WOLF PACK REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK 12/15/23 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf  Pack sent goaltender Olof Lindbom and winger Cristiano DiGiacinto back to their ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones. At the same time, the parent New York Rangers recalled defenseman Matt Robertson after three years in the Connecticut capital.

In other news, the Springfield Thunderbirds now have an interim head coach in Daniel Tkaczuk, who was with the Pack for two games. Their previous head coach, Drew Bannister, was promoted to the St Louis Blues as the interim head coach, replacing the terminated Craig Berube.

The Laval Rocket, who the Pack played twice last weekend, lost winger Emil Henimen to recall to their parent Montreal Canadiens.

Joe Snively, who attended Yale University, was recalled from the first-place Hershey Bears by their parent Washington Capitals.

Ryan Smith commits to Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) next year from the Tri-City Storm (USHL).

The schedule has been released for the fourth annual Connecticut Classic, which will be played for the first time at the XL Center.

The defending national champion, the Quinnipiac University Bobcats, will skate against their conference and local rival, Yale University, at 3:30 PM on January 26th in the first of the two semi-final games to kick off the tournament. At 7:30 PM or an hour after the completion of the Quinnipiac and Yale game, UCONN will take on Sacred Heart University in the other semi-final. The championship game will be played on the 27th at 7:00 PM.

UCONN sophomore Matt Wood, the Nashville Predator’s first pick (15th overall) for 2022, was selected to Canada’s WJC team at their camp in Oakville, Ontario. He is the first Husky to play for Team Canada. He’ll play in Gothenburg, Sweden, in the tourney, which runs December 26th through January 5th. Ryan Tverberg (Toronto-AHL) attended camp two years ago but was one of the last cuts. He is the sixth Husky to play for a WJC team.

The American squad won’t be named until Sunday. On the ice are two Rangers draftees, Drew Fortescue and Gabe Perreault, two of a possible seven BC Eagles (HE) in camp in Plymouth, Michigan. Off the ice, Travis Culhane, the son of former Hartford Whaler Jim Culhane of Denver University (NCHC), will be the team’s video coach.

Ex-Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch has affected the Edmonton Oilers, as the team has won eight in a row.

The Washington Capitals (also the NBA Wizards), both owned by Ted Leonis, announced they are leaving the DC Capitol area to head across the Potomac River to a new $2B sports and entertainment district arena being built in Alexandria, Virginia. The Potomac Yard Area has a target of a 2028 opening date. It is doubtful it will affect their relationship with Hershey.

The AHL’s Chicago Wolves have lost their head coach, Bob Nardella, to a ten-game suspension for his use of an anti-gay slur against a league on-ice official. This kind of abusive language deserves serious consequences, but more consequences than some of the violence that occurs on the ice. How does that make any sense?

NHL expansion: Despite over-expansion that has created a diluted talent pool, it’s expected the NHL money grab will happen in the next two years unless there’s a serious national economic downturn.

Our long-time source handicaps the playing field.

“Nothing is likely or set in stone, especially with no formal expansion format in place, but one thing I’m sure of though, it’s going to be higher (in costs) than Seattle.

“The leading cities as likely landing spots are shockingly Atlanta, giving it a go for a third crack at it, and amazingly Salt Lake City. The big caveat is that neither have new buildings that have been built or are on the front burner.

“Houston, the league loves the market, but (Houston) Rockets owner Tilman Joseph Fertitta doesn’t want to own the team, but rent a team, and that NHL President Gary Bettman is greatly opposed to that idea, but if they could get an owner in Eastern Texas that would make the league would make them happiest.

“Quebec, who have been at the altar since the Vegas expansion cycle. The building has a fan base, but the Canadian dollar, the French language, and the Montreal Canadiens stand in the way.

“Hartford is NOT in the discussion. The lack of a new building or any chance of a new building, zero regional sports network and the combo of the NHL/Boston Bruins are a huge hurdle to overcome.”

The Calgary Wranglers recalled former UCONN Husky Jarrod Gouley from the Rapid City Rush (ECHL).

Ex-Pack Sean Day was recalled by the Syracuse Crunch from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Bridgeport Islanders reassigned Reece Newkirk to the ECHL’s Worcester Railers.

Ex-BRidgeport Sound Tiger Parker Wotherspoon was recalled from the AHL Providence Bruins by the parent Boston Bruins.

The Detroit Red Wings recalled Austin Czarnik from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

After five points in his first five games with JYP Jyväskylä (Finland-FEL), ex-Pack C.J. Smith is rewarded with an extension for next year.

Konsta Kapanen, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler Sami Kapanen, is loaned from KalPa Kuopio (Finland-FEL) to Tappara for the rest of the year. He is also WJC eligible. His cousin Oliver Kapanen is not.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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