At the practice rink.

As the NHL creeps closer to the return to action, what is being called “Phase 2” of the return to play plan is underway for some teams. Players are beginning to return to there respective practice facilities for voluntary workouts as they prepare for the 24-team playoff return to play format.

On Wednesday, several Blackhawks players returned to their practice facility at the Fifth Third Arena in Chicago including Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Malcolm Subban, and Alexander Nylander.

Several Blackhawks returned to Fifth Third Arena on Wednesday, June 10, for voluntary workouts as the NHL opens Phase 2 of its Return to Play plan
(Photo Credit: Taylor Wilder/Chicago Blackhawks)

The Blackhawks were last in action on March 11 at the United Center, downing the San Jose Sharks 6-2 before the NHL suspended play on March 12. The league has been out of action since then, having unveiled their 24-team return to play format recently as the NHL looks to properly finish the 2019-20 season and postseason.

IT'S HAPPENING

We've got ice back at @FifthThirdArena, the #Blackhawks Community Ice Rink! pic.twitter.com/zENsFVGdjq

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) June 10, 2020

The Blackhawks are set to face the Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-five play-in series when the league does return to action. As the fifth-seed in the Western Conference, the Oilers are led by two of the top players in the NHL in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. This season, the Blackhawks held a 2-1-0 record over the Oilers with 3-1 and 4-3 wins in October and March, with both happening at the United Center. The loss was a 5-3 decision on the road in Edmonton in February.

Heading into their best-of-five play-in series against the Oilers, the Blackhawks have the second-lowest odds to win the Stanley Cup at +7500, according to William Hill. Only the Montreal Canadiens have worse odds at +10000, with the Boston Bruins at +500 and Vegas Golden Knights at +600 leading the Eastern and Western Conferences.

UPDATE: Following Wednesday’s return to the ice, the NHL and NHLPA agreed to a July 10 start date for “Phase 3”  of the league’s plan to return to on ice action. “Phase 3” sets all team training camps to begin on July 10, and if all goes to plan, the NHL could be looking at a return to action some time in early August.

The @NHL and NHLPA have agreed on a July 10 opening date for formal training camps: https://t.co/AjHX2Q1zuu pic.twitter.com/2QbJfzKyKr

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) June 11, 2020

The NHL has yet to announce dates for the Stanley Cup play-in round and the Stanley Cup Playoffs to begin.

The post Chicago Blackhawks return to the ice as “Phase 2” workouts begin appeared first on The Rink.

While the play-in round may or may not be referred to as “the playoffs,” the customary ‘Black Aces’ recalls which normally precede teams making the postseason will still be in play. The group of players called up from the AHL or prospect system, as well as injured players working to get back into the NHL, is known as the ‘Black Aces.’

For the Blackhawks, the roster already had a few players coming up from the Rockford IceHogs late in the season to get some NHL ice-time. With injury recovery to consider, the ‘Black Aces’ may just be along for the ride with the Blackhawks as they take on the Oilers.

For a refresher, here is what the Blackhawks roster looked like for their final regular season game back on March 11:

Starting Lineup vs San Jose Sharks on March 11

• Forwards
  • Dominik Kubalik
  • Alex DeBrincat
  • Dylan Strome
  • Jonathan Toews
  • Brandon Saad
  • Ryan Carpenter
  • Matthew Highmore
  • Brandon Hagel
  • David Kampf
  • Kirby Dach
  • Patrick Kane
  • Alexander Nylander
• Defense
  • Duncan Keith
  • Connor Murphy
  • Olli Maata
  • Lucas Carlsson
  • Slater Koekkoek
  • Nicolas Beaudin
• Goaltenders
  • Corey Crawford
  • Malcolm Subban
• Scratches (* Injured Reserve)
  • Zack Smith
  • Adam Boqvist
  • Nick Seeler
  • Drake Caggiula
  • Brent Seabrook *
  • Calvin de Haan *
  • Andrew Shaw *

Players such as Brandon Hagel, Lucas Carlsson, and Nicolas Beaudin found their way to the NHL this season with Chicago after making considerable strides in the AHL with the IceHogs. But, their time with the club likely will not translate into much, if any, ice-time during the play-in round or beyond barring any injury.

Considering Drake Caggiula is recovered from his hand injury from March 9 against the St. Louis Blues and Adam Boqvist is cleared from being placed in concussion protocol after the same game against the Blues on March 9, those two players will likely rejoin the Blackhawks’ regular lineup.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 13: Calvin de Haan #44 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates after scoring a goal during the second period against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on November 13, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images)

One of the major comebacks for the Blackhawks lineup would be the return of defenseman Calvin de Haan. After undergoing shoulder surgery in late December, de Haan was given a four-to-five month timetable for a full recovery. While the NHL doesn’t have a firm timetable for when the league will get back into action, they announced that they do not believe that team training camps prior to the play-in round will begin before mid-July.

A mid-July training camp start gives de Haan ample time to be fully ready to return to the Blackhawks, a team that will need all the help they can get heading into a best-of-five series against the Oilers led by Leon Draisaitl, the league-leader in points for the 2019-20 season, and arguably the league’s most talented player in Connor McDavid.

Photo courtesy of NBC Sports

As for the other two players on the Blackhawks injured-reserve list, Brent Seabrook and Andrew Shaw, the outlook for their return to the lineup isn’t as clear. For Shaw, he was placed in concussion protocol in late-November and wasn’t given a timetable for return in the 2019-20 season. In February, it was announced that he would for sure not be returning before the end of the year and was hopeful to be ready to play in the 2020-21 season.

The case for Seabrook to be ready by the time the Blackhawks and Oilers drop the puck is tricky. In December, he was shut down for the rest of the 2019-20 season and underwent shoulder surgery. It was also revealed that he would need surgery on both hips, having the procedures done in February. After getting the surgeries, Seabrook was given a five-to-six month timetable for recovery, which would land him right about late-July/early-August to likely be cleared for action.

Post-injury recovery is always tricky and given that Seabrook isn’t under the constant supervision and care of the Blackhawks medical staff during his recovery, it’s hard to gauge exactly where he may be in his process for returning to the ice. One also has to ask the question: How much does a post-double hip surgery Brent Seabrook bring to Chicago? For the time being, we’ll consider Seabrook still sidelined.

With all that said, the Blackhawks lineup with most players back to full health is pretty much cut and dry heading into their play-in round against the Oilers. With maybe one or two spots up for grabs, it’s hard to imagine any of the prospects or IceHogs call-ups to push for real ice-time with a spot in the REAL Stanley Cup Playoffs on the line. That doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it though.

‘Black Ace’ Considerations

The Rockford IceHogs saw their 2019-20 season cut short as well due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The AHL canceled the rest of the 2019-20 regular season and the 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs on May 11, ending the IceHogs’ postseason hopes, as they were tied for the final Central Division playoff spot with the Chicago Wolves when the season ended.

Although the ending was not what anyone could have expected, the IceHogs saw a number of young players take important strides through the 2019-20 campaign. In his end of season conference call, IceHogs head coach Derek King gave praise to a number of rookies from the IceHogs this season, “You’ll get a chance to see guys who were up there when the season was put on hold like Brandon Hagel (and) Lucas Carlsson,” King said. “You have Dylan Sikura that could still go up and MacKenzie Entwistle, too, that played big roles for us this year. Defensively, you can look at a guy like Dennis Gilbert. There’s plenty of bodies available for (Chicago), but who they might take, I’m not sure.”

With the assumed returns of Adam Boqvist, Calvin de Haan, and Drake Caggiula, the Blackhawks are already looking at a 25-man roster heading into the play-in round. With rosters opened up to a maximum of 30 players, there’s not a ton of room for all of the budding young players from the prospect system to fit. Here’s who should be in top consideration for Chicago’s ‘Black Aces.’

Brandon Hagel

Hagel made the jump from juniors to the professional game late in the 2018-19 season with the IceHogs, playing in a handful of games before making his full season debut this year. In his first year with the IceHogs, Hagel led the team with 19 goals and ranked third in scoring with 31 points. He also led all IceHogs rookies in points and ranked in the top-15 in the AHL for points and goals for all rookies.

Brandon Hagel of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

Hagel earned a couple of call-ups to the Blackhawks this season but only played in one game in the NHL this year, playing 11:48 minutes against the Sharks in what ended up being the final game of the 2019-20 regular season. He recorded four shots on goal in his only game with the Blackhawks. Hagel has a combination of speed and bite to his game that the Blackhawks like in him. Adding his scoring touch he showcased with the IceHogs as a rookie, Hagel could benefit from being around a playoff-type atmosphere as he tries to factor into Chicago’s near-future plans.

Philipp Kurashev

When healthy for the IceHogs this season, Philipp Kurashev finished third in scoring for rookies with 19 points in 36 games and was one of eight players to finish the year with Rockford scoring above a half-point per game pace (0.53). His highlight of the season came in a 12-game span from November 29 to December 27, where he tallied 11 points, including a three-point night against the Toronto Marlies on December 15.

Philipp Kurashev of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Kurashev didn’t get a chance to play with the Blackhawks this season, but he figures to be pushing for NHL ice-time soon. Kurashev received high-praise from IceHogs head coach Derek King on his year-end conference call, and rightfully so. King noted that he feels like a healthy Kurashev can be an NHL player in one or two years. “He acts like a pro, he plays like a pro, handles himself like one,” King said. “He has a chance to be a special player.”

Dylan Sikura

One of the more “veteran” of the ‘Black Ace’ options for the Blackhawks, Sikura has skated in 47 career NHL games with Chicago, tallying 14 points. This season with the IceHogs, Sikura skated in 45 games and recorded 33 points, ranking second in points and finishing the season with the team’s highest point per game pace (0.73).

Dylan Sikura #95 of the Chicago Blackhawks reacts after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period at the United Center on January 5, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sikura skated in nine games this season with the Blackhawks from early-December to mid-January, notching three points and scoring his first NHL goal against the Detroit Red Wings on January 5. He averaged 9:54 minutes of ice-time per game this season.

John Quenneville

Another option for the Blackhawks with some previous NHL experience, John Quenneville was a leader for the IceHogs this season, when healthy. In 36 AHL games this season, Quenneville scored 13 goals and 22 points, ranking third on the team in goals and finishing second on the team with a 0.61 points per game pace.

John Quenneville of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs) : Christian Bonin/TSGphoto.com)

Quenneville has 42 NHL games under his belt, playing in nine games with the Blackhawks in his first year with the organization after being acquired from the New Jersey Devils. He averaged 11:03 minutes of ice-time with Chicago this season but didn’t record any points.

MacKenzie Entwistle

Another IceHogs rookie to make a significant impact in his first professional season, MacKenzie Entwistle doesn’t hold as much flash in his game as Hagel or Kurashev but is just as effective offensively as he is defensively. Entwistle finished the season with 11 goals and 26 points, good for fourth on the team in scoring and second in goals and points for all Rockford rookies behind Hagel.

MacKenzie Entwistle of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Possessing a two-way style of play that translates well to the NHL level, Entwistle has time to grow from his productive rookie year into a fully well-rounded player. Consistently utilized in key moments and on special teams for the IceHogs, Entwistle could be another rookie who is on the cusp of making his way to the NHL with the Blackhawks and could benefit from being around players like Jonathan Toews, Ryan Carpenter, and Brandon Saad in a playoff-like setting.

Ian Mitchell

Will he or won’t he…be eligible to play this season? The question that still has no definitive answer for the Blackhawks yet is whether or not newly signed Ian Mitchell will be available to play in the play-in series against Edmonton. Mitchell signed his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks on April 13, while the league was already on hold. The deal wouldn’t kick-in until either the 2019-20 season resumed or until the beginning of the 2020-21 season. But with the league resuming with the 24-team playoff format, players like Mitchell who signed contracts while the league has been paused are still unsure if they’ll be available to play.

Highly touted defensive prospect Ian Mitchell has reportedly agreed to terms on an entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. (Photograph courtesy of Denver University)

If Mitchell is allowed to play, he’ll surely be brought to Chicago to get on the ice, even if just to practice. He figures to be in the mix defensively for the Blackhawks as soon as next season and being around the team in a playoff atmosphere can serve as a jumping-off point for his professional career. Mitchell played in 116 games at the University of Denver, tallying 89 points in his NCAA career. He was named to the NCHC All-Rookie team as a freshman, second team NCHC All-Star as a sophomore, and a first team NCHC All-Star this season as a junior. Mitchell also played with Team Canada at this past December’s Spengler Cup, winning the tournament.

Lucas Carlsson

Carlsson led the IceHogs in points as a defenseman for the second-straight year this season with 26 points in 48 AHL games. He led IceHogs defensemen last season with 33 points in 69 games as a rookie. Carlsson was rewarded at the end of the regular season with the Blackhawks, skating in six games for Chicago and tallying his first NHL assist against the Anaheim Ducks on March 3.

Lucas Carlsson of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

An offensive threat from the blue-line, Carlsson averaged 14:08 minutes of ice-time with the Blackhawks in his six games. With players like Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell, and Nicolas Beaudin all in the fold defensively for the Blackhawks, Carlsson may find it difficult to carve his way into the regular NHL-fold with Chicago. For now, he’d figure to hold his roster spot into the play-in round.

Nicolas Beaudin

Speaking of Beaudin, he was another rookie to make his NHL debut with the Blackhawks this season. Playing in the final regular season game of the 2019-20 season, Beaudin skated for 17:01 minutes for Chicago in a 6-2 win over the Sharks. Beaudin registered two shots on net in his only NHL start.

Nicolas Beaudin of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

After a slow start out of the gate as a rookie for the IceHogs, Beaudin found his stride later in the year and became the second-leading point producer from the blue-line for Rockford. He skated in 59 AHL games and tallied 15 points. Although selected 19 picks after Adam Boqvist in the 2018 NHL Draft, Beaudin’s trajectory after just one full season looks a bit different than Boqvist’s as he will more than likely play next season back with the IceHogs full-time. He might end up being an odd-man-out when the cuts for ‘Black Aces’ are made, depending on the status of Ian Mitchell.

Dennis Gilbert

Looking for something different than a puck-moving defenseman who is under six-foot tall? Enter Dennis Gilbert. Not an analytics darling, Gilbert has made incremental impacts for the Blackhawks physically from the blue-line over the past two seasons. He has skated in 22 NHL games for Chicago, averaging 15:42 minutes per game with a goal and two assists all coming this past season. Since making the jump to the professional level last season, Gilbert has appeared in 93 AHL games with the IceHogs, recording 21 points and amassing a reputation of physical play.

Dennis Gilbert of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo Courtesy: Chicago Blackhawks.)

Gilbert made vast improvements to his skating and offensive confidence late last season with Rockford and it translated to getting more opportunities with Chicago this year. With the Blackhawks investing time in defensemen like Mitchell, Boqvist, and Carlsson, the six-foot-two, 220-pound Gilbert would be a contrast in style and could provide Chicago with a much-need physical edge in a playoff setting.

Collin Delia

The Blackhawks already have Corey Crawford and Malcolm Subban in net at the NHL level, but carrying a third goaltender in these playoff-type settings isn’t a bad idea. Collin Delia is the clear choice. With Kevin Lankinen recovering from shoulder surgery, Delia and Matt Tomkins are the remaining goaltenders from the IceHogs, and Delia is the one with NHL experience and realistic aspirations. He made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in the 2017-18 season and has appeared in 18 games with a 7-5-2 record, 3.65 GAA and a .906 save percentage for Chicago.

Collin Delia makes a save for the Rockford IceHogs against the Chicago Wolves. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Delia has 76 games under his belt with the IceHogs in his career, leading Rockford in net for the past three seasons. With Crawford and Subban set to be free agents in the upcoming offseason, Delia, along with Tomkins and Lankinen are the only goaltenders with NHL contracts with the Blackhawks currently. With Chicago trading Robin Lehner, more than likely not re-signing Subban, and more than likely planning to re-sign Crawford, Delia’s path to the NHL next season is in his reach. Playing alongside a two-time Stanley Cup winner like Crawford during the play-in round, and potentially beyond, could do wonders for Delia’s development.

To reiterate, it seems unlikely that any of the players brought in by the Blackhawks as their ‘Black Aces’ would get into any games during the play-in series against the Oilers or beyond if Chicago were to advance, barring injury of course. But having those players around a postseason environment and playing alongside their NHL cohorts, helping prepare for meaningful games, can go far when attempting to set up a positive culture for a Blackhawks organization that needs some direction, something to point to as a success.

Stay Smart. Stay Safe. Stay Well.

The post ‘Black Aces’ considerations for the Chicago Blackhawks appeared first on The Rink.

The NHLPA voted last week to approve the 24-team format proposed by the Return to Play committee. The top four teams in each conference would play each other in a mini-tournament to decide seeding, while seeds five through 12 in each conference would play a best-of-five “play-in” round.

In his news conference, Bettman said the Return To Play committee was still deciding whether the format would be a bracket or use reseeding, as well as if the playoff round where the field would be down to 16 teams, would remain a best-of-seven games or use a best-of-five games format like in the play-in round.

Also, the play-in round will not be considered “playoffs,” as pointed out by The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun:

NHL says the round-robin/play-in are considered Qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. And while this could still change, the NHL as of now considers that round a special set of games and not actual playoffs. So for record-keeping purposes, the playoffs weren't expanded from 16

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 26, 2020

The league released a memo Monday announcing it targeted early June as the start date for Phase 2 of its return-to-play protocol. Phase 2 includes the opening of practice rinks and allowing small, voluntary group workouts on and off the ice.

According to the 29-page memo, “It has not yet been determined when precisely Phase 2 will start or how long it may last. We are continuing to monitor developments in each of the club’s markets, and may adjust the overall timing if appropriate, following discussion with all relevant parties.”

In his news conference, Bettman deemed the 2019–20 season officially closed. Regular season awards can be voted on and regular season records and stats will be final as of March 12.

Bettman said that he did not believe that NHL training camps, which are part of Phase 3 of the return to play process, would be open before the first half of July.

