Breakaway Magazine - Volume 11 - Issue 2 by Chicago Wolves

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CHICAGO WOLVES

VOL. 11 ISSUE 2

25TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON • SPECIAL EDITION • LAST TEAM STANDING

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TELEVISION BROADCAST INFORMATION

ALL GAMES VS. ROCKFORD ARE ILLINOIS LOTTERY CUP GAMES ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL. DATES AND TIMES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.FOR BROADCASTS, CHECK YOUR LOCAL LISTINGS.

ALL GAMES AVAILABLE ON AHLTV

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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AWARD-WINNING STAFF FRONT OFFICE Seth Gold Irwin Jann Mike Gordon Wayne Messmer Dana Wildman

Director Director President of Business Operations Senior Executive Vice President Executive Assistant

OPERATIONS & CREATIVE SERVICES Courtney Mahoney Dan Harris Joe Muting Anthony Domalewski Kylie Thomas Imran Javed Troy Mueller Michael Wenzel Ross Dettman Cameron Most Jack Sullivan

Senior Vice President of Operations Creative Services Director Game Operations Assistant Community Relations Assistant Community Relations Assistant Digital Content Manager Senior Graphic Designer Graphic Designer Team Photographer Producer Production Assistant

COMMUNICATIONS Lindsey Willhite Jen Jordan Spencer Natzke

BROADCAST Ron Storto Jason Shaver Bill Gardner

Director of Public Relations Social Media Coordinator Media Relations Coordinator

Executive TV Producer Play-by-Play Announcer Color Analyst

PARTNERSHIPS & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Jon Sata Senior Vice President, Partnerships and Business Development Greg Sprott Director of Partnerships Timothy Weaver Sr. Manager of Partnerships and Media Sales Doug Ferguson Partnerships Sales Executive Katie Anstandig Client Services Manager, Partnerships Brett Bennick Client Services Coordinator Stefanie Evans Senior Director of Program Development Rob Newburg Youth Hockey Coordinator Leslie Metcalf B2B and Group Event Specialist Michelle Alcazar Group Account Executive John Brooks Group Account Executive Nick Coltrell Group Account Executive Ann Pacione Group Account Executive Becky Pettersen Group Account Executive Katherine Damisch Marketing Coordinator

TICKET SALES & SERVICES

Kevin Dooley Sr. Executive Director of Ticket Sales Jackie Schroeder Senior Director of Ticket Retention and Services Eric Zavilla Executive Director of Ticket Sales Mike Jucaban E-Business Specialist Anthony Krzyzak Sales Development Manager Pawel Sienko Sales Development Manager Brian Cyganek Account Representative Trevor Deimel Account Representative Michael DiGioia Inside Sales Representative Evan Puppolo Inside Sales Representative Marko Stojic Inside Sales Representative Alysia Zaucha Inside Sales Representative Kendall Hutchinson Sales and Services Coordinator

HOCKEY OPERATIONS Norine Gillner Mike Nardella

Hockey Operations Assistant Hockey Operations

MEDICAL STAFF Scott Logue, MD A.J. Acierno, DDS Jessica Soros, DPT Jolie Holschen Caravello , MD

Team Physician/Orthopedics Team Dentist Physical Therapist Emergency Medicine/ Sports Medicine

GAMEDAY STAFF

Chris Dubiel Public Address Announcer Brittney Hillebrand In-Arena Host Alyssa Bergamini In-Arena Host Krystal Beauregard, Christine Bialobok, Lauren Burns, Kevin Casper, Willem Caster, Cassandra Cobb, Sydney Cosentino, Michael Demarin, Kelly DuShane, Rachel Dvorak, Rebecca Erken, Samantha Lilly, Chris Malabanan, Bridgette McGinley, Cynthia Moreno, Claire Moseley, Logan Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien, Angela Paczynski, Zachariah Paul, Caitlin Roak, Devin Salinas, Brittney Serviss, Matthew Sherman, Stefani Szenda, William Tarpey, Giuseppe Toia, Stephanie Urbancik, Delaney Werner, Anna Wisniewski, Jaimie Yagunich, Joseph Zalewski

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

Editorial Producer: Courtney Mahoney Publication Writer: Lindsey Willhite Publication Photographer: Ross Dettman Feature Designer: Christina Moritz Creative Support: Imran Javed, Troy Mueller

FROM THE LEAGUE 2018 - 2019 SEASON

Dear Fans, It is my pleasure to once again welcome you to a new American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that dates back to our founding in 1936.

