#aaronness

BY: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack scored first for the first time in their season series with the Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon but couldn’t hold off a determined Bruins team that erupted for six goals in a 6-3 decision at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. Matt Filipe broke a 3-3 tie 16:12 into the middle stanza as he found clear air in front of the Wolf Pack goal. Filipe perfectly deflected a point shot from Tyler Lewington, putting it top shelf over the shoulder of Keith Kinkaid to give the Bruins a lead they would not lose. The goal was Filipe’s fourth of the season. The Wolf Pack opened the scoring with a powerplay goal just a night after converting twice with the skater advantage. Nils Lundkvist fired a shot into traffic that clipped the stick of Anthony Greco, providing a screen in front. The deflection fooled Bruins goaltender Troy Grosenick, giving Greco his 99th career AHL goal 11:02 into the hockey game. However, like on Saturday night, goals were coming fast and furious in the opening period on Sunday afternoon. Justin Brazeau needed just 53 seconds to even the contest 1-1. Brazeau scored his eighth goal of the season off a feed from Cameron Hughes on the powerplay at 11:55 of the first period. Brazeau’s goal extended his point streak to six games. Brazeau scored his second of the game 2:02 later. Samuel Asselin flipped a puck into the neutral zone that Brazeau collected before sneaking past two Wolf Pack players to create a breakaway. Brazeau went backhand to forehand, then buried his ninth of the season by Kinkaid at 13:57. The goal gave Brazeau his second career multi-goal game. Hartford battled back to tie the game with yet another powerplay goal of their own with just 3.5 seconds remaining in the period. Brady Lyle fanned on a clearing attempt behind his goal, leaving Anthony Bitetto’s puck. Bitetto alertly collected the loose puck and fed a centering pass to Ty Ronning, who quickly fired home his 12th goal of the season to even the affair 2-2. The Wolf Pack would score their third powerplay goal 13:36 into the middle frame, regaining their lead five-on-three. Lundkvist fired another point shot that was redirected home again by Tim Gettinger. With an assist on the goal, Lundkvist registered his second multi-point game in the AHL. Still, the Wolf Pack took a penalty in their zone on a five-on-four. Patrick Khodorenko was called for a holding penalty at 13:45, briefly putting the game at four-on-four. On the ensuring Bruin powerplay, Jack Studnicka drew the Bruins even again. On a three-on-one, Alex-Olivier Voyer snapped a shot that Kinkaid denied. The rebound sat in the crease, however, and Studnicka could locate it and bury it for his seventh goal of the season. The Bruins took the lead under two minutes later at 16:12 when Filipe tipped home the eventual game-winner. Providence tacked on two insurance markers in the third, both coming off the stick of Aaron Ness. First, Ness fired a wrist shot through traffic on the powerplay for his first as a Buin at 3:51. Then, he hit an empty net at 16:55 to conclude the scoring in this affair. The Pack is back at the XL Center to open a three-game homestand on Wednesday, March 2nd when they welcome the Belleville Senators to town. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m., and tickets are available at hartfordwolfpack.com. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - Joonas Koppannen and Edwards Tralmaks had three points to pace the Providence Bruins to a 3-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack Saturday night. Providence won on Friday night, tossing a 5-0 shutout at home against the Hershey Bears, and now have two wins in a row and won five of their last ten. With a whole week of rest, the Wolf Pack rust showed as passes weren't crisp, and scoring chances went unfinished. They had no shots for the first half of the second period. Wolf Pack Head Coach Kris Knoblach was non-committal on his lineup for Sunday. The team struggled offensively. "Sometimes we made that extra pass. We have to be creative and we don't want to take away from that. In games like this when chances are hard to come by. The best way is to simplify our game, get pucks on the net, and our game will take care of the rest and those little things will help open things up more," Matt Lorito spoke following his fourth game as a member of the Wolf Pack. CRUCIAL SECOND PERIOD The second period was crucial. Just seconds after Johnny Brodzinski missed the net with a solid backhander; the Bruins found the back of the net. "We started to build things after we got that goal. We had a lot of zone time, then we made mistakes in the second and third. We had that penalty in the third period that led up to their goal, but there were a lot of mistakes that contributed to our play that led up to that goal," Knoblauch said. Tralmaks, a Latvian native, got the power-play started on the right-wing. He hit Samuel Asselin with a cross-ice feed. Asselin entered the Pack zone on the left-wing side and sent a smooth cross-ice pass to Koppanen. From the top of the right-wing circle, at 16:36, Koppanen blasted a one-timer past Pack netminder Keith Kincaid for his seventh of the season and second of the game. WOLF PACK GOAL Lorito tallied the Wolf Pack's lone goal from Ty Ronning at 10:16 of the second period. It was Lorito's first as a member of the Wolf Pack and his first AHL goal in two years. When he played in Bridgeport, Tanner Fritz, a former teammate, got in the zone along the right-wing boards. He fought off Cam Hughes and former Wolf Pack training camp invitee Blake Hillman, who is on a PTO deal. The puck squirted back behind the net