On the topic of the NHL Draft Lottery, Bettman made clear that there would be 15 teams eligible for the lottery for the top three picks of the draft: The seven teams already eliminated from any postseason play, and the eight teams that will be eliminated during the play-in round.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke down the draft process:

NHL Draft Lottery will be on Friday June 26. The Nos. 1, 2 and 3 picks will be up for grabs. Fifteen teams — the seven who are no longer playing plus 8 more currently identified as Teams A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H — will be in the lottery. Same lottery odds as prior years.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 26, 2020

If the winner of the No. 1 pick draw comes from the bottom 7 seven teams (DET, OTT, SJ (belongs to OTT), LA, ANA, NJ, BUF), that team is awarded No. 1. If the winner of the No. 1 pick draw comes from the other 8 teams, the No. 1 pick will be awarded in the Phase 2 lottery.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 26, 2020

If the winner of the No. 3 pick draw comes from the bottom 7 seven teams (DET, OTT, SJ (belongs to OTT), LA, ANA, NJ, BUF), that team is awarded No. 3. If the winner of the No. 3 pick draw comes from the other 8 teams, the No. 3 pick will be awarded in the Phase 2 lottery.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) May 26, 2020

Everyone clear? Good.

There are still massive amounts of details for the NHL to iron out before the 24-team playoff format can actually begin, including testing procedures, hub cities for games to be played and safety of the teams and personnel involved in making these games happen.

On the subject of hub cities to host the play-in rounds and the playoffs, TSN’s Frank Seravalli and The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline and Thomas Drance gave insight prior to Bettman’s Tuesday news conference:

Don't believe decision coming today on hub cities. But hearing 10 teams still in running to be a hub. List includes: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 26, 2020

Columbus is still under consideration to be a hub city for the #NHL’s re-start.

But told hub cities won’t be part of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s announcement at 4:30 p.m. ET today.#CBJ

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) May 26, 2020

Told that on the NHL general manager's call Vancouver was among the markets listed as still being under consideration as a hub city.

No decision as of yet, but aside from Columbus – as @Aportzline reported – most of the hub cities are in the West.

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) May 26, 2020

Bettman confirmed in his news conference that there are 10 cities being considered, including Chicago, Columbus, Las Vegas, Edmonton, Dallas, St. Paul (Minnesota), Vancouver, Toronto, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. Hub city considerations were based around testing capacity, local government quarantine policies and the caseloads in the cities considered. Bettman estimated the two conference hub cities will be selected within the next three or four weeks.

The league taking these first steps are a hopeful sign toward completing the 2019–20 season and naming a 2020 Stanley Cup champion.

The Stanley Cup has been awarded every year since 1893, with two exceptions: 1919 because of the Spanish flu outbreak and 2005 when the league’s lockout led to the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season.

The post NHL makes 24-team return to play format official, lays out draft lottery process appeared first on The Rink.

The NHLPA Executive Board authorized further negotiations with the NHL on the league’s “return to play” plan late Friday night. The plan’s format would be an expanded 24-team playoff to determine the 2019-20 Stanley Cup champion.

“The Executive Board of the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) has authorized further negotiations with the NHL on a 24-team return to play format to determine the winner of the 2020 Stanley Cup,” a statement from the NHLPA said. “Several details remain to be negotiated and an agreement on the format would still be subject to the parties reaching agreement on all issues relevant to resuming play.​”

Gabriel Landeskog #92 of the Colorado Avalanche congratulates Pavel Francouz #39 following their 1-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on February 21, 2020 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)

In the 24-team playoff format, the top four seeds in each conference, based on points percentage, qualify for “first-round” byes to begin the postseason. The next eight teams in the Eastern and Western conferences would then play in a best-of-five “play-in” round of the playoffs.

The top four teams in the Eastern Conference (Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington, and Philadelphia) and the top four in the Western Conference (St. Louis, Colorado, Dallas, and Vegas) would play each other to determine the top four seeds while the opening “play-in” round took place for the Eastern and Western seeds five through twelve.

A look at the opening round of the Eastern Conference:

• 5. Pittsburgh vs. 12. Montreal – winner plays the four seed
• 6. Carolina vs. 11. Rangers – winner plays the three seed
• 7. Islanders vs. 10. Florida – winner plays the two seed
• 8. Toronto vs. 9. Columbus – winner plays the one seed

Toronto’s Mitch Marner, left, and Columbus’ Seth Jones fight for the puck during the first period of the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 win against the Blue Jackets. (Jay LaPrete/The Associated Press)

Here is the opening round of the Western Conference:

• 5. Edmonton vs. 12. Chicago – winner plays the four seed
• 6. Nashville vs. 11. Arizona – winner plays the three seed
• 7. Vancouver vs. 10. Minnesota – winner plays the two seed
• 8. Calgary vs. 9. Winnipeg – winner plays the one seed

Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks.

There is the chance that the return to play format could change once the dust settles, as reported by Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston and The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun:

Even with this affirmative vote, there are still some details with the 24-team playoff format still to be worked out between the NHL and NHLPA. One of them is whether they'll go ahead with a playoff bracket or use reseeding.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) May 23, 2020

To recap: the NHLPA has agreed to the format itself even though there are other important issues and elements to negotiate. The NHL now will go through its own process and I would expect some form of announcement within the next few days.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 23, 2020

The timeline for the NHL to return to play still is undetermined. Important factors like testing, travel, hub cities, etc. are all under consideration. The most important thing the NHL and the NHLPA must ensure is the health and safety of the players, coaches, team personnel, and all those involved in the hosting of the games when the league does return to the ice.

Until then, this is a hopeful step forward for the NHL and hockey fans alike.

The post NHLPA authorizes further negotiations on NHL 24-team return to play format appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com writers led by RHL (Rink Hockey League) Commissioner Mario Tirabassi and RHL General Managers Jeff Osborn (1st overall), Ron Luce (2nd), Eric Andrews (3rd), Aaron Goldschmidt (4th), John Jaeckel (5th), Ray Napientek (6th), and Mr. Irrelevent Sean Fitzgerald (7th) get together to have a little fun and draft their own RHL franchises comprised only of Blackhawks players since the ’05 lockout.

• • Draft finished like this but worth listening/watching to this one

The-Rink.com Blackhawks fantasy draft results.

Watch the entire replay of the ZOOM draft on Facebook live right here:

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The news for letting Peeters’ rights expire comes with far less surprise than letting Gravel go. Peeters was a third-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2016, but fizzled out of the USHL after little more than one season, returning to Europe and playing last season with Guildford in the EIHL in the U.K.

Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Alexis Gravel stands in the net. (Photograph courtesy of the Halifax Mooseheads)

As for Gravel, the former 2018 sixth-round pick by Chicago had a successful career in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads over the past four years. He appeared in 178 games for the Mooseheads, with a career 3.29 GAA and a .898 save percentage. His best season came two years ago during the 2018-19 campaign, leading the Mooseheads to the QMJHL President’s Cup Final and the CHL Memorial Cup Final, being named to the Memorial Cup tournament’s All-Star team and being named the Memorial Cup tournament’s Most Outstanding Goaltender.

Coming off injury this season, Gravel had a down year from his 2018-19 season, but his body of work still felt promising for the 20-year old to get a shot within the Blackhawks organization. Less than two weeks ago, Gravel posted on a photo on his social media wearing a Blackhawks hat.

First fish of the summer pic.twitter.com/LemOs8NH2g

— Alexis Gravel (@alexis_grave1) May 10, 2020

Now, according to the report, both Gravel and Peeters will see their draft rights expire with Chicago on June 1, making them free agents.

The Blackhawks are left with goaltenders Corey Crawford and Malcolm Subban at the NHL level, with both having contracts expiring this summer. At the AHL level, Collin Delia, Matt Tomkins, and Kevin Lankinen all played with the Rockford IceHogs this past season and all are on the books for 2020-21, with Delia and Lankinen having contracts through the 2021-22 season.

Chicago still holds the rights to Russian goaltender Ivan Nalimov, who signed a PTO with the IceHogs late this past season, but never played in a game, and to 2019 sixth-round draft pick Dominic Basse, who played last season in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms and is expected to play in the USHL again next season before heading to Colorado College.

It is probable that the Blackhawks will draft another goaltender in this year’s Entry Draft, potentially with their first-round pick as Russian goaltender Yaroslav Askarov is projected to be available when Chicago is on the clock. Granted, draft position is still not locked in yet, but as it currently stands Askarov will likely be available around picks eight, nine, and ten in the first round.

The post Report: Blackhawks not expected to sign goaltenders Gravel, Peeters appeared first on The Rink.

On Tuesday, IceHogs head coach Derek King and team captain Tyler Sikura addressed the cancellation of the season and the outlook for the league and the team ahead in dual conference calls.

For King, the finish to his first full season as a head coach was a disappointment.

“I liked where we were at coming down the stretch,” King said. “We had our heads above water and I felt like a playoff spot was in our reach. Overall, I’m upset the way things ended, but I’m really happy with the way we played this year and really proud of our guys.”

After taking over the reigns of the IceHogs last season after the firing of Joel Quenneville and promotion of Jeremy Colliton, King was able to have a full offseason at the helm this past summer and came into the year with high hopes for the IceHogs.

As the year progressed, injuries to key players like Philipp Kurahsev and the departure of veterans Philip Holm and Kris Versteeg gave the IceHogs some roster adversities to overcome.

“We dealt with a lot of injuries this season, I don’t know why,” King said. “But, I liked the way our guys battled through those all year. I said this year that our team was too dumb to quit. We just kept battling. I’m proud of our guys and when we get to doing these exit interviews, everything is going very positive from me to them.”

Derek King gives instruction during a Rockford IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Texas Stars)

With the NHL season still potentially resuming, King spoke about which players surprised him this season, and who he believed might make a rumored expanded 30-man NHL roster for the Chicago Blackhawks if or when the season begins again.

“You’ll get a chance to see guys who were up there when the season was put on hold like Brandon Hagel (and) Lucas Carlsson,” King said. “You have Dylan Sikura that could still go up and MacKenzie Entwistle, too, that played big roles for us this year. Defensively, you can look at a guy like Dennis Gilbert. There’s plenty of bodies available for (Chicago), but who they might take, I’m not sure.”

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate Philip Kurashev’s (center, 25) goal. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

King went on to mention a number of rookies who stood out to him this season, including Entwistle, Hagel and Kurashev.

King noted that he feels like a healthy Kurashev can be an NHL player in one or two years.

“He acts like a pro, he plays like a pro, handles himself like one,” King said. “He has a chance to be a special player.”

One of the more interesting storylines for the IceHogs this season was carrying three healthy goalies on the active roster for most of the season.

Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins split ice time three-ways this year for the IceHogs in net up until a season-ending injury to Lankinen late in the year.

“We were skeptical early on whether we could pull off a three-goalie rotation,” King said of the trio of netminders. “We felt it was the right thing to do for our team, though. We felt all three guys deserved to be playing in the AHL and be getting that level of competition.”

As far as the rotation of the goalies, King said he left that fully up to goaltending coach Peter Aubry.

“Pete did a great job with them all season,” King said. “We would talk about who’s ready to go and hash it out; I don’t think once this season we had a time where I said, ‘Let’s go back to another guy,’ that we weren’t planning on going back with. For the most part, Pete had his hands on the whole thing and he did a great job with them.”

Collin Delia (left) celebrates with Kevin Lankinen (right) after a win over the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs were able to benefit early on in the season from the trio of goalies. When Delia was off to a slow start, Lankinen and Tomkins were able to hold their own. When Delia re-emerged at the top of the depth chart, and Lankinen went down with injury, Tomkins stepped in again and found success behind Delia.

The IceHogs went through a number of roster changes this season, but none may have been a bigger blow than the early retirement of Versteeg. Coming back to the Blackhawks organization after reviving his career in Europe, Versteeg joined the IceHogs on an AHL contract and looked like he was back to his prior NHL form as he played through Chicago’s training camp.

Versteeg was named Rockford’s team captain prior to the beginning of the season and was poised to be a veteran mentor and possibly lead the IceHogs’ offensive attack. Six games into the season, Versteeg aggravated a lower-body injury, missed games and eventually came to the decision that he could no longer perform to the level that was expected of him, choosing to leave the team in November.

Stepping up in the role of team captain was veteran winger Tyler Sikura. On and off the ice, Sikura led the young IceHogs roster and enjoyed a bounce-back year on the ice.

“The situation with Kris wasn’t easy and making the move on from him being part of the team was unexpected,” King said. “It was a little unfair to Tyler, too. Here we were saying, ‘No, you’re not going to be the captain,’ to, ‘You’re the guy now.’ It wasn’t easy for him at first. But, wearing a letter or not, (Tyler) was always a leader for us and a mentor to the younger guys. It was a no-brainer at that point to make Tyler the captain.”

Sikura ended the 2019–20 season as the IceHogs’ team leader in points, tallying 14 goals and 20 assists while playing in all 63 games.

Though proving to be a bounce-back year for Sikura, it ended without the full realization of a season and team that could have had something special.

“As a player, you still held out hope that something could have been done to finish the season,” Sakura said. “You want to see a finish to what you put so much hard work into, but there are bigger things than hockey right now. We felt like we had a team that could go on a nice run late in the year—we were getting healthy and getting guys back at the right time—just unfortunate to not have a chance to see what we could have done.”

After dealing with injuries in the 2018–19 season, Sikura put together a solid season with the IceHogs in 2019–20, making the end to the year easier to handle for him personally.

“It’s a bit easier to swallow knowing that I was able to have the kind of year that I did,” Sikura said. “Last year, I wasn’t able to find a groove and wasn’t able to be the player that I know I could be. I have confidence in myself and this year proved to me that I know what I am capable of. It was encouraging for myself.”

Tyler Sikura and Ian McCoshen talk during a stoppage of play. (Photograph courtesy of the Laval Rocket)

Speaking from a player’s perspective, Sikura is in the boat of wanting to get back to the ice as soon as possible and would have been in favor of finishing the season over the summer if the AHL had come to that decision.

But, now officially in offseason mode, Sikura is like many players, displaced from their team facilities and trying to piece together a summer workout routine at home.

“I haven’t been able to skate since the season was put on hold,” Sikura said. “This time has to be up there with the longest I’ve gone without being on the ice. Luckily, most everyone is in the same boat, so you just have to navigate how your workouts are going to look.”

Sikura added the biggest thing for him is being creative with workouts and being able to do a little bit every day just to keep his sanity while waiting to get back on the ice.

Off the ice, Sikura has been a leader for the team and for the local Rockford community. He led a team-orchestrated GoFundMe campaign for Rockford-area healthcare workers to help them during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It wasn’t surprising to see the response from the community to the GoFundMe,” Sikura said. “The fans are very loyal to their community and we are very happy and grateful to those who have donated. It helps with the sense of helplessness that I’ve felt at times during this, and, even if it’s just online, it’s important to help people who need it the most.”

This season, Sikura has been a standout in the Rockford community and a leader in the IceHogs’ locker room. But, with an AHL contract expiring this summer, the future is not as clear of a picture for Sikura as in past years.

“This time away from the game has given me some perspective on my career and my life as a hockey player,” Sikura said. “I know the 2020–21 season will happen at some point, so knowing that I will get to play hockey for a living again is something I am grateful for. I don’t know where that will be at this time, (but) that is something I’ve been dealing with year-to-year being on one-year contracts. But, you just have to tune those things out and control what you can control.”

Sikura has been a key player in the IceHogs’ successes over the last three seasons, and was rewarded heading into the 2018–19 season with an NHL contract.

Sikura has yet to make his NHL debut in his career and says his goal is still to make the NHL with whichever team can give him that opportunity.

“Rockford has been great to me over these last three years,” Sikura said. “It’s a first-class organization and you get treated like you are an NHL team. I’m still looking to make the NHL and I want to play where I have the opportunity to do that. I would love for it to be with Chicago, but that is a decision I’ll have to make when it is time. Right now, I’m just hanging tight and focusing on what I can control.”

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a win over the Milwaukee Admirals on Dec. 10, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Even with his future up in the air, Sikura is staying vocal with teammates and staying in contact while they have been away during the season stoppage.

Sikura talked about players staying in touch through social media and through team group chats over text messaging, saying that team massage therapist Mike Harling continues to send the team riddles over the group chats, much like he does during the season on his whiteboard in his therapy room.

“It’s hard when everyone is spread out,” Sikura said. “You don’t feel like you got the chance to maybe say goodbye to guys who you might not get a chance to play with again.”

The AHL faces an unclear future ahead. The COVID-19 virus continues to halt all major professional sports for the time being, with leagues like the MLB, NBA and NHL trying to piece together options and plans to start or finish their seasons in some capacity.

For the AHL, dropping the hammer on the remaining 2019–20 season and 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs was a tough, but necessary, decision, given the logistics of the league. The possibility of returning in October is still on the table for the AHL, but seems unlikely that fans will be allowed to attend sporting events by that time.

“If that’s what we have to do, it’s what we have to do to get back,” King said of playing in an empty BMO Harris Bank Center if play resumes without fans. “Hopefully it’s not long before fans could make their way back into the arenas, but it will be weird, very weird.”

The Rockford IceHogs stand for the National Anthem before a game against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

In a league where ticket sales and fans in the building means so much to each organization’s bottom line, it seems unlikely the AHL will be able to come back to action, at full capacity, until fans are able to attend games again. The league is working toward options to begin as early as October, but is also preparing for a start to the 2020–21 season as late as December according to league President and CEO Dave Andrews, who is retiring this summer.

However and whenever the AHL, and sports in general, are able to come back, there needs to be a semblance of safety for the health of the players, coaches, team officials and event staff alike before anyone can envision returning to “normal.” While that return seems to be getting closer, it is still anyone’s guess.

Until then, stay home, stay safe, stay well.

The post IceHogs head coach Derek King, captain Tyler Sikura recap 2019–20 season appeared first on The Rink.

In a statement released Monday morning, the league announced its decision to end the season and not move on with the 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs. Following a Board of Governors meeting held on Friday, the league gave teams time over the weekend to handle business with team sponsors and staff prior to the official announcement being made.

From the AHL:

After a lengthy review process, the American Hockey League has determined that the resumption and completion of the 2019-20 season is not feasible in light of current conditions.

The League’s operational focus has turned toward actively preparing for the 2020-21 season.

We are very grateful to the National Hockey League and its teams for their support and leadership in navigating through the challenges faced over the past two months.

The AHL continues to place paramount importance on the health and safety of our players, officials, staff and fans and all of their families, and we all look forward to returning to our arenas in 2020-21.

