Hartford Wolf Pack – Forever Blueshirts https://www.foreverblueshirts.com New York Rangers news, rumors, analysis, stats, and more Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:11:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=32,height=32,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cropped-FBS-favicon.png Hartford Wolf Pack – Forever Blueshirts https://www.foreverblueshirts.com 32 32 Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Daniel Walcott making most of 2nd chance https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/hartford-wolf-pack-update-daniel-walcott-connor-mackey Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:11:20 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=474650 Returning from the American Hockey League holiday break, the Hartford Wolf Pack snapped their three-game losing streak (0-2-0-1) when they defeated the Bridgeport Islanders 5-2 on Saturday. Brendan Brisson (two goals), Dylan Roobroeck (two assists), and Derrick Pouliot (two assists) led the charge with multi-point performances.

The New York Rangers AHL affiliate is on a two game point streak (1-0-0-1) after dropping five of their previous six games. The Wolf Pack are tied for seventh (10-13-4-1, 25 points) with Bridgeport in the Atlantic Division.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes

Daniel Walcott – photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Daniel Walcott impress as solid mid-season addition

Signed to a Professional Tryout (PTO) on Nov. 27, veteran forward Daniel Walcott’s been a solid addition to the Wolf Pack lineup. He scored a goal in each of his past two games, including the game-winner Saturday against Bridgeport. The 31-year-old also tied the game on Dec. 20 against Lehigh Valley to force overtime. Walcott has three points in eight games with Hartford, and surpassed 500 games played in the AHL.

Despite being known for his physical play style, Walcott has one minor penalty since joining Hartford. That rugged style and veteran leadership certainly make Walcott a candidate for a standard AHL contract from the Wolf Pack sometime soon.

A fifth-round pick (No. 140 overall) by the Rangers in the 2014 NHL Draft, Walcott played one game with the Wolf Pack in the spring of 2015 before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Most of his pro career’s been spent with Syracuse in the AHL, though he did play one NHL game with the Lightning on May 10, 2021.

Wolf Pack receive reinforcements

The depleted Wolf Pack received reinforcements ahead of their three-game slate this week. On Dec. 26, Hartford called up forwards Zakary Karpa and Sullivan Mack from Bloomington of the ECHL. Then on Sunday, defenseman Case McCarthy was called up from Bloomington, and the Rangers assigned forward Brett Berard to Hartford.

The Wolf Pack deployed 11 forwards and seven defenseman Saturday. They are still without forwards Justin Dowling (day to day), Bryce McConnell-Barker (day to day), and Juuso Pärssinen (week to week).

Connor Mackey remains steady force on Hartford defense

Connor Mackey – photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

There are plenty of good reasons why the Rangers re-signed Connor Mackey to a two-year contract extension in March of 2024. On and off the ice, Mackey sets the right example for his Wolf Pack teammates, in particular the younger ones, and that’s a great place to start. The 29-year-old defenseman also is solid in his own end and remains a no-nonsense physical presence.

This season, Mackey is tied for second on the Wolf Pack with 31 penalty minutes, and his 48 shots on goal are third most (tops among Hartford defensemen). He has seven points (two goals, five assists) in 25 games, including three points (two goals, one assist) in his past four.

Speaking to Mackey’s character, his most recent fight on Dec. 19 against Syracuse took place after teammate Carey Terrance took a hit from behind along the boards. On Nov. 29 against Cleveland, Hartford goalie Spencer Martin was run in to and Mackey took exception. Those examples go a long way with teammates and coaches alike.

Upcoming Games

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Wednesday, December 31 vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 3:30pm, PeoplesBank Arena

  • This is the fourth of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-2-0-0 against Bridgeport.
  • Bridgeport is 11-14-2-1 (25 points), tied for seventh in the Atlantic Division and tied for 13th in the Eastern Conference with Hartford.
  • Matthew Maggio leads the Islanders with 20 points (five goals, 15 assists). Joey Larson has 19 points (11 goals, eight assists).

Friday, January 2 vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 6:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena

  • This is the third of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 0-1-1-0 against Providence.
  • Providence is 21-5-1-1 (43 points), second in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
  • Patrick Brown leads the Bruins with 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) and is tied for third in the AHL scoring race. Next are Georgii Merkulov (12 goals, 12 assists) and Fabian Lysell
    (11 goals, 13 assists), who each have 24 points.

Saturday, January 3 vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 5:00pm, Total Mortgage Arena

  • This is the fifth of 12 meetings in the season series, and second this week.. Hartford is 1-1-0-0 in Bridgeport.
]]> Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:11:25 +0000 New York Rangers News Son of former Rangers defenseman scores in AHL debut for Hartford https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/zakary-karpa-ahl-debut-goal-hartford Sun, 28 Dec 2025 18:12:05 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=474605 Making the most of his call up from the ECHL, New York Rangers prospect Zakary Karpa scored less than five minutes into his American Hockey League debut, helping the Hartford Wolf Pack skate past the Bridgeport Islanders 5-2 on Saturday night.

Karpa swooped in to pick the puck off the left-wing boards, then cut to the net, powering between a pair of Bridgeport defenders, before slipping a shot past goalie Parker Gahagen at 4:36 of the first period.

