Coach Spiros Breaks Down What's Making Chicago Dangerous

A seven-win surge, a locker room wired for growth, and a coach who treats the AHL like the on-ramp to the NHL—this one is packed. We welcome Chicago Wolves' head coach, Spiros Anastas, to unpack how aligned systems with Carolina, constant communication, and a summer-to-spring development plan transform prospects into plug-and-play call-ups. From practice habits to video use to load management, we pull the curtain on what actually prepares young players to hit the NHL at speed.

We dig into the Fab Four and why their games took a leap. Bradly Nadeau moved beyond the lethal one-timer to create off the rush, from the corners, and on retrievals with real bite. Justin Robidas brings pro-level detail—nutrition, mobility, faceoffs, PK chops—and leads with standards that lift the room. Felix Unger Sorum added strength and pace to match his vision, turning puck protection into a playmaking clinic. On the blue line, Domenick Fensore supercharges transition and five-on-five offense by getting pucks to high-skill forwards in stride.

Veteran reinforcements reshaped the back end at the perfect time. Juuso Välimäki’s poise and voice stabilize the top power play while Cal Foote’s size and simplicity lock down high-leverage minutes. Health returns matter too: Yoel Nystrom’s low-event efficiency and Charles-Alexis Legault’s suffocating close give the staff true mix-and-match options—go heavier against cycle teams or faster versus speed lines. Up front, Viktor Neuchev arrived with strong habits and sly edges, and center Noah Philp adds length, draws, and accountability, slotting seamlessly beside cerebral wingers.

We also spotlight the “unsung” impact players who tilt games: Skyler Brind’Amour’s faceoffs and forecheck drive tough-matchup minutes; Noel Gunler’s defensive growth adds value beyond his shot; and Evan Vierling’s crease instincts turn chaos into goals. For prospects like Ivan Ryabkin, Gleb Trikozov, and Dominik Badinka, the message is consistent: build habits, manage pace, and learn to sustain performance across a longer, harder season.

With March loaded and Grand Rapids looming, we map why Chicago believes it matches up: youthful legs, structured play, a primed power play, and a blue line that can toggle styles on demand. Loved the deep dive? Follow, share with a Wolves or Canes fan, and leave a quick review to help more listeners find the show.

Highlights:

• Takeaways from best-on-best Olympic hockey and its ripple effects
• Global coaching lessons that sharpen communication and teaching
• Shared systems with Carolina that speed up NHL transitions
• Nadeau’s diversified offense and growing edge
• Robidas’ leadership, versatility and faceoff strength
• Unger Sorum’s stronger frame, elite vision and assist surge
• Fensore’s puck-moving engine for five-on-five offense
• Veteran impact from Välimäki and Foote on stability and special teams
• Neuchev’s habits-first arrival and creative upside
• Philp’s two-way center game and timely scoring
• Returns of Nystrom and Legault and flexible pairings
• Unsung value from Brind’Amour, Gunler and Vierling
• Prospect progress for Ryabkin, Trikozov and Badinka
• Trade deadline realities and mentality for AHL volatility
• Why Chicago matches up well with Grand Rapids

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:32

Well, Chicago Wolves continue their solid run, going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, cementing their position in second place in the Central Division. Wolves forward Felix Unger Storm has been on a toured pace with strong support from offensive juggernauts Justin Robodop and Bradley Nadeau. Joining me to talk about the recent run of the Wolves and what to expect in the coming days, I'm delighted to welcome in a very special guest, the head coach of the Chicago Wolves, Spiro Zanastis. Howdy, Spiro.

SPEAKER_00 1:08

Hey Tom, thanks for having me.

Olympic Hockey Takeaways

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Well, listen, it's great that you can spend time with us. The Wolves have been playing great, so it'll be a lot of fun, I'm sure. And unfortunately, uh Andrew Rinaldi, who would have joined us tonight, he's our uh Storm Tracker Chicago Wolves Insider, a little bit under the weather. So we'll uh we'll wish him to get well soon and uh and we'll carry on as best we can. So that's right. Uh wanted to open up actually with an interesting topic, and that was uh the uh the Olympics that just ended up. The Olympic hockey was uh was quite exciting. Um obviously ended up in a very uh uh incredible game with uh with uh Team USA winning. I just wondered what your thoughts as you watched some of this hockey. What were you thinking uh with the with the Olympic Games?

SPEAKER_00 1:59

Yeah, I mean it was awesome to see the best on best again at that uh level of hockey with those kinds of stakes at hand. I know we got a taste of it last year with the Four Nations tournament, but there were a number of really good players that were excluded from that. Uh when you think of some of our organization's own, like Freddie Anderson and Nick Ehlers, uh, you know, them getting the opportunity to play at that level, even if their teams weren't highly touted to medal or make you know make it to a gold medal game, it was just great to see those near upsets, those uh those those lower those lower teams pushing those higher end teams um because it really made every game mean something. So it was incredible hockey to watch and really exciting. And you know, when it comes down to the final, I thought it was just a tremendous game. And although I'm Canadian and I would have loved to see my home country win, I thought that game itself was very good for the sport. It was it was good for hockey. It was you'll see the effects and the trickle effects of that game for the next 20 to 30 years. Um, and you know, that might sound crazy to some people, but you know, it's really true. And and uh, you know, I'm excited to see how it it sparks growth in the United States and the participation levels going up just because of one single uh you know 65-minute hockey game.

Spiros' Global Coaching Journey

SPEAKER_01 3:25

So so international hockey, and I thought this would be an interesting segue uh for you, Spiro. So you've actually coached in some incredible places in your career. You've had uh quite a quite a fun time, I think, in places like Estonia and Serbia and China and and Greece. Uh man, can you tell us a little bit about that?

SPEAKER_00 3:48

Yeah, those are some of the best coaching experiences I've had in in my life, and they've been really beneficial for me because they've really stretched my um you know my learning in how to communicate with with different people, different backgrounds, different, you know, learning methods and different languages. Uh, you know, really having to be clear in your in your communication, in your teaching, uh, especially when you're speaking to someone that actually doesn't understand what you're saying, and having to work through an interpreter or just work through video and and you know and visuals. So it's been really great for me as a coach. I got I first got involved in the international scene uh because I when I was an assistant coach with Grand Rapids, um the other assistant there was Jimmy Pack. Okay. And he and I left the Grand Rapids Griffins at the same time. I left for my first head coaching job at the University of Lethbridge, and he left uh to take the the four-year project of of the Korean national team because they were gonna be playing in the Olympics in 2018. Um and at my wedding that summer, he actually started asking me some questions about how long the Canadian University season would go, what my availability in the spring would be like. And then when I told him, hey, like you know, the seasons are pretty short in Canadian University, he asked then if I was willing to help him on his four-year journey with the Koreans. So he named me the head coach of the U18 team, and I was assistant along with uh another former NHL or Richard Park on the uh men's team. Yeah, so the original plan uh was for me to kind of see that through for the four years, but two years into that project, uh my wife and I started having a family. Oh, nice. And uh it was very difficult for me to be away for 11, 12 weeks at a time. So yeah, unfortunately, I had to remove myself from that project. But when you are working in the IHF and those subdivisions, uh, you know, Division 1A, 1B, D2A, you start to meet the other delegates of all the other countries. So that was kind of where it kind of kicked off for me in meeting the president of Estonia when I was when I won the gold medal of a D2A UA team tournament in Estonia. So, you know, then as soon as those organizations or those federations start to need coaches, you're kind of in the Rolodex a little bit. So through the years, uh I've been fortunate that in different jobs I've been able to make the schedules work. So, like I mentioned, the Canadian University, my springs and summers were wide open. And then eventually when I was scouting uh with the Winnipeg Jets, I had some time to kind of make my own schedule. So that's when I got involved with Serbia and China. So they've been fantastic opportunities, great hockey all over the world, even in some countries that you kind of wouldn't be aware of. And also I get I've gotten to see the world, right? And make long-lasting friends around the globe. So really uh great life experiences for me on top of hockey experiences.

SPEAKER_01 6:45

Yeah, I mean, that's the thing that really jumped out at me. I thought, man, it'd be great to go and spend time in those countries and and uh enjoy them as well. You know, interesting, you mentioned uh University of Lethbridge. I lived in Alberta for several years, um, Calgary for a period, and Edmonton for a period as well. Um, so I was kind of interested in that. And you also coached Team Alberta at one point. Uh what was that about?

