#JohnPaddock

[mitchbeck]

HARTFORD WOLF PACK TAKE GAME 2 FROM PROVIDENCE BRUINS

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings PROVIDENCE, RI - The Hartford Wolf Pack were solid from the net out as their defense and goaltending continued to confound the Providence Bruins as the New York Rangers American League affiliates roll continued in a 2-1 win in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series on Saturday night. It was the fifth win in a row in the Ocean State. It was also the Pack's 14th win in their last 16 games. They now hold a commanding lead in the best-of-five series, two games to none. After that, the teams head back to Hartford, with the Pack having a chance to close out the series in front of the home crowd on Wednesday night. A win by the Pack would send the Cinderella team to the Atlantic Division final against either the Charlotte Checkers or the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Checkers currently have a 2-games-to-one lead in that best-of-five series. THIRD PERIOD Both teams pushed to try and score early in the third period. Bruins looked for the equalizer from Luke Toporowski, Mike Reilly, and Oskar Steen, who took a Turner Elson turnover for a shot ass Dylan Garand  (29 saves) continued his impressive netminding for the Pack and denied them all. Across the way, Brandon Bussi (26 saves) flashed the leather stopping Adam Sýkora, Wyatt Kalynuk, Will Lockwood, and Lauri Pajuniemi as they sought a cushion goal for the Wolf Pack. The Bruins came close when defenseman Connor Carrick put a shot off the crossbar with 2:58 remaining in the contest. At 18:45, the Bruins pulled Bussi for an extra attacker. However, former Pack, Vinni Lettieri, was denied by Garand from the left circle. As the clock was ticking down, with just 15 seconds left and for the second night in a row, the Bruins looked to their regular season points leader, Georgii Merkulov, to take their final shot, but he was stopped by Garand to preserve the win. SECOND PERIOD A goal was scored in the first five-plus minutes of the period as John Beecher had an end-to-end rush stopped by Garand just two minutes in. Two Wolf Pack goals in a span of 3:26 put the Bruins on their heels on their home ice. Tim Gettinger was on the puck early and got off a shot on net from the right point before Bussi made a right pad save. Ex-Bruin, Anton Blidh, took the rebound and registered his second postseason goal at 6:17. The Wolf Pack refused to rest on their laurels. Adam Clendening, who had a strong shift earlier in the period, moved off the right point to the top of the center point, just below the blue line. He took a cross-ice pass from Kalynuķ, his defensive partner, fired off a 55-footer, and beat Bussi at 12:16 for the game-winner. The Pack came close to a 3-0 lead at 13:13 when Zac Jones was at the left point and fired a shot to the net. Ryan Carpenter reached up to redirect the shot that looked to have gone up and under the crossbar. The referees immediately waived off the goal, and after a lengthy review, it was ruled no goal. The ruling was Carpenter's stick was above the crossbar, negating the goal. The Bruins' Justin Brazeau was on the left wing on the next shift. He found Pack killer Jonna Koppannen on the right wing and sent him a cross-ice pass. Koppannen then sent a backhanded pass to the slot where Toporowski was open and fired off a shot that found the back of the net at 14:02, cutting the Pack lead in half. FIRST PERIOD The first period saw the Pack start where they left off the previous night and registered the game's first three shots, coming from Clendening twice and Lockwood. Ty Emberson went to launch a shot and had his twig break in half, leading briefly to a two-on-zero for the Bruins. However, Emberson kept his position, and the Pack did some serious backchecking. It became a three-on-two, and he timed going down perfectly to get a piece of the puck as the Bruins passed back to the trailer. Providence's John Beecher had a solid, long-range, low shot stopped by Garand. Then Jones used his speed to cut Beecher off on another open opportunity and took it away. Gettinger had a strong shift on the second power play unit in the last five minutes. He hit the side of the net and had a tip deflection dribble wide. He then got off a third attempt that Bussi stopped. The end of the period had a scrum between Clendening and Toporowski, Lockwood, and Connor Carrick. They were the only players penalized at 20:00. The Bruins had 12 shots on goal for the period after having just 14 for the whole game the night before. LINES: Cullye-Carpenter-Elson Fritz-Pajuniemi-Blidh Gettinger-Edström-Lockwood Henriksson-Sýkora-Trivigno Jones-Emberson Hillman-Scanlin Clendening-Kalynuk Garand Gahagen #35 SCRATCHES: Talyn Boyko #40 Matt Rempe (upper body, day-to-day) Louie Roehl #4 (healthy) Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (healthy) Brett Berard #27 (healthy) Maxim Barbashev #18 (healthy) Ryder Korczak  #38 (healthy) Matt Robertson (upper body, may return in the latter half of this  round of the playoffs) Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery). C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season) NOTES: The Rangers forced a game seven with a 5-2 win in Game 6. Five different players scored in the game at MSG. Joe Snively (Yale University) had a goal, and two assists in a Game Two 5-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers. The Jacksonville Icemen won their South Division ECHL semifinal in a 5-4 fashion. Former Quinnipiac University player Craig Martin and another former Bobcat and ex-Pack, Brandon Fortunato, scored. MATT WOOD Team Canada at the U-18 tournament captured bronze with a 4-3 overtime win over Slovakia. The team included Matt Wood (UCONN-HE), who scored the game-tying goal with 1:10 left in regulation with the goalie pulled. The primary assist, off a short slide pass, sprung Celebrini Macklin on a breakaway for the game-winner. Wood finished with a goal and three assists, six shots on goal, and a plus-four. Wood seems to have cemented a high first-round pick status for the upcoming NHL Draft in late June in Nashville. Wood came to the Huskies after being drafted as a second-round pick (41st overall) in the WHL Bantam Draft in 2020 by the Regina Pats. He turned down the Pats' offer to play with the consensus #1 overall pick, Connor Bedard, and to be coached by ex-Pack head coach John Paddock. In 2021, Wood was drafted by the Sioux Falls (SD) Stampede (USHL) as their 9th pick (121st overall) in the USHL Futures Draft. Team USA played Team Sweden for gold at the U-18 championship in Switzerland. The US won gold in come-from-behind fashion, 3-2 in overtime. It's their first gold in six years. The game-winner from draft-eligible Ryan Leonard (Amherst, MA) from Pope Francis (MAPREP) (Springfield, MA) and the Springfield (MA) Rifles program. The head coach was former Yale University (ECACHL) and Sacred Heart University (AHA) assistant coach Dan Muse. His assistant coach is ex-Pack, Chad Kolarik. Two players from the Mid-Fairfield program, Sal Guzzo and Ryan Fine, were on the team. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

