #nhl #alexgeorgiev #alexandergeorgiev #goaliemask #blm #blmmovement #nhlhockey #charity #auction #memorabilia #goalie #rangers #donation #helpingothers (at Madison Square Garden, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDWhr5DHu4s/?igshid=1ii7l0jayp2rj

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CANTLON: HARTFORD WOLF PACK OFF-SEASON 3

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack off-season is expected to be another roster transformation project that will make the 2022-23 edition of the New York Rangers AHL affiliate into a very different team. Six Wolf Pack players, Maxim Letunov, Kris Merkley, Anthony Greco, all forwards, and goaltenders Adam Húska, and Keith Kinkaid are all Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA). Three of those players, led by Húska, Letunov, and Merkley as per the CBA, are Group 6 free agents by way of not having played enough NHL games by age 25. Húska’s pending departure seems to be clear after Swedish goaltending prospect, Olof Lindbom, was signed to a two-year ELC deal for $925K-NHL/$70K-AHL. He played last year with Kristianstads IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan) where he posted underwhelming numbers. In 27 games, Lindblom registered a 3.27 GAA an under .500 record at 10-15-0, and a .900 save percentage. HARTFORD WOLF PACK RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS Restricted Free Agents (RFA) have to be made legitimate offers. Those Wolf Pack players include Tim Gettinger, Ty Ronning, Vitali Kravtsov, Justin Richards, and Austin Rueschoff. Goaltender, Tyler Wall, is very likely to be allowed to leave as a free agent. As is Jake Elmer and still in junior with Seattle (WHL) still in the playoffs, Matt Rempe. In the NHL the Rangers have their own share of UFA’s. Greg McKegg, Kevin Rooney, Ryan Strome, Andrew Copp, Ryan Reaves, and trade deadline acquisitions who have played well, Frank Vatrano, Tyler Motte, and Justin Braun. The Rangers also have Kaapo Kakko, Julien Gauthier, and Libor Hájek who played five games in Hartford on a conditioning stint, and enigmatic ex-Pack goaltender, Alexander Georgiev. Hartford GM Ryan Martin and Rangers GM/President Chris Drury are, no doubt, getting ready for an important entry draft and are also likely discussing what other moves the franchise could make including possible trade deals. COACHING, PLAYER MANAGEMENT MOVES Four ex-Springfield Falcons are playing in Dysin Mayo (Canada). Those players are Marek Langhamer (Czech Republic (Czechia), Matthias Plachta (Germany), and Denis Malgin (Switzerland (LNA). There will be no Russian squad to play after the IIHF took away the sites of Novosibirsk and Omsk for both this and the WJC tourney. New Canaan resident, Pierre McGuire, the former Hartford Whaler head coach plus long-time NBC and TSN hockey analyst, was relieved of his duties less than a year on the job in Ottawa as Senior VP of Player Development. The Bridgeport Islanders knocked off the Providence Bruins to advance against the Charlotte in the Atlantic Division semifinals before falling to the Checkers. Meanwhile, the Springfield Thunderbirds eliminated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the other Semi-final. Joe Snively, the former Yale Bulldog with the Hershey Bears was recalled by Washington, Then Mathieu Olivier, son of ex-Knights Simon is sent to Milwaukee by Nashville. The Jacksonville Icemen, the ECHL affiliate of both the Wolf Pack and the Rangers, advanced to the ECHL South Division Final to play in-state rival the Florida Everblades (Nashville) in the Kelly Cup playoffs. They were swept by the Everblades, who shut them out twice in the series. EX-UCONN GOALIE SENT TO FLORIDA Florida did receive former UCONN goalie Tomáš Vomáčka, after he was reassigned for the series by Nashville from Milwaukee (AHL), but didn’t play or dress. Connor Jones, a former Quinnipiac University (QU) Bobcat, and ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger announced his retirement from hockey while with Ft. Wayne (ECHL). Twin brother Kellen will continue to play on with the legendary Komets. Former QU Bobcat Latvian Kārlis Čukste leaven Pelicans Lahti (Finland) for HC Oceláři Třinec (Czech Republic (Czechia)-CEL) for next season. He played for Latvia in the Olympics and is slated to be on their World Championship team. David Musil exits HC Oceláři Třinec  (Czech Republic (Czechia)-CEL) to HC Dynamo Pardubice. After three years as an assistant captain for Tölzer Löwen (Germany DEL-2), former Sound Tiger Tyler McNeeley signed with Rosenheim (Germany Division-3). CANADIAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER The Canadian World championship roster was released with a few familiar names on it. On defense will be ex-Pack and current New Jersey Devil, Ryan Graves. At forward, will be Cole Sillinger as will Pierre-Luc Dubois. Húska is suiting up for Slovakian Team and Hartford GM Ryan Martin will guide the US squad. There will be no Russian squad to play and the IIHF took away the sites of Novosibirsk and Omsk from them for this and the WJC tourney. Some familiar names are on other WC teams to play in Tampere and Helsinki, Finland. The US squad features ex-Pack, Vinni Lettieri, ex-Sound Tiger Kieffer Bellows, and goalies Jon Gillies (Salisbury Prep) and Strauss Mann (Greenwich/Brunswick Prep/CT Jr. Rangers-USPHL ) who was signed this off-season by San Jose after playing this year in Sweden and represented the US in the Olympics. MORE NAMES INVOLVED WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS The US team’s Equipment Manager is Hamden’s Chris Scoppetto (AHL Beast of New Haven) now with New Jersey. Italy's assistant coach is Larry Huras (Nighthawks). The Czech Republic (Czechia) team has ex-Pack Tomáš Kundrátek, Michael Spacek and ex-UCONN recruit, Matej Blümel. Latvia’s head coach is ex-New Haven Senator, Harijs Vitolins. Denmark has the soon-to-be-retiring ex-Sound Tiger, Franz Nielsen. Sweden, has ex-Pack goalie, Magnus Hellberg and forward Carl Klingberg. Germany, assistant coach is former Hartford Whaler, Tom Rowe. Switzerland has another ex-Pack who is nearing the end of his career, Andres Ambühl. MOVES APLENTY CONTINUE Lastly, Great Britain has goalie Jackson Whistle and Ben Lake, the former Pioneer from Sacred Heart University-AHA. UCONN recruit Brayden Smith has elected to go to the Penticton Knights (BCHL) next year to preserve his NCAA rights likely for two years. He was taken by the Vancouver Giants (WHL) under former Wolf Pack head coach and Giants associate coach, Keith McCambridge. They selected him in the 2020 bantam draft in the sixth round, 122nd overall. He was also drafted by the Weyburn (SK) Red Wings (SJHL) in 2020 in the third round 25th overall in their draft. If he plays one second of major junior pre-season, regular season, or post-season his NCAA eligibility is lost. That’s how the rules are now, but that could change in the future. Players eligible for the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft on May 19th next week are 2007-born players who reside in; Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, the Northwest Territories, and the Yukon. The US States that are eligible are; Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. OHL DRAFT In the OHL Priority Draft, Birk Cassels was taken from the Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets U-15 AAA team (T1EHL) by the Ottawa 67’s at 290th overall in the 14th round. Cole Cassels played with nearby Cleveland and his nephews are ex-Pack Morgan Barron (Manitoba) and Justin (Laval). The prospects for the Q that can be drafted are currently playing in the territories served by the QMJHL: the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and Labrador, as well as the northeastern portion of the United States. The QMJHL Draft will take place a few days before the NHL Draft July 4-5 instead of June 17-18. Tyler Wood of the Selects Academy at South Kent Prep is in the top-tier of the Q draft prospects general list, not just the US portion of the draft that will take place after the main draft. AHL’ERS HEADING TO EUROPE After eight years in North America, Sven Bärtschi, of the Henderson Silver Knights returns to his hometown and signs a three-year deal with SC Bern (Switzerland-LNA). He is the third player, thus far from the AHL to head to Europe. Krystof Hrabik heads from San Jose signs with HC Plzeň (Pilsner) (the Czech Republic-(Czechia)-CEL) and heading back to Russia is goalie Alexei Melnichuk, a Russian native and so far, only Russians will likely do so, heads from the San Jose Barracuda, who finished dead last in the AHL to HC Sochi (Russia-KHL). NCAA NEWS Two players are heading to nearby AIC (AHA) in Springfield, MA. Hunter McCurdy of the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL) commits to the school for the fall. The 57th and 58th NCAA grad transfers are Brennan Boynton after playing just one game with NCAA semi-finalist at the Frozen Four Minnesota (Big 10) will skate for the Yellow Jackets next season. Ryan Sidorski goes from Union College (ECACHL) to North Dakota (NCHC). A seventh college player heads to Europe as Taylor Brierley goes from D-3 Wilkes University (UCHC) to HC Chambéry (France-Division-2). Then a 59th grad transfer of the college offseason Dylan St. Cyr heads to the Michigan St. Spartans (Big 10) heading back to his native Michigan to complete his collegiate career. He is from Northville, a Detroit suburb. St. Cyr did a regular transfer last year to QU from Notre Dame. He is the son of former New Haven Senator, Gerry St, Cyr. His mother is Manon Rheaume, the first female to play goal in an NHL game albeit exhibition who has a statue of herself in Quebec City on Jean Béliveau Way, near the Videotrom Centre home of the QMJHL Quebec Remparts. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: WOLF PACK 2020-21 SEASON

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - With the 2019-20 AHL and Hartford Wolf Pack season officially canceled, talk changes from what could have been, to what awaits at the next training camp that should start at some point in the final months of 2020. For the New York Rangers, their off-season decisions are many and plentiful. The NHL's proposed salary cap which was projected to be between $84 and $88 million two weeks before the pandemic outbreak is out the window as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Roster decisions will now be even harder for every team's management to handle once that actual number is decided upon. The Rangers have an excess of defensemen as they did last year. There are 19 defensemen in the system and only 12 can dress between the AHL and NHL. Some are heading elsewhere. In New York, Jacob Trouba, Marc Staal, Ryan Lindgren, Brendan Smith, Adam Fox and Tony D’Angelo have the top spots. Staal and Smith each have one year remaining before they reach UFA status. D’Angelo is now an RFA coming off a solid potentially shortened season. Lindgren will be an RFA after next season. In Hartford, there's Libor Hajek, Yegor Rykov, and Sean Day, who are all entering the last year of their entry-level deals. Hajek is at a crossroads. After making the Rangers out of camp last year, he missed 20 games with an injury was supposed to be in Hartford on injury rehab, but never made it back to Broadway. Day started the year in Hartford, then was sent to the team's ECHL affiliates, the Maine Mariners for the remainder of the season in favor of Rykov, who was a upcoming player. Rykov’s stock fell precipitously at the end of the year. He was a healthy scratch in nine of the last 10 games including the last game the Pack played on March 11th against the Providence Bruins. The team elected to play a freshly signed rookie, Zach Guitarri, from Brown University (ECACHL) instead. Rykov could be dealt this summer if the right offer comes along. Rykov was unhappy about how things were progressing with the knock-on him, according to several sources, was his skating. It's not out of the question that Hajek could also potentially be involved in a package deal. Darren Raddysh and Brandon Crawley are both RFA’s this summer. Both Vincent LoVerde and Mason Geersten were already locked up when they signed one-year AHL deals a short time ago. Raddysh played well on both sides of the puck, as did Loverde. They were the number one shutdown tandem for two months. He would appear to have earned himself another one-year deal. After a good training camp, Crawley spent the majority of the season in Maine. LoVerde was very well-respected in the locker room as well as with the coaches. In fact, he played with every defenseman the Wolf Pack had on their roster this season. Geersten proved to be worth his weight in gold and earned a contract coming in as a non-roster invitee. He was the best body-checker on the team and a true heavyweight who took care of the "physical" business and was another solid veteran signee that stabilized the locker room. Both players earned deals with Geersten seeming to deserve a one-way, NHL money deal. The Rangers signed K’Andre Miller to a three-year, entry-level deal just before the season was suspended. Tarmo Reunanen, who was signed last year but played in Finland, enters year two of his three-year deal. In the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), Nils Lundkvist is coming off a strong year and at the WJC. There's also the aforementioned Guitarri. The problem for Reunanen and Lundkvist coming to North America is that in Europe, COVID-19 hit very hard and the question is where or not they will be able to come across the Big Pond because of possible visa issues. Earlier this week, the EU (European Union) discussed an immunity visa that could be issued and there is a whole panoply of security