stormTRacker Podcast
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stormTRacker Podcast
Rising Stars and Veteran Wisdom Fuel Chicago Wolves' Journey
The Chicago Wolves are currently experiencing an exciting yet challenging season in the AHL. Discover how the Chicago Wolves are navigating a challenging mid-season slump with a four-game losing streak. Join us as we unpack the intricacies of their recent performances, examining factors like time zone adjustments and on-ice mishaps against Bakersfield, Rockford, and Cleveland. Our Wolves "Insider", Andrew Rinaldi, joins the conversation to analyze power play struggles and explore how emerging talents like Scott Morrow and Bradly Nadeau could spark a turnaround. These rocky roads are just temporary detours for a team known for its resilience.
The spotlight shifts to the Wolves' goaltending strategy, where young talent Kazheyhev is learning the ropes in a backup role earlier than anticipated. We delve into the potential paths for his development, including more playtime with the Bloomington Bisons, while also contemplating the future of veteran goaltenders Spencer Martin and Dustin Tokarski with the trade deadline looming. Balancing immediate team performance with nurturing future stars is no easy task, but with a strategic plan in place, the Wolves aim to foster Kazheyhev's growth to its fullest potential.
As we wrap up, the focus turns to the promising defense prospects that are shaping the future of the Chicago Wolves. Standout rookie Scott Morrow is making headlines with his achievements, and his contributions alongside Domenick Fensore are proof of the rich talent pool in Chicago. We also celebrate the leadership and versatility of players like Josiah Slavin & Skyler Brind'Amour, whose off-ice guidance is as impactful as their on-ice abilities. Insights from Coach Anastas and stories of player development illustrate a bright trajectory for the Wolves, promising a captivating season ahead for both players and fans.
• Discussion on the Wolves' recent performance struggles
• Analysis of the power play difficulties and possible solutions
• Spotlight on rookie Felix Unger Sorum's development challenges
• Bradley Nadeau’s impressive scoring power
• Update on goaltending situation with Kazheyhev and the veterans
• Potential of standout players like Scott Morrow
• Examination of team dynamics and contributions from veterans
• Insight into Spiros Anastas' coaching approach and impact on the team
• Highlighting the enforcer role showcased by Yanick Turcotte
0:33 Chicago Wolves Mid-Season Review
14:15 Goalie Development Plan for Young Prospect
18:44 Emerging Defense Prospects in Chicago
25:57 NHL Prospects' Progress and Potential
29:44 Impactful Players on Chicago Wolves
37:09 Chicago Wolves Blue Line Progress
44:01 Fan Interaction and Subscription Reminder
Well, chicago Wolves have had an up-and-down season so far and lately they've been really startling, losing their last four games and being outscored 17-6. The Wolves currently sit in fourth place overall in the Central Division, six points back of Grand Rapids. To bring us up to date on the latest with the Wolves, our Storm Tracker, chicago Wolves Insider, andrew Rinaldi hey, andrew, how's it going?
Speaker 2:Going pretty good, Tom, aside from some of the past couple results there. But you know what? We'll talk about it.
Speaker 1:We'll get it over Well for sure. You know, I noticed the struggle. I mean, they've been outscored badly, have not played well, and so I thought I'd check the lineup card just to see who's been playing, and it looks like their team is pretty well intact. All the top guys are there, so it's not an injury problem. It doesn't seem like the flu bug which was, of course, hitting the Carolina Hurricanes.
Speaker 2:So what's going on? It's just I think you can attribute it to a couple different factors. You know the beginning of this streak was that second game in Bakersfield, West Coast kind of. You know, different time zone and all that several different time zones away. And you can see, just this team just didn't really have its legs under it and they kind of they kind of got caved in against a condors team that's kind of at the bottom of their division, but you can kind of write it off as it's kind of a one-off. The rockford game was just kind of sloppy all around for this team Just a lot of turnovers, some undisciplined penalties. They got behind the eight ball really quick and from there the floor just kind of caved in on them. And then they had that series against Cleveland and they might not seem super impressive in the standings right now, but this is still a team that has a ton of veteran presence on it. They were a goal away from upsetting Hershey and the Calder Cup playoffs.
