By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – The New York Rangers’ pre-season game with the New York Islanders was canceled for Friday night and moved to Saturday, after serious flooding in NYC and on Long Island.

The Rangers made roster moves sending five players – Karl Henriksson, Nicolas Brouillard, Ryder Korczak, Bobby Trivigno, and D Blake Hillman – to the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack.

Hillman was released from his PTO. Adam Clendening was also released from his training camp PTO.

The Rangers must get down to the CBA-mandated 23 roster players before the regular season starts.

On Thursday night, the Rangers and New Jersey Devils hooked up at MSG. The Devils defeated the Rangers 3-2. The Blueshirts received very strong performances from Will Cullye, and Brennan Othmann, who both made a strong case to make the Rangers roster, and from Jonny Brodzinski for a fourth-line spot.

Cullye was strong with robust, effective, physical contact and several quality shots on goal. He had a couple of quality scoring chances but was unable to put one in the net.

Othmann brought the Rangers within a goal at 3-2 with 32.4 seconds left in the contest with a quick decision on a broken play (a broken stick on a right point slapper). He showed a quick release on the shot.

In the first period, he picked off a Devils outlet pass and turned it into a solid scoring chance. Then in a mini-scrum in front of the Rangers’ bench on a line change, he got into a tussle with the Devils’ Tyce Thompson (Milford).

Goalie Talyn Boyko was reassigned to Hartford on Monday.

Tyler Savard, 20, is the son of Wolf Pack great, and former Ranger, and the current assistant for the Calgary Flames, Marc Savard, was picked up by the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL) from the Barrie Colts as one of their three overage players. Barrie had too many over-agers and released him. The OHL regular season begins this weekend for Savard, an undrafted left winger, who was in Ottawa’s NHL camp as an invite.

Alex Pelletier (Granby/Avon Old Farms/Yale Jr. Bulldogs) commits to Cornell University (ECACHL).

Ex-Pack goalie Keith Kinkaid was injured in the Devils pre-season opener in Montreal.-

Former Whaler Kelly Chase has two sons in hockey.  Luke Chase leaves the Canmore Eagles (AJHL) and heads to Nipawin Hawks (SJHL). His brother Ben Chase plays college club hockey with the Arizona State Sun Devils (ACHA Division-1). His nephew, Greg Chase, is an ex-Pack who’s now a pro scout with the  Philadelphia Flyers.

Kyle Beach is an assistant coach at Trinity Western University  (CWUAA) (Langley, BC). The head coach is ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger Ben Walter.

Several ex-Packs play in the Canadian Senior League hockey. Among them is Steve MacIntyre from the 2004-05 season. He’s with the Wetaskiwin (AB) Longhorns (NCHL), and the North Central (Alberta) Hockey League.

In the same league is Matt Stefanishion (just 15 Pack games to his credit from 2008-09) who’s with the Devon Barons.

Garett Bembridge is with the Kenaston Blizzards Saskatchewan Valley Hockey League.

Joey Leach is with the Wadena (SK) Wildcats of the Long Lake Hockey League. Also in that league is Dawson Leedahl with the Leroy Braves.

In the Tigers Hills Hockey League in Manitoba is Shayne Wiebe with the Rivers Jets.

Now head coaching out East in the Quebec Collegiate Hockey League Division-2 is Francis Lemieux at Vieux-Montreal.

Brett Legget, who was an emergency goalie for one game and was ex-Pack’s Jeremy Williams brother-in-law is with Dundas (ON) Real McCoy’s of the Allan Cup Hockey League.

Eric Selleck and Kris Newbury are both with the Gananoque Islanders of the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League.

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Hartford Wolf Pack news is starting to trickle out as New York Rangers training camp has officially opened, with a few tidbits still to come.

The Rangers dropped their first pre-season game in Boston 3-0 to the Bruins as young netminder Brandon Bussi put up a 29-save shutout.

Likely Pac-bound forward Will Cullye had a strong game for the Rangers. Adam Sýkora rang one off the crossbar late in the second for NY.

The game featured several Wolf Pack players, including goalie Louie Domingue.

Domingue played the second half of the game and lost a skateblade on one save.

