The early returns from the New York Rangers’ 2004 trade deadline purge are looking very good indeed. Their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, has started the 2004-05 season with a bang, winning their first seven games in impressive fashion.

Starting goalie Jason LaBarbera has given up just four goals in five games, picking up where he left off last season when he was the AHL’s MVP. This season he is surrounded by a much better supporting cast, and if the NHL lockout claims the entire season, look for the Wolf Pack to emerge as Calder Cup favorites.

Leading the offensive charge for the Wolf Pack is talented forward Jozef Balej, acquired at the deadline last year in the trade that sent Alexei Kovalev to Montreal. The slick-skating Slovakian scored 62 points in 60 AHL games last season, and he is rapidly developing into a top-notch gamebreaker. Every game he plays, there are at least two or three instances where Balej creates an unexpected scoring opportunity through the use of his elite-level speed and creative playmaking.

Yet Balej’s game is flawed in ways that might remind Ranger fans of the absent-minded Kovalev. In a recent contest against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Balej gave the puck away numerous times. Consequently, Wolf Pack head coach Ryan McGill is working with Balej to help him become more conscientious while at the same time preserving his offensive instincts.

“Jozef’s biggest attribute is his competitiveness,” McGill said. “However, he needs to work on his ability to distribute the puck more quickly, and he needs to realize that he’s going to get it back just as quickly. He must work on his consistency – when to get rid of puck and when to keep it – and make sure that stays at a consistent level.”

McGill is conscious of the dramatic decline in offensive production in recent years, and is doing his best not to stifle his players’ creative skills.

“The offensive creativity has been taken out of the game, and you have to choose carefully what you eliminate and what you don’t,” McGill said. “The biggest thing with that is that they have to see it – they have to sit and watch the video the next day – and recognize the good decisions and the bad ones. They have to become students of the game.

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In sharp contrast to the Wolf Pack’s red-hot start, the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, are doing quite poorly. Starting goalie Wade Dubiewicz has struggled mightily in the past week, giving up 10 goals in his last two starts (both 5-0 losses).The biggest problem for the Sound Tigers, however, is their inability to score, and the team is clearly missing Jeff Hamilton, last season’s leading goal scorer (now with Hartford).

The issue for the Sound Tigers is not a lack of talent, but rather a failure to take advantage of the scoring opportunities they generate.

“When you’re struggling to score goals, the net looks small,” head coach Greg Cronin said. “Instead of shooting the puck, the players attempt to make passes and hope the other guys are open. We’re also not going to the net looking for rebounds.”

The Sound Tigers’ leading scorer is Ryan Kraft, a highly talented 5-foot-9 inch forward who has proven in the past that he can score consistently at the AHL level. Back in 2000-01, Kraft scored 88 points in 77 games for the Kentucky Thoroughblades, and Cronin is looking for him to return to that level this season.

“Ryan needs to improve his quickness in tight areas, otherwise he won’t survive,” Cronin sayd. “Guys like Martin St. Louis succeed because they’re small people who play big games – bouncing off checks, finding openings and getting to them quickly. Second-effort is such an important part of a small man’s game.”

In evaluating Kraft’s chances to make an impact at the NHL, Cronin drew a comparison to a current Islander.

“Jason Blake came to us four years ago – the Kings couldn’t wait to get rid of him – but one thing that stood out was that he was fearless and quick. He’s willing to take a whack because he knows that he’s quick enough to take the puck and beat his man.”

Mr.Greenstein is the editor in chief of INSIDE HOCKEY (insidehockey.com).