HARTFORD WOLF PACK VS SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS CALDER CUP PLAYOFF PREVIEW

By: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack has a familiar opponent for the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Behind three points from Chris Wagner and a four-goal third period, the Providence Bruins defeated the Springfield Thunderbirds 7-4 on Sunday afternoon. The loss locked the Thunderbirds into the fourth spot in the Atlantic division and will face the fifth-place Wolf Pack, who make their first appearance in the postseason in eight years. The Pack will now need to contend with goalie Joel Hofer who has had a fantastic season against the Wolf Pack. The series begins Wednesday in Springfield. On Friday, the two teams travel down I-91 to the XL Center for Game Two in Hartford. If Game Three becomes necessary, it will be played Saturday in Springfield. All the games have their opening faceoff at 7:05 PM. This is the second time in Hartford franchise history that the two cities have battled in a Best-of-Three series. The last time Springfield was known as the Falcons, they knocked them out in two straight in 2002. However, this is the first time the two meet with Springfield as the Thunderbirds. Hartford has the series edge over the Falcons (2-1)  and in games (6-4). This is the fourth time the two cities have met in the playoffs in 26 years. The last time the Wolf Pack was in the playoffs was May 15th, 2014. The series was against the Hershey Bears, and the Pack won Game 6, 6-3. That would be their last series win and the previous playoff series in eight years for the New York Rangers' top minor league team. In that series, the two home dates were played in Worcester because of XL Center conflicts with the circus that spring. They were then swept by the eventual Calder Cup champs Manchester Monarchs in the Conference Finals in their last season in Manchester before the Pacific Division was created. The Pack won another best-of-three when they eliminated Bridgeport beating the Sound Tigers behind two consecutive shutouts by Cam Talbot. After 14 straight seasons of making the postseason, the Wolf Pack missed the playoffs for the first time in 2009-2010. In four of the last five years with Ken Gernander behind the bench, the Wolf Pack missed the postseason, and overall it's been 13 of the previous 14 years without playoffs in HartCity. The Wolf Pack arrive in the playoffs after putting on a tremendous push over the final seven weeks of the regular season before clinching the last spot in the Atlantic Division. However, before the celebration of the achievement could even be felt, the Rangers recalled four essential cogs to the Wolf Pack machinery as forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Jake Leschyshyn, defenseman Libor Hájek, and goaltender Louie Domingue were recalled to be part of their Stanley Cup Black Aces. Leschyshyn and Hájek were healthy scratches for the games on Friday and Saturday. All four are important, but Brodzinski, the March AHL Player of the Month, is essential. Brodzinski's play, especially in third periods, willed his team out of its win-one, lose-one play. However, their play was excellent at the end of the season, winning their final eight games, the longest winning streak in two years. The streak allowed the Wolf Pack to surpass the Bridgeport Islanders and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and plant the Wolf Pack flag as the sixth entrant in their division. Brodzinski's recalls leave him numerically short of league-wide MVP consideration because of games played, but it's clear he was the MVP in Hartford. Recalling these critical components of the roster will not make it any easier on Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch. Brodzinski and Domingue have another year left on their contacts and will return. Leschyshyn has two more years on a one-way NHL money, paying him $775K yearly. Hájek has an expiring deal at the end of the season. The Rangers have decided that having these four in the stands is more important than having them play the most meaningful games in Hartford in eight years. Similarly, 31 years ago, the LA Kings airlifted seven prospects, seven weeks from the end of the season, to play for the Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL). It effectively killed off any New Haven Nighthawks chances of making the Calder Cup playoffs. With both of their parent teams out of the NHL playoffs, in Laval, the Montreal Canadiens received back Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, who scored in the two minutes in his first game back,  as well as Cayden Primeau, and Sean Farrell, making The Rocket a team to be wary of as the Calder Cup playoffs start. The Tucson Roadrunners received five players from the Arizona Coyotes. The old cliche about "next man up" and "creating opportunities for other players" comes to the forefront for the Wolf Pack. Someone must step up for those missing points with these three skaters gone. Dylan Garand will have big shoes to fill in Domingue's absence. He will need to be at his best between the pipes. The reconfigured lineup was on full display Friday with what is likely to be the lineup for the Springfield series. Will Cullye, a significant beneficiary of playing with Brodzinski this year, will likely skate with Ryan Carpenter, almost a point-a-game player, and Will Lockwood, who provided offense down the stretch. Tim Gettinger will likely stay on the second line on the left wing. He had no goals and six points last month until Friday night. Tanner Fritz and Lauri Pajuniemi will likely be pushed up to form a new troika. Anton Blidh will likely stay as the solid third-line left-wing as a net-front nemesis, along with the reliable Karl Henriksson and likely Bobby Trivigno, who added so much spark when he played alongside Henriksson. The fourth line should feature Matt Rempe, at the center, sidelined as a healthy scratch over the last eight games. His 6'8 presence plus faceoff skills will be critical in the short opening round series. Turner Elson will patrol the left side and can also take draws. He might be moved up to the first line. Anything is possible. One of the younger kids, Adam Sýkora or Bryce McConnell-Barker, may get some time on the wing. Adam Edström made a strong case for himself with his NHL move and shot on his first goal. Blake Hillman, like Rempe, saw little game activity by the end of the regular season. He could slide in for Hájek, The other pairings of Jones-Emberson and Clendening-Kalynuk will remain untouched. In net, it's Garand's from here on in. He has performed very well this season. How the defense complies? The backup in the net will be Talyn Boyko. POSSIBLE LINES: Cullye-Lockwood-Carpenter Gettinger-Fritz-Pajuniemi Henriksson-Trivigno-Blidh Elson-Rempe- Adam Sýkora or Adam Adam Edström (?) Jones-Emberson Blake Hillman-Scanlin Clendening-Kalynuk Garand Boyko SCRATCHES: Brett Berard #27 (healthy) Louie Roehl #4 (healthy) Bryce McConnell-Barker #8 (healthy) Easton Brodzinski #23 (healthy) Matt Robertson (upper body, week-to-week) Patrick Khordorenko (season-ending shoulder surgery) C.J. Smith (hip area surgery done for the season) NOTES: Media reports from Sweden speculate that Pajuniemi and his reps are conversing with several Swedish Hockey League clubs for the Finnish winger's services next year. Pajuniemi has an expiring two-year ELC deal at $925K-NHL/$70K-AHL. He has had no recalls in two years at all. One player not coming next year is junior prospect Jayden Grubbe. He's the team captain of the Red Deer Rebels (WHL). He had 67 points (18 goals,49 assists, and 71 PIM). Grubbe was drafted in the third round (65th overall) in 2021 and will be passed on. According to Eliotte Friedmann of TSN Sportsnet, the Rangers told all the other NHL organizations they would not offer him a contract and had a June 1st deadline to do so. So, as per the CBA, they will retain his rights till August 15th, then he can work out a free-agent deal with the other 31 NHL teams. The Rebels finished first in the WHL Central Division 43-19-3-3  and are currently in the WHL playoffs awaiting their second-round opponent after knocking off the Calgary Hitmen in five games in the first round. Grubbe had one goal and 10 points in the series. In four WHL seasons, the 20-year-old had 95 assists, 134 points in 194 games, and along with 195 PIM. He was a seventh overall pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft and was team captain for three of those four years. He represented Canada on the U-17 World Championship team with another Rangers prospect, Brennan Othman, with three points in five games. ROY SOMMER San Diego Gulls head coach Roy Sommer, the all-time winningest coach in AHL history (828 wins) and who coached in the most games (1,814) in a career spanning over 25 years, announced his retirement before the team's last game of the season. Sommer won a Calder Cup with the original Maine Mariners in 1984. After that, he played for two years in the AHL. During his playing days, two teammates were current Springfield GM, former Hartford Whaler player, and Rangers Director of Scouting, Kevin Maxwell. His other teammate, who would become the head coach that year after injuries, ended his career was AHL HOF John Paddock, who is now coaching Regina (WHL). Sommer won the Louis A. Pieri AHL Coach of the Year in 2016-17 in San Jose. One of the best Sommer stories is that he was one of the first true-born and bred California players in the mid-1970s. It was a generation before seeing California as a player's hometown was common. He went to play junior hockey in the rough-and-tumble WHL in Western Canada. Sommer started his hockey journey in 1978-79 as a member of the Pacific Hockey League (PHL) with the Spokane (WA) Flyers playing against the legendary Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe. At next year's AHL All-Star game at the Tech CU Center in San Jose, he would be a fitting addition to be inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame. For the Oakland, CA native, it would be a home run. They should also induct Colorado resident and Wolf Pack all-time great Derek Armstrong. Sommer teamed up with ex-Ranger, New England/Hartford Whalers Nick Fotiu as a coaching tandem with the Kentucky Thoroughblades for three years. BERT MALLOY Cheshire native and former Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack player, now a dual citizen, Robert "Bert" Malloy, began playing for the Australian National Team in the IIHF Division II Group A tournament in Madrid, Spain, for what is likely his last season of pro hockey. The Mighty Roo (their national team's name) lost their opening game to Croatia 6-4. After falling behind 4-0, they made it close twice, first 4-3 and then 5-4, but couldn't overcome the early, large deficit. Former AHL'er Borna Rendulic scored twice for Croatia. Malloy was a minus-one with two shots on goal for the game. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: PACK BEAT PROVIDENCE BREAK LOSING STREAK

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings MARLBOROUGH, MA - The Hartford Wolf Pack marched into the New England Sports Center and erased a nine-game winless streak by toppling the Providence Bruins 4-2 in an old-style, physical Providence-Hartford meeting. The Wolf Pack record improves to 4-6-1-0 (9 pts). Providence’s record drops to 11-3-1-0 (23 pts) and is still tops in the Atlantic Division by 14 points over Hartford. The Wolf Pack face-off against the 3-7-0-0 (6 pts) Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday at 1 PM at the XL Center. All the tweaks to the Wolf Pack lineup had their desired effect in what was their most complete game since the start of the season.

