CANTLON: HAJEK SENT DOWN TO HARTFORD
BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – The first corresponding transaction has occurred for the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Defenseman Libor Hájek played his first game this season against the Florida Panthers for the New York Rangers and was then sent to the Wolf Pack on a 12-day conditioning loan.
Hajek coming to Hartford triggered other moves. Jeff Taylor, who played the first game of the season, was sent to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen and goaltender Tyler Wall.
BRASSARD
The Pack recalled goalie François Brassard from his loan to Jacksonville to serve as the third goalie.
Brassard, 27, is 1-1-1 in three appearances with the Icemen this season. He has yet to play in the AHL. In his 32 career ECHL games, Brassard is 12-15-3 with a .901 save percentage and 2.96 goals-against-average.
Brassard was signed by the Wolf Pack to a one-year AHL contract on September 22nd. He was a 2012 sixth-round pick (166th overall) by the Ottawa Senators. He played half of the first preseason game against Bridgeport.
Wall has skated in just one game with the Wolf Pack this season. However, he collected his first campaign win on November 6th while collecting 27 saves in the team’s 4-3 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
TAYLOR
Taylor has played just 17 games in four years for Hartford
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, November 17th. They will host the Bridgeport Islanders with the puck drop set for 7:00 PM. The two teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon in a matinee contest at the Webster Bank Arena.
This weekend the Pack have two road games. The first comes on Friday night in Springfield against the Thunderbirds, with a trip to Providence against the Bruins set for Saturday night.
Hájek, as reported by the NY Post senior reporter/columnist Larry Brooks, gave his consent to the move. Hájek was a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He came to the Rangers organization in the trade for the ex-Ct Whale, Ryan McDonagh.
Hájek played junior hockey for former Wolf Pack head coach John Paddock with the Regina Pats (WHL). He was last in Hartford for the final 23 games of the 2019-20 season.
ODDS AND ENDS
Ex-Sound Tigers on the move include Tyler Mosienko, who was released by the Iowa Wild (ECHL). Matt Lorito goes from Djurgarden IF (Sweden-SHL) to Dynamo Minsk (Belarus-KHL). Four playing Canadian senior league hockey are goalie Mike Mole, defenseman Jon Gleed will be with the Dundas McCoys. The Brantford Blast has goalie Dave Leggio and Rob Hisey.
Several other players of note are playing in the Allan Cup Ontario-based league. They include ex-Pack Jordan Owens (Brantford), ex-Sound Tiger Blaine Down with the Whitby Dunlops, and ex-Ct Whale/Wolf Pack Kris Newbury, who’s with the Hamilton Steel Hawks. His last pro team was the Jacksonville IceMen.
In other moves, Tyce Thompson (Orange/Salisbury School), the son of current Bridgeport head coach and ex-Wolf Pack, Brent Thompson, was reassigned to the Utica Comets.
Mathieu Olivier, the son of ex-New Haven Knight/Springfield Falcon Simon Olivier, was recalled from the Milwaukee Admirals by the Nashville Predators. Former UCONN forward Kale Howarth was sent from the Rockford Icehogs to the Indy Fuel (ECHL).
Drake Rymsha, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk, Andy Rymsha, has gone from the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL) to the Hershey Bears (AHL).
