BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT- Meanwhile back in the Connecticut capital, the movement continues sand through the hourglass of summer continue to empty as the 2019-2020 hockey season approaches.

PLAYER AND COACHING MOVEMENT

One of the five new Wolf Pack signees, Danny O’Regan, will be on a one-year deal making $225K-AHL/$700K-NHL next season. He’ll likely be one of the team’s assistant captains. Greg McKegg is also on a one-way deal. His pays $750K. The contracts for a defenseman, Jeff LoVerde, goalie, Thomas McCollum, and centerman, Harry Zolniercyczk, have yet to be posted.

Alexander Nylander, the youngest son of former Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger, Michael Nylander,  and the brother of Toronto’s William Nylander, was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks by the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.

Matt Cullen, the nephew of former Whaler, John Cullen, after a career lasting 21 years and 1,500 plus NHL games, including a year with the Rangers, announced his retirement from the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he won two of his three Stanley Cup titles. Cullen’s final numbers are 1,516 games played, 226 goals, 465 assists, for 731 points. It is very likely that will be in US Hockey Hall-of-Fame someday and there’s a possibility of even the NHL Hockey Hall-of-Fame.

Ex-Hartford Wolf Pack goalie, Dustin Tokarski, who failed miserably while in the Connecticut capital turned aside four offers to play in Sweden to accept a good AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He follows his Charlotte Checkers coach, Mike Vellucci, who left the Calder Cup champions last month. Vellucci was hired by Pittsburgh two weeks ago as the new AHL bench boss for the AHL Penguins.

The AHL signings continue and so do the pay raises.

Ex-Pack, Ryan Graves, signs a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche for $750K-NHL and with the AHL Colorado Eagles $350K.

Gemel Smith, who hit the 80-game NHL mark by exactly age 25 as a UFA, leaves the Providence Bruins for the Syracuse Crunch for a one-year, two-way deal paying him at $250K-AHL/$700K-NHL with the parent Tampa Bay Lightning.

Peter Cehlarik, re-signs with Providence for a puny increase in this years signing bazaar going from $70K to $125K.

The Vancouver Canucks sign three who will help their AHL affiliate the Utica Comets. The Canucks re-signed Pack killer, Reid Boucher, to a one-year, two-way deal at $450K-AHL/$750K-NHL. A pair of rookie defenseman, Brogan Rafferty (Quinnipiac University), and Josh Teves were signed to two-year contracts. Each received $125K-AHL/$700K-NHL in the first year and a one-way $700K for the second year.

Darren Archibald, who played with four teams last season, two of them were AHL teams (Utica, Belleville), and two from the NHL (Vancouver, Ottawa). He signed an AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies.

Pittsburgh signed a pair of players who were with Colorado (AHL) last season. They are defenseman David Warsofsky, who will return to Wilkes Barre/Scranton, and forward, Andrew Agozzino. Each received a two-year, two-way deal at $400K-AHL/$700K-NHL.

Ex-Pack, Hubert Labrie, goes from Syracuse to Belleville next season.

Cole Maier (Taft Prep) signs a one-year AHL deal with Manitoba Moose. Two former Quinnipiac Bobcats sign pro deals, Tanner MacMaster, a second-year pro with the Toronto Marlies and rookie Craig Martin with Adirondack (ECHL).

Ex-Pack Tommy Hughes returns from a year with Nottingham (England-EIHL) to sign again with Hershey on a one-year AHL deal.

The defending Calder Cup champs Charlotte Checkers, who will be the Wolf Pack opponent on the season’s opening night, have hired a new head coach, the youngest in the AHL.

Ryan Warsofsky (Sacred Heart University) 31, was the team’s assistant coach last season and given the top job. His younger brother is the aforementioned David Warsofsky who signed with Wilkes Barre/Scranton.

That leaves Hartford as the only AHL team without a head coach, or any coaching staff for that matter, in place.

Coach Eric Veilleux returns to the AHL as an assistant coach with Syracuse after leading the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) who went to the Memorial Cup final in May. Previously, he was a head coach in Norfolk and San Antonio.

Taking over Veilleux’s spot in Halifax is a very familiar name to Wolf Pack fans. He is ex-assistant coach, J.J. Daigneault. He was hired on Tuesday to become the Mooseheads 12th head coach. The hiring comes three months after Daigneault was inducted into the QMJHL Hall of Fame and it’s his first ever head coaching gig.

The Rangers fourth round pick (112th overall) in last month’s draft in Vancouver is forgoing college hockey at Western Michigan for Canadian major junior hockey.

Defenseman Hunter Skinner signed a deal with the London Knights (OHL) who are coached by Dale Hunter. The GM is his brother Mark, an ex-Whaler. He split last season playing with the Lincoln Stars and Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL). He was originally drafted by London in the 2017 OHL Priority Draft in the fifth round (97th overall).

Jake Massie leaves the University of Vermont (HE) a year early. He signs with Florida on a standard two-year ELC deal $925K-NHL/$70-K AHL and will likely start the year with Springfield.

Alexei Solovyev goes from Bentley University (AHA) and signs an AHL deal with Providence.

Nick Cyr of Salve Regina (CCC) sIgns with HC Morianze-Avoriaz (France Division-3) and T.J. Sneath from Lebanon Valley University (UCHC) signs with Vannas HC (Sweden Division-1)

That makes for 46 collegians to sign in Europe, 175 Division I signees and 194 total North American deals and 223 overall to sign pro deals.

Major college hockey news as seven schools from the WCHA conference, all from the Midwest informed conference leadership they are all leaving in two years to form their own conference. The schools are; Bemidji St. and Minnesota State-Mankato  (MN), Bowling Green University (OH), Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan all from the state of Michigan.

That would leave the WCHA with just three members left in the two schools from Alaska, Anchorage, and Fairbanks respectively and the University of Alabama-Huntsville and that makes for a perfect opportunity for a true US western college hockey conference to be born.

Arizona State could easily be added (currently DI independent) who will have their new on-campus arena ready in two years and then they could add USC and UCLA in the LA area and with a new arena going up in Palm Springs to house Seattle’s AHL team that could also be a home for one of those two schools.

Then you could look at bringing in the University of Texas, University of Utah, Boise State, Oklahoma, UNLV, Stanford and the University of Washington and you would have a regional 12 team conference that serves the Western part of the US, where players aren’t the issue, a conference has always been and now a clear lane has opened up to remedy that.

Ex-Pack Chad Wiseman gets a title upgrade to associate head coach for Guelph Storm (OHL).

Former New Haven Senator Jake Grimes returns to his native province of Nova Scotia with his first head coaching gig with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL). Grimes was an assistant coach with Guelph (OHL) the last two years and the last 15 years as an assistant coach in the OHL with Belleville, Peterborough, and Guelph.

His last head coaching experience was in the early part of the 21st century at the Junior B level.

Ex-Pack/CT Whale, Devin DiDiomete, leaves SG Cortina (Italy-AlpsHL) for UTE (Hungary-EHL)

Ex-Pack, Daniel Sparre, stays in the German DEL leaving EHC Wolfsburg for ERC Ingolstadt.

Ex-CT Whale, Steve Delisle, leaves HC Sparta Prague (Czech Republic-CEL) for Lowen Frankfurt (Germany DEL-2).

Ex-Sound Tiger with a great hockey name, Masi Marjamaki, goes from KLH Chomutov (Czech Republic-CEL) to Sheffield (England-EIHL) and another ex-Sound Tiger, Blair Riley, leaves the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland-EIHL) for the Cardiff Devils (Wales-EIHL).

