Can The Chicago Wolves Fix It In Time? | Defense & Goaltending Crisis

March punched the Chicago Wolves right in the mouth. After a 3-8-3 stretch with blown leads, cold scoring in tight games, and real goaltending worries, we’re still looking at a team sitting in second place and trying to get its edge back before the AHL playoffs. That contrast is what makes this conversation so important: the Wolves aren’t doomed, but the margin for “we’ll figure it out later” is basically gone.

We’re joined by Wolves "Insider" Andrew Rinaldi to sort through what’s actually happening. We talk injuries and how missing key pieces turns the lineup into a blender, why that breaks chemistry, and how it shows up in effort patterns like waiting for the game to come to you. From there we dig into the players who can pull the Wolves out of this, starting with the “Fab Four” and what Felix Unger Sorum’s strength gains reveal about prospect development in the AHL. We also hit Bradly Nadeau’s two-way growth, Justin Robidas’ all-ice reliability, and Domenick Fensore’s value as a bulldog mentor on the blue line.

Then we get into the pressure points: Juuso Välimäki’s absence, Viktor Neuchev’s struggle to turn tools into results, Ronan Seeley’s unsung steadiness, and the goaltending spiral that can demoralize an entire bench. We close by looking ahead to critical games against Texas and what the Wolves must clean up now to set a playoff tone.

Subscribe for more Chicago Wolves and Carolina Hurricanes prospect coverage, share this with a fellow AHL fan, and leave a review. What’s the single biggest fix you want to see before the postseason starts?

Highlights:

• Injuries disrupting cohesion and forcing constant line changes
• Why missing Robidas and Valimaki changes the entire feel
• Blown leads and inconsistent 60-minute efforts
• The “Fab Four” check-in and what each player brings
• Felix Unger Sorum’s surge tied to lower body strength
• Bradly Nadeau’s growth away from the puck and playoff importance
• Robidas as the motor that drives details and reliability
• Domenick Fensore’s role as a mentor and matchup horse
• Viktor Neuchev’s struggle framed as a confidence and system puzzle
• Ronan Seeley as the steady unsung backbone on defense
• Noel Gunler heading back to Sweden and what it says about trajectory
• Charlie Cerrato on a PTO and why opportunity is wide open
• Goaltending concerns and why confidence in the crease affects everyone
• Texas as the tone-setting opponent before a likely postseason meeting

#canes #erictulsky #raiseup #carolinahurricanes #stormtracker23 #bradlynadeau #podcast #lockedonhurricanes #thehockeyguy #spirosanastas #chicagowolves #darrenyorke #ahl #Justinrobidas #carolinaculture #chicagowolves

Transcript

A Brutal Month & Big Concerns

SPEAKER_01 0:31

Well, Chicago Wolves have just come off a brutal month, going 3-8-3 with just two regulation wins over that period. The top line of Bradley Nadeau, Ryan Suzuki, and Justin Robodaugh, which was on a tear in January and February, is chilled. There are questions with the D Corps, and goaltending has become a major area of concern. Joining me to talk about the recent challenges of the Wolves and what to expect in the coming months, I'm delighted to welcome back in our Star Treker Chicago Wolves insider Andrew Rinaldi. Hey Andrew! How's it going, Tom? Well, it's going great, and you know, some of these podcasts are fun. Some are not so much fun. And right now, of course, uh the situation with uh with the Wolves is not particularly great. Uh it's been a tough month for them. Uh, as I mentioned, 3-8-3 over the month. In fact, the last 10 games, they're 26-2. So not getting a lot better. Um, they're still sitting in second place, in good shape. Uh, they're uh six points ahead of third place Texas uh in the Central. So that's good news. There's nine games remaining, so I think they're in pretty good shape of holding that second second place position. But what do you see?

Injuries & Chemistry Falling Apart

SPEAKER_00 1:55

It's it's a combination of a couple of different factors. I wish I could just like point in to just one. But I mean, I'll I'll start off with the obvious in the fact that you know it the Wolves have relied so much have uh on their top guns to carry the load, especially offensively, but defensively as well. Um, I'm talking about guys like Justin Robadah, Bradley Madeau, and guys that we've mentioned 15 or 20 times every episode, it seems that we do this. Um and and they've each they you know they've each missed uh a couple of games in this month. Robodah's still out. Brad and the Doe just came back. And you know, it's number one, it's gonna throw your lines into a complete blender. Number two, it's gonna put some guys who might not be quite so comfortable in in these roles, kind of pushing in, seeing like, okay, what's what's going on, who's uh who's gonna step up. Um and and Yusuf Valmackey was another one. I completely I was I was focused so much on the forwards that oh, by the way, this guy who came in mid-season and has been just an uh a wonderful addition on the blue line and and has had so much experience, he's been out too, and it's it's just it's you you're missing that cohesion, um, it it messes around with your chemistry, and and you can just you can just feel it and and in the lineup. It's hard for them to put 60 minutes together consistently, and I feel like instead of taking it to the game to their opponents, they're they're waiting for the game to come to them. And when I say that, I mean you look at kind of some of the results that are going on. Um blown leads. Uh when there's there's been a couple of those in in the game and the month, and it's you know, it's very uncharacteristic of this squad, at least you know, from what I've seen earlier on in this season. And it's it's either, you know, you see some high-scoring games where they're putting up some goals, but they can't keep them out of their net either. And then when the games become tight checking, the offense just seems to dry up, and it's just like it's just whatever can happen wrong has seemed to just kind of follow around with this team. I the good news is that like I mean, I'm you know, I kind of sound all doom and gloom here, but these are all correctable issues. I I feel like um, you know, this is a this is a team that we've seen since October that has played, you know, much we've seen them time and time again play better hockey than they're capable of uh of doing here in this month. So yeah, uh you're right. It's not quite so fun to report on it when they have two regulation wins over the course of this last month. Um I kind of feel like Julius Caesar had a better march than the Wolves have, but uh yeah again, it's um you know, I feel like you'd rather have these issues to be able to correct now than you know in the first round of the playoffs. Um, but there's they're kind of running out of time on that, Tom.

