Rookie forward recently made professional debut with AHL Ontario on an ATO

By: Mark Binetti, Greenville Swamp Rabbits

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, announced via a Swamp Rabbit Moving Transaction that Quinn Olson was signed before the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Olson joins the Swamp Rabbits after making his professional debut on an amateur tryout with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. The 5’11”, 180-pound forward skated with the Reign on April 12th against San Diego, a 4-3 overtime victory in which he recorded 4 PIM. Olson’s debut came after the conclusion of his college career with the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he earned 21 points (4g-17ast) in 37 games as a fifth-year skater.

Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Olson played 175 games with UMD over five seasons, amassing 27 goals, 69 assists, and 96 points. Before going to college, he skated in a pair of seasons with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers, averaging over a point-per-game with 119 in 113 contests. The Boston Bruins drafted him in the 2019 NHL Draft (3^rd Rd/#92).

The Swamp Rabbits, 2024 South Division Champions, now look forward to the beginning of the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs, taking on the Orlando Solar Bears in the South Division Semifinals. Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday, April 21^st, slated for a 3:05 p.m. EST puck drop at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

About the Greenville Swamp Rabbits …
Acquired by Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E) in 2020, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits hockey team has been providing family-friendly, live entertainment at Bon Secours Wellness Arena since 2010. Formerly, the Greenville Road Warriors and 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 ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League member.

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The post QUINN OLSON JOINS GREENVILLE SWAMP RABBITS first appeared on Howlings.

HARTFORD, CT – Pat Boutette may have been small in stature, but he stood pretty tall as part of the Hartford Whalers Dash, Bash, and Stash line in the early 1980s.

“At the time when you went the university route, there wasn’t much anticipation or expectations than if you took the junior road in that period. That has changed over the years. A lot of the smarter players are going university now,” Boutette said.

Boulette made a 10-hour drive from his Ontario home to make his maiden appearance at the Hartford Yard Goats’ “Whalers Day.”

Mike Rogers, the center of that line, could not return this year after initially being scheduled. Right Wing Blaine Stoughton also did not return this year, making Boulette the one member of that memorable line in the house.

Boutette was an unknown college player for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (WCHA) program. He would become a ninth-round draft pick (139th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a senior, tallying 63 points, he was voted a WCHA Second Team All-Star and was an All-American.

“Everybody gets classified and stereotyped in one way or another. I felt that was a miscalculation on people’s part, I wasn’t an OHA junior guy (now OHL), but I showed at Minnesota I could play. Many thought I was just gonna fill a minor league roster spot.”

After five and a half years in the Toronto organization and a two-year apprenticeship in Oklahoma City in the original Central Hockey League (CHL), he was traded from the Maple Leafs to the Whalers.

Leaving Harold Ballard-owned Leafs was somewhat challenging for Boutette.

“It was always the same thing you always heard ‘You’re not gonna make it. You’re too small,’ but I just worked my tail off and proved them wrong. Harold was always good to me, always a big backer of me,” Boulette said. “I always had his respect. He, no doubt, had his way of doing things, and it rubbed people the wrong way, but he was always fair with me, though. I wasn’t the biggest guy, but I never gave up,”

Despite his success in the Toronto organization, he was moved at an inauspicious time to the Whalers. He came to Hartford on Christmas Eve 1979 for Bob Stephenson in the Whalers’ first NHL season.

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“We had a game that night (for Toronto). I showed up, got dressed, and before we went out, they told me, ‘Go home.’ Why? ‘We can’t tell you; call us tomorrow.’ Are you kidding me? Obviously, I knew something was up, but things like that happened in those days. That was a hell of a time to have your first trade, just before Christmas,” The current CBA prevents those kinds of moves now.

Boutette made himself a valuable asset.

“Back then when I first started out, I had some skills, and they grew, even if I didn’t. I got to expand my skill set by being aggressive, which paid off. It helped me grow my game, I could play either way. A lot of players don’t have that grit today. All the teams that win the Cup have that grit. Look at the Maple Leafs now. They have two good lines and no grit. What have they done?”

