HARTFORD, CT – Training camp for the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack opens with a few early week moves.

The Rangers added another defenseman to the crowded field by adding Matt Bartowski, who played last year for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He will replace Nils Lundkvist, who had his wish granted as the team traded the disgruntled Swede to the Dallas Stars for a top-10 protected 2023 first-round pick. Instead, that pick could become an unprotected 2024 pick. The Rangers also received a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick, and it could become a third-rounder if Lundkvist records 55 points over the next two seasons.

GM Chris Drury ran a hard bargain trying to get some value back for the 2018 late first-rounder, so his price tag was too steep for many teams except Dallas.

Lundkvist’s agent is former NHL’er and Drury teammate Claude Lemieux.

In other moves, goalie Tyler Wall, who has never had the confidence of the players and coaching staff for the last two years, signed with the Philadelphia Flyers organization. It’s safe to assume he will be in either Lehigh Valley with the Phantoms or in Reading with the ECHL Royals.

The Flyers also signed a former Ranger/Wolf Pack centerman from Russia, Artem Anisimov.

Just Matt Lorito, an ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger from last year’s team, has not declared where he’ll play this year.

Ex-Wolf Pack, Gabriel Fontaine from the Colorado Eagles signs with Lukko Rauma (Finland -FEL).

Goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury Prep) leaves the Boston organization and signs with Seattle. Expect him to be with either Coachella Valley (AHL) or Kansas City (ECHL) this season.

Two different Trinty College (NESCAC) era grads will play in the Hong Kong-based short-season league CIHL next year.

Cole Poliziani, the son of the former Yale player and coach Dan Poliziani and a former Salisbury School player,  signs with the Hong Kong Tycoons. So, after nine years with the South China Sharks, they will play for the Macau Aces.

Two more D3 players signed in Europe, raising the number of signees to 52.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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The post CANLTON ; NEW YORK RANGERS TRADE NILS LUNDKVIST AND OTHER NOTES first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack more than just recovered from a dreadful, defensively after a garish second period, they erupted, scoring a season-best five goals in a 7-3 win over the Hershey Bears before 3,699 at the XL Center.

The Pack onslaught began with 3:32 left after Hershey’s third goal and 14-shot second period.

Goalie Keith Kinkaid was visibly disgusted after ex-Pack Dylan McIlrath’s goal. The next shot forced a glove save on a wide-open Mason Morelli on the right-wing, who was another clean entry facing no checking or stiff opposition.

He went to the bench on a commercial time-out – a goalie rarity, but just prior, he’s chucked the puck to the corner rather than hand it over to the linesman. His disgust at the play of his teammates was clear.

“We realized when we were in the locker room after the second period. He’s building a wall for us, one save at a time. I heard guys saying it. He has done so much for us (this season), we’ve got to play better for him,” said veteran P.C. Labrie.

KNOBLAUCH SEES THE HUMOR

“We had the same thing happen with Shesty (Igor Shesterkin) once came to the bench, but nobody understood him because he was muttering in Russian,” Knoblauch said with a smile. “He would bark at people. Everybody knows because they have a lot of respect for him (Kinkaid). He’s done a lot for us in lots of games. We shouldn’t have won. Obviously, we responded well in the third.”

The third-period onslaught was ignited by the stick of Lauri Pajuniemi, who scored twice his fourth and fifth goals in 64 seconds, starting at 2:53.

The first one came off a redirection of a Ty Ronning shot. The second was a two-pass masterpiece that gave him his first multi-goal game.  The second goal started in the defensive zone with a Tanner Fritz outlet pass, finding Ronning, who then sent a lead pass for Pajuniemi, who outraced three Bears to the puck. Once gaining control, Pajuniemi fired it past goaltender Zach Furcale, a former #1 pick of the Montreal Canadiens.

“I didn’t have time to (process) that he had two goals,” Labrie said. “Boom, he got one. Boom he gets another. We’re in control here. That’s the strength of this team. (Goals) can come from any side of the ice or line for the team and when we defend against a team it’s the combo we have.”

PAJUNIEMI

Knoblauch complemented his rookie forward. “He did the same thing in Providence with a guy draped all over his back. There isn’t a lot of room to score goals out there, but he’s starting to find them.”

Labrie completed his three-point night with the Pack’s third goal in a 1:51 timeframe. Labrie jammed home his second goal of the year in front of the Hershey net. His excitement and exuberance were on full display as he banged on the glass behind the net afterward.

“We’re working smart in practice, and it paid off (tonight),” Labre said in his French-accented English. “We’re putting in five 10-minute drills in front of the net. Anybody we put on the fourth line is playing the right way. We’re fighting and battling to stay there, and I like the chemistry we have. It doesn’t matter who is on that line; nothing feels out of place. Everyone wants to chip in.

MORE PAJUNIEMI

His head coach spoke of and thought highly of him, not as a spare part in returning to North America from Germany after two years at the last minute.

“He has a good shot and protects the pucks well. P.C. has brought a lot. He has played more than we expected. We knew he was a tough guy and had skills. We knew he could play. He played in the NHL before. It’s been a nice surprise for us. He is by far one of the most popular guys in the dressing room.

“I love the way he plays and the energy he brings to the room,” remarked Knoblauch. “As a fourth liner, he doesn’t get that much ice time. Sometimes players get out of a game, can get out of focus. He doesn’t. Some guys can get lulled by the game; He knows when his shift is. He is encouraging his teammates. He’s making sure his linemates are ready for their shift. He’s another coach on the bench.”

BRODZINSKI

Captain Jonny Brodzinski scored two goals on special teams. The first was the team’s first power play goal in ten tries, and they added a shorthanded goal to complete Labrie’s prophecy from three weeks ago when he said, “When it cracks for us, it will crack.”

“He is working the wall so well for us. He wins like 90% of the puck battles he’s in. That’s why he’s our captain he gets rewarded.”

The first period was all Hartford. The second all Hershey as they tallied three goals to take an albeit brief lead.

“We had a good effort in the first and third period, not the second. We’ve been down numerous times like in Providence. There is no quit on this team and we stick with a game plan, and it works. We have had good leadership and the young guys have been respectful, hard-working and want to get better,” Knoblauch said.

SECOND PERIOD BLUES

Libor Hajek, playing in the last game of his conditioning stint, sent an ill-advised pass up the middle of the ice. The pass was broken up by Michal Kempny and set up Shane Gersich to score his first goal of the year, getting it past Kinkaid at 1:33 of the second.

The Bears tied it at two on an extended shift in the Pack end. The Pack was unable to clear their end. A shot from the left point by Lucas Johansen was deflected by Bears veteran and AHL sharpshooter, Mike Sgarbossa who tallied his team-best sixth goal at 10:06.

Then McIlrath, an ex-Wolf Pack and former Rangers 2010 first-round draft pick took an elusive shot from along the far side past Kinkaid at 15:13. It completed another Bears cycle in the Wolf Pack end of the ice.

It was the second time of his career, the first coming as a Springfield Falcon, that McIlrath has scored as an opponent against the Pack.

PACK RESPOND

The Wolf Pack has done well in reversing their first-period blues.

Anthony Greco (six shots) came on for a line change burst down the left-wing side in the Bears zone. Braden Schneider (two assists) was able to see him and hit him with a perfect, diagonal pass. In one motion, Greco put it on the net past Furcale with the puck headed low to the far side of the net at 6:18

McIlrath clipped Zach Jones on a play that didn’t go unnoticed. When the play stopped, Ronning showed fearlessness, loyalty by going after the much bigger and enforcer-minded McIlrath.

Labrie, the Pack’s tough guy, appreciated Ronning’s effort.

“That’s the mentality we have. We don’t have to fight every night, but when that crap happens, when you see Ty doing that, we’re all right there backing each other up.”

AFTERMATH

On the ensuing rush, Patrick Khordorenko picked up the loose puck generated by a Labrie clearing play and got a clean zone entry used. Next, Khodorenko used Bears defenseman Cody Franson as a screen and shot over Furcale’s glove with 6:18 remaining in the period. It was his first goal as Franson skated to his netminder to apologize to him.

Labrie likens the team to the 2012 Calder Cup-winning team he was a part of in Norfolk. “There’s a lot of (similarities) like the young guys and the veterans, the coaching staff we have. I think we have the two best goalies in the league.”

