2025 Hartford Wolf Pack Report Cards: Grant Potulny

This is the third and final part in my 2024-25 Wolf Pack report card series. Part one, focusing on the forwards, can be found here. Part two about the defense and goaltenders is available here.

Change is inevitable in the American Hockey League.

The primary goal of the AHL is to develop players for full-time NHL roles. In recent years, the Rangers have seen Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe, and Adam Edström graduate from the AHL and carve out regular NHL roles. Others like Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, and Zac Jones have gotten their share of NHL minutes as well. As a result, year-to-year turnover on the Wolf Pack roster, and by extension, any AHL roster, is high.

However, that development and turnover extends behind the bench as well. Entering the 2024-25 season, the Wolf Pack had their third different head coach in three years in the form of Grant Potulny. With a new coach comes a new system and new roles for players, all of which we're going to evaluate.

Let's take a look back on Potulny's first year behind the bench in Hartford.

It's been a whirlwind behind the Wolf Pack bench over the last couple years.

The Wolf Pack entered the 2023-24 season with Kris Knoblauch as their head coach for the fifth straight season. The previous season, Knoblauch led the Wolf Pack back to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015. His crew went on a Cinderella run to the Atlantic Division Finals before being eliminated at the hands of the Hershey Bears.

After the Rangers fired Gerard Gallant following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, Knoblauch was seen as a potential successor in New York. However, he was passed over in favor of veteran bench boss Peter Laviolette. As a result, Knoblauch remained in Hartford, and he had his team off to a torrid 7-3-0-1 start through eleven games.

That's when the Edmonton Oilers came calling.

Just hours after a home loss to the Providence Bruins, Knoblauch was hired by Edmonton following the firing of Jay Woodcroft.

The Wolf Pack quickly pivoted, naming longtime NHL defenseman (and coincidentally, former Oiler) Steve Smith as their interim head coach. Smith led the Wolf Pack through another successful season and another run to the Atlantic Division Finals, where they again ran into the Hershey buzzsaw. At a press conference following the conclusion of the season, Smith was noncommittal about a return. As a result, the Wolf Pack began their search for a new head coach.

In comes Potulny.

The former head coach at Northern Michigan University was hired as the eighth head coach in Wolf Pack history in late June. It's the first opportunity at the professional level for Potulny, himself a veteran of 297 AHL games. Potulny also worked with Wolf Pack general manager Ryan Martin on multiple United States teams at the World Junior Championships. It was clear - the Wolf Pack had their man.

Alright, so you know how Potulny landed in the Connecticut capital. But how did his inaugural season behind the Wolf Pack bench actually fare? The results are a mixed bag.

Let's start with the good. Potulny brought a sense of stability to the lineup that wasn't there in previous seasons. Players would have regular linemates and pairings, allowing them to develop better chemistry. In previous seasons, lines would change on a game-to-game and even period-to-period basis. While the AHL is an ever-changing league, the Wolf Pack took it to the extreme. Potulny brought that back to reasonable levels.

Potulny also had a knack for finding lines or pairings that worked well. For example, he elevated Nathan Sucese to the top-line center position after an injury to Bo Groulx. The move paid off, with Sucese complimenting the games of his wingers, Alex Belzile and Anton Blidh. The trio formed the Wolf Pack's most effective line down the stretch.

Similarly, Potulny skated Matthew Robertson next to Chad Ruhwedel on the Wolf Pack's top defensive pair. Ruhwedel's calm, steady presence on the ice allowed Robertson to jump in offensively, and the former second-round pick posted a career-best season.

Furthermore, Potulny excelled at giving young players opportunities when they earned them. Dylan Roobroeck entered the season playing in a fourth-line center role and rarely seeing special teams time. By the end of the year, Roobroeck was playing a top-six role and was a staple on special teams. Noah Laba and Jackson Dorrington joined the team on ATOs late in the season and immediately contributed in top roles. Dylan Garand took over the starter's crease and became Potulny's number one option between the pipes. It's encouraging to see a coach so willing to give his young guys an opportunity, especially at the AHL level.

While I liked a lot from Potulny this season, I do think he had some growing pains.

Early in the season, the Wolf Pack lost Brennan Othmann to injury and Brett Berard to recall. The two were Hartford's top two goal scorers the prior season, so losing both in a matter of weeks was a big blow. Potulny attempted to put other players in their spots in the lineup, hoping their production could be replaced. In hindsight, the right thing to do would've been to give more ice time to a line that was working instead of trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

Similarly, I think Potulny was a bit slow to shake up the lineup when it became clear one was needed. During the Wolf Pack's tough January stretch where they went 2-8-2-0, Potulny kept most lines and pairings the same, save for the occasional swap in the bottom-six. As a first year head coach, I think Potulny relied a lot on his veteran leadership to help man the ship. As a result, he kept them in their regular roles, even if the lineup needed a shakeup.

Over the course of the season, Potulny settled into the role and some of these early-season growing pains faded away. However, by that time, the Wolf Pack lineup had been decimated by injuries and callups, and they sat firmly on the outside looking in. They tried to make that final push for the playoffs, but just didn't have enough. With a more experienced roster and head coach next year, the Wolf Pack should have a bit more gas in the tank.

Overall, I think the Wolf Pack made a good decision hiring Potulny.

He's someone who clearly cares about player development. His stints at Northern Michigan and the USA Junior Team show that. At the AHL level, that's the type of coach you need.

He had some growing pains early in the season, but I think he's someone that can become a very good coach at the AHL level. He's a personable guy who has the background to succeed. Next season will be a real litmus test for Potulny and the Wolf Pack, but for this season, I give him a B+. I look forward to seeing Potulny and the Wolf Pack return in October as they aim to bounce back from a tough 2024-25 campaign.