The most valuable player in Hartford last season has his contract up. This comes at time when the Rangers organization is crowded at the blue line and has traded and signed for defenseman Adam Fox. Where will the two time AHL All-Star go? Will he stay within the organization, or go elsewhere and sign as a free agent. The Rangers have sent qualifying offers to Cristoval Nieves and Steven Fogarty earlier in the season. Yet, John Gilmour or Vinni Lettieri was not offered any extension.

Addressing the cost for John Gilmour, he has a small percentage of the cap space in the organization. In the original contract for two seasons, the he had a cap hit of $742,500. His salary in the AHL was $70,000. Last season, he had a small increase with a bump of $1,485,000 with making $140,000 in the AHL (Two-way deal). Despite the 50% increase, his cap hit does not impact the Rangers.

On ice performance for the defenseman is terrific despite being apart of a lackluster Wolf Pack roster. John Gilmour led the team in points with 54 (20 goals, 34 assists). In addition, he led the team with assists. In the prior year, his total was 26 points (6 goals, 20 assists) followed by a rookie year performance of 25 points (6 goals, 19 assists). To me, that is strong growth on the offensive front of the blue line. He is proven to be able to make noise in Hartford.

John Gilmour fell short of leading the entire league on total points as a defenseman by one point. Aaron Ness of the Hershey Bears won that title in the last week of the regular season.

The defenseman also had time in New York. The 2017-18 season featured 28 games with the big club then last season, five. As he was on the cusp of making it to New York, he had to compete against the young guns in training camp (Anthony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk, etc.). If he returns, he will face the same challenges. This will not be a cakewalk for anyone wanting a spot in New York on defense. However on the plus with John Gilmour, he has taste the NHL which is great. That can help him grow better as a player in Hartford and help guide the younger guys.

I feel that the defenseman has made real strides in Hartford. His performance has doubled, and defensively he can help out. The question is if the Rangers are willing to re-sign him. Is the writing on the wall with other defenseman getting called up such as Libor Hajek?

In past seasons, when players often get passed up for getting called up to the big club, that is a red flag. Adam Tambellini on his last year of the entry level contract had that happen to him. John Gilmour’s case is similar, but also different as he performed and exceeded expectations.

If I had the final say, I would elect to re-sign the defenseman for two season to help bolster the Wolf Pack’s young blue line. He has proven himself within the Wolf Pack. Let him take on additional leadership roles as the group desperately needs mentoring.

My feeling? I will go out on a limb and say he will not be re-signed because of what has happened last season. Two players from Hartford were qualified already. The Pack needs to he better built. Why not get new guys? Prove me wrong on my theory, Rangers.

We shall see what happens when free agency is here.

Springtime has hit the capital city. A longtime ago, Wolf Pack fans geared up for post-season action. Fast forward over the years, and that has changed.

No more annual playoff appearances, no more exciting winnable seasons. Time has changed for the Wolf Pack franchise, from being known in the league as a tough opponent to play to now simply being a breezy cake walk.

This reputation can change as the Rangers must reconsider their thinking on assembling the 2019-2020 roster. Former head coaches Ken Gernander and Keith McCambridge faced a tough task create a winnable team with holes on the roster.

Last season was no different than the previous four seasons. The team developed prospects in a losing culture. The Pack were bottom in the basement once again. After completing the 76 game schedule Hartford produced a record of 29-36-7-4 for 69 points. This established the second time in franchise history with a point percentage below .500 (.454). The first time was in the 2016-17 season as that group went .355.

Goaltending Had False Hope

Originally with the dual of two veteran goalies, Dustin Tokarski and Marek Mazanec, the goaltending situation in Hartford looked solid. Despite the rough start to the season with Dustin Tokarski, the duo was solid in the early stages.

However, the situation became disappointing as the season progressed. Even Alexandar Georgiev was disappointing in net with how he performed in his brief stint. In the 11 games played, he went 2-9 with a 3.66 goals against average and a 0.883 save percentage. You cannot fault Alexander Georgiev since it was a combination of weak defense and not playing up to expectations.

Keith McCambridge used his two veterans incorrectly as well. He stayed with one of the veterans until they were cold and looking at the season, neither really got hot. That was understandable, but to have a goalie not play for long stretches wasn’t helpful.

Eventually Hartford had a goalie carousel. They traded both vets and brought several goalies for the remainder of the year. Brandon Halverson and Adam Huska stood out in the end.

In total the franchise had six goalies in net throughout the season. The inconsistencies throughput the roster led to struggles in the crease. Yet coming into the season, expectations were that the goalies were a strength. Boy, I was wrong.

Managements and Player Comments Regarding the Season

Hartford had exit interviews last Tuesday as the players head off to their summer destinations with lots to think about. The Wolf Pack won 10 games from February to April. The first axe was on coach Keith McCambridge and assistant Joey Mormina immediately after the season concluded.

