It was easy to argue that last season the Hartford Wolf Pack reflected the New York Rangers' organizational failure. They had the worst record in the American Hockey League while the Rangers were the worst team in the Metropolitan Division. 

In short, the optimism by the end of the season was non-existent. Ryan Martin, once seen as an up-and-coming general manager in the AHL, is now being second-guessed. It’s why Grant Potulny, the head coach for the past two seasons, was fired this offseason. 

The Wolf Pack are hopeful they can put a competitive team on the ice. More importantly, they need to change the environment to allow the prospects to develop, since the Rangers now have prospects in their system and need an AHL team that takes them to the next level. 

Stats from 2025-26:

Record: 26-38-5-3 (8th in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the Eastern Conference & 32nd in the AHL)

Offense: 2.63 goals per game (29th in the AHL)

Defense: 3.51 goals per game (30th in the AHL)

An issue last season (among the many) was the veteran group that the Wolf Pack put together. Aside from letting them down off the ice, it was checked out by midseason. And it’s hard for prospects to buy in when the vets aren’t. 

With Trey Fix-Wolansky, who led the Wolf Pack in points, signing with the Abbotsford Canucks, the question is who steps up? The Wolf Pack brought in some new faces to change the dynamics, but some key players from last season must step up and lead this team both on and off the ice. 

Anton Blidh struggled last season but has been one of their best forwards in recent years. A turnaround starts with him. Likewise, Justin Dowling was a reliable top-six center until his late-season injury and must play at another gear. 

On the defense, the Wolf Pack hope Marc Del Gaizo, William Trudeau, and Dennis Cholowski, three offseason additions, provide stability. Trudeau, like Scott Morrow the year before, is a young defenseman who needed a fresh start and can put together a strong season to prove they belong on the Rangers. 

The big question is how the goaltending plays. Last season, Dylan Garand, who was seen as an eventual backup to Igor Shesterkin, struggled and must rebound in the AHL (with the assumption that he clears waivers). Spencer Martin is a veteran and a placeholder. Then there’s Callum Tung, who bounced around from the AHL to the ECHL and struggled with the Wolf Pack but can be the wild card if he can play at this level. 

The optimism starts with the offseason hires. Jay Leach was brought in as the head coach after years behind NHL benches, including a recent stop with the Boston Bruins. Many question Leach’s system or coaching style, which clashed with some Bruins coaches, but nobody will question that he’s a winner at the AHL level who will change the culture. 

It also helps that the Wolf Pack have a good coaching staff in place. Specifically, they hired Bob Woods, who is essentially another head coach behind the bench. The Wolf Pack haven’t had that experience on their staff since Steve Smith, and it will pay off. 

The roster itself is also shaping up to be a better one. Glenn Gawdin had 50 or more points in each of the past three seasons and will be a key part of the top six, while Cholowski, Del Gaizo, and Trudeau will all add stability to the defense. It’s worth adding that Aiden Thompson, who was acquired at the 2026 trade deadline, brings hockey sense to the forward unit, which the Wolf Pack lacked in the past. 

All of this sets up the prospects to develop and the Wolf Pack to rebound. While they won’t be a top team in the Atlantic Division, they’ll be a more competitive team with high upside. It will give the Rangers a bright future down the road. 

Alberts Smits was the most NHL-ready defenseman in the draft according to many scouts. The Rangers are hopeful that he joins them from day one. That said, defensemen take time to develop, and there’s a good chance the fourth overall pick in the 2026 draft starts the season in Hartford before making his way to New York. 

The first high-upside forward that comes to mind is Liam Greentree, whom the Rangers landed in the Artemi Panarin trade. Greentree stood out in the Ontario Hockey League as a big winger who could score. The Rangers hope that it translates to the NHL, and the Wolf Pack will be his first test of that. 

Speaking of prospects acquired in trades, Cole Beaudoin was the center the Rangers got in the Vincent Trocheck return. Beaudoin, like Greentree, has a lot of upside. However, he’s a center who will need more time in the AHL and is someone the Wolf Pack can build the offense around because of it. 

Just one more trade (for now, that is). The Wolf Pack sent Brennan Othmann to Calgary for Jacob Battaglia in a deal that sent two prospects who needed fresh starts to new teams. Battaglia is another skilled winger, and the Wolf Pack hope his success in the OHL translates. 

Then there are the players in the Rangers system already who struggled with the Wolf Pack and must rebound. Dylan Roobroeck is the power forward who checks this box, as someone with the skill of a scorer who failed to find that touch last season. Scott Morrow was a key part of the K’Andre Miller trade, and the Rangers wanted him to become the next young defenseman to build around. A strong season in the AHL from Morrow will do just that.