2025 Hartford Wolf Pack Report Cards: Defense and Goalies

Welcome to part two of my 2024-25 Wolf Pack report card series. This time, we'll be handing out grades to defensemen and goaltenders. You can check out part one, focusing on the forwards, here.

Like part one, defensemen will still need ten games played to qualify for a grade. For goalies, we're cutting that in half to five. Players who fall below these thresholds will get a mention, but will automatically earn a grade of incomplete.

Onto the grades!

Casey Fitzgerald

2024-25 stats: 66 GP, 5 G, 16 A, 21 Pts, -8, 75 PIMs

After Jonny Brodzinski made the Rangers' Opening Night roster, the Wolf Pack were left without a captain. That void was filled on November 6th when Casey Fitzgerald became the 15th captain in Wolf Pack history.

Fitzgerald, who inked a two-year contract with the Rangers after leaving the Florida Panthers organization, posted a career-best five goals on the season and matched his career best in points with 21. His first Wolf Pack goal was a key one, tying their opening contest against Lehigh Valley with just over a minute to play.

Overall, I thought Fitzgerald had a solid first year in Hartford. You could really tell that he took being captain of the team to heart and raved about the community, which you can read more about in my season recap.

Fitzgerald was a steady presence on the Wolf Pack blueline and a key leader in the locker room. We'll give him a B for his first season in the Connecticut capital.

Connor Mackey

2024-25 stats: 66 GP, 6 G, 18 A, 24 Pts, EV, 102 PIMs

Fresh off a two-year extension with the Rangers, Connor Mackey played a key role on the Wolf Pack blueline during his second season with the team. Mackey tallied a career-best six goals while more than doubling his point total from last year. He also got the opportunity to play power play minutes, often quarterbacking Hartford's second unit.

The Wolf Pack had a young defensive group that was constantly changing thanks to recalls and trades. They were quite thankful to have a guy like Mackey, who posted good numbers while playing big minutes. He'll once again be a key part of the Wolf Pack's defensive core next season, but this year, Mackey earns a B+ for a good campaign.

Brandon Scanlin

2024-25 stats: 66 GP, 8 G, 6 A, 14 Pts, -13, 30 PIMs

Finishing off the three-way tie for most games played by a defenseman, Brandon Scanlin returned to Hartford after a breakout campaign in 2023-24. The undrafted free agent out of Nebraska-Omaha notched eight goals this year, the most by a Wolf Pack defenseman.

While Scanlin's scoring touch was on display this season, he lacked in other areas. Once a steady, stay-at-home defenseman, Scanlin saw his plus/minus drop from +4 last year to -13 this year. I've made it known that I'm not a huge fan of the stat, but it's a noticeable drop for a a player with a defense-first reputation.

Scanlin will have a chance to improve that rating next year. For this year, we'll give him a C+.

Matthew Robertson

2024-25 stats: 60 GP, 1 G, 24 A, 25 Pts, -5, 55 PIMs

Matthew Robertson is one of the Wolf Pack's success stories this season. After a tough 2023-24 season, Robertson bounced back, posting career highs in both assists and points. Robertson was the Wolf Pack's go-to power play quarterback for most of the year. The improved play earned Robertson his first NHL game on April 14th after playing in 260 combined regular season and playoff games for the Wolf Pack over four seasons.

It's been a long journey to the NHL for the 2019 second rounder (#49), but Robertson earned his callup. I was impressed with him this season, and I hope he can build on it and cement himself as an NHL option. Robertson earns a B+ for this season's grade.

Chad Ruhwedel

2024-25 stats: 50 GP, 3 G, 15 A, 18 Pts, +12, 42 PIMs

When a longtime NHL veteran is waived and assigned to the AHL, their tenure can go one of two ways. They can mail it in and play out their contract, or they can play good hockey in hopes of earning another NHL look.

Chad Ruhwedel did the latter. After being assigned to Hartford in late October, Ruhwedel immediately became a crucial component of the Wolf Pack's blue line. A sound defensive presence, Ruhwedel's +12 plus/minus led all skaters. Offensively, Ruhwedel tallied a solid 18 points on the season, including some key moments.

Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny described Ruhwedel as "a calming presence" on the ice, and I have to agree. Ruhwedel constantly provided great hockey, with his mistakes few and far between. You can't ask for much more out of a guy playing his first AHL games in six years. Ruhwedel earns an A+ from me.

