HARTFORD, CT – For teams in the American Hockey League, change is inevitable. Prospects develop and earn regular NHL roles. Parent clubs make trades that often impact their AHL affiliates. Career AHLers bounce from team to team as each club complies with the development rule. Rarely do teams carry over the same roster from season to season.
As a result of this constant turnover, AHL teams cycle through captains much more often than their parent clubs. Of the 28 AHL teams who have a captain, 16 have a newly-named captain for the 2024-25 season.
The Hartford Wolf Pack entered the 2024-25 campaign without a captain. The team’s previous leader, Jonny Brodzinski, did not return to Hartford last season after earning a recall to the parent New York Rangers last November. Brodzinski again cracked the Blueshirts’ Opening Night roster this season. As a result, Hartford entered the season without a captain.
That changed just over one week ago. The Wolf Pack named defenseman Casey Fitzgerald as the 15th captain in franchise history.
Fitzgerald wore an A for the Wolf Pack’s first nine games, alongside Alex Belzile and Anton Blidh, who were also named to Hartford’s leadership group as alternate captains.
Back in the Lead
This is the second time Fitzgerald has worn a C in his hockey career. Previously, Fitzgerald was a captain at Boston College, where he played for the Eagles for four seasons. In his final two seasons at BC, Fitzgerald wore a C as one of the team’s captains. Fitzgerald found success as captain, leading the Eagles to a Hockey East regular season championship in 2017-18.
Despite his previous leadership experience, Fitzgerald had not worn a letter as a professional before arriving in Hartford. Fitzgerald was not part of the leadership group in Rochester, where he played parts of four seasons, nor in Charlotte, where he spent the 23-24 campaign. At the NHL level, Fitzgerald had not worn a letter for Buffalo or Florida. Now, Fitzgerald will have the opportunity to lead a team for the first time in his professional career.
Building the Blue Line
Fitzgerald joined the Wolf Pack as a key piece to a rebuilt blue line. During free agency, the Wolf Pack lost defensemen Mac Hollowell and Nikolas Brouillard to the Pittsburgh and Seattle organizations, respectively. Additionally, rookie defenseman Victor Mancini made the Rangers’ Opening Night roster after a phenomenal preseason, though he’d later return to Hartford in mid-November. As a result, the Wolf Pack entered the 24-25 season without three of their six key defensemen from the 23-24 season.
Veteran Ben Harpur recovered from an upper-body injury that caused him to miss most of last season, and the Wolf Pack brought back the underrated Blake Hillman on an AHL contract. Additionally, Connor Mackey, Brandon Scanlin, and Matthew Robertson all returned after reupping with the Rangers. Fitzgerald became the final piece to the blue line puzzle, signing with the Rangers on July 2nd. The six formed Hartford’s new-look blue line.
Big Skates to Fill
It’s no secret that Fitzgerald is following a tough act as captain of the Wolf Pack. Hartford’s previous captain, Brodzinski, was a fan favorite and one of the best players in Wolf Pack history. Brodzinski’s 129 points in a Hartford uniform is good for 16th in franchise history. Furthermore, of players who have appeared in 100 games for the Wolf Pack, Brodzinski’s 1.14 points per game is good for second in franchise history – only Derek Armstrong (1.17) has more.
However, Fitzgerald has made a solid impression on Hartford thus far. Fitzgerald leads all Wolf Pack defensemen with seven points on the campaign. His six assists tie Belzile for the team lead. Fitzgerald has also provided steady play on the blueline, often skating alongside Mackey. Brodzinski is certainly a tough act to follow as captain, but Fitzgerald is quietly having a great start to his tenure as captain.
Leader of the Pack
When asked about the decision to name Fitzgerald captain last Wednesday, Wolf Pack head coach Grant Potulny pointed to Fitzgerald’s experience. “You can pull from your experiences elsewhere,” Potulny told The Calder Times. “Casey’s been to Rochester and Charlotte. (Fitzgerald) and Alex and Anton are all gonna be great captains.”
“Casey’s a great guy. He’s grounded, he’s humble,” Belzile added after last Wednesday’s contest. “The way he sees the game, he handles himself, he’s a pro. He’s another gamer. We have a lot of gamers on the team, and I think that’s a really good signature for us.”
“[Casey’s] awesome,” goaltender Dylan Garand chimed in. “He’s coming into a new team, and he’s fit in real well. He’s a great guy, a leader in the room. He definitely deserved it for sure.”
It’s safe to say that Fitzgerald has made a positive impression on his new coaches and teammates alike. Now, he’ll look to lead the Wolf Pack throughout the season and to their third straight Calder Cup Playoff appearance.
Up Next
The Wolf Pack kick off a six-game home stand this weekend. They’ll host the Charlotte Checkers, with puck drop set for 7:00 pm. The homestand continues Saturday, with the Wolf Pack searching for revenge on the Bruins. Puck drop is set for 6:00 pm.
