The 25-year-old forward spent parts of three seasons in the Rangers organization after signing with them as an undrafted free agent in the spring of 2022. He made a positive impression playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack and at Rangers training camp, but never appeared in an NHL game, due in part to his small physical stature (5-foot-7, 167 pounds).

Sista pusselbiten klar – välkommen, Bobby Trivigno! ✍️✅

Den 25-årige amerikanske forwarden som senast kommer från spel i New York Rangers organisation har skrivit på ett tvåårskontrakt med Brynäs IF.

🗞️ Läs mer på https://t.co/MR7GswpDsO pic.twitter.com/LhOOLNJi5B

— Brynäs IF (@Brynas) July 25, 2024

A native of Setauket on Long Island, Trivigno was a fan favorite in Hartford. He had 26 points (seven goals, 19 assists) in 57 games during the 2022-23 season and added two goals and an assist in nine Calder Cup Playoff games that season.

Limited to only 49 games this past season, Trivigno had 16 points (four goals, 12 points ). He was scoreless in two playoff games.

It was a different story in college for Trivigno, who played four years at the University of Massachusetts. He helped UMASS win the NCAA championship in 2020-21 and was named Frozen Four MVP. The following season, he was team captain and scored 20 goals and had 49 points in 37 games for UMASS.

Related: “Slick” Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault No. 13 on top-100 ranking

Rangers did not extend qualifying offers to Bobby Trivigno, Olof Lindbom

Bobby Trivigno — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

The Rangers decided to move on from Trivigno after last season. They did not extend him a qualifying offer this offseason, which made him an unrestricted free agent.

Goalie Olof Lindbom also was not qualified and he signed to play in Europe, as well.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Rangers did extend a qualifying offer to center Karl Henriksson even though the 2019 second-round pick had already signed to play in Europe next season. The Rangers retained his rights by doing so. Henriksson had 11 goals and 23 points in 64 games with the Wolf Pack last season.

On a bigger scale, the Rangers made the no-brainer decisions to qualify defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider earlier this offseason. Though Schneider already signed a two-year, $4.4 million contract, Lindgren is scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing with the Rangers on Aug. 2.

If Lindgren is awarded a one-year deal by the arbitrator or settles in advance of the hearing for a one-year contract, he could become a UFA at the end of this coming season.

Every year, NHL teams track players who went undrafted in order to find late bloomers who can turn out to be diamonds in the rough. NCAA free agents are closer to reaching their potential as what type of player they will be once in the professional ranks. The Rangers and their American hockey League affiliate, Hartford Wolf Pack, have had recent success with a few of these players, including Bobby Trivigno (UMass), Brandon Scanlin (University of Miami), and Bryan Yoon (Colorado College/Utah Grizzlies).

Let’s examine which players might be of interest to the Rangers this season.

Related: Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault named to Hockey East All-Rookie Team

NCAA hockey free agents that could interest New York Rangers

Collin Graf (Quinnipiac University)

The 21-year-old forward is considered to be the best available college free agent and is a strong candidate for the Hobey Baker Award. Graf won the 2023 NCAA National Championship with Quinnipiac University, and was named CCM/AHCA First Team All-American and ECAC First Team All-Conference as a sophomore. His 38 assists during the 2022-23 season were tied for the NCAA lead. Graf missed four games with an injury earlier in the season and Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold said “He’s a great defensive hockey player, we were just struggling when we didn’t have him. As he goes, we go.” The junior has 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points in 29 games played this season, which is leading the Bobcats in all statistical categories.

Jaxon Nelson (Minnesota)

The Minnesota captain is in his fifth year as a Gopher. He’s a 6-foot-4 right-shot center who has good defensive instincts, physicality and strength to be a disruptive player. He’s a teammate of current Rangers prospect Brody Lamb (4th round, 2021 draft), who was named Big Ten First Star of the Week on March 5. His 16 goals are third on the team, and his 28 points in 35 games played are good for fourth. A faceoff win-loss record of 354-325 gives him a solid 52.1 percent win rate.

7 goals in his last 10 periods

Jaxon Nelson is on a HEATER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rbp5gROOy9

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) March 9, 2024

Luke Krys (Providence College)

A graduate transfer who was captain at Brown University in the 2022-23 season. The 23-year-old is a sturdy all-around defenseman who attended New York Rangers Development Camp in 2023. Krys is a teammate of current Rangers prospect Jaroslav Chmelar (5th rouns, 2021 draft). Listed at 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, Krys skates on the right side of the Friars top defensive pair and has notched six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 34 games. The native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, was named Hockey East Defender of the Week on Oct. 9. Luke’s father, Mark Krys, was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the eighth round of the 1988 draft, and his brother Chad Krys was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round in 2016.

A look at Luke Krys’ goal from the second period. pic.twitter.com/71AYqw69uA

— PC Men's Hockey (@FriarsHockey) March 9, 2024

Ryan Siedem (Notre Dame)

Siedem was also an attendee of the New York Rangers Development Camp in 2023. The graduate student spent the 2023-24 season with the University of Notre Dame after three seasons with Harvard, where he was teammates with current Rangers prospect Zakary Karpa (6th round, 2022 draft)). The right-shot defenseman is listed at 6-foot-2, 192 pounds and scored three goals with 17 assists for 20 points in 36 games this season. He led the team in assists, and ranked second in blocked shots, with 48. Siedem appeared in 163 games in the USHL between the USNTDP, Central Illinois and Fargo. With USA Hockey, Siedem won the U17 World Hockey Challenge, U17 Four Nations Cup and U17 Five Nations Cup.

