By means of 22 video games of the 2024-25 season, it’s clear that the Hartford Wolf Pack, the New York Rangers American League Hockey (AHL) workforce, are good. They’re ok to make the playoffs and have the gamers in place to complete the season in the course of the Atlantic Division.
Associated: Wolf Pack Forwards Are Successful on Each Ends of the Ice
The issue is that they aren’t in the identical tier as among the prime groups of their division and the AHL. There’s a noticeable hole between the Wolf Pack and the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, the 2 finest groups within the division. The Dec. 7 recreation confirmed that with the Penguins trying like the higher, extra full workforce in a 6-2 victory. There are some key points which have prevented the Wolf Pack from being in the identical tier and can maintain them a step behind all through the season.
Wolf Pack Don’t Transfer the Puck
Having puck handlers and nice passers goes a great distance within the AHL. The Penguins can gash groups with their passing and run up the rating in opposition to any workforce. They common 3.50 targets per recreation and so they scored three targets within the first interval in opposition to the Wolf Pack and 6 within the recreation.
Exterior of the highest line, which with the accidents is Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Alex Belzile, and Anton Blidh, the Wolf Pack don’t rating with nice passing. They will rating with the offense averaging 3.00 targets per recreation however most of them are ugly targets the place Matt Rempe or Jaroslav Chmelar crowd the web and fireplace free pucks into the aim.
A number of the struggles might be pinned on the absence of Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard. Othmann scored 21 targets and 28 assists final season however has solely performed three video games this season as he’s been out with an damage. Berard in the meantime was the highest playmaker with seven targets and 6 assists in 13 video games however was referred to as as much as the Rangers and can also be out with an damage. That stated, the puck motion is non-existent within the backside six and outdoors of a handful of forwards altogether. It explains why the facility play has solely scored on 14% of their alternatives, the worst mark within the Atlantic Division.
Wolf Pack’s Penalties Are a Evident Weak spot
Head coach Grant Potulny desires the Wolf Pack to set the tone in each recreation and with that comes an excellent forecheck and a few hard-hitting, bodily play. “You do need to get going (early)” he famous after the Dec. 7 recreation, and forcing the opponents to adapt to the Wolf Pack’s fashion of hockey offers them a bonus.
The draw back of their model of hockey is that they take a number of penalties, particularly within the first interval. The Wolf Pack took three within the first interval in opposition to the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 6 however it didn’t value them in a 4-0 victory. They took three once more within the first 20 minutes of motion in opposition to the Penguins the subsequent night time and it did value them as they have been down 3-0 and the sport was all however out of attain.
The hot button is discovering a steadiness between taking part in bodily hockey and never being an undisciplined workforce. “Those you do get scored on are the hookings, the cross-checkings, and the slashing,” Potulny famous after the sport in opposition to the Penguins, an indication that he, in addition to most coaches, are fantastic when a boarding penalty or a tough hit is named however not the opposite errors. Casey Fitzgerald was referred to as for kneeing and Case McCarthy was referred to as for hooking, each penalties within the first interval resulted in targets for the Penguins.
The penalties might trigger this season to unravel for the Wolf Pack and it’s pivotal for them to get rid of those that don’t come from bodily play, particularly with the penalty kill nonetheless looking for an identification. “We’re nonetheless engaged on making an attempt to get our penalty kill proper and you may’t give individuals 4 or 5 possibilities,” Potulny stated after a recreation the place they allowed six penalties and one night time faraway from a recreation the place they allowed 5 to the IceHogs.
Penguins Have a Shutdown Protection
The Penguins confirmed on Dec. 7 what an awesome defensive unit can do and the distinction it may possibly make in securing a victory. Their goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 28 saves however the protection stepped up and shut down the Wolf Pack. Filip Kral had three assists however he performed the taking pictures lanes on the defensive finish of the ice as nicely and equally, Nikolai Knyzhov turned protection into offense as he created turnovers and moved the puck up the ice.
The Wolf Pack have an excellent protection and the nice play from the unit was on full show within the Dec. 6 win. The workforce needed to name up each McCarthy and Christian Berger but Connor Mackey was the one who stood out as he compelled a number of turnovers and broke up a rush probability with a poke test. The protection is sweet and may play at each ends of the ice, a key for any AHL workforce, however they aren’t pretty much as good because the Penguins, a workforce that constantly defends nicely and strikes the puck up the ice to arrange the offense.
Why the Wolf Pack Are Constructed For Success
The Wolf Pack are in fifth place within the division with a 10-9-2-1 report and a middle-of-the-pack workforce in the meanwhile however have the items to be higher than that. They will depend on Dylan Garand within the web if wanted, the goaltending prospect who’s having a considerably higher season than Louis Domingue. Garand has a .917 save share (SV%) and a 2.42 goals-against common (GAA) on 324 photographs whereas Domingue, the starter within the 6-2 defeat, has a .881 SV% and a 3.80 GAA on 352 photographs.
The Wolf Pack requested Garand to begin consecutive video games this week and he delivered. On Dec. 4 in opposition to the Bridgeport Islanders, he stopped 31 of the 32 photographs in a 6-1 victory, and on Dec. 6 in opposition to the IceHogs, he put collectively a 24-save shutout. The Wolf Pack can lean on him late within the season and within the playoffs, when the video games matter extra.
The opposite plus for the Wolf Pack is that their fashion of hockey is constructed for the playoffs. They’ve the ahead unit that may forecheck and defend whereas making an affect in all three zones. The playoffs are when the video games decelerate and groups must win with bodily play. “We’re teaching for the top of the 12 months,” Potulny famous after the loss to the Penguins and it’s mirrored on this workforce’s play. They could lose a recreation or two within the winter months however it’ll assist them afterward within the season, as Potulny talked about, “You need to win the video games in April or Might,” which is when the Calder Cup Playoffs start.
Together with the fashion of hockey, the Wolf Pack have elite scoring that may carry them later within the season. Berard shall be again within the lineup and so will Othmann. Each skaters gained’t play for the workforce within the coming weeks however they are going to make an affect within the playoffs as they will take the offense up a notch.
The Wolf Pack aren’t pretty much as good because the Penguins and by the top of the season, they gained’t be close to them within the standings. Nonetheless, if the 2 meet in a playoff sequence, the Wolf Pack can go toe-to-toe with them, even when the latest recreation suggests in any other case.
Join our NHL Prospects & Draft Substack publication
