BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The revolving door to the Hartford Wolf Pack locker room keeps on turning.
Forward Drew Melanson, who scored his first AHL goal against the Springfield Thunderbirds last Saturday was sent back to the Maine Mariners after nine games. Goalie Chris Nell who started his hockey year there was also sent to the team’s ECHL affiliate.
Returning is another player with ex-Hartford Whaler bloodlines coming to Hartford.
Greg Chase is the nephew of Kelly Chase. He posted 34 points in 34 games in Maine – his third ECHL team of the year. Chase started the season in Wichita, before moving on to Allen, TX and finally landing in Portland, ME and has put up 97 points in 117 career ECHL games.
Chase is in his fourth professional season and he has seen much of North America. He was drafted by his hometown team, the Edmonton Oilers, in the 7th round, 188th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, but he’s not the pugilist his uncle was.
He has 97 AHL games to his credit with Oklahoma City, Bakersfield, and with Springfield last year.
Chase has primarily played in the ECHL with games with Norfolk, two stops in Wichita, Allen, and now Maine.
His junior career saw him spend five years in the WHL, primarily with the Calgary Hitmen and the Victoria Royals for a half season. He totaled 221 points in 265 games through his fourth year. In his strongest junior season, he totaled 35 goals and 85 points in 70 games.
Uncle Kelly is the radio color commentator with former Springfield Falcon announcer, Chris Kerber. Together, they call the games for the St. Louis Blues which can be heard at night on KMOX-AM (1120). Previously, Chase held jobs in coaching and management with the St. Louis Jr. Blues at several different levels.
IN OTHER NEWS…
Adam Huska’s deal with the Rangers is a two-year, two-way deal paying $900K/$925K-NHL/$70K-AHL.
More ex-Whaler children on the move.
Alexander Nylander, his father is Mikael (also an ex-New York Ranger) was recalled from Rochester by Buffalo.
Brady Shaw, the son of Brad Shaw, signs an AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) from the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL) and started the year in Orlando (ECHL) with the Solar Bears. His father, Brad Shaw, is an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Logan Brown, the son of Jeff Brown, was returned from Ottawa to Belleville (AHL). Dad coaches the youngest brown, Caden, as the head coach of the St. Louis AAA Blues U-16 (TIEHL).
Trevor Yates, the son of Ross Yates, was recalled from the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) by the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, his fourth pro team this year. The other two were the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) and the Toledo Walleye (ECHL).
The college signing season has begun.
Huska was the first to sign among four players who are leaving school early. The others are Quinn Hughes from Michigan (Big 10). He signs with the Vancouver Canuks, and his younger brother Jack Hughes could well be the first overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft this summer.
Cooper Zech, after his freshmen season, leaves Ferris State (NCHC) and signs with the Providence Bruins. The last is the nation’s leading scorer Taro Hirose of Michigan St. (Big 10) who hooks up with the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings.
Max Verroneau, an Ottawa native, and a highly sought after college free agent has signed with his hometown NHL team, the Ottawa Senators. Verroneau spent the last four years at Princeton (ECACHL). His sister Sophie plays varsity hockey with the Yale University team
Derek Barach (Salisbury Prep) of Mercyhurst (AHA) signs with the Cleveland Monsters. Charles Michalowski pf Dartmouth College (ECACHL) signs with the Worcester Railers (ECHL). Two players from Holy Cross, Spencer Trapp, and Tommy Nixon get to stay in the same city as they signed with Worcester (ECHL) as well.
Two other of Zech teammates at Ferris St., Craig Pelfrey, and Cory Mackin have both signed with the Reading Royals (ECHL).
Justin Baudry of Bemidji St. (WCHA) signs with Ontario (AHL). Ryan Kuffner of Princeton (ECACHL) hooks up with Detroit, His teammate, Josh Teves, signs with Vancouver. Zach Osburn of Michigan St. signs with the Milwaukee Admirals, while Conor O’Neil of Vermont (HE) signs with Wheeling (ECHL). Kurt Gosselin considers University Alabama-Huntsville (WCHA) but signs with Cincinnati (ECHL).
Five players from Division III hockey have signed pro deals. Three of them come from Adrian College (NCHA). They are Trevor Boyd who goes to Kalamazoo (ECHL). Braden Hellums signs with Indy (ECHL) while Cory Dunn heads to Newfound (St. John’s) (ECHL).
Alex Rodriguez of Augsburg College (MIAC) signs with Norfolk (ECHL).
The fifth is a piece of hockey history.
Charl Pretorius, a goalie from Elmira College (UCHC) becomes the first South African born (Pretoria, RSA) and trained player, to play minor pro hockey in North America with Elmira (FHL).
Several college-commits this week. Jamie Armstrong (Avon Old Farms), who split this year with Central Illinois (USHL) and Boston (NCDC), commits to Boston University (HE) for next year.
The brand new Division 3 program at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven picked up a pretty good Canadian recruit in Carson Welke from Camrose (AJHL). The team will be coached by former Quinnipiac University, UCONN, and Yale University assistant coach at all three schools, Kyle Wallack, is a West Hartford native and he signs too.
Brendan Conway (Monroe/CT Roughriders – EHL) commits to St. Olaf College (MIAC).
A teammate, Connor Boyce, is heading to Lake Forest College (NCHA).
Gabriel Couture, (CT Chiefs – EHL) is heading to an independent Division-III school in Bryn Athyn (PA) College.
In international hockey, Mongolia won their second consecutive IIHF Challenge Cup of Asia with a 6-3 over the Philippines.
The Mongolia squad was paced by a hat trick from Beyersaikhan Targalsaikhan as they built a 3-0 lead, saw it shrink, devolve into a tied game at two before an early third-period goal by the Philippines helped them pull away to capture the gold.
The host country, Malaysia, captured the bronze medal shutting out Singapore 4-0.