Line Blender & Missing Justin Robidas

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Well, you know, it's uh definitely uh the Ides of March to be concerned about here because uh not a great month for the for the Wolves. You know, you talked a little bit about lines going in a blender. If we take a look at the lineup uh for this uh most recent game, um you had Noel Gundler who jumped up with uh Bradley Nadeau and Ryan Suzuki, and Gundler's been playing some better hockey, so that's interesting. Um you had the line of Felix Unger Sorm with Philip and Noychev, which has been together for a while. And then uh you had Evan Vierling joining uh Slavin and Brindamore in that third line, and then you know you have Pavlichev and a variety of others who kind of come in and out on that fourth line. What did you see with that? What you know, what are you thinking?

SPEAKER_00 6:07

Throwing kind of throwing some darts against the wall and seeing uh seeing what sticks. Um I I think you you you know you see the foundation of what has made this team successful, and I think you know, for example, I don't think uh Brendan Moore has anyone had anyone on his left side other than Josiah Slavin the entire year. Um, and that has been I think that's been a critical part of the Wolves' success. You know, just kind of you know what you're getting out of that line. And yeah, you know, I think Evan Verling has spent a lot of time on the right side there, and it gives you an anchor in the lineup where you know you can depend on these guys, and you might think you're gonna kind of have to tinker around with with what works everywhere else. You know, you're missing Justin Robot, who brings so much to this squad, just outside of of gathering points, you know, he kills penalties, he's at he's tenacious along the boards and in front of them. That it's what what he can bring to to your your top line, your top it's easy to just say, you know, okay, no gunler, go out there and and get after it. And and he's gonna he's gonna play his game and he's gonna do what he does, but how do you how do you you bring that that energy to uh to that to that spot and you can you know toy around with uh with a couple different guys and a couple different looks. And I know Coach Anastas has done his best to kind of get the boys going when when you know it kind of feels like the tires have been spinning in the mud there. Um at the end of the day, you just gotta kind of battle through it. I mean again, I've said time and time again, no one in this league is gonna feel bad that, oh, you've had a couple injuries, oh, you've had a couple call-ups. Uh okay, I always been playing with the ECHL lineup a whole year. So uh they beat you twice, too. So no one's making any excuses anywhere. Uh you gotta show up and you gotta you gotta bring it for 60 minutes every night. And this team is just kind of uh not that they've forgotten, I don't think, how to do it. I they've clearly we've seen what they're they're capable of doing again. Um but it's it's it's just kind of one of those things that sometimes you just gotta take it back to the drawing board, you gotta simplify your game.

The Fab Four Breakdown Begins

Felix Unger Sorum’s Strength Jump

SPEAKER_01 8:36

I thought we'd kind of step out and talk a little bit about the players and just see what we're thinking about them. Um I've kind of put them into categories now, and I have fun with it. I did that with the Spiroos and he kind of laughed. So the first group is the Fab Four, and I think it's pretty easy to know who these guys are, and that's Felix Unger Sorm, Bradley Nadeau, uh, Justin Robodaw, and Dominic Fensori. And all those guys, you know, three of them were on the all-star team, and the other guy is uh quite a story, but I thought we'd start with Felix. And, you know, Felix having a resurgence. Um, his last 11 games, he's got 11 points. Uh, here's some things that were sad about him. And I thought this was interesting because it mirrored a little bit about what Spiro was saying. Um, you know, when they looked at his play, you know, how does it happen that all of a sudden he's having so much success, right? You kind of say, what changed from last year? Because he had a real tough first year with the Wolves. And some of us were wondering if maybe, you know, maybe he was going to not be the player that he showed a couple of years ago in camp when everybody was ooing an eye, you know, wondering if he was going to make the team, you know, one of those situations. And and and the big thing is that uh he's worked on lower body strength. Okay, so this is this is something that you know you often hear folks building upper body, he's been building lower body, and he wanted to be able to, you know, win 50-50 battles. He wanted to be tougher on his skates. And here's what uh the Wolf Strength and Conditioning Coach Jack Rinzel said, and I thought it was really interesting. He said, you look at when we started the year in October, and the biggest need that we found that was going to help him the most was just getting stronger in general. He's much more powerful, stronger and faster now, and you can see that in his game and with his playing style. So that's interesting. So they, you know, again, with these players, particularly the prospects, as you know, Andrew, they're they have a plan, right? So you got to go and work on this in the summer, and we want you to be stronger and faster, and first step quickness, and you know all the stories. And so they had a plan for uh for Felix, but boy, it seems to be working. And and what are you seeing with him? He's still going, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:46

He's been getting stronger, I feel like, as the season's gone on, even with you know, I know he had like a couple hiccups on the on the score sheet a little earlier in the season, but I don't it never really reflected on his his play on the ice. And I I know I said a big point of of his improvement from last year was just kind of like having confidence in himself, I want to say, but I think hearing what uh the the from that assessment from the strength and conditioning leading into that now him now him being more confident makes sense as a stronger player, you know, stronger on the puck, stronger along the boards and in front of the net, and you see him being so much more active in those in those dirty areas where you get rewarded with with points. And you know, last year was such a uh getting moved to center and and kind of being taken out of his comfort zone. Uh, I just I felt like he never really got comfortable, didn't really have that confidence, hung around the perimeter a little bit more than I would have liked, and it just he just seems like a completely different player this year, and it's it's really starting to reflect the uh on the score sheet. It's it's good to see that despite you know what the what the team's results have been, that he's been able to maintain his own uh personal success there as well. So uh yeah, it's it's been an absolute joy watching him grow and continue to grow and and become a more mature rounded player. And it's it's he he's like I said, he's just gonna continue to get stronger as the year goes on. And I'm really uh really interested to see kind of how as we get into like these bigger stakes games at the end of the season into the playoffs, like alright, like now the intensity is getting ramped up. Uh, you know, what uh what what's next in in his bag of tricks? And I think the wolves are gonna lean a lot on him to continue to provide that that secondary scoring underneath that top line and and continue to give the other team fits defensively. And it's it's yeah, it's it's been a lot of fun. I've been singing his praises all season long, and I'm gonna continue to do so until he gives me a reason not to.