PACK DOMINATE FIRST PERIOD

The first twenty minutes added up to the best period since their opening game and where the Wolf Pack did their most damage of the day. The team's moribund power play, which entered the game operating at 12%, awoke scoring on their first two chances. Rookie James Sanchez scored his first professional goal as he got the puck back after a shot on goal. Paul Thompson dislodged it from Bruins starting netminder, Jeremy Swayman. He couldn’t cover the puck, and Sanchez swooped in and jammed it home at 8:03. Just 2:01 later, the Wolf Pack cashed in on an instigator penalty that was issued to the Bruins' Ian MacKinnon in a wrestle/scrap with Patrick Sieloff. Tarmo Reunanen cut to the middle of the ice just below the blue line and made a high-end, behind-the-back pass to Anthony Greco at the right point. Greco sent a low shot on the net. Morgan Barron was positioned in front and deflected the shot off the crossbar for his sixth goal of the season. The offensive roll for the Pack continued in gaining a 3-0 lead with a solid transition play. Justin Richards got Tim Gettinger moving. As he crossed the Bruins blueline from left-to-right, he was tripped by Urho Vaakanainen and a penalty was called. During the delayed penalty, Gettinger was on the ice and swept the puck back. Ty Ronning quickly got to the loose puck and picked it up and swept across the net. He snuck a backhander past Swayman to the short side for his third goal of the season at 17:22. The Pack outshot the Bruins 16-5 in the period and were committed to stepping in front of pucks and blocking shots which benefitted goaltender, Adam Huska, who made his first start since February 27th, just his fifth start of the entire season, who also looked solid throughout.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE

After having already played each other eight times to this point in the season, in the third-period tensions spilled over and the gloves came off.  The Pack's 6’7 rookie, Auston Rueschhoff, outdueled Matt Filipe in the first pro fights for both players. Mason Geersten was battling in front protecting Huska when the Bruins' Jakub Lauko took an extra swipe at the puck. That act sent the two to pair off for a battle. Lauko, a rookie and a willing combatant, fought the much larger Geersten who scored a TKO as he cut Lauko open, sending him to the locker room for repairs. With 2:09 left in the game and a screen in front of Huska (23 saves), Robert Lantosi's snapshot found the back of the net spoiling the shutout for the former UCONN Husky netminder. It was his first win since playing in Slovakia. Before the goal was scored there was a final eruption of hostilities. The officials prevented it from turning into a major melee with MacKinnon trying to go with Huska and everybody paired off. No punches were thrown and MacKinnon was tossed at 14:56

SECOND PERIOD

The Wolf Pack managed to avoid their season-long second-period blues. They did so by widening their lead and surrendering just one on a power play. They exited the period up 4-1. The Pack clamped down on the Bruins, holding them to just two shots on goal in the first ten minutes of the period, and made it 4-0 on Barron's excellent effort. Barron received a pass from Reunanen in the Pack zone. He took that pass and went upright, thru center unchecked. Barron gained entry into the Bruins' end of the ice and ripped a 35-foot wrist shot past Swayman (27 saves) for his second goal of the game and seventh of the season at 11:57. The loss was Swayman's first of the season against seven wins. The Wolf Pack had to kill a roughing call to Geersten, who was roughing it up with MacKinnon in front of the Wolf Pack bench. The Bruins took advantage after Brady Lyle's first shot was blocked by Richards, he launched another from the left point. Huska made the save, but Anton Blidh, who was alone in front, jammed in the rebound for his third goal of the season at 14:33 to make it 4-1. With 25 seconds left in the period and the Wolf Pack again on the PK, Greco had a shorthanded breakaway bid late in the PK, but Swayman stopped him. Huska responded for the Pack with a big and timely stop on Alex-Olivier Voyer with two seconds left in the period. Filipe made a strong play on a pass from behind the net, but Huska kept the advantage to three goals. There was some rough stuff as the period ended between Thompson and Voyer, the Bruins Josiah Didier with Sieloff, and a Euro shoving match with Reunanen and Vaaakanainen.

LINES

Newell-Barron-Greco Richards-Gettinger-Ronning Khordorenko-Thompson-Whelan Sanchez- Rueschhoff-Geersten Raddysh-Crawley LoVerde-Reunanen Giutarri-Sieloff Huska Wall

SCRATCHES

Gabriel Fontaine (upper-body injury) Jeff Taylor Will Cullye Michael O’Leary Ryan Dmowskinewly Zach Bezzola Michael Lackey Francois Brassard

COACHES

Pat Boller Jeff Malcolm Brook Ballard It was Boller's first time, since 2016-17 when he was an assistant to Ken Gernander, that he was behind the bench. He's coaching his third game since head coach Kris Knoblauch and associate coach Gord Murphy were recalled to the New York Rangers last Wednesday after David Quinn and his entire staff were subject of COVID protocols. Malcolm, the team’s goalie consultant, and a Yale grad is handling the defensemen, and Ballard is one of the Rangers skills coaches.

THREE STARS

- Morgan Barron (2 goals) - Tarmo Reunanen (2 assists) - James Sanchez (first pro goal)

HONORABLE MENTIONS

- Ty Ronning - Patrick Sieloff - Darren Raddysh

NOTES

The Wolf Pack adds another defenseman as Hunter Skinner is recalled from his loan to the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL). Skinner, 19, was a fourth-round (112th overall) selection in 2019 from London (OHL). Since the OHL has not been in session, the 6’3 200-pound rearguard has been playing in Utah. Boston recalled goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury School) to their taxi squad and simultaneously reassigned both Swayman and defenseman Vaakanainen to Providence. Ex-Pack captain, Steven Fogarty, was recalled by the Buffalo Sabres from the Rochester Americans. He has five goals (four on the power play) and eight points in ten games, which is good for the second-best on the Americans roster. Heading back to Rochester and three others is ex-Wolf Pack goalie, Dustin Tokarski, after returns after two NHL starts, one of them against the Rangers earlier this week. The Avalanche returns ex-CT Whale, Jayson Megna, to the Colorado Eagles. Philadelphia recalls goalie, Alex Lyon (Yale University), from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to be on their taxi squad. The same thing for Mark Kastelic, the son of former Hartford Whaler Ed Kastelic, as he is recalled from the Belleville Senators by Ottawa. Mike McKee (Kent School) is loaned to the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) by the Tulsa Oilers (ECHL). Marc Johnstone, the captain for the last two years at Sacred Heart University (AHA), signs a deal with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL). Former Wolf Pack great, Derek Armstrong, saw his youngest son, Easton, lace them up with the WHL's Regina Pats. They are in their limited hub city playing a 25 game schedule with Regina’s Brandt Centre being one of the sites. The team GM and VP of Operations is Wolf Pack great, and AHL Hall of Famer, John Paddock. The younger Armstrong is pointless in five games though he played earlier this season with brother Dawson for six games tallying six points with the Utah Outliers (USPHL-Premier). The team did go to the league national finals losing in the quarterfinal round to the Chicago Cougars in Virginia Beach, VA, the home of the USPHL's Hampton Roads Whalers. The team did win the Mountain Division title beating the Pueblo (NM) Bulls 5-3 back on March 14th. Dawson Armstrong finished the season with 15 goals and 31 points in 45 games, second on the team while sporting the very familiar number 17 jersey that his father Derek wore with the Wolf Pack. That very same 17 is one of three numbers that should be retired by the organization. GAME CENTER HOME Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CRAWFORD: WOLF PACK TO HOLD CALDER CUP REUNION FRIDAY, APRIL 10

