Breakaway Magazine - Volume 11 - Issue 3

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHICAGO WOLVES

VOL. 11 ISSUE 3

FROM MINI-STICKS TO BIG STICKS, DEFENSEMAN NIC HAGUE GROWS PRO

Raising

Hague

25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON • SPECIAL EDITION • LAST TEAM STANDING

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

RFD MB

GR

PM

IA

PM

TEX

PM

RFD

MB

PM

PM

COLORADO EAGLES - COL CLEVELAND MONSTERS - CLE GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS - GR IOWA WILD - IA MANITOBA MOOSE - MB

TEX

AM

PM

MB

PM

PM

MIL

PM

S

M

W

T

F

S

S

M

TEX TEX

T

SA

AM

MIL

PM

GR

PM

RFD

PM

SA

PM

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS - MIL ROCKFORD ICEHOGS - RFD SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE - SA TEXAS STARS - TEX TUCSON ROADRUNNERS - TUC

RFD

PM

PM

PM

MIL IA

PM

PM

CLE SA

PM

PM

PM

GR

MIL

PM

HOME

COL

PM

PM

TEX SA

W

T

MB

PM

T

F

S

MIL COL

PM

IA

PM

APRIL JUNE

PM

MB

PM

CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS

PM

AWAY

TELEVISION BROADCAST INFORMATION

ALL GAMES VS. ROCKFORD ARE ILLINOIS LOTTERY CUP GAMES ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL. DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.FOR BROADCASTS, CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS.

ALL GAMES AVAILABLE ON AHLTV

THEAHL.COM/AHLTV

FREE PARKING ALL SEASON, PRESENTED BY

WHY SETTLE FOR AN AVERAGE EXPERIENCE? SEASON TICKET MEMBERS GET...

GROUPS CAN GET... • MEMBERS-ONLY PARTIES • PLAYER MEET-AND-GREETS • PHOTO AT CENTER ICE • BROADCAST BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR

• PRIVATE PARTY SPACES • PHOTO AT CENTER ICE • A CHANCE TO TAKE A SHOT ON GOAL

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1-800-THE-WOLVES (800-843-9658), VISIT CHICAGOWOLVES.COM OR VISIT US DURING THE GAME AT THE TICKET TABLE BEHIND SECTION 109

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

RAISING HAGUE FROM MINI-STICKS TO BIG STICKS, DEFENSEMAN NIC HAGUE GROWS PRO

FOUR TIME LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 1-800-THE-WOLVES

✶

CHICAGOWOLVES.COM

✶

THEAHL.COM

AWARD-WINNING STAFF FRONT OFFICE Seth Gold Mike Gordon Wayne Messmer Dana Wildman

Director President of Business Operations Senior Executive Vice President Executive Assistant

OPERATIONS & CREATIVE SERVICES Courtney Mahoney Dan Harris Anthony Domalewski Kylie Thomas Imran Javed Troy Mueller Michael Wenzel Ross Dettman Cameron Most Jack Sullivan

Senior Vice President of Operations Creative Services Director Community Relations Assistant Community Relations Assistant Digital Content Manager Senior Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Team Photographer Producer Production Assistant

COMMUNICATIONS Lindsey Willhite Jen Jordan Spencer Natzke

BROADCAST Ron Storto Jason Shaver Bill Gardner

Director of Public Relations Social Media Coordinator Media Relations Coordinator

Executive TV Producer Play-by-Play Announcer Color Analyst

PARTNERSHIPS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Jon Sata Senior Vice President, Partnerships

and Business Development Greg Sprott Director of Partnerships Timothy Weaver Sr. Manager of Partnerships and

Media Sales Doug Ferguson Partnerships Sales Executive Katie Anstandig Client Services Manager,

Partnerships Brett Bennick Client Services Coordinator Stefanie Evans Senior Director of Program

Development Rob Newburg Youth Hockey Coordinator Leslie Metcalf B2B and Group Event Specialist Michelle Alcazar Group Account Executive John Brooks Group Account Executive Nick Cottrell Group Account Executive Ann Pacione Group Account Executive Becky Pettersen Group Account Executive Katherine Damisch Marketing Coordinator

TICKET SALES & SERVICES

Kevin Dooley Sr. Executive Director of Ticket Sales Jackie Schroeder Senior Director of Ticket Retention

and Services Eric Zavilla Executive Director of Ticket Sales Mike Jucaban E-Business Specialist Anthony Krzyzak Sales Development Manager Pawel Sienko Sales Development Manager Brian Cyganek Account Representative Trevor Deimel Account Representative Michael DiGioia Inside Sales Representative Evan Puppolo Inside Sales Representative Marko Stojic Inside Sales Representative Alysia Zaucha Inside Sales Representative Kendall Hutchinson Sales and Services Coordinator

HOCKEY OPERATIONS Norine Gillner Mike Nardella

Hockey Operations Assistant Hockey Operations

MEDICAL STAFF Scott Logue, MD A.J. Acierno, DDS Jessica Soros, DPT Jolie Holschen Caravello , MD

Team Physician/Orthopedics Team Dentist Physical Therapist Emergency Medicine/ Sports Medicine

GAMEDAY STAFF

Chris Dubiel Public Address Announcer Brittney Hillebrand In-Arena Host Alyssa Bergamini In-Arena Host Krystal Beauregard, Christine Bialobok, Lauren Burns, Kevin Casper, Willem Caster, Cassandra Cobb, Sydney Cosentino, Michael Demarin, Kelly DuShane, Rachel Dvorak, Rebecca Erken, Samantha Lilly, Chris Malabanan, Bridgette McGinley, Cynthia Moreno, Claire Moseley, Logan O’Brien, Angela Paczynski, Zachariah Paul, Caitlin Roak, Devin Salinas, Brittney Serviss, Stefani Szenda, William Tarpey, Giuseppe Toia, Stephanie Urbancik, Delaney Werner, Anna Wisniewski, Jaimie Yagunich, Joseph Zalewski

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

Editorial Producer: Courtney Mahoney Publication Writer: Lindsey Willhite Publication Photographer: Ross Dettman Feature Designer: Christina Moritz Creative Support: Imran Javed, Troy Mueller

FROM THE LEAGUE 2018 - 2019 SEASON

Dear Fans, It is my pleasure to once again welcome you to a new American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that dates back to our founding in 1936.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT —— DAVID A. ANDREWS PRESIDENT & CEO, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

The AHL remains proud of its role in developing the vast majority of players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League. Since 1936, our great fans have been able to cheer for blossoming NHL stars, future Stanley Cup champions, and more than 100 eventual members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

We are coming off of a record-setting year on and off the ice, capped by the Toronto Marlies’ memorable run to the Calder Cup championship. And the 2018-19 season is sure to be another exciting one, as we drop the puck in an all-time high of 31 cities across North America.

Welcome to our new fans in Colorado, and thank you to all of you for your continuing support of the AHL. Sincerely,

DAVID A. ANDREWS

TheAHL.com

PRESIDENT & CEO | AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

•

Unfortunately, most of life happens without gear.

Injuries, overuse, wear and tear, pain – they’ll affect most of us sometime.

The good news is, we’re here for you.

