ECHL teams opt out of play

The first two teams to opt out where the Atlanta Gladiators and Norfolk Admirals in October. Fast forward to mid November, more teams decided to opt out. In fact, the whole North Division of the ECHL opted out.

This includes the Rangers and Wolf Pack affiliate, the Maine Mariners. Maine joins the Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Newfoundland Growlers, Reading Royals, and the Worcester Railers to suspend play.

“The 6 teams from the #ECHL North Division have elected to suspend play for the 2020-21 Season under the League’s COVID-19 policy.”

ECHL

When and if the AHL resumes, Hartford will be playing without an ECHL affiliate. Chris Drury and the management will have to navigate the difficult waters when re-assigning players from the AHL to the ECHL.

On the AHL level, the league pushed their start date to February. There is still plenty of work to do with the uncertainty of the future.

Impact to Rangers and Wolf Pack

Despite not having an ECHL affiliate for the 2020-21 season, the Wolf Pack will still have opportunity to utilize the ECHL for players that are bumped out of the lineup or need to work on their game.

Hartford could loan players to other non-affiliated ECHL clubs. This prevents the issue of having an abundance of players sitting for lengthy periods of time. From the goalie perspective, it is imperative for Tyler Wall, Adam Huska, and Keith Kinkaid to play a good number of games for development, consistency, and be able to help win games.

Potential Road Blocks on AHL Return to Play?

Given that four of the six AHL teams are based in the Northeast, regulations and restrictions will be tight in comparison to other parts of the country. The two Canadian teams will have similar restrictions as well. Add in the rising levels of spread and cases in the United States, this does not bode well for minor league sports.

There is no guarantee that the AHL will be able to play in February. If franchises are given the OK to play with limited capacity or no fans, you will see teams opting out due to financial reasons. Safety is a priory over everything in the league.

As we approach later into 2020 and into 2021, there are still too many questions to answer before we have a solid indication on when the Wolf Pack returns to the XL Center.

Wear a mask. Social distance. Stay safe. We will get through this together. I look forward on covering the Wolf Pack further when and if the season begins in 2021.

As we hear further updates, I will keep you in the loop.

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John Davidson continues to build up the farm in Hartford with the addition of David Cunniff and Chris Hoeler on Tuesday afternoon. Then on Thursday, Hartford announced the signing of defenseman Zach Tolkinen.

Rangers Add Off Ice Personnel

David Cunniff joins Gord Murphy and Kris Knoblauch on the Wolf Pack bench for the upcoming season. The addition gives Hartford a third pair of eyes watching and mentoring the kids. The 48-year-old assistant coach has spent his entire coaching career in the American Hockey League.

Cunniff adds more experience to the coaching staff with 17 seasons under the belt as an assistant/associate coach with the Cleveland Barons (4), Worcester Sharks (8), Albany Devils (1), and the Iowa Wild (4).

The move allows the Wolf Pack to focus on developing and creating the right culture in the locker room. Hartford will have another set of eyes and ears in the locker room that has the experience, fought the battles, and understands how to handle difficult situations. He has the potential to guide the locker room if games go south. Also, Cunniff knows about the importance of developing a good culture. Over the course of the season, he knows what will work for the group and can guide the prospects throughout the season.

With three new bodies on the Wolf Pack bench, I continue to be optimistic on the rebuild of Hartford’s young, talented roster.

Off the ice, the addition of a new video coach will help the coaching staff find weaknesses during games, and review the situation afterward. Getting another eye on the game from a different angle enhances the coaching staffs ability to zero in on where improvements can be made for each player.

Despite being off the bench, a video coach is just as important as the other coaches. Adding to the behind the scenes staff will be beneficial long term for Hartford and New York.

As we approach October, the upcoming season looks promising with all the moves that have been made in the summer. I expect results from these moves so the kids can enjoy playing with a winning atmosphere and develop to legitimate Ranger prospects that have an impactful future with the Blueshirts.