After the game, the Rangers assigned six players to the Wolf Pack. They include goaltender Olof Lindbom, defensemen Seth Barton, Zach Berzolla, and Ryan McCleary, the son of former New Haven Senator Trent McCleary, who is signed for an overage year with his hometown Swift Current Broncos (WHL). He was traded to them by the Portland Winterhawks about a month ago.

Forwards, Maxim Barbashev, the younger brother of Las Vegas Golden Knight Ivan Barbashev, was moved in a QMJHL trade last month from Moncton Wildcats to the Shawnigan Cataractes.

Barbshev, at 19, will be headed there as per the NHL-CHL agreement once the Wolf Pack training camp ends or whenever the organization ends his PTO deal.

Barbashev turns 20 on December 18th. Sahil Panwar is a summer free agent signee by the Wolf Pack.

Ex-Pack/Ranger bust, despite five points in five games, Vitali Kravtsov was injured early in his KHL season with Traktor Chelyabinsk. He is out four to six weeks with an upper-body injury and is out a week to ten days into it.

Kenny Agostino, a former Yale Bulldog, following his deal being scuttled in Sweden after being in Russia the last two years, signs in Germany with Düsseldorfer EG (DEL).

MATT GILROY

Ex-CT Whale/Ranger Matt Gilroy is now an assistant coach with the USNDTP U-18 team (USHL), replacing current Ranger assistant coach and former Yale/Sacred Heart assistant coach Dan Muse.

A great Gilroy story.

The Wolf Pack once put up a game-time trivia question on the scoreboard asking what college Gilroy attended.

On the scoreboard, they put up Boston College. Except Gilroy spent four years at BC’s rival Boston University.

A staff member had to go to the locker room between periods to grab him for a radio interview. Gilroy was NOT pleased. “How stupid are you people? I spent four (expletive) years at BU!”

In the post-game, Howlings jokingly asked Glroy at the end of the interview what school he attended.

He responded bitterly, then ripped the organization for screwing it up.

Matt Barnaby Jr. (Avon Old Farms-AOF), the son of the former Ranger, stays in the Sunshine State and heads over from the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL) to the Florida Everblades (ECHL).

Nicolas Sykora, the son of NHL’er Petr Sykora, commits to Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) in 2026-27.

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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

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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

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By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Salary cap restrictions forced The New York Rangers to be very frugal during the NHL Free Agency market. Only time will tell if they spent wisely or foolishly.

It was a tornado-like free agency for the rest of the NHL, where billions of dollars were exchanged even in a tight salary cap market. There are still a few moves left to be made for the Hartford Wolf Pack for their upcoming late September training camp. The best two words to describe the coming 2023-24 Wolf Pack campaign would be “Younger” and “Change.”

Turner Elson is expected back for the second year of his deal, but one contract is still outstanding. The team believes that it will be signed shortly. That is the contract of Tanner Fritz. He is said to be close to signing it. He needs to secure and finalize medical care for his son. His return is, however, open-ended since it’s still not signed.

In September, the team saw a bevy of new players coming through the shipping and receiving doors at the XL Center. Alex Belizle (Montreal/Laval), Connor Mackay (Calgary/Arizona), Mac Holwell (Toronto AHL/NHL), and Nikolas Brouillard (San Diego) on paper will be here. It is possible that Riley Nash (Charlotte) could be headed to Hartford if he doesn’t make the team in New York.

Departed from Hart City are Tim Gettinger (Detroit/Grand Rapids), Ryan Carpenter (San Jose AHL/NHL), Will Lockwood (Florida/Charlotte), and Wyatt Kalynuk (St. Louis/Springfield).

NOTES:

The Wolf Pack has released five secured playing dates without a full schedule. There are no times or opponents named yet.

The guaranteed dates are October 20th, November 25th, January 13th, February 10th, February 16th, and March 1st.

A full schedule will likely be released during or following the AHL Board of Governors’ (BOG) annual meeting in mid-July.

The Chicago Wolves are operating as an independent team. “GM Wendell Young is free to negotiate with anybody, so I think it’s likely and won’t be surprised if a player or two is sent to them by an NHL team and not their AHL team. If and when that happens, there will be some bruised feelings,” said a long-time industry source.

Since they’re out of Chicago, there is no word on where the Carolina Hurricanes will place their prospects next year. That is likely to be high on the AHL BOG agenda.