His bond in 1982 with Stash (Blaine Stoughton), the Dash (Rogers), and especially Rogers’ passing skills helped invigorate him. Stoughton’s game helped him find his goal-scoring touch, and again, he found himself an All-Star, but this time in the NHL.

The Dash, Bash, and Stash line was born, which made him among the top NHL goal scorers, and the line was among the league’s best.

” Coming to Hartford was a bit of a surprise. I had two good years here. I could have had more.”

The key to the line’s success was their speed and transition game.

“The game is all speed now, and we had a lot of it with that line, and we complemented each other very well out there. We also could feel a hit when it was coming. I loved playing with them. Once Mike got into open ice, he was hard to catch. I was able to get out in front of the net, and Blaine was nearby, waiting for a rebound near the perimeter of the (faceoff) circle. We got our opportunities, not gonna score if the puck is the corner,” Boutette stated.

Boutette went straight-forward to the net and often battled defensemen much larger than himself at a time when the game was more physical. He dished it out as well as he good it.

The Whalers made an RFA (restricted free agent) offer sheet to the Pittsburgh Penguins forward Greg Malone, and then, on June 29, 1981, the NHL Commissioner, then John Zieglar, awarded Boutette to Pittsburgh, along with the Whalers’ fourth-round draft choice, and Kevin McClelland in the exchange as used to happen pre-CBA when odd, arbitrary decisions could be made.

It was a complete shock for Boutette.

“I was at home, and Larry Pleau (now a senior advisor with Arizona), called me and told me I had been moved. I was in total shock. I didn’t believe him. It came from left field completely; I had no idea this was gonna happen. To this day, I have never gotten a straight answer on why and how I was moved. It was kinda weird; something was going on there. It was terrible because we had a great thing going on in Hartford.”

Pittsburgh eventually traded McClelland to Edmonton, where he would win four Stanley Cups as part of the Oilers mid-1980’s dynasty run.

In Pittsburgh, Boutette was paired with Paul Gardner and Rick Kehoe, very talented players in their own right, but two totally different types of players with completely different skill sets than his line in Hartford had.

“They were good but didn’t have the speed and creativity Mike and Blaine had. You had to get the puck to them. There was no comparison. Then when you get to your early to mid-30s, your body starts to break down, especially when you played a physical style as I did. When you played with guys like Mike and Blaine, it takes that pressure off you because of the speed they both had. When you’re battling the likes of Larry Robinson (the Canadiens) or “(Andre) “Moose” Dupont (Philadelphia and Quebec), it gets tough after a while, and once you fight one, you gotta fight them all. It’s wear and tear.”

He would return to Hartford in a trade with the Penguins four years later for the rights to Finnish defenseman Ville Siren.

Boutette had lost a step by then and had a falling out with Whaler’s coach Jack “Tex “Evans. He wound up on their farm team in Binghamton (NY) Whalers. His career was over at the end of the’ 84-’85 season, five years before the Penguins won their consecutive Stanley Cups with former Whalers Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson, Gordie Roberts, Grant Jennings, and with former Whalers head coach, Pierre McGuire.

“Timing is everything. If we had some better teams in Pittsburgh before then, but once they got Mario (Lemieux) came in my first year, and then when they got (Jaromir) Jagr it was just a matter of time, but my time was up.”

Boutette finished his career playing in 756 games registering 282 assists and 453 points. He also accumulated 1,384 PIM.

“I enjoyed Hartford a lot. I just wish I got more time to spend there. I spoke to multiple people about this event, I’m very glad we came. I will call Mike when I get home and get Blaine here next year and have a proper (line) reunion,” said Boutette.

Boutette continues to stand tall in his career among his peers.

HARTFORD YARD GOATS

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The post PAT BOUTETTE BACK IN HARTFORD 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 has signed defenseman Louie Roehl to a professional tryout (PTO). In addition, forward Ryan Lohin has been recalled from loan to the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen.

Roehl, 25, has appeared in 64 games this season with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, scoring 24 points (4 g, 20 a). The rookie defenseman has yet to make his AHL debut.

