The Rangers picked Halverson in the second round (No. 59 overall) in 2014, then chose Shesterkin in the fourth round (No. 118). Shesterkin came to North America from Russia in 2019 and had become one of the NHL’s top goaltenders; Halverson made one appearance in relief for the Rangers in a 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 17, 2018.

The Rangers let him become a free agent in 2019. He signed a two-year AHL contract with Syracuse on Nov. 28, 2023, and inked a two-year, two-way contract with Tampa Bay on Feb. 3, 2025. Halverson’s second NHL appearance, and first start, came with the Lightning in Salt Lake City on March 22, when he allowed five goals in a 6-4 loss to the Utah Hockey Club (now the Utah Mammoth).

Lightning coach Jon Cooper said starter Andrei Vasilevskiy is not available for Thursday’s home game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Jonas Johansson will get the start, with Halverson as his backup. However, Cooper also said he expects Vasilevskiy to be ready for Tampa Bay’s home game against the New York Islanders on Saturday. Vasilevskiy made 21 saves on Tuesday in a 2-1 loss to the Isles at UBS Arena.

Vasilevskiy missed most of training camp due to injury, and Halverson made three preseason appearances for the Lightning during the preseason, going 2-0-0 with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Despite that, Tampa Bay sent him back to Syracuse. In 13 games with the Crunch, he’s 9-4-0 with a .901 save percentage, 2.58 goals-against average and two shutouts.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound netminder has won four in a row, including a 37-save performance in his last start, a 5-3 win against Utica on Nov. 29. Halverson was an AHL All-Star in 2024-25, and he ranks tied for third for shutouts, 11th for GAA and 14th for saves (299) among AHL goaltenders with at least 10 games played this season.

Halverson has played in 122 AHL games with Syracuse, Tucson and the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ top affiliate; he is 56-47-15 with a .901 save percentage, 2.75 GAA, eight shutouts and two assists.

Ex-Rangers goalie Halverson gets recalled by Lightning

The native of Traverse City, Michigan, turned pro with the Rangers organization in 2016-17 after twice playing for the United States at the World Junior Championship — winning a bronze medal in 2016. Shesterkin was taken in the fourth round (No. 118) that year, but the Moscow native opted to remain in Russia and became a star in the KHL until he signed with the Rangers on May 3, 2019, and came to North America for the 2019-20 season.

By then, Halverson was already well-traveled.

He split 2016-17, his first pro season, between the Rangers’ ECHL affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina, and Hartford, then did the same in 2017-18 — with the exception of Feb. 17, 2018. That’s when Halverson backed up Henrik Lundqvist and made his NHL debut after “The King” was pulled in the third period of a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, having allowed five goals on 27 shots.

Halverson stopped five of six shots in 12:33 of playing time in a 6-3 loss. That appearance made him the eighth U.S.-born goaltender to play for the Rangers. Keith Kinkaid became No. 9 when he played in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and Jonathan Quick, who joined New York last season as Shesterkin’s backup, is the 10th. Quick became the first U.S.-born NHL goalie with 400 wins when the Rangers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Feb. 2, 2025.

But Halverson’s career since that night in Ottawa hasn’t gone the way he’d planned.

With Shesterkin under contract with the Rangers, Lundqvist still on hand and promising newcomer Alexandar Georgiev also battling for playing time, there was no place for Halverson after he split 2018-19 between Hartford and Maine of the ECHL.

Instead, he became a free agent, spent most of 2019-20 with Norfolk of the ECHL and played four games for ECHL Wheeling in 2020-21 before a high ankle sprain ended his season.

Halverson didn’t play at all in 2021-22 when he was recovering from knee and wrist surgery (instead, he worked on a farm), then returned to the ice in 2022-23 with Bayreuth in Germany’s second division.

Halverson went to camp in the fall of 2023 on a PTO with Syracuse and won four of five decisions before earning a two-year AHL contract from the Crunch in late November. He ended up splitting time between Syracuse and Orlando, the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate, but excelled at the AHL level, where he was 7-3-3 in 14 games with a 2.18 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout. It was the best showing of his professional career to that point. He was named Syracuse’s starter in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, when he was 3-4 but finished with a 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage.

The Rangers selected Halverson in the second round (No. 59 overall) in 2014, then chose Shesterkin in the fourth round (No. 118). Shesterkin came to North America from Russia in 2019 and had become one of the NHL’s top goaltenders; Halverson made one appearance in relief for the Rangers in a 6-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 17, 2018.

The Rangers let him become a free agent in 2019, and he didn’t resurface in the NHL until last season. Halverson’s second NHL appearance, and first start, came with the Lightning on March 22, when he allowed five goals in a 6-4 road loss to the Utah Hockey Club (now the Utah Mammoth).

With starter Andrei Vasilevskiy sidelined due to injury for much of training camp, Halverson made three appearances for the Lightning during the preseason, going 2-0-0 with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. But Tampa Bay claimed goalie Pheonix Copley on waivers from the Washington Capitals earlier this week, and Halverson is headed back to Syracuse, the Bolts’ AHL affiliate.

Halverson was an AHL All-Star last season with the Crunch and was a co-winner of the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the fewest goals in the AHL.

Brandon Halverson, Ryan Graves among ex-Rangers waived

Another Rangers draft pick, defenseman Ryan Graves, is also likely headed for the AHL after he was placed on waivers Saturday by the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Rangers’ opponent on opening night at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

The Rangers selected Graves in the fourth round (No. 110) in the 2013 draft. But he never made it to Broadway: After nearly three seasons with AHL Hartford, the Rangers traded him to the Colorado Avalanche for Chris Bigras on Feb. 26, 2018.

