Breakaway Magazine - Volume 13 - Issue 1

THE THE OFFICIAL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE MAGAZINE OF OF THE THE CHICAGO CHICAGO WOLVES WOLVES

VOL. VOL. 13 13 ISSUE ISSUE 11

WHO IS

CHICAGO WOLVES

head coach RYAN WARSOFSKY?

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OPPONENTS KEY CLEVELAND MONSTERS - CLE GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS - GR IOWA WILD - IA MANITOBA MOOSE - MB

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS - MIL ROCKFORD ICEHOGS - RFD TEXAS STARS - TEX TORONTO MARLIES - TOR

HOME

AWAY

ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL. DATES, AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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18

WHO IS CHICAGO WOLVES HEAD COACH RYAN WARSOFSKY? OPERATIONS Courtney Mahoney Dan Harris Imran Javed Troy Mueller Ross Dettman Mark Abernethy Ron Storto Jason Shaver Bill Gardner Gabriel McDonagh Lindsey Willhite Samantha Cobb Andrew Gallagher Gabby Hogan Leo Theodore Alli Vellucci Tristen Wilbers Austin Zima

President of Operations Senior Director of Operations Digital Content Manager Creative Services Manager Team Photographer Marketing Executive TV Producer Play by Play Announcer Color Analyst Production Assistant Director of Public Relations Media Relations Coordinator Community Relations Coordinator Community Relations Coordinator Mascot Coordinator Social Media Coordinator Motion Designer Graphic Designer

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

FRONT OFFICE & HOCKEY OPERATIONS

Jon Sata Kevin Dooley Greg Sprott Jackie Schroeder

Seth Gold Wayne Messmer Norine Gillner

Stefanie Evans Eric Zavilla Tim Weaver Pawel Sienko Brett Bennick Chris Friederich Mike Jucaban Leslie Metcalf Anissa Patterson Colette Hankin Nick Aikman Brett Bavcevic Joshua Katz Abigail Kruzel Mark Turelli Spencer Lhotka Kevin Horan Jake Schneider

President of Business Operations Sr. Executive Director of Ticket Sales Sr. Director of Partnership Sales Sr. Director of Ticket Retention and Services Sr. Director of Program Development Executive Director of Ticket Sales and Retention Sr. Manager of Partnerships and Media Sales Sales Development Manager Client Services Manager, Partnerships Partnerships Sales Executive E-Business Specialist B2B and Group Event Specialist Client Services Coordinator, Partnerships Sales and Services Coordinatoror Account Executive Group Sales Account Executive Group Sales Account Executive Group Sales Account Executive Group Sales Account Executive Account Executive: Group Sales and Youth Hockey Inside Sales Representative Inside Sales Representative

Director Senior Executive Vice President Hockey Operations Assistant

MEDICAL STAFF Scott Logue, MD Team Physician/Orthopedics A.J. Acierno, DDS Team Dentist Jolie Holschen Caravello, MDEmergency Medicine/Sports Medicine David Hamming, MD Serafin DeLeon, MD

GAMEDAY STAFF Chris Dubiel Public Address Announcer Brittney Hillebrand In-Arena Host Ivanne Bandera, Gianna Belcastro, Danielle Biewald, Stephanie Breakey, Ben Campbell, Joe Capozzi, Anthony Chicalace, Morgan Chicalace, Maggie Christy, Tyler Cristofaro, Nate DeBolt, Rebecca Erken, Hailey Falat, Lily Freedman, Tom Fumagalli, Matt Glavach, Peter Gniech, Jessica Golden, Jessica Gonzalez, Christopher Jackson, Steve Laures, Alexia Matthews, Jon Midlock, Esmeralda Natividad, Seth Novoselsky, Kelly O’Connor, Lauren Stoeck, Kelly Tragas, Dean Valera, Alex Vara, Jillian Windbiel

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

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

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE  1

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2021-2022 SEASON

Dear Fans, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2021-22 American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that can be traced back more than eight decades.

SCOTT HOWSON PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

We’re thrilled to have 31 teams back on the ice this fall, and we’re especially excited to have our passionate fans back to cheer on our players inside arenas across North America. Our clubs remain dedicated to ensuring everyone’s health and safety, allowing us to continue our role as the top development league for nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials in the National Hockey League today.

On behalf of all of our teams across the United States and Canada, thank you for your continuing support of the AHL, and I will see you at the rink.

Sincerely,

SCOTT HOWSON PRESIDENT & CEO | AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE  3

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WOLVES HIS TORY // FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS // The Chicago Wolves are extremely proud of their four league championships.

They’re a testament to the vision of Wolves founders Don Levin and Buddy Meyers and their willingness to provide the resources and support necessary to try to win it all every year.

They’re a tribute to the ability of the Hockey Operations Department, led for 12 years by general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, to find great players all over the world and bring them together in Chicago.

They’re proof of longtime head coach John Anderson’s tactical excellence during games — and how his choice to treat his players like men instead of machines brought out the best in them.

Most important, the four league championships are a lasting monument to all of the Wolves players who dedicated their lives to the pursuit of excellence.

While no championship happens without countless years of toil and sweat, all that work culminates in a specific day when the final series is won and the Cup is finally lifted toward the sky. These are the four dates when the Wolves woke up with high expectations and went to bed (eventually) as champions!

1998 TURNER CUP FINALS: GAME 7 //

Monday, June 15 • Rosemont Horizon • vs. Detroit Vipers One night after Michael Jordan sank a last-second jumper in Utah to set off the Bulls’ sixth NBA championship celebration in eight seasons, Chicago’s eyes turned toward the Wolves as they tried to secure the franchise’s first International Hockey League title.

Considering the Wolves and the Vipers had three days between Games 6 and 7 to allow their emotions and their nerves to build, both teams were particularly on edge while more than 16,000 revved-up fans filed into the arena.

The fireworks started just as warmups ended. Detroit tough guy Andy Bezeau, as he headed off the ice, fired a puck into the Wolves net while goaltender Stephane Beauregard was still there. That drew the ire of Wolves backup goaltender (now general manager) Wendell Young and others, which led to a brawl at the west end of the rink as players from both teams left the locker room to return to the ice and exchange blows. The Rosemont police had to break up the melee, which delayed the start of the game.