Prior to turning pro, Roehl played five seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. During the 2021-22 season, he scored two assists in 38 games and recorded 44 penalty minutes. In 180 games with the Bulldogs, Roehl scored 29 points (7 g, 22 a), and wore an “A” for the program for two seasons (2020-21, 2021-22).

The native of Edina, Minnesota, helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA National Championships in 2018 and 2019. He also helped guide the program to NCHC Conference Championships in both 2019 and 2022.

Lohin, 26, has scored 19 points (6 g, 13 a) in 36 games with the ECHL’s Icemen this season. He’s also skated in two games with the Wolf Pack, suiting up for the club on December 3rd against the Rockford Ice Hogs and December 7th against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The Wolf Pack return to the XL Center for their final regular season home game on Friday, April 14th, hosting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Join us for Fan Appreciation Night featuring special guest Johnny Damon! The puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. To get tickets, visit hartfordwolfpack.com.

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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and play 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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The post HARTFORD WOLF PACK SIGN DMAN LOUIE ROEHL TO PTO first appeared on Howlings.

Greenville, SC – Greenville Swamp Rabbits defenseman Jack Sadek has been recalled by the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign. Sadek, 24, has produced 17 points (one goal, 16 assists) in 35 games this season. Additionally, Sadek skated in his 100^th professional game last Saturday at Orlando.

The ECHL sophomore blueliner played his rookie season in 2019-20 with the Allen Americans and produced 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in 61 games. Sadek finished second on Allen in rookie scoring and third in the ECHL in scoring by rookie blueliners.

#RABBITSRISING#

Before turning pro, the Lakeville, Minnesota native skated in 125 contests for the University of Minnesota from 2015-19. In his NCAA career, Sadek totaled 43 points (10 goals, 33 assists) from the blueline.

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits return to action on Saturday, May 15, to begin a back-to-back road set against the Wheeling Nailers. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

SINGLE GAME TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Rise With Us and join us at Bon Secours Wellness Arena for the return of professional hockey in the United States! Single Game Tickets are available to purchase today here.

GEAR UP!

Represent the Swamp Rabbits for the 2020–21 season by heading to our online store, the Hop Shop, to purchase your Bits gear. On sale now!

ABOUT US

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 proud affiliates of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League. Since the conclusion of the 2019-20 NHL Season, 678 former ECHL players have debuted in the NHL. Nine former Greenville Road Warriors/Swamp Rabbits have later made their NHL debut.

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The post TRUST: SADEK EARNS CALL TO AHL’S ONTARIO REIGN first appeared on Howlings.

Greenville, SC – Defenseman Jack Sadek has been reassigned to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits from the American Hockey League’s Ontario Reign. Sadek, 23, made his AHL debut with Ontario on February 6 and scored his first AHL goal on February 12 versus Tucson.

The ECHL sophomore returns to Greenville after appearing in seven games earlier this season and tallying one assist. Sadek played his rookie season in 2019-20 with the Allen Americans and produced 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in 61 games. Sadek finished second on Allen in rookie scoring and third in the ECHL in scoring by rookie blueliners.

Before turning pro, the Lakeville, Minnesota native played 125 games for the University of Minnesota from 2015-19. Sadek totaled 43 points (10 goals, 33 assists) from the blueline in his NCAA career.

#RABBITSRISING#

Greenville will kick off a five-game road swing tomorrow and open a three-game series with the Rapid City Rush in South Dakota. Puck drop from the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. EST.

SINGLE GAME TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Rise With Us and join us at Bon Secours Wellness Arena for the return of professional hockey in the United States! Single Game Tickets are available to purchase today here.

GEAR UP!

Represent the Swamp Rabbits for the 2020–21 season by heading to our online store, the Hop Shop, to purchase your Bits gear. On sale now!

ABOUT US

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 proud affiliates of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Greenville is a member of the ECHL, Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League. Since the conclusion of the 2019-20 NHL Season, 678 former ECHL players have debuted in the NHL. Nine former Greenville Road Warriors/Swamp Rabbits have later made their NHL debut.

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The post TRUST: JACK SADEK ASSIGNED TO GREENVILLE first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAYER MOVEMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COLLEGE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

38 underclassmen who have left school early.