Graves joined the Avs for 26 games in the 2018-19 season, then led the NHL in plus-minus (plus-40) in 2019-20. Colorado traded him to the New Jersey Devils in July 2021, and he played two solid seasons in Newark before the Penguins signed him to a six-year, $27 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value, according to PuckPedia) in July 2023.

But the 6-5, 227-pound defenseman’s time in Pittsburgh hasn’t worked out, to say the least. His struggles have been among the reasons the Pens have failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last three seasons – and the term and money left on his contract make him almost untradeable. He’s likely to spend the season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Buffalo Sabres waived two former Rangers, defenseman Zac Jones and center Jake Leschyshyn, on Sunday. Jones signed with the Sabres as a free agent this summer after the Rangers didn’t make him an offer. He had 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in 46 games with the Blueshirts last season. Leschyshyn, son of longtime NHL defenseman Curtis Leschyshyn, spent all of last season in Hartford but had small stints with the Rangers in each of the previous two seasons.

One of the Rangers’ worst draft picks in recent years, forward Vitali Kravtsov, was waived by the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday; he cleared and was assigned to Abbotsford of the AHL. The Rangers took the Russian forward with the No. 9 pick in 2018, but he had just 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 48 games with New York before being traded to the Canucks in February 2023.

Kravtsov played 16 games in Vancouver before spending the past two seasons in the KHL, then signed with the Canucks in August after a 27-goal, 58-point season with Chelyabinsk Traktor in 2024-25.

The 28-year-old got the start hours after a long trip following his recall from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. He finished with 19 saves on 24 shots before Utah hit the empty net in the final minute to seal the win.

Halverson signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract carrying an average annual value of $775,000 with the Lightning on Feb. 3, 2025. He backed up Andrei Vasilevskiy for Tampa Bay’s final four games before the 4 Nations Face-Off, after which he was returned to Syracuse.

The Lightning recalled him Saturday after Jonas Johansson, their regular backup, had to return to Tampa for a family matter.

“Richly deserved, a long time coming for him,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of giving Halverson the start. “He’s really battled to get to this spot. (Johansson) has had a family matter he’s going to take care of, so he’s gone home for the rest of the road trip and Halvy will be with us.”

Cooper also said afterward that the loss “was not on (Halverson) at all. He had to take multiple planes, got in well after midnight. We didn’t play nearly well enough in front of him.”

Halverson was 16-9-11 with a .913 save percentage, 2.32 goals-against average and four shutouts in 34 games this season with Syracuse before being recalled. He’s tied for fourth in the AHL in shutouts, is eighth in GAA, had an assist on March 15 — his first since the 2016-17 season — and was selected for the North Division team at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in Palm Desert, California, last month.

First career start for Halvy 🥹 pic.twitter.com/MPjggYbfzV

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) March 22, 2025

The native of Traverse City, Michigan, has appeared in 100 AHL contests with Syracuse, the Tucson Roadrunners and the Hartford Wolf Pack. He is 41-41-15 with a .900 save percentage, 2.86 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Vasilevskiy, a two-time Stanley Cup winner who’s also won the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy, is locked in as the Lightning’s No. 1 goalie. The Lightning opted to use Halverson in the first of back-to-back road games, with Vasilevskiy in line to play against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, with Halverson dressing as his backup.

Halverson loses in first NHL start, 11 years after being drafted by Rangers

Halverson’s first NHL start is a testimony to his perseverance.

He was the Rangers’ first pick (second round, No. 59 overall) in 2014 and turned pro in 2016-17 after twice playing for the United States at the World Junior Championship — winning a bronze medal in 2016. Shesterkin was taken in the fourth round (No. 118) that year, but the Moscow native opted to remain in Russia and became a star in the KHL until he signed with the Rangers on May 3, 2019, and came to North America for the 2019-20 season.

By then, Halverson was already well-traveled.

He split 2016-17, his first pro season, between the Rangers’ ECHL affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina, and Hartford, then did the same in 2017-18 — with the exception of Feb. 17, 2018. That’s when Halverson backed up Henrik Lundqvist and made his NHL debut after “The King” was pulled in the third period of a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, having allowed five goals on 27 shots.

Halverson stopped five of six shots in 12:33 of playing time in a 6-3 loss. That appearance made him the eighth U.S.-born goaltender to play for the Rangers. Keith Kinkaid became No. 9 when he played in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and Jonathan Quick, who joined New York last season as Shesterkin’s backup, is the 10th. Quick became the first U.S.-born NHL goalie with 400 wins when the Rangers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Feb. 2.

But Halverson’s career since that night in Ottawa hasn’t gone the way he’d planned.

With Shesterkin under contract with the Rangers, Lundqvist still on hand and promising newcomer Alexandar Georgiev also battling for playing time, there was no place for Halverson after he split 2018-19 between Hartford and Maine of the ECHL. Instead, he became a free agent, spent most of 2019-20 with Norfolk of the ECHL and played four games for ECHL Wheeling in 2020-21 before a high ankle sprain ended his season. Halverson didn’t play at all in 2021-22 when he was recovering from knee and wrist surgery (instead, he worked on a farm), then returned to the ice in 2022-23 with Bayreuth in Germany’s second division.

Halverson went to camp in the fall of 2023 on a PTO with Syracuse, Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, and won four of five decisions before earning a two-year AHL contract from the Crunch in late November.

