The Chicago Wolves announced Thursday that forward Brandon Pirri and defenseman Erik Brannstrom have been assigned to the team by the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. The highly regarded duo brings the Wolves training camp roster to 41 players.
The 27-year-old Pirri excelled last year during his first season with the Wolves. The Chicago resident produced 29 goals — which shared the team lead as well as seventh place in the American Hockey League — while adding 23 assists for 52 points in 57 games. Pirri earned an invitation to the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic, but had to decline the honor due to injury.
Brännström, a 19-year-old rookie from Eksjö, Sweden, was the 15th overall selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The Vegas Golden Knights prospect stayed in Sweden last year to play for HV71 Jonkoping, for whom he posted 2 goals and 13 assists in 44 games, but he moved to North America this year. He appeared in five Vegas exhibition games and produced two goals and two assists, which doesn’t include the game-winning shootout goal on Sept. 22 against the San Jose Sharks.
Pirri and Brännström join the team for the final stages of training camp, which concludes Saturday with a 6 p.m. exhibition game at Milwaukee.
The Wolves open their 25th season on Friday, Oct. 5, at Colorado, then host their home opener gala on Saturday, Oct. 13, against the Grand Rapids Grffins at Allstate Arena. The season-long 25th anniversary celebration includes free parking for all 38 home games courtesy of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Kia dealers.
