10 things every Wolves fan should know

Before you put on your Wolves jersey Saturday and head to Rosemont’s Allstate Arena to enjoy the home opener festivities, here are 10 things you should know about this edition of the Chicago Wolves as they host the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m.

Mac-T is back in chargeAfter spending the last two seasons as a television commentator, Craig MacTavish joined the Wolves in August for his first go-round as an American Hockey League head coach. MacTavish, 53, coached the Edmonton Oilers from 2000-09. Prior to that, MacTavish played 17 seasons in the NHL.Expect fireworksThe fireworks-laden #147;Kickstart#148; production during the player introductions has wowed fans for years, but the Wolves vow to go further this season.There#146;s a vicious rumor there#146;ll be more pyrotechnics than ever.#147;We revamp our show every year, but I think this is the best #145;Kickstart#146; has ever been,#148; said Courtney Mahoney, Wolves senior vice president of Operations. #147;We#146;re really focusing on the team and the championships. We#146;re really excited about it for our fans.#148;New NHL affiliateAfter working with the Atlanta Thrashers for the last 10 years, the Wolves have become the Vancouver Canucks#146; top affiliate. Yes, that means the Wolves are grooming players to knock off the Blackhawks someday.Those games with Rockford will be even more intense this season.Just win, babyThe Wolves won four championships during their first 17 seasons, but the last Calder Cup was hoisted at Allstate Arena way back in 2008. That#146;s an eternity to the organization.#147;We say if we don#146;t win a championship, then it#146;s not a successful year for us,#148; said Wolves general manager Wendell Young. #147;We#146;re about winning championships, not making the playoffs. We don#146;t even like just to make it to the finals. I think we have a team to win it. This year#146;s team is actually really exciting in that way.#148;Just the ticketThe Wolves#146; single-game prices remain the same for the fourth year in a row. You can get into Allstate Arena for as little as $9.Haydar on the radarHigh-scoring winger Darren Haydar is back for his fourth year with the Wolves. Haydar, who turns 32 on Oct. 22, handed out 2 assists in the AHL opener on Oct. 8 to give him 256 points in 203 Wolves appearances.He#146;s got the powerDuring the AHL#146;s all-star festivities in 2008, right winger Mark Mancari set the league record with a 102.8-mph slapshot. The 26-year-old Mancari, who played 20 games for the Buffalo Sabres last season, is in his first year with the Wolves. He scored his 152nd career AHL goal on Sunday.A suburban starBill Sweatt, who played left wing on the Wolves#146; top line during the opening weekend, has a lot of local ties. He was born in Lombard before moving to Elburn when he was #147;5 or 6.#148; Along with his older brother, Lee, Sweatt stood out for several top-flight youth hockey clubs including the Glen Ellyn Flames.Sweatt, who attended Kaneland High School as a freshman, was the Blackhawks#146; 2007 second-round pick but opted to stay at Colorado College.The 22-year-old signed with Vancouver as a free agent in 2010.Dogs and more dogsTo celebrate the organization#146;s 18th home opener Saturday, the Wolves are hosting a tailgate party from 2-6 p.m. at Allstate Arena. Live music, hot dogs and soft drinks are part of the free bash.At the same time, the Wolves are hosting the first of seven Adopt-A-Dog events this season. The Wolves have helped to find homes for more than 900dogs since starting the program in 2001.Net gainIn Eddie Lack and Matt Climie, the Wolves believe they might have their best pair of goalies in franchise history. Lack, 23, is viewed as the hottest goaltending prospect in the Canucks#146; organization while Climie, 28, has a strong AHL track record and allowed just 1 goal when he started a game for the Phoenix Coyotes last season.#147;We#146;ve got the (2011 AHL) rookie goalie of the year in Lack and Climie#146;s a truly proven pro goalie,#148; said GM Wendell Young, who owns all of the Wolves#146; career goaltending records. #147;We#146;re in a position where I feel we have two No. 1s.#148;