Hartford Wolf Pack Three Stars of the Month—February

The 2025-26 season continues to fly by, and it is once again time to name the Hartford Wolf Pack's three stars of the month. We'll highlight the three best players from the month of February. You can view stars for previous months here:

• October
• November
• December
• January

The Wolf Pack played eight games in February, posting a record of 4-3-0-1. From these games, I've selected the three players that I think had the best overall performances of the month. Let's get into the three stars for February!

Third Star - Adam Sýkora, forward

February stats: 8 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 4 Pts, +3, 4 PIMs

In his third full season in North America, forward Adam Sýkora continues to get better. After a strong January (where he just barely missed being one of my stars of the month), Sýkora continued his impressive play into the second month of 2026. His three goals in the month was tied for the team lead, and his +3 plus/minus was tied for second best on the team.

Sýkora has always been a high-energy player. He's excelled at forechecking and penalty killing during his time in the Connecticut capital, making him a valuable asset even if the points weren't coming, and his consistent effort has long made him a player it's difficult to remove from the lineup.

"I think Adam is one of the most consistent guys we have," Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny told Blueshirt Banter after a 5-1 win over Providence on January 10th. "You always get the same effort from him. He's a very, very good penalty killer, he plays an honest game. Even at the end of the game, it's a 5-1 game, and he's laying out to block a shot. When guys like that get rewarded, you're really happy for him."

Sýkora has always been willing to do what is necessary for the team to win. If that's playing an energy role in the bottom six and killing penalties, he does it. If it's skating in the top six and opening up the ice for playmakers, he does it. It's part of what makes him so popular among teammates and fans alike.

Thanks to a myriad of recalls and injuries for Hartford throughout the season, Sýkora has gotten the opportunity to play up in the lineup. He's made the most of it, recording a new career-high in goals with 10 while also playing important special teams minutes for a Wolf Pack team that remains firmly in the playoff hunt.

"We are like family here," Sýkora told Blueshirt Banter following the January 10th contest. "[We're] just working together and getting better every day here. I'm really glad I'm part of this group."

Sýkora has become a key part of the Wolf Pack's chase to return to the Calder Cup Playoffs, and he's earned third star honors for the month.

Second Star - Trey Fix-Wolansky, forward

February stats: 8 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 Pts, +4, 21 PIMs

For the third month this season, Trey Fix-Wolansky earns star honors, and for good reason. The veteran winger led the Wolf Pack in points and plus/minus for the month, while being tied for the team lead in goals. It's the second straight month that Fix-Wolansky has been at the top of the leaderboards in both goals and points.

Fix-Wolansky has skated with a number of linemates this season, but has been able to find chemistry with almost all of them. After previously finding chemistry opposite Brendan Brisson, Fix-Wolansky began playing on a line with Sýkora and Dylan Roobroeck at the end of February, and the trio dominated when on the ice together. During a 5-2 Wolf Pack win over Providence on February 22nd, the trio combined to record three goals and five assists to will the Wolf Pack to victory.

"I think the biggest driver for them is that they're playing in straight lines, they're playing north," Potulny told Blueshirt Banter when asked about the Fix-Wolansky and Brisson duo on January 24th. "When you do that and you have talent, that talent kind of takes over."

Fix-Wolansky has taken over a number of games for the Wolf Pack this season. He leads the team in both goals and points on the campaign, and his 145 shots on goal are by far the most by a Wolf Pack player this season - the only other Wolf Pack player to eclipse 100 shots on goal this season is Brett Berard, with 109. Fix-Wolansky is consistently setting up the Wolf Pack's best scoring chances, and it's no surprise that Hartford wins more when he scores.

The Wolf Pack are gearing up for a home stretch that will make or break their season. A strong performance could vault them into the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, while a bad turnout would cause them to watch the dance from home for the second straight year. They're currently chasing their in-state rivals, the Bridgeport Islanders, for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Atlantic Division. They'll play Bridgeport four more times this year, and those games are sure to be intense battles, something Fix-Wolansky has noted.

"I think any time you play a team as many times as we do in a year, there's going to be some battles and some bad blood," Fix-Wolansky told Blueshirt Banter following a 4-1 Wolf Pack win over the Isles on January 3rd. "But we're ready. Whatever happens for the rest of the season, we're prepared."

With Fix-Wolansky leading their offensive attack, the Wolf Pack will be prepared to put up points in those key matchups. For a strong February, he's an easy choice for second star of the month.

First Star - Dylan Garand, goaltender

February stats: 5 GP, 4 GS, 3-2-0-0, 2.24 GAA, 0.921 SV%, 1 A, 2 PIMs

If there's any player on this Wolf Pack team who is playing better than his numbers suggest, it's Dylan Garand. His numbers on the season many not jump off the page, but peeling back the layers reveals a quality campaign for the fourth-year netminder. February was his best month thus far; of the five games he played in, Garand allowed more than two goals in just one of them.

In addition to his impressive stopping of pucks, Garand has developed a strong ability to play the puck this season. He's recorded three assists on the year, including a primary assist on a Fix-Wolansky goal in a 5-2 win over Providence on February 22nd. In fact, Garand's three assists are the most by a Wolf Pack goaltender in a single season since Al Montoya recorded five helpers in the 2006-07 campaign.

"Dylan did a really good job breaking pucks out. Not just shooting them out, he helped us break them out," Potulny told Blueshirt Banter following the January 3rd win over Bridgeport. "That alleviates pressure for him, for us, for everybody. If you can play the puck as a goalie, you might save yourself five, seven shots a night."

Garand and his teammates have noticed the uptick in offense.

"All the boys love hyping me up when I get an assist," Garand joked to Blueshirt Banter after recording an assist in a 3-2 win over Bridgeport on January 23rd. "Maybe we'll keep getting a couple more."

Garand's best work this month came on February 28th against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Hartford fell behind 2-0 just 5:33 into the game, prompting Potulny to lift starting goaltender Spencer Martin and insert Garand in net. The move paid off, as Garand stopped 24 of 26 shots he faced, as well as 10 of 12 in a marathon shootout, to help the Wolf Pack secure a critical 5-4 win.

"We like to call these a four-point game," Garand told Blueshirt Banter following the January 23rd contest against Bridgeport. "It's huge to get wins against these guys, especially when you're battling with them and Springfield. Whenever we play them, it's really important."

The Wolf Pack will battle with Bridgeport, Springfield, and Lehigh Valley for two spots in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Hartford hopes to not be one of the teams left out of the dance after missing out last season.

With Garand's strong play in net, the Wolf Pack will have a great chance to jump into playoff contention in the final few weeks of the regular season. He's a strong choice for first star of February.

Check back next month for the Three Stars of March!