Six degrees of Eric Hartzell

Looks like Eric Hartzell did pretty well for himself getting his entry-level deal over with early, says CapGeek. So did the guy who beat him out for the Hobey Baker (but didn’t beat him in the semifinal), Drew LeBlanc. Meanwhile, the guy who beat him in the final in Pittsburgh last spring, Jeff Malcolm, signed with Hartford*. Meanwhile, Hartzell will find Peter Mannino in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after Mannino signed an AHL deal there.

Unrelated to Eric Hartzell but still in net, Kevin Reiter, Kenny’s brother, is the new goaltending coach at the United States National Team Development Program.

Filip Kuba is a Czech Olympic candidate. Doug Christiansen, a former Danbury Trasher and twice briefly a Sound Tiger, is the new coach of Great Britain’s national team (h/t Ken Schott).

And RIP, Emile Griffith.

*-Got to admit, it’s nice to call them that unironically again. “Wolf Pack in the house,” etc.

Michael Fornabaio