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BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The 2021-2022 hockey season is inching closer with each passing moment, and more and more activity is happening as teams look to complete their rosters. The AHL released the playoff format for this coming season, and 23 of the 31 teams will make the chase for the Calder Cup. Making the playoffs until recently was the benefit to a team's and a player's hard work. Now, it's being handed out to just about everyone. Also, the three-game playoff series makes its return allowing for more playoff revenue by trying to attract the marginal hockey fan but at the same time further dilutes the AHL product and makes the regular season meaningless. Read more about it HERE. RANGERS AND WOLF PACK NEWS The Hartford Wolf Pack search for a new assistant coach to replace Gord Murphy, elevated to the New York Rangers staff as an assistant to new coach Gerard Gallant last month, has been sourced and selected. However, an announcement should be coming shortly, according to head coach Kris Knoblauch. He declined to name the chosen candidate. Meanwhile, up in the Big Apple, the Rangers announced the hiring of John Lilly as the new Director of Amateur Scouting and Player Development. Lilley went to Boston University for a season-and-a-half in the early 1990s. He played in the NHL and spent the last 14 years in the same role with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lilley, a Massachusetts native, played on the 1994 US Olympic Team with current Rangers President/GM and Wolf Pack GM, Chris Drury’s older brother, ex-Hartford Whaler, Ted Drury. How this hire affects Jed Ortmeyer and Tanner Glass remains to be seen in the new organizational scheme. Forwards Tim Gettinger, Ty Ronning, and goaltender Adam Huska all received new contracts. The trio each get one-year, two-way deals. Huska will make $750K in the NHL and $80K for his season in the AHL. Gettinger and Ronning will earn the same $750K as Huska in the NHL but will get $75K in the AHL. Ex-Wolf Pack Sean Day re-signs with the Tampa Bay Lightning on a one-year, two-way deal at $750K for playing in the NHL and $100K to play in the AHL. The Rangers' new Double AA affiliate, the Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL), lost their head coach, Jason Christie. He is no on the Buffalo Sabres' coaching staff as an Assistant Coach. Christie is the only coach in the team's franchise history and is the all-time winningest coach in ECHL history. Jacksonville team president, former CT Whale front office executive Bob Ohrablo, said a search for a new bench boss has begun. According to various reports, a new coach should be announced in about three weeks. MOVEMENT Six more AHL’ers are packing for Europe with their training camps starting in the next two weeks. Ben Street leaves the Binghamton Senators and signs with EHC Munich (Germany-DEL). Adam Mascherin departs the Texas Stars for Skellefteå AIK (Sweden-SHL). Theodor Lennestrom no longer flies with the Bakersfield Condors. He will join the Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL). Skyler McKenzie of the Manitoba Moose signs with Västerviks IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan). Nathanael Halbert who played two games for the Laval Rocket goes to the Coventry Blaze (England-EIHL) and Keegan Kanzig, who played eight games for the San Diego Gulls, heads to EC Salzburg (Austria-IceHL). That makes 63 total players heading overseas. Six are off to Austria, while eleven go to Germany, which is second to Russia at 17, and nine go to Sweden. Former QU Bobcat Chase Priskie signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Florida Panthers. He'll earn $750K in the NHL and$70K for play in the AHL. Greg Printz (Selects Academy at South Kent Prep) signs the same deal with San Diego, and ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger, Mason Jobst, signs an AHL deal with the Rochester Americans. KOWALSKY JOINS BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS The New York Islanders have named Rick Kowalsky the new assistant coach for the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders and their tenured head coach, ex-Wolf Pack, Brent Thompson (Milford). Kowalsky had been with the New Jersey Devils coaching staff the past three seasons, following eight years as head coach of the Devils’ AHL affiliates in Albany and Binghamton. He guided the AHL Devils to three Calder Cup Playoff appearances in 2014, 2016, and 2017. In 2015-16, Kowalsky earned the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach. He replaces the assistant coach of the last ten years, Eric Boguniecki (West Haven/Gunnery Prep-Westminster Prep). Boguniecki played for Bridgeport. Matt Carkner was the assistant for five years. Kowalsky served four seasons as Head Coach of New Jersey’s ECHL affiliate, the Trenton Devils and Trenton Titans.  