Four more AHL’ers head to Europe. Mike Sislo of Bridgeport signs with EHC Wolfsburg (Germany-DEL). Wayne Simpson leaves Rochester for ERC Ingolstadt (Germany-DEL). Sam Herr from Ontario signs with Nottingham (England-EIHL) and another member of the Calder Cup champs Charlotte, Dennis Robertson finds a new home with HC Bolzano (Italy-EBEL).

That makes 53 players that have signed overseas.

The newest CT minor league hockey league and third FHL attempt in Danbury-the Danbury Hat Tricks- signed their first 12 players from far and wide.

Nick Metcalfe (Stoneham, MA), played one game with Carolina (FHL) last year, goalie Cody Karpinski (Chicago) skated for Port Huron (FHL), Dustin Jesseau (Ontario) who split time with Port Huron and Watertown (FHL) plus Peoria (SPHL) and played a bit with FHL Danbury Titans 2015-16.

Sam Williams (Winnipeg, MB) played with Elmira and Watertown (FHL) last season and a few games with Birmingham (SPHL). New Jersey native, Tom McGuckin played last season for Amals SK (Sweden Division-2), Paul Fregeau (California) split the season with Fayetteville and Quad City (SPHL). Jordan Brant (Alberta) played Canadian college hockey at Portage College (ACAC).

California born and bred Kyle Gonzales who was with Danville (FHL) last year and his teammate there, Joe Brennan (Philadelphia) were also signed.

Nicholas Lang of the Czech Republic who split last season with HC Velka (Czech Republic Division-4) and HC Chemnitz (Germany Division-4) and from Belarus, Alexei Baturevich who split last year with Lokomotiv Orsha (Belarus Division-2) and Orleans (France Division-4).

The team also signed a player who truly saw a lot of different places last season. He is Latvian, Kristers Bormanis.

He played in the Latvian Hockey League (LHL) with Zemgale and with the junior Zemgale team in the Latvian Junior Hockey League (LJHL). He played a game with Bjorninn (Iceland-IHL) and then in Ukraine with Ledyanye Volki Kiev in the Ukranian Hockey League (UHL) and ended his season in England with the Billingham Stars (NIHL Division-1).

Ex-Whaler Curtis Lechyshyn was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame.

Two hockey individuals are part of the class of nine to be inducted into the University Vermont Hall of Fame. One was the Catamounts head coach of 19 years, Mike Gilligan. He spent three years as an assistant coach under tutelage of the late Tim Taylor at Yale University (ECACHL) from 1981-1984.

Torrey Mitchell is the other and he’s still playing in Europe. He played two years at Hotchkiss Prep (Lakeville) school before heading to Vermont.

A fine piece on the ex-Pack captain and Sound Tiger, Greg Moore, who is now the head coach of the Chicago Steel (USHL). Read that HERE

The Danbury Ice Arena announces a third tenant to be operating the arena this year as the Connecticut Whale (NWHL) come through the front door. It will become their fourth home in five years. Read that HERE

Big night at the Hartford Yard Goats baseball game Saturday night at 7 pm on Whalers Day, a highly successful promotion that will see 20 former Whaler players in the house.

Mike Rogers, Ed Hospodar and Grant Jennings after a year absence will be returning and among those donning the green jerseys once again. Here is the full list;

Andre Lacroix (1978-1979, Whalers broadcaster for 8 years 1983-1991), Bill Bennett (1979-1980), Bob Crawford (1983-1986), Chuck Kaiton Whalers (Hall of Fame) Broadcaster 1979-1997), Dave Babych (1985-1991), Wayne Babych (1985-1987), Don Nachbaur (1980-1982), Ed Hospodar (1982-1984), Grant Jennings (1988-1991), Jeff Brubaker (1979-1981), Jordy Douglas (1978-1982), Mark Janssens  (1992-1997), Marty Howe (1977-1985), Mike Rogers (1975-1981), Norm Barnes  (1980-1982), Paul Lawless (1982-1988), Rick Ley (1972-1982), Scott “Chief” Daniels (1992-1996), Steve Rice (1994-1997) and Yvon “Ike” Corriveau  (1989-1994).

Mike Corrigan (Friend of Whalers) LA Kings/Pittsburgh Penguins player and is a Suffield resident and Paul D’Amato- Tim “Dr. Hook” McCracken from greatest hockey comedy movie the iconic, Slap Shot. 

In addition, two members of the original NHL ice crew that operated at the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum (nee XL Center) will be among the guests. Wayne Therell “Scoop” Knight, who is still the Head Ice Technician at the arena and John Weir were part of that original five-man squad that gave the HCCC the best ice in the NHL in 1986.

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: WOLF PACK OFF SEASON VOLUME 11 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The ECHL’s Kelly Cup has been won. The AHL’s Calder Cup winner was decided. On Wednesday night, the top award in professional hockey, the Stanley Cup will be awarded to either the St. Louis Blues or the hosting Boston Bruins. While that might be the top talk of the sport right now, it’s not all that’s going on in what was once again another busy week in the off-season.

PACK UPDATE

When JD speaketh people listen.

In his first interview since taking over the Presidency of the New York Rangers, John Davidson spoke about the direction of the organization he now commands will be taking. The first topic he spoke about was here in Hartford and the dysfunction that has been the Wolf Pack over the past five years which is how long it’s been since their last playoff appearance. Not only have they not made the playoffs, but the Wolf Pack have been languishing at or near the bottom of the entire AHL over that span. It’s been one season worse than the next with no winning, no player development, and no fan happiness. Read about it HERE.

LARRY PLEAU FEATURE

Larry Pleau is one of the true Hartford Whaler legends.

In his early career, the Lynn, MA native played for the 1963-64 Memorial Cup finalists Montreal N.D.G. (Notre Dame de Grace) Monarchs with future NHL’ers Carol Vadnais and Rogie Vachon, and the head coach was a very young, Scotty Bowman.

He played in the AHL just before the WHA emerged. He played for the first Montreal-based team AHL team, the Voyageurs. They finished tops in a nine-team AHL but lost a second-round, three-team round-robin series to Buffalo and Springfield. He played for Montreal in 1971-72, after starting with the AHL team that moved to Nova Scotia, that lost to the Rangers in six games.

Pleau jumped to the renegade WHA the following year. He played for the New England Whalers in their first season in Boston where they won the WHA Avco Cup.

Pleau played all in seven New England Whaler WHA seasons, finishing as the second all-time leading scorer with 372 points to Tom Webster’s 425. He was tops in assists with 215 and second in games played with his 468 to Rick Ley’s 478. Brad Selwood was third with 431.

When the Hartford Whalers were born, Pleau was with the team in its early NHL days. After retiring as a player, he worked behind the bench. Pleau as an assistant for two seasons (1979-1981) before being elevated to the head coach where he replaced Don Blackburn in 1981,

Pleau was a head coach until 1983 before he making a second foray into the AHL, but as a coach. He was the head coach in Binghamton, who, at the time, was the Whalers’ top affiliate, from 1984-1988. He won the AHL Coach of the Year (Louis A. Pieri Award) in 1985-86.

He was brought back as a Whalers’ head coach once again in 1987 as a mid-season replacement to Jack Evans where he stayed until 1989.

Pleau hooked-up for a long association with the Rangers. He was there from 1989-1997 as their assistant GM, and Director of Player Development. He was also the last General Manager for the Rangers’ Binghamton affiliate from 1995-1997 before the Rangers moved their farm team to Hartford.

He moved on to become the GM of the St. Louis Blues from 1997-2010 and is still in a Senior Advisor role with the Blues.

Read a fabulous piece on his relationship with the Blues HERE.

CALDER CUP FINALS

The high-speed hockey train called the Charlotte Checkers won their first Calder Cup title.

Trailing by a 3-1 score on Thursday night, the Checkers dominated the second half of the game and scored four unanswered goals for a 5-3 win over the Chicago Wolves. They then went on to clinch their first title Saturday night in Chicago with another 5-3 win.