Illinois Bone & Joint Institute offers a complete range of the most advanced orthopedic care for people of all ages. From physical therapy to new approaches in joint replacement, IBJI has the expertise to treat any orthopedic condition that challenges you.

ibji.com

Life can definitely be tough on a body, but when it hurts, we can help.

Chicago | Arlington Heights | Bannockburn | Barrington | Buffalo Grove | Des Plaines | Glenview | Grayslake | Gurnee | Highland Park Lake Barrington | Lake Bluff | Lake Zurich | Libertyville | Lincolnwood | Lindenhurst | Morton Grove | Wilmette

W O LV E S H I S T O R Y

HOW IT ALL BEGAN: From Creation to Champions in Four Years THE YEAR WAS 1994 – AND CHICAGO NEEDED A TEAM IT COULD ROOT FOR. Major league baseball’s owners and players engaged in a staring contest that resulted in the players calling a strike that killed the final two months of the regular season. MLB cancelled the World Series for the first time since 1904.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Oct. 1 that the 1994-95 season wouldn’t start on time. NHL rinks stayed dark for more than three months.

The Bears found themselves stuck in the early stages of a nine-year stretch with just one playoff berth. The Bulls found themselves trying to figure out life without Michael Jordan, who was pursuing a professional baseball career.

During this period, a handful of new professional teams sprang up in Chicago -- including an International Hockey League franchise named the Wolves.

Blessed with a strong ownership group in Don Levin and Buddy Meyers, a fervent desire to make hockey affordable for families (average ticket price: $11) and a killer marketing campaign (“These Guys Are Animals”), the Wolves made their strategic bid for a place on the Chicago sports landscape.

How has that bid fared so far? Judging by the four league championships and the more than 8 million people who have clicked through the Allstate Arena turnstiles heading into the Wolves’ 25th anniversary season, things are pretty good.

Here’s how the journey unfolded…as told primarily by Wolves players, coaches, owners and front office staff who lived it.

JULY 30, 1994:

OCT. 15, 1994:

OCT. 16, 1994:

JUNE 12, 1998:

JUNE 6, 2000:

University of Chicago sports economist Allen Sanderson commented in the Chicago Tribune on the Chicago Wolves, Chicago Rockers, Chicago Cheetahs and other professional sports newcomers:

Six months after being shot in the throat, Wayne Messmer sang the national anthem in front of a sellout crowd for the Wolves’ first home game. As he told the Chicago Sun-Times:

From long-time Daily Herald hockey writer Tim Sassone’s column following the Wolves’ home opener:

Detroit Vipers coach Steve Ludzik after the Wolves win Game 6 of the 1998 Turner Cup Final (the Wolves took Game 7, too, before a sellout crowd for the franchise’s first championship):

For the only time in their history, the Wolves wrapped up a championship on the road with a Turner Cup Game 6 win at Grand Rapids. Don Levin sounded relieved in the Chicago Tribune:

“(The Wolves) are just a team that’s tough to catch. It’s just pure skill.

The (Edmonton) Oilers of the 80s is what you’re seeing out there.”

“I’d rather have done it at home in front of our fans, but I’m not unhappy. This is different than the first time. This has been a great season. I hate to see it end.”

“They start with hopes, go head to head with the establishment, fail or barely break even, and then they are gone.

If you asked me to bet on these ventures, I wouldn’t because any success might just be a fad. It’s too risky.”

“It was an amazing feeling. If they had melted the ice, I feel I could have walked on the water.”

“There was a terrific electric atmosphere on Friday, helped by the fact every seat was filled. And the fans were there to have fun, evidenced by the slabs of sirloin tossed onto the ice. These guys are animals, remember?

“The fact is they played hockey Friday at the (Rosemont) Horizon, and they’ll be doing it again tonight, Wednesday, and 38 more times after that.

So go, watch, enjoy, howl and forget about salary caps, revenue sharing, small markets and free agency. Thank you, Wolves.”

LoyoLa Medicine proudLy supports the chicago WoLves.

At Loyola Medicine, our orthopaedics expertise is backed by state-of-the-art technology and ranges from joint replacements, trauma repairs and sports medicine injuries to specialties like bone tumors, hand surgery and limb lengthening.

As physicians for Chicago area athletes—both professional and amateur— we treat our patients with a holistic approach that focuses on both body and soul.

Treating body and soul is unique and it’s uniquely Loyola.

We also treat the human spirit.® © 2016 Loyola University Health System. All Rights Reserved. • March 2016 • 20160215-02

W O LV E S H I S T O R Y

JUNE 5, 2002:

APRIL 14, 2006:

APRIL 16, 2006:

MARCH 7, 2007:

After the Wolves captured the Calder Cup during the first year in the AHL, head coach John Anderson couldn’t help but crow to the Chicago Sun-Times:

Steve Maltais reflected on long-time Wolves head coach John Anderson in the Daily Herald:

When the Wolves retired Steve Maltais’ No. 11, owner Don Levin summed up in the SunTimes just how much Maltais meant to the organization:

Don Levin tells the Chicago Sun-Times why he backs the team’s Adopt-A-Dog program that, as of August 2018, has enabled nearly 1,500 shelter dogs to find forever homes:

“I had an NHL person tell me we couldn’t win with Steve Maltais and Rob Brown on the same time. Rob led the playoffs in scoring and Maltais scored three goals tonight, so what a crock. After things like that are said, all I can do is quote the famous Jackie Gleason: ‘How sweet it is!’”

“Johnny was great. I always put up big numbers, but Johnny, he taught me how to win. He involved everyone in the group. He developed an atmosphere where everybody was pulling for each other.

Fortunately, we won and it kind of snowballed. There was a sixyear span where we won three championships, lost in the finals and another year where we were in the semifinals.”

“Every Chicago sport had a special guy. The Bulls had Michael Jordan, the Blackhawks had Bobby Hull, the Cubs had Ernie Banks and the White Sox had Minnie Minoso.

Now, we have our guy, Steve Maltais.”

“I just think if you can save them, you should. You take so much, you just want to give some back. It’s not hard to figure out.”

APRIL 23, 2007:

MAY 25, 2007:

JUNE 11, 2008:

OCTOBER 18, 2008:

Hall of Fame broadcaster Pat Foley called his first championship with the Wolves as part of his twoyear run with the team. Here he discusses the high-scoring 2006-07 squad with the Daily Herald:

Head coach John Anderson describing Wolves general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, with whom he won four championships, in the Daily Herald:

After Jason Krog’s hat trick helped the Wolves capture Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final at Allstate Arena, which enabled the team to hoist its fourth cup in 11 seasons, John Anderson described the season for the Chicago Sun-Times:

On the morning of the 2008 home opener – the Wolves’ first game at Allstate Arena since capturing the 2008 Calder Cup -- GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told the Daily Herald why that night’s bannerraising would mean so much.

“Watching Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, Brett Sterling, Nathan Oystrick is a lot of fun. The first couple months I was shocked. Scoring 5 goals became routine for those guys.”

“He’s an A-type personality. He eats, sleeps and drinks hockey.

If you ask him anything about baseball, football, he has no clue. He’s very, very intense and I’m very relaxed. It always works itself out if you win.

We’re pretty honest with each other. We have arguments. We know one thing: deep down we want our team to win.”

“It was a winter that wouldn’t end and a bunch of winners who wouldn’t quit. This is a great hockey team.”

