#AbbotsfordHeat

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THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK ANNOUNCE 2022-23 LEADERSHIP GROUP

THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK ANNOUNCES 2022-23 LEADERSHIP GROUP HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack, proud members of the American Hockey League, announced today their leadership group for the 2022-23 season. Forward Jonny Brodzinski will serve as captain of the Wolf Pack for the second consecutive season, while forwards Tanner Fritz and Turner Elson will serve as Alternate Captains. Brodzinski was named the 14th captain in Wolf Pack history on October 21st, 2021. In 36 games with the club during the 2021-22 season, Brodzinski scored 39 points (18 g, 21 a) and set a franchise record for scoring goals in nine consecutive games. He also skated in 22 NHL games with the New York Rangers, scoring a goal and an assist. The veteran of 250 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack, San Jose Barracuda, and Ontario Reign has scored 194 points (94 g, 100 a) during his time in the AHL. Fritz joined the Wolf Pack on September 15th, 2021, after spending the first six years of his career in the New York Islanders organization. In his first season with the Wolf Pack, Fritz appeared in 62 games and scored 36 points (13 g, 23 a). He wore an “A” with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during the 2020-21 season. The veteran of 260 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack and Sound Tigers has scored 171 points (59 g, 112 a) during his time in the AHL. Elson inked a two-year contract with the New York Rangers on July 14th, 2022. He spent the last five seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, scoring a career-high 45 points (21 g, 24 a) a season ago in 73 games. Elson also skated in two games with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings during the 2021-22 season. Elson wore the “A” for the Griffins in the last five seasons, an honor he also previously held with the Stockton Heat for one season (2015-16). The veteran of 469 career AHL games with the Abbotsford Heat, Adirondack Flames, Stockton Heat, San Antonio Rampage, and Griffins has scored 210 points (95 g, 115 a) during his time in the AHL. The Wolf Pack open the 2022-23 season this Friday night when they visit the Charlotte Checkers at 7:00 p.m. The club hosts its home opener on Saturday, October 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. when the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins come to town. To run with the Pack during the 2022-23 season, visit hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets for information on ticket packages and to purchase single-game tickets. About OVG360: OVG360, a division of Oak View Group, is a full-service venue management and hospitality company that helps client partners reimagine the sports, live entertainment, and convention industries for the betterment of the venue, employees, artists, athletes, and surrounding communities. With a portfolio of more than 200 client partners spanning arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe, OVG360 provides services, resources, and expertise designed to elevate every aspect of business that matters to venue operators. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health, public safety, and more. ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and plays at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers' newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

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THOMAS: RANGERS SIGN RUESCHHOFF, ELSON, WELINSKI, DOMINGUE & ACQUIRE EMBERSON

BY: Alex Thomas, Hartford Wolf Pack HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forwards Austin Rueschhoff and Turner Elson, as well as defenseman Andy Welinski, on one-year contracts. In addition, the Rangers announced last week that they agreed to terms with goaltender Louis Domingue on a two-year contract and acquired defenseman Ty Emberson from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for defenseman Patrik Nemeth, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and a future conditional pick. EMBERSON Emberson, 22, skated in 58 games for the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL during the 2021-22 season, scoring eleven points (4 g, 7 a). During the 2020-21 season, Emberson appeared in five games with the Roadrunners, scoring one goal. Before his professional career, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, native played three seasons at the University of Wisconsin. While with the Badgers, Emberson dressed in 101 career games and scored 34 points (9 g, 25 a). Emberson also served as team captain during his junior season of 2020-21. In addition, the 6’1”, 195-pound defenseman was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention following the 2020-21 season, a campaign in which he was also named to the Big Ten’s All-Tournament Team. Internationally, Emberson has represented the United States in several tournaments, including the 2020 World Junior Championship. DOMINGUE Domingue, 30, appeared in 22 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL during the 2021-22 season, posting a record of 10-9-4 with a .924 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average. Domingue also played in two games with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL during the regular season, posting a 1-1-0 record with a .952 save percentage. The 6’3”, 209-pound goaltender also took part in six Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Penguins this spring, going 3-3. The St-Hyacinthe, Quebec native, is a veteran of 125 AHL games, with a career record of 56-49-13, a .907 save percentage, 2.83 goals-against average, and five shutouts. Domingue has also played in five career Calder Cup Playoff games. A fifth-round pick (138th overall) by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Domingue has appeared in 142 career NHL games with a record of 59-60-10. WELINSKI Welinski, 29, skated in 39 games for the Stockton Heat of the AHL during the 2021-22 campaign, scoring 19 points (3 g, 16 a). He also appeared in the club's 13 Calder Cup Playoff games, scoring one goal and five assists. The Duluth, Minnesota native has played 230 career AHL games with the Heat, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and San Diego Gulls. Over his seven seasons in the league, Welinski has scored 123 points (35 g, 88 a). The 6’1”, 200-pound defenseman was named to the AHL All-Star Game during the 2017-18 season when he scored a career-high 34 points (10 g, 24 a) in 51 games with the Gulls. A third-round pick (83rd overall) by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Welinski has appeared in 46 career NHL games with the Ducks. Before his professional career, Welinski played four seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He served as team captain during the 2015-16 campaign and was named an NCHC Second Team All-Star twice. Welinski skated in 154 games with the Bulldogs and scored 77 points (24 g, 53 a). RUESCHHOFF Rueschhoff, 24, skated in 59 games with the Wolf Pack during the 2021-22 season, scoring 24 points (14 g, 10 a). The native of Wentzville, Missouri, finished sixth on the club in goals and 11th in points. The 6’7”, 230-pound forward set a career-high with goals in four straight games from January 12th through the 19th. He scored six goals in that span. Initially signed by the Rangers as a college free agent on March 20th, 2020, Rueschhoff has spent two seasons with the Wolf Pack. He has appeared in 82 games throughout those two campaigns and scored 32 points (18 g, 14 a). Before turning pro, Rueschhoff played three seasons with Western Michigan University, scoring 70 points (35 g, 35 a) in 105 career games. ELSON Elson, 29, appeared in 73 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL during the 2021-22 season. He set new career-highs in goals (21), assists (24), and points (45) for the Griffins, who he served as an alternate captain for. Elson finished tied for second on the team in goals, fourth in points, and tied for fourth in assists. The 6’, 191-pound forward has played eleven seasons in the AHL, skating in 469 career games with the Griffins, Abbotsford Heat, Adirondack Flames, Stockton Heat, and San Antonio Rampage. He has scored 210 points (95 g, 115 a) and has a plus-29 rating in his career. In addition to his time in the AHL, Elson won the ECHL’s Kelly Cup as a member of the Alaska Aces in 2014. He scored eleven points (7 g, 4 a) in 21 playoff games for the Aces that spring. Elson has also skated in three NHL games, including two this past season, as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. The New Westminster, British Columbia native, made his NHL debut with the Calgary Flames on April 9th, 2016. He recorded his first career NHL point, an assist, against the Minnesota Wild that night. HARTFORD WOLF PACK HOME Read the full article