“One of the assistant captains, Rob O’Gara, was sidelined for much of the second half with back spasms was very disappointed. “When you work with someone who has helped you and you develop a relationship with them, it’s never fun to see them go through something like this. We do develop a family atmosphere and (McCambridge) was very honest with me, which I appreciated, and he helped me because I struggled a lot early on trying to do too much. I got to be in a good spot where I was playing some good minutes, and then I got injured, but I appreciate he gave me a leadership role this season.”

Rob O’Gara, Howlings.net

Vetearn Rob O’Gara had a few comments regarding the firing. In the AHL, developing close relationships with players is key. I sense this was a loss to him, but not all players feel the same way. This is business as we must improve our franchise regardless how impactful a coach is. We need a coach who is open to his players along with insightful on making the team better as a whole.

“It’s tough. You feel really bad, and you wish you could have done more for the team as a whole. It’s not fun for anyone,” Shawn O’Donnell said. The 30-year-old completed his third tour of duty in Hartford. “One thing is we had a lot of (personnel) turnover and it’s a part of the league. You look at Hershey. They had very few changes in the second half of the season. We had changes on an almost a weekly basis.”

Shawn O’Donnell, Howlings.net

Another veteran, Shawn O’Donnell relates to the Wolf Pack fan base concluding the season. Losing is a tough feeling for everyone. Teams who had dismal seasons wished they could do better. Ultimately, the team was limited and the blame has to shift onto management. Gerry Cantlon reiterated that the issues is simply more than just coaching and roster personal.

“The season result was not all McCambridge’s fault, nor was it his predecessor, Ken Gernander’s, fault either. Asking a head coach to turn lemons into lemonade is what was asked of both men. The Wolf Pack have hit bottom and have been cresting at the bottom of the division and the entire AHL for almost five years. They have not made the playoffs in six of the last seven years. That’s an organizational failure, not just a coaching problem. “

Cantlon, Howlings.net

The Rangers have to rethink their strategies regarding the farm team. I continue to say the same words almost on a yearly basis. You cannot have a strong franchise (New York) without building up the entire organization. It has to start in Hartford. All the teams who perform well and make the playoffs have one thing in common, a impressive AHL franchise who also wins plus make playoffs. Home growth players are one of the best you can do. We want the Rangers rebuild perfected so the organization can be strong for many years to come, rather than brief stints.

The proof is exists on why the AHL is important. Look at the Bruins and Providence, Carolina and Charlotte, Washington and Hershey, Bridgeport and Islanders, Tampa Bay and Syracuse, San Jose Barracuda and San jose Sharks. I can go on and on at the trend. Develop your prospects with a winning culture. Develop them wanting to win games. You develop them hungry for post-season action to include further development. That’s what the AHL is about, development. The Rangers record for development has been lacking as of late. I’ll leave a few more comments for your reading pleasure below.

“There have been some moments to celebrate the signs of player development, but those are few and far between and what has seemed to become a trend, change is in the air again.”

Canton, Howlings.net

“Clearly, the Rangers talent evaluation process is broken. A major shakeup is needed to achieve better results so necessary changes in the scouting department will likely happen.

“The Rangers are on the hook here as they await the naming of a new president of the team to succeed Glen Sather. That fortunate soul will have to pick through the debris in New York and Hartford and try to plot a forward course. The Rangers clear indifference to Hartford has to end.

Winning and the playoffs were once synonymous here. Over a 14-year consecutive stretch where the team made the playoffs and competed at the top end of the AHL. Winning and playoffs still matter. The Rangers have to decide if they care to accomplish that objective here. “

Canton, Howlings.net

Defensive Errors Costs Games

The blue line had an abundance of issues. The Wolf Pack were 29th in the league for goals against at 266. That equates to 3.5 goals against per game in 76 tries. Goaltending and defense goes hand in hand.

The defense in Hartford struggled on a nightly basis with multiple errors that were common. Keith McCambridge had failed to address that portion of the group as there was no progress. The constant roster changes did not help the team either which was also a factor on defense.

To put this in perspective, John Gilmour was the best defenseman for Hartford. Despite registering 54 points, he was a -11. You would think he would be well in the positives, but the Pack cannot simply protect the lead or keep anything out of the net.

Trades Harmed Offense

The forward group also had issues. There were moments where the club was able to score consistently to streaks of going goalless. The players that performed were let go throughout the season which is unusual. The Rangers blew up the roster and did not focus to improve it this season.

First it was Cole Schneider, then Peter Holland. At the times of each trade, they were the top or the second top point producer on the team. Their veteran presence benefited the prospects as well. Simply to have lack of leadership in the locker room or a guiding light for the prospects is unacceptable.

Looking Ahead

The Rangers have a list of tasks to accomplish if they want to see improvements in Hartford. If they do not address every area of the roster, then we may be right back where we are, bottom of the Atlantic Division.