He ended up splitting time between Syracuse and Orlando, the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate, but excelled at the AHL level, where he was 7-3-3 in 14 games with a 2.18 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout. It was the best showing of his professional career to that point. He was named Syracuse’s starter in the Calder Cup Playoffs, when he was 3-4 but finished with a 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage.

Halverson, wearing No. 33, was on the bench backing up Andrei Vasilevskiy against the Senators, the team he faced when he made his first NHL appearance on Feb. 17, 2018, relieving Henrik Lundqvist in a 6-3 loss at Canadian Tire Centre. He had not dressed for another NHL game until Tuesday.

The two-way deal Halverson signed Monday is worth $775,000 annually at the NHL level and extends through the end of the 2025-26 season.

The 28-year-old was recalled from Syracuse, the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, as he was enjoying his best pro season. Halverson was 12-7-7 with a .918 save percentage, 2.20 goals-against average and four shutouts in 26 games for the Crunch this season while playing under an AHL contract. Among all AHL goaltenders who have played at least 20 games, Halverson is tied for first in shutouts, tied for second in goals-against average and is sixth in save percentage.

Vasilevskiy, a two-time Stanley Cup winner who’s also won the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy, is locked in as the Lightning’s No. 1 goalie. But Tampa Bay has been dealing with some uncertainty because of an injury to backup Jonas Johansson – and Halverson’s impressive play at Syracuse earned him a call-up. He could get his first NHL start this weekend, when the Lightning play back-to-back afternoon road games against the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens.

Halverson was the Rangers’ first pick (second round, No. 59 overall) in 2014 and turned pro in 2016-17 after twice playing for the United States at the World Junior Championship — winning a bronze medal in 2016. Shesterkin was taken in the fourth round (No. 118) that year, but the Moscow native remained in Russia and became a star in the KHL until he signed with the Rangers on May 3, 2019, and arrived in North America for the 2019-20 season.

By then, Halverson was already well-traveled.

Ex-Rangers goalie Halverson dresses for first NHL game since 2018

He split 2016-17, his first pro season, between the Rangers’ ECHL affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina, and Hartford, then did the same in 2017-18 — with the exception of Feb. 17, 2018. That’s when Halverson backed up Lundqvist and made his NHL debut after “The King” was pulled in the third period of a game against the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, having allowed five goals on 27 shots.

Halverson stopped five of six shots in 12:33 of playing time in a 6-3 loss. That appearance made him the eighth U.S.-born goaltender to play for the Rangers. Keith Kinkaid became No. 9 when he played in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and Jonathan Quick, who joined New York last season as Shesterkin’s backup, is the 10th. Quick became the first U.S.-born NHL goalie with 400 wins when the Rangers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Sunday.

But the Rangers returned Halverson to AHL Hartford the next day, and he didn’t dress for another NHL game until Tuesday.

He wound up being the odd man out in New York. With Shesterkin having signed with the Rangers, Lundqvist still on hand and promising newcomer Alexandar Georgiev also seeking playing time, there was no place for Halverson after he split 2018-19 between Hartford and Maine of the ECHL. He became a free agent, spent most of 2019-20 with Norfolk of the ECHL and played four games for ECHL Wheeling in 2020-21 before a high ankle sprain ended his season. Halverson didn’t play at all in 2021-22 when he was recovering from knee and wrist surgery (instead, he worked on a farm), then returned to the ice in 2022-23 with Bayreuth in Germany’s second division.

Halverson went to camp in the fall of 2023 on a PTO with Syracuse, Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, and won four of five decisions before earning a two-year AHL contract from the Crunch in late November. He ended up splitting time between Syracuse and Orlando, the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate.

But he excelled at the AHL level, going 7-3-3 in 14 games with a 2.18 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout. He was named Syracuse’s starter in the Calder Cup Playoffs, when he was 3-4 but finished with a 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage.

The two-way deal is worth $775,000 annually at the NHL level, according to Puckpedia. It extends through the end of the 2025-26 season.

The 28-year-old is enjoying his best pro season. He has a 12-7-7 record with a .918 save percentage, 2.20 goals-against average and four shutouts in 26 games this season with the Syracuse Crunch, Tampa Bay’s American Hockey League affiliate, while playing under an AHL contract. Among all AHL goaltenders who have played at least 20 games, Halverson is tied for first in shutouts, tied for second in goals-against average and is sixth in save percentage.

Halverson is a member of the North Division team playing at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in Palm Desert, California, on Monday.

The native of Traverse City, Michigan, has appeared in 92 AHL contests with Syracuse, the Tucson Roadrunners and the Hartford Wolf Pack. He is 37-39-14 with a .900 save percentage, 2.87 goals-against average and five shutouts.

Andrei Vasilevskiy, a two-time Stanley Cup winner who’s also won the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy, is locked in as the Lightning’s No. 1 goalie. But Tampa Bay has been dealing with some uncertainty because of an injury to backup goalie Jonas Johansson – and given Halverson’s impressive play, the Bolts might use him in the No. 2 role for the time being instead of Matt Tomkins.

If Halverson does make it back to the NHL, it would be a testimony to his perseverance.

Halverson was the Rangers’ first pick (second round, No. 59 overall) in 2014 and turned pro in 2016-17 after twice playing for the United States at the World Junior Championship — winning a bronze medal in 2016. Shesterkin was taken in the fourth round (No. 118) that year, but the Moscow native remained in Russia and became a star in the KHL until he signed with the Rangers on May 3, 2019, and arrived in North America for the 2019-20 season.

