Product 19: With large group of returning players, Chicago Wolves have championship hopes
They’re one game into their AHL season and already the Chicago Wolves know their magic number.
It’s 19, as in the number of players returning from last season’s playoff team. It’s an unusually high number for an AHL team, and already the Wolves are seeing its benefits and setting their goals accordingly. They hope with that many players back, they can make some magic this season.
The Wolves, an affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, host Rockford at 7 p.m. Saturday at Allstate Arena in their 2025-26 home opener. They beat Iowa 4-1 last Saturday in their road opener.
“You come to play for one reason and that’s to win a championship, right?” said captain Josiah Slavin. “And I think coming in last year we had a really young group of guys and didn’t really know what to expect. We have a big group of returning players this year and I think we all have one goal in common and that’s to win a championship. And with how many guys are returning this year, I think it’s within the realm of possibility for us for sure.”
With so many guys back, few introductions were necessary. Guys have a good knowledge of the system the Wolves (and Hurricanes) play, what the coaching staff expects and where their teammates are going to be on the ice. They even have a comfort level with the suburbs, where to live and how to get around.
“At first you want to get to know everyone,” forward Bradly Nadeau said. “You want to try to fit in. Get to know the coaching staff and see what your role is. The second year, that’s kind of out of the way. It’s just embrace your role and try to help the team with what you do.”
“We know a lot of guys and what type of players they are and roles they might assume on the team,” second-year coach Cam Abbott added.
That familiarity already is working in the Wolves’ favor in terms of better chemistry on the ice and off.
“I think last year the first couple of weeks we didn’t really know what to expect from each other,” said Slavin, a forward and former Blackhawks draft pick. “We didn’t play with each other before. We had maybe three guys on the team last year that had played together before. This year is a completely different look for us. I like what I’m seeing right now from our guys and just the chemistry that we’ve built so far.
“We have a really close group in the locker room and we’re all brothers in there and we all hang out with each other outside of the rink.”
Maybe the biggest change for the Wolves is their practice facility, the Rosemont Ice Arena, which Abbott called “a great new facility.” It’s an easy 10-minute drive from Allstate Arena.
But the Wolves aren’t just relying on chemistry and familiarity. They’ve got some talent too. Slavin is one of the players with NHL experience, and he hopes to rejoin his brother Jaccob with the Hurricanes.
Veteran forward Skyler Brind’Amour, the son of Hurricanes coach Rod Brind-Amour, had 16 goals and 8 assists last season.
Nadeau led the AHL with 32 goals last season as an AHL rookie and earned a brief stint with the Hurricanes. He scored a goal against Iowa, showing he’s ready to put up big numbers again, but he’s keeping his season goals simple.
“Just try to help the team win,” Nadeau said. “Honestly, I think that’s a big one and see where it goes from there. We have a special group in here.”