Wolf Pack Battled Through COVID Stoppage, Now Tackle Taxi Squad Shortage

Hartford, CT -  A day of life in the American Hockey League (AHL) varies for each respective club. As teams completed the month of December, the league faced additional postponement of games. Add in the wrinkle of Taxi Squads for each National Hockey League (NHL) team, and AHL  rosters have faced significant changes.

From the perspective of the Hartford Wolf Pack, the club faced their Covid-19 outbreak in the first two weeks of December. After completing four games, the taxi squad was created by the NHL which weakened the roster with the high volume of call ups

New York Rangers Taxi Squad (as of Jan 7, 2022)

Goalie Keith Kinkaid (currently on active roster), defenseman Tarmo Reunanen and forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Tim Gettinger

The Wolf Pack managed to compile a record of 2-3-0-2 through seven games in the light month of December. Prior to the two week pause, Hartford was rolling with strong momentum. They now attempt to find a spark with the new look until when the taxi squad is eliminated by the NHL in February.

As a result, the new look of the Wolf Pack rely heavily on their depth forwards that are given opportunity for prime minutes and situations.

Anthony Greco Leads Hartford’s Offense (on active roster)

The 28 year old veteran’s second season in Hartford and sixth in the AHL is a prime candidate for Hartford’s top line. Greco is an offensive juggernaut that provides consistent offense to the club.  Through 25 games, Greco notched seven goals, 15 assists for 22 points.

The forward generates high scoring chances consistently and is not afraid to put the puck on net, which Hartford needs to push through January. Greco will be able to mentor younger forwards with Hartford throughout all situations as the veteran has plenty of experience under his belt.

Currently, Hartford is missing three of their top four point producers. Greco has the opportunity to overtake the Wolf Pack’s leader in points (Jonny Brodzinski, 24).

Lauri Pajuniemi’s Fine Rookie Year

Despite all the roster shifts and movements in the AHL, Pajuniemi continues to develop smoothly with Hartford.

The prospect is finding his offensive game often as the season progress. A trend that is great to see is the prospect being able to generate multiple opportunities in the game. Over the last month and a half, Pajuniemi is firing a good amount of shots each game. In October and November, the prospect usually registered between two to three on average.

As of late, he has tripled that number, ranging from three to a single high of nine. Given his additional ice time in the last week, Pajuniemi could be another reliable player for Hartford when he starts rolling.

Through 26 games, Lauri Pajuniemi recorded seven goals and eight assists for 15 points.

Further Opportunity Rise for Ty Ronning

The 24 year old depth forward will have an opportunity for top six minutes on Hartford’s depleted roster. Ronning completed a strong season in the shortened 2020-21 season, registering 10 goals, eight assists for 18 points in 18 games. Fast forward to this season, Ronning has played in 25 games as a depth forward and recorded seven goals and seven assists in 25 games (14 points). The forward is four points away from his AHL season high, which shows dedication after a sluggish few seasons prior to last season.

Ronning on a nightly basis plays with determination and a strong work ethic. Ronning will be able to continue to impress the Rangers front office with the additional opportunities that he was rewarded for. He's another well-rounded forward that quietly plays well. His contract is up this summer and he has plenty of time left to make a case for him to return.

Patrick Khodorenko’s First Full Season

The 23 year old prospect is completing his first full season as a rookie in the AHL.

Despite joining Hartford last season, Khodorenko was limited to playing in 22 games against two opponents. Analyzing this season for Khodorenko, he continues to provide help on the face-off dot and has heated up offensively in the last two weeks. The prospect has points in the last four of six games and has raised his game further while given additional opportunities in Hartford.

This bodes well considering that Hartford will need him playing larger roles moving forward into January. His defensive game has progressed as well, playing physical in an attempt to force the play other way. Khodorenko has a two-way skill set and has demonstrated he can be reliable on the penalty kill. Khodorenko could be another hidden gem for Hartford in the month of January.

Austin Rueschhoff Continues Development

In the same boat with Khodorenko, Rueschhoff is another rookie that is playing his first full season in the AHL. Rueschhoff received a limited taste of the league last season with the shortened season, and is another player that could have an insightful January given the depleted roster.

After the handful of roster changes, Rueschhoff began to find his offensive spark with the new lines. He's recorded points in the last three of four games. Previously, the rookie was unable to find the score sheet often and appeared every so often while mainly in the bottom-six as a fourth line role player. Rueschhoff is making the most of his new opportunity and is heating up at the right time for Hartford.

Future Outlook

January will be a gritty month for the Wolf Pack as they face the Utica Comets, Providence Bruins, Hershey Bears, and other high profile opponents this month. While Hartford is attempting to find the right balance of lines with the shuffle of the roster, the group will be tasked to compete against teams that are rolling currently in the AHL.

This is a great opportunity for Hartford’s depth and young forwards to make noise. If they are able to do so, the Wolf Pack could find a way to collect wins. The group has struggled in recent weeks to do so as the Wolf Pack are 3-5-0-2 in their last ten outings.

The difference from today to a month ago is the roster and the ability to roll once again. Hartford has to dig deep if they want to maintain their position in the Atlantic Division. The second place Wolf Pack may be dethroned to Hershey or Providence if they cannot click in the upcoming weeks. The AHL is a tough place to play in regardless of the roster for each club. While everyone is depleted, you must make do with the roster. Kris Knoblauch and Hartford’s coaching crew have the task to do that and will attempt to do so.

The Wolf Pack through 26 games are 14-8-2-2 for 32 points (.615). Hartford has 46 games remaining on the docket.