Speaker 2:So it's it's. It's. It's a tough stretch right now. Um, you'd like to see some, some more of these looks, especially with the man advantage kind of starting to go in and help the guys out a little bit, but I I think they're just kind of starting to go in and help the guys out a little bit, but I think they're just kind of hitting a couple potholes in the road. I don't think that there's you know where I was in my other beat in Grand Rapids, where I'm kind of leaning more towards the panic button from how that's played for the last couple of weeks.
Speaker 2:I'm still liking what I'm seeing from Chicago. I still think that, you know, there's just kind of some issues that need to be ironed out over the long run and that it's just. They're just kind of in a bumpy patch in the road for this point right now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, and I know that. You know they've been seeming to have a little bit more success on the penalty kill, but certainly the power play has been a problem. They're what? Two for 17 in their last, uh, number of games yeah, and overall they're bottom five in the entire ahl.
Speaker 2:So I feel like you know, when you you have a, a power play monster quarterback like Scott Morrow, an elite level trigger man like Bradley Nadeau, like it's kind of incredible to see where they're at and with the man advantage, I actually like I knew there were struggles here and there, but I didn't quite realize they were that bad until I kind of checked the stats this weekend. So that was a little eye-opening to me personally. But I kind of think that they can be a little one-dimensional on the power play there. I think that, right, if you're not, it's all going through Nadeau seemingly at this moment, going through Nadeau seemingly at this moment, and if he's not going to be firing them in, then there's not a whole lot of options.
Speaker 2:Two and three, unfortunately, it feels a lot like like those early Alexander Ovechkin seasons in Washington where it's like, well, we're going to feed him because there's we. Just no one else seems to have that hot stick lately. And I mean, you know, when they keep going in for Bradley it's hard to justify against it. But I think that he could use a little help on the man advantage.
Speaker 1:Well, and Noah Gundler, I think, started the season and he was having some success on the power play, for sure, and he's one of those guys that you're going to look at. Another guy that I think about and seems to have slipped down to the third line right now, playing right wing again, is Felix Ungersorm. Is he challenged a little bit this year?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, he's you know he's a teenager and I think it's you know, we had such sky-high expectations for Felix, especially considering how his first camp in Carolina he kind of was really pushing the envelope there in that training camp and in preseason, and so I think the expectation was for him to just come in and absolutely blow the doors down in Chicago and you're seeing the makings for a good player in time. But I still think that you know, there's just so much to adjust for him. They've been trying him out at center and it's just, it's such a completely different world than playing a winger. So I think they're trying to get him to be a little more comfortable in his own skates and put him up there on the wing, which I think is a little more natural for him. He's looking a little more natural.
Speaker 2:I love the way that he's able to protect the puck. I love his vision. I love the way that he's able to protect the puck. I love his vision. I just he just needs to be a little stronger on the puck. I feel when you're that first one that's in there in the corners it's unfortunately the nature of this league You're going to get smacked and you can't be worried about getting smacked, and I've seen it with Yonatan Berrigan, similar type of player who's not the biggest guy on the ice, but you know he's after a while. You know you get adjusted to the defensemen in this league and how they're going to be coming after you and you learn to make plays and that's just. It's just going to take some time with Felix and you know I think it's not everyone's going to be Bradley Nadeau and come in and just first season, just dynamite immediately and that's okay.
Speaker 2:I think, I think it's good for him to face a little bit of adversity and and and figure it out, because and not everything's going to just come to him naturally. So is it a little disappointing? Sure, but I'm not, you know, but I'm not, you know. Again, I'm not hitting any panic buttons with these guys, not yet.
Speaker 1:Well and you know, certainly earlier in the year we saw some outstanding plays by Felix Ungersorm. He made a number of outstanding setups on goals that were, you know, that were really highlight, almost highlight real goals. He's a guy that obviously has the skills and I think he was. He went and played for his home country, of course, in the junior tournament and had a chance to play right wing again and I think that was good for him and he seems like he's more suited to that. We know he's got to bulk up, he's got to learn the pro game and so on. But I agree with you, andrew, I think he definitely is going to have his ups and downs in his first pro season with Chicago and we just have to be ready for that. And I know he's being sheltered a little bit, which is great. Right now he's on that third line with Pavlychev and I think they've got Turcotte or others kind of working on the wing with him. So he's got some veteran players helping him out and hopefully he'll find his way.
Speaker 1:Now you did mention, of course, bradley Nadeau. Bradley is probably one of the guys that hasn't missed a beat. He's just continuing to tear up the league. He's got 19 goals, now 34 points. He's really been playing extremely well. What are you seeing with Bradley Nadeau these days?