He received the 2009 John Brophy Award as the league's top coach. The Simcoe, ON native, was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in January 2017. The Bridgeport Islanders signed their first minor league free agent. He is the sharp-shooting, swift-skating Chris Terry, who comes back from Torpedo Novgorod (Russia-KHL). He has 552 career AHL points under his belt and led the AHL in scoring with 71 points in 2017-18 in Laval’s first season at Place Bell. In addition, the Islanders re-signed five other players from last year’s squad. They include; Jeff Kubiak, Erik Brown, Felix Bibeau, Cole Coskey, and Kyle MacLean. DINEEN IN THE NEWS Former Whalers great Kevin Dineen was named the new head coach for the Utica Comets, now the New Jersey Devils affiliate. Dinneen’s contract wasn’t renewed by the Anaheim Ducks in San Diego, coaching the Gulls.  The irony is that Utica is now the new ECHL affiliate of the Adirondack Thunder. Dineen played for the Binghamton Whalers for half a season. The Dineen family has been a part of Glens Falls AHL hockey and upstate New York hockey history. As a head coach, Bill Dineen, Kevin's father, won two Calder Cups in seven years with the Adirondack Red Wings, the second coming over the New Haven Nighthawks. He was the last WHA New England Whalers head coach and a scout for two years for the NHL Whalers. Gord Dineen, Kevin's brother, coached in Rochester and was a volunteer assistant at D3 Hobart College last year. A pair of ex-Nighthawks, Peter and Shawn Dineen, played in Adirondack, and Kevin's brother Jerry was the Rangers video coach for 17 years. He was let go this summer. In his playing days, he played at SUNY-Plattsburgh, a Division III school. MORE MOVEMENT Larry Pleau, the New England Whalers (WHA) great and a one-time Hartford Whalers head coach, was also a Rangers assistant GM/Director of Player Personnel in the mid-1990s and a senior advisor to the St. Louis Blues for the last 23 years, becomes a 76-year-old “free agent” and takes a job as the new senior advisor for the Arizona Coyotes. Former Rangers head coach and New Haven Nighthawks assistant coach John Tortorella signs to be a part of ESPN's new NHL coverage team as an in-studio analyst. Ex-Wolf Pack captain/Sound Tiger Greg Moore, the current head coach with the Toronto Marlies, has added a new assistant coach, in former head coach from the Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL), John Snowden. This leaves Newfoundland-native and current resident, former New Haven Nighthawk, and Rangers assistant coach Darryl Williams, the team's assistant coach, as the only staff member left. The new AHL coaching parade sees long-time AHL assistant for eight teams, Scott Allen, named the Hershey Bears' new head coach. The Iowa Wild names Nate Dicasmirro and Nolan Yonkman as the team’s new assistant coaches. Andy Chiodo was hired as the goalie coach for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. AND THE CHANGES KEEP POURING IN Former Ranger Rick St. Croix, the father of two ex-Wolf Pack in Chris and Michael St. Croix, retired from the Manitoba Moose. The Moose is also in the news for hiring recently retired goalie Drew MacIntyre as the new goaltending coach and scout. He finished his career last season, winning the Japanese Hockey title with the Oji Eagles. Ex-Pack and Ranger Gordie Dwyer was hired as the new head coach of the Saint John Seadogs (QMJHL). Ex-Wolf Pack Dave MacIsaac comes back to Danbury for the third time. He was named the new head coach of Danbury Hat Tricks (FPHL). He played for the infamous UHL Trashers from 2004-2006 and was head coach of the Danbury Mad Hatters (EPHL) in 2008-09. He has coached in Louisiana (ECHL), Björninn in Iceland for two years, and was the GM of St. Jerome (LNAH). His assistant coach Adam Blanchette (Berlin/CT Clippers-MetJHL/Danbury Titans-FPHL), was hired last week. Hamden’s Mike Lee (Gunnery/Sacred Heart University) re-signs with the Indy Fuel (ECHL). Former UCONN captain Miles Gendron signs a one-year AHL two-way deal (AHL-ECHL) with the Colorado Eagles-AHL/Utah Grizzlies-ECHL for the 21-22 season. Ex-CT Whale Mike Pelech, who split last season between the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) and Indy (ECHL), signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL) for the 2021-22 season. Ex-Sound Tiger Justin Taylor returns to the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) after playing last season for the Tulsa Oilers (ECHL). Nick Hutchison (Avon Old Farms) goes from Indy (ECHL) to Adirondack (ECHL). AND THE SIGNING JUST KEEP COMING Greg Harney (East Haven/ND-WH) signs with Port Huron (MI) Prowlers (FPHL) after playing for four years at Framingham State (MASCAC). Ex-Pack Eric Selleck will play Canadian senior hockey for Gananoque Islanders (EOSHL) Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League. Ex-Sound Tiger David Quenneville leaves the Rapid City Rush (ECHL) for IK Oskarshmamn (Sweden-AHL). Former Whaler/Ranger Dave Barr leaves the Canada U-18 hockey program and becomes the head coach with the Vienna Capitals (Austria-IceHL). Brandon Whistle, the nephew of former Nighthawk Rob Whistle, returns to play after a year off with the Leeds Knights (England-NIHL), whose Head Coach/GM is his father, David. Brother Jackson is playing for Belfast (Northern Ireland-EIHL) this season. UCONN hockey released their full 2021-22 schedule. The first two games will be at home at the XL Center on October 2nd against Sacred Heart University (AHA), a non-conference matchup. The school's first Hockey East contest is October 8th against Boston University. Read more HERE. Jason Fortier, a long-time Junior-A coach who was head coach/GM of the Odessa (TX) Jackalopes (NAHL) last year, was named the new assistant coach with the University Maine Black Bears (HE), replacing ex-Sound Tiger Ben Guité. Guité was named the new head coach of the ECHL Maine Mariners as Riley Armstrong is heading to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to be an assistant coach. Guide’s, father Pierre, played in all seven years of the WHA. Ex-Wolf Pack Daniel Paille was upgraded from a volunteer assistant coach to a full-time assistant coach with Canisius College Golden Griffins (AHA). MORE SIGNINGS? J.D. Greenway completed his four years at Maine after transferring from Wisconsin. He signs with the Providence Bruins.  