Wolf Pack Add Another Blue Liner

In another negotiated AHL deal with Hartford, the Wolf Pack have signed defenseman Zach Tolkinen for the upcoming season.

The 29-year-old spent a majority of last season with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL, followed by a nine-game stint with the Pack. He only registered four penalty minutes in the AHL while collecting one goal and 12 assists in the ECHL.

This is another signing geared towards our ECHL affiliate as Chris Drury is signing extra bodies for the Pack in case of injuries or call ups. Tolkinen has spent the last five seasons in the ECHL as a gritty defenseman who can drop the gloves.

To date, Hartford has signed a few players that have helped the Maine Mariners in their inaugural season. Guys like Tolkinen, Jeff Taylor, Greg Chase, Lewis Zerter-Gossage and/or Ryan Dmowski A majority of them are expected to return to Maine in October.

Hartford now has eight players on AHL deals that do not affect the Rangers cap space.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to reader cwede for pointing out a couple of errors that were made in the original post. The errors have been corrected.

When it comes to will be the next captain in Wolf Pack history, that is a bit of a mystery. With a new coaching staff, led by Kris Knoblauch, there are a number of qualified veterans that can wear the captain’s C and help push the team.

Selecting a new captain is not a straight forward process in Hartford. There have been some seasons that saw the players select the captain while other seasons had the coaching staff pick the captain.

To me, there are a few players that should be in the conversation. However, there is one trend that is alarming within the Rangers farm team. Past captains for the Wolf Pack have either been traded mid-season or performed so miserably that they were either demoted, traded, or not re-signed for the upcoming season – Matt Bodie, Ryan Bourque and Joe Whitney to name a few.

Vincent LoVerde

The 30-year-old AHL veteran has the strongest resume out of any veteran for the Wolf Pack. LoVerde was the captain for three seasons with the Manchester Monarchs/Ontario Reign franchise. Since then, he’s worn the A with the Toronto Marlies in each of the last two campaigns. In the span of five seasons with an elevated role in the locker room, LoVerde won the Calder Cup twice. He knows how to win, and will be a crucial resource in mentoring the young defensive prospects.

Steven Fogarty

Fogarty has been with Hartford since turning pro in 2015. Over the course of four seasons, Fogarty has grown and adapted to become an ideal forward for the Wolf Pack. He plays a 200-foot game, being able to contribute offensively while locking it down defensively. He’s faced plenty of ups and downs and has fought hard to become a better player, despite Hartford not being much to write home about. Last season was the best season for the forward as he reached 52 points (21G, 31A) – more than double his production from the each of the two prior seasons. He also earned the ”A” on his sweater for the entire 2018-19 season.

Greg McKegg

If McKegg joins Hartford at the beginning of the season, he would be a great veteran presence for the youngsters with the Wolf Pack. He knows how to transition from one league to the other and is able to help prospect transition when there are call ups. On the other hand, if a player gets re-assigned to Hartford, it can damper the prospect mentally. McKegg can help steer the prospects in these situations. Despite not having the ”C” or ”A” in his career, McKegg proves to be a good candidate with an elevated role for the Wolf Pack.

Is there a ”curse” on whoever bears the captain’s ”C” in Hartford? Maybe, maybe not. But whoever wears the ”C” next season will need to step up their game to help lead the Pack back into relevancy in the AHL.

Tuesday morning featured another signing for Hartford as the club announced that Lewis Zerter-Gossage is joining the organization on an AHL contract.

Zerter-Gossage, a 24 year old prospect from Harvard University, notched 18 goals and six assists in 33 games last season. The forward spent the last four seasons with Harvard and was the captain of the team in his senior year. Zerter-Gossage notched a total of 42 goals, 43 assists for 85 points at Harvard in 128 games.

The prospect earns himself an AHL deal following a five game stint with Hartford last season following the conclusion of his college season. In the five games with the Pack, he tallied two goals. Chris Drury obviously liked what he saw and decided to bring the forward back for a whole season.

In an already crowded field in Hartford and New York, Lewis Zerter-Gossage will have to compete hard in preseason and have a great training camp if he wants to clinch a spot in Hartford for opening night.

