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mitchbeck · 3 years

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CANTLON: TRAINING CAMP EDITION VOLUME 2

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - The New York Rangers skipped the Traverse City, MI prospects camp for the second consecutive season due to Covid-19 concerns again; development camp is winding down at the team's training facility in Tarrytown, New York. Exhibition games and the team's main training camp are ready to begin. For the Hartford Wolf Pack, the team prepares for their training camp as a new batch of Wolf Pack players will arrive in early October. Then, they are slated to start the season in Hart City at the XL Center. The latest signees, all on AHL contracts, surprisingly are defensemen. The blueline would seem to be the one position where the Rangers are exceptionally deep with few available slots. The team expects to give a severe amount of ice time. They will take a long look at Braden Schneider, Matt Robertson, and Nils Lundkvist. Veteran Mason Geersten is on an NHL deal and will certainly be looked at while helping the younger players learn the position at the professional level. His versatility will also allow him to fill in at left-wing when the need arises, as he did last year. SORT OF NEW FACES Jeff Taylor also fills a veteran spot. However, he did spend more time being scratched than actually playing in games. Over the last two years, Taylor has been on the game roster for 16 Wolf Pack games. He played 23 games with the team's former double-A affiliate, the ECHL's Maine Mariners. He also played in four (4) games with their new team, the Jacksonville Icemen. He will likely reprise his role again this year as a Wolf Pack fill-in rearguard. Zach Guittari, the Rhode Island native and Loomis Chaffe (Windsor) grad, will have little room to operate roster-wise. He will likely play a limited role in Hartford as a fill-in or be a full-time player in Jacksonville. Zach Berzolla, from Colorado College (NCHC), is in the same boat as Guittari, on the bottom rung of the organizational ladder. He signed in Hartford out of school but didn't play a shift. However, after the abbreviated AHL season ended, he played 15 regular season games and four playoff games with the Florida Everblades (ECHL), who went to the Kelly Cup semifinals. FORWARD Tanner Fritz joins the Wolf Pack filling a need at the forward spot. He spent his first six years in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (nee Bridgeport Islanders). He is the second Fritz in team history to play for both Connecticut teams and the 43rd player in 25 years. One free agent, LW Cristiano DiCiacinto, 25, and a former 2014 late-round draft pick (sixth-round, #170th overall) for the Tampa Bay Lightning, joins the Pack. DiCiacinto moves to the professional ranks after playing for Acadia University (AUAA) in Wolfville, New Brunswick. He played with Hamilton (AAA), and then his major junior career was spent with the Windsor Spitfires (OHL). He did that before spending four years in Canadian college hockey. After a late-season stint with Jacksonville (ECHL), DiCiacinto will be at Hartford training camp. OPENINGS IN NEW YORK The roster spots in The Big Apple are limited. Former Pack (for now) Will Cullye, who showed flashes last season, has impressed the big club early. Because of the NHL's deal with CHL (Canadian Hockey League), the team has known all summer to decide. Hartford will not be an option if he does NOT make the big club because he is a 19-year old. He will be returned to the Spitfires (OHL), a new head coach in ex-Pack/Ranger, and NHL'er Marc Savard. He's made a strong case for his staying in New York thus far. PRESEASON GETTING UNDERWAY The Wolf Pack will play the Providence Bruins in a game closed to the general public on October 6th at the XL Center. The puck will drop at noon. In addition, they will play two other exhibition games, both against Bridgeport on October 8th and 9th. The Pack is slated to start its regular season in Hart City at the XL Center on October 15th against Bridgeport. The Islanders signed three players from last year's team, Dmytro Timashov, team captain Seth Helgeson, Mike Cornell, Otto Koivula, and Cole Bardreau. They also signed a free-agent goalie in Jon Gillies (Salisbury School). He will likely be in Bridgeport after playing for the Utica Comets last year. Goalie Francis Marrotte, who played just two games in Bridgeport, signed this season with the Allen Americans (ECHL). Also, signing is seldomly used defenseman Ryan MacKinnon. He put pen to ink, signing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL). NEW