NEW YORK, March 10, 2024 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the team has agreed to terms with goaltender Louis Domingue on a one-year contract extension.

Domingue, 32, has appeared in 24 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, notching a 13-7-4 record, 2.65 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. The St-Hyacinthe, Quebec native made one start for the Blueshirts this season, stopping 25-of-26 shots in a win against Minnesota on November 9.

The 6-3 209-pounder has amassed 143 career NHL games, split between the Rangers, Penguins, Flames, Canucks, Devils, Lightning, and Coyotes, compiling a 60-60-10 record, 3.02 goals against average, and .905 save percentage. He had a career-best season in 2018-19 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, going 21-5-0 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

In 194 career games in the AHL between Hartford, Wikes-Barre/Scranton, Stockton, Syracuse, Binghamton, Springfield, and Portland, Domingue has a 91-68-22 mark, 2.73 goals-against average and .908 save percentage, along with 10 shutouts.

Domingue was originally selected by the Coyotes in the fifth round, 138th overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOWLINGS

The post RANGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH LOUIS DOMINGUE first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – Austin Rueschhoff scored his second goal in as many games on Friday night, but it wasn’t enough for the Hartford Wolf Pack in Providence as they dropped a 5-1 decision against the Providence Bruins at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Justin Brazeau sent a pass cross-ice in front of the Wolf Pack goal that ended up in the crease area, eventually hitting the skate of Eduards Tralmaks. The Latvian forward’s redirect was enough for the puck to find its way behind Tyler Wall, breaking a 1-1 tie and giving the Bruins a lead they would not lose 9:23 into the second period.

The Bruins broke the ice 15:25 into the hockey game with a rebound chance. Samuel Asselin fired a shot that Wall was able to stop, but the rebound sat in front of the crease. Zach Senyshyn found the loose puck and buried it for his ninth goal of the season. Asselin and Jack Studnicka collected the assists on the tally.

The Wolf Pack evened the affair 6:23 into the second with Rueschhoff’s second in as many games. Tanner Fritz fed Aaron Luchuk, who found a streaking Rueschhoff coming down the slot. Rueschhoff was able to redirect the pass by Bruins’ starter Jeremy Swayman for his fifth goal of the season. The assist was Luchuk’s first with the Wolf Pack.

Just three minutes later, at 9:23, Tralmaks gave the Bruins the lead back with his fourth goal of the campaign.

The Wolf Pack penalty kill held strong on each of the first three Bruin opportunities but couldn’t hold off the fourth. Aaron Ness fed Jesper Froden in the far faceoff circle, and he stepped into a one-time shot that blistered by Wall to make it 3-1 at 16:27.

Providence extended the lead further with two goals in a span of 1:08. First, Senyshyn won a puck battle and placed a perfect centering pass onto the stick of Chris Wagner, who buried his sixth of the season at 3:29. At 4:37, the puck bounced off the wall and right to Justin Brazeau, who rifled his fourth goal of the campaign home to make it a 5-1 game.

The Pack is back tomorrow night at the XL Center when they host the Laval Rocket with a special puck drop time of 7:30 p.m. It’s also ‘Decades Night’ at the XL Center! We’ll be celebrating the music of the ’80s, 90’s, and 2000’s! Tickets are still available at www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post THOMAS: (1/14) WOLF PACK FALL 5-1 TO BRUINS first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – The first skating sessions for the Hartford Wolf Pack’s truncated 2020-21 season are set to begin when training camp begins on Sunday.

The ice at Champions Skating Center in Cromwell is being worked on as they prepare for the first group of players who’ll arrive on Sunday and Monday with training camp commencing in earnest after off-ice testing and physicals.

Players signed to AHL contracts include Vincent LoVerde and Mason Geersten, and Paul Thompson was an off-season signing.

The two goalies who will battle for the top spot between the Wolf Pack pipes are still in New York with the New York Rangers. They are former Hockey East opponents. One-time UConn Husky, Adam Huska, who’s in his second year, and Tyler Wall from UMASS-Lowell each vying vie for the top spot.

The two goalies for the Rangers are ex-Wolf Pack players. They are Alexander Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin. Long-time Rangers stalwart, and future Hall-of-Famer, Henrik Lundqvist, left the Rangers after a buyout of his contract’s final year. He signed a free-agent deal with the Washington Capitals but has been forced to consider the end of his career.

Lundqvist’s sudden, shocking, and unexpected turn of events resulted from a serious medical condition that required open-heart surgery to repair. The surgery corrected his faulty aortic valve and support system.

The biggest surprise of players for the Wolf Pack and Rangers is defensemen with currently 17 organizational signees. Likely to be in Cromwell by Sunday, and the rest of next week are Brandon Crawley, Libor Hajek, Darren Raddysh, Tarmo Reunanen, and Matthew Robertson.

Add two AHL signed defenseman, Mason Geersten, and Vincent LoVerde, who may well be the next Wolf Pack captain, and that’s seven and seven presently in New York making 14, and they have two others in Europe Nils Lundkvist Lulea HF (Sweden-SHL) and Yegor Rykov CSKA Moscow (Russia-KHL).

Morgan Barron, Gabriel Fontaine, Tim Gettinger, Anthony Greco, Patrick Khodorenko, Justin Richards, and Austin Rueschoff are the team’s forwards.

Patrick Newell, Ty Ronning, and the off-season signing of Paul Thompson from the Springfield Thunderbirds, who burned the Wolf Pack the last two seasons as an opponent, will all be on AHL deals with the Wolf Pack.

AHL NEWS

Over the last two weeks, Cantlon’s Corner has reported about dual affiliations being likely to occur. That has now come to pass.

The Stanley Cup Champion, Tampa Bay Lightning, will team up with the Flordia Panthers, their fellow Sunshine State team, will send players to the Syracuse Crunch. The Florida Panthers were set to start a new affiliation arrangement this year with the Charlotte Checkers, who have decided to take the season off due to Covid-19.

The Utica Comets and their parent franchise, the Vancouver Canucks, are forging a one-year dual arrangement with the St. Louis Blues, who, like Florida, was also set to start a new affiliation this year with the Springfield Thunderbirds, who will not play this season in the city of the AHL headquarters.

The Milwaukee Admirals/Nashville Predators will pair up for the 2020-21 season with the Chicago Wolves/Carolina Hurricanes.

One of the last two times there were dual affiliates in the league was the Beast of New Haven affiliation with Carolina and Florida. It was a disastrous two-year run before the team suspended their operations and eventually folded as Paragon Sports failed to purchase Carolina’s AHL affiliate for $2 million. Thirty days later, the late Roy Boe purchased the team from Carolina for $2 million, which led to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers’ birth. Speaking of Bridgeport, they enter the final year of their original $20 million lease.

Another piece of the new AHL puzzle, as Cantlon’s Corner reported, is the new AHL Canadian division will play out of their parent club’s respective barns. The first to announce this was the Laval Rocket. They will call the Bell Centre home for 2020-21 and return to the Place Bell next season, despite Quebec’s provincial lockdown. Premier Francois Legault announced that it runs until February 8th.

Toronto (the Maple Leafs Scotiabank Centre) and Belleville (Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario) have yet to name the official announcements, but that will be done over the next several days. Yesterday, the Ontario Provincial Health department approved and gave the green light to play for the two NHL teams in Ontario, Toronto, and Ottawa.

Late next week, it is likely that team schedules will be announced and the spectator arrangements by market and its broadcasting plans for the season for AHL TV.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Ex-Pack Ryan Gropp signs with Västerviks IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan) for the rest of the season, making 221 AHL players from last season to sign in Europe, and 50th to head to Sweden.

Former CT Whale Christian Thomas signs with KooKoo (Finland-FEL).

Because the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) have suspended play for this season, ex-Wolf Pack and Sound Tiger, Justin Vaive has signed a deal with the Ft. Wayne Komets (ECHL). Joining Vaive in Ft. Wayne will be former Sacred Heart University Pioneer (AHA) Austin McIlmurray, originally signed with the Greenville  Swamp Rabbits (ECHL).

