Chicago Wolves: Life Under The Pandemic
35 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 3 years ago -The Chicago Wolves 26th season abruptly ended in March 2020, as the nation and world braced for the Coronavirus global pandemic. Join Chicago Wolves Play-By-Play Announcer Jason Shaver as he documents and tracks the challenges and changes facing the team. You'll hear from players, management and staff in this limited-series podcast.
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Episodes
Forwards David Cotton and David Gust
May 24, 2021 16:19 - 39 minutes - 23.1 MBLike co-host Imran says, a pair of Davids is the best hand in Texas Hold ’em! We close out the 2021 season’s episodes by sharing terrific interviews with Texas native David Cotton, our team’s leading goal-scorer, and the pride of Orland Park, David Gust! Jason Shaver and Billy Gardner draw a lot of laughs and stories from the pair of Wolves forwards. Learn all about Cotton’s journey from suburban Dallas to Boston to Chicago — and Gust’s round-trip from Marist High School and Glacier Ice ...
Goaltender Antoine Bibeau and Defenseman Brandon Hickey
May 07, 2021 20:24 - 34 minutes - 20.2 MBThis week’s episode is devoted to two men who are devoted to keeping pucks out of the net. Goaltender Antoine Bibeau, whose next AHL win will be his 100th, once produced a 51-save shutout on one of hockey’s biggest amateur stages: The Memorial Cup. And defenseman Brandon Hickey, while playing for Boston University, once blocked 17 SHOTS in one NCAA Tournament game. But this podcast isn’t all about hockey. Bibeau, a Quebec native, tells us where to find the finest poutine while Hickey, wh...
Defenseman Joey Keane and Forward Dominik Bokk
April 30, 2021 13:41 - 35 minutes - 21 MBCo-hosts Imran and Jason welcome two entertaining young Wolves — defenseman Joey Keane and forward Dominik Bokk — to this can’t-miss episode. Keane, who grew up in south suburban Homer Glen, fondly remembers going to Wolves games on school field trips. Another of his long-time Wolves connections? He used to play for Chicago Mission with Nick Nardella, the son of Wolves legend Bob Nardella (who coached the Mission’s defensemen for several years). Keane shares tales of playing Irish sports...
Defenseman Max LaJoie and Center Matt Boudens
April 22, 2021 21:18 - 32 minutes - 19 MBNHL debuts don’t get much more amazing than the one for Wolves defenseman Max Lajoie. When he was just 20 years old, he suited up for the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 4, 2018 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Barely 12 minutes into his career, Lajoie saw Patrick Kane turn his back to him, so he flashed into the slot, took a pass from Matt Duchene and flipped it top-shelf for a goal. Five minutes later, he set up a power-play goal for his first assist. Hear all about the bilingual Lajoie’s terrifi...
Checking in with defensemen Joakim Ryan and Josh Healey
April 14, 2021 22:02 - 34 minutes - 20.4 MBIt’s not uncommon for professional hockey players to have fathers and brothers who are professional athletes, but how many have mothers or sisters who’ve played professionally? Joakim Ryan’s mother, Catalina Lindqvist, won five pro tennis titles and reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and the Australian Open. Josh Healey’s younger sister, Jess, won a World Junior Championship gold medal for Team Canada and has spent the last three years playing professionally in Sweden. Not only do Ryan ...
Luke Evangelista making music on the ice after a year pause
April 09, 2021 14:23 - 27 minutes - 15.9 MBNineteen-year-old Luke Evangelista, the Nashville Predators’ second-round pick in the NHL draft last October, owns an engaging personality that matches his creative streak on the ice. Shortly after making his professional debut and making a beautiful pass to earn his first pro point, the Ontario native joins Jason Shaver and Billy Gardner for a fun interview that includes a shoutout to his Nona for her special tomato sauce — so you know he’s a respectful young man as well. You’ll have to l...