and civil liberties issues that could potentially follow that. It's a total unknown and it's highly possible both could stay in Europe for another year. Defenseman Matt Robertson, from Edmonton (WHL), will likely be signed to a standard three-year, entry-level deal very soon. Among the defenseman only Nick Ebert is the only UFA-Group 6 free agent. It's not likely that Ebert will be re-signed. He could end up elsewhere in the AHL or Europe. In the forward category, there are significant players who are Group 6 UFA’s. the Pack's leading scorer, Vinni Lettieri, and Danny O’Regan. Team captain, Steven Fogarty, is a UFA. Despite possessing a cannon of a slapshot, Lettieri could sign elsewhere. His stock fell in the Rangers' eye over the last year-and-a-half. O’Regan, an old friend of Rangers head coach David Quinn from their BU days, was highly regarded by the Wolf Pack coaching staff. He will likely get a one-or-two year AHL deal in the neighborhood of $300,000K. Then there's Fogarty. He was a solid captain who played through illness and injury. Near the end of the season, he wasn’t putting up with some of the lethargic play that crept back into the lineup and called out his teammates. He could receive another one year, one-way NHL deal, but he will likely test the market. He will get offers and will likely head elsewhere. There are four RFA’s on the roster. They are Boo Nieves, Ryan Gropp, Dawson Leedahl, and Gabriel Fontaine. Gropp, a former second-round pick, after being assigned to ain't took a three-week sabbatical early in the season. He returned to Maine and worked his way back up to the Pack lineup. He played well, but didn’t produce enough points, He could be departing as well. Leedahl spent most of the season in Maine and likely will not be back. Coming off of season-ending, left shoulder surgery, Fontaine will likely get a one-year AHL deal. Nieves is a tough call. He played very well, tallying 12 points in 10 games before suffering from severe migraines. He played just one game the remainder of the year. He was a last-minute scratch in what was to be his second consecutive game. Nieves is a tantalizing talent, but the Rangers pigeonholed him as a defensive center, which didn’t work. He's now 27 and on a one-way, one-year, $700K NHL deal. It isn't likely he will be offered another deal. A really solid player and person, he will likely migrate elsewhere. Entering, the last year of their deals, are the most improved player last season in Tim Gettinger, as well as Ty Ronning, Patrick Newell, Nick Jones, and the wildest of wild cards, a former first-round pick, Lias Andersson. Andersson's unexpected departure back to Sweden on November 18th, not surprisingly, earned him organizational scorn, however, some are said to be still willing to give him another chance. Andersson wasn’t a malcontent but made a rash, impulsive, and immature decision that put him in a box. Inside sources indicate he had a bit of an emotional breakdown two weeks before bolting. The self-imposed stress of having to live up to his being the number seven overall draft pick and producing very little results weighed heavily on him. Unless a larger trade deal is constructed that he's a part of, or he has some huge reversal in his behavior, he'll likely spend the final year of his original deal skating on the bigger surfaces in Sweden. The other first-round pick returning for year two is Vitali Kravtsov, who had a difficult first-year. He went back to Russia after just five games, came back, and showed only glimpses of his skill that made him a seventh overall draft selection as well. He was too inconsistent and did not get enough puck time and his willingness to take a hit to get the puck or to take a shot. Nick Jones, a free agent signee did everything he was asked to do and did a lot of good things on both sides of the faceoff circle. He helped set players up and was very strong on the PK. A looming minus-14 needs to be improved upon. Jones’ Achilles Heel was being unable to finish on his scoring chances. He was reminiscent of a young Jed Ortmeyer. He has likely earned a one-year, two-way AHL deal. Ryan Dmowski and Shawn McBride were the heart of the fourth line. The team relied on them before play was suspended. Both were both on AHL deals and looks like they've earned another one-year, AHL deal. Numbers plus analytics will ultimately determine if they do get offers. Returnee Jake Elmer has two years remaining on his deal. He spent more time in Maine than in Hartford. There's a batch of new signees for the Pack. The 6’7, Austin Rueschhoff, as well as Patrick Khodorenko, Patrick Whelan, Michael O’Leary, and Justin Richards will be in what should be a very competitive training camp whenever that camp actually opens though is anyone's guess. The only UFA on the Pack roster is veteran, Matt Beleskey. He and his $825K NHL cap hit and overall $1.9 million are over. He will end up either with an AHL veteran's deal somewhere else or will take a deal to play in Europe. At the start of the season, the Rangers' not even inviting Beleskey to their NHL training camp was one of the very few questionable moves. He would still be a locker room bonus and gave it his all for the team. Late in the season, he was involved in the line brawl in Springfield in the second to last game of the year that earned him a three-game suspension. Late in the year, the departure of Ville Meskanen was obviously the other "questionable" decision by the team's management. The Wolf Pack could have used him, especially when the team hit the skids during a five game losing streak and a 2-7-1 mark in their final 10 games. Meskanen could have easily made a difference in the team's slide rather than having to rely on signing guys, like Connor Bleackly, to PTO’s and ATO’s to fill in the gaps. Goaltending is a major hot button issue for the Rangers. There are presently seven in the organization. A bit of a soap opera will play out until the situation with future Hall-of-Famer, Henrik Lundquist, is resolved. He is entering the last year of his $8.5 million per year deal. Alexander Georgiev becomes an RFA, and Igor Shesterkin enters year two of his two-year deal. An option for the Rangers is to buy-out Lundqvist. Trading Georgiev is another option. Meanwhile, in Hartford, Adam Huska (UCONN) is in his second year. J.F. Berube is there and is a UFA. Tyler Wall was just signed out of UMASS-Lowell (HE) and makes for a very congested organizational goalie crease area. Toss in the drafted, but unsigned, Olof Lindbom, who is coming off an injury sustained while playing with Mora IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan), and his hopes for a bounce back season in Sweden in the SHL possibly with Farjestad BK, where he played one game with last year. He is also WJC eligible. Lots to ponder about the 24th edition of the Wolf Pack coming out of this pandemic. Stay safe. Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: HOCKEY NEWS AND NOTES VOLUME 8

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The suspension of hockey continues though the NHL may resume the regular season or go straight to a playoff format in an attempt to conclude the 2019-20 season. The AHL, meanwhile, is on the verge of announcing the cancelation of the rest of the regular season and Calder Cup playoffs. COLLEGE PLAYER SIGNINGS The New York Rangers' goaltending situation got a bit more interesting with the signing of their sixth-round (174th overall) pick in 2016, Tyler Wall. The former UMass-Lowell senior was signed to a two-year, entry-level deal ($925K-NHL/$70K-AHL). The organization now has six goaltenders under contract starting with Henrik Lundqvist, who is entering the final year of his contract that pays him $8.5 million. Alexander Georgiev will become a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) in 2020-21. He's proven he is more than NHL-ready. Igor Shesterkin enters the second year of his two year deal and would become an RFA in the 2021-22 season. Shesterkin spent half of this season in Hartford where he was superb in net and brought the Wolf Pack to first place for at least three months. The team then struggled mightily after his recall. The team dropped to a .500 record. Add to the list, second-year pro, and former UConn Husky, Adam Huska. He will enter the final year before he hits RFA status. Then there is J.F. Berube. He was acquired in a late-season trade for his fellow goalie, Thomas McCollum, with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He will be a UFA at the end of June. Nobody knows for certain how this entire thing will shake out in the end. The NHL salary cap for next year was originally pegged to land between $84-$88 million, however, with the COVID-19 pandemic and other external factors, that number is now in a complete state of flux with the entire worldwide economic landscape having been dramatically altered. The cap could potentially drop below $80 million. That would force all of the NHL's teams to do some serious refinancing of its payroll structure. On the goalie front, the Rangers would be faced with even tougher choices than they already were going to have. Wall, 22, from Leamington, Ontario, appeared in 32 games with the UMass-Lowell Riverhawks (HE) this season. He posted an 18-8-6 record, along with a 2.10 GAA, a .931 save percentage, and two shutouts. He was named to the Hockey East Third All-Star Team this season, which was the conference’s deepest position. Darien’s Spencer Knight (Boston College) and Hobey Baler finalist Jeremy Swayman (Maine) were the two in front of him. Wall appeared/started in 32 of UMass Lowell's 34 games this season. He earned all of his team's wins during the season and established a collegiate career-best in save percentage, Wall was tied for ninth in NCAA Division I in save percentage. In addition, Wall ranked eighth in the NCAA in saves at (924). His 336 saves in either the third period or overtime were the third-most in the country. This past season, Wall's stinginess saw him allow just two goals or fewer in 22 of his 32 appearances, including one goal or fewer in eight different appearances. He was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on six different occasions and served as an alternate captain, becoming the first Riverhawk goaltender to wear either a 'C' or an 'A' on his jersey since Dwayne Roloson did so in 1993-94. Wall stands 6'3" and weighs 214lbs. He covers the lower part of the net very well. Wall appeared in 103 career collegiate games over four seasons and amassed a college career record of 58-34-10, a 2.28 GAA, a .918 save percentage and nine shutouts. Wall's 58 career wins with UMass Lowell are the most by a goaltender since the school began playing in Division 1. He broke Roloson's record of 51 wins. He established a collegiate career-best in appearances (37), wins (26), and GAA (2.06) as a freshman in 2016-17, and he established a UMass-Lowell record for wins by a rookie goaltender, previously held by current Winnipeg Jet, Connor Hellebuyck. Wall also helped UMass-Lowell win the Hockey East Championship in 2016-17, and was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team. He posted a 2.10 GAA or better in three of his four collegiate seasons. IN OTHER SIGNINGS After four years at Penn State (Big 10), Peyton Jones signs a deal with the Colorado Eagles for 2020-21. Yanni Kaldis Cornell University (ECACHL) signs with Bakersfield (ECHL). Along with Wall, that makes 93 Division I players who have signed North American professional contracts. Including European deals, 150 collegiate players in total have turned professional. Hockey East saw 21 players turn pro in North America and the Big 10 has 20. They are followed by the NCHC with 17. The WCHA has 13, while the ECACHL has 12 and the AHA with nine. Penn State has the most signees with seven. They are followed by Western Michigan (NCHC) with six, Ferris State (WCHA) with five, and Hockey East's Boston University and Vermont with four each. Leading the 39 Division III signees is Northland College (NCHA) who've had four players put their names on contracts. Matt Tugnutt of Sacred Heart University becomes the 13th Division I grad transfer and the second one for Providence College Friars (HE) in goal. Jason Herter, Assistant Coach with the two-time defending NCAA champions, the University of Minnesota-Duluth, has stepped down to take another position in hockey but has not declared if it was in pro or college. Scott Morrow (Darien) just finished at Shattuck’s St. Mary in Minnesota, had his USHL rights traded from the Youngstown Phantoms to the Fargo (ND) Force for next season. In 2021-22, Morrow starts playing for North Dakota (NCHC). He was also drafted by the Val D’ Foreurs in the 2nd round 21st overall in the 2018 QMJHL Draft. NHL SEASON The NHL wants to minimize the loss of revenue to the escrow fund which they and the players share as a part of the CBA agreement. The NHL is trying to salvage the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs a massive revenue generator. Presently, they're trying to find COVID-19 light cities to re-start and complete the remaining 14-15 games left in the regular season. There is also talk that they could jump to just a 12-team per conference playoff format. It is unclear which way they are going to go. Also being discussed is the recall of AHL players from each team's affiliates as a taxi squad once the AHL season is officially canceled. However, there are some serious issues regarding contracts that need to be worked out. “It comes down that the NHL is trying to preserve the sponsorships and the TV ad revenue to minimize the losses. It's paramount to the league right now, however, we’re getting close to fish-or-cut-bait time for the NHL and AHL because the clock is ticking to a new fiscal year of business that starts by the end of June,” commented a long-time hockey source. The NHL isn’t alone in trying to complete their seasons. Both Ukraine and Spain have tentative plans to finish their playoffs in September. Ukraine still has the semifinals and finals while Spain has just its championship round. CONGRATULATIONS Former Hartford Whaler and Rangers' defenseman, James Patrick, will be inducted into the University of North Dakota's sports Hall-of-Fame. Patrick was a first-round pick (9th overall) by the Rangers in the 1981 Draft. While with UND, he led the Fighting Sioux, as they were known then, to an NCAA title in his freshmen year and he was an all-tournament selection in the Frozen Four. Patrick was on the WCHA Conference's second-team All-Star. He was the conference Rookie-of-the-Year and won a WJC gold medal with Canada. In his sophomore season, he was a first-team WCHA All-Star, was first-team NCAA All America, and was a Hobey Baker finalist. Patrick played in 1,280 NHL games with the Rangers, Whalers, the Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres. Upon retiring, he spent seven years with Buffalo and then three years with the Dallas Stars as an assistant coach. Patrick is currently entering his fourth year as head coach with the Winnipeg Ice (WHL), a franchise moved from Cranbrook, BC (Kootenay) two years ago. His nephew Nolan is a member of the Philadelphia Flyers. IN OTHER COLLEGE NEWS Three weeks ago, The Vermont Catamounts saw long-time coach, Bob Gaudet, announce his retirement after 23 years. Todd Woodcroft becomes just their fifth coach in Vermont school history. This week the University sadly mourns the passing of their first Division I coach, Jim Cross (1965-1984), who shepherded them in from the Division II level.  