Belleville announced that it had signed longtime Hershey Bears player Colby Williams to an AHL deal and Cole Reinhardt, who finished his junior career with Braden (WHL).

The Ft. Wayne Komets have announced they will start play on February 12th and play a 51-game schedule. The Toledo Walleye have opted to drop out for this ECHL season.

Several ex-Wolf-Pack players are in Euro hockey news.

After being let go by Kunlun (China-KHL), RW Danny Kristo has signed a deal with the Augsburger Panthers (Germany-DEL). Niklas Jensen signs a two-year extension with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland-FEL).

Former Wolf Pack/CT Whale, Brandon Mashinter, goes from ERC Ingolstadt (Germany-DEL) to HK Propad (Slovakia-SLEL).

Ex-Pack, Bert Robertsson, was relieved as head coach of Linköping HC (Sweden-SHL). They were in 13th place in a 14 team league having just 26 points in 27 games.

After 11 years with the Colorado Avalanche, Greenwich native Colin Wilson, the son of ex-Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger, Cary Wilson, announced his retirement.

COLLEGE HOCKEY

While UCONN is sidelined resulting from a player tested positive for COVID-19, they’re not alone.

UMASS-Lowell has paused its hockey program from January 8-13. Also, Boston University, sidelined the entire semester, will play its first game of the year at home. They will host the Providence College Friars at the Walter Brown Arena, not at Agganis Arena.

The Huskies will be paused for up to as many as ten days. That wipes out this week’s Northeastern games and the yet-to-be officially announced game with Providence College next Wednesday. When they return to play depends upon how their Covid test results come back.

The BU Terriers will be welcoming two transfers in their lineup. Joseph Campolieto is a senior transfer from Union College (ECACHL), and Thomas Jarman joins them for the second semester from the Maryland Black Bears (NAHL).

Providence College is also bringing in a transfer. From Union College. Last year, Jack Adams was a medical redshirt after he missed all last year while recovering from ACL/MCL surgery that he tore while in the Detroit Red Wings development camp.

Going to PC is an emotional choice for Adams. His late brother, Mark “Roo” Adams, who had to overcome injuries himself, played for the 2015 PC NCAA championship team. He died tragically at the age of 27 of a heart attack.

There is also a Division-III transfer as Sheldon Bratt leaves Bryn Athyn (PA) (NCAA Independent) to head to Finlandia University (OH) (NCHA), making 54 school transfers in Division I and III for this year and likely a few more to come.

Last year’s captain for the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks (NCHC), Dean Stewart, signs with the Wichita Thunder (ECHL), making 207 Division-I players to have signed professional deals and 342 total college players from Division I and III to sign deals in North America and Europe.

Conference-wise, the breakdown is Hockey East and the NHHC each having 37, Big 10 with 36, ECACHL has 33, WCHA is at 31, AHA has 28, and NCAA Division I independent Arizona State has four.

Henri Schreifels of RPI (ECACHL) is returning to play with his former junior team the Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL). RPI has canceled its season, and the BCHL has set a new start date of February 8th. He becomes the tenth college player to use the US or Canadian Junior A route this year.

The post CANTLON: HARTFORD WOLF PACK PRE-SEASON VOLUME 1 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Tampa Bay Lightning won their second Stanley Cup in tema history this past week with three Connecticut connections earning Championship rings.

In 2010, Ryan McDonagh played half of a season with the Connecticut Whale before being promoted to New York to join the Rangers. He would spend 7-1/2 years in the Big Apple before being traded to Tampa Bay along with J.T. Miller, another CT Whale/Hartford Wolf Pack alum, two-and-a-half years ago.

McDonagh was originally a first round pick (12th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens and was a part of deal that sent Scott Gomez over the border when Pierre Gauthier, then the head of Montreal’s Player Development side, told, the now soon-to-be-retiring, Rangers Director of Pro Scouting, Gordie Clark, that McDonagh, ”Wouldn’t amount to anything.”

As time has shown, that was wildly wrong. Clark said he couldn’t call, then Rangers GM, Glen Sather, fast enough to make the deal.

Also getting a ring is Greenwich-born, and former Brunswick Bruins school grad, Kevin Shattenkirk. While in New York, he never lived up to the expectations that led to his free agent signing. He was brought out after two years of the deal and was given a contract and a second chance by Tampa Bay.

The off-ice champion is the Director of Hockey Administration for the Lightning, Liz Sylvia-Koharski, who got her start with the AHL’s Beast of New Haven and worked in the AHL’s league office for six years.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Jordan Murray of the Belleville Senators is loaned to Dynamo Riga (Latvia-KHL).

Ex-Pack, Adam Cracknell, who signed an offseason, one-year, two-way deal with the Edmonton Oilers, is loaned out from the Bakersfield Condors to Esbjerg Energy (Norway-NEL).

After a missing a whole season because of a torn ACL, Juuso Valimaki is loaned by the Calgary Flames via the Stockton Heat to Ilves Tampere (Finland-FEL).

Rockford IceHog, Brandon Hagel, is loaned to HC Thurgau (Switzerland-LNB).

Mikhail Maltsev of the Binghamton Devils, Yakov Trenin of the Milwaukee Admirals, and prospect Dmitri Zavgorny, of the Calgary Flames, who was originally ticketed for Stockton, have all been loaned by their respective organization to SKA St. Petersburg (Russia-KHL).

Bobby Nardella, of the Hershey Bears, is sent to Djurgardens IF (Sweden-SHL) on a full season loan.

Ryan Olson of the San Antonio Rampage is loaned to the EC Kassel Huskies (Germany DEL-2). His teammate, Alexei Toropchenko, is being loaned to Kunlun (China-KHL) that is playing at the City of Mystichi just outside of Moscow for the 2020-21 season. His father played two pro seasons in North America, the first was with the Springfield Indians. The St. Louis Blues are the new affiliate of the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Antti Suomela is loaned by the San Jose Sharks to HIFK Helsinki (Finland-FEL).

Nick Wolff, who signed with the Boston Bruins and played in Providence in the American League following a career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC), is loaned out to DVTK (Slovakia-SLEL).

Two more loans to SC Langnau (Switzerland-LNA). Erik Brunnström departs Belleville, and Joachim Blichfeld leaves the San Jose Barracuda.

155 AHL’ers have been loaned or signed in Europe.

Ex-Pack defenseman, Bobby Sanguinetti, and EHC Munich (Germany-DEL) have mutually agreed to end the last year of his contract.

Dominic Turgeon, of the Grand Rapids Griffins, and the nephew of former Hartford Whaler, Sylvain Turgeon, signs a one-year, two-way contract extension paying $750K if he plays in the NHL and $115K in the AHL.

David Drake, the former UCONN defenseman, signs a one-year deal with the Reading Royals (ECHL) for his third pro season.

Ryan Warsofsky (Sacred Heart University) departs the Charlotte Checkers and is heading to Chicago to be the new head coach of the Chicago Wolves, the top affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes. Geordie Kinnear will be behind the Charlotte bench this year as Florida starts a new affiliation with the Checkers.

Former AHL goalie, Richard Bachman, has retired and has been named the goalie coach for the Iowa Wild.

COLLEGE

The Connecticut Ice Festival sponsor, the regional cable network SNY, has canceled the event. It was scheduled for January 30-31, but has been pushed off to the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The tournament, which features all four, Division I Connecticut college teams, and which the inaugural tournament winner was the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHA), from the ECACHL Quinnipiac University and Yale University plus the Hockey East UCONN Huskies.

A new college hockey rumor via a reliable source has the ECACHL discussing splitting the league into an Empire and New England divisions, just chatting.

