Report: Chicago Wolves to become independent AHL franchise

According to Elliotte Friedman on the Jeff Marek Show, the Chicago Wolves have given notice that the team will not have an NHL affiliate for the 2023-24 AHL season.

The Wolves currently serve as the Carolina Hurricanes’ affiliate but has worked with Atlanta, St. Louis, Vegas and Nashville in the past.

Chicago has won three Calder Cups and are the defending champions after beating Springfield last year.

The Wolves currently sit sixth in the Central Division with a 30-28-4-3 record for 67 points in 65 games. The team still could pass Rockford or Iowa in the standings, but each of the team’s seven remaining games are must-win from here on out.

The Wolves began as an IHL team in 1994 and won titles in 1998 and 2000. They joined the AHL for the 2001-02 season and beat Bridgeport for the championship in the team’s first year. They then won again in 2008 over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, with both championships coming while part of the Atlanta Thrashers organization.

The Wolves have remained a consistent force ever since, missing the playoffs just four times since the 2008 title. The team’s most successful years were during the Thrashers era, but the 2022 championship gave the dedicated fanbase something to cheer about.

Outside of Carolina, all 31 other NHL teams are currently tied to AHL clubs. There’s no indication as to what the Hurricanes could elect to do for next year, but it’s been common for AHL affiliates to be shared by NHL teams when there aren’t enough suitors.