Chicago Wolves head coach Spiros Anastas has had his interim tag removed and signed on permanently as the team prepares for the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Wolves, second seed in the Central Division, face the Texas Stars in a best-of-five semifinal series starting April 28. Anastas discussed the team's preparations, player call-ups and strategies in a recent interview.
For the second straight season, the Chicago Wolves have qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs. Anastas took over as interim coach during the regular season and led the team to a 25-14-5-6 record over the final 50 games, clinching the second seed in the Central Division. On the eve of the playoffs, the franchise named him its 15th head coach in history, removing the interim label. Anastas joined the Wolves as an assistant on August 28, 2024, bringing experience from ECHL teams like the Brampton Beast and South Carolina Stingrays, international coaching stints and a 2013 Calder Cup win with the Grand Rapids Griffins. “I’m excited to finally get this going with the news coming out, just having that security, questions answered over the last few weeks,” Anastas said. “It’s really an exciting time for me, my family, and this team. I’m happy to be a part of this organization for the next few years.” Several Wolves players earned call-ups to the Carolina Hurricanes amid injuries, including Joel Nystrom, Charles Alexis Legault, Felix Unger Sorum and Ronan Seeley. Anastas praised their seamless NHL transitions, saying, “Seeing them seamlessly transition reaffirms that we are getting some things right... that gives us a boost that we’re on the right track.” Facing the Texas Stars, Anastas emphasized shutting down their counterattacks with strong defensive gaps and angles. “They have a lot of speed. When they get their opportunities, they can execute,” he noted. The Wolves held leads in five of their six regular-season losses to Texas but lacked a full lineup; now healthy, they aim for a deep run as one of the AHL's youngest teams. Players like Unger Sorum, Bradly Nadeau, Justin Robidas, Seeley and Noah Philp will be key.
