BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – After 24 years as the lone voice of the Hartford Wolf Pack, Bob Crawford is no longer with the team, as announced early Monday morning by the team’s VP of Business Operations, Erik Hansen.
“We offered (Crawford) a contract, but he turned it down,” Hansen said. “I understand it completely. We will miss him greatly. He did a lot of good for the Wolf Pack. It was a pure business decision.”
Crawford was, as he has always been, a true professional in his response.
“We couldn’t agree on a financial framework that worked. They have their budget, and I have mine.”
THOMAS NAMED AS REPLACEMENT
Crawford’s replacement as the voice of the team is Alex Thomas. He has worked as the Director Marketing for the USPHL’s Northern (MA) Cyclones, plus he did the USPHL Nationals in 2019. He was the voice of the Northeastern University (HE) national champion women’s team, UMASS-Lowell (HE), Holy Cross (AHA), and Division-III’s Tufts University (MASCAC). He has also done AHL work with the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2015-16 and the 2019 U-18 All-Star Game at Merrimack College.
Wolf Pack play-by-play will only be heard on the internet as they have for the last two years as the team has had no over-the-air radio broadcasting agreement.
The team will have two midday home exhibition games on October 6th and the other on October 8th. There will be no outside arena this year because of the COVID-19 situation. As for the regular season at the XL Center, as per Connecticut state mandate, a mask will be required despite vaccination status.
PROMOTIONS
The team will have some restrictions on player interaction this year. An organizational decision is there will be only a few handout giveaways this season, except for opening night against the newly renamed Bridgeport Islanders on October 15th. A rally towel and magnet schedule will be the giveaway.
The team will honor their 2000 Calder Cup Championship team in the 25th anniversary year tentatively set for March 26th. Details will be forthcoming.
For now, the league will play the AHL All-Classic in Laval, Quebec – just outside of Montreal – the last weekend of January 2022
UPDATES ON PLAYERS
A few players, captain Vincent LoVerde (Austria), Patrick Sieloff (Germany on a try-out), and Patrick Newell (Norway), are in Europe. Darren Raddysh is now in the Tampa Bay organization and perhaps Syracuse (AHL) with his brother, Taylor. No word yet on Gabriel Fontaine, who did not receive an offer to return after two years of injuries.
HANSEN AND THE SCHEDULE
Going to a 72-games doesn’t bother Hansen at all.
“It’s good to get rid of that many Wednesday games. I’m all in favor of it. I think next year, when everybody has the same schedule; it will be even easier.”
The proposed new ownership with OVG is pending, and there’s not much Hansen can do at this point.
“It was a chance it might happen. We (Spectra-to-OVG) have to go through the reg (regulatory) process, and there won’t be any changes here. But, of course, it’s a new deal and an organization to operate under, and we’ll just go on. There is no news on the building repairs or operations at all,” remarked Hansen.
Efforts to reach CRDA Executive Director Mike Freimuth, either by phone or e-mail, have been unsuccessful, so there’s no way to get a reaction regarding the building and its future operations.
PLAYER MOVEMENT
Former UCONN player Ben Freeman goes from Pensacola (SPHL) to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL).
Austin McillMurrat (Sacred Heart University (AHA)/Selects Academy at South Kent) goes from the Wichita Thunder (ECHL) to the Florida Everblades (ECHL).