It was a true highlight in the 23-year-old center’s journey since the Rangers selected him in the sixth round (No. 191 overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. The son of former Rangers defenseman Dave Karpa played four seasons at Harvard University, where he was captain his final two seasons. His offensive game never quite popped in college — he had just one goal and seven points over 31 games as a senior — and the Rangers didn’t sign him to an entry-level contract.

Instead, Karpa signed a one-year AHL contract with Hartford this past May. He began this season with Bloomington of the ECHL, and had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 22 games before the Wolf Pack called him up this past week after ECHL players went on strike.

That strike appears to be over with a tentative agreement agreed to by the union and board of governors on Saturday. Players and members of the board must ratify the new CBA before the ECHL schedule resumes.

When things start up again in the ECHL, there’s a chance Karpa remains in Hartford after his solid debut with them. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder from Greenwich, Connecticut, projects to be a bottom-six center, who’s good on face-offs and defensively responsible. He won 52.4 percent of his draws as a senior at Harvard.

NHL: USA TODAY Sports-Archive
Dave Karpa — Lou Capozzola-Imagn Images

His father was a rugged defenseman, who racked up 1,374 penalty minutes with four teams in 557 NHL games. The senior Karpa played the final two seasons of his NHL career with the Rangers, totaling 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) and 145 PIM in 94 games from 2001-03.

Brendan Brisson scores 2 goals in latest win by Rangers AHL affiliate

Brendan Brisson — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Brendan Brisson snapped a six-game goalless stretch and earned First Star honors by scoring twice against Bridgeport on Saturday. The 24-year-old forward, a former first-round pick by the Vegas Golden Knights, is now third on the Wolf Pack with eight goals.

Gabe Perreault, currently up with the Rangers, leads Hartford with 10 goals. Veteran Trey Fix-Wolansky has nine.

It’s been a tough first full season in Hartford for Brisson, whom the Rangers acquired from the Golden Knights in the Reilly Smith trade last March. He was without a point in the first five games this season and had two goals in the first 16 contests before waking up a bit offensively. Over 28 games, Brisson has just two assists among his 10 points, and is, by gar, a team-worst minus-15.

Forward prospect Dylan Roobroeck and veteran defenseman Derrick Pouliot each had two assists Saturday, and goalie Dylan Garand finished with 25 saves.

]]> Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:12:11 +0000 New York Rangers News Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Jaroslav Chmelař continues strong AHL campaign https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/hartford-wolf-pack-jaroslav-chmelar-strong-ahl-season Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:11:32 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=474387 Losers in five of their past six games, the Hartford Wolf Pack enter the AHL Holiday break seeking answers on both sides of the puck.

The AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers was outscored 24-10 in its past six, and allowed at least five goals three times in that span. Through 27 games, the Wolf Pack conceded 90 goals, eighth most in the American Hockey League. Scoring is a struggle too; their 71 goals is seventh fewest in the league.

There were two more losses this past weekend, a 5-3 to Syracuse on Friday, and a 2-1 shootout loss to Lehigh Valley on Saturday. The Wolf Pack are winless in their past three games (0-2-0-1).

The eighth-place Wolf Pack (9-13-4-1, 23 points) are a point behind the Springfield Thunderbirds and Bridgeport Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. Hartford plays Bridgeport four times in their next seven games.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes

Jaroslav Chmelar — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Jaroslav Chmelař continues strong campaign in AHL

Returning to Hartford from his second stint in New York (three games), Jaroslav Chmelař provided an immediate impact Friday. He scored his fourth goal of the season in his first game back. In addition, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound forward was engaged physically throughout, stuck is nose into a scrum, and did not back down against Syracuse.

Coach Grant Potulny inserted Chmelař on a top-six line with Brett Berard and Trey Fix-Wolansky, which will be leaned on for offense and strong two-way play moving forward. Berard has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in his past 14 games, and Fix-Wolansky is tied for the active team lead in points with Justin Dowling (since their leading scorer Gabe Perreault is now up with the Rangers). Fix-Wolansky has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists).

As a rookie pro last season with Hartford, Chmelar played 71 games and totaled 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) and 48 penalty minutes.

Derrick Pouliot leads blue line

Signed to a two-year contract as a free agent last summer, Derrick Pouliot leads Hartford defensemen with 12 points and 11 assists. Overall, the 31-year-old’s tied for fourth in points (with Chmelař) and tied for first in assists (with Justin Dowling).

The former first-round pick is instrumental in generating scoring chances and quarterbacking Hartford’s first power play unit. Pouliot has three power-play assists and six primary helpers overall this season. His experience (226 NHL games, 436 in the AHL) is also an invaluable resource for younger teammates.

Though Pouliot is on pace for fewer points than his past wo seasons (53 points in 2024-25, 46 points in 2023-24), he is one of the more consistent players on the Wolf Pack roster. Potulny leans on Pouliot, playing him big minutes on Hartford’s top defense pairing with veteran Connor Mackey.

Injuries piling up

Bryce McConnell-Barker – Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Similar to the Rangers, injuries are piling up in Hartford. The Wolf Pack are missing three key players at the holiday break.