The forward provides additional depth for Hartford. However, I could see him start with the Maine Mariners to begin the season. If he cannot play frequently in Hartford, then let him play bigger minutes in Maine. Next season will be a transition from college to professional hockey for Zerter-Gossage. He has a lot of learning to do as the season progresses. Considering the situation in the organization with the large pool of quality prospects, having him play with Maine is not a problem. He can earn himself a call up when the time is needed.

The young forward played in 23 games in the AHL, registering four goals and an assist with a +/- of -7. Keep in mind that he was playing on the bottom six when he was called up to Hartford. In Maine, the forward competed in 25 games, registering 12 goals and 10 assists with a +/- of +3.

In essence, the speedy forward had equal time with the Maine Mariners and Hartford Wolf Pack playing in a total of 48 games. You may ask why he was out of the lineup frequently. There are a few reasons for this.

Ty Ronning had multiple lengthy injuries when he was adjusting to the professional ranks. The forward fought back on the ice after missing numerous games within the organization. The forward proved that he can perform well in the ECHL. However, in Hartford, he was given limited opportunities while Keith McCambridge was running the show. When he did play it was with limited ice on the third or fourth line.

What was most perplexing were the healthy scratches. McCambridge would scratch Ronning and other young players in favor of AHL veterans. This flies in the face of what the big club in NY was doing since the rebuild letter. Is it any wonder why McCambridge was fired? The answer is obvious.

Ty Ronning was not given enough chances to show Chris Drury or the Rangers his abilities on an AHL roster. As it is, the Wolf Pack were struggling and they were not playing for a playoff spot for a majority of the year. Perhaps the forward will get a legitimate shot next season with a new coaching staff in place.

Ultimately, Ty Ronning struggled last season due to injuries and adjustments. It would be a mistake but to count him out just yet. The forward will be motivated to train hard for the upcoming season as he experienced what to expect in the ECHL or AHL. How he performs will depend on where he ends up in the lineup. If given linemates that can enable him to become better and learn from his mistakes, then we could see him produce steady numbers in Hartford. If he is placed on a line with a lack of talent or mentoring, then he could end up in the ECHL. 

The Rangers do not want another Michael St. Croix situation, where a player dominates the ECHL but not the AHL. Considering the large prospect pool, Ty Ronning must earn his spot in Hartford. If he ends up with Maine, he shouldn’t be written off but legit concerns will arise. He is still in the early stages of his development. I see potential in him, especially with his speed and skill-set, now he needs to best foot forward.

After winning four straight games, the Wolf Pack have hit a bit of a slump. Last week saw the Pack lose all three of their contests in regulation, as the once-surging club has stumbled and will look to break out of their slump this week. As a result, Hartford fell to seventh place in the Atlantic Division with a record of 11-12-1-2 for 25 points. The point percentage also dips below the .500 mark to .481. This week features two games against the impressive Charlotte Checkers.

Standing Updates

Here is a look at the standings entering the week.

Luckily for Hartford, they aren’t the only club on a losing streak, with teams ahead of Hartford dropping a few games as well. The standings have more spread than last week, however, Hartford is not out of the race for any of the top four spots. To tie with the fourth place Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Hartford is separated by five points. This would also tie them with the third place Springfield Thunderbirds who have the same amount of points. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are also in reach as well for the Pack. Any combination of the upper-tier teams losing in regulation, plus points collected by Hartford, will reduce the margins. The standings in the Atlantic Division shifts dramatically weekly. We will see how the standings look after this weekend.

Alexandar Georgiev Continues Playing

The young Rangers prospect has played in three straight games for Hartford.  Unfortunately, he has lost all three starts in net. For the season, Alexandar Georgiev is 2-4 with a 3.71 goals against average and a .884 save percentage while with the Wolf Pack.