Speaker 2:I don't know really what more I can say about him that I've already said several times in the past Just absolute elite NHL shot. That's blowing by goaltenders at this level and it's consistent. You can see guys that can kind of score in bunches and then maybe go cold for a while. Since he's come back from the world juniors, this kid's just been absolute fire and it's it's not a question of you know if it's a question of how many at this point and um, it's, it's, it's been a real treat to watch. You could see early on in this season just instant chemistry with ryan suzuki, yes, and that's been, that's been kind of a bit of the catalyst for his success there. And you know, at this point it's really.
Speaker 2:I think what this, this, this organization is going to look for is just for him, to keep it consistent, for him to you know kind of round out some of the other, you know the other details. I have liked what I've seen from him off the puck as well. I think he's got a bit of a, he's maturing more and more every day into that sort of factor of his game. So I, you know, I like what I'm seeing from Bradley a lot. Hopefully I'm going to continue to like it as we get into the down-to-the-stretch run here gearing up for the playoffs. He's going to be a guy that they're going to continue to lean on for the bulk of the offense. As of right now, he's showing no signs of stopping. Again for the bulk of the offense, and as of right now, he's showing no signs of stopping. So again for the hot hand, like the Ovechkin and the Capitals just keep feeding, why not?
Speaker 1:Well, rightfully so, and I guess you kind of addressed what I've been wondering about with Nadeau. I mean, clearly he's a natural goal scorer, there's no question. And the bigger thing he'll need to work on, of course, is this full 200 foot game, his game away from the puck, as you mentioned, and just being a solid defensive player as well, and that's going to be the key for him. I you know, at this stage it's going to be interesting as he continues to round out his game and show this offensive capability. This year, as a rookie in the American hockey league, Um, he's going to push for a spot in the fall and the key will be can he round out his game sufficiently enough to get a real, true shot with the Canes? And I hope he does, because I think he's starting to show that from an offensive perspective. There's no questions with this guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's not going to be able to cheat the zone and ride Bryn Mindamore system. I tell you that, not that he does in Chicago, he's, he, he's, he's not a. He's not a cherry picker by any means, but just saying that, it's he's, you know he's, he has the ample opportunities in Chicago to work on those aspects here, whereas, and you know, some other franchises might see what he's doing offensively and try and pull him up and give the team some kind of spark, whereas I think they're, they're they're doing the right thing by allowing him to naturally kind of grow and mature in chicago, with with ample opportunities to work on that, while also refining his game with the puck as well, which is, I mean, again, the results have kind of spoken themselves. He doesn't even turn 20 until may and he's, you know, putting up historic goal scoring numbers for a teenager at this level yes, I think he's up there with just behind jason spezza's record, uh run.
Speaker 2:So it's. It'll be fun if he can keep this up. I hope he does.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean it's outstanding and for sure. I mean I kind of totally agree on what you're just saying to Andrew, that the Canes now have a solid American Hockey League franchise. They don't need to rush these players. You know players like him and certainly Scott Morrow and some of the other younger guys that are kind of finding their way in the pros, some of the blue liners and so on. I think this is just outstanding for the Canes. These players are definitely players that have a future with the Hurricanes or certainly in the National Hockey League, and the fact that they can spend the time now get great coaching, I think the crew in Chicago is doing a great job and continue to develop as they should. And you're absolutely right, some of their times with the Canes and some of their teams they'd be calling Bradley in a hurry to try to get some of that offense so great stuff with him.
Speaker 1:I wanted to talk about goaltending for a minute. I've seen some interesting things with the goaltending. So you know they had Dustin Tokarski come back. He and Spencer Martin have been carrying the load. They're both sitting around 2.37242 and that kind of range goals against. Martin, of course, has been with a heavier workload. He's won 14 games for the Wolves this year. We're not seeing much about Ruslan Kazeev these days. What's happening with the goaltending?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been mostly a heavy dose of Spencer Martin. And then Dustin Tokarski gets most of that backup role there. Yeah, because he has been in for a couple of spot starts here and there and I think he was kind of thrust up into that backup role a little quicker than usual, that backup role a little quicker than usual and you know, he kind of he showed flashes of his talent. Ultimately, I think you know it's been a little tough for the team to kind of rely on him. He's just, unfortunately, I don't think he's had a game where he's given up less than three goals since.
