HARTFORD WOLF PACK REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The start of the Hartford Wolf Pack regular season is just over two months away, and additions to the roster continue.

The New York Rangers announced the team signed forward Tristan Mullin to a one-year AHL standard player contract.

Mullin, 26, split last season between the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds and the ECHL’s Kansas City Mavericks.

In 15 games played, Mullin failed to register any points with the Firebirds, a Calder Cup finalist. He also suited up in 25 contests with their Double AA affiliate, the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

Mullin scored at a point-per-game clip with the Mavericks, putting up 25 points (14 goals) in those 25 games.

A native of Cartwright, Manitoba, he also scored three goals in six Kelly Cup Playoff games with Kansas City.

The 6’2, 196-pound forward plays both left wing and center. Mullin skated in 83 AHL games with the Firebirds and Cleveland Monsters, tallying 10 goals and 23 total points.

Collegiately, Mullin played for three seasons at Cornell University (ECACHL) and then a grad transfer year at the University of Vermont (HE). Over the course of 100 NCAA games, Mullin put up 54 points (25 goals and 29 assists).

Mullin adds organizational depth to next season’s roster.

MORE EX-PACK MOVEMENT

Ex-Pack Alex Whelan (Quinnipiac University) signs a deal with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) while searching for an AHL training camp deal.

Another ex-Pack, Brandon Cutler, played in just six games last year while also spending time with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL), Wolf Pack (AHL), and the Colorado Eagles (AHL). He re-signs with Colorado (AHL) / Utah (ECHL) for next season on an AHL two-way contract.

Former Pack D Yegor Rykov switches KHL Russian teams. He was in Russian Far East, closer to China and Mongolia, going from HC Vladivostok to Neftekhimik.

Ex-Pack Bobby Butler formally retires from hockey, leaving the Worcester Railers (ECHL), where he was their captain last season, after playing two seasons and being inactive for two seasons. Butler had an 11-year pro career with 357 AHL games (231 points) and 130 NHL games. He also played for the US at the 2018 PyeongChang, South Korean Olympic Games and had 83 career ECHL games. Butler played one season in Hartford (2018-19) and played his college hockey for the University of New Hampshire (HE).

Ex-Pack Ryan Potulny’s nephew, Jackson Potulny, commits to St. Thomas University (CCHA) for 2025-26. He played with Shattucks St. Mary’s U-18 AAA team program last season, where he was a goal-a-game player with 62 goals in 62 games. He has not declared his playing destination for next year.

His younger brother, Owen Potulny, still plays with the Marquette (MI) HS team.

The boy’s father, Grant Potulny, played with the Springfield Falcons and is currently the head coach of Northern Michigan University (CCHA).

OTHER CONNECTICUT CONNECTIONS

The Bridgeport Islanders signed Ashton Calder for next season, while former Sound Tiger, Matt Pistilli, goes from Hannover (Germany Division-3 to the Stuggart Rebels (Germany Division-3).

Another ex-Sound Tiger, goalie Frédéric Cloutier, retires from HC Meran/Merano (Italy-AlpsHL) to become the goaltending development coach with Asiago AS (Italy-IceHL). His uncles were former pro players in Norm Gratton, an ex-Ranger/New Haven Nighthawk, and Atlanta Flames/Buffalo/Minnesota North Stars (NHL). His brother was a former Ranger/Nighthawk with stints in the NHL and WHA, the eccentric goalie Gilles Gratton in the 1970s.

The son of former New Haven Nighthawk Trevor Stienburg (Seattle QMJHL scout), Matt Stienberg from Cornell University (ECACHL) does the opposite of Butler. He signs his first pro contract, a two-year ELC deal at $925K-NHL/$82.5K with Colorado (NHL).

Former Yale Bulldog Charlie Curti goes from Toledo Walleye (ECHL) to Belfast (Northern Ireland-EIHL) after dissolving the provisional deal he signed with the Norfolk Admirals (ECHL) that he signed earlier in the summer.

Tomas Vomacka, a former goalie at UCONN (HE), heads from Norfolk (ECHL) to HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czechia (Czech Republic) CEL.

John Farinacci, the nephew of former Wolf Pack/Sound Tiger Ted Donato, who is the current Harvard University (ECACHL) head coach, leaves the Crimson and signs a two-year, two-way ELC (entry-level contract) deal with Boston-NHL/Providence-AHL at $825K-NHL/$82.5K-AHL. Arizona originally drafted him but failed to offer him a deal by the CBA required date of August 15th, allowing him to become a free agent.

