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DEFENSEMAN ‘SUPER PROUD’ TO BE RECOGNIZED
There’s just one area of Domenick Fensore’s game that hasn’t blossomed this season: The Wolves defenseman still doesn’t possess a great ability to praise his own actions.
“I don’t really talk about myself too much,” Fensore said. “I just come to the rink every day and work hard and hopefully it rubs off on guys around me to do the same.”
That quiet determination and work ethic has helped lead to a career season for Fensore, including being named recipient of the 2025 Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award. The award celebrates the Wolves player who best exemplifies the late Breslin’s on-ice spirit, team-first attitude and level of community involvement.
“It’s a huge honor,” Fensore said. “There are a lot of great guys on our team it could have gone to so I’m super proud that the fans voted me for this.”
The 23-year-old Fensore, in his second season with the Wolves after spending four years at Boston University, shares many traits with Breslin, who passed away on Feb. 9, 2005, due to complications from appendiceal cancer. The Addison, Ill., native and Driscoll Catholic High School graduate contributed 37 goals and 82 assists in five seasons with the Wolves and played a major role on the franchise’s first championship team in 1998.
Luckily, those who spend the most time with Fensore aren’t shy to discuss the Bronxville, N.Y. native’s many virtues—on and off the ice.
“Dom first of all exemplifies everything it means to be a good team player,” said Wolves assistant coach Spiros Anastas, who oversees the team’s defensemen. “He brings intensity, a strong work ethic and enthusiasm day in and day out in practices, games, morning skates, off-ice workouts, no matter what it is.
“When he’s able to bring it every single time he pulls people with him,” Anastas continued. “He’s a leader in those regards and he’s somebody who wants to continue to get better.”
Fensore’s fellow blue liner and roommate of two years, Ronan Seeley, says his teammate “brings a bit of everything” to the Wolves.
“He’s very charismatic and he has a lot of energy,” Seeley added. “He’s just a great teammate all around and then on the ice he’s an unreal player. He competes so hard and is such a great skater that it’s pretty obvious why he’s the unsung hero of our team. He’s a stellar human.”
Fensore, who was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round (90th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has already set career highs with seven goals, 21 assists, 28 points, 35 penalty minutes and a plus-minus rating of plus-10 in 59 games.
In addition, Fensore leads all AHL defensemen with three shorthanded goals and five shorthanded points this season.
“This year I’ve been gaining a lot of confidence,” Fensore said. “I’ve always believed in myself. I’ve been given a good opportunity here and I knew I could run with it if I focused and really concentrated on what I had to do. Hopefully, I’ll just keep it going and help this team win.”
Wolves fans determined the 2025 Breslin Award winner as they voted at ChicagoWolves.com for the three candidates nominated by the organization’s hockey management staff: Fensore, Seeley and Nikita Pavlychev.
Previous winners of the distinguished Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award include Kyle Marino last season as well as Cavan Fitzgerald (2023), Max Lajoie (2022), Jake Bischoff (2020), Zac Leslie (2019), T.J. Tynan (2018), Bryce Gervais (2017), Andre Benoit (2016), Brent Regner (2014, 2015), Bill Sweatt (2013), Mark Matheson (2012), Jaime Sifers (2011), Matt Anderson (2010), Steve Martins (2009), Brian Sipotz (2008), Brian Fahey (2007), Kevin Doell (2006) and Tim Wedderburn (2005).
In addition to honoring Fensore, the Wolves announced the winner of the Tim Breslin Memorial Scholarship, given to an area high school student to help defray college tuition.
This year’s winner is Claire Murphy, a senior at Fenwick High School who is a member of the National Honors Society, plays on the girls basketball team, is Spanish Club President and Student Council Secretary.
Claire is also involved in her community, having volunteered at the Chicago Common Food Pantry.
Knowing Murphy was awarded the scholarship means a great deal to Fensore, who has been active in the Wolves’ charitable initiatives, most notably the organization’s “Read to Succeed” program.
“Getting a scholarship is something you dream about and to help someone out in that way is a great honor, especially since it means she’s done a great job and has earned it,” Fensore said.
DOMINIC FRANCO NEARING HIS RETURN
Thus far, it has been a lost season on the ice for Dominic Franco.
That could change soon as the forward is close to making his 2024-25 debut after being sidelined since the second day of training camp with a shoulder injury.
The 29-year-old, who dislocated his shoulder on a fluke play during camp and underwent surgery in mid-October, has been a full participant in recent practices and is eager to join the lineup for the stretch run of the season.