University Of Lethbridge & Team Alberta

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Uh so yeah, I Lethbridge was great. It was a great four years uh of my life. It was perfect timing uh for my family to kind of grow together. Uh schedule was nice. You only play kind of Fridays, Saturdays, and it's a short, you know, university season for the most part. So we really enjoyed our four years there. I ended up there because my previous job in Grand Rapids, um I uh Mike Babcock and Bill Peters were actually on the Detroit Red Wing staff, and they both kind of kicked off their careers at the University of Lethbridge as well. So that was kind of the connection how I landed that job as a young 29-year-old coach trying to get his first head coaching opportunity. Um the Team Alberta thing was a fantastic experience. Um, you know, they do a great job there. They have a provincial uh tournament with the four western provinces from British Columbia, Alberta, uh Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They call it the WHL Cup. And all those teams are stacked with newly drafted WHL players, so a bunch of 15-year-olds. And um, I was fortunate to be asked to coach that team. I coached it for two years, and I got to coach a lot of future NHLers. When you when you look back and look at those 15-year-olds and how many of them made it to the NHL, um, it's quite fascinating. You know, guys like Jake Neighbors and Peyton Krebs and um you know Jake Sanderson, who's a team USA guy now, but he was a dual Canadian and he was a Team Alberta guy, and um and guys who are still prospects. I actually coached Ronan Seeley on the uh on the 2002 team and Sebastian Cosa, who we see quite often here in the Central Division. Um so really cool experience and got to do that at the same time as coaching the University of Lethbridge. So yeah, really, really great to see those guys and how how far they've come.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Man, that's amazing. You've had uh you've had some incredible experiences, that's for sure. And and uh great preparation for your role uh currently with the with the Wolves. Um let's uh let's shift gears and talk about the Wolves. Um things going well. The last 16 games you're 11, 2, 2, and 1, so you're doing very, very well. Uh good weekend last weekend. You won two of three and lost the other one in overtime to uh Grand Rapids, who of course are the juggernaut. Uh and uh we'll talk a little bit about Grand Rapids as we go. Um sitting very strongly in second place and well ahead of Texas, and you beat up on Texas on the weekend, so it's great. Um, you're 11 points ahead of those guys. How are you enjoying being a head coach now?

Transition To Wolves' Head Coach

SPEAKER_00 9:43

Uh I mean, it's going really well. Uh, you know, as you mentioned, our our record has been really good, but more importantly, the the teaching and development has been a lot of fun. Uh to see the strides and leaps that these guys have taken in just a couple months uh, you know, since the transition has been incredible. Uh, you know, you talk about the offensive juggernauts like Bradley Nando and Justin Robidah and the emergence of a guy like Felix Hungersorm. Uh, you know, just in the last two months alone, like they've taken bounds ahead of where they were, and it's been a real big reason for our success. But uh, you know, really fortunate to be able to work with such a great group of players. We have such a solid group of men in that room uh that really plays for each other. And of course, we have one of the best staffs in the American Hockey League, I think, from our strength and conditioning to our equipment to our athletic training and writing to our coach's office uh with Dan Price and Zach Richards. Uh, I'm just very kind of blessed to be the guy that that you know is kind of the the at the forefront of it all. But you know, it's such a cumulative process that uh I couldn't ask for a better situation. It's actually, you know, I'm surprised at how how great it's been going, and and we're really happy for these guys that they're they're showcasing themselves that way.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

No, I think it's fantastic. And and one of the things that I've really seen and noticed has been that you know, when players are called up to the canes, uh, man, they don't miss a beat. They seem to fit right in. They uh obviously they know the systems and so on. What are you doing behind the scenes to get these players ready so that when the canes call, they can just jump right in?

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Yeah, so that's I mean, that's a very long process. So immediately day to day, obviously we try to emulate the canes systems and run what they run because we want it to be pretty seamless and want them to get those repetitions and know exactly what the expectations of the coaching staff in Carolina are. Uh, and that's not, you know, it's not atypical in the American League, but not every American League team does that. Um teams have free reign to run their team the way they want to. So we, you know, our organization thinks it's important to be streamlined. Um obviously we're in constant communication with management and the coaching staff in Carolina. Uh, you know, we we you know, we grade these guys, we report on these guys, we have development calls where everyone's getting constant updates. But really, the work happens as early as July. Um you know, we have development camps, we have uh you know, coaches meetings, we have training camp, and that's where kind of the foundation is always set, in my opinion, whether it's through work with our development staff, like guys like Peter Harold and Daniel Bachner and Jason Mazzotti, our development goalie coach, or whether it's actually getting those touches, those hand on hands-on touches with the Carolina coaching staff in in the beginning of training camp with you know Rod, Tim, and Jeff there. So, you know, that's all part of it. And when there's that streamlined development and that constant communication, uh, you know, that really leads to that ease in the ease in transition when they go from the American League to the NHL. And you know, it's not to downplay how difficult it is to make that jump, but the more you can prepare them and the more you can make them over ready for that opportunity, where things are a little bit more second nature or muscle memory rather than learning on the fly, um, the better their chances of finding success. So it's it really is a team effort uh from top to bottom. But we're happy every time those guys get that opportunity, we're happy to be a real small part of it, and we're proud of them.

The Fab Four: Bradley Nadeau

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Yeah, and you should be because you know folks that have gone up can definitely uh you know hang their heads high and uh compete very favorably against uh their you know their teammates or the opposition because they're playing very, very well. Okay, so let's talk about some of the players, and I thought we'd start with the fab four, as I like to call them. Um, and you can't start talking about the fab four without mentioning the show, Bradley Nado. So Bradley, he's really done it all. Like he uh was AHL player of the week twice, he was AHL player of the month in January, was an all-star, he shot the puck 103 miles an hour, which is incredible at the games. So he's doing it all. What can you tell us about Bradley Nado?

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Well, I could tell you he's addicted to the game. Uh you know, his work ethic is unmatched, and his desire to continue to get better every day is is inspiring because we literally we're we're really big on load management and uh the science behind it and making sure these guys are primed and ready to compete at their optimal energy levels and performance levels. So he's a guy that you literally have to peel off the ice uh because he'd be out there for two, three hours a day working on his shot, working on small area skills, his passing, his board work. Um, and that you you love that about him because you'd rather have to reel somebody back from that stuff than push them and uh get them to work harder. So, you know, we have some friendly bouts in terms of how many minutes he can stay on the ice and days that I allow him to do extra, and and days that I pull him off. But uh he's he's a real competitor, and and he and Justin Robot are together, they really push each other, they live together, they uh work together, they they just push each other in every little facet of the game and the development and the growth of their games. But uh Bradley, I think the biggest step he's taken this year is his physicality and his and his ability to diversify his his offensive threats. Uh, you know, last year he scored 32 goals, and that's unbelievable for an under-20 rookie in the American Hockey League. Yeah. But I would wager to say that about 25 plus of those goals were we're from a standstill. Like his feet were planted. And he just he one-timed it, and uh, which is great. That's a lethal, that's a lethal weapon and a huge asset for him. But now you come into year two, teams start to shade him more on the penalty on their penalty kills when you know to his side in the power plays. They're taking away his opportunities, they're anticipating him a little bit more because they're familiar with his game, and he's really been stretched and forced to find other ways to create offense. So now he's creating a lot more off the rush, creating a lot more out of the uh offensive zone play out of the corners or going east-west behind the net, um, finding other avenues to create offense on the power play, whether it's rolling over top. And Dan Price does a phenomenal job uh in running that power play, opening up those different options and opening up different decoys or different pass lanes uh for Brad because we know the other teams are starting to try and take away his one-time shot. So it's been a huge step for him, uh, his ability to kind of diversify his offense. The other one is just his physicality. Um his ability to play on the inside, get inside hips and hands of opposing players, his fore-checking ability. Like he's got some grit to him this year that you could see flashes of it last year, but again, he was a 19-year-old kid, and he's still young, he's still 20, but a full year of confidence under your belt really does a lot for you in your development. So, you know, he gets inside, he he checks guys, he gives guys the business after whistles, he draws penalties. Um, we've made him into one of our top penalty killers this year. That's exciting. So he's really he's really expanded his his his toolkit, and to me, he's a guy that can play any role. Obviously, he's a top six guy, but he can he can do anything you ask him is because he's put in the work and we've given him those opportunities. So uh he's grown immensely this year, and it's exciting to see.

Justin Robidas’ Two-Way Leap

SPEAKER_01 17:38

Well, you know, it's interesting you mentioned the you know the starting to become more aggressive in the hitting side, because I've talked about that a lot on on our podcasts, where even in like when he was up for his call-up and during exhibition exhibition time, he was the guy going in and hitting guys and trying to get in on the four check and making it happen. And and you could see quite a difference with him for sure. A lot more confidence, a lot, you know, definitely. And and of course, his defensive game has come a long way of plus 23 this year, so he's turned it around almost uh 50. I think he was minus 25 or something last year. So that's an incredible story. And you know, you mentioned Justin Robodaugh, you know, Robodaugh had a streak uh going at one point a 19-game stretch, uh 16 goals and 11 assists during that period was ridiculous. He was off the charts. Um, he just everything he touched seemed to turn to uh to gold, and he was an all-star as well. How how how's he doing?