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

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

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

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

RANGERS NHL DRAFT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GENERAL HOCKEY NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONDOLENCES

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

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

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Pre-season hockey has started and the playoffs begin this weekend in both Toronto and Edmonton.

There have been two possible player moves that have come to light recently and the first concerns the Hartford Wolf Pack’s Vinni Lettieri.

The Pack forward will enter Group 6 free agency at the official conclusion of the 2019-20 hockey season. According to a Swiss-based website, watson.ch, Lettieri is in discussion with SC Bern (Switzerland-LNA), one of the top European teams, and not just in Switzerland.

The team’s new head coach is former Hartford Whaler and New Haven Nighthawk, Don Nachbaur.

Lettieri has completed three seasons in Hartford and rung-up 132 points in 173 AHL games and was the leading goal scorer in each of his three seasons. In 61 games of the pandemic shortened 2019-20 season, he tallied 35 goals in 61 games and a team-leading 47 points.

He was originally signed as a free agent out of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers on March 27, 2017, and played the final nine games of the regular season in Hartford.

He led the Wolf Pack with 23 goals in 55 games in his first season, and in his sophomore season, he had 23 goals in 48 games.

Lettieri played 46 games with the Rangers with two goals and six assists with constantly fluctuating periods of ice time and had no recalls last season.

Whether his season ends if he is not brought to Toronto as part of the Rangers NHL playoff roster, or if he is and it ends when the Rangers playoff season concludes or should he still be part of the team when Lord Stanley is crowned in Edmonton, a Solomonic decision awaits according to one of our long-time sources.

Almost twenty years ago a similar decision faced former Wolf Pack great, Derek Armstrong. He left in 2001-02 and spent a year with SC Bern but under different circumstances. Armstrong returned to North America and had a long run with the LA Kinga before ending his NHL career with St. Louis.

On the other side of the coin, there is another possible European signing with important hockey implications.

It looks like the first major player to leave ECACHL Division-I college hockey due to the pandemic has a Connecticut connection.

Jack Drury, a junior forward for Harvard University (ECACHL), and a 2018 second-round selection, (42nd overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes, is the son of ex-Whaler, Ted Drury, and is the nephew of current Wolf Pack GM, and Rangers Assistant GM, Chris Drury.

The “Brothers Drury” are the pride of Trumbull and are graduates of Fairfield Prep High school, Jack Drury is exploring a European option.

According to Kvalle Posten, a Swedish hockey publication Drury has been in serious discussions with the Vaxjo Lakers (Sweden-SHL), but no formal agreement has yet been yet signed. Read that HERE.

If he does sign, Drury the younger would be the 42nd college player between Division-I and Division-III to sign in Europe. He would be the 32nd under-classmen to depart early.

Drury would be the third from the ECACHL to head overseas joining Aepeli Rasanen, of Boston College (KalPa Kuopio Finland-FEL) and UCONN’s Ruslan Iskharov (Lukko Rauma Finland-FEL).

All ECACHL players are aware that next season’s hockey is very much in doubt. The fall semester has already been canceled and some schools have instituted on-campus population controls, not allowing certain groups (like sophomores for example) to be on campus to reduce possible COVID-19 exposure, but that decision destroys any reasonable hope of a sports team from having any semblance of cohesive practices or a regular season schedule.

As a 20-year-old, and soon-to-be a junior, turning pro is not unusual, but very unusual for Ivy league players, who highly value their high-end education and obtaining that degree. Other conferences 19 and 20-year-olds turning pro is commonplace.

Thus far this year, three have done so in the ECACHL, Drew O’Connor of Dartmouth College (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jack Badini (Greenwich) with the Anaheim Ducks, and fellow Crimson teammate, Jack Rathbone, who recently left for the Vancouver Canucks.

For Drury, the likely late-starting NHL and AHL seasons make it that he would most likely be looking at a late-November to an early-January, start date at this point. The irony is Carolina’s yet-to-be officially announced affiliation-switch from the Charlotte Checkers to Drury’s hometown of the Chicago Wolves will be a factor in his professional equation.