• Find a developmental, winning head coach plus assistant coaches.
• Finding the right veterans who can perform on a nightly basis and nurse the prospects.
• Find at least one veteran goaltender to show the ropes to Adam Huska and quite possibly Igor Shesterkin.
• Sign a few AHL proven defenseman to boost the blue line.
• Develop a wining culture that enhances competition between players who wants to play for a playoff spot.
• Make the Wolf Pack a team that is feared for by opponents. Not a team that is known to be terrible and is a cakewalk to play against.

Following Saturday night’s outstanding win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Rangers returned home to face Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. And while Alexandar Georgiev was in goal once again, he wasn’t able to reproduce his heroics from Saturday as the Rangers dropped a 5-2 decision at Madison Square Garden.

Brendan Lemieux – Since being acquired from the Winnipeg Jets at the trade deadline, Brendan Lemieux has done a little bit of everything for David Quinn’s squad. He throws his body around, grinds in the corners, blocks shots, and has the offensive skills to put up points. In the first period, Lemieux finished off a pretty passing play with his line mates Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

Lemieux also drew a couple of penalties in this one, as he continues to show what he can to for his new team.

Vinni Lettieri – He’s been shuttled between Hartford and New York for most of his professional career and Lettieri is trying to show that he’s worth consideration for next year’s club. With the Blueshirts on the power play in the first period, Lettieri hammered a one-timer from the circle to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead.

John Gilmour – For as impressive as he was at the end of last season, John Gilmour has struggled mightily since being called up. He looked out of position tonight, unsure of what to do with the puck, and just generally lost when he was on the ice. Hopefully, for Gilmour, he can get his game together before the season ends, because this is not the first impression he wants to make on David Quinn.

Passing Up Shots – No matter who the coach is, it seems like the Rangers are constantly passing up opportunities to shoot the puck. And we aren’t talking about long distance shots through traffic; we are talking about high quality chances from inside the top of the faceoff circle. The Rangers need to kick this bad habit of passing up chances to get the puck on net, because if you don’t put the puck on net, you don’t score. And if you don’t score, you don’t win.

Alexandar Georgiev – It was not one of his better nights in the crease as the young goaltender gave up five goals, including a couple he’d want back. Matt Cullen’s goal to give the Penguins the lead was a short side goal that beat Georgiev over the shoulder. A great shot, but one Georgiev could’ve stopped if he’d been in better position. The fifth and final goal of the game, which was scored by Teddy Blueger, came after Georgiev was unable to squeeze the shot from Brian Rust and Blueger was able to deposit the rebound. Another learning experience for the Belarusian netminder.

Next Game: The Rangers head to Beantown for an Original Six matchup with the Bruins on Wednesday night. Puck drops at 730!

LETS GO RANGERS!!

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 trade deadline for the Hartford Wolf Pack was quiet. The New York Rangers did not tinker with the AHL roster, except with one addition. Going forward the rest of the season, the group is expected to remain the same until we reach April. As we enter this week, Hartford is still far from the final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

Hartford has a busy week ahead with three games on tap to end February and begin March. Coming into Wednesday’s contest, Hartford is tied for seventh in the Atlantic Division with the Springfield Thunderbirds. Hartford has a record of 23-25-6-3.

Standings Update & Positioning

The Wolf Pack are nine points out from a playoff spot. On the plus side, the Pack has won a string of games as of late and has kept up with the bottom tier teams. Hartford is now tied for seventh and is able to reach as high as sixth depending on the outcome of other games this week.

If Hartford continues to pick up points, they have to act fast if they want to jump up in the standings. Here are a few teams that Hartford could jump or be within reach of with the scenario of a Hartford win plus these teams losing:

• 7th- Springfield Thunderbirds – Tied
• 6th- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – four points ahead
• 5th- Lehigh Valley Phantoms – Five points ahead

These are teams Hartford can creep up to in the standings. In fact, the next two weeks feature multiple games against Springfield and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

After this weekend is complete, we will go from there and revisit the standings if it is worth to do so.

You can check the 2019 AHL Playoff Primer here as this is updated daily.

Information To Know

In addition to the trade deadline passing on Monday in the National Hockey League, there was another deadline that loomed in the AHL at 3pm.

The Rangers have elected to not assign any prospect to Hartford before the deadline. That means players such as Lias Andersson, Boo Nieves, and Connor Brickley will not be able to return to Hartford for the remainder of this season.

Normally teams will assign prospects to their minor league teams as a paper transaction. Then the following day, call them back up. This tells a story of how New York is not expecting Hartford to make the postseason.

Another deadline of note is the AHL’s trade and loan deadline. The deadline is strictly for players on AHL contracts, and I do not expect movement from Hartford here.

Farm Report: Injuries, Contracts, Roster Movements

This week featured a bit of news regarding multiple aspects of Hartford’s roster.