SPEAKER_00 18:35

Yeah, he's just like he's really wise beyond his years. He's he's a he's a really true like true professional. Uh obviously he's got the pedigree. Uh you know, his father had been there and he grew up watching what it takes, uh, whether it's through his father or the people he was around in those locker rooms and those cities. Um, but he brings a professional approach in everything he does, like from his nutrition to his recovery, um, you know, to his stretching, his mobility, and also that additional work after practice. Another guy you gotta peel off the ice you know because he wants to continue to get better in every facet of the game. Um you know, he's real versatile for us because you know he he played for the most part, he played down the middle last year, and now he's been on the wing this year, but I can guarantee he takes more face-offs than any winger in the league. Um, you know, and he's he's really great. He plays both power play and penalty kill as well. He's actually paired with Bradley uh on the penalty kill, and he gives us a really strong option on any right side face-offs, and he's he's very good at them as well. So um he just constantly demands more from himself, which in a way also commands respect and more from his his teammates. So he's he's just a natural leader. You know, we slapped an A on his chest this year, um, and he's he's a young captain in the league. There's not too many guys that are of his age that that wear a letter. Um, but he leads by example. He you know, he holds himself accountable, he holds his teammates accountable, and uh he's a really great pro. But yeah, he he went on a crazy stretch there, and you know, it was just simplifying their game. Like they they played probably the best month of their of their careers by you know just doing the little things right, great puck deposits and driving the net and all those cliche things. They just kind of bought in, and now you see our whole team has followed along, and that's where we we're getting these these string of wins. Um and that and it takes time, as simple as it sounds, it takes time for a young guy to realize that the game doesn't need to be complicated. You know, yeah, do everything you can, like play play that 200-foot game to get into those opportunities to create offense, and then let your skill and imagination take over. Um, but you got to get through your D zone exits, through the neutral zone, into your fore check to establish that, to be able to create those opportunities. Because if you're making it up from your zone through the neutral zone, you're often gonna be chasing the game. So they've that's clicked for them, and and it's pulled the rest of our team with them. So they're definitely uh two young leaders. Uh, you know, one wears a letter, one doesn't, but they're both leaders in our room, and uh it's exciting to see.

Felix Unger Sorum’s Breakout

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Well, and and you know, every time he's I've seen him up with the canes, I've been impressed with uh Justin Robodaugh. He just he's just out there, he's a buzz size, making something happen. Uh he's he's definitely got he's taking it to the next level. I mean, last year he had 55 points in 70 games. This year he's got 47 and 45 games. Uh he's 10th in the AHL scoring, he's got a plus 25. This guy, to me, he can do it all. And you know, Nick Bass uh recently said something on one of our podcasts and said, you know, if he was 5'11, he's in the NHL today. So, you know, it's uh he he's gonna get there anyway. I'm a very strong believer in in Justin Robodon, I think he's gonna be a great one. Now, another one of the Fab Four that created so much excitement a few years ago at training camp for the Canes, and that was Felix Ungressor. Now, that was as an 18-year-old, he came over, he almost made the canes. It was incredible. Uh, last year, kind of a tough year for him. You know, he played center a little bit, and that didn't work out so well. And I understand why the canes wanted to look at him at center. He's he sees the ice so darn well. This year, it's a different story, and boy, he's really flying right now.

SPEAKER_00 22:27

Yeah, it's been a huge step for him. Uh, you know, the biggest thing for him is he came in a Lot stronger, uh a lot heavier. And uh it was a real big learning season last year for him. You know, he got 20 points as a 19-year-old, and you know, it's easy to to look at Bradley Nadeau and then look at Felix Ungersorm and think, well, one had a great year, one didn't, but you know, I don't know too many 19-year-olds that can come into the American Hockey League uh and get even 20 points, right? And play a position that he he he was still learning and and you know a little bit uncomfortable with. Um so you know, it wasn't I I wouldn't say it was a a failure of a rookie season, and you could just see his hockey IQ was there. You just knew that some things off the ice had to get catch up to his brain. Uh one being his body, and the onus was on him too, you know, putting on the muscle mask, following the program, but also learning about nutrition, learning about rest, uh, you know, learning about recovery. And um, you know, we have such a great staff, like our our strength and conditioning staff and our nutrition staff from throughout the whole organization. Uh, you know, we got Kristen who's a nutritionist in Carolina, we got Bill Burniston, who Bill Burniston is the head strength conditioning coach for the organization. Last year we had Jake Nietzsche here with us in Chicago. He's now the head guy with the Buffalo Sabres, and we've replaced him with Jack Renzel. So the amount of professionals and great people that have been around guys like Felix have given him every tool, and he's taken that upon himself to make himself ready for the 25-26 season, and it shows he's heavier, he's stronger, his IQ now is elevated because he's able to protect pucks, and I'd say he's one of the best in the league. Uh his ability to protect pucks, but still have the vision to know where all four of his other teammates are on the ice and be able to make plays. It's it's elite level stuff. So that's been the biggest reason why he's he's found that success this year. Um, you know, he's he's you know more confident in his shot, more confident in his playmaking ability. But also same thing, like he's also learned how to keep a lot of aspects of the game a lot simpler. Uh, you know, his his wall play on exits out of the D zone are you know, it's still a work in progress, but they've gotten better. Um, you know, the work that Dan does with those forwards in those, you know, those small areas of the game, yeah, bringing them video, showing them real life examples from NHL players and you know how it what it looks like to be you know able to to execute at that level um gets those guys kind of uh assimilated to the way we want to play. Right. So uh so Felix is has been a great learner and uh yeah, he's he's kind of exploded and and you see now like he's he's one of the tops in the league in assists, and uh it's because his vision now is he was always there, but now he's able to use it more because he's taking care of his body and he's he's taking the right steps in the other parts of the game.

Domenick Fensore’s Impact From The Blue Line

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Well, for sure. I mean he's got 19 assists his last 17 games, so he's he's definitely busy setting up players. But you know, earlier in the year, and we talked a little bit about this on a podcast, uh, he did have some success on the power play, scoring some goals. So he went through a stretch. I think he scored five or six power play goals and and was really making a difference. And that was exciting to see because uh, you know, it's great. We know he can he definitely is an incredible, you know, setup guy. He can see the ice so darn well. And you know, if he can add a few goals to the mix, he's he's he's golden. But he's really brought himself back into the conversation for sure. And we're ecstatic because a lot of us really were impressed with uh with Felix when we first saw him, so it's good. Uh wrapping wrapping up the Fab Four, we're gonna move to the blue line. And a gentleman I talk about all the time, and people get kind of tired of me talking about Dom, but Dominic Fensori, uh, who I just really love the way he plays. Um, what are you seeing with uh with Dom these days?

SPEAKER_00 26:36

Yeah, I mean I've loved working with Dom over the last two seasons. I I have a lot of belief in him. Uh you know, it was really great through the year last year to see his growth and his confidence uh develop and him to get his first opportunity at the end of last season in the NHL was really special.

SPEAKER_02 26:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:53

Uh, you know, it's it's no secret. There's a lot of people that have, you know, held his the one thing he can't change that gets held against him, you know. Um, but he's an ultimate competitor and he's a guy that I would choose to go to war with on any day because he doesn't shy away from anybody. Uh he plays as big as his, you know, if you were to stretch a stick over his head, he plays as as tall as that. Um, you know, and and he knows, like he knows his disadvantages, but he he finds a way to make those that that his advantage. Uh you know, so he's he's incredible, he he's really dynamic. Um you know, he does everything for us, and he's really great at unloading pucks. Like he obviously we we have matches with our D pairs on on who they we want them to play against from the other team, but a big part of our matching is also who they're playing with on our team. Uh so a lot of times, you know, between Dan Price and and myself, we're trying to find the right matches where um you know we have an advantage over our opponent, but at the same time, like I'm getting Dom Fensori out with Ryan Suzuki, Bradley Nadeau, and Justin Robota as much as possible because he's so great at unloading pucks and facilitating and distributing that those are the players we want him distributing to. And when they connect, it's like it's when they're really vibing, it's like it's kind of like the Harlem Gold Trotters out there, right? So, and you see some shifts, and it's like they know where they're gonna be, and they're all really good friends, and they all you know have are connected off the ice too, which which does translate onto the ice, yeah. Um, and it's just amazing. So, yeah, he's he's been a real key cog to our success and the offense that we can create, especially five on five, um, because he he can really really advance the puck to to the guys that we want the puck on the stick for.

SPEAKER_01 28:49

I remember uh I did a piece when he was uh back at uh Boston uh college. Is it called University or Cold University?

SPEAKER_00 28:57

Boston University. Don't mess those up. Don't mess those up.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

I better get that right. Yeah, Boston University.

SPEAKER_00 29:03

You'll get two people after you. You get Dalton Sorry after you, and and Peter Harold, our director of player development, who's from BC, who he's a Boston College guy.