Last week, the prospect has stopped 85 of  98 shots. The prospect gave up two goals to Bridgeport, five against Charlotte, and six against Hershey. The prospect came up big periodically in each game, while in other moments he wasn’t equal to the task.  He needs to find his groove again before getting recalled to New York.

Marek Mazanec has not played since November 18th against Rochester. The veteran goalie needs to play as soon as possible since he has not seen any game action in almost a month. Keith McCambridge had a good goalie rotation system until recently with Hartford’s winning then losing streaks. You do not want a goalie to not play for an extended period of time. Marek Mazanec could also get rusty as practice and warmups can only do so much for a goalie.

Defensive Struggles

Hartford’s blue line has struggled as of late. The group has not helped out Alexandar Georgiev in moments when each team is pressuring the club in the defensive zone. There have given up too many odd-man rushes and consistent breakouts from the opposing team. The core also does not do enough to block the passing lanes or make it difficult for the opposing team. They must improve and help the Pack break their losing streak.

Notable Notes

• Rob O’Gara struggled on the blue line on Friday against Charlotte. The veteran found himself a healthy scratch on Saturday against the Hershey Bears.
  
• John Gilmour had his first career tilt with Hershey’s Beck Malenstyn. The Rangers prospect dropped the gloves due to the play. Beck Malenstyn drilled Ryan Lindgren to the boards, aimed towards the head area and was given a five minute major for a check to the head. In addition, he was given five for fighting, plus a game misconduct. Gilmour answered the bell to protect his teammates. Props to John Gilmour stepping up. Ryan Lindgren did not return after the hit.
• Hartford will be on the road for five of their next six games.
• Hartford’s power play is ranked 11th in the American Hockey League.  The power play operates at 20.9%. The penalty kill is ranked 22nd in the league, killing 78.9% of penalties against.
• Hartford has played 26 of 76 games of the season. The season is chugging along with plenty of unknowns.

Transactions

• Cole Schneider and Matt Beleskey were called up to New York last week, but have been returned to the Pack.
• Hartford added Alex Kile and Terrence Wallin from Maine on December 6th.
• Ryan Gropp was assigned to Maine on December 3rd.
  

Rangers Prospects in Maine

The Maine Mariners continue to chug along in their inaugural season in the ECHL. The Mariners are fifth in the North Division with a record of 12-9-0-1 for 25 points. The Rangers’ ECHL squad is looking to climb higher in the standings with the help from Ranger prospects in Maine. Let’s take a look at a few highlights and stats.

Ryan Gropp in three games has two goals and one assist including the game-winning goal last week.

Brandon Halverson is performing well with Maine. He continues to make impressive saves and keeps the Mariners in each contest. The prospect has played in 14 games with a record of 8-5. His goals against average is 2.90 with a .921 save percentage.

Ty Ronning has four goals, two assists for six points in seven contests. 

Sean Day has found his offensive game with three goals, nine assists for 12 points in 14 games with the Mariners.

Upcoming Games

Hartford travels down to Charlotte, North Carolina to take on the Checkers twice.

Thursday, December 13th vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at 7pm, Bojangles’ Coliseum

• This is the third of eight meetings against Charlotte. Hartford is 1-1 in the season series entering the week.
  
• Hartford has never won in Charlotte against the Checkers.
• Charlotte won their last seven of ten games, including a three-game winning streak.
• Hartford is 14 points behind the first place Charlotte Checkers.

Saturday, December 15th vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at 6pm, Bojangles’ Coliseum

• The fourth meeting between each club.
• After Saturday’s game, Hartford will not return to Charlotte until March 23rd and 24th.
• Hartford returns home on December 19th to host the Providence Bruins.
  

Coming off a week that had one game on tap, the Wolf Pack are preparing for the busy week ahead. Despite the constant change on the roster, Hartford continues to find ways to win games. Entering the week, Hartford has won four straight and six of their last ten games. This puts the Pack fifth in the Atlantic Division with a record of 11-9-1-2 for 25 points. A few points separate the second place Bridgeport Sound Tigers to the seventh place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Let’s take a look at the latest happenings.

