Grant Potulny Named New Hartford Wolf Pack Coach

As a Golden Gophers fan, I must introduce the Wolf Pack’s new Head Coach as University of Minnesota Product, Grant Potulny. After close to four and a half seasons in Hartford, Kris Knoblauch was called up to the big leagues to replace Jay Woodcroft as the Head Coach of the Edmonton Oilers back in November. After naming Steve Smith the team’s Interim Head Coach, the Wolf Pack lost to the Hershey Bears three games to none in the AHL Eastern Conference Semifinals. Chris Drury has decided to bring in a fresh face as it was announced earlier today that Grant Potulny will be named the eighth head coach in Hartford Wolf Pack history.

As mentioned, Potulny played his collegiate career in Minnesota with the Golden Gophers where he spent three seasons as the team Captain. During that stretch, he helped the Gophers win back-to-back NCAA Championships in 2002 and 2003, scoring the overtime game winning goal in 2002. 

A fifth round draft pick by the Ottawa Senators, Potulny spent three full seasons with the Binghamton Senators before bouncing around the AHL for another couple of years. While he never cracked an NHL roster, he did register a career total of 145 points in the American Hockey League.

Following his playing days, he spent a year as an Assistant Coach with the Gophers and coached alongside current Rangers Assistant Coach Phil Housley for a couple runs with Team USA’s World Junior squad. He landed his first Head Coaching gig with Northern Michigan University where he would go on to spend seven seasons. He was named the WCHA Coach of the Year in just his first year. 

Hartford is coming off back-to-back seasons of being swept by the Hershey Bears in the second round of the playoffs. It will be an exciting opportunity for Potulny to try and get them over that hump as they’ll continue to be on the hunt for their first Calder Cup since 2000.