to Ronning. The 5'9 winger backhanded the puck in front to Lorito, who wasted little time taking the shot. The Wolf Pack (23-14-4-2) remains in second place with a .605 winning percentage with the loss. The win puts the Bruins (21-13-3-3-5) closer behind the Pack in third place with a .600 winning percentage. LINES Gettinger-Brodzinski-Greco Ronning-Fritz-Lorito Richards-Khordorenko-Ruesschoff Whalen-O'Leary-DiGiacinto. Tinordi-Lundkvist Giuttari-Robertson Reunanen-Bitetto Kinkaid Huska SCRATCHES Pajuniemi Taylor Skinner Wall Luchuk NOTES Ex-Pack Nik Latta is the nephew of former New Haven Nighthawk Dave Latta. He leaves his team, the EV Weiden (Germany Division-3), coached by his father Ken and where his brother Louis also plays. He was loaned to EV Ravensburg (Germany DEL-2) for the rest of the season. Frédéric Létourneau (Hotchkiss School) departs the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL) to trade the Idaho Steelheads. His father,  Daniel Létourneau, is a former Division-II player from the late 1970s and early 1980s with the University of New Haven Chargers. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack start the second half of their season at their secondary training facility, Champions Skating Center in Cromwell, CT, over the next two days as they prepare for Friday's game with the Springfield Thunderbirds. The taxi squads have been a significant roster disruption for the last two months, but they appear to be gone now. Only one present roster issue remains up in the air. Jarred Tinordi was reassigned by the New York Rangers, as is Zac Jones. They are still with the Pack, who have nine defensemen. As expected, Zach Berzolla was shipped back to the Jacksonville Icemen, the Wolf Pack, and Rangers' ECHL affiliate to get ice time. With the NHL trade deadline approaching next month, it is likely that if the organization makes trades, they will deal from their logjam presently on the backline. The Pack host Springfield and Rochester and Friday and Saturday as they return to action with a full roster of players. NOTES The Bridgeport Islanders saw Austin Czarnik get picked up on waivers by the Seattle Kracken. Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger captain Ben Holmstrom will be with the Rochester Americans on Saturday after signing a PTO yesterday from the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL). Former Wolf Pack Nikalas Jensen was part of Danish hockey history as they won their first Olympic game in 75 years. Denmark won 2-1 over the Czech Republic. Across the way was ex-Pack Tomas Kundratek. He hit the crossbar in the waning seconds for the Czechs as they sought to tie the game. After just one game with the Toronto Marlies (AHL), former QU goalie Keith Petruzzelli was sent back to Newfoundland (St. John's) Growlers (ECHL). Former Wolf Pack Shawn St. Amant plays under his full name Shawn Ouellette St. Amant with the Trois-Rivieres Lions (ECHL). It's common among French players to include either your middle name or your mother's maiden name. Team USA defeated China 8-0 as Sean Farrell had a hat trick and five points in their opening game of the Olympics. A former Yale Bulldog is a brand new father, Brian O'Neill (Jokerit Helsinki Finland-KHL), the only US player with Olympic experience, scored a power play goal. FAMILIAR NAMES A plethora of familiar names on both lineups. Ex-Sound Tiger named an alternate captain, Aaron Ness, now with the Providence Bruins. He was paired with ex-Pack Steven Kampfer who plays with AK Bars Kazan (Russia-KHL) in the opening lineup. He had a gorgeous primary assist on Farrell's second goal. Former Yale Bulldog Ken Agostino (Torpedo Novgorod Russia-KHL) was among the forwards selected by former Rangers coach David Quinn. China had goalie ex-Sound Tiger Jeremy Smith (Kunlun China-KHL) starting in net. The game's first penalty was the one-time Ranger draftee who was traded, Ethan Werek (Kunlun China-KHL). The Chinese assistant coach is former Ranger Alexei Kovalev. Ex-Pack Adam Cracknell (Bakersfield-AHL) and ex-Sound Tiger David Desharnais (HC Fribourg-Gotteron Switzerland-LNA) assisted on Canada's third goal in their opening 5-1 win over Germany. Ex-Pack Adam Tambellini (Rogle BK Sweden-SHL) had the primary assist on their last goal. Ex-Sound Tiger for Germany Tom Kuhnhackl (Skelleftea AIK Sweden-SHL) was held scoreless. Slovakia lost 6-2 to Finland as ex-Pack Marek Hrivik and ex-Springfield Falcons Tomas Jurco, Marko Dano, and ex-Springfield Thunderfield Martin Mancini were held pointless. Another ax-QU goalie Andrew Shortridge is recalled by the Stockton Heat from the Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). Ivan Nikolishin, the son of the former Hartford Whaler Andrei Nikolishin, heads to his third team and league as he's loaned from Amur Khabarovsk (Russia-KHL) to Ilves Tampere (Finland-FHL). HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Olympics are into the medal round, and several former Hartford Wolf Pack players and those connected to Connecticut are doing well representing their homelands. Men's Team Canada knocked off the Chinese team on Tuesday, 7-2. Ex-Pack Adam Tambellini garnered five points with two goals, one coming on a penalty shot, with the other three being assists. Ex-Pack Adam Cracknell has one helper in four games. John Gilmour, who's on the taxi squad and has yet to play for the Canadians, has watched his team advance to the quarterfinals against Sweden. Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger David Desharnais has an assist in four games. Josh Ho-Sang has three assists in four games. Jack McBain, the son of former New Haven Senator Andrew McBain, registered a goal and an assist against China. MORE OLYMPIC NEWS The 7-2 loss eliminated China. Ex-Pack Ryan Sproul had two assists and goalie Jeremy Smith played in every game, going 0-3 and a 5.63 GAA. To make matters worse, he suffered a knee injury and was taken out of the game against Canada. Aforementioned, Sweden features ex-Pack netminder Magnus Hellberg. He has a 2.46 GAA in two games, while fellow ex-Pack, Carl Klingberg, has three points in three games. Ex-New York Ranger and Wolf Pack forward Marek Hrivik, playing for Slovakia, has a goal and two assists in the Olympics. The Slovaks face the American team on Wednesday at 11:10 PM EST. While playing in the Olympics, Hrivik had his KHL deal with Torpedo Novgorod (Russia) terminated by mutual consent. Instead, he signed a contract with his old Swedish team, Leksands IF (SHL), for the rest of the year. Ex-Springfield Falcon Tomas Jurco has one assist in three games for the Slovaks. Another former Falcon, Marko Dano, is pointless in three games. In four games, Marton Marincin, formerly of the Springfield Thunderbirds, has one goal. EX-PACK CAPTAIN KAMPFER Ex-Pack and Ranger Steven Kampfer, who is playing for ex-New York Rangers' head coach, David Quinn, behind the US bench, has three points in three games. Greenwich's Strauss Mann, like Kampfer, is a fellow Michigan alum. He has played very well. In his only game so far in the Olympic games, he is showing to the world why he is atop the Swedish league. Two former Yale Bulldogs, Brian O'Neill, and Kenny Agostino, have had a solid tourney. O'Neill has three points in three games, and Agostino had the game-winning goal against Canada. It's his only point in three games. Ex-Sound Tiger Aaron Ness has an assist in three games. Jake Sanderson, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Geoff Sanderson, has been limited to playing in only one game due to injury but has put one assist to his credit. Switzerland reached the quarterfinals by beating hockey powerhouse the Czech Republic, 4-2. Ex-Pack Raphael Diaz had a goal and an assist and, one he'd like to forget, in his own net. Andres Ambühl Andres Ambühl, 38, is playing in his fifth Olympics and has scored a goal. He is the second oldest player to score. Borje Salming, 40, a tremendous Swedish defenseman who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, had potted four goals for Sweden in 1992. Ambuhl is the oldest player to record his first goal. "Today, we played really tight defensively. Everybody came back. We blocked shots. We boxed them out. We won puck battles. Genoni had a hell of a game. He always stopped the first shot, and we cleared the rebounds. I think it was a good, strong effort from the whole team," Diaz told IIHF.com. Ambühl acknowledged his accomplishment. "It's nice to score my first goal at Olympics, but it was great especially for the team," he said to IIHF.com in a post-game interview. "We somehow didn't manage to bury the pucks before and today they bounced our way. Nobody was happy with the preliminary round so we wanted to show that we can play hockey and win too. We wanted to show this reaction. Now we have to continue like that without getting over excited." MORE RESULTS Switzerland faces off with Finland. Latvia was eliminated by upstart Cinderella Denmark 3-2. One Latvian defenseman is former Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) blueliner Karlis Cukste. His KHL deal with his hometown team, Dynamo Riga, dissolved by mutual consent. He signed an agreement with Lahti Pelicans (Finland-FEL) and will report there shortly. Goalie Kristers Gudlevsk, the ex-Sound Tiger, didn't play a game for Latvia. Germany was eliminated by the Slovaks 4-0. Tom Kühnhack had just one goal in the tourney against the US, while former Springfield Falcon Matthia Plachta had one assist in four games. Denmark has ex-Pack Niklas Jensen. He has an assist in four games, while ex-Sound Tiger Frans Nielsen has three assists in three games. He's playing for the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee), where ex-Pack Artem Anisimov has yet to play. ARIZONA The long-running saga in the desert is reaching the end of the story. A plan has been approved locally to have the sad-sack oft-troubled Arizona Coyotes play at the new on-campus venue at Arizona State for three years with an option for a fourth year. They're trying to wind through a skeptical local political windmill and get a third arena built in Tempe. A long-time trusted source was quite pointed on the subject. "The optics look just awful. A team like Seattle, who just spent a billion dollars renovating their arena and $650 million to get into the NHL, who are doing well, have to be looking on in horror. How can a league let a team play in a sub-standard AHL building, though it will be brand new at, say the 5,000 they are saying, let alone NHL level facility which it clearly will not be, for multiple years and not get priority dates (ASU will) and only game revenue (no building or naming rights)? "Simply put Gary Bettman does not want to ever lose a market like Arizona. I'm shocked there is not more of an uproar so far over this. This obviously has to affect the HRR (Hockey-Related-Revenue) between the players and the owners as agreed to in the CBA." There will be cries to move the team from many former and new cities looking to join the NHL. RELOCATION SITES? In Quebec City, there is a hockey palace already built waiting for an occupant. The Videotron Centre was built five years ago to NHL specs to replace the old Colisée de Québec (later known as Colisée de Pepsi at the end of its heyday). In Houston, the fifth-largest television market, there is also a ready-made already built arena. For Hartford, nothing has been done to the XL Center (nee Hartford Civic Center) in 