WOLF PACK PREPARE FOR THE WEEKEND 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack got ready for the weekend with a fluid lineup.

Riley Nash has a lower-body injury and is still two weeks away from being able to play again. Defenseman Zach Berzolla is also out with a lower-body injury and is roughly a week away.

Not all the news, however, is bad. There is good news, too.

Artem Anisimov signed a professional try-out contract and practiced with the team on Wednesday before scoring the game-winning goal against the Bridgeport Islanders on Thursday night.

Adam Sýkora has returned from the WJC tournament in Sweden. He will likely play either Saturday in Hershey against the Bears or Sunday in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton against the Penguins depending upon how he feels from the adjustments from jet lag.

Ex-Pack and current New York Ranger, Filip Chytil, is dealing with the lingering effects of a severe concussion, believed to be his fourth. He has been sent home to Czechia to deal with it and to perhaps ponder the next steps in his career.

Brennan Othmann was recalled by the Rangers on Wednesday and made an impressive debut against the Chicago Blackhawks. He has compiled 23 points in 20 AHL games. The Rangers had wanted Othmann to marinate a little longer in Hartford, but Tyler PItlik’s leg injury expedited the process.  He skated on a line with Nick Bonino and his former Wolf Pack linemate, Johnny Brodzinski.

NOTES:

The Bridgeport Islanders are playing goalie chess. First Ken Appleby was recalled by the parent club. Then, the team recalled Henrik Tikkanen, who played in Springfield. Jakub Skarek is still on the team and is on the outside looking in.

Islanders defenseman Trevor Cosgrove, who was just recalled from the Worcester Railers, was named to the ECHL All-Star Game on January 15th in Savannah, Georgia. So was Patrick Grasso, the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk, Tom Mullen.

Two ex-Pack’s were also named to the AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose as captains. Dylan McIlrath of Hershey, and Adam Cracknell of the Henderson Silver Knights.

Media reports confirm the 2026 WJC is coming to Minneapolis/St. Paul. The last two times a US venue was used were both in Buffalo back in 2018 and 2011. The last time the WJC was held in Minnesota was when it was a dual location with Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Thief Rive, Minnesota back in 2005. The last time in Minneapolis/St. Paul was in 1982. That was the first time the WJC was ever held in the US.

The WJC was held in Boston in 1996 in a very poorly marketed effort. Prior to that, they held it in Anchorage, Alaska in 1989.

The 2025 WJC will be in Ottawa. Canada has hosted the WJC tourney 18 times, the most of any country.

Drew Worrad’s contract has been terminated by the Wolf Pack by mutual consent. He is free to pursue new ventures or end his career. The same goes for Tristan Mullin, who was acquired in a minor-league free-agent signing in mid-August. He split last year between the Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL) and Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). He never showed up for training camp. His organizational involvement is finished. He is free to do as he pleases.

Ex-Pack Jacob Hayhurst was named the ECHL Player of the Week.

Ethan De Jong (Quinnipiac University) is sent from the Bakersfield Condors (AHL) to the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL).

Odeen (Odie) Tufto (Quinnipiac University) heads overseas. After being suspended by the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) he goes to EHC Olten (Switzerland-LNB),

Joe Masonius (UCONN-HE) moves from the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers (ECHL) to the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliates, the Cincinnati Cyclones. He started out the year in the Erste League with SC Csikszeda (Romania-MOL). Kyle Howarth (UCONN-HE) is recalled from the Indy Fuel (ECHL) by the Rockford IceHogs.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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