• Two Players Return Next Season
  • On Monday, the Rangers announced contract extensions for Steven Fogarty and Boo Nieves. I expect at least one of them to be in Hartford next season. Well deserved by both forwards.
• Transactions
  • Defenseman Matt Finn has been released from his PTO.
  • Defenseman Julius Bergman joins Hartford as he was acquired in the trade involving former Ranger, Adam McQuaid.
• Injury Updates
  • Ville Meskanen was injured in the opening shift of Saturday’s game, and he did not play on Sunday. I suspect a lower-body injury, around his knee and foot area. He was limping off the ice after a collision with a Providence player along the boards.
  • Brandon Crawley is still out for a brief period with an upper-body injury.

Steven Fogarty Impresses

The Rangers prospect found his offensive touch again. Sunday’s game against Providence was the Steven Fogarty show, as the forward notched a hat trick plus one assist. Check out his goals here.

In addition to two of the goals being shorthanded, Fogarty is now the third player in franchise history to register two shorthanded goals in the same game.

The prospect is on a six-game point streak and has points in seven of his last eight games (7 goals, 6 assists for 13 points). The hot hand continues as we enter into this week’s games. Impressive playing by the forward in the last few weeks.

One Timers

• Vinni Lettieri has points in seven straight games (5 goals, 5 assists for 10 points). Check out his shorthanded beauty here.

• John Gilmour and Steven Fogarty are tied for points on the team at 39.
• Matt Beleskey hasn’t recorded a point in his last four games. In addition, the veteran has not scored a goal in 19 games. He is looking to break that spell.
• Sean Day continues to produce points. He has points in four of his last five games (2 goals, 3 assists for 5 points).
• Ty Ronning has goals in back to back games.

• Hartford has three shorthanded goals in the last two games.

Upcoming Games

Wednesday, February 27th vs Hershey Bears (Washington) at 7pm, XL Center

• This is the third of six meetings against the Hershey Bears. This is the first time Hershey is in Hartford this season.
• Hershey’s 16 game winning streak ended on Sunday against Bridgeport as the Sound Tigers won 5-1. The Bears were on a 16-0-0-1 streak before the regulation loss.
• Hartford is 0-1-1 in the season series against Hershey. The first meeting ended in a shootout loss on November 4th and the second meeting was a 6-3 defeat on December 8th.
• Hershey is third in the Atlantic Division with a record of 31-21-0-3 for 65 points.

Friday, March 1st vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida) at 7:05 pm, Mass Mutual Center

• This is the eighth of ten meetings in the season series. Hartford is 3-4 against Springfield entering the contest.
• Springfield has stumbled this season, going from one of the top teams to now a tie with Hartford for last. The Thunderbirds are 2-7-0-1 in the last ten games.
• Depending on the outcome of Wednesday’s game between Hartford and Hershey, the Pack may be ahead of Springfield entering Friday’s game.
• This is the third meeting in Springfield. Hartford is 1-1 this season at the Mass Mutual Center.
• The Thunderbirds record is 22-23-6-5 for 55 points.

Saturday, March 2nd vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 7:30 pm, XL Center

• This is the fifth of six meetings against the Penguins. Hartford is 1-2-1 in the season series.
• The Penguins are 26-22-5-2 for 59 points and is ahead of Hartford by four points. The Penguins are sixth in the Atlantic Division.
• The Penguins are 4-4-1-1 in their last ten meetings.

With the trade deadline just two days away the Rangers still have many decisions to make. Kevin Hayes, Adam McQuaid and even Chris Kreider are all heavily rumored to be on the move to any number of destinations depending on who you believe.

The possible departure of those players will have the Rangers needing to replace them. If we go with the theory that the Rangers will be loading up on picks and prospects rather than roster players, then there will be quite a few Hartford call-ups post deadline. Who are those call-ups going to be? The names that pop out are John Gilmour, Ville Meskanen, Vinni Lettieri and newly acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh.

Defense Call-Ups

Gilmour has proved himself admirably at the AHL level this year. With the trade of Peter Holland to the Chicago Blackhawks, he became the Wolf Pack’s leading scorer. He currently has 16 goals and and 23 assists for 39 points in 55 games. Those are fantastic numbers for the young defenseman and you can make the case he already deserved to be called up.

The Rangers defense has not been good this year with poor play from some players such as Neal Pionk, Brenden Smith and to some extent, even Kevin Shattenkirk. Gilmour deserves a chance to show what he’s got with the big club and show that his solid stint with the Rangers at the end of last season wasn’t a fluke. He was an AHL All-Star this season, has nice skating ability and a shot that can find the net. With the trade of Adam McQuaid a foregone conclusion, Gilmour’s call-up should be on top of GM Jeff Gorton’s post-deadline to-do list.

Besides Gilmour, there is another intriguing Wolf Pack defenseman for the Rangers to call up and that’s the player they acquired from the Blackhawks in exchange for Peter Holland: Darren Raddysh. Raddysh is a former OHL defenseman of the year; he put up 81 points in 62 games as an overager during the 2016-17 season with the Erie Otters. He went undrafted before being signed by the Blackhawks.

