SUZUKI, MORROW EARN ALL-STAR NODS

January 08, 2025

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STARRING ROLES

The Wolves’ surge up the Central Division standings has drawn the attention of many around the hockey world, including those who selected the rosters for the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic.

The American Hockey League announced Wednesday the 2025 AHL All-Star Rosters, presented by FloHockey, and the Wolves will have two representatives participating in the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic to be held Feb. 2-3 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif.

Forward Ryan Suzuki and defenseman Scott Morrow have been selected to the Central Division team–the first AHL All-Star Classic appearance for each player.

“It’s pretty cool,” Suzuki said of the honor. “This will be my first time going. I haven’t had a fresh start to a season because I’ve been hurt at the start of the year pretty much every year. It’s good to finally be healthy and get recognized to go to the All-Star Game.”

The 23-year-old Suzuki, selected in the first round (28th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes, tops the Wolves in scoring (23 points) and assists (20) in 29 games this season. The London, Ont., native has spent four of his five seasons in the AHL with the Wolves.

Thus far in his professional career, the storyline surrounding Suzuki have been the injuries that plagued him and keeping him from reaching his full potential. This season with the Wolves, the London, Ont., native has missed only one game and the offensive production has followed.

“You go your whole summer and train really hard for the season and then to have something set you back right after the start of the year is always tough, but coming here healthy and getting back into the swing of things feels good,” Suzuki said. “For me, personally, I always felt I could play at a high level. To get off to the start I have is pretty awesome and I’m just going to keep going.”

What is Suzuki most looking forward to in his first appearance in an All-Star Classic?

“Just seeing all the different guys in the league because we don’t get to see a lot of the teams throughout the year,” he said. “Hopefully, a couple of my buddies throughout my hockey career are there with me. It will be fun.”

Joining Suzuki on the trip out West will be the 22-year-old Morrow, who ranks 10th in the league in scoring among defensemen with 19 points and is tied for first among blue liners with nine goals. The rookie was a second-round (40th overall) selection by the Hurricanes in the 2021 entry draft.

“I’m fortunate it was me but there are lot of deserving guys on our team who could have been chosen,” Morrow said. “It’s my first year in the league and it’s a really good league and I’m playing against really good players every night so I’m really honored that I was selected.”

Morrow has made a seamless transition from UMass-Amherst to the pros, becoming one of the Wolves’ most dangerous offensive weapons from the back end.

“Pro hockey fits me better than college hockey in some ways,” Morrow said. “As you can see by some of the goals I’ve scored, I get myself into good positions away from the puck and let my teammates find me. At lower levels not everybody can do that. Here having great teams to play off has really helped me find my game.”

Morrow has notched two hat tricks this season, becoming the first AHL defenseman with multiple hat tricks in the same season since T.J. Brennan accomplished the feat with Toronto during the 2013-14 campaign.

It is efforts like those that have put Morrow into the spotlight and helped him earn All-Star Classic honors.

“It clearly means somebody is noticing that I’m a talented player who works hard and contributes to winning,” Morrow said of the selection. “It’s cool to get recognized. I’m going to stay humble and keep working.”

“It will be cool to meet some other players,” Morrow said of attending the events hosted by the Coachella Valley Firebirds. “The biggest thing will be being around some of the best players in the league. I’m going to be able to learn from them and pick up little things to add to my game.”

The 2025 AHL All-Star Classic will include the AHL All-Stars Skills Competition on Sunday, Feb. 2 followed by the AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony on Monday, Feb. 3 and the 2025 AHL All-Star Challenge later that evening.

Joining Suzuki and Morrow on the Central Division squad are Grand Rapids’ Sebastian Cossa and Austin Watson, Iowa’s Liam Ohgren, Manitoba’s Elias Salomonsson, Milwaukee’s Vinnie Hinostroza and Matt Murray, Rockford’s Frank Nazar and Texas’ Lian Bichsel, Justin Hryckowian and Curtis McKenzie (C).

‘AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE’

It wasn’t the ending he or his Team Canada teammates envisioned, but Bradly Nadeau is taking the positives out of his recent appearance in the IIHF 2025 World Junior Championship. Canada was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Team Czechia.

“It was an amazing experience,” Nadeau said. “Everyone dreams of growing up to be able to play for the national under-20 team. I got to experience that last week but it was a tough way to end it.”

The St.-Francois-de-Madawaska, NB, native had two goals in five games for Team Canada and said playing on one of hockey’s biggest stages in the world was a confidence boost.

“Just knowing that you made that roster definitely helps with the confidence,” said Nadeau, who has seven goals and nine assists in 24 games with the Wolves this season. “It’s a big stage and it was an amazing experience and really fun to play in.”

 

IMPACT PLAY OF THE WEEK

During the first period of the Wolves’ 4-0 victory over the IceHogs on Saturday night at Allstate Arena, forward Bradly Nadeau netted this gem against Rockford goaltender Drew Commesso.

C.D.E. COLLISION CENTERS’ COLLISION OF THE WEEK

Wolves defenseman Riley Stillman lowered the boom on the Iowa Wild’s Hunter Haight during Thursday night’s game at Allstate Arena.

SAVE OF THE WEEK

With the Wolves clinging to a 3-2 advantage over Iowa late in Thursday night’s game at Allstate Arena, goaltender Spencer Martin robbed the Wild’s Michael Milne to preserve the lead and the victory.

 

Weekly rewind (2-1-0-0)

THURSDAY, JAN. 2

Wolves 3, Wild 2: Austin Wagner and Aleksi Heimosalmi each had a goal and an assist and Ethan Keppen also scored to lift the Wolves to their second win in a row and eighth triumph in their last nine games.

SATURDAY, JAN. 4

Wolves 4, IceHogs 0: Scott Morrow had a hat trick and Bradly Nadeau scored to provide the offense for Wolves goaltender Spencer Martin, who made 20 saves for his first shutout of the season. Josiah Slavin chipped in with two assists.

SUNDAY, JAN. 5

IceHogs 5, Wolves 3: Noel Gunler had a goal and two assists while Nikita Pavlychev and Justin Robidas each scored and added an assist but the Wolves fell short when Joey Anderson scored the winner—he had four goals and an assist in the game—late in the third period for Rockford.

First Star of the Week

Where we stand

17-11-2-0, third in the Central Division.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE