Watching the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup must’ve been an interesting experience for the Wolves.
As the Blues’ AHL affiliate from 2013-17, and then taking some players from them during the 2017-18 season, the Wolves played a key part in St. Louis’ championship. Goalies Jordan Binnington and Jake Allen, defensemen Colton Parayko, Vince Dunn and Joel Edmundson, and forward Ivan Barbashev were among the players who spent developmental time in Rosemont before hoisting the Cup. Coach Craig Berube, during his lone season in Chicago, won a 2016-17 division title.
But of course, the Blues and Wolves are no longer affiliated. Berube and the players who developed at Allstate Arena won a title for a team the Wolves’ parent club is trying to beat.
Coach Rocky Thompson, whose first year with the Wolves was the season when they got players from both Vegas and St. Louis, was happy for Berube. He was also pleased for St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong, whom he got to know during the 2017-18 season.
“It was nice for those guys to be rewarded,” Thompson said. “Of course you want Vegas, without a doubt. I certainly wasn’t cheering for anybody, believe it or not. When Vegas is out, that’s different, but obviously you see some familiar faces and you’re happy for them that they were able to experience that. Not many people do. It’s a pretty special thing.
“It was neat to know guys and to have worked with guys that, one year removed, end up raising the Stanley Cup is pretty neat.”
General manager Wendell Young said “as an organization, we were excited for the St. Louis Blues, more so for the individuals within the organization. From players to coaches to management.” Comparing the situation to when he was playing and wanted his goalie partner to be great but for himself to be better, Young wants the former Wolves to succeed but wants Vegas to outdo St. Louis.
“With that, we’re about Vegas, and that’s who were hoping to see win a Stanley Cup,” Young said, “It would be nice if we won a Calder Cup and they won a Stanley Cup. That would be quite an accomplishment for the organization.”
HIDDEN FIGURES
1
Not only was that his number with the Wolves, but general manager Wendell Young is the only player in hockey history to have won the Stanley Cup, Calder Cup, Turner Cup and Memorial Cup. He won the Stanley Cup twice with Pittsburgh (1991-92), the Calder Cup with Hershey (1988), the Turner Cup with the Wolves (1998, 2000) and Memorial Cup with Kitchener (1982).
59
Game 2 of last season’s Calder Cup Finals ended with a major melee that resulted in 59 minutes of penalties. At the center of the scrum was then-Charlotte Checkers forward Patrick Brown. Brown will likely spend time this season with the Wolves after signing with Vegas in July.
190
New Wolves goalie Garret Sparks was the 190th overall pick in the 2011 draft when he was taken by the Toronto Maple Leafs. A native of Elmhurst and former player with the Chicago Mission, Sparks is expected to split time in the Wolves’ net with Oscar Dansk.
DID YOU KNOW?
Forward Jermaine Loewen became the first player born in Jamaica to be drafted by an NHL team when he was selected by Dallas in the seventh round in the 2018 draft. Loewen was adopted when he was 5 by a couple from Manitoba and didn’t play organized hockey until he was 10.
Assistant coach Bob Nardella played for Italy in the 1998 and 2006 Olympic Games. A defenseman who won three league titles with the Wolves, Nardella played four times for Italy during the 1998 Games and five times in 2006.
THAT’S WHAT HE SAID
“There’s something there. Why won’t they let you tour the place?”
- Former Wolves forward Brandon Pirri, via the Las Vegas Sun, on Area 51.
“It’s a nice feature to have a short summer. It’s tough, but it’s a nice thing. I think it even makes you hungrier.”
- General manager Wendell Young on the team reporting to camp Sept. 22.
“It was good. Everybody, I’m sure the players obviously, they were really tired. I know as a staff, by the end of it, once it’s all done, the fatigue sets in (after) the length of the year. We were able to, as a group, just relax for a little bit and then start preparing, which was great.” - Coach Rocky Thompson on the past summer.