LINES

Fritz-Brodzinski-Greco
Barron-Ronning-Pajuniemi
Whalen-Khordorenko-Richards
Labrie-DiGiacinto-Rueschoff

Schneider-Robertson
Jones-Hájek
Reunanen-Guittiari.

Kinkaid
Huska

SCRATCHES

Bitetto
Gettinger
Skinner
Brassard
O’Leary

NOTES

Hajek played all weekend. The decision was made that his conditioning would not be extended. On Monday, he returns to New York.

“He has spent his time in development here. He’ll be moving on to New York. They can’t extend it.” Knoblauch said.

Gettinger was scratched from the lineup for a second game as he nursed an AHL campaign’s assorted bumps and bruises.

“It’s a nagging injury. He’ll be on the ice on Monday. We want him to get the rest and heal. It’s a persistent injury. He needs the time to heal, but if it were the playoffs, he would play. We just don’t want it to be all season long.”

HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER

It was ‘Hockey Fights Cancer Night’ at the XL Center. Before the game, Labrie reflected on his former assistant captain and Quebec Triple AAA teammate Alexandre Charest of the Coaticook Frontaliers (QJAAAHL) who passed away from a rare form of cancer while very young.

“He fought and battled very hard, but sadly he didn’t make it. During the opening ceremony and anthem, I thought about him, and said a quick prayer and had a good thought about him. We’re all wearing a jersey, playing or not.”

WINNING STREAK

Friday, the Utica Comets won their 12th straight to start the season at home. It was a 4-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers. The old record was eleven held by the 1984-85 Rochester Americans who got win number 13 as they built a 5-0 lead held on for a 5-3 win.

The league record for consecutive wins is 28. That record is held by the now-defunct Norfolk (V.A.) Admirals in 2011-12. They went on to win the Calder Cup title. The only losses they suffered in their march to the title in that impressive run were at the hands of the C.T. Whale in the playoff quarterfinals which they lost in six games.

MORE NOTES

Ex-Pack Deven DiDiomete signs with Gyergyói HK (Romania-MOL) in the Erste League,

Max Sauvé, who played at Avon Old Farms (CTPREP) and played at Penn State (Big 10), signs with the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).

CRAWFORD SELLS OUT

Former Hartford Whaler and New Haven Nighthawk and briefly C.T. Whale President of Operations, Bob Crawford, sold his stake in Connecticut arenas but sold the International Skating Center in Simsbury to local business interests.

He also sold Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, the Wolf Pack second practice facility, and the Bolton Ice Palace to a national arena management company called Black Bear Sports Group that will handle all the business operations and maintenance operations. Crawford will still be involved on the hockey side of things and will still be doing the winter open ice at Bushnell Park in the heart of downtown Hartford. The two buildings give Black Bear 29 in total.

The release state that “An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, CT, and Bolton Ice Palace in Bolton, CT (the “Arenas”). The Agreement is subject to normal course closing conditions. The Arenas collectively feature two NHL ice sheets, one Olympic ice sheet, a full-service gym, and a pool. The transaction also includes purchasing the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack, the elite Tier I and Tier II youth hockey program. The Arenas are also home to the Whalers Youth Hockey Association & Eastern Connecticut Stars, and many figure skating. The Sellers included long-time silent business partner Alan Lazowski, Founder and CEO of Laz Parking, and former NHL player Bob Crawford. Crawford is assuming a senior role with Black Bear, including becoming a member of the Board of Directors. Black Bear, the largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., was founded by CEO Murry Gunty in 2015.

The two buildings give them 29 in total.

“I am thrilled that Bob will continue his life’s work and legacy with Black Bear, the best and most prolific rink owner and operator in the United States.”

“It has been my great honor to partner with Bob Crawford over the past 30 years and watch his passion and love for the game and his commitment to teach young men and women the art of the game,” said Lazowski. “I am thrilled that Bob will continue his life’s work and legacy with Black Bear, the best and most prolific rink owner and operator in the United States.”

“We are excited to expand our Connecticut presence with this transaction, as Connecticut is such a strong hockey market,” said Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear. “More importantly, I am thrilled to have Bob Crawford has joined our organization to help us continue to build out our hockey business. Bob brings deep hockey experience from both his distinguished NHL career and his extensive youth hockey experience including leading leagues, representing his district and serving in leadership capacities at the highest levels of hockey especially USA Hockey. It is an honor to have him on board.”

“I’m excited to stay on board and continue to develop players in the Jr. Wolf Pack program and support Black Bear’s overall hockey business,” said ex-NHLer Bob Crawford. “Over the years we have had numerous offers to sell the rinks, but both Alan and I believe that Black Bear will be the best home for our families and our buildings and a great place for my wife, Kathleen, and I to continue to make a large impact on both our community and the sport that we both love. In addition, Bolton Ice Palace and Champions Skating Center will continue to thrive under Black Bear’s ownership.”

The arena in Cromwell was first purchased in 1997.

“Our mission is to continue growing hockey and ice sports in Connecticut and are thrilled to add another Tier I franchise that we can support through our numerous junior team franchises such as the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL,” said Ryan Scott, Vice President of Black Bear. “Under Bob’s leadership, we also look forward to growing our league and tournament businesses in Connecticut and the rest of the Northeast and expect to host numerous boys’ and girls’ events in our rinks.”

-This is the first of six meetings between the Wolf Pack and the Bears during the 2021-22 AHL regular season. This is also the first of three meetings at the XL Center. The sides will meet back in Hartford on March 5th and 26th. The following three meetings will occur in Hershey, coming on January 22nd and 23rd and February 2nd.

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The post CANTLON: (11/20) PACK SMASH HERSHEY first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – This time it could be a permanent recall for Hartford Wolf Pack forward, Greg McKegg.

McKegg was recalled by the New York Rangers after the season-ending ACL tear suffered by top-line forward, Sammy Blais against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.

There is a definite spot open in New York and the initial move by Rangers General Manager Chris Drury and the senior staff was to fill that void with the former Boston Bruin.

For McKegg, this is an opportunity to make the recall permanent if he can fill the gap in the Rangers roster to Drury and Head Coach Gerard Gallant’s satisfaction.

OTHER NEWS

After just eleven games as an Assistant Coach, ex-CT Whale/Wolf Pack defenseman, Jared Nightingale leaves the Flint Firebirds (OHL). Nightingale takes the Assistant Coaching position with the Rockford Ice Hogs (AHL) pushing up his pro timetable.

Former Sound Tiger goalie Kevin Poulin was recalled from the Trois-Rivieres Lions (ECHL) to the Laval Rocket (AHL).

Former Wolf Pack Lewis-Zetter Gossage (Kent School) is loaned out from the Maine Mariners (ECHL) to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL).

MORE NEWS

On Tuesday, the AHL received the shocking news that former head coach, John “Clark” Donatelli, was charged in Rhode Island with four counts of sexual assault against Erin Skalde. She is the wife of Jarrod Skalde who at the time was the assistant coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Skalde was a former second-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in 1989. Currently, he is the Head Coach and the Director of Hockey Operations of the Cardiff Devils (Wales-EIHL). Their son Skate is playing for Bracknell (England-NIHL).

Donatelli entered a plea of not guilty. He will face a pre-trial hearing in December.

For a little over a year, he was the head coach and in September, resigned from Eisbären Berlin (Germany-DEL). Donatelli is presently unemployed. He was the head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at the time of the incident in 2018. He was arraigned last week in published reports and posted a $10K bond.

The two sides recently reached an out-of-court settlement of the case on the civil side. They now face the criminal trial.

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The post CANTLON: RANGERS RECALL MCKEGG TO REPLACE BLAIS first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The first corresponding transaction has occurred for the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Defenseman Libor Hájek played his first game this season against the Florida Panthers for the New York Rangers and was then sent to the Wolf Pack on a 12-day conditioning loan.

Hajek coming to Hartford triggered other moves. Jeff Taylor, who played the first game of the season, was sent to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen and goaltender Tyler Wall.

BRASSARD

The Pack recalled goalie François Brassard from his loan to Jacksonville to serve as the third goalie.

Brassard, 27, is 1-1-1 in three appearances with the Icemen this season. He has yet to play in the AHL. In his 32 career ECHL games, Brassard is 12-15-3 with a .901 save percentage and 2.96 goals-against-average.

Brassard was signed by the Wolf Pack to a one-year AHL contract on September 22nd. He was a 2012 sixth-round pick (166th overall) by the Ottawa Senators. He played half of the first preseason game against Bridgeport.