Dowling, who was injured on Dec. 12, remains day to day with an upper-body injury. The 35-year-old is Hartford’s first-line center, and a dependable scorer. Dowling has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 23 games.

Juuso Pärssinen, who was injured on Nov. 28, also remains week to week with an upper-body issue. When healthy, the 24-year-old forward very well could be Hartford’s best offensive player, considering his skill set, youthful age, and 151 games of NHL experience.

New to this list is Bryce McConnell-Barker, who sustained an unspecified injury Saturday. The forward was rocked by a high hit and did not return. It’s a shame if McConnell-Barker misses any time because the 21-year-old is progressing nicely in his second pro season. McConnell-Barker has 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 27 games, four shy of his total last season (15 points; seven goals, eight assists).

Upcoming Games

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Saturday, December 27 vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 5:00pm, Total Mortgage Arena

  • This is the third of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 0-2-0-0 against Bridgeport.
  • Bridgeport is 11-13-1-1, (24 points), tied for sixth in the Atlantic Division and tied for 13th in the Eastern Conference (both with Springfield).
  • Matthew Maggio leads the Islanders with 19 points (four goals, 15 assists). Next is Joey Larson (11 goals, six assists) and Alex Jefferies (five goals, 12 assists), who each have 17 points.
]]> Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:11:35 +0000 New York Rangers News Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Brennan Othmann Finds Scoring Touch https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/hartford-wolf-pack-brennan-othmann-finds-scoring-touch Tue, 16 Dec 2025 21:08:32 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=473942 The Hartford Wolf Pack are trending in the wrong direction, after they lost three of their past four games.

Last week featured mixed results. The New York Rangers AHL affiilliate was shut out for the second time this season, when they lost 3-0 to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday. Hartford responded with a 2-1 win over Utica on Friday. But unable to carry that momentum forward, the Wolf Pack dropped a 7-2 decision to Syracuse on Saturday, allowing a season high in goals against (the previous high was six against Bridgeport on Dec. 6).

The Wolf Pack are tied for sixth (9-12-4-0, 22 points) with Bridgeport in the Atlantic Division. They play two games this week before heading into AHL holiday break.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes

Brennan Othmann Finds Scoring Touch

Third-year pro Brennan Othmann is heating up for the Wolf Pack. After slow start and mired in a scoring drought prior to his first goal this season on Nov. 26, Othmann has four goals in his past seven games, including on consecutive nights last weekend.

The 22-year-old forward scored Hartford’s first short-handed goal of the season Friday, after netting his first power-play goal on Dec. 6.

It’s been a rough season for the 2021 first-round pick. Othmann struggled during the preseason when there was an NHL job to be won in New York. And his play in the AHL hasn’t cut it.

Not surprisingly, there are many Othamnn trade rumors out there. But he remains a key cog for the Wolf Pack. His 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 19 games are tied for seventh on the team with Bryce McConnell-Barker. Hartford needs steady production from Othmann, who recorded 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 27 games for them last season 2024-25, and was second on the Wolf Pack with 21 goals in 2023-24.

Adam Sýkora Providing Strong Two-Way Play

Adam Sýkora continues to provide a reliable game at both ends of the ice for Hartford. The second-round pick (No. 63 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Rangers has five goals through 25 games, and is on pace to surpass his professional career high of nine set last season. More importantly, he continues to be a trusted forward defensively.

The 21-year-old is a force on the penalty kill. He scored a short-handed goal this past weekend, and is smart, disruptive player defensively. At even strength, Sýkora is reliable and adept at forcing turnovers, helping Hartford in its transition game.

He’s also more physical this season, despite being somewhat undersized (5-foot-10, 179 pounds). Sykora does not back down from opponents and has shows plenty of feistiness in his game.

His potential fit in the NHL clearly is in a bottom-six role, though he needs to add some size before the Rangers give serious thought to recalling him.

Roster Updates

  • Center Justin Dowling is day to day with an upper-body injury. He left in the first period of the game Friday and did not return.
  • Hartford called up forward Kyle Jackson from Bloomington of the ECHL on Monday. Jackson appeared in 23 games with the Bison, recording a team-high 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists), second most in the league.

Upcoming Games

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Friday, December 19 vs Syracuse Crunch (Lightning) at 7:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena

  • This is the second and final meeting in the season series. Hartford lost the first game, 7-2 on Dec. 13.
  • Syracuse is 15-9-1-0 (31 points), tied for second in the North Division (with Rochester) and tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference (with Rochester).
  • Jakob Pelletier leads the Crunch with 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) and is tied for the AHL scoring lead. Next on the Crunch is Nick Abruzzese with 24 points (six goals, 18 assists), who is tied for 13th in the league’s scoring race.

Saturday, December 20 vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Flyers) at 7:05pm, PPL Center

  • This is the fourth of six meetings in the season series. Hartford is 0-1-2-0 against Lehigh Valley.
  • Lehigh Valley is 13-9-1-2 (29 points), third in the Atlantic Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference.
  • Alex Bump leads the Phantoms with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists). Next is Anthony Richard with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists).
]]> Tue, 16 Dec 2025 16:08:37 +0000 New York Rangers News site:29900:date:2025:vid:2446003 Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Gabe Perreault continues to shine as AHL rookie https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/hartford-wolf-pack-gabe-perreault-shines-ahl-rookie Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:32:44 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=473606 The Hartford Wolf Pack’s season high three game winning streak ended this past weekend, when they split a pair of games. The New York Rangers AHL affiliate enters this week, winners in five of their past eight games.