The cancellation of the remainder of the season and the 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs marks the first time in the league’s history that a Calder Cup winner will not be decided and the Calder Cup will not be handed out. Every season since the 1937 postseason. the Calder Cup has been handed to the league champion, an 83-season run that today comes to an end.

Additionally, the AHL standings will be sorted by points percentage and statistics as of March 12, 2020, are considered final and official, and will serve as the basis for determining league awards for the 2019-20 season.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a win over the Milwaukee Admirals on December 10, 2019. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

For the Rockford IceHogs, a team on the cusp of a postseason berth, the cancellation of the season is a bitter end to 2019-20. With a 29-30-4 record through 63 games, the IceHogs sat in a tie for fourth place with the Chicago Wolves with 62 points. The Wolves having the advantage based on points percentage means Rockford finishes its season in fifth place in the AHL Central Division.

Tyler Sikura ends the year as the team’s leading scorer (34 points). Brandon Hagel led all rookies in scoring (31 points). Lucas Carlsson led all defensemen in scoring (26 points) for the second-straight season. Collin Delia was the team-leading goaltender in games (32), wins (16), save percentage (.912), and goals against average (2.66).

With the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of the 2019-20 NHL season still being figured out, the AHL could not hold out any longer to make their announcement to end the season. Every day that passed was more money lost for the league and the teams, which already is not a league built to generate the type of revenue seen by the major North American professional leagues.

League President and CEO Dave Andrews spoke on SIRIUSXM Radio two weeks ago and gave a soft-layout for what the future could hold for the AHL, citing that the league does not generate a lot of money from TV contract, but instead is a gate-driven league. Teams make the majority of their money off ticket sales and with the future of sports, at least in the next year or two, looking like they will have to operate behind closed doors with no fans, the league wouldn’t be able operate successfully.

Following the cancellation of the 2019-20 season and 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs, Andrews wrote a letter addressing the league’s decision:

Letter from AHL President and CEO Dave Andrews folling the cancellation of the 2019-20 AHL Season and 2020 postseason.

Beyond the 2019-20 season and 2020 Calder Cup playoffs is still a mystery. Andrews said that the league is trying to plan for every scenario, “Let’s all hope there is some opportunity to do that [return] in October, but we also have to look at operating models beginning in November, December, and January.” Andrews continued with optimism, “I’m pretty confident that we are going to play with some critical mass of teams and with everybody as we head toward December. But again, we’ll be ready to play in October, if we can.”

Stay Home. Stay Safe. Stay well, and we will see you next AHL season.

The post AHL announces cancellation of 2019-20 season and playoffs appeared first on The Rink.

Sikura announced the fund on his Twitter account on Tuesday evening.

(2/2) with childcare, groceries, etc. I have collected $1000 in donations from the players and we are asking you, the best fans in the AHL, to match it to support the frontline workers who are putting themselves and their families at risk to save lives https://t.co/NADogRHdU6

— Tyler Sikura (@Sikkypedia) May 5, 2020

The fund, named “IceHogs Players’ Fund for Health Care Workers,” has a goal of $2,000 and was given a head start by the IceHogs players pooling together the first $1,000. Their hope is to have fans match their donation, and then some. As of writing this, the fund is less than $300 shy of reaching the $2,000 goal in less than 24 hours.

If you would like to donate to the fund, you can do so through the GoFundMe page here.

Stay Safe. Stay Home. Stay Well.

The post Sikura, IceHogs start fund for healthcare workers during COVID-19 appeared first on The Rink.

Finishing this season is looking bleak for the American Hockey League as spring rolls around. The above quote came from AHL President and CEO Dave Andrews in an interview on SiriusXM Radio with Gord Stellick and Scott Laughlin on Friday. Andrews called the possibility of the Calder Cup Playoffs happening this summer, alongside a possible NHL resumption of play, “very, very unlikely.”

The NHL is still holding out hope that the 2019–20 season can be salvaged sometime this summer, or, at the very least, the league could hold the Stanley Cup Playoffs or an altered version of the playoffs. But, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues with stay-at-home orders and social distancing in place, the ability to safely return to real hockey games before the fall seems unlikely for all North American leagues.

With the AHL 2019–20 season all but canceled, the Rockford IceHogs would fall short of finishing the year in what would have been a Calder Cup Playoff spot in the Central Division. But, the season was not a waste. First-year head coach Derek King led a young roster in Rockford through an up-and-down year and had the IceHogs fighting down the stretch of the season. Riding the successes from a trio of goaltenders, the Sikura brothers and a number of emerging rookies to name a few, the IceHogs took a step forward from the underwhelming finish of the 2018–19 season.

With that in mind and the 2019–20 season all but put to bed, let’s take a look at the postseason IceHogs team awards as voted on by me, myself and I.

Preseason predictions

Heading into the 2019–20 season, the Rockford IceHogs’ lineup was a promising mixture of veterans and high-end prospects turned professional rookies. Add in Kirby Dach for three games and the beginning of the year was an exciting time. And, it feels like a lifetime ago that these were the Rockford lines and pairings:

#IceHogs lines vs #Griffins tonight:
Versteeg (C)-Nilsson (A)-Wedin
Highmore-TSikura-DSikura
Saarela-Entwistle-Quenneville
Moutrey-Dach-Hagel

Gilbert (A)-Boqvist
Beaudin-Tuulola
Carlsson-Holm

Delia
Tomkins#RFDvsGR #AHL

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) October 12, 2019

Obviously in the AHL, things change nearly every day with recalls, assignments and injuries. But, heading into the season back in October, here’s how I thought the season would play out by this time of year, and who would be the postseason award winners.

• Most Valuable Player: Matthew Highmore (Dark-horse picks: Collin Delia, Kris Versteeg)
• Rookie of the Year: Adam Boqvist (Dark-horse picks: Brandon Hagel, Philipp Kurashev)
• Defenseman of the Year: Adam Boqvist (Dark-horse picks: Chad Krys, Dennis Gilbert)
• Unsung Hero: Jacob Nilsson (Dark-horse picks: MacKenzie Entwistle, Tyler Sikura)
• Heavy Hitter Award: Dennis Gilbert (Dark-horse picks: Reese Johnson, Joni Tuulola)
• Most Improved Player: Kevin Lankinen (Dark-horse picks: Alexandre Fortin, Nick Moutrey)

I was right on zero of these predictions.

My “dark-horse” picks gave me a bit of saving grace. But, with Adam Boqvist emerging as an NHL-ready defenseman in his rookie season, Kris Versteeg leaving the team and eventually retiring and a three-quarters-of-a-season recall for Matthew Highmore, my “locks,” if you will, were way off.

2019–20 Rockford IceHogs postseason awards

So, how did things actually fare and who were the true standouts from the 2019–20 AHL season for the IceHogs?

Most Improved Player: Tyler Sikura

Tyler Sikura carries the puck up the ice. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

After breaking out for the IceHogs in the 2017–18 season, his first full season in the AHL, Tyler Sikura had high expectations last year to be a major contributor for Rockford and, albeit a long shot, could have pushed for a shot at the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks. Those things did not happen last season for the elder Sikura brother. Coming into this season, Tyler needed to return to the form he saw in 2017–18, where he was one of the top point producers on the team.

He enjoyed a bounce-back season in 2019–20, leading the team in points (34) and ranking second in goals (14), tied with his brother, Dylan Sikura. After Versteeg left the team in November, Tyler was named the IceHogs’ new team captain and played a major role as part of Rockford’s penalty kill this season. Sikura’s AHL contract with the organization ends this summer.

Heavy Hitter: Joseph Cramarossa

Joseph Cramarossa winds up the crowd after a fight. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs.)

Acquired in late November, Joseph Cramarossa came into the IceHogs’ lineup and was a mainstay when healthy. An energy forward and not afraid to mix it up physically, Cramarossa led Rockford with 110 penalty minutes this season with a team-high six fighting majors. The IceHogs as a team registered 24 team fighting majors in 2019–20, the most fighting majors since the 2015–16 season when they registered 39 fights. Cramarossa had 12 points in 42 games with the IceHogs this season and is an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Unsung Hero: Gabriel Gagne

Gabriel Gagne (center, 32) celebrates a goal for the Rockford IceHogs against the Texas Stars. (Photograph courtesy of the Texas Stars)

Another in-season acquisition for the IceHogs that made an impact was Gabriel Gagne. Acquired on loan from the Allen Americans in the ECHL in January, Gagne quickly showed the scoring ability along with physical presence that made him a second-round pick for the Ottawa Sentors back at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. In 21 games with Rockford, Gagne tallied 12 points and was given top-six minutes and power play opportunities down the back half of the schedule. Prior to the season being put on hold, Gagne signed a one-year AHL contract with the IceHogs for the 2020–21 season.

Defenseman of the Year: Lucas Carlsson

Lucas Carlsson looks to make a pass. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

For the second straight season, Lucas Carlsson led the Rockford IceHogs in scoring for defensemen. The second-year player from Sweden finished the season with 26 points in 48 games for Rockford, good for a tie for fourth on the team in scoring with MacKenzie Entwistle. Carlsson’s 26 points was 11 more than the next-highest defenseman this season, ahead of rookie Nicolas Beaudin.

When healthy this season, Carlsson was a regular for head coach Derek King in his defensive rotation and was regularly used on the power play. Carlsson’s confidence this season was evident, as he began to take more chances offensively and earned himself his first NHL call up to the Chicago Blackhawks. The former fourth-round pick played in six games for Chicago and recorded one assist, averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time.

Rookie of the Year: Brandon Hagel

Brandon Hagel eyes the play during a shift against the San Antonio Rampage. (Photograph courtesy of the San Antonio Rampage)

On a team that at one point this season boasted top-end rookie prospects Adam Boqvist, MacKenzie Entwistle, Nicolas Beaudin and Philipp Kurashev, none were more impactful for the IceHogs than Brandon Hagel. The former sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres signed an entry-level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks at the end of the 2018–19 season, skating in the final eight games of the AHL season with the IceHogs and notching one assist.

In the 2019–20 season, his first full professional season, Hagel led the IceHogs in goals with 19, finished third on the team with 31 points in 59 games played and his 126 shots on goal were second on the team behind Dylan Sikura. In the Blackhawks’ development camp, Hagel showed a high motor and ability to get to the net to create scoring chances and those skills translated to the ice at the AHL level. Hagel earned three recalls to the Chicago Blackhawks this season, but was only able to get into one game at the NHL level before the season was paused.

Most Valuable Player: Collin Delia

Collin Delia makes a save for the Rockford IceHogs against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

About a month into the season, calling Collin Delia an IceHogs Team MVP candidate was a bit of a long shot. Delia started the season off on the wrong foot, dropping five of his first seven starts of the season and posting a sub-.900 save percentage. After sitting behind Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins for a three-week stretch from mid-November to the beginning of December, Delia turned both his and the IceHogs’ season around.

Going 14–8–1 from Dec. 3 to the end of the season, Delia was the backbone of Rockford’s push in the second half of the season to get into the Calder Cup Playoff picture. He finished the year with a 16–13–1 record on the year with a career-high three shutouts. The IceHogs rolled a healthy three-goalie rotation this season for most of the year, up until Lankinen’s season was ended due to a shoulder injury, and Delia was the season leader in net with the highest marks in save percentage (.912) and goals against average (2.66). The California native ranked in the top 10 of the AHL for qualified goaltenders in shutouts (three), wins (16) and shootout save percentage (.875, 14/16).

2019–20 epilogue

It truly is a shame that the Rockford IceHogs’ season was cut short during the Calder Cup Playoff push. With 62 points in 63 games, the IceHogs were tied for fourth in the Central Division with the Chicago Wolves, only they would be on the outside of the postseason due to points percentage. But, with nine games remaining, who is to say that the IceHogs could not have had one hot streak left in them to make it into the playoffs?

There are plenty of questions, both on and off the ice, facing the IceHogs and the American Hockey League heading into the 2020–21 season. But, when we do eventually get back to regular games, whenever that may be, there is certainty that the IceHogs can be contenders. Given the talent that will return next season, Rockford is set up to be a team to keep on the radar.

I will leave you with a final quote from Andrews’ interview on Sirius XM radio: “Despite the uncertainty, we’ll be okay.”

Stay safe. Stay home. Stay well.

The post Rockford IceHogs postseason awards (if this is the end) appeared first on The Rink.

Nilsson leaving IceHogs, heads back to Sweden

Nilsson played for Mora IK under head coach Jeremy Colliton from 2015–17 in the Allsvenskan league. After helping Mora earn promotion to the SHL for the 2017–18 season, Nilsson came overseas to join the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization and be rejoined with Colliton with the IceHogs.

Jacob Nilsson skates during a Rockford IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

In his first season with the IceHogs, Nilsson skated in 61 games and tallied 32 points and was named the team MVP for the season. He also skated in his only two NHL games during the 2018–19 season with the Blackhawks. This past season, Nilsson skated in 62 games with the IceHogs, tallying 21 points and serving as an alternate captain.

The 26-year-old said in a statement he is looking forward to being part of a top team in the SHL. Färjestad BK finished first in the SHL in 2018–19 and second in the 2019–20 regular seasons. He also hopes to rejoin the Swedish national team program. Nilsson will be reunited with former IceHogs teammate Victor Ejdsell with Färjestad BK after Ejdsell left Rockford following the 2018–19 season.

The post Jacob Nilsson signs two-year contract with Färjestad BK appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com writers John Jaeckel, Jeff “El Gatekeeper” Osborn, Mario Tirabassi, Juliana Nikac, Lucas Rozell, Marie Sexton, Eric Andrews, Matt Csakai and Sean Fitzgerald get together again on Facebook live to lightheartedly discuss the lack of hockey during this pandemic.

• Can the NHL really restart in July?
• Ian Mitchell and Michal Teply sign entry level deals
• Juliana talks about NWHL news
• Mario talks about the Rockford Icehogs and Gate hits him with an Ian McCoshen scouting request
• Lucas brings us up to date about the Avalanche / Ryan Graves and Marie gives us the lowdown with the Colorado Eagles.
• Some ancient video game talk.
• We talk about great (or not so great) Canadian food.
• We wrap up with what each of us has been doing to keep sane.
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air. Follow and listen on these platforms:

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On Tuesday, Versteeg announced his retirement and released a personal statement along with it:

Statement from Kris Versteeg:

“What a run it was. A kid from North Lethbridge who played on the streets every day, dreaming of playing in the NHL. I took a lot for granted in my time in the NHL. But the one thing I never took for granted were the relationships I made with my teammates and staff of the hockey clubs I played for. A bunch of people have made huge impacts on my life. There was one guy who took a kid with a different personality and a massive chip on his shoulder and helped give him hope, and that was Scott Gordon. Dale Tallon also took a chance on me and gave me multiple opportunities throughout my career. I know I wasn’t always the easiest to deal with. Without people like Scott and Dale, the road to today would not be what it was.

Thanks to my agent Dave Kaye, and my finance advisor Chris Moynes for the last 15 years.  Thank you to every organization I was able to play for. I didn’t realize it then, but I certainly appreciate now how amazing it was to play in the NHL. I want to thank the Chicago Blackhawks’ entire organization, from top to bottom, especially including the fans. The 2010 Championship was the highlight of my career. I also want to thank Brad Treliving for letting me come home to finish my NHL career. As a person and a GM, he made a huge impact on me.

My grandparents Morris and Joanne helped pay for skates and equipment, while feeding us when we couldn’t afford it. They are my real heroes for keeping me and my brothers in the rinks and off the streets. I’m both nervous and excited for what comes next. I have a wife who has supported me endlessly, two boys and a daughter who all have their journeys ahead of them, and I’m excited to see where those might lead. Lastly, a special thanks to my Mom and Dad. I could thank you guys for a thousand things, but it all leads back to saying thank you for the hockey stick. It may be going on the rack, but the endless amount of amazing memories it gave our entire family will be etched in our minds forever.”

Kris Versteeg passes the puck in the first period of game five of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay, Florida. (Photograph courtesy of Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports)

Versteeg made his professional debut with the Providence Bruins in 2006 in the AHL before being traded to the Blackhawks’ organization. He played for the Norfolk Admirals and Rockford IceHogs from 2006–08, making his NHL debut with the Blackhawks in November of 2007. He played his first full season in the NHL during the 2008–09 season, where he tallied 53 points in 78 games and was a Calder Trophy finalist, finishing third behind Bobby Ryan and award winner Steve Mason.

The Alberta native was a key piece during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Blackhawks, scoring six goals and 14 points in 22 games, as the 49-year Stanley Cup drought was put to an end in Chicago and a modern-era dynasty was born. Unfortunately for Versteeg and many other key players from the 2010 Stanley Cup team, the Blackhawks could not keep him around and he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs that summer.

Kris Versteeg awaits a face off against the San Jose Sharks during the 2017–18 season, Versteeg’s last in the NHL. (Photograph courtesy of Sergei Belski / USA TODAY Sports)

From the 2010–11 season to early in the 2013–14 season, Versteeg bounced from the Maple Leafs to the Philadelphia Flyers and then to the Florida Panthers before making his way back to Chicago in November of 2013. During that span, Versteeg was limited to 10 games in the shortened 2013 season due to rib and groin injuries, followed by season-ending knee surgery while with the Panthers.

He stayed with the Blackhawks through the rest of the 2013–14 season, totaling 36 points in 81 games played between Chicago and Florida. Versteeg played in 61 games with the Blackhawks during the 2014–15 season the next year and skated in 12 games in the postseason as the Blackhawks would go on to win their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history and third over a six-year span, marking the second Stanley Cup of his career.

Following that season, Versteeg was again traded away from Chicago and landed with the Carolina Hurricanes. From the 2015–16 season to the 2017–18 season, Versteeg played for the Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames before leaving the NHL after the 2017–18 season. Injuries began to take a toll on his body, including a hip injury that caused him to miss half of the 2017–18 season in Calgary. He was near retirement at that point, but returned to professional hockey during the 2018–19 season, playing parts in the SHL with Växjö Lakers and with Avangard Omsk in the KHL.