Veteran Reinforcements: Foote & Välimäki

SPEAKER_01 29:11

So yeah, Boston you yeah, I thought it was it. Um and you know, I saw some uh some of the play that he did there, and I thought, man, this guy is off the charts. Like he was just incredible, right? And uh and he was captain of the team at the end and so on, and he was a Hobie uh Baker uh nominee as well. So I mean we knew that uh he had the pedigree, and I just I've just been thrilled with with Don. Okay, so let's talk a little bit about uh reinforcements. So so you've had an interesting season. You've had players coming and going for injury, you've had uh you know some uh call-ups, uh, you've had all kinds of different things happening. Uh but some moves were made. So back in December, uh Cal Foote was added uh to shore up the blue line. Cal, of course, uh former first rounder with Tampa Bay, so he brought in some pedigree. Big fellow, he's at 6'3 and over 200 pounds. And then you've got Yusso Valamaki uh last month, which was great, and the Keynes made a deal uh to pick him up. And uh, and again, he's another first rounder, so a good pedigree. He's a big player, he's over 6'1, 200 pounds, and uh and he's been off to a good start. These guys bring the veteran support you need. What are you seeing uh from those two guys? How do you feel they've done?

SPEAKER_00 30:24

Yeah, they've done a great job, and that's exactly it. Like anytime you can bring that NHL experience into a young blue uh decor, uh, it really kind of fortifies your blue line a little bit there. And they're different players. Uh you know, one's a little bit more dynamic, off offensive, um, you know, somebody who really likes to skate the puck, and the other one's more of a shutdown defenseman, real hard at the net, um, and just keeps things as simple as possible. So when you can have two veterans that kind of bring two different elements, uh, it really helps develop the very different prospects you have on the on the you know decor as well. Because we have guys that are more Calfoot style players, and we have guys that are more Yusuf Alamackey style players. So it's really great that we kind of fill those two columns with two veterans that can kind of shepherd these young guys and show them what it's like. And anytime, like I said, you anytime you had a veteran like that, it's they've been to the mountaintop, they want to get back. Um, they have some experiences, they made mistakes as rookies, and they can share that wisdom with um with our rookies, with our prospects. And you know, it's a really big piece of development. You see, some American League teams heavily invest in that veteran veteran uh presence. We don't have too too many, but those guys are making a big impact on our young defensemen. So they've been great. Uh Yuso uh has really kind of revitalized our our first power play unit. Um you know, adding him on a unit with uh Bradley Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, Justin Robodon, Felix Ungerstorm. It just provides somebody that can really just keep things stabilized. And when he speaks, they they listen, right? It's not just it's not just five young guys running around and just throwing ideas. Uh, you know, Dan Price does a great job. He gives them the skeleton, he gives them the plan, he gives them the pre-scouts. But when you have a guy like Yusuf Valamaki on the ice, when he sees different, you know, different openings or different ice has different ideas, or just needs to reaffirm the plan. Like, guys, this is how we're supposed to be doing it. This is what we were shown, they just tend to listen to him, you know, and uh it's a really big boost. And you see our power play lately, that unit specifically has really taken off. Um and Cal just brings that that huge big presence, like in in crunch time scenarios, uh, five versus six in the last two minutes of the game, or a big penalty kill, or a five-on-three penalty kill, just as sheer size gives us an advantage, and we were missing that with the loss of Charles Lego for a long while. Right. Um, you know, so it was great to kind of to supplement that with Cal. And now, you know, we're healthier. We have such a uh an advantage in the ability to configure our decor any way we'd like. We can go heavier some nights, we can go faster other nights. Um, we have an even balance of right shots and left shots. So uh we're really fortunate now that it's coming together at the right time in the last 24 games of the season leading into playoffs. So, but yeah, those two guys have been great additions for us.

Health, Leadership & Power Play Stability

SPEAKER_01 33:35

No, it's exciting. And and Barlomackey, he's got uh 14 points in 17 games with with the Wolves. So the the big question I had about Yusu was, you know, he came back from a serious injury. Uh torn ACL, I think uh was the situation. What how's he doing? Is it is it do you see any concerns with that, or does he seem to be back to uh, you know, 98%?

New Additions: Viktor Neuchev

SPEAKER_00 34:00

If I didn't know that he had knee surgery recently, uh I wouldn't have there's nothing in his game that I'd pick out that you know this guy's laboring in a in a certain area. So I I know he's he's had a couple injuries through his career. Um but his positivity and his ability to reset himself and his ability to take every opportunity and and see the the positives in it. Um what it what he's such a great he's a great teammate, but he's just such a great guy in that sense because it'd be very easy for a guy who's a full-time NHL or that was named to a roster in the you know the best on best tournament last year in the in the uh you know the four nations uh to take this season uh lightly. It'd be easy for them to say, oh, it's an American League. But he has come in and he's been you know taking it by force. Like he he wants to play those big minute situations, those high stakes situations. He holds guys accountable, he holds himself accountable. Uh in our D meetings, he he speaks up and and you know is real big part of the teaching that takes place. So uh he's been he's been a great citizen, and he's he's doing himself a justice because I think it'll be no time before he's back at the NHL and he's yeah, he's proven he can be there. So his knee looks great, he looks great, and we're happy to have him right now.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

Well, it's interesting because uh you know you had Gabin Beiruther, who was filling that role quite nicely, but uh he was traded, and the gentleman I want to talk about next uh came the other way, and that was uh Victor Nuchev. Uh Nuchev uh drafted in the third round in 2022. He actually played in the KHL as a 19-year-old, and that's kind of rare. So that's uh that's interesting. Uh Corey Pronman said this. Corey, of course, uh does a lot of work on prospects uh for the athletic, and he said Nuchev doesn't have the stats and accolades of top prospects, but when you watch him, it's easy to see the NHL potential. He has great hands and shows great offensive creativity as a handler and a passer. So those are lofty words. What have you seen so far? He's uh he's played nine games now with the Wolves. What are you seeing with Nuchat?

SPEAKER_00 36:17

Yeah, so we we see like a lot of potential in him. Uh he has really great habits. Uh, I think that's really important. Now, yeah, you know, we made the deal and it wasn't an easy deal to make because we we really loved Gavin Bae Ruther, but obviously we had a lot of D, and uh, but he played a big part in kind of ushering Dominic Badenka in. So it was it was tough to see him go, but it was a good situation for him, and we were able to get a piece back that and a need that we you know we had to fill. So uh, but he's Victor. I knew him coming over that he had been coached by a very good coach in Rochester. Um Mike Leone is a good really good friend of mine, and uh you know he's really big on habits, so I was pretty confident that we'd be getting a guy that knew the expectations of of you know an American League forward and the habits that you need to do things right. And he did and he showed that right uh right away. His his uh his wall play, his ability to deposit pucks, um, his ability to establish four checks. Um you know he he played such a simple game his first you know three, four games, that we had no choice but to elevate him up the up the line. And now you see in the last little the last little while, you see he's he's creating a lot more opportunities. He scored a goal uh uh the other day on Thursday against Iowa. Um, and he's getting a ton of chances and he's creating a lot, and he's super slippery. Like he is hard to defend. Like he finds he just like finds these little cracks that he can get through with the with the like seems like the puck is on a string, on a stick. Um, but he picks and chooses his spots, and I think that's what we really like about him, because a lot of times those young guys that come over from Europe or from Russia, um they'll try to force their skill. Um, but like I said, he's got the habits that he gets those pucks in and finds he he has that puck patience that you know when the time is right, he then attacks the net or you know shows his skill or flashes it. So he's got a really good shot, too. I'd like to see him shoot some more. He's a little bit of a pass first kind of guy. Um, but he's really young too. So I think we we picked up a really nice asset for the organization, but one that can help us in the immediate future here in Chicago. And uh yeah, he's fit in quite well. And uh, you know, we have three other Russians on the team, and so he's got some familiarity and some guys he can speak to. But uh yeah, it's he's we're happy with him, and I think he's about to to break through in a big way.

Center Depth & Noah Philp

SPEAKER_01 38:52

Cool. And you know, he's he was moved up on that line with uh with Felix Ungersorm and uh the other gentleman I wanted to ask you about, and that's Noah Philp. And Noah scored on the weekend, which is great. A very important goal, a winning goal. Um, what are you seeing with Noah Philp? Not we didn't see a lot of him with the Keynes, so uh we're trying to get a sense as to what the Keynes acquire with Noah.

SPEAKER_00 39:14

Yeah, he's just a really good two-way center. Uh he's got some good size and length, he's really good on the draw. Uh, he's responsible defensively, and he can he can provide some really good secondary offense. And you know, he opens up some space for guys like Nuchev and guys like Unger Sorum. And he has no problem being at the net. Uh, and when you have guys as cerebral as Nuchev and Unger Sorum, they can figure out exactly what a guy like Phillips is gonna do. So, you know, you look at our game-winning goal against Texas on uh Saturday, it was you know, Felix takes the puck around the net, and it's almost like he knew that's where Phillips' gonna be reporting to. He's gonna be reporting to the back side of that net, and he put it right on his tape. You know, first whack didn't go in, but then he roofed the second one. And that's what the advantage of having a guy like that play with with such skilled and cerebral players. Um, but he plays a good 200-foot game. What I love about him the most in the short sample is the accountability. Um you know, he he looks to himself first for solutions and for answers and you know, for reasons of why you know a chance against might have happened, or a goal against might have happened, or what could he have done to prevent it? He actually cost us a goal against Texas the other day. Um, literally tape-to-tape pass that went into the back of our net. And I loved it. He came to the bench and he said, guys, I owe you one. And did he ever repay his team in a big way? You know, um, but no excuses, no, no, I, you know, no hanging his head. He just went out and won his next shift, and then later in the game was you know the ultimate payoff and a game-winning goal. So love that about him. And what I'm really excited for is to see him actually hit his peak this year because he'd only played 17 games before coming to us. He played 15 in Edmonton, he suffered an injury there. Right. Played two in Carolina, suffered another injury. I don't think he played a single back-to-back in those 17 games. Okay, and it is a different pace. Sometimes it's harder to play in the American League than it is the NHL. Plus, now there's some back-to-backs. So he's been fighting through it, and I love his resolve in fighting through it, but he hasn't yet hit his peak. So when he does, um, it's gonna be a pretty dangerous, dangerous addition for us. Uh, and that line, Nuchev, Philip, and Ugger Sorm, I think, can can really take some of our opponents uh by storm there. So I'm excited for it. But super good guy and a new father recently just had his first baby. Uh yeah, over over the all-star break, the American League All-Star Break he did. So he's got that new dad glow right now, and he's uh playing with a little playing with a little extra incentive, so it's great.