Wolves return to action right where they left off
March 31, 2021 20:17 - 26 minutes - 15.8 MBAs the Wolves have rocketed out to the best record in the AHL, third-year pro Sheldon Rempal hasn’t worried that he hasn’t gotten as much shine as several of his teammates. “Everybody looks good when the team is winning,” Rempal said. And while Rempal has nothing but great things to say about the Wolves’ gang of terrific teenagers — “They’re all really good kids. They’ve got really good heads on their shoulders and I think they’re going to have long careers for sure” — they’ll be lucky to ...
A Breakout Player and The Making of a Referee
March 25, 2021 16:37 - 44 minutes - 26 MBWe have two fantastic stories for you this week! First, Wolves forward Tanner Jeannot grew up in Oxbow, a Saskatchewan town of 1,300 “where the air hurts our face.” Not drafted by the Western Hockey League. Not drafted by the National Hockey League. Yet he’s ripping up the AHL in Chicago and recently made his NHL debut with Nashville. Next, what could possibly make Wolves general manager Wendell Young state these words? “I never thought I would say this: I owe a lot of gratitude to the R...
Getting to know Goaltender Beck Warm and Center Ryan Suzuki
March 17, 2021 01:10 - 36 minutes - 21.1 MBChicago Wolves goaltender Beck Warm and center Ryan Suzuki entered the professional hockey ranks in opposite fashions — Warm as an undrafted free agent and Suzuki as the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2019 first-round pick — but you’ll discover during this podcast episode they’re more similar than you might think. Both have brothers who play hockey at a high level (Ryan’s brother, Nick, made his pro debut with the Wolves and now centers a line for the Montreal Canadiens), both have upbeat personalit...
Celebrating the women of the Chicago Wolves
March 09, 2021 18:45 - 43 minutes - 25.1 MBWe celebrated International Women’s Day on Monday — featuring videos on our Twitter account (@chicago_wolves) — but the women who work for the Wolves deserve way more than a day to have their stories shared and their success celebrated! Jason Shaver interviews senior director of program development Stefanie Evans, client services coordinator Hailey Kaufman, senior vice president of operations Courtney Mahoney and senior director of ticket retention and services Jackie Schroeder during this...
Getting To Know Defenseman Jeremy Davies and Center Jamieson Rees
March 02, 2021 20:37 - 34 minutes - 20.3 MBAs the Wolves keep rolling, podcast co-hosts Imran Javed and Jason Shaver keep delivering the goods! In this week’s episode, Jason and Bill Gardner help you get to know defenseman Jeremy Davies and forward Jamieson Rees. Davies, who leads the AHL in assists, spent part of his junior career in Bloomington, Illinois, while Rees, who scored two goals Sunday two days after turning 20, grew up watching AHL hockey in Hamilton, Ontario. Rees was in the arena when the high-scoring Wolves faced Hamil...
The Record-Setting Wolves
February 23, 2021 17:14 - 37 minutes - 21.7 MBThe Wolves are the hottest hockey team in North America — and Jason Shaver and Bill Gardner interview 19-year-old savants Seth Jarvis and Phil Tomasino and head coach Ryan Warsofsky and find out all the things you want to know. Learn about the tight connection between Jarvis and former Wolves forward Cody Glass. Listen as Billy G. and Tomasino compare experienes about playing for Canada in the World Junior Championship. Oh, and Warsofsky lays down the law about how hard he plans to coach h...
Moving Forward and Reflecting Back
February 04, 2021 18:51 - 36 minutes - 21.3 MBIt’s finally time to drop the puck and podcast co-hosts Imran Javed and Jason Shaver get you ready for Friday’s opener! Hear new head coach Ryan Warsofsky talk about going unbeaten and reveal several other insights about this year’s team. Veteran trainer Kevin Kacer explains our strict testing protocols. Then Wolves senior vice presidents Courtney Mahoney and Jon Sata and directors Dan Harris and Lindsey Willhite share some of the organization’s favorite experiences during the 11 months aw...