“There’s only one banner raised in the National Hockey League. There’s only one banner raised in the American Hockey League. To have that in your building, it’s a sense of pride, it’s a sense of accomplishment, it’s a sense of tradition, it’s a sense of sacrifice, it’s a sense of what it takes to reach that ultimate goal.”

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

DON LEVIN

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / GOVERNOR Donald R. Levin (luh-VIN) founded DRL Enterprises, Inc., in 1969. The Glenview-based company has holdings in many industries including tobacco processing, aircraft and medical equipment leasing, licensed sports product manufacturing and distribution, and motion picture production and distribution.

Levin’s film company has made nearly 20 motion pictures distributed in the U.S. and overseas. His films have featured such stars as Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Sharon Stone, Rodney Dangerfield, and Chuck Norris.

Levin founded the Chicago Wolves with Buddy Meyers and Grant Mulvey in January 1994 and has served as the team’s chairman of the board since the franchise’s inception. Levin donates his time and energy extensively and serves on the board of directors for several charitable organizations.

The Chicago native was recognized at the Boy Scouts of America’s Northwest Suburban Council’s Distinguished Citizens Banquet as its 2005 Honoree. Under Levin’s direction, the Wolves organization has held a scout night for the Northwest Suburban Council at a home game for the last 20 seasons.

Levin was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame on Jan. 27, 2013. He was honored as the International Hockey League’s Executive of the Year for the 1999-2000 season, which concluded with the franchise’s second of four championships.

Before beginning his business career, Levin served in the United States Marine Corps, from which he was honorably discharged.

BUDDY MEYERS VICE CHAIRMAN

Buddy Meyers, a principal owner of the Wolves who founded the franchise with Don Levin and Grant Mulvey in January 1994, has been involved in the world of hockey for more than 45 years. He is a former certified agent of the National Hockey League Players’ Association and is past attorney for the Soviet Red Army Hockey Team (CSKA).

He is a practicing attorney and the principal in the law firm of William Buddy Meyers, Ltd. His concentration is in the areas of worker’s compensation and personal injury litigation. Additionally, he is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and Illinois Workers Compensation Lawyers Association; a former director of the Better Boys Foundation and River North Association; and a recipient of the Shomrim Society of Illinois’ Man of the Year Award in 2006. He also supports numerous charitable and environmental organizations.

Meyers, who was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame on Jan. 26, 2014, is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a juris doctor degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology/Chicago Kent.

W O LV E S O W N E R S H I P

Entertaining Made Easy Sweet & Savory Party Trays Ham & Turkey Bundles

Hye Roller Tray

A variety of tasty fresh baked mini rolls filled with premium Krakus® ham and Primo Taglio Swiss cheese along with Primo Taglio turkey and Land O’ Lakes® American cheese with relish center.

Large

Made from soft flat bread and layered with a cream cheese spread then rolled with an assortment of Primo Taglio deli meats, cheeses, tomatoes and lettuce.

Small Med. Large

$39.99

Serves 14-18

5900 Cal/Tray

Strawberries, red and green seedless grapes, cantaloupe and honeydew melon chunks, Primo Taglio Muenster, Cheddar and Swiss cheeses with whipped fruit dip.

Serves 14-16 Serves 20-24

2600 Cal/Tray 3840 Cal/Tray 5170 Cal/Tray

Cheese & Sausage Tidbit Tray

Fruit & Cheese Tray

Small Large

Serves 6-8 $39.99 Serves 10-12 $49.99 Serves 16-18 $59.99

Eckrich® hard salami, beer salami, Busch summer sausage, Primo Taglio American cheese, Muenster cheese, Swiss cheese and bread and butter pickles.

$29.99 $49.99

Small Large

Serves 12-16 Serves 20-24

$29.99 $49.99

Signature Fried or Grilled Chicken Chicken Only 48 Pieces 12 Breasts 12 Legs 12 Thighs 12 Wings

Serves 20-24

96 Pieces 24 Breasts 24 Legs 24 Thighs 24 Wings

Serves 40-48

Party Package 48 Pieces

Chicago Tribune

CRITICS CHOICE

*Party Package includes your choice of side salads (Signature Cafe Potato Salad, Signature Cafe Macaroni Salad, Signature Cafe Coleslaw or Signature Cafe Tater Babies. See deli associate for further details.

12 Breasts 12 Legs 12 Thighs 12 Wings Two - 12 ct.

King’s Hawaiian Rolls 8 lbs. of Salad* Serves 20-24

96 Pieces

24 Breasts 24 Legs 24 Thighs 24 Wings Four - 12 ct.

King’s Hawaiian Rolls 16 lbs. of Salad* Serves 40-48

Chicken Caesar Salad Chopped romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, croutons & grilled chicken.

Serves 8-12

$32.99

3670 Cal/Tray

Chopped Salad Bowl Chopped cabbage, green onions, green peppers, bacon, pasta, cheddar cheese and our famous All Natural Chopped Salad Dressing.

Serves 8-12

$24.99

3520 Cal/Tray

Chef’s Salad Tray

Choose six of the following salads: Sensational Seafood, Honey Fruit & Nut Chicken Salad, Crunchy Chinese Chicken, Crunchy Vegetable, Pasta Italiano, Sour Cream Macaroni & Cheddar, Variety Bean, Deluxe Cole Slaw or Broccoli Salad.

Small Large

Serves 10-12 Serves 20-25

$29.99 $59.99 Prices subject to change.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

WENDELL YOUNG GENERAL MANAGER

Wendell Young is in his 10th season as the Chicago Wolves general manager. Since being hired as GM in August 2009, the Wolves have compiled a .596 winning percentage during the regular season and captured five division titles: the 2010 West, 2012 Midwest, 2014 Midwest, 2017 Central and 2018 Central. He was named the 2018 Thomas Ebright Award recipient for his multiple achievements and contributions throughout his AHL tenure.

Young has been a member of the Wolves organization in virtually every capacity — including player, coach, and executive — since the team’s inaugural campaign in 1994. He served as assistant coach and executive director of team relations for six seasons before transitioning into the general manager role.

The 54-year-old stands as the Wolves’ all-time leader among goaltenders in games (322), wins (169), saves (8,467), minutes (17,912), and shutouts (16), and was a member of Chicago’s 1998 and 2000 Turner Cup championship squads. His jersey number “1” was retired on Dec. 1, 2001 — becoming the first Wolves player to receive the honor.

The Halifax, Nova Scotia is the only man in hockey history to have won all four North American championships. He captured the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 1988 Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears, the 1982 Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers, and the 1998 and 2000 Turner Cups with the Wolves.

BILL BENTLEY

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER Bill Bentley is in his 10th season as the Chicago Wolves assistant general manager and stands as one of a handful of people who has been a part of the organization since the team’s inception in 1994. Bentley has been instrumental in the hockey operations department for more than 15 years, which includes all four seasons that ended with a championship.

The Chicago native joined the organization as a statistician in 1994 and was promoted to team services manager a year later. The 48-year-old spent 12 seasons as the director of hockey administration — handling team travel, immigration, and accounting for the hockey operations department — before assuming the assistant general manager role in August 2009.

A graduate of Quincy College, Bentley served as the Director of Media Relations for the Chicago Cheetahs of the now-defunct Roller Hockey International during the 1993-94 season.

