Wolves now affiliated with ECHL team in Quad City

The Chicago Wolves announced Thursday that the organization has signed a multi-year agreement with the Quad City Mallards of the ECHL that begins with the 2017-18 season.

"We've had a really good relationship with Quad City over the years," said Wolves general manager Wendell Young. "We've had an informal arrangement to put players there and I've consulted with their management and coaching staff frequently. They've been very accommodating and we've always tried to help them out, too, but now it's official."

Quad City plays 36 home games per year at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois, which is just 160 miles west of Allstate Arena. The close proximity between the Wolves and the Mallards will help both teams maximize their rosters and maintain their winning traditions.

The Wolves have captured four league championships and posted winning records in 22 of their 23 seasons while the Mallards have produced seven winning seasons in a row, including a 40-28-2-2 record during 2016-17. Bob McNamara has served as president and general manager since January 2013 while Phil Axtell enters his first full year as head coach after taking the reins on an interim basis in January.

The Wolves aren't the only team forming an alliance with the Mallards. The Vegas Golden Knights, the NHL expansion franchise that signed a multi-year partnership with the Wolves on May 16, also has committed to a multi-year deal with Quad City.

"There's a common philosophy between our three organizations," Young said. "Vegas wants to win, we want to win, and Quad City wants to win, so there's an ideal structure here."