Project Thrive
January 29, 2021 22:02 - 29 minutes - 17.5 MBThe Chicago Wolves and the Same Here Global Mental Health Movement have teamed up to create “Project Thrive,” a multi-faceted plan to change the conversation about mental health in Chicago and provide opportunities for people all over North America to learn from national experts in integrative health. The Wolves will host Zoom Sessions two Thursday nights per month to share information on Sleep, Connecting with Nature, Stress, Diet, Self-Awareness and other subjects that affect everyone’s ...
Getting To Know Assistant Coach Patrick Dwyer
January 26, 2021 16:01 - 30 minutes - 17.7 MBIn 2005-06, Patrick Dwyer spent his first full season as a professional with the Chicago Wolves and he stacked up 16 goals and 29 assists. Fifteen years later, following a lengthy career that including 416 NHL games, Dwyer has returned to the Wolves to serve as an assistant coach. To get a sense of all that Dwyer has learned during his time away from Chicago, you’ll want to hear Jason Shaver’s interview with the 37-year-old Montana native. Among other nuggets in this episode, you’ll get a ...
Figuring Things Out
January 19, 2021 13:00 - 36 minutes - 21.6 MBith just one month to solve all of the issues presented by playing at the Chicago Wolves Training Facility in Hoffman Estates during the COVID-19 pandemic, every person in the Wolves organization has been working overtime to ensure everyone remains safe and healthy while delivering the best atmosphere to play great hockey. In this episode, Jason Shaver talks with general manager Wendell Young and senior vice presidents Courtney Mahoney and Jon Sata to gain insight on how things will work d...
Gearing Up To Return To Play With Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky
January 12, 2021 20:38 - 31 minutes - 18.3 MBLet’s play some hockey — and enjoy another Life Under The Pandemic podcast! With the new American Hockey League season ready to begin Feb. 5, it’s the perfect time to catch up with new Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky! Jason Shaver interviews him and you’ll love hearing him say such things as “We want to win, no matter what the season looks like.” Tune in to find out why Hall of Famer Ray Bourque long has been one of his boosters…what he puts on a hot dog…and so much more! Links: Ryan ...
From The Ice To Entrepreneur With Alumni Scooter Vaughan
January 04, 2021 14:30 - 35 minutes - 20.8 MBHappy New Year! The Life Under the Pandemic podcast kicks off 2021 with a must-listen episode featuring No. 21: Scooter Vaughan! The American Hockey League’s 2018 Man Of The Year has completed his transition from the ice to the business and charity worlds — and now he’s thriving in Florida. Jason Shaver interviews Scooter and their lively conversation ranges all over the place, which makes sense when you engage a world traveler who’s not afraid to say exactly what he means. Links: Chic...
Affiliation Update with GM Wendell Young
December 22, 2020 05:00 - 19 minutes - 11.8 MBThe Life Under The Pandemic podcast is back as Imran Javed and Jason Shaver bring you a special holiday edition! Shaves catches up with Wolves general manager Wendell Young, who provides insight on how the Wolves built their partnership with the Carolina Hurricanes and offers names of potential Wolves players. (Hint: these are some good names.) SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Android | TuneIn | RSS | Archives Email the show: [email protected]
The Cancellation of the 2019-20 Season - Part 2
May 20, 2020 16:20 - 26 minutes - 12.5 MBIn Part 2 of this week’s podcast, Wolves senior vice presidents Courtney Mahoney and Jon Sata and public relations director Lindsey Willhite discuss how the cancellation of the 2019-20 American Hockey League season serves as a springboard for the team’s 2020-21 season. Tune in to learn how the Wolves are working with fans, sponsors, charities, Allstate Arena and everyone else to get through this pandemic together – as Season 1 of our podcast comes to a close. Don’t worry…there will be a ne...