Kris Versteeg skates during pregame warmup prior to a Rockford IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Versteeg returned to North America at the beginning of the 2019–20 season, joining the Blackhawks’ organization for the third time in his career after signing an AHL contract with the IceHogs. Prior to the season beginning, Versteeg was named the captain of the IceHogs in his second go-around with Rockford. But the honeymoon was short lived in Versteeg’s re-return to the organization as he re-aggravated his prior hip injury after just six games with the IceHogs, ultimately ending his time with the organization in November of 2019, citing his struggles to fully commit to the level of play that was expected of him.

Looking to not end his career on a sour note, Versteeg made one last attempt to get on the ice and taste success, as he was able to play for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland this past December. Playing alongside his younger brother, Mitch Versteeg, as well as Blackhawks prospects Ian Mitchell and Matt Tomkins, Kris was able to help Canada win its 16th Spengler Cup, tallying five points in four games, including a goal and assist in the Spengler Cup Final.

Kris Versteeg celebrates a goal in the Spengler Cup Final in Switzerland. (Photograph courtesy of KEYSTONE-SDA / Gian Ehrenzeller / Melanie Duchene)

Versteeg’s career will be remembered in two ways: one, as a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Blackhawks, and the other as a promising player cut down by injuries. Now officially retired, Versteeg has mentioned his desire to move into broadcasting. He was part of the NHL Trade Deadline coverage this past February with Sportsnet in Canada.

The post Two-time Stanley Cup champion Kris Versteeg announces retirement appeared first on The Rink.

After nixing an NHL deal with Chicago that would have put Mitchell into the fold with the Blackhawks this season, the 2017 second-round pick returned to Denver University for his junior season, where he served as the Pioneers’ captain. After a spell of “will he or won’t he” from the Blackhawks’ fan community, everyone can breathe a little easier knowing that the coveted defenseman will be playing his professional hockey with the Blackhawks.

Ian Mitchell headlined the Chicago Blackhawks’ NCAA prospects this season. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times)

An already accomplished NCAA prospect, Mitchell played with Team Canada this past December at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland. He tallied a goal and an assist in four games played, helping Canada win their 16th Spengler Cup.

In three seasons playing at Denver, Mitchell skated in 116 games and tallied 89 points. He was part of the 2018 NCAA Championship team as a freshman and was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in the 2017–18 season. Mitchell was named a NCHC Second Team All-Star as a sophomore in 2018–19 and a NCHC First Team All-Star this season as a junior. Mitchell was also named the Pioneers’ Team MVP this season with 32 points in 36 games played prior to the NCAA season being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At 5-foot-11 and tipping the scales around 180 pounds, Mitchell is not the most physically imposing defenseman, but he played heavy minutes over the last two seasons at Denver and all indications are that he will be able to play at the speed and physical level seen in the NHL. It is important to note that Mitchell will need time to adjust and more than likely is not the singular missing piece to the Blackhawks’ woes defensively. But, signs do point to Mitchell getting a crack at the NHL right away once he joins the organization, which is hopefully sooner rather than later.

The post Blackhawks, Ian Mitchell agree to terms on entry-level contract appeared first on The Rink.

• Aaron gives us a rundown of the Avalanche.
• The news that Dylan Strome could be available.
• The Blackhawks goaltending uncertainty.
• What do we think of Jeremy Colliton?
• Some prospect names to look forward to.
• If you are interested in writing for The Rink for any division, email writefor@the-rink.com

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

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From the Rockford IceHogs:

Over the course of the 2019-20 campaign, the Rancho Cucamonga, California, native helped raise over $3,700 for The Autism Program of Easterseals and the Fatherhood Encouragement Project while also donating his time and influence to see these community initiatives succeed in their mission.

With a passion for LEGO since he was a child and close connection with the Autism Program of Easterseals in Rockford, Delia took personal interest in this season’s Autism Awareness Night and LEGO Night on Jan. 25, donating over $550 worth of LEGO playsets to the program and enjoyed an afternoon building with the children in the program. He also completed a two-hour build of a two-foot tall, 1,767-piece LEGO Empire State Building set and contributed the sculpture and an autograph stick to the night’s auction, generating $600 for the Easterseals program.

During the Holiday season, Delia and his teammates joined the Fatherhood Encouragement Project for a Holiday shopping spree for underprivileged children and families in the Stateline community. Alongside the IceHogs Charitable Foundation, Delia and the team combined to donate over $2,600 to the program.

You can watch Delia’s work with the Autism Program of Easterseals here, along with he and his teammates’ work with the Fatherhood Encouragement Project here.

Delia made the most appearances in net for the IceHogs this season with 32. He amassed a record of 16–13–1, with a 2.66 goals against average and a .912 save percentage. Delia notched career-best marks in minutes played (1,824), save percentage (.912) and shutouts (three) in the 2019–20 season.

The post Collin Delia named Rockford IceHogs 2019–20 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year appeared first on The Rink.

Both Highmore and Lankinen signed two-year contract extensions, with year one (2020–21) being two-way deals and year two (2021–22) transitioning into one-way deals. Highmore’s deal comes with a $725,000 AAV ($700,000 NHL/$450,000 AHL in year one, $750,000 in year two), while Lankinen’s deal holds an $800,000 AAV ($750,000 NHL/$500,000 AHL in year one, $850,000 in year two).

Kevin Lankinen moves across the crease to stop a shot. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

This season, Highmore played in 21 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs, tallying 12 points, as well as playing in 36 NHL games with the Blackhawks and notching six points. He has 49 career NHL games with the Blackhawks and was named an AHL All-Star in 2017–18 with the IceHogs.

Lankinen made 21 appearances with the IceHogs this season, holding a record of 8–10–2 with a 3.03 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. He was also recalled to the Blackhawks this season, but has yet to make his NHL debut. Lankinen has played in 40 career AHL games with the IceHogs, was named an AHL All-Star this season and helped Team Finland win the 2019 World Championship gold medal last summer.

The Blackhawks signed entry-level deals with two of their 2017 NHL Entry Draft picks, giving Penn State standout Evan Barratt a three-year deal and Russian prospect Andrei Altybarmakyan a two-year deal. Barratt’s contract holds an $870,000 AAV, while Altybarmakyan’s deal is worth $817,500 annually.

Evan Barratt skates in a game for Penn State during the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Heather Weikel)

Barratt was the 90th overall selection in 2017 by Chicago and has spent the last three years playing at Penn State. In 98 career NCAA games, Barratt scored 39 goals and totaled 95 points. He was part of Team USA’s U18 World Junior Championship gold medal team in 2017, took home a silver medal with Team USA at the 2019 World Junior Championships and was named to the First Team All-Big 10 list as a sophomore in the 2018–19 season.

Altybarmakyan was selected 70th overall by the Blackhawks in 2017 and has played in Russia his whole career. He has spent the majority of the last two seasons with HK Sochi in the KHL. He tallied six goals and 17 points this year with HK Sochi and has 23 points in 101 career KHL games.

Both Barratt’s and Altybarmakyan’s deals begin next season.

The post Blackhawks agree to extensions with Highmore and Lankinen, sign Barratt and Altybarmakyan appeared first on The Rink.

There is no hockey. There are no sports. The news is no fun. We are stuck inside. We need good news and good stories during this Coronavirus pandemic.

The Chicago Blackhawks provided a bit of that good news on Thursday morning, when it was announced that Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews was donating $100,000 to the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund through his foundation.

Some positive news to start your day: Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews donated $100,000 (through his foundation) to the Chicago Community Covid-19 Response Fund.

That money will go to local nonprofits serving the most vulnerable residents in Chicago.

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) March 26, 2020

Toews is a noted community activist and leader, advocating for healthy lifestyles and practices through his foundation and partnerships. He also made a national appearance on the Today Show, wishing a young Blackhawks fan a happy birthday after missing out on seeing the team play on his birthday.

There are so many health care professionals we love, and we have some #WithYouTODAY messages to share, including one from Sharon. She sent us a shoutout for her sister, who’s a nurse in Illinois. pic.twitter.com/aUeCaojoPK

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) March 26, 2020

Or as Hoda Kotb said, “Jonathan Tayvits.” (It is a hard name, after all.)

Toews’ donation comes on the heels of the Blackhawks’ home arena, the United Center, announcing on Wednesday that the facilities will be used as a logistics hub during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Our arena and outside campus will be transformed into a logistics hub where we will be assisting front line food distribution, first responder staging and the collection of critically needed medical supplies.

For updated info, please visit: https://t.co/zqaVAtWV17 pic.twitter.com/i88Yx34St5

— United Center (@UnitedCenter) March 25, 2020

The NHL season is still in limbo, and the Blackhawks may or may not return to the ice to complete the 2019–20 campaign, but at least in these trying times, players and organizations are coming through for their communities.

Stay home, stay smart, stay well.

The post Jonathan Toews donates to Chicago COVID-19 Response Fund appeared first on The Rink.

For the Rockford IceHogs, the suspension of play puts their season on hold right in the thick of a Calder Cup Playoffs push. Through 63 games, the IceHogs are tied for fourth place in the AHL Central Division with the Chicago Wolves at 62 points. Thirteen games remain on the schedule, but with the further announcement from the AHL on March 16 that the suspension of play would not be lifted until at least May 1, there is a wide range of information, planning and just plain old waiting that will need to unfold before any teams get back on the ice.

So how is the team handling the stoppage of play? Without workouts, access to team facilities and with players being given the green light to return to their homes outside of Rockford, there is a lot of down time facing the players and coaches. They are all in the same boat as most of the world right now, stuck at home.

“It’s way easier to keep your body physically ready than your mind,” said IceHogs defenseman Joni Tuulola. “I don’t really know what is going to happen in the next couple of weeks, so it’s just a pain in the a** to have to wait.”

Tuulola, like many of his AHL counterparts, is heading home to Finland until the future of the 2019–20 season is more clear.

“Of course I was very sad about the suspension, but I feel that was the right thing to do,” Tuulola said. “I like to say I hope the season will continue. We will see what’s going to happen, but I think the right people are making the decision on how we are going to end the season.”

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the San Antonio Rampage. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The MLB, MLS, NBA and NHL are all on pins and needles at this point in time, their seasons either put on hold or facing major alterations to their schedules. The NFL offseason is being affected, too, with changes being made to the NFL draft and potentially changing the timing of preseason workouts. The NCAA canceled all winter and spring postseason tournaments, including the men’s and women’s Frozen Four and the men’s and women’s “March Madness” tournaments. In North America and across the world, essentially all sports have been put on hold until further notice.

For the IceHogs, this means getting creative to keep their fans engaged when they are craving hockey content. First, it started with players and coaches checking in and making sure the fans and their families are doing well in this crazy time.

"Wanted to reach out and let you guys know that we are thinking about ya. Thank you for supporting us all year and making the BMO an awesome place to play." – IceHogs forward Dylan Sikura pic.twitter.com/p30VoXD8sX

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 18, 2020

Team points leaders Dylan Sikura (33) and Tyler Sikura (34) both chimed in on the IceHogs’ social media pages to thank fans for their support and to remind everyone to listen to the guidelines that the global medical community has put forth to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Our captain. #leadership

"This is bigger than hockey. I encourage you to stay inside, stay safe and stay healthy." pic.twitter.com/94QpfVJwlv

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 17, 2020

Head coach Derek King also gave his update to the Rockford fan community, as the self-quarantining, social distancing and time working from home becomes the new normal for the majority of folks.

The checks in.

"Stay safe, be good, stay out trouble and go, Hogs go!" pic.twitter.com/sQXvoaC2H0

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 16, 2020

On Tuesday, the IceHogs and San Jose Barracuda played a best-of-three series on EA Sports NHL20 and live streamed the online game on Twitch. They even cut a highlights package from the virtual series.

Highlights: We come from behind in game one and cruise to a win in game two to sweep San Jose in our first-ever video game series!

Check it out: https://t.co/F1o9a6i7Nl

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 17, 2020

Other IceHogs have used the new-found down time in a number of ways, and one shared how not to use it.

“Definitely don’t watch ‘Contagion’ or ‘Outbreak,'” joked IceHogs goaltender Collin Delia.

Watching movies and TV shows, reading new and old books and video games are popular ways for those stuck indoors to pass the time.

For Delia, he is getting the opportunity to focus on his life away from the rink at a pivotal time for his family.

“My go-to way to pass the time is to work on some leather projects with my girlfriend, Ava,” Delia said. “Our business (Portiere Leather Company) is in the Chicago area and we’ve been busy catching up on orders and making new projects.”

Delia and his girlfriend announced on their company’s Instagram account a few months back that they were expecting their first child, and the father-to-be is getting an unexpected chance to be home at an important time.

“We’ve been enjoying spending time together,” Delia said. “Ava is seven months pregnant, so it’s been great to be able to support her and watch our baby develop in light of the season being suspended.”

Collin Delia makes a save for the Rockford IceHogs against Laval Rocket on Dec. 17, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of the Laval Rocket)

Delia expressed his hope for the 2019–20 season to be finished, but understands that very well may never come to fruition.

“I am optimistic that the season will resume,” Delia said. “However, there is a part of me that doesn’t think the season will start again because every day the situation is seemingly more dire. It seems like we won’t have any form of hockey until May 1, which is a long ways away.”

Like Tuulola said, this time in limbo will be a pain in the a**. But, we are in this together to get through this turbulent time in human history.

“Spend time with your family,” Tuulola said. “Times like these, the people around you are the most important. Keep your family close and have some good time with those who are closest to you.”

We at The Rink echo Tuulola’s message. Let those who you love and care about know you are thinking of them during this weird time in the world. Be safe, be well, be smart and be kind. We will get back to the rink and back on the ice soon enough.

The post Rockford IceHogs living in limbo during AHL season suspension appeared first on The Rink.

On Tuesday, the Blackhawks held practice as usual, but the post-practice locker room access was changed to a podium-style press conference for players and coaches with media members kept at least six feet away.

Dylan Strome making his lectern debut: "This is new. Feels like I just got traded." pic.twitter.com/u1NggjcplM

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 10, 2020

It will take both the team and media members some time to get used to the new, temporary measures. The limit of access to the locker room is nothing new for the media covering the Rockford IceHogs. The typical procedure for most of the AHL involves having coaches and players brought to a backdrop outside of the locker room with media scrums happening there. On Tuesday, the IceHogs canceled their sponsored “Hog Talk” event along with all other team-related community events.

UPDATE: In response to the NHL’s updated media policy and reflecting procedures established by the Chicago Blackhawks, tonight's IceHogs Bud Light Hog Talk and other team-related community events have been cancelled. https://t.co/jMOo3TvyO9

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 10, 2020

The hope is these measures will be temporary and will not escalate in North America the way they have in European countries like Switzerland and Italy, where hockey and soccer leagues have canceled or postponed all games and events until further developments are available.

In San Jose, the Sharks and Barracuda will adhere to a Santa Clara County ban on all mass gatherings through the end of March. The teams and leagues are working on the options for the three home games on the schedule for the Sharks (March 19, 21 and 29) and the Barracuda (March 17 and 22). Playing the games with the arena closed off to the fans, postponing the games or playing them at a neutral site are all options on the table while the ban is in action.

For now, the Blackhawks and IceHogs will hold games at the United Center and BMO Harris Bank Center as normal, with only locker room access changes being made.

The post Blackhawks and IceHogs taking precautions over Coronavirus concerns appeared first on The Rink.

With just 13 games remaining on the schedule, the IceHogs currently sit in a tie for fourth place in the AHL Central Division with 62 points. They are tied with the Chicago Wolves, who hold the higher position currently on points percentage, but the Central Division doesn’t adhere to that like the Pacific Division does.

After taking three points out of a possible six against the Grand Rapids Griffins and Chicago Wolves over the weekend, a three games in three days set, the IceHogs will have six days off to rest and hopefully get some healthy bodies back in the lineup. The six days off will also give Rockford a more clear picture of the Calder Cup playoff race, once the rest of the Central Division catches up in games played.

It’s a long way to the top…

Rockford has been working with a depleted roster for a large portion of this season due to injuries. It’s constant of one player comes back, one player goes out. It’s a tough situation to jumble lines and pairings on a consistent basis, but head coach Derek King has done as best a job as he could given then cards he is dealt on a nightly basis. Philipp Kurashev has returned in a major way for the IceHogs, scoring three points in his last six games, but shortly after his return, Rockford is now feeling the loss of John Quenneville.

In net, the IceHogs are riding Collin Delia heavily into the postseason push, making 13 appearances in the last 17 games for Rockford since February 1. He’s performed admirably over that stretch, going 8-4-0 with two shutout performances and a .909 save percentage. But the IceHogs’ depth in net, once their biggest strength, has taken a hit as Kevin Lankinen‘s season ended due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. Matt Tomkins assumed the backup role behind Delia, and the IceHogs added Russian prospect Ivan Nalimov over the weekend, so the three-goalie rotation will live on.

Peter Quenneville of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

The question is if that performance in net will be enough to propel the IceHogs into the Calder Cup playoffs.

Here are the full standings entering Tuesday, March 10:

1. Milwaukee Admirals (62 games played): 40-14-8, 88 points
2. Iowa Wild (62 games played): 37-17-8, 82 points
3. Grand Rapids Griffins (62 games played): 28-27-7, 63 points
4. Chicago Wolves (61 games played): 27-26-8, 62 points
5. Rockford IceHogs (63 games played): 29-30-4, 62 points
6. San Antonio Rampage (60 games played): 24-24-12, 60 points
7. Texas Stars (60 games played): 26-27-7, 59 points
8. Manitoba Moose (61 games played): 27-33-1, 55 points

The IceHogs have the fewest games remaining of any team in the Central Division as of Tuesday, March 10. Rockford is off until Saturday, March 14 when they take on the Chicago Wolves. In the meantime, the rest of the Central Division will catch up in games played, more than likely putting the IceHogs further outside the Calder Cup playoff chase by week’s end, but hopefully not.

Here is how the final 13 games for the IceHogs will be spread out over the final month of the regular season and Rockford’s record against their opponent this season:

• Zero vs. Manitoba (4-3-1)
• Zero vs. Grand Rapids (5-5-0)
• One vs. San Antonio (4-3-0)
• Two vs. Texas (4-1-1)
• Three vs. Milwaukee (1-7-1)
• Three vs. Chicago (6-2-1)
• Four vs. Iowa (1-3-0)

One glaring number that will have to improve if the IceHogs are going to find success down the final stretch of the season is 1-for-38. That is the IceHogs powerplay success rate since February 18.