After a little over a season and a half with their Blackhawks’ AHL Affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, where Raddysh put up 48 points in 120 games, he was traded to the Rangers and assigned to the Wolf Pack. Gorton could possibly call Raddysh up to see what he has in the 23-year-old Caledon, Ontario native. A rebuild is all about finding which players can stick and be apart of the solution and which ones just don’t fit in long term plans. Raddysh could be a hidden gem of a player, or he may amount to just being a career AHLer. It’ll be up to Gorton to decide if he deserves a test with the big club during the last part of the season.

Now, there are two names that need to be pointed out here as well and those are Libor Hajek and Ryan Lindgren. Lindgren already had a call up this season and the organization most likely wants him to just play big minutes for the Wolf Pack. He’s a physical defenseman who will eventually carve out a niche for himself in New York. In Hajek’s case, he just flat out isn’t ready for the bright lights of Broadway. Make no mistake, Hajek will be a huge part of the Rangers future and will grow into a top-four defenseman on the Rangers blue line. But for this season, it’s the right call to leave him in Hartford. He needs big minutes, power-play time and a better understanding of the pro game before he gets his shot.

Forward Call-Ups

Now that Zuccarello has been traded and Hayes likely to depart, hat will leave two forward spots open. Two names that absolutely need to be on Gorton’s list to call-up are Ville Meskanen and Vinni Lettieri.

Meskanen, who was signed as a free agent after putting up 24 goals for Ilves of the Finnish Liiga, has had a great first season for the Wolf Pack. He currently has 29 points in 53 games (10 goals, 19 assists) and has looked to be a great pick up for Gorton. While Michael Lindqvist – who the Rangers signed along with Meskanen in the offseason – didn’t pan out, Meskanen has shown flashes of a player who could be a nice middle six player in the NHL within the next few years. Remember, Liiga is a men’s league and Meskanen did very well there. He has the talent but it’s all about putting it all together.

With so many questions regarding lineup decisions, Meskanen deserves a little stint on Broadway to see if he can hang with the big club. Worst case scenario is he ends up not doing much and he goes back to Hartford. Best case: he makes a nice case for himself, chips in a goal here and there and makes a good impression on head coach David Quinn going into the offseason. It just makes too much sense.

Lettieri has to be in the back of Gorton’s mind as well. His shot first mentality is something all fans can appreciate and the kid gives it his all every game. Seemingly too talented for the AHL but not yet ready to truly impact the game at the NHL level, a stint at the end of the season could do wonders for Lettieri’s confidence. If he becomes a nice bottom six winger who can add some offense on occasion and can be sound defensively than the Rangers will have done well with him. He hasn’t looked bad during his previous call-ups, but giving him some more responsibility and ice-time at the end of the season may be good for the kid in the long run.

The weeks leading up to the trade deadline had the New York Rangers busy with the Wolf Pack’s roster. More moves could be on the way considering how the season has unfolded in Hartford. Coming into the 2018-19 season, the expectation was a group ready to develop and compete in the Atlantic Division. It didn’t pan out that way, therefore the Rangers are looking ahead and preparing moves that will benefit the farm team in the 2019-2020 season.

As the Pack traded away high impact veteran players, the moves tell me that the organization has given up on the season. Hartford is 11 points out of a playoff spot and has to jump at least four teams to get in.

Currently the Wolf Pack are last in the Atlantic Division, eighth with a record of 21-25-5-3 for 50 points. The group is also last in the Eastern Conference at 16 and in 29th in the league overall.

Let’s get to business regarding the latest happenings for the Wolf Pack group.

Looking Ahead…

The expectations moving forward is that the roster will have a plenty of changes. Over the summer the Pack will have new veterans signed along with a few potential other prospects joining in. In addition, a few players such as John Gilmour is expected to return given their contributions this season. The Rangers will have wiggle room on enhancing the roster for Hartford.

Roster Moves

The group had a few transactions in recent weeks. Let’s check them out:

• Forward Zac Lynch, defenseman Matt Finn joined Hartford through PTOs.
• Forwards Drew Melanson and Jason Salvaggio was also called up. Jason Salvaggio was also re-assigned from Hartford to Wichita of the ECHL.
• Peter Holland gets removed from a trade and defenseman Darren Raddysh joins.
• Derek Pratt was another defenseman called up and was released on Tuesday.
• Vinni Lettieri joined Hartford last Wednesday, followed by Connor Brickley recalled to New York.
• Defenseman Matt Petgrave was also released last week.