Griffin Luce (Salisbury School) graduates from the University of Michigan (Big 10) and signs with the Rapid City Rush (ECHL). Luce’s grandfather is a former NHL player from the 1970s, Don Luce, who has a 12 game “cup-of-Coffee” with the Rangers for 12 games before enjoying a solid, ten-year span with the Buffalo Sabres. He, Craig Ramsay, and Danny Gare, were the first real checking line. They complemented the great, “French Connection” line and went to the 1975 Stanley Cup Final. Luce had a long post playing career as the Director of Player Development for 13 years with the Philadelphia Flyers, then four more as Pro Scout and his last season with Toronto as a pro scout before retiring. His great uncle, Mike Boland, had a long AHL career with the Rochester Americans and Hershey.

Colin Saccoman, of Lake Superior State (WCHA) signs, with Rapid City (ECHL).

The Poehling twins, Nick and Jack graduate from St. Cloud State (NCHC) and sign with the Ontario Reign. They will likely be assigned to the German team, Eisbaeren Berlin, which is owned by the LA Kings and its parent company SMG (formerly AEG) under its umbrella. The pair are both the younger brothers of Montreal’s Ryan Poehling, who split last year between the Laval Rocket and Les Habs.

Jackson Cressey of Princeton (ECACHL) signs with the Reading Royals (ECHL).

Goalie, Devin Cooley, leaves the University of Denver (NCHC) after his junior season and signs a standard two-year, two-way, entry-level deal ($925K-NHL/$70K-AHL) with the Nashville Predators and will likely be in Milwaukee whenever the AHL season starts.

Sean Giles departs from Robert Morris University (AHA) and signs with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL).

Dante Hahn od Concordia (WI) College (WIAC) heads to Pyry (Finland Division-I), Kurt Sonne Northland College (NCHA) is off to Courchevel-Meribel-Pralognan (France Division-2) and Lucas Smith of Post University of Waterbury (Northeast-10) has signed with EHC Basel (Switzerland-LNB).

Hockey East has 35 players to have signed North American pro deals, tops in the country. The other conferences totals are NCHC has 30, the WCHA has 27, the Big 10 has 26, the ECACHL has 25, the AHA 20 and Division I independent Arizona State has four.

38 underclassmen who have left school early.

168 Division I and III players have signed North American pro deals. 296 is the number of college players to sign pro deals in the US. 77 players have signed now for Europe.

The NCAA Division III Championships Committee earlier this week proposed selection dates and bracket sizes for the 2021 NCAA winter championships, which include men’s and women’s hockey. It’s likely a trial balloon for Division I whose weighing an option in the hope that season will start after the New Year. All recommendations will move forward through their relative committees and oversee the final draft to be recommended and voted on, where they must be supported by the NCAA Division III Management Council in a scheduled meeting on October 19-20.

For men’s hockey, the selection announcement date and automatic qualification deadline is proposed to be March 14 with a nine-team bracket, down from its usual 12.

For women’s hockey, same deadline, but a bracket size of eight teams instead of 10 is proposed.

RANGERS NHL DRAFT

Tuesday night, the NHL will hold its virtual Entry Draft on Tuesday and Wednesday, when they will select rounds two through seven.

The Rangers have two first round picks. The number one overall will likely take Alexis Lafreniere of Rimouski (QMJHL). They will select again in the 22nd spot. The Blueshirts have no second round pick after trading it last week to the Detroit Red WIngs as part of the Marc Staal deal.

In the third round, the Rangers have picks at 72nd and 92nd (from Dallas) overall.

The 103rd overall pick will be selected by the Rangers in the fourth round. In the fifth round, the team will select 134th. In the sixth round, they will make their pick at 165th spot. In the seventh and final round, the team has three picks with back-to-back choices at the 196th and 197th positions from Nashville and their 206th pick will be from the Vancouver Canucks.

The Rangers announced they have brought out the last year of the contract of goalie Henrik Lundqvist who was a Wolf Pack…for one day. He came to Cromwell on an unannounced conditioning stint and brought the team lunch, then headed back to New York. He did practice in a Wolf Pack jersey.

Lundqvist’s departure sets the franchise’s goaltending for New York and Hartford.

Former Wolf Pack players Alexander Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin will be manning the nets in New York.

Adam Huska (UCONN), entering his second pro season, and rookie Tyler Wall from UMASS-Lowell, after an outstanding senior season, will compete for the starting position in Hartford.

GENERAL HOCKEY NEWS

The de-Whaler-ification of the Carolina Hurricanes is now complete with the announced retirement of the longest serving continuous employee in the franchise’s history dating back to 1972.

After 48 years, Equipment Manager, Skip Cunningham, will no longer be behind the bench working diligently tending to the various equipment needs of players. He started with the WHA New England Whalers and the announcement comes a week after the passing of Jack Kelley, the first head coach and GM in franchise’s history.

Cunningham was at both Boston buildings, the Boston Arena (nee Matthews Arena), the original Boston Garden, the Springfield Exposition Center (the Big E), the Hartford Civic Center, Greensboro Coliseum and the PNC Arena.

In the last three years, the Hurricanes have swept aside their first GM, Ron Francis, who is now Seattle’s first GM. The radio voice of Chuck Kaiton, and recently the TV voice, John Forslund, and now Cunningham. Read about it HERE.

In a side note, the Hurricanes signed a five-year extension with the PNC Bank Arena that will keep the team there with an out-clause in year four, effectively ending the rumors of the team moving to either to Quebec City or Houston.

The current Executive VP/GM of Operations for the building is the last Hartford connection as Pennsylvania native, Davin (Dave) Olson, who was the GM for Hartford Civic Center under Ogden Corporation.

Olson was also the GM for the New Haven Coliseum in the 1980s until the early-1990s. He then headed to Hartford and went with the Whalers to Carolina.

He studied in Danbury’s Western Connecticut State University and when he was living in CT he was a resident of West Haven.

USA hockey has invited 39 players to the initial World Junior Championship evaluation camp.

The only two players with direct CT connections. The first is Darien-native goalie, Spencer Knight, a Boston College (HE) sophomore and Florida Panther first round pick.

Jake Sanderson, the son of former Whaler, Geoff Sanderson, who’s likely to be drafted early in the first round next week. He will be an invitee.

Brett Berard has an indirect link. He is the son of one-time, UCONN assistant coach (AHA years), Dave Berard, who is currently the head boss at Holy Cross (AHA) is also an invitee.

The only other CT connected individual is assistant coach Ted Donato (Harvard ECACHL), who was an ex-Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Sound Tiger.

The QMJHL has adopted another anti-fighting penalty increase taking fighting from five to fifteen minutes and suspensions. Players were not consulted on these rule changes. Read about it HERE.

CONDOLENCES

This writer and Howlings extend our deepest condolences to the Connecticut Whale’s former VP of Operations, and long-time Hartford Whalers employee, Mark Willand on the passing of his mother, Marjorie, who passed away at the age of 93 last week in Worcester, MA.

The post CANTLON: HOCKEY OFF-SEASON NEWS & NOTES VOL 29 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The NHL playoffs have completed their round-robin and play-in round and are now well into the “first round” of the playoffs. News is coming with increased speed and levels of import.

In Gatineau, Quebec, an interesting development that will have a major effect on the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Olympiques team.

The governing agency assembled during the pandemic has announced that their home arena, the Robert Guertin Arena, will be maintained as an emergency COVID-19 shelter for another year which will keep the Olympiques out of the building.

Known by the French acronym CISSSO, the announcement by that authority came as a shock to the QMJHL team.

The authority has scheduled the vacating of the arena this week to accommodate the Olympiques pre-season preparations.

But in a terse release last Friday morning, the agency said the Guertin Arena was “essential to protect (vulnerable) populations … and to provide them with long-term stability,” in a story in the Ottawa Sun.

There are 14 other structures that were under consideration along with the arena to serve as an emergency shelter.

There are initial ongoing discussions between the city, the team and governing health agency seeking an amicable solution.

The city, which owns the arena, supported the decision and “will work with its partners to identify solutions for activities that have normally been held at the Robert-Guertin arena,” CISSSO said.

“We are more than surprised, stunned if you will,” Olympiques president Norman McMillan told the French-language Le Droit newspaper.  McMillan is a businessman who was a MNA (Member of the National Assembly) for the Papineau serving for 23 years,

The Olympiques will start pre-season preparations at Branchaud-Brière on August 30th the opening day of training camp.