The lone tally came from Gabriel Gagne in Friday’s contest against the Grand Rapids Griffins. It is an abysmal number on the man-advantage, which ranks 29th in the AHL, a tie for second-to-last in the league with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. While Rockford ranks in the bottom-three on success rate, they are sixth in the AHL in powerplay opportunities with 254. They are the only team in the top eight of opportunities in the league without a success-rate in the teens or higher.

The penalty-kill is even worse at 76.2% this season, last in the AHL. Rockford will need to either play entire games at even-strength down the stretch, or something is going to have to give over the final 13 games of the regular season.

Roster moves

The AHL transaction page was pretty active this week for the IceHogs. First, the team signed Gabriel Gagne and Dmitry Osipov to AHL contracts through the 2020-21 season.

Osipov had signed a one-year AHL deal with the IceHogs last spring, and has seen significant time with Rockford after the loss of Philip Holm and various recalls of Dennis Gilbert and Lucas Carlsson. The 23-year-old defenseman has one goal and 44 PIM in 28 games with the IceHogs this season.

For Gagne, the former Ottawa Senators second-round pick has found it difficult to get his footing in the professional game. Playing for Binghamton/Belleville Senators, Toronto Marlies, Ontario Reign, Wichita Thunder, Newfoundland Growlers, and Allen Americans all before landing with the IceHogs this season, Gagne had shown highly inconsistent flashes of his offensive skill and high-end shooting ability. Prior to joining the IceHogs on a PTO in mid-January, Gagne had 38 points in 36 games with the Allen Americans in the ECHL.

Gabriel Gagne scores on the powerplay late in the 3rd to give the #IceHogs a 4-0 lead #RFDvsGR #AHL pic.twitter.com/VeHcbF4Rzy

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) March 7, 2020

Since joining the IceHogs, Gagne has seen significant ice-time on the powerplay and top-line groupings. In 21 games, Gagne has six goals and six assists with Rockford. He figures to continue to have the elevated role as the Calder Cup playoff push continues for the IceHogs.

Also coming down the wire over the weekend, the IceHogs signed Russian prospect goaltender Ivan Nalimov to a PTO contract. Nalimov, a former sixth-round draft pick by the Chicago Blackhawks, has been playing the last six seasons as a regular in the KHL. Nalimov has been with seven different teams in the KHL. He has a 58-62-12 record with 14 shutouts, a 2.61 GAA, and a .912 save-percentage in his KHL career.

Among the more intriguing prospects in the Blackhawks’ system, Ivan Nalimov will join his sixth team in the KHL for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Kunlun Redstar)

Nalimov joins the IceHogs goaltending rotation after the loss of Kevin Lankinen and figures to see action as the regular season comes to a close. How much action remains to be seen as head coach Derek King has placed a great deal of trust in Collin Delia to be the regular starter during the team’s Calder Cup Playoff push.

Finally, the weekend closed with Brandon Hagel receiving his third recall to the Chicago Blackhawks this season. Hagel has yet to make his NHL debut with Chicago, though that seems like it will not be the case much longer as the Blackhawks lost forward Drake Caggiula to a hand/wrist injury against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday. At the very least, Hagel’s third recall to the Blackhawks should go better than his previous recall, which lasted less than eight hours. At practice today, Hagel was on the third line with Dominik Kubalik on left wing and Kirby Dach at center.

Brandon Hagel of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo Courtesy: Chicago Blackhawks.)

This season with the IceHogs, Hagel has been one of the key offensive components of the Rockford attack. In his first professional season, Hagel has 31 points in 59 games played. He leads the IceHogs in goals with 19 and is third on the team in points. For the sake of the IceHogs, they will hope that Hagel returns before Saturday’s game against the Chicago Wolves and not have to play without one of their main offensive outlets.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Saturday, March 14 as they take on the Chicago Wolves. Puck drop for Saturday’s contest is set for 7 p.m. CDT at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. The IceHogs hold a 6-2-1 record against the Wolves this season, but have dropped three of their last four games against Chicago. There is more than just Calder Cup playoff points on the line on Saturday as the IceHogs could clinch their fourth Illinois Lottery Cup Rivalry title in club history with at least a point against Chicago.

Following Saturday’s contest, the IceHogs return home to take on the AHL Central Division-leading Milwaukee Admirals. Puck drop on Wednesday, March 18 is set for 7 p.m. CDT at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. The IceHogs hold a 1-7-1 record against the Admirals this season, being outscored 40-14 this season and having dropped their last seven games against Milwaukee.

The post War Pigs Report: IceHogs doing just enough to stay in postseason hunt appeared first on The Rink.

After taking two of three games in Texas over the past five days, they improved to a 6-4-0 mark over their last ten games and have worked themselves into a three-way tie for fourth place in the AHL Central Division with 59 points and 16 games left to play. While the IceHogs have the fewest games remaining of any Central Division team (16), they are continuing a slightly positive stretch of play that could see them hang around well enough to have a fighting chance at the organization’s seventh postseason berth in AHL history.

Texas Two-Step

Wrapping up a five-game road trip with three contests in Texas, the IceHogs were able to take both games against the Texas Stars before falling to the San Antonio Rampage in the team’s final trip to San Antonio before they are relocated to Nevada.

Collin Delia backstopped the IceHogs in both wins over the Stars, making 30 saves on 32 shots in 65 minutes of work and making all four stops in the shootout before Dylan Sikura eventually scored the shootout winner on Wednesday night. Gabriel Gagne led the IceHogs attack with both Rockford goals in Wednesday night’s win.

On Friday night, the IceHogs jumped all over the Stars early and often, running out to a 5-1 lead midway through the third period. Goals coming from Philipp Kurashev and Garrett Mitchell in the first period and from Tyler Sikura and Alexandre Fortin in the second period. Brandon Hagel scored his team-leading 19th goal of the season make it a 5-1 game in the third period, but it would shortly turn sour for the IceHogs as the Stars rattled off two goals less than two minutes later to cut the lead to 5-3. Texas’ Joel L’Esperance scored his 21st goal of the season late in the period to make it 5-4, but Delia and the IceHogs were able to fend off a furious comeback effort by the Stars as the final moments ticked away. Delia made 30 saves on 34 shots and improved his record to 15-12-1 on the season with both wins.

The Rockford IceHogs scramble to keep the puck out of their net against the Texas Stars. (Photo Courtesy of the Texas Stars)

Rockford had a chance for a Texas-sized sweep on Sunday afternoon as they traveled to face the Rampage in San Antonio. A tightly contested game that was scoreless into the third period was finally broken with two goals just 31 seconds apart for the Rampage. Austin Poganski and Jordan Nolan both scored their tenth goals of the season to give San Antonio the 2-0 lead and Dakota Joshua potted an empty-net goal to seal a 3-0 win. Matt Tomkins had the start for the IceHogs on Sunday, making 26 saves on 28 shots, but dropping his fifth-straight start and sixth loss in seven starts since December 13. The shutout loss for Rockford marked the sixth time they have been held scoreless this season.

Stayin’ Alive

Rockford had a chance to take sole possession of third place in the AHL Central Division were they to win on Sunday. But with the win, it was San Antonio who would leap-frog their way from tied for fifth-place into third-place by themselves with 60 points on the season. Rockford now sits in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Division, the final Calder Cup playoff spot in the Central.

Here are the full standings entering Tuesday, March 3:

1. Milwaukee Admirals (59 games played): 38-13-8, 84 points
2. Iowa Wild (59 games played): 36-16-7, 79 points
3. San Antonio Rampage (57 games played): 24-21-12, 60 points
4. Chicago Wolves (58 games played): 26-25-7, 59 points
5. Grand Rapids Griffins (59 games played): 26-26-7, 59 points
6. Rockford IceHogs (60 games played): 28-29-3, 59 points
7. Texas Stars (56 games played): 24-26-6, 54 points
8. Manitoba Moose (59 games played): 26-32-1, 53 points

As mentioned prior, the IceHogs have the fewest games remaining of any team in the Central Division as of Tuesday, March 3. But with Rockford off until Friday, March 6, the rest of the Central Division will catch up, more than likely putting the IceHogs further outside the Calder Cup playoff chase by week’s end, but hopefully not.

Here is how the final 16 games for the IceHogs will be spread out over the final five weeks of the regular season and Rockford’s record against their opponent this season:

• Zero vs Manitoba (4-3-1)
• One vs San Antonio (4-3-0)
• Two vs Grand Rapids (3-4-1)
• Two vs Texas (4-1-1)
• Three vs Milwaukee (1-6-1)
• Four vs Chicago (6-2-0)
• Four vs Iowa (1-3-0)

Fairly respectable marks for the IceHogs against the Division this season, aside from the top two teams in the Central (Milwaukee and Iowa), Rockford has seen decent success against their most important opposition this year. If they can continue their ways against Texas and Chicago and steal a game or two against the Admirals and Wild, their postseason hopes should be in good standing. If all goes according to plan, that is.

Brennan’s Back

During last week’s NHL Trade Deadline, the Blackhawks made one minor-league move that affected the Rockford IceHogs, trading forward Nathan Noel to the Philadelphia Flyers organization and acquiring defenseman T.J. Brennan in return. Noel had played eight games for the IceHogs this season with zero points Noel also skated in 39 ECHL games with the Indy Fuel this season, tallying 17 points prior to the trade. Brennan returns to the IceHogs, having played 54 games with Rockford in the 2014-15 season.

T.J. Brennan of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Texas Stars)

Brennan, a former five-time AHL All-Star and two-time AHL Defenseman of the Year winner, played in 28 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season, recording eight points. He had been out of the Phantoms lineup since January 10. In his career, Brennan is a veteran of 53 NHL games and 676 AHL games. In his first game with the IceHogs on Wednesday, he tallied a secondary assist.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday, March 6, as they take on the Grand Rapids Griffins. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST on Friday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is the ninth of ten meetings between the teams this season, with Rockford holding a 3-4-1 record against the Griffins this year. Grand Rapids and Rockford are currently tied for fourth place in the AHL Central Division.

The post War Pigs Report: IceHogs sticking around in Calder Cup playoff hunt appeared first on The Rink.

Brennan returns to Rockford

It was a rather interesting NHL trade deadline for the IceHogs this year. The NHL and AHL use the same deadline to make trades and make players available to move along the waiver wire once trade deadline day passes. As of nearly two hours after said deadline, no players where moved between the Blackhawks and IceHogs as “paper transactions,” which would make those players eligible to be sent from the NHL to the AHL, were the IceHogs to make the Calder Cup playoffs this season.

But alas, in a world of instant gratification, the Blackhawks paper transactions did finally come through the AHL wire as Lucas Carlsson and Matthew Highmore were assigned to and recalled from the IceHogs later Monday evening.

To the trade and a welcome back to the IceHogs for T.J. Brennan.

T.J. Brennan played for the #IceHogs in the 2014-15 season (36pts in 54 GM). He has 475pts in 673 #AHL games. 5x AHL All-Star, 2x AHL Best Defesneman, 3x AHL defenseman points leader#Blackhawks #NHL #NHLTradeDeadline

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) February 24, 2020

Brennan is a seasoned veteran in professional hockey with 53 NHL games and 673 AHL games under his belt, including 63 AHL playoff games. His accolades at the AHL level make for a highly impressive resume, being named an AHL All-Star five times, leading the league in scoring for defensemen three times, and twice being named the Eddie Shore Award winner as the AHL’s best defenseman in 2014 and 2016.

In his last four seasons in the AHL, Brennan has been playing with the Philadelphia Flyers’ AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He has just eight points in 28 games this season for the Phantoms after scoring 40-plus points in his last three years. Brennan has not dressed for the Phantoms since January 10.

His addition fills a gap in the Rockford defensive core with Carlsson in Chicago currently, but the move does little, if anything, to help the Blackhawks or IceHogs moving forward. If a fresh start for this season is what Brennan needed, hopefully he can find it in a familiar IceHogs setting.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday against the Texas Stars. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. in Cedar Park, Texas. The IceHogs begin a three-game road trip in Texas, as they will face the Stars again on Friday night and then wrapping up with a Sunday afternoon contest against the San Antonio Rampage.

Rockford currently sits two points outside of the Calder Cup Playoff picture in fifth-place in the Central Division standings. They are three points ahead of the Stars and one point ahead of the Rampage in the division.

The post Blackhawks acquire T.J. Brennan, will report to IceHogs appeared first on The Rink.

Then there is Ryan Shea.

A four-year college defenseman at Northeastern University who was a fifth-round selection by the Blackhawks in the 2015 NHL Draft, Shea is a relatively under-the-radar prospect in the Chicago system that will have his future decided with the organization in a few short months. Shea is the captain for the Huskies in senior season that has Northeastern ranked tenth in the nation. With 29 points in 28 games this season, Shea is on pace to double his previous career-high in points (17) and could finish the year in the top-five of scoring defensemen when all is said and done.

I had the chance to talk with Shea as he and the Huskies prepare for a home-and-home series against sixth-ranked Boston College this week. We spoke about his development from draft day to his senior year, what being a three-time Beanpot champion means, and his future with the Blackhawks organization.

“You start to think about how you got to this point and who got you here…”

Through three years playing at Northeastern University, Ryan Shea was a steady, two-way defenseman. He wasn’t flashy and wasn’t blowing people away with gaudy production numbers. But that was never his role; Shea has always put the focus of his game on the defensive side first.

“I’m definitely not considering myself an offensive defenseman at all,” Shea explained about his new-found explosion on offense. “After Jérémy Davies signed early this year, there were some more offensive responsibilities put on my shoulders, which is why you see the numbers I’m getting this year, but I’ve always been very strict about my defensive game.”

Shea is tied for second on the Huskies in points and leads the team with 24 assists. While Shea doesn’t want his numbers to fool anyone into thinking he’s going to be a powerplay expert at the next level, his skills as a puck-moving defenseman who can make the right plays is going to be his calling card once he makes the jump to the professional ranks.

BOSTON, MA. FEB 3: Northeastern Huskies celebrate after beating Harvard Crimson , Monday, February 3, 2020, during the first game of Beanpot Hockey Tournament at TD Garden in Boston (Jim Michaud / MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)

“I want to go out as part of the class that has the most wins in Northeastern hockey history. We still have a chance at that.”

Shea’s winning ways at Northeastern have him and the rest of the Huskies Class of 2019-20 on the verge of setting the class wins record for the program. With 85 wins and counting over the last three seasons and change, Shea’s senior class is already the second-winningest in program history, only behind last year’s senior class of 2018-19 which finished with 90 wins.

Northeastern has won the Hockey East championship and the Beanpot tournament in the same season twice, once in 1987-88 and again last season in Shea’s junior year. Getting the Beanpot again this season sets the Milton, Massachusetts native up to be the Captain of one of the most successful Senior classes in program history.

“It never gets old winning that tournament”

When Shea arrived at Northeastern, the Huskies hadn’t won a Beanpot tournament in nearly 30 years. His father, Dan Shea, played four years at Boston College from 1984-1988 but never won a Beanpot tournament title. Growing up 15 minutes south of Boston, the Shea family has always been connected to the tournament. “We grew up watching the Beanpot, we went to it every year. It’s been in my family for such a long time.”

In his sophomore year, the streak was broken after Northeastern topped Boston University, 5-2. The next season, Northeastern won back-to-back titles for the first time since the 1984 and 1985 tournaments. As a senior, the captain of the team, Shea was looking to be part of the eighth team to win at least three Beanpot titles in-a-row.

“The amount of alumni and fan support behind us just brought the moment to another level. It never has gotten old.”

Blackhawks prospect Ryan Shea raises the Beanpot Trophy after winning the Beanpot tournament in Boston on February 10, 2020. (Photo credit: Jim Pierce-Northeastern)

In a frantic Beanpot Final this year, Northeastern was mere moments away from sealing their third-straight title before Boston University tied the game with less than two seconds remaining in regulation. After a five minute overtime period, the Final would head to double overtime.

“It was definitely nerve-wrecking,” Shea recalled of the long night. “The most important part for our team that night was getting out of the five-minute overtime. They were taking it to us. After we regrouped in the locker room, we got back on the same page. It was a great overtime for both teams, I can’t imagine watching it because it was so intense playing in it.”

The final breakthrough that Northeastern needed in the double overtime period came at the hands of Shea himself, drawing a penalty. But it wouldn’t be without controversy.

Northeastern’s #Beanpot Final game-winning goal came on a Powerplay in 2OT. Here is the penalty “drawn” by #Blackhawks prospect Ryan Shea to setup the eventual winning Powerplay #NCAA #CawlidgeHawkey pic.twitter.com/CTCV9XxR5P

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) February 11, 2020

“Obviously there’s a lot of people who were not happy with the way it ended, but that’s just how it happened. There were calls missed on them against us and missed calls on us against them, but I don’t think it’s something you can blame on the officials. They made a call in a high-pressure moment and took advantage of it.”

Northeastern would go on to score on the ensuing powerplay, which Shea was on the ice for, topping Boston and winning their third-straight Beanpot title.

“It’s possible I could be reunited with him and that would be pretty fun.”

After the satisfaction of winning the Beanpot begins to subside, and the final weeks of the season creep up, Shea is reminded of a former teammate that had a similar path to the Blackhawks organization. A sixth-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Dylan Sikura was a star at Northeastern in his four years as a Husky. He was part of the 2017-18 Huskies squad that won the first of three-straight Beanpot titles alongside Shea and signed his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks shortly after finishing his senior year in Spring 2018.

Ryan Shea and Dylan Sikura celebrate a goal for Northeastern during the 2017-18 season. (Photo courtesy of Northeastern University)

“When he was here, he was one of my best friends on the team,” Shea said of his relationship with Sikura. “The communication between me and him is always open. He loves it there and he has his brother [Tyler Sikura] there too, which is awesome. He just tells me to take my time and make the best decision for myself and my family. He’s given me nothing but positive thoughts on the organization and the city.”

“The feedback has been nothing but great…”

The season is winding down for Shea with Northeastern; only three more weeks remain before postseason play begins. If all goes according to his plans, Shea will be finishing his year winning the program’s first-ever National Championship and wrapping up the year on April 11. That timeframe would leave no games remaining for the Blackhawks or IceHogs, unless either makes the postseason, to see Shea play at the professional level. The Blackhawks organization would have a few months left to reach an entry-level deal with Shea before the August 15 deadline where his draft rights with Chicago would expire.

