THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHICAGO WOLVES
VOL. 7 ISSUE 6
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in this issue
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20 EXCLUSIVE: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH MATHIEU BRODEUR //
MEET THE WOLVES’ STAY-AT-HOME DEFENSEMAN
CHICAGOWOLVES.COM/BREAKAWAY
03 LEAGUE WELCOME
14
06 WOLVES HISTORY
17 MEET THE WOLVES
34 ROB BORDSON
09 OWNERSHIP
29 RECORD BREAKERS
37 GAME TIME
10
HOCKEY OPERATIONS
30 HOCKEY 101
40 AUTOGRAPH PHOTO
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BEHIND THE BENCH
FRONT OFFICE Seth Gold Irwin Jann Mike Gordon Wayne Messmer Dana Wildman
TV Director Director President Senior Executive Vice President Executive Assistant
Senior Vice President of Operations Creative Services Manager Game Operations Manager Community Relations Coordinator Community Relations Assistant Merchandise Intern
CREATIVE SERVICES Imran Javed Troy Mueller Josh Sasman Ross Dettman
Digital Content Manager Senior Graphic Designer Creative Services Intern Team Photographer
COMMUNICATIONS Lindsey Willhite Elise Butler Mitch Terrell
Ron Storto Sarah Draheim Cameron Gibson
Executive TV Producer TV Production Manager TV Associate Producer
TV BROADCAST Jason Shaver Bill Gardner
OPERATIONS Courtney Mahoney Dan Harris John Sherlock Camille Colletti Kira Hoskey Brian Robak
MAP THE LEAGUE
Play-by-Play Announcer Color Analyst
HOCKEY OPERATIONS Norine Gillner Mike Nardella
Hockey Operations Assistant Hockey Operations
PARTNERSHIPS Jon Sata Greg Sprott Mark Iralson Clint Taylor Jake Schuster Amy Bernstein Kayle Gray
Vice President of Partnerships Manager of Partnerships Partnerships Sales Executive Partnerships Sales Executive Parternships Junior Sales Executive Partnerships Client Services Coord. Partnerships Client Services Coord.
Director of Public Relations Media Relations Coordinator Media Relations Assistant
33 BY THE NUMBERS
TICKET SALES & SERVICES
GAME-DAY STAFF
Kevin Dooley Dave Pawelek Eric Zavilla Jackie Schroeder Stefanie Evans Rob Newburg Aaron Holz Janel James John Golz Anthony Krzyzak Holly Simms Steve Winner Mike Czopek Pawel Sienko Kayla Yingst John Brooks Matt Delaney Cait Higgins Cody Kromeich
Gordon Scott Jason Svejda
Senior Executive Dir. of Ticket Sales Senior Director of Strategic Alliances Exec. Dir. of Ticket Sales and Retention Director of Ticket Sales and Services Director of Program Development Youth Hockey Coordinator Ticket Sales and Services Coordinator Senior Account Executive Senior Account Executive Account Executive Account Executive E-Business Specialist Account Representative Account Representative Group Account Rep. and Client Coord. Inside Sales Representative Inside Sales Representative Inside Sales Representative Inside Sales Representative
MEDICAL STAFF Dr. Scott Logue, MD Dr. Rob Dugan, MD Dr. Jack Morgan, MD Dr. Alan Acierno, DDS Jim Buskirk, PT Jolie Holschen, MD
Team Physician/Orthopedics Orthopedics Internist Team Dentist Physical Therapist Emergency Medicine
Public Address Announcer In-Arena Host
Raj Agnihotri, Deanna Angelini, Kimberly Bart, Deanna Brand, Ellie Bruckner, Bianca Bruno, Nikki Capotosto, Joe Capozzi, Anthony Chicalace, Sydney Cosentino, Kelly Carlson, Nick DiFalco, Faith Enenbach, Samantha Erwin, Dana Goldstein, Brittany Graber, Alexandra Haug, Brittney Hillebrand, Kara Konicki, Samantha Krasinski, Steve Laures, Nikki Lennarson, Frank Markasovic, Bridgette McGinley, Jeff Mladic, Jenn Myzia, Seth Novoselsky, Marissa Pinto, Geoff Post, Nina Potempa, Jackie Povitsky, Megan Rogers, Natalie Schaefer, Jessica Schubert, Miranda Scott, Lauren Stoeck, Rene Twardowski, Peter Wasyliw, James Wilberschied, Stephanie Ybarra Breakaway Magazine Editorial Producer: Courtney Mahoney Publication Writers: Lindsey Willhite, Elise Butler, and Mitch Terrell Publication Photographer: Ross Dettman Feature Designer: Christina Moritz Creative Support: Imran Javed, Troy Mueller
1-800-THE-WOLVES | CHICAGOWOLVES.COM | THEAHL.COM
1
LEAGUE WELCOME
DAVID A. ANDREWS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
American Hockey League One Monarch Place – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 Fax: (413) 733-4767
Dear Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2014-15 American Hockey League season, our 79th year of play. We are proud to be entering what is sure to be another exciting season, continuing our tradition of excellence and bringing an entertaining, physical and highly skilled level of professional hockey to more than 6 million fans in arenas across North America. The 2014-15 season will once again feature 30 teams who will be competing for the AHL’s historic Calder Cup championship, and 30 National Hockey League clubs who will be developing their top prospects and future stars in our cities. Last season alone, more than 240 first- and second-round NHL draft picks competed in the American Hockey League, and 347 players took the ice in both the AHL and the NHL. We take great pride in our tradition of developing the best hockey talent in the world, with over 88 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in the American Hockey League. Through the years, our loyal and passionate fans have enjoyed cheering for more than 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, and have witnessed the triumphs of more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well. We’re pleased to continue to deliver professional hockey to the great fans of Glens Falls, N.Y., and we welcome Allentown, Pa., to the league as the Adirondack Flames and Lehigh Valley Phantoms hit the ice this season. The AHL’s two newest entries will join the rest of the league in looking to dethrone the defending Calder Cup champion Texas Stars in the chase for the AHL’s 2015 title. On behalf of all of our teams, players and staff, thank you again for your continuing support of the AHL. I wish you the utmost enjoyment of all the excitement that our 2014-15 season has in store. Sincerely,
