By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – For Paul Thompson, ex-Hartford Wolf Pack, Bridgeport Islander, & Springfield Thunderbird, or any athlete, the decision to retire is always tough.

“I was fortunate enough to play as long as I did. Wasn’t the easiest or most glorious of times, but I’m very proud of what I accomplished,” Thompson said. “The lessons I learned, the adversity I had to deal with to grow as a player, and experiences as a player were oh so important. When I look back, it’s a bit emotional. There are so many memories of teammates and coaches, plus everybody you meet because of the game of hockey on and off the ice.”

Thompson elaborated.

“You just don’t get too many bad people in hockey. I met my wife because of the game, and have my kids now. It was so cool, that my kids got a chance to see me play and have a memory, and I got to share my career with family and friends,” Thompson said.

Thompson can count his cousin and former Bridgeport Sound Tiger player, who’s now the UNH head coach Mike Souza, among the many.

He knew the clock on his career was ticking.

TIME WAS RUNNING OUT

“I had trained over the summer as if I was going to play again. As I kept going, I realized I didn’t have the same fire to go back. So, I realized I couldn’t go out and be 100% committed and give my all for myself or my teammates. So, I couldn’t go out with one half there and the other half at home.”

His daughter, one of his two kids, was ecstatic and said as only kids could do.

“Now, I can root for the Springfield Thunderbirds!”

As Thompson was working on his post-playing career, he’s been looking at several options, but he can’t reveal the details of what he’s accepted until he is cleared to do so.

In 697 AHL games, he tallied 192 goals, 373 points, and 932 PIMs. His memories burn bright. He had a brief NHL with the Florida Panthers (21 games) and the New Jersey Devils (3 games) that stand out as the brightest.

“I had a short time in the NHL with Florida. The two things that stood out. The father’s weekend to see my dad enjoying the high life after all the things he did for me growing up. It was very special. Then coming back on New Year’s Eve one night on the plane sharing a glass of wine with Jaromir Jagr in the back of the plane, those two things are real highlights.”

His AHL career took him to other AHL destinations, the Albany Devils, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and the Chicago Wolves.

ALBANY PAYS DIVIDENDS

While Thompson was in Albany, a relationship developed that paid off at the end of his career. It allowed him to be one of the few players to play for all three area AHL teams, which was by Thompson’s design.

“I didn’t have special skills, but working hard I created a set of (work) habits that followed me my whole career. Once my wife and I had a family, I always wanted to be close to them, so I always targeted playing in Springfield, Hartford or Bridgeport. It took me a little longer to figure out the pro hockey game,“ Thompson remarked.

Thompson started because of the now-defunct Manchester Monarchs and their junior Monarchs program. He then went on to a successful four-year Hockey East career at the University of New Hampshire (HE).

“I kinda woke up early in my career to how hard it is to maintain your position in hockey and be effective if you’re scoring or you’re not. For me, it was never really pretty.

“Once I realized that, I made a steady mark on the teams that I played with. I learned early as I had a tough coach (John Hynes in Wilkes Barre/Scranton and Rick Kowalsky, now the head coach in Bridgeport) my first two years and realized what I had to do to stay here. I was gonna have to be hard-nosed, finish your checks and go to those dirty areas as they say. It was a skill, I was proud of,” remarked Thompson, who occupied net front kinda like current Wolf Pack Anton Blidh.

INFLUENCES

Current Colorado Avalanche head and assistant coach Jared Bednar and assistant former Beast of New Haven defenseman Nolan Pratt helped shape his career, too.

Thompson is a Springfield area resident. He is one of the few players to have played for both the Springfield Falcons and Thunderbirds.

Thompson arrived in Hartford at an inauspicious time; the pandemic shortened 2020-21 25-game season. Sitting out the season was something he was prepared to do, and the possibility the end of the road had come earlier than expected.

“It was very unusual; it was a tough year for everybody. I had my mortgage license; nobody really knew, especially guys like me coming to the end of my career. I wasn’t hearing much from anybody, and it came out of the blue. I figured it might be all over then.

It was weird in so many ways; the schedule was so short and condensed, and playing mostly two teams so often (Bridgeport & Providence) was difficult. We had a good group and bonded as the season went along; it was an odd time for everybody,” remarked Thompson, who played his 400th game with the Pack that season. Springfield canceled its participation at the last minute, which really unsettled things in an already crazy situation.

“It was so strange. We had a team, but we had to be separated when we were there for practice and when we tried to do things together when you were so used to being together as a team.

Guys like Ty (Ronning now playing in Germany) was a great kid. We were great teammates, but what we all had to do on and off the ice, like live with so many restrictions. We had two separate locker rooms,” said Thompson.

KNOBLAUCH COMMENTS

Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch fondly remembers him.

“It was a pleasure to coach Paul. Obviously, a veteran who had been in this league when I first came to this league. He always knew how to play the game right. We certainly got a lot of character from him. He not only helped his team, he got the opposition off their game.

Whether it was a pass or a hit, sadly, he wasn’t here very long because of the COVID year. I did get the chance to coach him and get to know him a little bit.”

 Knoblauch paid him an opposition complement of coaching against him.

“He was a bit of pain to deal with because of his (style) of game he played. (Thompson) was a very valuable player to have on your team and not so against us. He did a lot of his scoring before I joined the league.  He had the knack of scoring big goals and the goal when you needed it,” commented Knoblauch.

RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships over the course of his career were very important.

“I developed a close one with Alex Grant in Springfield (still playing in the KHL) and it’s been tough with the distance, our scheduled often don’t mesh, we both have families, but we have Face Time, e-mail and text now, so when we do chat, we pick it up right where we left off.”

He did have European offers, but the situation in his career, but nothing came to pass.

“I thought I would do it when I was younger. I always thought we would do it for a few years.

Once my wife and I had our children, it became a less viable option. The kids are now school age, and I still had options here,” said Thompson, who would have been a European “bachelor.” his time with his kids was much too important…

The relationship in Bridgeport near the end of his career from early in his career paid off.

He got to know GM Chris Lamoriello in Albany (and Bridgeport) and his famous father Lou (New Jersey and now Islanders GM), and he got to play there. He knew ex-Pack and Bridgeport head coach Brent Thompson (now in Anaheim as an assistant coach) and (now head coach) Rick Kowalsky (then an assistant).

“Chris, gave me a chance and we he had a lot of veterans. I had agreed to go to Worcester to start the year to be close to home.”

He got the time to play as his kids grew up to see him play.

“It was always such a treat when my son and his teammates, plus his little buddies, came to the rink and were at the glass during the pre-game skate. My first game back last year after I went to Worcester (ECHL) to play for Bridgeport was in Springfield, so that was a special night for my kids to remember. I really cherish that memory, and I never took it for granted. A lot of guys don’t get the chance, ” remarked Thompson, a rough and ready player throughout his career.