After numerous years of disappointments and struggles, Hartford is on an upward track. The Wolf Pack will look to pick up from where they left off after a nice Calder Cup run winning two rounds last season. Expectations are higher as the club is expected to make playoffs and possibly go deeper in the playoffs.

To kick off the season, this weekend will feature two competitive games against rivals that will test Hartford. Now let’s preview what lies ahead.

Related: 3 Thoughts on the Hartford Wolf Pack

Hartford Wolf Pack Season Preview

Wolf Pack Undefeated in Preseason

The club compiled a 3-0-0 record in preseason action, finding chemistry and balance that should foreshadow a promising season.

In the first two games, there was a mix of prospects and players on tryouts. However, it was key players from last season, along with new additions that led them to wins.

Game one against the Springfield Thunderbirds featured a 3-2 shootout win. Hartford had the early jump in the contest, but Springfield jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Wolf Pack kept pushing until they capitalized by registering two goals in the third period. Ryan McCleary converted on the Wolf Pack’s first goal with Adam Sýkora recording the lone assist on the play. Seth Barton registered Hartford’s second goal a couple of minutes later. In the shootout, Ryder Korczak had the lone and deciding goal. Brett Berard recorded two assists on the night.

Game two against the Bridgeport Islanders featured a Bobby Trivigno multi-point performance (2 goals, 1 assist) and a 5-3 win. In this matchup. Hartford scored first and kept on rolling. Cristiano DiGiacinto recorded Hartford’s first tally, with an assist to Matej Pekar. Brett Berard registered his first preseason goal, with assists given to Bobby Trivigno and Karl Henriksson. The power play and penalty kill had good looks throughout the contest, with Trivigno converting a man up.

The final game featured what will likely be Hartford’s primary roster heading into the season. It should be noted that Brennan Othmann did not play as he was sent down prior to the contest. In a 3-1 victory against Bridgeport, the Wolf Pack looked sharp and generated numerous offensive chances. Louis Domingue, Anton Blidh, Adam Edström were outstanding and essentially in mid-season form for this one. Defenseman Mac Hollowell registered the first goal of the game, with an assist credited to Nikolas Brouillard. Blake Hillman then registered Hartford’s second tally and Brouillard extended the Wolf Pack’s lead with an assist from Hollowell in the final frame to seal the deal.

on the ice this afternoon ↓ pic.twitter.com/QDnbISrRwo

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 7, 2023

A look at the Wolf Pack

The Hartford Wolf Pack seemed to have addressed one of last year’s major concerns, the power play. Despite losing Will Cuylle up front and Zac Jones on defense to the Rangers, adding players like Brennan Othmann, Riley Nash, and Mac Hollowell should help. Other players that could be useful to the man advantage are Brett Berard, Adam Sykora, and Bobby Trivigno. One question that remains is whether coach Kris Knoblauch will deploy four forwards with one defenseman as the main unit.

A preview of the forwards shows plenty of firepower, with captain Jonny Brodzinski back after being one of the last cuts at Rangers’ camp. The additions of veterans like Nash and Alex Belzile will also help keep the offense moving in the right direction.

One player that could be in line for a breakout is the aforementioned Bobby Trivigno. He had a strong Rangers rookie camp that carried over to the Wolf Pack preseason.

Of course, all eyes will be on Othmann, who is expected to perform well as a first year pro. He will add to the team’s strong offense and will give Hartford options for the power play and top two lines.

The Pack are also deep, as they will also Jake Leschyshyn and Turner Elson back. Both players found their games in the second half of the season. For grit, The Wolf Pack have Anton Blidh and Matt Rempe for an edge when things get nasty.

Looking at defense, the Wolf Pack transformed themselves from a young defensive core to a seasoned one. Mac Hollowell shows promise both offensively and defensively. Veterans Ben Harpur, Connor Mackey, Nikolas Brouillard will provide a mix of experience, leadership, grit, and solid two-way play. For depth, Hartford has Blake Hillman and Zach Berzolla, which both demonstrated they can jump in when needed because of call ups or injury. These new and experienced additions will help guide prospects like Matthew Robertson and Brandon Scanlin.

In goal, second year-pro Dylan Garand will battle veteran Louis Domingue for the role of Pack’s number one netminder.

Hartford Wolf Pack Roster

UPDATE: 10/12/23

The official roster per the Hartford Wolf Pack:

The Wolf Pack roster is comprised of 23 skaters. The group breaks down to 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders.

Forwards (14): Alex Belzile, Brett Berard, Anton Blidh, Jonny Brodzinski, Adam Edström, Turner Elson, Karl Henriksson, Ryder Korczak, Jake Leschyshyn, Riley Nash, Brennan Othmann, Matt Rempe, Adam Sýkora, and Bobby Trivigno.

Defensemen (7): Nikolas Brouillard, Ben Harpur, Blake Hillman, Mac Hollowell, Connor Mackey, Matthew Robertson, and Brandon Scanlin.

Goaltenders (2): Louis Domingue and Dylan Garand.