David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League
/TheAHL
theahl.com
@TheAHL
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11
- Easter Seals St. Patrick’s Day Jersey Fundraiser presented by Jewel-Osco
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
- Exclusive Season Ticket Holder Postgame Skate - Easter Seals St. Patrick’s Day Jersey Fundraiser presented by Jewel-Osco - Adopt-A-Dog Night - Wolves Rally Towel, presented by KIA ^
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NOTABLE DATES HOME HOME SUNDAY, MARCH 1 SUNDAY, MARCH 15 - Postgame Autograph Session presented by Wendy’s
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SATURDAY, APRIL 18
- Easter Seals St. Patrick’s Day Jersey Fundraiser presented by Jewel-Osco - Postgame Autograph Session presented by Wendy’s
- Postgame Skate - Adopt-A-Dog Night
SUNDAY, APRIL 19
THURSDAY, MARCH 19
- Trading Card Giveaway*
- Career & Networking Fair
AWAY
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* First 2,500 fans ^ First 5,000 fans
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NORTH Adirondack Flames ADK Hamilton Bulldogs HAM Rochester Americans RCH Toronto Marlies TOR Utica Comets UTI
WEST Charlotte Checkers CHA Iowa Wild IA Oklahoma City Barons OKC San Antonio Rampage SA Texas Stars TEX
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WOLVES HISTORY
FOUR-TIME CHAMPIONS THE CHICAGO WOLVES FRANCHISE HAS A TASTE FOR WINNING. An organization that has been defined by excellence in its first 20 seasons, the Wolves reached the league final six times and came away champions four times duing an 11-year span from 1997-2008. Twice capturing the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup (1998 and 2000) and twice the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup (2002 and 2008), the team has shown that it can compete regardless of which league it plays in. Two decades after its inception and without ever finishing the regular season with a losing record, the Wolves look to carry that tradition into 2014-15. Here we look at the four days in Wolves history where the team walked away with the biggest prize of all - a championship.
1998 TURNER CUP
2OOO TURNER CUP
2OO2 CALDER CUP
2OO8 CALDER CUP
JU N E 1 5, 1 998
J UNE 5, 2000
JUNE 3, 2002
JUNE 10, 2008
Backed by 16,701 fans, the secondlargest crowd in Turner Cup Final history, the Wolves shut out the Detroit Vipers 3-0 in Game 7 to capture their first Turner Cup championship at Allstate Arena (then the Rosemont Horizon). It was the first seven-game series for the IHL Championship in 13 years, while the shutout set a thenfranchise record with two in one postseason. Chicago won the last two games of the series to become only the sixth team in the IHL’s 53-year history to rebound from a 3-2 series deficit in the final. Wolves center Alexander Semak skated away with the N.R. “Bud” Poile Trophy as the postseason’s most valuable player.
After a scoreless first period, center Derek Plante notched two goals just 26 seconds apart in the second period to eliminate the Grand Rapids Griffins at Van Andel Arena and capture the Wolves’ second Turner Cup Championship in three years. With the victory, Chicago became the 16th team in league history to capture multiple IHL championships (1998 and 2000). Wolves goaltender Andrei Trefilov was awarded the N.R. “Bud” Poile Trophy as the Turner Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player, having led the league during the postseason in both goals-against average (1.35) and save percentage (.950).
The Wolves kicked off their inaugural season in the American Hockey League with their third championship in five years. Center Yuri Butsayev scored 2:05 into Game 5’s second overtime to defeat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 4-3 at Allstate Arena and capture the Calder Cup championship. The Wolves, who played a league-high 105 games, including an AHL-record 25 postseason games, became the sixth team in league history to win a championship in their inaugural season. Goaltender Pasi Nurminen was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, posting a league-leading 15 wins. Right wing Rob Brown, who notched three assists in the Game 5 victory, led the league during the postseason with a then-franchise-record 33 points and tied an AHL and team record with 26 assists.
The Wolves clinched their fourth league title in 11 years and second Calder Cup championship with a 5-2 victory in Game 6 over the WilkesBarre/Scranton Penguins at Allstate Arena. Center Jason Krog capped a four-point night with a hat trick and an assist, which earned him the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2008 Calder Cup playoffs. He matched franchise marks with 12 goals and 26 assists in the postseason and established a club record with 38 points. Rookie goaltender Ondrej Pavelec collected his 16th postseason win, the most in team history.
BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE
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OWNERSHIP
DONALD R. LEVIN (luh-VIN) founded DRL Enterprises, Inc., in 1969. The Chicagobased company has holdings in many industries including tobacco processing, aircraft and medical equipment leasing, licensed sports product manufacturing and distribution, and motion picture production and distribution. Levin’s film company has made nearly 20 motion pictures distributed in the U.S. and overseas. His films have featured such stars as Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, Sharon Stone, Rodney Dangerfield, and Chuck Norris. Levin founded the Chicago Wolves with Buddy Meyers and Grant Mulvey in January 1994 and has served as the team’s chairman of the board throughout. Levin donates his time and serves on the board of directors for several charitable organizations. Levin also supports Chicago’s Department of Animal Care and Control (ACC). The Wolves host the ACC’s Adopt-a-Dog program at several home games each season and encourage fans to bring home an adopted dog after the game. The Adopt-A-Dog program has found homes for 1,146 dogs in its first 13 seasons. In 2003, Levin purchased and donated the Animobile -- a mobile adoption unit and a modern clinic staffed by veterinarians and adoption specialists.
DON LEVIN CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / GOVERNOR
The Chicago native was recognized at the Boy Scouts of America’s Northwest Suburban Council’s Distinguished Citizens Banquet as its 2005 Honoree. Under Levin’s direction, the Wolves organization has held a scout night for the Northwest Suburban Council at a home game for the last 16 seasons. Levin was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame on Jan. 27, 2013. He was honored as the International Hockey League’s Executive of the Year for the 1999-2000 season, which concluded with the franchise’s second of four championships. Before beginning his business career, Levin served in the United States Marine Corps, from which he was honorably discharged. Levin and his wife, Kathleen Ann, have a son, Robert, and they live in the northern suburbs.
Buddy Meyers, a principal owner of the Wolves who founded the team with Don Levin and Grant Mulvey in January 1994, has been involved in the world of hockey for more than 35 years. He is a former certified agent of the National Hockey League Players’ Association and is a past attorney for the Soviet Red Army Hockey Team (CSKA). He is a practicing attorney and the principal in the law firm of William Buddy Meyers, Ltd. His concentration is in the areas of worker’s compensation and personal injury litigation. Additionally, he is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and Illinois Workers Compensation Lawyers Association; a former director of the Better Boys Foundation and River North Association; and a recipient of the Shomrim Society of Illinois’ Man of the Year Award in 2006. He also supports numerous charitable and environmental organizations.
BUDDY MEYERS
Meyers, who was inducted into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame on Jan. 26, 2014, is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a juris doctor degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology/Chicago Kent. He and Jill live in the River North area of Chicago and have five children between them: Justin, Lindsey, Zak, Brad, and Leslie.
VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD 9
MANAGEMENT & HOCKEY OPS Wendell Young is in his sixth season at the helm of the Wolves hockey operations department. During his first five seasons as general manager, the team compiled a .603 winning percentage (212-132-20-24) and captured the regular-season West Division title in 2009-10 and the Midwest Division title in 2011-12 and 2013-14. Young has been a member of the Wolves in numerous capacities — including player, coach, and executive — since the team’s inaugural campaign in 1994. He served as assistant coach and executive director of team relations for six seasons before transitioning into the general manager role in August 2009. The 51-year-old Young stands as the Wolves’ all-time leader among goaltenders in games (322), wins (169), saves (8,467), minutes (17,912), and shutouts (16), and was a member of Chicago’s 1998 and 2000 Turner Cup championship squads. His jersey number “1” was retired on Dec. 1, 2001 — becoming the first Wolves player to receive the honor.
WENDELL YOUNG GENERAL MANAGER
The Halifax, Nova Scotia, native is the only man in hockey history to have won all four North American championships: the Stanley Cup, Turner Cup, Calder Cup, and Memorial Cup. Young played 18 seasons of professional hockey, including 10 in the National Hockey League. He compiled a 59-86-12 record in 187 games with the Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He also served as goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames from 2001-03. Young and his wife, Paula, live in the northwest suburbs and have one daughter, Gabrielle, and two sons, Matt and Jack.
Bill Bentley is in his sixth season as assistant general manager and 21st season with the Wolves organization. One of a handful of people who has been with the organization since the team’s inception in 1994, Bentley has been instrumental in the hockey operations department for more than 16 years, which includes all four championship campaigns. The Chicago native joined the organization as a statistician in 1994 and was promoted to team services manager a year later. The 45-year-old Bentley spent 12 seasons as the director of hockey administration — handling team travel, immigration, and accounting for the hockey operations department — before assuming the assistant general manager role in August 2009.
BILL BENTLEY
A graduate of Quincy College, Bentley served as the Director of Media Relations for the Chicago Cheetahs of the now-defunct Roller Hockey International during the 1993-94 season.
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER
Bentley and his wife, Jennifer, live in Chicago. Gene Ubriaco, who has been with the Wolves since the franchise’s inception in 1994, embarks on his 18th season as the team’s director of hockey operations and sixth as senior advisor. Ubriaco was hired as the Wolves’ first head coach and guided the expansion team to a 34-33-14 record and a berth in the Turner Cup playoffs. He compiled a 61-61-20 record with the Wolves during a three-year span, which included a two-game interim stint during the 1996-97 season. The 76-year-old Ubriaco began his coaching career at Lake Superior State University in 1972-73. He became the head coach of the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins in 1988. Under his tutelage the Penguins posted a 50-47-9 record, shattered several team records, and advanced to the Stanley Cup postseason after a seven-year absence.
GENE UBRIACO DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS
BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE
The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native spent three years as a player in the NHL and posted 39 goals and 35 assists in 177 regular-season games spread among the Penguins, Oakland Seals, and Chicago Blackhawks. He dedicates himself to numerous charitable causes, including the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association (AHIHA) with which he has been involved since 1974. Ubriaco and his wife, Nella, have a daughter, Francine, and a son, Gene, and live in the western suburbs.
