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...In a Draft not being touted as one for the netminders, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves used their third round pick (62nd overall) on Mike Lee out of the USHL.

...Lee was the first year backstopper for the first year Fargo Force. Taking his team all the way to the USHL Championship where they ultimately lost to the Indiana Ice.

..."Mike Lee was far and away the MVP of the Force," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "He is cool as a cucumber under pressure and a very fine goaltender. It's hard sometimes to find goalies that are going to be successful pros. They usually take years to develop and are just tough to evaluate as an eighteen year old. Or club and our scouts are looking for guys with a history of success as different levels. Mike fits that mold. He took his high school team in Roseau deep into the Minnesota High School Tournament. He did the same in Fargo. He's also going to a very good US college program in St. Cloud State next season."

...Lee is a former teammate of Aaron Ness. A 2008 second round draftee of the Timberwolves who just completed a nice freshman season at the University of Minnesota. Lee will also be fighting for games with another Thunder Bay draftee at SCSU. Dan Dunn was drafted in 2007 and has been a backup himself at SCSU for the past two seasons.

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...With their fourth pick in the 2009 Entry Draft, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves went a route they have been known to do in drafts past. Taking a U.S. high school player for Blake Wendt is the norm this time of year.
...From the prestigious high school of Edina in an upscale community outside of the Twin Cities, Zach Budish joins a long list of fellow Minnesota high schoolers to put on a Timberwolves sweater on draft day.
...In Budish, Thunder Bay gets a hulking winger with an already pro-built body (6'3" 230 lbs) and someone not likely to have fallen all the way down to 40th overall if he had been born a year earlier.
..."Zach suffered a devastating knee injury playing football prior to his hockey season at Edina," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "He tore his ACL and missed his entire senior season. Definately a reason why I'm sure everyone was passing on him. We were not concerned after seeing him in prior to the injury and after for a few Minnesota Elite games and the Combine. The knee seems to have healed and our medical staff that evaluated him had no worries. Zach is going to be an amazing pro player. Some say his game emulates that of Keith Tkachuk, but Zach's bigger. We're perfectly fine with that."
...Budish is expected play at the University of Minnesota next season. A place some call the Timberwolves 'real' minor-league affiliate.

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...The next obvious choice after already drafting John Tavares first overall and the Winnipeg Ferrets then taking Victor Hedman second. Was of course taking the Haliburton, Ontario native, Matt Duchene.
..."This is exactly how we were wanting this draft to unfold," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "Matt Duchene is the complete hockey player. He's got a solid game at both ends of the ice. Superior speed to rush the puck, finesse it through or grind it. Go up the middle, split the 'D', or take it along the boards. He'll dig in the corners for you, drive the net or make that tape-to-tape pass to a teammate. His game is outstanding and the bonus is that he is well-spoken, down to earth and just a classy young man."
...The Timberwolves will now sit back and wait their turn until the end of the second round.

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...The Thunder Bay Timberwolves got their man. John Tavares was always the only choice to take first overall.
..."Without a doubt," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "I'd be lying if I said we didn't look at all our options. Even trading the pick. Any team would. It's the right thing to do for the success of your organization. But it was quickly realized that John Tavares would absolutely help our hockey club more than if we didn't have him. He's got four years of solid performance in juniors under his belt. Excellent coaching, and his game was taken to another level on the international stage. Some have questioned John's skating, but we have no concerns. The OHL is the most dominant junior league in the world, and you don't survive there if your skating isn't up to par. He's the most heavily scouted player in recent memory. His game was bound to get picked apart. That's fine. We are extremely happy to have had the chance to draft Tavares and look for him to have a major impact on the overall success of the Timberwolves for a long time to come."

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...On the eve of the 2009 CCHL Entry Draft, where the Thunder Bay Timberwolves were already holding the first and third overall selections, they pulled off a blockbuster acquisition in the form of Slovak sniper, Marian Gaborik.

...Gaborik was brought in from the Dayton Musicmen for Belorussian prospect, Mikhail Stefanovich and the Timberwolves two second round picks in this years draft (25th & 34th overall).

..."Anytime you are in a position to get a guy of Gaborik's caliber, you pull the trigger," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "Stefanovich wasn't someone we were looking to move. We weren't actively shopping him around as has been speculated. It is true that although he is an immense talent. As shown this past season in the 'Q' (QMJHL). His dedication and work ethic were not sitting well with this hockey club. As evidenced by his lack was commitment to the optional workouts here in Thunder Bay. Or the fact that he has yet to come to Thunder Bay, period."

...Marian Gaborik does have his own issues. Injuries are starting to creep around the speedster. But the Timberwolves think that these injuries can be overcome with proper training and not be a major issue.

..."We're confident that Marian can and will be a huge positive impact for us," said Wendt. "The good far outweighs the bad. Injuries are a part of this game. It's unavoidable. Marian's not any different than any other player out there. We're extremely happy to have Marian Gaborik in Thunder Bay and in a Timberwolves sweater for years to come."

...

...The Timberwolves are now on the clock with the first overall pick in tomorrows Entry Draft. Will they go with the long-time, highly touted OHLer, John Tavares? Or the giant Swedish rearguard in Victor Hedman? Or even Matt Duchene? In any event, two of these three players will be wearing the blue and white by Wednesday night.

ONE DRAFT DOWN...