LOOKING BACK

He had an honest self-reflection on his time in the AHL.

“I was competitive and loved to play and brought that energy every night. I knew I was done, though.

It was time to step back and start the next chapter of my life and career. It was time, and the timing was right. I feel good about it and confident about the decision I made. It was good to reflect on how much the game had given me. Yes, the relationships are very important and how many good friends we made.

I do look forward to getting some normalcy and a set schedule back in my life,” said Thompson.

His big smile and efforts will be missed around the AHL rinks in our region.

NOTES: 

Two ex-Packs sign early-season deals in Europe after the first month of their regular season.

Anthony Greco, from the Pack team from two years ago, switches Swedish teams and signs with Linköping HC (Sweden-SHL).

Adam Clendening, from last year’s team who was without a deal in North America or Europe, who attended Ranger’s training camp on a PTO deal was cut, has surprisingly signed with Ilves Tampere (Finland-FEL).

-Mathis Rousseau, grandson of former Ranger and Canadiens legend Bobby Rousseau, goalie of the Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL), scored a goal, dead center of the net against the Rouyn Noranda Huskies in a 5-4 win on Friday night in Halifax at the Scotiabank Centre.

Halifax is a former AHL city nearly upstaging the return of reigning QMHL MVP Jordan Dumais from Columbus and his five-point game.

Rousseau celebrated in style, leading the high-fiving scoring line back to his bench with an animated scorers pose.  Brady Schultz (Monroe, grandson of former Whaler Norm Barnes, two assists on the night) was the first teammate he hugged following the goal. He also had 38 saves on the night and was named the game’s third star.

He won the Memorial Cup last season with the Quebec Remparts. His Halifax team is an early season contender to be in this year’s Memorial Cup (May 24-June 2,2024) to be held in the US in Saginaw, Michigan; the last time it was held in the States was 1998 in Spokane, WA, and just the fourth time the tournament has been held in the US.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post PAUL THOMPSON – EX-HARTFORD WOLF PACK – RETIRES first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – Hartford Wolf Pack single-game tickets for 35 of the 36 regular season home games at the XL Center in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, will go on sale this Monday, September 18^th, at 10:00 a.m.

Tickets for the Wolf Pack’s 2,000^th regular season game on Friday, February 9^th, 2024, will go on sale later.

The Wolf Pack begin their 2023-24 home schedule on Friday, October 20^th, when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town for the annual home opener. Fans in attendance that night will receive a Wolf Pack rally towel courtesy of Carvel and CM Concessions.

Home Opener weekend concludes on Saturday, October 21^st, when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. Fans in attendance that night will receive a 2023-24 Wolf Pack magnet schedule courtesy of Pepsi. In addition, fans will skate on the XL Center ice following the contest during our first postgame skate of the season.

The complete regular season schedule and promotional schedule for the 2023-24 season can be found at hartfordwolfpack.com.

In addition to single-game tickets, specialty packs are currently on sale for the 2023-24 Wolf Pack season. Fans can purchase packages like the Young Professionals Pack and CT-DOT Family Value Packs online now. Fans can also buy the Pucks’ N Paws and Hockey’ N Hops starting this Monday.

For more ticket information, please visit hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets.

About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and safety, and more.

ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK SINGLE-GAME TICKETS FOR SALE SEPTEMBER 18TH first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack are not the only team looking to make a few late signings and moves. A few stray signings this week as Labor Day approaches.

Tanner Fritz has resolved his contract situation.

On Thursday morning, his situation was unresolved, but by that afternoon, it had concluded. Fritz signed a one-year AHL deal to return to the Bridgeport Islanders, where he spent his first six years. He spent the last two in Hartford.

Fritz (the second player named Fritz to play in Hart City and Park City) often played out of position to help when the Wolf Pack were shorthanded at forward.

He had talks with Hartford and Springfield, all to tend to his son’s special needs.

MISCELLANEOUS HARTFORD RELATED NEWS

Ex-Pack Alex Bourret was named head coach for the CCL Dynamiques M (minor)15 team (QBAAA).

The Islanders named ex-Pack/Ranger Pascal Rheaume as one of the two new assistant coaches to work with their new head coach, Rick Kowalsky. It’s his first AHL stint. He was initially an assistant with Iowa in 2015-16. The last two years he spent with the Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL).

Bryce McConnell-Barker might be in Wolf Pack training camp, but his ticket back to Sault Ste. Greyhounds Marie (OHL) is already stamped. He spent three weeks here last spring without playing a game before being released.

Like Will Cullye and Brennan Othmann before him, he is still 19 and can’t play in the AHL until his junior season. He will likely captain the Greyhounds and be on the 2024 Canadian WJC Team. McConnell-Barker hopes to be like Othmann, go deep in the OHL playoffs, and maybe get a shot at the Memorial Cup.

An ex-Pack/Ranger, Libor Hájek, has signed as a PTO training camp invite with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Next year, he will go to the Penguins and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL). He joins another ex-Pack, Ryan Graves, who starts his first season of a six-year deal in the Keystone State.

Howlings learned that Adam Samuelsson, the youngest son of Hartford Whaler great Ulf Samuelsson, an ex-New York Ranger whose Whalers #5 is “retired” in the XL rafters. Ulf is also a former Wolf Pack and Avon Old Farms assistant coach. Adam will attend the training camp on an invite basis of the independent Chicago Wolves this fall. He signed a deal with Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) earlier this summer.

Sam Gagner, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk/Ranger Dave Gagner, has gone from the Winnipeg Jets to the  Edmonton Oilers on a PTO deal. Gagner was a first-round pick of the Oilers in 2007 and had 519 career points in 1,015 games played with seven different teams.

HAGELIN CALLS IT A CAREER

Carl Hagelin, who played 17 games for the CT Whale en route to 713 NHL games and who won two Stanley Cups, two silver medals for Sweden in the Olympics and the WJC, and two NCAA national titles in four full years at Michigan, had a career of 152 points in 171 games – a sure-fire entrant in the Wolverine HOF.

After a year off, Hagelin retires from active playing, resulting from an eye injury suffered in practice two years ago in Washington. Hagelin exceeded expectations as a sixth-round draft choice, as it was considered a stretch that he would ever play in the NHL. He was supposed to be too small and slight. However, nobody could catch him with his outstanding speed.

Hagelin was traded early Saturday morning for the Anaheim Ducks’ Emerson Etem in late June 2015.

MORE MOVES

Madison Bowey goes from the Laval Rocket to Dynamo Minsk (Belarus-KHL). Turner Ottenbreit of Iowa heads to Kunlun (China-KHL), making 78 AHL’ers signed in Europe.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Milwaukee Admirals are the only two teams not to have lost a player.