Cuts From Training Camp

The following players are assigned to the following:

Released: Ryan McCleary, Peter Laviotte III, Brad Arvanitis, and Chris Cameron

Assigned to Cincinnati ECHL:

Forwards: Luka Burzan, James Hardie, Michal Mrazik, Sahil Panwar, Cristiano DiGiacinto, Matej Pekar

Defense: Matthew Cairns, Billy Constantinou, Steven MacLean, Seth Barton

Goalies: Talyn Boyko, Olof Lindbom

How to watch the Hartford Wolf Pack

All 72 games will be broadcasted on Mixlr for the upcoming season. Alex Thomas will be broadcasting live 10 minutes prior to each game. In addition, watching the Wolf Pack will remain only on AHLTV. When announced, further TV coverage could be available as the season progresses (NHL Network often show various AHL games).

In addition, game coverage of the Wolf Pack on X (formerly Twitter) will return. You can follow me there at Milliner06.

Upcoming Games

Hartford begins October with two road games. The club will return home for two games the following weekend. In the month, Hartford will have three home games and four away outings.

Friday, October 13th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7:05pm, Amica Mutual Pavilion

• This is the first of 10 meetings in the season series. Last season, Hartford won the series with a record of 6-3-1. Game two of the series will be in Hartford on November 11th. Then, game three will return in Providence on November 12th.
• In the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, Hartford knocked out the Bruins in four games (3-1) despite Providence being the strong team in the Eastern Conference (1st in division and conference).
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, October 14th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:05pm, MassMutual Center

• This is the first of 10 meetings in the season series. Last season, Hartford struggled against Springfield and posted a record of 3-7-0-2.
• In the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, Hartford stunned Springfield in a best of three series, sweeping the Thunderbirds (2-0).
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

This afternoon, it was announced the New York Rangers have waived six players who had been participating in training camp to this point:

Riley Nash
Connor Mackey
Ty Emberson
Turner Elson
Anton Blidh
Alex Belzile

Four of the players being waived were competing for roles as forwards with the Rangers; two of the players were competing for roles as defensemen.

It is anticipated that should all these players pass through waivers, they will be assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack and begin training camp with the AHL team.

Must Read: Rangers vs Islanders flooded out

Contractual status of the players being waived

Riley Nash, a 34-year-old center, is earning a salary of $775,000 and his cap hit is $775,000 for the 2023-24 season. He was signed to a two-year deal by the Rangers and will be a UFA after the 2024-2025 season.

Connor Mackey is a 27-year-old defenseman earning a salary of $775,000 with a $775,000 cap hit for the 2023-2024 season. Signed by the Rangers to a one-year contract, he will be a UFA after the current season.

Ty Emberson is a 23-year-old defenseman earning a salary of $775,000 with a $775,000 cap hit for the 2023-2024 season. Signed by the Rangers to a one-year deal, he will be a RFA after the present season.

Turner Elson, a 31-year-old left wing, is earning a salary of $775,00 with a $762,000 cap hit for the 2023-2024 season. Elson was signed by the Rangers in 2022 to a two-year deal with an AAV of $762,000 for each year. He will be a UFA at the end of the current season.

Anton Blidh is a 28-year-old right- and left-winger earning a salary of $775,000 with a $775,000 cap hit for the 2023-2024 season. Signed by the Rangers to a two-year contract, he will be a UFA after the 2024-2025 season.

Alex Belzile is 32-year-old center and right-winger earning a salary of $775,000 with a $775,000 cap hit for the 2023-2024 season. He was signed by the Rangers to a two-year deal and will be a UFA after the 2024-2025 season.

Said Blueshirts head coach Peter Laviolette after today’s practice sessions, “At some point we gotta have moves; you can’t keep having split groups and you can’t keep practicing [that way], so at some point — like in every training camp — there’ll be moves being made, and yeah, we’re gonna make moves.”

Further moves made by the New York Rangers today

In addition to waiving six players who’d been participating in training camp today, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury announced a number of other moves to trim the training camp roster.

Nikolas Brouillard, Karl Henriksson, Ryder Korczak, and Bobby Trivigno have been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack. Blake Hillman has been released from his PTO and will also report to Hartford Training Camp. In addition, the Rangers have released Adam Clendening from his PTO.

Per the Rangers press release, 41 players remain in Training Camp. The roster breakdown is listed below:

Forwards (24): Alex Belzile, Brett Berard, Anton Blidh, Nick Bonino, Jonny Brodzinski, Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle, Adam Edstrom, Turner Elson, Barclay Goodrow, Kaapo Kakko, Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere, Jake Leschyshyn, Riley Nash, Brennan Othmann, Artemi Panarin, Tyler Pitlick, Matt Rempe, Adam Sykora, Vincent Trocheck, Jimmy Vesey, Blake Wheeler, Mika Zibanejad

Defensemen (13): Ty Emberson, Adam Fox, Erik Gustafsson, Ben Harpur, Mac Hollowell, Zac Jones, Ryan Lindgren, Connor Mackey, K’Andre Miller, Matthew Robertson, Brandon Scanlin, Braden Schneider, Jacob Trouba

Goaltenders (4): Louis Domingue, Dylan Garand, Jonathan Quick, Igor Shesterkin

The roster is actually trimmed down to 35 once players mentioned earlier clear or are claimed from waivers.

Of this group, the Blueshirts will make their ultimate selections for the 23-man roster by opening day.

Many of the 24 prospects that were invited will likely transition to the main camp when it opens later this week in preparation for the team’s first exhibition game of the season. That just happens to be this coming Sunday on the road against the Boston Bruins at 5 PM.