Last weekend featured a 5-2 win against Springfield on Friday. The Wolf Pack’s first line led the charge with three point performances from Gabe Perreault (two goals, one assist) and Justin Dowling (three assists). Jaroslav Chmelař recorded two assists.

The Wolf Pack followed up with a 6-2 loss to Bridgeport on Saturday. Brennan Othmann scored his second goal in four games, and Dowling also scored to extend his point-streak to three games (one goal, five assists).

The sixth-place Wolf Pack (8-10-4-0, 20 points) look to build on their recent strong play with three games this week.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes

Welcome back

The Hartford defense corps is about to get a boost with the return of two injured veterans. Brandon Scanlin, who sustained an injury during training camp and hasn’t played yet this season, cleared waivers on Sunday and returned to practice with the Wolf Pack. Scanlin played 206 games with the Wolf Pack, recording 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists), the previous four seasons.

Blake Hillman, who sustained an upper-body injury Nov. 15, is now officially day to day and close to a lineup return. He was initially week to week. Hillman was playing his best hockey before the injury, and had five points (two goals, three assists) in 12 games.

Gabe Perreault continues to shine in rookie AHL season

Though the Rangers are happy to let Perreault marinade in the minors as he matures physically and as a player, the 20-year-old forward may not be long for Hartford. Perreault has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 17 games, and recently recorded six points (four goals, two assists) in a three-game point streak that included consecutive multi-goal outings.

New York’s first-round pick (No. 23 overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft leads the Wolf Pack in goals, points, point-per-game (1.00), and plus-minus (+10). Perreault is tied for fourth among AHL rookies in goals, and tied for eighth in points.

Though he only has one assist in three games with the Rangers this season, Perreault continues to knock on their door, showing he’s ready for another crack at it in the NHL

Dylan Garand sharp in Hartford return

Dylan Garand returned to Hartford after serving as Igor Shesterkin’s backup for three games in New York. The 23-year-old goalie still hasn’t made his NHL debut, and didn’t play at all over a 12-day span until his start Friday back in the AHL.

Garand looked sharp, though, stopping 34 of 36 shots in the win against Springfield. He was instrumental in a game where the Thunderbirds pushed hard for a comeback, and made a string of impressive saves.

Initially given the night off on Saturday against Bridgeport, Garand replaced Callum Tung for the second and third periods. Tung, who faced 12 shots, conceded three goals in the first period before he was pulled. Coach Grant Potulny attempted to spark Hartford with the switch, and Garand finished with 21 saves on 23 shots in relief.

Garand is 4-6-2 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .903 save percentage for Hartford this season after his strong play last weekend.

Justin Dowling playing big role for Wolf Pack

Justin Dowling — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Signed by the Rangers to a two-year contract on July 7, Dowling has 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 21 games with Hartford, and been a mentor for Perreault, his young linemate. The 35-year-old forward leads the Wolf Pack in assists, is second in points, and tied for fourth in goals.

Potulny leans on the veteran, who played last season with the New Jersey Devils, deploying him as the Wolf Pack’s No. 1 center. As a result, Dowling created strong chemistry with Perreault, and other young forwards given opportunities on the line, like Othmann and Chmelař. Dowling’s experience (152 NHL, 594 AHL, and 60 ECHL games) is a major asset for the Wolf Pack.

Dowling’s last full season in the AHL was 2023-24. He is on pace to exceed his totals from that season (40 points).

Upcoming Games

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Wednesday, December  vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 7:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena

  • This is the fourth of six meetings in the season series. Hartford is 1-2-0-0 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
  • The Penguins are 17-5-1-0 (35 points), first in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference. They are third overall in the AHL.
  • Sam Poulin leads the Penguins with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists). Next is Danton Heinen with 18 points (six goals, 12 assists).

Friday, December 12 vs Utica Comets (Devils) at 7:00pm, Adirondack Bank Center

  • This is the first of two meetings in the season series. Hartford lost the series in 2024-25 (0-1-0-1).
  • Utica is 4-12-3-1 (12 points), seventh (last) in the North Division and 15th (last) in the Eastern Conference.
  • Xavier Parent leads the Comets with 12 points (six goals, six assists). Mike Hardman has 10 points (five goals, five assists).

Saturday, December 13 vs Syracuse Crunch (Lightning) at 7:00pm, Upstate Medical Arena at The Onecenter War Memorial

This is the first of two meetings in the season series. Hartford split the series in 2024-25 (1-0-1-0). The second meeting is Dec. 19.

  • Syracuse is 13-8-1-0 (27 points), third in the North Division and tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference.
  • Jakob Pelletier leads the Crunch with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) and is tied for second in the League. Next is Nick Abruzzese with 20 points (five goals, 15 assists).
]]> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:22:41 +0000 New York Rangers News site:29900:date:2025:vid:2439704 Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Brendan Brisson heats up on 4-game point streak https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/hartford-wolf-pack-brendan-brisson-heats-up Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:23:28 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=473277 The Hartford Wolf Pack are finding ways to win lately. After snapping a seven-game losing streak (0-3-4-0) on Nov. 18 with a3-2 overtime victory over Springfield, the New York Rangers AHL affiliate won four of their past six games.