After four years at Denver University (NCHC), Jack Doremus signs with the Tulsa Oilers (ECHL), and Quin Foreman Dartmouth College (ECACHL) signs with Indy (ECHL). These signings make 26 players from Hockey East schools who signed a pro deal and 16 from the NCHC. The breakdown for the other conferences is; Big 10 has 21, AHA and ECACHL seven each, WCHA (CCHA) four, and Division I Independent Arizona State two. Ludwig Stenlund of Niagara University (AHA) heads home to play for HC Vita Hasten (Sweden-Allenesque). Ashton Stockier from Mercyhurst University (AHA) and Division III Adrian College's (NCHA) Mike Finger are both going to HCB Ticino (Switzerland-LNB). Now 82 college players have signed in North America, 33 in Europe. 118 total college players from Division I and Division III are signed to pro deals in Europe and North America. 34 underclassmen have left school early. TRANSFERS 10 more college transfers for a hectic college hockey off-season. Grant Hebert transfers from the Robert Morris University (AHA) program canceled to the University of Maine (HE). Minnesota-Mankato (CCHA) gets David Silye from Clarkson University (ECACHL) and Josh Groll from Michigan (Big 10). Tyler Ghirardosi of Quinnipiac University (ECACHL) heads to Worcester and Holy Cross (AHA). Then after his freshmen year at Bentley University (AHA), Christian Felton heads up I-90 to Merrimack College (HE). Canisius College (AHA) gets Jake Witkowski from Boston University (HE) and Randy Hernández from Robert Morris University (AHA). Miami (OH) (NCHC) gets Thomas Daskas from the Air Force Academy (AHA) and Michael Regush of Cornell University (ECACHL). Garrett Clegg goes from Robert Morris heads to D3 SUNY-Oswego (SUNYAC). 76 players have transferred this off-season. There are also 51 grad transfers for an amazing 127 players moving this collegiate off-season. RICHTERS MAKING MOVES William “Beanie” Richter, the youngest son of former Ranger goalie great Mike Richter of Greenwich, has committed to New Haven's Yale University (ECACHL) for 2023-24. The 16-year-old is currently enrolled in Brunswick School in Greenwich. Last year, Richter played just one game with the Penticton Vees (BCHL). He was also a 2020 QMJHL US Draftee by the Cape Breton (Nova Scotia) Eagles. Richter's oldest son, Tom (Greenwich/Brunswick School), also a forward, played at Penticton (BCHL) last year and will be a freshman at Union College (ECACHL) in the fall. Goalie Edvard Nordlund of the Danbury Jr Hat Tricks (NAHL) commits to UMASS-Lowell (HE). Ryan Colwell (Taft School) from the Connecticut Jr. Rangers (NCDC) commits to Albertus Magnus College (NCAA Division III Independent). Sam Mitchell (New Fairfield) commits to Western New England University (CCC) in the fall. Michael McCosh, the son of former New Haven Nighthawk/Senator Shawn McCosh, finishes juniors with the New Mexico Ice Wolves (NAHL) and commits to D3 Buffalo State (SUNYAC). COACHING MOVES The 2022 US WJC coaching staff named head coach Nate Leaman (Providence College-HE) returns for another shot at gold. Joining him are ex-Wolf Pack/Sound Tiger Ted Donato (Harvard University-ECACHL) and Kris Mayotte (Michigan-Big 10). And add traditional rival of Michigan, Steve Miller of Ohio St. (Big 10). In addition, Theresa Feaster (Providence College-HE) returns as their video coach. The 45-player roster at the Canada Junior Development camp held at the Seven Chiefs Sports Complex in Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary features several Rangers prospects, starting with goalie Dylan Garand of the Kamloops Blazers (WHL), who's coming into his final junior year. Last year, he played two games in Hartford and the recently drafted Brennan Othmann from the Flint Firebirds (OHL). Other notables include Cole Sillinger, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), who played in Sioux City Stampede (USHL) last year and is the son of former Sound Tiger Mike Sillinger. Ridley Greig, the son of former Whaler Mark Greig, invited but not attending this camp, is giant forward 6’6 Jack Finley Spokane Chiefs (WHL) who played in Syracuse for ten games last year and is the son ex-Wolf Pack, Jeff Finley. EVEN MORE The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) and Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL), which are members of the Junior-A Canadian Junior Hockey League, announced its schedule for the 2021-22 season that will feature all 12 teams NOJHL playing a 56-game schedule and the MHL playing a 52-game schedule. Fellow junior A league member, the Ligue de Hockey Junior AAA du Quebec (QJAAAHL), which