BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – It’s clearly the first days of school time for the Hartford Wolf Pack as the team’s brand new head coach, Kris Knoblauch, is trying to find his “sea legs” as much as his roster of 32 had a strong, two-hour practice on Monday.
As they prepare for their first exhibition game Wednesday night in Danbury against the Springfield Thunderbirds, Knoblauch was very non-committal as he goes forward day-to-day.
“This is my first head coaching job at the AHL, of course, I‘ve had time in juniors, but this is a completely different setup. The Rangers gotta be at 23 (roster permitted under the CBA) so I think a day-at-a-time right now. I can’t think too far ahead right now. I’m really happy with the teamwork so far, and we had some solid play in Traverse City. It was my first look at the team, and we had some very strong play, so it was a good first step.”
Personally, for the Knoblauchs, getting settled in has been a whirlwind.
“We got here in mid-August. Three days later, the kids (age 11 and 9) are starting school. Then, I’m off to Traverse City for a week. I come back, get things set up at home, and with the team, its been an awful lot of work, but we’re excited to be here,” said Knoblauch.
Coordinating practices is not as simple as just throwing pucks out there and putting the nets on their magnets. Despite a large number of players, Knoblauch has felt the longer practices (two hours) will help the acclimation process for coaches and players alike. “The ice has been pretty good and held up well. We set-up our structures and foundations,” Knoblauch, who had a lot of three-on-three drills for “Red Squad” (mostly veterans), “Blue Squad” and navy colored jersey squads accenting twenty feet and in around the end on offense and defensive side of things.
Getting to know the players beyond scouting file is Task Management 101.
“I know some of the guys, but a lot I have to learn and the process is day-to-day. Having an assistant like David Cunniff is gonna be important for me to lean on because he has been in the AHL seven or eight years. It’s the support system the Rangers have set-up. It’s gonna make my job easier on and off the ice.”
One veteran player on defense, an extremely contested position in Hartford and with the parent Rangers, was free agent, off-season, signing Jeff LoVerde.
“I can see right away why he was the LA organization all those years as a valuable part of their team in Ontario. He really conducts himself very well and had jumped in to help the younger players and I think he’s gonna be a very important asset back there.”
Clearly, goaltending is a position of major organizational interest. Ex-Pack, Alexander Georgiev, is presently penciled in as Henrik Lundqvist’s backup. Russia’s highly touted rookie with plenty of KHL experience, Igor Shesterkin, has a serious stack of bricks of his shoulder pads with the very high expectations that have been five years in the making.
Former UCONN netminder, Adam Huska, has had a strong camp for the Rangers.
‘We’ll have two goalies battling, we have a third (Tom McCollum) here as well, and they all want to be playing, and all three will be in the mix. We’re going to have some strong competitors in net. There are so many variables and possibilities that will be there both of them have played well.”
Knoblauch was non-committal as to who will start in net tomorrow or if there will be games split between rookies Francois Brassard and Jake Kumsky, a Union College grad who already had a deal with Ft. Wayne (ECHL) and who’s in training camp on a PTO.
Up-front, one player who has stood out from Traverse City to the early stages of this training camp, has been Lewis-Zertet Gossage, a Kent Prep grad, who has had a strong five-game audition at the end of last season.
“He has stood out right in rookie camp. He came in in great shape and his speed with his size is quite good. It gives him an advantage among a variety of factors of course that go into (evaluation).”
The backline has an abundance of players and contracts and will be a position where some players could be on the outside looking in.
“We have a real mixture here of guys from some still unsigned, to some who are, and some young guys coming up who have shown their skills and also players still with New York. There are a lot of moving pieces here. One of the other good things is we have Gord Murphy, who we’re very fortunate to have, and he will be a very important part of working with our defense and the group we put together.”
A few players of note are back in camp ready to tackle a new season, and the changes since John Davidson, the team’s new President, has taken over and the wholesale new coaching staff both in style and quantity has been unmistakable.
“It’s kinda hard to define. There is clearly a more upbeat feel this year and it’s really all brand new. I’m still adjusting to it, so it’s all-new for me,” forward Gabriel Fontaine, who was just sent down and entering his third and final season of his original entry-level deal, said.
He was a defensive center his first year and battled for more ice time. He got quality offensive shifts including powerplay time, but Fontaine, after a summer spent back home in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and after this camp, which he stayed at longer, is aware of his role from the outset.
“I’m gonna take any tools they send my way and put it in my bag and continue to work toward getting to the NHL. It’s a pretty big change here. It’s just gonna get bigger and faster and be part of the leadership group here in Hartford. Clearly, a different vibe here, it’s hard to describe right now.”
Fontaine is fully embracing a defensive role as he readies to embark on his third pro season.
“The Rangers want me to concentrate more on becoming a reliable center defensively, take (important) faceoffs and that’s gonna help me make that jump to the NHL. I won’t be a first line guy on the powerplay,” Fontaine said with a laugh. “Everybody wants points on the powerplay. This is gonna be my path to the NHL.”
The other player is the sunny, smiling, Ty Ronning. He spent some of his off-season in Phoenix seeing his one-year-old nephew and training back home in Vancouver.
“New coaching staff, I’m a little older. I’ll be 22 next month. A virtual graybeard. I’m really excited and I realize its a big year here. Expectations are big, I got two years left on my contract, so it’s a big year,” remarked Ronning.