Injury Update

There are a few injuries recently, which led Hartford to become active on the transaction wire:

• Brandon Crawley- Injured over the last few weeks. No update is given. It is unknown when he will return.
• Chris Bigras- Last Wednesday against the Toronto Marlies, the defenseman collided with a Marlies forward and fell awkwardly. He was unable to put weight on one of his legs. His injury could be season ending. I do not expect him to return to the lineup.
• Rob O’Gara- Injury information not released and will be out for a few more games, the very least.
• Ville Meskanen- Injured from a game last week. He should be back soon as I expect the injury to be not serious.
• Ty Ronning- He had abundance of injuries this season. he is back on the scratch list due to another injury. He should be back soon.
• Injury updates are not provided by the organization in Hartford. If information is given, I will provide updates when available.

Analysis On Peter Holland Trade

Monday evening the Rangers announced a trade regarding veteran forward Peter Holland in exchange for defenseman Darren Raddysh. You can read more information regarding the trade here by my colleague, Zak Chiger.

Let me start answering the question; “was this a good trade?” The answer is yes but needs a deeper explanation. There are a few areas to look at when considering the value of the trade for Hartford.

• The good news: Peter Holland’s contract was up this season. The Rangers dealt him and got a player who is signed next season. The defense gets another prospect on the crowded pipeline and is a solid player on the blue line, which Hartford desperately needs. The trade improves the struggling defense.
• The bad news: Hartford removed another leader in the locker room. On ice, Holland led the team in points with 49 points. He was nearly a point per game player. The second in points was John Gilmour with 38, then it dips to 33 points for Steven Fogarty. Hartford traded away their top two points players in recent weeks.
• There is lack of leadership in the locker room now. The prospects only have a few to rely on (Matt Beleskey, Rob O’Gara, and Shawn O’Donnell).
• Since the Cole Schneider trade, Hartford is 3-12. Trading away the captain sank the group, standings wise. Let’s see the effect on the Peter Holland trade in the upcoming weeks.
• The newest Rangers prospect will debut on Friday against Springfield. He is wearing number two.

AHL Playoff Primer

If you are interested, the American Hockey League released their annual playoff primer. The premier is updated daily and shows where the team stands in the playoff hunt. Unfortunately, we do not have much use for it. Currently, Hartford still has a chance. Hartford needs 58 points. However, they have 22 games remaining. They will need a bunch of help in the standings. You can check out the primer here.

Off-Ice Updates

Regarding the home of the Wolf Pack, the XL Center has no news, yet. As you may recall, the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) pushed ahead a plan to renovate the capital city venue last year for $250 million. That plan fell through as the state of Connecticut did not want to include the building funds in the budget.

Looking ahead, the CRDA is doing a similar plan, this time with less cost. The scaled back renovation plan has a price tag of roughly $100 million. The CRDA will have to persude the new governor plus the state that the XL Center needs the much needed renovations. The process starts up soon and I will give you updates as they come.

Regarding the Wolf Pack, we are currently in year one of the five year deal. The 2019-2020 season is year two and is the last year on the first stage of the deal. After that, there are three one year extensions that can be exercised from either party (Madison Square Garden or Spectra/CRDA).

Wolf Pack attendance this season had a noticeable decline. As we enter this week, Hartford’s average is 3,560. Generally, the Pack average around 4,100+ by the time the season ends. I suspect the decline in attendance is not due to poor play, but with an increase of ticket pricing plus the arena management struggling to find ways to put people in seats. The Wolf Pack never averaged below 4,100 in franchise history.

The XL Center has 11 games remaining. To match last year’s average of 4,138 (157,243 fans), Hartford must get 61,133 fans (currently at 96,100). That equates to each game having 5,557 fans per game. That is possible, considering some games should have larger crowds than others. We shall see.

According to Gerry Cantlon from Howlings, Spectra had many games below 2,000 in franchise history. Here is a quote from last Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Marlies.

“The attendance of 1,548 was the fifth worst recorded in franchise history. Of the 36 under crowds of 2,000, a total of 23 have come during the Global/Spectra management run.”

Gerry Cantlon

In addition, Spectra had five of the 23 lowest attended crowds happen this season in Hartford. Yikes. The franchise lowest crowd was on Tuesday February 5th with a crowd of 1,274.

Upcoming Games

Hartford has a three in three weekend coming up. Hartford is home in the next three of four games.

Friday, January 22nd vs Springfield Thunderbirds (Florida) at 7:15pm, XL Center

• This is the seventh of ten meetings against Springfield. Hartford is 2-4 in the season series against the Thunderbirds.
• Springfield is four points behind Springfield. The Thunderbirds has lost their last eight of ten outings.
• Hartford is 2-5-2-1 in their last ten outings.
• Springfield is seventh in the Atlantic Division with a record of 22-22-6-4 for 54 points.

Saturday, January 23rd vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 7pm, XL Center

• Hartford is 4-3-1 in the ten game season series against Providence. The Bruins won the last three meetings, which all were in Providence.
• The Bruins are 4th in the Atlantic Division with a record of 27-19-6-1 for 61 points.
• Providence has won their last seven out ten outings. However, they enter the week losing two straight in regulation.