Cross, 87 passed away due to COVID-19 complications. Cross coached Vermont to three ECAC Division II championships including back-to-back titles in 1973-1974 with a conference record of 37-1. He was named National Division II Coach-of-the-Year in 1974. Cross help the Catamounts transition to Division I hockey in the ECAC in 1974 getting into third place in their first season. His 19-year coaching mark was 280-251-9. A BU grad, Cross was honored by the Terriers in 1975 with its Harry Cleverly award given to alumni who excel in coaching. Cross was inducted into the University of Vermont Athletic Sports Hall-of-Fame in 1996 and just last year, the Hobey Baker Memorial Foundation named him recipient of the “Legend of College Hockey” award. He will posthumously be inducted into the Vermont Sports Hall-of-Fame later this year. Among the players he coached in Division I included, former New Haven Nighthawk, John Glynne (Hamden) and Kirk McCaskill, who had a much better professional baseball career with the California Angels (nee Anaheim Angels) for eleven years as a pitcher, after one season with the Sherbrooke Jets (AHL). He was one of the few hockey players drafted in two sports hockey (Winnipeg) and baseball. USHL DRAFT On Monday and Tuesday, the USHL conducted Phase I and Phase II of its annual draft. In Phase I, in the 2nd round, (26th overall), Connor Welsh (Greenwich/Brunswick Prep) was selected by the Sioux City Musketeers. Andrew DellaDonna from the US Selects Academy at South Kent Prep U-15 team was taken by Cedar Rapids Roughriders in the 4th round (55th overall). He is an Ohio State (Big 10) commit for 2022-23. In the fourth round (57th overall), the Fargo (ND) Force took Cam Knuble, the son of former Ranger, Mike Knuble, who played with the Fox Motor Sports U-15 (T1EHL). His older brother, Cam Knuble, just finished his junior career with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. The elder Knuble was his head coach and an assistant coach with Grand Rapids this past season. In the fifth round (63rd overall) Cedar Rapids selected John Emmons Jr. from the Oakland (MI) Grizzlies U-15 (HPHL). He is the son of John Emmons Sr. (New Canaan/Yale University) who was an assistant coach of his team this season. Lucas DiChiara (Fairfield), of the nationally renowned Shattuck St. Mary’s program in Minnesota, was taken in the ninth round (131st overall) by Muskegon. He is not currently college committed. In Phase II on Tuesday, Tabor Heaslip of the Avon Old Farms Winged Beavers was taken in the fourth round (56th overall) by Sioux City. He is currently slated to play for the UCONN Huskies (HE) in the fall. Five spots later, Matt Crasa from the Selects Academy at South Kent Prep, went in the fourth round (61st overall) was taken by Fargo. He skated for the Cowichan Valley Capitals (BCHL) this year with 44 points in 51 games and is slated to skate with the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHA) in the fall. In the ninth round (125th overall), Zach Tonelli of Taft Prep (Watertown) was taken by Cedar Rapids. He is the youngest son of New York Islanders great, John Tonelli. He is Brown University (ECACHL) commit 2021-22 where his older brother Jordan, also a Taft grad, will start in the fall. Ten picks later, David Andreychuk of Gunnery Prep (Washington, CT) went to the Waterloo Black Hawks. He is a St. Lawrence University (ECACHL) 2021-22 commit. The sons ex-Hartford Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Sound Tiger, David Karpa, were selected one round apart. In the 15th round (223rd overall) Zakary Karpa was taken by the Waterloo Black Hawks. He played for the US National Development Team (USNDTP) in the USHL, the US National U-18 Team. He's committed to the Princeton Tigers (ECACHL) in the fall. Younger brother Jakob Karpa went in the 16th round (242nd overall) to the Omaha Lancers from the Victory Honda U-18 (T1EHL/Midget) team. He is slated to skate for the Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) in the fall. Lastly, Ryan Vellluci, the son of ex-Whaler Mike, the current coach of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, was taken in the 18th round (262nd overall) by Muskegon from the Detroit Little Caesars U-18 (T1EHL) squad. He was taken by Saginaw Spirit in the 2018 OHL Priority Draft in the 13th round 242th overall. The other US junior league, the Tier II NAHL, will have its Supplemental Draft on May 12th.  81 players will be drafted (three per team) and an extra tender contract can be offered to one player per team the next day. The NAHL has pushed its main draft to July 21st. The QMJHL Draft will be conducted remotely and is scheduled for early next month. The first round will be on Friday, June 5th, with rounds 2-14 the following day. The U.S. Draft will be Monday, June 8th. The QMJHL released its CSB’s final list of available players and there are quite a few Connecticut kids listed as possibilities. A slew from the Greenwich-based prep school, Brunswick School. John Burdett, leading scorer, Andon Cerbone (Stamford), and John Gammage are on that list. Jakub Teply (Stamford) is scheduled to play for the Powell River RiverKings (BCHL) in the fall, and Beanie Richter, the youngest son of former Ranger great, Mike Richter. From Greenwich HS's Charlie Zolin and William Richards (Westport) from Staples HS, Peter Ungar (Stamford) of the CT Whalers U-15 (AYHL), Arthur Smith (Farmington) from the US Selects Academy at South Kent Prep and Daniel Lurie (Westminster Prep (Simsbury). Nicholas LeClaire (Colchester), a grad of Xavier HS (Middletown), who is now at Northfield Prep (MAPREP) and Charlie Leddy (Fairfield) of Avon Old Farms, who is slated to be with the USNDTP U-17 team in the fall and a Boston College (HE) commit in 2022-23, Aidan Cobb (Ridgefield) from Kent Prep and a Cornell University (ECACHL) commit for 2020-21, Charles Andriole (Branford) of Loomis Chaffe (Windsor), and incoming Taft Prep (Watertown) player, Isaiah Green (Sandy Hook) are also expected to be selected. The CHL Import Draft usually held a week after the NHL Draft is in a state of suspension because of COVID-19. TRANSACTIONS Alexander D. Tertyshny (Choate Prep), after playing with three teams last season, Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (Russia-MHL), Corpus Christi (NAHL), and Northeast (NAHL), heads to AIC-American International College (AHA) in the fall. Tertyshny is the son of former NHL’er, Dmitri Tertyshny, who played just one season with Philadelphia but died in a tragic boating accident in the off-season in Kelowna, BC on July 23, 1999. Justin Danforth (Sacred Heart University/Sound Tigers), departs Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL) to Vityaz Podolsk (Russia-KHL) for next season. Heading to Europe will be Swedish defenseman Pontus Ahberg from the Toronto Marlies to Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia-KHL) after playing for six years in North America. Anton Wedin leaves Rockford/Chicago (NHL) for HV 71 (Sweden-SHL). According to European media reports, several players are in the last stages of contract negotiations and are waiting on the call of the AHL season to be officially be canceled before making the announcement. Mikhail Vorobyov of Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers) is said to be heading to Salavat Yalaev (Russia-KHL). Josh Persson Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)/San Diego Gulls, and Gustav Forsling from the Charlotte Checkers are both to be going to EHC Biel/Bienne (Switzerland-LNA). Christian Folin Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens) to Frolunda HC (Sweden-SHL) and Henrik Borgstrom, Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida Panthers) to Jokerit Helsinki (Finland-KHL) are all still pending. That would make eleven players in total, with 10 of the 31 AHL teams to have at least one player sign overseas for 2020-21. Ex-Pack goalie, Miika Wiikman, who played last year with the Coventry Blaze (England-EIHL) and with HC Anglet (France-FREL) last year, announced his retirement due to injuries. Anton Sundin, the son of year one ex-Wolf Pack, Ronnie Sundin, after playing with three teams last year, signs with Halmstad HC (Sweden Division-1). Henrik Samuelsson, the son of ex-Whalers great, Rangers player, and an assistant coach with the Wolf Pack and Avon Old Farms, Ulf Samuelsson, leaves Manchester (England-EIHL) and signs a deal with Saryarka Karaganda (Russia-VHL). Ulf is still listed as the head coach for Leksands IF (Sweden-SHL) and a pro scout for Seattle (NHL). The youngest brother, Adam Samuelsson, is with Sudbury (OHL), and the eldest brother, Philip, is said to be close to signing with HK Riga (Latvia-KHL). Ex-New Haven Nighthawks and Ranger, Glen Hanlon, leaves DVTK (Hungary-EBEL) for Krefeld (Germany-DEL) as their new head coach. Former Beast of New Haven defenseman, Jaroslav Spacek, is an assistant coach of HC Plzen (Czech Republic-CEL) and an assistant with the Czech National Team program, saw his eldest son, David Spacek, who plays for HC Plzen U-16/U-18 squads and for the Czech Republic U-17 Team last season. Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: VINNI LETTIERI PLAYS BIG PIECE OF WOLF PACK PLAYOFF RUN

Vinni Lettieri BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings CROMWELL, CT - Prior to his departure for the AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, California Vinni Lettieri was in a good spot as the final 22 games of the regular season. The last stretch commences in a home and home divisional pair of games with Springfield starting Friday at 7:15 pm at the XL Center. Lettieri returns along with teammate Joey Keane and head coach Kris Knoblauch as part of Atlantic Division winners of the 2020 AHL All-Star Classics. Lettieri popped in two goals the first came on a breakaway 2:13 into the first period for the Atlantic Division squad. The second was vintage Vinni off wing slapshot on a cross-ice feed from Providence’s Jack Studnicka 26 seconds into the action against the North Division. Then Joey Keane scored the next goal a little over two minutes later en route to a 5-2 win. He would also add an assist on the night. Now that all festivities are over Lettieri gets back to the task at hand. Practice is the key to his growth and progress. A few weeks ago in Cromwell, he and Keane spent a half hour or so taking extra shots and in one sequence hit the post three times in a row and he tossed his stick up in the air in baton tossing fashion. “That was one day because it's every day. To get better you have to do it every day. Joey and I do it a half-hour or so and it's important because it helps me to know where I am now and where I wanna go, work every day. It's always good to work with someone on those one-timers and Joey has been really good at it. Our powerplay has to improve, so we put in the extra time.” He has admitted his season was a slower start than he would have liked, but on and off-ice work has helped his game improve. “I have watched videos that have given me of Artemi Panarin (Rangers), ex-CT Whale Jonathan Marchessault (Las Vegas) and David Pasternak, (Boston the NHL’s leading goals scorer). It's learning how to hold onto the puck to make a better shot just not shooting randomly. So it's just one thing that changes everything it’s a combination of things. It's not a pattern that I see its learning each game is different. Using the coaches and all the other resources plus my teammates have helped make me a better all-around player,” remarked Lettieri. Panarin, the Rangers leading scorer and who has a high-end skill set is not a bad guy to pattern some of your game after. “Watching how he holds the puck in preparing for a shot is something, it's one of the little things of the game you learn. Pasternak’s shoots so well from any area he’s at its amazing. Marchessault, he seems to be everywhere and he is really dynamic and has great acceleration,” said