A story on the website Detroit Hockey Now reprised a story from an Inside AHL Hockey interview with long-time Chicago Wolves GM Wendell Young. The story was that former coach Ryan Warsofsky (Sacred Heart University) was threatened with dismissal by Carolina two years ago before his Wolves team went on to win the Calder Cup final against the Springfield Thunderbirds in seven games. Warsofsky was and is now an assistant with the NHL San Jose Sharks.

Warsofky is an old friend of ex-Pack/Sound Tigers, the now-retired Bourque brothers, Chris and Ryan. He chose to play the former Yale goalie, Alex Lyon, over Carolina’s objections instead of their Russian prospect Pytor (Peter) Kochetov two springs ago.

Carolina had gone through hoops to get him to North America via Austria first because of the war in Ukraine.

Now Lyon, who then made a very public obscene gesture in the championship team picture at center ice, with a two-middle-fingered salute. It was not meant or directed at the Springfield fans but rather the Carolina management, despite having just won the Calder Cup.

Lyon was given a one-game AHL suspension for his stunt. Chicago has gone the independent route this season and has gone through four affiliates in the last seven years. Winning a championship is very important in Chicago.

Instrumental in Florida making the Stanley Cup playoffs last year, Lyon was a backup to Spencer Knight (Darien/AOF). The previous spring, they had to enter a substance abuse clinic as they made it to the finals before bowing out to the eventual champion, the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Lyon is expected to be in Grand Rapids this year to teach and tutor the highly regarded prospect Sebastian Cossa, who battled Pack goalie Dylan Garand two years ago in juniors, as they were the two best netminders in the WHL. Lyon was helped at Yale when he played by another ex-Yale goalie, Jeff Malcolm, the current Wolf Pack goalie coach.

The Red Wings have four goalie prospects: Cossa, Carter Gylander, a junior at Colgate University (ECACHL) under the guidance of new head coach ex-Pack Mike Harder, John Lethmon, a Grand Rapids returnee, and Yale-bound next year, just drafted (sixth-round) Rudy Guimond (Taft School) in Cedar Rapids (USHL) this year.

Ex-Pack Tysen Helgesen, re-signs with the Rapid City Rush (ECHL).

Chase Zieky (Avon/AOF) signs with the Maine Mariners (ECHL) for next year.

Matt Tugnutt (Sacred Heart University) leaves HC Chamonix (France-Magnus League FREL) and signs with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) for next season.

Ex-Pack/Sound Tiger Anthony Greco is at an unknown Frölunda HC (Sweden-SHL) destination.

Ex-Sound Tiger Brandon DeFazio announced his retirement from hockey. DeFazio played last year with ERC Schwenniger (Germany-DEL). His father, Dean DeFazio, was a former New Haven Nighthawk with four sons involved in hockey. Jeremy and Cameron have already retired. His youngest, Cole, is entering his sophomore year at Division III, Neumann (Aston, PA) College (UCHC).

Brandon has taken an amateur scouting position (Ontario region) with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mark Osiecki, a former New Haven Senator, also becomes a Midwest region Penguins Pro Scout as he leaves the University Wisconsin-Madison (Big 10) campus.

Ex-Wolf Pack/Sound Tiger Matt Lorito, a Greenwich resident, also announced his retirement from hockey. Lorito played with EHC Wolfsburg (Germany-DEL) last year and took a pro scouting position (Midwest) with Pittsburgh.

DeFazio and Lorito join another ex-Sound Tiger, Matt Mangene, who has been a Penguins amateur scout for the last three years.

After his grad year at Michigan Tech (CCHA) after playing at Ohio State (Big 10), Ryan O’Connell becomes the 63rd college player to sign in Europe with Toulouse-Blagnac (France-FFHG-Division-3). He is also the nephew of ex-New Haven Senator Brian Downey.

Jack Badini (Old Greenwich/CT Oilers-EHL) departed Newfoundland (St. John’s) (ECHL), had a few call-ups to Toronto (AHL), and signed overseas with Stjernen (Norway-NEL).

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack unveiled the promotional schedule for the upcoming 2023-24 season, the club’s 27th in Connecticut.

The home schedule kicks off with the club’s annual Home Opener on Friday, October 20^th, at 7:00 p.m. against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The night will feature the first giveaway of the season, as fans will receive a Wolf Pack rally towel courtesy of Carvel and CM Concessions.

Home Opener weekend concludes on Saturday, October 21^st, when the Lehigh Valley Phantoms come to town for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop. Fans in attendance that night will receive a 2023-24 Wolf Pack magnet schedule courtesy of Pepsi.

Once again, the Wolf Pack will don a pair of specialty jerseys during the 2023-24 season. The first jersey will be worn on both December 1^st and 2^nd, when the Pack hosts the Phantoms for a back-to-back weekend set. The second specialty jersey will make its debut on February 3^rd when the Springfield Thunderbirds come to town for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.

In addition to the Home Opener weekend rally towel and magnetic schedule giveaways, the Wolf Pack will have numerous giveaway nights during the 2023-24 season. This season’s giveaways include a 2024 Wolf Pack branded calendar on December 30^th, youth jerseys on February 3^rd, a bobblehead on March 8^th, and a 2023-24 team photo on April 14^th.

Returning in 2023-24 are recurring promotions, including $2 drafts and $2 hot dogs every Friday night. The CT-DOT Family Value Pack is once again available for select dates, allowing fans to purchase three tickets, three hot dogs, and three fountain drinks in the red or blue sections. This package will be available on October 21^st, November 25^th, December 17^th, December 30^th, and April 14^th.

The Pack will also host four postgame events featuring players from the team. Fans will get a chance to once again skate with some of their favorite Wolf Pack players following the games on November 18^th and March 30^th. Fans will get a chance to take photos with available players following the game on December 17^th, while postgame autographs will occur on February 24^th.

The Wolf Pack will celebrate a special milestone this season on Friday, February 9^th. The club will play the 2,000^th game in Wolf Pack history when the Bridgeport Islanders come to town. Details regarding this special celebration will be announced at a later date.

The full 2023-24 Hartford Wolf Pack promotional schedule is below. The full 2023-24 regular season schedule can be seen here. 

