The Rangers are carrying 8 defensemen, and have their 2017 1st round pick in the minors waiting to get back up to the NHL. Jeff Gorton was backed into a corner by circumstance this training camp, and that’s a good thing. Truth be told, the lineup that takes the ice tomorrow night when the season opens will not be the same when the season ends. Start that New York Rangers trade rumor mill.

Depth on Defense

Neal Pionk has been a find ever since joining the lineup last year. In the preseason all he did was continue to show why he not only belongs but deserves top 4 minutes. Anthony DeAngelo was part of the deal that sent away fan favorite Derek Stepan to Arizona. In the 2017-18 campaign he wallowed under Alain Vigneault’s failing defensive schema and lack of faith in younger players. DeAngelo was given a fresh slate in camp and looked extremely promising, especially in the offensive zone and on the power play.

In a rebuild year both young blue-liners should be in the starting lineup but a pair of acquisitions and the strong return of Brenden Smith have complicated the issue. The Rangers added physical defenseman Adam McQuaid and depth defenseman Fredrik Claesson this summer and feel they are needed to round out this defense. Of all the players mentioned, only Pionk can be sent down without having to clear waivers. That would make no sense since one could argue that he is the Rangers 3rd best defenseman behind Kevin Shattenkirk and Brady Skjei.

The risk of sending down DeAngelo or Smith isn’t worth it because DeAngelo would certainly be taken. Smith could pass through due to his $4M+ salary but if he’s taken the Rangers miss out on a valuable trade chip to continue adding picks and/or prospects.

Ultimately either Smith or DeAngelo will be moved this season. They will not carry 8 D all year, and next season Libor Hajek is just about penned into the lineup. The Rangers must also start thinking about how they will open space for Ryan Lindgren and Sean Day.

Prove Yourself Forwards

Up front the Rangers have some big decisions to make. Sadly, Mats Zuccarello appears destined to be traded as a rental at the deadline, and maybe even Ryan Spooner. Jeff Gorton simply needs to make room at the very least for Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov.

Kevin Hayes has been given a 1 year show me contract and needs to come out of the gate swinging and producing. Even if he does, the Rangers must reach an extension with him before the trade deadline or he is a goner too. Two other forwards we need to watch are Vlad Namestnikov and Jimmy Vesey. Both of them had underwhelming camps but will need to show Gorton what they have in order to make the appropriate decision.

In the end, all three could play really well and still be moved for the right mix of prospects and draft picks. If the Rangers are out of the playoffs near the deadline then moving up in the draft for a chance to win the lottery and draft Jack Hughes needs to be the long term plan.

The season starts tomorrow but rumor mill is already churning. Hey! Did Artemi Panarin sign an extension in Columbus yet? No. Interesting, hmmmmm.

In speaking with Magnus Nyström of Expressen, Fredrik Claesson reflected on his time in Ottawa, signing with the Blueshirts and more.

As has been well publicized around the NHL, the Ottawa Senators had some locker room issues this past season. Now that he is with the Rangers, Claesson opened up about the effects it had on the Senators locker room. “It touched everyone on the team. It was very unpleasant.” When asked further about the setting in Ottawa, “It was a very weird season. I’ve never been [involved in] anything like that.”

Shifting gears to New York, Claesson said that coming to the Rangers was not a very hard decision. “I think everyone in the league wants to play in New York sometime. I have been there many times, but it will be different to live there. It’s sick.” Claesson went on to say that he is excited to join the Rangers. “The team feels exciting with new coaches and several new players, so everyone starts at zero in training camp, it’s good for me. Then there are several Swedes there, and I and Mika Zibanejad have played together in Djurgården.” Finally, the 25-year-old Swede expressed his excitement about calling MSG his new home. “It’s a cool feeling to play there, it’s like playing at a big theater. So to have it like home, it feels very fun.”

Claesson’s spot in David Quinn’s lineup is not guaranteed with the Rangers already having a solid foundation on their blue line. With Brady Skjei, Marc Staal, and Kevin Shattenkirk already locked in on the Rangers back-end, the Rangers have three spots for a handful of players including Neal Pionk, John Gilmour, Brendan Smith, Anthony DeAngelo, Libor Hajek, Steven Kampfer, and more. If Claesson can prove himself in training camp, he would be a nice piece in David Quinn’s arsenal.