Several players certainly stood out and two of them desperately needed to put their best foot forward. Defenseman Matthew Robertson and winger Bobby Trivigno led the Blueshirts kids to a sweep of their Philadelphia Flyers counterparts this past weekend in the Rookie Series.

Let’s examine which prospects certainly earned a serious look before the 2023-24 NHL season begins.

Related: Three prospects that must impress at rookie camp

New York Rangers Rookie Camp Stand Outs

Before we begin, here’s the full list of invites:

Forwards: Maxim Barbashev, Brett Berard, Adam Edstrom, Karl Henriksson, Ryder Korczak, Bryce McConnell-Barker, Max McCue, Luke McNamara, Brennam Othmann, Sahil Panwar, Matt Rempe, Dylan Roobroeck, Adam Sykora, Bobby Trivigno

Defensemen: Joe Arnsten, Seth Barton, Ty Emberson, Ryan McCleary, James Petrovski, Matthew Robertson, Brandon Scanlin

Goalies: Talyn Boyko, Dylan Garand, Olof Linbom

For more details on each player click here.

Rangers rookie stand outs

As mentioned previously, Robertson and Trivigno led the way by playing excellent two-way hockey. In the first game, Robertson’s goal and assist helped beat the Flyers 4-2. That was followed by a two goal performance from Trivigno in a 3-1 victory to end the series.

Robertson paced all Rangers rookies in scoring with a goal and two assists in the series. Trivigno had two points and a handful of players picked up a point including highly-touted prospects Brennan Othmann and Adam Sykora (both notched an assist).

Aside from the names mentioned above, Ty Emberson was also rock solid paired with Robertson. It was also good to see Brett Berard, Karl Henriksson, and Ryder Korczak making their presence felt.

One very big prospect, and I mean literally big, that made the Flyers feel his presence was 6-8, 240 lbs forward Matt Rempe. The Rangers selected him in the sixth round of the 2019 Draft and ever since then he’s shown a willingness to play hard physical hockey. That was on full display when he dropped Zayde Wisdom with a single punch in the opening period of the first game setting a tone for the entire series. Rempe, 21, registered 10 points in 53 games as a rookie for the Hartford Wolf Pack last season.

Another player that may deserve a longer look is Luke McNamara, who got the party started in game two with an unassisted wraparound tally. The 18 year-old forward went undrafted this past summer and the Blueshirts are seriously considering adding him to their prospect pipeline. McNamara scored 27 points in 67 games for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit in 2022-23.

Finally, goalie Dylan Garand picked up right where he left off with the Pack in the Calder Cup Playoffs. After a decent regular-season, the 21 year-old netminder was outstanding with a 5-3 record, 1.76 goals against average, a .935 save percentage and 2 postseason shutouts. Garand made 32 saves going the distance in the opening win versus the Flyers.

Rangers rookies that will likely not make main camp

Of course, there’s several prospects I believe will be heading back to their junior clubs including Maxim Barbashev, Bryce McConnell-Barker, and Dylan Roobroeck up front. On the backend, Joe Arnsten and James Petrovski are unlikely to make the main camp.

In goal, the Rangers could very well bring both Talyn Boyko and Olof Linbom in for some extra work but that remains to be seen.

At the end of the day, the Rangers kids all looked very good. That especially feels nice after seeing their prospect pipleline ranked 15th by The Athletic in the summer, giving fans some optimism for the future.

“Last year we lost both games and this year we won them,” he said. “A lot of guys got closer from that (experience) and competed harder than last year.”

Related: Matthew Robertson leads Rangers rookies over Flyers in Game 1

Bobby Trivigno helps Rangers sweep Flyers

After being swept in last season’s Rookie Series, the young Blueshirts were eager to return the favor by jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Luke McNamara opened the scoring a little over two minutes in when he converted on an unassisted wraparound tally. The 18 year-old forward went undrafted this past summer and the Blueshirts are seriously considering adding him to their prospect pipeline.

McNAMARA. 🔄 pic.twitter.com/PXhHejbY4t

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 16, 2023

Later in the stanza, Trivigno would tally his first of the game off a great set up from defenseman Ty Emberson. The other assist was credited to Matthew Robertson, who finished this two-game set with a goal and two helpers.

“Emberson made a nice cut at the blue line and drove the net hard to take the D away from me,” Trivingo explained. “So it was pretty easy to get a shot on goal.”

TRIVIGNO. 🤌 pic.twitter.com/ix8tZ0fkD3

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 16, 2023

The Flyers made it a nail biter when Zayde Wisdom scored on the power play late in the second to set up a frantic third period. That allowed Trivigno to put a cherry on top of his great night with a breakaway score in the final minute.

“I was trying to be patient,” Trivigno noted. “I was waiting for their goalie to come out for an extra attacker. The [defenseman] kind of fumbled it a little bit and I got a breakaway out of it.”

CLUTCH. 💯 pic.twitter.com/a4BLpUhDJs

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 17, 2023

Trivigno, 24, signed as a college free agent on April 1, 2022 after a successful NCAA career where he won the National Championship in 2021. His contract is up in July.

The native of Setauket, NY has been solid for the Hartford Wolf Pack amassing 8 goals, 21 assists, and 29 points in 68 AHL games over parts of two seasons. In last year’s Calder Cup playoffs, he added 3 points in 9 matches and showed an ability to be play in tough situations.