When play finally began, the tension built to a nearly unbearable level as neither team scored during the opening 40 minutes.

But early in the third period, defenseman Bob Nardella raced down the slot and flipped a shot that Vipers goaltender Jeff Reese steered into the corner. Nardella chased down the rebound and centered it quickly to Chris Marinucci for a redirect that gave the Wolves the lead with 14:56 to play. Postseason MVP Alexander Semak added two insurance goals and Beauregard rejected all 29 shots he faced to wrap up a 3-0 win and set off a wild celebration in Rosemont.

“I JUST REMEMBER STEPHANE BEAUREGARD COMING IN (TO THE DRESSING ROOM AFTER THE FIGHT) AND HE WAS OUR GOALIE THAT NIGHT & HE SAID, ‘THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE PISSED ME OFF.’ ”

— Wolves defenseman Bob Nardella

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE  5

2000 TURNER CUP FINALS: GAME 6 //

Monday, June 5 • Van Andel Arena • at Grand Rapids Griffins After producing the IHL’s best record and scoring the most goals during the 1999-2000 regular season, the Wolves were favored to win their second championship in three years. But the Griffins, who posted the league’s second-best record, didn’t make it easy on their rivals.

The Wolves had a chance to wrap up the title in Game 5 and a franchise-record 18,412 wins showed up at Allstate Arena to watch it happen, but Grand Rapids spoiled the party with a 6-4 win. That forced the Wolves (and a bunch of their fans) to make the three-hour drive to Grand Rapids for Game 6.

The Griffins drew a sellout crowd of their own and the hosts rode their energy to a scoreless draw through the first 20 minutes, but then late-season acquisition Derek Plante swung into action.

Plante slapped home a loose puck at 6:54 for the game’s first goal, then added another just 26 seconds later when goaltender Jani Hurme was wiped out of the play because a Griffins defender threw Wolves center Guy Larose into Hurme.

Grand Rapids sliced the Wolves’ lead to 2-1 by the end of the second period, but All-Star center Chris Marinucci gave Chicago some breathing room with an unassisted goal at 12:25 of the third.

Goaltender Andrei Trefilov took it from there — finishing with 26 saves to earn his third win of the Finals as well as the Most Valuable Player honors.

2002 CALDER CUP FINALS: GAME 5 //

Monday, June 3 • Allstate Arena • vs. Bridgeport Sound Tigers Though the final result couldn’t have been any sweeter, the Wolves’ shift from the International Hockey League to the American Hockey League didn’t always go as smoothly as everyone hoped.

The Wolves needed extra time to blend their legendary veterans with the Atlanta Thrashers’ promising youngsters, which meant the team settled for the Western Conference’s seventh seed and had to win a best-of-three qualifying round just to get to the quarterfinals.

Chicago went the distance in each of its first three playoff series, but needed just five games to dispatch Houston in the Western Conference Finals to set up a shot at a Calder Cup. More than 15,000 fans turned out to see whether the Wolves would wrap up the title in Game 5.

The crowd’s roars got progressively louder as Wolves all-time leading scorer Steve Maltais produced two goals in the first eight minutes and added a third at 3:07 of the second. Not only did that stake the Wolves to a 3-0 lead, it inspired dozens of fans to fling their hats to the ice. But Bridgeport rallied to score three goals in the second period to pull even.

The suspense kept building as Wolves goalie Pasi Nurminen and Sound Tigers goalie Rick DiPietro didn’t allow any more goals for more than 40 minutes. Then Wolves forward J.P. Vigier raced up the left wing and sauced a perfect pass ahead to Yuri Butsayev, who spied open space between DiPietro’s skates and made history in the second overtime.

2008 CALDER CUP FINALS: GAME 6 //

Tuesday, June 10 • Allstate Arena • vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins John Anderson’s 2007-08 Wolves were dominant from Day 1. Six weeks into the season, they owned a 13-0-1 record and wound up with the Western Conference’s best record.

It’s hard to imagine anyone in the organization doubted the team’s worthiness to be a champion, especially after taking the first three games of the Calder Cup Finals against Wilkes-Barres/ Scranton by a combined 15-6 margin. But when the Penguins rallied to take Games 4 and 5, it added a little bit of tension to Game 6 in Rosemont.

The Wolves raced to a 2-0 lead as defenseman Nathan Oystrick whistled home a power-play goal and Jason Krog buried a bad Penguins pass into the back of the net. But Wilkes-Barre/Scranton made it 2-2 after two periods.

That’s when the Wolves’ overwhelming skill took over again. Jesse Schultz led a 2-on-2 rush but, instead of feeding the puck ahead to Darren Haydar, he spotted Krog open trailing the play and the league MVP wristed it home from the faceoff dot for a 3-2 lead 4:44 into the third.

Then defenseman Arturs Kulda lobbed a pass 100 feet ahead to Krog, who was waiting alone at the blue line. He zipped a forehand past goaltender John Curry with 4:37 left in regulation to complete his hat trick and send the crowd into hysterics. When Brett Sterling stuffed home a rebound with 2:18 remaining, everyone knew the Wolves’ fourth championship was in the bag.

6

#WEARETHEWOLVES

BE SOCIAL.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / GOVERNOR

/ DON LEVIN //

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.

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.

8

#WEARETHEWOLVES

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.

Proudly serving as Team Physicians for the Chicago Wolves

From physical therapy to new approaches in joint replacement, Illinois Bone & Joint Institute has the expertise to treat any orthopedic condition that challenges you.

ibji.com

GENERAL MANAGER

/ WENDELL YOUNG // is in his 13th season as the Chicago Wolves general manager. Since being hired as GM in August 2009, the Wolves have compiled a .597 regular-season winning percentage and captured seven division titles: the 2010 West, 2012 Midwest, 2014 Midwest, 2017 Central, 2018 Central, 2019 Central and 2021 Central. The Wolves also reached the 2019 Calder Cup Finals.