Editor’s Note: All quotes from Expressen translated with Google Translate and Interglot. To read the original article, click here.

Buyout season is upon us and all fingers are pointed in the direction of Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith.

The former first-rounder that the Blueshirts traded for in February of 2017 didn’t pan out like the team had hoped. After registering four points in 18 games to round out his first look as a Ranger, the organization felt like they saw enough to sign Smith to a four-year extension, with an average salary of $4.35 million.

The first season of this contract was a disaster. Smith played only 44 games and registered a minuscule eight points. Take away his lack of offensive production, because he is a defenseman after all, and the defensive play that was there in the playoffs a season ago, went AWOL to start the season. Smith found himself being sent down to the AHL Wolf Pack since he had such problems playing in the big leagues.

So, is Brendan Smith worth buying out? Smith is signed through 2021, taking a cap hit of his full $4.35 million per season until his contract expires. For a guy who is signed for the next three seasons with a decent hit, it would make sense for the Rangers to buyout Smith. If the buyout is used, Brendan Smith’s cap hit will decrease by over $3 million per season with the average cap hit number being at just under $1.1 million. For a team that has a surplus in cap space now that they are in a rebuild, there is a different reasoning on why the Rangers should get rid of Smith while they have the chance.

Smith’s $4.35 million cap hit isn’t all that important to the Rangers at their current state heading into this season. But while in a rebuild, wouldn’t you rather see young guys trying to earn a roster spot get playing time compared to a 29-year-old Smith who has shown how inconsistent he can be? The Rangers are trading for picks and young players, and have plenty of picks in this upcoming years draft to gain more defensive help, so to have Smith in the starting lineup would just seem to be a waste of space. Of course, you need NHL-established players to lead by example, but guys like Kevin Shattenkirk and Brady Skjei can take that lead on the back end. Even though Smith has shown that he could be versatile, playing either the right or left side of the defense, his roster spot can be used for a guy who can hopefully show the team that he’s worth the playing time. The players that should be seeing all of that time are Neal Pionk, Anthony DeAngelo, John Gilmour, and others who need the experience to fully develop.

The Rangers goals for the next couple of seasons shouldn’t be to just ride out contracts. It isn’t necessarily winning either, although it may seem foolish to say that winning isn’t always the goal. This organization is rebuilding, which means that young faces should fill up the roster. It’s time for the Rangers to test out that farm system of theirs, and not lose a prospect’s roster spot just because you signed a guy to an extension too soon.

With the news of David Quinn’s hiring all but confirmed, it’s time we take a look at just what this means for some of the young guys on the New York Rangers. After Alain Vigneault was fired, reports came out of just what went wrong and one of the main points was that some of the young guys on the team were playing scared. That absolutely cannot happen when the team is going through a pseudo-rebuild. The young guys need to play through their mistakes and be able to relax and know they won’t be glued to the bench. Here are a few guys who will benefit from the new bench boss’ style.

Pavel Buchnevich

Buchnevich was quoted by a russian media outlet as saying that at times he felt scared when he was playing and that Vigneault was extremely critical of young players and rookies. Buchnevich is one of the most talented players on the Rangers roster and he has an absolutely lethal shot. A player like him cannot afford to be scared when he’s on the ice. He needs to know that he can try to make that deke, try to hit that shot or try to make that tough play, and even if he fails, he’ll know that it won’t affect his ice time or role on the team.

With Quinn behind the bench, Buchnevich can afford to take some chances and we may end up seeing the breakout season we have been waiting for. We have seen flashes of how dominant he can be and it’ll nice seeing him play without him having to worry about “Big Brother” behind him.

Anthony DeAngelo

Maybe even more so than Buchnevich, the Rangers would love to see DeAngelo breakout. He was the big piece acquired in the Derek Stepan trade last summer and big things were expected of the young blue-liner. DeAngelo spent time in the AHL as well as the NHL but didn’t quite live up to the expectations that people had. It goes without saying that blue-liners do sometimes take longer to develop, but after the news of Vigneault’s stern policy with young kids, I wouldn’t be shocked if DeAngelo was in the same boat as Buchnevich.

