CANTLON: CT HOCKEY OFF-SEASON VOLUME 13 

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Ex-New York Ranger and Hartford Wolf Pack defenseman, Stu Bickel, hired by the Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) in the summer, then moved on to St. Thomas University (CCHA), a brand-new D1 program, has changed jobs again. Bickel was hired this week by the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds as their new assistant coach.

The Thunderbirds have also signed two new defensemen for Bickel to work with who have Connecticut backgrounds, Griffin Luce (Salisbury School) and ex-Wolf Pack, Josh Wesley.

The Thunderbirds also signed forward Nic Pierog (Canterbury Prep/Sound Tigers) to a one-year AHL deal.

COACHING MOVEMENT

With Ryan Martin leaving Detroit to become the new Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager, the Red Wings named former Whaler and Ranger Pat Verbeek as the new GM of Grand Rapids; he also is the assistant GM in Detroit.

Chase Stillman was drafted by the Devils in June. He signed the standards entry-level contract (ELC) of $925K-NHL/$80K-AHL. He is junior eligible, WJC eligible. He will play next season with the Sudbury Wolves (OHL).

UCONN PLAYERS TURN PRO

A third UCONN player turned professional. Forward Kale Howarth signs a one-year AHL deal with the Rockford Icehogs. Howarth was last seen lying on the ice in a Hockey East quarterfinal playoff game. He was hit in a net-front scramble from behind by Providence College’s Jason O’Neil late in the second period with his entire body weight falling on Howarth’s leg. He was helped off the ice with a severe leg injury.

Incredibly, no surgery was required, and Howarth did rehab near his home in Calgary this off-season.

The other two Huskies who went pro were fellow junior goalie Tomáš Vomáčka with the Nashville Predators. Instead, he’ll be with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). However, they will likely see one another in an AHL Central Division matchup.

Also turning pro was defenseman Yan Kuznetsov. He left UCONN two years early and signed with the Calgary Flames. He could play major junior with the Saint John (NB) Sea Dogs (QMJHL), who selected him in the CHL Import Draft. He is still eligible to play there. He could be in Stockton (AHL) with the Heat this upcoming season. He will likely play for the Russian WJC team.

OTHER COLLEGE PLAYER NEWS

Christian Evers graduates from the University of Vermont (HE) and signs with the Rapid City Rush (ECHL), making 28 Hockey East East players turning pro. Nationally, 35 underclassmen have left early, and the Division-I pro signings in North America is up to 86.

The conference breakdown is:

• Big 10 (22)
• NCHC (16)
• ECACHL and AHA (7)
• CCHA formerly the WCHA (4)
• NCAA Independent Arizona State (2)

The total number of college players Division I and III signing pro deals in North America and Europe is 124.

MORE PLAYER MOVEMENT

Ex-CT Whale/Wolf Pack Tim Kennedy has been hired by the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) to be their development coach for their AHL, ECHL, and collegiate prospects. He was the Head Coach/Assistant GM of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres (OJHL).

After being let go by Halifax (QMJHL) in April, ex-Wolf Pack Assistant Coach, J.J. Daigneault, is still available.

Ex-Sound Tiger Ben Thomson signs with the Henderson (NV) Silver Knights.

Seven more AHL’ers head to Europe. The second of last season’s Wolf Pack heads overseas as Patrick Newell signs with Sterjen (Norway-NEL).

Ben Thomas of the Syracuse Crunch moves to Leksands IF (Sweden-SHL). Two depart from the Tucson Roadrunners, Kevin Hancock to Dorbirner EC (Austria-IceHL) and Josh Wilkins to Västerviks IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan).

Keegan Lowe, son of ex-Ranger NHL Hall of Famer, Kevin Lowe, and Kevin Boyle of the Grand Rapids Griffins, will head to HC Bolzano Foxes (Italy-IceHL).

Another member of the Gulls, ex-Sound Tigers, Matt Lorito heads to Djurgårdens IF (Sweden-SHL).

Sweden and Russia are the top international destinations, with 14 players each from the AHL.

There are 73 AHL players to sign overseas, with 27 of the 31 teams to lose at least one player.

MORE MOVES

Cole Sillinger, son of ex-Sound Tiger Mike Sillinger, signed his NHL standard three-year ELC deal with Columbus at $925K-NHL/$80K-AHL. With one more season of eligibility left, it’s expected he will play this season with the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL). Because he has dual citizenship, Sillinger played last year with the Sioux City Stampede (USHL) and is WJC eligible for Canada and the United States.