Roster Moves Galore

Moves Involving the Maine Mariners

• Forward Terrence Wallin was released from his Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO) and assigned to Maine. The forward was brought in for four games when Hartford lost a few players from the call ups from New York. He was a good fourth-line player after he adjusted. He was doing the small aspects of the game simple. I think we will see him up again at some point.

• In another move, prospect forward Ryan Gropp was assigned to Maine as well. The prospect spent a full season with Hartford last season, notching 14 goals and seven assists for 21 points. In his rookie year, he was off to a good start. Fast forward to this season, he is struggling. Keith McCambridge and Chris Drury gave the prospect 19 games to perform. Unfortunately, his time was up.  He recorded two goals and three assists for five points. His defensive game was not entirely noticeable and was usually quiet on the ice. The forward also struggled offensively, generating not many chances. His overall game needs improvement and taking a step back is not always a bad idea. He will get top line minutes along with the other Rangers prospects in Maine. He needs to get comfortable and find himself.

Moves Involving Additions

• Forwards Matt Beleskey and Vinni Lettieri were up in New York and assigned to Hartford. Both players performed well with the Wolf Pack. The length of their stay is unknown as the Rangers are off until Saturday.

• Alexandar Georgiev was sent down and is expected to play a few games. In the past, he was sent down to play a game or two before getting called back up to New York. I expect his assignment to be short-term and eventually be up with New York.

• Defenseman Vince Pedrie joins Hartford after spending a week with Maine. This move was unusual as Hartford had enough defenseman to play. There are no injuries that are known. It’s possible his assignment is for a brief period of time.

Players Going Up

• Goaltender Dustin Tokarski has got the call up to New York. The scenario is interesting as the veteran goalie has performed well in the last four games. He was the hot goalie entering this week for the Pack. Depending on the situation with Alexandar Georgiev, Dustin Tokarski could return soon.

Standings Update

Here is a look at the Atlantic Division.

Hartford’s one game last week allowed other teams in the division to catch up for the number of games played. At the end of last weekend, multiple teams had played at least four to five games less than Hartford. Now, the gap is just one or two games. This is ideal for Hartford because we see a true measurement of where the Pack is in the competitive Atlantic Division.

As you can see, a losing streak potentially could bump you down near the bottom of the standings. A winning streak allows you to stay close with the higher ranked teams. Divisional games are key to win and Hartford has done well in winning those contests.

Keep in mind that Hartford plays Charlotte three times within the next two weeks. The Pack could possibly bring the Charlotte Checkers down in the dog fight for spots two through six. The gap between the two clubs still stands at 10 points.

Streaky Players

Let’s take a look at players who have raised their game as of late to help Hartford in the recent games.

• Peter Holland is becoming noticeable nightly on the score sheet. Currently, the veteran has points in seven straight games. He also has points in nine of the last eleven games (3G, 10A).

• The Cole train is rolling! Captain Cole Schneider has points in six straight games (3G, 4A). He had a slow start to the season, but has found a spark when he was put on the fourth-line. The veteran has responded well since then.

• John Gilmour continues to find his offense. The offensive blue-liner has points in six of the last eight games (3G, 6A).

• Matt Beleskey has found an offensive spark in the last four games, recording two goals and four assists for six points. This earned him a brief call up to New York. He has played a well-rounded game on both ends of the ice and has contributed to plays that resulted in goals. He helps get the dirty goals!

Who’s in Maine?

Currently, there are four Rangers prospects and two players on American Hockey League deals with the Maine Mariners.

Rangers Prospects

• Ryan Gropp
• Ty Ronning
• Sean Day
• Brandon Halverson

AHL Deal With Hartford

• Drew Melanson
• Jason Salvaggio

The Rangers organization has more than usual with their ECHL affiliate. This is due to the competition for spots in New York and Hartford along with the rebuild process that involves an influx of young prospects. Any of these players could be back in Hartford if they perform well enough with Maine.

Upcoming Games

Hartford has three games on tap this week.

