PACK MENTALITY: JUSTIN NACHBAUR
Aug 27, 2026
HARTFORD, CT – It’s been a summer of change for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the Connecticut capital. When training camp opens in September, fans will see a largely new coaching staff and a host of new faces on the roster.
One of those new roster faces is Justin Nachbaur, a forward familiar with the Atlantic Division from his time with the Hershey Bears.
That familiarity made the decision to sign with the Wolf Pack as a free agent an easy one.
“Yeah, it was a pretty easy decision to come to Hartford,” Nachbaur said when asked about choosing the Wolf Pack in free agency. “The decision allows me to have a fresh start. I’ve also heard a lot of great things about the organization and the city. I’m just really excited to get things going.”
A hard-nosed, gritty player, Nachbaur has the potential to become an instant fan favorite in Hartford in the same way he was in Hershey. He’s a player who isn’t afraid to stand up for his teammates while also providing a more power game.
“My self-scouting report would probably be that I’m a power forward,” he said when asked what Wolf Pack fans can expect when they see him on the ice this season. “I’m someone who plays hard and likes the physical side of the game.”
Nachbaur knows that first impressions are vital. While he knows the skillset he brings is extremely valuable, especially on a young Wolf Pack team, he knows there is still plenty of work to be done.
He’s looking to impress a new fanbase, a new group of teammates, and a new coaching staff. He won’t be alone in that, either. Nachbaur, as mentioned, is one of numerous new faces getting ready for his first fall as a member of the Wolf Pack.
While he’s very aware of that fact, and the fact that everyone will be looking to impress a new bench boss in Jay Leach, Nachbaur isn’t overthinking it. He knows what it takes to make an AHL roster out of training camp and is looking to just control what he can control.
“First impressions are very important,” he said. “That being said, I like to have the same mindset to every camp I go to, and that is that nothing is given, you gotta earn everything. You can only control your attitude and effort, if you do those things, good things will happen.”
While some may look at a first camp with a new team as intimidating, Nachbaur is looking at it as a unique opportunity. With so many new faces on the roster, he believes a competitive camp could lead to the team gelling faster and getting off to a strong start.
“Going to a new team is never easy off the start, everyone is competing against each other,” he began. “That said, if there’s a lot of guys going through the same thing, it allows all of us to have a fresh start and gives us a chance to gel together early in camp.”
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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 some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Will Cuylle, and Matt Rempe. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.