RALEIGH, NC. -As the Canes move forward post-All-Star break into the third quarter of their season, so do their minor league affiliates in Chicago and Norfolk.
Since we last checked in in early December, COVID-19 wreaked another wave of havoc on the system, seeing many players filter their way up as the virus, and injuries, left openings for both the Hurricanes and Wolves. Nine skaters and two goaltenders have now played in games for both Carolina and Chicago this season, proving the importance of depth at all three levels.
Midseason Minor League Check-In: Chicago & Norfolk
Taking a look at the club's minor league affiliates as they move into the second half of their seasons
Both Ryan Warsofsky and Rod Taylor, the head coaches of Chicago and Norfolk, respectively, were kind enough to offer some insight on where their clubs are at today.
The Chicago Wolves:
Current Record: 27-10-3-4 (61 Points - First, Central Division & First, Western Conference)
In early December the Wolves were in first place with three players among the league leaders in scoring. A little over two months later, not a whole lot has changed from that perspective, as Warsofsky's crew holds an eight-point lead in the American Hockey League's (AHL) Central Division and Andrew Poturalski, Stefan Noesen and C.J. Smith all sit inside the top ten among all AHL skaters in points.
While it may look like everything has remained the same, the Wolves have had to dig deep in finding ways to win, competing in a stretch without the above trio, as well as Jack Drury, on top of battling through several goaltending injuries and recalls.
"Our group is realizing as a whole what our identity is as a team and the way that we need to play," the 34-year-old head coach shared. "I think in the early part of the season our team didn't really understand how we needed to play for 60 minutes, but I think we know now. We know what our identity is and when we play to it, we get a lot of success. That's been the biggest thing as of late."
One of the players that Warsofsky cites as a testament to to the team identity is Jalen Chatfield, who was
awarded a two-year contract extension
with the Canes in January. Having played in seven games with Carolina and 30 with Chicago, the right-handed defenseman is viewed as someone who possesses the ability to play at either level on any given night.
"He's one of the best defensemen in the league, as far as his all around game. He does everything well," Warsofsky raved of Chatfield. "His skating is elite at this level and he's shown he can hang at the NHL level and play with those guys. He's got a good stick, he knows his identity and his feet keep him out of trouble. He's a great guy to coach, he's come into his game. As a defenseman it takes time to develop and I know he's played three or four years in the AHL, but he's coming into himself with who he is as a defenseman at the pro level. He's figuring it out. He deserved the extension. He plays the way we want to play both here in Chicago and there in Carolina. He got rewarded and he should have."
As Chatfield secures the back end and the team now has a share of the league lead with their 61 points, they've recently been bolstered with the welcomed return of Canes 2019 first round pick, Ryan Suzuki. The 20-year-old was out of the lineup from October 29 until January 28, but is now getting back on track in his first full professional season.
"So far he's been better than expected [in his return], to be honest. He was away for about ten weeks and our training staff did a really good job of keeping him in shape and our assistant coaches did a really good job of keeping him ready, so when he got back in there, he didn't have as much rust as we thought he might. He's exceeded our expectations since getting back in," Warsofsky said of the organization's prospect. "He's been inconsistent at times, but for him it's playing with the puck and we're challenging him to play with the puck as much as possible. He's got great vision, he can see the ice well, he's got good vision and great skill. When he's making plays on the rush, that's when he's at his best. A lot of times the jump from junior to the American League, you have more time to make plays with the puck than you think and he's figuring that out. It's slowing down for him, he's making more plays and his skill level is coming out. I'm excited to see his development here in the second half."
The Norfolk Admirals:
Current Record: 16-24-2-2 (36 Points - T-6th, South Division & T-11th, Eastern Conference)
As Chicago experiences their success, Norfolk Head Coach Rod Taylor has had to endure a bit more a bumpy road with his group. With 28 games to go in their regular season, they currently look at a 15-point deficit that they'll have to overcome to get back into the playoff picture.
"Right now we're struggling. We're an up and down team. We need to be more consistent," Taylor began with. "We started playing really well at times, and then there's times where we just don't. We got hit with COVID, injuries and everything, so the chemistry of the team has changed quite a bit. If we want to be better we have to find that consistency and find that will to play for one another within the locker room. I know they're a tight group, but when we get on the ice we all have to play the same systems and play hard for each other."
One player that could be an integral part of the hopeful push up the standings for Norfolk is Canes prospect Blake Murray, who is in his first North American professional season. Drafted in the sixth round (#183 overall) in 2019, Murray has 17 points in 37 games for the Admirals thus far this season. He was drafted out of Sudbury in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a place where he racked up 72 points in 63 games in what would be his final season there.
"Blake's got a lot of talent. He's got a good shot. He's got a knack to score goals," Taylor spoke with excitement about the forward.
However, it's not all just about scoring for the 20-year-old, something he's learning about the professional levels now.
"He's a young guy and he's jumping into a game with a lot of older players in it and he's trying to make the adjustment. He's trying to do it to be better, and he's struggled, but he's learning a lot. He's coming along. I think the game is different at this level than what he's expected, but, again, he's learning. He knows he has to play harder and be more consistent."
As the team tries to put together a strong second half on the ice, something that they have to look forward to no matter their results is
hosting the 2023 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic
. The event is set to be played at Norfolk Scope Arena on January 16, 2023. It's the second time in organization history that they'll play host and the first since 1994, when the Admirals hosted the second-ever edition of the event.
"The eyes are going to be on us, right? The whole country is going to be looking at us. I'll be honest though, that worries me because everything needs to be done in the right fashion. You want to be better than the last city that hosted it and we want to keep being better for the City of Norfolk."
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