Bradly Nadeau’s Two Way Growth

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Well, I think you picked a good one. And you know, as as you would know well, Andrew, Felix Ungersorm sees the ice so darn well. He's got a huge hockey IQ, he's just a guy that really he gets it. And now that he's getting stronger and can you know get in there and battle and do the things he does, I mean, it's just gonna make him better. And he said recently, I mean, he he just sees himself as a great setup guy. Um, and right now he's sitting at 13 goals and 43 assists uh in 63 games. So what a difference over from last year. It's it's it's huge. And he's sitting in 13th place in the AHL and scoring. Still just 20 years old, by the way. And I think we need to underscore that as well. So I think Felix Ungerstorm has brought himself back into the mix of top Keynes prospects for sure, and that's exciting stuff. The top prospect we'll talk about for a couple of minutes, and that's the show, uh Bradley Nadeau. Uh he turns 21 in May. Um, he's been out, he's kind of been in and out a little bit, and it's been tough for him. You know, he's he's still got 51 points in 48 games. He's a plus 16, and that was the biggest thing that Spiro's talked about is how much he has grown defensively. He said he he plays a heavy game, he's defensively tremendous. Of course, he's won a ton of awards. Um, he's an all-star, he's everything. Where are we with uh with this young man?

SPEAKER_00 14:40

Well, I mean, I guess I'm just gonna have to repeat myself for anyone who hasn't been listening to the show beforehand, because I have just kept uh uh singing this kid's praises as well. And and I want to highlight again that, yeah, he is only 20 years old over a point a game in an absolutely grown man's league. I want to again emphasize that to anyone who might be at most knowledgeable the AHL through like EA's NHL on these this is not normal for a 20-year-old to be not just producing in the manner in which he does. Yeah, I think we all realize that he has an elite level shot and all that, and you know, maybe the wolves kind of try and force feed him a little too much in the power play, but when you have a cannon like that, you kind of have to. But his his responsibility with without the puck, I think, has been his his biggest improvement this and just overall of this season. Um it's been clear that that you know Carolina has has communicated that message to him to like, you know, of course, you can shoot the puck. We want you to keep shooting the puck, don't be afraid to shoot the puck, and he clearly is it. But you want to take that next step, you know, you gotta be active on the boards and the forecheck, and and and you gotta make sure you you back check and you cover your guy and you know how to get when and how to get that puck out at the right time. And he is it just those little details that you know separate uh uh a Marty Furk who can just fire the puck and do not a whole lot else, and a guy who's gonna stay around in the National League for 10 years or however long they deem it to be. So it's you know, I can I can sit here and and and and talk about wow, this guy's piling up so many goals, and he is, but I'll also continue to to harp on the fact that he does so much more away from the puck than he did even last year, even earlier in the season, that continues to to prove that that you know there's a reason why this organization has so much faith in him, didn't deal him at the trade deadline, and is is hanging on to him because there's so much promise to contribute to and and and the very near future, I think. And Carolina's blessed to have a really talented lineup because I think this kid it can easily become be a contributor tomorrow in in the NHL. And it's it again, I'm I'm enjoying as much time as I can with him because I don't think it's gonna be a lot, but again, I I I think there's there's a point as these games get you know more intense as the stakes become higher. How he responds to adversity. And you know, he missed a couple of games because it's March and the Wolves, and it's it was just his number got called, and and amongst the walking wounded, he's come back. Uh, you know, looked okay, I would say. Um, you know, I think he's uh kind of just kind of still battling through that that bit of an ailment, but I don't think there's anything super concerned to be with him. I think he's gonna roll around kind of with the game that we've become familiar with and into the playoffs. And I hope he he's I mean, Chicago, myself, Carolina, everyone is expecting him to be a major factor in the postseason rush.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

Of course, uh his line mate, who we talk about so much as well, uh, that would be Justin Robidaw. Um, again, he's had kind of some things lately, some injuries and some things that have held him back a little bit. But look, he went through a sick a 19-game stretch earlier in the year, which we you and I talked about, which was just ridiculous. 16 goals and 11 assists in 19 games. I mean, that was just ridiculous. So if he's taking a few games off now, I get it. Um, he was an all-star, of course. Last year he had 20 goals, 35 assists, or 55 points. This year he's already got 57, and he's tied for eighth in the AHL in scoring. So, and he's plus 18. So he's a again, um, he does it all. Spiro raved about a couple of things with uh with Justin as well. And the last uh podcast we did where he basically said, look, this guy, he's a student of the game, he thinks it so much, he really understands how to play, he wants to get better desperately. I think it's great. And uh and so yeah, Robodon, another one of the pillars.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

And I've loved his game since day one. It's uh it's one I think that can that can translate to the big club. He's not you know just a guy overly reliant on on one aspect or another. It's not like he's just like a great playmaker and and kind of slacks in some of the other areas or anything like that. He's just he he's just a workhorse. And I I made mention on one of my earliest episodes here on the Storm Tracker when I said he plays a very mature game for his age.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

And and just how how relentless and dogged he is on the puck. It just you can't teach that that motor. It's just it's just that instinct, that dog that you have inside of you that just is has a nose for for where to be in the right time and and and to just make the right play. And when the coach can rely on you to not have a brain fart on the ice in certain case areas, like it's you you lean you it's such a good it's such a good quality to have that dependability. And he's he's been the rock, I would say. And I don't think it's a coincidence that this team's been struggling a lot with him out of the lineup. And I I I I agree with with coach in saying, you know, he's yeah, he this guy has has uh has a good future in the league ahead of him. And um again, it's another one of those. I'm grateful I get to watch him here in Chicago for a couple of years as he as he continues to mature into that player that I think we all recognize is going to be a pain for teams up in and at the next level.

