The Hartford Wolf Pack’s long road swing kept rolling this week, and the results finally started to match the effort. Over three games, Hartford went 2-0-1-0 and banked five of a possible six points, a solid return after the uneven start to the season. The trip also took the Wolf Pack north of the border for the first time this year and ended with a stop up I-91 in Springfield.
There was also a notable change in the room. Marc Del Gaizo was named the 16th captain in franchise history on October 27, 2026.
Del Gaizo, who signed with the parent New York Rangers on July 1, has quickly become a key piece for Hartford. He leads all Wolf Pack defensemen in goals, assists, and points, and he has brought a steady two-way presence to the blue line.
Del Gaizo takes over the captaincy from Casey Fitzgerald, who signed with the Florida Panthers on July 1. The leadership group around him includes Anton Blidh, Justin Dowling, and Glenn Gawdin, who will rotate the two alternate captain spots during the season. Blidh has worn an A for Hartford since the 2023-24 season, while Dowling served as an alternate captain a year ago.
Hartford also made a roster move on Tuesday, assigning forward Caige Sterzer to the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. Sterzer began the season on the injury report, but he is now healthy and will get game action with Worcester. He becomes the fourth player under contract with Hartford to be sent to “The Woo,” joining defensemen Cooper Moore and Anthony Kehrer, along with goaltender Gabriel Carriere.
On the ice, the week began Thursday with Hartford’s first-ever visit to the Hamilton Hammers. It also marked the first meeting with the franchise formerly known as the Bridgeport Islanders since their move to the Steel City this summer.
In Other News...
Adam Edstrm Is Making The Rangers Regret This One
Adam Edstrms move out of New York looked like a fairly routine depth shuffle at the time, the kind of transaction that barely registers once the roster churn settles. But after the Rangers sent him to Nashville, the big forward quickly found a more defined role with the Predators and has started to show the blend of size and finishing ability that made him an intriguing piece in the first place.
In Nashville, Edstrm has been getting more ice time and the results have followed, with five goals and an assist in 14 games along with strong underlying numbers. It has only sharpened the contrast with how he was viewed in New York, where former head coach Mike Sullivan publicly questioned his consistency while Edstrm was working back from injuries, leaving the Rangers with a familiar what-if as his game starts to click elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Make Another Forward Shuffle With One Roster Spot In Focus
The Rangers continued their forward juggling act by recalling Jaroslav Chmelar from AHL Hartford and sending Taylor Raddysh back the other way, another small but telling move as the club keeps sorting through its depth options. Chmelar has already gotten into seven NHL games this season, while Raddysh has had a brief run with the big club after his latest recall, and both have been productive enough in Hartford to stay in the conversation.
For the Rangers, the timing matters as much as the transaction itself. Chmelar is back in the mix after his earlier look at the NHL level, and Raddyshs status gives the team something to weigh as it manages its roster spot and decides who best fits the next stretch of games. The shuffle leaves one opening worth watching, especially with both forwards still trying to turn their AHL production into a steadier role in New York. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Face An Early Season Test They Can't Afford To Fail
The Rangers are trying to steady themselves after a rough stretch that has left them searching for traction early in the season. Recent play has put them in a difficult spot in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference, and the next few days offer a chance to start changing the conversation before the schedule gets tougher again.
Home games against the Blues and Flyers now loom as an important reset before the club heads out on its first major road trip of the season. With Pavel Dorofeyev and Dylan Garand drawing attention for their recent performances, the Rangers have at least a few individual bright spots to lean on, but the bigger question is whether those can translate into the kind of team results they need right away. [Read more 🡒]