HARTFORD WOLF PACK AND ROCKFORD ICEHOGS COMPLETE TRADE
By: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack
HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today the completion of a three-team trade with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes. Meanwhile, New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today the completion of a trade with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.
The Rangers have acquired forward Patrick Kane and defenseman Cooper Zech from the Blackhawks, while the Blackhawks have acquired defenseman Andy Welinski, a conditional second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft from the Rangers.
In addition, the Blackhawks have also acquired defenseman Villi Saarijarvi from the Coyotes, while the Coyotes have acquired a conditional third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
The Wolf Pack and IceHogs have also announced the completion of a trade. The Wolf Pack have acquired defenseman Adam Clendening from the IceHogs in exchange for forward Zach Jordan.
Welinski, 29, appeared in 40 games with the Wolf Pack this season, scoring 16 points (4 g, 12 a). The native of Duluth, Minnesota, signed with the Rangers as a free agent on July 15th, 2022. He has appeared in 270 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack, Stockton Heat, San Diego Gulls, and Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring 139 career points (39 g, 100 a).
Zech, 24, has split this season between the IceHogs and the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. Zech scored two points in 13 games with the IceHogs (1 g, 1 a). He has scored ten points in eight games with the Fuel (5 g, 5 a).
A native of South Lyon, Michigan, Zech has appeared in 144 career AHL contests with the IceHogs, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and Providence Bruins. He has scored 38 points (5 g, 33 a) in that span.
Clendening, 30, has appeared in 48 games with the IceHogs this season, scoring 24 points (3 g, 21 a). A native of Niagara Falls, NY, Clendening has appeared in 492 career AHL tilts with the IceHogs, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Cleveland Monsters, Tucson Roadrunners, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and Utica Comets. He has scored 309 points (48 g, 261 a) in that span.
In addition, Clendening has played in 90 career NHL games and scored 24 points (4 g, 20 a) with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks.
Clendening was selected in the second round, 36th overall, by the Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, in 31 games with the Rangers during the 2016-17 season, scoring eleven points (2 g, 9 a).
Jordan, 26, has appeared in one game with the Wolf Pack this season. He has skated in 43 games with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen, scoring 26 points (17 g, 9 a). He joined the club on a one-year contract as a free agent on July 14th, 2022.
The Pack is back at the XL Center on Sunday, March 5th, when the club welcomes the Charlotte Checkers to town for a 3:00 p.m. puck drop. For tickets, visit hartfordwolfpack.com.
