GLASS, ANYTHING BUT, JOINS PACK 

It is the time of the year where prospects are brought in by teams to take a look at for future possibilities. The Pack are no different in that regard.

Critics of the Rangers organization have constantly bemoaned the fact that the team did not have depth of talent on the blue line. The organization certainly seems to be taking a very serious look in that direction. Friday they signed Hobey Baker Award winner, defenseman Matt Gilroy and today the team is bringing in another blueline stabilizer in Trevor Glass. When you add in the fact that they have also brought in Tomas Kundratek and will probably look at a couple more players before it’s all over, its safe to say the team sees this as an issue going forward as well.

But getting back to Glass for a moment, the 21 year old comes to the Wolf Pack from the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. In 57 games with the Chiefs this season, the 6-0, 197-pound Glass scored six goals and added 19 assists for 25 points. Those totals ranked him third among team defensemen in points, goals and assists. The Cochrane, Alberta native also registered 28 penalty minutes and a +16. In the postseason, Glass led all Chiefs blueliners in assists, and finished second among team defensemen in points, with four helpers in 10 games.

Last season, Glass won a Memorial Cup with the Chiefs, after being acquired in a trade with the Medicine Hat Tigers. He also helped the Tigers win a WHL championship, and get as far as the championship game of the Memorial Cup, in 2006-07, teaming with current Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer on the Medicine Hat blueline corps.

In 247 career WHL contests over five seasons with Medicine Hat and Spokane, Glass totaled 21 goals and 61 assists for 82 points, along with 126 PIM.

Jess Rubenstein of The Prospect Park says of Glass, "He's a serviceable defender who does the little things one needs to win. While he's not a big banger, he plays a steady
positional defense and chips in the occasional point. Proven playoff player
who elevates game in big games."

Getting back to the discussion on these defensive prospects, the major obstacle at this point is what kind of a future do these kids have with the organization?
Granted, you can never have too many assets, just ask Donald Trump, but there is the serious and very real problem of two VERY big contracts blocking the path to the NHL; Altogether now…Wade Redden and Michael Rozsival. MAYBE someone in the Western Conference (Don Maloney, are you listening?) will take Rozsival’s contract if he has a decent playoff, but Redden (Oh PLEASE Donny come to the rescue for the team that gave you everything just one more time) is going nowhere. Assuming that Marc Staal is not being moved, which given he’s the best defenseman the team has, that’s a pretty safe bet, that leaves only four spots.

Dan Girardi is in all likelihood not going anywhere either. So unless the Rangers are going to dump both Paul Mara AND Derek Morris, there really is nowhere for these kids to go.

What do you tell Corey Potter who is on the cusp of ready to play in the NHL and probably should have a spot on the team in the fall? What do you tell arguably the Pack’s best defenseman over the second half of the season, and Glass’ friend, Michael Sauer? He did get a look at in a call-up and should be ready for the move upward in the fall as well.

How about Bobby Sanguinetti? If the former Rangers first round pick continues to improve on his defensive game where does he go? Sanguinetti has certainly shown he has the offensive chops to play at the NHL level.

David Urquhart has made enormous strides this season and as a puck mover who isn’t afraid to hit, another year in Hartford and he could possibly be ready for the show as well.

David Stich is in Hartford and should be next season. Kundratek will be a big question and this isn’t even mentioning the 500 pound gorillas in the room of Evgeny Grachev and Michael Del Zotto.

On the bright side, there is for Wolf Pack fans, a lot to look forward to. This team should be brutal next season and could possibly have the best defensive corps in the AHL.

Given the depth this team will have in the nets next season with Matt Zaba and Miika Wiikman, the question becomes how does the organization address the need for scoring up front?

Does this team finally commit to unrestricted free agent P.A. Parenteau and give him a legitimate shot to play in New York? He’s certainly paid his dues and earned it. Howlings will address the front line situation in the days ahead…

From the AHL notebook comes these notes on tonight’s Game two challenge for the Pack against Worcester.

Game 2 – Worcester at Hartford, 7:00
Hartford and Worcester return to the XL Center ice for Game 2 of their Atlantic Division semifinal tonight… The Wolf Pack captured a 2-0 win on Thursday behind a 38-save shutout performance by rookie goaltender Matt Zaba in his AHL playoff debut… Artem Anisimov – Hartford’s regular-season leader in goals (37) and points (81) – netted the game-winning goal in the opener… Dane Byers, in his first action since Oct. 31 due to injury, posted a goal and an assist for Hartford… The Wolf Pack will try avoiding a repeat of the 2008 division semifinals, when they defeated Portland in Game 1 at home only to drop the next four contests and the series… Hartford is going for its first 2-0 series advantage since the 2004 Atlantic Division Finals against the Worcester IceCats… The Sharks are now 1-3 all-time on the road in the playoffs, the lone win coming at Manchester on Apr. 27, 2007… Worcester registered 26 shots on goal to Hartford’s 13 over the second and third periods of Game 1… Defenseman Patrick Traverse recorded a team-high five shots for the Sharks.