Wall has skated in just one game with the Wolf Pack this season. However, he collected his first campaign win on November 6th while collecting 27 saves in the team’s 4-3 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

TAYLOR

Taylor has played just 17 games in four years for Hartford

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Wednesday, November 17th. They will host the Bridgeport Islanders with the puck drop set for 7:00 PM. The two teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon in a matinee contest at the Webster Bank Arena.

This weekend the Pack have two road games. The first comes on Friday night in Springfield against the Thunderbirds, with a trip to Providence against the Bruins set for Saturday night.

Hájek, as reported by the NY Post senior reporter/columnist Larry Brooks, gave his consent to the move. Hájek was a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He came to the Rangers organization in the trade for the ex-Ct Whale, Ryan McDonagh.

Hájek played junior hockey for former Wolf Pack head coach John Paddock with the Regina Pats (WHL). He was last in Hartford for the final 23 games of the 2019-20 season.

ODDS AND ENDS

Ex-Sound Tigers on the move include Tyler Mosienko, who was released by the Iowa Wild (ECHL). Matt Lorito goes from Djurgarden IF (Sweden-SHL) to Dynamo Minsk (Belarus-KHL). Four playing Canadian senior league hockey are goalie Mike Mole, defenseman Jon Gleed will be with the Dundas McCoys. The Brantford Blast has goalie Dave Leggio and Rob Hisey.

Several other players of note are playing in the Allan Cup Ontario-based league. They include ex-Pack Jordan Owens (Brantford), ex-Sound Tiger Blaine Down with the Whitby Dunlops, and ex-Ct Whale/Wolf Pack Kris Newbury, who’s with the Hamilton Steel Hawks. His last pro team was the Jacksonville IceMen.

In other moves, Tyce Thompson (Orange/Salisbury School), the son of current Bridgeport head coach and ex-Wolf Pack, Brent Thompson, was reassigned to the Utica Comets.

Mathieu Olivier, the son of ex-New Haven Knight/Springfield Falcon Simon Olivier, was recalled from the Milwaukee Admirals by the Nashville Predators. Former UCONN forward Kale Howarth was sent from the Rockford Icehogs to the Indy Fuel (ECHL).

Drake Rymsha, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk, Andy Rymsha, has gone from the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL) to the Hershey Bears (AHL).

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The post CANTLON: HAJEK SENT DOWN TO HARTFORD first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack return home at the XL Center for their second three games in three days. They will face-off with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and then have their first meeting with the Charlotte Checkers in two years. The Checkers are now the dual affiliate of the Florida Panthers and the expansion, Seattle Kraken, who await the completion of their new arena in Palm Springs, CA.  Next year the Kracken will be in their building and migrate to the Pacific Division. The Pack will finish the weekend with a quick trip down I-95 to play at the Webster Bank Arena and the Bridgeport Islanders.

No players have been assigned to the Jacksonville Icemen, the team’s new ECHL affiliate. Keith Kinkaid will start the weekend in the net, as he has the first two weekends. Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch says who will be in the net for the rest of the weekend remains up in the air.

The first line of team captain Jonny Brodzinski, Tim Gettinger, and Anthony Greco remains intact. Morgan Barron, back from a stint with the New York Rangers, slides into the second line with Justin Richards and Ty Ronning.

The only defensive change is on the third pair, as Hunter Skinner replaces Zach Giuttari and teams up with Tarmo Reunanen. The other pairs are Anthony Bitetto and Zac Jones, and Braden Schneider, and Matt Robertson.

Thus far, the roster is injury-free.

Meanwhile, in New York, forward Ryan Reaves was placed on the IR. Kappo Kaako was taken off that list. Greg McKegg stays in NY for the time being. 

THE BEACH AFFAIR

Allegations of sexual abuse by Wolf Pack forward Kyle Beach that dates back eleven years to his time in the Chicago Blackhawks organization by a video coach have been proven to be true. The scandal has resulted in the firing of the team’s President, John McDonough, the General Manager who also holds the same role for the Team USA Olympic team, Stan Bowman, Assistant GM, Al MacIsaac, and a former head coach, now an ex-head coach of the Florida Panthers, former Whaler Joel Quenneville. However, after a meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, the present Winnipeg Jets GM, ex-Springfield Indians player Kevin Cheveldayoff, who was with the Blackhawks at the time, was spared the hangmen’s noose.

Beach was with the Pack for half a season after being acquired on waivers from the St. Louis Blues on December 6, 2013. After seven unpleasant games in Rockford and five rocky years there, he was traded for the current Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL) assistant coach when the team was called the CT Whale, Brandon Mashinter.

The Blackhawks, and by extension the NHL, tried to bury him after Beach was drafted in the first round (11th overall) in 2008. After five years in the AHL, the Chicago organization sent Beach to HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League.

One NHL scout alleged at the time in a private conversation in no uncertain terms with this reporter that Beach had drug and alcohol issues, felt the Rangers had made a mistake in picking him up, and that Beach was anything but a good teammate.

GERNANDER REACTION

He was surely at best in his brief stop in Hart City. Former Pack head coach Ken Gernander, now an amateur NHL scout living in Minnesota, was succinct on his brief tenure.

“At no time, where we told about it by the organization or by him. He was good to work with, and we had no issues with him. The first I heard about it was from my daughter the other day, and I was completely shocked by it.”

By unmasking himself as the “John Doe” in the story by reporter Rick Westhead of The Athletic, Beach laid bare how the system failed him.

Beach is currently still skating for the German Division 3 EHC Erfurt Black Dragons. However, he’ll likely receive a sizable settlement when he retires and could wind up with an NHL job, as was the case with another ex-Wolf Pack, Akim Aliu was last year.

IN MEMORIAM

Original Hartford Whaler fans have lost the voice of their soul.

Bob Neumeier, 70, who overcame a stroke several years ago, the cheery, enthusiastically pleasant voice passed away in Boston of congestive heart failure. He was NBC’s voice of horse racing and did local sports in Boston for WCVB-TV as well.

Before the great Chuck Kaiton, it was Neumeier’s voice that boomed across large swaths of the US and Eastern Canada on WTIC-AM (1080) as the signature sound of the WHA New England Whalers.

RIP

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The post CANTLON: (10/29) MUCH LIES AHEAD FOR PACK first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The intensity and flow of hockey news are increasing with each passing day, especially since the NHL is plotting out their Phase III and Phase IV return to play plans and a date for the start of the playoffs is also in the news.

Cantlon’s Corner has learned from several collegiate sources that the Ivy League, which includes both Yale University in New Haven, and Quinnipiac University in Hamden, might be reaching a monumental decision regarding athletics and their response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the 2020-21 season. It will be announced by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.

The current discussion under serious consideration is a proposal that would see the fall semester consist of just freshmen, juniors, and seniors only to be allowed on campus with sophomores excluded. In the second semester, Freshmen will be excluded from campus.

Should this come to pass, it would effectively end all sports for the 2020-21 season. It’s expected to be announced as a conference-wide policy.

All sports teams, men’s, and women’s would be adversely affected in one way or another and the decision would have national repercussions for all other college sports conferences.

Every Division I conference will be backpedaling on how to handle COVID-19, starting with the big moneymaker, college football.

It’s one thing for a Division III school like Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine to start spots on January 1st, but the ramifications for both the programs and university staff personnel will be immense.

For ECACHL hockey. it will likely lead to major transfers by under-classmen for colleges that will play Division I hockey starting in the fall.

Players, if eligible, could be returning to US junior hockey in the USHL or NAHL or head north to play Canadian Junior A hockey (Canadian citizens only) in order to retain their US collegiate eligibility under present NCAA rules, unless a waiver of some sort is granted by the NCAA to treat the situation like a transfer year.

Players also might elect to go to the Canadian major junior route if they have a Canadian passport as the border still remains closed to non-Canadian residents.

Players could drop out of school altogether and take a gap year, waiting until the dust settles and hopefully when life returns to normal in the fall of 2021.

Then some players, like Cornell’s Morgan Barron whom the New York Rangers drafted in the sixth round (174th overall) in 2017, have their NHL team working on them to leave school early. In Morgan’s case, the Rangers have been in discussions with him for over a year. Barron wants to get his Cornell degree switched his major last year.

Barron may have to turn pro as his only alternative and begin to play in the AHL in Hartford for the 2020-21 season… whenever that may happen.

