Hurricanes sign three-year AHL affiliation agreement with Chicago Wolves
After much dialogue, an NHL franchise has renewed an affiliation with one of minor league hockey’s most established franchises.
On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes announced it had signed an American Hockey League affiliation agreement with the Chicago Wolves.
The deal begins next season, and will carry through the end of the 2026-27 season.
BREAKING: The Chicago Wolves have entered into a three-year affiliation agreement with @Canes, beginning with the 2024-25 season.
Read more: https://t.co/cVljWoCvxf pic.twitter.com/aSXV3OUtE5
Inside AHL Hockey’s Tony Androckitis was the first to report the agreement on Wednesday. According to the report, the Hurricanes have two one-year options that can extend the affiliation to as far as the 2028-29 season.
“We’re looking forward to being affiliated again and moving forward,” Wolves general manager Wendell Young said in a release. “It’s for the benefit of the Chicago Wolves, the Carolina Hurricanes and the American Hockey League that we have 32 NHL teams and 32 AHL affiliates. It’s good to be partnered with the Hurricanes.”
The Wolves were the Canes’ primary affiliate from 2020 to 2023. Carolina’s prospects helped Chicago win the franchise’s third Calder Cup in 2022. However, during a lackluster 2022-23 campaign, the Wolves elected not to renew their affiliate with the Hurricanes for the 2023-24 season, electing to be the AHL’s first independent franchise in 29 years.
The decision did not pan out for Chicago, as the Wolves finished last in the North Division with 60 points, posting the second-worst record in the league.
“We’re excited to reestablish our AHL affiliation with Chicago and thankful that we could find a solution that worked for both clubs,” Hurricanes President and general manager Don Waddell said. “Many of our prospects have already had success with the Wolves, both individually and as a team, and we’re happy to have secured a consistent environment for their development.”
The Hurricanes played this season without an affiliate, loaning players to the Wolves and the Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis), Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay) and Tucson Roadrunners (Arizona).
Since the Wolves joined the AHL in 2001, they have been affiliated with the Atlanta Thrashers (2001-11), Vancouver Canucks (2011-13), St. Louis Blues (2013-17), Vegas Golden Knights (2017-20) and Nashville Predators (2020-21).