Friday, October 20^th, 2023 – Home Opener (7:00 p.m. vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)
*Rally Towel Giveaway, Presented by Carvel & CM Concessions
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Saturday, October 21^st, 2023 – Postgame Skate (7:00 p.m. vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms)
*Magnet Schedule Giveaway, Presented by Pepsi 

Friday, October 27^th, 2023 – Costume Parade (7:00 p.m. vs. Springfield Thunderbirds)
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Saturday, November 11^th, 2023 – Hockey Fights Cancer (7:00 p.m. vs. Providence Bruins) 

Wednesday, November 15^th, 2023 – School Day Game (11:00 a.m. vs. Springfield Thunderbirds) 

Saturday, November 18^th, 2023 – Military Appreciation Night (7:00 p.m. vs. Syracuse Crunch)
*Presented by General Dynamic Electric Boat
*Postgame Skate with Wolf Pack Players 

Friday, December 1^st, 2023 – Specialty Jerseys (7:00 p.m. vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms)
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Saturday, December 2^nd, 2023 – Teddy Bear Toss (7:00 p.m. vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms)
*Specialty Jerseys 

Wednesday, December 6^th, 2023 – College Media Night (7:00 p.m. vs. Cleveland Monsters) 

Friday, December 15^th, 2023 – $2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs (7:00 p.m. vs. Rochester Americans) 

Sunday, December 17^th, 2023 – Sonar’s Birthday & Mascot Mania (3:00 p.m. vs. Toronto Marlies)
*Postgame Photos with Wolf Pack Players 

Friday, December 22^nd, 2023 – Pucks ‘N Paws (7:00 p.m. vs. Bridgeport Islanders)
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Saturday, December 30^th, 2023 – Hockey ‘N Hops (7:00 p.m. vs. Bridgeport Islanders)
*2024 Calendar Giveaway 

Saturday, January 13^th, 2024 – Pride Night (7:30 p.m. vs. Providence Bruins)
*Presented by Nissan 

Friday, January 19^th, 2024 – New York Rangers Night (7:00 p.m. vs. Hershey Bears)
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Friday, February 2^nd, 2024 – $2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs (7:00 p.m. vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins) 

Saturday, February 3^rd, 2024 – Women in Sports Night & Specialty Jerseys (7:00 p.m. vs. Springfield Thunderbirds)
*Presented by Nissan
*Youth Jersey Giveaway 

Friday, February 9^th, 2024 – 2,000^th Game Celebration (7:00 p.m. vs. Bridgeport Islanders)
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Friday, February 16^th, 2024 – $2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs (7:00 p.m. vs. Laval Rocket) 

Wednesday, February 21^st, 2024 – Pucks ‘N Paws (7:00 p.m. vs. Bridgeport Islanders) 

Saturday, February 24^th, 2024 – Star Wars Night (7:00 p.m. vs. Cleveland Monsters)
*Postgame Autographs 

Friday, March 1^st, 2024 – $2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs (7:00 p.m. vs. Laval Rocket) 

Friday, March 8^th, 2024 – Bobblehead Giveaway (7:00 p.m. vs. Providence Bruins)
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs 

Saturday, March 16^th, 2024 – Hartford Hockey Heritage Night (6:00 p.m. vs. Utica Comets) 

Friday, March 29^th, 2024 – $2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs (7:00 p.m. vs. Springfield Thunderbirds) 

Saturday, March 30^th, 2024 – Guns ‘N Hoses (7:00 p.m. vs. Hershey Bears)
*Postgame Skate with Wolf Pack Players 

Friday, April 12^th, 2024 – $2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs (7:00 p.m. vs. Springfield Thunderbirds) 

Sunday, April 14^th, 2024 – Miracle League Night (3:00 p.m. vs. Charlotte Checkers)
*Team Photo Giveaway 

Friday, April 19^th, 2024 – Fan Appreciation Night (7:00 p.m. vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)
*Chance to win $100,000
*$2 Drafts & $2 Hot Dogs

Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, and flex plans for the 2023-24 season are on sale now! Visit hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets or call 860-722-9425 for more details!

Single-game tickets will go on sale on a to-be-announced date later this summer.

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK ANNOUNCE PROMO NIGHTS first appeared on Howlings.

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Ontario Reign, American Hockey League affiliate of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, announced today that the club has re-signed defensemen Tyler Inamoto and forward Nikita Pavlychev to one-year, two-way contracts.

Inamoto, 24, returns to the Reign after spending 36 games with the Swamp Rabbits during the 2022-23 season. During his stint in Greenville, the former seventh-round pick by the Florida Panthers recorded eight (8) points (3g, 5a) in his rookie campaign. Along with his time in Greenville, the Barrington, Illinois, native made seven (7) appearances for the Reign, recording his first career point, an assist, against the Abbotsford Canucks on April 8.

Prior to his professional career, Inamoto spent five (5) seasons at the University of Wisconsin (NCAA DI), where he made 158 appearances for the Badgers.

Pavlychev, 26, spent the majority of last season in Greenville, racking up 45 points (25g, 20a) in just 36 games with the team. In two seasons with the Navy and Orange, The Yaroslavl, Russia native, appeared in 74 games and totaled 78 points (39g, 39a).  Despite his 36 appearances in during the 2022-23 season, Pavlychev finished fourth on the Swamp Rabbits in total scoring and second in goals.

A former seventh-rounder in 2015 to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pavlychev earned a January promotion to the Reign that saw him skate in 14 games. Pavlychev produced a goal (1) and two (2) assists during his call-up that spanned until early April. In two seasons under contract with Ontario, he skated in 27 games and tallied six (6) points (3g, 3a).

During the 2020-21 season, Pavlychev recorded eight (8) games in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch and 28 games in the ECHL with Syracuse’s affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears. Before signing with the Crunch, Pavlychev spent four seasons at Penn State (NCAA DI), capturing a Big Ten Conference regular season championship with the Nittany Lions in 2020.

The Swamp Rabbits will open the 2023-24 Season presented by Bon Secours on Saturday, October 21, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Swamp Rabbits Full and Half Season Tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale now at SwampRabbits.com or by calling (864) 674-7825.

About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has provided family-friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly the Greenville Road Warriors, the Swamp Rabbits are the highest-level professional minor league franchise in South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s LA Kings and the AHL’s Ontario Reign. Greenville is a member of the ECHL Premier AA Hockey League.

GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS

HOME

The post GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS SIGN TYLER INAMOTO, NIKITA PAVLYCHEV first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club had signed defenseman Seth Barton and forward Drew Worrad to one-year AHL standard player contracts.

Barton, 23, appeared in 36 games with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins during the 2022-23 season. He scored five points (2 g, 3 a) during his AHL time. He also added eight points (2 g, 6 a) in ten games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. During the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs, Barton scored 13 points (1 g, 12 a) in 13 games.

Selected in the third round, 81^st overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings, Barton has skated in 60 career AHL games with the Griffins. He’s scored 12 career points (3 g, 9 a) in that span.

Prior to turning pro, the native of Kelowna, British Columbia, played three seasons of college hockey at UMass-Lowell. While a member of the River Hawks, Barton collected 36 points (7 g, 29 a) in 83 career games.