In the deciding game, Morgan Geekie had a goal and two points, Andrew Poturalski scored twice and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 26 of the 29 shots to have AHL Commissioner, Dave Andrews, come down and present the team with the Calder Cup.

In Game 4, Nicolas Roy scored two goals, Martin Necas also chipped in with two points and ex-Wolf Pack, Dustin Tokarski, picked up his sixth win in the AHL post-season without a loss.

Tokarski finished the campaign with a 13-0 record since being reassigned to Charlotte by the Rangers on February 28th in a swap that sent defenseman Josh Wesley to Hartford.

The last Wolf Pack playoff win was on May 15, 2015, in a 6-3 win over the Hershey Bears. The Pack was led by Marek Hrvik, who had a hat trick. The Pack has had 56 franchise hat tricks during the regular season, but only four in the playoffs. The record for goals in a playoff game is held by Chris Kenady. He had four goals on April 20, 2000, against Springfield.

Also that year, the Manchester Monarchs, in their last AHL season, swept the Pack en route to the Calder Cup. They scored the game’s first goal in 15 of the 19 playoffs games that year winning all 15 games. Charlotte’s performance is the only team that has come close to that level of perfection,

During this playoff season, the Checkers scored first eight times, but in three of their wins, the opponent scored first. 

KELLY CUP FINALS

In their first ECHL season, the Newfound Growlers captured the championship in six games. They won the decisive championship game 4-3 over the Toledo Walleye at Mile One Centre in St. John’s. They became the first, first-year team to win the title since the Greensboro Monarchs in 1990, who were then coached by former Whaler, Jeff Brubaker.

Former QU Bobcat goalie Michael Garteig played in 19 playoff contests for the championship squad.

Five members of the team were from St. John’s, starting with playoff MVP, Zach O’Brien (16 goals and 29 points), and including captain James Melindy, Marcus Power, and Adam Pardy (Bonavista), a former NHL defenseman rounded out the playing quartet. After the game, Pardy announced he was retiring after giving his nephew a championship to see in person.

The fifth Newfie was former New Haven Nighthawk, and Rangers assistant coach, and Mt. Pearl native, Darryl Williams, who is in his second coaching stint in his native province. The first was with the St. John’s Fog Devils (QMJHL) where, for three seasons, he was an assistant coach. He was hired temporarily in December with the medical absence taken by head coach and ex-Ranger, Ryane Clowe. He was formally added to the staff at the end of January. Williams is a St. John’s resident.

Williams was a rough and tumble player during his skating days. He had 495 PIM in 136 AHL games along with 29 goals and 56 points. They all came during his time with New Haven, “Willy,” as he was known, played and racked up 1,906 PIM in 540 IHL games along with 98 goals and 224 points. He played with Phoenix, Long Beach, and Detroit. He played in only two NHL games in 1992-’83 and had 10 PIM.

Ex-Pack, Matt Register, played for the runner-up, Toledo Walleye. He climbed the statistical ECH playoff ladder with 124 playoff games played and 14 assists in the Kelly Cup Finals.

UCONN 2019-20 SCHEDULE RELEASED

The Huskies hit the XL Center for the first time on November 11th and 13th. It’s a Friday and Saturday night with two non-conference games against Army (WCHA) for the home opener and then RPI from ECACHL conference the following night. The first Hockey East game will be against Merrimack on November 1^st. They then will mark their visit ever from Miami (OH) (NCHC) on November 29-30, a week after Thanksgiving.

The first-ever Connecticut Ice tourney with all four CT Division I college teams is from January 25th and 26th at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport.

The schedule is HERE.

NAHL DRAFT

One of the last two major North American drafts was held last Tuesday when the US Tier II junior circuit-the North American Hockey league.

Here are the CT connected draftees.

Matt Crasa (Selects Academy at South Kent Prep) was selected in the second round (31st overall) by the Amarillo (TX) Bulls. Crasa is a Sacred Heart University (AHA) commit for 2020-21. He was drafted by the Sioux City Stampede (USHL) this spring and by Windsor Spitfires (OHL) in 2017

Cooper Swift, (West Hartford/Choate Prep) also went in the second round (35th overall) by the Jamestown Rebels. He was selected by the Fargo Force (USHL) in their draft earlier in the spring.

Corey Clifton was drafted in the third round (55th overall) by the Corpus Christi (TX) IceRays. He will become the third Clifton from his Matawan, NJ family to play at Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) in 2020-21. He played this season with the Surrey Eagles (BCHL) and was just traded this week to the Trail Smoke Eaters to play next season. He was drafted by Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) in 2017 and previously by the Aston Rebels (NAHL) in 2017.

His brother, Connor Clifton, is competing for the Stanley Cup with the Bruins while his oldest brother, Tim Clifton, is with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).

Ian Pierce of Kent Prep went in the third round (60th overall) to the St. Cloud Blizzard. He is a Dartmouth (ECACHL) commit for 2020-21.

Kennedy O’Connor (Loomis Chaffee) also went in round three (67th overall) to the Shreveport (LA) Mudbugs. He is a UMASS-Amherst (HE) commit for 2021-22. The Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) took him in their draft in April.

Carter Primo Self, (Selects Academy at South Kent Prep) was taken in the fifth round (127^th overall) by the Amarillo Bulls and is a Miami (OH) (NCHC) commit for 2020-21.

Matt Iasenza of Canterbury Prep (New Milford) went in the sixth round (144^th overall) to the New Jersey Titans and has no college commit at this time.

Philip Ekberg of the CT Jr, Rangers (USPHL) was taken in the ninth round (212^th overall) by the Maryland Black Bears and also in uncommitted at this time.

Logan Martinson, the son of former Nighthawk, Steve Martinson, the current coach of Allen (ECHL), was taken in the tenth round (236th overall) by the New Mexico Ice Wolves. He was selected by Langley (BCHL) in their 2018 Draft and in 2017 by Tri-City (USHL).

The another CT Jr. Ranger was taken. Maxim Kuznetsov went in the tenth round (260th overall) by the Johnstown. Tomahawks.

The last amateur draft before the NHL Draft in Vancouver in two weeks will be the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) in Quebec City on Saturday at the Videotron Centre.

PLAYER & COACHING MOVEMENT

Ex-Sound Tiger head coach Jack Capuano was hired as an associate head coach for the Ottawa Senators.

Five more AHL’ers leaves for Europe.

Josh Jooris, the ex-Ranger, leaves the Toronto Marlies and heads to HC Lausanne (Switzerland-LNA) on a rare three-year deal. Jooris holds Swiss citizenship. When his father Mark Jooris, a Vancouver scout and Junior A coach, played for Lausanne in the 1990s, he also played some junior hockey there before they returning to Canada.

Libor Sulak leaves Grand Rapids for Severstal Cherepovets (Russia-KHL). Braden Christoffer goes from Bakersfield to Sterjen (Norway-NEL). Travis Murphy and Andrej Suster both go from San Diego to Kunlun (China-KHL) on two-year deals.

These exits make 36 AHL’ers to sign in Europe. 21 of the league’s 31 teams have now lost at least one player to Europe.

Ex-Sound Tiger defenseman Mathieu Gagnon Brampton (ECHL) signs with Manchester (England-EIHL).

Kevin Morris, (Salisbury Prep), the son of ex-Nighthawk, Mark Morris, announces his retirement after playing with Coventry (England-EIHL) this past season. He completed his MBA and heads off to the working world.

Alex Barron (Quinnipiac University) signs with HK Dukla Michalovce (Slovakia-SLEL) after splitting last season with EHC Freiburg (Germany DEL-2) and HK SKP Propad (Slovakia-SLEL).