GENE UBRIACO

SENIOR ADVISOR/DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS Gene Ubriaco, who has been with the Wolves since the franchise’s inception in 1994, is in his 22nd season as the team’s director of hockey operations and 10th as senior advisor.

Ubriaco was hired in 1994 as the Wolves’ first head coach and guided the expansion team to a 34-33-14 record and a berth in the 1995 Turner Cup playoffs.

“Ubie” began his coaching career at Lake Superior State University in 1972-73. Four years later, he led the Milwaukee Admirals to the Turner Cup playoffs to become the first International Hockey League coach to lead an expansion team into the postseason.

In 1988-89, Ubriaco moved on to the National Hockey League to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins. Under his tutelage, the Penguins shattered several team records and advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a seven-year absence. Ubriaco gained international coaching experience by heading up the Italian Olympic Team during the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France.

The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native also played professional hockey for 10 years, which included three seasons in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oakland Seals and Chicago Blackhawks. He posted 39 goals and 35 assists in 177 NHL games.

In the game of great style and serious savings, T.J.Maxx wins every time. Find amazing brands at prices that let you spend less and play more.

visit tjmaxx.com to find a store near you Styles vary by store and online.

46789-FL-RegSupt-Ad-ChicgWolve-M2.indd 1

8/31/18 10:35 AM

Speed • Power • Core

TRAIN LIKE A PRO Welcome to RedLine Athletics Youth Athletic Training Center, where our goal is to transform you into the best young athlete you can be.

Get faster, stronger, build your core, improve your game, and beat the competition.

Training available for any sport. No appointments necessary. 90 minute sessions start at the top of the hour.

SIGN UP FOR A FREE TRIAL RedLine Athletics®

1455 Busch Parkway • Buffalo Grove | 847-243-8199 | www.redlineathletics.com

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

ROB BROWN: SCORER AND PRANKSTER EXTRAORDINAIRE The Chicago Wolves record book wouldn’t be the same without Rob Brown’s name plastered all over it.

Most points in a game (8). Most assists in a game (6). Most points in a season (143). Most assists in a season (91). Two-time league scoring champion. Two-time first-team all-star. Second all-time in points (483) and assists (326) and third in goals (157).

“He was one of the smartest players I ever played with,” said Wolves general manager Wendell Young, who was teammates with Brown for the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons. “He had the vision.”

And Brown had another Wolves record you won’t find in the record book: Most pranks…and likely the best ones, too.

In 2003, then-Wolves teammate Ben Simon (now the Grand Rapids Griffins head coach) shared an anecdote with the Daily Herald about his prank war with Brown.

“Rob Brown is always good for something, but he takes it to an entirely new level,” Simon said. “Earlier in the year I taped his gloves together. To get even, he just went and threw all my clothes in the cold tub. I had to go home in shorts and a T-shirt because my clothes were sopping wet. Then he considers that even.”

Brown, now in his 13th season as the color analyst for the Edmonton Oilers radio network, laughed at the memory.

“My response was always bigger and better,” he said.

“PRANK ‘EM SO BAD THEY WOULDN’T WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.” There was a time during the 2002 Calder Cup playoffs when Simon was on the ice for practice and someone filled Simon’s car with packing peanuts – filled to the point the dashboard needed to be removed to find all of the Styrofoam and other chunks found their way into the exhaust system. Who might have been the someone who pulled that prank?

“I would have no idea what that’s about,” Brown said. “But I will say that for cars with a moonroof, it’s easy to open the moonroof and drop the peanuts in there. That’s what I’ve heard.”

But Brown wasn’t just a virtuoso as a prankster. His 16-year professional playing career, which included two runs with the Wolves (1995-97, 2000-03), showcased his breathtaking abilities to make things happen.

When he was 20 years old and playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, he joined Mario Lemieux’s line and stacked up 49 goals and 66 assists and earned a spot as the starting right wing in the 1989 NHL All-Star Game.

By the time Brown was 26, though, he was in the International Hockey League as his NHL time came and went with Pittsburgh, Hartford, Dallas, Los Angeles and the Blackhawks. In 1995, he reunited with Wolves head coach Gene Ubriaco (his coach during the Pittsburgh glory years) and dominated the IHL. “I was at a crossroads in my career,” Brown said. “I figured if I was going to play in the minors, I wanted to be at the best place.

Everyone knew that was Chicago. It worked out so well, I got another chance at the NHL.” “To make it back to the NHL was amazing,” Young said. “He reinvented himself as a defensive forward, playing on a checking line. To me, that shows how smart of a player he was.”

After three more seasons with the Penguins, Brown wrapped up his pro career with three more seasons with the Wolves – highlighted by helping Chicago win the 2002 Calder Cup for the first championship of his career.

Brown reconnected with Young and several other Wolves teammates in August when owner Don Levin hosted a huge party on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile to kick off the organization’s 25th anniversary season.

In the evening, the Wolves held a dinner at Harry Caray’s and then rented trolleys to take everyone back to Pioneer Court for a laser and pyro show after dusk. Somehow, the crowded trolley that Brown rode made an unplanned stop for some liquid refreshments. Who was the person who made that happen?

“It was the first time in my life I had people chanting, ‘M-V-P!’ for me – all because I bought two cases of beer,” Brown said. “Had I known that would happen, I would have done it a lot earlier.”

VISIT THE CHICAGO WOLVES CHARITIES TABLE BEHIND SECTION 105 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE CHANCE TO WIN!

We work in Chi-town.

Live in Chi-town.

Play in Chi-town.

Proud to serve the Chicago area for 26 years!

At Pet Supplies Plus, our stores are smaller by choice, designed to help you get in, get out, and get home happy. + You always get the best price with our Price Match Guarantee + A friendly, neighborhood store + Widest selection of wet cat & natural dog foods + Carefully selected products for all of your furry, scaly & feathery friends

Visit www.petsuppliesplus.com to find a Pet Supplies Plus in your neighborhood or stay connected on Facebook at petsuppliesplus!

TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM, CALL 1-800-THE-WOLVES OR VISIT CHICAGOWOLVES.COM

M E E T T H E W O LV E S

2

5

6

7

8

NIC HAGUE

TYE MCGINN

GRIFFIN REINHART

DANIEL CARR

TYLER WONG

D H: 6-6 W: 215 Dec., 5, 1998 Kitchener, Ont.

LW H: 6-3 W: 205 July 29, 1990 Fergus, Ont.

D H: 6-4 W: 212 Jan. 24, 1994 North Vancouver, B.C.

LW H: 6-0 W: 191 Nov. 1, 1991 Sherwood Park, Alta.

RW H: 5-9 W: 176 Feb. 28, 1996 Cochrane, Alta.

9

10

12

14

15

GAGE QUINNEY

CURTIS MCKENZIE

RYAN WAGNER

MATTHEW WEIS

DYLAN COGHLAN

LW H: 5-11 W: 200 July 29, 1995 Las Vegas, Nev.

LW H: 6-2 W: 205 Feb. 22, 1991 Golden, B.C.

RW H: 5-8 W: 185 April 15, 1996 Park Ridge, Ill.

C H: 5-11 W: 192 May 23, 1995 Madison, N.J.