FACES The Rangers added a Director of Hockey Operations to work with their longtime VP of Operations, Pat Boller. He reprised the same role from the last two years. He had been at Northeastern (HE) in Matt Harlow. He is the son of the late 1980s New Haven Nighthawk and current Edmonton Oilers scout, Scott Harlow. PLAYERS COACHING MOVEMENT A troika of ex-Pack is on the move. Matt Puempel goes from Malmö IF (Sweden-SHL) to Augsburger (Germany-DEL). Peter Holland goes from Avtomobilist Yekarterinburg (Russia-KHL) to Djurgårdens IF (Sweden-SHL). Gabriel Fontaine tries to resurrect his career after playing just 17 games over the last two years with the Wolf Pack due to a series of successive left shoulder injuries that required surgery. He is in the training camp of the Colorado Eagles (AHL). Vincent Sevigny, the youngest son of ex-Wolf Pack Pierre Sevigny, is in the camp of the Ottawa Senators. Former Nighthawk and NHL player, Paul Boutilier, returns to the bench as an assistant coach with the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL). They have been awarded to host the 2022 Memorial Cup. Former New Haven Senators player and Providence General Manager and Boston Bruins Assistant GM John Ferguson Jr. took the Assistant GM job. He is the new GM of the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) as well. He will work with the Arizona Coyotes and report to former Providence Bruin player, head coach Bill Armstrong. MORE MOVEMENT The AHL transfer list is up to 84. Luke Moncada heads to Vienna (Austria-IceHL), joining last season's Cleveland Monsters teammate Cliff Pu, who is there for a while. He is reportedly heading to Kunlun (China-KHL). His family has ancestral Chinese heritage, so he may be eligible to play for the Chinese National Team in the upcoming February 2022 Beijing Olympics for China. Ex-Pack defenseman, Rob O'Gara, has hung up the skates. He returns to Yale University (ECACHL), his alma mater, as their newest assistant coach. He played with the Hershey Bears last year. Ex-Pack/Sound Tigers goalie J.F. Berube is in the Columbus Blue Jacket's camp and likely will wind up in Cleveland. After canning a coach, Cleveland gets an extra body (ex-Wolf Pack and new assistant coach, Sylvain Lefebvre). Now it's a player, Zac Rinaldo. He was sent right to Cleveland's camp. Brandon Fortunato (Quinnipiac University-ECACHL) signs with the Jacksonville Icemen (ECHL). CONGRATS, PAUL HOLMGREN Congratulations to former Hartford Whalers Head Coach and GM Paul Holmgren. He and former Boston Bruins Peter McNab were named to the US Hockey Hall of Fame last week, as was longtime hockey chronicler Stan "The Maven" Fischler. Holmgren held both roles at separate times from 1993-1995, first behind the bench then later as the GM. His alcoholism, a long-known secret, was unvarnished on March 31st, 1994, when he was arrested for DUI and evading responsibility in Simsbury after taking out some mailboxes, newspaper boxes, and a telephone pole. He was arrested in his driveway. Since then, he has joined AA, successfully controlled his addiction, and was a model citizen. Holmgren went back to Philadelphia and has been with the Flyers in almost every capacity. He's been GM, Assistant GM, Assistant Coach, Head Coach, Director of Player, Personnel, Team President, and his latest as the team's Senior Advisor. HOLMGREN AS A PLAYER He played 527 NHL games registering 144 goals, 173 assists (323 NHL points), and 1,684 PIMS. He was rough and ready. He played college hockey for one year at the University of Minnesota. He played for a year with the WHA's Minnesota Fighting Saints. Holmgren's junior hockey was with the St. Paul Vulcans, where one of his teammates was Dave "Killer" Hanson of Slap Shot fame. After two years in Buffalo, Peter McNab was with B's for nine and half seasons, including a Stanley Cup final with former Wolf Pack GM retired Jim Schoenfeld. After a college career at Denver University (WCHA), now in the NCHC conference, it was unique to play college hockey then go pro. He played in a rougher NHL-era and ended his playing career in New Jersey with the Devils. McNab had 954 NHL games with 813 points, including 363 goals from (1974-1986) and his late father, Max, was a longtime NHL executive. His brother David was a Whalers pro scout from (1983-1989) and with the Rangers (1989-1993). He finished with the Anaheim Ducks. Both are dual citizens. Fischler was the voice and face of hockey in the US in the 1970s and 1980s and covered the six-team NHL in his younger years, and is a great historian of that era. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

