The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Sudbury , Ontario , Canada.
53-475: Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game known as the "Wolves" (or "Cub Wolves") nearly every year since around the time of World War I . The current junior franchise came into existence in 1972 when local businessman Mervin "Bud" Burke purchased the Niagara Falls Flyers and relocated the team to Sudbury. The current franchise has never won
106-548: A 15-year old. Verbeek was selected 43rd overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft . He helped the Devils to their first playoff berth in the 1987–88 season , when he scored what was a club record 46 goals until it was broken in the 2005–06 season by Brian Gionta 's 48 goals. On May 15, 1985, one of Verbeek's thumbs was cut off by an auger in a farming accident. Thanks to his father and brother his thumb
159-693: A broadcaster in September 2006, to become a scout for the Red Wings. Verbeek was later recruited by former teammate, Steve Yzerman , to work as assistant general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning . Pat Verbeek worked alongside Yzerman for the Lightning for years, until the pair eventually returned to Detroit. On May 6, 2019, Verbeek was named an assistant general manager for the Detroit Red Wings. Verbeek
212-584: A director with the Czech Ice Hockey Association , felt that Junior-aged players were enticed to play in North America before maturation, with a negative effect on the development of the player and the European system. He stated that of the 527 Czech Republic players who went to North American Junior hockey, only 22 of them played more than 400 NHL games. He sought to establish a European system that
265-610: A hockey team known as the Wolves or Cub Wolves nearly every year since around WWI. This team name was informally adopted around 1920 as the "Wolves of the North," likely a reference to the "voracity and tenacity that typified the play of these men from Sudbury." The Sudbury Cub Wolves junior team began play in the 1920s as a member of the Nickel Belt Hockey League. Under the management of Max Silverman , and coached by Sam Rothschild ,
318-692: A professional team, and are used by professional teams to develop their own prospects. One example of this is the J20 SuperElit league in Sweden or the Minor Hockey League in Russia . The lack of an amateur draft in Europe means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented young players they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who are not yet ready for
371-596: A regular season division title in 2019-20 . The current Sudbury Wolves have never won the OHL championship , and have never participated in the Memorial Cup tournament. The team currently holds the third-longest Memorial Cup championship drought in the CHL, and the longest in the OHL. The team has twice lost in the OHL finals, once in 1976 and again in 2007, winning the 1976 Leyden Trophy and
424-629: A significant concentration of teams in the central and southwestern parts of the United States, although the league began to expand to east coast as of 2015. In October 2016, the Tier III United States Premier Hockey League , a league predominately located on the east coast, applied to USA Hockey for approval of a Tier II league to begin in the 2017–18 season, however, the league was denied that December and decided to operate its Tier II league independently. The NAHL, like
477-992: Is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 21 year-old players. National Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship . The United States men's national junior ice hockey team are the defending champions from the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships . There are four levels of Junior hockey in the Canadian Club System: 1. Major Junior, 2. Junior A, 3. Junior B, and 4. Junior C. Not all teams playing in Canadian Junior leagues are based in Canada . As of 2024 , there were approximately twelve US-based teams playing in various Major Junior and Junior A leagues in Canada. In 2023, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework following
530-799: Is currently the only Tier I league in the country, consisting of teams in the central and midwestern United States. The USHL provides an alternative to the Canadian Hockey League, which pays its major junior hockey players a stipend, for players who wish to maintain NCAA eligibility for later in their career. While playing in the USHL, all player expenses are paid for by the team; no membership or equipment fees are charged. Unlike major junior teams, free-college stipend does not exist. Historically, professional leagues have drafted less directly from USHL teams, although this trend has shifted in recent years, coinciding with
