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Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) / Maine Mariners (ECHL) 2018-19: Part IX

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The Wolfpack sign 3 free agent forwards: Bobby Butler, Jason Salvaggio and Drew Melanson. Pack Sign Trio of Forwards | Hartford Wolf Pack

Butler is 31, consistent 20+ goal scorer in AHL and has played with Ottawa, Nashville, New Jersey and Florida. This is a good veteran signing.

Salvaggio and Melanson were two of the four players that Hartford signed at the end of the year.

Salvaggio, who plays left wing, just graduated from New Hampshire. He will turn 24 at the beginning of the year. He had an excellent junior year scoring 36 points in 40 games but had only 16 points last year. New Hampshire has been lousy the last several years winning 10, losing 20 and tying 6 last year. The team won 15 games the previous year. In 2016-2017 Salvaggio probably benefitted from playing with Tyler Kelleher who had 63 points in the 2016-2017 season.

Melanson played 3 years at BU and then transferred to BU where he played for David Quinn. He is a 23 year small left winger who the Rangers invited to their development camp. In four years of college hockey he never scored more than 20 points.
 
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I watched Melanson for 3 years at RPI. He's a small pesty type of guy who has skill. One of the brighter spots at RPI. All three of his years at RPI were on very bad teams. I don't think he'll be any more than a Bottom 6 guy for Hartford, but I would like to be surprised.

It's a tough team to be a fan of, let me tell ya...but, Go Engineers!
 
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re Melanson, if anyone was curious about his playing for BU right after RPI, or coach Quinn's (marketing) scouting report:

Melanson graduates from RPI, eligible immediately as Boston University graduate transfer

Melanson graduates from RPI, eligible immediately as Boston University graduate transfer
USCHO Staff Report -September 6, 2017

In addition to the nine members of the Boston University incoming class, Drew Melanson has joined the Terriers as a graduate transfer after spending the past three seasons at Rensselaer.
As a graduate transfer, Melanson is eligible to play immediately.
“High-end speed and a guy who has always had the ability to score,” said BU coach David Quinn in a statement. “He had a good career at RPI and he’s going to give us some maturity and some leadership. He will absolutely increase our team speed.”
...
 
Yeah, that's one of the quirks in NCAA transfer rules, if you finish your undergrad you can enroll somewhere else as a graduate student and play right away.

For what it's worth on Melanson, Hartford had him in on an ATO at the end of last season, before Quinn was in the picture (although we know Quinn and Gorton spoke regularly). So, it's possible that Melanson was originally invited for a look just based on our own scouting, and not Quinn. Although surely Gorton would have asked Quinn for the intel before making him an offer, since his numbers were never good.
 
It seems like we could be pretty good this year in Hartford. I like those first two lines. And that third line looks quality, as well. Defense doesn't really have any offensive guys, and only has one righty. The season will probably hinge upon our goalie depth. If Mazanec plays the majority of the games, we could make the playoffs.

Lindqvist/Meskanen-Howden-Butler
Schneider-Holland/Nieves-Lettieri
Gropp-Fontaine-Ronning
Gettinger-Fogarty-Leedahl
Salvaggio-Melanson

Lindgren-Kampfer
Claesson-Crawley
O'Gara-Hajek
Day-Pedrie

Mazanec
Halverson
Nell
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
It seems like we could be pretty good this year in Hartford. I like those first two lines. And that third line looks quality, as well. Defense doesn't really have any offensive guys, and only has one righty. The season will probably hinge upon our goalie depth. If Mazanec plays the majority of the games, we could make the playoffs.

Lindqvist/Meskanen-Howden-Butler
Schneider-Holland/Nieves-Lettieri
Gropp-Fontaine-Ronning
Gettinger-Fogarty-Leedahl
Salvaggio-Melanson

Lindgren-Kampfer
Claesson-Crawley
O'Gara-Hajek
Day-Pedrie

Mazanec
Halverson
Nell
Click to expand...
One if not both of Lindqvist/Meskanen are gonna be in the NHL. Howden won''t be handed top line minutes for free. But I agree Hartford has less of an excuse to suck this year. Also Hajek is better than Lindgren so I'm not sure why he is on your third pairing, he is a shot to make the big team.
 
TheKingsCourt said:
One if not both of Lindqvist/Meskanen are gonna be in the NHL. Howden won''t be handed top line minutes for free. But I agree Hartford has less of an excuse to suck this year. Also Hajek is better than Lindgren so I'm not sure why he is on your third pairing, he is a shot to make the big team.
Click to expand...

Thats why I put a slash between Lindqvist and Meskanen. I don't think both will be in the NHL, unless we see a substantial clear-out that starts with Vesey and Spooner, maybe Hayes.

I'll take Lindgren over Hajek for now because he already has some AHL games. I'm choosing not to buy into what the team tries to market to us.
 
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TheKingsCourt said:
One if not both of Lindqvist/Meskanen are gonna be in the NHL. Howden won''t be handed top line minutes for free. But I agree Hartford has less of an excuse to suck this year. Also Hajek is better than Lindgren so I'm not sure why he is on your third pairing, he is a shot to make the big team.
Click to expand...
Very unlikely (or put it another way - I'd be VERY surprised) if either made NHL squad from the get go, if at all in 2018-2019.

Schneider-Holland/Nieves-Lettieri
Gropp-Howden-Butler
Lindqvist/Meskanen-Fontaine-Ronning
Gettinger-Fogarty-Lindqvist/Meskanen
Salvaggio-Melanson

O'Gara-Kampfer
Hajek-Crawley
Lindgren-Day
Claesson-Pedrie

Mazanec
Halverson
Nell
 
kovazub94 said:
Very unlikely (or put it another way - I'd be VERY surprised) if either made NHL squad from the get go, if at all in 2018-2019.

Schneider-Holland/Nieves-Lettieri
Gropp-Howden-Butler
Lindqvist/Meskanen-Fontaine-Ronning
Gettinger-Fogarty-Lindqvist/Meskanen
Salvaggio-Melanson

O'Gara-Kampfer
Hajek-Crawley
Lindgren-Day
Claesson-Pedrie

Mazanec
Halverson
Nell
Click to expand...
Yeah I like Meskanen and Lindqvist, but they both had PP-heavy success last year. Not that we couldn't use help on the PP, but I need to see their entire game and how that translates to smaller North American ice with less space to setup, before I start penciling them in.
 
kovazub94 said:
Very unlikely (or put it another way - I'd be VERY surprised) if either made NHL squad from the get go, if at all in 2018-2019.

Schneider-Holland/Nieves-Lettieri
Gropp-Howden-Butler
Lindqvist/Meskanen-Fontaine-Ronning
Gettinger-Fogarty-Lindqvist/Meskanen
Salvaggio-Melanson

O'Gara-Kampfer
Hajek-Crawley
Lindgren-Day
Claesson-Pedrie

Mazanec
Halverson
Nell
Click to expand...
Make room for Gilmour IMO. I’d like to see them try Hajek on the right as a response.
 
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They should bring in Ivan Korosenkov for an ATO for Hartford. Could be a good fit on a team that needs W
 
Maybe when AHL season returns and he can’t resist reporting on all the talent in Hartford.
 
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