HARTFORD, Conn. — In a year where Connecticut sports have shined like a gleaming trophy, the Hartford Wolf Pack are just another bright spot as they've clinched the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015.
That seven-year drought was the longest active in the American Hockey League. That year they took down the Providence Bruins to get to the Eastern Conference Finals but eventually lost to the Manchester Monarchs.
Now looking ahead to their upcoming playoff appearance, the Pack come in red hot. They've won eight of their last nine games, vaulting them from seventh place in the Atlantic Division into a playoff spot.
Playoff Path:
Round 1: Springfield Thunderbirds
Their matchup with the Thunderbirds will be an I-91 Rivalry’ in a best-of-three matchup. Hartford went 3-7-0-2 versus Springfield and they were shut out four times along the way. Even at home at the XL Center, Hartford struggled as they went 2-3-0-1. They'll need to overcome what seems to be their biggest test if they want to go far.
- Game 1: Wednesday, April 19, @ Springfield (MassMutual Center, 7:05 p.m.)
- Game 2: Friday, April 21, @ Hartford (XL Center, 7:05 p.m.)
- Game 3*: Saturday, April 22nd, @ Springfield (MassMutual Center, 7:05 p.m.)
*If necessary.
Division Semifinals: Hershey Bears
If the Wolf Pack win, they'd face the #2 seed Hershey Bears in a best-of-five Division Semifinals. In the regular season, Hartford went 2-4 against Hershey.
Division Finals and Onward:
After that point the pathway is unclear. The #1 seed Providence Bruins may await them in a best-of-five Division Finals or it could be the Charlotte Checkers/Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
There are two more rounds following that point in the best-of-seven conference Finals and the coveted best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals.
Players to Watch:
Forward Tim Gettinger is set to play his first Calder Cup Playoff games. Gettinger has played 235 career AHL games, all with the Wolf Pack. Earlier this season, he became the 25th player to play 200 games with the club in franchise history. He ranks 14th all-time in games played with the Wolf Pack.
Forward Tanner Fritz is in his second season with the Wolf Pack and has set a career-high in points with 43 (10 goals, 33 assists). His 33 assists are also a new career high. Fritz has played 325 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack and Bridgeport Islanders but has only suited up in three career playoff games. These will be his first Calder Cup Playoff games since 2016 with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at the time.
Defenseman Adam Clendening has played over 600 career pro games in both the NHL and the AHL and brings ample playoff experience to the table. He led the AHL in both assists (13) and points (14) by a defenseman during the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs as a member of the Rockford Ice Hogs. He has appeared in 36 career playoff games and scored 22 points (4 goals, 18 assists). Clendening was acquired from Rockford on February 28th via trade in exchange for forward Zach Jordan.
Forward Jonny Brodzinski was named the AHL’s ‘Player of the Month’ for the month of March after scoring 20 points (11 goals, 9 assists) in just eleven games. He was the second player in Wolf Pack history to win the award, joining forward Corey Locke (November 2009). Brodzinski, in his second season as captain of the Wolf Pack, leads the team in points with 48 (21 goals, 27 assists) in just 46 games. He’s also scored one goal and one assist in 17 NHL games with the Rangers this season.
Rookie forward Will Cuylle leads the Wolf Pack in goals with 25 this season. He played for former Wolf Pack forward Marc Savard during his junior career with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Windsor Spitfires. Cuylle made his NHL debut earlier this season in his hometown of Toronto. He was the Ranger's second-round pick (60th overall) in 2020.
Defenseman Zac Jones is no stranger to big moments. The Rangers’ third-round pick (68th overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft won a National Championship at UMass in 2021. He has scored 31 points (8 goals, 23 assists) in 52 games this season, his second as a pro. Jones has also scored a goal and an assist in 16 NHL games with the Rangers. Jones and current Wolf Pack forward Bobby Trivigno won the National Championship together at UMass.
Storylines:
The Wolf Pack have emerged as one of the best five-on-five teams in the American Hockey League during the final 40 games of the season. After a 2-1 shootout loss in game 30 against the Thunderbirds, the Wolf Pack found themselves with a record of 11-13-1-5. Since then, the Pack have gone 23-12-3-2 and clinched a playoff berth.
A big part of that was a seven-game winning streak, which is still ongoing. The Wolf Pack started the streak with a convincing 5-1 victory in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton over the Penguins on March 26th. Since then, they’ve also defeated the Bruins and Bridgeport Islanders twice, the North Division Champion Toronto Marlies, and the Phantoms.
In a six-day span from February 25 to March 3 leading up to the trade deadline, Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin helped deal seven different NHL and AHL trades. The Wolf Pack added defensemen Adam Clendening and Wyatt Kalynuk, and forward Will Lockwood and Anton Blidh.
Lockwood has scored a career-best 17 goals this season, scoring five of them in 15 games with the Wolf Pack. In fact, he has scored 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) in 15 games with Hartford. Blidh, a feisty forward who made a name for himself in the Bruins organization, has scored eleven points (7 goals, 4 assists) in 15 games with Hartford.
Tickets:
The Pack will have three different ticket options during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. These options include a Playoff Strip, Group Tickets, and Individual Tickets.
Playoff Strip pricing will increase starting on Monday, April 17. There will also be a $3 fee for all individual tickets purchased on the day of the game. Individual tickets will go on sale on Monday, April 17.
For full information on what the Wolf Pack offers for the playoffs click here.
Daniel Dashefsky is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at ddashefsky@fox61.com.
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