BRING ON THE EAGLES!

May 22, 2026

Welcome to Wolves Insider, presented by Are You Really Winning?: The weekly report that gives you an inside look at the latest Chicago Wolves news and happenings. Look for a new edition of Wolves Insider each week.

wOLVES SET FOR CONFERENCE FINALS SHOWDOWN

Head coach Spiros Anastas envisioned the Wolves’ path to the Western Conference Finals months ago.

“It’s actually crazy—at different points of the season when we were struggling against Texas, the messaging to the team was that we’re going to end up playing them in the first round,” Anastas said. “And then when we had some success and some heartbreaking losses against Grand Rapids, I said, ‘this is the team that we’re going to have to go through to get out of our division.’ And then when we were playing Colorado in the non-divisional games, I said, ‘this very well may be the team that we’re playing for the Western Conference.’ ”

Once his coaching days are done, Anastas may have a future as a prognosticator.

The Wolves did indeed dispatch the Texas Stars in the Central Division Semifinals and then eliminated the Grand Rapids Griffins in the division finals to set up a showdown with the Colorado Eagles—a team the Wolves went 3-1-0-0 against during the regular season—in the Western Conference Finals.

“We’ve almost manifested this matchup so it’s great that we have the game tape, experience and success we’ve had against (the Eagles),” Anastas continued.

Anastas and the Wolves know the next step will be more difficult than the two previous postseason showdowns, as the Eagles are rolling heading into the matchup after defeating San Diego in the Pacific Division First Round, followed by upsets over Henderson in the division semifinals and Coachella Valley in the division finals.

“They’re really fast, they play with a lot of tempo and they have a lot of great playmakers,” Anastas said. “They’re always looking to make the next play so when you think they might be threatening, it’s the play that you’re not anticipating that’s going to be the one that burns you.

“It’s going to be a really fun series and one that could potentially go the distance,” Anastas continued. “But it will be fast.”

Wolves goaltender Cayden Primeau, who went 2-0-0-0 with a 2.95 goals-against average and .920 save percentage against the Eagles in the regular season, agreed that the Eagles’ speed will be a challenge.

“They’re very skilled and very fast so we’re expecting tight games,” Primeau said. “We’ll be using the experience that we gained during the early meetings going into this one.”

TURCOTTE’S SURPRISING RETURN

After suffering a gruesome cut to his leg during a March 28 game in Grand Rapids, Yanick Turcotte’s season was effectively ended.

Until it wasn’t.

The Wolves forward has been taking the ice during practices and morning skates and it has not only surprised his teammates, but Turcotte himself.

“I’m definitely surprised to be able to skate and practice without having any pain,” Turcotte said. “To be honest, I took some time off because I didn’t think I was going to be back on the ice until July or so and all of a sudden I started feeling great again and I was like, ‘I might be able to come back here.’ ”

Turcotte not only provides a physical presence on the ice as the Wolves’ enforcer, the 29-year-old is also arguably the team’s inspirational leader. While it appears unlikely Turcotte will get the call to be in the lineup in the foreseeable future, the Quebec native said he’s ready to help in other ways.

“I feel like I’m a pretty vocal guy in the locker room,” Turcotte said. “I can be a guy who acts like a big brother, brings positive vibes and leadership. I just want (teammates) to feel good about themselves and feel positive and it will translate into the games.”

Turcotte also said he’s ready if called upon to rejoin the lineup as the Wolves progress in the postseason.

“I just want to be available right now—I’ll be ready,” Turcotte said. “To be honest, the team is doing really well right now so I just want to help in any way I can, whether they need me on the ice or just being a good presence off the ice.”

 

IMPACT NETWORKING PLAY OF THE DIVISION FINALS

During Game 3 of the Central Division Finals on Tuesday night at Allstate Arena, Wolves defenseman Domenick Fensore took a feed from Evan Vierling, deked around a defender and ripped a shot from the bottom of the left circle past lunging Grand Rapids Griffins netminder Michal Postava to the stick side.

 

C.D.E. COLLISION CENTERS’ COLLISION OF THE DIVISION FINALS

Wolves defenseman Charles Alexis Legault delivered a crushing hit to the Griffins’ Michael Brandsegg-Nygard during Game 2 on Saturday night in Grand Rapids.

SAVE OF THE DIVISION FINALS

During Game 3 against Grand Rapids on Tuesday night at Allstate Arena, Wolves goaltender Cayden Primeau sprawled out to deny the Griffins’ Erik Gustafsson’s high-danger chance.

 

weekly rewind (3-1)

THURSDAY, MAY 14

Wolves 2, Griffins 1: Justin Robidas and Josiah Slavin scored to propel the Wolves to the win and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

SATURDAY, MAY 16

Wolves 4, Griffins 3 (OT): Felix Unger Sorum notched the winner in overtime—and also scored in regulation—Cal Foote had a goal and an assist and Ivan Ryabkin tallied to propel the Wolves.

TUESDAY, MAY 19

Griffins 4, Wolves 3 (OT): Felix Unger Sorum had a goal and an assist and Domenick Fensore and Justin Robidas each scored but it wasn’t enough as the top-seeded Griffins avoided being swept.

THURSDAY, MAY 21

Wolves 3, Griffins 2: Noah Philp scored twice and Justin Robidas also tallied to provide the offense and goaltender Cayden Primeau made 33 saves to record the win to lift the Wolves into a showdown with the Colorado Eagles in the Western Conference Finals.

First Star of the Week

upcoming schedule

*-If necessary

For information on Wolves tickets for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, visit ChicagoWolves.com or call 1-800-THE-WOLVES.