Domenick Fensore As The Blueprint

SPEAKER_01 21:27

Well, as Nick Bass would say, uh he's a short king. Uh he is, he's a short king. But the thing I like about uh Justin Robodon is he's very stocky. So he's not uh easily pushed off his skates. He's not like um you know, you look at Logan Stankhoven and he's still pretty light. You know, you bring a guy like Justin Robodon and he's he's solid on his skates, and he's got a very solid lower body uh again strength so that he can he can go in and play in those tough areas too. So yeah, I think uh I think he and and uh Nadeau are going to be critical as they head into the playoffs. This is gonna be something to watch. Um and earlier in the year, as we talked about a number of times, they were just terrorizing the league. I mean, literally terrorizing the league. So we'll hope they can get back to it. The final member of the Fab Four just wanted to spend a minute on this guy, and the reason I wanted to bring him up is because of I think again, Spiros was very clear that you know, this guy's one of those guys you just count on. He does it all right, and that's Dominic Fensori. I'm a huge fan of Dom. And I've noticed lately Dom's role has kind of changed a little bit in that he's now uh let's Like he's mentoring uh Dominic Bedenka. He's been teaming up with Dominic Bedenka. Uh, we'll talk about uh him a little bit later, but I think that's a change because when um when Charles Alexis Legault was coming down, and we saw that for the first few games, these guys were paired together again, and they were outstanding last year, as you recall. But they've now split them up and they've got uh Dom working with uh with Bodenka. So uh interesting.

SPEAKER_00 23:01

Yeah, and it's it's it's rolling right along another kind of uh short king there. But what I love about Dom and what I love about uh Robodot is that I there's such a difference between being small and playing small. Okay, yeah, these guys aren't aren't gifted with some of some of the the height of some other players in the league or in in the world, but they don't play like their their their size. And and Fensori, the the best way I've been able to describe his style is that he's just a bulldog. And um, I mean I've I've always loved what he could do with the puck and just the way that he can he can skate out and attack and transition. It's always added a great dynamic for this squad. And but it you you know he he's not like and I mean this with the utmost respect, he's not like he's he's Lane Hudson, who who's you know, kind of looking like uh like he's he's got his leg shaken in front of the net. No, this guy is battling and and and fighting every shift out there, and and I think you know, Koachinassis recognizes that, that's why he sticks him kind of with these younger guys to show him here's how you want to play the game. If you you know, this is the right way to do it, follow this guy, look at his habits, and try and mirror what he's doing, and and he'll kind of set you on the path. Um, I think it I mean, clearly we saw Char uh Charles Alexis Legaux kind of get his cup of coffee up there with the canes. Yes. Um, and you know, Dominic Badinka, I think, is is is on that path to you know, at some point down the line become a contributor up there as well. And it's all gonna be, you know, you gotta find you gotta find the right the right way to do it. And it's it's such a uh an important part of the of development. I mean, to just you know, anyone, it's a lot of guys have the talent, but they don't have what it takes between the ears to make it into the show. And a guy like like Dom is gonna show you you want to take that next stop. Here's here's here's how here's how here's the blueprint. And um it's clear that he's got the the trust and and confidence of the coaching staff. He plays every imaginable role for this team, especially with Valamaki out. This is this guy is gonna be your horse. And you can look at the lineup, it's you might be fooled to believe, like, oh, he's on the third line, he's not gonna be getting that much choice. Uh no, he's out there for what seems like half the game sometimes. And you know, he he earned that that all-star appearance this year, and he's been another guy where I feel like I it's been a privilege to kind of watch him come through here with the wolves and uh to follow along with his game.

Valimaki’s Impact & Injury Cloud

SPEAKER_01 26:01

For sure. And and he's a guy that uh I'm not sure there'll be a spot on the canes for for Dom. And and I've said this before, I think he's a guy that can play in the NHL, and I think there are teams that will probably uh uh come calling in the summer, and maybe there'll be an opportunity for Dom somewhere else. You know, the thing about Dom that uh that always uh you know you have to think back to is I mean, he had a very uh uh distinguished college career, and of course, he was a Hobie Baker uh nominee uh a couple of times. So he's a guy that uh certainly he was recognized back then as uh as a player with a lot of skills. So great stuff on Dom. Um the reinforcements, I talked a little bit about them last month. You know, there were a bunch of folks that came in, you know, trying to shore things up. Uh Carolina got involved in some of it, of course, uh, and you had the Wolves also getting involved. I wanted to just mention a couple of the guys because I think they're they're significant or could be significant. One of them, of course, you have talked a lot about in the past, and that's Yusso Ballamacke. Ballamacke, um, again, uh he's a guy that was drafted in the first round by Calvary, 17th overall, so he's got a great pedigree. He's had some good success in the NHL, particularly with Arizona. Uh, but injuries have been kind of the the bane of his existence, and we see that he's injured again. But uh he's been on a tear uh point-wise with uh with the club and has been playing well.

SPEAKER_00 27:26

Yeah, you you saw why this guy had you know had a role up in in the National League for for such a good time and and was a dependable player up there. And I remember in the the Western Conference Finals in that Calder Cup run when he was on Stockton in front of Dustin Wolf and was just he was he was so frustrating on the four check because of his ability to get the get the puck and get it moving up before the four checkers even could get uh a breath on him. And um it just you could recognize kind of what the talent this guy brought uh almost immediately. And it was it was so exciting to get him, and he was he's been great here in Chicago and putting the points up and being a steady presence on the blue line, and kind of being another guy that's like, hey, if I I've been to the show, if you want to make it there someday, here to kind of follow his lead and and and he'll take you there. And again, I don't think it's kind of the same thing with Robodai. I don't think it's it's a coincidence that Valamaki leaves the lineup and you know, kind of this team's kind of struggling to get the puck moving, especially from the blue line. So it's you know, again, it's it's it's kind of an unfortunate story of the game where you have a guy with all this talent just can't seem to stay healthy. Yeah, you you hope to have him for for the postseason run. Um and you know it, but unfortunately, it's just kind of a wait and see thing, and you know how the AHL loves to deal with injuries. Um I heard uh Yuka Yasuka's coming back pretty soon.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

Wow. You're not serious, he is coming back? No, I'm not geez.

SPEAKER_00 29:18

I I'm I'm alluding to the case. They said he was close back in.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

Yeah, he's close, all right.

SPEAKER_01 29:26

That's like three months ago.

SPEAKER_00 29:27

Yeah, and yes, here I'm looking at it. It's the end of December.

SPEAKER_01 29:30

I remember that well. I wrote it down.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

So but you know, you hope to have him back. I mean, you can't under underscore his presence in on that blue line. Um, it's it's almost a cheat code. He's a guy with a ton of NHL experience down here in uh in the American League. But yeah, when he when he's healthy, you to you take what you can get. If no one else is feeling sorry for you, you don't feel sorry for them when you get to throw a guy like that out there.

