As the 2010s come to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on all of the terrific players and teams the Chicago Wolves have put on the ice over the last 10 years. It’s also time to vote for the Wolves’ All-Decade Team.
During this decade, the Wolves have captured six division titles (2010, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019) and stormed all the way to the 2019 Calder Cup Finals.
Successful teams require excellent goaltenders — and the Wolves have had more than their share. It wasn’t easy narrowing it down to four finalists for the honor of Wolves Goaltender of the Decade, but here are the candidates in alphabetical order:
WOLVES ALL-DECADE CANDIDATES
Allen spent just one season with the Wolves, but it was a magical one. The Fredericton, New Brunswick, native paced the AHL in wins (33), goals-against average (2.03) and save percentage (.928) while backstopping the Wolves to the 2014 Midwest Division title. For his efforts, Allen earned the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the league’s best goaltender. Allen has been with the St. Louis Blues ever since, which includes the 2019 Stanley Cup championship squad.
Binnington played three full seasons for the Wolves (2014-17). Along the way, the Richmond Hill, Ontario, native posted a 59-40-12 record with 6 shutouts, a 2.62 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 118 games. Binnington moved on to the AHL’s Providence Bruins and San Antonio Rampage before joining the St. Louis Blues at midseason and leading them all the way to the 2019 Stanley Cup.
Climie spent four full seasons with the Wolves (2011-15) and wound up second behind Wendell Young on virtually every Wolves all-time leaderboard. He produced a 69-60-8 record with 9 shutouts, a 2.52 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 145 games. After wrapping up his time with the Wolves, Climie moved to Europe and played for four more seasons through age 36.
Dansk joined the Wolves prior to the 2017-18 season. With the exception of a handful of stints with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, Dansk has been a stalwart for the team throughout his tenure — which includes serving as the workhorse for the run to the 2019 Calder Cup Finals as he appeared in 19 of the 22 games. Heading into this weekend’s action, Dansk owns a 46-22-4 record with 4 shutouts, a 2.60 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage in regular-season play.
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