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT —— DAVID A. ANDREWS PRESIDENT & CEO, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

The AHL remains proud of its role in developing the vast majority of players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League. Since 1936, our great fans have been able to cheer for blossoming NHL stars, future Stanley Cup champions, and more than 100 eventual members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. We are coming off of a record-setting year on and off the ice, capped by the Toronto Marlies’ memorable run to the Calder Cup championship. And the 2018-19 season is sure to be another exciting one, as we drop the puck in an all-time high of 31 cities across North America. Welcome to our new fans in Colorado, and thank you to all of you for your continuing support of the AHL. Sincerely,

DAVID A. ANDREWS

TheAHL.com

PRESIDENT & CEO | AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

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W O LV E S H I S T O R Y

HOW IT ALL BEGAN: From Creation to Champions in Four Years THE YEAR WAS 1994 – AND CHICAGO NEEDED A TEAM IT COULD ROOT FOR. Major league baseball’s owners and players engaged in a staring contest that resulted in the players calling a strike that killed the final two months of the regular season. MLB cancelled the World Series for the first time since 1904. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced Oct. 1 that the 1994-95 season wouldn’t start on time. NHL rinks stayed dark for more than three months. The Bears found themselves stuck in the early stages of a nine-year stretch with just one playoff berth. The Bulls found themselves trying to figure out life without Michael Jordan, who was pursuing a professional baseball career. During this period, a handful of new professional teams sprang up in Chicago -- including an International Hockey League franchise named the Wolves. Blessed with a strong ownership group in Don Levin and Buddy Meyers, a fervent desire to make hockey affordable for families (average ticket price: $11) and a killer marketing campaign (“These Guys Are Animals”), the Wolves made their strategic bid for a place on the Chicago sports landscape. How has that bid fared so far? Judging by the four league championships and the more than 8 million people who have clicked through the Allstate Arena turnstiles heading into the Wolves’ 25th anniversary season, things are pretty good. Here’s how the journey unfolded…as told primarily by Wolves players, coaches, owners and front office staff who lived it.

JULY 30, 1994:

OCT. 15, 1994:

OCT. 16, 1994:

JUNE 12, 1998:

JUNE 6, 2000:

University of Chicago sports economist Allen Sanderson commented in the Chicago Tribune on the Chicago Wolves, Chicago Rockers, Chicago Cheetahs and other professional sports newcomers:

Six months after being shot in the throat, Wayne Messmer sang the national anthem in front of a sellout crowd for the Wolves’ first home game. As he told the Chicago Sun-Times:

From long-time Daily Herald hockey writer Tim Sassone’s column following the Wolves’ home opener:

Detroit Vipers coach Steve Ludzik after the Wolves win Game 6 of the 1998 Turner Cup Final (the Wolves took Game 7, too, before a sellout crowd for the franchise’s first championship):

For the only time in their history, the Wolves wrapped up a championship on the road with a Turner Cup Game 6 win at Grand Rapids. Don Levin sounded relieved in the Chicago Tribune:

“(The Wolves) are just a team that’s tough to catch. It’s just pure skill. The (Edmonton) Oilers of the 80s is what you’re seeing out there.”

“I’d rather have done it at home in front of our fans, but I’m not unhappy. This is different than the first time. This has been a great season. I hate to see it end.”

“They start with hopes, go head to head with the establishment, fail or barely break even, and then they are gone. If you asked me to bet on these ventures, I wouldn’t because any success might just be a fad. It’s too risky.”

“It was an amazing feeling. If they had melted the ice, I feel I could have walked on the water.”

“There was a terrific electric atmosphere on Friday, helped by the fact every seat was filled. And the fans were there to have fun, evidenced by the slabs of sirloin tossed onto the ice. These guys are animals, remember? “The fact is they played hockey Friday at the (Rosemont) Horizon, and they’ll be doing it again tonight, Wednesday, and 38 more times after that. So go, watch, enjoy, howl and forget about salary caps, revenue sharing, small markets and free agency. Thank you, Wolves.”

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W O LV E S H I S T O R Y

JUNE 5, 2002:

APRIL 14, 2006:

APRIL 16, 2006:

MARCH 7, 2007:

After the Wolves captured the Calder Cup during the first year in the AHL, head coach John Anderson couldn’t help but crow to the Chicago Sun-Times:

Steve Maltais reflected on long-time Wolves head coach John Anderson in the Daily Herald:

When the Wolves retired Steve Maltais’ No. 11, owner Don Levin summed up in the SunTimes just how much Maltais meant to the organization:

Don Levin tells the Chicago Sun-Times why he backs the team’s Adopt-A-Dog program that, as of August 2018, has enabled nearly 1,500 shelter dogs to find forever homes:

“I had an NHL person tell me we couldn’t win with Steve Maltais and Rob Brown on the same time. Rob led the playoffs in scoring and Maltais scored three goals tonight, so what a crock. After things like that are said, all I can do is quote the famous Jackie Gleason: ‘How sweet it is!’”

“Johnny was great. I always put up big numbers, but Johnny, he taught me how to win. He involved everyone in the group. He developed an atmosphere where everybody was pulling for each other. Fortunately, we won and it kind of snowballed. There was a sixyear span where we won three championships, lost in the finals and another year where we were in the semifinals.”

“Every Chicago sport had a special guy. The Bulls had Michael Jordan, the Blackhawks had Bobby Hull, the Cubs had Ernie Banks and the White Sox had Minnie Minoso. Now, we have our guy, Steve Maltais.”

“I just think if you can save them, you should. You take so much, you just want to give some back. It’s not hard to figure out.”

APRIL 23, 2007:

MAY 25, 2007:

JUNE 11, 2008:

OCTOBER 18, 2008:

Hall of Fame broadcaster Pat Foley called his first championship with the Wolves as part of his twoyear run with the team. Here he discusses the high-scoring 2006-07 squad with the Daily Herald:

Head coach John Anderson describing Wolves general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, with whom he won four championships, in the Daily Herald:

After Jason Krog’s hat trick helped the Wolves capture Game 6 of the Calder Cup Final at Allstate Arena, which enabled the team to hoist its fourth cup in 11 seasons, John Anderson described the season for the Chicago Sun-Times:

On the morning of the 2008 home opener – the Wolves’ first game at Allstate Arena since capturing the 2008 Calder Cup -- GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told the Daily Herald why that night’s bannerraising would mean so much.