Speaker 1:December.
Speaker 2:But that's again. He's being so raw, so young in this type of league. It's kind of natural. I'm not really certain what the plan is for him if they, if they just want to get him exposed to how you know the, the, the coaching and just kind of how the pro game works at the ahl, instead of getting him some starts down, maybe with the bloomington bison, along with yaniv peretz? Um, yeah, I, I, but I I don't really have that kind of intimate plan. They did that's. They don't really have that kind of intimate plan. They don't really share with me.
Speaker 1:Stan's not telling you what his plan is for his goaltenders. Not yet, no.
Speaker 2:It's. You know whether it's Stan's plan or it's Carolina's plan, you know However it aims to be. I haven't really had any reason to, you know, question their judgment for now. So it might be a little unorthodox to carry three goalies as of this time, especially for someone as young as Kazeev, who would benefit from more starts and more playing time. I'm just going to defer to the guys up in Raleigh and Chicago know him better than I do, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, kazeev, you know his numbers. He's sitting at 3.33 goals against. The tough part is his save percentage at 876. Not surprising, I mean, again, as you say, he's learning his craft. You know we've talked a little bit about this before too, andrew, that you know. Stan Dubicki has had experience with Russian goaltenders before, of course, he spent time with Piotr and so on, and he's a great guy to continue to mentor Kazeev.
Speaker 1:Now. Another possibility and who knows what happens as the deadline comes close is we might see one of these veterans moved Spencer Martin or Dustin Tokarski, you know, any number of things could happen. Who knows what that holds. But again, I kind of agree with you. I think, for whatever reason, they want to keep Kazeev here. Peretz has gone down and he's played very, very well for Bloomingtonton, so that's good news. But uh, again, we'll have to see how this plays out. He certainly needs to get more playing time, that's for sure, and they've got to figure out how that, how that all comes together. But uh, I'm a I'm a big fan of kazeev. I've said this many times. I think he's got a great future with the hurricanes and I'd like to see him get some more playing time I agree.
Speaker 2:agree, yeah, I think it's just a matter of you know, you mentioned it a young goaltender that just kind of needs to find his groove. But it's hard to find your groove if you're not in the net.
Speaker 1:So I'd like to see him down in Bloomington.
Speaker 2:Get him just kind of get you know, don't get the legs super cold, because then the worst case scenario would be if something you know, if there's either a call up or an injury. Now you have this kid who's ice cold and you're again relying on him before, and whereas I think earlier in the season it was like you had no choice. Right At this time you can put yourself in a better situation for success.
Speaker 1:But again, I defer to the guys who get paid to manage this kind of stuff for sure, and I'm sure they have a plan uh again, because he's he's so highly rated in the in the goaltending uh group that they have coming along. I think they're they're just trying to do it right, so I think that's great. I mentioned earlier that when I looked at the lineup pretty well stacked with the key players of the Wolves and one of the guys that just came back from a cup of coffee with the Hurricanes, of course, was Scott Morrill. You know Morrill has had an outstanding season as you've seen him play so much this year and play so well. He leads the AHL in assists and points. By a rookie defenseman. He's got 19 assists, 29 points. He's actually got more than that now. He's tied for fourth amongst all defensemen, so this is an impressive story. He's the first AHL defenseman since the 2013-14 season to get two hat tricks in a season. I mean that's insane.
Speaker 1:And he's got three game-winning goals to go along with it. Morrill, I thought he accounted for himself quite nicely with the Hurricanes. You recall that Brent Nemours said he's just playing so darn well down there. We had to bring him up and they had the situation where they were battling flu and players were out. So it was an opportunity for them to bring someone up from Chicago, and Morrow to me is a player that is really starting to make a case to be on the Canes roster next season. What are you seeing with Scott since he returned?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I said before, you know what he can do with the puck is quite magical and I think most people have seen his goal against Rockford and if you haven't, then I would suggest going and searching that highlight up. I did see the goal. Yeah, he just dog walks three ice hogs and on his way to burying a big goal there for the Wolves. And you know, I had a chat with Spiros Anastas about it, the assistant coach and the leader of the defensive unit the assistant coach and the leader of the defensive unit and he made sure to point out that like, yeah, the points are going to be like the big talking points, they're going to be what really kind of draws everyone's attention and really kind of what helped him make the all-star team in his first year in the AHL. But what's allowed him to really catch the attention of the coaching staff up in Raleigh and allowed him to kind of get that cup of coffee with the Hurricanes, is how well he's improved off the puck and that's including getting to the puck first and not being afraid of that first contact. There's been his gap control. It's those little details that separate from your offensive dynamos, from your true elite number one kind of talents which he's definitely evolved into in his short time here in Chicago. And so he's playing all you know all situations and you know, great in all three zones on the special teams and everything I've, you know, I mentioned he's, he's been a monster, he's a quarterback in the power play, one of the guys that's been, you know, helping contribute to that, that bottom five unit.
