Closing out a six-game series over the Stockton Heat on Tuesday night at Allstate Arena, the Wolves will take on the winner of Wednesday's Game 7 between the Laval Rocket (MTL) and Springfield Thunderbirds (STL).
"Anytime your NHL club can make the playoffs and you can also have success with your AHL team, it should lead to sustained organizational success," Canes Assistant General Manager Darren Yorke began of the accomplishment. "I think it's one thing to have success in the AHL with a roster full of veterans, but right now in Chicago we have a really strong mix. That should allow us as an organization to look back on the year and be pretty proud of both teams."
Chicago's veteran pieces, namely Josh Leivo, Stefan Noesen and Andrew Poturalski have been key contributors to the team's success all year long and that has continued to be the case into May and June. Leivo leads all AHL skaters with his 20 points in 13 games, while Noesen (16) and Poturalski (14) follow right behind. The trio make up three of the league's six leading scorers thus far in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
"Those are the guys that you need in the locker room to teach and to set an example - because they've been through it before," Canes Director of Hockey Operations Aaron Schwartz, another architect of the club, offered. "A lot of them have spent time in the NHL. You have to have the right mix and I think we did that pretty well."
As for the batch of younger players that could be next in line to make the jump to becoming full-timers in the Hurricanes lineup, Jack Drury, Joey Keane and Pyotr Kochetkov have all produced in an impressive way of their own during their first stint of North American professional postseason play.
Drury, who provided an unforgettable NHL debut in December by recording two goals in his first two games, has now published 16 points in 13 playoff games. The rookie already leads all first-year players with his 16 points and over the course of the last decade only three players have published more during a run at the Calder Cup. Now with one final series to work, Drury could catch or pass Morgan Geekie (18, Charlotte - 2019), Danton Heinen (18, Providence - 2017) and Michael Mersch (22, Manchester - 2015).
Keane leads all Wolves blueliners with his seven points, a total that ranks tied for sixth among all AHL defensemen this postseason. Perhaps more praiseworthy though is that the right-handed prospect has been an anchor on a defensive unit that has held teams to just 26 goals against in 13 games.
Of course some of that credit belongs to Kochetkov and Alex Lyon as well, both of whom recorded shutouts during their series win over Stockton. Kochetkov's first North American pro shutout came in the Game 6 victory, turning away all 28 shots faced.