canceled its entire 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 pandemic, announced its 2021-22 season would feature 12 teams in three four-team division set-ups will play a 48-game regular season schedule. The Chambly Forts team is the only team in the league to drop out. Only nine of the NOJHL's 12 teams participated in the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season. The schedule dates remain tentative pending approval from the Canadian government and health officials because of the coronavirus. Hartford Wolf Pack HOME Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The chase for a championship at all levels of hockey starts with roster selection. The number of signings this week picks up to a breakneck pace. Ex-Hartford Wolf Pack, Greg Chase, the nephew of former Hartford Whaler, Kelly Chase, signs with the Maine Mariners (ECHL). Ex-Bridgeport Sound Tiger, Yannick Turcotte, signs a one-year, two-way (AHL-ECHL) deal with the Hershey Bears. Charles Curti (Yale University) departs the Rapid City Rush (ECHL) to sign back with the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL). AHL TO EUROPE SIGNINGS Eight more AHL players sign in Europe this week. Gregor MacLeod leaves the Grand Rapids  Griffins for Nuremberg (Germany-DEL). Tyler Groavac leaves the Manitoba Moose for Dynamo Minsk (Belarus-KHL), becoming the 17th player heading to the KHL. Then Veini Vehviläinen leaves the Toronto Marlies for Brynas IF (Sweden-SHL). This signing makes seven players going to Sweden. Jalen Smercek of the Tucson Roadrunners heads to Donbas Donets’k (Ukraine-UHL). He's the first AHL’er to head to Ukraine. Defenseman Reece Willcox departs the Hershey Bears for HC Val Pusteria (Italy-IceHL), becoming the first player to head to Italy. Chase Berger of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins signs with HC Banska Bystrica (Slovakia-SLEL). Nicholas Welsh leaves the Rochester Americans and signs with Nuremberg (Germany-DEL). Jeremy Roy of the San Diego Gulls signs with HKM Zvolen (Slovakia-SLEL). 56 AHL’ers to date have signed overseas. Additionally, 25 of 31 AHL teams have lost at least one player. MORE MOVES Ex-Wolf Pack, Travis Oleksuk, splits from EC Graz (Austria-IceHL) and signs with the Sheffield Steelers (England-EIHL). Ex-Sound Tiger, Ty Wishart, departs from HC Cszilkscereda (Romania-MOL) and arrives at Unia Oswiecim (Poland-PZIHL) for the 2021-22 season is taking the import spot on the team from another ex-Sound Tiger, Victor Bartley. Former Yale Bulldog, Denny Keaney, switches French teams from Grenoble to HC Cergy-Pontoise (France-FREL). Another ex-Sound Tiger, Darren Nowick, who played with Skellefteå AIK (Sweden-SHL), announces his retirement. Riese Zmolek, the son of former NHL’er Doug Zmolek, finishes at Minnesota State-Mankato (NCHC) signs with the Iowa Wild (AHL). Brandon Schultz of Northern Michigan (WCHA) signs with the Toledo Walleye (ECHL), making 80 Division-I players signing in North America and 113 total college players (Division-I and Division-III) signing pro deals. The conference breakdown is as follows; Hockey Eart 25, Big 10 has 21, NCHC 15, AHA seven, ECACHL has six, the WCHA now CCHA has four and two from NCAA Division I independent Arizona State. In NCAA Division III, just three players thus far and 30 skaters have signed in Europe. EVEN MORE MOVES Aidan Metcalfe, a defenseman with the NAHL Robertson Cup champion Shreveport (La) Mudbugs, has committed to UCONN (HE) for the fall, the last for the Huskies. Christian Yersich transfers back home from Colorado College Tigers (NCHC) to the brand-new University of St. Thomas Tommies (CCHA) program. Zach Pellegrino (Gunnery Prep-Washington) leaves Bentley University (AHA) and transfers to Division-III independent Albertus Magnus College in New Haven who start play this fall, making 66 in-school transfers and 51 grad transfers for 116 college players to move this off season. A FIRST In a historic first, the NCAA has granted a major junior player the right to play in the NCAA. Austen Swankler commits to the Bowling Green University Falcons (CCHA). He played for the Erie Otters (OHL) for two years and didn’t play anywhere last year. He played US junior hockey for the Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL) three years ago. In a release, it was stated Swankler petitioned the NCAA directly before making his commit. Usually, one second of play in a major junior regular season game wiped out any chance of playing NCAA hockey. The NCAA has historically considered major junior as a professional league. This crack in the door likely means petitions will be handled on a case-by-case basis and not lead to a flood of applications. BACK TO TRANSACTIONS Sam Anderson of the Philadelphia Hockey Team (NCDC) and the Tim Manning Valley Jr. Warriors (EHL) commits to the Albertus Magnus (New Haven) College Falcons. After five seasons at Lake Superior State (CCHA), ex-Hartford Wolf Pack and New York Ranger Michael York signs a multi-year extension along with fellow assistant Zack Cisek. Both were given promotions of the title Associate Head Coach. The Holy Cross Invitational tournament scheduled for October 8-9 to kick off the college hockey season in the Northeast has been moved to the DCU Center in Worcester, MA, from the 