“Watching Darren Haydar, Jason Krog, Brett Sterling, Nathan Oystrick is a lot of fun. The first couple months I was shocked. Scoring 5 goals became routine for those guys.”

“He’s an A-type personality. He eats, sleeps and drinks hockey. If you ask him anything about baseball, football, he has no clue. He’s very, very intense and I’m very relaxed. It always works itself out if you win. We’re pretty honest with each other. We have arguments. We know one thing: deep down we want our team to win.”

“It was a winter that wouldn’t end and a bunch of winners who wouldn’t quit. This is a great hockey team.”

“There’s only one banner raised in the National Hockey League. There’s only one banner raised in the American Hockey League. To have that in your building, it’s a sense of pride, it’s a sense of accomplishment, it’s a sense of tradition, it’s a sense of sacrifice, it’s a sense of what it takes to reach that ultimate goal.”

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

DON LEVIN

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / GOVERNOR Donald R. Levin (luh-VIN) founded DRL Enterprises, Inc., in 1969. The Glenview-based 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 since the franchise’s inception. Levin donates his time and energy extensively and serves on the board of directors for several charitable organizations. 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 20 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.

BUDDY MEYERS VICE CHAIRMAN

Buddy Meyers, a principal owner of the Wolves who founded the franchise with Don Levin and Grant Mulvey in January 1994, has been involved in the world of hockey for more than 45 years. He is a former certified agent of the National Hockey League Players’ Association and is 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. 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.

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

WENDELL YOUNG GENERAL MANAGER

Wendell Young is in his 10th season as the Chicago Wolves general manager. Since being hired as GM in August 2009, the Wolves have compiled a .596 winning percentage during the regular season and captured five division titles: the 2010 West, 2012 Midwest, 2014 Midwest, 2017 Central and 2018 Central. He was named the 2018 Thomas Ebright Award recipient for his multiple achievements and contributions throughout his AHL tenure. Young has been a member of the Wolves organization in virtually every capacity — 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. The 54-year-old 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. The Halifax, Nova Scotia is the only man in hockey history to have won all four North American championships. He captured the 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 1988 Calder Cup with the Hershey Bears, the 1982 Memorial Cup with the Kitchener Rangers, and the 1998 and 2000 Turner Cups with the Wolves.

BILL BENTLEY

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER Bill Bentley is in his 10th season as the Chicago Wolves assistant general manager and stands as one of a handful of people who has been a part of the organization since the team’s inception in 1994. Bentley has been instrumental in the hockey operations department for more than 15 years, which includes all four seasons that ended with a championship. The Chicago native joined the organization as a statistician in 1994 and was promoted to team services manager a year later. The 48-year-old 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. 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.

GENE UBRIACO

SENIOR ADVISOR/DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS Gene Ubriaco, who has been with the Wolves since the franchise’s inception in 1994, is in his 22nd season as the team’s director of hockey operations and 10th as senior advisor. Ubriaco was hired in 1994 as the Wolves’ first head coach and guided the expansion team to a 34-33-14 record and a berth in the 1995 Turner Cup playoffs. “Ubie” began his coaching career at Lake Superior State University in 1972-73. Four years later, he led the Milwaukee Admirals to the Turner Cup playoffs to become the first International Hockey League coach to lead an expansion team into the postseason. In 1988-89, Ubriaco moved on to the National Hockey League to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins. Under his tutelage, the Penguins shattered several team records and advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a seven-year absence. Ubriaco gained international coaching experience by heading up the Italian Olympic Team during the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, native also played professional hockey for 10 years, which included three seasons in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Oakland Seals and Chicago Blackhawks. He posted 39 goals and 35 assists in 177 NHL games.

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

TOM TILLEY CONTINUES TO MIX HOCKEY AND BUSINESS SUCCESSFULLY When Tom Tilley joined the Chicago Wolves prior to the 1997-98 season, he was 32 years old. He owned four years of NHL experience – along with the equally valuable knowledge that hockey wasn’t going to last forever.

Steve Maltais, Wendell Young, Bob Nardella, Steve Larouche, Chris Marinucci, Tilley…they set the standards for Wolves hockey extremely high along with head coach John Anderson and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff.

So when he showed up here, he didn’t settle for just being one of the team’s top defensemen. He also started working on his future as a businessman.

Many of these men returned to Chicago in mid-August to celebrate the launch of the Wolves’ 25th anniversary season. For 48 hours, they hung out and toasted each other and roasted each other and laughed together – just like the old days.

