The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League (AHL). They are members of the Midwest division in the Western Conference.[1] The Wolves were founded in 1994, as an expansion team in the International Hockey League (IHL).[2] They joined the AHL in 2001, following the league's absorption of the IHL.[3] In twenty professional seasons Chicago has won four league championships, six conference titles, and seven division championships, while failing to qualify for the playoffs five times.
The Wolves' first title came in the 1997–98 season when they won the Turner Cup as IHL champions.[4] Two seasons later Chicago set a franchise record for points with 114, which helped them win the Fred A. Huber Trophy as the team with the league's best record.[5][6] The Wolves continued their success in the playoffs losing four total games in three series en route to their second Turner Cup.[7] In the IHL's final season the Wolves again won the Western Conference, but lost in the finals to the Orlando Solar Bears in five games. Joining the AHL for the 2001–02 season, they became the sixth team in league history to win the Calder Cup in their first year.[8] Chicago's second season witnessed them play 23 overtime games, with the Wolves winning an AHL single season record 11 of the contests. Additionally, 7 of the wins came on home ice, which is also a league record.[9] They captured their second Calder Cup in 2008, after defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the finals.
Finish |
Final position in division or conference standings |
GA |
Goals against (goals scored by the Wolves' opponents) |
GF |
Goals for (goals scored by the Wolves) |
GP |
Number of games played |
L |
Number of losses |
OT |
Number of losses in overtime |
SOL |
Number of losses in the shootout |
PIM |
Penalties in minutes |
Pts |
Number of points |
T |
Number of ties |
W |
Number of wins |
League Champions † | Conference Champions * | Division Champions ^ | Regular season league leader ¤ |
League season | Conference | Division | Regular-season | Postseason | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finish | GP | W | L | T | OT | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | GP | W | L | GF | GA | Result | |||||||
International Hockey League | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1994–95 | — | Northern | 3rd | 81 | 34 | 33 | — | 14 | 0 | 82 | 261 | 306 | 2,223 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 16 | Lost in first round 0–3 (Kalamazoo Wings)[10] | ||||
1995–96 | — | Midwest | 2nd | 82 | 40 | 34 | — | — | 8 | 88 | 288 | 310 | 2,423 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 29 | 32 | Won in first round 3–1 (San Francisco Spiders) Lost in Quarterfinals 1–4 (Las Vegas Thunder)[11] | ||||
1996–97 | — | Midwest | 3rd | 82 | 40 | 36 | — | — | 6 | 86 | 276 | 290 | 1,508 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 14 | Lost in first round 1–3 (San Antonio Dragons)[12] | ||||
1997–98 | Western* | Midwest^ | 1st | 82 | 55¤ | 24 | — | — | 3 | 113 | 301¤ | 258 | 1,751 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 77 | 63 | Won in first round 3–0 (Manitoba Moose) Won in Quarterfinals 4–2 (Milwaukee Admirals) Won in Semifinals 4–2 (Long Beach Ice Dogs) Won in Turner Cup Finals 4–3 (Detroit Vipers)†[13] | ||||
1998–99 | Western | Midwest^ | 1st | 82 | 49 | 21 | — | — | 12 | 110 | 285 | 246 | 2,044 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 27 | 32 | Won quarterfinals 3–0 (Manitoba Moose) Lost in Semifinals 3–4 (Houston Aeros)[14] | ||||
1999–00 | Western* | — | 1st | 82 | 53¤ | 21 | — | — | 8 | 114¤ | 270¤ | 228 | 1,695 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 55 | 39 | Won quarterfinals 4–0 (Long Beach Ice Dogs) Won in Semifinals 4–2 (Houston Aeros) Won in Turner Cup Finals 4–2 (Grand Rapids Griffins)†[7] | ||||
2000–01 | Western* | — | 1st | 82 | 43 | 32 | — | — | 7 | 93 | 267 | 249 | 1,563 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 47 | 43 | Won quarterfinals 4–1 (Milwaukee Admirals) Won in Semifinals 4–2 (Manitoba Moose) Lost in Turner Cup Finals 1–4 (Orlando Solar Bears)[15] | ||||
American Hockey League | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2001–02 | Western* | West | 4th | 80 | 37 | 31 | 7 | 5 | — | 86 | 250 | 236 | 1,695 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 74 | 58 | Won in Conference Qualifier 2–1 (Cincinnati Mighty Ducks) Won in Conference Quarterfinals 3–2 (Grand Rapids Griffins) Won in Conference Semifinals 4–3 (Syracuse Crunch) Won in Conference Finals 4–1 (Houston Aeros) Won in Calder Cup Finals 4–1 (Bridgeport Sound Tigers)†[16] | ||||