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 58-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.

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

/ BILL BENTLEY // is in his 13th 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 50-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.

SENIOR ADVISOR / DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS

/ GENE UBRIACO //

who has been with the Wolves since the franchise’s inception in 1994, is in his 25th season as the team’s director of hockey operations and 13th 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 NHLwith the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oakland Seals and Chicago Blackhawks. He posted 39 goals and 35 assists in 177 NHL games.

10

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

ACE ON THE COURSE AND IN THE KITCHEN TWENTY-YEAR-OLD JAMIESON REES IS COOKING UP A SPECIAL SECOND PRO SEASON

After the final game of the 2021 season, Chicago Wolves center Jamieson Rees gave reporters a long, earnest answer about all of his plans to work hard in the offseason to gain muscle and improve his skills.

Which begged the question: Would the 20-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario, budget any time to enjoy himself over the summer? As it turns out, no need to worry.

Shortly after returning home and finishing his quarantine, Rees hit the links with his father, John, and two of his father’s friends on June 5. When they reached the par-3 sixth hole at Brant Valley Golf Club, they realized they couldn’t see the pin on the elevated green.

“I hit first and I hit a nice shot that was going right at the pin,” John Rees said, “but we saw my ball plug at the top of the hill because it was a little wet. So Jamieson hits right after me and it was like father, like son. He hit the same shot exactly, but his hit the top of the hill and rolled.

We were joking driving up there like, ‘Hey, that could be in.’ ” When they climbed to the summit and reached the green, there weren’t any golf balls in sight.

“I was like, ‘There’s only one place it could be,’ ” Jamieson said.

“So he jumps out of the cart and runs over and, sure enough, the ball hit the pin square and went right down,” John said. “He was going nuts!”

Boom: Rees owned his first hole-in-one just one year after taking up the sport.

The golf course isn’t the only place where Rees, the Carolina

Hurricanes’ second-round pick in the 2019 NHL

Draft, has been a fast learner. Back in

February, when Rees was sharing a hotel room

with 2020 first-round pick Seth Jarvis at the

outset of the Wolves’ shortened season, the thenteenagers sheepishly admitted Rees had to FaceTime his mom in order to learn how to cook macaroni.

This summer, when he wasn’t busy training or skating, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Rees made himself at home in his family’s kitchen.

“I have weeks on end where I like one meal or a couple different meals — and that’s what I stick to,” Rees said. “Then I’ll get bored with that and I’ll switch to other things. So that’s how my cooking game is growing.”

Move over, macaroni. Rees’ new repertoire includes burrito bowls, salmon, chicken, smoothies, stir frys, steaks and potatoes.

“Nothing crazy, but just stuff I need to make sure I stay healthy and stay at a weight that I want to play at,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I’m a whiz in the kitchen, but I’ve gotten better. A good home-cooked meal is nice to have.”

Home-cooked meals are especially important for a young player hungry for success every night on the ice.

“I think I’ve gotten stronger, but I think I’ve also matured and learned what it means to be a pro,” he said. “Not necessarily at the ice, but away from the rink, too. Cooking for myself and taking care of my body. I always want to be in the best shape possible so I can perform at my best. I can’t be eating out every day.”

12

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

/ MEET THE WOLVES // FORWARDS DOMINIK BOKK

STEPHEN HARPER

H: 6-0 W: 179 Feb. 3, 2000 Schweinfurt, Germany 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

H: 6-3 W: 215 March 25, 1995 Burlington, Ontario 2020-21: Fort Wayne (ECHL)

DAVID COTTON

MAX LETUNOV

H: 6-2 W: 200 July 9, 1997 Parker, Texas 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

H: 6-4 W: 180 Feb. 20, 1996 Moscow, Russia 2020-21: San Jose (AHL)

JACK DRURY

KYLE MARINO

H: 6-0 W: 174 Feb. 3, 2000 Winnetka, Illinois 2020-21: Vaxjo HC (SweHL)

H: 6-3 W: 220 June 1, 1995 Niagara Falls, Ontario 2020-21: Wheeling (ECHL)

H: 6-0 W: 197 May 4, 1997 Detroit, Michigan 2020-21: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)

JAMIESON REES

DAVID GUST

STELIO MATTHEOS

H: 5-10 W: 177 Feb. 21, 1994 Orland Park, Illinois 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

H: 6-1 W: 196 June 14, 1999 Winnipeg, Manitoba 2020-21: Chicago (AHL), Fort Wayne (ECHL)

BLAKE MURRAY

SPENCER SMALLMAN

DOMINIK BOKK This 21-year-old forward from Germany who speaks four languages (German, Russian, Swedish and English) proved to be fluent in goal-scoring as well. In his first professional season in North America, Bokk racked up 9 goals and 9 assists in 26 games. He scored one goal in four straight games March 6-27.

SAM MILETIC

H: 6-1 W: 198 Sept. 9, 1996 Summerside, Prince Edward Island 2020-21: Chicago (AHL), Fort Wayne (ECHL)

H: 6-2 W: 187 July 5, 2001 Uxbridge, Ontario 2020-21: DNP

STEFAN NOESEN

DAVID COTTON This physical center from Parker, Texas, became just the third rookie in the Wolves’ 27-year history to lead the team in goals. Cotton contributed 14 goals, 7 assists and a +10 plus/minus rating in 26 games. In the Wolves’ Central Division-clinching win on May 12 at Grand Rapids, Cotton notched his first professional hat trick.