Mitch Ferguson of Division III SUNY-Geneseo (SUNYAC) signs with GHC Bordeaux (France-FREL) next season. That raises the number of college players signing in Europe to 33 and the total number of collegians to have signed pro deals art 218.

Ex-Sound Tiger, Peter Mannino, who was let go at the University Miami (OH) (NCHC) as their associate head coach, doesn’t stay unemployed long. He lands with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) as their new head coach.

The Sioux Falls Stampede are the new USHL Clark Cup champions. They completed a three-game sweep in their best-of-five final over the Chicago Steel by the score of 5-1.

Leading the way for Sioux Falls was goaltender Jaxson Stauber, the son of former Wolf Pack and Nighthawk goalie, Robb Stauber.

The younger Stauber head to the University Minnesota-Mankato (NCHC) in the fall.

Chicago was led by their head coach, the former Wolf Pack captain, and Sound Tiger, Greg Moore.

THE CRAZY WORLD OF BILLY TIBBETTS

The following link is of ex-Pack, Ranger, and Danbury Whaler, Billy Tibbetts. He actually ran for the Scituate, MA city council and lost. It’s a tour de force performance of classic Tibbetts and his riding high, riding low. It’s unfiltered, raw, and unbridled.

WARNING: For those sensitive to foul language, there are swear-words in some of these series of one and two-minute video clips. Tibbets is a lot of things, boring isn’t one of them. HERE

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: WOLF PACK OFF SEASON REPORT – VOLUME 7 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The dog days of summer are here. Hockey reporters across the globe are taking their vacations before the start of training camps in September. However, because MOST reporters are off enjoying some time off, does not mean that there isn’t any hockey news. There’s plenty.

PLAYER & COACHING MOVEMENT

As expected, now former Wolf Pack forward, Adam Tambellini, signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Ottawa Senators. Cantlon’s Corner reported late in the season that there was strong interest from the team in Tambellini by the Canadian capital’s city.

Tambellini’s deal will pay him $650K in the NHL and $85K for his play in the AHL, which is where he’s likely to start the season, in Belleville. In his three full seasons, he collected 46 goals and 99 points in 211 games. Tambellini was never once was recalled by the New York Rangers. Tambellini was drafted in the third round by the Rangers in the 2013 draft. Last year, he had a career-high of 16 goals and 32 points in 69 games.

Ex-QU Bobcat Bo Pieper signs with Reading Royals (ECHL) this year.

Ex-CT Whale, Mike Pelech, goes from the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) to the Rangers former Double AA affiliate, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Former Wolf Pack, Caleb Herbert, who had an eight-game recall from Greenville to Hartford last year, and a longer recall with the San Jose Barracudas (AHL), and a one-game stint with the Utica Comets signs with Utah (ECHL).

Jesse Schwartz is the last graduating UConn Husky from their first Hockey East roster last spring to sign a pro contract. He inks a deal with the Rangers new Double AA farm team, the Maine Mariners (ECHL). Joining him, in a trio of announced signings, are fellow Hockey East player, Garrett Cecere (Northeastern), and the son of the former New Haven Nighthawk/Senators, Brad Jones, who’s in his second pro season, Mitch Jones. His younger brother, Max Jones, is an Anaheim Ducks draftee who will be in San Diego this season.

Brady Shaw, the son of ex-Whaler, Brad Shaw, signs with the Orlando (ECHL) after being with Colorado (ECHL) last year.

Ex-Sound Tiger, Olivier Labelle, goes from GHC Bordeaux (France-FREL) to Indy (ECHL).

Ex-Sound Tiger, Josh Winquist, goes from Orlando (ECHL) to Colorado (AHL).

Logan O’Connor, the son of former Utica Devil, Myles O’Connor, exits the University of Denver (NCHC) a year early to sign with the Colorado Avalanche’s new AHL franchise.

Joe Sullivan, of St. Lawrence (ECACHL), signs with the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) while Brady Norrish of R.I.T. (AHA) signs with Idaho (ECHL). That makes 222 total collegiate players to sign pro deals since school has ended.

One time Trinity College assistant, Paul Kirtland, leaves Dubuque (USHL) to be the new assistant coach for the Sacred Heart University Pioneers (AHC) this fall.

Ex-Sound Tiger, Bracken Kearns, last years’ winner of the AHL’s Fred T. Hunt Award while with Binghamton, has moved to Europe. Kearns signed with EHC Linz (Austria-AEHL).

Rod Pelley, a longtime Albany Devils captain, who had his highest single-season goal output (13) courtesy of playing against the Wolf Pack, leaves Stockton for SonderyskE (Denmark-DHL). The gritty centerman leaves after 556 AHL and 256 NHL games.

After just one full season, Jordan Boucher leaves Laval for Orebro HK (Sweden-SHL).

62 AHL players from 24 teams have signed to play in Europe since the 2017-18 season ended.

Former Wolf Pack captain, and ex-Sound Tiger, Aaron Johnson, goes from Adler Mannheim (Germany-DEL) to Sheffield (England-EIHL).

Ex-Sound Tiger, James Wright, who split last year with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan-HK) and HC Vladivostok (Russia-KHL), heads for Linkopings HC (Sweden-SHL) next season.

Nick Malik, the youngest son of former Whalers, Rangers, and Beast of New Haven defenseman, Marek Malik, will get to play for his father’s team.

The younger Malik, 16, played split-time with HC Vitkovice U-18 and U-20 teams last year. He was signed by HC Ocelari Trinec (Czech Republic-CEL) for the 2018-19 season and then loaned to HC Frydek-Mistek (Czech Republic Division-2) where his father has been the assistant coach the last four years.

His older brother, Zach Malik, came to North America last year. He played with Sudbury (OHL) 38-0-12-12.

Peter Quenneville, the ex-Quinnipiac Bobcat, after playing in three countries last season signed with Sparta Sorpsborg (Norway-NEL). The three teams Quenneville played for included HC Dynamo (Czech Republic-CEL), then moving to SaiPa (Finland-FEL) before landing with the Aalborg Pirates (Denmark-DHL) who captured the Danish title.

XL CENTER UPDATE

The process of evaluating the bid by Oak Street Realty LLC of Chicago has begun.

The CRDA and its Venue committee have begun a Q & A on their bid submission.

“We have started a dialogue with (Oak Street Realty). A series of initial questions have been communicated with them, and by no means has the bid been accepted in the formal sense. We have a process that is underway, so we can make a determination on this bid and we’re very early in that process,” said Venue Committee member Kim Hart. “I don’t expect we will have an answer till sometime in the fall, we don’t have a firm time deadline.”

CRDA Executive Director, Mike Freimuth, has been an “umpire” about this process that was initiated a year ahead of time.

“We’re still working through all of this. It’s going to take time,” Freimuth said while keeping the cards close to the vest.

It’s probable that sometime shortly after the election, decisions, including several critical ones, will be made.

WHALER WEEKEND WITH THE YARDS GOATS

The Second Annual Hartford Whalers celebration with the Double AA Eastern League baseball, Hartford Yards Goats (Colorado Rockies), took place on Saturday, July 28^th as the Yards Goats entertained the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays) at Dunkin Donuts Park.

The festivities started with a luncheon at the Yard Goats upper deck club area. There were meals served, mingling with the players, they took batting practice, ran the bases and other special events. Also included was a limited edition poster.

New players who attended included New England Whaler great, Andre Lacroix who played in all seven years of the WHA, David A. Jensen, Don Nachbaur – who’s now an assistant coach with the LA Kings and played with the New Haven Nighthawks, as well as rough and tumble, Jeff Brubaker. Also attending for the first time was the colorful Paul Lawless who played with the Whalers and another CT team the New Haven Senators. Rick Ley also attended for the first time. Ley played with the New England and Hartford Whalers. He was also the head coach of the NHL Whalers from 1989-1991 and spent one year as an assistant in 1981-82, which was his first year after retiring. He played all seven seasons of the WHA’s New England Whalers history.