Worrad, 26, also split the 2022-23 season between the Griffins and the Walleye. In 47 AHL games, Worrad collected four points (2 g, 2 a). In 25 ECHL games, he scored at a point-per-game pace with 25 points (10 g, 15 a). Worrad tacked on eight points (5 g, 3 a) in 13 Kelly Cup Playoff games.

The native of Denfield, Ontario, has skated in 58 career AHL games with the Griffins and scored eight points (3 g, 5 a).

Prior to turning pro, Worrad dressed in 129 career NCAA games with Western Michigan University, scoring 95 points (25 g, 70 a).

The Wolf Pack will host their 2023-24 home opener at the XL Center on Friday, October 20^th, when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.

Full-season tickets, 20-game plans, 12-game plans, and flex plans for the 2023-24 season are on sale now! Visit hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets or call 860-722-9425 for more details!

Single-game tickets will go on sale on a to-be-announced date later this summer.

About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides a set of services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and public safety, and more. 

ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK SIGN BARTON AND WORRAD first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – Despite a two-to-one shots advantage, the Hartford Wolf Pack season ended before 4,596 at the XL Center Wednesday night when the Hershey Bears defeated them 3-1 and swept their Best of Five Atlantic Division Final series in three straight.

Hershey moves on to play the Rochester Americans, who swept their series over the Toronto Marlies, setting up an AHL Original Two matchup in-a Best-of-Seven Eastern Conference Final.

“Hershey’s a very good team. They’re the best team five-on-five in our conference this year,” Wolf Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblach said. “The difference in the series was we weren’t able to generate enough offense.

“In the first game, we had three power play goals. If we had that tonight, it would have made a huge difference. Five-on-five we weren’t able to capitalize, and they did. Two even-strength goals in three games are simply not enough.”

THE THIRD PERIOD

The Bears put the game away in the third period scoring twice after a penalty shot at 3:28 by former Quinnipiac alum Sam Anas, who was stopped by starting netminder Louis Domingue.

A penalty shot was awarded to Anas after breaking into the Pack zone off the right wing on a two-on-one. Pack Captain Jonny Brodzinski tugged him from behind, creating the penalty shot situation. After starting at center ice on the shot attempt, Anas weaved and zig-zagged to the net. Domingue slightly adjusted to stay in front of him, patiently waited him out, and made a glove save. It kept the score tied and gave the team hope they could still pull this out.

“That was a huge moment for our team. Louie came up with a huge save. We had a lot of offensive zone time in the third period, but I don’t know how many quality chances we had, but we just couldn’t find the net. Not being able to capitalize early in the game, we could have been up two or three goals, especially on a chance (Tim) Gettinger had. It was the turning point in the game. We couldn’t build off our lead,” Knoblauch said.

The Bears, on the other hand, had other ideas.

Lucas Johansen broke the 1-1 tie at 4:22. Normally a defensive-oriented defenseman, Johansen took a Mark Vecchione pass from behind the goal line at the left point. The 6’2 2016 first-round pick (28th overall) ripped a laser of a shot past Domingue high to the glove side at 4:22. That made it 2-1.

Then at 7:25, Garrett Pilon put the final nail in the Pack coffin. Pilon, who was a two-way physical menace in this series, was deep on the right-wing side and took a cross-ice feed from Connor Michaels and, from a bad angle, beat Domingue, who couldn’t come across fast enough to get there. For Pilon, it was his second goal of the playoffs.

The Bears’ Hunter Shepard (33 saves)  stopped the Pack’s efforts to come back the rest of the third.

SECOND PERIOD

In the second period, the Pack had an early power play they could not capitalize on.

At 9:14, Hershey’s Riley Sutter, a righthanded shot on the left wing off a three-on-two, struck Domingue in the mask.

Despite losing his protective gear, Domingue maintained his presence of mind and kept the puck in front of him.

Beck Malenstyn, part of the Hershey fourth line, who was a thorn in the Pack’s side throughout the entire series, leveled Bobby Trivigno at center after he released the puck for a penalty creating a brief scrum.

The hitting at both ends of the ice by Hershey forced an offensive zone turnover by Tanner Fritz and led to a Hershey goal.

Henrik Borgstrom fed Vecchione, who quickly found Vincent Iorio open on the right side. Iorio was two strides ahead of Gettinger and Ty Emberson and fired his first of the playoffs high to the blocker side past Domingue to tie the score at 1-1 with 4:55 remaining in the period.

The Pack got a late power play on the roughing situation between Will Lockwood and Iorio. Ryan Carpenter, a team-best six shots, was stopped.

“We had quality chances. It (was) that last ditch effort for the puck. It was throwing one wide, not bearing down. We played a really good game. In the third period it was those small breakdowns, and they played the opportunistic game. They didn’t play their best game, but when you’re off, they just sat back and took advantage of our mistakes. Two mistakes, (then) we found the puck in the back of our net,” said Brodzinski.

The Pack held the shot advantage throughout, but Shepard had his mojo going as he did in November and this entire series and kept his team in the contest.

“We had a very resilient group this year,” Brodzinski said. “A lot a credit to everyone in that locker room. There was no quit. I thought we had a good enough team to make a deep push, but we came up short. They were very opportunistic on their chances. He (Shepard) played a good game against us. All the credit to them, (they) played a sound defensive game once they got up one or two goals. They’re a tough team to break down, get pucks through. But I’m proud of this team how they played this year.”

FIRST PERIOD

The Wolf Pack started Domingue between the pipes over Dylan Garand, who had gotten them to this point when Domingue was called up to the Rangers for their playoff run. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Knoblauch also decided to shake up all of his lines and sat Karl Henriksson in favor of 6’6 Adam Edström to add some size to counter the Bears in that department.

“They’re big and physical, and we’re a fast, gritty team. I thought we matched up well against them. It’s the way the series goes. They beat us in overtime in that first game that we should have had. We were up in this game, and we let it slip away. Two of the (three) games could have been ours; that’s how playoffs work. Next year we’ll have to be better,” Brodzinski said. He has another year left on his two-year $325K deal.

Defensive combinations were also required to change because Adam Clendening’s mother-in-law passed away unexpectedly, and he was understandably unavailable.

The two teams traded chances.

At 17:40, the Wolf Pack broke through as Anton Blidh won a one-on-one battle keeping the puck in the Hershey zone.

The puck found Carpenter was behind the net all alone, came out of the left wing, and tried to stuff it in the net on the short side, but Shepard made the save.

The puck came back on his stick. He waited patiently, and in came Turner Elson and stuffed in his second postseason goal.

Blidh and ex-Pack Dylan McIlrath were battling for position in front, leaving it open for Elson. Each player was penalized, but Mac escaped a cross-checking minor.