H: 5-11 W: 172 Feb. 26, 2001 Hamilton, Ontario 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

H: 6-1 W: 205 Feb. 12, 1993 Plano, Texas 2020-21: San Jose (NHL), Toronto (NHL), San Jose (AHL), Toronto (AHL)

C.J. SMITH

ANDREW POTURALSKI

RYAN SUZUKI

H: 5-10 W: 183 Jan. 14, 1994 Williamsville, New York 2020-21: San Diego (AHL)

H: 5-11 W: 183 Dec. 1, 1994 Des Moines, Iowa 2020-21: Buffalo (NHL), Rochester (AHL)

H: 6-1 W: 180 May 28, 2001 London, Ontario 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

/ HOCKEY OPERATIONS // NOT PICTURED:

LESTER TIU ASSISTANT EQUIPMENT MANAGER

CHRISTOPH WYSS STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

KEVIN KACER

RYAN SHOUFER

STAN DUBICKI

HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

EQUIPMENT MANAGER

GOALTENDING COACH

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE • 15

PRESENTED BY

PROCEEDS BENEFIT

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

/ MEET THE WOLVES // DEFENSEMEN MAX LAJOIE Acquired in a trade shortly before the season began, this versatile defenseman from Quebec quickly became an indispensable player in the Wolves lineup. The 23-year-old led all team blue-liners in goals (6) and points (21) and played so well overall, the Hurricanes added him to their Stanley Cup Playoff roster and put him in the lineup for two games.

JALEN CHATFIELD

MAX LAJOIE

H: 6-1 W: 188 May 15, 1996 Ypsilanti, Michigan 2020-21: Vancouver (NHL)

H: 6-1 W: 196 Nov. 5, 1997 Quebec City, Quebec 2020-21: Carolina (NHL), Chicago (AHL)

CAVAN FITZGERALD

JESPER SELLGREN

H: 6-1 W: 185 Aug. 23, 1996 Boston, Massachusetts 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

H: 5-10 W: 187 June 11, 1998 Ornskoldsvik, Sweden 2020-21: Frolunda HC (SHL)

JOSH JACOBS

JOEY KEANE Born in Chicago and raised in south suburban Homer Glen, this 22-yearold defenseman thrived while playing close to home last season.

The skilled defenseman handed out 13 assists in 24 games and earned his first NHL appearance as Keane made his debut for the Carolina Hurricanes on May 10.

H: 6-2 W: 212 Feb. 15, 1996 Shelby Township, Michigan 2020-21: Binghamton (AHL)

ARTYOM SERIKOV H: 6-1 W: 192 Dec. 28, 2000 Dmitrov, Russia 2020-21: Spartak Moscow (KHL)

JOEY KEANE H: 6-0 W: 187 July 2, 1999 Chicago, Illinois 2020-21: Carolina (NHL), Chicago (AHL)

GOALTENDERS ALEX LYON

BECK WARM

H: 6-1 W: 201 Dec. 9, 1992 Baudette, Minnesota 2020-21: Philadelphia (NHL), Lehigh Valley (AHL)

H: 6-0 W: 172 April 22, 1999 Whistler, British Columbia 2020-21: Chicago (AHL)

EETU MAKINIEMI

DYLAN WELLS

H: 6-2 W: 176 April 19, 1999 Vantaa, Finland 2020-21: Ilves Tampere (SM-liiga)

H: 6-2 W: 190 Jan. 3, 1998 St. Catharines, Ontario 2020-21: Edmonton (NHL)

BECK WARM This Whistler, British Columbia, native enjoyed a remarkable rookie season as he earned Central Division All-Star honors while posting a teamhigh 8 wins. Warm produced an 8-4-1 record with a 2.74 goals-against average and .914 save percentage — and also delivered the team’s only two shutouts of the season. The latter shutout, a 35-save effort against Grand Rapids on May 12, clinched the Central Division for the Wolves.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE • 17

RYAN WARSOFSKY ORAL HISTOR

WHO IS

CHICAGO WOLVES

head

coach RYAN WARSOFSKY?

RY

RYAN WARSOFSKY ORAL HISTORY

BY LINDSEY WILLHITE | PHOTOS BY ROSS DETTMAN

IF YOU WANT A ONE-WORD ANSWER, HE’S A WINNER. In 2006, he captained Marshfield (Mass.) High School’s first state championship team. He earned an ECHL head-coaching job at the tender age of 28 and promptly led the South Carolina Stingrays to the 2017 Kelly Cup Finals.

//I THINK HE’S ONE OF

In 2019, one month after serving as the top assistant on the Charlotte Checkers’ Calder Cup championship team, the Carolina Hurricanes promoted him to become the youngest head coach in the American Hockey League (at 33, he’s still the AHL’s youngest boss). In his first season with the Wolves last year, he guided the team to a Central Division title and the fourth-best winning percentage in franchise history. Not bad for an organization that owns four league championships.

THE UP-AND-COMING YOUNG COACHES IN // THE AMERICAN LEAGUE.

//

– Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan a two-time Stanley Cup champion

Perhaps Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan — a two-time Stanley Cup champion who’ll serve as the United States’ head coach in the 2022 Beijing Olympics — sums up Warsofsky’s career arc best.

“I think he’s one of the up-and-coming young coaches in the American League,” Sullivan said. “It would not surprise me to see him in the NHL sooner than later.”

HOW HAS WARSOFSKY EARNED THIS RIDE ON HOCKEY’S FAST TRACK? The best way to find out is by talking with Ryan’s three hyper-competitive and athletic brothers (Adam, Jarod and David), his hard-working parents (Mark and Dawn), his wife (Caroline) and his wide network of friends in and out of the hockey world.

Welcome to the oral history of Ryan Warsofsky’s life. Buckle up as you get to know this 5-foot-9, 180-pound, red-haired fireball of competitiveness and success.

“I’M STILL NOT OVER IT” Dawn Warsofsky (Ryan’s mother): “Ryan was the king of aggressiveness. Absolutely the king. And Ryan DID NOT like to lose. Oh, my goodness. Oh, there was no losing for Ryan. He is THE most competitive of the four boys. There would be times where I would say, ‘Could you just give (your brother) that goal?

Just give him that home run.’ And none of the boys would. They would all make the other work for it.”

Mark Warsofsky (Ryan’s father): “To be very honest with you, when they were a little bit younger, maybe 10 years ago, it would drive me nuts. It really would.

Because they were so damn competitive. Dawn and I have worked so hard to have good family dynamics and no arguments.