The pragmatic Tilley would practice in the morning with the Wolves, then spend his afternoons and evenings opening and operating three retail stores in the Chicago area. “I wanted to play, but I also needed health insurance,” Tilley said. “I was working after practice and whenever I had time off. It was something else for me to think about. That year, I felt like I played some of the best hockey I ever played.” Not only did the puckmoving defenseman produce 9 goals and 49 assists during the regular season, he added 2 goals and a team-high 17 assists during the Turner Cup playoffs as the Wolves captured their first of four league championships. It’s one of the reasons he was tabbed to perform the ceremonial puck drop prior to the Wolves game against the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 21. The Wolves went on to win another Turner Cup again in 2000 (Tilley’s celebration included joining the team’s front office for the summer and selling corporate sponsorships) and reached the Finals again in 2001. Much of the team’s roster remained the same throughout that run. “There was a core us that played together for four years,” Tilley said. “We had to get to know each other, but 1998 was the foundation for us. The things you remember the most are, ‘What kind of locker room was it? What kind of team was it? Were guys there to cash a check? Did guys really care?’ That was a group that wanted to play for each other.”

“I’ve seen Bobby Nardella from time to time,” Tilley said. “But most of the other guys, I hadn’t seen since 2000. You know, I won’t see a guy for 20 years, but then I’ll see him and it’s like I just saw him yesterday. You just pick up where you left off. It drives my wife, Tracey, crazy.” These days, the 53-yearold Tilley mixes business and hockey in the Kansas City area. For the last three-plus years, he has volunteered his time as the president of the Kansas City Youth Hockey Association. While a lot of administrative work is involved meshing what used to be seven organizations into one, the point of his mission is to provide young players the best training and the best opportunities – while ensuring coaches delivering strong guidance while keeping the sport in perspective. In the business world, Tilley serves as Managing Director of Mariner Capital Advisors. He and his employees are merger and acquisition specialists who typically work on deals worth anywhere from $5 million to $50 million. Tilley was asked to become managing director less than a year. His group had to dig in from the start – and it reminded him so much of his best days as a hockey player. “I took over our business unit and we were facing adversity,” he said. “People were working six days a week. And I told them, ‘What I saw from the view of my office for 90 days, it was the same as playing on a professional sports team.”

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VISIT THE CHICAGO WOLVES CHARITIES TABLE BEHIND SECTION 105 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE CHANCE TO WIN!

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M E E T T H E W O LV E S

NIC HAGUE

JIMMY OLIGNY

GRIFFIN REINHART

DANIEL CARR

TYLER WONG

D H: 6-6 W: 215 Dec., 5, 1998 Kitchener, Ont.

D H: 6-0 W: 214 April 30, 1993 St.-Michel, Que.

D H: 6-4 W: 212 Jan. 24, 1994 North Vancouver, B.C.

LW H: 6-0 W: 191 Nov. 1, 1991 Sherwood Park, Alta.

RW H: 5-9 W: 176 Feb. 28, 1996 Cochrane, Alta.

GAGE QUINNEY

CURTIS MCKENZIE

RYAN WAGNER

MATTHEW WEIS

DYLAN COGHLAN

LW H: 5-11 W: 200 July 29, 1995 Las Vegas, Nev.

LW H: 6-2 W: 205 Feb. 22, 1991 Golden, B.C.

RW H: 5-8 W: 185 April 15, 1996 Park Ridge, Ill.

C H: 5-11 W: 192 May 23, 1995 Madison, N.J.

D H: 6-2 W: 189 Feb. 19, 1998 Nanaimo, B.C.

BROOKS MACEK

T.J. TYNAN

KEEGAN KOLESAR

ALEX GALLANT

STEFAN MATTEAU

RW H: 5-10 W: 180 May 15, 1992 Winnipeg, Man.

C H: 5-9 W: 165 Feb. 25, 1992 Orland Park, Ill.

RW H: 6-2 W: 223 April 8, 1997 Winnipeg. Man.

LW H: 6-0 W: 185 Dec. 8, 1992 Summerside, P.E.I.

C H: 6-2 W: 220 Feb. 23, 1994 Chicago, Ill.

THE

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

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G H: 6-3 W: 195 Feb. 28, 1994 Stockholm, Sweden

D H: 6-0 W: 175 Jan. 31, 1994 Ottawa, Ont.

RW H: 5-11 W: 160 March 23, 1993 Mlada Boleslav, Czech.

C H: 6-0 W: 191 Jan. 28, 1996 Calgary, Alta

HOCKEY OPERATIONS

KEVIN KACER

RYAN SHOUFER

ERIC RIVARD

STAN DUBICKI

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AY F R O M CREASE, ACE OWNS SSION ASHION

MA X L AGACE’S PROFESSION IS GOALTENDING, WHICH MEANS HIS WORK LIFE IS GOVERNED BY ONE RIGID RULE: DON’ T LE T THE PUCK CROSS THE GOAL LINE. It doesn’t matter how graceful he looks, how impeccable his technique or how expensive his gear. If the puck stays out of the net, he’s a success. If not, the goal light flashes to let the world know he failed. Nothing is open to interpretation. There’s no grading on a curve. No style points awarded as a consolation.

Perhaps this cold, binary existence explains the 25-year-old Quebec native’s new passion away from the ice: Fashion. Not long after serving as the Vegas Golden Knights’ backup goaltender for every game of the Stanley Cup Final last summer, Lagace met with a group of friends in Quebec City who inspired him to find something in addition to hockey that lights him up inside.

TO ME, IT’S A WAY O F EXPRESSING MYS E L F.