College sources state that some ECACHL schools are looking into housing their teams in an off-campus housing setting, taking online classes, and trying to salvage the 2020-21 season. The feasibility of that approach is being examined to see whether school administrators would be amenable to this arrangement that would help hockey, basketball, and a spring sport like baseball.

Nobody could have foreseen these kinds of things just a few short months ago, but these times are certainly creating questions that players need to contemplate when they made their commitment to the school.

The players selected to head to the hub cities have been made and teams have departed for Toronto and Edmonton. The Rangers and Islanders will meet in their lone exhibition game on Wednesday at 8 pm (MSG) before the playoff opener against Carolina on Saturday at 12 Noon (MSG).

Only Adam Huska was returned to Hartford and the following Wolf Pack players went to Toronto as part of the expanded 30 player roster, captain Steven Fogarty, Vinni Lettieri, Danny O’Regan, Vitali Kravtsov, Darren Raddysh, and Libor Hajek.

The following players were returned to their AHL teams; Ken Agostino (Yale) Toronto Marlies, Sam Anas (Quinnipiac) Iowa Wild, Paul Carey (Salisbury Prep) Providence Bruins, Chad Krys (Ridgefield) Rockford Ice Hogs and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers received Kieffer Bellows, Grant Hutton, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Jakub Skarek.

A few current player notes.

Derek Hulak of Manitoba signs with HC Thurgau (Switzerland-LNB). Cory Conacher of Syracuse had his deal with HC Lausanne (Switzerland-LNA) officially announced as did his new Swiss teammate ex-Pack, Brian Gibbons (Salisbury Prep). Both Conacher and Gibbons are not on the 30 player roster of Tampa Bay and Carolina respectively.

Joe Veleno of Grands Rapids is said to be talking with HC Ocelari Trinec (Czech Republic-CEL) and Latvian Rudolf Balcers. He might be leaving the Belleville Senators with Dynamo Riga (Latvia-KHL) making 48 AHL players that are signed for Europe with 21 of 31 AHL teams that have lost at least one player.  Some Euro signings could be bridge deals until the NHL or AHL season begins. For example, Vancouver loaned 2019 second-round pick Nils Hoglander to Rogle BK (Sweden-SHL) to start the 20-21 season.

Three ex-Sound Tigers have moved. Defenseman Jesse Graham re-signs with KalPa Kuopio (Finland-FEL), Graeme McCormack stays in Slovakia to play with SLEL HK Dukla Michalovce and Chad Costello changes teams in the German DEL going from the Krefeld Penguin to the Iserlohn Roosters.

Brady Shaw, the son of ex-Whaler Brad Shaw, leaves Ft. Wayne Comets (ECHL) and signs with Esbjerg (Denmark-DHL),

Two college goalies going pro, one in the U.S. and the other stays home in North Atlantic as a sophomore, Daniel Lebedeff, leaves the University of Wisconsin Badgers (Big 10) to become the sixth Badger to depart after last season (fourth leaving early) and signing a pro deal with HPK Hameenlinna (Finland-FEL) citing the uncertainty of the whether there will be a college hockey season and of course the pandemic.

Robert Lackey of the Providence College Friars (HE) leaves after his grad transfer year with a Harvard diploma and signs with the Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL).

More schools and conferences in Division I and III have elected to shut the doors on athletics for the fall.

The latest, Quinnipiac University (Hamden in the ECAC), but a non-Ivy school in the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), the University of Hartford (American East), Post University in Waterbury (Northeast-10), and the University of St. Joseph’s and Albertus Magnus College (New Haven).

The Danbury Colonials (NA3HL) Kyle McEnany makes a commit to Division-III’s University of Southern Maine Huskies (NEHC) located in Portland, Maine.

The post CANTLON’S CORNER: HOCKEY NEWS AND NOTES OFF SEASON VOLUME 20 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAYER MOVEMENT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

EX-PACK RETIRES

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

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

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

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

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

Gernander was there for his AHL Hall of Fame induction.

HALL OF FAME MEDIA AWARD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FRANK CAMARA

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

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

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

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

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

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – As Connecticut prepares to move to the next stage of it’s opening up, the hockey world continues to make plans, not only for the upcoming playoffs, set to begin at the end of July but for the 2020-2021 season and beyond.