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BEHIND THE BENCH John Anderson enters his 13th season as Wolves head coach after being re-hired to the position July 16, 2013. Anderson returned with four years of National Hockey League experience, including two as head coach of Atlanta (2008-10) and two as assistant coach with Arizona (2011-13). The 57-year-old has guided the Wolves to four championships: two Calder Cups (2002 and 2008) and two Turner Cups (1998 and 2000). He leads the franchise in regularseason wins (551) and postseason victories (108). Anderson’s squads have set several Wolves single-season records, including 55 wins (1997-98), 114 points (1999-2000), 29 home wins (1997-98, 1998-99), 27 road wins (1999-2000, 2006-07), and 331 goals (2006-07).
JOHN ANDERSON HEAD COACH
Toronto’s first pick (11th overall) in the 1977 NHL Entry Draft, Anderson played 12 seasons with the Maple Leafs (1977-85), Quebec (1985-86), and Hartford (198689). The Toronto native registered five 30-goal campaigns, including four straight from 1981-85. Anderson ranks 14th in Maple Leafs history with 189 goals and 20th with 393 points. He amassed 282 goals and 631 points in 814 NHL regular-season games and added nine goals and 27 points in 37 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests.
Mark Hardy enters his first season with the Wolves after being named an assistant coach August 26. A 15-year veteran of the National Hockey League, he brings 19 seasons of bench experience to Chicago. Hardy joins the team after spending the last three seasons with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign, which finished in second place in the Western Conference each season he was on staff. The 55-year-old boasts 11 years of NHL coaching experience, having served on the staffs for Los Angeles (1999-2006, 2008-10) and Chicago (2006-08). Hardy served as an assistant coach and defensive specialist, overseeing the third-best penaltykilling unit in Kings history in 2001-02. The Samedan, Switzerland native began his coaching career as a player/coach and then assistant in the International Hockey League with Detroit (1994-95) and Long Beach (1995-99).
MARK HARDY ASSISTANT COACH
Drafted by Los Angeles in the second round (30th overall) of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, Hardy collected 368 points (62G, 306A) in 915 career regular-season games as a defenseman for Los Angeles, Minnesota, and New York. He finished his playing career with 70 points (18G, 52A) in 199 IHL games with Phoenix, Detroit, and Los Angeles.
Brad Tapper enters his first season with the Wolves after being named an assistant coach August 26. A member of the 2002 Calder Cup squad, he contributed 58 points in 98 regular-season games and 11 points in 28 postseason tilts with Chicago from 2001-04. Tapper joins the American Hockey League after five seasons in coaching. He ran the bench for North York for one year in the CCHL and served as an assistant the past four with Florida and Orlando in the ECHL. The 36-year-old won the Kelly Cup with Florida in 2012 and his teams have never failed to make the postseason, posting a 158-102-9-19 record while his forward corps placed in the top 10 in league scoring each season. The Scarborough, Ontario, native skated in 71 NHL contests with Atlanta from 2000-03, accruing 25 points (14G, 11A) in 71 games. He also suited up for Binghamton (AHL), Philadelphia (AHL), Orlando (IHL), Nürnberg (DEL), Hannover (DEL), Iserlohn (DEL), and RPI (NCAA).
BRAD TAPPER ASSISTANT COACH 13
MAP THE LEAGUE
WESTERN CONFERENCE
EASTERN CONFERENCE
MIDWEST DIVISION
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Chicago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. Louis
Manchester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Los Angeles
Grand Rapids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Detroit
Portland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phoenix
Lake Erie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Colorado
Providence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boston
Milwaukee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nashville
St. John’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winnipeg
Rockford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chicago
Worcester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . San Jose
NORTH DIVISION
NORTHEAST DIVISION
Adirondack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Calgary
Albany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Jersey
Hamilton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Montreal
Bridgeport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NY Islanders
Rochester . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Buffalo
Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NY Rangers
Toronto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toronto
Springfield. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Columbus
Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vancouver
Syracuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tampa Bay
WEST DIVISION
EAST DIVISION
Charlotte. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carolina
Binghamton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ottawa
Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Minnesota
Hershey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Washington
Oklahoma City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Edmonton
Lehigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Philadelphia
San Antonio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Florida
Norfolk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anaheim
Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dallas
W-B/Scranton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pittsburgh
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MEET THE WOLVES
3
4
5
6
JOEL EDMUNDSON
PETTERI LINDBOHM
MATHIEU BRODEUR
JANI HAKANPAA
D H: 6-4 W: 214 June 28, 1993 Brandon, Manitoba
D H: 6-3 W: 198 September 23, 1993 Helsinki, Finland
D H: 6-5 W: 221 June 21, 1990 Montreal, Quebec
D H: 6-7 W: 230 March 31, 1992 Kirkkonummi, Finland
7
8
9
10
DAVID SHIELDS
TY RATTIE
SHANE HARPER
PHILIP MCRAE
RW H: 6-0 W: 192 February 5, 1993 Airdrie, Alberta
RW H: 5-10 W: 190 February 1, 1989 Valencia, California
C H: 6-2 W: 196 March 15, 1990 Minneapolis, Minnesota
D H: 6-4 W: 211 January 27, 1991 Rochester, New York
12
15
17
18
PAT CANNONE
JEREMY WELSH
ADAM BURISH
YANNICK VEILLEUX
C H: 5-10 W: 187 August 9, 1986 Bayport, New York
F H: 6-3 W: 205 May 30, 1988 Bayfield, Ontario
RW H: 6-1 W: 195 January 6, 1983 Madison, Wisconsin
LW H: 6-2 W: 205 February 22, 1993 Saint-Hippolyte, Quebec
20
21
23
24
CODY BEACH
BENN FERRIERO
MAGNUS PAAJARVI
COLIN FRASER
RW H: 6-5 W: 206 August 8, 1992 Kelowna, British Columbia
F H: 5-10 W: 180 April 29, 1987 Essex, Massachusetts
LW H: 6-2 W: 204 April 12, 1991 Norrkoping, Sweden
C H: 6-1 W: 190 January 28, 1985 Sicamous, British Columbia
17
TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM, CALL 1-800-THE-WOLVES OR VISIT CHICAGOWOLVES.COM
MEET THE WOLVES
25
26
27
38
ADAM CRACKNELL
NATHAN LONGPRE
ROB BORDSON
BRENT REGNER
RW H: 6-2 W: 207 June 9, 1988 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
LW H: 6-0 W: 197 June 9, 1988 Peterborough, Ontario
F H: 6-2 W: 199 June 9, 1988 Duluth, Minnesota
D H: 6-0 W: 188 May 17, 1989 Westlock, Alberta
30
33
37
38
JORDAN BINNINGTON
MATT CLIMIE
TERRY BROADHURST
SEBASTIAN WANNSTROM
G H: 6-1 H: 176 July 11, 1993 Richmond Hill, Ontario
G H: 6-3 H: 207 February 11, 1983 Leduc, Alberta
F H: 5-10 H: 169 November 30, 1988 Orland Park, Illinois
RW H: 6-2 H: 202 March 3, 1991 Gavle, Sweden
39
42
NOT PICTURED:
BEN EAGER
JAKE CHELIOS
BRENDAN BELL
LW H: 6-2 H: 226 January 22, 1984 Ottawa, Ontario
D H: 6-2 H: 198 March 8, 1991 Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
D H:6-2 H: 205 March 31, 1983 Ottawa, Ontario
HOCKEY OPERATIONS
KEVIN KACER
HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER
CRAIG KOGUT
HEAD EQUIPMENT MANAGER
KENNY MCCUDDEN
SK ATING & SKILLS COACH
STAN DUBICKI
GOALTENDING COACH
EVAN LEVY
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH
19
BY LINDSEY WILLHITE | PHOTOS BY ROSS DETTMAN
SAY BONJOURMEETTOTHE WOLVES MATHIEU BRODEUR STAY-AT-HOME DEFENSEMAN
IF YOU’VE FLIPPED TO THIS PAGE AND HAPPEN TO PLAY FOR AN AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE TEAM OTHER THAN THE CHICAGO WOLVES, WE KINDLY ASK YOU TO STOP READING NOW.
WE’RE ABOUT TO GIVE AWAY SOME SECRETS ABOUT WOLVES DEFENSEMAN MATHIEU BRODEUR THAT WE’D RATHER YOU NOT KNOW. WE WANT YOU TO CONTINUE TO VIEW THE 6-FOOT-5, 221-POUND BRODEUR AS A MENACING MOUNTAIN OF A BLUELINER. FEAR HIS LENGTH. FEAR HIS BEARD. FEAR HIS WILLINGNESS TO PLAY WITH NO FEAR. THAT’S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW. NOTHING MORE TO SEE HERE. OK. Now that all AHL foes have closed this page and turned away, we can let the rest of you get to know the real Brodeur. “Mathieu is a teddy bear,” said Wolves left wing Yannick Veilleux, who rooms with Brodeur on road trips and is a primary confidant as the only other player on the roster who speaks French. “He’s a great roommate,” said Wolves center Rob Bordson, who shares an apartment with Brodeur in the northwest suburbs. “Very polite guy, very friendly to be around. This is 4-5 months into the season and we haven’t had an argument at the rink or at home. It’s pretty rare. His wife has been here a couple times and she’s a sweetheart too.”
“I’m a lucky girl because he’s a cuddler,” said Virginie Brodeur, who married Mathieu on Dec. 3, 2013, nearly seven years after they started dating as teenagers in Quebec. “Maybe you shouldn’t put that, but I don’t mind people knowing. We just like each other’s company. He truly is always happy.”
BECAUSE HE’S A GUY WHO ALWAYS HAS A SMILE ON HIS FACE, A GUY WHO’S ALWAYS POSITIVE.