DeAngelo made some mistakes during this season, no doubt about it, but he is a creative offensive defenseman who thrives off driving the offense. At one point in time, the kid led the OHL in points by a defensemen. Quinn being behind the bench will allow DeAngelo to make the occasional mistake, see it as a teaching moment, then go back out there and not play in fear, but rather with the sense that he can play his game and not have to worry.

Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson

Two key players in the Rangers rebuild, Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson, stand to greatly benefit from the hiring of David Quinn. They were both taken in the first round of last year’s draft and both had great minor league seasons. Toward the end of the season during their call-ups, they showed flashes of what they will mean to this team going forward.

Now, thankfully, Chytil and Andersson didn’t see much time under Vigneault. They never had that fear put into them although Chytil was benched by him very early in the season when he originally made the team out of training camp. Quinn can assure his two young center that it’s ok for them to play through their mistakes. Center is one of the hardest positions to play, considering that a center is expected to be a playmaker, and at times, a third defenseman. They need to win faceoffs to control possession from the moment the puck is dropped and they need to develop chemistry with their wingers.

With a developmental coach like Quinn behind the bench, Chytil and Andersson will have a coach who understands how to work with young talent and bring out the best in them. It will be an exciting time for these two come training camp.

Of course the rest of the team will generally benefit as well. The Rangers are a relatively young team and the teacher in Quinn is a much better fit than the stern, veteran-heavy coach in Vigneault. The fall can’t get here soon enough.

Scott Stevens

Wait, Scott Stevens? As in the former captain and face of our arch rival, New Jersey Devils Scott Stevens? Yes, that Scott Stevens. Before you start calling me Benedict Arnold, please hear me out. 

Stevens has been working with the NHL Network and is widely regarded as a very cerebral hockey mind, and he understands the evolving game of hockey. This is on display every night as he dissects the games with Alex Tanguay, former Rangers goaltender Kevin Weekes, and the rest of the NHL network crew. Even though Stevens only spent one season with the Minnesota Wild as an assistant coach, the reason that he did not come back was that he wanted to be closer to his family. Stevens received top marks from everyone within the organization and is already known as a leader.

All of these qualities are well and good. However, they could apply to any number of hockey names. So why is Stevens a good candidate for the Rangers? 

Leadership

Scott Stevens is, first and foremost, a leader. The Rangers are coming into a season where the corps that they have had for the past half decade is mostly gone. JT Miller is gone. Veteran Michael Grabner is gone. Alternate captain Derek Stepan is gone. Alternate captain Dan Girardi is gone. Alternate captain Rick Nash is gone. Captain Ryan McDonagh is gone. Add into all of that change that Mats Zuccarello and Marc Staal may not be here when the 2018-19 season begins. No matter what, the Rangers are going to have a leadership void that will need to be filled. The Rangers will most certainly look to sign a few veteran players (Ilya Kovalchuk anyone?). They may even make a big splash and sign Islanders center and captain John Tavares. However, the Rangers need a strong coaching presence who isn’t afraid to speak up. Too often, Alain Vigneault was too passive and relied too heavily on the veterans in the locker room. I do not think that this will be a problem with Scott Stevens. 

Defense

The Rangers have an incredibly young defensive corps coming into next year. Marc Staal and Kevin Shattenkirk will be the oldest defensemen on the Rangers blue line. In addition to Shattenkirk, the Rangers will have Brady Skjei, John Gilmour, Anthony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk, Ryan Sproul, Ryan Lindgren, Yegor Rykov, and others competing for a slot in the top-six. Who better than one of the greatest defensemen of all time – sorry, I just barfed – to mentor and develop these young kids? Additionally, if there is anyone who can implement an organized defensive system to provide longevity to Henrik Lundqvist’s career, it is Scott Stevens. With Stevens, the Devils had one of the most stifling defenses in history. Sure, they gave up shots, however, they did an incredible job of keeping the shots to the outside. While the game has changed, Stevens has given every indication that he understands and can adapt.