Blue Line Depth Returns: Nystrom & Legault

SPEAKER_01 41:56

Yeah, he'll be uh he'll be looking for the uh road trips to get some sleep and all that for sure. Well, that's that's exciting. And and you know, when Noel was picked up from the Oilers, I thought he was a good ad. He's a right shot guy, good in the faceoff dot, and certainly can can add a lot to the canes as well. So I would not be surprised to see him back up at some point, too. A couple of other guys that are back, uh, just wanted to mention them because we're excited about, and I'm sure you're going nuts because uh hey, welcome back, uh Joel Nestrom from the Canes and uh Charles Alexis Lego from injury. Boy, that's two outstanding D-men. So that's good news for you.

SPEAKER_00 42:33

Yeah, it is. I mean, it's it's actually you know, the last two weeks has been you know, you're coming up on trade deadline, and uh we didn't we didn't so much uh make trades, but the additions we've made uh you know between Noah Philp and okay, we made a trade for Victor Nuchev, but Noah Philp, uh Yol Nistram, uh Charles Alexis Lego, and even Giovanni Smith. Giovanni Smith, yes. Yeah, like it's just and and and the different kinds of players, you know, from big and physical to small and skilled to uh shut down D to uh uh you know an offensive type D. So yeah, it's been great additions, but we're really happy to have those two back on the on the D Corps. Obviously, complicates some things. Now you got a lot of guys, right? And you got you gotta share the pie a little bit. And um, but like I mentioned earlier in one of the previous questions, we have the ability to configure our lineup based on our opponent. Uh we have 24 games, so there is some body management that we have the luxury to potentially do uh so we can be primed for the playoff push and the call their cup run. Um but uh no, Nistrom has had quite a season for himself, a little bit of a surprising one. Um you know, obviously Charles was called up first, and Charles gets injured, and then Nystrom gets his opportunity and he does really well. Um, you know, it's been challenging for him at times, too. It's easy to look at him and be like, wow, what a season. It must be exciting. But you know, he he he always came down to us in pockets. And a lot of times, like I just mentioned, talking about Noel Phillip, the American League is harder than the National Hockey League in some ways. Um the National Hockey League, things are a little bit more predictable. You're playing with better players, uh, you're playing against a lot more different opponents on a nightly basis. Where here things get more physical, you're playing sometimes teams like for Texas, for instance, we play seven times in the next five weeks. You know, um you know, you you you play against teams like Milwaukee, you play them 12 times in a year. Um, it's just it's a different game, and when you're not here for extended periods of time, it can be challenging. So, you know, uh Yoel has has is faced those challenges this year, but now that he's been here for a little bit longer, his his game is starting to come around at the American League level. So just a very intelligent player. Um, you know, we like to call him a low event player. Uh, and those are some of his best games when you don't you don't notice him. Uh he just does his job, you know, gets pucks out, gets pucks in, and then occasionally he'll just pop up with a with a scoring opportunity, like he rung one off the crossbar last game. Um, but he's low event, but that's what you need sometimes, kind of like a neutralizer, right? And uh, you know, he's paired really well with Ronan Seely the last few games. Uh they really read off each other well, so he's been a great ad. And then Charles, you know, re you know, reacquainting him and and uh you know reuniting him with uh Dominic Fensori. That was our best D pair last year. Beautiful. Um you know, and they they really complement each other and they fill each other's gaps. And uh he's such a great skater with a big body uh that he closes on on the opposition so quickly. Uh you know, he's just suffocates teams. So it's great to have him back. His hand is feeling good. Um he played the first two games of the three and three this week. We didn't think it was necessary to push him through three and three in his first three games in a while. Yeah. Um, you know, obviously we scratched him against Texas, but uh yeah, he's excited to be back and he's a big addition for us. And again, adds another big body for us. So, you know, there's opponents where we need to go big on the right side. We have you know, Lego, Foot, and Badinka, or there's opponents that we need a little bit more, a little bit more speed uh, you know, to facilitate pucks, and then you got guys like Nistrom and Hamel Salomi. Uh, we have a lot of tools. We have, you know, we have the luxury of a lot of options right now. So while there's some hard decisions to make and sometimes hard conversations, you'd rather be in that boat than in one where you don't have any.

SPEAKER_01 46:41

Trying to find out where you're getting your next defenseman from the guard wasn't it? Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 46:45

Hey, and we've been there this year and we succeeded.

SPEAKER_01 46:47

I think uh Doyle came up, and you've had other guys come up as well.

Managing Depth & PTO Success Stories

SPEAKER_00 46:50

Yeah, obviously uh Bryce Montgomery did really well for us, and then we had Braden uh Doyle on a PTO who fulfilled every minute he could get. So, you know, that's the American Hockey League.

SPEAKER_01 47:01

So Bryce Montgomery's got some big uh big fans in the Kaniac world. He impressed a lot in the uh prospect showcases and so on. Big man that can skate. Um I really liked what he was doing, but he seems to be uh settling in in the ECHL. He just can't seem to crack in.

SPEAKER_00 47:16

Um you know what? He played 22 games this year compared to five last year, and everybody's path, everybody's path is different. So I wouldn't count Bryce Montgomery out ever. He's a competitor. So I'm happy to hear that people are noticing.

SPEAKER_01 47:28

No, I'm sure. Hey, a couple of minutes on Unsung Heroes because sometimes there's folks we don't talk about much. One of the folks that I really like is Skylar Brindemore. And Skyler, you know, he's a little older. He's he's you know, a lot of folks think he's past the window to get into the National Hockey League, but you know, I've talked about him a lot this year. I think he's uh he's obviously added a bit of an offensive spin. So he's kind of like uh Jordan Stahl, who's been revitalized offensively with the canes, so it's kind of fun. Um and I see him as a Jordan Stahl-like guy uh on your team. What's uh what's going on with Skylar?

Unsung Heroes: Skyler Brind’Amour Line

SPEAKER_00 48:07

Yeah, that's a that's a really good player comp for you know the American League level. Uh you know, he's he's big, he's great on face-offs, he forechecks hard, he's a great net front presence. Uh, you know, he's a second power play unit guy. So yeah, Skylar's just he's great. Obviously, he's he's got the pedigree. We know where that comes from. Uh, you know, and he he's he's a real good quiet pro, you know, not very loud, uh just kind of minds his business. Um but he's just a guy that we can really count on for big time matches. Uh you know, they post they post our our lineup on social media all the time and and they're listed consistently as the third line uh between Hit Slavan on his left and and Newell Gundler on his right. But I mean we put them up against first line, second lines, like they're getting top six matches a lot of nights, and uh he always steps up to you know to that task and that challenge uh with his linemates. The biggest thing, you know, when the coaching change happened here, I sat down with him, it was actually on the on the bus. And that's not typically where where I like to have individual video meetings, but we were just you know trying to get all the touches. So I sat next to him on the bus and I showed him some clips and uh just some areas where he could use and leverage his body a lot more, right? Um, where he can be a little bit more physical, where he could um you know gain advantages against his opponents. And from that point on, he really's dialed into it and uh it's made a huge difference. Like they're one of the best for-checking lines in the league, I think, and he's a big part of that. Yeah, um, and it they're really hard to play against. And on top of that, he's well over you know, 55% at the face-off dot on any given night. So that's obviously anytime you can start with a puck on your stick, uh, it's an advantage. And uh he's also one of our best penalty killers. So he's just a kind of do anything for the team type of guy and uh a quiet leader, but uh you know, someone that I think easily could play fourth line minutes in the NHL, you know, with the right opportunity. So you never know. You know, he's uh I don't believe in the whole too old to make it. He's he's striving, he's striving to get there, and he's doing all the right things. So yeah, I we're really impressed with the steps he's taking this year.