“It’s great to be back on the ice full-go,” Franco said. “We’re getting into the fun part of the year so I’m hoping to contribute as much as I can. I feel about as good as I could ask for after having surgery.”
Franco, who has been a constant presence around teammates as he recovers from the injury, praised the Wolves training staff—including athletic trainers Austin Kasper and Jim Schroeder along with strength and conditioning coach Jake Nitsche—with helping get him game-ready.
“There were a couple of dark days for sure at the start of it but I have to give credit to the strength and athletic trainers,” Franco said. “They did a really good job keeping me in it and helping push me because it’s not easy having long recoveries.”
The injury setback was particularly disappointing to Franco as he hoped to take another step in his development during his second season in Chicago. Last season with the Wolves, Franco set career highs in goals (four), assists (eight), points (12) and penalty minutes (90) in 56 games.
“It’s the unfortunate part of this game,” Franco said of being injured. “It’s physical, it’s tough and sometimes things don’t go your way. We’ve had a number of guys who have had to deal with things this year but what makes this sport so awesome is that you have a family of guys who help get you through it.
“It’s not easy to deal with but it’s a credit to what we have in this locker room to get guys back healthy and ready to go and happy to help,” Franco continued. “We love playing this game and seeing the hard times and good times throughout the season just adds to your hunger to want to be a part of it.”
IMPACT PLAYS OF THE WEEK
On Tuesday night in Rockford, the Wolves became the last team in the American Hockey League to appear in a shootout and they made it count as Ryan Suzuki and Bradly Nadeau each scored on a highlight-reel play to hand the IceHogs and goaltender Drew Commesso a 5-4 defeat. First, Suzuki took the ice…
…Nadeau then ended it.
C.D.E. COLLISION CENTERS’ COLLISIONS OF THE WEEK
Wolves defenseman Riley Stillman continued his hard-hitting ways with this crunching check on the Wild’s Travis Boyd to thwart a scoring chance Wednesday night in Iowa.
SAVE OF THE WEEK
Wolves goaltender Dustin Tokarski came up big with two point-blank saves on the IceHogs’ Zach Sanford during Tuesday’s night’s game in Rockford.
Weekly rewind (2-2-0-0)
FRIDAY, MARCH 21
Stars 3, Wolves 0: Despite sending 43 shots on goal, the Wolves weren’t able to solve Stars netminder Remi Poirier and fell for the third game in a row. It marked Poirier’s third shutout of the season.
SUNDAY, MARCH 23
Stars 5, Wolves 2: Bradly Nadeau scored twice and Ryan Suzuki had two assists for the Wolves, who came up short to finish the season-long, seven-game homestand 3-4-0.
TUESDAY, MARCH 25
Wolves 5, IceHogs 4 (SO): Ryan Suzuki and Bradly Nadeau each scored in the shootout, Justin Robidas and Nadeau each had a goal and an assist in regulation and Skyler Brind’Amour and Riley Stillman also scored as the Wolves rallied for the win.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
Wolves 4, Wild 3 (OT): Bradly Nadeau scored two goals—including the winner in overtime—and added an assist, Ryan Suzuki had a goal and two assists and Felix Unger Sorum also scored to propel the Wolves.
First Star of the Week
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BRADLY NADEAU, FThe 19-year-old rookie had five goals–three on the power play–and two assists over four games last week. Nadeau scored the deciding goal in Tuesday night’s shootout victory over the IceHogs in Rockford and followed that with the game-winning tally in overtime against the Wild on Wednesday night in Iowa. For the season, Nadeau has a team-leading 27 goals–six of them game-winners–along with 21 assists and 48 points in 56 contests.
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Where we stand
32-27-3-0, fourth in the Central Division.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | TV INFO | PROMOTION |
| Saturday, March 29 | Coachella Valley | 7 p.m. | Allstate Arena | FloHockey/FOX Chicago+ | Salute to Military Families; Year-end Merchandise Sale |
| Sunday, March 30 | Coachella Valley | 3 p.m. | Allstate Arena | FloHockey/FOX 32 Chicago/NHL Network | Trading Cards Giveaway; Family Sunday |
| Wednesday, April 2 | Grand Rapids Griffins | 6 p.m. | Van Andel Arena | FloHockey | |
| Saturday, April 5 | Manitoba | 2 p.m. | Canada Life Centre | FloHockey | |
| Sunday, April 6 | Manitoba | 2 p.m. | Canada Life Centre | FloHockey |
For information on Wolves ticket plans for the 2024-25 season—everything from single-game tickets to Flex Packs to group outings—visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.