At age 21, with a December 2nd birthday, he is no longer junior hockey eligible. His younger brother, Justin, 18, plays in their hometown for the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL). He played 34 games last year before developing a blood clot that ended his season prematurely and was being scouted as well by New York.

The AHL season is likely to start in late-November or by January 1st according to several pro hockey sources.

This is all under review. There are no guarantees, and the situation is very fluid where views and changes come day-to-day.

The Ivy League schools were ahead of the curve in the spring as they were the first to close-and-cancel all winter tournaments and spring sports schedules in response to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

The June 30th expiration of AHL deals has come-and-gone with no change from the NHL, so players are free to seek deals.

The Wolf Pack’s Steven Fogarty is an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA), but he’s on a two-way (NHL-AHL) deal. The Wolf Pack has three Group 6 free agents with Vinni Lettieri and Danny O’Regan on the open market. Their third Group 6 FA, Nick Ebert, signed a European deal with Orebro HK (Sweden-SHL) last week.

The NHL has moved the date for expiring contracts until the end of the 24-team, NHL Stanley Cup playoff tournament this summer.

What remains, however, is the big issue of getting players back from Europe with new EU restrictions regarding COVID-19.

The season-ending rosters for the 31 AHL teams, a total of 620 players (20 per team as average) plus 147 have European home addresses makes up 24% of the players can be affected.

Laval signed two players for training camp, goalie Sam Vigneault, who was with the Cleveland Monsters last season, and defenseman, Corey Schueneman, who was with the Stockton Heat last season.

The deal for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ Mikhail Vorobyev with Salavat Yulaev (Russia-KHL) has been officially confirmed.

Dominik Masin of the Syracuse Crunch is close to a deal with Amur Khabarovsk (Russia-KHL).

Currently, 34 AHL players have left for Europe. 19 of 31 teams have lost at least one player.

Former Yale Bulldog, Antoine Langaniere, re-signs with EHC Straubing (Germany-DEL).

Two more college-to-pro signings. Tyler Nanne, the cousin to the Pack’s Lettieri, goes from the University of Minnesota (Big 10) signs a one-year AHL deal with the Hershey Bears.

After four years at Bemidji State (WCHA), Tommy Muck signs with Kansas City (ECHL).

Will Graber of Dartmouth College (ECACHL) heads to Hershey (AHL), while Luke Bafia, of the Western Michigan Broncos (NCHC), departs to the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

Aidan Pelino of Bentley College (AHA) signs with RoKi (Finland Division-1).

Currently, that makes a 101 Division I college players to sign North American pro deals and 174 (Division I and III) players total have signed North American and European pro deals.

According to Rhode Island-based, collegiate hockey writer, Mark Divver, forward, Garrett Wait leaves the University of Minnesota (Big 10) and transfers for UMASS-Amherst (HE) making 23 Division I school transfers. There have been 18 grad transfers for next season.

One player not going to Europe who has decided to retire instead, and the first casualty of the new EU visa rules restricting Americans from entering the 14 country Euro travel zone, and non-area European countries like the UK.

Former Whalers TV announcer, and the voice of the Springfield Indians, John Forslund, is on the open market as a broadcast UFA after his contract expired with the Carolina Hurricanes.

EX-PACK RETIRES

Chad Kolarik, 34, and a former CT Whale has hung up the skates rather than return for another year with EC Salzburg (Austria-EBEL). Kolarik spent a little over two years with the Pack after being acquired from the then Springfield Falcons, for then captain, Dane Byers, who had requested a trade on November 11, 2010. It came just as the Wolf Pack’s name was changed for the ill-fated move to the CT Whale brand. He would play the very first Whale game against Springfield.

Byers was injured on the third day of training camp with a torn ACL and it cost him a year-and-a-half of hockey. The time was extended by a major Rangers procedural screw-up that left him off the Whale playoff Clear Day roster in February because he was not medically cleared at that point to play.

Kolarik carried a heavy load of anger and resentment regarding the incident that his teammates despised as it was omnipresent in his off-ice behavior with players and the coaching staff.

He had 35 points in 41 games with the Whale, but was dealt to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on January 24, 2013, for Benn Ferreiro. He then put up 33 points in 35 games and played in the AHL All-Star game in Providence as a Penguin a week after the trade.

That led to one of the tensest exchanges between him and Ken Gernander. It came in a lobby hotel while checking in. It was cordial but frosty.

Gernander was there for his AHL Hall of Fame induction.

HALL OF FAME MEDIA AWARD

Frank Seravalli of TSN, and the President of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association (PHWA), and Chuck Kaiton, the President of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association, and former Hartford Whalers radio play-by-play announcer for their entire history on WTIC-AM (1080), announced today that Tony Gallagher (Vancouver) will receive the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award for excellence in hockey journalism. Rick Peckham will receive the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for outstanding contributions as a hockey broadcaster.

Peckham had been a broadcast professional hockey for 42 years before his retirement following the pandemic shortened 2019-2020 season. For the last 24 seasons, he was the TV play-by-play voice of the Tampa Bay Lightning, joining the organization in 1995.

Prior to that, he served in the same capacity for the Hartford Whalers for 11 seasons as part of SportsChannel New England and WHCT-TV Channel 18 in Hartford.

During his illustrious career in the NHL, he has received four local Emmy Awards for his work on Fox Sports Sun and SportsChannel New England. Peckham is a 1977 graduate of Kent State (OH) University.

Peckham served as the radio/TV voice of the Rochester Americans of the AHL for seven years.

“I have known Rick for 36 years, since his days covering the Hartford Whalers,” said Kaiton. “Rick has had a most distinguished hockey broadcasting career, which deserves to be recognized by this honor. His longevity and excellence tell the story and passion for his profession came through each broadcast.”

Tony Gallagher is the first writer to win the award for a body of work exclusive to the Vancouver market.

He became one of hockey’s most influential voices in Western Canada in a career at The Province newspaper that spanned from 1970 – 2015. He was recruited by The Province out of the University of British Columbia in 1968.

He was hired full-time in 1970 for high school sports before making the jump to hockey, covering the WHL’s New Westminster Bruins and then the WHA’s Vancouver Blazers.

By 1976, Gallagher graduated to become the paper’s lone beat writer of the Vancouver Canucks. He was promoted to general columnist in 1987, where he continued to break news and stir-the-pot and covered nearly 25 Stanley Cup Finals -including all three Canucks appearances.”

“Tony Gallagher owned the Vancouver market in a time before the internet when scoops lasted for 24 hours in a newspaper world where contact meant everything,” Seravalli said. “He was uber-connected and over time became the voice for the Western Canadian market that has always seemed to have a chip on its shoulder, sitting three time zones away from Toronto. Tony was the perfect writer for that constituency, never afraid to break a few eggs in writing his daily omelet. He fought for Canucks fans against a perceived injustice by both the League or their team, becoming a media icon in his city and beyond.”

Gallagher and Peckham will receive their awards at a luncheon tentatively scheduled on Monday, November 16th and their award plaques will be displayed in the Esso Great Hall at the Hockey Hall of Fame alongside past award recipients

FRANK CAMARA

Best wishes to a long-time Bridgeport off-ice official, Frank Camera, who is battling cancer.

Camara had been a penalty box presence at the New Haven Arena, New Haven Coliseum, and the Harbor Yard Arena for 62 years!

He witnessed the Eastern Hockey League’s New Haven Blades, the AHL’s New Haven Nighthawks, Roller Hockey International’s (RHI) Connecticut Coasters, the AHL Beast of New Haven, the UHL’s New Haven Knights, and the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

He always brings a smile and great stories and is in our thoughts and prayers.

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: HOCKEY OFF-SEASON NEWS AND NOTES VOLUME 16 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Planning for the 2020-2021 AHL season is well underway as is the possible return of the NHL in the summer and a possible late-in-the-year start to the following season are dominant news stories this week.

North American players have been signing deals to play next season in Europe.

The first few of those, even though this AHL season is still a “suspended” rather than a “canceled” season, but expect that designation could change by week’s end or by early next week.

Last week, the Hartford Wolf Pack’s signings for next season of Vincent LoVerde and Mason Geerstsen to AHL contracts combined with two of the five players confirmed heading across the Atlantic Ocean would certainly make it seem like the towel has been tossed in on 2019-20 season.

Nikolai Goldobin of the Utica Comets was the first to announce he was heading back to play with CSKA Moscow (Russia-KHL).