1,600-seat renovated Hart Center Arena on the campus of Holy Cross. The Crusaders, the Northeastern Huskies, the Quinnipiac University Bobcats, and Boston College Eagles are slated to participate. The 56th annual Christmas Holiday Great Lakes tournament between Michigan, Michigan Tech, Michigan State, and Western Michigan will be held at the campus arenas of Michigan (Yost Arena) and Michigan St. (Munn Arena) on December 29-30. The Yost Arena will likely undergo a name change in the fall after an internal review found legendary football coach Ned Yost conducted unfair conduct against black athletes during his tenure as AD. Munn Arena just received a $1.5 million donation for arena upgrades. BLANCHETTE RETURNS Adam Blanchette (Berlin/CT Clippers-MetJHL/Danbury Whalers-FPHL) returns from overseas to become the new assistant coach with the Danbury Hat Tricks (FPHL). Blanchette spent four years in New Zealand playing and then coaching the Sky City (Queenstown) Stampede (formerly Southern Stampede) of the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL). The team won three consecutive Birgel Cup titles (2015-2017) in the short-season league. He was also an assistant coach for the New Zealand National Team that took home silver at the IIHF Division 2 Group B Championships held in Grenada, Spain, in 2017. He also played two years in the Netherlands, a year in Australia, four years in the defunct Central Hockey League with the Rio Grande Valley (TX) Killer Bees, Tulsa Oilers, and New Mexico Scorpions. He also played major junior hockey for the Quebec Remparts, Moncton Wildcats and Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. CONNECTICUT CONNECTED PLAYERS Matt Graham, a former Danbury Titans (FPHL) player, was named the new Head Coach/GM of the Port Huron (MI) Prowlers (FPHL) and had been a playing assistant coach the last three seasons. Former New Haven Senators Harijs Vitolins was named by the Latvia Hockey Federation (LHF) as the Head Coach for the Latvian National Team a month before their IIHF Group E Olympic qualifying tournament games at the Arena Riga August 27-29. The teams in that group vying to get an invite to the Beijing Games in February 2022 are France, Italy, Hungary, and Latvia. Latvia is seeking its sixth Olympic appearance. They took part in the 1936 Games and were then annexed by Nazi Germany and then by the Soviet Union. They made it in their first year back as an independent nation in 2002 and then in 2006, 2010, and 2014. They missed out on the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Vitolins replaces former NHL coach Bob Hartley, who was with the team for the last five years. He is now the head coach of the defending KHL Gagarin Cup champs Avangard Omsk team. In addition, Vitolins has been an assistant coach with Spartak Moscow (Russia-KHL) for the last two years. PACIFIC RIM The ALIH (Asia League Ice Hockey), because of the COVID-19 outbreak over in the Pacific Rim region to decide to move the start of their 2021-22 season to December from September. NHL HOME Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The summer months are winding down and teams are finalizing their rosters for their respective training camps in North America. Around the world, however, some seasons have already begun. It was another busy week in the hockey world. PLAYER & COACHING MOVEMENT Ex-CT Whale/Wolf Pack Kris Newbury signs with the Brampton Beast (ECHL), the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens after a year in Europe. Ex-Pack, Alexandre Giroux, 37, signs with the Thetford Mines (LNAH) for next season as he winds down his playing career. Ex-Pack, Devin DiDiomete, has gone from SHC Fassa (Italy-AlpsHL) to SG Cortina (Italy-AlpsHL) for next season. Ex-Pack goalie, Miika Wiikman, stays in England, shifting from Milton Keynes Lightning to the Coventry Blaze (England-EIHL). Now an ex-Pack defenseman, Brendan Kotyk, who played seven games last year in Hartford, has signed a deal with Toledo (ECHL). Hershey signed ex-CT Whale defenseman, Logan Pyett to a one-year AHL deal. Pyett was out of hockey for a year batting sarcoma cancer, a bone cancer in his upper thigh. Pyett beat that strain of cancer and has been working his himself back into game shape. The 30-year-old defenseman played last year with the Tokohu Free Blades in Japan in the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) as part of his game training. In 26 games, Pyett scored four goals and 15 points and 49 PIM. Pyett borrowed some playbooks from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach, Scott Gordon, to aid his rehab training. He was supposed to play with the Phantoms two years ago when the cancer was discovered. Should Pyett have a full and successful AHL season next year, he would certainly be a frontrunner for the AHL Hunt Trophy. AHL’ers moving to Europe continues. Zach Sill of the Hershey Bears heads over to play with HC Sparta Prague (Czech Republic-CEL). Paul Postma of the Providence Bruins heads to AK Bars Kazan (Russia-KHL) and Lance Bouma Rockford goes to HC-Geneva Servette (Switzerland-LNA). Yaroslav Dyblenko has already switched teams after leaving Binghamton his contract was traded from St. Petersburg to Spartak Moscow (Russia-KHL) in training camp. The AHL to Euro list stands at 72 players