BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack made a rare Sunday transaction with the signing of a collegiate forward, James Sanchez.
Hailing from NCAA Division-1 Independent program, the Arizona State Sun Devils, Sanchez signed an AHL deal. He became the first Division-1 college player of the 2020-21 season to sign a professional contract.
While playing in Juniors, Sanchez converted from playing wing to moving to the center. He is strong on faceoffs. In his junior season at Arizona, Sanchez set the school record for Division-1 regular season points with 40.
On Friday, the Sun Devils completed their regular season with a 5-0 shutout of Ohio State. Sanchez tallied one of the five Arizona goals and finished the season registering 16 points after playing in all 26 games.
ARIZONA STATE’S SEASON
Arizona State completed its entire 26-game season, all on the road, with but one lone COVID cancelation against Penn State. The positive case was not from a Sun Devils’ player, but one from the Nittany Lions.
The Sun Devils season record was 7-16-3. The record included two wins over the regular season conference champion, the University of Wisconsin Badgers. They also had two wins over The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
The school traveled 15,519 miles and spent 58 days of the 70-day season on the road.
Sanchez played two years in the Big 10 playing at The University of Michigan. He saw diminished ice time in his sophomore season, so he transferred to Arizona State, where he played his last two years. The Sun Devils played this season as a non-conference member of the Big 10.
In his transfer year between Michigan and Arizona, Sanchez played with the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL. He also spent two years with the US National Development team program.
WOLF PACK UPDATE
On Saturday, the Wolf Pack postponed their game with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers because Hartford had only netminder available to them, prompting the recall of goaltender François Brassard from the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).
The Wolf Pack play at 1 PM on Monday in Marlborough, MA, against the Providence Bruins. They have won three straight against the Wolf Pack. The Bruins lead the Atlantic Division with 14 points, ten ahead of the Wolf Pack. The Bruins knocked off Bridgeport last Thursday, 4-1.
Jake Elmer is the only Wolf Pack player yet to take the ice from their “taxi squad.”