2002–03 | Western | West | 2nd | 80 | 43 | 25 | 8 | 4 | — | 98 | 276 | 237 | 1,905 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 21 | 21 | Won in Conference Quarterfinals 3–2 (Hershey Bears) Lost in Conference Semifinals 4–0 (Grand Rapids Griffins)[17] | ||||
2003–04 | Western | West | 2nd | 80 | 42 | 26 | 9 | 3 | — | 96 | 246 | 208 | 1,658 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 31 | 24 | Won in Division Semifinals 4–0 (Grand Rapids Griffins) Lost in Division Finals 2–4 (Milwaukee Admirals)[18] | ||||
2004–05 | Western* | West^ | 1st | 80 | 49 | 24 | — | 5 | 2 | 105 | 245 | 211 | 1,954 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 50 | 32 | Won in Division Semifinals 4–1 (Houston Aeros) Won in Division Finals 4–1 (Cincinnati Mighty Ducks) Won in Conference Finals 4–0 (Manitoba Moose) Lost in Calder Cup Finals 0–4 (Philadelphia Phantoms)[19] | ||||
2005–06 | Western | West | 5th | 80 | 36 | 32 | — | 4 | 8 | 84 | 278 | 275 | 2,028 | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify | ||||
2006–07 | Western | West | 2nd | 80 | 46 | 25 | — | 3 | 6 | 101 | 331¤ | 252 | 1,704 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 51 | 36 | Won in Division Semifinals 4–0 (Milwaukee Admirals) Won in Division Finals 4–2 (Iowa Stars) Lost in Conference Finals 1–4 (Hamilton Bulldogs)[20] | ||||
2007–08 | Western* | West^ | 1st | 80 | 53 | 22 | — | 2 | 3 | 111 | 300¤ | 226 | 1,869 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 76 | 52 | Won in Division Semifinals 4–2 (Milwaukee Admirals) Won in Division Finals 4–3 (Rockford IceHogs) Won in Conference Finals 4–1 (Toronto Marlies) Won in Calder Cup Finals 4–2 (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins)†[21] | ||||
2008–09 | Western | West | 6th | 80 | 38 | 37 | — | 3 | 2 | 81 | 226 | 222 | 1,288 | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify | ||||
2009–10 | Western | West^ | 1st | 80 | 49 | 24 | — | 1 | 6 | 105 | 264 | 214 | 1,112 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 44 | 46 | Won in Division Semifinals 4–3 (Milwaukee Admirals) Lost in Division Finals 3–4 (Texas Stars)[22] | ||||
2010–11 | Western | West | 6th | 80 | 39 | 30 | — | 5 | 6 | 89 | 260 | 262 | 1402 | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify | ||||
2011–12 | Western | Midwest^ | 1st | 76 | 42 | 27 | — | 4 | 3 | 91 | 213 | 193 | 1,065 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 15 | Lost in Conference Quarterfinals 2–3 (San Antonio Rampage)[23] | ||||
2012–13 | Western | Midwest | 4th | 76 | 37 | 30 | — | 5 | 4 | 83 | 204 | 207 | 1,090 | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify | ||||
2013–14 | Western | Midwest^ | 1st | 76 | 45 | 21 | — | 5 | 5 | 100 | 239 | 191 | 1,026 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 32 | Won in Conference Quarterfinals 3–2 (Rochester Americans) Lost in Conference Semifinals 0–4 (Toronto Marlies)[24] | ||||
2014–15 | Western | Midwest | 3rd | 76 | 40 | 29 | — | 6 | 1 | 87 | 210 | 198 | 1,076 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 13 | Lost in Conference Quarterfinals 2–3 (Utica Comets) | ||||
2015–16 | Western | Central | 6th | 76 | 33 | 35 | — | 5 | 3 | 74 | 194 | 228 | 1,230 | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify | ||||
2016–17 | Western | Central^ | 1st | 76 | 44 | 19 | — | 8 | 5 | 101 | 251 | 200 | 947 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 29 | 35 | Won Division Semifinals 3–2 (Charlotte Checkers) Lost division finals 1–4 (Grand Rapids Griffins) | ||||
2017–18 | Western | Central^ | 1st | 76 | 42 | 23 | — | 7 | 4 | 95 | 244 | 208 | 848 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | Lost Division Semifinals 0–3 (Rockford IceHogs) | ||||
2018–19 | Western* | Central^ | 1st | 76 | 44 | 22 | — | 6 | 4 | 98 | 250 | 199 | 886 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 64 | 67 | Won Division Semifinals 3–2 (Grand Rapids Griffins) Won Division Finals 4–2 (Iowa Wild) Won Conference Finals 4–2 (San Diego Gulls) Lost Calder Cup Finals 1–4 (Charlotte Checkers) | ||||
IHL totals | 573 | 314 | 201 | — | 14 | 44 | 686 | 1,948 | 1,887 | 13,207 | 80 | 47 | 33 | 255 | 239 | 7 playoff appearances | |||||||
AHL totals | 1,408 | 759 | 482 | 24 | 81 | 62 | 1,684 | 4,181 | 3,967 | 24,783 | 168 | 93 | 76 | 495 | 442 | 13 playoff appearances | |||||||
Franchise totals | 1,981 | 1,073 | 683 | 24 | 95 | 106 | 2,370 | 6,129 | 5,854 | 37,990 | 248 | 140 | 109 | 750 | 681 | 20 playoff appearances |