JORDAN OWENS GETS AN NHL CONTRACT 

As Howlings has been espousing for the better part of the season, Jordan Owens will one day get his shot at a job with the New York Rangers. That day may come sooner rather than later, as the organization has announced today that they have signed Owens to what is most likely a two way contract for the upcoming season. As is the policy with the Rangers terms were not released.

Owens had a stand out season with the Wolf Pack and was, by a country mile, the team’s most active penalty killer and was also pure energy on every shift he took on the ice. This season Owens tallied one short handed goal and assisted on four others to his partner, Mike Ouellette. He also tallied six game winners, second only to Artem Anisimov's eight.

Bob Crawford, the voice of the Wolf Pack, assessed Owens saying, "Jordan is always hard working. The other players I've spoken to have all told me about his effort out there on the ice." Adding, "He did manage to add some size this past season and you'd have thought that it might have slowed him down but I really think that he was even faster."

Owens also seemed to be the fastest skater on the Wolf Pack and his style of play will certainly be the type that John Tortorella wants to build his team around. He hits like Ryan Callahan – only harder. He skates like Freddie Sjostrom and he can put the puck in the net. Owens is a relentless fore-checker who isn’t afraid of being physical.

If the Rangers do not resign Sjostrom, Owens would be a less expensive alternative and is likely to get a hard look for that job in next season's training camp.

Owens, 23, skated in 67 games this year and tallied 12g, 25a for 37 points, along with 66 penalty minutes. He established career highs in goals (12), assists (25), points (37), and penalty minutes (66). Owens ranked fifth on the Wolf Pack in assists, tied for eighth in points and tied for ninth in goals. He also finished fourth on the team with a plus-17 rating. The Toronto, Ontario native recorded a career-high, seven multi-point performances, including a three-point effort on April 3 at Providence (three assists). In addition, Owens tied for fifth on Hartford in playoff scoring, registering one goal and two assists for three points in six post-season contests.

The 6-0, 189-pounder has skated in 110 career AHL games with Hartford, recording 19 goals and 32 assists for 51 points, along with 110 penalty minutes. Owens notched his first professional point with a goal on October 6, 2007 vs. Bridgeport. He also recorded three goals and 10 assists for 13 points, along with 28 penalty minutes in 20 games with the Charlotte Checkers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) during the 2007-08 season. Prior to turning professional, Owens appeared in 192 games with the Mississauga IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), registering 69 goals and 84 assists for 153 points, along with 143 penalty minutes. In 2005-06, he led the IceDogs in goals (26), tied for the team lead in points (54) and ranked fourth in assists (28). He established OHL career-highs during the 2006-07 season with 32 goals, 42 assists and 74 points.

In other Wolf Pack related news, The Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation, Inc., at its spring meeting March 4, approved grant applications totaling $7,500. The funds went to three different organizations, the Connecticut Chasers hockey team, St. Augustine School and Natchaug Hospital Journey Residential Treatment Center

(Jordan Owens photo courtesy of Hartfordwolfpack.com)