Coming into this training camp, he needed to let the Rangers know he’s a lot more than a feisty fourth-liner. He’ll have to show some of that scoring ability he displayed in college if he hopes to make his Broadway debut and he’s off to a good start.

“Going forward, I want to have a good main camp and make an impression, move onto to the season and work my way up,” Trivigno made clear in his post game interview.

In goal, duties were split with Olof Linbom picking up the win after stopping all 9 shots directed his way. Meanwhile, Talyn Boyko preserved that victory with a 19 save performance over the last two periods.

The Rangers rookies will have two days off to bond before returning to conclude their camp with a practice on September 19.

Matthew Robertson, Bobby Trivigno, and Karl Henriksson are all entering the final year of their entry-level contracts.

Related: Rangers prospect pool dips again

Rangers prospects that need to impress

Bobby Trivigno

Trivigno, 24, signed as a college free agent on April 1, 2022 after a successful NCAA career where he won the National Championship in 2021. During his final year at UMass, he scored 49 points with 20 goals earning himself College Hockey News’ Player of the Year Award.

So far, the small but gritty forward has yet play a game for the Rangers.

The native of Setauket, NY has been solid for the Hartford Wolf Pack amassing 8 goals, 21 assists, and 29 points in 68 AHL games over parts of two seasons. In last season’s Calder Cup playoffs, he added 3 points in 9 matches and showed an ability to be play in tough situations.

Coming into camp, Trivigno needs to let the Rangers know he’s a lot more than a feisty fourth-liner. He’ll need to show some of that scoring ability he displayed in college if he hopes to stick around past this season.

Karl Henriksson

Henriksson, 22, was selected by the Rangers in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. To date, the small Swedish center has yet to play a single game for the big club.

Before coming over to North America, Henriksson scored 9 points in 40 games with Frolunda of the SHL playing against men in 2021-22. In his first pro season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, he registered 17 points in 70 games, but went scoreless in 7 playoff contests.

With the trend in the NHL of getting continuously bigger in size, the 5-9 pivot needs to show some of the playmaking ability that attracted the Rangers to him in the first place.

Matthew Robertson

Of all the prospects attending rookie camp, none has more to prove than Canadian born defenseman Matthew Robertson.

When the Rangers drafted him during the second round of the 2019 draft, they expected the now 22 year-old to be pushing for a full-time roster spot. Considering his formidable size at 6-4 and 201 lbs, he would be an ideal partner for Braden Schneider on the third pair.

Last season with the Wolf Pack was an up and down affair. He scored 23 points in 57 games showing some of that offensive ability from juniors. Unfortunately, his campaign was cut short by injury as he missed the entirety of the Pack’s Calder Cup playoff run.

Entering this season, it’s a pivotal one for Robertson with the Rangers organization. He’s due to be a restricted free agent next summer, and needs to make some serious strides starting immediately when camp opens.

What Robertson needs to show management is his ability to be that two-way defenseman they selected. That means moving the puck and making that all important outlet pass throughout camp. He must also maintain the steadiness in his own zone that won him Central Division’s Defenseman of the Year in 2020-21 with a +26.

While the organization would love a Robertson and Schneider pairing for the foreseeable future, it falls on the prospect to make the impression needed. If he does, we may see his NHL debut this season.

For more on the 24 players at camp, click here.

Here’s the Rangers Rookie Camp Schedule:

• 9/13 – Practice (12:30 PM) – MSG Training Center
• 9/14 – Practice (10:30 AM) – MSG Training Center
• 9/15 – Rookie Game @ Flyers (7:00 PM) – PPL Center in Allentown, PA
• 9/16 – Rookie Game @ Flyers (5:00 PM) – PPL Center in Allentown, PA
• 9/17 and 9/18 – No Practice
• 9/19 – Practice (12:15 PM) – MSG Training Center

Hartford snapped their 0-2-1-1 streak last weekend by defeating the Hershey Bears 4-2, followed by a thrilling 3-2 overtime win against the Charlotte Checkers. The club showed significant improvements on defense while the offense began to roll despite missing Julien Gauthier, who is with the New York Rangers

Hartford performed well in both outings, which is a good sign entering November. The club was ready to play, from goaltending on out not a single player missed a beat.

Entering this weekend, Hartford is 2-2-1-1 for six points. That ranks the group seventh in the Atlantic Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Keep in mind that a few points separate Hartford from the rest of the teams in the division.

Hartford Wolf Pack: Dylan Garand 1st win

Bobby Trivigno Returns

The 23 year-old forward returned to Hartford’s lineup last Friday against Hershey. He played with a chip on his shoulder and was noticeable in all aspects of the game. Trivigno recorded one goal and one assist for two points in Hartford’s first win of the season. He prospect played alongside Gustav Rydahl and Turner Elson in the matcha and that line was buzzing throughout the game.

Trivigno assisted on the first goal of the game from Rydahl. The sequence was superb as the group was aggressive on the play and moved the puck well.

🎥 Gus’ 1st AHL point: ✅ pic.twitter.com/dkyqOVZtXk

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 28, 2022

In the third, the talented prospect registered his first goal of the season with a beautiful backhand, fending off the Bears defenseman. In addition, he was aggressive while Hershey was in Hartford’s zone as they were pushed out and he transitioned the group from defense to offense.