Sunday, January 24th vs Providence Bruins (Boston) at 3:05pm, Dunkin Donuts Center Providence

• This is the tenth and final meeting in the season series against Providence.
• After Sunday’s game, Hartford finished two season series out of three against their rivals (Bridgeport, Springfield).
• After Sunday, Hartford has nine home games remaining. They also have ten road games remaining.

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.

The Wolf Pack continue their skid as they enter the early stages of February. The group has lost seven straight and is 29th in the American Hockey League. Ouch. Who would have thought the group would creep this low? I did not, considering the roster that was provided. As we enter this week, with four games on tap, Hartford is 19-23-3-2 for 43 points. That ranks them eighth in the Atlantic Division.

Hartford Falls After Trading Away Captain

The group is 1-7 since the captain, Cole Schneider, departed from the organization through a trade. Since the trade, the Wolf Pack have not looked the same. When you trade away one of the team’s better forwards, second in points at the time, usually the gamble may not be worth it. Well, we have the results after the trade, and the Pack’s plan has seemingly backfired.

I am not knocking on Connor Brickley because he’s a different type of player. We are comparing apples to oranges here. Chris Drury wanted grit and, unfortunately, Milwaukee won the trade, value wise. Perhaps the organization could have moved another forward for Connor Brickley.

The players and Keith McCambridge had some interesting commentary on the trade. Remarks from the group on Howlings.net regarding the trade raises eyebrows.

“I told them he was a part of our family starting from September and you hope till early June (Calder Cup Final time) you’re together as a family. I really like this group. They get along well together, and a piece of our family was taken away. I always speak from the heart to the team,” McCambridge said.

McCambridge was channeling his captain’s player role, not so much being their head coach

“I liked Cole a lot. He was a good man. I like what he represented. Now, we have to pick up the slack in a leadership void and what he brought (to the team) on the ice as well.”

Keith McCambridge

From a coach’s perspective, McCambridge sounds as if he lost one of the best forwards in the locker room, despite bumping him to the third or fourth line to kickstart his offense, which seemed to have worked.

“We’re bummed out for sure. That is the tough part of the business, and we signed up for it, and we all know the possibilities,” Holland said. “Our lives can be tossed into a blender and get traded away.”

Peter Holland

Was this the right move for the Wolf Pack? Probably not, but I will let you decide.

John Gilmour Continues To Prosper

The 25-year-old defenseman continues to make strides in Hartford. His contract is up this summer and I expect him to return. Offensively, he has found a spark and ran away with it as his offensive game continues to shine. The prospect has 36 points in 47 games played. Last season in 44 outings, he collected 26 points and in the 2016-17 season, he had 25 points. If the defenseman stays in Hartford for a majority of the season, we could see him reach as high as the 50-point range, which, for a defenseman, would be impressive.

John Gilmour is the best defenseman on the ice for the Pack on both ends of the ice. His speed allows him to easily transition from defense to offense and be able to block lanes when the opponent establishes play in Hartford’s zone. If the Rangers are looking for a call up on the blue line, I expect John Gilmour to get the call.

Injury Updates

Hartford is dealing with a few injuries or illnesses. As a result, players such as Sean Day and Zach Tolkinen are being given opportunities to play.

• Matt Beleskey – Illness. He should return shortly.
• Brandon Crawley – Injured. Time table for return is unknown.

Rangers Prospects In Hockey East Updates

Goaltender Tyler Wall was named Hockey East’s defensive player of the week. Congrats to the Rangers prospect for his award!

Closer to home, University of Connecticut’s goaltender, and Rangers prospect, Adam Huska is the starting goalie for the university. Despite a record of 5-11-2 with a 3.16 goals against average, he is still continuing to develop. The team in front of him has struggled this season as the group is led mainly by young freshmen. The University of Connecticut is 7-17-2, but is just 2-12-2 in Hockey East play.

Upcoming Games

The Pack has a busy week coming up. Perhaps the losing streak could get snapped this week.

Tuesday, February 5th vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at 7 pm, XL Center

• This is the final meeting in Hartford between the clubs. This is the ninth of ten meetings in the season series. The series finishes up next Saturday in Bridgeport.
• Hartford is 4-3-1 against Bridgeport. Last season the group was 3-6-1.
• The Sound Tigers are second in the Atlantic Division with 56 points. They are 25-17-4-2 and have won four of their last ten outings.

Friday, February 8th vs Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) at 7:15 pm, XL Center

• This is the first meeting between the clubs. This is a two-game season series. Hartford is in Syracuse on March 16th. Last season, the Pack split the season series with the Crunch.
• Syracuse is 27-13-2-1 for 57 points, second in the North Division. The Crunch enter the week winning six straight.
• Hartford is 12-9-2 at home, while Syracuse is 10-8-2 on the road.