However, Branchaud-Brière’s main rink has a seating capacity of only 1,200, so with COVID-19 compared with the Robert Guertin arena that has a 4,000-seat capacity, and that’s before taking the necessary social distancing measures.

On Friday, the QMJHL formally set October 1st as the start for their 2020-21 season which will consist of a 60 game season with three, six-team divisions.

The QMJHL has no US based franchises. The other two Canadian major junior leagues, the OHL and WHL, each have three US based franchises, while two minor pro leagues, the AHL and ECHL, have all set December 4th as a starting date.

The US and Canada mutually agreed on Friday to keep the US-Canada border closed until September 21st.

The situation is complicated by delays in the construction of a new multi-rink complex that is to be the new home of the Olympiques that was originally slated for a December 2020 completion.

The new, four-rink Centre Robert Guertin, on Boulevard de la Cité (City Boulevard), is set to replace the aging Guertin arena, which was built in 1952, but construction was halted in May when the developers, Vision Multisports Outaouais (VMSO), said the costs of the project had escalated they said because of a number of factors.

The project cost was originally set at $78.5 million (Canadian), but has now climbed to the neighborhood of $104 million (Canadian).

Now the complex will cost municipal taxpayers of the the city of Gatineau by contributing $36.5 million and the province of Quebec providing $26 million for a multi-level parking garage and improvements to nearby streets.

VMSO recently pledged the rink will be ready for the Olympiques in the fall of 2021 which will be across the Ottawa river about 15 minutes East of their present arena off Highway 50 and 45 minutes from the Ottawa Senators Canadian Tire arena in Kanata, Ontario via Highway 417.

The USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, and the Class A Midwest League’s Cedar Rapids Kernels (baseball) buildings suffered significant damage in the mid-week Midwest windstorm classified as derecho.

The USHL has not announced a starting date for the season and the Class A team is likely on the chopping block as major league baseball is restructuring minor league baseball and the agreement between MLB and MiLB expires on October 1st, but many cities are already aware of their likely fate.

Affiliation and city switching and swapping is strongly possible at the Double AA and Triple AAA level that will survive the purge, so their farm teams will be like the AHL, closer to the home of their parent clubs.

PLAYER MOVEMENT

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

Former Pack, Tom McCollum was traded last season from Hartford to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for J.F. Berube. He has signed with HC Innsbruck (Austria-EBEL) for next season.

Matt Register, re-signs with the Iowa Wild.

Defenseman, Tommy Hughes, signs a deal with Brampton Beast (ECHL).

Richard Nejezchleb leaves HC Poruba (Czech Republic Division-2) for Krakow (Poland-PZIHL).

Several ex-Pack players have entered the coaching ranks or have taken new positions.

Ryan Hollweg is the new assistant coach for the Coquitlam Express (BCHL) after splitting last season with Vancouver (BCCML) and Simon Fraser University (CIHL) as an assistant.

Peter Skudra is the new Head Coach/GM for Dynamo Riga (Latvia-KHL).

Tim Kennedy, is the new Head Coach/GM for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres (OJHL).

Mike Vernace is the new Head Coach for Richmond Hill (ETAHL).

Josh Gratton is the new Assistant Coach for the Collingwood Blues (OJHL).

Vince Pedrie is now the Head Coach for Team Illinois’ U-15 AAA team (HPHL).

Anders Eriksson is the new head coach for the varsity club program for the University of Miami Hurricanes (ACHA Division-3).

Shawn O’Donnell leaves EV Ravensburg (Germany-DEL-2) and signs with the Odense Bulldogs (Demark-DHL).

Evan Jasper (Sacred Heart University/Wolf Pack) leaves KRS-BGU (Russia-VHL) in Beijing and will play for HC Chamonix (France-FREL).

BRIDGEPORT  SOUND TIGERS

A pair of ex-Sound Tigers are on the move.

Kuris McLean heads from SC Csikszereda (Romania-ELHL) to Kiekko-Espoo (Finland Division-1) and Joel Broda leaves HC Innsbruck (Austria-EBEL) and signs EC Graz (Austria-EBEL).

Dustin Friesen, the former defenseman elects not to honor his new deal with Iserlohn (Germany-DEL) and decides to retire instead takes a job as a coach with a Saskatchewan hockey academy near his home in part because of COVID-19 pandemic considerations.

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Spencer Naas joins his old college teammate, Derek Pratt, by signing with the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

Marco Richter goes from Klagenfurter AC (Austria-EBEL/AlpsHL) to the EV Vienna Capitals (EBEL).

Russell Jordan (Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack) re-signs with the Birmingham Bulls (SPHL).

Charles Corcoran (New Canaan) goes from the Coventry Blaze (England-EIHL) to Esbjerg Energy (Denmark-DHL).

After three teams last year, Greg Squires (Brunswick School) moves from HCB Tirino (Switzerland-LNB) and signs with the Magnus League HC Rouen Dragons (France-FREL) for this year. He also played for TPS Turku (Finland-FEL) and EC Graz (Austria-EBEL).

Ivan Nikolishin, the youngest son of former Hartford Whaler, Andrei Nikolishin, has signed a try-out deal with the KHL Kunlun Red Star who will play the 2020-21 season in the old KHL city of Mytischi near Moscow. He played for three teams in two leagues last year Severstal Cherepovets Russia (KHL) and two teams in the VHL Molot-Prikamie Perm and Neftyanik Almetyevsk. The Red Star head coach will be former Ranger, Alexei Kovalev.

Colby Wotton, the son of long-time Sound Tiger captain, and now retired, Mark Wotton, has signed with the Regina Pats (WHL) for this season. He played for Yellowhead Chiefs (MMHL) in Manitoba last season

AHL & PRO PLAYER MOVES

The Vegas Golden Knights are loaning goalie, Jiri Patera, who just completed his junior career with Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) to HC Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic-CEL) for next season.

The AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights signed their second player defenseman Ryan Murphy who played in Russia last season.

Several more players are in loan situations.

Robert Lantosi, who skated with the Providence Bruins last season, just signed a one-year, two-way ($750K-NHL/$70K-AHL) deal, has been loaned to HK Nitra (Slovakia-SLEL), Radim Zohorna of Pittsburgh returns to BK Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic-CEL) and Fredrik Handemark from San Jose will be with IF Malmo Redhawks (Sweden-SHL).

David Kase of Lehigh Valley is loaned by the Philadelphia Flyers to HC Karlove Vary (Czech Republic-CEL).

Lean Berman of the San Jose Barracuda is loaned to Adler Mannheim (Germany-DEL).

Martin Pospisil of the Stockton Heat is loaned to HC Kosice (Slovakia-SLEL).

Marian Studenic of the Binghamton Devils (AHL) is loaned out to HC Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia-SLEL).

Anaheim loaned another goalie overseas to the same team in Roman Durny.

Filip Kral, a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect who just finished his junior career with Spokane (WHL) is being loaned out to HC Prevov (Czech Republic Division-2).

According to his agent, JC Lipon, of the Manitoba Moose, received an offer by an unspecified KHL team but has not signed a contract.

Winnipeg has sent Ville Heinola will stay with Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL) on loan making 67 now former AHL players to be signed or loaned to Europe for next season. 24 of the 31 AHL teams have seen at least one player head to Europe for next season.

COLLEGE NEWS

Plenty of movements in the college ranks.

Lance West, who held the interim head coach tag removed by the University of Alabama-Huntsville (WCHA). In building out his coaching staff, West went to his old haunts for his new assistant coach tapping Latvian-born, Karlis Zirnis, also a UAH alumni, was at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks (WCHA) where he has employed as an assistant coach the past three seasons with the Nanooks.

First Harvard has lost a fifth forward early in Reilly Walsh, who leaves a year early and signs a standard three-year ELC deal with the New Jersey Devils. Walsh leaving college hockey for professional hockey makes it 34 underclassmen who have departed college hockey.