Wednesday, December 5th vs Bridgeport Sound Tigers (Islanders) at 7pm, Webster Bank Arena

• This is the fifth meeting in the rivalry series against Bridgeport. So far, Hartford is 3-1 in the season series.
• Two weeks ago, Hartford swept a home at home series against Bridgeport with a shootout plus regulation win.
• Bridgeport is five points ahead of Hartford for second place.
• The Sound Tigers have lost three of their last five contests.
• Hartford has collected six out of eight possible points in the season series.

Friday, December 7th vs Charlotte Checkers (Carolina) at 7:15pm, XL Center

• This will be the second out of eight meetings against Charlotte. The first meeting was on December 1st as Hartford won 5-3.
• The Checkers have lost two of their last five games. However, they are 6-3-1 in the last ten games.
• Charlotte is ahead of Hartford by ten points.

Saturday, December 8th vs Hershey Bears at 7pm, Giant Center

• This is the second meeting between both clubs. Hartford lost the first meeting on November 4th in the shootout, 2-1.
• Hershey has lost three of their last five games, and five of their previous ten.
• Hartford face the Bears a total of six times this season.

As we enter the second week of November, the Pack continue to struggle. This past weekend was a turning point for the club when they snapped a five-game losing streak on Saturday in the second of their back to back games against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The club recorded three of a possible six points over the weekend. Sunday’s loss in Hershey was a toss up when the game went into a shootout. By then, the second point is decided by skill and luck. Hartford plays two games this weekend, entering the contests at 5-7-1-1 for 12 points, which puts them in 7th in the Atlantic Division.

Lias Andersson Recalled

The talented forward deserved the call up to the Rangers. He was producing nearly point per game and had recent dominant games.  The hard work paid off for the prospect.  He is able to set up plays well along with shooting well. Let’s check out some reaction action from him in Hartford.

Matt Beleskey Active In Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

In the two games against the Penguins, veteran Matt Beleskey attempted to spark the team in both contests. As Hartford was down on Friday, the forward tried to gain momentum for the club with a fight in hoping to turn the tables. At the time, the Pack was on a four game losing streak and was unable to get a lead all night. He can throw down!

On Saturday, he produced a few chances and tried to play physical in hopes of wearing down the Penguins. The Pack won the contest 3-2 to snap a five game losing streak.

Wolf Pack Could Welcome Patrik Virta

Rangers prospect Patrik Virta departed his KHL club, HC Slovan, with a mutual termination of his contract. The prospect has the option to head in North America to play with the organization in Hartford. That would be a good option for the forward because he could adjust to the North American ice and the system in the organization. That would also mean another prospect would join the ranks in Hartford. Stay tuned for what he will do next.

Transaction

Earlier in the week, defenseman Sean Day was assigned to the Maine Mariners of the ECHL. The defenseman struggled in his six games in Hartford. He was the weakest link on the blue line due to strong competition from the other players. Day is still adjusting to the professional life and the organization needs him to play continually to develop and grow as a player for the Rangers.

Weekend Pack Facts

• Steven Fogarty continues to lead the team in goals with seven. He recorded two on Saturday against the Penguins. Bobby Butler had one goal in the contest as well.

• Sunday’s game in Hershey went to a seven round shootout, with all Pack shooters being stopped or missing the net. In regulation, Hartford’s lone goal was tapped in by Matt Beleskey. The group had a chance to put the game away in the third with a lengthy 5v3 opportunity, but was unable to do so.
• The Pack are two games below .500 and could get back to .500 by the end of this upcoming weekend.

Looking At Standings

There is no reason to sound off any alarm yet in Hartford. The Atlantic Division is still a tight race early in the season. A winning streak could boost the Pack up to the upper or middle portion of the standings depending on what other teams do. Only a few points separate the Pack from second place.

The Providence Bruins are last in the division with seven points. The Pack built themselves space between the club. The Springfield Thunderbirds are in second with 16 points. Hartford and Springfield are separated by just four points. The rest of the teams in front of Hartford, except for Charlotte, are ahead by one, two, or three points. The division is close entering the week.