Toughness

Ah yes, toughness. No, I don’t believe that fighting equals toughness, but it is absolutely a component of it. However, it does mean being hard to play against and not allowing the opponent to dictate the play. Too often, the Rangers allowed opponents to get overly physical, crash the net without consequences, and beat up on the Rangers. I believe this is largely due to the tone set by Alain Vigneault. Players like Miller, Chris Kreider, and Brendan Smith were chastised for sticking up for their teammates. The Rangers rarely cleared the crease and rarely had any sort of altercations in the offensive zone around the opposing goalie.  Hockey is a physical and emotional sport. The flat, emotionless, and passive style that the Rangers played was a large detriment to them. Sometimes you need Kreider to crash the net hard and maybe make a little contact. Sometimes you need to chip away at a loose puck in the crease. Sometimes you need to play with an edge to get your team in the game. I may be completely wrong, but I think Scott Stevens understands that aspect of the game.

There is nothing to indicate that Scott Stevens will become the next head coach of the Rangers other than Larry Brooks’ article. However, Stevens is an extremely intriguing candidate. Would he leave his position at the NHL network so quickly after coming back to spend time with his family? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, the next few months should be extremely intriguing as Stevens’ name pops up.

Intangibles

In the past three years, the team has lost their captain (Ryan Callahan) and three alternates (Brad Richards, Derek Stepan, and Dan Girardi). In trying to retool and get younger, the team has sacrificed heavy leadership players. If they decide to sell at the deadline, which seems more and more likely, at least one more is likely to go in the person of Rick Nash.

While many desired the buyouts of Richards and Girardi, the effect of their lost leadership is being felt this year. The trade of Stepan paved the way for Mika Zibanejad to be the team’s number one center, yet the void Stepan left as a team leader is apparent.

I get it Henrik Lundqvist, for all intents and purposes, is the leader of the team. Quite honestly he has been for a very long time now. However, at one point, he had a supporting cast that also had this fire. It cannot come down to the goaltender, who was supposed to have the night off, coming into a game and bring passion and fire.

Whole Sale

Selling at the deadline is what every Rangers fan seems to want. Selling makes sense, and depending on how it is done, can actually give Henrik one more chance at a Stanley Cup. Yet, currently, the Rangers don’t have the leadership needed to be a dangerous team. The Blueshirts aren’t suffering from a lack of talent, rather it’s because there is no player, other than Lundqvist, that will come in after a loss and make an impact on the next game.

If, and when, the team begins to sell, youth and talent should be the main focus. Once “rentals” (Nash, Grabner, Holden) are dealt, players like Mats Zuccarello, Ryan McDonagh, and JT Miller will become the focus of trade talks. That is talent, and in the cases of Zuccarello and McDonagh, leaders, gone. The team needs a leader to help mold young talents like Anthony DeAngelo, Vinni Lettieri, Filip Chytil, and Lias Andersson for the future.

Talent vs System

https://twitter.com/4BNYRGameday/status/959225695904952320

Many fans believe that it is the talent level that is a detriment to the team. In reality, it comes down to a team playing as a unit. Look at the Vegas Golden Knights for instance. They were seen as an inferior team coming into this season talent wise. Now they are a top team. Even the worst NHL player has talent. In order for a team to have success, there needs to be a balance of young talent, veteran leadership and a team playing together; following the system put in place by their coach. Either the Rangers are not following their coach’s system or Alain Vigneault’s system is bad. Whichever it is, there is missing leadership via players not making in-game adjustments or coaches not adjusting their game plan.

Lead Us

It is not about talent, the Rangers succeed by having talent throughout multiple lines. What they need is to build around youth with veteran leadership. Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, a talented team up and down the roster. Yet they have players like Matt Martin, Ron Hainsey, and former Rangers center Dominic Moore. It may be time to tear it down and build it back up. The only way to do this correctly is by making sure there are leaders on the roster. The Rangers don’t lack talent, they lack leadership.

The Rangers announced that they have called up defenseman Anthony DeAngelo and forward Daniel Catenacci from the Hartford Wolf Pack.

With Marc Staal already injured, there was a thought that the Rangers would bring up another defenseman for their west coast trip, which begins in Colorado on Saturday. But that thought was turned into action when it was announced that Kevin Shattenkirk has a torn meniscus that will require surgery.

It would appear that Shattenkirk suffered the injury in last night’s 4-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres, although Steve Zipay reports that Shattenkirk has been getting knee treatments all season.

https://twitter.com/stevezipay/status/954395916668162048

DeAngelo, who was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in the Derek Stepan trade, appeared in eight games with the Rangers at the start of the season. The New Jersey native registered just a single assist in those eight games and was a -4. While with the Wolf Pack, DeAngelo has produced 13 points (2G, 11A) in his 29 games with the club.