583-416: The 2022-23 season , including a fiftieth anniversary jersey, as well as a limited edition Shoresy Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs themed jersey. The Sudbury Wolves play their home games at the downtown Sudbury Community Arena , which was constructed in 1951. The City of Greater Sudbury and the Wolves have upgraded the facility over the years, but since the mid-2010s there have been intensified debates about
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#1732852618297636-920: The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) : The championship teams from each league, as well as a pre-selected host team, compete for the Memorial Cup in a round-robin tournament to determine a national champion. Major Junior players were historically deemed ineligible to play college hockey in the United States , because they were considered to be professionals by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Major Junior players retain their eligibility for Canadian universities however, and all three leagues have scholarship programs for players. The NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of
689-597: The Clarence Schmalz Cup which was first awarded in 1938. The Ontario Junior C playoffs are played for between six of the Province's seven different regional leagues. In Quebec and West of Manitoba, Junior C hockey tends to be an extension of the local minor hockey system and is sometimes called Juvenile or House League. In Ontario, Manitoba, and the Maritimes, Junior C is run independently of minor hockey systems, though with
742-788: The Coupe Dodge in Quebec , the Don Johnson Cup in the Atlantic Provinces , and the Keystone Cup that represents all of Western Canada, from British Columbia to Northwestern Ontario . Junior C (Junior A in Québec ) generally consists of local competitions, but is considered competitive in some regions, and serve as seeding or farm-teams for Junior B teams. Ontario Junior C Hockey has six rounds of best-of-seven playoffs (up to 42 games per team) for
795-661: The Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League has operated as an independent league in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta. The league widely recruits players from outside of North America. In late 2016, the United States Premier Hockey League , an organization composed of several USA Hockey Tier III Junior as well as many youth hockey leagues, applied for a Tier II league. The Tier II status was denied in December 2016 but
848-498: The North American 3 Hockey League Some Junior ice hockey leagues operate outside the framework of governing bodies such as Hockey Canada and USA Hockey , typically due to disagreements with governing bodies over player recruitment policies and finances. These leagues are sometimes referred to as 'unsanctioned', 'rogue' or 'outlaw' leagues due to their lack of sanctioning or oversight from an outside governing body. Since 2006,
901-597: The US . In 2023, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew from the Hockey Canada framework, and thus became an independent league. In response, BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its Junior framework, which included an opportunity for some Junior B teams (styled "Junior A Tier 2" by BC Hockey) to be promoted to Junior A (styled "Junior A Tier 1" by BC Hockey) and eventually seek membership with
954-611: The " Little Ball of Hate ", was given to him in 1995 by Glenn Healy after fellow New York Rangers teammate Ray Ferraro was tagged as the "Big Ball of Hate". He is one of a few NHL players to have scored 500 goals , but one of four of those who are eligible but not a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame . Verbeek grew up in Petrolia, Ontario playing minor hockey before suiting up for the OHA Petrolia Jets Jr.B. club in 1979-80 as
1007-553: The 1,000-point mark, scored his 500th goal, and moved into the top 25 in career goal scoring before returning to Dallas for his final NHL season in 2001–02. Verbeek is the only NHL player to record 40+ goals and 200+ penalty minutes in the same season three times. After retirement, he became a part-time color analyst for television broadcasts of Red Wings' road games. Verbeek is the only player in NHL history to total over 500 career goals and 2500 career penalty minutes. He left his position as
1060-459: The 1975-76 OHL finals, but lost to the Hamilton Fincups in five games. In 1979, Burke sold the team to a large ownership group headed by future Hockey Canada board of directors chair Joe Drago. From 1973 to 1979, a young Joe Bowen began his broadcasting career covering the Wolves on local Sudbury radio. The Wolves were the worst performing team in the entire Canadian Hockey League (CHL) in