Speaker 2:But he it's, it's, it's, it's been's been, you know, a treat to watch this kid take so many steps forward in such a small amount of time. And you know, I think we all were aware of his talent coming in. But now it's, you know, you, when you refine that with you know the talk points with the coach, and and coach anastas loves hearing him in the video room and going over even some of the tough conversations that they've had to have over some games that maybe weren't so great. He's taken it all in stride and he's learned from good games and bad games. So that's what you want from a pro, that's what you want from a guy who's gonna not stay here very much longer in chicago, but you know I'm gonna enjoy it for all the games that he that he's here with the wolves well, certainly, uh, with the canes he's looked like a different player from last year.
Speaker 1:Um, you know, much more confident, much more involved defensively. Uh, solid gaps, uh just just really looks like he's learning fast and the comments that Brendan Moore certainly you know are significant in terms of his future. Because if Rod's a guy that believes you're making good progress, then you're on his radar, which is critical, which is critical, and, you know, thinking about the Canes next year. It's kind of interesting because we've got two veteran defensemen who are going to be unrestricted free agents, of course. That's Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns, which opens up a couple of spots on the blue. We know that Alexander Nikitin is probably heading over to take one of those, and I think Scott Morrow has an excellent opportunity to grab that other one because it is a right shot position. So he's definitely in the mix and he's making his case very strongly at this stage for sure.
Speaker 1:So we'll keep an eye on Mr Morrow and, as you say, we'll enjoy his good play with Chicago as long as he's he's with the wolves, and that's another situation that I think is a good one, where the Canes can leave him there as he continues to grow his game and and play in all situations and play big minutes. So it's, it's great stuff for Morrow. Hey, talking about the defensive core, another guy that's, I think, continuing to grow and was on, I think, a seven-game point streak, was Dominic Fensori, and he, of course, has been playing some big minutes alongside Scott Morrow. We've talked about Dominic before. How's he been playing lately?
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was on that point streak for a while and then, you know, the points kind of haven't really been coming over this losing streak but they haven't been coming for everyone. So you know, I can't really say it's any, it's any of dom's fault or anything, but he's been, he's been giving exactly kind of what chicago has been looking for. He's another dynamic force that's able to to move that puck. And I've also been very impressed with with how he's been playing in his own end, because I think there's a bit of a stigma behind, you know, that smaller defenseman who can really wheel and deal and it's like, okay, well, all you got to do is go right at him, right and, um, I think some opponents have tried getting in in dom's face, thinking that they can just kind of push him around and he's kind of taking it to some of these guys where he's, you know, he might be giving up some inches, giving up some pounds, but he's not backing down. He doesn't back down in the corners in front of the net anywhere, and I love to see that. I love to see that.
Speaker 2:You know he's not, you know, playing timid. He's not, you know, playing timid. He's not afraid of contact or anything like that. He's actually going to be coming at you and so you know, when you got that kind of little bit of bowling ball, it's got a low center of gravity. You can kind of catch these guys off guard. It's, it's, it's. It's created a lot of fun hockey for him and I think you know he's it's. I think the only thing that he's got working against him is kind of the. You know you've mentioned some of the other names up in Carolina that are probably ahead of him in the depth chart. It's just, it's a strong unit in the NHL, so he's. I think you know he's got a shot. I think he's got a shot at a legit career ahead of him if he keeps playing like this. And you know he's become a favorite of mine and I might be a little biased because he's got, you know, that fensore, that Italian, and I'm not afraid to admit that I'm aware of my own biases when they show up.
Speaker 1:Good for you.