Last week started out badly, with a 6-3 loss to Springfield on Wednesday. Brennan Othmann played his best game of the season, scoring his first goal since Feb. 16 and adding an assist. He also led the Wolf Pack with six shots on goal. Dylan Roobroeck also contributed two points (one goal, one assist).

The Wolf Pack followed up with a pair of victories against Cleveland over the weekend, though. The 6-4 win Friday included two-goal performances from Trey Fix-Wolansky and Bryce McConnell-Barker. Then on Saturday, Gabe Perreault recorded the first two-goal game of his professional career to lead a 3-2 comeback win in the third period.

The sixth-place Wolf Pack (7-9-4-0, 18 points) can move to .500 with two wins this weekend.

Juuso Pärssinen, who cleared waivers and was assigned to Hartford by the Rangers last week, sustained an upper-body injury on Friday in the second period. He is week to week with the injury.

Hartford signed Daniel Walcott to a Professional Tryout (PTO) on Nov. 27. Walcott, a gritty 31-year old forward, was the Rangers’ fifth-round pick (No. 140 overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft. He returns after spending nine seasons with Syracuse in the AHL (56 goals, 91 assists for 147 points in 495 games). He attended AHL training camp with Charlotte, but was released prior to opening night.

The Wolf Pack’s roster shuffle continued when goalie Spencer Martin was called up to the Rangers on Sunday, and Dylan Garand was assigned to Hartford. Other transactions included Scott Morrow, and Brennan Othmann recalled by the Rangers, and Connor Mackey returned to the Wolf Pack. Goalie Hugo Ollas was also sent to ECHL Bloomington.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes

Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Brendan Brisson heats up

Brendan Brisson, a first-round pick (No. 29 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft by the Vegas Golden Knights, is on a four-game point streak (three goals, one assist). This burst comes after a very slow start with Hartford this season, when he recorded three points (two goals, one assist) in 16 games.

Despite the poor start, the 24-year-old center is tied for fourth on Hartford with five goals, and is fifth with 37 shots on goal. Furthermore, his two power-play goals are third most on the Wolf Pack (one behind Roobroeck and Fix-Wolansky).

Brisson has seven points (five goals, two assists) in 20 games. He is two goals away from tying last season’s total (seven), when he split the campaign with Hartford and Henderson. He also was pointless in nine games with the Golden Knights.

Bryce McConnell-Barker developing nicely

Second-year forward Bryce McConnell-Barker is on a roll. McConnell-Barker, a third round pick (No. 97 overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Rangers, has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 20 games. He is tied for fourth on the team (with Roobroeck) in scoring, and is tied for fourth in goals (with Brisson). His 38 shots is the fourth most on the Wolf Pack. McConnell-Barker also recorded his first professional two-goal game on Nov. 28 against Cleveland.

Defensively, McConnell-Barker plays a disciplined and impactful game. He recorded three penalties this season and is plus-2. He helps the Wolf Pack transition quickly from defense to offense, showing how his skating is a tremendous asset.

McConnell-Barker is on pace to exceed his totals from 2024-25 (15 points). In fact, he is two goals and three assists away from replicating last season. 

Callum Tung impresses during AHL call up

Since he was recalled by Hartford from ECHL Bloomington on Nov. 16, Callum Tung impressed and showed he’s capable of playing in the AHL. The 22-year-old goaltender, who signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Rangers on April 1, won three of his four starts with Hartford the past two weeks. He faced 109 shots and stopped 95 of them. While his sample size is limited (3.44 GAA, .872 save percentage), Tung showed the ability to compete in the AHL. In addition, he joined Hartford at the end of 2024-25 and impressed in two starts (1-1-0, 2.28 GAA, .893 save percentage).

Garand is the clear-cut No. 1 goalie in Hartford, and Martin will back him up once Jonathan Quick returns from a lower-body injury for the Rangers. That leaves Tung likely heading back to the ECHL, where he is 4-1-2 with a 2.47 GAA and .921 save percentage for the Bison.

Upcoming Games

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Friday, December 5 vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena

  • This is the fifth of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 3-1-0-0 against Springfield.
  • Springfield is 5-10-2-2 (14 points), eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. However, the Thunderbirds are on a five game point streak (3-0-1-1).
  • Matt Luff (seven goals, seven assists) leads the Thunderbirds with 14 points. Next is Juraj Pekarcik with 12 points (five goals, seven assists).

Saturday, December 6 vs Bridgeport Islanders (New York) at 7:00pm, Total Mortgage Arena

  • This is the second of 12 meetings in the season series. Hartford was shut out in the first meeting, 3-0 on Oct. 24.
  • Bridgeport is 7–10-1-1 (16 points), seventh in the Atlantic Division and tied for 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Islanders are 4-5-0-1 in their past 10 games.
  • Matthew Highmore (four goals, 10 assists) and Matthew Maggio (three goals, 11 assists) co-lead the Islanders with 14 points apiece.
]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 11:23:32 +0000 New York Rangers News Gabe Perreault heroics lift Wolf Pack to comeback victory https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/gabe-perreault-two-goal-game-hartford-victory Sun, 30 Nov 2025 17:10:34 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=473187 Gabe Perreault recorded the first two-goal game of his professional career, helping the Hartford Wolf Pack rally for a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday night. The New York Rangers top prospect started a comeback from 2-0 down in the third period and capped it by scoring the game-winning goal with 61 seconds remaining in regulation.