On Sunday, Zach Redmond, 31, an assistant captain the last two season with the Rochester Americans, signed a one year deal with EHC Munich (Germany-DEL). His production slipped to 30 points from 50 after having played in 50 games last season with Rochester. A Ferris State college grad, then in the original CCHA, played 373 AHL games with 70 goals, 157 assists for 227 points. Last year he played in his second AHL All-Star game and was named winner of the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL’s top defenseman. He was selected to the AHL First Team All-Star with the most goals by an AHL defenseman (21) in 2018-19 including a league-best 10 game-winners. He played 133 NHL games with five different teams garnering 29 assists and 38 points. Redmond played three seasons of junior hockey with Sioux Falls (SD) Stampede (USHL) in 2008-09.

Two players are expected to sign in Switzerland are Cory Conacher (Syracuse Crunch) and Philippe Hudon (Laval Rocket). Peter Cehlarik (Providence Bruins) is weighing offers from several Swedish Hockey league teams.

The list of US college players signing with North American teams is up to 90, Including Division III players and Euro signings, such as Zach Remers of Buffalo State College (SUNYAC) with Kalmar HC (Sweden Division-1), the total number is 146.

Former New Haven Nighthawk, Grant Ledyard, was the head coach this past season with the college club program at the University of Buffalo Bulls (ACHA Division-1) in the NECHL (Northeast College Hockey League). His assistant coach was one of his three sons, Ryall, a graduate of the school.

AHL NEWS

It would seem to be a forgone conclusion that by mid-to-late May, the AHL season officially will be canceled. The current blueprint that’s being worked on is to pivot to next season.

Players were paid through what would have been the end of the 2019-20 season. Several independent sources have stated that’s the working AHL philosophy, meaning there will, sadly, be no Calder Cup champion this year.

The NHL, on the other hand, seems to be intent on finishing the 2019-20 season that had about 14-15 games left before the Covid-19 pandemic shut it down. They are discussing finishing the regular season and commencing with a summertime Stanley Cup playoffs.

Cantlon’s Corner has learned that four-to-five cities have been identified with low COVID-19 rates and restrictions that have been or about to be lifted. Those US cities are Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Columbus, In Canada, the cities are Edmonton and Toronto. Las Vegas was also under consideration, but the NBA plans on having one of its camps to resume their season there. It’s a numbers game in how many people can be in one facility at any one given time.

While logic would say that with the NHL, having a team in Las Vegas with none in the NBA, that the NHL would get first shot at it, that’s not where the conversation is at this point in time.

The players are being asked what their status is with all of this. The NHL does not want to get into a nitpicking negotiation for the re-opening. However, some players are balking at the idea of returning with the plan of locking down and isolating the players to reduce the chance of an outbreak occurring while the season is resumed. Some players are not happy that they would be taken away from their families for that long of a time.

The cost of canceling the remaining NHL season and the playoffs is estimated at $1.1 billion. The losses if they do play are expected to be only $500 million.

There is a myriad of tricky issues, one of which is that players with contracts that are set to expire on June 30th. There would likely need an addendum or some other sort of legal instrument that would be approved by both the NHL and NHLPLA to extend the deals till September 1st.

Assuming everything is done by August, free agency would begin in September for both the NHL and AHL. At that time, the NHL Draft, potentially virtually as the NFL did, could possibly be held.

The discussion also includes starting the 2020-21 NHL and AHL hockey seasons after Thanksgiving with the NHL All-Star Game likely to be scrapped. However, the AHL All Star Classic is set for Laval in late January and still could receive the green light.

This all subject to change.

CHARLOTTE 

Relationships change like seasons. Some are equitable, amiable, and a mutually parting of the ways. While others can be more contentious and acrimony ensues. It’s safe to safe the odd exit of the Carolina Hurricanes from the Charlotte Checkers as their top farm team, clearly falls in the bitter category.

On Tuesday, the Checkers issued a very rare, extraordinarily biting and snarky press release that upstaged the worst kept secret in hockey that is frankly, baffling, The Hurricanes are moving their AHL team to the Chicago Wolves and leaving the Bojangles Coliseum behind.

“While we are aware that the Carolina Hurricanes are nearing an affiliation agreement with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, the Hurricanes have had little dialogue with us regarding this matter. In an era when NHL teams are placing great value on affiliations with closer proximity between the two clubs, we understand the confusion such a move would cause.”

Street chatter has the Checkers becoming the affiliate of the Florida Panthers, the only team in the NHL without a clear affiliation with any AHL team.

Could this be a sign of a bigger move lurking in the background?

NWHL DRAFT

Congrats to the Danbury-based Connecticut Whale on their picks in the NWHL Draft.

The five-round event for the league’s six teams saw the Whale take Kayla Friesen of Clarkson University in the first round (second overall).

Yale University’s Saroya Tinger went fourth overall to the Metropolitan Riveters.

The other Whale selections included Victoria Howan (University of New Hampshire) in the second round (seventh overall) and in the third round (13th overall) forward Savannah Rennie (Syracuse University) was selected.

In the fourth round, the Whale chose Amanda Conway (Norwich University – 19th overall), and in the fifth and final round, they had two picks taking, with the 25th pick, Nicole Gaigliaro (Adrian College) and their final pick (27th overall), Maddie Bishop (Sacred Heart University).

The league expanded to Toronto, a former CWHL (Canada Women’s Hockey League) city for 2020-21. With six teams, the NWHL’s status as a minor league operation will help in getting visas for their players from Canada and Europe.

The Toronto team will conduct a name the team contest this summer.

NEW COLLEGE HOCKEY PROGRAM

This came out of left field, but it might fit into a regional puzzle.

The Long Island University (LIU) Sharks announced they will launch the 61st NCAA Division I college hockey program.

The school, located in Brookville, Long Island (Nassau County) already has a women’s program that won their conference (New England Women’s Hockey Alliance) post-season title in year one. when they knocked off Sacred Heart University (Bridgeport, CT) in the semifinals and St. Anselm (Goffstown, NH) in the final.

One NCAA requirement hurdle is now out of the way with a men and women’s program in the same sport.

The surprising announcement stated they would start the program as a Division I independent immediately for the 2020-21 season. They’re already in a national search for its first head coach and are paring candidates down to three finalists.

The press release didn’t mention a conference it might join, but the AHA (Atlantic Hockey Association) would seem to be the most logical choice as they said they have talked to the AHA, ECACHL and Hockey East.

The men’s team, like the women’s team, will be using three rinks to play their home games in. They are The Ice Works in Syosset, the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, and a game or two at the newly renovated, Nassau Coliseum, the home of the NHL New York Islanders who are building a new arena at Belmont Park.

Interestingly, the school is 20-25 minutes from Ronkonkoma (Suffolk County) where there is a proposed 7,500 seat arena that has been talked about and whose initial proposal was submitted. A group, JJL Group, of Chicago has hired former Islander and New York Rangers great, Pat LaFontaine, to gain letters of commitment from an AHL team and college program to be the primary tenants in the proposed new arena.

The JJL Group was given a second extension by Suffolk County until April to gain the necessary commitments, but with the COVID-19 crisis there has been no word on the project. This announcement might change things,

Over the coming weeks more info will be coming on LIU and the arena in Ronkonkoma.

AWARD WINNERS

The Double AA affiliate of the Wolf Pack, the Maine Mariners announced their team’s season awards.

Center, Terrence Wallin (Gunnery Prep), was named the Community Leader Award winner. He played 23 games with the Wolf Pack in the 2018-19 season.

“Terrence has devoted himself to the community in Portland,” said Maine Head Coach, Riley Armstrong, in the team’s press release, “He continues doing work even now with his zoom hockey skills to help develop and grow the game in Maine.”

The other winner of note as the team’s Most Improved Player went to Ty Ronning, who finished up the year with the Wolf Pack.

“The way Ty approached this season on being sent to Maine was a 180 from last season,” said Armstrong. “His maturity level both on and off the ice was eye-opening for me. The way he played in Maine, he really deserved to be up in Hartford.”

Ronning had 11 goals and 26 points in 28 games for the Mariners and had a pair of call ups to the Wolf Pack – first on October 24th, 2019, and again on February 3rd, 2020, after which he stayed in the AHL for the remainder of the season.

With the Mariners in 2019-20, Ronning had three multi-goal games, highlighted by his second career hat trick on January 24th, 2020 in an 8-1 home win against the Worcester Railers.

Ronning will forever hold unique status in Mariners history for his five-point ECHL debut on November 24th 2018 versus the now-defunct Manchester Monarchs, still a single-game franchise record.