D H: 6-2 W: 189 Feb. 19, 1998 Nanaimo, B.C.

17

18

20

22

23

BROOKS MACEK

T.J. TYNAN

KEEGAN KOLESAR

ALEX GALLANT

STEFAN MATTEAU

RW H: 5-10 W: 180 May 15, 1992 Winnipeg, Man.

C H: 5-9 W: 165 Feb. 25, 1992 Orland Park, Ill.

RW H: 6-2 W: 223 April 8, 1997 Winnipeg. Man.

LW H: 6-0 W: 185 Dec. 8, 1992 Summerside, P.E.I.

C H: 6-2 W: 220 Feb. 23, 1994 Chicago, Ill.

THE

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

King Snow OF

Every manufacturer has a logo, but ours is a family crest — A promise, with a lineage that runs back to 1933.

From the start, Henry Ariens was dedicated to design, and delivered a machine he was confident enough to sell to consumers.

So confident, in fact, that he literally stamped his name on it.

ARIENS.COM

M E E T T H E W O LV E S

26

27

28

31

32

ERIK BRANNSTROM

BRANDON PIRRI

JAKE BISCHOFF

ZACH FUCALE

ZACH WHITECLOUD

D H: 5-10 W: 173 Sept. 2, 1999 Eksjo, Sweden

C H: 6-0 W: 186 April 10, 1991 Toronto, Ont.

D H: 6-1 W: 195 July 25, 1994 Grand Rapids, Minn.

G H: 6-2 W: 187 May 28, 1995 Laval, Que.

D H: 6-1 W: 196 Nov. 28, 1996 Brandon, Man.

33

35

37

38

39

MAX LAGACE

OSCAR DANSK

ZAC LESLIE

TOMAS HYKA

REID DUKE

G H: 6-2 W: 190 Jan. 12, 1993 Longueuil, Que.

G H: 6-3 W: 195 Feb. 28, 1994 Stockholm, Sweden

D H: 6-0 W: 175 Jan. 31, 1994 Ottawa, Ont.

RW H: 5-11 W: 160 March 23, 1993 Mlada Boleslav, Czech.

C H: 6-0 W: 191 Jan. 28, 1996 Calgary, Alta

HOCKEY OPERATIONS

KEVIN KACER

RYAN SHOUFER

ERIC RIVARD

STAN DUBICKI

JEFF CONKLE

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

EQUIPMENT MANAGER

ASSISTANT EQUIPMENT MANAGER

GOALTENDING COACH

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

BY LINDSEY WILLHITE | PHOTOS BY ROSS DETTMAN

T

HIS IS A STORY ABOUT CHICAGO WOLVES ROOKIE DEFENSEMAN NIC HAGUE’S MOM AND DAD. AND HIS SECOND MOM AND DAD. AND THE BROTHERS HE DIDN’T MEET UNTIL HE WAS 16. AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO BECOME A PRO AND AN ADULT SIMULTANEOUSLY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A QUINTESSENTIAL HOCKEY STORY.

FROM MINI-STICKS TO BIG STICKS, DEFENSEMAN NIC HAGUE GROWS PRO

Let’s go downstairs

play mini-sticks. and

more than just helping a kid It was

out with hockey.

I say that I have

two moms and two dads now.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

Nic and the Gelders when he signed his contract with the Vegas Knights

Lanky, fun-loving Nic, who turned 20 in December, appears to be on the fast track toward a long NHL career – and his journey has been enhanced by a wonderful connection between his permanent family and his billet family.

When Nic flew home to enjoy the American Hockey League’s three-day holiday break, his parents, Bob and Sheila, threw their customary Christmas party in their Kitchener, Ontario home.

Longtime Toronto Maple Leafs fans, Bob and Sheila dressed Nic in a Leafs sweater almost before he could walk. They encouraged him to play hockey only when he expressed interest – but they insisted he learn how to look people in the eye and offer a firm handshake upon meeting them. Nic’s gregarious personality seems to be inherited.

Anyway, back to the holiday party. Some of Nic’s boyhood friends were there. Some of the Hagues’ relatives were there.

And the Gelders – Cam, Tracy, Rowan and Brady – made the hour drive from Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto.

The Gelders are neither boyhood friends nor blood relations – they’re connected by hockey. When 16-year-old Nic joined the Ontario Hockey League’s Mississauga Steelheads prior to the 2015-16 season, he moved into the Gelders’ home in the Port Credit neighborhood on the shore of Lake Ontario. He was their first billet.

Tracy, who grew up in Northern Ontario where billet families were common, hoped Nic would serve as a bit of a mentor to her boys, then 10 and 7. In return, the Gelders would provide a stable environment for Nic to pursue his goals as a hockey player and a student.

“We thought we would change the dynamics of the family,” she said.

Did it ever. For all of them.

“As soon as Nic arrived, the boys grabbed him and said, ‘Let’s go downstairs and play mini-sticks,’ ” Tracy said. “That’s when we realized it was more than just helping a kid out with hockey.

“Nic immediately fit into the family. He’d pick up groceries out of the back of the car, he’d go to the kids’ hockey practices, he’d go to the school with him and play baseball. Brady and Nic would curl up on the couch together and watch videos or hockey games. He’s one of the nicest kids.

“Some days he would come home and the boys would desperately want to go down to the basement to play ministicks, but Nic would have to study. So the three of them would be sitting at the kitchen island doing homework – even if they didn’t have any homework. They just wanted to be doing exactly what Nic was doing.”

As soon as Nic finished his homework, though, it became time for more mini-sticks, which is essentially a hockey game in miniature. Goalies defend two small nets and all the players compete using short composite sticks. You generally chase around the blue foam ball on your knees, but when games get heated everyone tends to stand up and make things more intense.

There were nights at the Gelder house when Rowan, Brady and a half-dozen of Nic’s Steelheads teammates would play mini-sticks as if they were battling for the Cup. Good thing the basement was sound-proof.

“Rowan and Brady would play with us until they had to go to bed,” Nic said. “Then it would be just the guys on the team.

We’d stay down there sometimes until after midnight playing mini-sticks. One time, Tracy came downstairs and said, “Holy, it smells like teenage boys down here’ because we were sweating and having a time.”

But Nic did more than play mini-sticks in Mississauga. In 201516, he earned the OHL’s Bobby Smith Trophy that goes to the player who best combines high standards of play and academic excellence – an award won the two previous years by Connor McDavid. Last season, he captured the OHL’s Defenseman of the Year award after stacking up 35 goals in 67 games – the most goals by an OHL defenseman in 20 seasons.

RAISING HAGUE

And, while Nic didn’t win an official award for this, he learned how to eat vegetables while living with the Gelders.

“I’ve really grown on vegetables in the last three years,” Nic said. “When I was a kid, I loved fruit. That was good enough for me. When I was in the OHL, I started to realize that diet was a big part of being a professional hockey player. Tracy would try to help me out as much as possible. There was one time she made a batch of brownies and they were delicious, unbelievable. I was sitting there and eating a bunch of them.

Later on, she said, ‘Guess what I put in those brownies?’ ” The answer? Spinach. Then there was the time Tracy made scrumptious chocolate chip cookies – and only later informed Nic they contained chickpeas.

“I’m fine with spinach now,” Nic said. “But before I moved in there, I probably never had spinach in my life.”