🎥 Bobby with the backhand 🔥 pic.twitter.com/IcCZl7Y1GZ

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 29, 2022

After being held out of the lineup for two games, Trivigno made a case on why he should remain in the lineup the rest of the way. He was given the opportunity and made the most of it. Trivigno was held off the scoresheet Saturday but had strong opportunities for Hartford and helped push the offense in a close game.

Veteran Louis Domingue Secure First Win of Season

Third time’s the charm for Domingue. After being held from the win column in his first two tries (0-0-1-1), the veteran found himself with a W in Friday’s game against Hershey.

While the stats may indicate not a great start to the season, the goaltender played exceptionally well. Hartford’s defensive struggles was bailed out by Domingue and Garand often. Domingue was close to his first win of the season in his other two starts (OT and SO losses). With better support by Hartford’s defensive group, Domingue locked down the crease against Hershey and only two goals were given up. The veteran stopped 19 of 21 shots in the game.

Louis Domingue improves to 1-0-1-1 with a 2.92 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

Dylan Garand gets first pro win!

Saturday’s game against the Charlotte Checkers was tight between the clubs. The 20 year old earned his first professional win in his third attempt as well.

Prior to the game, Garand was 0-2 and adjusting to the professional ranks. In his two losses, the prospect showed impressive ability and kept cool in all situations. To his credit, this first win was not easy, especially against a tough Checkers club. The goaltender faced two 5 on 3’s in the contest, and had to withstand a big third period push that included 4 penalties against. Hartford maintained a one goal lead throughout the contest, up until Charlotte tied the game twice, both in the third as he faced 16 shots. His heroics gave the Pack a chance to redeem themselves and they did with an OT winner just 47 seconds in as Garand stopped 24 of 26 shots in the game.

Dylan Garand improves to 1-2 with a 2.68 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.

Defensive Improvements

As I discussed in last week’s edition of Wolf Pack Weekly, one concern was the struggles from the blueline. The transitioning was not stellar, which led to multiple mistakes. Fast forward to this weekend, as they worked on those deficiencies and played well as a unit.

In both outings, the defense was excellent on their reads and limited odd man rushes. They were aggressive too with their game and really cut off passing lanes.

Overall the penalty kill was excellent, especially against the Checkers. Hartford blocked shots and were strong clearing the puck. The penalty kill units have been busy and performing well, which is a confidence booster for the defense.

The forward group also contributed to the improvements with defense. Everyone was committed to help out the goaltenders. A week’s worth of practices and addressing struggles paid off for Hartford. This was a great turnaround and you have to give credit to the coaching staff.

Jonny Brodzinski Heats Up

Hartford’s captain secured his first two goals of the season this past weekend as he scored one in each game. The veteran has points in four straight and was held off the scoresheet only once through six games. Brodzinski leads the club in points with six (2G – 4A).

The forward continues to show good offensive production in addition to his leadership. The extension continues to pay dividends for the organization.

JONNY ON THE SPOT pic.twitter.com/Rft5MEWP6A

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 29, 2022

Goals From the Weekend

Check out Hartford’s goals from this weekend.

• First up is Andy Welinski’s game winning goal in overtime. This is his first goal of the season. The offensive minded defenseman has a dynamic skill set to help boost Hartford’s offensive game.

How the game was won 👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/NEqQethXI9

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 30, 2022

• Lauri Pajuniemi recorded his third goal of the season with a deflection from Ben Harpur’s shot.

How the tie was broken 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/gH48kUk9kM

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 30, 2022

• Tim Gettinger secured his first goal of the season on Friday night.

🎥 always be ready pic.twitter.com/scGVGPnKEX

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@HWPHockey) October 28, 2022

Wolf Pack News and Notes

One Timers

• Turner Elson recorded two assists on Friday’s game. The veteran is second on the team in points with five (one goal, four assists).
• Andy Welinski has fours points in the last three of five games. He recorded three assists and one goal in that span. He had a two point game on Saturday against Charlotte (one goal, one assist).
• Lauri Pajuniemi recorded two goals in the last two of three games.

Injury Updates

Hartford was down two forwards in the third period in Friday’s game.

• Gustav Rydahl did not return in Friday’s game. He did not play on Saturday. More updates to come when available.
• Patrick Khodorenko left in Friday’s game as well. He was hurt after a check along the boards.
• Matthew Robertson did not play in both games. He is day to day.

Transactions

• Ben Harpur released from his Professional Tryout (PTO) on October 28th. He was assigned to Hartford by New York on the same day after he cleared waivers. The defenseman is now on a two way deal for one year.
• Alex Whelan was recalled from Jacksonville ECHL on October 29th.

Building Updates

Long Term Plan

The arena operator, Oak View Group (OVG) is currently in discussions with the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) regarding a partnership to transform the XL Center. As the long road continues to modernize the dated building, there is optimism that the building could be renovated in the near future.

As part of the potential partnership between OVG and CRDA, OVG would contribute funding to the renovation plan that was backed by the CRDA. Originally the CRDA had a $250M renovation plan that would overhaul the XL Center from top to bottom. However, that price tag was expensive for the state of Connecticut to commit to, which resulted in a new strategy from the CRDA.

The plan is for a $100 to modernize the lower level of the facility. Amenities would include additional bathrooms, event level club and suites, loge boxes, and other premium seating options throughout the lower level of the arena. Additional upgrades would be under the hood, staging, and concourse enhancements. The upper level would remain untouched. The only addition to the upper level would be a moveable wall to expand or reduce capacity of the XL Center.

