Aug 9, 2022
Forward Ryan Lohin will be one of many new faces arriving at the XL Center in downtown Hartford this fall when the Wolf Pack opens up training camp. Signed to a one-year AHL contract on July 6th, Lohin returns to the northeast with quite a bit to prove after a whirlwind start to his professional career.
“Obviously, the last few years have not been normal for anyone in the world,” Lohin said recently. “I was lucky enough to play in Syracuse in 2020-21, although it was a limited season with heavy restrictions. We were able to play 25-to-30 games, so we were all lucky. Last year, we still were dealing with some uncertainty.”
Believe it or not, the veteran of 79 professional hockey games, 40 in the AHL and 39 in the ECHL, has never played a ‘normal’ season as a pro. Lohin’s 2019-20 season, spent with ECHL Orlando, was cut short. In 2020-21, he played 25 games for the Syracuse Crunch after a six-game stint with the Solar Bears. In 2021-22? Lohin split the season between the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers and ECHL’s Allen Americans. Even that wasn’t a normal arrangement, however, as the Checkers had a shared affiliation with both the Florida Panthers and Seattle Kraken.
Still, even with the unusual circumstances of the last three seasons, Lohin enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021-22. He scored a career-high 16 points, ten goals and six assists, in just 18 ECHL games with the Americans. He tacked on four points, two goals and two assists, in 12 games with the Checkers.
“I think last year was another step for me maturing both on and off the ice,” Lohin added. “Another season of developing on the ice, getting to work with the staff in Charlotte for almost a full season was extremely beneficial to me. Both organizations I have been with have emphasized development and I think I have been able to take it all in and instill it into my own game. I don’t think this year will be any different.”
Lohin will now look to take the next step in his development, which is to prove he is an everyday player in the American Hockey League.
“Since leaving UMass-Lowell, I feel I have a lot to prove and am excited to do so with the Wolf Pack,” Lohin continued. “I think I am an honest, hardworking playmaker who can bring different aspects to help the team win games. I’m excited to prove I can be a dependable player on the team.”
The good news for Lohin? He has a believer in the man who signed him to a contract, Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin.
“Ryan is a guy that I know pretty well going back to his college days,” Martin said when asked about the signing. “There were a few guys that played in Charlotte that didn’t maybe quite get the opportunity that they would have had if it wasn’t a split affiliation. There were just a lot of bodies there between Florida and Seattle and he seemed to be a guy that was sort of an odd man out but just needed some more opportunity. We’re excited.”
Lohin is excited too. He returns to the region where he played college hockey and joins a team that’s always been high on his list of potential destinations.
“Hartford, for me, was always high on the list of places to play,” Lohin said. “Friends of mine who have come through the system always spoke highly about it. I am excited to meet the staff and work with them in Hartford to add more tools to my game. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the organization. I’m excited to get to Hartford to get started.”
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and play at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.