For almost every Mississauga home game during Nic’s three years with the team, Bob and Sheila Hague would drive over from Kitchener and sit in the stands with the Gelders. They watched a lot of wins and shared a lot of fun.

“The last game of the season in 2018, the whole family, we were bawling our eyes out,” Tracy said, “because it was the last time Nic was going to be with us – even though he stayed with us a little longer.”

By that time, Nic had become property of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights – selected early in the second round of the 2017 Entry Draft – and everyone knew he’d be turning pro and joining the Chicago Wolves to start his climb.

This season marks the first year Nic has lived on his own. He and fellow rookie defenseman Dylan Coghlan share a place

in northwest suburban Schaumburg, where they’re figuring out the trick of how to become grownups while not growing up too quickly.

“We’re doing the stuff neither of us had to do before,” Nic said.

“We lived a pretty relaxed life before. We’re both trying to learn together.”

They have their afternoons and evenings where they’ll do little but play video games (Dylan dominates at Battlefield while Nic will play NHL19 remotely with old friends and teammates because that’s not Dylan’s thing). But they also do their best to scour Costco for the right foods to bring home and prepare – and to keep their place clean.

“I’ll give him credit. He does clean up more than me,” Dylan said with a smile. “But he hasn’t cooked once yet, actually. I don’t trust him in the kitchen. I took a couple foods classes in high school and then worked in the cafeteria sometimes as lunch, so I kind of know my way around a kitchen a little bit.

I’m not a pro at it, but I know what to do.”

Usually they stick to chicken and rice and the basics, but during the holiday season Coghlan prepared pork chops with green beans and mini-potatoes.

“They were pretty hard to make because they were superthick,” he said. “I didn’t do the best job.”

But does Nic appreciate his efforts?

“Oh, yeah, yeah,” Dylan said. “He’s really appreciative, I think.

He better be.”

Meanwhile, Nic’s parents try to fly down to Chicago once a month to visit their son. The Gelders are still a part of things too. As Brady’s 11th birthday approached in the late fall, Tracy

[The boys] just wanted to be doing exactly what Nic was doing.

Brady and Nic (with Bob Hague in the back) as they say goodbye at O’Hare after their November visit

Nic and Brady

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

gave him two options: He could have a traditional birthday party with his buddies – or he could hop on a plane to visit Nic. Easy choice for Brady.

So on the Nov. 17-18 weekend when the Wolves had a pair of home games, the Hagues drove over from Kitchener, parked their car in the Gelders’ driveway and then Bob, Sheila, Tracy and Brady flew to Chicago.

When they bid their goodbyes at O’Hare, they knew they had the Hagues’ holiday party to look forward to. Before the Gelders made the drive to Kitchener on Dec. 23, Tracy found the perfect gift at a little store in Port Credit: A large wooden sign with FAMILY spelled out in handcrafted metal letters.

Before the night was through, the Hagues took a picture with their new prize. Sheila, beaming, stood behind the couch holding up the sign. Nic sat in front of her and Bob sat to his right.

And the Gelders – Brady sitting next to Nic, of course – joined them on the couch.

“Nic treated Brady so great,” Tracy said. “He got the Wolves socks, the shirt, the hat.”

While Nic prepared for the games, the rest of them drove downtown and enjoyed Chicago-style pizza and visited The Bean and Navy Pier and the Christkindlmarket, among other sites. Then, on the morning Nic had to drive them back to the airport to return to Ontario, they went out for breakfast first.

“While we were sitting there,” Tracy said, “Brady put his head underneath Nic and it was just like the way they would curl up on the couch.”

One big, happy family.

“Nic is an only child,” Tracy said, before correcting herself. “He was an only child. Now he’s an older brother.”

“They’re just a fabulous family,” Bob said. “It’s amazing how your lives get intertwined.”

“I say that I have two moms and two dads now,” Nic said. “It’s going to be like that for the rest of my life.”

[Nic] was an only child.

Now he’s an older brother.

EVENTS!

FREE ROOKIE MEMBERSHIP ONE FREE TICKET TO A SELECT GAME AUTOGRAPH FROM SKATES & A PLAYER

BECOME AN ALL-STAR! UPGRADE TO AN ALL-STAR MEMBERSHIP FOR ONLY $9.95 & RECEIVE EVERYTHING IN THE ROOKIE PACKAGE PLUS:

PARTY!

ONE FREE TICKET TO ONE GAME EACH MONTH! (SEVEN FREE TICKETS TOTAL!) INVITATION TO A PARTY WITH WOLVES PLAYERS! ACCESS TO PARTICIPATION IN TWO SLAPSHOT SUNDAY EVENTS! THE OFFICIAL 2018-19 SKATES MATES ALL-STAR T-SHIRT! FREE KIDS MEAL AT RAISING CANE’S!

HAVE FUN! ONLY 9.95

$

SIGN UP AND JOIN TODAY!

VISIT THE KIDS ZONE BEHIND SECTION 109 OR SIGN UP ONLINE AT CHICAGOWOLVES.COM/SKATESMATES

SCORE A RIDE TO EVERY GAME THIS SEASON. $5 OFF YOUR RIDE WITH CODE CHIWOLVES NEW USERS ONLY. LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE.

Lyft terms and conditions apply.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

PAIRS OF SHOES

TIMES SHAVED PER WEEK

WATCHES

CUPS OF COFFEE SIBLINGS

SUITS OWNED

HOCKEY STICKS PER SEASON

NON-HOCKEY JOBS HOURS OF SLEEP ON AN OFF DAY COUNTRIES VISITED

SNAPCHATS PER DAY

MINUTES TO GET READY

MORNING ALARMS

SPOKEN LANGUAGE

PLAYLISTS IN MUSIC LIBRARY

NETFLIX SERIES BINGED

CITIES LIVED IN

ZACH

WHITECLOUD

The best fans deserve the best coverage Chicagoland Allstate Agents live here, work here and cheer for the Wolves just like you. And their goal is to help you make sure you have the right protection and get all the discounts you deserve.

Contact your local Allstate Agent today and score a free quote.

Š 2018 Allstate Insurance Co., Northbrook, IL. Marks are registered trademarks of their respective owners.

kiadealers.com

2018 Niro

2018 Soul

2018 Sportage

2019 Sorento

SOME THINGS ARE WORTH REPEATING. FOUR TIMES. “HIGHEST RANKED BRAND IN INITIAL QUALITY, 4 YEARS IN A ROW.” MASS MARKET1

Antioch RAYMOND KIA

Berwyn BERWYN KIA

Burns Harbor BOSAK KIA

Calumet City NAPLETON’S RIVER OAKS KIA

Chicago EVERGREEN KIA

Elgin NAPLETON’S ELGIN KIA

Elmhurst NAPLETON’S KIA OF ELMHURST

Highland THOMAS KIA OF HIGHLAND

Joliet WORLD KIA JOLIET

Libertyville LIBERTY KIA

Lincolnwood GROSSINGER KIA

Matteson HAWKINSON KIA

McHenry GARY LANG KIA

Merrillville SOUTHLAKE KIA

Michigan City NIELSEN KIA

Naperville GERALD KIA OF NAPERVILLE

North Aurora GERALD KIA OF NORTH AURORA

Orland Hills INTERNATIONAL KIA

Palatine MCGRATH KIA OF PALATINE

Schaumburg BOB ROHRMAN SCHAUMBURG KIA

Waukegan CLASSIC KIA

Willowbrook WILLOWBROOK KIA

Visit your Chicagoland-Northwest Indiana Kia dealer today.