PLAYER MOVEMENT AND TEAM NEWS

Ex-Hartford Wolf Pack, Nick Ebert, signed a two-year deal with Orebro HK (Sweden-SHL). Ebert was a Group 6 Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA). He was not offered a contract by the organization. This will be his second European tour in Sweden with Orebro.

Alex Broadhurst of the San Diego Gulls signs with HIFK Helsinki (Finland-FEL).

The Cleveland Monsters lost Calvin Thurkauf, who returns home to skate for EV Zug (Switzerland-LNA) next season.

Jakob Lilja, who split last between Cleveland and the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) has signed with Barys Nur Sultan (Kazakhstan-KHL).

Reid Boucher, of the Utica Comets, saw his deal with Avangard Omsk (Russia-KHL) be officially announced.

34 of last season’s AHL players have signed to play in Europe. 19 of the 31 AHL teams have lost at least one player to signing overseas.

One player not heading to Hartford training camp is Nils Lundkvist. The defenseman signed another one-year deal with Lulea HF (Sweden-SHL). The COVID-19 crisis with travel and visa issues abounding were contributing factors in the decision. Lundkvist had a very strong SHL season last year winning the Young Player of the Year award for European based players and had a very strong WJC tournament being named to the all-tournament squad

Ex-Wolf Pack and New York Ranger, Stu Bickel, has been hired as the Head Coach for the Minnesota Magicians (NAHL) after two seasons as a college assistant with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (Big 10).

The 24-team NHL Stanley Cup tournament to bring closure to the 2019-20 NHL season has begun to take shape. The five hub city finalists are Las Vegas, Edmonton, Chicago,  Los Angeles, and Toronto. Columbus, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, and Dallas were eliminated from the 10 finalists. On Friday Vancouver announced suddenly that it was out of the running as well.

The tourney is expected to start around July 28th with the Rangers playing the Carolina Hurricanes in Las Vegas.

The NHL roster size for the tournament will likely be affixed at 30 with an unlimited amount of goalies. Teams will begin their preparation starting on July 10th at yet to be announced locations.

Surprisingly, Lias Andersson won’t be attending Rangers training camp, but one member of the Wolf Pack will be, Vitali Kravtsov. Read about it HERE.

Rangers President John Davidson told TSN that Kravtsov will be among the players vying for the post-season roster.

SCOTT TANSKI

Remember ex-CT Whale, Scott Tanski? He had his one and only AHL season back in 2011-12. He announced his retirement. His long curly red hair, big smile, and his openness were his off-ice calling cards. He played the next six seasons in the ECHL, primarily with the Orlando Solar Bears, who are owned by former Whale front office executive, Bob Ohrablo. Tanski also skated with the Reading Royals and South Carolina Stingrays. Tanski departed for two seasons with the Glasgow Clan (Scotland-EIHL) where he hung up his skates. He arrived in Hartford in training camp after a four-year junior career with the now-defunct Brampton Battalion (OHL) (now in North Bay) on a tryout invite by Rangers Director of Player Development, Gordie Clark. Tanski literally left practice at the University of Ottawa (OUAA) to take the chance and made the Wolf Pack as a walk-on. He earned an AHL contract and never looked back. He was a third and fourth line penalty killer and a relentless worker on the ice but was never a consistent finisher.

COLLEGE MOVEMENT

Goalie, Hunter Shepard, of the University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC) signs an AHL deal with the Hershey Bears.

Martin Marella of AIC (AHA) becomes the 32nd college player to sign in Europe with Almtuna IS (Sweden-Allsvenskan). His teammate, Jason Pike, signs a North American professional deal with Utah (ECHL).

Paul Mayer of the Colgate Raiders (ECACHL) signs with Orlando (ECHL).

Steenn Pasichnuk of the Arizona State Sun Devils (NCAA Division I-Independent) joined his brother Brinson in the San Jose Sharks organization when he signed an AHL deal with the San Jose Barracuda. His brother signed an NHL UFA deal and had been the Sun Devils captain last year.