LINES:

Carpenter-Cullye- Elson
Fritz-Pajuniemi-Blidh
Leschyshyn-Brodzinski-Lockwood
Gettinger- Adam Edström-Trivigno

Jones-Emberson
Hájek-Scanlin
Kalynuk-Hillman

Domingue
Garand

SCRATCHES:

Karl Henrikksson (healthy)
Talyn Boyko #40
Matt Rempe (healthy)
Louie Roehl #4 (healthy)
Brett Berard #27 (healthy)
Matt Robertson (upper body)
Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery).
C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season)

NOTES:

Condolences to Clendening on the passing of his mother-in-law.

The last win by the Pack against Hershey was on November 20th.

Tanner Fritz finished the Pack playoffs with a team-best nine assists and ten points.

The Pack lost back-to-back games for the first time since early March. They ended the year with a three-game losing streak (0-3) in a five-game stretch and lost four of their last five. The previous streak of that kind was in early March 5th-11th.

The last series win by the Pack over Hershey was eight years ago in six games. Just over nine years ago, they last lost to the Manchester Monarchs.

McIlrath was at both. He was on the losing side of a sweep by Manchester, the eventual Calder Cup champs, and in the game against the Bears.

The Calgary Wranglers will play the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a decisive Game 5 Friday. The winner goes to the Western Conference final. The Milwaukee Admirals lead the Central Division final. They are up two games to one over the Texas Stars and play in the Lone Star state capital on Friday.

Brennan Othman, who will likely be with the Wolf Pack next season, had an assist as he and his Peterborough Petes teammates beat the London Knights 5-3, going up three games to one. They’re one step closer to an OHL title with the chance for a trip to the Memorial Cup in Kamloops, BC. They would join the host Kamloops Blazers. The game will air on the NHL Network.

The Halifax Mooseheads are up three games to one on the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL Gilles Courteau Trophy Championship.

The Seattle Thunderbirds are up by the exact count in their series with the Winnipeg Ice.

Propositions 301, 302, and 303 on creating a Tempe Entertainment District, which would primarily house a new 16,000-plus seat arena for the Arizona Coyotes, were soundly defeated by the voters 56 % to 44%. The defeat now sets the stage for the eventual relocation of the long-troubled franchise. The NHL was unhappy with the outcome and will meet with the Coyotes’ ownership in the next few days to discuss the options now available to them.

Staying at Mullet Arena beyond the contracted three years is not likely one of them.

What could throw a monkey wrench into this are the quiet negotiations that have already been taking place. The NHL Players’ Association’s new head, Marty Walsh, when asked what his first order of business was when taking over last month, replied that he was getting NHL players not to play regularly in a college arena. That signaled how he felt the Coyotes’ situation playing in the 5,000-seat Mullett Arena at ASU (Arizona State University) had to be remedied immediately.

The agreed and signed escrow scheme (a part of the CBA revenue) to meet desired levels by finding them a new home and closing that gaping hole.

The most likely scenario will see the team relocate to Houston, the fourth largest US TV market. It also won’t disturb Commissioner Gary Bettman’s 16 East and 16 West scheduling balance. By extension, the AHL Tucson Roadrunners would likely need to be moved.

A lease arrangement would need to be agreed to first. Then, a regional TV deal would need to be secured, and several large sponsorships, especially for food and concessions with a soft drink company and a beer company, will be required, staffing, and so on.

The NBA’s Houston Rockets have been very open to adding an NHL team to the building’s portfolio. It will take time to put in an ice system and to deal with making their building, the Toyota Center, dual-use compliant for hoops and hockey.

Regarding naming the team in Houston, what’s most likely is a new name and color scheme to maximize branding and merchandise sales.

In the past, Houston has seen the Aeros in the old WHA, IHL, and AHL. Then there was the Apollos, for four years in the Central Hockey League (1965-1969) as an affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. Then a second edition in the CHL (1979-1981).

The Houston Blast played in the Gulf Coast Hockey League. They and the league never got off the ground. A USHL team, then a semi-pro league, had a team that called Houston home just after WWII that lasted for just two years.

As for options other than Houston?

Quebec City already has an NHL-level building, The Videotron Centre, but it won’t get a team for four reasons. 1. French language requirements 2. Canadian currency exchange rate 3. The Montreal Canadiens 4. It busts Gary Bettman’s mentioned 16/16 conference formula.

Hartford? Not a chance.

Kansas City? Despite Patrick Mahomes lobbying, remember the Kansas City Scouts, the mid-’70’s NHL expansion disaster?

The clock has started ticking.

Tucson relocation options would be… in order… 1. Beaumont, at the Ford Center east on I-10 on the Texas/Louisiana border, 2. San Antonio, the AT&T Center, was an old AHL city south of Austin (Texas Stars) on I-10 southwest of Houston. 3. Waco 4. Amarillo 5. San Angelo 6. Allen.

Ex-Sound Tigers goalie Kristers Gudlevskis, heads from MODO (Sweden-Allsvenskan) to Fischtown (Germany-DEL).

C.J. Stretch leaves SC Bietigheim-Bissen (Germany-DEL 2) and heads down a level to Rosenheim (Germany Division-3).

The AHL to Euro list has grown to 25 as the semi-Swedish name of Axel Andersson going from San Diego to Djurgårdens IF (Sweden-Allsvenskan).

Expect more in the coming days.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post HERSHEY BEARS SWEEP THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK first appeared on Howlings.

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack has a familiar opponent for the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Behind three points from Chris Wagner and a four-goal third period, the Providence Bruins defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 7-4 on Sunday afternoon. The loss locked the Thunderbirds into the fourth spot in the Atlantic division and will face the fifth-place Wolf Pack, who make their first appearance in the postseason in eight years. The Pack will now need to contend with goalie Joel Hofer who has had a fantastic season against the Wolf Pack.

The series begins Wednesday in Springfield. On Friday, the two teams travel down I-91 to the XL Center for Game Two in Hartford. If Game Three becomes necessary, it will be played Saturday in Springfield. All the games have their opening faceoff at 7:05 PM.

This is the second time in Hartford franchise history that the two cities have battled in a Best-of-Three series. The last time Springfield was known as the Falcons, they knocked them out in two straight in 2002.

However, this is the first time the two meet with Springfield as the Thunderbirds. Hartford has the series edge over the Falcons (2-1)  and in games (6-4). This is the fourth time the two cities have met in the playoffs in 26 years.

The last time the Wolf Pack was in the playoffs was May 15th, 2014. The series was against the Hershey Bears, and the Pack won Game 6, 6-3. That would be their last series win and the previous playoff series in eight years for the New York Rangers’ top minor league team. In that series, the two home dates were played in Worcester because of XL Center conflicts with the circus that spring. They were then swept by the eventual Calder Cup champs Manchester Monarchs in the Conference Finals in their last season in Manchester before the Pacific Division was created.

