CANTLON’S CORNER: THE LAST WEEKEND OF WOLF PACK ACTION FOR THE SEASON 

CANTLON’S CORNER: THE LAST WEEKEND OF WOLF PACK ACTION FOR THE SEASON

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings

HARTFORD, CT – Just two games remain in the 2017-18 season for the Hartford Wolf Pack. The games are a home-and-home with the Binghamton Devils, who they meet for the first time this season.

Friday night at the XL Center will be the front -end of the pair of games and is “Fan Appreciation Night.” During play stoppages, the team player award winners will be announced. Fans will also be selected to win prizes based on their seat location.

Pack head coach Keith McCambridge has slated Alex Georgiev to start in the net for the home finale.

McCambridge will have a chance to see two potential major pieces for the 2018-19 season and evaluate a few others.

Forward, Ty Ronning, Vancouver Giants

“Not only speed but quickness. I define that as his first three strides those short bursts outside the zone gaining puck possession are really important.”

Forward, Drew Melanson, Boston University

“He’s very fast and when you talk to him in off-ice video sessions, he has a very good understanding of the game for a younger player getting his first taste of pro hockey and has been here a few weeks. I think his self-evaluation is very good and you’re trying to see if these players fit who are here on ATO’s and maybe sign guys to contracts in the summer or over contracts for camp in the fall.

“When you talk to him, he doesn’t have a blank stare when you ask him if he understands something. He already has a good understanding of our structure and what we’re looking for so he is easy to teach.”

Defenseman, Tyson Helgesen, Spokane Chiefs

“He’s raw and he has size. He skates very well and clearly has some leadership skills.” Helegesen was a captain the last two years of his junior club the Spokane Chiefs (WHL).

NOTES:

Forward Scott Kosmachuk (foot injury) and Brendan Smith (broken hand) are done for the season and will not play this weekend.

Rangers announced on Monday a change in their ECHL affiliation. They will no longer be associated with the Greenville (SC) Swamp Rabbits. This ends the Rangers Southeast secondary affiliation.

They were affiliated with the Charlotte (NC) Checkers from 1997 until 2010 when the team upgraded to an AHL franchise. The Rangers then hooked with the Greenville (SC) Road Warriors, before they rebranded to the Swamp Rabbits. The affiliation lasted from 2010 until 2018.

The new affiliation is with a brand new Comcast-owned ECHL team, the Maine Mariners. They will begin to play in the fall at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine.

The Mariners was the team’s original name back in 1977 when they played in the AHL. At the time, the Cross Insurance Arena was known as the Cumberland County Civic Center when the building opened its doors. The team was the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers until 1987 and helped save the AHL which was very close to being out of business. The reason, the NHL-WHA war had depleted AHL rosters and there were only a few teams and affiliations at that time.

The NHL and WHA merged in 1979.

The Mariners then became the Boston Bruins affiliate from 1987-1992.

The city of Portland ended its AHL history two years ago when the Portland Pirates (1993-2016) were sold to a multi-ownership group in Springfield, relocated and was christened as the Thunderbirds.

The new Mariner logo is very sharp. It honors the city and region’s longtime maritime tradition. Of late, the city has had a bit of a renaissance. It features an art district, now a new hockey team, and a thriving fishing port. Portland is also home to the Double AA Eastern League Portland Seas Dogs, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. They came into existence in 1994 at the same time of the late beloved New Haven Ravens.

Learn more about the logo HERE.

The Rangers move reflects the continued growing minor league hockey trend to keep their farm teams closer in proximity for recalls and cutting down on expenses. The New York Islanders made their ECHL affiliation with the Worcester (MA) Railers this year.

The Mariners already have their head coach in Riley Armstrong, the younger brother of former NHL and AHL player, Colby Armstrong. Riley was hired on February 19. The Mariners’ VP of Hockey Operations is Daniel Briere, who just retired from the NHL over a year ago. He begins his off-ice career in Maine after beginning his pro playing career in Springfield.

Former Hartford Whaler coach, Paul Holmgren, is the team’s Governor.

The team’s VP of Business Operations is a familiar name to Hartford Wolf Pack fans. He’s Adam Goldberg who worked for the Pack for four years before taking the position last summer to handle the expansion franchise.

Congrats to Sacred Heart University Pioneers grad Justin Danforth in being named the ECHL Rookie of the Year with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Danforth got some AHL time this season with the Rochester Americans.

Ex-Sound Tiger and Avon Old Farms goalie, Parker Miler, is playing with the South Carolina Stingrays and was named ECHL Goaltender of the year.

Congrats to Ben Smith (Avon/Westminster Prep) on being named to the AHL All-Star Second team from the Toronto Marlies.

Manitoba Head coach, Pascal Vincent, was named the winner of the Louis Pieri Award for AHL Coach of the Year. His top defenseman, Sam Niku, was named the AHL Eddie Shore winner.