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mitchbeck · 5 years

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CANTLON'S CORNER: SCHOENFELD STEPS DOWN

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - With New York Rangers' President, Glen Sather announcing his departure near the end of the season, it comes as no big surprise the team declared that Senior Vice President and Assistant GM, Jim Schoenfeld, 66, has officially stepped down from his positions. This move was seen as a fait accompli. Schoenfeld served 14 seasons as the General Manager of the Hartford Wolf Pack / CT Whale from 2003-04 until the 2016-17 season, He served as the Pack’s Head Coach for two seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07) where he mentored his replacements, Ken Gernander, and JJ Daigneault, who were just starting out their pro coaching careers. During his tenure as General Manager in Connecticut's capital city, players such as Ryan McDonagh, Mats Zuccarello, J.T. Miller, and Artem Anisimov all made their professional debuts in the AHL before they were called up by the Rangers. Ironically all four players are no longer with the franchise. Additionally, in Schoenfeld’s two seasons as Hartford’s Head Coach, he oversaw the progression of players such as Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi, and Brandon Dubinsky before they joined the Rangers on a regular basis. In July of 2016, Schoenfeld received the Thomas Ebright Award in recognition of career contributions to the American Hockey League. In his playing days, Schoenfeld played just two AHL games where he had two assists with the old Cincinnati Swords. The big redhead was always a colorful character. It didn't matter whether he was mad at a referee or a player, he always sported a big smile, a laugh and a great sense of humor! He once threatened the mercurial and coach-killing, Evgeni Grachev in the locker room hallway with banishment to Charlotte, who back then the Wolf Pack’s ECHL affiliate, if he didn’t play better. It scared players and media alike. Schoenfeld baptized goalie Cam Talbot as the Pack playoff goalie in front of everybody with a big slap of his paw on his shoulder in front of the media. Another mercurial player, Jarkko Immonen, who was struggling mightily, a reporter told him his agent said he was depressed he wasn’t in New York. Schoenfeld shot back. “I’m depressed too. My best player is playing like (crap) at minus-16!” As tough as he could be, Schoenfeld also defended his players with the same fervor and loyalty. In a playoff game in Portland, Maine, referee, Francois St. Laurent, made two horrible calls. The first was overruling his linesman and nullifying an Artem Anisimov goal. The second was tagging Alex Bourret with a major and game misconduct with under five minutes to play in regulation with the Pack trailing by a goal. It would be a game they would go on to lose. Despite a 102 degree fever, Schoenfeld punched and dented a metal office door, walked past everybody and stood just outside the ref's room and let St. Laurent have it, but without entering the ref room. Schoenfeld's sense of humor was probably best on display after a comical situation when former Hartford morning radio jock, Jeanine Jersey, famously forgot the words to the National Anthem and blurted out for all to hear, “Oh, crap, I forgot the words,” before a big crowd with Schoenfeld, Sather, and lot of other Ranger brass in attendance. Following the game, Schoney, as he is known by those close to him, exited the coach's room and put his arms around the shoulder of the team's, then game night Operations Director, Danielle Levy, and said in a voice for all to hear, ‘Whatever happened to Teresa Rodriguez?” Schoenfeld was referencing the former anthem singer who was let go two weeks earlier. He also had a great running feud with former Lowell head coach, Tom Rowe, in his last coached playoff series in the 2004 lockout year. Rowe told this reporter, “Tell Schoeny they still have his chair warm at ESPN since he talks so much!” Schoeny had worked at The Worldwide Leader doing NHL games when they were broadcast by the network. The response can’t be printed here, but it was extremely funny. Schoenfeld was involved in the hockey business his entire adult life prior to being a coach and executive with the Rangers, Schoenfeld served as a Head Coach in the NHL for parts of ten seasons. He served as a Head Coach for 580 regular-season NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, and Phoenix Coyotes, posting a 256-246-78 record (.509 points percentage), and he guided his team to a playoff berth in six of the ten seasons. In 1987-88, Schoenfeld was named the New Jersey Devils’ Head Coach with 30 games remaining in the regular season. He guided the Devils to a 7-0-1 record over their last eight games that season, including winning the final five games in a row, to help the team clinch its first playoff berth since moving to New Jersey. Schoenfeld proceeded to lead the Devils to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final during the 1988 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is most famously remembered for his confrontation with referee Don Koharski in a hallway after a controversial 1988 playoff series. He shouted, “have another doughnut you fat pig.” It was all caught on camera and played all over the US and Canada. It led to a referee boycott of the next game in the series with Boston. See it HERE. When the senior Koharski came to see his son Jamie do one of his first AHL games as a referee, he stopped by to see Schoenfeld prior to the game and brought with him - a box of donuts. Schoenfeld was born in Galt, Ontario, but grew up in Cambridge, Ontario. Schoenfeld played parts of thirteen NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins. The defenseman skated in 719 career NHL games, registering 51 goals, and 204 assists for 255 points, along with a plus-236 rating and 1,132 penalty minutes. He was a tough and fierce defenseman in his playing days. One of his more memorable battles was with the Bruins' Wayne Cashman. After a jarring Schoenfeld hit, the pair fell through the unsecured Zamboni door at the Boston Garden and they got up and starting tossing haymakers. See it HERE. Schoenfeld played in two NHL All-Star Games and was named to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team in 1979-80, as he led the NHL with a plus-60 rating during the season. Schoenfeld served as the Sabres’ captain for three seasons, and in his first season as the team’s captain in 1974-75, he helped Buffalo advance to the Stanley Cup Final where they lost to the Flyers. The Sabres featured the fabled French Connection line of Gilbert Perreault, Rene Robert, and the late Richard Martin. Teammates included ex-Nighthawk head coach, Rick Dudley, Danny Gare, Craig Ramsay and fellow defenseman Jerry “King Kong” Korab. Schoenfeld played his junior hockey with OHA (now OHL) with the London Knights, who drafted him in the third round, (25th overall), Hamilton Red Wings and Niagara Falls Flyers in 143 games 15 goals, 90 assists and 105 points and 555 PM. He was drafted as the first pick and 5th overall in the 1972 NHL Draft by Buffalo. Schoenfeld is a member of the Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame, the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Cambridge (Ontario) Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Read the full article