Viktor Neuchev & Confidence Puzzle

SPEAKER_01 30:00

No, for sure. And and you know, he's a guy that uh, as you say, rightfully, um when he's healthy, he can really play. And you know, he was uh he was on the team Finland roster for the Four Nations last year, as we had talked about before. And so he's a guy recognized with a lot of talent. But again, it's uh it's some of those serious injuries he's had, and he had a couple of them in a row, which was not great. But hopefully he'll come back soon. Um, another guy I wanted to mention because I I just don't think he's quite getting it done the way that he possibly could, and that's surprising me, is is Viktor Noichchev. Um Corey Pronman of the Athletics said this about uh Noichev. He said he 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 passer, and Corey is one of the most knowledgeable in prospects, as you know. You know, he's a guy that uh was drafted in the third round. Goodness, uh he played in the KHL full time as a 19-year-old, which is insane. It just doesn't happen. Uh with automobilist, um, played 57 games. This year he's just not getting it done. And I know when I when he had just recently joined uh the Wolves and I was talking to Spiroz, I mean he he had some high hopes for him, but he just doesn't seem to be getting it done. What's going on with Neut?

SPEAKER_00 31:25

I wish I could explain it. Um because right, you you can see the the flashes of talent there, and you just you feel like he's he's ready to to blow up at any moment. And I don't know if if he's just not comfortable in the system or if it's uh if it's just something it's got it has to be mental. That's the only way I can explain it. Because the guy's got all the tools to make it happen. And you know, whether it's you know again, he's he's homesick, or I there could be a million different reasons for there can be a million different reasons for it. But when I saw the stats and I saw he was, you know, uh when I was looking at what he was doing in Rochester, I was like, okay, you know, he doesn't seem like he was getting all that ice, he has a chance uh to maybe you know get some uh second power play time, get find a way to especially with the injuries, find a way to to hit the score sheet. And it just I again I I can say some guys can have the tools, but it's tough to put it together and and to I think it just becomes you know, now you don't have the confidence in yourself to you you're you're gripping the stick a little too tightly and and you're overthinking every single little play and every little detail in your game when you just need to simplify it. Like, yeah, you you have the talent here, uh that's what got you into the league and got you into this into this moment and in the lineup. So uh stop thinking so much about it and just get out and and do what what got you here because the moment you try changing your game up and the moment you try being a player that you're not, uh you're you're gonna be you fall so far behind everyone else that um it's you're just gonna kind of become an afterthought. Not that I think that of of Victor Neuchev, I think he's he's got what it takes to to be an X Factor on this team. That's what I was so excited about when you know they they tried traded Gavin Beyruther away for him, but um it's uh uh it just hasn't quite worked out for either party yet.

Unsung Heroes Led By Ronan Seeley

SPEAKER_01 33:46

Yeah, and you know, it was interesting because they made some moves. You talked about the blender a little bit. Uh Evan Verling and Nikita Pavlichev had patrolled those spots alongside Felix Unger Sorm for quite a while and uh formed a good troika, I thought. They were pretty pretty darn effective. Uh but uh when Noichchev came in and then they got Noah Philp, who came down from the Keynes, they had a couple of guys that were kind of a little bit more, you know, maybe uh upward potential, higher potential in terms of what they could deliver. And and certainly Philp had played some NHL time, and and Noitechev was, you know, a guy that should be playing on an offensive line, a second line type player. That's his uh that's his pedigree. Um so you really kind of were excited to see, hey, and and one thing I said to Speros, I said, man, this puts you in a great situation because now you got two second liners and Pavlichev and Virling who you can drop to the fourth line. Not bad. So it's kind of kind of an interesting story. But you know, Philip hasn't set the world on fire, and I think uh Noychev is is also struggling a little bit. So, you know, we'll have to keep an eye on those guys and see what they do. Um, I'd like to see some action from that line. I think it's kind of like the hurricane situation. There's so many uh mirrors to the to the teams, it's amazing. Um they need some secondary scoring uh on the Wolves, and that line has to deliver some of it. So you've got a guy that can lead it in uh Felix Unger Sorm, and the other two guys have got help as well. Okay, let's move on to a group I call the Unsung Heroes, and I wanted to really highlight one guy because boy oh boy, he's he's just been incredible. Uh his last 16 games, he scored seven goals. He's a defenseman, uh, which is kind of interesting. And he just was awarded the Breslin Unsung Hero Award by the team, and that's of course Ronan Seeley. Seeley's one of those guys, you don't hear much about him. He's behind, you know, you mentioned four or five other defensemen, and then Seely's name pops in. But he has really taken this game to another level this year and and really shown it. And the one thing I've always liked about Ronan, and I've seen him in the prospect showcases and development camps and so on, this guy can skate. Uh, and he plays a smart game, and and he was a big offensive guy in junior, and we're seeing some of that right now. Still just 23 years old. Man, Ronan Seeley.

SPEAKER_00 36:15

He he is unsung, but I he I I kind of don't it's not that I don't understand how he manages to fall into that because he's played, you know, top line on this defensive pairing for what seems like all season long, and he's just been so dependable, but he's not until unless recently, which is kind of the goal scoring, has started really kind of showing itself, but he hasn't he's not a guy who shows up on a lot of highlight packages. And if you're not paying attention to the the little details in his game, and it's like wow, like oh that was smart. That was that was a good play to get away from the the four checker there. You know, it's it's hard to to really show out if you're just a you know a highlight watcher, but he's been just it's just steady, you know. There's a steady calmness that I really like about his game where he doesn't really get rattled, uh, you know, whether it's you know a guy barreling down on four check or what, but it's and you know, he's been here with the squad since I want to say 23. I think the year after the the Call of Dare Cup was his was his rookie season. And um, you know, so which which feels like a lifetime ago for me, but he's you know, uh he he's just been that that steady presence back there that can kind of, you know, when the boat gets rocking, which it has been for quite some time this month, um, he's a guy you can rely on to kind of like steady it, take the, you know, like let's lower the heartbeat down a little bit here and and not kind of get ahead of ourselves. And um, I I've really appreciated what he's been able to bring down to that blue line. I think it's I I think it was uh deserved award. Unsung. Like I should probably I should probably sing more about Ronan and Seeley, and maybe you won't be so unsung. But yeah, he's he he's been a great uh uh a great presence on that blue line for the wolves this year.