The Pack won another best-of-three when they eliminated Bridgeport beating the Sound Tigers behind two consecutive shutouts by Cam Talbot.

After 14 straight seasons of making the postseason, the Wolf Pack missed the playoffs for the first time in 2009-2010.

In four of the last five years with Ken Gernander behind the bench, the Wolf Pack missed the postseason, and overall it’s been 13 of the previous 14 years without playoffs in HartCity.

The Wolf Pack arrive in the playoffs after putting on a tremendous push over the final seven weeks of the regular season before clinching the last spot in the Atlantic Division. However, before the celebration of the achievement could even be felt, the Rangers recalled four essential cogs to the Wolf Pack machinery as forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Jake Leschyshyn, defenseman Libor Hájek, and goaltender Louie Domingue were recalled to be part of their Stanley Cup Black Aces.

Leschyshyn and Hájek were healthy scratches for the games on Friday and Saturday.

All four are important, but Brodzinski, the March AHL Player of the Month, is essential.

Brodzinski’s play, especially in third periods, willed his team out of its win-one, lose-one play. However, their play was excellent at the end of the season, winning their final eight games, the longest winning streak in two years.

The streak allowed the Wolf Pack to surpass the Bridgeport Islanders and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and plant the Wolf Pack flag as the sixth entrant in their division.

Brodzinski’s recalls leave him numerically short of league-wide MVP consideration because of games played, but it’s clear he was the MVP in Hartford.

Recalling these critical components of the roster will not make it any easier on Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch.

Brodzinski and Domingue have another year left on their contacts and will return. Leschyshyn has two more years on a one-way NHL money, paying him $775K yearly. Hájek has an expiring deal at the end of the season.

The Rangers have decided that having these four in the stands is more important than having them play the most meaningful games in Hartford in eight years.

Similarly, 31 years ago, the LA Kings airlifted seven prospects, seven weeks from the end of the season, to play for the Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL). It effectively killed off any New Haven Nighthawks chances of making the Calder Cup playoffs.

With both of their parent teams out of the NHL playoffs, in Laval, the Montreal Canadiens received back Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, who scored in the two minutes in his first game back,  as well as Cayden Primeau, and Sean Farrell, making The Rocket a team to be wary of as the Calder Cup playoffs start. The Tucson Roadrunners received five players from the Arizona Coyotes.

The old cliche about “next man up” and “creating opportunities for other players” comes to the forefront for the Wolf Pack. Someone must step up for those missing points with these three skaters gone. Dylan Garand will have big shoes to fill in Domingue’s absence. He will need to be at his best between the pipes.

The reconfigured lineup was on full display Friday with what is likely to be the lineup for the Springfield series.

Will Cullye, a significant beneficiary of playing with Brodzinski this year, will likely skate with Ryan Carpenter, almost a point-a-game player, and Will Lockwood, who provided offense down the stretch.

Tim Gettinger will likely stay on the second line on the left wing. He had no goals and six points last month until Friday night. Tanner Fritz and Lauri Pajuniemi will likely be pushed up to form a new troika.

Anton Blidh will likely stay as the solid third-line left-wing as a net-front nemesis, along with the reliable Karl Henriksson and likely Bobby Trivigno, who added so much spark when he played alongside Henriksson.

The fourth line should feature Matt Rempe, at the center, sidelined as a healthy scratch over the last eight games. His 6’8 presence plus faceoff skills will be critical in the short opening round series. Turner Elson will patrol the left side and can also take draws. He might be moved up to the first line. Anything is possible.

One of the younger kids, Adam Sýkora or Bryce McConnell-Barker, may get some time on the wing. Adam Edström made a strong case for himself with his NHL move and shot on his first goal.

Blake Hillman, like Rempe, saw little game activity by the end of the regular season. He could slide in for Hájek, The other pairings of Jones-Emberson and Clendening-Kalynuk will remain untouched.

In net, it’s Garand’s from here on in. He has performed very well this season. How the defense complies? The backup in the net will be Talyn Boyko.

POSSIBLE LINES:

Cullye-Lockwood-Carpenter
Gettinger-Fritz-Pajuniemi
Henriksson-Trivigno-Blidh
Elson-Rempe- Adam Sýkora or Adam Adam Edström (?)

Jones-Emberson
Blake Hillman-Scanlin
Clendening-Kalynuk

Garand
Boyko

SCRATCHES:

Brett Berard #27 (healthy)
Louie Roehl #4 (healthy)
Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (healthy)
Easton Brodzinski #23 (healthy)
Matt Robertson (upper body, week-to-week)
Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery)
C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season)

NOTES:

Media reports from Sweden speculate that Pajuniemi and his reps are conversing with several Swedish Hockey League clubs for the Finnish winger’s services next year.

Pajuniemi has an expiring two-year ELC deal at $925K-NHL/$70K-AHL. He has had no recalls in two years at all.

One player not coming next year is junior prospect Jayden Grubbe. He’s the team captain of the Red Deer Rebels (WHL). He had 67 points (18 goals,49 assists, and 71 PIM). Grubbe was drafted in the third round (65th overall) in 2021 and will be passed on.

According to Eliotte Friedmann of TSN Sportsnet, the Rangers told all the other NHL organizations they would not offer him a contract and had a June 1st deadline to do so. So, as per the CBA, they will retain his rights till August 15th, then he can work out a free-agent deal with the other 31 NHL teams.

The Rebels finished first in the WHL Central Division 43-19-3-3  and are currently in the WHL playoffs awaiting their second-round opponent after knocking off the Calgary Hitmen in five games in the first round. Grubbe had one goal and 10 points in the series.

In four WHL seasons, the 20-year-old had 95 assists, 134 points in 194 games, and along with 195 PIM. He was a seventh overall pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and was team captain for three of those four years.

He represented Canada on the U-17 World Championship team with another Rangers prospect, Brennan Othman, with three points in five games.

ROY SOMMER

San Diego Gulls head coach Roy Sommer, the all-time winningest coach in AHL history (828 wins) and who coached in the most games (1,814) in a career spanning over 25 years, announced his retirement before the team’s last game of the season.

Sommer won a Calder Cup with the original Maine Mariners in 1984. After that, he played for two years in the AHL.

During his playing days, two teammates were current Springfield GM, former Hartford Whaler player, and Rangers Director of Scouting, Kevin Maxwell. His other teammate, who would become the head coach that year after injuries, ended his career was AHL HOF John Paddock, who is now coaching Regina (WHL).

Sommer won the Louis A. Pieri AHL Coach of the Year in 2016-17 in San Jose.

One of the best Sommer stories is that he was one of the first true-born and bred California players in the mid-1970s. It was a generation before seeing California as a player’s hometown was common. He went to play junior hockey in the rough-and-tumble WHL in Western Canada.