Lettieri showing his keen scouting skills. Over the roller coaster past few weeks haven’t left Lettieri having seen the valley of the last two seasons. “For the better part of the year we have played the same way and stuck to our game plan and it’s a long season nothing is perfect. Yes, we could have played better in some ways, but overall I like this group and think more often than not will come out on top,” As they prepare for a weekend with Springfield a year ago same building he was adamant about making the playoffs three days the captain was traded and the team never recovered. This is obviously a very different group. “We certainly want it, but that is always important that we have to focus and continue to grow and get better and those things will take care of themselves.” AHL NEWS -Two pieces of new AHL arena news coming out of the AHL All-Star Classic. The San Jose City Council Tuesday night approved the expansion of the Solar4 American Ice Center that will become the new home of the AHL San Jose Barracuda. The arena located in central San Jose 3.6 miles about from the SAP Center aka Shark Tank where the Sharks and their AHL affiliate have shared the building for the past five years since the creation of the AHL Pacific Division. The upgrade slated to start this April that will see the complex go from four to six sheets of ice including a 4,200 seat competition arena that is to be completed by April 2022. The arena sits on a 21.2-acre site that also includes Excite Ballpark, home to the high, Class A eight-team California League San Jose Giants. The building has been the only secondary off-site training facility for the Sharks and Barracuda. The facility is also home to the collegiate varsity club hockey squad, the San Jose State Spartans (ACHA Division-2) and local high school hockey. This new facility combined with the AHL coming 32nd team, the expansion Palm Springs, CA team the affiliate for the expansion NHL Seattle team further solidifies the western growth of hockey both NHL, AHL and soon collegiately. -The West will also be solidified by the announcement from outgoing AHL President and CEO Dave Andrews that the Vegas Golden Knights are actively seeking to buy a current AHL team and move them to the Las Vegas area. The arena would be in nearby Paradise called, the Orleans Arena that was home to the ECHL Las Vegas Wranglers from 2003-20014. The building is 7,773 seats- a perfect AHL size building but would have to undergo a serious overhaul of its operating systems to be ready by the fall of 2020. Now, which team would they purchase? The most likely candidate could be Rockford whose arrangement with the Chicago Black Hawks ends after this season. In that scenario, the Golden Knights would purchase Rockford and then move the team to Las Vegas. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have the Chicago Wolves as their farm team would vacate that arrangement. That could allow the Black Hawks to skate into an arrangement as the Wolves' new parent team. The Wolves are one of the few independently owned teams left in the league in which 19 of the 32 teams are NHL O & O (owned and operated) and is one of the best attended and promoted teams in the league. When Wolves were firstborn in the old IHL under its present owner Don Levin the two were arch enemies. 20 plus years have passed. Rocky Wirtz, not his father Bill is running the team I can see a marriage being formed with the Black Hawks. There are some other possibilities, but Andrews's comments at the State of the AHL press conference made it clear it was more of a matter of when--not if--the AHL would be in the Las Vegas area. “I think that at some point there will be an (AHL) team in Vegas, or (the Golden Knights) will own a team, but would have to happen pretty soon.”  Andrews remarked who is as cautious as NHL President Gary Bettman is regarding announcements or speculations about team transfers, relocations or disbanding. NOTES: -Wolf Pack GM and Trumbull native, Chris Drury added another piece to his executive resume as he was named to the GM post of Team USA that will play in early May at the World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland. -Now that the NHL and AHL All-Star breaks have concluded temporary roster moves for that time period have ended and movement has begun once again. Goalie Adam Huska who went 1-1 with a 1.53 GAA win and Lewis Zerter-Gossage who scored his first ECHL in his two games were returned from Portland officially Monday. Maine’s goalie Francois Brassard in a paper transaction was released from his PTO with the Wolf Pack. Conversely, officially recalled on Wednesday by the Rangers was goalie Igor Shesterkin, but I don’t think this is the last time we will see him. If Alexander Georgiev is not traded by the NHL Trade deadline (February 24th) he would likely be returned by then. The Rangers could keep him in New York till their officially eliminated from playoff contention presently the Rangers are in the seventh spot for the wild card 10 points back. Expect Shesterkin to be here when the Wolf Pack start the Calder Cup playoffs and with Igor, the Wolf Pack’s chances for a long run are significantly improved. -Other notables from the AHL All-Star Classic were two former Quinnipiac Bobcats Sam Anas (Iowa) with two goals and Brogan Rafferty (Utica) with a goal and an assist. Ex-Pack and Sound Tiger Matt Ford (Grand Rapids) scored twice. -Lias Andersson’s suspension was officially lifted and was formally reassigned to HV 71 (Sweden-SHL) for the rest of the season. -Ex-Wolf Pack Dale Weise was recalled back to Montreal from Laval, Jarred Tinordi son ex-New Haven Nighthawk Mark Tinordi was recalled by Nashville from Milwaukee, Jansen Harkins, son of former Whaler Todd Harkins was recalled to Winnipeg from Manitoba and Max Jones, son of former New Haven Nighthawk/Senators Brad Jones goes from San Diego to Anaheim. -Goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury Prep) was assigned to Atlanta (ECHL) by Charlotte. -Former UCONN Husky, Karl El-Mir was sent from Indy (ECHL) as the future consideration of a trade made last week with Greenville (ECHL). -Ex-Sound Tiger John Persson signs a deal with Brynas IF (Sweden-SHL) for the rest of the season and for 2020-21 leaving SaiPa (Finland-FEL) who were having a poor season. -Ex-Sound Tiger assistant coach Matt Bertani is an assistant coach with Team South Korea at the IIHF U-20 Division II Group B tournament being held in Gangnueng South Korea till February 3rd. -We'll be seeing a goalie named Stauber a few times over the next few years. Jaxon Stauber, son of the former Wolf Pack and Nighthawk netminder, Robb Stauber has made a commitment to Providence College (HE) next year 2020-21. The 6’3 undrafted netminder played one game with Minnesota- State Mankato Mavericks (WCHA) before suddenly returning to Sioux Falls (USHL) for this season who are the defending USHL Clark Cup champions, where he was the playoff MVP last season. Father Robb just completed his AHL honorary captain duties at the AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, California at the Toyota Center, Sunday and Monday. -Easton Armstrong, son ex-Pack great Derek Armstrong played his first two WHL with Regina picking up a one shot on goal. Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: DR. JEKYLL AND MR. WOLF PACK

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings CROMWELL, CT - The sprint toward the end of the season normally starts after the AHL All-Star break as well as the February 24th NHL Trade Deadline. It increasingly looks like the Hartford Wolf Pack will still be playing hockey when the calendar flips over to April. However, the past performance over two weeks losing four road games in varying different ways does raise some red flags. The "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" routine is coming not only game-to-game but period-to-period over this stretch. Head coach Kris Knoblauch showed his displeasure over the first loss against Wilkes Barre/Scranton in their second shutout of the season 3-0 as they headed out last weekend. His mood improved a little. The games in Utica, two of them and the finale of the road trip in Hershey point to some underlying problems that need to be addressed. The first period of the first game in Utica the team went down 5-0 easily the worst period of the season as "Dr. Jekyll" showed up. Knoblach pulled starter Adam Huska for just the second time this season he was not alone in the first period debacle, but can’t pull all your players off, although it might have been an improvement. “Yes, it was five nothing, but it wasn‘t five nothing, It wasn’t the full indication of how we played,“ remarked Knoblauch. “It wasn’t a good period. We were turning pucks over and give high marks to Utica, they turned our mistakes into goals. We have to balance our play better an show more urgency.” Then "Mr. Hyde" appeared as the Wolf Pack recovered and roared back to tie the game at five starting with Vitali Kravtsov’s second goal just 10 seconds into the second period and Vinni Lettieri’s goal with 14.8 seconds left in regulation to knot the game and put all the momentum on its side. Kravtsov’s play has markedly improved and Knoblauch thinks brighter days are ahead for the Russian rookie. “He is in a really good spot right now. He is cheerful and working hard getting used to the North American rink. He's realizing there is not as much room out there. It's tighter space. The rinks are smaller and he will get hit more often. When you make the turn there isn’t that extra space, it just the boards. He understands it better now (systems and playing style) and is starting to make a positive impact on our lineup. He’s played both the left and the right side. With Fogarty back, he has shifted to the right side.” The Pack gained a point but lost the game in the three-on-three OT with 34 seconds remaining. Knoblauch, in Charlotte two months ago, after 1,625 Wolf Pack franchise games, pulled starting goalies in back-to-back games. He would shorten that time span in doing it again just 11 games later, as he lifted starter Tom McCollum and inserted Huska. Utica’s Jason Bailey, the ex-Sound Tiger recorded his second hat trick in as many games becoming the first player since Mark Mancari, then of the Portland Pirates on January 22-23, 2011 against Providence and Worcester, to record that feat. Bailey earned the AHL/CCM Player of the Week (primary assist goes to AHL VP of Communications Jason Chaimovitch for providing that great stat on Mancari). The Wolf Pack has been outscored 20-12 in this stretch. “We're giving up too many chances. We have to tighten things up right now,” said Knoblauch. Defensive combinations are being contemplated. “We're looking to change things up. We tried several things in practice. For the first time, we have now three lefties and three righty shooting defensemen, but we haven’t made a decision yet. I’ll have to have something ready by 7 pm tomorrow night.” Then in Hershey again the team's lackluster defensive play cost them dearly with the player suffering most being Libor Hajek, in Hartford on a conditioning stint, was a minus-4 in three games. Certainly not the direction the Rangers were hoping for in this rehab stint with the Wolf Pack. “We all have to realize Libor has missed a significant amount of time with injuries, I wouldn’t call them struggles. He is getting back into game shape, getting the feel and flow of a game. Its not an easy thing to do. It’s a progression for him. It’s a matter of getting his timing down and feeling comfortable,” said associate head coach Gord Murphy. All-Star Joey Keane had a tough night in Hershey too, getting beaten on a one-on-one in front of the net that led to a goal. “You don’t want guys running around trying to make hits, bumping into each other either. To put yourself in the proper position, you've got to move your feet and skate on the right side of the puck. We got away from that a little bit. We have had a couple of good days here to get our skating legs back I think it's going to help us this weekend,” commented Murphy. The team defense took it on the chin as the opponents outscored the Wolf Pack 20-12 “We have a good defensive corps to start. We have to work on the fundamentals that were first looking out for our own zone on out, “ remarked Murphy in charge of the defense “ We gotta box people out better, watch their sticks and keeping them (opponents) to the perimeter. Maybe we’re a little fatigued on the road, back-to-back games. We probably sat back more than we should have and weren’t aggressive enough.” Up-front, Letteri, and in Hershey, Boo Nieves, have maintained their point-a-game pace of late, but the secondary scoring has been spotty. Shawn McBride has been the exception picking up his first pro goal against Utica and then picking up an assist in Hershey. The team has also been snakebitten as Nick Jones with an open net in Hershey managed to hit goalie Phoenix Copley in the mask as he was getting back to the net. NOTES: Huska was reassigned to the Maine Mariners (ECHL) after practice to continue getting playing time while Igor Shesterkin and Tom McCollum are in Hartford. He will be return next week when Shesterkin is recalled when the Rangers season starts up again when the NHL All Star break ends. A logical move. In a curious move, Maine goalie Francois Brassard, who played in just seven games, and was a training camp invitee this year, signed to a PTO deal. The Rangers assigned him to Hartford. In addition, they sent forward Lewis Zerter-Gossage back to Maine. Talk continues of a possible deal to be announced when the NHL All-Star break ends involving Alexander Georgiev possibly? The Wolf Pack’s leading scorer Vinni Lettieri (42-18-17-35) was rewarded as the Shesterkin replacement in the AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, CA. “I am obviously very grateful. I appreciate my teammates, the coaching staff, the training, and equipment staff; they all helped me and are part of this too." Knoblauch is his regular season and now All-Star coach. He praised his top point-getter. “He was a possibility of an All-Star, but his play over the last four weeks clearly earned him the honor and unfortunately Igor won’t be going.” Knoblauch was his ever-gracious, self-taking no-victory laps on being named the coach of the Atlantic squad. “The only reason I’m going is because of the guys in that locker room. Joey and Igor were deserving of their selections and we're only limited to two players, but they’re several others in there, in my opinion, who are worthy of being there.” Shesterkin and forward Di Giuseppe were reassigned to the Wolf Pack Wednesday. Di Giuseppe was scratched all four games he could have played since his recall. Meet the new Rangers, same as the old Rangers when it comes to recalls. The Wolf Pack recalled defenseman Jeff Taylor from Maine. He played in three games (now 10 in total) in Maine and scored a goal and an assist after playing just eight of a possible 30 Wolf Pack games. Mason Geersten helped Utica’s Vincent Arseneau earn an unpleasant hat trick. Aresenau, who lost a majority decision in a Hartford scrap two weeks ago to Geersten, got pushed down late in the game last Friday, in Utica. He decided he wanted another crack at Big Gert with nine seconds to go. It was a big mistake getting knocked out with a thunderous right hand from the 6’4 225 lb. Geersten, a defenseman playing left wing. He lost the fight decisively and got an instigator penalty. He was suspended by the AHL for getting the instigator in the last five minutes of a game. See the fight HERE The Islanders sent Bridgeport defenseman Sebastien Aho and sent rearguard Ryan McKinnon to Worcester (ECHL) for the break. Ex-Pack Jordan Owens is playing Canadian senior league hockey with the Brantford Blast (ACH0) that’s Allan Cup Hockey Ontario. Last year he with the Sheffield Steelers (England-EIHL) in Melbourne, Australia (Melbourne Mustangs AIHL) playing hockey. Ex-Pack, Akim Aliu, who made headlines across the US and Canada regarding two months ago about a 10-year-old racially charged pair of incidents with his then, head coach, Bill Peters in Rockford (AHL) in several tweets on Twitter. The firestorm led to the dismissal of Peters by the Calgary Flames. Aliu gave his first full interview with Hockey Night In Canada host, Ron McLean this past weekend. See it HERE. Aliu was signed on Tuesday to a deal to play defense by HC Litvinov (Czech Republic-CEL) for the rest of the season. Ex-Pack, Robin Kovacs, was traded from Lulea HF to Orebro HK (Sweden-SHL) and as expected the team announced, a three-year deal that he was going to get after the season ended. In a sign that we're all getting old, congrats to Easton Armstrong, the second son of the Wolf Pack's original founding member, Derek Armstrong and his wife Shannon. He played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings U-16 team (TIEHL) signed a standard WHL player agreement with the Regina Pats (WHL) who drafted him as their 10th pick 214th overall in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. He could play this weekend in the two Pats home games, Friday night against the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Sunday afternoon against the Saskatoon Blades. Easton will be wearing jersey #37 as jersey #17, Dad’s old Wolf Pack number is retired (Bill Hicke). The Pats GM and VP of Hockey Ops is the father of Derek’s former coach and Wolf Pack great, John Paddock. Older brother Dawson, who was born in Hartford currently plays with the Utah Outliers (WSHL) with 26 points in 28 games. Derek played junior hockey with the OHL Sudbury Wolves and next weekend will be an honorary captain at the AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, California. He will be joined with former Wolf Pack teammate and former New Haven Nighthawk, goalie Robb Stauber as the other honorary captain. Lukas Sillinger, the middle son of ex-Sound Tiger Mike Sillinger announced his commitment to Bemidji State (NCHC) to join his older brother Owen. Younger brother Cole is with Medicine Hat (WHL) while Dad is a scout with Regina (WHL). Read the full article

CANTLON: PACK PREPARE FOR BUSY WEEKEND

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack will entertain the Charlotte Checkers Friday night before departing for four games on the road over the next two weeks. They will not return home until January 24th against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Wolf Pack winning streak grew to five-games and in the process, tying their season-best mark after a 2-1 win over the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center before 10,240 on a Wednesday night. Hartford's leading scorer, Vinni Lettieri, has six points in his last five games. He also has scored a goal three straight scored the game-winning goal, his 14th, with 53.9 seconds left in the game. Goalie Adam Huska stopped 26 of 27 shots. The Wolf Pack was held to just 15 shots but made the two that scored led them to victory. Boo Nieves continues his strong play and has garnered seven points in his last six gamers. The Wolf Pack holds the top spot in the Atlantic Division with a record of 22-8-2-5 (51 points) and now are four points ahead of Hershey and six ahead of the Providence Bruins. For Hershey, this was just their second loss in their last 15 games. The team has undergone some serious roster changes in the past month and with the exception of a small blip of a five-game losing streak, they have maintained a strong level of consistency at home, late in games, and against key divisional rivals. The Wolf Pack are 15-1-2-5 at home and are unbeaten with taking a lead after two periods at 14-0-1-2. They've won all five games thus far against Providence who they were battling for first place before being supplanted by Hershey. LIFE WITHOUT IGOR Goaltender Igor Shesterkin is on recall by the New York Rangers and made his NHL debut with a 5-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche. Shesterkin got off to a tough start giving up goals on his first two shots. To be fair, all three goals he surrendered he wasn't totally responsible for. One was a tip-in, another a breakaway from Nathan MacKinnon and a wide-open goal on the right-wing. Shesterkin followed that up with a superb showing stopping 46 of 49 shots in a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils as ex-Wolf Pack, Tony D’Angelo piled up five points, including the first hat-trick since the Hall of Fame Brian Leetch (Cheshire) had in a playoff game in 1995. It was only the third in team history and the first two were Reijo Ruotsolainen (1982) and Dave Maloney (1980). Shesterkin was very sharp in the third period stopping a pair of scoring chances from Avalanche defensemen Samuel Girard and Calder Trophy candidate, Cale Makar. No doubt Shesterkin will have a long NHL career, but the Rangers also have two competent, capable NHL goalies in future Hall-of-Famer, Henrik Lundquist, and ex-Pack, Alexander Georgiev. Carrying three goalies is difficult at any level of hockey, with one netminder always on the outside looking in, and likely unhappy. The Rangers have been anticipating their fifth-round draft choice in 2012. He had superb KHL numbers and has finally arrived in North America. Shesterkin’s deal to come to North America was struck in the spring when the Rangers negotiated a European (KHL) clause in his deal that kicked in at halfway mark of the AHL season. It was eclipsed by several games, and the NHL season clause has been met, and he could return to Russia without penalty. The NHL trade deadline is February 24th, just seven weeks away. Lundqvist’s age, salary, and no-movement clause make it HIGHLY unlikely he's going anywhere, and the market for Georgiev isn’t clear at this point. Shesterkin is likely to see more action at the NHL level. It is possible but perhaps unlikely, that Shesterkin, who does not need to pass through waivers, will get sent to Hartford to playing time when Lundqvist and Georgiev are in the net. There will be a lot of rumors and a lot of news coming out of New York that will effect Hartford as the deadline approaches and the Rangers decide if they should be a buyer or a seller at the deadline and how to supplement the success currently going on in the Connecticut capital. MESSAGE FROM SWEDEN Lias Andersson was last seen departing on a plane from Bradley International Airport after the Wolf Pack's two-game road trip to Charlotte. He hasn’t been seen since until the next day after he'd left the team that through his agent it became public that Andersson had requested a trade. He was suspended by the Rangers and there has been radio silence until Wednesday. Andersson gave an interview with the Swedish sports news service, SVTP Sports (their version of ESPN/TSN). Uffe Bodin, the Editor-In-Chief of newsme.com, tweeted this translated information. The troubling tweet raises some serious questions and cast some serious aspersions and insinuations that could have profound impacts going forward for Andersson having any hope of returning to the Rangers or to any organization contemplating acquiring him. Was Andersson injured toward the end of his self-imposed departure from Hartford? What was this alleged incident that occurred that made things untenable for him to stay in Hartford? His assertion about "feeling safe" depicts some untoward work environment in Hartford, was there any? Is he using the team-issued suspension after leaving the team as some faux reasoning for sitting in Sweden and not practicing in Hartford or Cromwell with the Wolf Pack? Was he handling or coping with the rigors of pro hockey and being a number seven overall draft pick very well? Based on his play and this move the answer would be no. Andersson could be making a fatal career mistake here. The NHL is a very closed society. While the teams are on ice rivals and there's a union as a league and when one seeks to overturn the order of things, they don’t like it very much. Especially from a player in his first three years of an NHL deal that he and his agent signed off on and approved by both the NHL and the NHLPLA. Teams are not likely to take on a player who jumps ship when he's under-performing at the NHL and AHL level on an entry-level contract. There is hockey graveyard littered with first-round busts and players whose ego’s got the better of them. Andy, as he was known, was not a malcontent by several accounts, but self-imposed pressure to live up to his number seven overall status is a part of the equation that has him in Sweden and not Hartford. One veteran NHL scout said on the condition that they not be named, about Andersson. “I spoke to our GM about him, and he said, ‘It’s not his fault he was drafted seventh when maybe 27 or 37 was more appropriate. He has to understand that he isn’t a top-six forward, but a bottom-six forward. I think he’s a salvageable player at age 20, but he has to change his self-appraisal of his skill set.” On what could be likely his last ever Wolf Pack goal, he was contemplating a Filip Forsberg (Nashville) move on a breakaway coming off the right-wing. For Andersson, if he's to have an NHL career, this walkout needs to end immediately. NOTES: The Bridgeport Sound Tigers made an AHL deal with the Utica Comets where they sent oft-injured forward, John Stevens Jr. to the Comets for future considerations. Stevens is the son of ex-Hartford Whaler, AHL Hall of Famer, and current Dallas Stars, Assistant Coach, John Stevens Sr. Drake Rymsha, the son of ex-New Haven Nighthawk, Andy Rynsha, was sent from Ontario (AHL) to Ft. Wayne (ECHL). How about trading your nephew? All-time Wolf Pack great, and head coach, John Paddock, who's the current GM and VP of Hockey Ops for the Regina Pats (WHL) sent his nephew, Max, to the Prince Albert Raiders yesterday. That won't be awkward at the Christmas Table Goalie Nick Malik, the son of ex-Whaler, Ranger, and Beast of New Haven defenseman, Marek Malik, is leaving home for North America. He played primarily with HC Frydek-Mistek (Czech Republic Division-2) where his father is the assistant coach this season. His Czech Elite League (CEL) rights are with HC Ocelari Trinec where he played two games. The younger Malik got in some time for the Czech Republic WJC team in the just-completed tournament but has decided to head to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) for the rest of the year. The Greyhounds drafted him in the CHL Import last June in the first-round (50th overall). All CHL teams are involved in the draft. He was eleventh pick (168th overall) in the NAHL Draft by the Muskegon Lumberjacks as well last year Ethan Cardwell, the nephew of former New Haven Knights, Matt Cardwell, was traded from the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) to the Barrie Colts (OHL) as part of a five-player trade at the junior trade deadline. Logan Stephenson, the son of former Whaler, Bob Stephenson, goes from ASC Corona Brasov (Romania-EBEL) to HKM Zloven (Slovakia-SLEL) for the rest of the season. Read the full article

CANTLON: WOLF PACK LOOK TO BREAK LOSING STREAK IN SPRINGFIELD