By then, Halverson was already well-traveled.

Ex-Rangers goalie Halverson signs NHL contract with Lightning

He split 2016-17, his first pro season, between the Rangers’ ECHL affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina, and Hartford, then did the same in 2017-18 — with the exception of Feb. 17, 2018. That’s when Halverson backed up Henrik Lundqvist and made his NHL debut after “The King” was pulled in the third period of a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, having allowed five goals on 27 shots.

Halverson stopped five of six shots in 12:33 of playing time in a 6-3 loss. That appearance made him the eighth U.S.-born goaltender to play for the Rangers. Keith Kinkaid became No. 9 when he played in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and Jonathan Quick, who joined New York last season as Shesterkin’s backup, is the 10th. Quick became the first U.S.-born NHL goalie with 400 wins when the Rangers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Sunday.

But Halverson’s career since that night in Ottawa hasn’t gone the way he’d planned.

With Shesterkin having signed with the Rangers, Lundqvist still on hand and promising newcomer Alexandar Georgiev also seeking playing time, there was no place for Halverson after he split 2018-19 between Hartford and Maine of the ECHL. He became a free agent, spent most of 2019-20 with Norfolk of the ECHL and played four games for ECHL Wheeling in 2020-21 before a high ankle sprain ended his season. Halverson didn’t play at all in 2021-22 when he was recovering from knee and wrist surgery (instead, he worked on a farm), then returned to the ice in 2022-23 with Bayreuth in Germany’s second division.

Halverson went to camp in the fall of 2023 on a PTO with Syracuse, Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, and won four of five decisions before earning a two-year AHL contract from the Crunch in late November.

He ended up splitting time between Syracuse and Orlando, the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate, but excelled at the AHL level, where he was 7-3-3 in 14 games with a 2.18 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout. It was the best showing of his professional career to that point. He was named Syracuse’s starter in the Calder Cup Playoffs, when he was 3-4 but finished with a 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage.

The 28-year-old native of Traverse City, Michigan, was the Rangers’ first pick (second round, No. 59 overall) in 2014 and turned pro in 2016-17 after twice playing for the United States at the World Junior Championship, winning a bronze medal in 2016. Shesterkin was taken in the fourth round (No. 118) that year, but the Moscow native remained in his home country and became a star in the KHL until he signed with the Rangers on May 3, 2019, and arrived in North America for the 2019-20 season.

By then, Halverson was already well-traveled.

He split 2016-17, his first pro season, between the Rangers’ ECHL affiliate in Greenville, South Carolina, and the AHL Hartford Wolf Pack, then did the same in 2017-18 — with the exception of Feb. 17, 2018. That’s when Halverson backed up Henrik Lundqvist and made his NHL debut after “The King” was pulled in the third period of a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre, having allowed five goals on 27 shots.

Halverson stopped five of six shots in 12:33 of playing time in a 6-3 loss. That appearance made him the eighth U.S.-born goaltender to play for the Rangers. Keith Kinkaid became No. 9 when he played in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and Jonathan Quick, who joined New York last season and is Shesterkin’s backup, is the 10th.

Halverson’s career since that night in Ottawa hasn’t gone the way he’d planned.

Related: Keith Kinkaid tries to finish ‘Metropolitan-area trio’ with Islanders PTO

After Rangers debut, Brandon Halverson’s career has been long, winding road

With Shesterkin having signed with the Rangers, Lundqvist still on hand and promising newcomer Alexandar Georgiev also seeking playing time, there was no place for Halverson after he split 2018-19 between Hartford and Maine of the ECHL.

Halverson became a free agent, spent most of 2019-20 with Norfolk of the ECHL and played four games for ECHL Wheeling in 2020-21 before a high ankle sprain ended his season. Halverson didn’t play at all in 2021-22 when he was recovering from knee and wrist surgery (instead, he worked on a farm), then returned to the ice in 2022-23 with Bayreuth in Germany’s second division.

“The only thing that kept me going was just the dream and knowing that something was going to break through,” Halverson told Patrick Williams of AHL.com. “I’m going to get rewarded in some sort of way. I just have to keep working hard, and that’s just been my mindset this entire time.

Halverson went to camp last year on a PTO with Syracuse, Tampa Bay’s AHL affiliate, and won four of five decisions before earning a two-year AHL contract from the Crunch in late November. He ended up splitting time between Syracuse and Orlando, the Lightning’s ECHL affiliate, but excelled at the AHL level, where he was 7-3-3 in 14 games with a 2.18 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout. It was the best showing of his professional career. And he was Syracuse’s starter in the Calder Cup Playoffs, when he was 3-4 but finished with a 2.19 GAA and .916 save percentage.

However, Halverson faces a tough challenge in his efforts to get back to the NHL. Andrei Vasilevskiy, a two-time Stanley Cup winner who’s also won the Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy, is locked in as the Lightning’s No. 1 goalie. Jonas Johansson (26 games before being injured) and Mat Tomkins (six) each spent time with Tampa Bay last season; Tomkins also played 30 games for Syracuse before his recall.

But the former Rangers prospect is not about to be deterred.

“When there’s no light, you’ve just got to make your own.”

Recent Play Still Not Enough To Get Out From Last

Hartford has won three of their last five and six of the last ten. Unfortunately, Hartford is still in last place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 28-29-6-3 for 65 points. The positive for this season is the potential to finish above .500, a mark which the team has hovered around all season.

