The Chicago Wolves announced Wednesday that the team has signed defenseman Matt Donovan and forwards Hank Crone and Timothy Doherty to AHL contracts for the 2023-24 season.
The 33-year-old Donovan was the New York Islanders’ fourth-round pick (96th overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and has played 69 career NHL games with the Islanders and Nashville Predators. In those 69 games, the blue liner had two goals, 18 assists and 28 penalty minutes.
The Edmond, Okla., native has appeared in 455 career AHL games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Rochester Americans and Milwaukee Admirals. He has 64 goals, 193 assists and 452 penalty minutes during that span.
After a three-year stint with Milwaukee ended with the 2021-22 season during which he served as an alternate captain, Donovan played in Germany with the Mannheim Eagles in ’22-23.
While at the University of Denver, Donovan was a member of the United States team that captured gold at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
As a rookie with the Allen Americans of the ECHL during the 2022-23 season, Crone had 49 goals and 56 assists in 69 games and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year—the first rookie to be named the league’s MVP since the 2011-12 season.
The Dallas native’s 105 points topped the ECHL in scoring as Crone recorded at least one point in 56 contests and at least two in 29 contests.
The 25-year-old Crone also appeared in two games with the AHL’s Ontario Reign last season, picking up an assist.
Doherty, 27, spent the last two-plus seasons in the ECHL, including the 2022-23 campaign with the Maine Mariners during which he had 21 goals and 52 assists for a team-leading 73 points.
Previously, Doherty spent time with the Wheeling Nailers (’20-21 and ’21-22) and Allen Americans (’20-21) of the ECHL.
The Portsmouth, R.I., native attended the University of Maine for three years before spending his graduate season at Penn State. In 123 career NCAA games, Doherty racked up 95 points.