DeAngelo has a very similar skill set to Shattenkirk. Both are right-handed offensive-minded defensemen who like to jump into the rush and create in the offensive zone. DeAngelo has the ability to run a power play as well, where he has scored the bulk of his NHL points, registering 11 out of his 15 career NHL points on the man-advantage. Shattenkirk will be missed from the Rangers lineup, but hopefully, Tony D can come in and provide a similar game for Alain Vigneault’s squad.

“It’s tough. I think thinking about this year, you want everything to go perfectly. I think I’ve been trying to battle through this for a lot of reasons and when it came down to it … you have to think about yourself. I think this is the first step to get back to where I am and come back and have a meaningful impact on this team down the stretch.” – Kevin Shattenkirk/NY Rangers

As for Catenacci, the 24-year-old has ten points (2G, 8A) in 23 games this season. Catenacci was acquired from Buffalo for defenseman Mat Bodie back in February in a minor-league swap.

Finally, the Rangers announced that they have assigned Lias Andersson to Hartford from his Swedish club team, Frölunda HC. 

Andersson shined for team Sweden in the World Junior Championships, posting seven points (6G, 1A) and one medal-toss that has gone viral. Andersson played through a separated shoulder during the tournament and remained in the United States to undergo evaluation from the Rangers medical team. Andersson was loaned to Frölunda HC at the end of training camp, where he has 18 points (9G, 9A) split between the SHL and Champions Hockey League.

This upcoming weekend features a three in three for the Wolf Pack. Unfortunately, the club lost three straight after going on a nine-game point streak. In their recent three game losing streak, the Pack gave up five goals. The offense has gone cold while the defense has turned into a hot mess. Entering the weekend, Hartford is ranked seventh in the Atlantic Division with a record of 13-15-3-3 for 32 points (a .471 point percentage).

Defenseless?
A common theme in the losing streak has been the struggles of the defense. Prior to the current streak, Hartford gave up a moderate number of goals, while the offense made up for the defensive mistakes. In six of the last ten games, Hartford has given up four or more goals. Giving up four or more is never good and the team has to get back to playing good defensive hockey in order to climb out of the hole they’re in.

The group is inconsistent. Anthony DeAngelo’s playing style decreased after his point streak ended. However, I believe he will regain some consistency and play up to his full potential. Ryan Sproul is spotty production-wise, but defensively, he is playing up to his role and fits the system well. DeAngelo has the potential to be great but he needs to play with greater consistency here. Sproul has basically been doing the job he was brought in to do although a little more production wouldn’t hurt.

Most of the defense for Hartford features younger guys. They were always going to experience growing pains as they develop their play so its not the worst thing in the world that the defense is struggling right now. When the group struggles, the veterans should step up on the blue line. They have given up 124 goals in 34 games, which is the second most in the AHL.

Injuries, Suspensions

Peter Holland’s two-game suspension is done as both games were played last weekend.  Unfortunately, Hartford lost a strong center.  The offense was hurt and face-offs were a weak point last weekend. Holland’s return is greatly anticipated. Be may prove to be a key cog in this Hartford offense as the season continues along here.

Ryan Gropp is day to day. The young forward has been improving but his offense comes in bunches. Another good forward to have in the lineup as he does the little things. Dan DeSalvo and Daniel Catenacci are both still out of the lineup. They will return once feeling 100%.

Off the Ice

The Wolf Pack’s new lease will be announced soon. In the past, lease extensions have been announced in early January. Hartford will stay and expects to play at the XL Center for an additional two seasons.

The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, rhe ECHL affiliate of the Rangers and Wolf Pack, will be staying with the organization after this week’s news.

Swamp Rabbits owner Fred Festa sold the franchise to a new ownership group, led by Steve Donner.  In addition to the purchase, the new ownership group negotiated a new lease with the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.  The lease with the Swamp Rabbits run through the 2020-21 season.  Greenville will remain with the brand and not relocate.  The Greenville-Hartford-New York connection lives on.

Upcoming Games

Friday, January 5th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7:05 pm, Dunkin Donuts Center

• The fourth meeting of the season.  Providence has won the last three of four games and have points in four straight.  The Bruins are first in the division and Eastern Conference for 45 points.  Hartford is 1-2 in the season series.