SPEAKER_01 50:26

Yeah, and you know, I've talked about many times uh with the crew, we've talked about the similarity of you know your line with uh with uh Skylar and and Josiah, and of course it's Jordan Martin Hook and Jordan Stahl, and we see a lot of similarities in the way those two lines operate and the kind of role they play. And uh just like you're saying with uh Skyler uh going up against the top lines, of course, Jordan Stahl's line does too. So the other another member on that line who doesn't get a lot of attention is Noel Gunler. Uh Noel was a second-round pick. Boy, there's a lot of folks who are really excited about Noel when he was drafted. You know, he was 6'2, he was a bigger player. Um really looked the part. And so far, it's kind of been a kind of a mixed-go from what I've seen. Um, how's he doing this year?

SPEAKER_00 51:18

I mean, he's doing great. Uh, we've been really impressed with where his game has gone in the last little while, especially over the last couple months. Um, you know, he's really bought into other other parts of his game that he needed to improve on in terms of his his defensive side of his game, uh, his ability to value pucks and make good puck decisions and manage the game uh with those decisions. Uh obviously we know his strength. Strength is his shot. You know, you looked at the offensive production of of guys like Skylar Brindemore and Josiah Slavin. Well, playing with a guy that can score on one shot definitely helps that. And you saw that in the dying seconds of the first period in our last game. Uh the other night, yeah. Yeah, it was really an eventful game because we're referencing it quite a bit.

SPEAKER_01 52:03

But uh he put it in.

Noel Gunler’s Evolving Role

SPEAKER_00 52:05

Yeah, so like he he can he can he can shoot and uh you know, but it's just taking him a little while to to figure out how to be a really good American leaguer. Yeah. Uh and it and he's but we think he's turned the corner with that this season. Um you know, he he plays with a little bit more urgency, he plays hard on the fore check. Uh, you know, he he back checks you know extremely hard. Like we've I think we finally have gotten to him. Between you know, some conversations we've had to him, him just maturing, uh, him taking on the identity of the line mates he's been playing with, uh, the work that Dan Price has done with him uh you know, yeah in skill sessions, uh, you know, video sessions, he's just really come to his own right now, and he's starting to be really valuable in a lot of areas. Where before it was, well, if Gunny doesn't score, then what is he doing? But but now he he doesn't necessarily have to score to bring value. Like we think he's one of our best one-on-one defenders right now. He's so great at containing players to the outside uh at winning little puck battles. Um he's really what that line has become one of our best for-checking lines. He's part of that. Uh, so now he's bringing value, and he's so he's found ways to bring value all the time. And uh yeah, I think you know, there's still lots of opportunity for him to you know prove himself, but maybe it's changed. Maybe it's not the top six score. Maybe he finds his way as a as a bottom six secondary offense guy that does things like you know. Me personally, but I know my staff feels the same. Like we don't we don't give up on players. I know it's easy for for fans and sometimes organizations too, uh, to move on. But all these guys are here for a reason, and uh, it's our job to get the best out of them. And I think we're getting there with a lot of these guys, including including Gunny.

SPEAKER_01 54:03

Nice, nice. Um more I'll throw out at you, and he's not really in the mix from the hurricane side, and he was a Chicago signing and a player that kind of flew under the radar. Uh, had played with the Barry Colts, had a pretty good season, 95-point season with them in 22-23. And I'm from Barrie, so I thought I thought that was great. Uh, I thought that was kind of cool. Um, and that's uh that's Evan Beerling, uh fifth rounder in 2020 with the Rangers. He he's done some great stuff this year. Um, what's going on with Evan?

SPEAKER_00 54:37

Yeah, he's been real great for us. He was a nice surprise for our staff uh dating all the way back to to rookie tournament. Um, you know, we we really liked what he brought, the versatility in his game. Uh his knack around the net was real huge. Uh, you know, if you look at his, I don't know if he's got 12, 13 goals, uh, I'd say I'd say almost all of them are within a foot of the net, uh just around the crease. Uh he's just really smart and great at anticipating where the puck's gonna be and just finishing there. Uh puck gets on his stick, he's able to put it away. He's been a big part of Felix Hunger Swarm's success this year, too. Um for because a large priority of the season, Felix's linemates were Evan Veerling and Nikita Pavlich. Uh you know, so real big part of that. And now with the more depth we've had, we've been able to uh you know put him in a different role with Nikita, where they should be able to dominate, you know, third and fourth lines of other teams. So uh he's been a great teammate, nice surprise, a nice kind of diamond in the rough for us. But the pedigree's always been there, like you said, he he he was really successful in the Ontario Hockey League. He was a draft pick by the New York Rangers.

SPEAKER_02 55:54

Yes.

Evan Vierling & Bottom-Six Upside

SPEAKER_00 55:55

Um, you know, some of these guys suffered through you know that that year and a half, two years of COVID, uh, and may have missed out on those early career opportunities, right? And then he had a couple injuries and then he found himself in the ECHL. So it was a great find by our management. Uh and uh he's really made everything and and the best of the opportunity he's been given this year. And uh now he's a solid piece of our lineup. So uh yeah, we're we're really excited that that we found him. Uh but he showed it, he showed it from early on. He showed it from early on, and uh almost like he refused to go back to the ECHL. And uh we love that. We love that in him.

SPEAKER_01 56:36

Well, that's good stuff. And and now that you've got uh Victor Nuchev and Noah Philp moved up to that second line with uh, or whatever line you want to call it with uh Felix Ungersorum, you've now got a couple of great guys on your fourth line because you've got Nikita and and uh and of course uh Evan Bierling. So that's you've got to be really excited about wow, this is getting better by the minute.

SPEAKER_00 56:58

Yeah, when when two-thirds of your second line uh moves down the lineup a little bit and gives you that depth and uh and gives you that versatility too, because you who knows there's gonna be games where where Nuchev's not going or Phillips not going. Now you got guys that you can move up and down. And uh, you know, since the since the change, uh I I've remained as as running the defense, uh and and Dan still runs the offense. And uh, you know, we talk and we plan and we scheme and we take a lot of pride in it, but we also we also joke joke around about it a lot, too. But it's a big part of our game, and having that flexibility uh you know is is real critical, especially if you're gonna be making a run deep into the season. So yeah, anytime you you can look at your fourth line and be like, man, that's that's a second line caliper uh group, uh, you're in a good spot.

SPEAKER_01 57:52

Well, and now you've got it's gonna get even more crowded because of course Giovanni Smith's back and you've got Yannick Turkot. You love to have him in there because he'll uh he'll lay a beating on some people just to keep things uh moving along. And and I wanted to ask you while we're doing this, is uh what's up with Yuha Yaska?

SPEAKER_00 58:11

Uh yeah, he's been uh he's been battling an injury all year. Um, there's it's just been up and down. Uh obviously there's some things I can comment on and some things I can't, uh, just for the sake of privacy. But uh our medical staff, both in Carolina and Chicago, has done a really good job with him. And he's been close, and then sometimes it's a you know a step forward and a step back. Um, you know, I know there's still some hope that uh that he gets in at some point this year, but it's uh you know, it's it's an ongoing process. Um so um yeah, unfortunately it's it's been a tough season for him mentally as well, uh, because all these guys are competitors and they want to play. Um but you know, we gotta at the same time make sure that you don't make anything worse, right? So uh yeah, that that's all I can really say on that, on that for the time being.

SPEAKER_01 59:04

I just wondered if he was close or or what's going on.

SPEAKER_00 59:07

Um yeah, unfortunately, there's been times we thought he was close and times that we thought he was quite far away. So it's one of those uh it's it's in an area that is it it's tough to tell, uh unfortunately. So it's uh we but what I can say with confidence is everyone's doing the absolute best work possible for him.

SPEAKER_01 59:26

Well, he's a great guy, and last year, of course, he uh he patrolled wing on that top line with uh with Ryan Suzuki and and Bradley Nadoa different times. So he would bring a tremendous amount, and I loved his play with the Kane. Uh you know, just really out there making things happen. And and you never were concerned if uh Yuha Yaska was on the ice. He was great. Yeah, um okay, a couple of minutes on young studs. Um Ivan Ryapkin uh played uh 25 games with you guys. Um he's tearing up the Quebec Major Junior League with Charlottown. No surprise. He's got 21 points in 11 games. He's gonna he's gonna destroy that. He did the same thing in uh Muskegon last year. Um what did you see with him when he was with the Wolves?

Roster Flexibility & Physical Edge

SPEAKER_00 1:00:14

Uh well the biggest thing we saw with him is uh just fearlessness. Uh you know, as an 18-year-old in this league, and there's not many 18-year-olds that play in this league, uh, especially ones that you know played the kind of role that he did. Like he was very physical, uh, he was fearless. He had he was almost naive in a good way. Uh, because there were guys he'd go up against, and you in the back of your mind, you're sitting there being like, that's not the guy I was like you'd you know, but but he just he never backed down. Uh so we really love that in him. Obviously, there was a lot of development ahead of him as a young guy. Um similar things that we talked about with with Felix and and Bradley, like just kind of diversifying their games a little bit, getting a little bit bigger, stronger, in better shape. Uh, you know, for him it was probably more of like a pace and cardiovascular thing.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:11

Okay.