• Springfield is ahead by one point for seventh.
• Lehigh Valley is ahead by three points for sixth.
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is ahead by five points for fifth.

These teams are not far to reach for the group. If the Pack get hot enough, they have the potential to jump ahead of a few teams. Hartford is nine points out from a playoff spot as we enter the week.

Adam Huska Gets First Pro Win

Last Saturday in Utica, the Pack skated out with a 5-3 win over the Comets. Adam Huska stopped 25 of 28 shots for his first professional win as the young goaltender appeared in his second game of the season with Hartford.

Looking ahead in the organization, there are still developments to unfold regarding the goaltending situation in Hartford, as both Chris Nell and Brandon Halverson become RFAs at the end of the season.

As the season unfolded, Brandon Halverson has proven that he could play well at the AHL and ECHL levels. The Rangers prospect struggled continually up until this season where he has shown flashes of strong progress. In Hartford, the prospect has played well enough to give him the starting role with the Pack after Dustin Tokarski and Marek Mazanec were traded elsewhere. Brandon Halverson in 30 games with Maine had a 2.67 GAA with a .924 SV%, and a record of 15-13-1. In Hartford, the stats aren’t as good. His GAA bumped up to 3.06 and his SV% dropped to .898 in 15 games. His record is 7-5 for the season.

Ryan Gropp Finding His Game

Since joining Hartford after spending time in Maine, Ryan Gropp has found his game with the Pack. The forward has found ways to put the puck in the net and help set up creative plays to get the offense going for the group. Ryan Gropp’s name is becoming noticeable on the scoresheet as of late. Once he found a spark, he has found ways to play as a better forward. For a player such as him, this is a good way to end the season. Improve, regroup, and learn for the upcoming season to create more noise.

John Gilmour Establish New Franchise Record

Hey now, you’re an all-star! John Gilmour’s two-goal performance last Wednesday against Binghamton has set a new franchise record for a defenseman.

In a down season, John Gilmour was one of the bright spots on the young roster. As a result, he earned a much-earned call up to the big club.

Roster Moves

Since the last edition of Wolf Pack Weekly, the transaction wire continues to be busy. Let’s check out the latest moves here:

• John Gilmour and Vinni Lettieri were called up on March 18th. Both players in Hartford were the most consistent and performed quite well on a struggling team. Best of luck to both!
• Greg Chase was released from his PTO and assigned to Maine on March 18th.
• Drew Melanson is back in Hartford once again through a call up on March 19th.
• Nick Jones (Signed Standard Players Contract) and Matthew Register (PTO) joins Hartford on March 19th as well.

One Timers

• Matt Beleskey has assists in back to back outings.
• Ryan Gropp has points in four straight, and points in six of the last seven games. In the span of seven contests, the prospect produced five goals and three assists for eight points.
• Sean Day recorded two assists on Saturday in Utica.
• Dawson Leedahl is the last player on the roster who played in at least one game with Hartford that has yet to register a single point.

Upcoming Games

Hartford will finish up their four-game road trip on Sunday afternoon. Hartford has five home and away games remaining.

Saturday, March 23rd vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at 6pm, Bojangles Coliseum

• This is the sixth of eight meetings against Charlotte. Hartford is 1-4 in the season series.
• Saturday’s contest begins a mini-series against the Checkers as Hartford faces the club three straight games.
• Hartford has not won a game in franchise history at the current arena, Bojangles Coliseum and the Checkers former home, Spectrum Center. In the last two seasons, Hartford is 0-6. The franchise played games in Charlotte during the tenure as the Connecticut Whale in 2010. The total record is 0-8.
• The Checkers are 41-15-7-1 for 90 points. That puts Charlotte first in the Atlantic Division, and first in the American Hockey League. The second best is the Syracuse Crunch with 88 points.

Sunday, March 24th vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at 3pm, Bojangles Coliseum

• This will be the seventh of eight meetings in the season series.
• Hartford has won their last four games on the road.
• The Pack will get to see former goaltender Dustin Tokarski. There is a chance he play against his old team.

The Wolf Pack are in similar territory as last season. After doing better in the first half of the season, the group tapered off as the season progressed. Hartford is healthier and has dealt with fewer call-ups from New York this season. But after the club snapped a nine-game losing streak, the Pack found themselves back in the loss column to finish last week.

As we chug along February and approach the NHL trade deadline, Chris Drury and Rangers management must look ahead and prepare for the 2019-2020 season in Hartford. Getting players for the upcoming season for the Wolf Pack at the deadline is never a bad idea, especially considering this season is a washout unless the club goes on a lengthy winning streak.

Hartford is preparing for three games this week. The eighth-place Wolf Pack have a record of 20-25-3-3 for 46 points. In the conference, the group is last at 16 and is 29th in the league.

Discussion Time: Who’s to Blame?

Head coach Keith McCambridge has looked questionable as the season continued. Considering a better roster than last season, what is the issue? A trend that I have noticed is his unusual coaching during games is pulling goalies multiple times when the game is already over. For instance, during Friday’s 6-0 loss to the Syracuse Crunch, with about two minutes remaining in the contest, Hartford was down 4-0. He pulled the goalie and Syracuse scored. Then again moments later to make the game 6-0 Syracuse. Lias Andersson was on the ice late in the game, looking crushed mentally and lost. That is a red flag to me because one of your top prospects in Hartford should not look that way.