The first US college player to go to Canadian major junior is Dave Lafrance from the now-defunct Robert Morris University (AHA) program. He heads to the training camp of the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL).

Another Division III player signs in Europe.

Corey King Chatham University (UCHC) heads to the HC Giants (Finland Suomi-Sarja Division-1).

Another Robert Morris player transfers as Matt Guerra enrolls at Holy Cross (AHA). He is the 81st off-season transfer.

Quinn Emerson, the son of former Hartford Whaler Nelson Emerson, will play at Wenatchee (WA) Wild (BCHL) this season, delaying his commitment to Bowling Green (CCHA) by a year.

Greg Brown, born in Hartford and a former Rangers assistant coach, signs with the Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) as their new head coach.

AND EVEN MORE MOVEMENT

Mitch Eliot, son of former New Haven Nighthawk Daren Eliot, heads from the Utica Comets to the Rochester Americans.

Ex-Wolf Pack Richard Nejezchleb departs from Crakow (Poland-PZIHL) to UTE (Hungary-MOL).

Jerry Pollastrone (Salisbury School) departs Austria and heads to his seventh European country, signing with EC Bad Nauheim (Germany DEL-2).

COYOTES OUT OF OPTIONS

The City of Glendale, Arizona, informed the Phoenix Coyotes and the NHL that at the end of next season, when the team’s lease expires, it would not be renewed at the Gila River Arena. The city cited mounting debt and other non-compliance issues to the lease as reasons for the termination. However, the team was on a year-to-year lease, with each side having the ability to terminate it, and the city has done just that.

Talks have been ongoing for the past sixty days on a third building under consideration to house the team in Tempe. That location would be more desirable for Arizonians but includes buying compost land by 2024 at the earliest. Many details would go into a move like this, including the boatloads of money for a new arena to make it come to fruition, so options are minimal, and the time crunch now.

The four cities now being mentioned as possible new destinations include Houston, Texas, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and incredibly to stay in the Phoenix area.

Houston would seem to be the most logical course to pursue with an eager and publicly-stated partner in the NBA’s Houston Rockets owner, Tilman Fertitta. They have in Houston a modern building, the Toyota Center, home of the NBA Rockets.

A source stated, “This puts the team in a pickle. The city’s move puts the puck in the NHL’s corner. This would be the crowning achievement for Gary Bettman’s legacy, get into another huge market, with a willing, wealthy possible owner and a fairly new building. You keep the (NHL) landscape properly set and get out of all the problems on-and-off the ice in Arizona. Houston seems the logical next step.”

ADVANTAGES OF HOUSTON

Houston is the fourth large TV market. The Toyota Center was built in 2003. The Fox Sports Southwest regional sports network is already in place. Texas does not have an income tax which helps in recruiting players salary-wise.  

There were two previous hockey editions in Houston. First, the Houston Aeros were in the WHA in the mid-1970s with Gordie Howe and his family leading the way, and then there was the AHL-version of the Aeros was relocated to Iowa by the Minnesota Wild 2013.

CONSIDERING QUEBEC

Quebec has the Videotron Centre home of the QMHL Remparts, a new building built to NHL specs. They have a loyal fan base with visions of raising the blue banner of the Nordiques and regional TV networks in RDS (French) and TSN (English).

There are several negatives, however. First, there’s the matter of the discrepancy with the US dollar. The onerous taxation on income (up to 25%) and public taxation on items such as food (15%). There’s the French language and political issues, the Montreal Canadiens private reluctance in not wanting to share the Quebec province with anyone. Not to mention the current COVID rules that have just been reimposed by the US for another month. These are all significant drawbacks.

Hamilton sits in the Buffalo market and has nearly 40% of their ticket base in Southern Ontario. The Eastern city and the building are 30 years old, and it’s home to the OHL Hamilton Bulldogs. The building would require MAJOR renovation to bring it up to a contemporary NHL standard.

Phoenix has been a disaster for the NHL, but there is a third venue still available. The 61-year-old Veterans Memorial Coliseum is not even up to AHL standards, let alone the NHL’s. That last tenant in the building was the old IHL team in 1997 as the third edition of the name, the Phoenix Roadrunners that folded after one year competing against the NHL.

Moving AHL Tucson low on the ladder would be another issue. Still, easier going to either Beaumont near the Louisiana border, a former WPHL city (early part of this century), which is closer to Houston like the Astros Triple AAA team in nearby Sugar Land, or return to an “old” AHL market, like San Antonio.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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