IT’S JUST SO MUCH FUN, SO M U C H L I B E R T Y. NO RULES.

TURNS OUT CLOTHES M A K E T H E M A N H A P P Y. “Everywhere around, there are rules,” Lagace said. “There are things you can’t really say or you can’t really show, but this is an art. You put yourself out there and what you want to show. Some days you’re all colorful and all happy. Other days you’ll be in a background kind of mood. It’s just so much fun, so much liberty. No rules.” For some, fashion means runway models and ridiculous pricetags and pledging allegiance to specific brands. Not for Lagace. While he doesn’t mind spending good money for something he likes, he’s more about how a piece of clothing or a shoe makes him feel. He researches designers online and watches their YouTube videos when they release new lines – he likes to know their personalities and inspirations and whether they’re “nice dudes” -- but he also shops at thrift stores where he never knows what he might find.

“My favorite T-shirts are probably the ones I bought in packs for 12 bucks from music bands,” Lagace said. “It’s so cool. When I see something really nice, I’m like, ‘Oh, I really want to be in it and rep it.’ I like diversity. It doesn’t have to be expensive at all. At all. “I was more on the shy side before. Now I’ve opened up a little and I’m more outgoing. To me, it’s a way of expressing myself. It doesn’t always have to be fancy clothes. It’s just the way you wear it, the way you put it on. To me, there’s no day for a boring outfit. I just love to put pieces together.” The Groundhog’s Day-like nature of the hockey season – waking up early each day to head to the rink for practice or a morning skate – does not encourage players to focus on fashion. In general, they shower, grab a bite to eat and slap on whatever clothes are convenient. Not Lagace. Each day, he considers

himself an artist who uses his body as a canvas to communicate his mood. “It takes me 20 minutes to dress,” Lagace said. “It’s crazy. But it’s my thing. I like it. I like to be proud of myself.” And his teammates enjoy when Lagace arrives. As you can imagine in a dressing room filled with alpha males who enjoy busting each other’s chops, Lagace’s sartorial selections are of great interest. He admits when he’s taking those 20 minutes to pick that day’s outfit, he’s predicting what the boys might say. “Absolutely,” Lagace said with a smile. “I know I’m going to get it sometimes with some outfits when I push it, but it’s all fun. I know they just have a laugh and that’s it. That’s why I love it even more with a bunch of guys. You can laugh about it and then you can talk about it with the ones that like it –

THIS IS AN ART. THERE’S N O DAY FOR A BORING OUTFIT. I JUST LOVE TO PUT PIECES TOGETHER.

OH, HE PUSHES THE ENVELOPE. –KOLESAR

it’s so much fun.” Second-year forward Keegan Kolesar and rookie defenseman Nic Hague are among the Wolves who keep an eye on the fashion world – and on Lagace’s choices. “First thing, he does a lap around the rink, just to let everybody know what he’s wearing before he changes,” Kolesar said with a laugh. “Whenever he comes to the rink, I notice the outfit,” Hague said. “He always looks nice. Even if he’s just wearing sweatpants, he still looks good. I’ve asked him a few times about the clothes he buys because everyone wants to look nice. I’m definitely impressed with the way he dresses.” “Oh, he pushes the envelope,” Kolesar said. “But I guess maybe guys are jealous they can’t have clothes that nice. I’m jealous of some of the stuff he has.”

“That’s good style – being different and not just wearing what everybody else wears,” Hague said. “When you come in and guys notice because it’s a little bit out there, I think that’s kind of the point sometimes.”

REACHING THE NHL Lagace’s love affair with fashion began midway through one of the most fruitful stretches of his life – both professionally and personally. In July 2017, Lagace signed a freeagent contract with the Vegas Golden Knights. Considering he owned a 3.19 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in American Hockey

League play when he signed the deal, Lagace had no illusions about his status with Vegas. “In my mind, I was going to fight for a spot HERE,” said Lagace, referring to Chicago and the Wolves. Then crazy things started happening to Vegas less than a month into the season. Top goalie Marc-Andre Fleury suffered an injury. So did backup Malcolm Subban. That meant Lagace and Wolves teammate Oscar Dansk became Vegas’ goaltenders even though neither had any NHL experience. Then Dansk suffered his own injury on Oct. 30, which meant Lagace – who was never drafted by an NHL team – became the Golden Knights’ main man for more than a month. “Obviously, I never came through the front door as a first-round draft pick,” Lagace said. “I think every guy will tell

you they’ve had thoughts of, ‘Oh, my God, what am I doing here? Am I going to make it ever?’ But you just stick with it. If you show up at the rink and put in the hours, good things are going to happen eventually.

served as Fleury’s backup for each of Vegas’ final eight games – the last three games of the Western Conference Finals and all five Stanley Cup Final contests against the Washington Capitals.

“It can be luck like I had last year. As much as it was great, there was a little luck in there.”

He celebrated on the ice with his teammates when the Golden Knights clinched the Stanley Cup berth – and he suffered in the dressing room with them when the Capitals captured the Cup.

