Familiar names return for Wolves
When the Chicago Wolves skated off the ice after losing in the Western Conference finals last season, uncertainty surrounded the team's future.
General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was a finalist at the time for the Phoenix Coyotes' GM position. Coach John Anderson's contract was up and he held an outside hope that an NHL team finally would come calling.
Cory Larose, the league's fifth top scorer, already had decided to pursue an opportunity overseas. Darren Haydar (the league MVP and points leader), Brett Sterling (league rookie of the year and top goal scorer) and Jason Krog (eighth in league points) wanted to be out of Chicago this season and in Atlanta playing with the Thrashers.
As the Wolves skate back on the ice for their season-opener tonight in Houston, those uncertainties are gone.
Cheveldayoff lost out on the Coyotes' job. Anderson renewed his contract with the Wolves. Haydar and Krog were sent down to Chicago from the Thrashers' training camp. And only Sterling is in the NHL.
From an individual standpoint, not many got what they had hoped. As for the team, the Wolves brought back a general manager, their coach and two offensive players who are elite at the AHL level.
Rather than being bitter, the Wolves who didn't get what they wanted are even more motivated.
"Those guys expected to stay up there and for whatever reason they're here," Anderson said. "So now the key is, 'Don't worry about it, try as hard as you can, get up there again and hopefully stay.' "
Haydar agreed.
"I'm not going to be a liability to the team," said Haydar, who had 122 points last season. "I'm not going to be that sour apple. I'm not disappointed like that. I'm disappointed I'm not playing in the NHL, that's for sure.
"I'm not going to be just satisfied coming in and playing every night. Every night I want to win. Every night I want to do the best that I can and bring a Calder Cup to the Chicago fans. That's obviously what they deserve here."
The Wolves also return Steve Martins, Jordan LaValle, Andre Deveaux, Colin Stuart, Kevin Doell and Joey Crabb. All of them had at least 20 points last season.
The Wolves also added Alexandre Giroux, who finished second in the AHL in goals last season, and Jesse Schultz, who had 39 points last season with Manitoba.
Defensively, Nathan Oystrick comes back after a successful rookie season in which he finished fifth on the team in points. Boris Valabik, a former first-round pick, Brian Fahey, Brian Sipotz and Joel Kwiatkowski should provide depth on defense.
In the net, Fred Brathwaite, who started 40 games for the Wolves last season, probably will share time with 20-year-old Ondrej Pavelec, who is considered the future for the Thrashers.
"Krog, Haydar, Freddy, Oystrick will come back and have a great season," Martins said. "I'm sure second-year guys like Boris as well are going to have a better year and veterans. We're going to be an unbelievable team again."