Also in attendance was the NHL radio voice of the Whalers, Chuck Kaiton. He returned after officially being dropped as the Carolina Hurricanes radio play-by-play voice last week. Kaiton spent the last 39-years covering the Whalers and Hurricanes. In addition, several off-ice personnel, including Equipment Manager and Trainer, Skip Cunningham, and Bob Gorman respectively, were on hand making the trip from North Carolina.

A very special guest was Paul D’Amato, who is best known as Tim “Dr. Hook” McCracken, from the all-time classic hockey movie, “Slapshot.” Whaler fan favorite Tony Harrington sang the National Anthem. Lastly, Wayne “Scoop” Knight who was the Whaler, and Wolf Pack Director of the ice crew for 35 years, and who has the nickname, “Doctor Ice” was there to enjoy the festivities.

The returning players from last year’s event included Bill Bennett, Bob Crawford, Brian Propp, Dave and Wayne Babych, as well as a big favorite, Ed “Boxcar” Hospodar, who shot his ceremonial first pitch with a hockey stick and started his pro career as a New Haven Nighthawk.

Jordy Douglas, Mark Janssens, Marty Howe, Norm Barnes, Scott “Chief” Daniels, and Yvon Corriveau, who are all still living in the area made it as well.

Several who wanted to come, such as Paul Fenton, who recently took the job as the new GM of the Minnesota Wild, and his new assistant coach Dean Evason, another former Whaler were both unable to attend.

Joel Quenneville, Kevin Dineen, and Ulf Samuelsson, who are all behind the bench in Chicago were also unable to attend. This past weekend was also the Blackhawks convention in Chicago. All expressed hope to be there next summer. Dineen and Samuelsson’s number 11 and 5 respectively hang in rafters of the XL Center.

There was an autograph session for the fans prior to the game.

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: WOLF PACK OFF-SEASON VOLUME 14 first appeared on Howlings.

By: Bruce Berlet

WHALE BOWL WILL BREAK AHL ATTENDANCE RECORD

More than 22,500 tickets have been sold for Whale Bowl, the highlight of the “Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011” at Rentschler Field, assuring the Whale will break the AHL attendance record. A record 21,508 watched the host Syracuse Crunch beat the Binghamton Senators 2-1 at the New York State Fairgrounds on Feb. 20, 2010.

“It’s a great tribute to the people of the state of Connecticut, but we have to get 38,000 because we want to sell the place out,” said Howard Baldwin Jr., president and COO of Whalers Sports and Entertainment, which runs the Whale’s business operations and is handling the 12-day event. “Everyone else, the NHL, college and AHL, has sold out, and if Connecticut wants to be back on the (hockey) map again, which I know it does, everybody needs to come out and celebrate this.”

Before Whale Bowl is played, “Trinity-Wesleyan Day” is on Tuesday as the schools’ women’s teams play at 4 p.m., their alumni teams at 6:30 p.m. and the men’s teams at 8 p.m. High school and prep school games fill most of the schedule the remainder of the week until the Whale Bowl at which about a dozen celebrities will mix in with the Hartford Whalers legends team and Boston Bruins legends team as they face off at 4 p.m., followed by the Whale-Providence Bruins at 7 p.m. The day’s activities begin with the Army-American International College game at 1 p.m. All tickets for the event are general admission except for Feb. 19.

Hall of Fame defensemen Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, and Brad Park headline the Bruins legends team. Other commitments are Enfield native Craig Janney, former captain Rick Middleton, Reggie Lemelin, Ken Hodge, Don Marcotte, Rick Smith, Bob Sweeney, Lyndon Byers, Cleon Daskalatis, Jay Miller, Bob Miller (no relation) and Ken “The Rat” Linseman, a member of the Whalers for a few moments as he passed through in a multi-player trade with Philadelphia and Edmonton that included Mark Howe leaving Hartford for the Flyers. Derek Sanderson and Gary Doak will coach the Bruins team.

Commitments for the Whalers team are WHA Hall of Famer Andre Lacroix, John McKenzie, whose No. 19 is retired in the XL Center rafters, Blaine Stoughton, Pat Verbeek, John Anderson, Garry Swain, Bob Crawford, Chris Kotsopoulos, Jim Dorey, Jordy Douglas, Ray Neufeld, Gordie Roberts, Darren Turcotte, Nelson Emerson, Mark Janssens, Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Fred O’Donnell, Terry Yake, Scott Daniels, Ed Hospodar, Yvon Corriveau and the Babych brothers, Dave and Wayne. Emile “The Cat” Francis, a coach and general manager with the Rangers and Whalers, will be back behind the bench again, and Norm Barnes and former captain Russ Anderson will be assistant coaches.

Celebrities scheduled to play with one of the legends teams include David E. Kelley, son of New England and Hartford Whalers coach and general manager Jack Kelley and the writer of the 1999 hit film “Mystery, Alaska,” which was produced by Whalers Sports and Entertainment chairman and CEO Howard Baldwin and his wife, Karen. “Mystery, Alaska” cast members slated to appear are Michael Buie, Scott Richard Grimes, Jason Gray-Stanford and Cameron Bancroft, along with Neal McDonough, Kevin Zegers, Bobby Farrelly, David Henrie and the Hanson brothers – Steve, Jeff and Dave – who played for the Minnesota Fighting Saints and were the comedic linchpins of the classic movie “Slap Shot.”

Famed former NHL referee Paul Stewart will officiate the game. Stewart, a Boston native, refereed more than 1,000 NHL games in a 13-year career. On March 15, 2003, he refereed his 1,000^th game, becoming the only American-born official to accomplish the feat. He also officiated during the Canada Cup in 1987 and 1991 after an eight-year playing career with teams in the NAHL, AHL, NEHL, CHL, WHA and NHL.

Tickets ($20 to $85) for the doubleheader can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the Bushnell box office in Hartford on Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. or by calling the Whale at 860-728-3366. They also can be purchased online and printed immediately at Ticketmaster.com.

The official charity of the Hockey Fest is “Sam’s Race for a Place,” a fund-raising effort spearheaded by West Hartford resident Samantha Udolf that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Since Udolf, a successful competitive skier, founded Sam’s Race for a Place in June of 2008, it has generated donations of more than $43,500.

The Ronald McDonald House is a non-profit charity operating since 1991 that helps hundreds of families and children enjoy the comforts of home while they await treatment at area medical facilities. Udolf became familiar with Ronald McDonald House and its good works while volunteering there, and she conceived Sam’s Race for a Place after learning it is independently-funded and depends on grass-roots campaigns for nearly all of its support.

For more information about Sam’s Race for a Place, visit www.samsraceforaplace.com. Donations also can be made through that web address. Besides the games, the Hockey Fest will include “Whale Town” featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

A complete schedule of games can be found at www.ctwhale.com. There will be a free public skate on Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to thank the sponsors and fans who supported the event.

UCONN DAY AT THE HOCKEYFEST

Cole Schneider started learning to play hockey at 2 on a rink his parents built behind their house in suburban Buffalo.

Schneider, a freshman from Williamsville, N.Y., also had outdoors experience in juniors while playing for the Topeka Road Runners of the North American Hockey League in a game at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, so playing outdoors Sunday in the opener of “UConn Day” in the Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011” wasn’t all that new.

“We used to just go out and have some fun with friends,” Schneider said of his early days in Williamsville. “Every winter we’d build a rink, go out in the backyard, shoot around and have a little fun.”

Schneider enjoyed himself a lot Sunday after Sacred Heart’s Matt Gingeira scored a power-play goal to tie it at 1 at 7:17 of the second period. But only 60 seconds later, Schneider tipped Rui Encarnacao’s shot past Steven Legatto and then added a third-period goal on a laser from the slot off a pass from Brant Harris to lead UConn to a 3-1 Atlantic Hockey Association victory before 2,000 at Rentschler Field.