Speaker 2:You know, I've also come to really admire his game and really admire his attitude and his approach to how he you know how he handles it. Again, I think a lot of people kind of have written him off a little bit. With his size and all that, I think he can prove a lot of people wrong and if he continues his strong play he's going to get you know more of that spotlight.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he's. He's certainly building confidence with the coaching staff. They play him in all situations. He's a guy that you know. He's a former captain of Boston college, a heck of a player, a Hobie Baker finalist a couple of times. This guy was a great player. So it's not, you know, we shouldn't really be surprised that he's starting to really, you know, round his game out in the pros. Uh, yeah, he's battling size, but, uh, he's. He's a guy that, uh, I think, with his potential and I'm like you, I'm a huge fan of dom's I think he, I've loved him in the prospect showcases, I I really like what he's doing now and I just feel like he's going to be a guy that's going to be biting for a spot in the not too distant future. So, another exciting player that you get to watch in Chicago Well, one of the guys that also came back and filled up the lineup recently from the Hurricanes, of course was Yuhha Jaska, and Jaska is a real favorite of mine and of a lot of people.
Speaker 1:I think he's just a great guy and I wanted to read what he said when he came back. I thought it was quite telling, and this is what Juha said. He said it was amazing. Of course, it was nice to be there for so long. One month I could really get used to the game and used to the rhythm of what is normal life in the NHL. It was a really good experience and now I know what I need to get better at.
Speaker 1:Every day you don't even unpack your stuff, because every day you could get sent down. The next dream is to be an NHL player and know you're going to stay there. I know this is really good for me. The game is so hard up there so I need to get way better and this is the perfect spot to develop my game with this group and with these guys. He's really a special guy, I think, and I really liked what he did with the Hurricanes. He's definitely a guy that doesn't hurt you when he's on the ice and he gives a full effort and the people love him. What are you seeing with Juha?
Speaker 2:Yeah, if that quote doesn't speak exactly to the kind of player he is and the mindset that he has, then you know, I don't really know what more to tell you. But you know I can't believe it was a month, wow. But yeah, he, you know Kane's fans saw exactly what he was capable of when he went up there and you know he's been down for, I think, three games now at this point and I don't think he has any points. But it's certainly not for lack of opportunity, lack of, you know, effort or anything like that. It's just the way the puck's been bouncing these last couple of games. But you know, I, I if, if, going back to that quote, you know I think he's he's got his mind set right where he's just going to come in and continue to to play his game at the level that you know, he knows what, what is expected him, he knows what he's got to bring every night and as long as he just keeps doing that, I'm sure he's going to end up back in Carolina sooner rather than later and I'm going to hate to lose him because he became a favorite of mine very quickly at first and you know it's. I mean, I'm always happy to see the guys move up and succeed at the next level. But I can be a little selfish and kind of hope that they kind of hang on down here for a couple more games.
Speaker 2:But at any rate, you know what you're getting every night from him. You're knowing just kind of how responsible he is and in all three zones, um, he plays penalty kill, he plays power play, he does anything. That's, that's that's asked of him and and you know you can't really ask for for much more than that than this guy who's. He's just so versatile and and the fact that you can slot him in just about anywhere is it's, it's a trait that these coaches really love and admire and it's. It speaks volumes kind of how coaching staffs, either in chicago, carolina, praise what he brings the lineup. So I hope he's in chicago a little longer, but I don't think I, I think he's, I think he's got carolina written all over him a little later in the season here.
Speaker 1:Well, he definitely, you know, is going to be in the mix for sure, because he's been a solid performer when he's been up there. You know he's not getting the offense, but certainly on that fourth line he's doing what he's supposed to do. He's pushing in the offensive zone, he's laying on the body, he's doing all the right kind of things. And I'm like you. I'm like you, I'm a big fan of Juhad. You know what? He came over without any fanfare, nobody even really knew who he was, and you have to give the Canes scouting staff kudos for finding a player like this kind of hidden in Finland. And now he's coming over here and starting to make his mark and for sure he'll continue to shine with Chicago and we'll just see what he can do with the Hurricanes as well this year. You know a couple of guys you talk about, the veterans, in this mix, a couple of guys that have been, they've scored a little bit lately not a lot of goals for the Wolves, but they've been certainly chipping in and I think a couple of really heart and soul guys. You know no-transcript, of course Captain Josiah Slavin and Skylar Brindamore are the two guys I'm talking about. You know Slavin was in the US development program. This is kind of interesting. So he started in that program was with Chicago Steel.