Noel Gunler’s Exit Next Season & What It Means

SPEAKER_01 38:27

Well, and the two guys that uh kind of run her up in third place on the unsung award were not a surprise, and we've talked about them a lot too, and that's uh Evan Deerling and and Nikita Pavlichev. And you know, last month uh we're doing the unsung heroes with uh Spiroos, and and I did not drop Pavlychev in there. I had him on the list, but we kind of we were kind of moving along, and he he came back later on and said, I've got to talk about Nikita Pavlitev and and the work that he does. He, you know, and again, uh he's having he's on pace for his best season, Pavlitev. Uh Beerling is having his best season, and we had talked a little bit about Evan before. And you know, he's a guy that came out of junior. He had a big year in junior his last year in Barrie, and and that's a great program. Uh I happen to be from Barrie, so I can share about that a lot. Um, but but he's another one. And so those two guys, you know, they're gonna get it done for you. They're on the fourth line or third line, whatever you need. They can move up and down the lineup, which is great. And and I think uh whatever you know credit that they're getting or attention or notice, whatever you want to call it, I think is well deserved. So we'll keep an eye on those guys. I did want to mention Noel Gundler uh just for a minute here. And he's kind of on that second tier. He's I put him in the Unsign Hero side because he's been doing some great work lately. Uh kind of a bit of news that came out on Noel recently. He is gonna head to Jur Gardens next year in the SHL, so he's gonna go back to Sweden. He's 24 years old. Look, he'll be 25 next year. He's not gonna be playing for the Hurricanes. Um, so I mean, you understand he's gonna go back, he's gonna get a pretty good deal, apparently, and he's gonna have a key role for Zurgarden, which is kind of cool. Again, uh second round pick, uh 6'2, 180 pounds. He was a guy that when they drafted him, he had the sky was the limit. A great uh natural goal scorer could do it all. Um he's just never quite taken it to that next level.

SPEAKER_00 40:20

Yeah, every time I've made an instance saying some guys have talent, but then just can't seem to put it together. There should be an image of Noel Gummler kind of like right above my head. It's I I remember he he came over from Sweden the year of the Calder Cup and was uh part of that run. Um he even had some time on uh Vasily Panamarov's wing where I thought like like woo, this is gonna be uh a spicy combination for the next little while. And I just never could really put it all together. He would have a couple game streak where he he looks like it's like okay, here's the coming out party, and then for the next 10 games, you might as well have not it's just been a jersey kind of hanging out there on the ice. And um I can't really just I again it's some guys, it's it's all mental, you know. He's he's had the tools to to be a solid player in this league and and even to make an appearance in the next one, and it's just I it's it's it's beyond my explanation at this point, you know. It's he's he's had opportunity after opportunity to to take over and make a name for himself, and just been passed up on the depth chart here and there, and just kind of hung around, uh, contribute a little bit here and there, but never never took the game over kind of quite as we kind of were all hoping in Carolina and in Chicago. So you know, I I wish for the best for him. Maybe getting back home to to Sweden, he'll he'll kind of it's it's it's it's it'll it'll be easier. It'll be easier for him. You're around friends and family, and it's it's a culture you're familiar with, and you know, you get to play the game you love. I certainly am jealous of him to do that. So it's you know, it it's been a fun couple of years with um, would have loved to see a little more, but I wish him all the best.

Young Prospects & Charlie Cerrato PTO

SPEAKER_01 42:38

Yeah, I think I think that's about right. And you know, I'm like you. I at different times I thought, boy, he's gonna break out and and uh he shows some of that excellent offensive capability he has, but it's the consistency, which I think is the big key. And and uh, you know, again, uh good for him. He's got a nice future ahead, and he's playing hard right now, so he's a he's a consummate pro, and that's all you can ask. Moving on to young studs. Uh you know, we've talked about these guys before. Uh Dominic Bedenka, of course, getting more playing time. He's coming along nicely. He's just 20 years old. Gleb Trikozov scored the other day, which was kind of nice. And he, you might say, he got in a little bit of a skirmish, so he's been doing his thing. But I really wanted to highlight the signing today of uh Charlie Serrado to a PTO. Uh so he's gonna have a tryout with the Wolves. Um Serato, 21 years old. Again, he's uh he's been doing very well the last couple of years with Penn State. This year was a bit of an injury tough year. Last year he did in 38 games, he had 42 points, so he was really coming on strong. And at the start of this year, uh he was he was actually leading Penn State in scoring alongside Gavin McKenna, who of course is uh one of the top uh potential draft picks this year. He's he's kind of rated in the top two or three. So they have a guy that uh you know that they were really looking at. And here's Serato, who was going about his business. And Serato is an interesting player because um he kind of plays older than his age. Uh, you know, he's he's he's not an 18-year-old trying to come in or a 19 year old. So he's a guy that's had a little bit of uh time to kind of grow up. Uh he's six feet, he's 190 pounds, so he's not a little guy. He plays a heavy game. He likes to get in, he likes to make things happen. Uh he's a buzzsaw, he's he's all over the place on the ice. So I guess the interesting thing is, you know, where do we see? Charlie Serrata with the Wolves.

SPEAKER_00 44:34

Sounds like you're just describing Justin Robot out there for a second. I mean it it it's up to it's up to Charlie really is kind of what uh is what the way I look at it. Right. I mean if the wolves are still gonna be you know struggling along with kind of putting their their forward lines together and if Victor Noishev is still gonna be in that second line spot and uh not providing the way that we kind of thought that he was going to, um they'll probably they'll they'll ease Charlie in for you know a couple of games and kind of see what's what's going on and if again as I was just talking about grabbing opportunities if this guy has that that hunger coming out of college and and and really kind of establishes himself early on, uh I think there's certainly an opportunity there to move up into the lineup and and and and really kind of establish himself into uh a good middle six role here on this team and and i it's up to him. If he comes up and and wows the coaching staff and forces their hand, like I'm playing too good, you can't sit me, um it's it's there's certainly not hasn't been a ton of roadblocks ahead of them the way that this team's playing playing this past month. And I wouldn't I think I would give them the yeah, I would give them the chance to go out and and and and kind of challenge the rest of the lineup as well. If this guy is gonna be coming out of college and is gonna he he wants it, uh are you gonna let him take your spot in the lineup or are you gonna go out there and are you gonna play a full 60 minutes and not blow a lead or not chase the game around and wait for it to come to you? Um, go out there and take it. So I think this is probab this might be uh kind of a uh a good thing for some of the other guys in the lineup to splash some cold water on their face and and and kind of get things corrected that they might have, you know, kind of let slip away from them these these last handful of games here. And um again the I almost said the balls in Charlie's court, but I'll say the pucks on his stick of what you're gonna do. There you go.