“We’re like, ‘Where did this come from? You guys have got to relax.’ I can remember nights when we were on vacation together or we’re at our house in Marshfield and they’re arguing until 2 in the morning. Of course, there might be a little drinking involved. Finally, I’ve got to go out there and tell them, ‘Enough. Go to bed.’

“Now that they’re married and have kids, I think it has toned down a little bit. But they still go at it. If Ryan’s playing that beanbag game with his brothers, he’s not losing. He’s not losing. When they golf together, they’re always putting money on the thing.

I’m like, ‘Can’t you guys just play the game?’ And I forget how Ryan says it, but it’s something like, ‘Dad, you’ve got to put something on the line.’ ” Adam Warsofsky (Ryan’s 40-year-old brother who runs M&M Transport with their father, who founded the business in 1990 and built it from one truck to hundreds): “We compete at pool volleyball, football, golf, anything. A couple years back in Charleston (South Carolina), we had a rougher than usual 2-on-2 football game. Jarod and myself played against Ryan and David — the two older brothers vs. the two younger ones. As many can imagine (dramatic pause), the older brothers won that game.”

Photo courtesy of Warsofsky family

Jarod Warsofsky (Ryan’s 38-year-old brother who runs Boston Trailer, another of the Warsofsky family’s three businesses): “You can ask Ryan and David about this story because they’ll never live it down. We played 2-on-2 tag football that turned into full tackle football with referees and everything. And the old-timers took ‘em down… and Ryan and David are both still crying about it.”

Ryan: “I think that was eight years ago. I’m still not over it.”

That devastating loss coincided with the first time Ryan brought along his thengirlfriend, Caroline Oddo, for the big family summer vacation.

Caroline Warsofsky (she and Ryan were married in 2016; their son, Cal, turned 2 in August): “It was his parents and all four brothers and their significant others and I think only Adam had children at that time. We all rented a house right on the beach and it was so much fun. But…I noticed how every little thing got into a huge competition with money on the line and ridiculous things you’d have to do if you lost.

“I am not competitive at all. I have no sports athletic ability whatsoever, so I could tell Ryan was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I have the worst partner.’ I think we were playing cornhole for a flat-screen TV at one point. It starts with 20 bucks, then it turns into, ‘I need a new TV.’ ‘That’s fine! We’ll do it!’ It goes from zero to 100 just like that.

“It usually starts with (the couples competing with each other). Then I’ll try to tap out because I’m awful and it’s not even fair. Then they’ll kind of get into the 1-on-1 competitions. Even if you’re trying to relax in the pool, it turns into, ‘I bet I can swim down there and back faster than you.’

“I think Ryan does hate to lose more than anyone else. I think his brother Dave said it best one day: ‘Ryan always expects everyone to be at peak performance.’

If we’re playing cornhole on a team and I miss, it’s not like, ‘Oh, shake it off.’ It’s like, ‘Come on, I know you can do better than that.’ ”

David, by the way, knows a little bit about competitive people and peak performance. He served as captain for the United States’ national U18 team, won an NCAA Frozen Four playing for Boston University and made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins at the age of 23. But Dave’s epiphany helps to explain why Ryan has been such a successful coach at such a young age. He expects himself to be at peak performance at all times, which allows him to demand it from everyone around him.

Ryan: “I think if you look at the greatest of the great — the Michael Jordans, the Tom Bradys, Tiger Woods — those guys are the greatest for a reason: When the lights are shining the brightest, they show up. If I’m not pushing our players to be great every time they step on the ice, then I’m giving them a way out. I’m giving them an, ‘Oh, I didn’t feel good today.’ Yeah, those things are going to happen, but I don’t want to put that in your head already. I’d rather you focus on being great every day.

“I’ve had this conversation with (David) quite a bit. Because I think he has lacked some consistency at times in his games throughout his career. And I would try to push him a little bit. Because if you want to be great, you watch the great athletes of all-time, they show up every time. They have an unbelievable focus level. There’s things in life that happen — injuries and sicknesses and whatnot — but I don’t want it as a crutch for our players…and even when I’m playing a 2-on-2 backyard football game. I think my brother had recently had surgery on his belly or something. I wasn’t letting him use that as an excuse (laughs). He’d be like, ‘My belly hurts.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t care. Let’s go. We’re gonna LOSE!”

Ryan kinda sounds like a hard-ass, no? Perhaps, but there’s something about his personality that allows him to be demanding and beloved at the same time. What else would you expect from the young man known as “RyRy The Weather Guy” for his entertaining meteorology reports on Marshfield High School’s daily in-house news show during his junior and senior years?

Dawn Warsofsky: “Ryan is our laughter. He’s our sense of humor. He is super serious, but the flip side of it is you never want to have a party and not invite Ryan.”

Jarod Warsofsky: “He’s always been a very passionate kid. Even in high school and college, we knew he was going to be a coach more so than a player because he was always trying to help guys. One thing that Ryan was always very good at, even at a young age, was breaking down video and letting guys know how they could improve.

//RYAN ALWAYS EXPECTS EVERYONE TO BE AT PEAK // PERFORMANCE.

“He has always had that leadership mentality. He kind of controls the room when he walks into it.

That’s what you need. You need to demand respect, but at the same time show respect, too. He was born to be a coach.”

Spencer Carbery, now a Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach, gave Ryan his start in professional hockey when he hired him to be his assistant with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays in 2013. The job paid next to nothing, but came with an apartment in Charleston, South Carolina, and an unbelievable opportunity to learn everything about the coaching business.

Spencer Carbery: “We were taking resumes and Ry’s came across our desk. I remember looking through his resume. He had been at (Div. III) Curry College, right? I get to the bottom of his resume and he has two references on there where I’m like, ‘Whoa. I gotta call those.’ One of them was Mike Sullivan and the other was Ray Bourque. I go, ‘There’s no way I’m NOT calling Ray Bourque on this one.’ So I called Ray to talk about Ry and he obviously had glowing things to say about him, that he’d known him since he was a kid. After we talked to people who had been around Ryan Warsofsky, that’s where we got a real confidence level that we were getting a really, really quality coach and a quality person.”

