Wolves, St. Louis Blues agree to multi-year affiliate deal
BY SETH GRUEN Sun-Times Media April 23, 2013 8:30PM
Chicago Wolves Vs Rockford Ice Hogs. Rockford IceHogs No.17 Brandon Bolling checks Chicago Wolves No. 21 Guillaume Desbiens. October 13, 2012 I Scott Stewart~Sun-Times
At the first intermission of the St. Louis Blues game against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, the Blues and Wolves announced that the two teams had agreed to a multi-year affiliate deal.
Most recently the Wolves had a two-year affiliate deal with the Vancouver Canucks, which ended after Sunday’s regular-season finale. Weeks prior, the Canucks had bought the Peoria Rivermen, which was a clear indication that the franchise was intent on running its own AHL affiliate.
The Rivermen were the Blues affiliate.
Wolves general manager Wendell Young and owner Don Levin were present in St. Louis for Tuesday’s announcement.
The timing of the move is somewhat surprising considering St. Louis is playoff bound. But there was urgency by the Wolves to get a deal done. When the affiliate deal with the Canucks expired, the Wolves lost its coaching staff in addition to Vancouver’s prospects.
The Wolves couldn’t move forward with assembling its coaching staff until an affiliate deal was in place. Furthermore, signing the affiliate deal this early allows Young the opportunity to begin filling team needs by signing players this offseason since he now knows what the Blues will be sending him next season.