Members of 2000 championship team to appear at Wolf Pack’s last regular-season home game BY: Bob Crawford, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, March 6, 2020:  Spectra, operators of the XL Center and the Hartford Wolf Pack, announced today that the Wolf Pack’s last home game of the regular season, which is “Fan Appreciation Night”, Friday, April 10 vs. the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, will feature a reunion of the 1999-00 Calder Cup-winning Wolf Pack team. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Hartford’s first pro sports championship, numerous players and off-ice staff from the 1999-00 squad will gather at the XL Center, for a pregame exhibition tilt vs. a team comprised of first responders from Connecticut and southern Massachusetts, and an autograph session. Among the players and other team personnel scheduled to be in attendance are: Derek Armstrong, Stefan Cherneski, Jason Dawe, Dan Goneau, Todd Hall, Mike Harder, Burke Henry, J-F Labbe, Jason Levy (equipment manager), Tim Macre (athletic trainer), Don Maloney (general manager) John Paddock (head coach), Brad Smyth, P.J. Stock, Tony Tuzzolino and Terry Virtue. The pregame exhibition will face off at 4:30 PM, and the jerseys worn by the Calder Cup alumni team will be auctioned off after their game, with the proceeds benefitting the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation.  Following the pregame, the Calder Cup alumni will sign autographs on the XL Center concourse from 6:00-6:45.  The Calder Cup itself will be in the building for the night, and the Calder Cup-winning team will be honored in a special ceremony during the game presentation. The faceoff between the Wolf Pack and Phantoms that night is 7:15. Tickets for the April 10 game, and all 2019-20 Wolf Pack home games, are on sale now at the Sunwave Gas & Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (860) 722-9425.  Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger start at just $10 each, and all tickets will have a $3 day-of-game increase. To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (860) 722-9425, or click here to request more info.  To visit the Wolf Pack online, go to hartfordwolfpack.com. Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON'S CORNER: 2000 WOLF PACK CHAMPIONSHIP REUNION SET

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - A special treat is coming for Hartford Wolf Pack fans. Friday, April 10th is the regular season-finale Wolf Pack against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but there will be an additional hockey event that fans won't want to miss. Cantlon’s Corner is exclusively reporting that final, regular season game will add a special element to it's regular Fan Appreciation Night as the team will celebrate and honor the 2000 AHL Calder Cup Champion, Hartford Wolf Pack team who will assemble together at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack is the ONLY professional championship team in Hartford's history and just the second minor-league professional hockey championship team ever. Wolf Pack alumni sources have said much of the preparation for the event is set, but there are several pieces in the process of being finalized. One event that is all set to occur is the Wolf Pack 2000 team playing a charity game against the Hartford City Police and Fire Department Team the afternoon prior to the Wolf Pack's game at 7:15 PM. Among the legendary Wolf Pack greats expected to attend include, Brad “Shooter” Smyth, the team's all-time leading scorer in Wolf Pack history and AHL Hall-Of-Famer, plus Shooter's partner in crime, both on-and-off the ice, Derek Armstrong, who was the 2000 Jack Butterfield Calder Cup playoff MVP. The other AHL Hall-Of-Famer and 2000 playoff goalie extraordinaire, J.F. (Jean-Francois) Labbe, and defenseman Terry Virtue, who scored "The Goal" in the semi-finals against the Providence Bruins in double overtime of Game 7. The win propelled the Wolf Pack to the Calder Cup Finals. The owner of the Calder Cup Championship's winning goal is Connecticut’s very own Hamden-resident, Todd Hall, and the effervescent and wildly-popular, feisty-pugilist, P.J. Stock. The Wolf Pack's championship coach, John Paddock, will also be on hand for the festivities. The record this championship group is shooting to break is the Wolf Pack's attendance records. The first one was set on January 6, 2006, against the now-defunct Portland Pirates, when 12,206 hockey fans came out and paid tribute to three former Whaler greats, Ron Francis (#10), Ulf Samuelsson (#5), and Kevin Dineen (#11) whose numbers hang in the rafters. The goal is to eclipse that mark. They hope to even take a run at Game 2 of the 2000 Calder Cup Finals against Rochester on May 26, 2000, when the team set a franchise playoff best attendance of 11,168. The all-time, best-attended Wolf Pack home game is 14,115. That record was set on January 24, 1998, against the also-defunct, Springfield Falcons. There will be a fantastic autograph and picture session with the players and the coach at the game. This will be a tremendous event honoring Hartford’s championship team as well as the fans who love them. A post-game celebration at a local venue is under consideration. There will be more details forthcoming. All the exciting info can be found in this space over the next few months.   Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON'S CORNER: DR. JEKYLL AND MR. WOLF PACK

