Packing It In
It has become a little bit of a Hartford tradition under the tenure of Rangers General Manager Glen Sather…out with the old and in with the new, and this off-season is certainly no different. While Neil Smith was loyal to a handful of veteran players, Sather has preferred instead to use the Pack as a testing ground for almost anyone and everyone. The AHL club’s ability to succeed was further put to the test last year with an inordinate number of injuries, call-ups and trades that lead to an impressive total of 18 players dressing on the blueline during the year, including veteran forward and Hartford captain, Ken Gernander.
Although things are expected to be a little calmer this year, there has still been a significant number of moves this off-season that look to shape the team as the summer winds down. Gone are veteran forwards Nils Ekman (trade), Roman Lyashenko (passed away), Dixon Ward (free agent) and John Tripp (free agent), who together accounted for 102 of the team’s 255 total goals scored. Another 59 goals were scored by players who were either moved during last season or have left since the disappointing first round exit in the playoffs.