Proud Partner of the Chicago Wolves 2018 Niro Touring, 2019 Sorento SX Limited AWD, 2018 Soul ! (exclaim), and 2018 Sportage SX Turbo AWD shown with optional features. Some features may vary.

1 The Kia Brand received the lowest rate of reported problems among mass market brands in the J.D. Power 2018 Initial Quality Study of new vehicle owners’ experience with their own vehicle after 90 days of ownership. Visit jdpower.com/awards.

COACHES CORNER

ROCKY THOMPSON HEAD COACH

Rocky Thompson led the Chicago Wolves to the 2018 Central Division title in his first season with the organization.

The 2017-18 campaign marked Thompson’s 11th season as a coach, which included two seasons as the head coach for the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. His tenure with the Spitfires culminated with a Memorial Cup on May 28, 2017, and he was hired as the Wolves head coach on June 7, 2017.

The 41-year-old spent eight years as a coach in the Edmonton organization prior to joining Windsor, which was capped by a stint as an Edmonton Oilers assistant in 2014-15 alongside former Wolves Dallas Eakins and Todd Nelson.

Prior to coaching, Thompson played professional hockey – split between the NHL and AHL – for parts of 11 seasons from 1995 to 2007. Selected in the third round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right wing made his NHL debut on Jan. 28, 1998, and went on to appear in 25 games between the Flames and the Florida Panthers and racked up 117 penalty minutes.

In AHL competition, Thompson appeared in 566 regular-season games and compiled 69 points (17G, 52A). His 1,919 penalty minutes rank 10th on the AHL’s all-time penalty-minute list.

CHRIS DENNIS T:11”

B:11.25”

S:10.5”

ASSISTANT COACH

In his first year as a Chicago Wolves assistant coach, Chris Dennis – who focuses on the team’s blue liners – helped to guide the Wolves to the 2018 Central Division title.

The 38-year-old spent the previous two seasons as the head coach for York University in Toronto, where he took over a last-place program and transformed it into the champions of the 20-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The Lions captured the 2017 Queen’s Cup with a dramatic 4-3 victory on March 11.

Prior to taking the job at York, Dennis spent 10 years in the Maple Leafs organization in a variety of roles spanning the head-coaching tenures of Hall of Famer Pat Quinn, Paul Maurice, Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle. Dennis served as a Maple Leafs assistant coach from 2013-15 and worked as an assistant for the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies when they reached the Calder Cup Finals in 2012.

BOB NARDELLA ASSISTANT COACH

One of the most accomplished players in Chicago Wolves history, Bob Nardella was promoted to assistant coach on July 12, 2017, after serving for two seasons as skills development coach and three seasons as a part-time assistant for the franchise. During his first year as a full-time assistant, Nardella helped lead the Wolves to the 2018 Central Division crown.

Nardella ranks second on the team’s all-time regular-season list for games (476), fifth in assists (239) and sixth in points (298) after spending six full and three partial seasons with the Wolves.

He was a key player when Chicago captured the 1998 and 2000 Turner Cups as well as the 2002 Calder Cup. The 50-year-old Melrose Park native made his Wolves debut during the team’s inaugural season in 1994-95. After spending one season in Italy and another in Germany – punctuated by his first of two appearances in the Winter Olympics with Italy’s national team – Nardella returned to the Wolves from 1997 to 2002.

DON’T BE A LONE WOLF. RIDE WITH PACE.

Join the wolfpack on the Allstate Arena Direct to and from every Chicago Wolves home game. With express rides available from CTA’s Rosemont Station every 20 minutes, you’ll never breakaway from the pack again. Only 30 cents if transferring from Blue Line with Ventra, or $2.25 cash.

PaceBus.com

2018-19 AHL TEAM LANDSCAPE AROUND THE LEAGUE

THE AHL EXPANDS TO 31 TEAMS One year after the NHL expanded and the newborn Vegas Golden Knights capitalized by storming all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, the AHL has matched the move and added a 31st team.

The Colorado Eagles, winners of the ECHL’s last two Kelly Cups, have joined the league and taken up residence in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division.

To balance out Colorado’s arrival, theSan Antonio Rampage and Texas Stars have shifted from the Pacific Division to the Central Division.

That means it will be that much tougher for the Chicago Wolves to capture the Central Division title for the third year in a row (the Wolves were the only AHL team to defend their division title last season).

With the Rampage and Stars moving to the Central, the Cleveland Monsters are leaving the Western Conference and going from the Central Division to the Eastern Conference’s North Division. The Wolves and Monsters will maintain their rivalry, which means the Wolves have their first chance since the 2008-09 season to face an Eastern Conference opponent.

While a handful of teams have changed divisions, the path to the Calder Cup championship remains the same. In each of the four divisions, the top four teams (as ranked by points percentage) will qualify for the 2019 postseason.

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION CHICAGO WOLVES VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS DETROIT RED WINGS

IOWA WILD

Bakersfield Condors • Belleville Senators • Binghamton Devils • Bridgeport Sound Tigers • Charlotte Checkers EASTERN CONFERENCE Chicago Wolves • Cleveland Monsters • Colorado Eagles • Grand Rapids Griffins • Hartford Wolf Pack PACIFIC DIVISION NORTH Moose DIVISION Hershey Bears • Iowa Wild • ATLANTIC Laval RocketDIVISION • Lehigh Valley Phantoms • Manitoba • Milwaukee Admirals Bruins SOUND • Rochester IceHogs • San Antonio Rampage BAKERSFIELD CONDORSOntario Reign • Providence BRIDGEPORT TIGERSAmericans • Rockford BELLEVILLE SENATORS

EDMONTON OILERS NEW YORK ISLANDERS OTTAWA SENATORS Jose Barracuda • Springfield ThunderbirdsBINGHAMTON • Stockton Heat • Syracuse Crunch COLORADO EAGLES San Diego Gulls • SanCHARLOTTE CHECKERS DEVILS COLORADO AVALANCHE NEW JERSEY DEVILS Texas Stars • TorontoCAROLINA Marlies • HURRICANES Tucson Roadrunners • Utica Comets • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

ONTARIO REIGN

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

MINNESOTA WILD

LOS ANGELES KINGS

NEW YORK RANGERS

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

MANITOBA MOOSE

SAN DIEGO GULLS

HERSHEY BEARS

LAVAL ROCKET

WINNIPEG JETS

ANAHEIM DUCKS

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

MONTREAL CANADIENS

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

SAN JOSE SHARKS

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

BUFFALO SABRES

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

STOCKTON HEAT

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

CALGARY FLAMES

BOSTON BRUINS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

TORONTO MARLIES

ST. LOUIS BLUES

ARIZONA COYOTES

FLORIDA PANTHERS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

TEXAS STARS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

UTICA COMETS

DALLAS STARS

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

THE RINK

HOCKEY LINGO

ASSIST

BAR DOWN

Credited to a player who helps set up a goal. The last two offensive-team players to touch the puck prior to the goal scorer are awarded assists.