Shane Kuzmeski of Clarkson University (ECACHL) graduates and signs with the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL).

Kyle Marino, of the University of Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA) signs with the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). Joining him in Boise is Matt Stief of Canisius College (AHA).

Patrick Polino graduated RPI (ECACHL) and signs with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL).

Jacob Hayhurt of the University of Michigan Wolverines (Big 10) signs with the Worcester Railers (ECHL).

North American signings by conference break down as; Hockey East (29), NCHC (25), the Big 10 and the ECACHL each have lost (21), WCHA (19) and the AHA (15).

After completing his sophomore year with the Air Force Academy (AHA), Carter Ekberg transfers to the brand new Long Island University Sharks Division-I independent program where he will play in 2021-22 making 28 college transfers and 18 grad school transfers.

Martin Mellberg of AIC (AHA) signs with Almtuna IS (Sweden-Allsvenskan)

Adrian Holesinsky of the University of Maine Black Bears (HE), after playing just 17 games in three years, has left. He will play for HK Nitra (Slovakia-KHL).

Tomi Hiekkavirtu leaves the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves (WCHA) and signs with Hermes (Finland Division-1).

In Division III, Daniel Backstrom graduates Westfield State (MASCAC) and signs in Europe with FPS (Finland Division-1) and Georgy Gorodetski of Wentworth Institute of Technology (MASCAC) signs with Yugra-Khanty (Russia-VHL).

Also from D-III, Lucas Smith from Connecticut’s Post University (Northeast-10) signs with HCB Tirino (Switzerland-LNB).

Matthew Cuce of Elmira College (UCHC) signs with Tyringe SoSS (Sweden Division-1),

59 skaters from Division I and III have signed in Europe, 239 total players Division I and III have signed pro deals 130 in North America.

RANGERS WIN THE DRAFT LOTTERY

It’s been 54 years since the Rangers garnered the number one overall selection in the NHL Draft,, but back then, it was a much different hockey world.

Back in 1965, there were only six teams. The Rangers drafted a Quebec-born player, center Andre Veilleux, from the Trois-Rivières Reds of the Quebec Junior A Hockey League (QJAHL).

Veilleux played the following year, just 16 games, for the Rosemont Bombers (MMJHL), but never played pro hockey in the NHL or the AHL and  he never left Quebec.

It’s highly doubtful that will happen this time.

The Rangers, eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the qualifying round, along with eight other teams, had an equal 12.5% chance to come up the winner of the top pick in the NHL Draft which will be held virtually on October 9 & 10.

It’s almost a sure thing that The Rangers will draft the 6’1, 195lb. left wing, Alexis Lafreniere, of the QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic. Rimouski is located in the Gaspe region of Northern Quebec and was also the junior team of future Hall-of-Famer, , Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Lafreniere helped Canada win the WJC Gold back in January in the Czech Republic. He was named the tournament MVP and earned his selection on the Tournament’s first team.

Last season, in just 53 games, he had 35 goals, a league-best 77 assists, for 112 points for the Oceanic. He won his second consecutive Jean Beliveau Trophy and crossed the century mark for the second consecutive season of his three-year major junior career.

His trophy room has a slew of additions as he was named the best player in all of Canadian junior hockey for a second season in a row, as well as earning the QMJHL Michel Briere MVP Trophy and was a first team All-Star selection.

In his first junior year, after being the Q’s number one overall selection from the St. Eustache Vikings, he had 80 points in 60 games and was on the All-Rookie team. He captured the Silver Medal on the Canadian team at World Hockey U-17 tournament and was the QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year (Michel Bergeron Trophy) winner.

The esteemed and now semi-retired, Bob Mckenzie of TSN, announced mid-week on Twitter, that Lafreniere’s junior career is over.

“Alexis Lafreniere will not be reporting to Rimouski training camp this fall and will not be going to Europe to play. He’s training in Boisbriand (home of the QMJHL Blaineville-Boisbrand Armada), and plans to be drafted and report to his NHL team in November and play 20-21 in the NHL.”

Lafreniere is a St. Eustache, Quebec native which is 25 miles northwest of Montreal.

The drafting of Lafreniere will likely mark the end of the failed Lias Andersson experiment, who was the number seven overall selection in 2017.

The Rangers hope Andersson plays well at HV71 (Sweden-SHL) next season, where he’s on a loan on his original Entry-Level Contract, so his trade value will increase.

Lafreniere spending any time with the Wolf Pack is highly unlikely.

The Rangers did have another Lafreniere in team history. In 1988-89, Jason Lafreniere (no relation) played half of a season (38 games) after playing with the Denver Rangers (IHL), their farm team for the first half of the year.

That Lafreniere was traded by the Quebec Nordiques to the Rangers on August 1, 1989 along with defenseman Normand Rochefort for Bruce Bell, Jari Gronstrand, Walt Poddubny and a fourth-round draft choice that became former Nighthawk, Eric Dubois, whose son Pierre-Luc plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets,

IN MEMORIAM

The writing fraternity has lost one of it’s best.

Chip Malafronte, 48, passed away on Thursday after a valiant two-year battle against esophageal cancer.

Over a 24-year splendid career, Malafronte was always smiling, writing accurate stories in which he took great care to present the subject honestly. He was among the state’s best college hockey writers covering both Yale University and Quinnipiac University for the New Haven Register.

Malafronte was a private person and kept his issue under wraps. He had that quiet aura and respect about him.

He has left his treasured son, JP (John Paul), of whom he was immensely proud, who he brought him with around while covering stories. The glow and pride he had simply could not be missed.

Cantlon’s Corner has lost a friend and colleague, but young JP has lost his Dad. In the coming days of sadness and sorrow, hopefully his father’s love and pride will take a permanent residence in his heart.

Rest In peace, Chip. You’ve earned it.

The post CANTLON: HOCKEY OFF-SEASON NEWS & NOTES – Vol. 22 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The suspension of hockey continues though the NHL may resume the regular season or go straight to a playoff format in an attempt to conclude the 2019-20 season. The AHL, meanwhile, is on the verge of announcing the cancelation of the rest of the regular season and Calder Cup playoffs.

COLLEGE PLAYER SIGNINGS

The New York Rangers’ goaltending situation got a bit more interesting with the signing of their sixth-round (174th overall) pick in 2016, Tyler Wall. The former UMass-Lowell senior was signed to a two-year, entry-level deal ($925K-NHL/$70K-AHL).

The organization now has six goaltenders under contract starting with Henrik Lundqvist, who is entering the final year of his contract that pays him $8.5 million. Alexander Georgiev will become a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) in 2020-21. He’s proven he is more than NHL-ready.

Igor Shesterkin enters the second year of his two year deal and would become an RFA in the 2021-22 season. Shesterkin spent half of this season in Hartford where he was superb in net and brought the Wolf Pack to first place for at least three months. The team then struggled mightily after his recall. The team dropped to a .500 record.

Add to the list, second-year pro, and former UConn Husky, Adam Huska. He will enter the final year before he hits RFA status.

Then there is J.F. Berube. He was acquired in a late-season trade for his fellow goalie, Thomas McCollum, with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He will be a UFA at the end of June.

Nobody knows for certain how this entire thing will shake out in the end.

The NHL salary cap for next year was originally pegged to land between $84-$88 million, however, with the COVID-19 pandemic and other external factors, that number is now in a complete state of flux with the entire worldwide economic landscape having been dramatically altered.

The cap could potentially drop below $80 million. That would force all of the NHL’s teams to do some serious refinancing of its payroll structure. On the goalie front, the Rangers would be faced with even tougher choices than they already were going to have.

Wall, 22, from Leamington, Ontario, appeared in 32 games with the UMass-Lowell Riverhawks (HE) this season. He posted an 18-8-6 record, along with a 2.10 GAA, a .931 save percentage, and two shutouts.

He was named to the Hockey East Third All-Star Team this season, which was the conference’s deepest position. Darien’s Spencer Knight (Boston College) and Hobey Baler finalist Jeremy Swayman (Maine) were the two in front of him.

