Five Wolf Pack Alumni on World Cup of Hockey Rosters
Mar 3, 2016The Wolf Pack was well represented on the preliminary World Cup of Hockey rosters announced yesterday.
Five former Wolf Pack players were named to World Cup rosters, for five different teams. Those names include: Lauri Korpikoski (Team Finland), Artem Anisimov (Team Russia), J.T. Miller (Team North America), Mats Zuccarello (Team Europe) and Ryan McDonagh of Team USA.
Of those five individuals, Korpikoski had the longest Wolf Pack tenure, skating in 166 games for the Pack between 2005-06 and 2008-09. A first-round pick (19th overall) by the parent New York Rangers in 2004, Korpikoski’s best season with the Wolf Pack was 2007-08, when he finished fourth on the club in points, and tied for third in goals, with 23-27-50 in 79 games.
Anisimov, a second-round (54th overall) Ranger selection in 2006, spent his first two North American pro seasons, 2007-08 and 2008-09, with the Wolf Pack, striking for a total of 53 goals and 71 assists for 124 points in 154 games. Anisimov led the 2008-09 Wolf Pack in points and assists, and finished fourth overall in the AHL in goals and fifth in points, with 37-44-81 in 80 games.
Miller, a fourth-year pro and a 2011 first-round (15th overall) Ranger draftee, played parts of his first three pro seasons with the Wolf Pack/Whale, totaling 101 games. The East Palestine, OH native tied for third on the 2013-14 Wolf Pack club in points, with 15-28-43, despite appearing in only 41 of the team’s 76 games. All told in his Wolf Pack/Whale career, Miller amassed 29 goals and 51 assists for 80 points.
Zuccarello, currently the Rangers’ point-scoring leader with 21-26-47 in 63 games, split his first two North American pro seasons, 2010-11 and 2011-12, between the Rangers and the Wolf Pack/Whale. The Norwegian import averaged nearly a point-per-game in a Wolf Pack/Whale uniform, registering 25 goals and 40 assists for 65 points in 73 AHL games.
McDonagh, who is in his second season as the Rangers’ captain, and is in his sixth full campaign with the organization, started his pro career with 38 games with the Wolf Pack in 2010-11. The former University of Wisconsin Badger scored one goal and added seven assists for eight points, and served 12 minutes in penalties, with the Wolf Pack/Whale before being summoned by the parent club January 3 and becoming a full-time Ranger.
The eight-team World Cup of Hockey tournament begins September 17.
The next action for the Wolf Pack is a home game at the XL Center this Sunday, March 6, vs. the Pack’s in-state rivals the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. That game features a special faceoff time of 1:00, and it’s “Anti-Bullying Day”. All fans who have taken the Wolf Pack’s anti-bullying pledge will receive a free anti-bullying t-shirt at the game. Also, fans can take advantage of the Wolf Pack’s “Click It or Ticket Family Value Pack”. The Family Value Pack includes two tickets, two sodas and two hot dogs, all for just $35.
Tickets for all remaining 2015-16 Wolf Pack home games are on sale now at the Agera Energy Ticket Office at the XL Center, on-line at www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499. Tickets purchased in advance for kids 12 or younger have been reduced to $10 this season, and all tickets will have a $2 day-of-game increase.
To speak with a Wolf Pack representative about season or group tickets, or any of the Wolf Pack’s many ticketing options, call (855) 762-6451.