1113-443: The 1980s, making the playoffs only once and not winning a single postseason game in the process. The club did manage to develop some notable players in this era, such as Pat Verbeek and Jeff Brown . A turning point in franchise history came in 1986 when local businessman Ken Burgess purchased the struggling club and initiated a major organizational turnaround. Sam McMaster was hired as general manager in 1988, and under his direction
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#17328526182971166-467: The 2007 Bobby Orr Trophy in the process. The Wolves have twice won the Emms Trophy as the regular season Central Division champions, first in 2000-01 and then in 2019-20. J. Ross Robertson Cup Bobby Orr Trophy NOJHA McNamara Trophy NOJHA Regular Season Champions Hamilton Spectator Trophy Leyden Trophy Emms Trophy Junior Club World Cup Jerry Toppazzini
1219-418: The 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in the OHL when he was 16 years old. The CHL places a cap of three 20-year-old players per team, and allows up to four 16-year-olds on each roster. While 15-year-old players were formerly permitted to play a limited number of games per season at
1272-536: The CHL level, they are now permitted to play only if they are deemed exceptional by Hockey Canada . As of 2024 , nine players have qualified under this rule: centre John Tavares in 2005, defenceman Aaron Ekblad in 2011, centre Connor McDavid in 2012, defenceman Sean Day in 2013, centre Joe Veleno in 2015, centre Shane Wright in 2019, forward Connor Bedard in 2020, forward Michael Misa in 2022, and defenceman Landon DuPont in 2024. CHL teams are currently permitted two "imports" (players from outside Canada and
1325-732: The CJHL. The league expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024—25 season. Junior B (Junior AA in Québec ; Tier 2 in British Columbia ) was created in 1933, to differentiate between teams eligible for Memorial Cup competition and those who were not. The major championships across Canada are the Sutherland Cup in Southern Ontario , the Barkley Cup in the Ottawa District ,
1378-685: The Cub Wolves won the Memorial Cup in 1932 with a roster that featured future NHL players such as Hector "Toe" Blake , Nakina Smith , and Adélard Lafrance . In 1935, the Cub Wolves lost in the Memorial Cup finals to the Winnipeg Monarchs. A senior team competing under the banner of the Sudbury Wolves, again coached by Silverman, have twice been chosen to be Canada's representatives at the Ice Hockey World Championships , winning
1431-582: The Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) withdrew its membership with Hockey Canada and became an independent league. In 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the BCHL beginning in the 2024-25 season. In Europe, Junior teams are usually associated with
1484-515: The Memorial Cup, nor has it captured the J. Ross Robertson Cup . Despite this lack of championships, the team has been one of the top development franchises in major junior over its history, with over 120 players drafted in to the National Hockey League (NHL) since 1973. The Wolves have been a central part of Sudbury's history for decades, and the team is among the most iconic junior hockey franchises in all of North America. Sudbury has had
1537-619: The NOJHL Wolves, purchased the Niagara Falls Flyers from Leighton "Hap" Emms and moved the team to Northern Ontario . In 1975-76 , the Wolves, coached by Jerry Toppazzini , who won the Matt Leyden Trophy that season, won Hamilton Spectator Trophy for having the best regular season record in the league with a roster of future NHL players such as Randy Carlyle , Ron Duguay , Rod Schutt , and Mike Foligno . Sudbury advanced to
1590-571: The Tier III level pay a fee or tuition, commonly ranging from $ 4,000 to $ 9,500. This is for all accounts and purposes an amateur level, although some players go directly to NCAA Division I schools. Most Tier III players are looking to increase their skills in hopes to move up to Tier II or I, while other players go directly to NCAA Division III , ACHA and CHF schools. Prior to July 2011, USA Hockey split Tier III into Junior A and B divisions. USA Hockey currently has one sanctioned Tier III league,
1643-555: The US) each. Up until 1970, the leagues that were classified as Major Junior and "Junior A" today were both part of Junior A. In 1970 they were divided into "Tier I Junior A" or "Major Junior A" and "Tier II Junior A". In 1980, the three Major Junior A leagues opted for self-control over being controlled by the branches of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) and became Major Junior hockey, Tier II Junior A became