Wall appeared/started in 32 of UMass Lowell’s 34 games this season. He earned all of his team’s wins during the season and established a collegiate career-best in save percentage, Wall was tied for ninth in NCAA Division I in save percentage.

In addition, Wall ranked eighth in the NCAA in saves at (924). His 336 saves in either the third period or overtime were the third-most in the country.

This past season, Wall’s stinginess saw him allow just two goals or fewer in 22 of his 32 appearances, including one goal or fewer in eight different appearances. He was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week on six different occasions and served as an alternate captain, becoming the first Riverhawk goaltender to wear either a ‘C’ or an ‘A’ on his jersey since Dwayne Roloson did so in 1993-94.

Wall stands 6’3″ and weighs 214lbs. He covers the lower part of the net very well. Wall appeared in 103 career collegiate games over four seasons and amassed a college career record of 58-34-10, a 2.28 GAA, a .918 save percentage and nine shutouts.

Wall’s 58 career wins with UMass Lowell are the most by a goaltender since the school began playing in Division 1. He broke Roloson’s record of 51 wins. He established a collegiate career-best in appearances (37), wins (26), and GAA (2.06) as a freshman in 2016-17, and he established a UMass-Lowell record for wins by a rookie goaltender, previously held by current Winnipeg Jet, Connor Hellebuyck.

Wall also helped UMass-Lowell win the Hockey East Championship in 2016-17, and was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament Team. He posted a 2.10 GAA or better in three of his four collegiate seasons.

IN OTHER SIGNINGS

After four years at Penn State (Big 10), Peyton Jones signs a deal with the Colorado Eagles for 2020-21.

Yanni Kaldis Cornell University (ECACHL) signs with Bakersfield (ECHL).

Along with Wall, that makes 93 Division I players who have signed North American professional contracts. Including European deals, 150 collegiate players in total have turned professional.

Hockey East saw 21 players turn pro in North America and the Big 10 has 20. They are followed by the NCHC with 17. The WCHA has 13, while the ECACHL has 12 and the AHA with nine.

Penn State has the most signees with seven. They are followed by Western Michigan (NCHC) with six, Ferris State (WCHA) with five, and Hockey East’s Boston University and Vermont with four each.

Leading the 39 Division III signees is Northland College (NCHA) who’ve had four players put their names on contracts.

Matt Tugnutt of Sacred Heart University becomes the 13th Division I grad transfer and the second one for Providence College Friars (HE) in goal.

Jason Herter, Assistant Coach with the two-time defending NCAA champions, the University of Minnesota-Duluth, has stepped down to take another position in hockey but has not declared if it was in pro or college.

Scott Morrow (Darien) just finished at Shattuck’s St. Mary in Minnesota, had his USHL rights traded from the Youngstown Phantoms to the Fargo (ND) Force for next season. In 2021-22, Morrow starts playing for North Dakota (NCHC). He was also drafted by the Val D’ Foreurs in the 2nd round 21st overall in the 2018 QMJHL Draft.

NHL SEASON

The NHL wants to minimize the loss of revenue to the escrow fund which they and the players share as a part of the CBA agreement.

The NHL is trying to salvage the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs a massive revenue generator. Presently, they’re trying to find COVID-19 light cities to re-start and complete the remaining 14-15 games left in the regular season. There is also talk that they could jump to just a 12-team per conference playoff format. It is unclear which way they are going to go.

Also being discussed is the recall of AHL players from each team’s affiliates as a taxi squad once the AHL season is officially canceled. However, there are some serious issues regarding contracts that need to be worked out.

“It comes down that the NHL is trying to preserve the sponsorships and the TV ad revenue to minimize the losses. It’s paramount to the league right now, however, we’re getting close to fish-or-cut-bait time for the NHL and AHL because the clock is ticking to a new fiscal year of business that starts by the end of June,” commented a long-time hockey source.

The NHL isn’t alone in trying to complete their seasons.

Both Ukraine and Spain have tentative plans to finish their playoffs in September. Ukraine still has the semifinals and finals while Spain has just its championship round.

CONGRATULATIONS

Former Hartford Whaler and Rangers’ defenseman, James Patrick, will be inducted into the University of North Dakota’s sports Hall-of-Fame.

Patrick was a first-round pick (9th overall) by the Rangers in the 1981 Draft. While with UND, he led the Fighting Sioux, as they were known then, to an NCAA title in his freshmen year and he was an all-tournament selection in the Frozen Four.

Patrick was on the WCHA Conference’s second-team All-Star. He was the conference Rookie-of-the-Year and won a WJC gold medal with Canada.

In his sophomore season, he was a first-team WCHA All-Star, was first-team NCAA All America, and was a Hobey Baker finalist.

Patrick played in 1,280 NHL games with the Rangers, Whalers, the Calgary Flames, and Buffalo Sabres. Upon retiring, he spent seven years with Buffalo and then three years with the Dallas Stars as an assistant coach.

Patrick is currently entering his fourth year as head coach with the Winnipeg Ice (WHL), a franchise moved from Cranbrook, BC (Kootenay) two years ago.

His nephew Nolan is a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

IN OTHER COLLEGE NEWS

Three weeks ago, The Vermont Catamounts saw long-time coach, Bob Gaudet, announce his retirement after 23 years.

Todd Woodcroft becomes just their fifth coach in Vermont school history.

This week the University sadly mourns the passing of their first Division I coach, Jim Cross (1965-1984), who shepherded them in from the Division II level.  Cross, 87 passed away due to COVID-19 complications. Cross coached Vermont to three ECAC Division II championships including back-to-back titles in 1973-1974 with a conference record of 37-1. He was named National Division II Coach-of-the-Year in 1974.

Cross help the Catamounts transition to Division I hockey in the ECAC in 1974 getting into third place in their first season. His 19-year coaching mark was 280-251-9. A BU grad, Cross was honored by the Terriers in 1975 with its Harry Cleverly award given to alumni who excel in coaching.

Cross was inducted into the University of Vermont Athletic Sports Hall-of-Fame in 1996 and just last year, the Hobey Baker Memorial Foundation named him recipient of the “Legend of College Hockey” award.

He will posthumously be inducted into the Vermont Sports Hall-of-Fame later this year.

Among the players he coached in Division I included, former New Haven Nighthawk, John Glynne (Hamden) and Kirk McCaskill, who had a much better professional baseball career with the California Angels (nee Anaheim Angels) for eleven years as a pitcher, after one season with the Sherbrooke Jets (AHL).

He was one of the few hockey players drafted in two sports hockey (Winnipeg) and baseball.

USHL DRAFT

On Monday and Tuesday, the USHL conducted Phase I and Phase II of its annual draft.

In Phase I, in the 2nd round, (26th overall), Connor Welsh (Greenwich/Brunswick Prep) was selected by the Sioux City Musketeers.

Andrew DellaDonna from the US Selects Academy at South Kent Prep U-15 team was taken by Cedar Rapids Roughriders in the 4th round (55th overall). He is an Ohio State (Big 10) commit for 2022-23.

In the fourth round (57th overall), the Fargo (ND) Force took Cam Knuble, the son of former Ranger, Mike Knuble, who played with the Fox Motor Sports U-15 (T1EHL). His older brother, Cam Knuble, just finished his junior career with the Muskegon Lumberjacks.

The elder Knuble was his head coach and an assistant coach with Grand Rapids this past season.

In the fifth round (63rd overall) Cedar Rapids selected John Emmons Jr. from the Oakland (MI) Grizzlies U-15 (HPHL). He is the son of John Emmons Sr. (New Canaan/Yale University) who was an assistant coach of his team this season.

Lucas DiChiara (Fairfield), of the nationally renowned Shattuck St. Mary’s program in Minnesota, was taken in the ninth round (131st overall) by Muskegon. He is not currently college committed.

In Phase II on Tuesday, Tabor Heaslip of the Avon Old Farms Winged Beavers was taken in the fourth round (56th overall) by Sioux City. He is currently slated to play for the UCONN Huskies (HE) in the fall.

