On April 6th, 2023, the hockey world learned that the Chicago Wolves were ending their NHL affiliate agreement with the Carolina Hurricanes after the 2022-23 season concludes and will go fully independent next season. This will be the first time since the 1994-95 season that a team from the AHL operates independently without an NHL affiliate.
During the Wolves’ time in the AHL, they have been affiliated with the Atlanta Thrashers (2001-2011), Vancouver Canucks (2011-2013), St. Louis Blues (2013-2017), Vegas Golden Knights (2017-2020), and Carolina Hurricanes (2021-23). In addition, during the pandemic-shortened 2021 season, the Wolves were also the affiliate for the Nashville Predators along with the Hurricanes.
In recent months, some NHL executives and independent owners have had ruffled feathers with AHL President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson. For reasons why is unknown but more will come out when the AHL holds its Board of Governors meeting later this month.
With the Wolves going independent, they have the freedom to build their roster, something they did in the past when they played in the International Hockey League from 1994 until its demise in 2001. However, some teams in the IHL did accept players on loan from various National Hockey League (NHL) clubs for development.
The Wolves have stated that they would be open to receiving players on loan from NHL clubs. In the AHL, teams are not allowed to dress more than six veteran players who’ve played in 260 or more career professional games in the NHL or international leagues like the KHL and SHL.
Leaving the AHL would eliminate that for the Wolves. Acquiring talent won’t be an issue. You will have players either looking to rebuild their playing careers like some who’ve dealt with injuries and haven’t been able to make it to the NHL, players who had bad reputations that got kicked out of the league, veterans who are looking for one last paycheck, or simply those that never got an opportunity and have had to leave North America to play in Europe.
The Wolves were one of six teams that moved to the AHL in 2001. The others were Milwaukee, Houston, Manitoba, Utah, and Grand Rapids. Of those six teams, Houston folded in 2013 and Utah folded in 2005. A second incarnation of the Grizzlies started shortly after and plays in the ECHL.
Currently, there are 11 independently owned AHL teams. They are Charlotte, Lehigh Valley, Grand Rapids, Providence, Hershey, Springfield, Milwaukee, Syracuse, Colorado, and Cleveland. Some of these teams like Lehigh Valley and Grand Rapids have a great relationship with their NHL clubs.
Should the AHL meetings go south, I think there is a real possibility that the Chicago Wolves could bolt the AHL and move to an independent league like the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). The SPHL has been in existence since 2004. In addition, it could trigger other independently owned teams like Charlotte to leave the AHL in the foreseeable future.
Charlotte is currently affiliated with the Florida Panthers. However, in my last post, I think the AHL is getting set to expand into the southeastern United States, and Charlotte could lose its affiliation with Florida as many NHL clubs want their AHL teams close by.
The Panthers could promote their ECHL team, the Florida Everblades up to the AHL in the near future, and Charlotte would not have anyone unless they get back together with the Carolina Hurricanes which I don’t see happening because of their rocky relationship in the past.
The SPHL has its team setup in the central and southeastern United States. A perfect location for both Chicago and Charlotte. For Charlotte, the SPHL has teams in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Roanoke, Virginia, Macon, Georgia, and Pensacola, Florida, while near Chicago are Evansville, Indiana, Peoria, Illinois, and Moline, Illinois.
These locations for both cities are perfect. The cost of travel would be less, especially for a team like Charlotte, which doesn’t have any AHL teams nearby and could develop rivalries with Fayetteville, Roanoke, Macon, and Pensacola, while Chicago can renew its rivalry with the Peoria Rivermen.
If Chicago leaves the AHL or is forced out, they should consider joining the SPHL. The league is in a great position to evolve. Chicago would be one of the SPHL’s biggest markets, and if this were to happen, I think the league should consider rebranding itself.
The SPHL has grown in recent years since its inception and they could rename themselves as a new incarnation of the International Hockey League, United Hockey League, or go with a new identity. Either way, a new identity for the SPHL would make it feel more like an international league than a regional one.
The Chicago Wolves are an important franchise for minor league hockey. They are in the driver’s seat which can determine where the future of minor league hockey is going. I believe the Wolves have had enough of the NHL and AHL shenanigans and are looking to be their own boss without having an NHL club tell them what players to start and whom they should release.
By leaving the AHL, they have freedom from the constraints of the NHL. How will they do on their own remains a mystery but you can be sure that fans will get to see their players all season long without losing them to the NHL. The SPHL would perfectly fit the Chicago Wolves’ next journey.
