NEW YORK, NY - The Hartford Wolf Pack will lose two key players next week when it was announced that defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Maxim Kondratiev would return to their native Russia to play as of November 15. Kondratiev will join Lada Togliatti, and Tyutin will join SKA St. Petersburg for the rest of the season or until the NHL lockout is settled. The Rangers will retain the rights to those two players.

These defensemen are considered the Rangers top prospects. They are thought to be the future of the blueline for the Blueshirts and are highly regarded by the Rangers and the scouts.

“These are two real good defensemen and the beauty of it is that they compete. They can function within a tough game and they can function within a game that suggests a more skilled play. It’s a bit of a Pandora’s Box with the Russian players; if they are not in it that night, the light switches off. With these two guys is that the light switches on,” said Coach Tom Renney last month at a meeting of Ranger season ticket holders. “What I like about these two players is that they really like playing hockey and they have a competitive level that suggests that they can function in a game that you might need toughness, you need grit and you need jam. Both these kids have that. On top of that they both have the talent and they are skill guys.”

Tyutin had one assist and was +2 in 10 games for the Pack, but his play is more than stats. The 21 year-old is a proficient defenseman and considered a stay at home type of blueliner, who can jump into the play if the situation is right. The Rangers like his attitude and poise, which he showed last season on Broadway when he played 25 games and had two goals and five assists.

“Fedor is one of those guys whose boiling point is non-existent. He plays the game the same way and never gets rattled. He is an extremely poised player and plays beyond his years in that sense,” Renney added. “The back-end defenseman is probably the toughest position to play, to learn and to apply yourself in over time, because of the number of decisions that have to be made both under pressure and with the puck.”

The Rangers acquired Kondratiev in the Brian Leetch deal with Toronto. Assistant GM Don Maloney likened the 21 year-old to Danny Markov of Philadelphia - who also came out of the Maple Leafs organization. Kondratiev had one goal and three assists in 10 games.

“We saw Max a lot and he went back to Russia last year. He is a very quick competitive player. The way the game is, you have to be mobile on the blueline. He steps up in the neutral zone, but he can play the puck,” Maloney said at the same meeting. “We are real excited about him and we can’t wait to see him play in New York.”

Maloney added that these two players would be playing in New York if there was no lockout. They are considered ready and were only playing in Hartford because of the work stoppage.

“We are getting some younger players in and living with the mistakes. We are giving them a chance to play and giving some ice time to them,” Maloney explained. “The NHL is not a learning place. If they are not ready to play, we don’t expect to go 0-82, but we have to live with some mistakes and give them a chance to play with both these guys.”

The Rangers will call up two defensemen from the Charlotte Checkers to replace the Russians.

Photo by Chris Rutsch - Hartford Wolf Pack.