Wolves Reflect On Inaugural Season

THUNDER BAY, ON, Canada- The inaugural season for the Thunder Bay Timberwolves is now officially over. For some, this was a day that could not have come soon enough.
-
"This was a season that I think everyone in this locker room is glad is over," said Joe Pavelski as he cleaned out his locker at the Canadian National Gardens this morning. "I'll stay positive and as upbeat as possible. This team is headed in the right direction. I think everyone that is in this for the long haul knows that."
-
"Everyone just wants a fresh start," said Keith Ballard. "No one likes to lose. It became a cancer with this team this season. We almost got used to it. Towards the end, at least the last couple games for sure. You could just tell we weren't focused. At least not with hockey. The normal chatter wasn't about the game ahead. It was about the summer. There's alot of free agents on this team that know they won't be back here next season. They just didn't give a sh*t anymore. That combined with the young guys, that are looking up to these veterens. You basically had a locker room full of guys who basically quit trying. I hope that management doesn't bring any of these guys back. The ones that quit. Maybe I've got my head in the clouds or something. But it shouldn't have been like this."
-
Ballard's words to the media could be heard across the locker room and into one of those free agent's ears. Andre Roy was non too happy with what he heard. Roy first cursed at Ballard from across the room, and then made his way towards the defenseman before being seperated by other players. Roy isn't expected to be signed by the Timberwolves this summer. Ballard is the front runner for the captain's position.
-
Away from the hurt egos and tempers in the locker room, head coach Craig Hartsburg was at the podium in the Timberwolves Media Room.
-
"This was obviously the toughest season in my professional career, and most definately in my coaching career. As the head coach, I take full responsibility for this season. This is a wonderful organization to work with. The pieces are here. There's alot of talent coming up through the pipeline out of Duluth. And there's surely more to come through the draft. We will win. We will put a product on the ice that makes the people of Thunder Bay proud. They deserve as much. To fill this barn every game... I'm just... I just apologize to you, the fans, for having to go through a first season like this. It will get better though.
-
Later in the morning, the Timberwolves waited anxiously for a call from the League office about how they faired in the 2008 Draft Lottery. The news was a bitter pill to swallow.
-
"We will be drafting fourth overall," said general manager, Blake Wendt. "It's a deep draft, so we're not worried about not getting talent. Obviously we were hoping for the #1. But it is what it is. I personally think the lottery should be for only the number one pick. Last five draw for that one pick, then you fall back to the order you finished in the rankings. I'm not going to sit here and act like I'm happy about this. I'm not. But I'm not happy when I don't hit the Powerball every week either. It's luck of the draw, and simply that. It's just luck. We didn't have it on our side this time."
-
When asked if he thought of making an offer to winner of the first overall pick (River Cities), Wendt said this:
-
"Chris knows what he's doing. This pick will not come cheap. If he even moves it at all. Which I seriously doubt. I wouldn't move it with (Steven) Stamkos on the table. No chance in hell. So that being said, I highly doubt we have the resources to reach what will be the demand for that pick. But anything can happen I guess."
-
The Timberwolves will waste no time in getting right back to work. June 2nd will be the start of manditory Prospect Camp. It will be two weeks of on-ice and dryland drills and scrimmages at the Wolves brand new training center, the Tim Hortons QuadPlex in Thunder Bay. Players taking part in this camp will be current "prospects" in the system. There will be another post-draft camp after the 2008 Entry Draft.