USHL DRAFT

The USHL draft will be held this coming Monday (Phase 1) and Tuesday, (Phase II).

Phase I of the Draft is ten rounds of “Futures” age players only, U-17 players for next year’s season (2004 birth year players only for the 2020 Draft).

Phase II of the Draft will take place the following day beginning with round one. This draft is open to players of all ages eligible to play junior hockey and are not currently protected by another USHL team.

BEIJING OLYMPICS 2022

The final rankings by the IIHF for 2020 for men’s and women’s hockey were announced and they are the bases for seeding and grouping for the 2022 Beijing Olympics to be held February 4-20 2022 in the capital of Communist China.

Group A: Canada (1), USA (6), Germany (7), China (12).

Group B: Russia (2), Czech Republic (5), Switzerland (8), Qualifier 3 (11).

Group C: Finland (3), Sweden (4), Qualifier 1 (9), Qualifier 2 (10).

The Olympic Qualification for the men’s teams has already started in November 2019 and will end with the Final Olympic Qualification scheduled for 27-30 August 2020 in the following groups:

Group D: Slovakia, Belarus, Austria, Poland. In Bratislava, Slovakia.

Group E: Latvia, France, Italy, Hungary. In Riga, Latvia.

Group F: Norway, Denmark, South Korea, Slovenia. In Norway (city TBA).

The women’s side has also been set. Sadly, the US and Canada both were placed in Group A derailing a possible Gold Medal game between the two best teams in the tournament.

With only two tournaments played this season, the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Ranking also didn’t change much. The top-six countries remained in the same order and will be the ones directly qualified for the Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament in Beijing 2022, which will be played in two-tiered groups:

Group A: USA (1), Canada (2), Finland (3), Russia (4), Switzerland (5).

Group B: Japan (6), Qualifier 1 (7), Qualifier 2 (8), Qualifier 3 (9), China (10).

The chance of a US-Japan or Canada-Japan or some other nation Gold Medal guarantees no ratings outside of the US and Canada.

A best of three Gold medal series between them would be a ratings winner and help the women’s game on the grandest stage of all.

The US and Canada are clearly heads and shoulders above everyone else in women’s ice hockey someday other nations will join them-just not now.

The women’s world championships were scheduled to be in Halifax and Truro, Nova Scotia in March and were among the first international hockey events canceled because of COVID-19 as the US was seeking its fifth straight title.

CARLSON ON THE MEND

The last six weeks of COVID-19 has demonstrated that nobody is spared from it.

One-time New England Whaler, Steve Carlson, 64, the youngest of the Carlson brothers, was released from a Johnstown, PA hospital and has initially tested negative for COVID-19.

“Steve is home from a two-day hospital stay. He is continuing to gain strength and is in good spirits. Prognosis looks good with further cardiologist consulting and more testing is needed. He is COVID-19 negative. A special thank you to the doctors, EMT, emergency room, seventh-floor nurses, technicians and security guards at Conemaugh (Memorial Medical Center),” remarked his wife, Vicki Carlson, in a press released late last Friday afternoon.

Carlson and his brothers Jack and Jeff, along with Dave Hanson, made brawling an art form. They were the inspiration of one of the all-time greatest hockey and sports movies, Slapshot as the infamous, Hanson brothers.

Carlson himself addressed the concern for his well being.

“I am grateful and humbled for the outpouring of prayers, concern, and well-wishes. To have friends, fans, and the hockey family, put on the foil during this time, gives me strength. I, and my family, are looking forward to a full recovery,” using one of the more memorable quips from the movie in his foil reference.

Jack had been recalled to the Minnesota Fighting Saints (WHA) during filming, so he didn’t appear in the movie, so Dave Hanson was his replacement and his name helped create the iconic characters.

Steve was not nearly the fighter. His two brothers were never going over the century mark in penalty minutes. He was a more defensive-minded center.

In Johnstown, of the old North American Hockey League (NAHL), he led the team in scoring with 88 points. His brothers were on the wings along with Hanson creating controversy whenever they played. They won the NAHL championship.

He played one full NHL season with the LA Kings in 1979-80. He played with Edmonton on the last WHA Oilers team with his roommate being a very young, Wayne Gretzky.

He played for the harpoon Kelly green uniformed New England Whalers in 1976 and half a season in 1977 each totaling 69 games with 10 goals and 26 points. He was acquired from the Minnesota Fighting Saints, who originally drafted him in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft, as a free agent, when the first edition of the Fighting Saints folded in May 1976.

He was reacquired on the WHA Intra-League Draft in 1976 by the reincarnation of the Fighting Saints that were originally supposed to be a WHA team in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Then in a cash move, he was traded along with brother Jack, Bill Butters, Mike Antonovich, J.P. Levasseur, and Johnny McKenzie in January 1976 to Edmonton.

Nearly a year later, in January 1977, the Oilers traded him, his brother Jack again, along with the legendary Dave Keon, McKenzie and goalie Dave Dryden (the great Ken Dryden’s older brother) to the Whalers for future consideration in future Hartford Whalers Dave Debol, winger Danny Arndt and cash.

He was claimed off waivers by Edmonton in May 1978 prior to the last WHA season and played the whole season with the Oilers.

Carlson’s entrance to the NHL wasn’t simple either.

His NHL rights were traded to Detroit for a physical minor-league defenseman, Steve Short on December 6, 1978, by LA-even though he wasn’t in the NHL at the time or drafted by either team.

The Kings reclaimed him on waivers from Edmonton prior to the NHL expansion draft on June 9, 1979, the first season after NHL-WHA merger.

Carlson had six solid AHL seasons, two with the Springfield Indians, and the last four of his playing career with the Baltimore Skipjacks finished his AHL career with 207 points in 341 games.

Former New Haven Nighthawk, Dan McCarthy, who played with him in Baltimore, and a full season with the Birmingham South Stars in the old Central Hockey League, has fond memories of their playing days.

“Carly was a great teammate and player. His sense of humor was fantastic. He always had a smile on his face and would pull pranks on players regardless of who they were. Every team needs a Steve Carlson on their team and in the locker room. Hope he gets healthy quickly.”

TOM WEBSTER

Canlton’s Corner received a nice e-mail from former New England Whaler and all-time WHA leading scorer, Andre Lacroix, regarding the passing of Tom Webster last week. “Tommy Webster was a true natural goal scorer. He was a great teammate and he never looked for the glory. He played both ends of the ice as good as anybody. You could always depend on Tommy in a critical situation. The best part about Tommy, he was even a better individual.”

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: HOCKEY NEWS AND NOTES VOLUME 7 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The proverbial puck is in the state’s corner.

The XL Center last week officially placed the XL Center in Ned Lamont’s bonding package for $27.5M per year ($55 million total) over the next two years when the Governor of Connecticut announced his State of the State address unveiling his $22.5 billion dollar state budget.

The Finance committee has four sponsors of the bonding issue that placed the request on the agenda for review and those four includes some political heavyweights, House Majority leader, Matt Ritter (D-Hartford), Speaker of the House, Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin), Senate Majority leader, Bob Duff (D-Norwalk, Darien) and President Pro Tempore, Senator Martin Looney (D-New Haven).

For CRDA Executive Director Mike Freimuth this is the culmination of an eight-month protracted process that has had many starts, stops, pauses, and plenty of acrimony to get to this point.

“We have three pretty powerful people behind it, the Governor, Minority Speaker Ritter, and Rep. John Fonfara (D-Hartford, Wethersfield and the chair of the Finance committee) and several other prominent legislators. But that being said, I am cautiously optimistic this will get through. There is a long process still to go through. It’s hard to predict.”

The bonding issue must first pass the Finance committee, and it has, and then it must be approved by the General Assembly before officially going to the Bond Commission.

The General Assembly has been very reluctant, as a whole, especially the delegations from the big cities; New Haven, Waterbury, New London, Bridgeport, and Stamford, to allocate any public money for the XL Center considering its age and poor financial performances over the years.

“I think it’s a tough sell, always has been. We have the votes to pass and I think the authorization could get done in 60 days, but the bonding is gonna take a bit more time. There is a lot more questions that will be asked of us in this process as it plays out. We have to rationalize the equation to the dollars being put in and the dollars generated both with respect to taxes and to revenue generated inside the building.”

The Governor controls the agenda and the priorities of the Bond Commission.