Speaker 1:That's a pretty, you know, storied franchise, so a lot of folks play there that end up in the NHL. Went to Colorado College. Of course. He had 18 goals with Rockford in a short season in 21, 22, and 49 games. So he's got some ability, there's no question, and he's had a number of different cups of coffee in the NHL during this period. Brenda Moore of course he started with Quinnipiac when they won the championship a couple of years ago and his dad got to see him a lot and I guess that might have contributed to him being signed by the Canes this year. So he's got a championship behind him as well. So these are a couple of quality guys you know, part of the mix and, I think again adding to this whole kind of season with the Wolves. What are you seeing with these two guys?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, mean you touched on it. Heart and soul is exactly what you're, what you're getting from both of them. I, you know, I was kind of rooting for for ryan suzuki to get that c at that. They ended up giving to to josiah slavin. But again, these are that's why these guys make the hockey decisions in Chicago and not me, because it was absolutely the right call to do so. And you know, I just love what Slavin brings to this team. I love that watching him just give it his all for his boys. And you know he doesn't let anyone push the young kids around. He's always right there in someone's face. If you've got something to say, he's going to be coming in and giving you a response pretty quick. And Skylar Brindamore has actually been quite a surprise just with. I mean you know what you're getting with. You know the forward checking and the face-offs and the defensive play, Like you know. Okay, he's a carbon copy of his dad, we're all aware of that. But I, I I looked up his, you know his numbers in charlotte.
Speaker 2:He didn't have a whole lot of offensive flash and I was okay, they, they weren't really looking for, uh, you know, a 60 point guy or anything like that, but um, I'm pretty sure he's. He's already well past. Yeah, he had eight points in 54 games with Charlotte. He's already up to 14, nine goals. You know, just a menace around in that and that's what you know. Chicago loves those kinds of players that can go in there and create a little bit of chaos. So it's more than just kind of a name signing. Obviously he's connected to the coach there in Carolina, but he's actually been able to bring tangible value to this lineup and isn't just kind of like a nepotism baby who's just riding the coattails of his name. No, this guy is rolling his sleeves up and he's going to work every night and he's providing this team with a huge lift. And I think part of the reason of this penalty kill kind of picking up lately has been because of those two names right there and the effort that they're bringing every night.
Speaker 1:Well, they're both big guys. They check in at 6'3", 190, so it's interesting. They're both tall guys that can bring a little bit of size into the mix as well. And you know, again, at the prospect showcase I thought that Brendamore looked very, very strong this year, you know, and that was before he was able to get his contract deal with the Hurricanes, of course. But again, great lineage and a couple of guys that are really going to be key as the Wolves run towards a playoff spot this year. So we'll keep an eye on Josiah and Skyler for sure. Now you mentioned Spiros Anastas. Now, I know you did a big piece with him recently. I wanted to touch base with you on that as well, andrew. Anything come out of that discussion that was particularly interesting for you. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 2:It was incredible. I normally have these chats with players where I'm situated at. I don't kind of have the luxury of seeing them post-game so much, so I have to have some conversation with them over the phone after practice, and usually the talks last six or seven minutes. I was on the phone with Coach anastas for almost a half hour and we talked about everything from, uh, you know, his coaching experience with, um, some kind of not quite so such big hockey powers like south korea and serbia and estonia.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly, and the university of lethbridge exactly so.
Speaker 2:Um, you know, getting the to dive into, you know, the subdivisions of the um iihf we got to talk about. I mean, obviously scott morrow was a big topic of conversation but just building, rebuilding that, that culture in Chicago and and kind of tuning the, the off the ice noise that you know was coming in with with both sides, and just focusing on how to get these guys playing well on the ice. We even talked about, you know, both of us coming from Mediterranean backgrounds and our favorite foods and family traditions.
Speaker 1:That's the most important stuff, exactly.
Speaker 2:It was such a. It was such a great human conversation and my biggest takeaway from the whole thing is that you know, you can just feel the contagious passion from this guy and how much he cares about his players as humans first, and then his hockey players afterwards. It's very reminiscent of Ryan Worsoski's approach in Chicago when I first joined on the beat, and if anyone isn't familiar with Warzy two Calder Cups to his name he's beginning a great career in the NHL, his first season as the bench boss in San Jose, and you know, if Coach Anastas and Coach Abbott are, you know, kind of building that same kind of culture, I think they have just the same kind of future ahead of them as well. So it's, it was, it was an awesome conversation. I mean just an incredible guy, incredible dude, and you know, I, I, I, I, I. It makes me even more excited to see. You know what the, the, this blue line is, is capable of going forward knowing that they have.