OVG is interested in partnering with the CRDA as they believe the XL Center can become a “premium concert venue”. The focus of seating is approximately 11,500 to 13,500, depending on the final configuration for renovations and focus on concert seating.

The next steps in the process would be an agreement of a partnership. The partnership would allow OVG to run the facility for a lengthy period of time in addition to a framework of splitting revenue, expenses, etc…

For additional information, check out this article from the Hartford Business Journal.

Sports Betting Lounge Update

Construction of the Sports Betting Lounge began in the summer of 2022. The original completion date was September. Unfortunately, as a result of delays from shipping and manufacturing of items, the opening is pushed back to Spring 2023. The CRDA completed two agreements to have sports betting in place at the XL Center. The first one is through the Connecticut Lottery (operations) and the other is through the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (revenue funding structure from profits).

For additional information, check out this article from the Hartford Business Journal.

Additional renderings of the lounge can be viewed on the CRDA’s website.

Hartford Wolf Pack Schedule

Hartford will be playing 11 games in November. They will be on the road for the next three of four games. The split has Hartford playing five games at home and six on the road.

Friday, November 4th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:05pm, Mass Mutual Center

• This is the first of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford lost the season series last year with a record of 5-6-1. The second meeting between the clubs will be in Hartford on November 9th.
• Entering the weekend, Springfield is 4-3-0-1 for nine points. That ranks the group fifth in the Atlantic Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference. The Thunderbirds are on a point streak of five games, going 4-0-0-1.
• Experienced forward Nathan Todd leads the Thunderbirds in points with nine. Through eight games, Todd collected seven goals and two assists. Nikita Alexandrov, Matthew Highmore, and Martin Frk are tied for second in points with eight.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Saturday, November 5th vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 7pm, Total Mortgage Arena

• This is the second of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford dropped the first game of the season series on October 23rd by a score of 5-2. The third meeting between the clubs will remain in Bridgeport, on November 23rd. Hartford will host the fourth meeting on December 23rd.
• Entering the weekend, Bridgeport is 6-1-1 for 13 points. That ranks the group second in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. The Islanders are on a point streak of 6-0-1, notching 13 of 14 points.
• Forward Andy Andreoff and Ruslan Iskhakov lead the Islanders in points with 11 each. Andreoff has five goals and six assists while Iskhakov recorded four goals and seven assists.
• Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.

Interestingly, the usual blue paint in front of the net was replaced by yellow for the home of Trinity College Bantams. Benches were on opposing sides of the ice, with both penalty boxes on the home side. 

Despite clearing waivers on Friday, and being assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack, captain Jonny Brodzinski did not play. New York Rangers Director of Player Development, Jed Ortmeyer as well as Assistant Director of Player Development, Tanner Glass were on hand to observe the night’s contest.

Several diehard Wolf Pack fans and season ticket holders were in the crowd, notably “COWBILL” with cowbell in hand. 

Hartford Wolf Pack in preseason action

With Olof Lindbom and Dylan Garand having split the crease on Thursday, Louis Domingue started in net and played the full 60 minutes Friday night, with Parker Gahagen serving as the backup.

Tanner Fritz centered the starting forward line flanked by Will Cuyle and Turner Elson, with veteran Andy Welinski and Tim Theocharidis beginning the game on the blue line. 

After a few minutes of back and forth action, Hartford had their first shot on goal from Turner Elson with 16:38 on the clock. Forward Matt Rempe beat out an icing call with 14:04 remaining. His overall play stood out, and he had a strong game in a bottom six role.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch elected to spread out his giants on different lines to balance out the lineup. Matt Rempe (6′ 8″) skating with Karl Henriksson and Cristiano Digiancinto. Tim Gettinger (6′ 6″) was paired with Gustav Rydahl, and Lauri Pajuniemi. Austin Rueschhoff (6′ 7″) featured on a line along with Bobby Trivigno, and Ryder Korzczak. 

Will Cuyle recovered a couple of loose pucks to pin Bridgeport in their defensive zone, ultimately leading to the first penalty call of the night against the Islanders with 12:04 left in the period.

Lauri Pajuniemi was out as the fourth forward for Hartford on their first power play unit, along with starters Tanner Fritz, Will Cuyle, Turner Elson, and Andy Welinski on defense. After regaining the puck in the defensive zone, Will Cuyle carried the puck up ice, and the Wolf Pack would open the scoring with a powerplay goal. Turner Elson was stationed on the far side of the goal crease, and tapped home a feed from Pajuniemi after receiving a cross-ice pass from Tanner Fritz with 10:51 on the clock. 

Bridgeport would respond in the final minute of the period when a Ryan MacKinnon shot from the point found its way through traffic and past Louis Domingue. Will Cuyle was caught flat footed on the play, not pressuring the defenseman in that situation. When he returned to the bench, Head Coach Kris Knoblauch spoke to him at length. The first period ended with teams tied 1-1. 

Will Cuylle and Bobby Trivigno impressive for Pack

Cuyle was back out to start the second period with linemates Fritz and Elson. On the first shift, he made a strong power move to the front of the net, but his shot was stopped. He did not register a point in this contest but was pretty solid throughout.

Defenseman Ty Embeson had a big hit during the second minute of play. This led to some verbal jabbing between the two teams, and ultimately stood as the “Hit of the Game” in my opinion.  