Perreault’s clutch performance was a bright spot on a bleak day for the Rangers organization. Back in New York, the Rangers put forth a gruesome effort in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In addition, Adam Fox sustained an scary upper-body injury, and there’s concern over his status moving forward.

So, Perreault’s heroics with New York’s AHL affiliate stood out even more. The 20-year-old forward displayed a lightning-quick release, when he found open space and scored a 4-on-4 goal at 11:56 of the third period to cut the Hartford deficit to 2-1.

The rejuvenated Wolf Pack scored on their next shift, when Trey Fix-Wolansky scored his ninth goal just nine seconds after Perreault got them on the board. Fix-Wolansky buried a rebound after Jaroslav Chmelar’s wraparound try was denied.

Cleveland took a penalty at 18:40 of the third period, and Perreault made sure to make them pay for the high-sticking transgression. It took 19 seconds before Perreault snapped a power-play shot from between the circles into the back of the net — another quick release — at 18:59.

That was Perreault’s first power-play goal of the season, and eighth overall. He’s tied for fifth among AHL rookies in goal scoring. His shooting percentage is an impressive 32 percent (eight goals on 25 shots), though the Wolf Pack and Rangers would love to see him shoot more.

Gabe Perreault continues impressive rookie AHL season with Hartford

Gabe Perreault — Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Perreault leads Hartford in scoring with 14 points in 15 games, and his plus/minus is a team-best plus-10. Earlier in the season, Perreault had a four-game point streak and won AHL Player of the Week honors.

The 2023 first-round draft pick picked up his first NHL point in a three-game recall with the Rangers in early November, assisting on an Alexis Lafreniere power-play goal in a 6-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 10. However, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan didn’t fully trust Perreault defensively, and so the youngster’s ice time dropped before New York sent him back to the minors.

After he returned to Hartford, Perreault was pointless in two games. But since then he’s got four points (three goals, one assists) in four games and is back to driving the Wolf Pack offense.

And Hartford’s responded to his return, winning four of six games, including sweeping the two-game set this weekend in Cleveland.

]]> Sun, 30 Nov 2025 12:16:22 +0000 New York Rangers News Why no guarantee Rangers rookie plays despite Jonathan Quick injury https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/dylan-garand-nhl-opportunity-rangers Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:50:27 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=472954 With Jonathan Quick sidelined by a lower-body injury, Dylan Garand is now up with the New York Rangers as their No. 2 goalie. But that doesn’t mean the rookie is guaranteed to make his first NHL start any time soon.

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan made that pretty clear, even if he simply sounded evasive at first when discussing the subject after practice on Tuesday.

“I’m not sure yet. We’re going to take each game as it comes. We’ll probably make decisions on a game-by-game basis,” Sullivan explained before the Rangers headed to Raleigh to play the Carolina Hurricanes on Thanksgiving Eve.

It’s what he said next that likely gave a more clear vision of his plan moving forward with how to deploy Igor Shesterkin and Garand with Quick on IR.

“What I will tell you is I think because we’ve managed ‘Shesty’s’ workload to this point fairly well, if anyone’s in a position to take on more of a workload, I think Shesty’s [in a position] to do that. That’s a decision we’ll make in time.”

Shesterkin’s started 18 of New York’s 24 games this season, and is, of course, the clear-cut No. 1 goalie. Yet, the Rangers are able to manage his playing time to keep him fresh because Quick is as good a No. 2 as you’ll find in the League.

As such, Shesterkin started four games in a row just once this season. Three other times, the soon to be 30-year-old started three straight. But certainly Shesterkin is capable of handling a heavier workload. Just last season, he started a career-high 61 games.

The Rangers schedule is a busy one this week. Shesterkin backstopped their 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday at Madison Square Garden, and will get the start against the Hurricanes on Wednesday. New York then plays consecutive matinees — Friday in Boston against the Bruins, followed by Saturday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Typically, Quick, who has a sterling 1.69 goals-against average and .944 save percentage in six games this season, gets one of those starts in the back-to-back set. But will Garand make his NHL debut in one of those games? If Sullivan already knows the answer, he’s simply not saying anything publicly.

“I’m ready for whatever the team needs,” Garand told the New York Post. “It’s an awesome opportunity. That’s why you push, that’s why you work, and hopefully I get an opportunity to play.”

Dylan Garand still ‘waiting for my opportunity’ with Rangers

NHL: Seattle Kraken at New York Rangers
Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Rangers recalled Garand from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Sunday, after Quick sustained his injury the night before late in the third period of a 3-2 road loss at the Utah Mammoth. A collision in his crease appeared to leave Quick favoring his right leg. It’s unknown how long he’s expected to be out, though the 39-year-old reportedly skated on his own Tuesday.