Saturday, February 9th vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at 7:05 pm, PPL Center

• Saturday begins back to back games in Allentown against the Phantoms. This game will be the fourth of six meetings in the season series. The last three meetings will be in Allentown.
• Hartford is 2-1 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms entering the contest. Last season, the Pack won all six games against the Phantoms.
• The Phantoms are fourth in the Atlantic Division with 55 points. They are 25-17-3-2, and is 5-5 in their last ten outings.

Sunday, February 10th vs Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) at 3:05 pm, PPL Center

• This is the fifth of six meetings on the season series.
• Hartford will return to Allentown on April 13th to finish the season series during the final week of the season.

After attending my first American Hockey League All-Star festivities in Springfield, Massachusetts, I was amazed at the upcoming prospects in the pipelines for each National Hockey League organization. The amount of talent presented in the skills competition and games are amazing to see. Hartford’s lone all-star selection belonged to John Gilmour. This was his second trip back to the special event.

From the fan’s standpoint, I highly recommend you to attend the NHL or AHL All-Star weekend when you get a chance. Prior to the events, I was excited as if I was going to a hockey game in Hartford. That feeling changed suddenly when I arrived. The atmosphere was just more than a hockey game, it was unreal. Coming to the hockey rink without a worry about the Wolf Pack or standings was a pleasant feeling. I was able to have fun and enjoy myself regardless of who wins on both nights. The energy that the players produced was noticeably different, all smiles and pleasant interactions with fans. The night was just getting started when I parked in the garage on Sunday night for the AHL All-Star Competition.

If only the NHL does this, but the feeling of watching warmups and the competitions without glass in front of you is an indescribable feeling. You feel the impact, you get to mingle with the players, and you feel as if you are part of the action. I was unable to pass up the opportunity to sit on the glass when I purchased tickets roughly a year ago.

The first night featured a slew of events. Rangers prospect John Gilmour was entering the night defending his fastest skater attempt. Unfortunately for the young defenseman, he was beaten by this year’s winner, Anthony Greco of the Springfield Thunderbirds. John Gilmour has the speed, but a few hiccups costed him the precious seconds. You can check out his attempt below.

Despite not winning the fastest skater competition for the AHL East, the prospect tried to help in other competitions. Below are the winners from each event:

• Fastest Skater– Anthony Greco with a lap of 13.251 seconds, the fastest in AHL history. His time would’ve been better than Connor McDavid for the fastest skater in the NHL All-Star festivities. That’s impressive. The prospect belongs to the Florida Panthers organization and he is on the Springfield Thunderbirds.
• Puck Control Relay– Anthony Greco.
• Hardest Shot– Greg Carey of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia). His shot was clocked at 100.4 miles per hour.
• Accuracy Shooting– Reid Boucher of the Utica Comets (Vancouver) and Francis Perron of the San Jose Barracuda (Sharks) shared the win as both broke four targets in six attempts. Points were awarded to both conferences.
• Top Goaltender– Kaapo Kahkonen won the top goaltender award with 16 saves on 18 attempts in the night. That includes eight stops in rapid fire and saved all attempts in the pass and score breakaway relay.

You can see a list of all players in each event here. Eventually, the West came back in the late stages of the competition, defeating the East 10-4 in the breakaway relay and would win the evening with a final score of 17-14.

The party was shifting from the Mass Mutual Center to MGM Springfield. Before doing so, the league does an automatic autograph with the players on ice before the players leave for the evening. Here are a few pictures from that time.

Then as the night went on, I attended the AHL post skills party at MGM Springfield. Players, league officials, fans, and AHL Hall of Fame Inductees attended the social event.

Monday was another day of fun. After Dave Andrews completed the State of the AHL Address, the AHL inducted John Anderson, Don Cherry, Murray Eaves, and a former Wolf Pack great, Brad Smyth.

Able to see a former Wolf Pack great get inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame was awesome in person. The honor is not common in the hockey world. Many Pack fans know about Brad Smyth, known as “shooter”. He was acquired by the Rangers in 1997 and helped Hartford win their sole Calder Cup in the 1999-2000 season. The forward spent time in the organization until the 2001-02 season. Then in 2005-06, he played in 22 games with Hartford.

Later that night featured the event of the weekend, the AHL All-Star Game. The night featured 3v3 action between each division (Atlantic, North, Central, Pacific).

Eventually, the North won the All-Star Game as they defeated the Atlantic Division 1-0 in the shootout in the championship match. John Gilmour had a three-goal evening for the Atlantic Division. The North Division has won the All-Star Game in back to back seasons. In my recent article, you can watch John Gilmour’s goals here.

Looking back at all the fun I had last weekend in Springfield, it was truly worth the wait. The events are unique and taking in the atmosphere around you is amazing. Great job by MGM Springfield, the Springfield Thunderbirds, AHL, and the Mass Mutual Center for conducting this thrilling event. I look forward to attending the all-star festivities in the future if they are close to Hartford again.