For three years, Carbery and Ryan worked together in their cramped, windowless, cinderblock office in North Charleston Coliseum. At the ECHL level, you don’t just coach: You serve as the general manager, hockey operations, travel secretary, and every other role aside from ticket-seller.

Spencer Carbery: “It was just a really, really great fit and he was such a sponge. He wanted to know EVERY little thing and how to do it and what to do in every situation. And what he brought, too, is one of his best qualities as a coach: Guys just loved him. Guys love being around him. He’s got a great sense of humor. He’s got a great feel for communicating and connecting with players and going into the locker room and having a real good feel for the environment. Our players liked him so much.

//

Derek Arnold grew up in Massachusetts playing on top-flight youth teams with David Warsofsky and wound up becoming tight with Ryan and the rest of the Warsofsky family, too. These days, he’s a frequent participant when the group gets away for golf trip weekends. But in 2016-17, Ryan was in his first year as South Carolina’s head coach and wanted to add a point-producing center to his squad.

Derek Arnold: “I was playing in Manchester and he traded for me at the deadline. That was pretty cool.

I didn’t know what to expect, but it was a really good experience. We made the Finals that year and had a great team. I was very fortunate he was able to bring me into that team.”

//HE HAS A TREMENDOUS PASSION TO BE GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES.//

WHAT WAS RYAN’S GREATEST SKILL AS A COACH? Derek Arnold: “His preparation, no question. I don’t know if I had a head coach as prepared as him in my career. He was laser-focused on every opponent. He knew strengths, weaknesses, all the different systems. His preparation was very eye-opening to me, especially for a young coach.”

Ryan Bourque, who has been close friends with David and Ryan Warsofsky since childhood, got the chance to play briefly for Ryan when he led the 2019-20 Charlotte Checkers.

Ryan Bourque (10-year pro and son of Hall of Famer Ray Bourque): It was such a cool experience to play for one of my best buddies. I’ve seen him his whole career: the man, the father, the husband. I mean, his story speaks for himself — what he’s done in such a short period of time in the professional ranks. It’s no surprise to us. We saw it all along — even when we were in high school. Just the demeanor he carries and his leadership qualities and his passion for the game. It’s definitely not a shock how quickly he has been able to accomplish the things he has been able to accomplish…and also the respect he has for the people who play for him. It’s something he doesn’t have to work for.

He just has to be himself.”

“The best quality a coach could have is someone you want to play for and you want to win for and you want to win together. He’s just able to soak that out of his players. He’s able to find that within them. I played 10 years pro. It’s a quality that’s very tough to accumulate.

He’s definitely got that X-Factor that you need.”

Last question: How did Ryan obtain that X-Factor? His father, who worked 100-hour weeks to transform M&M Transport from a startup into a respected force in the industry, has a theory.

Mark Warsofsky: “He gets his organizational skills and his personality from my wife. But I think he gets the passion, probably how I had for my business, he saw that, you know? He sees Adam and Jarod build the business as well. And he sees David’s passion to become an NHL player. They all have their own different qualities, but they’re all so much alike.”

Just like Mike Sullivan had the first word on Ryan, we’ll let him have the last word. The Sullivan and Warsofsky families essentially have been family since 1980, when 20-yearold Mark took a job as a truck driver and mechanic with JJ Sullivan Trucking in Hingham, Mass., and met Mike’s father, George.

Mike Sullivan: “We became lifelong friends. Mark was in my wedding party when I got married. My wife and I — well, she was my girlfriend at the time —used to babysit for Adam and Jarod when we were in high school. Our families have been intertwined ever since my dad and Mark met when working for my uncle.”

After an 11-year NHL career, Sullivan was hired as the Boston

In the summer of 2012, an Asian fusion restaurant named Empire opened in Boston’s Seaport District and immediately became a hot spot.

One night, Ryan Warsofsky and several buddies — including professional hockey players Ryan Bourque and Jeremy Morin — walked in for dinner and were greeted by the hostess, Caroline Oddo, a 21-year-old Suffolk University senior.

“We met a couple of weeks earlier at Empire and made some small talk,” Caroline said. “I didn’t really remember it.”

Ryan did. He suggested to his pals he’d obtain Caroline’s phone number that night.

Photo courtesy of Warsofsky family

“We made the bet that Ryan couldn’t get her number,” Bourque said.

Thus challenged, Ryan engaged Caroline in conversation.

“He started asking me about all the stuff we had talked about before — about my internship class and how I had a new roommate,” Caroline said. “And I’m like, ‘How does he know all this stuff about me?’ And then it clicked we had just chatted a few weeks prior. The fact that he remembered all that stuff, I thought it was kind of nice.”

Then Ryan asked for her number.

//

“I told him no, even though I thought it was nice he had interest,” Caroline said.

“Then I think he got a little liquid courage — there was a bar and lounge too — because he came back later that night. He said, ‘I know you said no, but I would really love to take you out to a dinner.’

Bruins’ head coach in 2003. Ryan already knew he wanted to be a hockey coach, so Sullivan invited the 16-year-old to sit in a few of his coaches’ meetings and encouraged him to add his opinions as if he were on the payroll.

Ryan Warsofsky: “I sat in the chair right across from Mike. I remember having a lot of conversations in his office, just talking about players. And looking back, we would be talking just like I talk with (Carolina Hurricanes head coach) Rod Brind’Amour now. I remember talking about Hal Gill, Travis Green. I remember going through the roster. I would speak up sometimes, but I was more listening to Mike and his assistants talk.”

Mike Sullivan: “Ryan and I have spent a lot of time over the years talking hockey. Everything from Xs and Os to penalty killing and power plays and forechecks to how to manage players and how to organize a team and what you value as a coach.

“He’s a really good young coach. He has a tremendous passion to be good at what he does. And because of that, he’s driven to learn. He certainly seeks not just my insights, but others in the game as well. I think that’s a credit to him because he will be a lifelong learner as a coach.” 

Caroline relented, which led to one of the most contested facts in their relationship — whether Ryan accidentally or deliberately went all-out for their first date.