Northeastern’s Ryan Shea #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ABUHYZhLxE

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

“I feel like I’ve done a good job of not letting that distract me this year, especially as the season gets closer to the end. But every prospect at this point starts to think about going to the next level. Chicago and their staff has been nothing but good to me and have helped me with my development an incredible amount, so I have no problems with them. Chicago is an unbelievable spot and I know Rockford is too, so hopefully I can keep playing good hockey here and the organization likes what they see from me.”

Northeastern is set to take on Boston College this week, a matchup of two top-ten programs in the country. Shea knows that some of the Blackhawks brass will be in town for the high-profile contests and remains focused on finishing his year as strong as possible. With his professional future ahead of him, Shea’s focus on his legacy at Northeastern has set him up to be a highly valuable player for any organization, whether it is in fact Chicago or not.

The post Ryan Shea cementing legacy at Northeastern as Blackhawks future awaits appeared first on The Rink.

“In the infamous words of Michael Scott: “It’s over. We are screwed.”

Well, not quite yet, but it’s looking pretty grim for the Rockford IceHogs Calder Cup Playoff chances as the season heads into February.”

– Opening line of February 3 ‘War Pigs Report’

About that.

The Rockford IceHogs have officially dug themselves out of their winter hibernation hole and have crawled their way back into real Calder Cup Playoff contention with four wins in their last five games, all against Central Division opponents. While health remains a major issue plaguing the IceHogs this season, there is hope that key players will be returning to the lineup just in time for the final 24 games of the season.

Back in the hunt

After a stretch of the schedule from Dec. 21 to Feb. 1 where the IceHogs went a staggering 3–14–2 and fell from second to sixth in the Central Division, Rockford has climbed back into the Calder Cup Playoff hunt with four wins in their last five games, three coming in regulation and all four against Central Division opponents. Most recently, the IceHogs took back-to-back games on the road against the Manitoba Moose.

Coming into the final 24 games of the season for Rockford, here are the Central Division standings:

1. Milwaukee Admirals (51 games played): 34–10–7, 75 points
2. Iowa Wild (51 games played): 31–14–6, 68 points
3. Chicago Wolves (50 games played): 24–21–5, 53 points
4. Grand Rapids Griffins (51 games played): 22–22–7, 51 points
5. Rockford IceHogs (52 games played): 24–25–3, 51 points
6. Texas Stars (50 games played): 23–23–4, 50 points
7. San Antonio Rampage (49 games played): 17–20–12, 46 points
8. Manitoba Moose (52 games played): 22–30–0, 44 points

Following the IceHogs’ upcoming game on Saturday night against the Cleveland Monsters, Rockford will only face Central Division opponents to close out the season. Of those remaining 23 games against divisional foes, only nine will be at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. From Feb. 22 to March 14, the IceHogs will play seven of eight games on the road. Rockford holds a 10–12–2 record away from home this season with 57 goals scored on the road, tied for the fourth-fewest in the AHL.

John Quenneville carries the puck during a game in the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs / Christian Bonin / TSGphoto.com)

While it has been tough sledding to provide offense on the road this season for the IceHogs, their goal production has increased over their last nine games overall and last four games away from home. In the last four road games for Rockford, they are scoring 3.25 goals per game and are 3–1–0. Since Jan. 24, the IceHogs are averaging 2.77 goals per game.

It might not seem like a drastic amount, but compare that to the 1.46 goals per game that Rockford averaged from Dec. 21 to Jan. 22, including being shut out three times over that span, and the offense is clicking just at the right time for a postseason push.

We’re going streaking!

Two players that have been pushing the IceHogs back up the standings have been forward Dylan Sikura and defenseman Lucas Carlsson. Both players are riding impressive scoring streaks and have played major roles in the recent offensive upswing for the IceHogs.

For Sikura, his short stint with the Blackhawks gave him confidence in his game and he is working to get himself back up to the Chicago in the NHL and make sure he sticks if given the opportunity. Currently, Sikura is on a professional career-long nine-game point streak, tallying 12 points over that timeframe with three goals and nine assists.

Dylan Sikura skates with the puck during a contest in the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Since returning to the IceHogs on Jan. 19, Sikura has 13 points in 12 games and ranks third on the team with 29 points in 34 games. His 0.85 point-per-game pace also leads the team by a wide margin over players who have played at least 30 games this season for Rockford, as John Quenneville‘s 0.68 point-per-game pace comes in second.

Lucas Carlsson has been one of the under-the-radar defensive prospects in the Blackhawks’ system for the last two years. While players like Adam Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin and Dennis Gilbert have grabbed headlines as future pieces, Carlsson has quietly gone out and produced for the IceHogs as one of their most reliable go-to defensemen.

Lucas Carlsson holds the puck in at the blue line. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs.)

Last season, Carlsson led all Rockford defenders with 33 points in 69 games, finishing fourth on the IceHogs in scoring among players with more than 30 games played with Rockford. This season, Carlsson is again at the top of the list for production, leading defensemen in points with 24 in 45 games and leading all IceHogs in assists with 20 this season.

It is likely safe to say Carlsson will again finish the season as the IceHogs’ leading scoring defenseman, as Beaudin is second among defensemen in points with 13. Like Sikura, Carlsson is also on an impressive point streak for Rockford, riding a five-game streak in which he has tallied seven assists. Carlsson leads the IceHogs this season with six multi-point games.

I have the power!

Keeping with the theme of offensive upswing for the IceHogs, the power play has been hot as of late. Although spending all season at or near the bottom of the league in power play conversion rate, the IceHogs have scored nine power play goals in their last nine games, converting on nine of 37 chances over that span for a 24.3% success rate.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the San Antonio Rampage. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford’s power play still ranks near the bottom of the AHL with a 12.7% success rate, good for 29th in the league, but their current form is promising with the expectation that more players that will see power play time will be coming back to the lineup, such as Philipp Kurashev.

It is encouraging to see the conversion rate increasing over their last nine games since the IceHogs have been one of the best teams in the league at drawing penalties on their opponents. Rockford is one of 10 teams to reach the 200-mark for power play opportunities at this point of the season, and rank sixth overall in power play opportunities in the AHL with 212, averaging 4.07 power plays per game this season.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Saturday at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford as they take on the Cleveland Monsters. Puck drop on Saturday is set for 6 p.m. CST. It is the final game for the IceHogs this season that will come against an opponent outside of the Central Divison. Rockford is 0–3–0 against the Monsters this season, being outscored 15–3 in the previous three matchups. It is also Collin Delia bobblehead night for the IceHogs on Saturday.

Get your cheeks in the seats tomorrow and you’ll get a FREE Collin Delia bobblehead!

Details and : https://t.co/h78RytQ9CR pic.twitter.com/nvtY1RZser

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) February 14, 2020

Following Saturday’s game, the IceHogs stay at home when they host the Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday. Puck drop on Tuesday is set for 7 p.m. CST. Rockford is currently tied with the Griffins in fourth place in the Central Division with 51 points, with the Griffins currently holding the tiebreaker in regulation wins. Rockford holds a 4–3–0 record over Grand Rapids this season.

The post War Pigs report: IceHogs climb back into the playoff hunt appeared first on The Rink.

In his final season with Red Deer, Hagel tallied 41 goals and 102 points to finish fourth in points in the WHL. Since then, the Alberta native has worked his way into the forefront of the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect system, as he is on pace for one of the most prolific rookie scoring seasons in Rockford IceHogs AHL franchise history.

Hagel’s stock on the rise with IceHogs

This should come as no surprise to those that know Hagel’s game. After finishing with 279 points in 259 WHL games, Hagel was expected to produce points at the professional level.

“Coming in last year for eight games and getting some touches in was good for me,” Hagel said about joining the IceHogs last season. “Got to come here and get used to the people and the players, so when I came back this year, I knew more of what to expect and that allows me to play the way I need to play.”

Hagel’s comfort level with the IceHogs has translated into a high-energy style of play that has been rewarded by head coach Derek King this season, affording Hagel meaningful ice time and opportunities on both the power play and the penalty kill.

For a rookie coming into the professional ranks, the transition from junior hockey can take a physical toll on a young player. But, with his style of play, Hagel has found it easier than most to make the jump to the next level.

“There’s a lot of new things you learn through recovery and nutrition and how important that is,” Hagel said. “As a rookie, you’re kind of on your own now, living on your own, so you have to figure things out now for yourself. We have a great leadership group on this team that is really on top of those things, so that has made my transition as easy as it can be.”

Only 3 #IceHogs have scored 20+ goals in their rookie season since 07-08:
Matthew Highmore (24)
Tyler Sikura (23)
Tanner Kero (20)
Brandon Hagel has 17 goals through 45 games this season. He is on pace for 28 goals, which would be the highest total since 2012-13 (30, Morin) #AHL https://t.co/3f8FPZ6vLa

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) February 5, 2020

What may be a surprise to IceHogs and Blackhawks fans alike are both Hagel’s work ethic and skills away from the puck.

His ability to put up points, as well as apply pressure defensively, kill penalties and play with an edge has allowed him to separate himself from the pack in the Blackhawks’ prospect system. His work this season did not go unnoticed by the parent club and Hagel received his first NHL recall in January.

“I don’t feel like my work away from the puck is underrated,” Hagel said. “People notice that and it’s continued to be a part of my game as a whole. My work ethic is the No. 1 thing that I have to focus on. Obviously, people notice it and I’m putting up numbers, too, so that always helps.”

While he did not get to make his full NHL debut during his first NHL recall, Hagel still took away a vote of confidence from the Blackhawks organization after getting the opportunity to learn from the pros in Chicago.

“It was nice just to even go up there and just get comfortable around the guys and staff,” Hagel said. “Everyone was so welcoming and that made it easier for me to do what I needed when I was up there, especially when it’s your first time up and you don’t really know what to expect. It’s just good to know what I have to do to get back there and hopefully get that opportunity again.”

Brandon Hagel skates against the San Antonio Rampage during the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the San Antonio Rampage)

On a roster that began the season so inexperienced, and has endured a heavy amount of turnover due to injuries and recalls, Hagel has been one of the most consistent offensive factors for the IceHogs.

“There’s always going to be change,” Hagel said. “We’ve been through a lot of it this year and it’s just one of those things that you have to let it roll. Can’t think about it too much and stick to your game.”

Hagel and the IceHogs went through a difficult month of January, which snowballed from an equally difficult end of December. Going 3–14–2 from Dec. 21 to Feb. 1, the IceHogs have fallen from second in the AHL Central Division to sixth. While somehow keeping within striking distance of a Calder Cup Playoff spot through that stretch, the IceHogs have won back-to-back games heading into their next contest on Saturday and regained their confidence.

Rockford will need to continue to lean on Hagel’s offensive production, which has him third on the team with 25 points and leading the way with 17 goals this season. Hagel’s 17 tallies rank in a tie for fourth among rookies scorers and he is on pace for 28 goals this season, which would set the IceHogs’ AHL franchise record for rookies.

The post Brandon Hagel on historic rookie pace for IceHogs appeared first on The Rink.

For a college hockey fan like myself, I only came across The Beanpot tournament in the last decade. The tournament is held annually in Boston between Northeastern University, Harvard, Boston University, and Boston College. It originally began in 1952 and has been held on the first two Mondays of February each year since at the famed Boston Garden (TD Garden), although the inaugural Beanpot tournament took place at the Boston Arena. It holds a special place among the rich tradition of hockey in the Boston area and forever holds collegiate bragging rights in the city for those who hoist the Beanpot Trophy.

The 68th Beanpot Tournament this year features three Blackhawks prospects with Jake Wise and Alex Vlasic of the Boston University Terriers and Ryan Shea, captain of the defending back-to-back Champion Northeastern Huskies. Last night, Northeastern topped Harvard and Boston University came back against Boston College setting up all three Blackhawks prospects in next Monday’s Final. Shea and the Huskies have an opportunity to win the Beanpot Tournament for a third time in-a-row, while Vlasic and Wise could help give the Terriers their first Beanpot Title since 2015.

Shea, Northeastern going for seventh Beanpot Title

In the opening game of the tournament, the 12th-ranked Northeastern Huskies topped 17th-ranked Harvard 3-1 to advance to next Monday’s Final against Boston University. The Huskies were led by Chicago Blackhawks 2015 fourth-round draft pick and captain Ryan Shea as he tallied a primary assist and an empty-net goal in the victory.

Zach Solow with a deflection goal.

Tyler Madden (VAN) hovers all over the offensive zone to find open ice. Great pass from Madden to Ryan Shea (CHI). Shea's shot gets deflected.#Blackhawks #Canucks pic.twitter.com/hGOzpoJ1BS

— Josh Tessler (@JoshTessler_) February 3, 2020

Shea’s two-point night gives him a point-per-game pace this season for the Huskies with 24 points in 24 games played. He has set NCAA career-highs in goals (4), assists (20) and points (24) this season with Northeastern.

Ryan Shea of Northeastern addressed the media following his team's Beanpot semifinal win over Harvard. pic.twitter.com/X7d2BhUUHz

— NESN (@NESN) February 4, 2020

Shea and the Huskies head to their third-straight Beanpot Final, looking to bring home their seventh tournament championship in program history. Northeastern has had the least success of the four schools involved in the tournament historically, but their recent success as of late can be attributed in part to Shea and former Husky and current Rockford IceHogs standout Dylan Sikura. Sikura was part of the Northeastern squad along with Shea that started the road to a three-peat back in 2017. While his long-term future is unclear with the Chicago Blackhawks, Shea’s immediate future lies with leading his Huskies squad to the Final against Boston University, looking to be the first three-peat winners since Boston College won five-straight from 2010 to 2014.

Vlasic, Wise and Boston advance past Boston College in overtime

In an even more thrilling contest Monday night, the Boston University Terriers upset the fourth-ranked Boston College Eagles 5-4 in double overtime to advance to the Beanpot Final and set up a rematch from the 2018 tournament final, won by Northeastern.

The Terriers were powered by multi-point efforts on the night from David Farrance (goal, two assists), Patrick Harper (goal, two assists), and Schaumburg, Illinois native Patrick Curry (goal, assist). Wise was held off the scoresheet and Vlasic tallied a secondary assist on the game’s overtime-winning goal from Wilmer Skoog.

Wilmer Skoog nets the winner to put BU into the Beanpot final. #BUvsBC #Beanpot (via @NESN) pic.twitter.com/yHFMSeKvO7

— Boston Hockey Blog (@BOShockeyblog) February 4, 2020

For the freshman Vlasic, he tallied his fourth assist on the season as he continues his transition to the college hockey level of competition. A second-round pick by the Blackhawks this past June and native of Wilmette, Illinois, Vlasic projects to be a player that the Blackhawks hope to be able to slot into their defensive rotation at the NHL level in the next two or three seasons. At six-foot-six and 200-pounds, Vlasic is an imposing physical presence on the ice and moves well for his size and age on the ice.

Wise hasn’t been the same player that the Blackhawks drafted in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft. Injuries have derailed his progression since joining the Boston University program. In 25 games this season, Wise has just one goal and six assists. It appeared Wise was headed for a fast-track with the Blackhawks just two years ago, but his NHL projection has slowed and his return to health and return to form are what the organization need from him.

What’s Next?

The 68th Beanpot Tournament Final takes place on Monday, February 10 at the TD Garden in Boston. The consolation game takes place on the same day, with a 3:30 p.m. CST puck drop. The Final puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. CST and can be found on the NHL Network. Boston University is searching for their tournament-best 31st title, while Northeastern looks for Beanpot Championship number seven.

The post Blackhawks at the Beanpot: Shea, Vlasic, and Wise reach Final appeared first on The Rink.

Well, not quite yet, but it’s looking pretty grim for the Rockford IceHogs Calder Cup Playoff chances as the season heads into February.

For the IceHogs, the month of January could not end soon enough. Aside from a better than anticipated showing during the AHL All-Star weekend from goaltender Kevin Lankinen, the IceHogs had a dismal month of January. Which isn’t surprising given the state of the team and the level of play that the team has exhibited since the third week of December.

Rockford is in a bad spot. With not much hope on the horizon when it comes to injuries, the IceHogs are icing a lineup that would be particularly competitive in the ECHL, but is doing them less favors at the AHL level. If something doesn’t change for the better soon, the 2019-20 season could be written off in Rockford as a lost cause.

IceHogs’ winter blues continue

The benchmark for when things began to go south for Rockford continues to be December 21. Since that game, a 3-2 loss at home to the Cleveland Monsters, the IceHogs have mustered up just three wins. They have a 3-14-2 record over that stretch and have fallen from second-place in the AHL Central Division to seventh-place in the Division.

The lost points and the drop in the standings hurts, but the slim silver-lining is that the gap between the third-place Chicago Wolves and the San Antonio Rampage at the bottom of the Division is just seven points. Rockford, with 43 points, sits just three points out of the final Calder Cup Playoff spot in the Central, currently held by the Texas Stars and Grand Rapids Griffins with 46 points.

But the slide down the standings since before the Christmas break has been highlighted by some spectacular losses. They have given up five or more goals in five of those losses, three against the league-leading Milwaukee Admirals alone. Rockford has been shutout in three of those losses. They are averaging just 1.68 goals per game during this 19-game stretch.

Derek King is entering his first full season as the Rockford IceHogs’ head coach. (Photograph courtesy of the Texas Stars)

The offensive spark has not been there on a consistent basis for the IceHogs this season, especially as of late. Their 116 goals scored this year ranks 29th in the AHL, and their -31 goal differential also ranks 29th in the league. Only the Ontario Reign (-40) and Bridgeport Sound Tigers (-51) have worse differentials this season. And while getting powerplays has not been a problem for Rockford this season, ranking eighth in the league in opportunities (193), they sit in 30th in the league in powerplay percentage at 11.9%, only Bridgeport has been worse on the man-advantage this season.