“That was a huge shift,” Schneider said of the one that followed Gingeira’s tying goal. “Every time they score a goal, you want to get out there and work hard the next shift, not only to score a goal but to get the momentum back on your side. I was fortunate enough to get the tip.”

In the second game, junior forward Laura Veharanta of La Verne, Calif., who never skated outdoors until last year, scored two wraparound goals 2:06 apart late in the second period, and the ninth-ranked Providence College women’s team held on for a 4-3 Women’s Hockey East victory.

Both games were intense from the outset, with the Sacred Heart men and Providence women controlling territorially in the early going.

The UConn men were outshot 17-12 in the first period but escaped with a 1-0 lead on Andrew Olson’s deflection of Justin Hernandez’s shot with 31.6 seconds left and stout goaltending from Garrett Bartus, who had 17 of his 29 saves in the opening 20 minutes.

Gingera got the equalizer just past the midpoint of the second period, but Schneider’s 10^th and 11^th goals increased his team-leading point total to 27 and gave the Huskies (10-16-4, 10-11-2 Atlantic Hockey Association) their third win in four starts, including 4-2 at Sacred Heart on Friday night, after a 0-7-1 slide. Sacred Heart (4-21-5, 4-14-5) has lost eight nine games.

“Cole has that ability to score big goals,” Marshall said.

Both teams gushed about playing outdoors for the first time and looked forward to making it an annual occasion.

“It was a good atmosphere, and I thought we got better as the game went on, after the first period,” Marshall said. “All in all, it was a successful day for both teams, though Sacred Heart wanted the two points, but as far as the kids and the memories for their lifetime, it was a home run.”

Marshall said his team was hootin’ and hollerin’ more than usual, and while the Huskies didn’t do a good job of challenging their emotion in the first period, he said it was a good learning experience for the playoffs.

Then as the Huskies prepared to go out for the third period, senior forward Chris Spicer, “a fourth-liner grinder type who plays with emotion,” asked Marshall, “How are we going to remember this moment?”

“They were focused in on our once-in-a-lifetime chance and to make sure we ended up on the plus side of it,” Marshall said.

“I think we were looking forward to this game ever since it was announced in the summer,” said forward Andrew Olson, who scored UConn’s first goal. “As a senior, it was great for me. I only have four or five games left, so there was more incentive. I was talking to a couple of other seniors, and we were definitely excited. A lot of guys will get to do it a couple more times, but, yeah, it was a great experience. There a little more hype (in the locker room), people were talking more, so it was pretty exciting.”

The loss epitomized the season for 2010 AHA runner-up Sacred Heart (3-20-5, 3-13-5), as Schneider scored the tie-breaking goal after the Pioneers missed the net on a rush the other way.

“That was the turning point,” Pioneers coach C.J. Marottolo said.

But Marottolo, a former assistant and associate coach at Yale, would love another shot at playing outdoors.

“When I saw the sun come out (in the second period), I said, ‘Well maybe that sun’s going to shine on us a little bit,’ ” Marottolo said with a smile. “We’re looking for any little positive that can kind of catapult us and get some momentum for the playoffs. Everybody in our league makes it, and we all know there are a lot of Cinderella teams that do great things in playoff runs.

“That’s what we’re trying to capture as the guys continue to work hard. We’re still having fun even if our record isn’t what we would want or hope to be. But that doesn’t diminish what they’re still trying to accomplish. UConn played really well, and the atmosphere was terrific. I think both schools did a good job promoting it, and the event was awesome. We’ll sign up for it right now again. They’re talking about every year or every other year, but we feel privileged to be a part of it.

“Hockey is great in Connecticut, from the youth level to high school and prep school and Division I to a lot of great players who played in the NHL. So what they’re doing from all the youth hockey all the way the minor pro (in Hartford) is great. It’s a great event, and as it goes, I think as it goes, it’s going to build. Hopefully in 10 years we’ll be sitting here saying, ‘Gee, look how much this has grown.’ ”

Pioneers captain Patrick Knowlton, who set up Gingera’s goal and was one of many Sacred Heart players wearing eye shadow, also grew up playing outdoors in Minnesota and wanted to see a continuation of the outdoor festivities.

“It wasn’t much different (from indoors). It’s an ice hockey rink,” Knowlton said. “But it was such a different atmosphere, and you couldn’t have asked much more out there today. It was kind of cool looking up at the lights and all the fans and all the oohs and aahs throughout the game, but we came to play to the end. I think UConn kind of came out doing a little headhunting, and our guys said we had to come back with something because this is a good rivalry.”

The day started with 50 UConn alumni playing in a fun game, then nearly 200 alumni took part in a family skate. Marshall, who is in his 24^th year in the program as a player, assistant coach and coach, didn’t play in the alumni game, just acted as a greeter.

“It was fantastic,” Marshall said. “There was even a guy here from California from the Class of 1962. A lot of the guys on the bench were saying everyone wants to play outdoors because it’s the chic thing to do, but no one wanted to come watch us when we were outdoors. There were a lot of little twists like that going on all day.”

The “UConn Day” finale had plenty of twists and turns. Jennifer Friedman, on a power play, and Ashley Cottrell gave the Friars a 2-0 lead as they outshot UConn 10-2 by 2:26 of the second period.

“Everybody was a lot more pumped, but I don’t why it didn’t translate into the first period,” said UConn freshman Taylor Gross, who had two assists. “It seemed like everybody was ready to go, but when we got out there, it just didn’t translate.”

But the Huskies righted the ship and got even when sophomore Maude Blain scored from Gross at 3:31 and freshman Jenny Saxon put a shot between Genevieve Lacasse’s leg off a left-wing rush at 9:40.

But Veharanta put the Friars back ahead to stay at 15:33 and scored the winner with 2:21 left.

“I’ve been practicing (wraparounds) for quite some time, and it worked today,” Veharanta said.

Veharanta and many of her teammates skated outside for the first time last year when they went to Eaton Park in Shrewsbury, Mass. But Veharanta had been to Connecticut five times as a member a Southern California travel team that played in the Polar Bear Tournament, the largest girls’ hockey event in the world.

“They were afraid they were going to fall through the ice,” Friars coach Bob Deraney said with a chuckle.

“I grew up in Colorado, but I’m scared of skating on a pond,” Gross said with a smile.

But Gross, the Pro Ambitious Rookie of the Week last week, got her second assist when she set up sophomore Kelly Horan’s power-play goal that got UConn within a goal at 4:44 of the third period. But the Huskies couldn’t get to their fourth consecutive overtime game, having lost to the Friars 2-1 on Saturday.

“Another close game and no reward,” said UConn coach Heather Linstad, a 1989 graduate of Providence. “Obviously I respect Providence and the experience I had as a student-athlete that I tried to build off of the things I liked and disliked. Certainly I have great respect for my alma mater, but I certainly don’t appreciate losing to them. Kudos to them, but it’s more that we’re not playing for (45) minutes. I thought we came out really flat and kind of got back on our heels. It’s something that we have to change in our locker room. It’s something we need to fix.

“We played well in the second and third periods, but while she has been fairly consistent all season, but our goalie (Alexandra Garcia, three-time AHA defensive player of the week) got up a couple of soft goals, and that hurt us. But the spirit and intense in the second and third is something that I’d like to see them play with every game and every shift. But it’s hard to lose third place to Providence right now.”

Friars coach Bob Deraney said he and his team had been fortunate to play in the Whalers Hockey Fest after competing in The Bog Game the previous Sunday against Northeastern at the Bog Ice Arena in North Kingston, Mass. The Friars (20-11-1, 11-8-1 Women’s Hockey East) tied that game 2-2.