Speed has been his calling card in juniors. Ronning felt he needed more improvement.
“I worked on getting my three strides quicker. I’m a small guy, and if I can gain more space in the offensive zone, or coming off the wall in the defensive zone, I can be faster to the puck. I think I will have more success because the speed and decision making here is so much quicker than juniors and in Maine. Bad decisions often wind up in the back of the net,” Ronning said.
His summer training partner was his father, Cliff Ronning, who tallied NHL goals and the maturation of Ronning is really underway.
“I learned to listen to him more this summer than in past years. Just trying to be more mature rather talking back. When you’re younger, you tend to not listen. He has 20 years of (NHL) experience. He helped me in working on my shooting and learned a lot about my release and nuances of scoring and I learned a lot about him.”
Another key to Ronning’s career development was the late legendary, Pat Quinn, who was a giant in the hockey business as a player, coach, GM and franchise owner at every level.
“He was a grandfather figure to me. He drafted when he was the owner of the Vancouver Giants. He was very open-minded. If you could play he wanted you. He wasn’t like you play, but you’re too small. He believed in me. I really can’t state enough how important that was at the time in my life…just tremendous,” Ronning, who has a small tat near his left bicep in his Quinn’s honor, said.
Maybe the luck of the Mighty Quinn will help him in his second pro season.
NOTES:
The team kept their collective focus and discipline when the building alarm system test went off during practice.
Phil DiGuiseppe was assigned by the Rangers. but has to clear waivers first.
Sean Day was among five assigned to Hartford and Knoblauch was awaiting what his medical status as he is recovering from off-season hip surgery. He has been a red no-contact jersey since training camp began.
“I think he is close, but his medical clearance will come from New York and I expect it sooner rather than later.”
The other players included Connor Brickley, Tim Gettinger, Nick Jones, and Dawson Leedahl.
Knoblauch confirmed Finnish defenseman, Tarmo Reunaren, is heading back to play for Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL). “He got better in Traverse City and he played well in New York. He’s 21 and its numbers right now the organization has a lot of defensemen and he has a European option. He will be getting quality playing time. He has a future here because he showed he can play there are just so many spaces.”
Over the weekend training camp, tryout rearguard, 6’4, Mason Geertsen (Colorado Eagles last year) was last season was sent to Hartford, Joey Keane, Patrick Newell, Ryan Dmowski and Jake Elmer.
One of the training camp invitees includes former Springfield Falcon, Bryan Lerg, who played in Switzerland last season with HC Ambri Piotta who spent time working with Elmer doing pass, catch, and shooting drills.
Some other players of note assigned to the AHL or camps include; Ex-Pack’s Cole Schneider (Milwaukee), Chris Bigras (Lehigh Valley), Mike Paliotta (Binghamton), Brandon Halverson (Toronto), Chris Mueller (Syracuse), Adam Tambellini (Stockton), Rob O’Gara (San Antonio), Hubert Labrie (Belleville), John Albert (Manitoba), Ryan Haggerty, Dustin Tokarski (Wilkes Barre/Scranton), and Brian Gibbons (Charlotte).
Ex-Sound Tigers, J.F. Berube (Lehigh Valley), Griffin Reinhart (Belleville), Mitch Gilliam (Toronto), and Matt Donovan (Milwaukee)
CT Connections Karl El-Mir from UCONN (Toronto), Alex Lyon of Yale, and David Drake of UCONN (Lehigh Valley), Brogan Rafferty of QU (Utica), Jordan Samuels-Thomas (West Hartford/QU) Stockton, Chad Krys (Ridgefield) Rockford, Tommy Cross Simsbury/Westminster Prep) Springfield, Craig Martin (QU) Toronto, Luke Shiplo (QU) Bakersfield, Sam Anas (QU) Iowa, Ross Colton (Taft) Syracuse, Callum Booth (Salisbury Prep) Charlotte, and Wiley Sherman (Greenwich/Hotchkiss Prep) Providence .
Sons/nephews of Whalers; Cole Cassels (Belleville), Cayden Primeau (Laval), Jake Leschyshyn (Chicago), Hayden Verbeek (Laval), Henrik Samuelsson (San Diego) and Mark Kastelic (Belleville).
Sons of New Haven Nighthawks/Senators/Beast/ Knights; Mathieu Olivier (Milwaukee), Mike Mersch (Texas) and Drake Rymsha (Ontario).
New NCAA signees Cody Milam (Michigan St.-Big 10) Laval, Billy Christopoulos (Air Force Academy NCAA –Independent) Hershey, Jacob Jackson (Michigan Tech-WCHA) San Jose, Hayden Hawkey (Providence College-HE) Stockton Joe Wegeworth (Notre Dame-Big 10) Colorado and Carl Hesler (Dartmouth College-ECACHL) Rochester.
Now that makes 216 Division I collegians have signed pro deals and 286 collegians total have signed North American and European pro deals.
Ex-Pack Ty Conklin was named volunteer goalie coach for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats (HE).
Taylor Raddyysh, the older brother of the Wolf Pack’s Darren Raddyysh, was assigned to Syracuse by Tampa Bay.
Big win by building operator Spectra in securing US vs. Canada in a women’s hockey battle coming on December 14th at the XL Center. The two top women’s programs in the world will be a marquee event to be apart of and attend.