from 26 teams. Three AHL free agent signings. Wayne Simpson goes from Hershey to the Rochester Americans while Chase Balisy, who bedeviled the Wolf Pack the last two years in Springfield with the Thunderbirds signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Ottawa/Belleville Senators for $650K-NHL/$135K–AHL. Six more collegians sign North American pro deals. Brady Tkachuk leaves BU after just one year and signs an NHL entry-level with Ottawa. He can be assigned to Belleville (AHL). He was drafted fourth overall in June’s NHL Draft. Former Terrier teammate, Nikolas Olsson, signs with Adirondack Thunder (ECHL). Jordan Klimek goes from Northern Michigan University (NCHC) to Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). Joining him in Kansas City will be Brett Beauvais from Robert Morris (AHC), Tim Shoup heads from Dartmouth College (ECACHL) to Orlando (ECHL) and Dexter Dancs goes from the University Michigan (Big 10) to Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). Three more college players are off to Europe in Tanner Jaillet who had the nation’s best GAA at 1.89 with Denver University (NCHC) signs with EHC Wolfsburg (Germany-DEL), Dan Kelly goes from Tufts University (NESCAC) in Boston to Toulouse BHC (France Division-2) and Kevin Loppatto Manhattanville College (UCHC) to Vannas HC (Sweden Division-1) . That makes 30 college players from all divisions to sign in Europe, 178 Division I players have signed North American deals and 235 total who have signed North American and European pro deals. Former Nighthawk, Bud Stefanski, is stepping back behind the bench. Stefanski joins the OHL Sudbury Wolves with his son-in-law, former NHL’er Riley Stillman, as an assistant coach. Stefanski’s grandson, and Stillman’s son, Riley, will be with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the fall. After 12 years in Peterborough, the last six as head coach, ex-Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger, Jody Hull, was named the new associate head coach of the Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL) for next season. Hul played in 831 NHL games over a 16 season career, including 118 with the Whalers and 50 with the Rangers. Former Whaler, Mark Hunter, left the Toronto Maple Leafs to return as the GM of the London Knights (OHL) coached by his brother, Dale. In a very surprising move, Austin Mikesch, the eldest child of former Beast of New Haven forward Pat Mikesch, played with the Nipawin Hawks (SJHL), the team the Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) were heading to play on that fateful day last April. Mikesch has decided to join the Broncos this season. Pat Mikesch is the head coach/GM of the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL). Hlinka-Gretzky Cup results The Canadians captured gold in the five-day Hlinka-Gretzky Cup tournament held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta this year. The Canadian team defeated Sweden 6-2 in Edmonton last Sunday. The tourney was held in Canada for the first time since 1986. Former Wolf Pack goaltending great, Jason LaBarbera, was part of the gold medal squad as a goaltending consultant. Alexis Lafreniere from Rimouski (QMJHL) scored twice. He will clearly be a top five draft pick next summer. Canada has secured gold 22 times in 28 years in this summer hockey tourney honoring the memory of great Czech great, Ivan Hlinka. The US lost to Russia in the bronze medal game 5-4. Vasili Podkolzin had a hat-trick with two-of-the-three-goals coming on spectacular shots. He led the tournament with eight goals and clearly increased his draft stock for next year. The US's Connor Hughes was a standout and earned a top five-star rating toward the draft as well. Russia's Ilya Nikolayev may have scored an even better goal then Podkozin and Hughes. He first went with a backhand spin-a-rama and the shot got blocked, then he got the puck back and scored to the short-side displaying tremendous agility. ECHL AFFILIATIONS MAP Lots of movements in the Double AA affiliate map for the AHL as the leagues try to sync up with a 31-NHL, 31-AHL, and 31-ECHL pyramid structure being the desired goal. The ECHL is always will be difficult because they fall outside of the current CBA agreement with the NHL and the AHL CBA agreement. The ECHL has its own player agreement. The switches have been numerous with Toronto leaving Orlando and going to St. John’s (Newfoundland Growlers). Orlando then hooks up with Syracuse (Tampa Bay). Meanwhile, the Rangers departed from Greenville to go to Maine (Portland). The Minnesota Wild makes a change too after the Quad City Mallards dropped to the SPHL. They now have a new agreement with the  Allen Americans in Allen, TX. The St. Louis Blues, now in San Antonio, hooks up with the Tulsa Oilers after the Winnipeg Jets left there. The Jets, in turn, hooked up with Jacksonville, FL while Arizona/Tucson is now in Norfolk. Then there's the Colorado Avalanche who have a new AHL affiliate in the Colorado Eagles (Loveland) who now have Utah, who split from Anaheim. Three ECHL teams are without NHL/AHL affiliates. That makes five NHL organizations without a Double AA affiliate. The ECHL cities are Ft. Wayne, Greenville, and Rapid City. The NHL teams without an ECHL affiliation are San Jose, Columbus, Florida, Las