Five spots later, Matt Crasa from the Selects Academy at South Kent Prep, went in the fourth round (61st overall) was taken by Fargo. He skated for the Cowichan Valley Capitals (BCHL) this year with 44 points in 51 games and is slated to skate with the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHA) in the fall.

In the ninth round (125th overall), Zach Tonelli of Taft Prep (Watertown) was taken by Cedar Rapids. He is the youngest son of New York Islanders great, John Tonelli. He is Brown University (ECACHL) commit 2021-22 where his older brother Jordan, also a Taft grad, will start in the fall.

Ten picks later, David Andreychuk of Gunnery Prep (Washington, CT) went to the Waterloo Black Hawks. He is a St. Lawrence University (ECACHL) 2021-22 commit.

The sons ex-Hartford Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Sound Tiger, David Karpa, were selected one round apart. In the 15th round (223rd overall) Zakary Karpa was taken by the Waterloo Black Hawks. He played for the US National Development Team (USNDTP) in the USHL, the US National U-18 Team. He’s committed to the Princeton Tigers (ECACHL) in the fall. Younger brother Jakob Karpa went in the 16th round (242nd overall) to the Omaha Lancers from the Victory Honda U-18 (T1EHL/Midget) team. He is slated to skate for the Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) in the fall.

Lastly, Ryan Vellluci, the son of ex-Whaler Mike, the current coach of the Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins, was taken in the 18th round (262nd overall) by Muskegon from the Detroit Little Caesars U-18 (T1EHL) squad. He was taken by Saginaw Spirit in the 2018 OHL Priority Draft in the 13th round 242th overall.

The other US junior league, the Tier II NAHL, will have its Supplemental Draft on May 12th.  81 players will be drafted (three per team) and an extra tender contract can be offered to one player per team the next day. The NAHL has pushed its main draft to July 21st.

The QMJHL Draft will be conducted remotely and is scheduled for early next month. The first round will be on Friday, June 5th, with rounds 2-14 the following day. The U.S. Draft will be Monday, June 8th.

The QMJHL released its CSB’s final list of available players and there are quite a few Connecticut kids listed as possibilities.

A slew from the Greenwich-based prep school, Brunswick School. John Burdett, leading scorer, Andon Cerbone (Stamford), and John Gammage are on that list.

Jakub Teply (Stamford) is scheduled to play for the Powell River RiverKings (BCHL) in the fall, and Beanie Richter, the youngest son of former Ranger great, Mike Richter.

From Greenwich HS’s Charlie Zolin and William Richards (Westport) from Staples HS, Peter Ungar (Stamford) of the CT Whalers U-15 (AYHL), Arthur Smith (Farmington) from the US Selects Academy at South Kent Prep and Daniel Lurie (Westminster Prep (Simsbury). Nicholas LeClaire (Colchester), a grad of Xavier HS (Middletown), who is now at Northfield Prep (MAPREP) and Charlie Leddy (Fairfield) of Avon Old Farms, who is slated to be with the USNDTP U-17 team in the fall and a Boston College (HE) commit in 2022-23, Aidan Cobb (Ridgefield) from Kent Prep and a Cornell University (ECACHL) commit for 2020-21, Charles Andriole (Branford) of Loomis Chaffe (Windsor), and incoming Taft Prep (Watertown) player, Isaiah Green (Sandy Hook) are also expected to be selected.

The CHL Import Draft usually held a week after the NHL Draft is in a state of suspension because of COVID-19.

TRANSACTIONS

Alexander D. Tertyshny (Choate Prep), after playing with three teams last season, Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (Russia-MHL), Corpus Christi (NAHL), and Northeast (NAHL), heads to AIC-American International College (AHA) in the fall. Tertyshny is the son of former NHL’er, Dmitri Tertyshny, who played just one season with Philadelphia but died in a tragic boating accident in the off-season in Kelowna, BC on July 23, 1999.

Justin Danforth (Sacred Heart University/Sound Tigers), departs Lukko Rauma (Finland-FEL) to Vityaz Podolsk (Russia-KHL) for next season.

Heading to Europe will be Swedish defenseman Pontus Ahberg from the Toronto Marlies to Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia-KHL) after playing for six years in North America. Anton Wedin leaves Rockford/Chicago (NHL) for HV 71 (Sweden-SHL).

According to European media reports, several players are in the last stages of contract negotiations and are waiting on the call of the AHL season to be officially be canceled before making the announcement. Mikhail Vorobyov of Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers) is said to be heading to Salavat Yalaev (Russia-KHL). Josh Persson Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)/San Diego Gulls, and Gustav Forsling from the Charlotte Checkers are both to be going to EHC Biel/Bienne (Switzerland-LNA). Christian Folin Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens) to Frolunda HC (Sweden-SHL) and Henrik Borgstrom, Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida Panthers) to Jokerit Helsinki (Finland-KHL) are all still pending.

That would make eleven players in total, with 10 of the 31 AHL teams to have at least one player sign overseas for 2020-21.

Ex-Pack goalie, Miika Wiikman, who played last year with the Coventry Blaze (England-EIHL) and with HC Anglet (France-FREL) last year, announced his retirement due to injuries.

Anton Sundin, the son of year one ex-Wolf Pack, Ronnie Sundin, after playing with three teams last year, signs with Halmstad HC (Sweden Division-1).

Henrik Samuelsson, the son of ex-Whalers great, Rangers player, and an assistant coach with the Wolf Pack and Avon Old Farms, Ulf Samuelsson, leaves Manchester (England-EIHL) and signs a deal with Saryarka Karaganda (Russia-VHL). Ulf is still listed as the head coach for Leksands IF (Sweden-SHL) and a pro scout for Seattle (NHL). The youngest brother, Adam Samuelsson, is with Sudbury (OHL), and the eldest brother, Philip, is said to be close to signing with HK Riga (Latvia-KHL).

Ex-New Haven Nighthawks and Ranger, Glen Hanlon, leaves DVTK (Hungary-EBEL) for Krefeld (Germany-DEL) as their new head coach.

Former Beast of New Haven defenseman, Jaroslav Spacek, is an assistant coach of HC Plzen (Czech Republic-CEL) and an assistant with the Czech National Team program, saw his eldest son, David Spacek, who plays for HC Plzen U-16/U-18 squads and for the Czech Republic U-17 Team last season.

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: HOCKEY NEWS AND NOTES VOLUME 8 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack will have three cracks at ending their losing streak this weekend. Just one will do in Springfield Friday night in their fifth consecutive road game.

The hope is to start a winning streak at the XL Center on the back end of a hockey doubleheader against the Binghamton Devils at 7:30 PM.

On Sunday the Pack gets on the bus to travel to Providence for a 3 PM puck drop against the Baby Bruins.

“Things could be different. We went to overtime (the last two) games. However, they’re still two losses. Our powerplay had some scoring chances. It helped us against Hershey, but still isn’t performing as we would like. Maybe we won some games early in the season we shouldn’t have, and now we’re losing games we deserve to win,” team captain, Steven Fogarty, stated.

“We’re still in the games,” Fogarty added. “We’re not getting blown out. I thought we played really well the first two periods against Lehigh Valley, but they took it to us in the third, but we were there in overtime.

“In Hershey, it was a weird game. Special teams, lots of teddy bears, (Hershey had their Teddy Bear toss). I don’t want to make excuses. We’re not gonna win every game. No team has ever done that,” Fogarty said with a laugh and a wry smile. “If we stick to the small things will get back to where we were.”

There will be some lineup changes for the weekend.

Defenseman Sean Day was reassigned to the team’s ECHL affiliates, the Maine Mariners.

Yegor Rykov (pronounced Ree-kov) will make his regular season debut after missing the first two months of the season while recovering from a high ankle sprain suffered in the Traverse City prospects camp in early September.

He was given full medical clearance last week and was formally reassigned Wednesday to Hartford where he has been skating for the past month.

