BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – As the Hartford Wolf Pack continues to find some playing-rhythm, which usually comes from working harder in practice for the Pack’s rookie defenseman, Zach Giutarri, playing games is much more preferable.
“For the coaches, and certainly for the players, it’s much better playing games than practicing at this point,” Giutarri remarked.
“The coaches told us the first 50 days you played eight games and the final 50-60 days you’ll play 16, so it will be a lot more fun.”
After losing eight straight games, it isn’t fun and games time in the Pack locker room.
To complicate matters, the team lost Head Coach Kris Knoblauch and the Associate Coach, Gord Murphy, to recall up to the NHL as the New York Rangers and Hartford GM, Chris Drury, a Trumbull native, become acting coaches replacing the entire Rangers coaching staff of David Quinn, Jacques Martin, David Oliver, and Greg Brown. They became unavailable when they were placed on COVID-19 protocols for a minimum of at least a week.
The Wolf Pack acting coaching staff is Assistant GM Pat Boller, who goes behind the bench for the first time in five years. The team’s goalie consultant, Jeff Malcolm, will assist, as will their team captain, Vincent LoVerde.
COLLEGE
After graduating from Brown University in Providence, RI, he signed as a minor-league free agent with the Rangers organization; this has been a highly unusual first full pro season for Giutarri.
“It’s been a huge change. I said to myself; I would like to get back to a normal hockey routine. Some fans in the stands, maybe a night game?”
The players are not up for 1:00 PM starts all season long. Instead of working around a classroom schedule, he is dealing with a unique process.
“We have morning practices, which is very good, but I’m in for my COVID testing, get some breakfast, work out, get prepared for practice, and some sessions are done by 12:30 PM. I mostly have the afternoons off, or I hang out for the next practice.
“Playing pro hockey has been very different than college, and I have to make adjustments for sure. I realized I always have to keep moving. I figured the faster I skate, the more time I have, the better decisions I’ll be able to make to play.”
The adjustment is already getting lighter for Giuttari, who was an engineering and economics major.
“It’s better not having all that homework I had,” He said with a laugh.
EXPECTATIONS
The Rangers were looking for a full package player and the right-handed shooting defenseman, something coveted by every hockey team, having his academic acumen, hockey skill set, and solid maturity certainly are helping him.
“I guess I fit a lot of the boxes, especially being an older rookie having different experiences. College is good. It does take some players a little longer to develop, and that’s what happened with me. I’m glad for the opportunity to play in Hartford.”
His engineering background can be translated to his current day job.
“I like to think I can apply what I’ve learned, like patterns and directions, and that it can help me understand the forechecks and breakout setups.”
Brown University was a solid academic experience; however, hockey was different. They have always been the second fiddle in college hockey in Providence to the Providence College Friars of Hockey East.
“We didn’t have the same support from the school or the fans, from what fans we had. It was a very different experience than the players at Providence College had. I loved it nonetheless. I met a lot of great people. I loved okaying Division-I college hockey in my home state. I had a great time as well.”
FIRST PROFESSIONAL GOAL
His first professional goal came after he made a solid read-and-react play.
“The faster you move your feet, the faster you can get to the puck. You have to make that decision before guys get on you. The puck can hit a foot or a skate, and in that case, it hit the post but came right back, and I was able to see it first and get there. I was able to put it in.”
For a young player getting a chance to work with Gord Murphy is a plus. Murphy’s influence is evident in the development of Ryan Lindgren, as a prime example.
“Gord has been great, and he knows I’m a new guy in this league, and he loves to teach. He has a boatload of experience and knowledge. He says the first thing to do is be able to get back and support your partner and get back, retrieve those pucks using your speed in that way.”
LOOMIS CHAFFE
Giuttari spent his prep school time nearby at Loomis Chaffe in Windsor before he was enrolling at Brown.
“I had a great time at Loomis, and I was playing in Rhode Island with the Rhode Island Saints. There was a big fall tournament, ironically, in Marlborough (the home arena for the P-Bruins this year), and I really didn’t know much about prep school at that point.
“All the junior and prep schools were there, and a couple of prep schools talked, and one of them was Loomis Chaffe, and that was the next step in hockey for me. It was a better level (up) for me.”
Zack’s brother Matt played there and is enrolled at Yale. His older sister, Michaela, is an All-American varsity player at Hamilton College, graduated last year also attended the school.
When asked if he caught Wolf Pack games while at Loomis, Giuttari said with a laugh, “No, I didn’t. I saw them in Providence, and I saw a fair amount of (Providence) Bruins games since they were so close to my house.”
A Warwick, RI native, he spent considerable time at the arena in Marlborough, MA. It was like a second home for him playing youth hockey.
“I think I played every weekend or every other weekend there as a kid growing up playing hockey. I know the rink inside and out. When I started, I think there were four, maybe six rinks when I started, and I think it’s eight or nine, so it keeps expanding. It’s been very interesting playing there again.”
NOTES
As a result of COVID-19, the Boston Bruins had two games postponed late Friday. Two recalls from the AHL Bruins, Karson Kuhlman and Oskar Steen, were changed, and they are likely to be in the lineup for Providence on Saturday.
Ex-Wolf Pack, Petr Zamorsky, signed a one-year deal for HC Brno next year (Czech Republic-CEL).