Goaltending Spiral & Possible Fixes

SPEAKER_01 47:03

There you go. Well, Charlie is the uh is the number one center prospect for the Hurricanes right now, for sure. Uh and you know they they surprised a lot of folks drafting him last year in the second round. I mean, he was not he was not kind of positioned there at all. And the Canes went and uh and kind of made some uh some interesting moves with him and some others. Um I think uh it's gonna be interesting to see him, and I think he could be a nice shot in the arm for the Wolves as the Wolves get set to go into playoff hockey if they can get some of these other walking wounded back and add a guy like Charlie Serrado, thank you. Uh some of the other teams are doing the same thing as you know. Porter Martone is is uh is gonna be playing in the AHL. There's two or three other guys that we're gonna hear about that are top drawer uh NCAA players this year that are gonna you know jump into the AHL for a period of time. And I think in some cases, the for the parent team, they just want to get a look at them and see, hey, are they are they gonna compete for a spot next year on the roster? And if so, they should sign them to a deal and and all that stuff that goes on. Remember two or three years ago, they had all the guys sign. They had Nadeau and uh and uh course Morrow and and uh some other guys that all signed at the same time and they took them all to Raleigh and next thing you know, they were playing hockey, um, which is kind of fun. So, yeah, we'll see what happens with Serato. Uh, I've talked with Nick Bass a lot about Charlie this year. Obviously, he's uh one of the top prospects for the Keynes. So exciting to see him uh showing his uh his wares over here in Chicago. Great, and we'll talk about him, I'm sure, uh next month. Wrapping up the player side, just quickly, don't want to spend a lot of time on this, but uh the goaltending, I mentioned it off the top, has uh kind of been a train wreck lately, uh, particularly Amir Miftikov. And you know, Miftikov uh started the season kind of tough. He had a really tough training camp with the Hurricanes. He was uh beat up in some games, um, found his game for a while, but seems to be a little bit off the rails right now. Uh Caden Primo, he's still got respectable numbers, but he hasn't been as sharp lately. Um a quick word on the goaltending?

SPEAKER_00 49:12

Oh Miftikov is just the Russian roller coaster here at this point. It's um yeah, I I feel like unfortunately uh he uh it just it feels like when he's got when his play goes as the other goaltender goes, right? So at the beginning of the season, uh you know, Primo got claimed on waivers, and and he was up in Toronto. So Miftikov was kind of shoved into the number one role, and he's he just uh didn't respond well. I mean, let's let's call a spade of spade. Yeah, and um as soon as Primo comes back, it kind of like calmed him down. Okay, he doesn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders and everything, and he looked like a more calm goalie, kind of wasn't really swimming out there quite so much as we saw earlier on. And now Primo at the end of February kind of went through a pretty big struggles and kind of cleaned up some of that stuff, but he's um he's both kind of faced some high quality shots and has just kind of not quite looked the same as he had earlier in the season. Uh given up pretty regularly at least three goals a game over the last month.

SPEAKER_01 50:32

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 50:32

And Miftakov has responded by giving up about an average of five goals a game over the last month. I don't think he's won since the Valentine's Day almost, if my if my memory serves me right. Oh, yeah. Oh no, sorry, the day after Valentine's Day. That was his last win. Um you got a bit of a cushion here over Texas, and the team's kind of not really uh playing great to begin with. Um, I would almost see, you know, Ruslan Ozeev has had uh a handful of games at the beginning of the season last year. He's another guy who was thrust into a role who, you know, he's very raw and young and wasn't really ready for, but performed admirably, you know, at times. Um, I would almost give him an opportunity for a couple of games at this point just to see like um because we uh if something, you know, the hockey, gods forbid, were to happen to Primo, is this the guy who's who's gonna lead the team out? It's I know it's it's just a backup goalie, and there's only nine games left in the season, but you know, I I think we can we can the the this guy is like Chernobyl levels of nuclear at this point, and I would I would at least get the kid in for a couple of games and and see what you got. And if not, okay, it can't get much worse than it has been from Iftakov here in this one. So I Primo has a bit of a better record in terms of just kind of his, you know, what I mean number one, you know, he's been showing out a little more even with the last month of kind of horrors. Yes, record has been better than what he's shown. And um just just based on his body of work here in the league, you you kind of have a figure that this guy's gonna bring it. He's gonna bring it every night, whether you know, win, loss, or whatever. But I am it's just it's tough to see Meftakov out there just and it's it's it it's demoralizing for the team because you know you gotta score at least five if you want to chance. And it's well it's just it it's you have a goalie that's not confident in the crease, the team in front, they these guys know these guys, they they're they're in practice and in the locker room and they're uh spending every all these all this time together, like they know when the guy's not confident, they know and and he knows when they're like, oh, here we go again. And it's I mean, these guys are professionals, but you feel that energy and you feed off of it. When a guy is not coming with that that dog in him every single night, it it it resonates on the on the team. So that's why I kind of would throw maybe a little bit of young blood in there to maybe uh again, same thing with like with with Serato. Shot in the arm. Like, okay, if this isn't working, like what is gonna work? And I I I again, you know, this for all the doom and gloom, this team's in second place, and it's not like we should be throwing out solutions to try and save the season. Again, this is the backup goaltending position that we're talking about here. Um but I think that you know, one, it would go a long way towards you know the young goaltender's confidence that's down there in Greensboro. Okay, we know that you're probably gonna be up here in Chicago a little bit. Let's see what what you got and see what how much you've grown since the last time you've been up here. For the rest of the team, all right. This guy, we're kind of here's a uh young goaltender, and we're kind of putting him in your care. Uh show up for him, you know. This guy's gonna come out here and battle. You better battle for him, otherwise, you're gonna be on the bench. Um, you know, just kind of shaking it up a little bit, not you know, rocking the boat, but maybe kind of changing the rudder direction a little bit. Again, I know there's you know just a handful of games left in the season and playoffs are coming up and everything, but you're in second place, you're gonna be seeing the Texas Stars more than likely. It's all it's not set in stone, but more than likely you're gonna be seeing these guys. Um they're gonna be gonna be coming for you. So you you gotta find ways to get these guys ready to to battle in game every night. Um, I don't think that they're gonna miss two more starts of Amir Miftikov the rest of the season or three or however many I have to be subject to seeing for the rest of the season.