The question I have with Keith McCambridge is his actions. He could be hurting the prospects in Hartford with his actions. There is a noticeable regression than progression with some of the players. This was not the first time he pulled the goalie when the game was over. That concept seems unusual when you are down more than four goals.

Another eye-opener is benching your players during games. When the Pack are down and need a spark, often times he puts players such as Peter Holland (your leading scorer), Vinni Lettieri, or other prospects at the bottom in hopes to change the game. I see where Keith McCambridge comes from, however, I do not think that is the best way to go about games. The league is for development, not benching your top players.

Chris Drury has had his hands tied. As the Wolf Pack general manager, he is unable to do much on the fly. He can sign players, release, or trade for AHL players. However, the issue becomes how will he enhance the roster. He has not found the winning formula for the Wolf Pack. He has to work hand in hand with Jeff Gorton as well. After this season is completed, I am sure Chris Drury will be looking at everything in Hartford.

Hartford’s Reputation

The reputation for AHL teams also plays a role in players taking a liking to the organization, especially from an AHL veteran’s standpoint. You must have a likable coach in place, as well as a team that is known to win. Unfortunately, Hartford lacks a good reputation from the winning standpoint. When opposing teams enter the XL Center, they know Hartford is an easy opponent and will not be nervous facing them. Then, when the Pack are on the road, teams consider them as an easy opponent. This reputation began in the early stages of 2012. Five of last six seasons produced no playoffs, and from a player’s standpoint, Hartford is not an attractive destination.

John Gilmour Expected to Break Franchise Record

Defenseman John Gilmour’s 16 goals this season has crept him close to the all-time record for goals by a Wolf Pack defenseman. The record is held by Andrew Hutchinson, who netted 18 tallies back in the 2007-08 season. As the Rangers prospect’s contract is up, I expect him to return. He deserves it.

Also, on a side note, John Gilmour is second in the league in points by a defenseman. He has 16 goals, 21 assists for 37 points. He is two points behind the leader Zach Redmond of Rochester with 39 points. In addition, John Gilmour is second in AHL defenseman with goals.

Pack Tracks

• Peter Holland has goals in back to back games. He snapped a three-game drought. He still leads the team in points at 47.
• Hartford has given up 180 goals in 51 games. That ranks them last in the Eastern Conference. They are ranked 29th in the league in goals against.
• The power play continues to be “middle of the pack” in the league. Hartford is ranked 15th, converting at 18%. The group has given up 10 short-handed goals as well.
• The penalty kill is in the bottom portion of the league. The penalty kill is ranked 20th in the league, killing 80.6% of penalties. The group has scored six goals while down a man.
• Hartford has 25 games remaining in their season, 13 at home and 12 away.

Rangers Dealt Marek Mazanec

Tuesday afternoon featured a trade with Wolf Pack goalie Marek Mazanec. You can read about the trade here.

The move was unexpected as Hartford’s goalie situation was not the issue this season. I believe the move is for the future. The Pack has struggled this season and perhaps the Rangers are turning the page on this season in Hartford.

Brandon Halverson has played well in Maine and is now expected to stay in Hartford for the remainder of the season.

Upcoming Games

Wednesday, February 13th vs Toronto Marlies (Maple Leafs) at 7 pm, XL Center

• This is the second and final meeting of the season series between both organizations. The first meeting was in Toronto on October 20th as the Pack dropped a 3-2 decision.
• Toronto has points in their last six games and has won six of their last ten outings.
• The Marlies are third in the North Divsion with a record of 25-16-5-3 for 58 points.

Saturday, February 16th vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at 7 pm, Webster Bank Arena

• This is the tenth and final meeting between both organizations. Hartford is 4-3-1-1 in the season series.
• Bridgeport is second in the Atlantic Division with a record of 28-18-4-2 for 62 points. The group enters the week winning two straight.
• Last time out, Hartford lost in the shootout against Bridgeport on February 4th in Hartford. The Pack built themselves a 2-0 lead only to have it washed away.

Sunday, February 17th vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 3 pm, XL Center

• This is the fourth of six meetings against the Penguins. Hartford is 1-2 in the season series. All three prior meetings were during the first two weeks of November.
• The Penguins are sixth in the Atlantic Division with a record of 24-21-4-1 for 53 points. Hartford is behind Wilkes-Barre/Scranton by seven points.
• The Penguins are 5-5 in their last ten outings entering the week.

As Hartford approaches the halfway point of the season, there is still work to be done for the group if they want to play more than just the regular season. After snapping a two-game skid, the group found themselves down but not out. The Pack has work to do if they want to move up in the competitive Atlantic Division. As the group prepares for another important weekend, the roster has undergone some changes.

Hartford enters the week seventh in the Atlantic Division. Despite the low rank, only a few points separate the Pack from third place Springfield. The Wolf Pack are 18-17-2-2 for 40 points.

Standings Update

There are a few changes from last week to this week. Hartford was bumped from sixth to seventh in the division. As the Pack prep for this weekend, the club faces Lehigh Valley, Springfield, and Providence. All three are ahead of Hartford by a few points, so winning these divisional games are pivotal if the group wants to inch up in the standings. Depending on other games over the weekend, the Pack may find themselves higher by next Sunday night once all weekend games are completed.

Hartford’s Captain Traded Away

On Monday evening, the New York Rangers exchanged veteran forward Cole Schneider for forward Connor Brickley. Hartford’s former captain had signed a two-year deal prior to the trade. In his first year in the organization, the veteran performed well offensively (16 goals, 34 assists, 50 points).

