HARTFORD WOLF PACK REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK 

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack recalled winger Tim Doherty, who they acquired from the Chicago Wolves two months back for the purpose of terminating his contract. Doherty’s cousins are the outstanding Hughes boys Jack, Luke, and Quinn.

Curiously, forward Blade Jenkins was released a day after signing a contract with the Wolf Pack.

Righthanded shooting defenseman Bryan Yoon was loaned to the Wolf Pack from the ECHL Utah Grizzlies. Yoon played for five years at Colorado College (NCHC). For three seasons, one of his teammates was Zach Berzolla, who’s presently injured and last year’s team captain. He also played with Rangers draftee Noah Laba.

Ex-Pack Mason Geersten, now of the AHL Henderson Silver Knights, was suspended for the second time this year by the league, this time for three games.

Ex-CT Whale Jonathan Marchessault scored the first goal in a 5-1 win over the Rangers.

John Hayden (Yale University) was recalled by the Seattle Krackken from the Coachella Valley Firebirds and played at MSG because Matty Beniers was out.

KNBLAUCH LEADS OTHER NEWS

Ex-Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblauch’s Edmonton Oilers have won 12 straight and won 4-2, overcoming an initial 2-0 Seattle Krakken lead as he bested his head coach in Philly, now in Seattle, Dave Hakstol.

Yaniv Perets broke the Quinnipiac University goalie curse, playing for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Then, on Monday, he was a backup against the LA Kings. Four previous QU goalies HAVE dressed, but only as backups.

Ex-Sound Tiger Kieffer Bellows signs a contract extension with the Toronto Marlies.

As former first-round pick (10th overall) of the Vancouver Canucks, Cody Hodgson, 33, who was diagnosed with malignant hyperthermia, returns after eight years to the last team he played for, the Milwaukee Admirals, on a Professional Try-Out (PTO) deal.

EX-PACK COACHING

The US National Development Program (USNDPT) has four ex-Packs coaching. Two are U-18 assistant coaches, Ryan Bourque and Matt Gilroy. Bourque was quietly hired in the offseason after spending two years as an assistant with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL). The U-17 head coach is ex-Pack/Sound Tiger Greg Moore. Chad Kolarik, the ex-CT Whale, is his assistant.

After two years with the West Kelowna Warriors, Michael Salandra (Brunswick School) commits to the defending national champions, Quinnipiac University (ECACHL), for next year.

Lucas Prud’-homme commits for the 2026-37 season skated with St. Andrews College.

Yale gets a future commitment (two years) from Finn De St. Hubert, from Wayzata, MN.

Anthony Biakabutuka of Salisbury School commits to Holy Cross (AHA) in nearby Worcester, MA, for 2025-26.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

The Calgary Flames sent Yan Kuznetsov (UCONN-HE) to the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) and sent Jarrod Gourley (UCONN-HE) to the Rapid City Rush (ECHL).

Ex-Wolf Pack/Springfield Falcon Luke Adam departs from HC Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL) and heads to a destination unknown.

Ex-CT Whale Mike Pelech signs an extension with Glasgow (Scotland-EIHL).

Ex-Pack/Sound Tiger Chris Langkow, the younger cousin of former Springfield Falcons Scott Langkow, is said to be leaving HKM  Zvolen (Slovakia-SLEL) to HK Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL), taking Adam’s lineup spot.

OVERSEAS

Over in the European Champions League, Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL) beat HC Genieve-Servette (Switzerland-LNA). There are ex-Pack on Lukko, including defenseman Tarmo Reunanan (left point) and Gabriel Fontaine (left-wing circle), who had shots on the first two shifts to get them started. Former Ranger Josh Jooris, the son of ex-Springfield Falcon Mark Jooris, paced HC Geneve-Servette.

Reunanen is a finalist for CHL Player of the Year.

Lukko goaltender ex-Sound Tiger Christopher Gibson had a strong start, but the Swiss emerged victorious 4-2.

In the second game, Skellefteå AIK, with head coach Simon Robertsson, the son of former Wolf Pack Bert Robertsson (SC Rapperswill-Jona (Switzerland-LNA), knocked off HC Vitkovice (Czechia).

Ex-Pack’s Lauri Pajuniemi is rumored to maybe leaving Malmö IF (Sweden-SHL), as is Ahti Oksanen IK Oskarshamn (Sweden-SHL) for Lausanne HC (Switzerland-LNA) for next season.

TERRY RYAN, JR

After two years of retirement from senior hockey, Terry Ryan Jr., 47, laced them up for Newfie’s own Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers (ECHL) last week for one night only, on his birthday of all dates. The team has been ravaged by illness, and it was the last game before the ECHL All-Star break. Ryan was a one-time NHL first-round pick of Montreal in the mid-1990s. He got the call after visiting a few Newfoundland pubs and quickly agreed. His daughter Penny got to see him play, and his post-game comments have gone viral and touched many corners of the hockey world all across Canada and the US.

It wasn’t a publicity stunt; he was genuinely needed. Ryan, fresh, pure, and funny, known for his humor and irreverence, said this week on Monday afternoon Montreal radio show Melnick in the Afternoon on TSN 690, “I will always be grateful for this moment.”

His comments in Ryan’s podcasts are just plain laugh-out-loud funny and give you a primary peek behind the closed doors of minor league hockey.

He had no points and no shots but did earn a major for fighting in a 6-2 loss to Adirondack, another former AHL city.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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