Rockford ranks third in the Central Division based on team save percentage this season, with Kevin Lankinen, Collin Delia, and Matt Tomkins combining for a .905 marker. Tomkins and Delia are tied for the team-leading save percentage at .906, with Lankinen not far off with a .904. All three goaltenders have had their ups and downs this season, but their downs have never overlapped as Tomkins and Lankinen shined during Delia’s early-season slump and Delia has been playing considerably better as of late while Lankinen has dropped his last eight starts in net.

The walking wounded

The roster is not built the way that the team would have anticipated at the beginning of the season. Kris Versteeg and Philip Holm both left the team unexpectedly, early-season top contributors like Matthew Highmore, Dylan Sikura, Adam Boqvist, and Dennis Gilbert have seen significant time with the Chicago Blackhawks this season, and injuries upon injuries have taken their toll on the IceHogs ability to field a competent AHL roster. In January alone, the IceHogs went through 28 roster transactions across the NHL, AHL, and ECHL levels.

Philipp Kurashev of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Most notably for Rockford has been the loss of offensive production from Philipp Kurashev and Anton Wedin. Both players are still in the top ten in scoring for the IceHogs, despite missing nearly half of the season due to injuries. Kurashev ranks third on the team in rookie scoring with 16 points this season and both he and Wedin ranked inside the top five for the IceHogs in points prior to their injuries.

Wedin had four points over this last four games with the IceHogs from December 15-31, including a two-point night on December 31, but that would be his last game with Rockford before heading to the injury list.

Kurashev saw a major turn for the better in his on-ice production prior to leaving the IceHogs roster. In his last 13 games from November 29 to December 29, Kurashev tallied 11 points including a three-point night against the Toronto Marlies on December 15.

Add to the list the games missed by Tim Soderlund and Mikael Hakkarinen, as well as the fact that both Nick Moutrey and Jacob Nilsson have now been bitten by the injury bug, and the IceHogs are having a hard time seeing light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the health of the squad.

Hot Hagel

One of the few positives that has been consistent for the IceHogs this season has been the emergence of Brandon Hagel. Currently sitting second on the team in scoring behind Tyler Sikura (26), Hagel leads all IceHogs rookies in points (24), goals (16), and shots on goal (95). He has also skated in the most games of any rookie this season with 44 appearances and his .55 points per game pace is fourth among active skaters for the IceHogs.

Brandon Hagel’s team-leading 15th goal this season ties the game at 3-3#IceHogs #RFDvsMB #AHL pic.twitter.com/UBVsafk74b

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) February 1, 2020

In the AHL for rookie ranks, Hagel is tied for 11th in the league in points and fifth in goal scoring. An impressive rookie season for Hagel has been bolstered by a couple stretches of quality play. From October 30 to December 10, Hagel did not go more than a game between tallying points with 12 points over a 17-game stretch. He quickly followed that up with an eight point run over a ten-game stretch from December 20 to January 11 and currently has goals in back to back games as a part of a three goals in four games stretch from January 24 to February 1.

Brandon Hagel’s team-leading 16th goal of the season #IceHogs #RFDvsMIL #AHL pic.twitter.com/AEVcyXaT7C

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) February 2, 2020

He also received his first call-up to the NHL in his career, joining the Blackhawks for a two-game stint from January 16-20. Although he didn’t get to dress for his first career NHL game, the recall shows that the Blackhawks have Hagel on their radar, as he should be. Given the state of the roster with players missing significant time due to injuries and recalls, Hagel has been thrust into a top-line role for the IceHogs in his first full season as a professional and has answered the bell continuously for Rockford.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs get back in action on Tuesday, February 4 as they take on the Texas Stars at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Puck drop on Tuesday night is set for 7 p.m. CST. It is the fourth game of a six-game homestand and the eighth game of a ten-game stretch where the IceHogs haven’t had to travel more than 90 minutes to play.

Rockford is 0-2-1 in their last three home games and 2-7-1 over their last ten games. The IceHogs hold a 1-1-1 record against the Stars the season and sit three points behind the Stars in the Central Division standings.

The post War Pigs report: IceHogs season slipping away appeared first on The Rink.

Delia overcoming rough beginning to 2019–20 season

The season did not start the way he had planned. Coming in as the theoretical third-in-line goaltender, Delia started the year with a poor 2–5–0 record, a goals against average over four and a sub-.900 save percentage. The IceHogs have carried three healthy goaltenders all season and after just a month and a half, Delia took a backseat to Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins.

“I was frustrated because I want to play,” Delia said of his time off the ice in November. “I think I deserve to play. I work hard and prepare the right ways. Just wasn’t the decisions that were made and sometimes you don’t agree with them but you respect what the coaching staff says. Just use it to energize your efforts moving forward because if you come to the rink with a negative attitude, you’re only hurting your team and yourself.”

Over his last 10 appearances, Delia holds a 6–3–0 record with a 1.59 goals against average and a .946 save percentage. He also recorded his second career AHL shutout in his last start, making 34 saves against the Chicago Wolves on Jan. 19. It also was the second appearance of the year for Delia where he did not allow a goal, having made all 20 saves in relief of Lankinen on Dec. 31 against the Manitoba Moose.

“I’ve been practicing, playing and preparing the right way,” Delia said. “I had some things that were affecting me off the ice that I was able to get in check and that allowed me to do my job more effectively on the ice. That’s all it comes down to.”

Collin Delia makes a save for the Rockford IceHogs against Laval Rocket on Dec. 17, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of the Laval Rocket)

One thing going for Delia this season is that he has been able to settle into one organization, so to say. Delia began his professional career with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL, but was recalled to the IceHogs near the midway point of the 2017–18 season. He would work his way into a regular role with the IceHogs that year and was a key player during their 2018 Calder Cup Playoff run. Last season, Delia moved up and down from the IceHogs to the Blackhawks throughout the year, ultimately finishing the year as one of the top netminders in the AHL.

“It allows me to be with the guys more,” Delia said. “You get more one-on-one time with specific guys and as a team as a whole. That’s important for a goalie. You get to know where certain guys like to play and where they go and you can find your spots. It’s a big part of reading the play and the guys around you.”

While he hasn’t moved around the organization, neither have Lankinen or Tomkins, leaving the IceHogs with a rare trio of healthy goalies on the roster for the entire season so far.

“I don’t think it’s ideal long-term,” Delia said of Rockford’s three-goalie system. “It’s hard for everybody to get enough reps. It’s interesting because I don’t think you’ll see a lot of teams do that. You just have to use it and make the most of each moment in practice and each game you get into.”

Eye on the future?

While Delia has not been needed in Chicago yet this year, given the quality of play and health of Crawford and Lehner, he is the only goaltender with the Blackhawks or IceHogs that has a contract beyond this season.

Collin Delia makes a play on the puck during a Chicago Blackhawks game against the Nashville Predators in the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of Chase Agnello-Dean / NHLI via Getty Images)

If his recent play is any indication, Delia may have played his way back into that No. 3 spot on the organizational depth chart. But as the NHL trade deadline approaches, and the Blackhawks have a number of questions to address regarding their future in net, Delia finds himself in a precarious position.

“I envision myself being there (in Chicago) permanently one day,” Delia said. “You notice things, but you don’t give too much attention to them because it’s not as important as being here and winning games here. I know when I’m called upon, I’ll use what I’ve worked on here and make sure they translate up there.You have to focus on having success here and now, because if you have it here, it’s easier to have it when you’re up there.”

Rockford IceHogs goaltender Collin Delia celebrates a shootout win over the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of Brad Repplinger)

Keeping his focus on the present with the IceHogs has paid off for Collin, his last outing was a shutout. Delia has been one of, if not the only bright spot on the ice for Rockford as they have just three wins since Dec. 21. Over that time, the IceHogs are averaging just 1.47 goals per game and have been shut out three times.

“We’re not going to make the playoffs with a .500 winning percentage,” Delia said. “We have to be higher than that and that’s my focus. Keep the puck out of the net so we can win some games. Being one-track minded for me is good because it allows the other guys to focus on their jobs if I’m doing my job.”

The IceHogs currently sit in sixth place in the Central Division with a 20–21–2 record. They are two points behind the Texas Stars and Grand Rapids Griffins, who are tied for fourth place and three points behind the Chicago Wolves in third place.

Delia ranks 16th in the AHL in goals against average (2.66), is tied for 11th in save percentage (.913) and is one of 39 players to record a shutout this season among goalies who have played over 780 minutes in net this season.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday, as they take on the Milwaukee Admirals. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST at the Panther Arena in Milwaukee.

Following Friday’s contest, the teams will run it back on Saturday back in Rockford. Puck drop on Saturday is set for 6 p.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center. It will be the final game for the IceHogs before the AHL All Star break.

The IceHogs hold a 1–3–1 record against the league-leading Admirals this season and face Milwaukee three times over their next four games.

The post Collin Delia focusing on the “here and now” with IceHogs appeared first on The Rink.

Consistency in the roster and on the ice have led the IceHogs into a weird roller-coaster type of month where they surely won’t lose grip on their season, but they are in danger of falling into a hole that could be too deep to dig out of once March and April roll around.

Rockford currently sits in a three-way tie for fourth-place in the AHL Central Division with 42 points in the standings through 42 games with a 20-20-2 record. They are on par with the Texas Stars and Grand Rapids Griffins, having played one more game than Texas (41) and one fewer than the Griffins (43) at this point in the season. Looking with a broader scope, the third-place Chicago Wolves and the last-place San Antonio Rampage are only separated by seven points in the Central Division standings. It’s going to be a classic divisional slug-fest the rest of the season for the IceHogs as they navigate their Calder Cup Playoff push.

A Tale of Two Tendys

The roster has been influx with injuries and recalls/re-assignments, yes. But what was once the biggest strength of the IceHogs this season has turned into a question-mark. Goaltending was the key for the IceHogs last season with Anton Forsberg and Collin Delia leading the way. Coming into the 2019-20 season, it looked as if Delia and Kevin Lankinen were in prime position to once again be a deadly one-two combo in net.

While Lankinen came out of the gate with a great start to the season, Delia struggled. Add into the mix the IceHogs willingly carrying three healthy goaltenders all season with Matt Tomkins also in the fold and ice-time for Rockford goalies was at a premium.

• IceHogs goalie stats through the end of November
  • Kevin Lankinen: 5-2-1, 2.45 GAA, .926 save percentage
  • Matt Tomkins: 4-1-0, 2.39 GAA, .924 save percentage
  • Collin Delia: 2-5-0, 4.08 GAA, .855 save percentage

Kevin Lankinen of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Lankinen and Tomkins became the one-two punch early in the season, and Delia was relegated to healthy scratches to get more work in practice without taking away from the goalies who were playing reliably during that time. But since then, there has been a shift in control of the IceHogs’ net as Tomkins has seen less ice, as well as taking a trip to the Spengler Cup with Team Canada, and Delia has returned to the form that the Blackhawks organization was used to seeing from him starting late in the 2017-18 season and beyond.

• IceHogs goalie stats since December 1, 2019
  • Kevin Lankinen: 2-7-1, 3.89 GAA, .879 save percentage
  • Matt Tomkins: 1-2-0, 3.03 GAA, .894 save percentage
  • Collin Delia: 6-3-0, 1.59 GAA, .946 save percentage (ten appearances and one shutout)

Peter Quenneville of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Delia recorded the first shutout of the season for the IceHogs by blanking the Chicago Wolves for 34 saves on January 19. His second career shutout in the AHL, Delia also recorded a goalless appearance in relief of Lankinen against the Manitoba Moose, making 20 saves in Manitoba on December 31, 2019.

While IceHogs head coach Derek King might be reluctant to flat-out name a starter when the team is carrying three healthy goalies that have all shown the capability of being a solid goaltender at the AHL level, it’s almost looking like the WRONG move right now to not be giving Delia the heavy workload while the teams roster continues to be ever-changing on a nightly basis.

Roller-coaster Ride

Up and down the organization is not a fun or mentally-healthy way to play a career. But, such are the perils of the IceHogs these days. With so many injuries both in Rockford and Chicago this season, the IceHogs and Blackhawks have not been strangers to the NHL and AHL transactions pages. No two players know how hectic it has been this season than Brandon Hagel and Dennis Gilbert this last week.

First, Hagel receives his first recall to the NHL in his young career with the Blackhawks on January 16. He joins the Blackhawks on their Canadian road trip, but doesn’t get into a game. He is then sent down back to the IceHogs on the night of January 19. He plays in the IceHogs’ game at home against the Belleville Senators on January 20, a 3-0 loss for Rockford, and then hops right back on the bus back to Chicago as the Blackhawks again recall him to the NHL that night as the Blackhawks prepare for their final game before the NHL All-Star break.

Brandon Hagel of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo Courtesy: Chicago Blackhawks.)

On top of that, there is a more than likely chance Hagel will once more be sent back to the IceHogs as they play four games between January 22-31. The Blackhawks are off after their game on January 21 against the Florida Panthers (the return of former head coach Joel Quenneville to Chicago) until February 1. Hagel has been one of the top point-producers for the IceHogs this season and has been thrust into a top-role with Rockford during their injury-riddle stretch of this season. Hagel leads all Rockford rookies in points (21) and leads the team in goals (13) in 39 games this season.

On the defensive side of the roster, the Blackhawks have been hurting, literally, with season-ending injuries to Brent Seabrook and Calvin de Haan and have been forced into playing young defensemen Adam Boqvist and Dennis Gilbert in regular roles in the lineup. Unlike Hagel, Gilbert has been used by the Blackhawks in his time being called up to the roster. But with the extended break coming for Chicago, Gilbert is also being subjected to the up and down riding of the transaction wire between the Blackhawks and IceHogs. Gilbert came back to the IceHogs with Hagel on the night of January 19 and was in the Rockford lineup against the Senators on January 20. He also rode the bus back to Chicago that night with Hagel to be on the Blackhawks roster, but not in the lineup for the January 21 contest against the Panthers.

Dennis Gilbert of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo Courtesy: Chicago Blackhawks.)

It won’t end there for Gilbert as it is highly likely he joins Hagel back down to Rockford for the four-game stretch with the IceHogs where they will play three home games and a road game only 90 minutes away against the Milwaukee Admirals. Gilbert has skated more for the Blackhawks than the IceHogs this season with 20 NHL games played, compared to his 12 AHL games. He has a goal and two assists with Chicago this season and two assists with Rockford in his 12 games.

Getting the extra work will be good to keep Gilbert active during the Blackhawks’ layoff, especially since he hasn’t seen ice-time over the last few games for Chicago. He’ll be relied upon for significant minutes if and when he joins the IceHogs again to end the month. As for Hagel, his quick stint with the Blackhawks will most likely be more of a learning experience as he will not factor into the lineup and may not return to Chicago as February begins. It looks likely that Dylan Strome will return to health for the Blackhawks when they get back to games on February 1 or very soon after that.

*UPDATE: Both Hagel and Gilbert were re-assigned to the IceHogs late on January 21*

IceHogs Face Familiar Foes

The Rockford IceHogs are in a Calder Cup Playoff push. Not doubt about it. As mentioned before, the race for playoff positioning in the AHL Central Division is tight and will likely come down to the final week of the season. With 34 games remaining, the IceHogs play just one more game that will not be against a Central Division opponent as they host the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday, February 15. That leaves 33 contests against rivals heading down the stretch of the season.

Nick Moutrey (left) fights with Jermaine Loewen of the Chicago Wolves. (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Here’s how those remaining 33 contests break down:

• Three games vs Manitoba Moose (two home; one away)
• Three games vs Grand Rapids Griffins (one home; two away)
• Four games vs Iowa Wild (two home; two away)
• Five games vs San Antonio Rampage (two home; three away)
• Five games vs Chicago Wolves (two home; three away)
• Six games vs Texas Stars (three home; three away)
• Seven games vs Milwaukee Admirals (three home; four away)

Rockford has had their rival Chicago Wolves’ number this season in their previous seven matchups this season, holding a 6-1-0 marker. The biggest takeaways are the remaining seven games that come against the league-leading Milwaukee Admirals and the six games against the Texas Stars, a team the IceHogs are currently tied with in the Divisional standings.

While every game and every point is and will continue to be right up to the season finale on April 11 against the Iowa Wild, it begins now for the IceHogs to stay in the Calder Cup Playoff hunt. Getting healthy will be the biggest key for Rockford as they look to build momentum. If the Blackhawks can return healthy players to their lineup consistently, then Rockford will likely enjoy another reinforcement player (Matthew Highmore, probably) returning to their lineup.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday, January 22 as they take on the Texas Stars. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford on Wednesday night. The IceHogs hold a 1-0-1 record against the Stars this season.

Wednesday night’s game will be game three of a ten-game stretch where the IceHogs do not have to travel more than a 90-minute drive to play. From January 19 to February 8, Rockford enjoys eight home games and one road game each in Chicago and Milwaukee. The IceHogs are 1-1-0 to begin said ten-game stretch.

The post War Pigs Report: IceHogs experiencing The Perils appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs hold playoff position…for now

Technically, the IceHogs are in a playoff position in the Central Division. Tied for fourth with the Texas Stars with 40 points, the IceHogs and Stars have played the fewest games in the Division with 39 games played. The San Antonio Rampage, who sit in last-place, have also played 39 games. The IceHogs’ focus can only be to take care of their own business and not have to rely on any other team to help them in the standings as they try to begin their Calder Cup Playoff push.

Collin Delia in net for the Rockford IceHogs against the Chicago Wolves. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford has the worst stretch of any Central Division team over their last ten games with a 2-7-1 mark. But a positive spin on their recent slump is that things are beginning to trend back in the right direction. The IceHogs have a 2-2-1 mark over their last five games, including wins over the Manitoba Moose and Grand Rapids Griffins, two teams sitting directly behind them in the Division standings.

Six of the next seven games for Rockford are against Central Division opponents to close the month of January and they only face two non-Central Division teams the rest of the season. Every game and point matters now for Rockford as they sit in a tie for fourth-place with only 11 points separating the second-place Iowa Wild (49 points) from the seventh-place Manitoba Moose (38 points).

Not-so-special teams

Woof.

The Rockford IceHogs have been struggling on the special teams end of the game this season. Both the powerplay and the penalty-kill rank at the bottom of the AHL this season and it’s a trend that the IceHogs have seen under head coach Derek King. This season, the IceHogs rank 30th in the AHL on the powerplay with a 11.1 percent success rate with the league’s 10th-most powerplay opportunities with 162. On the other end, Rockford ranks 29th on the penalty-kill with a 77.7 percent kill-rate with 157 times short-handed, 16th in the AHL.