Prospect Check-In: Ryabkin

SPEAKER_00 1:01:12

Um, but what he was really great at is he he took on the role. He was our fourth line center. Yes. And uh he took on that role. He built some really great chemistry at the time. We had you know, Yannick Turcott was playing with him on the left side, and it was uh you know, either a Blake Beyondi or a Gleb Therkozov on the right side, and they really built an identity on that line, so much so that when Ivan was reassigned, we actually it took us probably a good two weeks to get over his absence. Like we act, we we missed him. And you know, we we said it in the coach's office, like man, like we're we missed that physical presence, we missed that little bit of ability to create some offense on our fourth line because we didn't have a lot of depth then, right? Yeah, you know, we're almost a whole different team now compared to that. Um so he just really he really brought that and he had a lot of good around the net skill and some good vision from below the goal line. He showed that in the rookie tournament, especially. Um but ultimately we as an organization needed him to be more than a fourth line center. Yeah, right. Yeah. Uh I think it's fantastic that he got those reps. It's fantastic that he he showed that grit and that physicality uh and that willingness. Uh, and it's great, and no surprise he's tearing it up offensively now in a league where he can do that. So the goal is to get him to a spot where he's doing that in the American League, hopefully eventually in the NHL, where he's now got that fourth line attitude with top line ability. Um that's great. Almost like almost like a Russian Tom Wilson. You know what I mean? Yeah, and I I don't think it's far-fetched to say that he could do that, at least in the American League. So uh yeah, I'm excited for him. And we, you know, he uh there was a lot of learning that he had to do, uh both on a cultural side and a hockey side, but it was really good for him, and and I think that's a big part of his success he's having now in Charlottetown.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:11

Yeah, and and you know, he gets to spend time with pros and learn how to be a pro and and understand, you know, what it's gonna take to you know be successful in the American League, and then of course the NHL. Um, interesting thing with Ivan Ryapkin, uh at a pre-draft uh podcast we did, he was one of the players I was really hyping and said, I hope we get Ryapkin. And so I was ecstatic when uh when the Canes were able to do so, and I think he's got a huge ceiling. So I'm excited to hear uh some of the good words about about Ivan. Uh you mentioned Gleb Turkozov, and and you know Gleb just had a new baby, so that's exciting. Um, a couple of years ago at the at the prospect showcase, I just could not believe Gleb. He had just such a great showcase. He had four goals, he had a hat trick, one game. I was watching him and I said, man, this guy's ready to tear it up, and I just loved what he was doing. And I've been kind of kind of waiting and anxious and just uh hoping that, you know, and I know he had some injuries last year and it was kind of a setback, but I'm hoping he can find his mojo because I really loved what he was doing.

Gleb Trikozov’s Next Step

SPEAKER_00 1:04:21

Yeah, I mean, it's a little bit similar to uh a Newell Gunler uh situation. Like we know what his assets are and his strengths are, like he's got a really good shot, he shoots in volume. Uh he's a really high coursey guy. Uh you know, and he's he's he's strong, like he has a strong body, he's very thick. Um it's just little details in his game that need to continue to be get better, but more so be more consistent because he's had some really great performances this year where you you start to feel like he's he's turning the corner on it. Uh like he had one game sticks to mind uh against Rockford where he was just a menace. Like he was he was one shift alone, he had like four hits. Um he was shooting everything at the net, he hit the bar, he scored a goal, he was he was doing it, doing it all. Um, but now it's you know it's getting him to a point where he could string games together like uh consistently. Um, you know, and that's a little bit of like continuing to work on his body. Uh we kind of hit the reset button on him this year. Like I feel like this year is his true rookie year. Last year he played a total of 20 games, but it was separated between two injuries uh with the big gaps in between games. So, you know, he's gotten some more opportunity this year. Um I know he's in and out of the lineup right now. Uh obviously, we're we're pretty deep and we have a lot of options, but he's just got to continue to work on his habits and he's shown the ability to do things right. Um, so that's that's the promising thing. It's now just connecting it, connecting the why to to the results and uh getting him to do it every game. And it is it is similar to Noah Guntler. It you know, I I'd be really curious to see how he approaches the rest of this season going into next season and seeing where that that growth uh gets to. So um yeah, he's he's got ability for sure. He's got abilities, just about putting it all together for him right now.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:24

Well, I mean, Gleb's still only twenty one years old, so you know he's he's definitely a player that's uh got Some runway for sure.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:33

Yeah, that's what I mean. Like these guys are really young, so it's it's easy to judge them quickly. And just uh real quickly, I won't take up too much time with this, but since we're talking about unsung heroes, uh Nikita Pavlychev is such a huge, huge, huge uh kind of asset for us in the development of these young Russian guys when you talk about Ivan and Nuchev and uh Cherkozov, and not because he speaks Russian, uh, that obviously is a huge help, but Nikita is is pretty much assimilated to the North American culture, the more North American style. He played college hockey here, he played minor hockey here. Um, so his approach with these guys is not so much coddling them as a fellow Russian, he's pushing them to learn English, uh, learn you know how to play the style of hockey to find success here. Uh, and on top of him being a very valuable asset to us as a player, uh, he's I think he's really helped fast track some of these guys in getting to that point where this is how it's done here. Uh so I have to give him his flowers on that when we talk about Sun Heroes, because he's he's been real helpful for us.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:46

No, I I I should have brought uh Nikita up as well. Um the the last uh young stud I wanted to talk about, and I know you've been saying this on some other podcasts, uh, singing the praises of this young man, and that's uh Dominic Bedinka. He's uh he's out there playing some big minutes, and and I think you probably and I think you said this on some other podcasts too, that he's playing more than what you might have expected. Um, but he's uh he's continuing to grow. And he's a guy that when I've watched him, and I saw him, of course, in some of the exhibition games and so on, he's cool as a cucumber. Holy man!

Fast-Tracking Dominik Badinka

SPEAKER_00 1:08:18

He's yeah, he really, he really is. He has a very nonchalant way of approaching life, uh, which I think can be a you know a real benefit at times. Uh, you know, it doesn't get too high or get too low uh in any scenario. Uh so I think that really keeps him level. Yeah, he definitely was fast-tracked early in the year. And again, I mentioned Gavin Baeber there. That played a big part of him. Coupling him with a guy playing the NHL that had been there as a prospect before that could cover him a little bit was really helpful for Bedenka's early season development. Uh he's long, he's big, he's got some offensive flair. Um, you know, he can make plays and jump up in the play. His one of his strengths coming in was his ability to break pucks out. Uh and because he's cool as a cucumber, he could take pressure and make those plays and uh make those tape-to-tape passes to advance the play out of our zone. Um, you know, he's getting better with getting used to the game density, the dimensions of the rink, and the physicality of the American Hockey League game. Um, you know, it's really interesting with these young guys, and it happened with Alexi Hamels Salami last year. Uh, you know, we're we're reaching, we just played our 48th game of the season. Right. Dominic. I think Dominic's played 45. That is the maximum games he's ever played in his career. Um, so now the next threshold is put pushing him through that because his body feels like he's just played a full season. He's done. Uh you know, and you look at the month of March and the couple weeks in April, like we got 24 games left before we enter into another season of the the playoffs where his body would just be now getting ready for playoffs. Right. Um, so that's where like you really gotta kind of push these guys through, develop their strength, uh, keep their minds on the right path because it happens quite often with European prospects and even some college prospects when they hit that 40 to 45 game mark. Yeah, um, that's what they're accustomed to. Now, thankfully, I think because of his size and the incredible shape that he's in and the uh strength and conditioning program that he's been on with Jack Renzel here in Chicago, I think he's gonna fight through it a little bit. I think he's I think he's gonna have some ebbs and flows, but I think it's gonna level off to a point where he's gonna be able to handle it. Uh so we're excited for that. And he's uh you know, he's definitely done done well, and he's very open to teaching. Uh, and that's all he could ask for as a coach.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:52

Okay, um, let's shift gears a little bit. Um we have uh the trade deadline uh just around the corner, and I wanted to bring this up with you because I thought it would be fun. Um in our podcast this week, we really felt the Keynes were gonna go for a home run. And the question is, if they do that, how does it affect Chicago? What's your thinking right now as you go into the deadline?

Trade Deadline Reality For The AHL

SPEAKER_00 1:11:17

Yeah, I mean, uh, you know, it's it's I've been around the game long enough and have enough years in the American League where I know that anything's a possibility at the trade deadline. Uh you know, obviously the the macro picture is always for what's best for the Carolina hurricanes. Right. Uh and that and that includes everything, not just the trade deadline, but even lineup decisions that we make here. Uh, you know, we want to win, we want to develop, but everything is with the lens of what's the best for the Carolina Hurricanes. Um we understand that as Carolina Hurricanes employees. Uh, you know, so we know and we would love nothing more than for the Carolina Hurricanes to take advantage of their window to win a Stanley Cup, right? Right. Um so that might be at the expense of our roster. I've been there before um when I worked for the Detroit Red Wings and I was in Grand Rapids. We had a really fine rookie who's made a nice career for himself in Callie Yarncrock. Yes, and we had a vet and we had a veteran down with us uh in Patrick Eaves. So, you know, from an American League perspective, you got Patrick Eaves, you got Callie Yarncrock. Wow, like we're we're 24 games away from the playoffs, and then overnight they're both gone, and the Red Wings got David Legwan, uh fourth line center. Yeah, and they got eliminated in the first round.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:39

So in Nashville, or where was Legwan?