Ryan and Caroline agreed to meet at Tresca, a fine Italian restaurant in the North End that happened to be owned by Ryan Bourque’s father — NHL legend Ray Bourque. He wore No. 77 during his 22-year-old Hall of Fame career, so Tresca’s most prized spot is known as Table No. 77. It’s a private outdoor space on the balcony with a beautiful view of Hanover Street.

“Kind of an aggressive move for a first date,” Caroline recalled.

Ryan insists it wasn’t planned that way.

“I get there a little early and have a drink at the bar and I know the manager at the time,” Ryan said. “He says, “Hey, I have a cancelation for Table 77.’

And I’m begging him, ‘No. I’m not sitting there. I don’t want to make it superromanticky and datey.’ And he’s begging me to take the table. We’re still going back and forth when Caroline walks in. By that time I didn’t have a choice, so he just brought us to Table 77. I explained to Caroline right when we sat down that I didn’t really plan this. I think she actually liked it a lot, but that wasn’t what I was going for.”

That led to another romantic Boston date a few days later — a picnic on the Charles River Esplanade — and pretty soon they knew. In the summer of 2016, they got married in Charleston, South Carolina. In the summer of 2019, their son, Cal, was born.

Cal reminds everyone of Ryan — his looks, temperament, love of sports.

When he was a newborn, he’d sit with Dad and stare at the screen while Ryan broke down game video. More recently, Cal has become more of a player than a viewer.

“Cal picks up the hockey stick and does his little two-hand hold,” Caroline said. “Anything that’s on the ground turns into a puck. He just whacks at EVERYTHING.” “He’s a right shot,” Ryan said. “It’s crazy how quick he’s growing. And now he’s talking. It’s great.”

THANK YOU FRONTLINE AND HEALTHCARE HEROES

NOMINATE THE

HOMETOWN HERO IN YOUR LIFE TODAY!

Do you know someone who goes beyond the call of duty in your community?

Each Hometown Hero will be recognized prior to select home games and join Wayne Messmer on the ice for the National Anthem.

You can also help support our Hometown Heroes by donating blood at Vitalant Blood Centers. Visit vitalant.org for more information.

CHICAGOWOLVES.COM/HOMETOWNHERO

HEAD COACH

/ RYAN WARSOFSKY // is in his second season as Chicago Wolves head coach after leading the team to the 2021 Central Division title.

The 33-year-old North Marshfield, Massachusetts, native ranks as the American Hockey League’s youngest head coach and launched his coaching career in 2012 at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts.

After one season as a Curry assistant, Warsofsky became an assistant coach for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays working with current Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach Spencer Carbery. After three years as an assistant, Warsofsky was promoted to head coach and led South Carolina to the Kelly Cup Finals in his first year.

Warsofsky posted an 88-44-10-2 record (.653) in two seasons at South Carolina before joining the Charlotte Checkers prior to the 2018-19 season. Serving as an assistant for Mike Vellucci, Warsofsky helped lead the Checkers to the 2019 Calder Cup championship.

Upon Vellucci’s departure, Warsofsky became Charlotte’s head coach on July 10, 2019, and directed the Checkers to a 34-22-5-0 mark (.598) during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season.

ASSISTANT COACH

/ PATRICK DWYER // is in his second season as a Chicago Wolves assistant coach. He rejoined the organization in Sept.

2020 after serving as the Charlotte Checkers’ assistant alongside Ryan Warsofsky in 2019-20.

Dwyer, 38, is no stranger to the Wolves. Selected by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft Dwyer graduated from Western Michigan University in 2005 and spent his first full year in professional hockey with the Wolves. The right wing posted 16 goals, 29 assists and a +15 plus/ minus rating during the 2005-06 season. He ranked fifth on head coach John Anderson’s squad with 45 points.

The Spokane, Washington, native then moved to the Carolina Hurricanes organization, where he split the next nine seasons between Carolina and the AHL’s Albany River Rats. Dwyer delivered 42 goals and 51 assists in 416 NHL regular-season games from 2008-15. He added 94 goals and 102 assists in 354 AHL appearances for the Wolves, Albany (2006-10) and the Charlotte Checkers (2016-17).

After wrapping up his professional playing career for the EIHL’s Belfast Giants in 2019, Dwyer launched his coaching career with Charlotte in 2019-20. He helped guide the Checkers to a 3422-5-0 record (.598) and a third-place finish in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.

ASSISTANT COACH

/ BOB NARDELLA // one of the most accomplished players in Chicago Wolves history, 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 four seasons as a full-time assistant, Nardella has helped to lead the Wolves to the 2018, 2019 and 2021 Central Division crowns along with the 2019 Calder Cup Finals.

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 53-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.

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE  27

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  29

/ TIM BRESLIN // When the Chicago Wolves began in 1994, the hockey operations department made it top priority to find proven professionals who knew what it took to build a new franchise. Prospective Wolves needed to good on the ice AND in the community — and if they grew up in the Chicago area, even better.

Therefore, it was no surprise when Addison native Tim Breslin, three years of International Hockey League experience on his resume, became one of the first three players signed by the Wolves.

For five years, the versatile forward gave everything he had to the Wolves organization. He stacked up 37 goals and 82 assists in 330 regular-season games — and appeared in 21 of the 22 postseason games when the Wolves seized their first league championship in 1998.

Off the ice, Breslin never passed up a chance to help others. He operated hockey clinics for adults (“Hockey Skilz”) and for children (“Breslin on Blades).” He spoke at libraries, visited hospitals and donated his time freely to raise money for multiple charities. The International Hockey League recognized his efforts by naming Breslin its Man of the Year for the 1996-97 season.

Breslin retired after the 1998-99 season, which enabled him to spend more time with his wife, Jami, and their young children: Shane, Paige and Chase. But in late 2004, he was diagnosed with appendiceal cancer. With unforgiving haste, the cancer spread through his body and claimed his life on Feb. 9, 2005, at the age of 37.

The Chicago hockey community rushed to help the family of the man who had helped so many others. On June 10, 2005, the Wolves alumni team and the Chicago Blackhawks alumni hosted an exhibition game that drew 10,000 fans to Allstate Arena to raise money for the Breslin family.