25 years except for cosmetics to the concourse, a couple of Zambonis, and a new floor, ice, and chiller system. This same source opined about the speculation surrounding any possible moves from Arizona. "You can write this in stone and send it up the hill with Moses. There will NEVER be another NHL team in Quebec City again because of the currency problem, the ongoing language issue (in the province), and the Montreal Canadiens veto power over it. However, they want to extend their brand. They have an AHL team in Laval and an ECHL team in Trois-Rivieres 40 minutes away, halfway to Quebec City. "Hartford? Ha! They can't even get a new building in the twenty-plus years for an AHL team. "Houston will remain in reserve for a new team and say an $800 million dollar payday. Look there have been two expansions and they're still on the outside." HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings CROMWELL, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack have passed the halfway mark on the 2019-20 season and they do so sitting atop the Atlantic Division with a 19-8-2-5 (45 points) record. It's hard to imagine that back in September anyone would have picked this group to be heading into the second half of the season in first place in the Atlantic Division and among the best teams in the AHL. One of the factors for the Pack resurgence and current position in the race to the Calder Cup is their persistence and growth as a team-unit. It cannot be overlooked. “The biggest thing is, we have won so many one-goal games and a big factor is a mature team wins a majority of those games. We have handled leads well late (in games) and have had very strong third periods." Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch said. The Pack are unbeaten with the lead after two periods with a 15-0-1-2 record. Hartford has also scored their share of miraculous goals late in games and did that twice to send it to overtime. "The other big reason (for the turnaround) is our goaltending of Igor (Shesterkin) and Adam (Huska). They have made stop-after-stop and our defense has done such a good job with blocks like we did Tuesday (a 3-2 win over Bridgeport). Right now we're a little fortunate,” Knoblauch stated. Knoblauch is enthusiastic about his team, but does not want to be over-confident. Because the Pack are in first place, Knoblauch was honored by being named one of the AHL All-Star game's coaches. The game will be played at the end of January in Ontario, CA. Before that though, the Wolf Pack have a lot of work to do starting Friday when they head to Providence to take on the Bruins. The game will be their seventh of the season, and they won’t see the Baby Bruins, who they've been trading first place with back-and-forth for the past month, until March 1st. Shesterkin will start Friday night, making it his first three-consecutive-game-starts for the Wolf Pack as he transitions and adjusts to North American rinks. “We're going to enjoy Igor for as long as we have him, because he will be in the NHL at some point. Providence is a very good team, well-coached and they have very good structure. Our records are similar, but Shesterkin has been the difference in several games.  We also have capitalized in key situations against them, and that has been the difference.” After the trip to the Dunkin Donuts Arena in Providence, the Wolf Pack travel to Utica to play the red-hot Comets who are 7-2-1-0 in their last 10. The Comets are in second place in AHL North Division percentage points behind the Rochester Americans. Each team has 44 points. Next Wednesday, the Wolf Pack complete this road game grouping with a drive down to Hershey to face the Bears before they return home on January 10th against the Charlotte Checkers where they will seek to improve on their home record of 14-1-0-2. NOTES: Knoblauch would neither confirm nor deny that defenseman Libor Hajak would be making a rehabilitation assignment in Hartford. The Rangers are on a four-game Canadian road trip. “We haven’t received any notifications or instructions at this point," is all the head coach would say on the subject. So far, Hajak has missed 13 games with a right knee injury he suffered on December 5th after playing the first 27 games. When Hajak does eventually come to Hartford on his rehab assignment, as is being highly speculated among beat writers in New York, somebody will either sit in Hartford or a player will head to New York. The Rangers have dropped three games, including last night’s 4-3 loss to Calgary to ex-Wolf Pack and Ranger goalie Cam Talbot. The team completes the Canadian trip in Vancouver on Saturday night. The Rangers did make two transactions from the Wolf Pack. They recalled center, Ryan Dmowski (Old Lyme/Gunnery Prep) from their ECHL affiliate, the Maine Mariners. In return, after two games, forward, Dillan Fox, was released from his PTO deal and returned to the Mariners. Forward, Patrick Newell, will return to the lineup after a three-game absence the result of an upper-body injury he suffered against Providence. Wolf Pack’s leading scorer, Vinni Lettieri, (11 goals and 24 points in 34 games) and defensemen Joey Keane, and Yegor Rykov, spent nearly a half-hour post-practice working on their shooting techniques. Lettieri has one point, an assist, in his last five games. Former Qunnipiac Bobcat, Brogan Rafferty, was named CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month with three goals and 16 points in 13 games. Rafferty signed as a free agent by the Vancouver Canucks after his junior season. He's third in assists with 25 and leads all defensemen in scoring with 30 points in 34 games, He's also sporting a healthy plus-17 so far. Forward Kieffer Bellows of Bridgeport was named the