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News from the Hartford Wolf Pack and other odds and ends

By Steve Paulus

TRAVERSE CITY, MI - SEPTEMBER 14: A wide view of Centre Ice Arena crowd and the championship game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers during the NHL Prospects Tournament on September 14, 2011 in Traverse City, Michigan. The Sabres defeated the Rangers 5-2 to win the tournament. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
TRAVERSE CITY, MI - SEPTEMBER 14: A wide view of Centre Ice Arena crowd and the championship game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers during the NHL Prospects Tournament on September 14, 2011 in Traverse City, Michigan. The Sabres defeated the Rangers 5-2 to win the tournament. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /
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TRAVERSE CITY, MI – SEPTEMBER 14: A wide view of the New York Rangers locker room during the NHL Prospects Tournament on September 14, 2010 at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
TRAVERSE CITY, MI – SEPTEMBER 14: A wide view of the New York Rangers locker room during the NHL Prospects Tournament on September 14, 2010 at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

The quietest month of the NHL year is almost over, but there is some New York Rangers news to report.

Summer is coming to an end and New York Rangers fans can look forward to the first action in the new season in just two weeks when the 2019 NHL Prospects Tournament kicks off on September 6 in Traverse City, Michigan.

The teams should be announcing the roster of prospects who will take part in the tournament.  It’s a round robin tournament featuring eight teams.  The baby Rangers will compete along with prospects from the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets (defending champions), Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Players committed to teams in Europe or the NCAA are not eligible to participate so it will be easy to project who will be playing for the Rangers.  Last year the team brought 24 players to Traverse City including seven players who were undrafted and participated on a tryout basis.  Three of the seven ended up playing for the Maine Mariners, the Blueshirts’ ECHL affiliate.  The addition of goalie Jeremy Brodeur, son of Marty, surprised some observers, but he was on the team because they needed a second goalkeeper.

Days after the five day tournament ends on September 10, training camp will begin with the first preseason game scheduled for Wednesday, September 18 versus the New Jersey Devils (and Jack Hughes) at Madison Square Garden.

Hartford adds defense depth and coaches

Defenseman Jeff Taylor was signed to a contract by the Wolf Pack and will serve as a depth defenseman.  A graduate of Union College in 2017, he was a seventh round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The lefty shooter spent the last three seasons in the Penguins minor league system.

With a surplus of defensemen destined for the Hartford roster, the 25-year old  Taylor could see action with the Maine Mariners.  Taylor has local roots as he is from the Albany area.

The Wolf Pack also added two coaches to work with Head Coach Kris Knoblauch and Assistant Coach Gord Murphy.   David Cunniff was announced as an Assistant Coach.  Cunniff is a veteran of 17 years coaching experience in the AHL.  He spent the last four years as an Associate Coach for the Iowa Wild, the Minnesota Wild top farm club.

The parent organization is making a commitment to player development in Hartford, also hiring Chris Hoeler as the Wolf Pack’s Video Coach.  Hoeler was most recently the Director of Hockey Operations for the Chicago Steel in the USHL.  He was the Video and Analytics Coordinator for the Harvard University’s women’s hockey team before that.

Next up…a really dumb mistake.

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