Brett Orr of Bentley College (MASAC) becomes the 33rd player to sing in Europe out of college with the announcement that he has signed with the Dundee Stars (Scotland-EIHL).

170 of last season’s Division I and III college players have now signed contracts to play in Europe and North America. Hockey East has seen 23 players sign contracts, while The Big 10 has 20, the NCHC 19, WCHA, and ECACHL each have13 and the AHA 10.

Bowdoin College, located in Brunswick, ME (NESCAC), is a Division III school and has announced that no men’s or women’s hockey will be played until January 1st signaling where all colleges might be going for the 2020-21 season.

Munn Arena on the campus of Michigan State (Big 10) has announced a pause in the expected renovations this summer to the arena.

John Fusco, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Mark Fusco (80 games), and who won the Hobey Baker award in 1983, was announced as part of the Harvard Crimson (ECACHL) nine-player incoming freshmen class. He follows his family’s tradition of attending the school. Both his mother and father, his Uncle Scott (New Jersey Devils, 11th round draft pick but never played In the NHL), and his cousin Bradley (women’s varsity letter winner) attended the school. Younger brother Brett is still at Dexter Southfield Academy prep school entering his senior season.

Jerry Harding of the Providence College Friars (HE) does an in-conference transfer to UMASS-Amherst as per Mark Divver, Rhode Island-based college hockey writer. This makes 20 college transfers and 18 grad transfers, four Canadian college transfers, two Junior A transfers, and no players so far who have gone to Canadian major junior in the collegiate off-season.

The CHL Import Draft, which is always held after the NHL Draft, will go on as scheduled this coming Tuesday morning June 29th starting at 11 AM. All the teams from the Canadian major leagues Ontario, Quebec, and Western participate.

The OHL Kingston Frontenacs announced they will skip the draft and retain two players from last year’s draft in the 2020-21 season.

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds announced they would retain goalie Nick Malik who played with them in the second half of last season. Malik, is the youngest son of former Whaler, Ranger, and Beast of New Haven defenseman, Marek Malik. He will prepare for the season with HC Ocelari Trinec in the Czech Elite League and has been invited to the Czech Republic 2020 WJC team.

The NAHL and NA3HL will be adding a team from an old WPHL market, the El Paso (TX) Rhinos. The program is leaving the WSHL (Western States Hockey League) that has suspending operations for the 2020-21 season because of the loss of teams and of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. The NAHL Rhinos team will begin to play in the 2021-22 season and the NA3HL Rhinos will start this season 2020-21 season.

The NAHL has the recently minted the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks, who were purchased and relocated from Wilkes Barre/Scranton to the Nutmeg State. The NA3HL has the Danbury Colonials.

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY

In place of the canceled 2020 IIHF Annual Congress which had planned to meet in May in Zurich, the 2021 IIHF Extra-Annual Congress took place on Monday in a virtual form led by IIHF President, René Fasel, and the IIHF General Secretary, who took their seats at the studio of Swiss broadcaster SRF in Zurich. The IIHF has released the 2021 dates for its tournaments which of course are subject to change depending on the pandemic status.

The delegates also confirmed the dates of the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk, Belarus, and Riga, Latvia from May 21 to June 6, 2021.

The 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship will take place in Halifax and Truro in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia where it was scheduled for last spring before it was the first hockey tournament canceled by COVID-19. The proposed dates are April 7-17, 2021.

Similarly, the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship will take place in Plymouth and Ann Arbor, Michigan at the same venues that were scheduled for this year. The proposed dates are April 15-25, 2021.

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk, Belarus & Riga, Latvia

Group A in Minsk: Russia, Sweden, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovakia, Denmark, host Belarus, Great Britain.

Group B in Riga: Canada, Finland, USA, Germany, host Latvia, Norway, Italy, Kazakhstan.