That last sentence isn’t exactly true. Veilleux can attest to that. When the Wolves visited Charlotte on Feb. 6, they were cruising to victory with a 4-0 lead and less than five minutes to go. But when the Wolves gave up a goal that ruined goaltender Jordan Binnington’s shutout, Brodeur came off the ice incensed. “It was the first time I ever saw him getting mad, so I was trying not to laugh at him,” Veilleux said. “Because he’s a guy who always has a smile on his face, a guy who’s always positive.” Let’s face it: When the world regards you as happy, positive, and cuddly – and that’s exactly how you come across — it’s hard to find enough conflict to make for a compelling story. But maybe it requires exactly that type of personality to make the difficult leap from French-speaking Quebec to English-speaking Illinois look graceful. Brodeur grew up in suburban Montreal where he tried his hand at rodeo and played basketball through sixth grade (in part because his 6-foot-8 father, Daniel, competed for Team Quebec), but hockey became his passion. When he was 16 and playing for the Laurentides Vikings in the Quebec Major AAA league (QMAAA), he was standing with his team captain after a game when two girls approached them. One was the captain’s girlfriend. The other was Virginie. The captain and the girlfriend introduced them offhandly. “He didn’t say much,” Virginie remembered. “He was a pretty quiet guy. But his kindness is what affected me.” This was way back in 2007, before texting and FaceTime became ubiquitous. Virginie, who was one year older, contacted Mathieu using one of those old-timey MSN chat rooms and
they developed a friendship that way. Soon she asked him to dinner and the rest is history. March marks eight years of being together. “She made all the first moves, I guess,” Mathieu recalled with a laugh. Their relationship has survived long stretches of being apart while Mathieu pursues his hockey dreams. Months after they became a couple, he was drafted by Cape Breton in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. That meant Mathieu was 900 miles away in Nova Scotia. That meant Mathieu, who only spoke French prior to the QMJHL draft, had to learn English and learn to live far from his family at the same time. His billet family spoke English and liked TV and movies. A combination of the three taught Brodeur the basics. “ ‘American Pie’ helped me a lot,” he said with a smile. “I watched a lot of ‘King of Queens’ with my billet family. A lot of comedies, pretty much.” Mathieu and Virginie stayed connected over the phone as she remained in Quebec. In 2011-12, Mathieu’s first full year in the AHL, Virginie joined him in Portland, Maine. He had four years of English under his belt. She had none. She made friends with the two other wives/girlfriends with the team and one of them knew a bit of French due to her husband, but communication wasn’t easy. Language is an imposing barrier that so many non-American players (and their significant others) must hurdle when they come to this country. “I remember dinners where I wouldn’t say a word,” Virginie said. “I’d be trying to figure out what they were saying and by the time I did, they’d be talking about something else and it was too late to say something.” But Virginie has picked up English to such a degree that Mathieu gushes that she speaks it better than he does – and he’s not simply being a proud husband. During a recent phone conversation, Virginie casually mentioned that she hadn’t spoken English in more than a year – which seemed impossible considering she talked flawlessly and
with barely a trace of an accent. She hadn’t spoken English in such a long time because, after spending the last two years with Mathieu in Portland, they decided that she wouldn’t accompany him to Chicago for this season. Virginie is an event planner for a catering company and lives in the couple’s condo in Mascouche, Quebec, which is 20 miles north of Montreal. When they made the rational decision for her to continue working, they miscalculated how hard it would feel to be apart.
› Mathieu and Virginie after getting married at City Hall in Portland, Maine, on Dec. 3, 2013. Photo by Chris Summers
MATHIEU AND VIRGINIE’S BIG DAY
Virginie visited for two weeks in December and Mathieu went home for a few days over Christmas and during the All-Star Break, but it hasn’t been sufficient.
“It’s not easy having your significant other not be with you,” said Virginie, who settles for the company of their dog, Jackson. “It’s harder than we thought,” Mathieu said. “I just miss her presence. I miss being on our couch watching TV together.” They connect by going on FaceTime and chatting in French…just like they did when they became a couple. In a perfect world, the Wolves’ stay-at-home defenseman and his wife will get to stay in the same home next season. “Next year she’s going to come back with me,” Mathieu said.
After getting engaged on Nov. 6, 2012, Mathieu Brodeur and his fiancée, Virginie, couldn’t decide whether to splurge on a large wedding or whisking away for a private ceremony. So they compromised. They’re doing both. On an unseasonably warm Dec. 3, 2013, in Portland, Maine, Mathieu and Virginie went to City Hall and tied the knot. Teammate Chris Summers (now playing defense for the NHL’s New York Rangers) served as the official photographer as he and his wife were the only witnesses to the ceremony. “It was a really fun day,” Mathieu said. “He took some great photos and made a really nice video for us, so those are really nice memories. We went out to dinner afterward.” The minimal-fuss marriage fit the Brodeurs perfectly. When they’re together on the weekends during the offseason, they’re not clubgoers. “We’re really quiet,” Mathieu said. “We like our Friday nights together. We’ll get a TV show going and it’s just her and me and the dog (Jackson). Maybe we’ll get a couple friends over and have dinner, but nothing too crazy.” The only thing that’s crazy is the size of Virginie’s extended family. She’s an only child, but her mother has nine siblings and that makes for a lot of cousins and nieces and nephews. That’s why they’re saving up to throw a big wedding celebration during 2016 in Quebec. They’d shoot for this summer, but that’s reserved for the Brodeurs’ delayed honeymoon trip to Europe. “We wouldn’t have done another ceremony if it was just the two of us,” Virginie said, “since we’re pretty content and so happy with our simple wedding. But we do understand it’s important for our families and friends to witness that and to celebrate with us, so we keep telling everyone it’s coming soon.”
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GO WOLVES HOCKEY! 25
y a w a k a e r b a e ! y a Tak d y r e v e e h t fromse into entertaining with Ea
r
you help from
Skate away with savory party trays! Ham & Turkey Bundles
Cheese & Sausage Tidbit Tray
Shaved ham and turkey breast on golden and wheat dinner rolls served with pitted black olives.
Eckrich® hard salami, beer salami, Busch summer sausage, Wisconsin American, Muenster, Swiss cheeses and bread and butter pickles.
Hye Roller Tray Roast beef, Turkey or Italian Hye Rollers made on cracker bread with lettuce and cheese, served with assorted relish center.
Fruit & Cheese Tray
Stawberries, red and green seedless grapes, cantaloupe and honeydew melon chunks, Muenster, Cheddar and Swiss cheeses with whipped fruit dip.
Wolves fans will love these packs, too! *Party Package includes your choice of side salads and King’s Hawaiian Rolls. See deli associate for further details.
