HARTFORD WOLF PACK MAKE CHANGES TO TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

Oct 8, 2021

HARTFORD, CT – The Hartford Wolf Pack announced numerous changes to the club’s Training Camp roster on Friday morning ahead of the team’s preseason contest against the Bridgeport Islanders.

On Thursday afternoon, the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) assigned D Zac Jones to the club.

Jones, 20, joins the Wolf Pack after a whirlwind 2020-21 season that saw him win a National Championship in the NCAA and make his NHL debut. Jones, a sophomore, appeared in 29 games with the University of Massachusetts Minutemen, scoring 24 points (9 g, 15 a), registering eight penalty minutes, and finishing with a +/- rating of +17. Jones’ 24 points was good for fourth on the team and led all defensemen on the Minutemen in scoring.

Selected in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (68^th overall), Jones also represented the United States at the IIHF Men’s World Championship in Latvia and Belarus this past spring. In ten games for the Americans, Jones scored three assists.

The Wolf Pack have also signed F Cedric Lacroix to a PTO. Lacroix, 26, appeared in 26 ECHL games with the Indy Fuel in 2020-21, scoring six points (5 g, 1 a) and collecting 58 penalty minutes. The Shefford, Quebec, native has appeared in 13 career AHL games over the span of three seasons with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Charlotte Checkers, and Bridgeport Islanders.

The Rangers have reassigned F Jake Elmer to the club’s ECHL affiliate, the Jacksonville Icemen, while the Wolf Pack have loaned D Zach Berzolla and G François Brassard to the Icemen. All three will report to Jacksonville for the club’s Training Camp. In addition, the club has released seven players from their professional tryout agreements (PTO).

G Charles Williams, D Brandon Fortunato, D Victor Hadfield, D Chris Martenet, F Chris Brown, F Derek Lodermeier, and F Ara Nazarian have all been released and returned to their respective ECHL clubs.

Currently, there are 28 players in camp with the Wolf Pack. The club has 16 forwards, nine defensemen, and three goaltenders on the current roster.

Forwards: Jonny Brodzinski, Cristiano DiGiacinto, Tanner Fritz, Tim Gettinger, Anthony Greco, Brandon Hawkins, Patrick Khodorenko, Cedric Lacroix, Greg McKegg, Mike O’Leary, Lauri Pajuniemi, Justin Richards, Ty Ronning, Austin Rueschhoff, James Sanchez, Alex Whelan

Defensemen: Anthony Bitetto, Zach Giuttari, Blake Hillman, Zac Jones, Tarmo Reunanen, Matthew Robertson, Braden Schneider, Hunter Skinner, Jeff Taylor

Goaltenders: Adam Huska, Keith Kinkaid, Tyler Wall

The Wolf Pack begin their 25^th anniversary season on Friday, October 15^th, when they play host to the Bridgeport Islanders on opening night. Opening weekend concludes two days later on October 17^th when the Providence Bruins come to town.

Single game tickets for the 2021-22 Hartford Wolf Pack season are on-sale now! To secure your seats and join the fun for this milestone season, visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com.

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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 are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play 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.