Saturday, January 6th vs Syracuse Crunch (Tampa) at 7:00 pm, XL Center

• The first of two games in the season series.  Syracuse enter the weekend winning three straight.  On the road, the Crunch are 8-8-0-2.  Syracuse struggled earlier in the season, but found their ways.

Sunday, January 7th vs Utica Comets (Vancouver) at 5:00 pm, XL Center

• The second meeting of the season between the clubs.  Last season, Hartford went 1-2-1 in the series.  This season, Hartford notched one win in the season series.  The club looks to collect another two points against the Comets.  Utica enter the weekend struggling, going 0-1-0-2.  In the last ten, the Comets are 3-3-2-2.

Another weekend means another opportunity to collect wins.  Last weekend, the Wolf Pack went 2-0-1.  They lost in a shootout to Providence on Friday, 4-3 and Saturday started a two game winning streak as Hartford defeated Rochester in the shootout, 3-2 and Springfield in regulation 5-3.  That’s five of six points and the team really impressed me with the way they played. The Wolf Pack has recently made some roster changes and that’s slowly been translating to better results with time. Coming into this weekend, Hartford is 10-12-3-2 for 25 points in the Atlantic Division.  They are ranked seventh in the division with a point percentage of .463.  However, they continue to not be far off from first in the division.  Eleven points separate the seventh spot and first.  Hartford has notched points in five straight games as well.

Anthony DeAngelo Finds His Touch

DeAngelo is finding his place in Hartford and is making the most of his minutes recently. His play is improving by leaps and bounds and he’s starting to really show why the Rangers traded for him. His passes have been crisp and he’s making his presence known on the power play. Currently he’s riding a three game point streak where he’s notched four assists.  Defensively he is sound and has improved. His effort is coming through a lot more in recent games.

Peter Holland Delivers

Chris Drury has helped the offense since his trade for Peter Holland in exchange for Adam Cracknell.  Peter Holland is almost a point per game player coming into this weekend.  He can shoot the puck well, bury rebounds, and gets in the dirty areas for goals.  In addition to his sniping ability, he can help create plays and quickly transition from defense to offense.  Currently he has a point streak of four games.  He has notched two goals and three assists for five points.

Filip Chytil to Represent Czech

The New York Rangers made it official earlier in the week that Filip Chytil will play in the World Juniors as he represents the Czech.  He had a strong outing in Hartford when he played for the club.  Hartford will miss Filip Chytil, but he will be back later in the season.  Best of luck to him in the world juniors!

Marek Mazanec Debut

Last Sunday was Marek Mazanec’s debut against Springfield.  He earned the win in net and kept Springfield from tying the game.  I have not seen enough of his playing style yet, but I enjoyed his first game with Hartford.  More to follow on him soon!

Pack Notes

• John Gilmour recorded two assists on Sunday.  The young defenseman has grown on me.  He has taken huge strides in the season.  He moves the puck well and has grown defensively.
• Vinni Lettieri continues to impress.  He had two goals and one assist on Sunday.  He is my top player for the club.  He’s the most consistent and versatile.  He can play center or wing.  In addition to contributing frequently, he can play defense well and is not afraid of the rough style grittier players play with.
• Cole Schneider had his point streak snap on Sunday.  He had a four game run, nothing two goals and three assists for five points.

Upcoming Games

• Friday, December 15th vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-Penguins (Pittsburgh), 7:15 pm at XL Center
  • The Penguins will put the Wolf Pack to test.  The Penguins are a tough opponent in the American Hockey League.  They are offensively talented and defensively sound.  Hartford struggles with the Penguins.  However the last time both clubs met, Hartford lost in a shootout, 3-2.  The Pack can play a strong game against the Penguins club.
• Saturday, December 16th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida), 7:00 pm at Mass Mutual Center
  • The Pack play Springfield, yet again.  The season series is fast moving schedule wise.  This is the seventh meeting between the clubs.  The rivalry has heated up as the series is tied at three.  Hartford won the last meeting 4-3.