“It’s great to get the communities involved, and this game was a different atmosphere being in a giant football stadium,” Veharanta said, alluding to Rentschler Field being the home of the football Huskies.

“To play games like this in different environments gets your team ready for anything and everything, and we’re pleased to do that because it allows them to grow as people and hockey players,” Deraney said. “It’s a huge benefit, and we’ve been very privileged to be asked to play in The Bog Game and then to be asked to be the guest of UConn.

“I don’t think you could ask for better conditions. The ice surface was good, the weather was perfect and it wasn’t too bright (on the ice) for the players. It was a wonderful job, and UConn does a wonderful job when they put on an event. It’s always first class, and we’re proud that we were asked to participate.”

After growing up in California, Veharanta called Sunday “definitely a great experience.”

“We had decided we would take what it took to win, and it was a lot of fun,” she said. “Walking from the locker room was kind of cool to look up and see everything. It just kind of pumped you up more and put you in game mode. I had never played under lights before, so I didn’t know if it would make that big of a difference. There wasn’t any glare, and everyone liked the way it looked the way it looked on a football field. It’s kind of exciting. You see it in all the NHL Winter Classics.”

Gross was unhappy with the result but enthused about the experience because she is one of eight freshmen on the team.

“It was really exciting and definitely a great opportunity,” she said. “I feel very fortunate to be able to participate. Obviously the seniors who are graduating would have like to win, so it just kind of (stinks) that we didn’t get the win. But I really appreciate the opportunity that I actually got to be in it.”

The Friars finished 3-0-1 against the Huskies (12-19-2, 8-19-2), and this win basically clinched third place and home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

“We were talking last night that this is a Big East rivalry, even though UConn has had a program for only 11 years,” Deraney said. “There was a rivalry between Providence and UConn long before women’s hockey started because it had been played in many sports. Coach Lindstad has done a wonderful job with the program, and it’s always nip-and-tuck, one-goal games that bring out the best in each other, and I hope they feel the same way.

“It’s really neat for women’s ice hockey to have that unique rivalry, and so it’s always exciting when we get together. It’s always going to be a dogfight.”

Especially when it’s in such unique surroundings in the largest event in Connecticut hockey history.

Would Deraney want to come back?

“Absolutely,” he said.

Linstad was even more emphatic.

“Like now we’re defeated in the building, and we’d like to even up our record,” she said. “Last year we got to play in the Igloo (in Pittsburgh), and then they tore it down, so we’re the last women’s team to ever win in the Igloo. So, really, we need to come back to The Rent to win one or two more games, so we can always say we had a winning record.”

After nearly 12 hours of skating in many shapes, forms and speeds, the memorable day ended at 8:47 p.m. with the Springfield Pics beating the Junior A Hartford Wolf Pack, 4-2.

The post FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet first appeared on Howlings.

By Bruce Berlet

EAST HARTFORD, CT – Jim Hartnett called it his “Unlucky Number 7” project.

But a Herculean effort of countless hours of overtime and dedication the past three snow-filled weeks have kept the historic “Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011” close to on schedule.

“This has been the toughest weather project I’ve ever encountered,” construction manager Jim Hartnett of EIS Rinks said Friday at Rentschler Field. “I had floated in four days for possible delays, and we’ve lost seven (of the first 18) days to weather as far as our production schedule, including snow removal (from the ice surface). I’ve done seven of these projects and had never lost a day to the end of the floated-in schedule.

“We’ve always been able to maintain a (finished) schedule, so this is Unlucky Number 7,” Hartness added with a smile. “But the weather is the weather. We’re shooting for Feb. 11 for skating, but we’ll open it up as soon as it’s safe and skate-worthy.”

With any luck – and some cooperation from Mother Nature for a change – Harnett and his crew will be able to have the rink ready for opening day next Saturday. Two “break-in-the-ice” days have been wiped out, but Hartnett is confident that without further delays, the Cushing Academy and Hotchkiss girls teams will face off on time at 4 p.m.

There are six games or groups scheduled to use the rink next Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to midnight, then Feb. 13 is “UConn Day” starting with an alumni game at 9 a.m. After an alumni family skate, the UConn men will play Sacred Heart at 1 p.m., followed by the UConn women against Providence at 4 p.m. The day will conclude with the Junior A Wolf Pack playing the Springfield Pics at 7 p.m., and a cthockeyleague.com game at 10 p.m. If games are postponed, they can be moved to the backend of the schedule.

Hartnett’s crew, which began the building the rink Jan. 17, hopes to finish putting up the dasher boards by Saturday afternoon and then start 21/2 days of ice-making on Sunday. Then there’s installation of the plexi-glass and cosmetic carpentry work such as building ramps, player and scorers benches and penalty boxes.

As Hartnett surveyed his hard-working crew and spoke near the rink covering the Rentschler Field grass that’s the home to UConn football, about 75 people from “Teen Challenge Connecticut” based in New Haven, “Teen Challenge Albany (N.Y.)” and “Teen Challenge New York” began the massive task of removing the record of more than four feet of snow that fell on the area in January from the 38,000-seat facility.

Ray Bohn, supervisor of Team Challenge Connecticut, was among 40 people from the local non-profit group removing snow to raise money for the organization. Bohn said the group had previously done snow removal, but nothing close to as extensive as this.

“We’ve done multiple projects like this, but not shoveled out stadiums,” Bohn said.

Kansas-based Kingdome has supervisors overseeing the three snow removal groups, who are expected to need four days to clear out Rentschler Field.

Howard Baldwin Jr., president and COO of Whalers Sports and Entertainment that is funding the Hockey Fest, said it is costing $72,000 to remove the snow from the stadium seats and $32,000 from the parking lots, including one runway. That’s more than $80,000 over the $20,000 budgeted in the $300,000 project.

“Getting the snow out of the stadium is a huge job, and an expensive one,” Baldwin said. “But we are glad to turn this into a positive for the community. The three groups doing the work are three very worth organizations, and we are grateful to be able to direct this snow-removal expense to help them with fund-raising objectives.”

More than 30 youth, high school, prep school, college, alumni and pro games are scheduled from Feb. 11 to 23, with the feature attraction being the “Whale Bowl” on Feb. 19. It’s a doubleheader starting with the Hartford Whalers legends against the Boston Bruins legends at 4 p.m., followed by the second AHL outdoor game in history between the Connecticut Whale and Providence Bruins at 7 p.m. Celebrities will play for the alumni teams, and if the Whale-Bruins game is postponed, it will be played Feb. 20 at the XL Center at a time to be announced.

The legends-AHL game will be preceded by the Army-AIC game at 1 p.m., and Baldwin said about 18,500 tickets have been sold for the tripleheader. The crowd of 21,508 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse last year was an AHL record that Whalers Sports and Entertainment officials hope to shatter.

“We need another 12,000 (people),” WSAE chairman and CEO Howard Baldwin said. “Our measure of success is 30,000 or more.”

The younger Baldwin said he might have Hartnett’s crew put “Go Whale” into the snow surrounding the ice surface.

“We’re pumped up and excited,” Baldwin Jr. said. “We’re a little upset about the snow, but weather is not something we can control. We just hope we get a huge turnover for the 19^th.”

Hall of Fame defensemen Brian Leetch, a Cheshire native, and Brad Park headline the Bruins legends team. Other Bruins commitments are Enfield native Craig Janney, former captain Rick Middleton, who played 12 seasons in Beantown and two with the Rangers, Reggie Lemelin, Ken Hodge, Don Marcotte, Rick Smith, Bob Sweeney, Lyndon Byers, Cleon Daskalatis, Jay Miller, Bob Miller (no relation) and Ken “The Rat” Linseman, who was a member of the Whalers for a few moments as he passed through in a multi-player trade with Philadelphia and Edmonton that included Mark Howe leaving Hartford for the Flyers. Derek Sanderson will coach the Bruins team.