“We have an excess of defenseman now with Yegor coming back to play this weekend, and Jeff Taylor is playing great. He a very valued prospect. He was originally scheduled to be here for the opening day roster, but unfortunately, the injury pushed him back. There were discussions about (where he would go), but it was felt best that this is where he should be,” Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said of the Russian rookie rearguard.

Taylor was signed in the off-season from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins roster. He has been scratched more than he has played. He did well enough last weekend that the New York Rangers/Wolf Pack elected to keep him and to send Day back to Maine for a second time in his brief pro career.

“The way (Taylor) is playing, there is no way we’re going to send him back. Sean is a good defenseman. He’ll be back. He was helpful when he was here, and we want to make sure he gets his minutes (in Maine),” Knoblauch said flatly.

Upfront, Tim Gettinger, who missed both of last weekend’s game with a lower-body injury, will be back, as will Lewis Zerter-Gossage (upper body).

“I think five-on-five we need to generate more offense, and in those games, that’s where you need your power play to come through for you, and lately it hasn’t come through as often as we’d like.

“Our last game, (in Hershey), we were terrible five-on-five, but there, our powerplay did give us an opportunity with two power play goals and that makes a huge difference and special teams are very important,” Knoblauch said in speaking of his 27th ranked power play which is operating at a flaccid 11.0%.

In net, Igor Shesterkin is slated to start the game Friday with Adam Huska going Saturday against Binghamton. Knoblauch has no qualms about the play he’s receiving in the 4×6 cage.

“Our goaltending has been outstanding and has been very good. It looks bad right now, but that is a reflection of how we have been playing in front of them. We are defending more than we should be, that’s because we’re not making the simple passes. We’re trying the longer ones, which are more low percentage, and we give away possession (of the puck), so we’re back more in our zone and that leads to breakdowns and scoring chances.”

Fogarty thinks there could be something to their recent play relying on their two brick walls in net a little too much.

“Maybe subconsciously we might be doing that a bit, but we’re trying to cheat and maybe make plays we shouldn’t have. They’re still making those saves for us and it certaintly is not in our game plan.”

The main game plan is to win in regulation and start a new winning streak.

NOTES:

Late note… Shesterkin could be recalled in the morning depending on the condition of Henrik Lundqvist who took ill before the Columbus game a 3-2 Rangers win.

The emergency goalie was in the house, but Alexander Georgiev went between the pipes and was spectacular making 45 saves.

Cayden Primeau, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Keith Primeau, made his NHL debut in Montreal and was on the short lost a 3-2 decision to Colorado.

The Thunderbirds gave up 63 shots on goal in regulation at home on Wednesday night to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. They recalled defenseman Dylan MacPherson from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL).

Former Wolf Pack goalie, Chris Nell, is now on his third ECHL team in the first two months of the season. He was traded from the Adirondack Thunder to the Florida Everblades.

Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger, Jared Gomes, leaves the Brampton Beast (ECHL) to head to EC Bad Nauheim (Germany DEL-2).

Kristoff Kontos, the son of ex-New Haven Nighthawk and Ranger, Chris Kontos, signs a deal for the rest of the year with Vimmerby HC (Sweden Division-1).

The World Junior Championship tourney comes up in three weeks with rosters starting to get filled in with names.

Canada has one local name. Peter Diliberatore from Quinnipiac University (ECACHL). The team’s goalie coach is Pack all-time great, Jason LaBarbera.

Sweden has announced the names of two Rangers prospects on the initial roster. They are defenseman Nils Lundqvist, and center Karl Henriksson.

The host Czech Republic released their preliminary roster. It features goalie Nick Malik, who is the son of former Hartford Whaler, Beast of New Haven, and Rangers defenseman, Marek Malik.

Two new hockey statues will be unveiled at the Videotron Centre in Quebec City in September of 2020.

Manon Rheame was the first female goaltender to ever play in an NHL (exhibition) game, which she did with the Tampa Bay Lightning, participated in the prestigious International Pee Wee tournament in Quebec City as a young girl.

A Beauport, Quebec native, she played for Canada in the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan where she earned a silver medal, and two gold medals at the Women’s World Championships.

She played games for several minor league teams as well. She had stops in Knoxville, Nashville, Tallahassee (ECHL), Atlanta, Flint, and Las Vegas in the old IHL, where she also would meet her husband. She also had 11 games with the Reno Renegades (WCHL).

Rheame is married to former New Haven Senators forward, Gerry St. Cyr. Their son, Dylan, is a sophomore playing goal for Notre Dame (Big 10). Her brother, Pascal Rheame played in 318 NHL games – briefly with the Rangers – and is an ex-Wolf Pack. He is presently the head coach with Val d’Or (QMJHL).

The other statue will be of Quebec City native, and former Whaler, Sylvain Cote. He played in 1,171 NHL games of which 382 were in Hartford. His NHL numbers saw him tally 122 goals and a total of 435 points. The Whalers drafted him in the first round (11th overall) in 1984. During his time in Hartford had tallied 31 goals and 92 points with the Whalers.

Cote played the majority of his career with the Washington Capitals but also skated with Chicago, Dallas, and Toronto. He played for Canada at two WJC tournaments in 1984 and 1985.

His son Caden is currently playing for Team Maryland U-18 program.

The post CANTLON: WOLF PACK LOOK TO BREAK LOSING STREAK IN SPRINGFIELD first appeared on Howlings.

36 Players Remain in Training Camp

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK, NY – The New York Rangers announced today that the team has reduced its Training Camp roster by five players, as Connor Brickley, Sean Day, Tim Gettinger, Nick Jones, and Dawson Leedahl have all been assigned to Training Camp with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

The post RANGERS REDUCE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY FIVE first appeared on Howlings.

36 Players Remain in Training Camp

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK, September 23, 2019 – The New York Rangers announced today that the team has reduced its Training Camp roster by five players, as Connor Brickley, Sean Day, Tim Gettinger, Nick Jones, and Dawson Leedahl have all been assigned to Training Camp with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

The Rangers have 36 players remaining in Training Camp. The roster breakdown is listed below:

Forwards (20): Lias Andersson, Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Jesper Fast, Steven Fogarty, Micheal Haley, Brett Howden, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov, Chris Kreider, Brendan Lemieux, Vinni Lettieri, Greg McKegg, Vladislav Namestnikov, Boo Nieves, Danny O’Regan, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, Mika Zibanejad

Defensemen (12): Tony DeAngelo, Adam Fox, Libor Hajek, Ryan Lindgren, Joe Morrow, Tarmo Reunanen, Matthew Robertson, Yegor Rykov, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal, Jacob Trouba 

Goaltenders (4): Alexandar Georgiev, Adam Huska, Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin

The post RANGERS REDUCE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY FIVE first appeared on Howlings.

BY: The New York Rangers

NEW YORK, September 21, 2019 – The New York Rangers announced today that the team has trimmed its Training Camp roster by four players, as Gabriel Fontaine, Mason Geertsen, Joey Keane, and Patrick Newell have all been assigned to Training Camp with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL).

The Rangers have 41 players remaining in Training Camp. The roster breakdown is listed below:

Forwards (24): Lias Andersson, Connor Brickley, Pavel Buchnevich, Filip Chytil, Phillip Di Giuseppe, Jesper Fast, Steven Fogarty, Tim Gettinger, Micheal Haley, Brett Howden, Nick Jones, Kaapo Kakko, Vitali Kravtsov, Chris Kreider, Dawson Leedahl, Brendan Lemieux, Vinni Lettieri, Greg McKegg, Vladislav Namestnikov, Boo Nieves, Danny O’Regan, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Strome, Mika Zibanejad

Defensemen (13): Sean Day, Tony DeAngelo, Adam Fox, Libor Hajek, Ryan Lindgren, Joe Morrow, Tarmo Reunanen, Matthew Robertson, Yegor Rykov, Brady Skjei, Brendan Smith, Marc Staal, Jacob Trouba 

Goaltenders (4): Alexandar Georgiev, Adam Huska, Henrik Lundqvist, Igor Shesterkin

The post RANGERS TRIM TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY FOUR first appeared on Howlings.