Garand is New York’s top goaltending prospect. But the 23-year-old had an up-and-down preseason and a slow start to his fourth pro season in Hartford. He’s 3-6-2 as the No. 1 goalie for the mediocre Wolf Pack, with a 2.96 GAA and .897 save percentage.

Last season, Garand was an AHL All-Star, won 20 games for the first time as a pro, and tied for ninth among all goalies with a .913 save percentage.

“I think I showed this year that I can be one of, if not the, best goalies in this league (the AHL) and NHL caliber,” Garand told HartfordWolfPack.com over the summer. “Obviously, I’m waiting for my opportunity up top. I know that if I keep putting in the work, that’ll come. Wherever I am, whether it is up there or here, I’m going to compete to win and keep working hard and getting better every day.”

Whenever Quick, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, decides to hang up his skates, the Rangers hope that Garand is ready to handle the role as Shesterkin’s backup. New York recently signed goalie Spencer Martin to a two-year contract as a veteran insurance policy. There’s also 22-year-old Callum Tung raising eyebrows with some strong play after he was promoted to Hartford from the ECHL.

But Garand is the goalie that’s being groomed by the Rangers to one day be Shesterkin’s backup. The next step is to get him into an NHL game at some point. Let’s see if that opportunity comes this week.

]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 14:02:37 +0000 New York Rangers News Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly: Brennan Othmann Struggles With Consistency https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/hartford-wolf-pack-brennan-othmann-struggles-consistency Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:48:22 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=472841 The Hartford Wolf Pack just missed out on a chance to sweep a three-game week. But the New York Rangers AHL affiliate let a 2-0 third-period lead slip away Saturday in a 3-2 loss to Lehigh Valley.

That disappointing defeat followed on the heels of a 3-2 overtime win Tuesday against Springfield and a 5-2 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday. Highlights of the weekend included Derrick Pouliot’s three-point (one goal, two assists) outing Friday, Callum Tung’s pair of wins in goal, and Gabe Perreault’s sixth goal of the season.

Amid their overall struggles, the Wolf Pack remain tied for sixth-place (5-8-4-0, 14 points) with the Bridgeport Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Brett Berard and Dylan Garand were called up by the Rangers on Sunday, to plug holes with J.T. Miller and Jonathan Quick sidelined by injuries.

With Garand, his No. 1 goalie, now in New York and Talyn Boyko loaned to a team in Finland’s Liiga, Hartford coach Grant Potulny must lean on Callum Tung, who won two starts last week after he was called up from the ECHL, Hugo Ollas, and veteran Spencer Martin.

Hartford did get Scott Morrow back. The defenseman was re-assigned after playing three games with the Rangers. The timing is good since Blake Hillman is week to week with an upper-body injury, and Brandon Scanlin remains sidelined.

Hartford Wolf Pack News-n-Notes

Brennan Othmann — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Ongoing Brennan Othmann struggles a concern

Third-year forward Brennan Othmann continues to struggle to find any consistency in his game. A first round pick (No. 16) in the 2021 NHL Draft by the Rangers, Othmann hasn’t scored a goal since Feb. 16 of last season, either in the NHL or AHL. This makes his future extremely uncertain with the Rangers, who drafted him because of his big-time scoring ability in junior.

This season in Hartford, Othmann’s played on various line combinations, most recently on the second line with Berard and Dylan Roobroeck. He’s also received plenty of power-play opportunity. But Othmann has just five assists in 12 games. Even more alarming, and perhaps a sign of him lacking confidence, is that Othmann’s recorded just 17 shots on goal.

Defensively, he is a minus-four and been on ice for nine goals against at even strength. He attempts to get in the dirty areas and play physically, but has not found success consistently. Another aspect of his game is lack of discipline. Through 12 games, he is up to 27 PIM (he was given a 10-minute misconduct at end of the game Saturday). He is eight penalty minutes away from tying last year’s total (35 in 27 games), and, perhaps, his frustration is showing up in this area.

This season is a “prove-it” year for Othmann. Time is ticking on the 23-year-old forward, who’s name continues to show up in Rangers trade rumors.

Trey Fix-Wolansky provides reliable production

Veteran Trey Fix-Wolansky is paying dividends for Hartford. A seventh-round pick (No. 204) in the 2018 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets, the 26-year old forward has five points (two goals, three assists) in his past six games. He’s tied with Perreault for the Hartford lead with six goals, and is tied for second with 10 points.

Fix-Wolansky hit the score sheet in nine of 17 games, and is second on the team with 40 shots. He’s tied with Roobroeck with a team-high three power-play goals, on pace to challenge his career-high 11 PPG set in 2022-23 with Cleveland of the AHL. The 5-foot-7 forward also is on pace for his fourth straight 20-goal season in the AHL.

Fix-Wolansky had 60 points (26 goals, 34 assists) in back-to-back seasons with Cleveland prior to joining the Rangers this past offseason.

Derrick Pouliot steps up 

Derrick Pouliot — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

The 31-year old defenseman had a strong week for the Wolf Pack. Pouliot, who led Syracuse defensemen in assists (46) and points (53) last season, has four points (one goal, three assists) in his past two games with Hartford. He is is tied for fifth in Wolf Pack scoring with Roobroeck (eight points), and leads the defense corps in assists (seven) and points.