The division leader is the Charlotte Checkers. They have 20 points with a record of 10-1. They have built themselves a gap from the rest of the teams fighting for positioning in the standings.

Upcoming Games

Hartford is playing six home games and two on the road for the rest of the month of November. The travel is going to be light as opposed to October. After Friday’s game against Utica, Hartford begins a five game home stand.

Friday, November 9th against Utica Comets (Vancouver) at 7:00pm, Adirondack Bank Center

• The first of four contests between the clubs. Last season, Hartford went 3-1 against Utica.
• The Comets are 1-5 at home with the majority of their wins coming away from the Adirondack Bank Center (4-1-1).
• Utica’s Reid Boucher is third in the AHL with nine goals in eight games.
• Utica is fourth in the North Division with a record of 5-6-1.

Saturday, November 10th against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 7:00pm, XL Center

• The Pack will play Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the third time in a week. Hartford has split the season series so far against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
• The Penguins enter the week fifth in the Atlantic Division with a record of 6-4-0-1 for 13 points.
• The Penguins last game was against Bridgeport on Sunday. The Sound Tigers won the contest 8-5.

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

Preseason Outcome

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

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

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

Finalized Roster

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

Goalies: Marek Mazanec, and Dustin Tokarski.

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

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

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

Who’s Cut?

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

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

Defenseman (2): Derek Pratt and Scott Savage.

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

Upcoming Games

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

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

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

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

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

Watch and Listen

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

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

AHL Rule Changes

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

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

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

The Rangers and Wolf Pack new ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners, are quietly building up their roster for the upcoming season. The majority of their players are coming from other ECHL rosters or college hockey. In addition to the players signed by Maine, Hartford will provide a few prospects who are unable to make it in the American Hockey League.

One Rangers Prospect Will Join Maine

On the goaltending front, Hartford is expected to assign one Rangers goalie prospect to Maine for the beginning of the season, and I suspect it will be Brandon Halverson. The young prospect spent the majority of last season with the Rangers former ECHL affiliate, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. In addition, he has been sliding down the depth chart in the organization. Halverson has struggled in moments last season and hopes to bounce back. The decline of the prospect reminds me of Mackenzie Skapski. Both prospects had potential, then declined gradually as the years went on. The goalie competition is strong throughout the organization and it will become tenser when other young Rangers prospects come into the organization from overseas or college.

Who Else Could Be In Maine?

Hartford will have an abundance of forwards and defensemen when training camp opens up; and after the Rangers make their cuts, Hartford will make do the same after some fierce competition. If a player or prospect cannot make the big club, then they will want to stay in Hartford. Generally, players going down to Maine next season will be prospects that need more seasoning in the professional ranks and a slower pace of play. The AHL is a fast-paced, tense league for prospects and players. If a player cannot keep up, it will show on the ice and in the boxscore. A prospect playing in Maine is not bad, it just means they need more time to develop before joining the Wolf Pack. Last season, Dawson Leedahl split time between Greenville and Hartford, and when he joined the Wolf Pack, he stepped up. With many prospects competing for a spot next season in Hartford, some could end up in the ECHL at the beginning of October.

Maine Signed Players

In addition to the players provided by Hartford, Maine will have a set of their own players for the season. If needed, Hartford can recall the players up from Maine that is not on a two-way deal or AHL deal. The Pack could simply sign the player through a PTO. The Maine signed players are potential prospects and veterans for Hartford if they make the case they can be brought up and contribute.

As of now, Maine has a young roster filled with majority college hockey players. Some Hartford fans will know a few players already on the roster for Maine. Jesse Schwartz and Derek Pratt played for the University of Connecticut last year. In addition, Brandon Halverson and a few other prospects may join the crew.

From New York’s standpoint, players from Maine are not connected directly to the big club. However, they are partners with Hartford and help provide the Pack with players if the Rangers need ready prospects from the Pack. Hartford is the middleman when it comes to player transactions, some go up and some go down.