Last year, a $60 million dollar proposal was never even considered.

In the last seven years, proposals for renovating the XL Center started at $250 million and then was lowered to $100 million. Both proposals were quashed and never received approval during the Malloy Administration.

Ritter, in an interview with WNPR, seemed confident that in the next 60 days this long-stalled project will come to life.

“I think it’s an issue of getting this done quickly. That’s the biggest issue because if it languishes for four-or-five more years, you won’t [have] a building that can be used anymore,” He said. “We have to get this done very, very quickly, and I think we will.”

A Fact…The project is already five years behind schedule

The number still falls short of the overall goal of the new Lower Bowl Strategy ($100 million) that is needed desperately to overhaul the aging building as the marketplace passes Hartford by everyday regionally and nationally.

New buildings are being built while older ones are getting necessary retro-fits they need to remain viable, marketplace entertainment assets.

“We have to get this thing started because once we do we have to then look to renegotiate contracts with UCONN and MSG because the revenue stream will change. The whole equation hinges on a whole set of factors, just one or two, hence the complexity involved which adroit political and financial maneuvering.”

The XL Center loses roughly $1.5 to $2 million per year with the state taking care of the shortfall.

The CRDA is set to unveil a fifth new study that was commissioned from CSL International about the economic viability of the XL Center in the marketplace.

The Lamont Administration insisted on it in order to seek support for the bonding and requiring public-private financing to fill in the other half of the economic equation to get the ball moving on a project four-to-five years overdue from when it should have started.

But that raises the question that asks if the study has put the CRDA into a position to start making pitches in boardrooms in the state, the region, or nationally?

“It’s still too early until we release the study next Thursday, presenting it fully before the (CRDA) board. Part of doing all of this, what will premium seating be and other price points. I think we’ll have better concessions and better revenue and that will factor in those future negotiations with UCONN and MSG. All of this will be simultaneous with Big East basketball coming back,” said Freimuth.

This comes amid new financial numbers at the XL Center which are a mixed bag with team operators in the building in the red, while concessions and the all-important per cap from food and beverage sales are in the black.

The numbers are quite shocking in some cases.

At the end of the fiscal year, the Hartford Wolf Pack is drawing only about 2,800 fans. UCONN hockey is faring worse with a meager 2,100 fans per game in December.

“Those were December numbers. The January numbers were much better of a month and trending upwards. Both teams are above those numbers right now. We hope with UCONN hockey and the Wolf Pack continue playing well those numbers will go up. Playoffs traditionally don’t draw well because you don’t know what the calendar is, but you hope a good run helps out.”

The AHL attendance figures list put the Wolf Pack at 25th out of the league’s 31 teams at 3,828 per game.

Basketball in their last year in the AAC conference, before they returned to the Big East, were not drawing very well either. The men’s side of the coin had two big games with Wichita State and Baylor.

Hockey operations are running even with the budget, but the XL Center as a whole as the third quarter was set to begin was operating with a $275K budget shortfall or unfavorable to the budget in the accounting parlance.

These numbers will accompany any proposal to a potential private partnership rise another question of if it could sink any possibility before you enter the foyer or elevator of any corporate office?

“It’s a bit too early for that. We’ll be releasing the study and then we can examine the best direction to move forward on is, to the rebuild of the arena. There is going to be public dollars however way you slice it. How we get there? That is what we’re working on and why we had the study done.”

The atrium portion of the building, owned by Northland Corporation, remains at a stalemate after nearly three years of negotiation. The chasm in pricing has not been bridged with the Northland, the property’s titleholder.

In the last go-round, Northland was seeking as much $10 million to the proposed $4.5 proffered by the CRDA in their last proposal that was rejected.

Eminent domain has hung in the air like an impending summer thunderstorm cloud and everyone still wonders if the CRDA will pull the trigger on the move this year or is it still being held in abeyance at the request of the Governor, Speaker of the House Aresimowicz, and Minority Leader, Len Fasano (R-North Haven)?

”Nobody wants to do it, but we have been begged off on it. It has been a topic of conversation there have been multiple discussions. Everybody is aware the atrium is critical to this whole process in the rebuild of the building. We’re gonna have to come to some kind of a solution to that,“ said Freimuth.

If the bond package passes as currently written will the atrium have to be resolved shortly thereafter?

“Absolutely, at that point to go forward the issue will have to be addressed.”

In that WNPR interview Chris Davis (R-East Windsor, Ellington) offered an alternative that has been aired in this column and other venues making a smaller arena near the Dunkin’ Donuts ballpark to create a sports and entertainment zone on the beginning of the North End of Hartford.

The current XL Center location and setup is not something Davis, a bond committee member, would support.

“We keep hearing that there are talks of potentially doing private partnerships, but I fear that we’d be throwing this money at it, basically putting the cart before the horse.”

Is this feasible, in any form of preliminary discussions, a Plan B, or is it a pie in the sky theory?

“Nothing at all,” said Freimuth succinctly.

Part of the backdrop in the state sports landscape that UCONN athletics is running a $42 million deficit. Then a public announcement of the gargantuan financial sinkhole that is Rentschler Field that is bleeding enormous financial red ink into the nearby Connecticut River at the clip of one million dollars by the conclusion of this fiscal year.

Its largest loss since the stadium opened in 2003.

The realization of that stand-alone issue and its long term viability UCONN football will be now as enter an independent Division I schedule with an average attendance of just 9,675 a game in a 40,000 seat stadium could have an adverse effect on the XL Center future discussions.

Toss in the disaster of the rebuild of Dillon Stadium that diverted time and resources last summer and where red ink oozes from underneath the brand new field and stadium

One positive note is the installation of a long-overdue chiller system seems to be on target this summer after a year delay.

The RFP (Request For Proposal) packages have gone out and they received responses and a bid is expected to be selected next month and contract signed to begin work sometime time in May.

“Right now, they’re out on the street. They’re due to be turned in in about two weeks or so. Bob Saint (CRDA Construction Manager) has been hard at work on it. We’re relocating the chillers based on a new building concept. They’re not going into the place where the current chillers are. We hope to get it done this summer.”

Should the Wolf Pack have a long Calder Cup playoff run into May and several other scheduled events at the XL Center, the work won’t start until events so as to not impact either the event or the installation project.

“We’re gonna wait till the hockey season ends and the way the Wolf Pack playing, it could be a longer-season and we have the Cirque de Soleil Ice Show in June and several to still be announced concerts

They’re too many things to move around. Better to wait until everything is done.”

Will the new chiller system be hooked up to the existing system and disconnecting the current outdated system?

“We’re gonna hook it up as soon as we can. We’re gonna transition to it we’re not going cold turkey on the old system. We’ll do it when the new system is ready. There is going to be a transition period to work things out. When we get the chiller system put into shape and ready to go will do it. To be honest, they’re not too many more rubber bands left that we can put on the chiller system that we have now. We’re running pretty thin on the line as it now, we gotta get this thing done.”A

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: XL CENTER FUTURE FRONT AND CENTER first appeared on Howlings.

Mariners win their fifth straight on the back of their netminder

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners 

PORTLAND, ME – February 7, 2020 – On January 17^th, Mariners’ netminder Connor LaCouvee allowed seven goals in a 7-6 OT loss in Brampton. In his five starts since then, he’s allowed a total of four, winning each start, and cracking the ECHL’s top ten in goals-against average. On Friday night, LaCouvee stopped 45 of 46 Worcester Railers shots, leading the Mariners to a 2-1 win, their fifth in a row. With the win, the Mariners also claimed sole possession of third place in the North Division.

“It was definitely a mental grind,” said Mariners Head Coach Riley Armstrong, in regards to the tight-checking game. “It was a tough game for us to play tonight, they played hard and Worcester played hard as well.”

The Mariners started slow, outshot 11-3 early in the game, but Connor LaCouvee and the Mariners penalty kill kept the game scoreless, including dispatching a 5-on-3 against. With just over five minutes to go, Ryan Culkin spotted Dillan Fox behind the Railers defense and sprung him for a breakaway, on which Fox beat the blocker side of Evan Buitenhuis to give Maine a 1-0 lead. For Fox, it gave him a team-leading 20 goals on the season and a four-game streak.

The second period took a similar pattern as the first, and at the 13:28 mark, Morgan Adams-Moisan made it a 2-0 game, when his wrister from the left-wing popped Buitenhuis’ water bottle off the top of the net. Linemates Brian Hart and Ryan Ferrill helped set up the goal. Worcester took back-to-back penalties at 16:56 and 17:19 of the period, giving the Mariners a 5-on-3, which they couldn’t convert. The score remained 2-0 at the end of 40 minutes.

