August 20, 2026
HARTFORD, CT – For goalkeeper Gabriel Carrier, the 2026-27 season represents a new chapter in his career. After two seasons with the AHL’s Barracuda in San Jose, Carriere hit the free agent market for the first time on July 1.
After a brief process, Carriere chose to sign with the Hartford Wolf Pack on a one-year deal. It’s a decision that has him excited for the future. It’s an adjustment he feels is right for him.
“Free agency was something I had never been through and going into it, Hartford was a team that was interested from the beginning,” he said of the free agent process. “From the conversations we had, it seemed like the staff was a great fit with the players and the city. I’m excited to get there and meet everyone in person and get things going.”
After a successful university career. In Vermont, Carrier joined the Barracuda at the end of the 2023-24 season. He then split the 2024-25 season between the Barracuda and the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder, then spent most of the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL.
This past season was his best. He appeared in a career-high 31 AHL games with the Barracuda, posting a 15-12-3 record with a .896 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average.
With a career year behind him, Kariere is excited to build on it in a new home with new faces around him. He’s also excited about how the summer has unfolded, with the Wolf Pack likely to field a strong defensive group with plenty of veterans.
“It’s very exciting,” he said. “There will always be new faces joining a new team and it looks like we will have a great group at the back. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish.”
Among the many changes for the Wolf Pack this summer was on the bench. Longtime quarterback Jay Leach has taken over there. During his time as head coach of the Providence Bruins, Leach led the club to a top ten finish in goals in all four of his seasons.
Additionally, both the Wolf Pack and parent New York Rangers made numerous free agent and trade additions that could provide the Wolf Pack with an established veteran group of defensemen for the 2026-27 season.
That’s music to the ears of Carrier, a goalie looking to continue his upward trajectory.
“That’s always something you like to hear as a goaltender,” Carriere said when asked about the offseason. “I may be a little biased, but I believe defense can win championships, and the top-to-bottom emphasis on that is definitely something I’m looking forward to this season.”
Kariere also hopes to follow in the footsteps of his former teammate, Georgi Romanov. Romanov and Carriere were together in San Jose’s goaltending group for two seasons before Romanov moved on last summer.
He ended up with the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he found his rhythm. Romanov was a big part of Springfield’s run to the Atlantic Division finals last spring. Carriere, who follows his former teammate, hopes a similar change of scenery will lead to similar results this season.
“I am very happy for him,” he said about his former teammate. “I watched him a little bit during the playoffs and he did a great job. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes to make something click, and I can’t wait to see what I can bring to the table for this Hartford team.”
Join the Wolf Pack for the 2026-27 season by becoming a member today! For more information, click here.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACKThe Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack is the premier player development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers and plays at PeoplesBank Arena. The Wolves have been home to some of the Rangers’ newest faces, including Igor Shesterkin, Will Kuyle and Matt Rempe. Follow the Wolf Pack! Facebook, Twitter:, Instagram:and: TikTok:.
