Off-season is decision time for the Wolves

With the off-season well underway for the Sudbury Wolves, you can bet the wheels are turning on some big decisions for the 2013-2014 OHL season.

Some decisions have already been made when it comes to the coaching staff. Jason Young was a volunteer assistant coach and saw his one-year commitment end when the season finished. He is looking at his options, but could very well be back with the team next season.

In a press release last week, the Wolves announced full-time assistant coach David Bell wouldn’t be back. This could be a big loss to the club. Bell developed a good relationship with head coach Trent Cull and was starting to mold the Wolves young defence core.

In that same press release that spelled out the parting of ways with Bell, the Wolves announced Cull will be back for his fourth season, as a one-year contract extension kicks in.

Cull has taken the Wolves into the playoffs all three years he has been with the club, twice advancing to the second round. There’s been no indication if talks have taken place for another extension, but you would have to think it’s on Cull’s mind.

Not only would it be a reward for a job well done, but it would remove a good amount of uncertainty going into the season.

Of course, it could be a message being sent from the Wolves organization itself — success beyond the second round is expected.

The Wolves have player decisions to make, as well. The team’s rookie camp, held the first weekend of May, showed there is enough talent to make those decisions tough ones. First-round draft pick Kyle Capobianco looked impressive and will likely find himself on the roster next season.

Probably the most impressive player in camp was 2012 third-round pick Frank Vilardi, who no doubt left a big impression on those who have a say in who makes the team.

Expectations are that roster spots are few and far between, but add in names like Stefan Leblanc, Tyler Peters and Nick Hamre, and suddenly the anticipation for training camp jumps a notch.

We are all still waiting for the official announcement on whether the Wolves will be heading back to Russia in August to defend the Junior Club World Cup title won last year.

There are two thoughts on the trip. Supporters say it was a definite bonding experience and a great way for the team to learn what it takes to win.

Detractors say it added two to three weeks to an already long season and, blaming the trip for the slow start to the Wolves’ year, almost resulted in the OHL regular season turning into a letdown.

So as you can see, while the average fan thinks everyone with the team takes a four-month holiday after the season ends, behind the scenes even junior hockey is a twelve-month venture.

Stew Kernan is the radio and television voice of the Sudbury Wolves, and the news director at EZ Rock and Q92. This column appears every other week in Northern Life.