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack will have three cracks at ending their losing streak this weekend. Just one will do in Springfield Friday night in their fifth consecutive road game. The hope is to start a winning streak at the XL Center on the back end of a hockey doubleheader against the Binghamton Devils at 7:30 PM. On Sunday the Pack gets on the bus to travel to Providence for a 3 PM puck drop against the Baby Bruins. “Things could be different. We went to overtime (the last two) games. However, they're still two losses. Our powerplay had some scoring chances. It helped us against Hershey, but still isn’t performing as we would like. Maybe we won some games early in the season we shouldn’t have, and now we're losing games we deserve to win,” team captain, Steven Fogarty, stated. “We're still in the games," Fogarty added. "We're not getting blown out. I thought we played really well the first two periods against Lehigh Valley, but they took it to us in the third, but we were there in overtime. "In Hershey, it was a weird game. Special teams, lots of teddy bears, (Hershey had their Teddy Bear toss). I don’t want to make excuses. We're not gonna win every game. No team has ever done that,” Fogarty said with a laugh and a wry smile. "If we stick to the small things will get back to where we were.” There will be some lineup changes for the weekend. Defenseman Sean Day was reassigned to the team's ECHL affiliates, the Maine Mariners. Yegor Rykov (pronounced Ree-kov) will make his regular season debut after missing the first two months of the season while recovering from a high ankle sprain suffered in the Traverse City prospects camp in early September. He was given full medical clearance last week and was formally reassigned Wednesday to Hartford where he has been skating for the past month. “We have an excess of defenseman now with Yegor coming back to play this weekend, and Jeff Taylor is playing great. He a very valued prospect. He was originally scheduled to be here for the opening day roster, but unfortunately, the injury pushed him back. There were discussions about (where he would go), but it was felt best that this is where he should be,” Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said of the Russian rookie rearguard. Taylor was signed in the off-season from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins roster. He has been scratched more than he has played. He did well enough last weekend that the New York Rangers/Wolf Pack elected to keep him and to send Day back to Maine for a second time in his brief pro career. “The way (Taylor) is playing, there is no way we're going to send him back. Sean is a good defenseman. He’ll be back. He was helpful when he was here, and we want to make sure he gets his minutes (in Maine),” Knoblauch said flatly. Upfront, Tim Gettinger, who missed both of last weekend’s game with a lower-body injury, will be back, as will Lewis Zerter-Gossage (upper body). “I think five-on-five we need to generate more offense, and in those games, that’s where you need your power play to come through for you, and lately it hasn’t come through as often as we'd like. "Our last game, (in Hershey), we were terrible five-on-five, but there, our powerplay did give us an opportunity with two power play goals and that makes a huge difference and special teams are very important,” Knoblauch said in speaking of his 27th ranked power play which is operating at a flaccid 11.0%. In net, Igor Shesterkin is slated to start the game Friday with Adam Huska going Saturday against Binghamton. Knoblauch has no qualms about the play he's receiving in the 4x6 cage. “Our goaltending has been outstanding and has been very good. It looks bad right now, but that is a reflection of how we have been playing in front of them. We are defending more than we should be, that’s because we're not making the simple passes. We're trying the longer ones, which are more low percentage, and we give away possession (of the puck), so we're back more in our zone and that leads to breakdowns and scoring chances.” Fogarty thinks there could be something to their recent play relying on their two brick walls in net a little too much. “Maybe subconsciously we might be doing that a bit, but we're trying to cheat and maybe make plays we shouldn’t have. They're still making those saves for us and it certaintly is not in our game plan." The main game plan is to win in regulation and start a new winning streak. NOTES: Late note... Shesterkin could be recalled in the morning depending on the condition of Henrik Lundqvist who took ill before the Columbus game a 3-2 Rangers win. The emergency goalie was in the house, but Alexander Georgiev went between the pipes and was spectacular making 45 saves. Cayden Primeau, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Keith Primeau, made his NHL debut in Montreal and was on the short lost a 3-2 decision to Colorado. The Thunderbirds gave up 63 shots on goal in regulation at home on Wednesday night to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. They recalled defenseman Dylan MacPherson from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL). Former Wolf Pack goalie, Chris Nell, is now on his third ECHL team in the first two months of the season. He was traded from the Adirondack Thunder to the Florida Everblades. Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger, Jared Gomes, leaves the Brampton Beast (ECHL) to head to EC Bad Nauheim (Germany DEL-2). Kristoff Kontos, the son of ex-New Haven Nighthawk and Ranger, Chris Kontos, signs a deal for the rest of the year with Vimmerby HC (Sweden Division-1). The World Junior Championship tourney comes up in three weeks with rosters starting to get filled in with names. Canada has one local name. Peter Diliberatore from Quinnipiac University (ECACHL). The team's goalie coach is Pack all-time great, Jason LaBarbera. Sweden has announced the names of two Rangers prospects on the initial roster. They are defenseman Nils Lundqvist, and center Karl Henriksson. Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: OFF-SEASON NEWS AND NOTES - VOLUME I

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - Now that the Bradford pears and forsythias have sprung into bloom and are kicking in, the New York Rangers might want to put a giant set of forsythias in front of the XL Center to obscure the Hartford Wolf Pack after another spring without playoff hockey. The roster for 2019-20 is in the embryonic stage of development, however without a coaching staff, not much will be known until after a new Rangers President is named. That decision isn’t likely to come until mid-to-late May. GM Jeff Gorton is the final hockey authority in the MSG hierarchy and a lot will be ongoing as the presidential search process continues. As of May 1st, this is what the Wolf Pack roster might look like before any trades and the upcoming June draft in Vancouver is done. Goalies: Alexander Georgiev and Adam Huska. The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! Goaltender, Igor Shestyorkin, and forward, Vitali Kravtsov, will finally be coming to New York next season, but there are caveats. Neither has formally signed a contract, but that could be coming soon as both of their KHL contracts concluded on April 30th. Both will be in the Rangers prospects camp at Chelsea Piers in Stamford, CT while their practice facility undergoes renovations.  A report from Larry Brooks of the New York Post says that in Shestyorkin’s deal, there will likely contain a non-Hartford clause roughly along these lines; if he doesn’t make the Rangers he could be reassigned to SKA St. Petersburg, his KHL club. If he does make the Rangers, Shestyorkin would likely need some adjustment period to the North American smaller rinks. It's entirely possible that he could play for Hartford say for a limited period of time at the beginning of the season before being elevated and Georgiev either gets returned to the Pack or traded. It would be similar to the Dustin Tokarski, who is a UFA this summer and Marek Mazanec who rotated this season with Georgiev to get playing time when Henrik Lundqvist was playing long stretches. Brandon Halverson and Chris Nell have their entry-level deals expiring. Neither is likely to be re-signed. Defense: Ryan Lindgren, Libor Hajak, Chris Bigras, Brandon Crawley, Sean Day, Darren Raddysh, and Joey Keane. Except for Keane, a rookie from London (OHL), they are all players returning some coming off season-ending injuries (Lindgren - a concussion, Bigras - ankle, and Hajak-shoulder). Day and Crawley had major struggles this past season. Bigras is an RFA and a player the Pack should re-sign if they are going to have to have some continuity. Leaving: John Gilmour, a Group 6 UFA (Unrestricted free agent) was undrafted and has not played 80 NHL games by his 25th birthday. Because of this unique status as an unrestricted free agent, under the CBA, he should and will likely sign elsewhere. A pro hockey career is a short one. This is a rare financial opportunity and with the Rangers currently having four defensemen making $4 million plus per year, it's not likely to leave much roster room. Defenseman Rob O’Gara, another Group 6 UFA, and one of the assistant captains this year, ended the year with an injury (back spasms). Like Gilmour, with economic freedom, he's likely to take advantage of it. O’Gara was cautious in his exit interview on breakup day. “It's very tough to be a part of something like this, with the season we had and to see how it affects somebody like our coach. You develop a relationship over a season, so when something like this happens, you feel personally responsible, even though we were together as a team. He helped me keep developing my game. Early on in the season, I went to get some mental help for my game (with a sports psychologist) and he also helped me come around on that end. We built that trust early on. It was big. I was trying too hard and not doing the things I do well.” A four-year pro veteran, O'Gara is getting healthy with his back and handling his pending nuptials in Booth Bay Harbor, Maine. In July, he'll marry his high school sweetheart, Isabella Wise, and letting the hockey economics take care of themselves. “You know the first three years between here, Providence, and Boston, I have seen all sides of this business. We (he and his agent) have talked informally, but my priority is to get healthy, get back to normal, plan my wedding, and we'll see what happens for next year,” O’Gara said as he departed with personnel from the locker room still having to carry his bags to his car because his back is still clearly not 100%. Josh Wesley, still Carolina Hurricane property, will likely be cut loose when the Charlotte Checkers end their run likely in June in the Calder Cup Final. Julius Bergman, a late-season acquisition from Ottawa, is an RFA. He is being pursued by several Swedish Hockey League teams and will likely return home. Darren Raddysh, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks for Peter Holland, was unimpressive during his stay in the Connecticut capitol. He supplied just a lone goal on 23 shots in 22 games. Not sterling numbers for an offensive defenseman to say the least. Add in a minus-10 rating, and he shouldn’t come back even with another year left. Buy him out. It’s a worthy investment. Forwards: Steven Fogarty, Ville Meskanen, Ryan Gropp, Tim Gettinger, Matt Beleskey, Shawn O’ Donnell, Ty Ronning, Jake Elmer, Ryan Dmowski, Patrick Newell, Nick Jones, Shawn McBride Fogarty, a group 6 free agent, has already signed for next year at ($150K-AHL). Boo Nieves is another who was already signed. He would seem to be a logical choice to carry the captain's C next year. Lately, though that has been like having the scarlet letter on your chest and not a badge of courage since the last four captains have all been traded. Gropp must have a breakout year next season. He was better in the second half, but he spent three weeks in Maine in December to jumpstart his game. Matt Beleskey, if he isn’t brought out in the summer or packaged in a trade, will return for just two reasons. First, he has an extremely cap friendly contract of which the Rangers take just a $825K hit when he isn’t in the NHL on his last year of a four-year deal at $1.9 million per season that was originally signed with the Bruins and they need to fill a veteran spot up front. Meskanen, paired with Beleskey and Peter Holland for most of the season, was heading back to his home in Southern Finland to see his girlfriend and his dog. Losing his first pro head coach was not on his bucket list. “That’s not what I was expecting or wanted. I guess they want some fresh (new) blood here maybe it will be a change for the better. I liked both those guys.” The lanky winger showed progress and mental toughness, and he knows he has lots of offseason work ahead. “They were very honest with me about my play. I really liked when they told me what I had to improve on. Playing with Holly (Holland) was very good for me. He helped me (adjust) both on and off the ice and to get used to North American style. I know I have to improve my skating and get stronger to win the one-on-one open battles in the corner, so I’m looking forward to working on that in summer practices. I think I have a better idea of what it's like here and I will be more ready next year. I had no clue when I got here.” Meskanen replied with his sly, dry wit. Shawn O’Donnell provides another veteran presence that they will need, O'die is a good loyal soldier who knows he isn’t NHL material, and he accepts working with the prospects in their development. He is on an AHL deal only. Ty Ronning, who was misused most the season in Hartford and then suffered injuries, will look to play a full season in the American League for his sophomore season. The late-season rookie Elmer, Jones, Dmowski, McBride, and Zerter-Gossage all showed good skill sets and should be in training camp in the fall. The Vitali Kravtsov factor will be interesting if he is sent to Hartford to get quality playing time early a la Filip