SPEAKER_00 1:12:41

Yeah, it was to Nashville, right? So uh, you know, not a very exciting trade. Um but that's what they thought they needed, yeah, and it didn't work out. They got eliminated in the first round, and then Legwan signed with Ottawa after that.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:54

Yeah, I think you remember that.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:55

Yeah, sometimes that's the price you gotta pay. So we're we're we're ready for it. Um what we're excited about is the group we have right now, and you know, if it changes next week, we'll be excited about that group uh that we have at that time. It'll be an opportunity for guys to step up. You don't know what what other pieces of the trade are. Uh, you know, maybe there's something that comes back that's an American League piece. Uh, you know, the Cali Young Crock, David Leguan trade, that wasn't the case, but sometimes things go both ways. Um if you get caught up like over overly worrying about that, um the American Hockey League is a really tough environment for you because yeah, we're talking specifically trade deadline, but this stuff happens every week. Yeah, an injury, a recall. Um, you know, like I told uh uh Nick on that on that previous podcast I did with Kane's prospects, like the American Hockey League is the middle lane, right? Yeah, uh there's the most action in and out, you know, just like when you're driving on the highway. You know, there's the fast lane on the left, that's the NHL, and then there's the on-ramp on the right, which is like the ECHL. Yeah, and then in the middle, everyone's trying to either get all the way to the right through you or all the way to the left through you. So if you can't handle the possibility of your lineup changing, you shouldn't be coaching in the in the American Hockey League. So uh, you know, we're ready for anything. Uh as long as it's a good organizational move, uh, we'll be happy to see how well the Canes can do in the playoffs. And uh we know that we have enough depth and a lot of great players here that we can make some noise um with guys in or out. Uh, you know, we missed Bradley for a number of games, we won a lot of games. We missed yeah uh you know, we missed Charles Alexis Lego for 35 games, they won a lot of games.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:45

So we missed from for a bunch.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:48

Yeah, exactly. So um, you know, that's a testament to our group. So I don't want to see any of these guys go from a personally selfish reason, not not for wins and losses, just because I genuinely love these guys and I love working with them on a daily basis. But um anytime they get an opportunity, that's better for their careers, too. Uh, you know, I hated when Scott Morrow got traded this past summer. You know, it it hurt me inside because I built such a rapport with him. Sure. Um but at the same time, I was overjoyed by the fact that he was going to get a real good look with the New York Rangers. So, you know, those are little victories that that come along with every situation. So we'll see. We'll see what happens. We're about a week and a half away or a week away. So yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:34

And we're all in pins and needles. Um that'll be fun. Let's uh let's wrap up with a brief discussion on what's ahead. You've got uh a busy month in March. We'll talk about March, and I know you've got April as well. And you got a couple of games against Grand Rapids. I wanted to mention them specifically because you know Grand Rapids has just been incredible. And one of the things that Andrew and I have talked about with Grand Rapids is the defensive core. I mean, they're just they're just incredible, right? Like you got Gustavson, Loggison, Mitchell, Hall. I mean, these are all pros. They played a lot of hockey in the NHL, and then you got some other younger guys, Tuamisto and Wheelander. So they've got a heck of a defense, right? And you look at that, and they've got Sebastian Cosa and and the other guy that's in goal for them, they're tremendous. And you sit back and say, how are you gonna do that? Well, wait a minute. Look at your decor.

unknown 1:16:26

Ha!

SPEAKER_01 1:16:27

I think we're gonna have a conversation here. I mean, you got when you got uh Fensori, Vallamacie, Lego, Foot, Nestrome, but think uh Hemos I can go up and down the list. You can go up against those guys, and you got a goaltender right now that's standing on his head. So I think you guys are in a good situation here.

Measuring Up Against Grand Rapids

SPEAKER_00 1:16:48

Yeah, we think so too. I think, you know, obviously we're we're built a lot differently than they are. They're very uh veteran heavy. Um, they have a lot more American League and NHL games than we do. Um I think they have more NHL games on their roster than we do American League games on our roster. Um it's a very and their payroll is a lot higher than ours. Uh so it's it's we're just two different kinds of teams. What I do know is I don't think there's a a single team in the American Hockey League that's played them better than us. Um you know, our record against them is 2-2-3. Right. Um, you know, now their record against us is 5-1-1. Uh you know, because we got the wins and a bunch of shootout games to them or overtime losses, but there's no team in the American League that's played them better than us. We think we match up really well against them. Yeah, we uh we have a lot of confidence against them, we play well in their building. A lot of times that we've played them, uh we've we've played the first night there, and that's usually where we've gotten our most points against them. And then the second night they come to us on a back-to-back. Yeah, and you know, that's where we've lost our points against them. And you know, they have the luxury of they're sitting two or three veterans a night, right? Where where we don't have that. We're the same night, the same roster that plays on Friday, typically is the same one that plays on Saturday. So, you know, we are confident that if we get into a playoff series with them, that we're gonna show really well. Uh, we think our youth will be an advantage. We think our ability to take over games in the second and third period will be an advantage.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:34

Um but in saying all that, we know how dangerous they are, we know how good their goaltending is, we know how well coached they are. Uh so we have a high level of respect for them. And but it's really exciting what kind of what kind of playoff round that could be. Um, you know, and it's been discussed in our room, like that that's what we're gonna face to get to the Western Conference final, right? So uh, you know, we're we're excited about that possibility, but it's what they're doing is unprecedented right now. It's crazy. They they could I haven't looked at scores obviously because I've been chatting with you, but they could clinch a playoff spot tonight. Uh and it's insane. It's it's February 25th. Uh you know, so it's it's uh that's crazy. You know, we thought we were on a fast track to clinch a playoff spot maybe mid-March, which is early, but that's that's next level stuff. But uh so but that's why you got to play the games, right? So we're we're excited, and our guys have a lot of confidence in them, and it and we hope it does it does happen. We hope we win our first round match, we hope they win their first round match, because that's who we want to go through. We want to beat the best and be the best.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:48

So for sure. And you know, of course, uh if if the roster stays materially as it is right now, uh you will be in a better situation than the other times you've met them, right? So you're gonna be stronger on the blue, you're gonna be deeper on the forward side, and and of course, you're a very solid net with uh with uh Caden Primo and Amir Metkov. So yeah, I mean I think it's exciting.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:14

Yeah, it'll be it'll be a good series if we get there.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:17

Well, you know, Andrew Rinaldi was uh covering Grand Rapids previously as well, so he covered both uh the Griffins and the Wolves. So it was kind of fun. We've had a lot of uh you know spirited discussions along the way, and uh, and of course, uh, you know, it's gonna be tough. But you know, it's like the Kings. It's it's a microcosm of the hurricanes, right? So, you know, you're gonna have to there's gonna be some teams you're gonna have to beat and and find your way uh to get out of the the uh conference and then go up against whoever it is in in the other one. So anyway, it's exciting. Any uh last words from you, uh Spiros?

SPEAKER_00 1:20:54

Uh no, I I mean I I love your coverage. Uh, you know, I really appreciate guys like you and Andrew and you know Nick Bass, who we who we mentioned earlier. Uh, you know, anytime that you can kind of open the fans' eyes to the future canes and the work that we're doing in Chicago, it's it's a really benefit, it's a real benefit to those guys uh because you know they're guys with dreams that are working really hard to accomplish them. And they really want to be like every day they work to become Carolina Hurricanes, uh, and we hope that some of them do. So uh there's lots to be excited about, and we appreciate the support because the more um you know, the more they get promoted, whether it's through a tweet or a podcast, uh you know, the more their name is out there and it and it does improve their chances. So appreciate you, Tom, and uh and people like you. So yeah, that's it's been great. Great questions. I love talking to you about our guys.

Closing Thanks & Listener CTA

SPEAKER_01 1:21:51

This has been this has been just great. And and thanks for spending time with me and talking about uh the wolves, Sparos. I know you're busy, you've got lots on your plate, so uh I'm just delighted you could spend time and and uh share some of this with uh with Kane's fans and wolves fans. So it's great. Um for those of you who've been watching or listening, obviously Sparrows and I are delighted you spent time with us. It was a little bit longer tonight, and uh, I think we covered a lot of ground. So I hope uh hope you enjoyed it as well. Uh if you like this episode, please press the like button. If you have any comments or questions, please put those in the comment section. And of course, if you want to be alerted of future episodes of Stormtracker, please press the subscribe and the bell buttons, and you'll be made aware just as soon as they're available. As always, we thank you so much for spending time with us and look forward to getting together with you real soon right here. Let's go.