The good fortune wasn’t just the fact he got to start 13 games from Halloween through Dec. 9. His first NHL win happened to come on Nov. 4 at Ottawa, which was close enough for his parents (Manon and Gill), brother, aunt, uncle, grandmother, godfather and his billet family to be in attendance to witness the milestone. As the final seconds ticked away during Vegas’ one-goal win, the television cameras kept panning to his happy family. “That was great,” Lagace said. “That meant a lot for me.” The end of Lagace’s season might have been even greater. After shattering the Chicago Wolves record for saves in a game when he posted 72 stops in the team’s triple-overtime Calder Cup playoff loss to the Rockford IceHogs, Lagace was called to Vegas to be a black ace for the team’s Stanley Cup playoff run. It didn’t appear to be much more than an extended practice stint, but then Subban suffered an injury after Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. That meant Lagace dressed and

“Sometimes I was so nervous because I saw those guys work and it was just amazing to see how they wanted it and how they bonded together to make it happen,” Lagace said. “They were such a great group and you want to see them win so bad. It was heartbreaking to see that.” Though Lagace didn’t play in the postseason, he gained invaluable knowledge working together with Fleury and Vegas goalie coach Dave Prior.

was like, ‘I was part of this. That was unbelievable.”

AND THEN CAME SUMMER And just when he thought there was nothing better than being part of a Stanley Cup Final, along came summer. And fashion. And Sarah. While hanging out at home with friends – some old, some new – he became bothered when they asked what inspired him other than hockey and he couldn’t give them an answer. Eventually, he realized fashion served as that outlet for him.

“ ‘Flower’ is a great mentor, a great person,” Lagace said. “He’s easy to talk to. I never felt out of place. That’s huge when you’re a new guy. He’s probably the best to learn from – he’s got a couple rings.

Now, might that discovery have been influenced by the presence of Sarah Buteau – a new acquaintance who wound up becoming his girlfriend? Maybe. Sarah is the founder and designer of Aonewear – a Quebecbased clothing line geared toward women who like high-quality sportswear.

“I remember when we got to Washington and you hear the whole crowd just on you and on the team, you’re like, ‘OK, it’s going down.’ It’s pretty impressive. But it was so much fun. So much fun. After it was over, I

“She’s doing really well and I’m so proud of her,” Lagace said. “She’s great. She’s obviously supportive. She makes me feel like I can express myself – the freedom of it. She helps me and I try to help her, too.”

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

NETFLIX SERIES BINGED CUPS OF COFFEE PAIRS OF SHOES CITIES LIVED IN NON-HOCKEY JOBS SUITS OWNED

SONGS IN LIBRARY

HOCKEY STICKS PER SEASON

COUNTRIES VISITED

MINUTES TO GET READY PIZZA TOPPINGS SPOKEN LANGUAGE

BEST GOLF SCORE SIBLING

TIME SHAVED PER WEEK

PET HATS OWNED

CALL TO PARENTS

HOURS OF SLEEP ON AN OFF-DAY

HOT DOGS IN A SITTING

DYLAN

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COACHES CORNER

ROCKY THOMPSON HEAD COACH

Rocky Thompson led the Chicago Wolves to the 2018 Central Division title in his first season with the organization. The 2017-18 campaign marked Thompson’s 11th season as a coach, which included two seasons as the head coach for the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. His tenure with the Spitfires culminated with a Memorial Cup on May 28, 2017, and he was hired as the Wolves head coach on June 7, 2017. The 41-year-old spent eight years as a coach in the Edmonton organization prior to joining Windsor, which was capped by a stint as an Edmonton Oilers assistant in 2014-15 alongside former Wolves Dallas Eakins and Todd Nelson. Prior to coaching, Thompson played professional hockey – split between the NHL and AHL – for parts of 11 seasons from 1995 to 2007. Selected in the third round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right wing made his NHL debut on Jan. 28, 1998, and went on to appear in 25 games between the Flames and the Florida Panthers and racked up 117 penalty minutes. In AHL competition, Thompson appeared in 566 regular-season games and compiled 69 points (17G, 52A). His 1,919 penalty minutes rank 10th on the AHL’s all-time penalty-minute list.

CHRIS DENNIS T:11”

B:11.25”

S:10.5”

ASSISTANT COACH

In his first year as a Chicago Wolves assistant coach, Chris Dennis – who focuses on the team’s blue liners – helped to guide the Wolves to the 2018 Central Division title. The 38-year-old spent the previous two seasons as the head coach for York University in Toronto, where he took over a last-place program and transformed it into the champions of the 20-team Ontario University Athletics conference. The Lions captured the 2017 Queen’s Cup with a dramatic 4-3 victory on March 11. Prior to taking the job at York, Dennis spent 10 years in the Maple Leafs organization in a variety of roles spanning the head-coaching tenures of Hall of Famer Pat Quinn, Paul Maurice, Ron Wilson and Randy Carlyle. Dennis served as a Maple Leafs assistant coach from 2013-15 and worked as an assistant for the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies when they reached the Calder Cup Finals in 2012.

BOB NARDELLA ASSISTANT COACH

One of the most accomplished players in Chicago Wolves history, Bob Nardella was promoted to assistant coach on July 12, 2017, after serving for two seasons as skills development coach and three seasons as a part-time assistant for the franchise. During his first year as a full-time assistant, Nardella helped lead the Wolves to the 2018 Central Division crown. Nardella ranks second on the team’s all-time regular-season list for games (476), fifth in assists (239) and sixth in points (298) after spending six full and three partial seasons with the Wolves. He was a key player when Chicago captured the 1998 and 2000 Turner Cups as well as the 2002 Calder Cup. The 50-year-old Melrose Park native made his Wolves debut during the team’s inaugural season in 1994-95. After spending one season in Italy and another in Germany – punctuated by his first of two appearances in the Winter Olympics with Italy’s national team – Nardella returned to the Wolves from 1997 to 2002.