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings CROMWELL, CT - The sprint toward the end of the season normally starts after the AHL All-Star break as well as the February 24th NHL Trade Deadline. It increasingly looks like the Hartford Wolf Pack will still be playing hockey when the calendar flips over to April. However, the past performance over two weeks losing four road games in varying different ways does raise some red flags. The "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" routine is coming not only game-to-game but period-to-period over this stretch. Head coach Kris Knoblauch showed his displeasure over the first loss against Wilkes Barre/Scranton in their second shutout of the season 3-0 as they headed out last weekend. His mood improved a little. The games in Utica, two of them and the finale of the road trip in Hershey point to some underlying problems that need to be addressed. The first period of the first game in Utica the team went down 5-0 easily the worst period of the season as "Dr. Jekyll" showed up. Knoblach pulled starter Adam Huska for just the second time this season he was not alone in the first period debacle, but can’t pull all your players off, although it might have been an improvement. “Yes, it was five nothing, but it wasn‘t five nothing, It wasn’t the full indication of how we played,“ remarked Knoblauch. “It wasn’t a good period. We were turning pucks over and give high marks to Utica, they turned our mistakes into goals. We have to balance our play better an show more urgency.” Then "Mr. Hyde" appeared as the Wolf Pack recovered and roared back to tie the game at five starting with Vitali Kravtsov’s second goal just 10 seconds into the second period and Vinni Lettieri’s goal with 14.8 seconds left in regulation to knot the game and put all the momentum on its side. Kravtsov’s play has markedly improved and Knoblauch thinks brighter days are ahead for the Russian rookie. “He is in a really good spot right now. He is cheerful and working hard getting used to the North American rink. He's realizing there is not as much room out there. It's tighter space. The rinks are smaller and he will get hit more often. When you make the turn there isn���t that extra space, it just the boards. He understands it better now (systems and playing style) and is starting to make a positive impact on our lineup. He’s played both the left and the right side. With Fogarty back, he has shifted to the right side.” The Pack gained a point but lost the game in the three-on-three OT with 34 seconds remaining. Knoblauch, in Charlotte two months ago, after 1,625 Wolf Pack franchise games, pulled starting goalies in back-to-back games. He would shorten that time span in doing it again just 11 games later, as he lifted starter Tom McCollum and inserted Huska. Utica’s Jason Bailey, the ex-Sound Tiger recorded his second hat trick in as many games becoming the first player since Mark Mancari, then of the Portland Pirates on January 22-23, 2011 against Providence and Worcester, to record that feat. Bailey earned the AHL/CCM Player of the Week (primary assist goes to AHL VP of Communications Jason Chaimovitch for providing that great stat on Mancari). The Wolf Pack has been outscored 20-12 in this stretch. “We're giving up too many chances. We have to tighten things up right now,” said Knoblauch. Defensive combinations are being contemplated. “We're looking to change things up. We tried several things in practice. For the first time, we have now three lefties and three righty shooting defensemen, but we haven’t made a decision yet. I’ll have to have something ready by 7 pm tomorrow night.” Then in Hershey again the team's lackluster defensive play cost them dearly with the player suffering most being Libor Hajek, in Hartford on a conditioning stint, was a minus-4 in three games. Certainly not the direction the Rangers were hoping for in this rehab stint with the Wolf Pack. “We all have to realize Libor has missed a significant amount of time with injuries, I wouldn’t call them struggles. He is getting back into game shape, getting the feel and flow of a game. Its not an easy thing to do. It’s a progression for him. It’s a matter of getting his timing down and feeling comfortable,” said associate head coach Gord Murphy. All-Star Joey Keane had a tough night in Hershey too, getting beaten on a one-on-one in front of the net that led to a goal. “You don’t want guys running around trying to make hits, bumping into each other either. To put yourself in the proper position, you've got to move your feet and skate on the right side of the puck. We got away from that a little bit. We have had a couple of good days here to get our skating legs back I think it's going to help us this weekend,” commented Murphy. The team defense took it on the chin as the opponents outscored the Wolf Pack 20-12 “We have a good defensive corps to start. We have to work on the fundamentals that were first looking out for our own zone on out, “ remarked Murphy in charge of the defense “ We gotta box people out better, watch their sticks and keeping them (opponents) to the perimeter. Maybe we’re a little fatigued on the road, back-to-back games. We probably sat back more than we should have and weren’t aggressive enough.” Up-front, Letteri, and in Hershey, Boo Nieves, have maintained their point-a-game pace of late, but the secondary scoring has been spotty. Shawn McBride has been the exception picking up his first pro goal against Utica and then picking up an assist in Hershey. The team has also been snakebitten as Nick Jones with an open net in Hershey managed to hit goalie Phoenix Copley in the mask as he was getting back to the net. NOTES: Huska was reassigned to the Maine Mariners (ECHL) after practice to continue getting playing time while Igor Shesterkin and Tom McCollum are in Hartford. He will be return next week when Shesterkin is recalled when the Rangers season starts up again when the NHL All Star break ends. A logical move. In a curious move, Maine goalie Francois Brassard, who played in just seven games, and was a training camp invitee this year, signed to a PTO deal. The Rangers assigned him to Hartford. In addition, they sent forward Lewis Zerter-Gossage back to Maine. Talk continues of a possible deal to be announced when the NHL All-Star break ends involving Alexander Georgiev possibly? The Wolf Pack’s leading scorer Vinni Lettieri (42-18-17-35) was rewarded as the Shesterkin replacement in the AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, CA. “I am obviously very grateful. I appreciate my teammates, the coaching staff, the training, and equipment staff; they all helped me and are part of this too." Knoblauch is his regular season and now All-Star coach. He praised his top point-getter. “He was a possibility of an All-Star, but his play over the last four weeks clearly earned him the honor and unfortunately Igor won’t be going.” Knoblauch was his ever-gracious, self-taking no-victory laps on being named the coach of the Atlantic squad. “The only reason I’m going is because of the guys in that locker room. Joey and Igor were deserving of their selections and we're only limited to two players, but they’re several others in there, in my opinion, who are worthy of being there.” Shesterkin and forward Di Giuseppe were reassigned to the Wolf Pack Wednesday. Di Giuseppe was scratched all four games he could have played since his recall. Meet the new Rangers, same as the old Rangers when it comes to recalls. The Wolf Pack recalled defenseman Jeff Taylor from Maine. He played in three games (now 10 in total) in Maine and scored a goal and an assist after playing just eight of a possible 30 Wolf Pack games. Mason Geersten helped Utica’s Vincent Arseneau earn an unpleasant hat trick. Aresenau, who lost a majority decision in a Hartford scrap two weeks ago to Geersten, got pushed down late in the game last Friday, in Utica. He decided he wanted another crack at Big Gert with nine seconds to go. It was a big mistake getting knocked out with a thunderous right hand from the 6’4 225 lb. Geersten, a defenseman playing left wing. He lost the fight decisively and got an instigator penalty. He was suspended by the AHL for getting the instigator in the last five minutes of a game. See the fight HERE The Islanders sent Bridgeport defenseman Sebastien Aho and sent rearguard Ryan McKinnon to Worcester (ECHL) for the break. Ex-Pack Jordan Owens is playing Canadian senior league hockey with the Brantford Blast (ACH0) that’s Allan Cup Hockey Ontario. Last year he with the Sheffield Steelers (England-EIHL) in Melbourne, Australia (Melbourne Mustangs AIHL) playing hockey. Ex-Pack, Akim Aliu, who made headlines across the US and Canada regarding two months ago about a 10-year-old racially charged pair of incidents with his then, head coach, Bill Peters in Rockford (AHL) in several tweets on Twitter. The firestorm led to the dismissal of Peters by the Calgary Flames. Aliu gave his first full interview with Hockey Night In Canada host, Ron McLean this past weekend. See it HERE. Aliu was signed on Tuesday to a deal to play defense by HC Litvinov (Czech Republic-CEL) for the rest of the season. Ex-Pack, Robin Kovacs, was traded from Lulea HF to Orebro HK (Sweden-SHL) and as expected the team announced, a three-year deal that he was going to get after the season ended. In a sign that we're all getting old, congrats to Easton Armstrong, the second son of the Wolf Pack's original founding member, Derek Armstrong and his wife Shannon. He played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings U-16 team (TIEHL) signed a standard WHL player agreement with the Regina Pats (WHL) who drafted him as their 10th pick 214th overall in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft. He could play this weekend in the two Pats home games, Friday night against the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Sunday afternoon against the Saskatoon Blades. Easton will be wearing jersey #37 as jersey #17, Dad’s old Wolf Pack number is retired (Bill Hicke). The Pats GM and VP of Hockey Ops is the father of Derek’s former coach and Wolf Pack great, John Paddock. Older brother Dawson, who was born in Hartford currently plays with the Utah Outliers (WSHL) with 26 points in 28 games. Derek played junior hockey with the OHL Sudbury Wolves and next weekend will be an honorary captain at the AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario, California. He will be joined with former Wolf Pack teammate and former New Haven Nighthawk, goalie Robb Stauber as the other honorary captain. Lukas Sillinger, the middle son of ex-Sound Tiger Mike Sillinger announced his commitment to Bemidji State (NCHC) to join his older brother Owen. Younger brother Cole is with Medicine Hat (WHL) while Dad is a scout with Regina (WHL). Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: PACK PREPARE FOR BUSY WEEKEND