One thing to keep a long-term eye on is what the Ottawa Senators, under the new ownership of Michael Andulauer, will do with the Belleville Senators.

Howlings was told it’s a three-step process in Ottawa. Step 1 is to secure ownership in Ottawa (Check)—step 2. Secure the land, building the new 21st-Century downtown arena, the Canadian national capital Step 3. Turn to secure a closer farm team relationship. They’re looking at the possibility of Gatineau or another Western Quebec location to extend their brand.

The cap future our source remains bullish on.

“Many are saying a three-or-four million bump next year. I’m more conservative, we have an unknown future economically. I think two million seems more likely.”

The never-ending drama-fest in Arizona is likely to continue.

“Gary Bettman has shown no appetite for relocation, so I think in the near future they will remain there. To be honest, there are two issues; one, the Coyotes need a better building and likely better ownership. Realistically, look, the NHL and the league ownership don’t want to jeopardize future expansion fees, so they will continue to accept Arizona as is.”

One-time Wolf Pack and former Ranger forward Julien Gauthier has left Ottawa, where he was traded to, after starting the season in Hartford. He signed a free agent deal with the New York Islanders for a two-year, one-way money deal for $775K/ Year 1/$800K Year 2.

Ex-Pack Adam Cracknell moves from Tucson to Henderson. Joining him is ex-Pack Mason Geersten on a one-way deal at $775K.

Chase Priskie (Quinnipiac) moves from San Diego to Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.

Goalie Strauss Mann (Greenwich/Brunswick School) heads from San Jose (AHL) to Laval next season.

Ex-Sound Tiger Cole Coskey re-signs with the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL).

Former UCONN Husky (HE) Ben Freeman signs another deal with Greenville (ECHL).

The Bridgeport Islanders signed three players. Two of them are from last year, Cole Bardreau and Jeff Kubiak. The third is Joey Cipollone (Loomis Chaffe) from the national champion Quinnipiac University Bobcats, making 25 ECACHL players to have signed pro deals.

Cipollone’s cousin Anthony, a sophomore, returns to Quinnipiac and is also a Loomis Chaffe-Windsor grad.

The number of signees by conference: Hockey East-37, NCHC-36, the CCHA-31, the Big 10 has 30, the AHA-20, Division I Independents-13, Division III-32, and Europe bound Division I and III-54.

Undergrads that left early 38, going to Canadian colleges four, and back to US juniors two, and nobody has left for Canadian major junior yet.

The transfers at the grad level are 44, and at undergrad, in-school transfers are 59. The total number of players signing pro deals in North America and Europe across the board are at Division I and III; 284.

The son of new Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette, III, the namesake of Peter Jr., signs a one-year deal with the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL), where his father started his coaching career in 1997.

Jarrod Gourley, the former UCONN defenseman, goes from Utica/Adirondack (ECHL) and heads home to Alberta after signing with the Calgary Wranglers (AHL).

Graham McPhee, the son of one-time New Haven Nighthawk/Ranger and current President of the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, George McPhee, signs a new deal with the Belleville Senators (AHL).

Ex-Sound Tiger Mason Jobst re-signs with Rochester.

The former UCONN captain, Miles Gendron, signs with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland-EIHL).

Another former teammate, UCONN forward Carter Turnbull, signs with HC Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL).

Ex-CT Whale Christian Thomas signs a new deal with HC Bolzano (Austria-IceHL).

Ex-Pack Nick Merkley re-signs with Dynamo Minsk (Belarus-KHL).

Martin Kaut leaves San Jose for HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czechia (Czech Republic)-CEL).

As expected, Zach Fucale, the former #1 draft pick of Montreal and a Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears member, joins Vitali Kravtsov with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia-KHL). He makes 42 AHL players, with 23 of 32 AHL teams affected by players signing in Europe.

Leon Gawanke’s transfer back home to Germany was canceled as he signed a new deal with Winnipeg/Manitoba.

With 22 signees, Sweden is far ahead of the countries players are heading to.

The Arizona State Sun Devils have shed their independent label. Starting next season, the school has chosen to become the ninth member of the NCHC conference. Surprisingly, there weren’t a part of a Western expansion, as part of a necessary Western presence that is required with the number of players in the western part of the US-the largest growth area is in Texas, Arizona, and Southern California.