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mitchbeck · 5 years

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RANGERS: JIM SCHOENFELD STEPS DOWN

BY: The New York Rangers NEW YORK, May 16, 2019 – Rangers Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Jim Schoenfeld stepped down from his position today. “In nearly two decades with the Rangers, Jim made an impact on every level of the organization,” Rangers President Glen Sather said. “His tireless efforts and contributions were vital to the extended run of success we experienced during his tenure in New York.” Schoenfeld was a member of the Rangers organization for 17 seasons (2002-03 – 2018-19), dating back to when he was named an Assistant Coach with the Blueshirts on June 12, 2002. During his tenure in the Rangers organization, he served in several capacities, including as an Assistant Coach with the Rangers, the Rangers’ Assistant General Manager, the General Manager of the Rangers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate (either the Hartford Wolf Pack or the Connecticut Whale), and the Wolf Pack’s Head Coach. He served eight seasons as the Rangers’ Assistant General Manager, Player Personnel prior to being promoted to Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager on July 1, 2015. Schoenfeld served 14 seasons as the General Manager of the Wolf Pack/Whale (2003-04 – 2016-17), and he served as the team’s Head Coach for two seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07). He played a vital role in developing the organization’s pool of prospects, as several Rangers developed under his guidance in the AHL before becoming key contributors in New York. During his tenure as the Wolf Pack/Whale General Manager, players such as Ryan McDonagh, Mats Zuccarello, J.T. Miller, and Artem Anisimov made their professional debuts in the AHL before being called up by the Rangers. In addition, in Schoenfeld’s two seasons as Hartford’s Head Coach, he oversaw the progression of players such as Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi, and Brandon Dubinsky before they joined the Rangers on a regular basis. Through his work at the AHL level, while simultaneously serving as the Rangers’ Assistant General Manager, Schoenfeld helped the Blueshirts achieve a sustained level of success. Over a 12-season span from 2005-06 – 2016-17, the Rangers were one of four NHL teams that reached the playoffs 11 times and were the only NHL team that was not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs prior to the start of a regular season game during the stretch. New York played in more playoff games than any NHL team over a six-year stretch from 2011-12 – 2016-17 (93) and was the only NHL team that won at least one playoff series in five of those six seasons. During this stretch, the Rangers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013-14, won the Presidents’ Trophy for having the best regular season record in the NHL in 2014-15, were Division Champions twice (Atlantic Division Champions in 2011-12 and Metropolitan Division Champions in 2014-15), and advanced to the Eastern Conference Final three times (2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15). In 2014-15, the Rangers and Wolf Pack were the only NHL and AHL teams from the same organization to reach the Conference Finals in their respective league, marking the first time in franchise history that the Rangers and their AHL affiliate reached the Eastern Conference Final in the same season. In July of 2016, Schoenfeld received the Thomas Ebright Award in recognition of career contributions to the American Hockey League. Prior to beginning his tenure as a coach and executive with the Rangers, Schoenfeld served as a Head Coach in the NHL for parts of 10 seasons. He served as a Head Coach for 580 regular season NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals, and Phoenix Coyotes, posting a 256-246-78 record (.509 points percentage), and he guided his team to a playoff berth in six of the 10 seasons. In 1987-88, Schoenfeld was named the Devils’ Head Coach with 30 games remaining in the regular season. He guided the Devils to a 7-0-1 record over their last eight games of the season, including a five-game winning streak over the final five games, to help the team clinch its first playoff berth since moving to New Jersey. Schoenfeld proceeded to lead the Devils to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final during the 1988 Stanley Cup Playoffs. A native of Galt, Ontario, Schoenfeld played parts of 13 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Boston Bruins. The defenseman skated in 719 career NHL games, registering 51 goals and 204 assists for 255 points, along with a plus-236 rating and 1,132 penalty minutes. Schoenfeld played in two NHL All-Star Games and was named to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team in 1979-80, as he led the NHL with a plus-60 rating during the season. Schoenfeld served as the Sabres’ captain for three seasons, and in his first season as the team’s captain in 1974-75, he helped Buffalo advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Schoenfeld is a member of the Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame and the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame. In addition, Schoenfeld was inducted into the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Read the full article

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