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Participants: France, Austria, South Korea, host Slovenia, Hungary, Romania

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B in Katowice, Poland

Participants: Lithuania, host Poland, Japan, Estonia, Ukraine, Serbia

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A in Beijing, China

Participants: Netherlands, Croatia, Australia, Spain, host China, Israel

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group B in Reykjavik, Iceland

Participants: Belgium, host Iceland, New Zealand, Georgia, Mexico, Bulgaria

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division III Group A in Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg

Participants: North Korea, Turkey, Turkmenistan, host Luxembourg, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division III Group B in Cape Town, South Africa

Participants: host South Africa, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bosnia & Herzegovina

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division IV in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Participants: Kuwait, host Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore

MEN’S U-20 CATEGORY-WJC

2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton & Red Deer, Canada

Group A in Edmonton: host Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany

Group B in Red Deer: Russia, Sweden, USA, Czech Republic, Austria

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-20 World Championship Division I Group A in Horsholm, Denmark

Participants: Kazakhstan, Latvia, Belarus, Norway, host Denmark, Hungary

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-20 World Championship Division I Group B in Tallinn, Estonia

Participants: Slovenia, France, Ukraine, Poland, host Estonia, Japan

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-20 World Championship Division II Group A in Brasov, Romania

Participants: Italy, Great Britain, Lithuania, host Romania, Spain, South Korea

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-20 World Championship Division II Group B in Belgrade, Serbia

Participants: host Serbia, Netherlands, China, Croatia, Belgium, Iceland

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-20 World Championship Division III in Mexico City, Mexico

Group A: Israel, Australia, Turkey, host Mexico

Group B: Bulgaria, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Africa

MEN’S U-18 CATEGORY

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship in Plymouth & Ann Arbor, USA

Group A in Ann Arbor: Sweden, Canada, Belarus, Latvia, Switzerland

Group B in Plymouth: Russia, host USA, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship Division I Group A in Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia

Participants: host Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Denmark, Norway, France, Japan

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship Division I Group B in Asiago, Italy

Participants: Ukraine, Austria, Hungary, host Italy, Slovenia, Poland

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship Division II Group A in Tallinn, Estonia

Participants: Great Britain, Lithuania, host Estonia, Romania, South Korea, Serbia

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship Division II Group B in Sofia, Bulgaria

Participants: Spain, China, Netherlands, Croatia, Australia, host Bulgaria

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship Division III Group A in Istanbul, Turkey

Participants: Belgium, Israel, Iceland, host Turkey, Mexico, South Korea

2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 World Championship Division III Group B in Kockelscheuer, Luxembourg

Participants: New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Africa, host Luxembourg, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan

WOMEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION

Final Olympic Qualification (August 26-29 2021)

Group C in Pribram, Czech Republic: host Czech Republic, Hungary, Norway, Qualifier 6. In

Group D in Fussen, Germany: host Germany, Norway, Austria, Qualifier 5.

Group E: Sweden, France, Slovakia, Qualifier 4. In Sweden (city TBA).

OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION ROUND 2 (11-14 FEBRUARY 2021)

Group F in Gangneung, South Korea: host South Korea, Great Britain, Slovenia, Qualifier 8.

Group G: in Cortina, Italy: host Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Taiwan.

Group H: In Gdansk: host Poland: Netherlands, Poland, Mexico, Turkey.

OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION ROUND 1 (17-19 DECEMBER 2020)

Group J: in Reykjavik, Iceland: host Iceland, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Lithuania

The 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U-18 Women’s World Championship will be hosted by Sweden in the cities of Linkoping and Mjolby from January 5-12, 2021.

The Women’s Olympic Qualification will start in the upcoming season. A record number of 31 countries entered a team in the Olympic Winter Games and Qualification.

The top six teams of the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Ranking – USA, Canada, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, and Japan – as well as host China, are automatically qualified for the 10-team event. The remaining three teams will be determined in the Olympic Qualification in three stages starting in December.

The post CANTLON: HOCKEY OFF SEASON NEWS AND NOTES VOLUME 15 first appeared on Howlings.

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

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

COLLEGE PLAYER SIGNINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IN OTHER SIGNINGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NHL SEASON

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

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

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

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

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

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

CONGRATULATIONS

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

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

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

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

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

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

His nephew Nolan is a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.

IN OTHER COLLEGE NEWS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

USHL DRAFT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TRANSACTIONS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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