AHL Forward of the Month with 10 goals in 11 games. Bridgeport sent defenseman, Mike Cormell, and right-wing, Ben Thomson, who's coming off an injury suffered early in the season, to the Worcester Railers (ECHL). Providence got defenseman Jeremy Lauzon back from his recall to the Boston Bruins. Mason Marchment, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Bryan Marchment, was recalled from the Toronto Marlies by the Maple Leafs. Ex-Sound Tiger, Aaron Ness, was returned to the Tucson Roadrunners by the Arizona Coyotes. Goalie, Parker Milner, (Avon Old Farms) was sent to the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) by Hershey. Dalton Smith, the nephew of former Whaler, Keith Primeau, was released by Rochester. Ex-Wolf Pack/Ranger, Dale Weise, was recalled from the Laval Rocket by the Montreal Canadiens and got into a first period scrap against the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Patrick Maroon. Rangers President, and one-time New Haven Nighthawk, John Davidson, was selected to enter the Alberta Sports Hall-of-Fame along with six other inductees. The ceremony will be held on July 19th in Canmore, Alberta. The only other CT connection is former Whaler and Ranger, Mike Rogers, who was inducted last year. The WJC semifinals are set, and the US will not be in it. Finland upset the US 1-0 despite a strong game from goalie Spencer Knight (Darien/Avon Old Farms) who made 26 saves. The Canadians took care of business on the Slovaks winning 6-1. Sweden's team saw Rangers prospect, Nils Lundkvist, get an assist and have the second best ice time of 19:30. He shutout and knocked out the host Czech Republic, 5-0 and then Russia upended Switzerland 3-1. The Russians play Sweden in the first semi-final at 3:00 PM local time. The Finns play the Canadians in the other semifinal on Saturday. Finland is coached by ex-Ranger and New Haven Nighthawk, Raimo Helminen, who was in a record-setting six Olympics. He led Finland to a silver as a player in the 1984 WJC, and was the tournament's top scorer. He could gain gold by the end of the weekend. Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - If Steve Miller wanted to rewrite his masterpiece, "Take the Money and Run" and put a Hartford Wolf Pack spin on it, it might sound something like this. "This a story about Bigras and Gilly, two young hockey players with plenty of skill to show, here’s what they did when they decided to cut loose - Go on take the money and run!" AHL CONTRACTS ON THE RISE Take the Money and Run also defined how the last few days of NHL/AHL moving day or free agents. Jaws were sure to drop upon review of some of the salaries AHL players were handed out this week. It left everyone in the know, in some cases, more than just a little bit astonished. Cantlon's Corner has been reporting on the AHL since the late 1980s. At that time, the average salary was approximately on average, around $40K. A scant few top echelon players made $50K. Since that time, the 100-plus time percent increase is mind-numbing and must leave former AHL vets, shaking their collective heads. In 2019, in professional hockey, everything is about the cap. As of Wednesday, of the 124 total contracts offered, the teams collectively have spent over $707M. Stunning… poverty is certainly not a word one would hear among those in hockey circles. All salary numbers come from capfriendly.com A longtime hockey insider who requested anonymity put it in stark terms. What has driven this hockey salary "arms race?" ”The salary cap is precious gold. Teams protect that at all costs. The one-way money; that’s a real number and affects the cap either negatively or positively. Two-way contracts, which most AHL contracts, are, you see that while the increases are real, it really doesn’t affect the cap because the AAV is based on the overall one-way contract and that’s what matters.” Some players don’t need to head to Europe if they are raking in these type of salaries. Several teams have more lateral ability than others and some current and ex-Wolfpack players are benefiting greatly. Greg McKegg, who split last season between Charlotte and Carolina, inked a one-year, one-way deal for $750K  with the Rangers. That money counts on the cap. It's also a nice hefty increase from his AHL gig last season that paid $70K. Danny O’Regan, Jeff LoVerde, Harry Zolniercycyzk, and Thomas McCollum, are all new Pack signees. Their salaries have yet to be posted. Philadelphia helped out Lehigh Valley with ex-Pack, Chris Bigras, who signed for a $250K-AHL & $700k-NHL deal up from his $70K AHL contract last year. Andy Andreoff from Syracuse got himself a $750K one-way up from his previous $680K deal. Nate Prosser, from Iowa, earned a slight increase at $421.5K-AHL/$700K-NHL for two years up from his $400K/$700K contract. Rochester will get John Gilmour if he doesn’t make the Sabres roster and it will cost them $700K. Arizona helps out Tucson with two players returning from Europe. Andy Miele from Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL) gets a two-year deal paying $275K in the AHL and $725K in the NHL. Beau Bennett from Dynamo Riga (Latvia-KHL) nails down a $200K-AHL and $725K-NHL pact while Aaron Ness, the ex-Sound Tiger, gets a two-year deal at $300K-AHL & $725K-NHL. In Binghamton (New Jersey), Dakota Mermis goes from $100K in Tucson to $200. A few took a pay cut. Ben Street was making $750K in San Diego and slips to $425K while Matt Tennyson from Rochester goes from $659K to $350K. Neither is expected to start clipping coupons. Charlotte (Carolina) sign enigmatic ex-Pack, Brian Gibbons (Salisbury Prep), for $100K-AHL and $725K-NHL after playing for a $1million last year between Anaheim/Ottawa. The Colorado Eagles (Avalanche) handed ex-CT Whale, Jayson Megna, a $350K-AHL and $700K-NHL one-year deal. Dan Renouf, from Charlotte, gets a two-year deal paying $275K in the first year and $350K for the AHL in his second year. He'll earn at the NHL level, $700K for two years. T.J. Tynan gets one-year deal paying him $425K in the AHL and $700K in the NHL. Chicago (Las Vegas) was among the busiest teams. Pat Brown from the Calder Cup champion Charlotte Checkers goes from $100K to $450K in his first year and $700K in his second year. Tyrell Goulbourne, after a nine-goal campaign with Lehigh Valley, goes from $70K to $225K-AHL/$700K-NHL in the first year and $700K second. Jaycob Megna (Jayson’s brother) goes from $260K in San Diego to $400K with the Wolves. Montreal beefed up Laval with Riley Barber ($300K-AHL.