Vegas and Anaheim. SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE HOCKEY In Australia, the nation’s capital city team, the Canberra (CBR) Brave, sit atop the short, thirty-game season AIHL as their season comes toward the end. They will then start their Goodall Cup playoffs. Canberra is 20-4-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) for 60 points. The team's leading scorer also tops the AIHL. He is former UCONN Husky, Trevor Gerling. His 18 goals and a league-best 38 assists (56 points), is one better than Perth Thunder’s, Pierre-Luc Grandmaison, as of the start of the weekend action starts. Cheshire native, Rob Malloy, and his Newcastle Northstars teammates are batting his former team, the Sydney Ice Dogs for the fourth and last playoff spot. Newcastle and Sydney ice Dogs are tied at 35 points as the Northstars have a record of 8-9-0-3-4. Malloy in his sixth AIHL season has 21 points in 21 games played with five goals and 16 assists. In New Zealand, the Southern (Queenstown) Stampede, the defending Birgel Cup champions, will seek their fourth straight title next Friday against the winner of this Friday’s semifinal meeting between the West Auckland Admirals and the Dunedin Thunder. The Stampede still has its player-assistant coach in Adam Blanchette (Berlin/Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack). The Stampede topped the Admirals in the short season regular season finishing first with one more win with a 13-0-0-3 record and topped the five-team league with 110 goals for and the best defense surrendering just 44 goals. Read the full article

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The summer months are winding down and teams are finalizing their rosters for their respective training camps in North America. Around the world, however, some seasons have already begun. It was another busy week in the hockey world. PLAYER & COACHING MOVEMENT Ex-CT Whale/Wolf Pack Kris Newbury signs with the Brampton Beast (ECHL), the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens after a year in Europe. Ex-Pack, Alexandre Giroux, 37, signs with the Thetford Mines (LNAH) for next season as he winds down his playing career. Ex-Pack, Devin DiDiomete, has gone from SHC Fassa (Italy-AlpsHL) to SG Cortina (Italy-AlpsHL) for next season. Ex-Pack goalie, Miika Wiikman, stays in England, shifting from Milton Keynes Lightning to the Coventry Blaze (England-EIHL). Now an ex-Pack defenseman, Brendan Kotyk, who played seven games last year in Hartford, has signed a deal with Toledo (ECHL). Hershey signed ex-CT Whale defenseman, Logan Pyett to a one-year AHL deal. Pyett was out of hockey for a year batting sarcoma cancer, a bone cancer in his upper thigh. Pyett beat that strain of cancer and has been working his himself back into game shape. The 30-year-old defenseman played last year with the Tokohu Free Blades in Japan in the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) as part of his game training. In 26 games, Pyett scored four goals and 15 points and 49 PIM. Pyett borrowed some playbooks from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach, Scott Gordon, to aid his rehab training. He was supposed to play with the Phantoms two years ago when the cancer was discovered. Should Pyett have a full and successful AHL season next year, he would certainly be a frontrunner for the AHL Hunt Trophy. AHL’ers moving to Europe continues. Zach Sill of the Hershey Bears heads over to play with HC Sparta Prague (Czech Republic-CEL). Paul Postma of the Providence Bruins heads to AK Bars Kazan (Russia-KHL) and Lance Bouma Rockford goes to HC-Geneva Servette (Switzerland-LNA). Yaroslav Dyblenko has already switched teams after leaving Binghamton his contract was traded from St. Petersburg to Spartak Moscow (Russia-KHL) in training camp. The AHL to Euro list stands at 72 players from 26 teams. Three AHL free agent signings. Wayne Simpson goes from Hershey to the Rochester Americans while Chase Balisy, who bedeviled the Wolf Pack the last two years in Springfield with the Thunderbirds signs a one-year, two-way deal with the Ottawa/Belleville Senators for $650K-NHL/$135K–AHL. Six more collegians sign North American pro deals. Brady Thachuk leaves BU after just one year and signs an NHL entry-level with Ottawa. He can be assigned to Belleville (AHL). He was drafted fifth overall in June’s NHL Draft. Former Terrier teammate, Nikolas Olsson, signs with Adirondack Thunder (ECHL). Jordan Klimek goes from Northern Michigan University (NCHC) to Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL). Joining him in Kansas City will be Brett Beauvais from Robert Morris (AHC), Tim Shoup heads from Dartmouth College (ECACHL) to Orlando (ECHL) and Dexter Dancs goes from the University Michigan (Big 10) to Idaho Steelheads (ECHL). Three more college players are off to Europe in Tanner Jaillet who had the nation’s best GAA at 1.89 with Denver University (NCHC) signs with EHC Wolfsburg (Germany-DEL), Dan Kelly goes from Tufts University (NESCAC) in Boston to Toulouse BHC (France Division-2) and Kevin Loppatto Manhattanville College (UCHC) to Vannas HC (Sweden Division-1) . That makes 30 college players from all divisions to sign in Europe, 178 Division I players have signed North American deals and 235 total