Last weekend was rough for the Wolf Pack. The club dropped all three games and struggled on both sides of the puck. This is their first big slump of the season and they experienced their first blowout of the season as well on Friday night against Bridgeport, losing 7-3. It will be interesting to see how they respond this upcoming week. The club last season did not respond well to slumps and they now have their work cut out for themselves. The team is currently 7-11-2-1, seventh in the Atlantic Division, with a point percentage of .405.

Anthony DeAngelo Returns

The Rangers prospect returned to the lineup on Friday night against Bridgeport after missing the last three games. He was noticeable in his first game back as he played chippy and with an edge; irritating Bridgeport at moments. DeAngelo had not participated in a game since November 12th, with how the schedule is set up in American Hockey League.  Offensively, he attempts to pitch in and despite producing two points in ten games, he is still making sure to get shots on net. In his previous two seasons in the league, DeAngelo could produce a good amount of points but has yet to find the spark in Hartford. Defensively, he needs to work on his game, but he can get physical and is not afraid of getting in the face of the opponents to cause problems. His defensive awareness and positioning need improvement, but he is trending in the right direction.

Slow Start for Ryan Gropp

The rookie has shown offensive strides in recent days. He earned his first assist on Friday night and his second goal of the season on Sunday, giving him three points in 18 games with Hartford. Though he’s been struggling, remember that he is just a first-year pro. In addition, his minutes have been limited, for the most part, with Head Coach Keith McCambridge playing him as the 12th/13th forward.

I have to say, I wish he was given more opportunity to play with other forwards talented that are better. Having him play limited minutes while struggling can be tough for the rookie. In addition, having “gritter” linemates does not enable the forward to play to his fullest potential. I was expecting more from the forward. He could be a late bloomer and is probably still getting adjusted to the league. But if he can keep up this level of play, he might get promoted and show everyone what he can do.

John Gilmour Rebuilding

In his second year in the American Hockey League, John Gilmour has had a strong turnaround from last season. His rookie year was rough on defense. Last season in 76 games, he recorded 6 goals and 19 assists for 25 points. Offensively he did well and coming into this season, he is stronger on defense. He’s improved his puck moving ability and has shown an ability to create on the power play. He’s improved in the defensive zone as well, with blocking lanes and attempting to position himself before the entire play develops. Currently, the defenseman has eight points (2G, 6A) in 16 games. He is on pace to get close to, if not surpass, his offensive totals from last season.

Noticeable Struggles

Last weekend had glaring issues given the three-game losing streak. In each outing, the club gave up plenty of shots on net. The goalies were continually busy, giving up a total of 106 shots (Friday 37, Saturday 30, Sunday 39). Hartford gave up 15 goals in the three games, while scoring just six. The entire team’s defense and goaltending has to improve for this team to get back on track.

Another issue was the lack of puck possession. They were chasing the puck for the majority of each game, and you cannot win games if you don’t have the puck. They struggle with forechecking and playing against physical teams. The Hershey Bears played a physical style of hockey which gave Hartford problems, while Springfield and Bridgeport were able to make plays in front of the Hartford defense.

The power play has cooled off as well. They had no power play goals in the three games and gave up a shorthanded goal as well. The powerplay was expected to cool down, but an 0/12 stretch over the weekend is not what anyone was expecting.

Upcoming Games

•  Wednesday, November 29th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida) at 7:00 pm, XL Center
  • This game finishes a home-and-home series with Springfield as the Pack visited Springfield on Sunday, losing 4-2. This is the fifth of twelve games in the season series, with the series now tied at two. Hartford has lost three straight coming into the game while Springfield has won their last six of ten games.
• Friday, December 1st vs Rochester Americans (Buffalo) at 7:00 pm, Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
  • Its been two weeks since the Wolf Pack last played the Americans. Since then, the Americans have been on a hot streak. The club has won six of their last ten games, sweeping a home-and-home series with the Binghamton Devils, which included a 10-3 thumping. Hartford needs to be careful, otherwise, they could get lit up.
• Saturday, December 2nd vs Toronto Marlies (Leafs) at 4:00 pm, Ricoh Coliseum
  • This outing wraps up the season series as Hartford plays the Marlies for the second and final time. The first outing was on October 13th, with a 5-2 victory for Hartford. Coming into this weekend, Toronto has won seven straight. Their goalie, Garret Sparks is tied for the league lead in wins and is second among goalies in goals-against average and save percentage.