Hartford Wolf Pack schedule gives fans a lot to be excited about

Ricky Milliner Updated: Jul 27, 2022

hartford wolf pack — Wolf Pack (Photo: Kelly Shea/Wolf Pack)

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The American Hockey League released the 2022-23 schedule for their 87th season last Thursday afternoon. The Wolf Pack will be competing in their 26th season beginning on October 14th in Charlotte.

Hartford will play two games on the road (both against Charlotte) before hosting opening night on October 22nd against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. All clubs will play a 72 game slate, which eliminates standings based on percentage points this season. Points will determine position across the board.

The regular season concludes on April 16th.

Wolf Pack have a great schedule

The Wolf Pack have a great schedule in terms of balance. The longest road trip of the season is five games (February 19th – March 4th). Despite that trip, Hartford’s travel schedule is tolerable. The group will begin in Lehigh Valley on the 19th. Hartford will then face Springfield on Wednesday, followed by a trip to upstate New York to face Syracuse on Saturday. In the following week, Hartford will face Springfield on Friday, then Bridgeport Saturday before returning home to face Charlotte on Sunday, March 5th.

The longest home stand is five games (January 28th – February 10th). For the most part, the majority of their home and away games are close. In addition, the Wolf Pack will have 4 three games in three days on the schedule, which is one less compared to the 2021-22 season.

The schedule really seems favorable for players getting good rest time between games. Plus, having a schedule that is not home or road heavy will be beneficial as the as the season progresses.

Another bonus in the schedule is Hartford facing opponents in the Western Conference for the first time since the 2010-11 season (last opponent was Hamilton, Montreal’s affiliate).

The Wolf Pack will face three opponents from the AHL’s Central Division. Hartford will play two games against the Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit), Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville), and the Rockford Ice Hogs (Chicago). The Griffins return to Hartford for the first time since the 2008-09 season. The Wolf Pack played the Milwaukee Admirals many years ago (2002-03 season). The franchise has yet to play the Rockford Ice Hogs.

The schedule excludes the Laval Rocket (Montreal) and the Belleville Senators (Ottawa).

Hartford Wolf Pack Schedule Breakdown

Hartford will face 14 opponents in their 2022-23 journey. The club will face Springfield and Bridgeport the most this season with 12 meetings each. Here is the schedule breakdown for the club:

Bridgeport Islanders (New York) – 12
Charlotte Checkers (Florida) – 8
Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit) – 2
Hershey Bears (Washington) – 6
Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia) – 4
Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville) – 2
Providence Bruins (Boston) – 10
Rochester Americans (Buffalo) – 2
Rockford Ice Hogs (Chicago) – 2
Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis) – 12
Syracuse Crunch (Tampa) – 2
Toronto Marlies (Maple Leafs) – 2
Utica Comets (New Jersey) – 2
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) – 6

Here’s a scope at opponents by division (72 games total):

Atlantic Division (58 games)
- Springfield, Bridgeport – 12 each, 24 games
- Providence – 10
- Charlotte – 8
- Hershey, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – 6 each, 12 games
- Lehigh Valley – 4

North Division (8 games)
- Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, & Utica – 2 each, 8 games

Central Division (6 games)
- Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, & Rockford – 2 each, 6 games

From a fans perspective, Hartford’s 36 home games consist of:

13 Fridays
13 Saturdays
8 Wednesdays
1 Thursday
1 Sunday

Of the 36 contests, 27 games will be played on the weekends. The Wolf Pack will play 7pm on Wednesdays, Fridays (excluding one), most Saturdays, and the lone Thursday outing. The only Sunday game will be held at 3pm.

Additional wrinkles to the schedule include four 7:30pm Saturday puck drops to accommodate UConn Basketball/Hockey for the afternoon time slot. The dates are 11/12, 12/3, 1/14, and 1/21. On Saturday, March 25th, game time is slated for 6pm. The New Year’s Eve game (Saturday) will begin at 5:30pm. The Friday, December 23rd game will begin at 5pm.

Here’s a look at Hartford’s 36 away games:

8 Fridays
13 Saturdays
7 Sundays
2 Tuesdays
6 Wednesdays

Month by Month Home & Away Breakdown

October

3 home, 3 away for 6 games.

November

5 home, 6 away for 11 games.

December

7 home, 6 away for 13 games.

January

5 home, 7 away for 12 games.

February

6 home, 4 away for 10 games.

March

7 home, 7 away for 14 games.

April

3 home, 3 away for 6 games.

This is one of the best schedules the Wolf Pack have ever received from the AHL. It works for everyone, the fans and the team itself. The upcoming season is around the corner and before you know, training camp will be in full swing.

The goal for the upcoming season is the make the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. Hartford came close to securing that accomplishment last season to fall short in the grueling second half of the season, plagued by roster changes and a road heavy schedule.