We miss you Stewie, our favorite agitator!

It's Saturday morning and as usual I'm at the computer catching up on the weeks photo editing. I have to admit to somewhat enjoying this tedious process. For often ideas come at me when I search through all the photos and sort them one by one, ultimately tossing a thousand or so a week into the trash bin. Today when editing last Sunday's Icehog game photos of Evan Brophy reminded me of a favorite Wolf from years ago. Brophy was yapping at the bench and as he was skating by and at his opposite when he was lining up during face, offs all classic Karl Stewart moves.

For those new to the Wolves or reading this blog Karl Stewart was a LW who played for the Wolves from 2003-06' he played with the spirit of a pond hockey player with clearly on his face. You could see his love for the game in every stride he took on the ice and it was a pleasure to watch him, When he returns to Chicago ice on February 11th with his new team the Rochester Amerks I pray this elan has not been diminished by his two years in the NHL. But there was something else about him, Stewie was pure trouble, an agitator on the ice, all yap his mouth moving all the time. Skating by the opposition bench, stealing the goalies water bottle and squirting himself down in celebration after a goal. He could make us laugh, cheer after one of his many goals and stop our hearts with a break a way that seemed to come from nowhere. No saint on the ice he often seemed to have a target on his back as far as the officiating staff were concerned and often was one of the leaders of the team in PIMs. In essence he was our bad boy and we loved our Stewie for it!

Since Stewart left the team in 06' the Wolves have lacked an adjator and it has seemed to be a missing element in the mix somehow. Yes, Boris Valibik does his best but he doesn't quite have the pure spice of the classic yappers. As the shopping season starts and trade rumors abound in the AHL please Kevin Cheveldayoff find the Wolves a good old fashioned yippy yapper, a nice small dog with lots of fight in him who can drive the other team to distraction . You know the one, he's the guy that reminds you of Spike, the poodle next door!