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack will entertain the Charlotte Checkers Friday night before departing for four games on the road over the next two weeks. They will not return home until January 24th against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Wolf Pack winning streak grew to five-games and in the process, tying their season-best mark after a 2-1 win over the Hershey Bears at the Giant Center before 10,240 on a Wednesday night. Hartford's leading scorer, Vinni Lettieri, has six points in his last five games. He also has scored a goal three straight scored the game-winning goal, his 14th, with 53.9 seconds left in the game. Goalie Adam Huska stopped 26 of 27 shots. The Wolf Pack was held to just 15 shots but made the two that scored led them to victory. Boo Nieves continues his strong play and has garnered seven points in his last six gamers. The Wolf Pack holds the top spot in the Atlantic Division with a record of 22-8-2-5 (51 points) and now are four points ahead of Hershey and six ahead of the Providence Bruins. For Hershey, this was just their second loss in their last 15 games. The team has undergone some serious roster changes in the past month and with the exception of a small blip of a five-game losing streak, they have maintained a strong level of consistency at home, late in games, and against key divisional rivals. The Wolf Pack are 15-1-2-5 at home and are unbeaten with taking a lead after two periods at 14-0-1-2. They've won all five games thus far against Providence who they were battling for first place before being supplanted by Hershey. LIFE WITHOUT IGOR Goaltender Igor Shesterkin is on recall by the New York Rangers and made his NHL debut with a 5-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche. Shesterkin got off to a tough start giving up goals on his first two shots. To be fair, all three goals he surrendered he wasn't totally responsible for. One was a tip-in, another a breakaway from Nathan MacKinnon and a wide-open goal on the right-wing. Shesterkin followed that up with a superb showing stopping 46 of 49 shots in a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils as ex-Wolf Pack, Tony D’Angelo piled up five points, including the first hat-trick since the Hall of Fame Brian Leetch (Cheshire) had in a playoff game in 1995. It was only the third in team history and the first two were Reijo Ruotsolainen (1982) and Dave Maloney (1980). Shesterkin was very sharp in the third period stopping a pair of scoring chances from Avalanche defensemen Samuel Girard and Calder Trophy candidate, Cale Makar. No doubt Shesterkin will have a long NHL career, but the Rangers also have two competent, capable NHL goalies in future Hall-of-Famer, Henrik Lundquist, and ex-Pack, Alexander Georgiev. Carrying three goalies is difficult at any level of hockey, with one netminder always on the outside looking in, and likely unhappy. The Rangers have been anticipating their fifth-round draft choice in 2012. He had superb KHL numbers and has finally arrived in North America. Shesterkin’s deal to come to North America was struck in the spring when the Rangers negotiated a European (KHL) clause in his deal that kicked in at halfway mark of the AHL season. It was eclipsed by several games, and the NHL season clause has been met, and he could return to Russia without penalty. The NHL trade deadline is February 24th, just seven weeks away. Lundqvist’s age, salary, and no-movement clause make it HIGHLY unlikely he's going anywhere, and the market for Georgiev isn’t clear at this point. Shesterkin is likely to see more action at the NHL level. It is possible but perhaps unlikely, that Shesterkin, who does not need to pass through waivers, will get sent to Hartford to playing time when Lundqvist and Georgiev are in the net. There will be a lot of rumors and a lot of news coming out of New York that will effect Hartford as the deadline approaches and the Rangers decide if they should be a buyer or a seller at the deadline and how to supplement the success currently going on in the Connecticut capital. MESSAGE FROM SWEDEN Lias Andersson was last seen departing on a plane from Bradley International Airport after the Wolf Pack's two-game road trip to Charlotte. He hasn’t been seen since until the next day after he'd left the team that through his agent it became public that Andersson had requested a trade. He was suspended by the Rangers and there has been radio silence until Wednesday. Andersson gave an interview with the Swedish sports news service, SVTP Sports (their version of ESPN/TSN). Uffe Bodin, the Editor-In-Chief of newsme.com, tweeted this translated information. The troubling tweet raises some serious questions and cast some serious aspersions and insinuations that could have profound impacts going forward for Andersson having any hope of returning to the Rangers or to any organization contemplating acquiring him. Was Andersson injured toward the end of his self-imposed departure from Hartford? What was this alleged incident that occurred that made things untenable for him to stay in Hartford? His assertion about "feeling safe" depicts some untoward work environment in Hartford, was there any? Is he using the team-issued suspension after leaving the team as some faux reasoning for sitting in Sweden and not practicing in Hartford or Cromwell with the Wolf Pack? Was he handling or coping with the rigors of pro hockey and being a number seven overall draft pick very well? Based on his play and this move the answer would be no. Andersson could be making a fatal career mistake here. The NHL is a very closed society. While the teams are on ice rivals and there's a union as a league and when one seeks to overturn the order of things, they don’t like it very much. Especially from a player in his first three years of an NHL deal that he and his agent signed off on and approved by both the NHL and the NHLPLA. Teams are not likely to take on a player who jumps ship when he's under-performing at the NHL and AHL level on an entry-level contract. There is hockey graveyard littered with first-round busts and players whose ego’s got the better of them. Andy, as he was known, was not a malcontent by several accounts, but self-imposed pressure to live up to his number seven overall status is a part of the equation that has him in Sweden and not Hartford. One veteran NHL scout said on the condition that they not be named, about Andersson. “I spoke to our GM about him, and he said, ‘It’s not his fault he was drafted seventh when maybe 27 or 37 was more appropriate. He has to understand that he isn’t a top-six forward, but a bottom-six forward. I think he’s a salvageable player at age 20, but he has to change his self-appraisal of his skill set.” On what could be likely his last ever Wolf Pack goal, he was contemplating a Filip Forsberg (Nashville) move on a breakaway coming off the right-wing. For Andersson, if he's to have an NHL career, this walkout needs to end immediately. NOTES: The Bridgeport Sound Tigers made an AHL deal with the Utica Comets where they sent oft-injured forward, John Stevens Jr. to the Comets for future considerations. Stevens is the son of ex-Hartford Whaler, AHL Hall of Famer, and current Dallas Stars, Assistant Coach, John Stevens Sr. Drake Rymsha, the son of ex-New Haven Nighthawk, Andy Rynsha, was sent from Ontario (AHL) to Ft. Wayne (ECHL). How about trading your nephew? All-time Wolf Pack great, and head coach, John Paddock, who's the current GM and VP of Hockey Ops for the Regina Pats (WHL) sent his nephew, Max, to the Prince Albert Raiders yesterday. That won't be awkward at the Christmas Table Goalie Nick Malik, the son of ex-Whaler, Ranger, and Beast of New Haven defenseman, Marek Malik, is leaving home for North America. He played primarily with HC Frydek-Mistek (Czech Republic Division-2) where his father is the assistant coach this season. His Czech Elite League (CEL) rights are with HC Ocelari Trinec where he played two games. The younger Malik got in some time for the Czech Republic WJC team in the just-completed tournament but has decided to head to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) for the rest of the year. The Greyhounds drafted him in the CHL Import last June in the first-round (50th overall). All CHL teams are involved in the draft. He was eleventh pick (168th overall) in the NAHL Draft by the Muskegon Lumberjacks as well last year Ethan Cardwell, the nephew of former New Haven Knights, Matt Cardwell, was traded from the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) to the Barrie Colts (OHL) as part of a five-player trade at the junior trade deadline. Logan Stephenson, the son of former Whaler, Bob Stephenson, goes from ASC Corona Brasov (Romania-EBEL) to HKM Zloven (Slovakia-SLEL) for the rest of the season. Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: RANGERS HIRE NHL VET AS ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH FOR WOLF PACK

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - With Kris Knoblauch hired as the Head Coach of the Hartford Wolf Pack, he now has a very familiar bench partner to work with. Gord Murphy, who was let go along with Knoblauch by the Philadelphia Flyers after being there for two seasons, today was named Associate Head Coach of the Wolf Pack on Friday. Murphy, 52, has spent parts of the last 16 seasons as an NHL Assistant Coach (2002-19). Most recently, he served parts of five seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Philadelphia Flyers (2014-15–2019) In an odd coincidence, Murphy ends up heading to Hartford after replacing former Wolf Pack head coach, John Paddock, in Philly back in 2014. Murphy has also served as an Assistant Coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2002-03–2010) and Florida Panthers (2010-11–2014) in his coaching career. In addition, he was a member of Canada’s coaching staff at the 2014 IIHF U-18 World Championship, and he helped Canada earn a bronze medal in the tournament. In his 14-year NHL playing career, (1988-89–2002), Murphy suited up with the Flyers, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Atlanta Thrashers. The defenseman skated in 862 career NHL games, registering 85 goals and 238 assists for 323 points, along with 668 penalty minutes. During his NHL career, the Willowdale, Ontario native was a member of an expansion team twice in his career (Florida –1993-94; Atlanta – 1999-00), and he helped the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1995-96. Murphy won a Calder Cup with Hershey 1987-88 and played in a Memorial Cup tournament with the Oshawa Generals making the All-Tournament team. His son Connor, was an NHL first-round draft pick by the Arizona (nee Phoenix) Coyotes. He's currently skating with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Rangers solve three issues with one move in the Murphy hire. They addressed the experienced coaching issue on the bench, get a coach with NHL experience in the room, and a defenseman coaching to work with the Rangers well regarded defensive prospects Libor Hajak, Ryan Lindgren, Finn Tarmo Reunanen, and possibly Adam Fox should he start the season in Hart City. We can confirm several other candidates who were interviewed for the positions prior to the announcements this week. One of the two coaches who was interviewed twice, but turned the job down was Steve Spott, 51, who was a San Jose assistant coach the last four seasons. He was a coach with the Toronto Marlies in 2013-14. In addition, another former NHL assistant coach that's looking for work made several inquiries and did not receive a return to his calls by the Rangers. The coach requested we not use his name, but confirmed his interest and his attempts to gain an interview. Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON: BRAD

