Welcome to the newest installment of the Chicago Wolves’ Your Favorite Number series, presented by Jewel-Osco!
Over the course of the organization’s first 26 years, most Wolves jersey numbers have been shared by several great players. To celebrate their brilliance — and to link them together in our memories — we are unveiling highlight reels of Wolves who wore the same jersey number and asking you to vote for your favorite.
This week’s video features four Wolves who excelled while wearing No. 3: Paul Koch, Noah Welch, Joel Edmundson and Teemu Pulkkinen.
St. Paul native Koch (1996-99) was a staple on the blue line for three seasons. Known as a physical, stay-at-home defenseman, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Koch contributed 5 goals and 17 assists in 162 regular-season games. During the 1997-98 season that wound up with the Wolves capturing their first Turner Cup, Koch played 70 regular-season games and posted 1 goal, 7 assists, a +8 plus/minus rating and 99 penalty minutes.
The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Welch (2009-11) in the second round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He didn’t launch his professional career, though, until he spent four years at Harvard and earned a degree in Government. Welch was four years into his professional career when he made his debut with the Wolves. He notched 3 goals and 15 assists in 87 regular-season games for Chicago. He also played 14 Calder Cup Playoff games in 2010.
Two bonus facts: During Welch’s time with the Wolves, Paul Postma was one of his teammates. Now Postma is his brother-in-law as Welch married his sister, Alissa. In the final months of his professional career, the Brighton, Massachusetts, native served as an alternate captain for the 2018 United States Olympic hockey team.
Edmundson (2013-16) joined the Wolves straight out of juniors at the age of 20. The St. Louis Blues’ second-round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft asserted himself as a physical presence on the blue line with the ability to jump into the play and score. “Eddie” produced eight goals and 12 assists in 100 regular-season games with the Wolves. He also delivered two goals during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. Edmundson has spent the last four seasons in the NHL. He capped his three-year run with the Blues by hoisting the Stanley Cup, then spent last season with the Carolina Hurricanes. Last week, Carolina traded Edmundson to the Montreal Canadiens.
Pulkkinen (2017-18) spent just one season with the Wolves, but he led the team in points (65) and shared the lead in goals (29). The Vantaa, Finland, native boasted a wicked right-handed shot and was one of the AHL’s most-feared scorers during the mid-2010s. He also spent parts of four seasons in the NHL and posted 13 goals in 83 games. Since playing for the Wolves, Pulkkinen has moved to the KHL and delivered 38 goals in 100 games.
To vote for your favorite Wolves player who has worn No. 3, visit one or more of the team’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and make your opinion known!
If you missed the previous episode, here it is:
Your Favorite Number 2