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2018-19 AHL TEAM LANDSCAPE AROUND THE LEAGUE

THE AHL EXPANDS TO 31 TEAMS One year after the NHL expanded and the newborn Vegas Golden Knights capitalized by storming all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, the AHL has matched the move and added a 31st team. The Colorado Eagles, winners of the ECHL’s last two Kelly Cups, have joined the league and taken up residence in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division. To balance out Colorado’s arrival, theSan Antonio Rampage and Texas Stars have shifted from the Pacific Division to the Central Division. That means it will be that much tougher for the Chicago Wolves to capture the Central Division title for the third year in a row (the Wolves were the only AHL team to defend their division title last season). With the Rampage and Stars moving to the Central, the Cleveland Monsters are leaving the Western Conference and going from the Central Division to the Eastern Conference’s North Division. The Wolves and Monsters will maintain their rivalry, which means the Wolves have their first chance since the 2008-09 season to face an Eastern Conference opponent. While a handful of teams have changed divisions, the path to the Calder Cup championship remains the same. In each of the four divisions, the top four teams (as ranked by points percentage) will qualify for the 2019 postseason.

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION CHICAGO WOLVES VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS DETROIT RED WINGS

IOWA WILD

Bakersfield Condors • Belleville Senators • Binghamton Devils • Bridgeport Sound Tigers • Charlotte Checkers EASTERN CONFERENCE Chicago Wolves • Cleveland Monsters • Colorado Eagles • Grand Rapids Griffins • Hartford Wolf Pack PACIFIC DIVISION NORTH Moose DIVISION Hershey Bears • Iowa Wild • ATLANTIC Laval RocketDIVISION • Lehigh Valley Phantoms • Manitoba • Milwaukee Admirals Bruins SOUND • Rochester IceHogs • San Antonio Rampage BAKERSFIELD CONDORSOntario Reign • Providence BRIDGEPORT TIGERSAmericans • Rockford BELLEVILLE SENATORS EDMONTON OILERS NEW YORK ISLANDERS OTTAWA SENATORS Jose Barracuda • Springfield ThunderbirdsBINGHAMTON • Stockton Heat • Syracuse Crunch COLORADO EAGLES San Diego Gulls • SanCHARLOTTE CHECKERS DEVILS COLORADO AVALANCHE NEW JERSEY DEVILS Texas Stars • TorontoCAROLINA Marlies • HURRICANES Tucson Roadrunners • Utica Comets • Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

ONTARIO REIGN

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

MINNESOTA WILD

LOS ANGELES KINGS

NEW YORK RANGERS

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

MANITOBA MOOSE

SAN DIEGO GULLS

HERSHEY BEARS

LAVAL ROCKET

WINNIPEG JETS

ANAHEIM DUCKS

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

MONTREAL CANADIENS

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

SAN JOSE SHARKS

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

BUFFALO SABRES

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

STOCKTON HEAT

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

CALGARY FLAMES

BOSTON BRUINS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

TORONTO MARLIES

ST. LOUIS BLUES

ARIZONA COYOTES

FLORIDA PANTHERS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

TEXAS STARS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

UTICA COMETS

DALLAS STARS

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

VANCOUVER CANUCKS

BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

THE RINK

HOCKEY LINGO

ASSIST

BAR DOWN

Credited to a player who helps set up a goal. The last two offensive-team players to touch the puck prior to the goal scorer are awarded assists.

When the puck hits the bottom of the crossbar and falls down into the net.

COAST-TO-COAST

FLEX

When a player skates from one end of the ice to the other while evading all the opposing skaters.

BREAKAWAY

BOTTLE-ROCKET SHOT

A clear scoring When a shot (or goal) hits opportunity where no the goaltender’s water defensive player is bottle and breaks it. between the puck carrier and the goaltender.

GORDIE HOWE HAT TRICK

IRON

Measure of stiffness When a player scores a The red pipes that when force is applied to goal, registers an assist highlight the goalmouth. a hockey stick. Flex and logs a fighting major in If a puck deflects off one rating indicates pounds the same game. It honors or more of these pipes of force necessary to NHL legend Gordie Howe, it is said a player “hit bend a stick one inch. who was revered for his the iron.” A higher flex rating brawn and skill as he often means a stiffer stick. completed this trifect.

BUCKET

CELLY

Another term for helmet.

Refers to the expression of joy after a player scores a goal; a celly comes in many forms and the amount of exuberance is usually correlated to the importance of the goal.

OFFSIDE

SAUCER PASSING

When a player crosses the offensive-zone blue line before the puck.

An elevated pass; typically used to evade an opposing player’s stick blocking the on-ice pass lane.

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BREAKAWAY MAGAZINE

We Celebrate

Local Personalities We’re putting the focus on the ones who make our stores run smoothly—our valued employees. From friendly cashiers and crafty floral experts to experienced managers and savvy stockers, we salute over 31,000 Jewel-Osco associates. All of these local personalities add a special flair to our stores while working hard to make sure you have the best shopping experience possible. Here’s to our superstars!