48 Piece Chicken 12 of each: Breasts, Wings, Legs and Thighs • Fried or Grilled Chicken Serves 20-24
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96 Piece Chicken
24 of each: Breasts, Wings, Legs and Thighs • Fried or Grilled Chicken Serves 40-48
• Party Package* Serves 40-48
ASSISTANT COACH
MEET MARK HARDY MARK HARDY HAS BIG PLANS FOR THE CHICAGO WOLVES. Named as one of the assistants under head coach John Anderson this summer, Hardy knows the level of excellence that is expected when you don the burgundy and gold. “I was ecstatic to get the call,” he said. “Coming to a great organization like the Wolves where they’ve won four championships, all under John Anderson, it’s just an honor to be here and I can hardly wait to get working with Don (Levin), Wendell (Young) and John. This team needs to work on another championship.” The 55-year-old defensive and penalty kill specialist joins a Wolves team coming off a historic season on the back end that saw them post the fewest goals allowed (191) and third-best penalty kill (85.6 percent) in franchise history. With a handful of players returning from last season’s group of blueliners, Hardy has high expectations and looks forward to working with and developing the group of skaters. “I yell when I have to and I talk when I have to,” Hardy said of his coaching style. “I think you have to work with different players in different ways, and when you get to know them and build relationships you figure out how to handle each and every player.” Not unfamiliar with success himself, Hardy brings a long list of accolades to the team, including an 18-year playing career – 15 of those in the National Hockey League – and another decade of NHL coaching experience.
The Samedan, Switzerland, native got his start behind the bench in the now-defunct International Hockey League with the Wolves’ former foes the Detroit Vipers and Long Beach Ice Dogs. Hardy then served two stretches with the Los Angeles Kings coaching staff (1999-2006 and 2008-10) and two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks (2006-08) before his most recent gig as an assistant with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign. Despite enjoying his time with Ontario, which included helping the team to three consecutive division titles, Hardy looks forward to returning to Chicago and facing a new challenge with the Wolves. “We love the city,” he said. “The people are fantastic sports fans and when they get behind their team I know how passionate the fans are here. And it’s a great place to live... It’s going to be a great time getting back to the city again.”
“I THINK YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH DIFFERENT PLAYERS IN DIFFERENT WAYS,” - MARK HARDY
Although he has not yet been behind the bench for an American Hockey League team, Hardy sees the transition as a smooth one. “I think coaching is coaching,” he said. “I think at every level if you make sure the coaches and players are accountable, good things are going to happen. So all the little things hopefully that we can teach the young players make them successful and hopefully get them to the next level and, before they get to the next level, win a championship here in Chicago with the Wolves.”
Wolves photos by Ross Dettman. Behind the bench photo courtesy of the Ontario Reign.
27
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RECORD BREAKERS
ONE FOR THE BOOKS THE 2013-14 CHICAGO WOLVES
ALL-TIME POINTS LEADERS 1. STEVE MALTAIS 2. ROB BROWN 3. DARREN HAYDAR 4. JASON KROG 5. BRETT STERLING 6. BOB NARDELLA 7. STEVE LAROUCHE 8. CHRIS MARINUCCI 9. STEVE MARTINS 10. DEREK MACKENZIE
951 483 368 342 308 298 228 220 193 184
ALL-TIME WINS LEADERS (GOALTENDERS)
17 191 85.6 6 28.72
Consecutive games at Allstate Arena in which the Wolves collected at least one point (a franchise record) spanning Dec. 8, 2013, to March 2, 2014.
Goals the Wolves allowed last season, the fewest in the team’s 20-season history.
Success rate of the Wolves’ regular-season penalty-killing unit (292 for 341), the third-highest percentage the team has posted.
Shorthanded goals allowed by the Wolves, tied for second-fewest in a regular season (1998-99, 2007-08).
Average shots per game allowed by the Wolves last season, the second-lowest number in team history.
SI N GL E-S EASON FRANC HI SE RECORDS GOALS • 60 STEVE MALTAIS (1996-97)
PENALTY MINUTES • 336 KEVIN MACDONALD (1994-95)
ASSISTS • 91 ROB BROWN (1995-96)
PLUS/MINUS • +47 ARTURS KULDA (2009-10)
GAME-WINNING GOALS • 10 CHRIS MARINUCCI (1998-99) BRETT STERLING (2007-08) MARK MANCARI (2011-12)
WINS • 38 KARI LEHTONEN (2004-05)
1. WENDELL YOUNG 2. KARI LEHTONEN 3. MICHAEL GARNETT 4. MATT CLIMIE 5. RAY LEBLANC 6. ONDREJ PAVELEC 7. NORM MARACLE 8. PETER MANNINO 9. JAKE ALLEN 10. FRED BRATHWAITE DREW MACINTYRE
169 61 56 55 53 51 43 42 33 32 32
ALL-TIME GAMES LEADERS 1. STEVE MALTAIS 2. BOB NARDELLA 3. DEREK MACKENZIE 4. KEVIN DOELL 5. ROB BROWN BRIAN SIPOTZ 7. TIM BERGLAND 8. DARREN HAYDAR 9. TIM BRESLIN 10. WENDELL YOUNG
839 476 377 375 369 369 361 342 330 322
SHUTOUTS • 7 JAKE ALLEN (2013-14) 29
HOCKEY 101
BOARDING
CHARGING
CROSS-CHECKING
DELAYED PENALT Y
ELBOWING
HIGH-STICKING
HOLDING
Called for any action which causes opponent to be thrown violently into the boards.