Commitments for the Whalers team are WHA Hall of Famer Andre Lacroix, John McKenzie, whose No. 19 is retired in the XL Center rafters, Blaine Stoughton, Pat Verbeek, John Anderson, Garry Swain, Bob Crawford, Chris Kotsopoulos, Jim Dorey, Jordy Douglas, Ray Neufeld, Gordie Roberts, Darren Turcotte, Nelson Emerson, Mark Janssens, Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Fred O’Donnell, Terry Yake, Scott Daniels and the Babych brothers, Dave and Wayne. Emile “The Cat” Francis, a coach and general manager with the Rangers and Whalers, will be back behind the bench again, and Norm Barnes and former captain Russ Anderson will be assistant coaches.

Celebrities scheduled to play with one of the legends teams include Michael Keaton, Alan Thicke and David E. Kelley, son of New England and Hartford Whalers coach and general manager Jack Kelley and the writer of the 1999 hit film “Mystery, Alaska,” which was produced by Howard Baldwin and his wife, Karen. “Mystery, Alaska” cast members slated to appear are Michael Buie, Scott Richard Grimes, Jason Gray-Stanford and Cameron Bancroft, along with Neal McDonough, Kevin Zegers, Bobby Farrelly, David Henrie and the Hanson brothers – Steve, Jeff and Dave – who played for the Minnesota Fighting Saints and were the comedic linchpins of the classic movie “Slap Shot.”

Tickets ($20 to $85) for the doubleheader can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and the Bushnell box office in Hartford on Monday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. or by calling the Whale at 860-728-3366. They also can be purchased online and printed immediately at Ticketmaster.com.

The official charity of the Hockey Fest is “Sam’s Race for a Place,” a fund-raising effort spearheaded by West Hartford resident Samantha Udolf that benefits the Ronald McDonald House. Since Udolf, a successful competitive skier, founded Sam’s Race for a Place in June of 2008, it has generated donations of more than $43,500.

The Ronald McDonald House is a non-profit charity operating since 1991 that helps hundreds of families and children enjoy the comforts of home while they await treatment at area medical facilities. Udolf became familiar with Ronald McDonald House and its good works while volunteering there, and she conceived Sam’s Race for a Place after learning it is independently-funded and depends on grass-roots campaigns for nearly all of its support.

For more information about Sam’s Race for a Place, visit www.samsraceforaplace.com. Donations also can be made through that web address.

Besides the games, the Hockey Fest will include “Whale Town” featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

The post FROM THE CREASE with Bruce Berlet first appeared on Howlings.

BILL BENNETT, JEFF BRUBAKER, NORM BARNES AND GARRY SWAIN ADDED TO PLAYER ROSTER FOR WHALERS VS. BRUINS LEGENDS GAME AT OUTDOOR HARVEST-PROPERTIES.COM “WHALE BOWL” FEBRUARY 19

Legends Game Precedes Outdoor AHL Battle between the CT Whale and Providence Bruins at Rentschler Field

Hartford, CT –  Whalers Sports and Entertainment announced today that Bill Bennett, Jeff Brubaker, Norm Barnes and Garry Swain will join the group of featured players for the Hartford Whalers legends vs. Boston Bruins legends game February 19, 2011 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.

The legends game comprises part of the “Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl,” the featured event of the two-week outdoor Whalers Hockey Fest spectacular at Rentschler Field that will include numerous collegiate, high school, prep school and youth hockey games.  The legends game will face off at 4:00 PM on February 19 and will be followed by the outdoor AHL game between the Connecticut Whale and the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM.

Bennett, a left wing from Warwick, Rhode Island, skated for both the Boston Bruins and the Hartford Whalers during his two NHL seasons. His best season came while playing for the Whalers in 1979-80, when he skated in 24 games, scoring three goals and adding three assists for six points while accruing 63 penalty minutes.

Overall, Bennett played in 31 career NHL contests, finishing with four goals and seven assists for eleven points and 65 penalty minutes. Bennett also totaled 184 games in the American Hockey League, playing with the Rochester Americans, Springfield Indians and Hershey Bears.

Brubaker, a winger and a native of Hagerstown, Maryland, skated in parts of three seasons with both the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association and the Hartford Whalers. Brubaker has 12 WHA games to his credit with New England, and took part in 46 NHL contests with the Whalers during the inaugural 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons, totaling five goals and four assists for nine points, along with 95 penalty minutes. Brubaker was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins.

Brubaker played in 178 total NHL games with the Whalers, Montreal, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings, amassing 16 goals and nine assists for 25 points and 512 penalty minutes. He also has 12 seasons of coaching experience, from 1989-90 to 2004-05, and has been behind the bench in the ECHL, IHL and SPHL. Brubaker led the ECHL’s Greensboro Monarchs to the championship in his first season as a head coach in 1989-90.

Barnes, a defenseman hailing from Toronto, Ontario, played 74 games for the Hartford Whalers from 1980-1982, totaling two goals and 14 assists for 16 points and 101 penalty minutes. Barnes played three seasons of collegiate hockey at Michigan State University before being selected as the Philadelphia Flyers’ eighth-round pick in the 1973 NHL draft.

Barnes played 156 games with the Flyers and Whalers over five NHL seasons, scoring six goals and adding 38 assists for 44 career points and 178 penalty minutes. He won back-to-back Calder Cups with the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League in 1977-78 and 1978-79, and was a member of the 1979-80 Flyer team that went to the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the New York Islanders in six games.  Barnes also played in the 1980 NHL All-Star Game.

Swain, a centerman from Welland, Ontario, played three seasons with the New England Whalers of the WHA from 1974-1977. Swain played 171 WHA games with the Whalers, scoring 22 goals and 33 assists for 55 points.  He has the distinction of having scored the overtime game-winning goal in the first game ever played at the Hartford Civic Center, a 4-3 Whaler victory over the San Diego Mariners January 11, 1975.

Drafted fourth overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1968 NHL draft, Swain played nine NHL games for the Penguins, all in 1968-69, scoring once and adding one assist.  He also saw pro time in the Central Hockey League, International Hockey League and Southern Hockey League, and played 177 career games in the AHL with the Baltimore Clippers and Rhode Island Reds.  Swain currently works with the Whale in corporate development.

Tickets for the February 19 Harvest-Properties.com Whale Bowl, which include admission to both the AHL game and the legends game, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com., as well as at the Bushnell box office from Monday through Friday, 12 noon-5:00 PM.  Ticket prices range from $20 to $85 and can also be purchased by calling the Connecticut Whale at 860-728-3366.  Tickets purchased online can be printed immediately (via Ticketmaster). 

About Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest: 

The Harvest-Properties.com Whalers Hockey Fest 2011 will run from February 10-23 at Rentschler Field. In addition to the AHL game, the historic outdoor event will feature: a Hartford Whalers alumni vs. Boston Bruins alumni classic, five premier college games, at least 15 elite high school, junior and prep school games and a “Whale Town”, featuring exhibitors, games and the Whalers Mobile Hall of Fame.

About Whalers Sports and Entertainment:

Founded by Howard Baldwin, Sr., Whalers Sports and Entertainment is a full-service sports marketing and event marketing company located in Hartford.  The company manages the off-ice operations of the AHL’S CT Whale and will produce the Whalers Hockey Fest, slated for February 10-23 at Rentschler Field In East Hartford.

Contacts and Key Links:

Hockey Fest web site: www.ctwhale.com

Harvest Properties web site: www.harvest-properties.com

Tickets:  Ticketmaster.com

The post MORE ADDED TO WHALEFEST first appeared on Howlings.