Denise S.

Jesus C.

Floral Manager

Cake Decorator Be Social.

ALL-TIME FRANCHISE RECORDS & AWARDS

FRANCHISE RECORD BOOK

ALL-TIME POINTS LEADERS

GOALS LEADERS

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 951 2. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483 3. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 368 4. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362 5. JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 6. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298 7. STEVE LAROUCHE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 8. CHRIS MARINUCCI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 9. STEVE MARTINS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 10. DEREK MACKENZIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 454 2. BRETT STERLING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 3. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 4. DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 5. CHRIS MARINUCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 6. JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 7. STEVE LAROUCHE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 8. J.P. VIGIER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 DEREK MACKENZIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 10. SCOTT PEARSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

ALL-TIME WINS LEADERS

GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE LEADERS

(GOALTENDERS)

(MINIMUM 25 APPEARANCES)

1. WENDELL YOUNG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169 2. MATT CLIMIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 3. KARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 4. JORDAN BINNINGTON . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 5. MICHAEL GARNETT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 6. RAY LEBLANC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 7. ONDREJ PAVELEC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 8. NORM MARACLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 9. PETER MANNINO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 10. JAKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

1. RICHARD SHULMISTRA. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.89 2. J AKE ALLEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.03 3. K ARI LEHTONEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.33 4. ANDREI TREFILOV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.36 5. K ASIMIR KASKISUO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.38 6. EDDIE LACK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.46 7. J ORDAN BINNINGTON. . . . . . . . . . . . 2.62 8. DREW MacINTYRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.66 9. R OBERT GHERSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.67 10. FRED BRATHWAITE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.68

ALL-TIME GAMES LEADERS

LEO LAMOUREUX MEMORIAL TROPHY

1. STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 839 2. BOB NARDELLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476 3. DEREK MACKENZIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377 4. KEVIN DOELL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375 5. ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 BRIAN SIPOTZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369 7. BRETT STERLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363 8. TIM BERGLAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 9. DARREN HAYDAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 10. TIM BRESLIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330

LES CUNNINGHAM AWARD (AHL REGULAR-SEASON MVP)

DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

WILLIE MARSHALL AWARD (AHL’S LEADING GOAL-SCORER)

BRETT STERLING . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) WADE MEGAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

YANICK DUPRE MEMORIAL AWARD (AHL MAN OF THE YEAR)

KURTIS FOSTER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2003-04) SCOOTER VAUGHAN . . . . . . . . . . . (2017-18)

(IHL REGULAR-SEASON SCORING CHAMPION)

ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1995-96) ROB BROWN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1996-97) STEVE MALTAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . (1999-2000) STEVE LAROUCHE . . . (2000-01) (Shared)

JOHN B. SOLLENBERGER TROPHY (AHL’S LEADING REGULAR-SEASON SCORER)

STEVE MALTAIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2002-03) DARREN HAYDAR . . . . . . . . . . . . (2006-07) JASON KROG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2007-08) KENNY AGOSTINO . . . . . . . . . . . . . (2016-17)

IHL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD (OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE)

TIM BRESLIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1996-97) CHRIS MARINUCCI . . . . . . . . . . . . (1998-99) WENDELL YOUNG . . . . . . . . . . . . (2000-01)

THOMAS EBRIGHT AWARD (CAREER CONTRIBUTIONS TO AHL)

WENDELL YOUNG (2017-18)

THE WOLVES WERE THE ONLY AHL TEAM TO WIN A DIVISION TITLE IN 2016-17 AND THEN REPEAT THE FEAT IN 2017-18.

SCOOTER VAUGHAN BECAME THE SECOND WOLVES PLAYER TO EARN THE YANICK DUPRE MEMORIAL AWARD AS AHL MAN OF THE YEAR FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY.

THE WOLVES SHATTERED THE FRANCHISE RECORD BY WINNING 13 CONSECUTIVE HOME GAMES FROM DEC. 6, 2017, TO FEB. 17, 2018.

CHICAGO TIED THE TEAM RECORD FOR SINGLE-SEASON POINT STREAK BY FORGING A 12-0-1-1 RECORD FROM DEC. 9, 2017, TO JAN. 6, 2018.

THE WOLVES PLAYED THE LONGEST GAME IN TEAM HISTORY WHEN THEY WENT NEARLY THREE FULL OVERTIMES IN GAME 3 OF THE WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL AGAINST THE ROCKFORD ICEHOGS. MAX LAGACE PLAYED EVERY SECOND IN GOAL FOR THE WOLVES AND DELIVERED A TEAM-RECORD 72 SAVES – BREAKING THE PREVIOUS MARK BY 15.

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WHAT S THE DIFF Find the 10 differences in the two photos below.

ALL MIXED UP Unscramble the names of some of the players on this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wolves roster!

ROBKSO KAMCE

IYMJM OYNILG

CRITUS KNEMZIEC

RIEK RMBNTRONSA

RGIFIFN IEARTHRN

HACZ TIWLOUEHDC

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MAZE CRAZE Help Skates find the fastest way to the center of the maze!

REID

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