Connor Ford is the latest AHL player to leave for Europe. He departs the Henderson Silver Knights for HC Bolzano (Italy-IceHL). Ryan Merkley, who split last year with Colorado (AHL/San Jose (AHL), becomes the second AHL player to go to Kunlun (China-KHL). 75 AHL players have left for overseas hockey for next season.

FORMER YALIES PLAYING PRO

The late Wayne Dean, who was then the Deputy Athletic Director at Yale, kept a list of those who played collegiately and have gone on to careers in minor pro and higher professional levels. Since his passing, it has been kept up and updated.

Those with Connecticut connections:

NHL – Matt Coronato (Calgary)/(Salisbury School), Tyce Thompson (New Jersey/Utica-AHL)/(Salisbury School) (Orange), John Beecher (Providence-AHL)/(Salisbury School), Tyler Madden (Los Angeles)/(AOF), Alex Laferriere (Harvard-ECACHL)/(Kent School), Peter Diliberatore (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-AHL)/(Quinnipiac University)/(Salisbury School), Ilya Usov (Syracuse-AHL)/(Salisbury School), Joey Cipollone (Bridgeport-AHL)/(Quinnipiac University)/ (Loomis Chaffe) and Thomas Lee Halmstad HC (Sweden-Hockey Ettan)/(Skövde IK Sweden-HockeyEttan 2023-24) /(Salisbury School).

NHL Drafted – Aydar Suniev (Calgary), Rudy Guimond (Detroit)/(Taft School)/(Cedar Rapids-USHL 2023-24)/(Yale-ECACHL 2024-25), Nick Capone (Tampa Bay)/(UCONN-HE)/(East Haven)/(Salisbury School) and Kevin Wall (Carolina)/(Penn State-Big10)/(Milwaukee-AHL 2023-24)/(Salisbury School).

College Commits – Stephen Peck (Michigan-Big-10) (AOF), Andrew Heinze (Penn State-Big 10) (Loomis Chaffe), Chris Hibson (New England College-NEHC) (Loomis Chaffe) and Rory Andriole (Loomis Chaffe-CTPREP/ND-WH CTPUB) (Branford).

Giovanni Digiulani (Cornell University-ECACHL 2024-25) (Kent School), Jacob Kraft-Cornell University-ECACHL) (Kent School), Joe Connor (Northeastern-HE 2024-25) (AOF), Hudson Miller (Yale-ECACHL 2023-24) (AOF), Matt Hanscom (RPI-ECACHL 2024-25) (Westminster Prep), Will Reardon (Holy Cross-AHA) (Loomis Chaffe), Alex Bales-Providence College-HE 2025-26) (Kent School) (Tri-City (USHL) and Karsen Dorwat (Michigan State-Big10) (Hotchkiss Prep).

Geno McEnery-(Providence College-HE) (Kent School), Charlie Andriole Babson College-NEHC) (Loomis Chaffe-CTPREP/ND-WH CTPUB) (Branford), Anthony Cipollone (Quinnipiac University-ECACHL) (Loomis Chaffe), Niko Tournas (UNH-HE 2024-25) (Joel Barlow CTPUB) (Redding), Jack Marottolo son of Sacred Heart University head coach C.J., heads to Wesleyan University-(NESCAC) (North Haven), Jonathan Horn (UMASS-Lowell-HE), (Hotchkiss Prep) (Southbury), Max Resnick-Tufts University (MASCAC) (Kent School), Cam Miranda-Hamilton (NESCAC) (Loomis Chaffe/Selects Academy at South Kent Prep-SKP) and Aydar Suniev (UMASS-HE) (Penticton-BCHL).

MORE NEWS

The Carolina Hurricanes have extended their arena lease to 2044. In conjunction with fellow tenants, the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the land around the arena will be developed into a hotel and shopping area.

The irony is the long-gone Whalers were ridiculed for playing in the mall at Hartford Civic Center (nee XL Center) and are going nowhere.

The first CSB (Central Scouting Bureau) list of 500 prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft includes some of the same names; Alex Bales (Kent School) (Providence College HE 2025-26), Blake Burke (Trumbull) Westminster (Simsbury) Prep, Giovanni Digiuliani (Cornell University 2024-25 (Kent School), Landen Ward (youngest son of ex-Beast of New Haven Lance Ward) and Niko Tournas, (UNH-HE 2024-25) (Joel Barlow CTPUB) (Redding).

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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