$700K-NHL) and Phil Varone ($450K-AHL/$700K-NHL) from Hershey and Lehigh Valley respectively. San Diego, via Anaheim, signs AHL Butterfield trophy winner, Andrew Poturlarksi, from Charlotte to a $350K-AHL/$750-NHL on a one-year deal. In Springfield, Tommy Cross (Simsbury/Westminster Prep) goes from $300K to $325K. Ethan Prow from Wilkes Barre/Scranton is joining him and going from $90K to $700K per for the next two years. Kevin Roy, after just 14 games last year with Anaheim and San Diego, gets a $300K-AHL/$850K-NHL seal for one year. Tampa Bay aids Syracuse with two new goalies veteran Scott Wedgewood and Spencer Martin at $750K one-way each. Ex-Pack, Chris Mueller, migrates to the Syracuse Crunch from the Toronto Marlies where he'll make $700K on a one-way, one-year up from his $650K last season. Danick Martel, despite an injury-shortened season (15 games) is rewarded with a $700K one-way deal after a $65K-AHL deal last year. Daniel Walcott, the ex-Pack, who, after just five games because of shoulder surgery, is given a one-year $125K deal for the AHL and a $700K NHL contract. Stockton gets Bryon Froese next season for $450K-AHL/$700K-NHL after splitting last season with Laval and Lehigh Valley. The Texas Stars got help from parent Dallas when they signed Tanner Kero from Utica. He gets two years at $300K in the AHL in the first year and $350K in the second with $700K & $775K respectively in the NHL. That's for two years and both are “down” from his one-way $800K deal last year. Utica (Vancouver) inked Justin Bailey to a $700K one way for two years. PLAYER AND COACHING MOVEMENT Last season’s Wolf Pack captain Cole Schneider re-signs with Nashville and will play for Milwaukee. No contracts details have been released yet. Six more AHL’ers head overseas for next year with two of them heading to Kunlun (China-KHL). Tyler Wong, from the Chicago Wolves, and ex-Pack, Adam Cracknell, who split last season between San Diego and Toronto. Also heading East is Adam Helewka of Milwaukee/Tucson who signs with Barys Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan Russia-KHL) and the latest Trevor Cheek of the Tucson Roadrunners goes to Esbjerg (Denmark-DHL). Mark McNeil goes from Providence to EHC Linz (Austria-EBEL) and Zack Mitchell leaves the Ontario Reign for Neftekhimik (Russia-KHL). In Mitchell’s case, you think his agent explained to him he was leaving a sunny, warm LA suburb to go to Siberia? Now 52 AHL’ers have signed for Europe next season. Ex-Pack, and one funny guy, Francois Bouchard, makes it back home after playing with Dundee (Scotland-EIHL) to play for St. Jerome (LNAH) next season. Ex-Pack, Tomas Kundratek, leaves HC Davos (Switzerland-LNA) and heads home to HC Ocelari Trinec (Czech Republic-CEL). Brett Magnus of Sacred Heart University (AHA), signs overseas with HUS Hokii (Netherlands BEL-NED HL). That makes 44 collegians to sign for Europe and 221 overall college players signed pro deals. Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The roster wheels were churning on Monday. It was going so quickly that not a single hamster or a gerbil on a Habitrail wheel would have kept pace. The New York Rangers led the parade of signings by inking the most sought after free agent, Artemi Panarin, away from the Columbus Blue Jackets to a seven-year contract that will pay the Russian winger $11.642 million per year. Earlier, the Blueshirts sent winger Jimmy Vesey to the Buffalo Sabres for a 2021 third round draft pick. The Rangers also began their rebuild of the Hartford Wolf Pack by signing two players, center Greg McKegg and forward Danny O'Regan. McKegg, 27, split his season between the AHL Champion Charlotte Checkers and skated in 41 NHL games with the parent, Carolina Hurricanes in 2018-19. While with the big club, McKegg registered six goals and five assists for 11 points, along with eight penalty minutes. McKegg is a solid two-way player who's particularly strong in taking draws. He has 146 faceoff wins in 286 (51%) taken this past season. He also helped Carolina advance to the Eastern Conference Final in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and he recorded two goals in 14 playoff games. McKegg recorded his first career Stanley Cup Playoff goal/point, which also was the game-winning goal, in Game 4 of the Second Round against the New York Islanders on May 3rd; the goal helped the Hurricanes complete a sweep of the Islanders and advance to the Eastern Conference Final. While skating in 31 games in Charlotte in the 2018-19 season, the 6-0, 194-pounder registered six goals and 17 assists for 23 points, along with 18 penalty minutes. McKegg tallied at least one point in 17 of his 31 AHL games with the Checkers during the past season, and he recorded 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in his last 16 games with Charlotte prior to being recalled by the Hurricanes on Jan. 4, 2019. McKegg has skated in 132 career NHL games over parts of six seasons (2013-14 – 2018-19) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and in Carolina, where he's amassed 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points, along with 40 penalty minutes. During McKegg’s four-season career (2008-2012) in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), he served as the Erie Otters’ captain for parts of two seasons, played in the OHL All-Star Game during the 2009-10 season, and helped the London Knights win the OHL Championship in 2011-12. McKegg was originally selected by Toronto in the third round, (62nd overall), in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. McKegg’s great uncle is “Leapin” Lou Fontinato, who played parts of seven seasons with the Rangers (1954-1961) in 398 games he had 22 goals and 79 points and 939 PIM. He played his last two years of his 535 game NHL career in Montreal as he had 104 total career points and 1,274 PIM. Led the NHL with an unheard of then 202 PIM in 1955-56 again in 1957-58  for the Rangers and his first year in Montreal 1961-62. O’Regan like Rangers Head Coach David Quinn and Hartford GM and Rangers assistant GM Chris Drury, are all products of the BU Terriers. In 70 games with the AHL Rochester Americans, O’Regan, 25, this past season, registered 20 goals and 28 assists for 48 points, along with a plus-four rating and 42 penalty minutes. O’Regan helped the Americans advance to the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs, and he skated in three playoff games. The 5-10, 180-pounder right winger has 182 career AHL games over three seasons (2016-19) with the San Jose Barracuda and the Americans. He's logged 56 goals and 90 assists for 146 points, along with a plus-eight rating and 68 penalty minutes. O’Regan received the Red Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2016-17, as he led all AHL rookies with 58 points (23 goals and 35 assists) in 63 games with San Jose. O’Regan was also named to the AHL’s All-Rookie Team and played in the AHL All-Star Game in 2016-17. In addition, O’Regan has helped his team advance to the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of his three seasons in the AHL; he has tallied nine points (five goals, four assists) in 21 career Calder Cup Playoff games. O’Regan has also skated in 25 career NHL games over parts of three seasons (2016-19) with the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres, registering one goal and four assists for five points, along with two penalty minutes. Prior to beginning his professional career, O’Regan played four seasons at Boston University (2012-16), registering 66 goals and 88 assists for 154 points, along with a plus-28 rating in 154 games. O’Regan was named to the NCAA (East) Second All-American Team and the Hockey East First All-Star Team as a senior in 2015-16, as he led Boston University in goals (17), assists (27), and points (44) during the season. He also was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team in 2014-15, as he helped Boston University win the Hockey East Regular Season Championship and Hockey East Championship and advance to the National Championship Game. O’Regan established collegiate career-highs in goals (23), assists (27), points (50), and plus/minus rating (plus-40) in 2014-15. He was named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team in 2012-13, as he became the first freshman to lead Boston University in points since ex-Ranger Tony Amonte in 1989-90. O’Regan is tied for 15th on Boston University’s all-time points list. O’Regan was born in Germany while his father, former NHL player Tom O’Regan, was playing professionally. O’Regan has represented the United States in several international tournaments including winning a gold medal at the 2012 IIHF U18 World Championship while playing alongside current Rangers Brady Skjei, and Jacob Trouba. O’Regan also played alongside Skjei, and Trouba, with the U.S. National Team Development Program during the 2011-12 season. In addition, O’Regan, and Skjei were teammates with the United States at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship. O’Regan was originally selected by San Jose in the fifth round, 138th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The Rangers then continued their revamp of the Wolf Pack to make it a more competitive team that can win games, as well as create an environment for young players to grow and build some organizational depth by announcing the signing of three players who all have won titles, been team-leaders. They will join McKegg and O'Regan to combat the laissez-faire hockey that has plagued the Pack the past five years. Defenseman Vincent LoVerde, a veteran of eight pro seasons, has spent the last two years with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. In 68 games with the Marlies in 2018-19, the right-handed shooting LoVerde scored three goals and added eight assists for 11 points, while serving 33 minutes in penalties.  In 13 playoff games with Toronto, LoVerde had six assists. In 2017-18, LoVerde helped the Marlies to a Calder Cup, the second of his career. LoVerde, a 30-year-old native of Chicago, captained the LA Kings’ AHL affiliate’s for the previous three seasons, two with the Ontario Reign and one with the Manchester Monarchs.  In 2014-15 with Manchester, LoVerde won his first Calder Cup title, in the Monarchs’ last season in the AHL. In 432 career AHL games with the Marlies, Reign, and Monarchs, LoVerde has totaled 45 goals and 107 assists for 152 points and has registered 316 penalty minutes.  He played collegiately with Miami (OH) University when they were in the CCHA conference. Thomas McCollum, a 29-year-old netminder, just completed his tenth season of pro hockey, playing 34 games with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL. The 6-3, 215-pounder went 12-10-10, with a 2.72 goals-against average, a .899% save percentage and had two shutouts.  