Clarkson announces alcohol will be sold at games on campus this fall. Now that they have broken the barrier, colleges, and beer companies will make a significant money grab for beer sales and sponsorship deals.

James Shannon (Greenwich/Brunswick School) commits to Quinnipiac University. He played last year with Coquitlam (BCHL) and Sloan Farmer (Old Greenwich/Brunswick School). He uncommitted collegiately and departed for the Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL). Jake Kloss (Canterbury Scool-New Milford) migrates to Wilkes Barre/Scranton (NCDC).

Team dismantlement has even reached the high school level. The Taft (Watertown) Rhinos, the New England School champion, loses its star goalie Rudy Guimond, drafted by Detroit in the sixth round (169th overall) in last month’s NHL draft. He heads to Cedar Rapids (USHL) next year, then goes to Yale (ECACHL) the following year.

J.J. Lemieux goes to the Rochester Jr. Americans (NAHL). Zave Greene moves on to Wesleyan University (NESCAC) in Middletown. Joining Greene are Hayden Haynes (Old Greenwich) and Henry Metz, both of Salisbury School.

Liam Kilfoil, despite a high pick in the QMJHL Draft (3rd overall by Halifax), heads to Dubuque (USHL) next year, collegiately still uncommitted.

Peter Unger departs Frederick Gunn School for the Northern Cyclones (NCDC) along with 6’7″ Will Reardon (Loomis Chaffe), who is a commit to the Holy Cross Crusaders (AHA) in 24-25. Then, teammates Dylan Thorn and Kyle Smyth both leave for the Grand Prairie Storm (AJHL).

Former player Mike Murtagh leaves Nanaimo (BCHL) and is expected to attend UCONN (HE) in the fall. He was drafted this year by Minnesota (NAHL) and last year by Sioux City (USHL).

Former Loomis Chaffe player Ryan Staple, who switched prep schools to St. George’s Prep (RIPREP) last year, heads to Yale next year. Matt Hanscom departs Westminster Prep (Simsbury) for the Blackfalds Bulldogs (AJHL), coached by ex-Pack Ryan Tobler. He’ll hook up at RPI (ECACHL) with current teammate Ryan Shaw 2024-25.

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HOCKEY HALL OF FAME LAUNCHES LEGACY OF LEGENDS SWEEPSTAKES $20,000 GRAND PRIZE / TICKETS AVAILABLE AT HHOFCONTEST.CA

By: Kelly Masse, Hockey Hall of Fame

TORONTO (June 23, 2023) – The Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) announced today the launch of the Legacy of Legends Sweepstakes with net proceeds in support of HHOF’s mission to celebrate and grow the game of hockey and to preserve the rich history of Canada’s national winter sport.

“We invite hockey fans across the country to make an assist on our Legacy of Legends campaign goal with a chance to win great prizes,” said Lanny McDonald, Chair of the HHOF Board of Directors. “Through this special fundraising initiative, the Hall will continue to inspire, entertain and educate fans of all ages by making enhancements to its museum attraction and outreach programs.”

The Legacy of Legends Sweepstakes grand prize winner will receive $20,000. In addition, there will be five secondary prize winners who will receive a “Hockey Hall of Fame 2023 Induction Weekend/Celebration” VIP experience, including WestJet airline travel, Le Germain Maple Leaf Square hotel accommodations, and tickets to Induction Weekend events for two individuals. There will also be weekly draws for a $500 gift card for the Hockey Hall of Fame online store.

Canadian residents outside of Quebec and over 18 can purchase tickets at HHOFContest.ca. The weekly draws will occur every Monday at 1:59 PM ET, starting June 26, 2023. The grand prize and secondary prize winners will be drawn on September 5, 2023, at 1:59 PM ET. As a special offer, when customers purchase $50 or more in sweepstakes tickets, they will receive 50% off admission to the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto for a family or group of four. Sweepstakes inquiries can be sent to contest@HHOFContest.ca

The Hockey Hall of Fame (“HHOF”) was established in 1943 to honor and memorialize individuals who have brought special distinction to the game of hockey and those who made outstanding contributions to the development and advancement of hockey anywhere in the world and to collect, research, preserve, exhibit and promote objects, images and other historical materials connected with the game at all levels. As a not-for-profit corporation and registered charity, HHOF owns and operates a museum and place of entertainment offering state-of-the-art exhibits, theatrical presentations, and educational programming from its premises at Brookfield Place, Toronto, and a multi-purpose archive, resource center, and research facility located at 400 Kipling Avenue, Toronto.