Louis Domingue was under siege in the early part of the middle frame. Momentum shifted back into Hartford’s favor following a defensive zone draw from the first line. Will Cuyle bobbled the puck on the wall during the initial breakout attempt, though was able to break out on a second attempt seconds later. Hartford took the lead with 13:52 remaining after a Tim Gettinger redirection off a Brandon Scanlin shot. 

Cory Schneider came in after the midpoint of the period. Matt Rempe continued his physical play, but was assessed the first penalty against the Wolf Pack with 9:12 to go. Hartford’s penalty kill consisted of Fritz and Elson with Matthew Robertson and Ty Emberson. The second unit featured Gustav Rydahl and Tim Gettinger with Andy Welinski and Tim Theocharidis. 

Bobby Trivigno jammed home a rebound to extend the lead for Hartford with 5:53 remaining. Bridgeport was charged with a few other infractions during the second period. Hartford’s second powerplay unit consisted of Rydahl, Rueschhoff, and Gettinger up front. With the first unit on, Will Cuyle was screening the goalie above the crease while also setting things up behind the net. Lauri Pajuniemi was stationed at the top of the left circle, looking to be set up for one-timers from his teammates. The second period finished 3-1 Hartford with 27 seconds of powerplay time carrying over. 

Tanner Fritz was unable to convert on a 2 v 1 setup from Will Cuyle to start the third. Karl Henriksson gave Hartford a 4-1 lead after defenseman Tim Theocharidis carried the puck deep into the zone and found him with a pass at the side of the net. Louis Domingue came up big to preserve the Wolf Pack lead, stopping a penalty shot awarded to Bridgeport’s Jimmy Lambert. 

@WolfPackAHL Penalty Shot save pic.twitter.com/VM3FYGflXK

— Alan Selavka (@aselavka1) October 8, 2022

In the final few minutes, tensions boiled over, and multiple players from both teams were ejected after being given misconduct penalties. Hartford came away with the man advantage, and it was nice to see Matt Rempe being rewarded late with some powerplay time after his strong game. He also served as a deterrent against further physicality from Bridgeport.   

Tanner Fritz finished the scoring on the night to give the Wolf Pack a 5-1 win and sweep of the preseason series against the Islanders.

Bobby Trivigno was named the game’s first star. Louis Domingue and Turner Elson were the other stars respectively.

Hartford opens the 2022-2023 season on Friday, October 14th when they visit the Charlotte Checkers. The club hosts its home opener on Saturday, October 22nd at the XL Center against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. 

NHL NEWS

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PACIFIC DIVISION PREVIEW: Read more.

Here’s a full list of assignments to the Wolf Pack:

Talyn Boyko (G), Easton Brodzinski (F), Cristiano DiGiacinto (F), Tanner Fritz (F), Parker Gahagen (G), Dylan Garand (G),  Zach Giuttari (D), Louka Henault (D), Blake Hillman (D), Zach Jordan (F), Ryder Korczak (F), Ryan Lohin (F), Luke Martin (D), Matt Rempe (F), Matthew Robertson (D), Austin Rueschhoff (F), Hunter Skinner (D), Bobby Trivigno (F), and Alex Whelan (F).

New York Rangers cut Bobby Trivigno and Matthew Robertson

All of the cuts announced today were expected. However, Trivigno and Robertson came earlier than I thought they would.

Bobby Trivigno was the smallest player at New York Rangers rookie camp standing in at 5-8′ and 161 pounds earning a shot at the big club in regular camp.

In two preseason games, he didn’t do much with his 21:02 of total ice time failing to register a point. However, he was engaged and lived up to his reputation for not backing back down from a scrum.

Trivigno signed with the Rangers as a free agent last season after a successful college career where he won the NCAA National Championship in 2021. In his final year at UMass, he scored 49 points with 20 goals earning himself College Hockey News’ Player of the Year Award.

He joined the Wolf Pack late last season, so this will be his first full pro season.

Matthew Robertson, 21, was selected by New York in the second round of the 2019 Draft. At 6-4 and 201 pounds he has the size to play in the NHL but failed to impress management.

In his one game of preseason action Tuesday in Boston, Robertson played 18:37 but failed to register a single hit or block.

He’s now going back to the Wolf Pack where he picked up 11 points in 65 contests last season. The Rangers are hoping for more development from the 2020-21 WHL’s Central Division’s Defenseman of the Year.

Rangers training camp roster down to 42

These moves brings the Rangers roster down to 42 with 19 to 20 more cuts expected before the season starts.

Here’s who is remaining by position:

Forwards (26): Sammy Blais, Jonny Brodzinski, Ryan Carpenter, Filip Chytil, Will Cuylle, Adam Edstrom, Turner Elson, Julien Gauthier, Tim Gettinger, Barclay Goodrow, Karl Henriksson, Dryden Hunt, Kaapo Kakko, Patrick Khodorenko, Vitali Kravtsov, Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafrenière, Brennan Othmann, Lauri Pajuniemi, Artemi Panarin, Ryan Reaves, Gustav Rydahl, C.J. Smith, Vincent Trocheck, Jimmy Vesey, Mika Zibanejad

Defensemen (12): Matt Bartkowski, Ty Emberson, Adam Fox, Libor Hajek, Zac Jones, Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller, Brandon Scanlin, Braden Schneider, Jarred Tinordi, Jacob Trouba, Andy Welinski

Goaltenders (4): Louis Domingue, Jaroslav Halak, Olof Lindbom, Igor Shesterkin

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