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings SPRINGFIELD, MA - Shooter is where he deserves to be - The AHL Hall of Fame. For Brad “Shooter” Smyth, with his family and friends on hand, got to bask in the glow of the game he has loved so much. “It feels awesome to go to the Hall of Fame with all of these talented gentlemen, and especially to be recognized so early in my retirement. I’m just five years removed from my last game, and to get this honor so early into it, is very, very special for me, and for my family to enjoy it with me,” Smyth stated. His brother Greg Smyth, flew in from Hong Kong for the event. His wife Jackie was also in attendance. He called her his ultimate teammate when he paid her with a warm, sincere moment of thanks toward the end of his acceptance speech. “I love you very much. You stuck with me all these years bouncing around from place to place, I was kind of a human suitcase. Your positivity and sense of humor made it all worthwhile. I love you.” Smyth, known for his ebullience, confidence, and swagger, had his moments of doubt while he was with the Birmingham Bulls of the ECHL during the infancy of his career in pro hockey back in the early 90s. “Everyone has doubts as you strive to get to that next level. At the time, the Coast (ECHL) wasn’t comparable to the American Hockey League. A place like Birmingham was where you worked hard to earn that promotion to the next level and work on all aspects of your game. Once I got to the AHL, I never looked back.” In his first three AHL games in Springfield with the Falcons, a Connecticut connection helped him start his path to the top of the AHL mountain. The assistant coach with the Falcons that year was a former Hartford Whaler and a 50 goal scorer in the NHL twice, Blaine “Stash” Stoughton. “It was brief, but I really learned from him about the importance of the release of a shot, as well as, the strength of a shot.” He got his first big AHL break, with the expansion in Greensboro, NC of the Carolina Monarchs in 1995. That signing turned out to be a very sound decision. “I had a very good coach in Rich Kromm, and he knew my skill set and put me on a line with a super-skilled Gilbert Dionne and a great passer in Brett Harkins. I benefitted playing with those guys as a right-handed shot. I just loved standing in the slot. Our powerplay was lethal that year.” Smyth would score 68 goals in 68 games. He's the only player ever to have come so close to challenging the AHL record for goals in a season that is held by Stephan Lebeau when he scored 70 back in 1988-89 with the Sherbrooke Canadiens. Smyth is arguably the greatest Wolf Pack player ever, with a team-best 182 goals and 365 points through three tours of duty in Hartford. His time here made him grow fonder of the team, the players and the city. “I played a little in Hartford,“ Smyth said with a deadpanned, warm, wry smile, “We were a very close group and back then you spent more time with teammates as there wasn’t nearly the movement we have today. Then, you got to know people on-and-off the ice and the on-ice factor you got to know a person’s characteristics. We were a team that was built to win. Many guys like myself were signed to come to Hartford for that (express) purpose. To put all those pieces together, we had not a good coach - a great coach - in John Paddock. He knew how to push us and use all our skills combined to make a solid team. That’s why we won a title." Paddock was someone he truly admired. “John always knew the way to motivate players and teams. One way was that he would cut your ice time,” Smyth said with some levity in his voice. “It was because he was demanding of you in order to get results, and in the same way, he gave you room to be yourself and created that all within a team framework. He was a tremendous coach and its an honor to be with him here as part of the AHL Hall of Fame.” Smyth regaled the crowd with a Paddock story whom he followed to Binghamton and eventually got to play for in his hometown with the Ottawa Senators. “The veteran guys there some weren’t so happy with our ice time, and I was one of them. So, we're in Newfoundland and the other veterans said, 'You played with him for a few years, you go ask him.' So, John is scouting the morning skate. He's writing down line combinations and never took his eyes from what he was doing. So, I said to him, 'John, I want to ask you about something.' So, I let him know a few of the guys understand it’s a younger development team, but we're hoping we could get a few more minutes (of ice time).' John goes, 'I’m glad you brought that up.' Well, the first player was our tough guy. He says he's taking too many selfish penalties lately. The second guy we picked up on a PTO deal, and he had one goal and one assist in 18 games. Since you got back from Ottawa, you're not scoring at the same clip you were before, so does that answer any of your questions? We're done here.'" The packed house roared with laughter, but Shooter was not done yet. “So, I run out into the cold of Newfoundland, and the guys ask me, 'How did it go?' So, I told them. I said, 'The next time you want to ask him something, do it yourselves!' That was vintage John, he held every player accountable. There was no hiding in the lineup. That’s the way it ought to be.” Smyth gave a warm tribute to the Wolf Pack teams he played on. “We had the undeniable skill of Marc Savard, the leadership of Ken Gernander, and the competitiveness of Brent Thompson. We had all the elements, the fans, and the electricity (in Hartford). It was tough (for the fans) when the Whalers left, but we tried to provide the energy for the fans.” Two players from the Calder Cup team stood out for him. The first was goalie J.F. Labbe, who was the first of the four members of that Wolf Pack championship team to be enshrined in the AHL Hall of Fame. “I believe he was the driving force that led us to the 2000 Calder Cup championship. He was the definition of a big game goalie. I loved playing with him. Thanks, JF.” Smyth then paid homage to his lifelong friend, Derek Armstrong, who's now 3,000 miles away in LA. The pair started out as two high school age kids who were playing hockey in Ontario - their on-and-off ice chemistry was as genuine as you can find in pro sports. It was a true give-and-take friendship. “Derek Armstrong was special. The reason I got to talk about him is if I didn’t, he wouldn’t talk to me (anymore),” Smyth said with a laugh. “We're pretty tight on-and-off the ice. I loved playing with Army. His puck carrying skills, and savvy were second to none. The passion for the game, which I shared with him, was infectious.” Smyth ended it with a simple refrain, “Thanks for passing me the puck, Army.” You could almost hear Armstrong’s trademark gravely, voice saying, “Ha” as it bounced off the hills of Los Angeles making it's way to Springfield. Smyth ended his career playing for Armstrong, who was then the head coach for the now defunct Central Hockey League's Denver Cutthroats, The two were a coaching tandem there the following season before the team and league ceased operations. Smyth thanked his parents for all their dedication of driving him to every rink as a kid and helping him develop as a human being. He also thanked his brother Greg, who he attributes him as the kid-brother who got him started playing hockey. After the crowd had left, after he was signing some of the last autograph seekers at the Aria ballroom at the MGM Springfield, Shooter still had one more funny story to tell. “My brother Greg's name is the same spelling as a guy I played against. We're in St. John’s playing the Maple Leafs and Greg Smyth, who had a few penalty minutes in his career (1,970 to be exact) and he was nearing the end of his run there. We're on the ice at a faceoff and he looks over at me, skates past me and says, 'Good thing you spell your last name right, or I’d knock your head off.' I looked at him and was totally stunned. Nobody before or since had ever said that to me.“ Smyth was on the road well-traveled. From his days in London, Ontario, to Greensboro, NC, to Binghamton, NY, to Manchester, NH and Hartford with NHL stops in Florida, in New York with the Rangers and then in Ottawa. Brad Smyth has become an important piece of a quilt that has been knitted in the AHL fabric, and it now has a nice swatch with the name Shooter forever emblazoned on it for all to see. Photo by Gerry Cantlon Read the full article