Sommer started his hockey journey in 1978-79 as a member of the Pacific Hockey League (PHL) with the Spokane (WA) Flyers playing against the legendary Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe.

At next year’s AHL All-Star game at the Tech CU Center in San Jose, he would be a fitting addition to be inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. For the Oakland, CA native, it would be a home run. They should also induct Colorado resident and Wolf Pack all-time great Derek Armstrong.

Sommer teamed up with ex-Ranger, New England/Hartford Whalers Nick Fotiu as a coaching tandem with the Kentucky Thoroughblades for three years.

BERT MALLOY

Cheshire native and former Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack player, now a dual citizen, Robert “Bert” Malloy, began playing for the Australian National Team in the IIHF Division II Group A tournament in Madrid, Spain, for what is likely his last season of pro hockey.

The Mighty Roo (their national team’s name) lost their opening game to Croatia 6-4.

After falling behind 4-0, they made it close twice, first 4-3 and then 5-4, but couldn’t overcome the early, large deficit. Former AHL’er Borna Rendulic scored twice for Croatia.

Malloy was a minus-one with two shots on goal for the game.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK VS SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS CALDER CUP PLAYOFF PREVIEW first appeared on Howlings.

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Hartford Wolf Pack extended their winning streak to seven games with a 5-3 win over the Providence Bruins. Combined with a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 8-2 thrashing of the Bridgeport Islanders to clear the last hurdle, the Pack ended an eight-year playoff drought.

The Pack extended their winning streak to seven games and punched a playoff ticket in the process on Libor Hajek’s early third-period goal, which stood as the game-winner.

The winning streak, the first since the late season run in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, along with the deadline acquisitions of Will Lockwood, Anton Blidh, Wyatt Kalynuk, and Adam Clendennine, paid off.

With the win, the Pack returns to the Calder Cup playoffs for the first time since 2015-16. The last playoff series the team won was against the Hershey Bears, with two of the home games played in Worcester. The eventual Calder Cup champions, the Manchester Monarchs, swept them in the conference finals.

The Wolf Pack started the third like they did the first – by scoring.

Bobby Trivigno had a game-best three assists. He was stopped from the right wing. Turner Elson, already with two goals in the contest, made a hat trick. However, he was stopped as he went to play the rebound attempt. Karl Henriksson took a swing-and-a-miss, but Libor Hájek came in off the left point and caught the puck instead. His blast made it 4-2.

Josiah Didier made it 4-3 and doubled his goal total with a right-point low shot with two Bruins in front, creating havoc as the puck eluded Pack netminder Dylan Garand.

Tanner Fritz scored his tenth into an empty net at 19:34 to clinch the game and secure a career-best 42 points.

In the second period, the Pack took the lead and showed resilience.

Trivigno started with a shot toward the net that hit some skates and sticks and came to Tim Gettinger. He tried a wraparound that went to Ryan Carpenter, who fired his 21st goal of the season at 6:03

The Pack had the game’s first goal.

The team has been getting solid offensive zone entries. Henriksson came across and found Zac Jones. He, in turn, found Elson as he deposited his 14th from the right-wing circle.

Ty Emberson, who seems to have one big hit per game during the recent surge, took down Didier early.

Providence showed why they have been at or near the top Atlantic Division most of this year.

Didier curled off the right-wing wall and fired into traffic. Samuel Asselin moved in front and created a screen getting Didier’s shot past Garand.

Then the Bruins took a 2-1 lead as Luke Toporowski, back from an early season injury, was on the left wing side. He zipped his 14th into the net using Jones as a screen as he beat his former junior teammate at 10:54.

Elson tallied his second of the night and 15th of the season as he filled the gap in front of the net while Kale Keyser made a shoulder save. Elson found the loose biscuit and put the Pack in a two-two tie at 16:46.

The Pack saw the Bruins nearly score late in the first period as Wyatt Kalynuk intercepted Justin Brazeau’s feed bound for Toporowski.

LINES:

Cullye-Leschyshyn-Brodzinski
Gettinger-Lockwood-Carpenter
Fritz-Pajuniemi-Blidh
Elson-Henriksson-Trivigno

Jones-Emberson
Hájek-Scanlin
Clendening-Kalynuk

Domingue
Garand

SCRATCHES:

Matt Rempe (healthy)
Blake Hillman (healthy)
Adam Edström #34 (healthy)
Brett Berard #27 (healthy)
Adam Sýkora  #29 (healthy)
Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (healthy)
Matt Robertson (upper body, week-to-week, may be ready by the first of the playoffs)
Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery).
C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season).

NOTES:

Wilkes Barre/Scranton romped over Bridgeport 8-2 at the Total Mortgage Arena. The win by the Penguins also sent Charlotte and Springfield to the Calder Cup playoffs.

On a set play, Quinnipiac University’s Jacob Quillan zoomed in on the left wing, taking Arizona Coyotes draftee Sam Lipkin’s backhand pass ten seconds into OT to score and secure the Bobcats their first NCAA title of any kind for the Hamden-based school defeating midwestern powerhouse Minnesota.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK ARE BOUND FOR THE PLAYOFFS first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack announced on Thursday that the club had signed defenseman Eric Williams to a professional tryout agreement (PTO).

Williams, an undrafted free agent who began his professional career with the ECHL’s Manchester Monarchs, joins the club after completing the 2021-22 regular season with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals.

Williams scored eleven points in 36 games with the Admirals (2 g, 9 a). In addition, Williams spent 24 games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves in two stints, both on PTOs. In those games, Williams scored six points, all assists.

Before this season, Williams had skated in two AHL games with the Charlotte Checkers during the 2018-19 season. On April 11^th, 2019, he made his AHL debut against the Cleveland Monsters. Williams also skated in a pair of playoff games during the Checkers’ run to the Calder Cup, scoring his first career point (assist) on May 3^rd, 2019, against the Hershey Bears.

MORE ON WILLIAMS

Williams has skated in 123 games in the ECHL with the Admirals, Indy Fuel, Greenville Swamp Rabbits, Utah Grizzlies, and Monarchs throughout four professional seasons. In that time, Williams has scored 40 points (10 g, 30 a). He has also appeared in 26 career AHL regular season games with the Checkers and Wolves, scoring six assists.

The Pack is back at the XL Center for the final weekend of the regular season. Join us on Friday, April 22^nd, when the Pack host the Charlotte Checkers on Pride Night! In addition, join us for $2 beers and $ hot dogs, compliments of our friends at Nomads Entertainment. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.

The regular season concludes this Sunday, April 24^th, when the Pack host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Join us as we celebrate Fan Appreciation Day! Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m.

For tickets, visit hartfordwolfpack.com.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HOME

The post THOMAS: PACK SIGN D-MAN WILLIAMS TO PTO first appeared on Howlings.