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1696-496: The USHL, provides young players an alternative to major junior hockey, although the skill level is considered significantly lower than major junior hockey and typically filled with those who would not or did not make the roster of a Tier I team. Unlike Tier I, the NAHL does not pay for all players' expenses, such as room and board, but there is no tuition cost to the player as in Tier III. In addition to paying for room and board, players at
1749-510: The USNTDP moving to the USHL in 2009-10. In the 2019 NHL Entry Draft , 17 of the 44 players drafted out of the USHL played for the USNTDP. Those 44 draft picks were 16 more than any of the three leagues in the Canadian Hockey League, and included 9 first round picks (8 of which came from the USNTDP) and 7 second round picks. For most of its existence the USHL was considered inferior in quality of play to
1802-730: The USPHL moved forward with the new league anyway, creating the National Collegiate Development Conference. In response, the USPHL has removed all their junior level leagues (the NCDC and the Tier III-level Premier and Elite Divisions) from USA Hockey sanctioning since the 2017–18 season. In 2022, the Eastern Hockey League , which was operating two Tier III leagues, also left USA Hockey sanctioning. In 2023,
1855-683: The Wolves were sent to represent Canada at the 2012 Junior Club World Cup . Sudbury defeated the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League in the championship finals by a score of 2-0. In 2016, the Burgess family, at the time the longest-serving ownership group in the OHL, sold the team to Sudbury businessman Dario Zulich. Since Zulich's takeover, the team has been moving in a positive direction, drafting players such as Quinton Byfield and Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen , and winning
1908-547: The Wolves' 35th anniversary - when the team advanced to the OHL Finals, but ultimately lost to the Plymouth Whalers in six games. Coached by Mike Foligno , the Wolves roster that season featured several future NHL players, namely Marc Staal , Nick Foligno , Adam McQuaid , and Akim Aliu . From 2007 to 2016, the team generally struggled, including posting the worst season in franchise history in 2014-2015 . In August 2012,
1961-627: The building of a new arena. Every time the Wolves score a goal, a taxidermic wolf rolls out on a pulley system from the rafters of the Sudbury Arena in the direction of the opposing team's bench. This tradition began in the 1950s when The Sudbury Star donated a stuffed wolf to the local Wolves team as a token of appreciation. In the 2009-10 hockey season, Wolves games were broadcast on CJTK-FM in Sudbury. As of 2018, Wolves games are broadcast on CKLU-FM . Junior ice hockey Junior ice hockey
2014-636: The club during its brief existence. A junior version of the Wolves emerged in the early 1960s as a member of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey Association , winning the league championship in 1969 and 1971. The OHL - then known as the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League - arrived in Sudbury in 1972 when local businessman Bud Burke, who was a shareholder in
2067-452: The current franchise's inception, but overall has remained relatively unchanged and today is one of the most recognizable logos in the CHL. There have been various alterations and versions of the team's primary jersey design over the years, as well as the introduction of third alternate jerseys, such as black and grey ones that were introduced in the mid-1990s and again in the early-2010s. The team unveiled several special edition jerseys during
2120-555: The departure of its only Junior A league . Its three Junior B leagues ( PJHL , KIJHL and VIJHL ) were re-styled as "Junior A Tier 2", with plans to promote some to "Junior A Tier 1" following an independent evaluation. It was expected that those teams promoted to "Junior A Tier 1" would eventually apply for membership in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), an association of Junior A leagues governed by Hockey Canada and its regional branches . BC Hockey expected
2173-531: The evaluations to be completed during the 2024-25 season. Before the process was completed, the VIJHL announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) beginning in the 2024-25 season. Major Junior is the highest level of Junior ice hockey in Canada. There are three Major Junior leagues that collectively make up
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2226-413: The major junior levels. But it continued to improve and as of 2019 about 21 percent of NHL players had played USHL in their career. Between 80 and 90 percent of USHL players continued into NCAA hockey. Currently, the North American Hockey League is the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league in the United States. The NAHL consists of teams spread across the western two thirds of the United States with