This season, the forward notched 13 goals, 12 assists for 25 points in 36 games. Despite a slow start to the season, the veteran found a spark offensively and became noticeable on the scoresheet. Considering the move, he was not doing enough to keep Chris Drury and Keith McCambridge satisfied.

The trade reminds me of last year’s trade with Joe Whitney. Prior to their respective trades, both veterans were struggling on the ice. Both were playing fewer minutes as the season progressed, eventually playing on the third, then onto the fourth line. Cole Schneider found success while Joe Whitney did not. Another difference is that Cole Schneider had a shorter time in Hartford than Joe Whitney. Management expected more from the forward and he did not deliver.

Cole Schneider became the captain of the group this season. The Wolf Pack has traded away their last four captains. As we say in Hartford, the “captain curse” is real.

Regarding my thoughts and analysis on the trade, Cole Schneider was a great addition to the roster. He was a dependable player for the group. He was a known voice in the locker room, attempting to give the group a spark and step up on the bench when needed. The prospects learned from the experienced veteran. Losing the player with the second-most points on a roster is a mind-boggling trade. Connor Brickley is not proven offensively and plays a different style than Cole Schneider.

Looking at the return, Brickley plays with the edge and grit. He is able to play in your face and potentially put up numbers on the scoresheet. In his past, the forward has racked up penalty minutes and is capable of producing. However, his point production has declined. In 39 games with the Milwaukee Admirals, he notched seven goals and four assists for 11 points. A change of scenery is needed for the gritty forward.

The Pack is banking on Brickley playing with an edge and putting up good offensive numbers. If Hartford gets solid production from the forward, plus the rough edge, then the trade worked out well. If the offense does not show up, then Nashville won the trade. The Rangers took a huge gamble for their farm team. Let’s hope this works out. He will debut on Friday against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Ryan Lindgren Growth Leads to Call Up

Also on Monday, defenseman Ryan Lindgren was called up to New York from Hartford. You can read more about the transaction here.

The prospect has played top line minutes with John Gilmour as both gelled on the blue line. Ryan Lindgren provides a style of play that Ranger fans will be excited to see.

A day prior to the prospect’s call up, Hartford’s play by play broadcaster Bob Crawford wrote about the progress on the prized defenseman.

When Ryan Lindgren came to the Wolf Pack out of the University of Minnesota, the Hartford coaching staff knew that the 20-year-old was a strong, gritty blueliner and an effective defender. What has been a nice revelation is how well-rounded Lindgren’s game is.

Bob Crawford

You can read about his progress here.

John Gilmour Excited For All-Star Action

Rangers prospect John Gilmour was interviewed briefly by NBC Connecticut’s Gabrielle Lucivero. In a fun chat with the prospect, John Gilmour talks about how his hard work pays off on where he is at now.

“John Gilmour is a three-year pro and now he’ll be a two-time All-Star. But his introduction to hockey was a little slippery.
“I didn’t like it because I kept falling,” said Gilmour. “I didn’t know how to skate, I mean skating’s frustrating if you don’t know how to skate right?

Hard work paid off. Gilmour said his dad kept him in power skating classes until he remembers a time when he never wanted to leave the ice.”

Gabrielle Lucivero

In his third year in the American Hockey League, the prospect has been selected twice for the All-Star game. This is John Gilmour’s final year in his entry-level contract. I hope to see him return as he has made some huge strides in his young career. You can read more here.

Injury Update Plus Suspension

In last Saturday’s action against Bridgeport, Sound Tigers forward Steve Bernier made an illegal check to the head on Hartford’s Steven Fogarty.

As a result, Steve Bernier received a game misconduct plus a three game suspension as a result from his action.

The American Hockey League today announced that Bridgeport Sound Tigers forward Steve Bernier has been suspended for three (3) games as a consequence of an illegal check to the head of an opponent in a game vs. Hartford on Jan. 12.

Bernier was suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 21.1 after being assessed a match penalty. He will miss Bridgeport’s games Tuesday (Jan. 15) at Charlotte, Wednesday (Jan. 16) at Charlotte and Saturday (Jan. 19) vs. Providence.

American Hockey League

Steven Fogarty did not return to the game after the collision. It is unknown how long the forward will be out for Hartford.

As for the rest of the roster, the group is close to healthy. The injury bug has not hit Hartford this season. The flu was going around the locker room, however, it should be stopped soon. Dustin Tokarski was out last weekend due to sickness. He is expected to return for this weekend’s action.

Transactions

• Brandon Halverson was assigned to Maine on Sunday. He played in one contest with Hartford while he was up for the weekend. His call up lasted nearly a week.

One Timers

• The power play ranks 12th in the American Hockey League. Hartford operates at 19.8%. The power play has given up seven goals with the extra man on the ice.
• The penalty kill ranks 12th in the league as well. The short-handed line combinations kill 81.5% of penalties. The group has six short-handed goals.
• Peter Holland leads the team in points with 39. The veteran has points in seven straight, and in eight of the last nine. In those nine games, Peter Holland has notched 16 points (9G, 7A).
• Matt Beleskey has points in three of his last four contests, and in six of the last nine, collecting seven points.
• Tim Gettinger is finding his grove slowly after returning from his concussion. The prospect has points in back to back games.
• After a good start in Hartford, Lias Andersson has cooled off lately with the Pack. I expect the talented prospect to produce more as the season progresses. When he finds his touch, watch out. He is able to put up solid offensive numbers.

Upcoming Games

Hartford will have an important weekend of games, with six points on the line against their divisional rivals.

