NEW YORK RANGERS ASSIGN FIVE TO HARTFORD WOLF PACK
Sep 23, 2026HARTFORD, CT – New York Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury announced today that the club has assigned defensemen Dennis Cholowski and Urho Vaakanainen and forwards Justin Dowling, Juuso Pärssinen, and Bryce McConnell-Barker to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.
Cholowski, 28, skated in 17 games with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils during the 2025-26 season, recording two assists. He also appeared in 13 games with the AHL’s Utica Comets, scoring five assists.
The native of Langley, BC, is a veteran of 254 AHL games with the Comets, Bridgeport Islanders, Charlotte Checkers, and Grand Rapids Griffins, scoring 128 points (18 g, 110 a).
Vaakanainen, 27, scored six assists in 34 games with the Rangers during the 2025-26 campaign. Following the season, he helped his native Finland capture gold at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, recording two assists in seven games.
The native of Joensuu, FIN, has skated in 221 career NHL games with the Rangers, Anaheim Ducks, and Boston Bruins, scoring 46 points (3 g, 43 a).
Dowling, 35, recorded 29 points (9 g, 20 a) in 46 games with the Wolf Pack a season ago. He also dressed in two games with the Rangers, recording one shot.
The native of Calgary, AB, has skated in 619 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack, Comets, Abbotsford Canucks, and Texas Stars, scoring 437 points (140 g, 297 a).
Pärssinen, 25, split the 2025-26 campaign between the Wolf Pack and the Rangers. With the Wolf Pack, Pärssinen scored seven points (5 g, 2 a) in 15 games. As a member of the Rangers, he notched three points (2 g, 1 a) in 20 games.
The native of Hämeenlinna, FIN, has scored 41 points (14 g, 27 a) in 61 career AHL games with the Wolf Pack and Milwaukee Admirals.
McConnell-Barker, 22, scored 25 points (14 g, 11 a) in 69 games with the Wolf Pack a season ago. He set career-high marks in goals, assists, and points.
The native of London, ON, has played two professional seasons with the Wolf Pack, suiting up in 137 career games and scoring 40 points (21 g, 19 a).
He was selected in the third round, 97th overall, by the Rangers in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
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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 PeoplesBank Arena. The Wolf Pack has been home to numerous current New York Rangers including Igor Shesterkin, Will Cuylle, and Gabe Perreault. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.