WOLF PACK SPEAK 

It has been an eventful 24 hours to say the least for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

At the trade deadline, the Rangers organization traded versatile forward Jordan Owens to the Detroit Red Wings who sent Grand Rapids Griffins center Kris Newbury back to the Hartford Wolf Pack.  Newbury should add some grit to a team that has been relatively soft up the middle. In this season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Newbury has posted 11 markers, 22 assists for 33 points while amassing 144 minutes in solitary confinement. Newbury’s also played four games in Detroit scoring a goal and with four minutes in the cooler.

Newbury was surprised when he was told that he’d been traded. “I was actually in the process of having lunch with Brad May in Grand Rapids on my way to get ready to get on the bus to Peoria. I got pulled aside around 1:30 by Jim Nill, Assistant General Manager in Detroit, he told me the unfortunate news and then congratulated me on being a Ranger and thanked me for what I did in the Detroit organization. But I’m just happy to be here right now and get a new start.”

The newest member of the Wolf Pack will come to a team without many familiar faces on it. “I know Mike Hoffman. I played with him my first year in Toronto.” He said, “I played against Corey Locke in juniors, other than that, that’s basically it.”

There will be some adjustments in the way that Newbury will have to play. “The Detroit organization is more of a puck control team. Here there’s a lot more speed than there was in Grand Rapids and obviously closer to making the playoffs.”

Newbury went on to add that, “I’m just here to work hard and put some points on the board and to stick up for my teammates when I have to. Hopefully we’ll get a good start with the road trip this weekend.”

The 5’10”, 205 pounder skated with Dane Byers on his left and Dale Weise, his right. “It seemed pretty good.” He said in terms of the chemistry with his new linemates. “They both skate very well and I control the puck very good so if we use our size and speed and during the games this weekend (against the Hamilton Bulldogs Saturday and the Toronto Marlies Sunday) and control the puck most of the game, I think we can do that, we’ll be successful getting the puck to the net, get our bodies there and hopefully bang a couple in.”

Newbury said that the key to his game is throwing the other team off their game by being a great agitator. “I’d say (agitation) is number one. (I want) to get under the other team’s best player’s skin. Use my speed and my physical attributes and if I do all three of those pretty well then I’m playing pretty near the top of my game so hopefully get a good start to that on Saturday.”

Head Coach Ken Gernander is excited about his new center iceman and having him with two other gritty forwards in Byers and Weise. “There should be some sandpaper on that line.” Gernander said smiling. “(Newbury) gives us a little bit different element at center. We have some skill guys. Kris is a little bit more of a two way center. He’s got pretty good numbers for someone who describes himself as an agitator. He has some offense to his game. He can play with skill guys or he can play against grinders. He can do a lot of things for us…and give us another dimension (at center).”

The third year Head Coach likes the versatility he sees in the Brampton, Ontario native. “We saw a little bit of what he can do on the penalty kill here this morning and he’ll help us in that regard.”

Arriving to Hartford Thursday night to join the Wolf Pack will be veteran defenseman Anders Eriksson. The 35-year old native of Bollnas, Sweden will wear number 22 when he takes to the ice Saturday night in Hamilton against the Bulldogs. Eriksson has 18 years of professional hockey experience.  At 6’3” and 229 pounds, Eriksson has 564 games of NHL experience with seven NHL teams including Detroit, where he won a Stanley Cup in 1998.  His NHL resume includes 22 goals and 152 assists with not only Detroit, but Chicago, Florida, Toronto, Columbus, Calgary and the Phoenix Coyotes.

“’The Big Swede’ should be able to fill in a lot of different areas,” Gernander said. “He’s a veteran defenseman. He will probably see some power play time and be another guy that can kill some penalties for us. So he should be able to do a little bit of everything.” Gernander added,  “This time of year veteran defenseman are a big plus.”

Gernander said that this group might not necessarily be the final squad by the end of the season. “I wouldn’t rule anything out, but there’s not a lot once that NHL trade deadline goes it’s pretty hard to make a pretty significant move, but I think we did some things (Wednesday) to definitely improve our lineup.”

It was a day of comings and goings for the Wolf Pack. Mathieu Dandenault called it a career and left the Pack after returning from injury and playing in three games last weekend.

“That’s the end of the line.” Gernander said about Dandenault. He was surprised by the move. “I don’t know what the talks or the negotiations were with the parent club. He was on a Try-Out and I’m sure he was probably wanting some sort of a substantial contract. I don’t know if he wanted guarantees or all the circumstances. He just, at this point in his career didn’t want to play a full season in the minor leagues without the NHL incentive or carrot I guess.”

In regards to trading the fan favorite Jordan Owens in order to get Newbury back, Gernander stated, “If you’re the team on the other end, you’re going to say, ‘Well what are we getting back? You’re getting a heck of a player here. We need to get something back,’ so you know, you have to give to give to get.” 

Last but not least, Andres Ambϋhl, who just returned from Vancouver after playing in the Olympic games for his native Switzerland, summed up his experiences there. “For me everything was really special. The games against Canada and USA of course are more special than the games against Latvia or Belarus. But overall it was like the most exciting two weeks I’ve ever had. I was happy to play.” He also spoke about adjusting from wing to center during the games. “The last couple of years on National team I was playing Centerman. Even in my old club last year I played Centerman so it wasn’t a big adjustment.”

The Pack lined up as:

Dupont – Locke – Parenteau
Byers – Newbury – Weise
Soryal – Crowder – Grachev
Ambϋhl – Garlock – Brashear-Couture

Brouillette – Potter
Urquhart – Nightingale
Heikkinen – Sanguinetti

Nigel Williams is out for the forseeable future with an undisclosed injury.

The Pack depart for “The Great White North” Friday afternoon before they will spend the weekend in Canada.

Howlings will have full coverage after the games as well as in game coverage at www.twitter.com/howlingstoday.