[mitchbeck]

CHAIMOVICH: AHL ANNOUNCES NEW INDUCTEES INTO AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE HALL OF FAME

Click here for complete release including inductee statistics (PDF) BY: Jason Chaimovich, AHL SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced the four people selected for induction into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame as the Class of 2019. Honored by the AHL Hall of Fame Selection Committee as the 14th group of enshrinees are John Anderson, Don Cherry, Murray Eaves, and Brad Smyth. “For more than 80 years, the American Hockey League has been built upon a foundation of excellence,” said David Andrews, AHL President, and Chief Executive Officer. “The AHL Board of Governors is proud to unanimously endorse the Selection Committee’s recommendation for the induction of these four individuals into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame as the Class of 2019.” The Class of 2019 will be honored as part of the festivities at the 2019 Lexus AHL All-Star Classic presented by MGM Springfield, hosted by the Springfield Thunderbirds. The American Hockey League Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony is scheduled for January 28, 2019. Formed in 2006 to recognize, honor and celebrate individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions in the American Hockey League, the AHL Hall of Fame is housed online at ahlhalloffame.com and is accessible to fans worldwide with the click of a mouse as part of the AHL Internet Network. In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League serves as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters, and staff of all 31 National Hockey League teams. More than 87 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers. In 2017-18, over 6 million fans attended AHL regular-season and playoff games across North America for the 17th year in a row. CLASS OF 2019: JOHN ANDERSON John Anderson spent most of his 17-year playing career in the National Hockey League, but he made his mark coaching with the Chicago Wolves. A Toronto native, Anderson was drafted by his hometown Maple Leafs in the first round in 1977 and went on to skate in more than 800 games in the NHL with Toronto, Quebec, and Hartford. As his playing days wound down, Anderson made a brief debut appearance in the AHL with the Binghamton Whalers in 1989-90 before spending a memorable 1991-92 campaign as a player/assistant coach in New Haven. With the Nighthawks that year, Anderson scored 41 goals and collected 54 assists, finishing with 95 points and a plus-42 rating in just 68 games. He was voted a First Team AHL All-Star at left wing, the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s most valuable player, and the recipient of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award for sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey. Anderson joined the coaching ranks full-time in 1995 and was hired by the Chicago Wolves in 1997. He led the Wolves to two Turner Cup championships before the franchise joined the American Hockey League, and won a third championship in the Wolves’ inaugural AHL season by becoming the first – and still only – team to win five playoff series en route to the Calder Cup. Anderson and the Wolves returned to the Finals in 2005 and followed a 111-point regular season by winning the franchise’s second Calder Cup and fourth league title in 2008. Following stints as head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers and assistant coach with the Phoenix Coyotes, Anderson came back to the Wolves in 2013 and spent three more seasons in Chicago, capturing another division crown in 2013-14. He returned to the NHL in 2016 and served for two seasons as an assistant with the Minnesota Wild. Anderson ranks fifth in league history with 424 victories and seventh with 788 games over 10 seasons as a head coach in the AHL. He won three division titles and had seven 40-win seasons and four 100-point campaigns, and was behind the bench for two AHL All-Star Classics as well. CLASS OF 2019: DON CHERRY One of the most recognizable personalities in all of Canada, Don Cherry was a standout defenseman and award-winning coach in the American Hockey League before he ever sat behind the Coach’s Corner desk. Cherry’s prolific career as a defenseman included 767 games in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, the Springfield Indians, and the Rochester Americans, collecting 259 points and racking up more than 1,000 penalty minutes. The Kingston, Ontario, native signed his first professional contract with the Bears in 1954 and played 63 games as a rookie – plus one playoff contest with the Boston Bruins, in what would be the only NHL appearance of his career. Cherry joined owner Eddie Shore’s Springfield club in 1957 and helped the Indians reach their first Calder Cup Finals in 1958, and then secure their first championship in 1960. Cherry brought his rock-’em, sock-’em style of play to Rochester in 1963 and the Amerks were soon the class of the league, reaching four consecutive Calder Cup Finals and winning championships in 1965, 1966 and 1968. He settled in western New York after retiring in 1969, and after two years away from hockey, he rejoined the Amerks as a player-coach in January of 1972. Rochester finished strong in 1972, qualified for the playoffs in 1973 and then posted the best record in the league in 1974, earning Cherry the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s coach of the year. Cherry went on to coach the Boston Bruins and Colorado Rockies in the National Hockey League, and since 1980 has been an iconic commentator on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada. CLASS OF 2019: MURRAY EAVES Forward Murray Eaves was one the American Hockey League’s premier scorers during a career that spanned 15 professional seasons. Selected by Winnipeg in the 1980 NHL Draft after a record-setting season at the University of Michigan, Eaves made his debut in the AHL with the Sherbrooke Jets in 1982 and was a shining star despite playing on consecutive last-place teams. Eaves collected 174 points in 118 contests over his first two AHL seasons, including a 115-point campaign and First Team AHL All-Star honors in 1983-84. Fortunes turned in 1984-85 when the Montreal Canadiens joined the Jets to form a dual affiliation in Sherbrooke. Eaves notched 68 points in 47 regular-season games and added 18 points in the playoffs as Sherbrooke captured the 1985 Calder Cup championship. Following a 73-point campaign in 1985-86, Eaves was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers and spent a season in Nova Scotia before signing with Detroit. Eaves would continue to be a dominant offensive force with the AHL’s Adirondack Red Wings, leading them in scoring in each of his three seasons with the team. In 1988-89, Eaves finished second in the entire AHL with 118 points to earn a Second Team AHL All-Star nod and then tacked on 13 goals and 25 points in the playoffs as Adirondack captured the Calder Cup. One of only two players in league history to record at least 115 points in a season twice, Eaves finished his AHL career with eight 20-goal seasons, three 40-goal campaigns and 680 points in 536 contests, making him the AHL’s all-time leader in points per game (1.27) among players with at least 400 games played. He was also a two-time winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award for sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to hockey (1989, 1990). CLASS OF 2019: BRAD SMYTH Brad Smyth was one of the most dangerous goal-scorers in American Hockey League history, showing an incredible knack for finding the net during an era when goaltenders were becoming more dominant. "Shooter" began his pro career in the Florida Panthers organization and made his AHL debut in a three-game stint with the Springfield Falcons in January of 1995. He joined the Carolina Monarchs for his first full AHL campaign in 1995-96 and scored twice on opening night, the beginning of a historic season that saw Smyth put up 68 goals in 68 games for the Monarchs. He added 58 assists for 126 points to run away with the AHL scoring title and earn league MVP honors. After getting a taste of the National Hockey League in Florida and Los Angeles, Smyth was acquired by the New York Rangers in 1997 and helped the Hartford Wolf Pack reach the conference finals, notching 62 points in 57 regular-season games and a team-high 12 goals in the playoffs. Smyth split the following season between the Rangers and Nashville Predators organizations, then helped Hartford to a Calder Cup championship in 2000, leading the Wolf Pack with 39 goals in the regular season and 13 more in the playoffs. In 2000-01, Smyth scored 50 again, reaching the milestone on the final weekend of the season and earning a First Team AHL All-Star nod – an honor he would receive again the following year. Smyth was reunited with head coach John Paddock with the Binghamton Senators in 2002 and helped the first-year club reach the conference finals. He spent the 2004-05 season with the Manchester Monarchs and returned for a third stint in Hartford in 2006, completing his final AHL season with 34 goals and 86 points for his fifth career top-10 finish in the scoring race. Ranking 12th in league history with 326 career goals, Smyth registered 667 points in 610 regular-season games over his AHL career. He is one of six AHL players ever to hit the 50-goal mark twice and one of seven players ever to lead the league in goals on two separate occasions and is also ranked sixth all-time with 46 career postseason goals. Read the full article