Called for taking three or more strides before checking opponent.
Called for hitting opponent with both hands on the stick and no part of the stick on the ice.
Call is made when the penalized team gains control of the puck or upon a stop in play.
Called when using the elbow to impede an opponent.
Called for making contact with an opponent when carrying the stick above the shoulder.
Called for using the hands, arms or legs to hold an opponent.
HOOKING
ICING
INTERFERENCE
MISCONDUCT
ROUGHING
SLASHING
Called for using stick or blade to hook opponent.
Called when a player on his team’s side of the red center line shoots the puck down the ice, it crosses the red goal line at any point (other than the goal) and is touched first by an opposing player other than the goalie.*
Called for having contact with an opponent not in possession of the puck.
Called for an infraction that warrants a more serious penalty than a standard minor or major penalty.
Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving of a level that is not worthy of a major penalty.
Called for swinging the stick at an opponent.
SPEARING
TRIPPING
Called for using the stick like a spear.
Called for using the stick, arm or leg to cause an opponent to trip or fall.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT Called for the abuse of an official or other such misconduct.
*Under hybrid icing rules, it’s called when an opposing player (other than the goalie) is the first to reach the face-off dot closest to the goal line.
BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE
Get there before the puck drops. You won’t miss a second of the action when you ride the Pace Allstate Arena Express to Chicago Wolves games. It departs the Rosemont CTA station 60, 40 and 20 minutes before game time, and then heads back to the station 20 minutes after the game. Get on the bus and you’ll be on Pace to see a winner. Allstate Arena Express—only $1.75 per person (each way). ©2014 Pace
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BY THE NUMBERS
CODY BEACH 250
U
4
RS
W IT H O U T S LE IN G
HO
L
APP
INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS
EP
B R O K EN PH
RO DUC T S O ED
4
EP
WN
ONE S:
#20 | RIGHT WING
TEXTS A DAY
100 TIMES/DAY PHONE IS CHECKED: WHEN IT RINGS
SIBLINGS
3 COUNTRIES VISITED
5
SPORTS PLAYED GROWING UP
1
G O LF S C O ST R
120
TRAFFIC TICKETS RECEIVED
E
B
SUITS OWNED
8
APPS
8 CITIES LIVED IN
NON-HOCKEY JOBS
E
6
8
VIDEO GAMES OWNED
SHOES OWNED
24 POUNDS BENCHED
NOT ENOUGH
MOST MILES RUN WITHOUT STOPPING:
10
SHOE SIZE
HATS OWNED
12
33 4
YEARS PRO
PRO TEAMS
33
ROB BORDSON
BORDSON EQUALLY ADEPT WITH A HOCKEY STICK OR GOLF CLUB IN HIS HANDS BY LINDSEY WILLHITE
What do Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Chicago Wolves forward Rob Bordson have in common? They all belong to the ultra-rare Double Eagle Club.
“I consider myself a solid player,” Bordson said. “I’m probably about a 5 or 6 handicap. If I shoot 80, I’m not happy. I set my record last year when I shot a 2-under 69.”
they had a Maroon Loon mascot then. My parents say I’d just look for him throughout the game and point him out.”
On June 20, 2008, while playing at Lester Park Golf Course in his hometown of Duluth, Minn., Bordson scored a “2” on the par-5 No. 10 hole. He walloped a driver to get well down the fairway. Then, faced with an uphill shot to the green on the 475-yard hole, Bordson launched a 5-iron that found the bottom of the cup.
Bordson, a durable defensive forward who produced 6 goals and 14 assists while playing in all 52 Wolves games through March 5, picked up golf at a time when it was clear he was well on his way to a hockey career.
“I actually went on a visit to Colorado College first, while I was playing juniors, and they offered me a scholarship,” he said. “I said, ‘Give me a week to decide,’ and then I visited Duluth. Once I went there, I committed on the spot. It was always a dream to play there.”
Though he didn’t enjoy the thrill of seeing the ball roll in the hole due to the elevated green, Bordson received a certificate from the Minnesota Golf Association for his unlikely achievement. How unlikely? Depending on which mathematician’s odds you believe, it’s anywhere from a million-to-1 chance to a 7 million-to-1 chance that a golfer will make a double eagle. Or, to put it another way, Nicklaus, Woods and Palmer have combined to win 39 more major tournaments than the 26-year-old Bordson, but he has just one fewer albatross (the proper name for a double eagle) than Woods and Palmer and two fewer than Nicklaus.
BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE
“My first job was at a driving range five minutes from my house,” Bordson said. “When I was 16 to 21, I spent just about every summer day up at Enger Park Golf Course, whether I was working four days a week or playing with my buddies.” While he devoted his summers to golf, he devoted his winters (which are extremely long in Duluth due to the city’s proximity to Lake Superior) to hockey. Before he went to kindergarten, he was already a huge fan of the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. “My grandma worked concessions there for many, many, many years and my grandpa had season tickets, so we’d go quite often,” Bordson said. “I was fascinated with the mascot back then. I know the team is the Bulldogs, but
When it came time for Bordson to choose a college, there wasn’t much drama.
After a sterling junior season at UMD in 2009-10, when Bordson stacked up 12 goals and 28 assists in 39 games, he left school one year shy of his Accounting degree in order to sign a two-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks organization. He has never forgotten how it felt to excel in Duluth, though. “I had a breakout year and it was one of the most fun years I’ve had playing hockey,” he said. “Playing on a good team and contributing and lighting it up in your hometown? It was a lot of fun, definitely.”
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