Chytil two years ago is an unknown. Tim Gettinger had some genuine understanding of what he needs to for next season after a season at minus 20 in his rookie campaign. “I have been more physical consistently in the offensive and defensive zone. It’s a big summer for me personally and everybody in the room to be fully ready for training camp in the fall. It’s gonna be a whole new coaching staff to adjust to, but we have to work harder and try to worry about the things off the ice and concentrate what we do on the ice,” commented the rookie winger while driving back to the Cleveland area for the summer. Leaving: Vinni Lettieri is an RFA (Restricted Free Agent). He just misses Group 6 status by five months, but he has no room in New York. The Rangers don't appear to believe he is top six forward material. He should sign elsewhere and could become the next Jonathan Marchessault, one of the Rangers worst player evaluation mistakes ever. Lias Andersson, shouldn’t be in Hartford. His was a very poor sophomore season in Hartford. He had just three multi-point games, was a minus-24 in 36 games and contributed just 20 points. He didn’t do much in New York either with six points in 42 games. It's too early to toss a 20-year-old aside and label him a bust, but he is a major project next season at either the NHL or AHL levels. He might be here or he might be packaged in a deal at draft time. The Rangers should have left him in Kitchener (OHL) last year where he belonged. Now he is about two years behind his draft class in development and he needs to learn has to go to the game, not thinking the game will come to him. Gabriel Fontaine had 26 points in 72 games and one of the more likable guys in hockey at the end of his three-year entry-level deal. He has one year left on his ELC deal and is really a bubble player for returning, It looks like he might head elsewhere as a buyout or trade. Sadly, Bobby Butler didn’t work out well here at all with a minus-26. He was shuttled on almost every different line and had some strong games, but not enough to make a difference. Butler was a real rental player. He lives at home in Massachusetts and worked his second job as Director of Player Development for a junior hockey team, the Boston Jr. Bruins (NCDC) after practice with his father, John as the team’s assistant coach in the afternoon after practice in Hartford. He and his wife are expecting child number three next month, so retirement as an active player is much more likely to occur. The season left Butler feeling very empty. “The fans were great to us, wished we put a better product out there for them to cheer for. We tried to nip this thing early and every time we get back to a level spot, we got back to where we didn’t want to be it was very frustrating. I hate to lose and there was too much of it this year and it wasn’t like we weren’t trying-people like winners and it's tough coming off a losing season. I hope guys find that hunger for next year when they're in the gym in the summer,” said in his deep Massachusetts accent was genuinely disappointed as he completed his ninth year as a pro. The trade of Cole Schneider sunk the Wolf Pack. It was bittersweet as they lost a captain and gained an old friend, Connor Brickley. “I was happy to see Brick.  He’s a very good dude. We played together our first year in San Antonio and he’s a Boston guy, and once you make friends with a Boston guy, it's for life,“ Butler said with a laugh. The trade of the captain, he acknowledged, hurt the team tremendously, “It’s something you don’t see often except if you're in this organization where it happens every year.” Dawson Leedahl, who played just 29 games, was scratched for eight games and missed 23 of the last 24 games with a shoulder injury. He had zero points. With a year left on his deal, he likely won't be back and if he does it will be in Maine. Shawn St. Amant, who had a nice training camp earned an AHL deal never seem to fit in here. He did well when he was sent to Maine. He's more of an ECHL player and will likely be in Maine or elsewhere, next season. Its gonna be a long, interesting summer in Wolf Pack-land. Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: (FOR THE FANS) PACK SEASON COMES TO A MERCIFUL END

BY: Gerry Cantlon, HOWLINGS HARTFORD, CT- The 2018-19 season has mercifully ended for the Hartford Wolf Pack and thus begins another long spring without having playoffs in the Connecticut capitol and a summer of big questions for the New York Rangers' AHL franchise. The locker room was silent. The ice surface is gone as scrubbers cleaned up any residual water left over. Wolf Pack players received their exit interviews and left for various different ports in the US, Canada, and Europe. On a day the world mourned the burning of the 870-year-old iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, the Rangers were completing the immolation of the latest edition of the Pack. The Rangers relieved head coach Keith McCambridge and his assistant coach, Joe Mormina. The team chose not to renew their contracts. This hardly came as a surprise given the team's performance these past two years. They became the first AHL coaching casualties of the 2018-19 season. Pack GM, Chris Drury, declined to be interviewed as he was conducting the exit interviews. Calls to McCambridge were not returned. Three weeks ago, Cantlon Corner was told by an NHL source that McCambridge had been informed his tenure was up. Out of respect for McCambridge, an honorable man, we declined to publish that. “It’s tough. You feel really bad, and you wish you could have done more for the team as a whole. It’s not fun for anyone,” Shawn O’Donnell said. The 30-year-old completed his third tour of duty in Hartford. “One thing is we had a lot of (personnel) turnover and it’s a part of the league. You look at Hershey. They had very few changes in the second half of the season. We had changes on an almost a weekly basis.” One of the assistant captains, Rob O’Gara, was sidelined for much of the second half with back spasms was very disappointed. "When you work with someone who has helped you and you develop a relationship with them, it's never fun to see them go through something like this. We do develop a family atmosphere and (McCambridge) was very honest with me, which I appreciated, and he helped me because I struggled a lot early on trying to do too much. I got to be in a good spot where I was playing some good minutes, and then I got injured, but I appreciate he gave me a leadership role this season.” The season result was not all McCambridge’s fault, nor was it his predecessor, Ken Gernander’s, fault either. Asking a head coach to turn lemons into lemonade is what was asked of both men. The Wolf Pack have hit bottom and have been cresting at the bottom of the division and the entire AHL for almost five years. They have not made the playoffs in six of the last seven years. That's an organizational failure, not just a coaching problem. There have been some moments to celebrate the signs of player development, but those are few and far between and what has seemed to become a trend, change is in the air again. The team’s break up day process was shifted until Tuesday despite ending on Sunday with a 3-1 loss in Hershey. Many of the players who ended the season with Hartford now will clearly not be here for training camp next fall. Sunday’s loss saw the Bears sweep all the Pack in all six games they played this season. On January 14th, the Wolf Pack (40 pts) were four points ahead of the Bears (36) and just three points out of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic division. At the conclusion of the season, the Pack finished 25 points behind them! Give some credit to the Bears, who played .789 hockey from that point and amassed 56 points. They will deservedly be in the playoffs while the Wolf Pack will look back to see that they won only TEN games in the final three months. January 14th was the day the Rangers made the fateful decision to trade Pack captain Cole Schneider to Milwaukee for Connor Brickley. The Wolf Pack simply never recovered. “It was rough no question," O'Donnell said. "Cole was a good hockey player, a good leader, and was an all-around good guy. We lost guys to the NHL and a couple of other trades. It was different that’s for sure.” Schneider was the fourth captain in a row that was traded. For this Wolf Pack team, the self-inflicted pyromania by the Rangers continued with the subsequent trading of their goaltender, Marek Mazanec, who was the team's first off-season signee. Then came the departure of their leading goal scorer, Peter Holland. All of this went down in a three-week span as the Rangers made it clear they had thrown in the towel, not only in New York but in Hartford as well. “I had no idea that three other captains had been traded before Cole," O'Gara said. "His going was tough enough. He was the backbone of this team and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be because we won the first game after the trade, 6-5 in OT, in Lehigh Valley. We weren’t consistent enough. We would win five in a row, then turn around and drop five in a row. In some games, we struggled to be consistent. We would have a bad five-minute segment that would kill us. Just before Christmas we were above .500. We never got back to that level the rest of the way.” O’Donnell is at a playing crossroads and enjoys Hartford. “Hartford has become a second home. I like it here, but this is still a business. What comes my way this summer, and my second year when we went to the conference finals, I will look back at the years here were one of the best of my life in hockey and it's great to go on a playoff run like that. I just wish we could have had a few more of those here." The scoring on Sunday by Hershey was all done by ex-Pack, Chris McCarthy. He tallied a goal and two assists, while Joey Leach, who was just recalled from the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL, scored his first of the season. Joe Snively, fresh out of Yale, also tallied a goal and two assists. Hershey’s Aaron Ness had two assists on Friday night in Hartford’s home finale. That production allowed him to surpass the Pack's John Gilmour 55 to 54 points and capture the AHL defenseman scoring title. The on-ice carnage is best reflective in the plus/minus numbers. While plus/minus can be skewered by individuals making a faux pas that reflects on the rest of their teammates on the ice, but once a player gets into the deep teens or to over minus-twenty, that reflects far more on a fundamental flaws that extend from the forwards to the defensemen and possibly even the goaltender. Six Pack players were a minus-20. In that category, Bobby Butler and defenseman Libor Hajak were both a minus-26. Lias Andersson was a staggering minus-24 in just 36 games, breaking Matt Gilroy’s record of minus-16 in 31 games mark, yet he was recalled to NY. Sean Day was a minus-23 in 47 games. Steven Fogarty, the team MVP, was also over 20 with a minus-21. Rookie Tim Gettinger was a minus-20. The best players on defense ended their season on the injured list, Chris Bigras (ankle) was a plus-5, assistant captain Rob O’Gara (back spasms) plus-3, Ryan Lindgren (concussion) with two Rangers recalls at minus-1. Only Binghamton, Ontario, and San Antonio had numbers like that. Daniel Brickley, Ontario's Jake Walman, John Gilmour’s collegiate defense partner were tied for the worst at minus-31. The Rangers are on the hook here as they await the naming of a new president of the team to succeed Glen Sather. That fortunate soul will have to pick through the debris in New York and Hartford and try to plot a forward course. The Rangers clear indifference to Hartford has to end. Winning and the playoffs were once synonymous here. Over a 14-year consecutive stretch where the team made the playoffs and competed at the top end of the AHL. Winning and playoffs still matter. The Rangers have to decide if they care to accomplish that objective here. Cantlon’s Corner has learned that the Rangers have had a preliminarily interview with at least one Hockey East coach about the Hartford opening, However until a new President is named, these preliminary interviews will likely be done to present the new person a list of candidates to come for second interviews. Director of Player Development, Jed Ortmeyer, was on the bench during three games this season. He also conducted several practices last week and is likely on an initial short list. Clearly, the Rangers talent evaluation process is broken. A major shakeup is needed to achieve better results so necessary changes in the scouting department will likely happen. About seven years ago in Worcester, a former high-ranking AHL official in a profanity-laced tirade lamented at how poorly Hartford had become both on-and-off the ice. Since then, it has only gotten worse. Too many average skilled players have been sent to the Connecticut state capitol. Others were picked off the waiver wire scrap heap, or they were traded for, have all dotted the lineup over the past five years. Many of the present Wolf Pack need to excise a set of words from their vocabulary how good, great or talented they are. The team's record demonstrates the team's reality and other teams that used to fear the Wolf Pack over the years, have, over the past several seasons, feasted on the Wolf Pack. The Rangers have an abundance of selections coming up at the Vancouver Entry Draft this summer and that's all fine and dandy, but they need to make sound choices and sign genuine quality AHL free agents to help nurse them along the path. The days of bringing in the likes of players like Akim Aliu, Cody Beach, Andre Deveaux, Dustin Tokarski, and Bobby Butler have to stop. The organization must stop the goaltending madness. This year with simply a redux of years past with a refined packaging of rotating people to be Henrik Lundqvist’s backup. Remember the Cam Talbot-Chad Johnson saga when the Ranger's rotated them up and down the Merritt Parkway like a relay recall race? Both players went elsewhere to find NHL playing time in other NHL cities. This year Alexander Georgiev was dispatched to play in Hartford while Lundqvist went one of his playing tears. Tokarski and Mazanec went to New York to be well-paid practice goalies and fatten their bank accounts but didn't help either team. If the Rangers choose to name a captain or to sign a player next season to assume that role, that agent must extract the first AHL NTC-No Trade Clause. A franchise that set the standard of what a captain should be and that had his number retired as his should have been, that indifferent approach to the captaincy has to end. The Schneider situation demonstrates so clearly that it can have a truly devastating consequence to the team's in-season plight and the growth and development of their prospects. The Rangers have to make choices in Hartford. You don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to deduce that the status quo is not good and not working. Read the full article