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HARTFORD, CT – The American Hockey League announced today the individual team winners of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year awards. These winners were selected by their respective clubs for their outstanding contributions to their local community and charitable organizations during the 2022-23 season.

Wolf Pack Forward Bobby Trivigno has been selected as Hartford’s IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award winner.

Trivigno participated in countless community events during the 2022-23 season, becoming a staple in Hartford. Trivigno attended multiple schools during the season, doing Q&A sessions with students. He also visited two schools during ‘Read Across America Week,’ where he took the time to read to students and preach the importance of school.

The native of Setauket, New York, also attended youth hockey practices, where he aided coaches in drills for multiple Hartford area programs.

From the list of 32 finalists, representatives from IOA/American Specialty and the AHL will choose the 2022-23 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award winner. The AHL’s annual Man of the Year award is named after the late Yanick Dupré, who died in 1997 at the age of 24 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. Dupré, an AHL All-Star in 1995, played four seasons with the Hershey Bears and also skated in 35 National Hockey League games with the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Wolf Pack return to the XL Center for Game Three of their Atlantic Division Semifinals series on Wednesday, May 3^rd. The Wolf Pack lead the Providence Bruins 2-0 in the series and can advance with a victory. The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. Please visit HERE.

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.

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By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT –  With his first contract nearing completion, Scott Howson, AHL President,  Scott Howson is facing an insurrection from league owners. It has become severe enough that the NHL’s second-in-command, Bill Daly, has been brought into the fray to deal with the issue. An unknown number of teams apparently want to end the relationship with Howson and go in a yet undefined different direction.

The first report on this story came during a segment of The Insiders on Tuesday night’s TSN Montreal Canadiens – Philadelphia Flyers broadcast. Right off the bat, Darren Dreger, one of TSN’s top reporters, dropped the bombshell.

Howson was selected to replace AHL Hockey Hall Of Famer Dave Andrews (1994-2018), who has now retired to Phoenix and Cape Breton.

Several long-time top sources were equally as stunned and perplexed by the news, with only one offering an opinion. Unfortunately, at this point, facts and solid information are hard to come by.

“I’m puzzled by this,” the source, who asked to remain anonymous, stated. “He got the AHL through the pandemic, opened four brand new state-of-the-art arenas (Laval, Henderson, San Jose, and Coachella Valley), and the NHL has majority ownership (22 of 32 teams). I can only surmise that a block of independent owners are unhappy somehow. It’s perplexing. When Scotty played, he was a lawyer-like in every way back then; I can’t imagine that’s changed.

“Did he rub somebody the wrong way? I don’t know. I am in the dark on this as much as everybody. If Daly is involved, however, that’s significant.”

With the 2/3 majority ownership, the NHL has full veto power over the direction of the league.

There are no more independent teams. The last two were the Worcester (MA) Ice Cats in their first season under the late Roy Boe. They’re no longer in the AHL. Worcester is now an ECHL city. There’s the other, the long-gone 1991 New Haven Nighthawks. They have comprised of Quebec Nordiques (now the Colorado Avalanche), farmhands, and free agents.

Dual affiliations are a thing of the past too. The Charlotte Checkers were split by the Florida Panthers and Seattle Krakken last year while their new building in the California desert was being built. This was the first one since the ill-fated, two-year experiment known as “The Beast of New Haven” in the late 90s that was shared by both the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida.

The AHL had come a long way in 46 years since they nearly went out of business during the WHA-NHL war before they merged in the late 1970s.

The league was nearly scuttled when they almost fell out of the minor-league required range of having six teams to qualify as a minor league.

They put an expansion team, then a brand-new expansion team called the Maine Mariners, affiliated with the Flyers, in a location that saved the AHL, which had lost cities and players in the WHA-NHL war. Ironically, Portland, Maine, is no longer in the league but has a team called by the original name of the Maine Mariners, now in the ECHL.