2279-410: The mid-1910s. In 1988–89, Ken Burgess - who famously asked "Who ever heard of a green wolf?" - changed the team's colours to blue, white and grey, which happened to be the corporate colours of the business that bore his name. These have been the Wolves' colours ever since, though the team has occasionally donned throwback green jerseys. The iconic blood-toothed, wily wolf-head logo has subtly evolved since
2332-465: The rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere. At the World Hockey Summit in 2010, nations in Europe expressed concern about the number of junior players leaving to play in North America, despite the improved talent level and the increasing popularity of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships . Slavomir Lener,
2385-462: The same mostly recreational purpose. Junior ice hockey in the United States is sanctioned by USA Hockey . The top level is Tier I, represented by the United States Hockey League . Tier II is represented by the North American Hockey League . There are several Tier III and independently sanctioned leagues throughout the country. Some US-based teams play in Canadian leagues outside of the USA Hockey framework. The United States Hockey League (USHL)
2438-469: The team experienced renewed success, winning its first playoff series since 1979-80 when they defeated the Oshawa Generals in the first round of 1991-92 OHL playoffs. McMaster was named OHL Executive of the Year in 1989–90 . From the early 1990s to the mid-2000s, the Wolves experienced mixed success. The club lost in Game 7 of the 1994-95 OHL semi-finals to the Detroit Junior Red Wings . A string of disappointing seasons came to an end in 2006–07 -
2491-443: The team in goal scoring and in his second he was named team MVP. In 1991, he made the All-Star team for the first time and in the following season, Verbeek was named the Whalers captain . After a short stint with the Rangers, he signed with the Dallas Stars as a free agent in 1996, where he won his first Stanley Cup championship in 1999 . During the 1999–2000 season , he signed with the Detroit Red Wings . In Detroit, he passed
2544-451: The title for Canada in 1938 and the silver medal in 1949. An iteration of the Wolves competed as the Eastern Canada entry at the 1954 Allan Cup senior national championship, falling to the Penticton Vees from Western Canada . A professional Sudbury Wolves team competed in the Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL) from 1959 until the league folded in 1963. Players such as Don Cherry , Dave Keon , and Gerry Cheevers suited up for
2597-502: The top tier of hockey in the CAHA and became Junior A hockey. Junior A (Junior AAA in Québec ; Tier 1 in British Columbia ) hockey is one level below Major Junior. It is governed by the respective regional branches of Hockey Canada . The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of nine Junior A leagues: The national championship is the Centennial Cup . Unlike Major Junior players, Junior A players retain their NCAA eligibility and may go on to play college hockey in
2650-510: Was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy as the league's coach of the year in 1976, leading his team to a first-place finish in the regular season. List of Sudbury Wolves coaches with multiple years in parentheses. The Sudbury Wolves have retired six players' numbers, and have had over 120 players drafted to the NHL. Legend: OTL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss From 1972 to 1988, the Sudbury Wolves' colours were green, white and gold. The tradition of Sudbury teams wearing green jerseys dates back to
2703-437: Was competitive enough to deter players from entering into the CHL Import Draft . Pat Verbeek Patrick Martin Verbeek (born May 24, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Verbeek played for five teams over a 20-year playing career, earning a Stanley Cup ring with the Dallas Stars in 1999 . His nickname,
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#17328526182972756-441: Was named general manager of the Anaheim Ducks on February 3, 2022. Verbeek and his wife Dianne have five children. One son, Kyle, and four daughters: Stephanie, Kendall, Haley, & Georgeanne. The family resided in Birmingham, Michigan during his tenure with the Red Wings, before relocating to Newport Beach, California . Patrick Kane lived with Verbeek and his family in 2003, after relocating to Detroit, Michigan to play for
2809-417: Was saved, and after extensive rehabilitation, Verbeek returned to hockey. On April 18, 1988, Verbeek cut the leg of Washington Capitals defenseman Rod Langway with his skate. The NHL ruled the incident accidental, but the episode added to the Patrick Division rivalry between Washington and New Jersey. After the 1988–89 season , the Devils traded him to the Hartford Whalers . In his first season, he led
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