Blake Hillman

2024-25 stats: 50 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts, +7, 12 PIMs

Those of you who don't regularly watch AHL games may not fully understand just how important AHL-contracted veterans are to their teams. They provide steady play and are fantastic locker room guys. That perfectly describes Blake Hillman.

After spending the first few years of his pro career bouncing from team to team, Hillman's carved out a role for himself in the Connecticut capital. He lined up at both defense and winger this year, providing quality play in both roles. The veteran even got to have a moment in the spotlight, scoring a shootout goal in the seventh round to help seal a win over Springfield.

Hillman signed a one-year contract extension with the Wolf Pack in April, guaranteeing that he'll be back with more steady play next season. For this year, Hillman earns an A for a grade.

Ben Harpur

2024-25 stats: 29 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 Pts, -4, 48 PIMs

Ben Harpur entered the 2024-25 season as the elder statesman on the Wolf Pack blue line. After missing most of the previous campaign with an injury, Harpur aimed to return to form this year. He started off by showcasing his signature toughness and physicality.

However, much like last year, Harpur's campaign came to a premature end. The veteran defenseman suffered an upper-body injury in January and did not return to the ice. It's an unfortunate end to Harpur's tenure in the Connecticut capital.

The Wolf Pack were counting on Harpur returning to form this year, but ultimately had to rely on other options on defense. We'll give Harpur a D for this season's grade.

Victor Mancini

2024-25 stats: 23 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 Pts, -7, 12 PIMs

I've spent the last three seasons involved with the Wolf Pack organization in some fashion. In those three years, no player was a faster riser than Victor Mancini.

Mancini burst onto the scene in Hartford last season, quickly becoming the Wolf Pack's top defensive option. A strong training camp helped him crack the Rangers' opening night roster, becoming the first former Wolf Pack player to make his NHL debut this year.

Mancini was eventually pushed back to the Connecticut capital to get more playing time, where he reassumed his place on Hartford's top defensive pairing. However, Mancini's time with the Wolf Pack was cut short. On January 31st, Mancini, along with Rangers forward Filip Chytil and a conditional first-round pick, was traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a package centered around forward J.T. Miller.

Mancini was certainly missed in the Connecticut capital after the deal. For his time in Hartford this year, we'll give Mancini a B+. I'm rooting for him to succeed in Vancouver!

Case McCarthy

2024-25 stats: 16 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 Pts, +1, 2 PIMs

In his first full season as a pro, Case McCarthy spent most of the season as the Wolf Pack's seventh defenseman and first man up from ECHL Bloomington. McCarthy appeared in 16 games for the Wolf Pack, collecting his first AHL assist and point in the process.

For a guy who often found himself in a plug-and-play role, I thought McCarthy looked really good this season. With a bit more development, I can see him turning into a legit piece at the AHL level. For this year's performance, I'm giving McCarthy a C+.

Jackson Dorrington

2024-25 stats: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 Pts, +1, 12 PIMs

I'm making one exception to the 10-game minimum, and for good reason. Jackson Dorrington, acquired from Vancouver in the Miller-Chytil trade, turned pro in late March. He reported to Hartford on an amateur tryout agreement and immediately drew into the lineup. Over nine games, Dorrington registered a pair of points, including his first pro goal.

Dorrington is in an interesting place. He's the only true defensive prospect that the Rangers have under contract for the upcoming season. Others like Drew Fortescue and E.J. Emery are at least a year away, while guys like Scanlin and Mackey are too old to be considered prospects. Dorrington is a guy that Rangers fans should pay a lot of attention to next year, but for his brief stint this year, I'm giving Dorrington a B+.

Dylan Garand

2024-25 stats: 39 GP, 20-10-8, 2.73 GAA, .913 SV%, 3 SO

There's no shortage of good things I can say about Dylan Garand this year.

The third-year goaltender was the Wolf Pack's MVP this season, posting career numbers across the board. Garand hit the 20 win mark for the first time in his career and became the first Wolf Pack goaltender to record back-to-back shutouts since David LeNeveu in 2013-14.

Garand also earned a pair of honors this year. Garand represented the Wolf Pack at the 2025 AHL All-Star Game and was named AHL Goaltender of the Month for December. He's the first Wolf Pack goalie to earn that honor since Igor Shesterkin in October 2019.

I could go on and on about Garand's performance this year, but the best way to sum it up is like this - he was the team's best player every time he stepped onto the ice. Garand earns an A+ for a phenomenal campaign.

Louis Domingue

2024-25 stats: 28 GP, 7-20-1, 3.32 GAA, .896 SV%, 2 A

The numbers don't look pretty, but overall I think Louis Domingue had a decent season.