Pouliot is a key offensive cog for Hartford, especially as the power-play quarterback. Potulny said the former Pittsburgh Penguins first-rounder plays “important minutes” for Hartford, and is vitalk to their success at both ends of the rink.

Upcoming Games

All games can be viewed on AHLTV and heard on Mixlr.

Wednesday, November 26 vs Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) at 7:00pm, PeoplesBank Arena

  • This is the fourth of 10 meetings in the season series. Hartford is 3-0-0-0 against Springfield.
  • Springfield is 3-10-2-1 (nine points), eighth (last) in the Atlantic Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference.
  • Nikita Alexandrov leads the Thunderbirds with 12 points (three goals, nine assists). Next is Matt Luff with 11 points (five goals, six assists).

Friday, November 28 vs Cleveland Monsters (Blue Jackets) at 7:00pm, Rocket Arena

  • This is the first of four meetings in the season series. The teams last met in 2023-24, playing four games with Hartford posting a 2-0-1-1 record.
  • Cleveland is 5-4-3-1 (14 points), sixth in the North Division and tied for 11th (with Hartford and Bridgeport) in the Eastern Conference.
  • Luca Pinelli leads the Monsters with 10 points (five goals, five assists), and Mikael Pyyhtiä has eight points (two goals, six assists).

Saturday, November 29 vs Cleveland Monsters (Blue Jackets) at 7:00pm, Rocket Arena

  • This is the second of four meetings in the season series. Hartford hosts Cleveland on March 11 and 13. 
]]> Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:48:25 +0000 New York Rangers News Rangers goalie prospect having ‘blast,’ stars after call up to AHL Hartford https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/new-york-rangers-news/callum-tung-stars-ahl-call-up-hartford Sat, 22 Nov 2025 17:56:33 +0000 https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/?p=472721 Callum Tung is doing his best to show the New York Rangers that they have two legit goalie prospects playing in the minor leagues, taking advantage of a recent call-up to Hartford of the American Hockey League with two quality starts the past few days.

Tung started the season with Bloomington in the ECHL but was promoted to Hartford this week after an upper-body issue sidelined No. 1 netminder Dylan Garand, New York’s top goalie prospect, for one game. The former UConn star won each of his first two AHL starts, allowing two goals in each game and helping lift Hartford out of its early-season malaise. The Wolf Pack lost seven straight (0-3-4) before Tung’s arrival in Connecticut’s capital city.

“Having the experience last year, coming in at the end of the season with UConn, and just getting a couple of games (with Hartford), getting to know the guys, helped me ease into my transition much easier,” Tung explained after a 5-2 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday. “The first two games have been a blast, and I’m just happy to help the team win.”

Tung, who turns 22 on Sunday, was outstanding against WBS. He finished with 31 saves, but 21 of those came in the first period, when Hartford was outshot 22-6 and nearly run out of its own building. Instead, the score was tied 1-1 at the first intermission, and the Wolf Pack steadied themselves the rest of the way, scoring twice in each of the second and third periods.

“I wasn’t real pleased with our start. I thought Callum Tung did an incredible job allowing us to get to our game,” Hartford coach Grant Potulny stated.

On Tuesday, Tung made 21 saves to help Hartford rally from down 2-0 in the third period and win 3-2 in overtime.

“Tonight, and on Tuesday, he made the game easy on himself by any pucks that came to him, stayed with him,” Potulny explained. “There wasn’t pucks coming out. He controlled rebounds, fought to see pucks, and I thought he played a very good game.”

Rangers goalie prospect Callum Tung showing ‘ton of growth’ this season

Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

The British Columbia native signed with the Rangers as a free agent last spring after one season, albeit a very successful one, splitting the goaltending duties at UConn with Florida Panthers prospect Tyler Muszelik.

Tung was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and helped the Huskies reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the school’s history. Coach Mike Cavanaugh chose him to start each of their two games in the regionals. Tung didn’t disappoint, making 21 saves in a 4-1 win over Quinnipiac and 38 saves in a heartbreaking 3-2 overtime loss to Penn State in the Elite Eight.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound goalie then appeared in two games with Hartford on an ATO, posting a win and a loss with a 2.28 goals-against average. In the ECHL this season, Tung is 4-1-2 in seven starts, with a 2.47 GAA and .921 save percentage.

“In half a year from where he came from his first two games here last year, to what he’s done over the summer, to what he did in Bloomington, to what he’s shown here now in two games, he’s had a ton of growth as a player,” Potulny noted.

Garand appears healthy again and was the backup goalie Friday, so it’s unclear what the immediate future holds for Tung. Talyn Boyko was Garand’s backup earlier this season, but the Rangers loaned him to KalPa in Finland’s Liiga on Saturday. The Rangers signed veteran Spencer Martin recently, as well.

If Garand is good to go, the best plan likely is to have Tung play regularly in the ECHL, with Martin sharing the net with Garand in Hartford. Even so, Tung is on the Rangers’ radar after these two strong outings in the American Hockey League this past week.

]]> Sat, 22 Nov 2025 15:13:21 +0000 New York Rangers News