Wolf Pack Turning The Corner in 2023

HARTFORD, CT - As the Hartford Wolf Pack (14-13-9) entered the new year, they've seemingly found their stride as a seven-game points streak has them back in the thick of things in the Atlantic Division standings heading into the middle of the 2022-23 season.

Hartford found themselves in a struggling situation in the opening months of the season, from a quiet offensive forward group to inconsistencies on defense.

On December 4, the Wolf Pack lost their captain to the New York Rangers as Jonny Brodzinski was called up. Veteran blueliner Ben Harpur also joined the Rangers in the beginning of the month.

Considering the roster moves, the Wolf Pack had questions on if they can operate without two less veterans, especially the heart and soul of the team in Brodzinski. That question was answered well in Hartford’s performances throughout last month.

With two players heading up to the NHL, two players were reassigned to Hartford - and those two players have arguably led the charge in the AHL club's resurgence the past few weeks.

Ryan Carpenter and Zac Jones joined the Wolf Pack, and both have fit in seamlessly - with both making an immediate impact in the way the team plays.

As Brodzinski and Harpur impress the Rangers brass and held well in their promotions, Hartford will be without both players for an unknown length of time.

However, the Wolf Pack performed well too, and the spark began on December 7 th against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-2 win). The group began to change as games progressed. The defense responded well to the addition of Jones, with Jones quarterbacking Hartford’s power play and providing strong defensive support in their own end.

Carpenter sparked Hartford's cold offense and the club was scoring consistently. Another notable change is the number of shots on net. The Wolf Pack have held well with the number of shots per game, ranging from high 20s to high as 40. The shots are also in quality, which is encouraging to see.

The group found ways to roll and collect points for last month. As the monthly slate wipes clean for January, the Wolf Pack compiled a 6-6-0-1 record to close out 2022.

Considering the progress of the club, that is optimistic for the group as they continue to be in the running for a playoff spot, despite currently being on the outside looking in in the competitive Atlantic Division.

Ryan Carpenter Jolts Offensive Group

In 10 games with Hartford, the 31-year-old forward is a point per game player. Considering his immediate impact to the lineup, Carpenter jolted the offense for the forward group. One line combination that benefited the group well was Carpenter paired with Turner Elson and Austin Rueschhoff. The line produced reliable, consistent offense.

Elson, after having a slow start of the season, has found his game and ran with the offensive production. Elson contributed nine points in December after collecting eight points in the first two months of the season. As a result, the veteran leads Hartford in points with 20 (six goals, 14 assists) in 36 appearances this season.

Switching to Rueschhoff’s game, his offensive game struggled along with the rest of the group. Prior to December's slate of games, the prospect had one assist in the first two months of action. Despite his lack of production, the forward is a good depth piece for the club, especially for defensive zone draws plus the penalty kill. Rueschhoff was able to contribute to the defensive aspect of the game. However, he showed promise and developed his offensive game in the second half of last season in hopes of carrying it over.

Carpenter was able to jump start the Rangers prospect production. In December, Rueschhoff contributed nine points (two goals, seven assists). The last couple of weeks built his confidence and will help the forward grow his game further as the season progresses.

Focusing on Carpenter, when he gets on the score sheet, he explodes for multiple-point performances. After being held pointless in his first three games, the veteran found himself with multi-point nights in three of the next four outings. Carpenter's final appearance in 2022 featured a hat trick to give Hartford a 7-3 win over Bridgeport on December 27 . That game featured a season high of goals for the club in the season. The previous record of six was broken, which occurred on December 16.

Carpenter is up to 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in 15 AHL games with Hartford this season.

Hartford's offensive group was missing a player that can become reliable for producing goals. Carpenter was the answer to the struggles, and his arrival also opened up offensive opportunities for other players on the roster - most notably rookie forward Will Cuylle. Cuylle leads the team with 11 goals, and his 18 points in 36 games have him tied for second most on the team.

READ ALSO: Cuylle Is Ahead Of The Curve

On the blue line, Ty Emberson has blossomed offensively. For a defenseman in his second full season in the AHL, Emberson has impressed with his defensive skills as well.

The 22-year-old produced seven points in December while raising the bar on his game on defense with his shot blocking, positioning, and reading the plays well while they develop. Emberson's quiet game on defense is a blessing for a young defensive core that is finding ways to be consistent.

Zac Jones Reshapes Defensive Core

The defensive core for Hartford became younger when the Rangers swapped Ben Harpur for Zac Jones. Andy Welinski is the lone veteran on Hartford’s blueline.

Despite having one veteran in the lineup night for the defensive core, they have played strong in December. The defense has become reliable on a nightly basis.

In addition to help from the offense and continuation of strong goaltending from Louis Domingue and Dylan Garand, the core is in good hands.

Jones has furthered the core's comfort and consistency.

For Hartford’s power play, Jones is quarterbacking the back end, giving Hartford good puck movement, from Jones' passing to shots on net.

While the power play cooled off, Jones is attempting to give the unit a fresh look. Patience is key for the power play unit, which earlier in the season was consistent and one of the better ones in the league. The club must find ways to get through this slump, which can be difficult for the power play.

Jones also played in critical situations, from penalty kills to tense moments in games where the opponents are buzzing and giving the club difficulties. Jones, similar to Carpenter, are entrusted with a high number of minutes on a nightly basis.

Defensively, the Rangers prospect is doing everything that he could while in the AHL. Despite his demotion, the prospect carries a great attitude on ice and is focused nightly.

While returning to New York will be difficult, Jones is determined to make himself the best available defenseman when the Rangers are looking for another swap on defense or a call up resulting from injury. His effort goes unnoticed and has given the Wolf Pack a different look in December.

From the perspective of his development, Jones compliments Ty Emberson, Welinski, and rest of the defensive core regardless of the pairings.

The Outlook

The month of January features a tough slate of opponents. Hartford will be road heavy as the club will play seven games on the road. They will have five home games on tap as well.

As we near the halfway point of the season, the Wolf Pack's recent seven-game points streak has Hartford right back in the thick of things in the Atlantic Division standings entering January 17th's games. They'll need to continue to find ways to win games, especially in regulation.

One problem the club has this season is when they go to overtime, they go to shootouts which is a struggle point. The skills competition is not suited for Hartford, which ties into their offensive core struggling overall. Hartford leads the AHL in shootout losses with five.

Furthermore, games in the division must end in regulation for the group. Even if they find themselves winning against opponents in the extra session, they are still bleeding points which hurts Hartford.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Hartford sits tied for sixth place - and the final playoff spot in the division - with 37 points.

Hartford's playoff drought is a streak that the organization and fans want snapped. Brace yourselves for an important month for the Rangers AHL affiliate. When the smoke clears, we'll reevaluate their situation.