The newest installment of the Chicago Wolves’ Your Favorite Number series, presented by Jewel-Osco, features some the organization’s biggest history-makers. Good luck picking your favorite Wolves skater to wear No. 10!
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, we are creating 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. 10: Steve Larouche, Yuri Butsayev, Jason Krog and Curtis McKenzie.
Larouche stamped his name all over the Wolves record books and the International Hockey League’s Turner Cup during his three-plus seasons with the team. When Larouche was 26 years old, the Wolves acquired the high-scoring winger from the Quebec Rafales late in the 1997-98 season. He delivered nine goals in the final 13 games of the regular season, then added nine more during the playoffs to help the Wolves claim the 1998 Turner Cup. Larouche added 31 regular-season goals in 1999-2000 to spark Chicago to the 2000 Turner Cup championship as well. He finished his Wolves tenure with 84 goals and 144 assists in 203 regular-season appearances, which ranks seventh all-time in goals, assists and points.
Butsayev didn’t spend nearly as long with the Wolves — he appeared in just 33 games — but he delivered one of the biggest moments in franchise history. His goal against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the second overtime of Game 5 lifted the Wolves to the 2002 Calder Cup championship. Butsayev joined the Wolves late in that 2001-02 season (acquired from the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks) and left the team midway through the 2002-03 season to return to Russia. He notched seven goals and four assists in 11 regular-season appearances for the Wolves and seven goals and four assists in 22 playoff games in 2001-02.
Krog was a dominant force throughout his four years with the Wolves, but the Fernie, British Columbia native outdid himself during the 2007-08 campaign. Not only did Krog lead the AHL in goals (39) and assists (73) during the regular season while earning the league’s Most Valuable Player award, he also received the postseason Most Valuable Player honor after stacking up 12 goals and 26 assists to steer the Wolves to their fourth championship. Krog ranks third on the Wolves’ all-time list for assists (244), fifth in points (342) and sixth in goals (98).
McKenzie joined the Wolves prior to the 2018-19 season and made a huge impact in his two years with the organization. Not just on the scoresheet, where he stacked up 37 goals and 59 assists in 132 regular-season games, but in the dressing room, where he was one of the primary leaders of the 2019 Calder Cup finalists. McKenzie led the Wolves during that postseason with eight goals and shared the team lead with 15 points.
To vote for your favorite Wolves player who has worn No. 10, visit one or more of the team’s social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and make your opinion known!
If you missed any of the previous episodes, here they are:
Your Favorite Number 2
Your Favorite Number 3
Your Favorite Number 4
Your Favorite Number 5
Your Favorite Number 6
Your Favorite Number 7
Your Favorite Number 8
Your Favorite Number 9