Domingue had some struggles early in the season, but down the stretch, he simply didn't get much help. In a three-month stretch from mid-December to mid-March, Domingue had just three games where he let up more than three goals. Those are winnable games, but the Wolf Pack often found themselves on the losing side of them.

That's not to say it was all bad. Domingue earned his 100th career AHL victory on February 8th, making 31 saves in a 4-2 win over Lehigh Valley.

Was it a step back for Domingue this year? Yes. But overall, Domingue played better than his numbers suggest. I'm giving him a B- for a grade.

Talyn Boyko

2024-25 stats: 5 GP, 2-2-0, 2.61 GAA, .917 SV%, 1 SO, 1 A

Talyn Boyko is the only other Wolf Pack goaltender to appear in at least five games. He made his first AHL start on New Year's Eve and put on an amazing performance, notching a 32-save shutout and an assist in a 7-0 drubbing of Springfield.

I thought Boyko was really good in his limited action this season. I could see him getting a longer look at the AHL level next year, but for this season, I'm giving Boyko a B.

Incompletes

The following players did not meet the 10-game threshold to receive a letter grade and have automatically received a grade of incomplete. However, we'll still mention them here!

Ryan Siedem

2024-25 stats: 7 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 Pts, -1, 2 PIMs

First-year pro Ryan Siedem played a depth role for the Wolf Pack this season. He appeared in seven games and notched his first AHL point, an assist, on October 19th.

I thought Siedem looked decent in his limited action. He's under contract for next season, where he's expected to play a similar role.

Erik Brännström

2024-25 stats: 6 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 Pts, +2, 2 PIMs

The final piece acquired in the Miller-Chytil swap with Vancouver, Erik Brännström immediately filled a needed role for the Wolf Pack. The puck-moving blueliner excelled at getting pucks out of the zone and starting the rush, something the Wolf Pack struggled with at times this season. Brännström also showcased a scoring touch, with four points through six games.

However, Brännström's time in Hartford would be cut short. A check to the head caused Brännström to hit the injured list. Shortly after his return to the ice, he was traded to Buffalo for Nicolas Aubé-Kubel.

Zac Jones

2024-25 stats: 2 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 Pts, -1, 0 PIMs

Your eyes are not deceiving you - Zac Jones played AHL games this year. Man, it has been a long season.

The Rangers sent Jones to the Connecticut capital on a conditioning loan in late February after being a healthy scratch for nearly six weeks. Jones played two games for the Wolf Pack, scoring in one, before returning to New York.

It was nice to see Jones back in Hartford, even for a brief stint. He was a key piece of the Wolf Pack's fun Calder Cup Playoff run back in 2023, and I'm rooting for him no matter where he ends up next.

Carter Berger

2024-25 stats: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts, -1, 0M PIMs

Carter Berger, signed to a one-year AHL contract out of Western Michigan, spent most of the year in ECHL Bloomington. He was a key piece for the Bison with 33 points in 67 games.

Berger drew in for his AHL debut on February 19th, where he recorded no points and was a -1.

Christian Berger

2024-25 stats: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts, EV, 0 PIMs

Despite the similar name, Christian Berger has no relation to Carter (that I can find) beyond the fact that both defensemen played one game for the Wolf Pack this season. Berger actually signed a PTO out of ECHL Maine before suiting up for the Wolf Pack, and actually didn't make it to the arena on time for warmups. However, he drew right in and played a decent game before being released from said PTO. He doesn't qualify for a grade, but that effort earns an honorary A.

Griffin Luce

2024-25 stats: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 Pts, -1, 0 PIMs

Griffin Luce attended Wolf Pack training camp before appearing in one game on a PTO. He was a -1 in said game before returning to ECHL Worcester.

Callum Tung

2024-25 stats: 2 GP, 1-1-0, 2.28 GAA, .893 SV%

Signed to an entry-level contract as an undrafted free agent out of UConn, Callum Tung appeared in a pair of games for the Wolf Pack this season. He suffered an injury in the second game, but was ultimately awarded the win. Tung impressed in the preview and aims to make a recovery for next season.

Hugo Ollas

2024-25 stats: 0 GP, 0-0-0, 0.00 GAA, .000 SV%

Hugo Ollas did not appear in a game for the Wolf Pack this season, but did make a few appearances on the bench as a backup. In the ECHL this year, Ollas split the season between Bloomington and Worcester.