The Cancellation of the 2019-20 Season - Part 1
May 18, 2020 04:00 - 29 minutes - 14 MBPart 1 of this week’s podcast features some heavy hitters – AHL president and CEO David Andrews and Wolves general manager Wendell Young – as they share significant insights from the process that led to the 2019-20 season’s cancellation and what the AHL requires to launch the 2020-21 season. Wendell also provides a few details on the Wolves’ forthcoming affiliation agreement. Goaltender Garret Sparks, who grew up 15 minutes from Allstate Arena, reveals how much he enjoyed playing for hi...
Players, Perspectives and a Playoff Run
May 11, 2020 16:15 - 33 minutes - 15.9 MBIt’s a tough day with the news that the 2019-20 season has been canceled, but this week’s podcast puts the spotlight on happier times: Our wonderful run to the 2019 Calder Cup Finals! Sit back and enjoy as Jason Shaver and Imran Javed share insights from Cody Glass, Nic Hague, Jake Leschyshyn, Zac Leslie, T.J. Tynan and Zach Whitecloud as they steer us through the Grand Rapids, Iowa, San Diego and Charlotte series. Hear some of the best calls by Shaves and Billy and, hey, get ready to play...
A Baby, Book Club and Binge-Watching
May 04, 2020 15:50 - 29 minutes - 14 MBThis week’s podcast episode features a ton of intriguing topics that help explain how Wolves players are getting through the pandemic. Learn how the new dad thing is going for @JaycobMegna. Find out whether @kkolesar28 can hit a driver straight. Guess which Wolves player declares himself “obsessed” with Michael Jordan and “The Last Dance.” Enjoy some excellent book recommendations from a variety of Wolves types…hear from Chicago Sun-Times Wolves beat writer @BrianSandalow…and who’s sprea...
A Baby, Book Club and Binge-Watching | Ep. 6
May 04, 2020 15:50 - 29 minutes - 14 MBThis week’s podcast episode features a ton of intriguing topics that help explain how Wolves players are getting through the pandemic. Learn how the new dad thing is going for @JaycobMegna. Find out whether @kkolesar28 can hit a driver straight. Guess which Wolves player declares himself “obsessed” with Michael Jordan and “The Last Dance.” Enjoy some excellent book recommendations from a variety of Wolves types…hear from Chicago Sun-Times Wolves beat writer @BrianSandalow…and who’s sprea...
Oscar Dansk and the Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award
April 27, 2020 04:00 - 39 minutes - 18.5 MBThe Dan Snyder Man of the Year award serves as the most prestigious honor a Chicago Wolves player can earn. That’s how special Dan Snyder was – and this year’s winner of the Dan Snyder Award is pretty special too. Goaltender Oscar Dansk received the 2019-20 award for numerous reasons – many of which are recounted during this episode of “Chicago Wolves: Life Under the Pandemic.” But the best story in this week’s podcast reveals the remarkable relationship Dansk has built with Angelo and the...
Oscar Dansk and the Dan Snyder Man of the Year Award | Ep. 5
April 27, 2020 04:00 - 39 minutes - 18.5 MBThe Dan Snyder Man of the Year award serves as the most prestigious honor a Chicago Wolves player can earn. That’s how special Dan Snyder was – and this year’s winner of the Dan Snyder Award is pretty special too. Goaltender Oscar Dansk received the 2019-20 award for numerous reasons – many of which are recounted during this episode of “Chicago Wolves: Life Under the Pandemic.” But the best story in this week’s podcast reveals the remarkable relationship Dansk has built with Angelo and the...
Honoring the Legacy of Tim Breslin
April 20, 2020 04:00 - 39 minutes - 18.5 MBNot only has the suspended AHL season denied Wolves players and fans the chance to enjoy the excitement of a Calder Cup Playoffs chase, it prevented the Wolves from honoring defenseman Jake Bischoff with the Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award before the April 5 game. More importantly, it robbed everyone of the chance to be reminded of Breslin’s importance as a teammate, friend, family member and community advocate. Steve Maltais, Wendell Young, Bob Nardella, Courtney Mahoney and many more take ...