McCollum was a first-round draft choice (30th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. McCollum has seen action in 315 total AHL games with the Admirals, Grand Rapids Griffins, Charlotte Checkers, and Stockton Heat.  His career AHL stats are 147-117-23, with a 2.72 GAA, a .907% save percentage and 11 shutouts.  McCollum won a Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2012-13. Prior to turning pro, McCollum played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, with the Guelph Storm and Brampton Battalion. Harry Zolnierczyk enters his ninth pro campaign. He played last season up I-91 with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds as they tortured the Wolf Pack. The 5-11, 186-pound Toronto native had a pro-career-high 51 points, including a team-leading 36 assists (15-36-51), along with 38 penalty minutes, in 72 games. The former Brown University (ECACH;) product has skated in 84 career NHL games, with the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, and Nashville Predators, totaling seven goals and six assists for 13 points, plus 93 penalty minutes.  Zolniercyczk has always been a fleet skater and has an agitating side as well has played in 426 career AHL contests with the Thunderbirds, Adirondack Phantoms, Norfolk Admirals, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, San Diego Gulls, and Milwaukee Admirals, the 31-year-old Zolnierczyk has amassed 106 goals and 137 assists for 243 points, along with 446 PIM. Zolnierczyk was originally signed as a free agent by the Flyers March 8, 2011. There were several signees with Wolf Pack and Connecticut connections. Former Connecticut Whale and Ranger, Mats Zuccarello. He left the Dallas Stars to lay roots in Minnesota with the Wild where he signed a five-year/$30 million deal with former New Haven Nighthawk, now Wild GM, Paul Fenton. Bolton, CT native Ron Hainsey signed a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators for $3.5 million. Former Kent Prep player, Noel Acciari, leaves the Boston Bruins and signs with the Florida Panthers earning a nice pay increase from $750K a year to $1.6M per year for four years totaling $5 million. Ex-Pack/Whale goalie, Cam Talbot, heads back out West and signs with the Calgary Flames for $2.75M on a one year deal. Former Yale Bulldog, Ken Agostino, departs the Devils and the swamps of New Jersey for the Maple Leafs on a two-year deal for a very cap friendly, $700K per year. Now ex-Pack, John Gilmour, as expected, left the Connecticut capital and choose to sign with the Buffalo Sabres who were among 13 suitors for the offensive-minded defenseman. He signs a one-year, one-way NHL deal at $700K. Former assistant captain Rob O’Gara, the other Wolf Pack Group 6 free agent remains unsigned at this writing. Gilmour’s now former teammate, Chris Bigras, landed a similarly sweet deal signing a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. He will play with the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms on a two-year, one-way deal paying him $700K per year. Another ex-Pack, Chris Mueller, signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning / Syracuse Crunch earning the same $700K for one year. Ex-Sound Tiger, Aaron Ness, scored the same $700K deal with the Arizona Coyotes / Tucson Roadrunners for two years. Connor Clifton, the former Quinnipiac University Bobcat, signed a three-year extension at a million per year with Boston. He has one year left at $725K. Other players who have been made UFA’s and could be signed over the next few days include: Anaheim: Ex-Pack, Adam Cracknell Columbus: former Sound Tiger, J.F. Berube, signed with Philadelphia. Detroit: Wade Megan (Salisbury Prep) Edmonton: Ex-Pack, Al Montoya Minnesota: Landon Ferraro, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Ray Nashville: Ex-Pack, Cole Schneider Ottawa: Ex-Pack players Oscar Lindberg, Brian Gibbons, and Adam Tambellini Pittsburgh: Ex-Pack, Chris Summers Tampa Bay: Ex-Pack’s Dan Girardi, and Marek Mazanec Toronto: Ex-Sound Tiger, Steve Olesky. Washington: Ex-Pack, Jayson Megna, and goalie, Parker Milner (Avon Old Farms). The Calder Cup champion Checkers watched as two more players depart. Pat Brown went to the Las Vegas Golden Knights / Chicago Wolves (AHL)  on a $700K - NHL / $450K - AHL next year. His contract pays him $700K on a one-way in the second year. Andrew Poturlarski departs for California signing with the Anaheim Ducks / San Diego Gulls. Riley Barber of the Hershey Bears signs with Montreal/Laval for $700K-NHL/$400K-AHL. Tommy Cross (Simsbury/Westminster Prep) leaves Cleveland and signs a one year $700K deal with the Florida Panthers / Springfield Thunderbirds. Daniel Carr, the AHL's regular season MVP, leaves Chicago (AHL) and signs with the Nashville Predators / Milwaukee Admirals for $700K. Tomas Jurco rescued from Springfield by Charlotte, signs with the Edmonton Oilers on a one-year, one-way $750K contract. Former Whaler, John Stevens Sr., signs as an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars. Nick Lukko (Salisbury Prep), the son of NHL power executive, Peter Lukko (Florida) has retired to become the assistant coach with Reading (ECHL) next year as he was their captain last season. In a very lesser note, the Wolf Pack’s secondary affiliate, the Maine Mariners, tendered qualifying offers to five players including two ex-Pack’s in Greg Chase, the nephew of former Whaler, Kelly  Chase, and Alex Kile. (NOTE: Some parts of a Hartford Wolf Pack press release were used in the formation of this story) Read the full article