CANTLON'S CORNER: PACK PACK FOR CHARLOTTE

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings CROMWELL, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack head back to the proverbial lion’s den when they the streaking and offensively-talented Charlotte Checkers for two games on Thursday (12/13) and Saturday (12/15). In their last meeting, Friday night in Hartford, the Checkers sliced and diced their way to a 7-4 victory at the XL Center. Head Coach Keith McCambridge and his assistant, Joe Mormina, spent their practice day working on breakouts and offensive zone entries, issues they have had against both Charlotte on Friday and then again against the Hershey Bears on Saturday. McCambridge doesn’t view the losses as a "two steps back," or a perfect game and certainly not disasters either. “We know we're facing a very good team. Clearly, we want those parts of our game to be sharper and you see teams come through the American Hockey League who play very well. In both games, there were some good blocks of time in which we controlled the play and we want to accomplish the things we want to. We don’t think we took steps backward. We need to improve in some areas," He said. "The season gives you ups and down and we want to see things level off. We’ve had some personnel changes, and that’s the AHL. We have to make adjustments. We're playing in, I think, one of the best divisions in the AHL with Charlotte, Wilkes Bare is always good, Lehigh Valley, Bridgeport, Springfield, and Providence.” The first line of the Checkers consists of the CCM/AHL Player-Of-The-Week in Martin Necas, as well as Nicolas Roy, and Janne Kuokkanen. It's certainly a top-flight trio. “They're all the same size, about 6’1 or 6’2. All good size guys and all have great speed. So, it's just not one player on a line, it's all three. It makes it tough for anybody in playing them,” McCambridge stated. After knocking off Hartford, Charlotte did the very same thing the next night in Springfield against the Thunderbirds. They were down two goals, scored two in the last minute of regulation, and then won in overtime. There are 20 players at different levels and classifications on the depth chart as part of the strata in the AHL. Vinni Lettieri, in his second professional season, has eight points in seven games with the Pack but sports a minus-5. He's a player that has to play, not just on offense and defense, but play different styles of hockey as well. “For Vinni and his game, it's two different styles as he has plays in two different leagues. When he is here, he's an offensive threat and can score goals and has done that, and during a lot of transactions when a player goes to the NHL, he drops to another (skill) level. For Vinni, it’s a matter of maintaining his good work habits, finishing checks, staying on top of pucks, that helps him keep those habits in place and those are going to help him have more opportunity the next time he goes to New York,” McCambridge observed. The splitting up of a player's game from circumstances like Letteri's requires a very delicate balance that has to be managed. “No question, it can be a tricky thing to manage and shift gears on, but a lot of players have to reinvent themselves. Players have to take that opportunity to play in the best league in the world and a lot of players are eager to do so. Vinni has been open about handling that. He has an excellent work ethic and that’s a good place to start." On defense, there's Libor Hajak. In 26 matches, he's a minus-1 and his game is rounding out. The coaches have worked on adding physical play to complement his already strong offensive instincts and very solid skating skills. “His overall game is improving. He is closing (gaps) much better. His strength (in one-on-one battles) and is such a good skater, he has always handled the puck well and we're very pleased with his direction.” said McCambridge." While Hajak is not as physically big, but he's starting to look like a young Tomas Kloucek, the one-time Wolf Pack rearguard who's now retired. Peter Holland’s play includes a team-high 17 assists and six goals (23 pts) and his work with the younger players has pleased McCambridge. “He’s been very good for us a highly-skilled player. He has a very high hockey IQ.  He has the experience and leadership that our young players can lean on. Peter’s work ethic has allowed his game to really blossom here, and he has been providing scoring for us, so I give him high marks.” Clearly, it looks like Alexander Georgiev will play at least one, if not both games, in Charlotte leaving Marek Mazanec, who hasn’t played since November 18th, in a backup role. “We're aware Maz hasn’t played in a while. We're going to be talking to Chris Drury (the Wolf Pack GM) about what they want to do with Georgy” The Pack will fly to snow-covered North Carolina Wednesday because the roads in the area are super-treacherous given they do not have the snow-clearing equipment and supplies so abundant in the Northeast. PACK MOVEMENT The revolving door that has become the entrance/exit to the Wolf Pack locker room continues to turn. Coming back from New York is Cole Schneider. He was recalled but scratched for both games of the Rangers' Florida trip. Also returning is Steven Fogarty who played in ten games and had no points. In the Rangers game in Tampa Bay on Monday night, he had 9:23 of ice time. The Rangers have five of their next six games at home. The Pack schedule is the opposite with five of their next six on the road. Heading back to the ECHL Maine Mariners are Terrance Wallin, and Alex Kile, who scored his first AHL goal in his second game Saturday in Hershey. After being drilled in the head by the Bears' Beck Malenstyn, who received a match penalty for it, Ryan Lindgren didn’t skate yesterday and was in a non-contact jersey for Tuesday's practice. Lindgren will be evaluated to see if he can play this weekend in Charlotte, though it's not looking likely, but, he will be on the trip. Malenstyn was hit with a two-game suspension by the AHL. Credit teammate and defense partner John Gilmour in coming to his defense in his first AHL scrap. Despite Kevin Shattenkirk’s shoulder injury last night, the Rangers still have one extra defenseman in Brendan Smith. It's unlikely a recall from the Wolf Pack d-corps is coming. PLAYER MOVEMENT Ex-Pack goalie, Chad Johnson, was claimed off waiverd by the Anaheim Ducks from the St. Louis Blues. The Blues are having plenty of problems both on-and-off the ice. Former CT Whale, Logan Pyett, has moved from Hershey to KooKoo (Finland-FEL) for the rest of the year. Another Hershey Bear has exited in Sergei Shumastov who signed with Springfield. Ex-Pack, Adam Cracknell, is on the move again. He was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Anaheim Ducks for ex-Sound Tiger, Steve Olesky. Cracknell leaves the AHL Toronto Marlies for the San Diego Gulls undoubtedly a huge weather upgrade Charlotte recalled goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury Prep) from Reading (ECHL), The Marlies also added former QU Bobcat goalie, Michael Garteig, from their ECHL affiliate, the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers. There are rumblings that Providence Bruins' Slovakian-rookie, Martin Bakos, might be heading to Europe particularly to Mora IK of the Swedish Hockey League according to; hockeypuls.se Former Yale defenseman, Adam Larkin, goes from Reading (ECHL) to Greenville (ECHL). Former Wolf Pack, Kodie Curran, has signed a one-year extension with Rogle BK (Sweden-SHL). The Sound Tigers lost RW Josh Ho-Sang to recall by the Islanders but received back goalie Christopher Gibson. Ex-Pack, Miika Wiikman, has left Coventry (England-EIHL) for HC Anglet (France-FREL) Ex-Pack defenseman, Julien Brouillette is playing for the new LNAH team in St. Jerome, Quebec. The team was moved from Berlin, NH because after ten home games, the attendance was dreadful. This is the first year in the Quebec-based league. The team’s assistant GM is ex-Pack, Dave MacIsaac. There is no information if he migrated with the team. Prior to the LNAH, the team played for two years in the Federal Hockey League (FHL). At the IIHF U-20 Challenge Cup in Asia, host Malaysia won for a second year in a row downing Krygystan 4-2 in the final. At the IIHF U-20 Division-1 tourney in Fussen, Germany with five countries participating, the tournament has begun. Two sons of former AHL’ers, Kristaps Skrastins and Renars Cipruss, are playing for Latvia. The countries in the tourney are; Belarus, France, Austria, Norway, Latvia, and host Germany. The World Junior A (WJAC) tournament has begun in Bonnyville, Alberta with just five teams. They are the US, Canada (has two entries with an East and West squad), the Czechs and the Russians. The Czechs have current UConn goalie, Tomas Vomacka, and a future Husky for next fall in Matej Blumel, who's from Waterloo (USHL) as well as Zach Malik, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Ranger and Beast of New Haven d-man, Marek Malik. The Canada West squad also features another future Husky in Carter Berger from Victoria (BCHL). The team assistant coach is ex-Pack, David Wilkie, the current head coach for the University Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC). At the upcoming WJC tourney in Vancouver and Victoria, the Swiss will have Ranger draftee Nico Gross, who plays with Oshawa (OHL). Russia has Vitali Kravtsov, the Rangers first round pick from last summer. The Czech team is loaded. They have current Ranger, and ex-Pack, Filip Chytil, as well as this week’s AHL Player of Week, Charlotte’s Martin Necas and last year's number three overall pick, Filip Zadina from Grand Rapids. Finland has UMASS-Amherst goalie Filip Lindberg on the roster. Lindberg is unbeaten thus far for the Minutemen, the current #2 team in the nation. The US squad has Darien native, and former Avon Old Farms star goalie, Spencer Knight, who's a sure bet to be a first-round NHL Draftee.  Another goalie, Cayden Primeau from Northeastern (HE), is the son of ex-Whaler, Keith Primeau. Two Ranger defenseman draft picks from last summer, Joey Keane and K’Andre Miller, as well as two Yale rearguards, in Greenwich’s Phil Kemp and Jack St, Ivany are on the roster. Another defenseman, Mattias Samuelsson, is from Western Michigan (NCHC), and the son of former Nighthawks and current Flyers development coach Kjell Samuelsson. Up front is Jack Drury of Harvard (ECACHL). He is the son of Ted Drury, an ex-Whaler and is the nephew of Trumbull's Chris Drury, the Wolf Pack GM. If Drury makes the team, it would make the Drury’s part of an elite group of US hockey families that have had two or three players on a US World Juniors team. The top of the exclusive list is the Tkachuk’s, who have had five starting with father Keith, then his sons Matt (Calgary) and Brady (Ottawa) and their cousin Casey Fitzgerald (Boston College) and Jimmy Hayes (Wilkes Barre/Scranton-AHL). Some of the other brother and family combinations include; the Broten brothers, Neal and Aaron plus a nephew Shane Gersich, one-time Ranger draft picks and ex-Pack’s, twin brothers Peter and Chris Ferraro, and the Eaves brothers, Patrick and Ben Eaves, who are the sons of former NHL’ers father Mike, and uncle Murray. This year, the Hughes brothers will be added to the list. Jack is the likely #1 overall pick in the 2019 Entry draft this summer. Quinn (Michigan-Big 10/Vancouver) and Mike Anderson return to the team with his brother Joey (Binghamton/New Jersey), who was the captain last year. Two other sons of NHL players are among the invitees. One-time Avon Old-Farms is Winged Beaver, Tyler Madden, who father John is now the head coach in Cleveland and Josh Norris, whose father, Dwayne, scored the WJC winner for Canada in 1990. The 2021-22 venue was announced as Red Deer and Edmonton with next year in the Czech Republic in Ostrava and Trinec, Sweden announced their team and it includes Rangers draft pick, Nils Lundkvist. Blake Richardson, the son of ex-Danbury Trasher, Bruce Richardson, is now playing for Andre-Laurendeau (QCHL). On April 23-24 an international hockey game dubbed “The Last Game” will take place at the North Pole to bring attention to climate change. Some very big names are slated to be involved including Jari Kurri (Finland), Slava Fetisov (Russia) and Mike Richter (USA). The game participants will also include people from science and other disciplines to be involved. Read the full article