Honoring the Legacy of Tim Breslin | Ep. 4
April 20, 2020 04:00 - 39 minutes - 18.5 MBNot only has the suspended AHL season denied Wolves players and fans the chance to enjoy the excitement of a Calder Cup Playoffs chase, it prevented the Wolves from honoring defenseman Jake Bischoff with the Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award before the April 5 game. More importantly, it robbed everyone of the chance to be reminded of Breslin’s importance as a teammate, friend, family member and community advocate. Steve Maltais, Wendell Young, Bob Nardella, Courtney Mahoney and many more take ...
Specialty Jerseys, Bobbleheads And Adjusting To Quarantine Life
April 13, 2020 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.8 MBWith the AHL season suspended indefinitely, Chicago Wolves players have returned to their homes all over North America. For veteran center Patrick Brown, that means he’s back in New York City with his bride, Julia. a cardio thoracic nurse. “She’s my hero right now. I’m very proud of her and nervous at the same time.” That’s just one of many inside stories in this week’s episode of “Chicago Wolves: Life Under the Pandemic” presented by Jason Shaver and Imran Javed. Learn more about the beau...
Specialty Jerseys, Bobbleheads and adjusting to quarantine life | Ep. 3
April 13, 2020 04:00 - 31 minutes - 14.8 MBWith the AHL season suspended indefinitely, Chicago Wolves players have returned to their homes all over North America. For veteran center Patrick Brown, that means he’s back in New York City with his bride, Julia. a cardio thoracic nurse. “She’s my hero right now. I’m very proud of her and nervous at the same time.” That’s just one of many inside stories in this week’s episode of “Chicago Wolves: Life Under the Pandemic” presented by Jason Shaver and Imran Javed. Learn more about the beau...
The 3-in-3 That Never Was
April 06, 2020 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.6 MBFor the first time since 2011, the Chicago Wolves were scheduled on March 13-15 to host three home games in three days – known in the hockey business as a “3-in-3.” Every corner of the organization invested months of effort to prepare for visits from the San Antonio Rampage on Friday night, the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night and the Manitoba Moose on Sunday afternoon. But 27 hours before the Wolves were to open the Allstate Arena doors for the first of these games, the American Hockey ...
The 3-in-3 That Never Was | Ep. 2
April 06, 2020 04:00 - 24 minutes - 11.6 MBFor the first time since 2011, the Chicago Wolves were scheduled on March 13-15 to host three home games in three days – known in the hockey business as a “3-in-3.” Every corner of the organization invested months of effort to prepare for visits from the San Antonio Rampage on Friday night, the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night and the Manitoba Moose on Sunday afternoon. But 27 hours before the Wolves were to open the Allstate Arena doors for the first of these games, the American Hockey ...
Team Picture Day | Ep. 1
March 30, 2020 04:00 - 21 minutes - 10.8 MBOn the night of Wednesday, March 11, every Chicago Wolves player was taking it easy because they knew four busy days lay ahead. Morning practice and the official team picture scheduled for Thursday, then home games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as the team intended to solidify its top-four spot in the AHL’s Central Division standings and the accompanying slot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Then they saw on the news that the NBA had suspended its season because Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert te...
Team Picture Day
March 30, 2020 04:00 - 21 minutes - 10.8 MBOn the night of Wednesday, March 11, every Chicago Wolves player was taking it easy because they knew four busy days lay ahead. Morning practice and the official team picture scheduled for Thursday, then home games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as the team intended to solidify its top-four spot in the AHL’s Central Division standings and the accompanying slot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Then they saw on the news that the NBA had suspended its season because Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert te...
Chicago Wolves: Life Under The Pandemic Trailer
March 26, 2020 20:41 - 1 minute - 1010 KBThe Chicago Wolves 26th season abruptly ended in March 2020, as the nation and world braced for the Coronavirus global pandemic. Join Chicago Wolves Play-By-Play Announcer Jason Shaver as he documents and tracks the challenges and changes facing the team. You'll hear from players, management and staff in this limited-series podcast.