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Chicago Wolves win Calder Cup, Hurricanes' prospects shine

June 27, 2022, 12:48 PM ET [4 Comments]
Ben Shelley
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The Chicago Wolves claimed the Calder Cup this weekend, defeating the Springfield Thunderbirds in five games to take the championship series.


It marks the second straight Calder Cup for Carolina’s AHL affiliate, after the Charlotte Checkers won in 2019 and the Cup wasn’t awarded in 2020 or 2021 due to COVID-19. While the Wolves were led in large part by veterans like Josh Leivo, Stefan Noesen and Andrew Poturalski, some of Carolina’s prospects were shining as well.

Jack Drury scored nine goals and 24 points in just 18 playoff games, while defenseman Joey Keane had 12 points in 18 games. Pyotr Kochetkov managed an excellent .950 save percentage with two shutouts over six games as well, while other prospects like Vasili Ponomarev and Jamieson Rees were regulars in the lineup.

Of the bunch, Drury could certainly push for a spot in the NHL next season, after already getting into a couple games with the Hurricanes this past season. Meanwhile, Keane sometimes seems like a bit of an afterthought in the organization due to the team’s defensive depth, but he has a lot of potential and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him earn a roster spot next year, depending on what happens with some of the team’s free agents. Kochetkov seems likely to find himself back in the AHL next season due to the pre-existing tandem of Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, though he’s certainly close to joining the Hurricanes full-time as well.

The win is a good reminder that even with the Hurricanes now as a contending team, they have a lot to look forward to with their prospect pool as well.


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