Texas Games As A Playoff Tone Setter

SPEAKER_01 55:26

Now, a wild card. Uh, you could see uh uh Piotr Kochekov in for a game or two if they want to uh get him conditioning. Uh if he returns, and there's you know all kinds of different thoughts as to whether he might uh he might see some game action before the end of this season. And I would fully expect that the Hurricanes would send him on a conditioning set down to Chicago. So you might see Piotr back, and uh I think there'd be some fun uh discussions, and I'm sure Stan Dubicki would be really happy to have uh his old buddy uh Piotr back uh in uh in Chicago. So interesting story. We'll see how that plays out. Okay, just some closing thoughts. Um, you know, injury status is a big thing. I did notice that um along with Serato's PTO, that uh the Wolves have called up Blake Beondi from the uh Gargoyles, which is great. And he was doing well. He had 25 points in 27 games, and we had talked a lot about Blake before. I'm a big fan of his. Uh, he was Mr. Hockey in Minnesota in 2020. That's pretty cool. That's the top high school hockey player in the state. So there have been some others that have gone through. You could recognize them to play in the NHL. So it's a pretty lofty, uh uh lofty award for him. And and uh so he was a fourth rounder with Montreal. He's a guy that's got a great pedigree. He's 6'1, 200 pounds. He does all I just expect him to come in and play. So we'll look forward to his ad. But you know, I think that's the key as we look forward. I mean, it's gonna be adding players, uh, players coming back, uh trying to get the lineup set for you know for the playoffs. And I had talked to uh Spiros about the D Corps, which is loaded when everybody's back. Of course, uh they had received players like uh Nystrom and uh and Lego, and and of course they added uh Valamaki and Foote. So they had a lot of guys that they could really shore up the blue line with. What are you looking? We've got a couple of games against Texas right away. Those are gonna be interesting. What are you looking for the month ahead?

SPEAKER_00 57:20

Well, yeah, those those Texas games are are certainly circled on the uh on the schedule. Again, you know, there could be a scenario where uh you know Manitoba could jump over them and and the standings, and they they're gonna have to go up to the the Great White North to open up their uh their playoffs. But I I I got a good feeling it's gonna be Texas. I mean, they've been just an absolute menace for this Wolves team, especially they had a couple times where they just kind of kicked them around this month. And um, here's a chance I kind of like I mean, not just getting revenge for those those butt kickings, but setting the tone. Again, if you're if you're gonna be seeing this team very likely in the postseason, um you gotta you gotta show out and tell them like we're not gonna be pushed around kind of quite what happened in March happened in March, and this is gonna be a new month. It's gonna be a new squad with a new mentality. Um again, don't let the game come to you. Go out and and take it to them. And then and then after you've taken it to them, don't just let off on the gas pedal. Keep taking it to them. And um, I I want to see kind of some more of that, of kind of just just more positive shifts and stringing them all together to to put together a complete effort in, you know. There's been there's been a lot of good, as we've talked about, on on in you know, individual performances here and there, but uh everyone kind of has to kind of pull on the same rope at at the same time. Of all the the doom and gloom that there's been this uh this last hour, none of these issues are incorrectable. And um, you know, this team has played stretches, long stretches of great hockey, and I think that that's that's really what I'm looking forward to. What the results almost don't matter. I mean, yeah, I'd love to see some wins, but just kind of getting back to that brand of Chicago Wolves hockey and just you know what I've seen earlier in the season, just the puck possession dominating in the other team zone for long stretches of time. Uh more of that would be great. And um tune it up, see if you know some of these young kids coming in will step up and make a name for themselves and dial it in because the playoffs are are coming and it's uh no prisoners are going to be taken. There's no more room for passengers, it's all hands on deck.

Closing Remarks

SPEAKER_01 1:00:03

Yeah, and you know, I believe uh if there's someone that can do that, is uh the leadership role of Spiro Savastis. I believe very strongly in Spiros, of course, and and I think uh he's the right guy to get them back uh firing on all cylinders. And so much of it is just getting the players back and getting them kind of back into uh their uh mojo again and playing the way they can. And you know, they're coming back from injuries, it takes two or three games here or there to get their their wheels going or whatever the case may be. But hopefully they're all back soon. And uh and you know, the other thing, I just thought I mentioned this as we kind of wrap that part up, is that uh if they get into any tough situations, they've got uh Turcott and uh Giovanni Smith available. So they've got a couple of guys that can come in and play that heavy role and uh you know, just as the Case did with uh Nicholas DeLaurier. So they've got some guys that can shake things up if it gets tough in any of the opposing burns. So lots of fun. And of course, we'll be back uh next month to talk about uh the start of the playoffs. We hope it's a long run for the Wolves and of course uh you know some of the young players and what they're gonna be doing here as they come in and join this this uh this run for the Wolves. So, as always, Andrew, great information. It's uh tremendous to hear about all the great things happening with the Wolves. For those of you who've been watching or listening, thanks for spending time with Andrew and I. Uh it's great fun talking Chicago Wolves for sure. Uh if you like this episode, please press the like button. If you have any questions or comments, put those in the comments section as well. And of course, uh, if you want to be alerted of future episodes of Storm Tracker, please press the subscribe button to the bell, and we'll alert you just as soon as they're available. As always, Andrew and I are delighted you spend time with us, and we look forward to getting together with you real soon right here. Okay.