In addition, the Wolves honored Breslin’s life by creating the Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award — given annually to the Wolves player who best exemplifies his on-ice spirit, team-first attitude and level of community involvement.

TIM BRESLIN UNSUNG HERO AWARD WINNERS: 2019-20: D Jake Bischoff

2015-16: D Andre Benoit

2011-12: D Mark Matheson

2007-08: D Brian Sipotz

2018-19: D Zac Leslie

2014-15: D Brent Regner

2010-11: D Jaime Sifers

2006-07: D Brian Fahey

2017-18: C T.J. Tynan

2013-14: D Brent Regner

2009-10: F Matt Anderson

2005-06: C Kevin Doell

2016-17: F Bryce Gervais

2012-13: F Bill Sweatt

2008-09: C Steve Martins

2004-05: D Tim Wedderburn

/ DAN SNYDER // Dan Snyder joined the Chicago Wolves two years after Breslin retired — arriving just as the Wolves moved from the IHL to the AHL. While Snyder and Breslin didn’t necessarily have matching personalities, they were remarkably similar when it came to being great teammates who also devoted themselves to helping the Chicago community.

Among the highlights of Snyder’s two seasons with the Wolves: He tied the AHL’s all-time postseason record with five game-winning goals to help Chicago capture the 2002 Calder Cup. His ability to produce goals earned him a midseason promotion to the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers in 2002-03 —and he was all set to be on their Opening Night roster for 2003-04.

But on Sept. 29, 2003, Snyder was critically injured after the Ferrari 360 Modena driven by his teammate, Dany Heatley, struck a wall along Atlanta’s Lenox Road. Both players were ejected from the car, which was split in half by the force of the impact. Snyder suffered a fractured skull and internal brain

injuries due to the car’s rapid acceleration and deceleration. The 25-year-old lapsed into a coma following emergency surgery, and died six days later on Oct. 5.

Snyder made a difference everywhere he went — as proven by the numerous organizations that established permanent awards in the Elmira, Ontario, native’s memory. The Wolves created the Dan Snyder Man of the Year award, which remains the highest honor a Wolves player can receive. The Snyder Award commemorates the player each year who demonstrates the most dedication to the Chicago community.

DAN SNYDER MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS:

30

2019-20: G Oscar Dansk

2013-14: F Michael Davies

2007-08: D Nathan Oystrick

2018-19: F Tyler Wong

2012-13: F Michael Davies

2006-07: D Brian Sipotz

2017-18: F/D Scooter Vaughan

2011-12: RW Darren Haydar

2005-06: LW Karl Stewart

2016-17: LW Brett Sterling

2010-11: RW Spencer Machacek

2004-05: LW Karl Stewart

2015-16: C Pat Cannone

2009-10: LW Brett Sterling

2003-04: D Kurtis Foster

2014-15: RW Shane Harper

2008-09: LW Jordan LaVallee

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ALL-T IME F R ANCHISE

/ RECORDS & AWARDS //

/ BY THE NUMBERS //

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

4/

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. OSCAR DANSK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 6. MICHAEL GARNETT . . . . . . . . . . . 56 7. RAY LEBLANC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 8. ONDREJ PAVELEC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 9. NORM MARACLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 10. PETER MANNINO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

1. RICHARD SHULMISTRA. . . . . . . . 1.89 2. JAKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.03 3. KARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.33 4. ANDREI TREFILOV . . . . . . . . . . . 2.36 5. KASIMIR KASKISUO. . . . . . . . . . 2.38 6. EDDIE LACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.46 7. OSCAR DANSK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.50 8. MATT CLIMIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.52 9. PHEONIX COPLEY. . . . . . . . . . . . 2.59 10. MAX LAGACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.60

ALL-TIME GAMES LEADERS

LEO LAMOUREUX MEMORIAL TROPHY

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839 2. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 3. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . 408 4. DEREK MACKENZIE . . . . . . . . . . 377 5. KEVIN DOELL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 6. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 BRIAN SIPOTZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 8. TIM BERGLAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 9. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . 342 10. TIM BRESLIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

(IHL REGULAR-SEASON SCORING CHAMPION)

LES CUNNINGHAM AWARD (AHL REGULAR-SEASON MVP)

DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . (2016-17) DANIEL CARR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2018-19)

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)

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)

Since the Wolves joined the American Hockey League prior to the 2001-02 season, four Wolves have earned the Most Valuable Player award: Darren Haydar (2006-07), Jason Krog (2007-08), Kenny Agostino (2016-17) and Daniel Carr (2018-19). No other AHL team has produced as many MVPs over the last 20 years.

9/

The Wolves led the Central Division race from start to finish in 2021, which earned the organization’s fourth Central Division title in the last five years and their ninth division crown since joining the AHL in 2001. No other AHL franchise has won more than six division titles over that time.

39 /

Wolves legend Darren Haydar owns the American Hockey League record for longest point streak as he scored at least one point in 39 consecutive games to start the 2006-07 season.

Haydar piled up 24 goals and 55 assists from Oct. 7, 2006, to Jan. 6, 2007, to tie Wayne Gretzky for the fourth-longest point streak in professional hockey history.

54 /

The Wolves roster features top-flight prospects every year — as evidenced by the 54 National Hockey League first-round draft picks who have played for the Wolves over the years. Four first-rounders wore the burgundy and gold last season: Dominik Bokk, Seth Jarvis, Ryan Suzuki and Phil Tomasino.

55 /

Left winger Brett Sterling burst on the scene in 2006-07 and stacked up an American Hockey League-leading 55 goals in 77 games. Not only did Sterling earn the AHL’s Rookie of the Year award, he was voted to the First All-Star Team.

397 /

Of the 691 players who have suited up for the Wolves since the team’s first game on Oct. 1, 1994, a remarkable 397 of them have played in the National Hockey League. That means more than 57 percent of all Wolves have reached the NHL. Defenseman Joey Keane, a native of south suburban Homer Glen, became No. 397 when he made his debut with the Carolina Hurricanes on May 10.

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