Worcester defenseman Justin Murray scored his first professional goal at 5:36 of the third to get the Railers on the board, as his shot from the top of the left circle beat a screened LaCouvee. From there, the Railers pushed hard, totaling 19 third period shots in an effort to even the score. With 3:16 remaining, Ryan Ferrill took a double-minor penalty for high-sticking, and Ryan Culkin followed at 19:28 with a trip, giving the Railers a 6-on-3 advantage when they pulled Buitenhuis. LaCouvee and the Mariners were able to hold the one-goal lead to earn their fifth win in a row.

LaCouvee’s 45 saves is a new season-high for a Mariners’ netminder, topping Tom McCollum’s 44 from October 19^th in Reading. It was his 16^th win of the season and fifth victorious start in a row. Evan Buitenhuis suffered his league-leading 17^th loss, making 25 stops.

“We’re playing really well right now,” LaCouvee said. “Sometimes when you’re playing a team that you’re a couple of points higher than in the standings, you might have a tendency to let off but I think it’s huge to win this game and solidify our position and keep working towards climbing the ladder.”

The Mariners continue the “3kend,” sponsored by Three Dollar Deweys tomorrow, welcoming in the Brampton Beast at 6 PM, looking to widen their third-place lead. It’s Pride Night with EqualityMaine, including a sunglasses giveaway for the first 2,000 fans in attendance. On Sunday the Mariners host Brampton once again for the “Underwear Toss,” with fans encouraged to throw new packages of underwear onto the ice after the first Mariners goal to benefit Preble Street Teen Services.

All Saturday and Sunday home games feature the Family Four Pack – four tickets, four food and drink vouchers, and four Mariners beverage koozies, starting at $80. Groups of 10 or more can get discounted tickets to all games by calling 833-GO-MAINE. Individual tickets can be purchased at MarinersOfMaine.com, at the Trusted Choice Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena, or by calling 207-775-3458.

The post KEELEY: (FRI) LACOUVEE STOPS 45 AS MARINERS KEEP ROLLING first appeared on Howlings.

CROMWELL, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack have passed the halfway mark on the 2019-20 season and they do so sitting atop the Atlantic Division with a 19-8-2-5 (45 points) record.

It’s hard to imagine that back in September anyone would have picked this group to be heading into the second half of the season in first place in the Atlantic Division and among the best teams in the AHL.

One of the factors for the Pack resurgence and current position in the race to the Calder Cup is their persistence and growth as a team-unit. It cannot be overlooked.

“The biggest thing is, we have won so many one-goal games and a big factor is a mature team wins a majority of those games. We have handled leads well late (in games) and have had very strong third periods.” Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said.

The Pack are unbeaten with the lead after two periods with a 15-0-1-2 record.

Hartford has also scored their share of miraculous goals late in games and did that twice to send it to overtime.

“The other big reason (for the turnaround) is our goaltending of Igor (Shesterkin) and Adam (Huska). They have made stop-after-stop and our defense has done such a good job with blocks like we did Tuesday (a 3-2 win over Bridgeport). Right now we’re a little fortunate,” Knoblauch stated.

Knoblauch is enthusiastic about his team, but does not want to be over-confident.

Because the Pack are in first place, Knoblauch was honored by being named one of the AHL All-Star game’s coaches. The game will be played at the end of January in Ontario, CA.

Before that though, the Wolf Pack have a lot of work to do starting Friday when they head to Providence to take on the Bruins. The game will be their seventh of the season, and they won’t see the Baby Bruins, who they’ve been trading first place with back-and-forth for the past month, until March 1st.

Shesterkin will start Friday night, making it his first three-consecutive-game-starts for the Wolf Pack as he transitions and adjusts to North American rinks.

“We’re going to enjoy Igor for as long as we have him, because he will be in the NHL at some point. Providence is a very good team, well-coached and they have very good structure. Our records are similar, but Shesterkin has been the difference in several games.  We also have capitalized in key situations against them, and that has been the difference.”

After the trip to the Dunkin Donuts Arena in Providence, the Wolf Pack travel to Utica to play the red-hot Comets who are 7-2-1-0 in their last 10. The Comets are in second place in AHL North Division percentage points behind the Rochester Americans. Each team has 44 points.

Next Wednesday, the Wolf Pack complete this road game grouping with a drive down to Hershey to face the Bears before they return home on January 10th against the Charlotte Checkers where they will seek to improve on their home record of 14-1-0-2.

NOTES:

Knoblauch would neither confirm nor deny that defenseman Libor Hajak would be making a rehabilitation assignment in Hartford. The Rangers are on a four-game Canadian road trip.

“We haven’t received any notifications or instructions at this point,” is all the head coach would say on the subject.

So far, Hajak has missed 13 games with a right knee injury he suffered on December 5th after playing the first 27 games.

When Hajak does eventually come to Hartford on his rehab assignment, as is being highly speculated among beat writers in New York, somebody will either sit in Hartford or a player will head to New York.

The Rangers have dropped three games, including last night’s 4-3 loss to Calgary to ex-Wolf Pack and Ranger goalie Cam Talbot. The team completes the Canadian trip in Vancouver on Saturday night.

The Rangers did make two transactions from the Wolf Pack. They recalled center, Ryan Dmowski (Old Lyme/Gunnery Prep) from their ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners.

In return, after two games, forward, Dillan Fox, was released from his PTO deal and returned to the Mariners.

Forward, Patrick Newell, will return to the lineup after a three-game absence the result of an upper-body injury he suffered against Providence.

Wolf Pack’s leading scorer, Vinni Lettieri, (11 goals and 24 points in 34 games) and defensemen Joey Keane, and Yegor Rykov, spent nearly a half-hour post-practice working on their shooting techniques.

Lettieri has one point, an assist, in his last five games.

Former Qunnipiac Bobcat, Brogan Rafferty, was named CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month with three goals and 16 points in 13 games.

Rafferty signed as a free agent by the Vancouver Canucks after his junior season. He’s third in assists with 25 and leads all defensemen in scoring with 30 points in 34 games, He’s also sporting a healthy plus-17 so far.

Forward Kieffer Bellows of Bridgeport was named the AHL Forward of the Month with 10 goals in 11 games.

Bridgeport sent defenseman, Mike Cormell, and right-wing, Ben Thomson, who’s coming off an injury suffered early in the season, to the Worcester Railers (ECHL).

Providence got defenseman Jeremy Lauzon back from his recall to the Boston Bruins.

Mason Marchment, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Bryan Marchment, was recalled from the Toronto Marlies by the Maple Leafs.

Ex-Sound Tiger, Aaron Ness, was returned to the Tucson Roadrunners by the Arizona Coyotes.

Goalie, Parker Milner, (Avon Old Farms) was sent to the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) by Hershey.

Dalton Smith, the nephew of former Whaler, Keith Primeau, was released by Rochester.

Ex-Wolf Pack/Ranger, Dale Weise, was recalled from the Laval Rocket by the Montreal Canadiens and got into a first period scrap against the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Patrick Maroon.

Rangers President, and one-time New Haven Nighthawk, John Davidson, was selected to enter the Alberta Sports Hall-of-Fame along with six other inductees. The ceremony will be held on July 19th in Canmore, Alberta.

The only other CT connection is former Whaler and Ranger, Mike Rogers, who was inducted last year.

The WJC semifinals are set, and the US will not be in it. Finland upset the US 1-0 despite a strong game from goalie Spencer Knight (Darien/Avon Old Farms) who made 26 saves.

The Canadians took care of business on the Slovaks winning 6-1. Sweden’s team saw Rangers prospect, Nils Lundkvist, get an assist and have the second best ice time of 19:30. He shutout and knocked out the host Czech Republic, 5-0 and then Russia upended Switzerland 3-1.

The Russians play Sweden in the first semi-final at 3:00 PM local time. The Finns play the Canadians in the other semifinal on Saturday.

Finland is coached by ex-Ranger and New Haven Nighthawk, Raimo Helminen, who was in a record-setting six Olympics. He led Finland to a silver as a player in the 1984 WJC, and was the tournament’s top scorer. He could gain gold by the end of the weekend.

The post CANTLON: PACK HIT THE ROAD FOR THREE-IN-THREE first appeared on Howlings.