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~Their season ended in an unexpected last minute fight for a final playoff spot. They weren't supposed to be in such a situation. Roster players were moved out and prospects and draft picks brought in. Free agents were signed for pro-rated contracts to simply fill open roster spots left vacant in moves made for the future.
~But in the end, the reality of this premature endeavor prevailed, and the Thunder Bay Timberwolves were left out after a late season run by the Copenhagen Crusaders.
~"It was a good run," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "We had not intentions earlier in the season to be in a situation to be pursuing the playoffs this season. But we thought we'd push for it if no one else wanted it. Which for the latter part of the season, some teams were neglected and so many teams looked like they had no interest in making the playoffs."
~Immediately after their season ended, Wendt identified players he wanted from the pool left by the three defunct clubs during contraction.
~Having played three different goaltenders this past season, #1 on the list was to stablize the netminder position with a solid starter.
~"We really didn't like having to put our young goalies through so many games so early in their professional careers," said Wendt. "No disrespect to our defense, but they are young also and are going to go through some growing pains. It does you know good if your young-stud goalies are getting peppered nightly and giving up goals and getting down. We needed a veteren back there to shore things up.
~With their first selection in the Contraction Draft, the Timberwolves took 35 year old, Tim Thomas (pictured). The Flint, Michigan-native is expected to carry the load in 2009-10.
~With their second selection, Thunder Bay didn't necessarily take a player for need. But more for who they felt was the best available roster player on the board, and still young enough to be signed for years to come.
~Minnesota-native, David Backes was added to the roster and is expected to play for top-6 minutes.
~Throughout the remainer of the Contraction Draft, Wendt and his scouts claimed high-end prospects.
~Erik Karlsson was arguably the best player for Sweden's Tre Kronor in the World Junior Championships this past winter. The puck moving Swede was highly coveted by Wendt.
~"We were thrilled that Karlsson was still on the board when our third pick came around. We would've had no problem taking him with our second pick."
~With their fourth pick, another bluechip blueliner was in Wendt's sights. London Knights, John Carlson had no business still being around... but he was.
~"If were shocked at Erik Karlsson being available in the third round. We were floored that John Carlson was there to be taken. We wanted him last summer in the entry draft. We scouted him heavily in the USHL and he only advanced his game and dominated the OHL this season. Very pleased to add him to our stockpile of elite prospects."
~The final two picks included defenseman, Colby Robak from the Brandon Wheat Kings, and forward, Matt Halischuk of the Kitchener Rangers. Both are a couple years further away. But like so many late-round picks in Wendt's arsenal, these two are expected to carry the future of the Thunder Bay Timberwolves.
~Next up for this offseason is the annual UFA bidding war and then the 2009 CCHL Entry Draft. Which the Timberwolves hold 14 picks. Including two in the top-5, and the "golden egg"... first overall.

WOLVES WIN DESPITE LOSSES

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-The Thunder Bay Timberwolves are surprising some people this season. Whether it be the number of wins so far racked up (21) or the fact that management has continued to alter the hockey clubs roster by moving out roster players for future draft picks and prospects and they keep winning.

-"Obviously you'd think that by moving players out and then replacing them with the guys we have promoted from our reserve and practice lineups, we wouldn't have the recent success we've had," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "But we are pleased with the results."

-That last comment must be viewed as a catch-22, in that with every win the Timberwolves move further and further away from a bottom five finish and out of the draft lottery and the chances of nabbing John Tavares or Victor Hedman. But Wendt assures the Thunder Bay faithful that there is no harm in winning now. Despite being in the thick of solidifying the organizations foundation through the entry draft and prospects at the expense of veteran players.

-"I've heard people say that we're not going to accomplish anything this season anyway, so we should just shut it down and tank it for the draft," said Wendt. "That's an absolutely ridiculous theory to have in professional sports. You're asking these premiere athletes to completely reverse their mindset, and what does that do for the future? You ruin them!

-Since the last update of this site, the Timberwolves a few moves that are a continuation of managements overall goal of building a strong foundation.

-First came the move of a roster player in rookie, Torrey Mitchell and current minor-leaguer, Oscar Moller being sent to Hawaii for Quebec junior forward, Mikhail Stefanovich and NCAA defenseman, Jamie McBain.

-"We'd been on the prowl for McBain for awhile," said Wendt. "He's everything you want in a defenseman. He is the complete package. His skill-set on both sides of the puck and excellent hockey sense make him a very lethal player on the ice."

-"You look at what Stefanovich is doing in the 'Q' right now, and if can translate that to this level... we have an extremely dynamic player that can take over a game. It will take some maturation on his part and patience on ours. Some people compare him to Sergei (Kostitsyn) in ways that go beyond both being from Belarus, and I agree to a certain extent. Like Sergei, Mikhail needs to put 100% into every shift and the same in preparing for every game. But we wouldn't have made this trade if we didn't think that the good far outweighed the bad. We're very happy to have Stefanovich in our system."

-Next came the acquisition of Taylor Pyatt (pictured) from River Cities for $950,000 in cash. A deal that doesn't necessarily in line with some other moves that Wendt and the Timberwolves have make recently. But Thunder Bay did bring in a relatively young, big-bodied, native son.

-"Taylor may not be the player many envisioned he'd be coming out of junior. Most players don't. But we like the game he plays and the size he adds to our lineup," said Wendt. "He moves the puck well and automatically draws the oppositions big players off our smaller, skilled guys."

-The Timberwolves are 4-1 since picking up the Thunder Bay native, Pyatt.

-The latest move as of today seen defenseman Bryce Salvador heading to Victoria for prospect defenseman, Jonas Junland.

-The Timberwolves general manager was not available for comment on this trade as the team traveled to Hamilton for this evenings game against the Predators.

-To address the loss of a top-six defenseman, Thunder Bay signed free agent Sandis Ozolinsh to a one year, pro-rated contract. Ozolinsh will be in the lineup against Hamilton tonight.