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KEELEY: MARINERS EXTEND, PROMOTE RILEY ARMSTRONG

Armstrong earns a two-year extension, expanded role BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners  PORTLAND, ME – August 28, 2019 – Mariners Vice President of Operations Danny Briere announced today that Head Coach Riley Armstrong has received a two-year contract extension through the 2021-22 season and has also been promoted to the title of Head Coach/Assistant General Manager. Armstrong, in his first season as an ECHL head coach, led the Mariners to a 37-32-2-1 record in 2018-19. “We are excited to extend Riley for two more years as he’s shown a lot of promise leading an expansion team to within two points of a playoff spot last season,” said Briere. “He has also gone above and beyond his role as a head coach and we feel he has earned the title of Assistant General Manager for his work off the ice as well.” Armstrong, 34, was announced as the franchise’s first head coach in February of 2018, departing from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers where he served as an assistant coach. He joined Wheeling in 2016, immediately following retirement from his playing career and spent almost two full seasons on the Nailers staff before accepting the head coaching job in Maine. His initial contract took him through the end of the 2019-20 season, and now he has welcomed stability for himself and his family. “As a player and then early on my coaching career, we had a couple of moves that we made as a family so now it kind of takes a load off the shoulders a little bit,” said Armstrong. “My kids don’t mind the moving part of what I do for a living, but at the same time for myself, it’s nice that they’re going to be in a school for a long period of time. And also just being in Portland, we’ve made some friends around town now, I feel really comfortable here.” A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Armstrong’s playing career spanned 12 seasons and took him all over the globe. He spent the majority of his career with the San Jose Sharks top affiliate – first in Cleveland, Ohio and then in Worcester, Massachusetts. In the 2008-09 season, Armstrong made his NHL debut with San Jose. He left the Sharks organization the following season, but stayed in the AHL, playing for the Abbotsford Heat and Grand Rapids Griffins. He then played overseas in Germany, Finland, Sweden, and Kazakhstan. Before his career was over, Armstrong had ECHL stints with the Utah Grizzlies, Elmira Jackals, and Reading Royals – the team with which he finished. Armstrong says the addition of Assistant General Manager to his title is a key step in a journey toward NHL coaching dreams. “It’s something that is good for my resume that I can add to it to keep climbing the ladder in this hockey world,” he said. “Everybody wants to move up to the American League and hopefully to the National League one day, and that’s the path I want to take too.” After a 0-3 start to their inaugural season, Armstrong’s Mariners went 16-7-0-1 through the months of November and December of 2018, putting them in a playoff position at the holiday break. Despite a downturn in January, they rebounded with a 14-9-2-0 mark through February and March. Only a poorly timed five-game losing streak in the season’s final weeks kept them from qualifying for the postseason, missing out by just two points. Armstrong’s Mariners were the only team in the ECHL in 2018-19 to miss the playoffs with an above .500 win percentage. Heading into season two, Armstrong’s outlook is optimistic. The current roster contains 16 names of players under contract, not including re-enforcements from the New York Rangers and Hartford Wolf Pack. “To build the team wasn’t the hardest part,” said Armstrong. “There were a lot of guys that wanted to come back, so for us, it was picking the guys that we wanted back. Hartford has helped out a ton, it’s been great building that relationship. I think we’re going to have a really strong team this year. I think we’re going to have chemistry right off the bat that we lacked last year off the start.” Armstrong and recently signed forward Ted Hart, of Cumberland, will appear on an off-season edition of the Mariners Coach’s Show next Thursday, September 5th from 6-7 PM. The show will broadcast live from Three Dollar Deweys (241 Commercial St. in Portland) and will stream on the Mariners Radio Network via Mixlr as well as Facebook Live. Fans who attend the show at Three Dollar Deweys and ask a question on air will be entered to win a “Benchwarmers” experience during a 2019-20 regular-season game – watching warmups from the player’s bench. The second season of Maine Mariners ECHL hockey kicks off October 11th at home when the Adirondack Thunder visit the Cross Insurance Arena for a 7:15 PM faceoff. Full and half-season plans along with 12-game mini-plans, flex packs, and group tickets are on sale now by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. Single-game tickets will go on sale September 16th, with a special “Opening Night Pack” available now through September 13th. More information is available at MarinersOfMaine.com. Read the full article