INJURIES/PENALTIES DROP WOLVES

THUNDER BAY, ON, Canada- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves, coming off two days of rest, showed some grit in River Cities. But in the end, it was one more goal that they needed to defeat the Renegades.
-
The Renegades opened the scoring on the powerplay after a Jason Krog hook. Talented winger, Dustin Brown beat Antero Niittymaki under the netminder's glove on a screen. River Cities took the one to nothing lead into the first intermission.
-
It took Scott Thornton a little over two and a half minutes in the second period to even the score while deflecting a shot from Eric Lindros in front of Cam Ward.
-
Things started to look up for Thunder Bay in the second after Joe Pavelski padded the score with two more goals for the Timberwolves. But things changed dramatically in the third period.
-
"We just sat back and gave them too much room," said Pavelski. "We're not a team in a position to give games away. Tonight we did just that."
-
This may not be a team that makes excuses. But after the second period ended, they had a gaping hole in their blueline. Two slapshots and two Thunder Bay defensemen hobbling off the ice.
-
First it was Keith Ballard (pictured) when he took a slapper from PJ Axelsson just below the right knee. Ballard tried to get up, but eventually had to be assisted to the bench.
-
Almost exactly two minutes later, Petteri Nummelin laid out his body in front of a Jeff Carter shot. Nummelin took his shot off his right foot and also had to be assisted off the ice by teammates.
-
"It's tough to lose anyone," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "It's tougher to lose a defenseman. But to lose two in just a couple shifts... it's hard to recover. Which, obviously we didn't recover in the third."
-
Thunder Bay went into the third period with a two goal lead, but only skating four defensemen.
-
It took River Cities almost eight minutes to capitalize on the Timberwolves loss. But they did, with Brooks Laich deking out Matt Walker and then sliding the puck under Niittymaki's left leg.
-
Thunder Bay held onto the one goal lead for most of the third period. But at 18:56, Martin St. Pierre slashed Steve Ott after Ott gave St. Pierre a facewash. Jeff Carter capitalized thirty-seven seconds later. Tying the game with twenty-seven seconds remaining.
-
The Wolves would make it to overtime. But another bad penalty by Eric Lindros put the Renegades on the powerplay once again. A little over a minute into their advantage, River Cities sealed the game with another deflection in front of Niittymaki. This time off the stick of Thunder Bay native, Taylor Pyatt.
-
"I really don't know how much we have left in the tank," said Hartsburg. "We're at the point where I know these guys just want to get the season over. You seen that tonight. The fight for survival. The will to win, or at least hold a lead isn't there. We've had alot of injuries this season. And that's not an excuse for the losses. But when you lose two key guys like we did tonight, and it's the last couple games of the season. It's just tough to motivate guys that just want a fresh start. We do have to come out tomorrow and give the people of Thunder Bay something to look forward to for next season."
-
The Timberwolves play their final home game this season tomorrow night against the Quebec Remparts. They then have Friday off and will play their final game of the season on Saturday against the Hamilton Predators.

WOLVES WIN!

THUNDER BAY, ON, Canada- It's been far too long for the Timberwolves and their always faithful fans since the hockey clubs last win. That finally ended on Saturday night.
-
No one associated with the Wolves has made any excuses for this season. The fans show up for every home game and fill CN Gardens to capacity. Everyone knows that there is a light at the end of this long tunnel.
-
There are big things on the horizon. As early as next season there should be several players from the farm in Duluth fighting for roster spots.
-
There's the upcoming draft, where Thunder Bay currently holds fourteen picks. Two in the top five and three in the top thirty. Obviously the team hopes to nab the OHL phenom, Steven Stamkos. Only a draft lottery puts a damper on those aspirations. But the Timberwolves would be more than happy with anyone in that top five.
-
But on Saturday night, there was something of more immediate importance. To win.
-
It seems simple enough. It should be the goal for every game, for every team. But for this team, in this inaugural season the wins are hard to come by. They've been challenged more in recent days by managment and the coaches to tighten up their skates and finish this season with a couple more wins.
-
The goal is of course to finish out these last eight games with eight wins. But at this point, management will settle for two numbers in the wins column.
-
The game itself on Saturday was against Springfield. Thunder Bay was outshot 28-43, only had one powerplay opportunity. But still managed to score five goals past Peter Budaj, while Antero Niittymaki (pictured) was solid in stopping forty shots. The Timberwolves won 5-3 in front of 19,434 (sellout). Joe Pavelski scored a goal and added an assist for TB. Teammates Keith Ballard and Jason Krog added two points with two assists.
-
Thunder Bay gets Sunday off. They play again on Monday in Hamilton.