The AHL absorbed six teams from the original IHL (International Hockey League) in 2000. It comprised Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Milwaukee (all still playing). Manitoba is the second edition of the Manitoba Moose. The Utah Grizzlies have dropped to the ECHL. Gone are the Houston (TX) Aeros, who became the Iowa Wild.

The minor league hockey scene went thru a boom-and-bust cycle in the early part of this century. The Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL) folded in 2001, and pieces went to the Central Hockey League. However, one city, Austin, TX, formerly the Ice Bats, survived in a new form as the Texas Stars.

They lost teams (with great logos) like the Amarillo (TX) Rattlers, El Paso (TX) Buzzards, San Angelo (TX) Outlaws, and the Lake Charles (LA) Ice Pirates.

The Central Hockey League (CHL) went out of existence in 2014. In the second creation of the league, only the Tulsa (OK) Oilers, Allen (TX) Americans, and Wichita (KS) Thunder have lived on in the ECHL. The West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) also quit the business in 2003. Only the Idaho (ID) Steelheads in the ECHL and the San Diego (CA) Gulls and Bakersfield (CA) Condors make up the AHL Pacific Division survived.

The United Hockey League (UHL) went out in 2007. Living on from that league in the AHL is Rockford Ice Hogs. Now in the ECHL are the famous Ft. Wayne (IN) Komets (in their fourth league) and Kalamazoo (MI) Wings, and the Quad City (IL) Storm are in the SPHL, the fourth league. So the city has been in.

The WHA-2 lasted one year (2003-2004), and only one city is still involved in hockey, Macon (GA), which has from Whoopee to Trax. The reborn Atlantic Coast Hockey League (ACHL) lasted one year (2002-03) and had two cities still in hockey Macon and the Knoxville (TN) Ice Bears (SPHL).

The AHL is married to the NHL with 32 teams like the NHL direct affiliates, and the ECHL is up to 28 cities and affiliates to the AHL.

The AHL has remained quiet. The only low-grade rumbling is the Nashville Predators, who are potentially looking to leave Milwaukee for a brand-new, closer-to-home arena built by the Predators in Sumner County, TN. It will encompass 100,000 square feet a half-hour from Nashville, and two other small arenas are already built in Bellevue, TN, and Antioch, TN.

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HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has traded forward Gustav Rydahl to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Anton Blidh. In addition, the Rangers acquired defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for future considerations.

New York Rangers Assistant General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the Wolf Pack have traded defenseman Zach Giuttari to the Abbotsford Canucks in exchange for future considerations.

Blidh, 27, has split this season between the Avalanche and their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles. In 14 NHL games with the Avalanche, Blidh has recorded nine shots. In 36 games with the Eagles, the Molnlycke, Sweden, native has recorded twelve points (6 g, 6 a).

Selected in the sixth-round, 180th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, Blidh has skated in 314 career AHL contests with the Eagles and the Providence Bruins. During that time, he has scored 100 points (52 g, 48 a). He’s also scored five points (4 g, 1 a) in 25 career Calder Cup Playoff games.

Kalynuk, 25, has spent the 2022-23 season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks. He has skated in 46 games with the club, scoring 17 points (4 g, 13 a) and recording a plus-5 rating.

The native of Brandon, Manitoba, has also appeared in 26 career NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks. A seventh-round draft pick, 196th overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Kalynuk has scored nine points (4 g, 5 a) in his NHL career.

Over the course of three AHL seasons with the Canucks and Rockford IceHogs, Kalynuk has appeared in 106 career games and scored 54 points (13 g, 41 a).

Prior to going pro, Kalynuk played three seasons at the University of Wisconsin, where he was team captain his junior season.

Rydahl, 28, had appeared in 40 games with the Wolf Pack during his rookie North American professional season, scoring 15 points (7 g, 8 a). He signed with the Rangers as a free agent on May 17th, 2022.

Giuttari, 26, had skated in 43 games with the Wolf Pack this season, scoring ten points (2 g, 8 a). Signed by the club as an undrafted free agent from Brown University, Giuttari played in 122 games with the Wolf Pack over the course of four seasons, scoring 30 points (6 g, 24 a).

The Pack is back at the XL Center on Sunday, March 5th, when the club welcomes the Charlotte Checkers to town for a 3:00 p.m. puck drop. For tickets, visit hartfordwolfpack.com.

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