Manitoba’s Mason Appleton was voted Dudley Red Garrett AHL Rookie of the Year.

Ex-Sound Tiger Scooter Vaughan (Chicago Wolves) was named AHL Yanick Dupre (Man of the Year) Award winner

Mathieu Olivier, son of former UHL New Haven Knight, Simon Olivier, signed an AHL deal for next season with the San Antonio Rampage. Olivier is completing his fifth year of major junior hockey and is presently in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Olivier’s squad is trailing three games to none to Acadie-Bathurst Titan whose GM is former New Haven Nighthawk, Sean Couturier.

The Phoenix won their first round series in seven games over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Joining San Antonio this weekend is forward Alexei Toropchenko, the son of former Springfield Falcon, Leonid Torochenko. He’s from the Guelph Storm (OHL), who were eliminated in six games in the playoffs by the Kitchener Rangers.

Jonathan Dahlen, the son of former Ranger Ulf Dahlen, goes from Timra IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan) to sign with the Utica Comets. His Swedish team is being elevated next season to the top tier Swedish Hockey League (SHL).

Congrats to former Wolf Pack forward Chad Wiseman. His Metropolitan Riveters won the third ever NWHL Isobel Cup championship.

Six more college signings. Goalie Kyle Hayton, from the University of Wisconsin (Big 10), signs with the Milwaukee Admirals. From the national champion the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Karson Kuhlman signs with Boston (NHL)/Providence (AHL).

Four players from the Big 10 also have signed. Three of them come from the NCAA title runner-up, Notre Dame. They are, Ben Oglevie who signed with the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) / Rochester Americans (AHL), Jack Evans with the Montreal Canadiens (NHL) / Laval Rocket (AHL), and Jordan Gross, a free agent deal signed with the Arizona Coyotes (NHL) / Tucson Roadrunners (AHL). Tony Calderone signs with the Dallas Stars (NHL) / Texas Stars (AHL) out of Michigan.

Those signings bring the total Division 1 NCAA signees thus far to 135 with a total of 161 college players turning professional.

Merrimack (HE) hires Scott Borek, the associate head coach at Providence College (HE), to become their ninth head coach.

The University Alaska-Fairbanks (WCHA) is down to two finalists for their head coaching job. The choice is between this year’s interim head coach, Lance West, and Brent Brekke, a former assistant coach at Miami (Ohio).

The second Division I school to participate in the NHL Collegiate Feasibility study has come up favorable. Oakland (MI) University is 25 miles North of Detroit. Read about it HERE.

HSC Csikszereda (Romania) won the Roman League title in six games over ASC Corona Brasov. HSC won game six 4-3 in OT. ASC Corona featured former UHL New Haven Knight, Arpad Mihaly.

The new champion of Iceland Hockey League is SK Vikingar Akureyri who swept a best of five series over UMFK Esja Reykjavik 8-5, 5-4 (OT) and 6-2 in the title clinching game. The leading scorer for the series was Johann Leifsson with four and nine assists for 13 points.

Neman Grodno won the Belarus ExtraLiga title beating Yunost Minsk 4-2 in the decisive title game.

In Poland, GKS Tychy won the Polish Hockey League (PZIHL) title with a 2-1 win over GKS Katowice. The team featured dual citizen Mike Cichy (New Hartford, CT) and ex-NHL’er, Krys Kolanos, as the team went 12-2 in the playoffs.

In the short season (December-April) Kyrgstan Hockey League, Dordol Naryn scored a goal in the final minute of regulation and won 6-5 over Krygyz Nishkek.

The host team Latvia features former Beast of New Haven forward, Herberts Vasiljves, as an assistant coach. They won the IIHF Division Group A U-18 title 3-2 over Slovenia.

In Division II Group B Great Britain beating South Korea in Lithuania.

Former Grand Rapids assistant coach, Spiros Anastasiadas, was named head coach of the Estonian National Team for the IIHF Division IB Division World Championship tournament to be held in Estonia.

The World Championship tournament begins in two weeks (May 4-20) with 16 countries participation in Denmark.

The US squad will have former CT Whale, Chris Kreider, on the US squad as announced by current Ranger GM, Jeff Gorton, who’s one of the five members of the US hockey committee that helps its new GM, Bill Zito, in selecting a squad.

The US opening game is against Canada.

In the Ranger postseason press conference on Monday Gorton said the team was evaluating a request from Sweden to have current Wolf Pack Lias Andersson on the team. The Rangers likely would not like to see a repeat of the medical problems he had at the World Junior tournament in Buffalo that accelerated his time to come to Hartford.

In addition to relieving Alain Vigneault of his head coaching position, two assistants were also let go. Both are former New Haven Nighthawks, Scott Arniel, and Darryl Williams.

Assistant coach Lindy Ruff and his 19 years of NHL head coaching experience, and the long time goalie coach, Benoit Allaire, remain.