Friday, January 18th vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at 7:15 pm, XL Center

• This is the third of six meetings against the Flyers affiliate. The last meeting was on January 5th in Hartford as the Pack won 3-1. The season series is split with one win for each club.
• The Phantoms are in the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. They are in fourth with 43 points, going 20-15-1-2. Hartford is three points behind Lehigh Valley.
• The Phantoms have lost three straight and six of their last ten outings.
• Hartford won six of their last ten meetings and is one game above .500.
• Lehigh Valley’s defenseman T.J. Brennan leads AHL defenseman in points with 33 (7G, 26A).

Saturday, January 19th vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida) at 7:00 pm, XL Center

• This is the fourth of ten meetings against Hartford’s closest rivals, Springfield. Hartford is 2-1 in the season series. The previous meeting was on January 4th as Hartford won 3-1.
• The Thunderbirds are in third place, going 18-13-5-3 for 44 points. Hartford is behind Springfield by four points.
• The Thunderbirds have lost seven of their last ten games. However, Springfield has won three of their last five games to keep afloat in the standings.

Monday, January 21st vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 3:05pm, Dunkin’ Donuts Center

• This is the eighth of ten meetings against the Bruins. Hartford is 4-2-1 in the season series. Last time out, Hartford dropped a 6-3 decision to Providence on January 11th. Hartford has been outscored by Providence 11-4 in the last two meetings.
• Providence leapfrogged Hartford after Sunday. The Bruins are in sixth with a record of 18-16-6 for 42 points. Hartford is two points behind.
• Providence is on a four-game point streak (3-0-1), and have won six of their last ten meetings.
• Depending on the weather situation in Connecticut and Rhode Island, the game could be postponed. If it does happen, a new date will be announced by the league at a later date.

It’s go time. The regular season for the Wolf Pack begins on Friday night. The club has finalized their roster, which has the potential to make noise in the American Hockey League. I’m excited about this season since the organization has stocked up for the farm and the youth movement has begun in the big club.

Preseason Outcome

Hartford defeated Bridgeport by the final of 2-1. Shawn St. Amant registered both goals for the Pack. Brandon Halverson started in net and stopped 21 of 22 shots.

“I really liked our compete to loose pucks,” Wolf Pack head coach Keith McCambridge said. “We did a good job using our speed in the offensive zone to generate second and third opportunities.”

The Pack looked impressive in the outing as they had multiple chances and good transition. The players were playing with energy and precision from puck drop to the final buzzer and the Pack outshot Bridgeport 43 to 22.

Finalized Roster

The Pack have two goalies, eight defensemen, and 14 forwards.

Goalies: Marek Mazanec, and Dustin Tokarski.

Defense: Chris Bigras, Sean Day, John Gilmour, Libor Hajek, Ryan Lindgren, Rob O’Gara, Brandon Crawley, and Vince Pedrie.

Forwards: Lias Andersson, Bobby Butler, Steven Fogarty, Gabriel Fontaine, Tim Gettinger, Ryan Gropp, Peter Holland, Dawson Leedahl, Michael Lindqvist, Ville Meskanen, Shawn O’Donnell, Ty Ronning, Shawn St. Amant, and Cole Schneider.

Lines will be determined later in the week when they approach Friday’s game.

Who’s Cut?

The following players were sent down to Maine of the ECHL.

Goalies (3): Brandon Halverson, Chris Nell, and Connor LaCouvee

Defenseman (2): Derek Pratt and Scott Savage.

Forwards (6): Drew Melanson, Jason Salvaggio, Riley Bourbonnais, Alex Kile, Mike Marnell, and Brady Vail.

Upcoming Games

Week one of the AHL season features two home games for the Wolf Pack, and the first road game will be in the following week.

Friday, October 5th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7:15 pm, XL Center

• Hartford’s opening night.
• Providence has lost a few powerful players in the off-season from free agency.
• The first of ten games against the Bruins.  There are 20 points on the table in the season series.
• The Pack play Providence three times in October.

Sunday, October 7th vs Laval Rocket (Montreal) at 3:00 pm, XL Center

• Hartford plays Laval twice, one home and one away.
• The Rocket struggled last season. The organization lost ten games to finish the 2017-18 season for 58 points. They had the least amount of points in the league.
• The Pack will finish the season series within a ten-game span. The next outing will be on Wednesday, October 17th in Laval.
• The Pack went 0-1-1 in the season series last year.

Watch and Listen

You can listen to the Pack on the iHeartRadio app on your mobile device. On the desktop, you can listen through here. The Pack is on News Radio 1410 WPOP Hartford.

To watch, there is a cheap way! Follow the action on AHL TV. Hartford’s package to watch every game is $59.99. For home or away games with Hartford, the pricing drops to $39.99. There is also a monthly pass of $19.99 or a daily pass for $6.99.

AHL Rule Changes

There are minor tweaks this season for the AHL. However, the biggest change is when a team takes a penalty. This raises the stakes higher.

76.2 – Apparently a late addition: When a penalty leads to a power play, they will still face off in the defensive end of the penalized team. But now, the team going on the power play will get to pick at which dot they’ll face off, and the defending team won’t get to change after that. (Even if that draw comes to the neutral zone, whether because the team going on the power play iced the puck, or because its defensemen joined a scrum below the dots, the team going on the power play still gets to pick the dot.)

The Pack has to be smart when taking penalties. Otherwise, this could bite them in critical moments in the game. This is being tried in the AHL, and if successful, it could be in the NHL down the road.