Chicago Wolves Spotlight: Bigger, stronger Nadeau set for encore

After one of the most dynamic debut seasons in American Hockey League history, Wolves forward Bradly Nadeau is now focused on raising his game to an even higher level.

The native of St-François-de-Madawaska, N.B., piled up the goals—and accolades—with the Wolves during the 2024-25 campaign.

Nadeau scored 32 goals to become the fifth player in AHL history to have a 30-goal season before the age of 20 and his 58 points in 64 games ranked second on the Wolves.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ first-round pick (No. 30 overall) in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft was selected to the 2024-25 AHL All-Rookie Team and he was also named to the league’s Top Prospects Team.

Bradley Nadeau Chicago Wolves

How does Nadeau plan on topping that effort?

“I had a huge summer,” the 20-year-old said. “I got a lot stronger and heavier. I was in the gym a lot–every day if I could.”

Nadeau, who looks bigger and stronger on the ice, added about 10 pounds to his 5-foot-11-inch frame and now clocks in around 180.

That extra bulk and strength should benefit the areas in which Nadeau looks to improve upon this season.

“I want to be better with the stuff along the walls where a lot of battles are happening in the game,” Nadeau said. “I’m focusing on holding onto pucks more and not just stand somewhere and wait for the pass to come. I want to create plays by myself, something I worked on a lot this summer.”

Nadeau got off to a strong start, scoring the Wolves’ first goal of the season—and later adding an assist—in Chicago’s 4-1 victory over the Wild in the 2025-26 Season Opener last Saturday night in Iowa.

“I feel lot more confident on the ice,” Nadeau said. “I’m just really trying to play my game and put the emphasis on all those small details that are going to help me be more of a two-way player.”

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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