Speaker 1:you know they're in good hands for sure. Well, and you know, you mentioned the blue line, and there's three guys that we're following extremely closely, of course, and that's Scott Morrow, dominic Pensori and Charles Alexis Legault. I think all three of those guys have all the potential in the world to make the NHL at some point. So this is exciting that they've got a guy like Spiros that's really kind of running with it, and obviously head coach Cam Abbott also involved, and he seems like he's doing a great job as well. So that's great. I'm glad you had a chance to talk with him, and thanks for that update as well, andrew. Okay, any thoughts before we wrap up?
Speaker 2:I just want to give a shout out to a piece of the team who, again, is a little more on Harold and a lot of fans in Carolina probably don't know about this guy. Uh, yannick turcotte was a tryout coming from the east coast hockey league and I think really kind of made a name for himself in that manitoba game at the beginning of the season where he, um, he was given two separate game misconducts by the end of it but, um, it's just an absolute force with with his fists and with his, uh, with his physicality kind of. I mean, we always talk about, you know, fighting in this game and whether it has a place or not, I don't know if you turn tune into that four nations game between between the US and the US.
Speaker 2:Yes, two fights in the first nine seconds and you know at this level, this guy, he parlayed a tryout into a contract with the Wolves for the rest of the season and I mean you can just tell how much the coaching staff, the fans, love him. I mean between Kyle Marino in seasons past and Turcotte this year, the fans in Chicago always go crazy for their big bodyguards on the ice. You know I love telling these stories of these guys that you know they break through, they catch their break. You know it becomes something even better for them that ends up kind of changing their career and changing their lives. I just wanted to give a shout out to him and for for any fans that think you know the enforcer role is dead or gone, you don't have to look any further in Chicago to find it that it's very much alive in this, in the game today.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, interesting story. And he had been in the ECHL for eight years and I think was actually thinking that he was going to hang him up because he felt like maybe this was going to be too late for him. And I know what he's been saying basically is look, I'm going to do whatever I can to help make a difference with this hockey club and whatever talents I have, I'm going to bring them to the table. So I think, uh, I think it's a great story and you're absolutely right, andrew, these guys, boy, it's wonderful when they uh, when they do get a chance to uh to move up and and contribute in a way that they can. So this is a great story and, uh, we'll follow uh turcotte as as the season goes on, for sure. Anything else on your mind?
Speaker 2:Some wins hopefully Between Grand Rapids and Chicago. It's starting to get a little blue over in the beach, yeah.
Speaker 1:I get it. I get it. Well, listen, man. As always, it's great to talk Chicago Wolves hockey with you and get the latest news, and, of course, we'll be back next month, same time, at the middle of the month, to talk to Wolves. Where can folks find you, andrew? Where are you located?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I have my written works for the Chicago Wolves and the Grand Rapids Griffins at the Calder Times, where we cover all things AHL all your favorite prospects around the league, and it's great. I've had an absolute blast writing for them. You can also find me on the Twitter sphere, or X, or whatever you want to call it at Andrew underscore, rinaldi underscore. I continue to give updates on the teams. I live tweet during the games. I love interacting with the fans. If you have any questions or any chirps or anything like that, I'm welcome to anything that's within reason. So, yeah, again, I do this for the fans, I do this for everyone out there, and it's always good to interact with the people who are interested in my work.
Speaker 1:So you can always find me there, well for sure, and always, always great to see what you're doing, and I follow quite often during the games and your updates and so on as well, andrew, so that's great stuff For those of you who have been listening or watching. Thanks for joining us. If you have any questions or comments for Andrew or myself, please leave those down below. We'll try to respond just as quickly as we can. If you liked this episode, please press the like button, and if you want to be alerted of future episodes of Chicago Wolves Report or Storm Tracker in general, just please press the subscribe button and the bell and we'll alert you as soon as those are available. As always, andrew, and I appreciate, as I say, you joining us here and we'll look forward to getting together with you real soon right here on StormTracker.