who have signed North American and European pro deals. Former Nighthawk, Bud Stefanski, is stepping back behind the bench. Stefanski joins the OHL Sudbury Wolves with his son-in-law, former NHL’er Riley Stillman, as an assistant coach. Stefanski’s grandson, and Stillman’s son, Riley, will be with the Springfield Thunderbirds in the fall. After 12 years in Peterborough, the last six as head coach, ex-Hartford Whaler and New York Ranger, Jody Hull, was named the new associate head coach of the Niagara Ice Dogs (OHL) for next season. Hul played in 831 NHL games over a 16 season career, including 118 with the Whalers and 50 with the Rangers. Former Whaler, Mark Hunter, left the Toronto Maple Leafs to return as the GM of the London Knights (OHL) coached by his brother, Dale. In a very surprising move, Austin Mikesch, the eldest child of former Beast of New Haven forward Pat Mikesch, played with the Nipawin Hawks (SJHL), the team the Humboldt Broncos (SJHL) were heading to play on that fateful day last April. Mikesch has decided to join the Broncos this season. Pat Mikesch is the head coach/GM of the Green Bay Gamblers (USHL). Hlinka-Gretzky Cup results The Canadians captured gold in the five-day Hlinka-Gretzky Cup tournament held in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta this year. The Canadian team defeated Sweden 6-2 in Edmonton last Sunday. The tourney was held in Canada for the first time since 1986. Former Wolf Pack goaltending great, Jason LaBarbera, was part of the gold medal squad as a goaltending consultant. Alexis Lafreniere from Rimouski (QMJHL) scored twice. He will clearly be a top five draft pick next summer. Canada has secured gold 22 times in 28 years in this summer hockey tourney honoring the memory of great Czech great, Ivan Hlinka. The US lost to Russia in the bronze medal game 5-4. Vasili Podkolzin had a hat-trick with two-of-the-three-goals coming on spectacular shots. He led the tournament with eight goals and clearly increased his draft stock for next year. The US's Connor Hughes was a standout and earned a top five-star rating toward the draft as well. Russia's Ilya Nikolayev may have scored an even better goal then Podkozin and Hughes. He first went with a backhand spin-a-rama and the shot got blocked, then he got the puck back and scored to the short-side displaying tremendous agility. ECHL AFFILIATIONS MAP Lots of movements in the Double AA affiliate map for the AHL as the leagues try to sync up with a 31-NHL, 31-AHL, and 31-ECHL pyramid structure being the desired goal. The ECHL is always will be difficult because they fall outside of the current CBA agreement with the NHL and the AHL CBA agreement. The ECHL has its own player agreement. The switches have been numerous with Toronto leaving Orlando and going to St. John’s (Newfoundland Growlers). Orlando then hooks up with Syracuse (Tampa Bay). Meanwhile, the Rangers departed from Greenville to go to Maine (Portland). The Minnesota Wild makes a change too after the Quad City Mallards dropped to the SPHL. They now have a new agreement with the  Allen Americans in Allen, TX. The St. Louis Blues, now in San Antonio, hooks up with the Tulsa Oilers after the Winnipeg Jets left there. The Jets, in turn, hooked up with Jacksonville, FL while Arizona/Tucson is now in Norfolk. Then there's the Colorado Avalanche who have a new AHL affiliate in the Colorado Eagles (Loveland) who now have Utah, who split from Anaheim. Three ECHL teams are without NHL/AHL affiliates. That makes five NHL organizations without a Double AA affiliate. The ECHL cities are Ft. Wayne, Greenville, and Rapid City. The NHL teams without an ECHL affiliation are San Jose, Columbus, Florida, Las Vegas and Anaheim. SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE HOCKEY In Australia, the nation’s capital city team, the Canberra (CBR) Brave, sit atop the short, thirty-game season AIHL as their season comes toward the end. They will then start their Goodall Cup playoffs. Canberra is 20-4-0-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) for 60 points. The team's leading scorer also tops the AIHL. He is former UCONN Husky, Trevor Gerling. His 18 goals and a league-best 38 assists (56 points), is one better than Perth Thunder’s, Pierre-Luc Grandmaison, as of the start of the weekend action starts. Cheshire native, Rob Malloy, and his Newcastle Northstars teammates are batting his former team, the Sydney Ice Dogs for the fourth and last playoff spot. Newcastle and Sydney ice Dogs are tied at 35 points as the Northstars have a record of 8-9-0-3-4. Malloy in his sixth AIHL season has 21 points in 21 games played with five goals and 16 assists. In New Zealand, the Southern (Queenstown) Stampede, the defending Birgel Cup champions, will seek their fourth straight title next Friday against the winner of this Friday’s semifinal meeting between the West Auckland Admirals and the Dunedin Thunder. The Stampede still has its player-assistant coach in Adam Blanchette (Berlin/Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack). The Stampede topped the Admirals in the short season regular season finishing first with one more win with a 13-0-0-3 record and topped the five-team league with 110 goals for and the best defense surrendering just 44 goals. Read the full article