When the puck hits the bottom of the crossbar and falls down into the net.

COAST-TO-COAST

FLEX

When a player skates from one end of the ice to the other while evading all the opposing skaters.

BREAKAWAY

BOTTLE-ROCKET SHOT

A clear scoring When a shot (or goal) hits opportunity where no the goaltender’s water defensive player is bottle and breaks it. between the puck carrier and the goaltender.

GORDIE HOWE HAT TRICK

IRON

Measure of stiffness When a player scores a The red pipes that when force is applied to goal, registers an assist highlight the goalmouth. a hockey stick. Flex and logs a fighting major in If a puck deflects off one rating indicates pounds the same game. It honors or more of these pipes of force necessary to NHL legend Gordie Howe, it is said a player “hit bend a stick one inch. who was revered for his the iron.”

A higher flex rating brawn and skill as he often means a stiffer stick. completed this trifect.

BUCKET

CELLY

Another term for helmet.

Refers to the expression of joy after a player scores a goal; a celly comes in many forms and the amount of exuberance is usually correlated to the importance of the goal.

OFFSIDE

SAUCER PASSING

When a player crosses the offensive-zone blue line before the puck.

An elevated pass; typically used to evade an opposing player’s stick blocking the on-ice pass lane.

TITLE OF SECTION

THERE’S A BETTER WAY TO MOVE YOUR STUFF. Penske offers free unlimited miles on one-way rentals to keep Wolves fans moving forward. Visit pensketruckrental.com or call 800-GO-PENSKE.

© 2018 Penske. All Rights Reserved.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

We Celebrate

Local Personalities We’re putting the focus on the ones who make our stores run smoothly—our valued employees. From friendly cashiers and crafty floral experts to experienced managers and savvy stockers, we salute over 31,000 Jewel-Osco associates. All of these local personalities add a special flair to our stores while working hard to make sure you have the best shopping experience possible. Here’s to our superstars!

Denise S.

Jesus C.

Floral Manager

Cake Decorator Be Social.

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORDS & AWARDS

FRANCHISE RECORD BOOK

ALL-TIME POINTS LEADERS

GOALS LEADERS

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951 2. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483 3. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 4. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 5. JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 6. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 7. STEVE LAROUCHE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 8. CHRIS MARINUCCI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 9. STEVE MARTINS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 10. DEREK MACKENZIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454 2. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 3. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 4. DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 5. CHRIS MARINUCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 6. JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 7. STEVE LAROUCHE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 8. J.P. VIGIER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 DEREK MACKENZIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 10. SCOTT PEARSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

ALL-TIME WINS LEADERS

GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE LEADERS

(GOALTENDERS)

(MINIMUM 25 APPEARANCES)

1. WENDELL YOUNG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 2. MATT CLIMIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 3. KARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 4. JORDAN BINNINGTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 5. MICHAEL GARNETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 6. RAY LEBLANC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 7. ONDREJ PAVELEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 8. NORM MARACLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 9. PETER MANNINO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 10. JAKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

1. RICHARD SHULMISTRA. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.89 2. J AKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.03 3. K ARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.33 4. ANDREI TREFILOV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.36 5. K ASIMIR KASKISUO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.38 6. EDDIE LACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.46 7. J ORDAN BINNINGTON. . . . . . . . . . . . 2.62 8. DREW MacINTYRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.66 9. R OBERT GHERSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.67 10. FRED BRATHWAITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.68

ALL-TIME GAMES LEADERS

LEO LAMOUREUX MEMORIAL TROPHY

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839 2. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 3. DEREK MACKENZIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 4. KEVIN DOELL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 5. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 BRIAN SIPOTZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 7. BRETT STERLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 8. TIM BERGLAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 9. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 10. TIM BRESLIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

LES CUNNINGHAM AWARD (AHL REGULAR-SEASON MVP)

DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

WILLIE MARSHALL AWARD (AHL’S LEADING GOAL-SCORER)

BRETT STERLING . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) WADE MEGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

YANICK DUPRE MEMORIAL AWARD (AHL MAN OF THE YEAR)

KURTIS FOSTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2003-04) SCOOTER VAUGHAN . . . . . . . . . . . (2017-18)

(IHL REGULAR-SEASON SCORING CHAMPION)

ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1995-96) ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1996-97) STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . (1999-2000) STEVE LAROUCHE . . . (2000-01) (Shared)

JOHN B. SOLLENBERGER TROPHY (AHL’S LEADING REGULAR-SEASON SCORER)

STEVE MALTAIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2002-03) DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

IHL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD (OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE)

TIM BRESLIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1996-97) CHRIS MARINUCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . (1998-99) WENDELL YOUNG . . . . . . . . . . . . (2000-01)

THOMAS EBRIGHT AWARD (CAREER CONTRIBUTIONS TO AHL)

WENDELL YOUNG (2017-18)

THE WOLVES WERE THE ONLY AHL TEAM TO WIN A DIVISION TITLE IN 2016-17 AND THEN REPEAT THE FEAT IN 2017-18.

SCOOTER VAUGHAN BECAME THE SECOND WOLVES PLAYER TO EARN THE YANICK DUPRE MEMORIAL AWARD AS AHL MAN OF THE YEAR FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY.

THE WOLVES SHATTERED THE FRANCHISE RECORD

BY WINNING 13 CONSECUTIVE HOME GAMES FROM DEC. 6, 2017, TO FEB. 17, 2018.

CHICAGO TIED THE TEAM RECORD FOR SINGLE-SEASON POINT STREAK BY FORGING A 12-0-1-1 RECORD FROM DEC. 9, 2017, TO JAN. 6, 2018.

THE WOLVES PLAYED THE LONGEST GAME IN TEAM HISTORY WHEN THEY WENT NEARLY THREE FULL OVERTIMES IN GAME 3 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL AGAINST THE ROCKFORD ICEHOGS. MAX LAGACE PLAYED EVERY SECOND IN GOAL FOR THE WOLVES AND DELIVERED A TEAM-RECORD 72 SAVES – BREAKING THE PREVIOUS MARK BY 15.

None Of That Corporate Garbage 630-261-0400

floodbrothersdisposal.com #FloodBrothersDisposal

STATIC AD

GAME TIME

WHAT'S THE DIFF? WHAT S THE DIFF Find the 10 differences in the two photos below.

WHAT'S THE DIFF? ANAGRAM ALIAS Rearrange the letters of the following names to spell out Wolves players.

a d n o i S a s r k D n a r r Barnstormer Ink Cambers Kook C Clea

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

WHAT'S THE DIFF? CROSSWORD 1 2

3

4

5 6 7

8 9

ACROSS 3. The Wolves head coach shares his name with this famous fictional boxer.

5. Try your luck with our Scratch & Win cards and you may win one of these off a players back.

7. You can be a Rookie or All-Star member in this kids club. (2 words) 8. Four-Time League _________ 9. The Wolves were born to do this.

DOWN 1. Oversized versions of these were displayed in Chicago this summer (2 Words) 2. Number of years the Wolves have been a team. (2 Words) 4. The Wolves hope to be the last team doing this at the end of the season.

6. 25 years ago, the Allstate Arena was called the Rosemont _______.

8. The Wolves captured this Cup their first year in the AHL.

RIGHT WING • WINNIPEG, MB