Tyler Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of Laval Rocket)

Under head coach Derek King, the IceHogs ranked 29th on the powerplay last season, but had an impressive 10th-ranked penalty-kill. One driving factor last season on the successful penalty-kill was the goaltending duo of Anton Forsberg and Collin Delia as both finished near the top of the AHL in save percentage in the 2018-19 season. This season, the goaltending trio of Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins have not been as consistent in net, but that is not the end-all-be-all of killing penalties. On the bright side, the IceHogs are tied for the fourth-most short-handed goals this season with seven tallies by seven different players.

The more concerning number is the discrepancy on the powerplay. Only the Bridgeport Sound Tigers have a worse powerplay in the AHL (9.9%) with nearly as many powerplay opportunities (161). Rockford has been depleted of their offensive point-producing players for a big chunk of the season now, but still a team creating as many man-advantage chances, shouldn’t be at the bottom of the league in conversion. One would think the numbers game would just figure itself out and a bounce here or there on the powerplay would boost the IceHogs numbers, but it hasn’t come about yet this season.

Walking wounded

As just mentioned, the IceHogs have been depleted on their roster this season for a decent portion of the schedule. Between injuries and call-ups to the Chicago Blackhawks, the IceHogs have had to piece together a healthy roster relying on a heavy rotation of rookies, ECHL Indy Fuel call-ups and PTO signings.

Gonna Slytherin to Grand Rapids tonight! pic.twitter.com/X2NM8eA0Qw

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) January 15, 2020

The most recent lineup for Rockford in their game against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday night is a testament to how much Derek King has had to piece together a roster. Peter Quenneville, older brother of John Quenneville, signed a PTO and found himself on the top line in his first two games with the IceHogs.

While having Alexandre Fortin return to health was a positive, the IceHogs still went with just 11 forwards against the Griffins, playing Ben Youds as a seventh defenseman. Youds has played in 11 games for Rockford on a PTO contract and it seems like half of those starts have been as a seventh dressed defenseman or lining up as a forward.

Anton Wedin of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Along with Peter Quenneville and Youds on PTO contracts, the IceHogs have also had to have Josh Winquist and Spencer Watson sign PTO deals to join the team and recalled Dmitry Osipov, Dylan McLaughlin, Nathan Noel, and Mathew Thompson from the Indy Fuel in the ECHL all since December 1.

With injuries and call-ups, the IceHogs are having to replace players like Dylan Sikura, Matthew Highmore, Dennis Gilbert, and Adam Boqvist as they have spent a good amount of time with the Blackhawks and players like Anton Wedin, Philipp Kurashev, Tim Soderlund, and Mikael Hakkarainen have missed significant time due to injury this year. Not to mention losing Kris Versteeg and Philip Holm before the mid-way point of the season as both have left the team.

It’s slim-picking for Rockford right now, but they are making due and not making excuses.

Help on the way?

The good news for the IceHogs is that help may be on the way. (Cue the Rise Against song!)
The Chicago Blackhawks are getting healthy in their own right as Drake Caggiula returned to the team recently and both Dylan Strome and Brandon Saad could be returning to the lineup soon.

Colliton didn't rule out Strome or Saad joining the team in Toronto, though he wasn't exactly saying it will happen, either.

Said they would have to take part in practice Friday in order to play Saturday.

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 16, 2020

Those are three major players coming back into the fold for Chicago and with Andrew Shaw‘s return also a possibility still this season, the IceHogs could see major players coming back down. John Quenneville had a stint with the Blackhawks in the last few weeks, playing nine games with 14 shots on goal and no points, but had since returned to Rockford and has two assists in his last two games. The younger Quenneville on the roster has 15 points in 21 games with the IceHogs this season, including ten points in his last seven games played in the AHL.

With Quenneville already returning, the IceHogs could also see familiar faces like Dylan Sikura and/or Matthew Highmore return as well once the Blackhawks get their forwards healthy again. Sikura hasn’t played with the IceHogs since December 7 and still ranks fourth on the team in points (16) and first in shots on goal (99). He finally broke through and scored his first NHL goal back on January 5 against the Detroit Red Wings. In nine games with the Blackhawks this season, Sikura has three points and ten shots on goal.

Dylan Sikura #95 of the Chicago Blackhawks reacts after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period at the United Center on January 5, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

Rockford could see Sikura return, but if the Blackhawks decide to hold onto him, it could be Matthew Highmore returning to the IceHogs. Highmore has been with the Blackhawks fro 16 games also since December 7 like Sikura, and has one goal and one assist in his 18 total games with Chicago this season. In his time with Rockford this season, Highmore has tallied 12 points in 21 games coming back healthy from an injury-riddled 2018-19 season. One or both of those players coming back to the IceHogs could very well turn the season back in Rockford’s favor and give the powerplay and penalty-kill some key players back into the fold.

Hagel, Nilsson leading offensive charge

The IceHogs have not been making excuses during this adverse stretch of the season. It’s the life of an AHL team to deal with injuries of their own and to their NHL affiliate club and the ever-changing make-up of the roster. Rockford has had to rely on a few veterans and a lot of rookies to shoulder the load with a good portion of their top players missing. Two players who have stayed healthy (knock on wood) and kept up with the production are last year’s Team MVP Jacob Nilsson and rookie Brandon Hagel.

Brandon Hagel of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the San Antonio Rampage)

Hagel has come into his own this season as a go-to player for Derek King. Playing on the powerplay and getting significant minutes in a top-line role, Hagel has responded with eight points in his last 12 games and sits in second-place on the team in scoring with 21 points, trailing only Tyler Sikura with 23 points. Hagel leads all IceHogs rookies in points (21) and goals (13), ranking tenth and tied for fifth in the same categories for rookies in the AHL.

Jacob Nilsson of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Along with Tyler Sikura as a veteran point-producer (six points in last ten games), Jacob Nilsson has been pacing the Rockford offense during what I am calling “The Great Exodus” for the IceHogs. With six points in his last six games, Nilsson ranks third on the IceHogs in scoring behind Sikura and Hagel with 18 points in 39 games this season. His 12 assists this year are second on the team behind the elder Sikura and both are the only two players on the Rockford roster to not miss a game yet this season for the IceHogs.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night as they take on the Grand Rapids Griffins for the second time in as many games. Rockford took the most recent meeting in Grand Rapids, 2-1 in the shootout. The IceHogs hold a 4-2-0 record over the Griffins this season. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. CST on Friday night at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

The IceHogs return to the Central time zone and take on the Chicago Wolves on Sunday, January 19 at the Allstate Arena in another edition of the Illinois Lottery Cup Rivalry. The IceHogs hold a 5-1-0 record over the Wolves this season with Chicago winning the most recent matchup back on January 5. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. CST on Sunday afternoon.

The post War Pigs Report: IceHogs at the mid-season mark appeared first on The Rink.

The mid-season drag of the schedule hits you and you’re stuck in a middle-limbo state where the excitement of a fresh new season has worn off, but the prospect of a playoff push hasn’t truly set in yet. The mantra of every game and every point matter can get stale, but its truth doesn’t change.

For the Rockford IceHogs, the mid-season winter blues are hitting hard. Following a loss to the Chicago Wolves on Sunday night, the first loss to the rival Wolves this season, the IceHogs are still looking for their first win since before the Christmas holiday break and have tied their longest losing streak since late 2017.

Depleted IceHogs hitting slump

Rockford has dropped their last six games in a row, all in regulation. Once sitting in second-place in the AHL Central Division, the IceHogs have stayed stagnant at 35 points in the standings since December 21 and have fallen into fifth-place in the Division. Although based on points-percentage, the IceHogs still sit in third with 35 points in 34 games played, the fewest games played in the Central Division. But sugar-coating it does no one any service. The IceHogs need points.

Four of the six-straight regulation losses for the IceHogs have all been one-goal games. This season, Rockford holds a 4-6-2 record in one-goal games, excluding shootouts. Being able to close the deal on close games could be a learning opportunity for a young IceHogs roster, but it would be good for head coach Derek King to have a just a few more veteran players who know the drill to be able to lead the rookies both on and off the ice in tight situations.

Philipp Kurashev of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

The IceHogs have had their hand forced this season by injuries and call-ups to play their young players more consistently and have to dig deep into the organization to fill roster spots. Missing from the IceHogs lineup for a significant amount of time already this season, either due to injury or being recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks include Adam Boqvist, Dennis Gilbert, John Quenneville, Dylan Sikura, Matthew Highmore, Anton Wedin and Alexandre Fortin. It appears as though Gilbert and Boqvist will not be re-joining the IceHogs this season after season-ending injuries to Calvin de Haan and Brent Seabrook. Highmore and Sikura continue to draw into the Blackhawks roster and could also make the decision to send them back to Rockford difficult for the Blackhawks management if/when Drake Caggiula and Andrew Shaw return to health.

That’s a large chunk of the IceHogs’ early season production gone from the current roster. Players who were either producing points or playing significant minutes gone during a pivotal point of the season. It’s no excuse though, as such is life in the AHL as injuries and call-ups are dealt with league-wide.

Brandon Hagel of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

It’s now on the IceHogs remaining in Rockford to step up to the plate and fill those voids. Captain Tyler Sikura leads the team in points (21) and has been moved around the lineup all season, but hasn’t seen his game change. Rookies Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev have stepped up their production with their new roles on the current roster, ranking second and tied for third on the team in scoring this season.

The depth of the Blackhawks organization is being tested. The IceHogs are relying on a hefty amount of rookies and Indy Fuel call-ups to fill their lineup and fill the score-sheet, trying not to lose too much footing in the standings and have to play catch up late in the season.

Hey now, you’re an All-Star…

The AHL All-Star game is being held in Ontario, California on January 26-27. Kevin Lankinen will be the only Rockford IceHogs player heading to the All-Star game this season after being named to the Central Division roster late last week.

Kevin Lankinen of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Lankinen, currently with the Chicago Blackhawks on an emergency basis, got off to a hot-start with the IceHogs this season, but has cooled in his last few starts for Rockford. Lankinen holds a 7-7-1 record this season, with a 3.17 GAA and a .905 save percentage. He has dropped his last four starts for the IceHogs, including being pulled in the first period against the Manitoba Moose on December 31, a 4-3 loss for the IceHogs.

Daddy Delia

Some off-ice news for the IceHogs as Collin Delia and his partner Ava announced on Instagram over the weekend that they are expecting their first child. The couple made the announcement through their leather company’s social media account.

Collin Delia of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Delia has been trending up for the IceHogs after a slow start to the season. He holds a 6-7-0 record on the year, with a 3.04 GAA and a .901 save percentage. After starting the year 2-5-0, Delia has won four of his last six starts and has a .939 save percentage over his last seven appearances for Rockford.

Cup check

Even more news for the IceHogs goaltending trio as Matt Tomkins returned to Rockford after playing for Team Canada at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland from December 26-31. Tomkins played in one game for Canada, a 5-1 win over HC Davos during the group round, making 22 saves on 23 shots faced. Canada would eventually go on to win their fourth Spengler Cup in-a-row and their 16th Spengler Cup.

Matt Tomkins of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Tomkins has been splitting time in net for the IceHogs along with Lankinen and Delia and has been much more than just a third goalie. Tomkins has a 4-2-0 record this season and holds the best numbers of the trio with a 2.66 GAA and a .912 save percentage in six starts this year. Tomkins’ last start came on December 13, a 5-2 loss to the Belleville Senators.

Holm terminates contract

Over the weekend, the Chicago Blackhawks organization and Philip Holm came to an agreement to terminate the defenseman’s contract with the club. Holm signed a one-year deal with the organization this summer after playing for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL and being named a KHL All-Star last season. Holm’s agent cited that Philip was unhappy with not being called up to the Blackhawks this season and had decided to return to playing in Europe. According to reports, Holm is set to join Lausanne HC in Switzerland.

Philip Holm of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

In his time with the IceHogs, Holm was a consistent defenseman and produced decently from the blue-line. He played in 30 games for Rockford, scoring 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) and was a plus-four rating.

First of many?

It finally happened. Dylan Sikura, playing in his sixth game with the Blackhawks this season and 44th career NHL game with Chicago, finally scored his first NHL goal.

The FIRST NHL goal for Dylan Sikura! @NHLBlackhawks | #DETvsCHI pic.twitter.com/XnXB79KirK

— NBC Sports Hockey (@NBCSportsHockey) January 6, 2020

The younger Sikura brother has been a focal-point in the Blackhawks’ farm system for a few years now. He was labeled as the next big prospect to jump into the NHL system for Chicago when he signed his professional contract after a successful NCAA career at Northeastern University. Sikura showed his skill in the AHL, but had difficulty translating it fully to the NHL level. He has slotted into the Chicago lineup this season, at the expense of Alexander Nylander as of late, and has made the most of his opportunity. If he continues to improve and produce, he likely will not re-join the IceHogs this season. He has 16 points in 22 games for Rockford this season.

Turn down for Wat-son

As mentioned before, the IceHogs are dealing with a hefty amount of injuries and call-ups that have plucked top players from the roster in the last month or so. With that comes call-ups for the IceHogs and one player that could make a significant impact while in Rockford is Spencer Watson. A former seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings, Watson has been a prolific scorer in the ECHL, but has not been able to translate that success into the AHL ranks. Watson has 131 points in 131 career ECHL games, but only five points in 24 career AHL games.

Spencer Watson of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs.)

Watson joined the IceHogs and Fuel last season after the Blackhawks acquired him from the Kings for Matheson Iacopelli. Watson skated in 10 games for the IceHogs last year, tallying three points. This season with the Indy Fuel, Watson has 39 points in 33 games played. He ranks in a tie for third in the ECHL in points and is second in the league with 20 goals this season. Watson was named an ECHL All-Star on Monday afternoon.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday, January 8 as they host the Manitoba Moose. Wednesday night’s puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. The IceHogs hold a 1-2-0 record over the Moose this season.

Following Wednesday night’s contest, the IceHogs travel North to Milwaukee to take on the Milwaukee Admirals for back to back road games on Friday and Saturday night at the Panther Arena in Milwaukee. Friday night’s puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST, while Saturday’s game starts at 6 p.m. CST. The IceHogs hold a 1-1-0 record against the Admirals this season. Five of the next 12 games for the IceHogs come against the Admirals, who lead the AHL Central Division with 54 points.

The post War Pigs Report: IceHogs feeling winter blues appeared first on The Rink.

No. You know what? No.

I wanted to do something creative for the last game before the Christmas holiday break. But the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night gave me something the team showed in their 60-minute effort, no motivation.

After opening the scoring in the first period on a hard-working shift from the Matthew Highmore–Zack Smith–David Kampf line that ended in Smith tucking a wrap around attempt, the Blackhawks were out-muscled, out-worked, out-chanced and just flat out ran off of their home ice by the second-to-last in the Eastern Conference New Jersey Devils.

In stead of painstakingly going through every goal that the Devils scored, there’s a just a few takeaways from this effort by the Blackhawks. Following impressive games on the road against the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche, the Blackhawks had an opportunity to build momentum into the Holiday break with a win over a team that, on paper, would be vulnerable.

Corey Crawford appears to “pull himself” after #Blackhawks allow the 4th #Devils goal of the game, 3rd of the 2nd period#CHIvsNJD #NHL pic.twitter.com/GG8l00mvRs

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 24, 2019

Instead, the Blackhawks had these key moments happen over the 60 minutes on Monday night:

• Lost Adam Boqvist to a shoulder injury early in the first period
• Went 0-for-7 on the powerplay
• Were out-shot 44-33
• Corey Crawford pulled himself from the game
• Eddie Olczyk snag ‘Happy Birthday’ to Pat Foley while he ate cake and ice cream on the air
• Chicago lost their sixth-straight game heading into the Christmas holiday break

The last time the Blackhawks won the game leading into the Christmas holiday break was December 23, 2013 against the New Jersey Devils. That win gave the Blackhawks a 26-7-6 record at that point in the 2013-14 season. What a time, eh?

This year, losing to the Devils on Monday night sunk the Blackhawks to a 15-17-5 record, good for last in the Central Division and two points clear of a three-way time for last in the Western Conference. Chicago’s 36 points in the standings puts them in 26th in the league, prime draft lottery position.

After the game, Captain Jonathan Toews did not mince words about the inconsistency of the Blackhawks this season.

Toews' thoughts on Chicago's loss to the Devils. #CHIvsNJD pic.twitter.com/IRjLOGU9pr

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 24, 2019

Embarrassing. Enough is enough.

Words and phrases used by Toews following the 7-1 drubbing on Monday night for the Blackhawks.

The players feel it, but do those in coaching positions or front office positions also feel it? Are they willing to make drastic changes needed to give the team a direction? What is it going to take for the Blackhawks to figure something, anything, out this season?

They are not playoff contenders. They are, right now, playing for lottery position and the organization needs to figure out if they are going to lean into that and actually, for realsies, go into a rebuilding mode or try to make the hand they have been dealt into a winner.

There are no magic call-ups coming from the Rockford IceHogs that will fix the Blackhawks’ problems. There is no cavalry.

There is no pointing to the St. Louis Blues of last season being in last-place on January 2 and going all the way to winning the Stanley Cup. That is not a comparison to this Blackhawks team because that Blues run required two major components: A coaching change and a major roster shake-up. As it currently stands, the Blackhawks are not heading in a direction as an organization to make either of those kinds of moves.

https://twitter.com/jcgreenx/status/1209340253313609729?s=20

The Blackhawks are a rudder-less ship with a crew that is side-eyeing the captain while they swab the deck and repair the 35.9 cannonball holes that repeatedly slam the hull of the vessel every night.

There is no hope to sell to the fans.

I wish I has better things to say about the Blackhawks on the eve of Christmas Eve, but I don’t. Night in and night out, fans do not know which Chicago team to expect to show up and that being the only constant for this club is going to sink them out of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third-straight season.

Enough is enough for Jonathan Toews. I’ve had enough. Have you?

The Blackhawks are back in action on Friday, December 27 against the New York Islanders. The first of two meetings between the clubs this season, Friday night’s puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. CST at the United Center.

Merry Christmas. Happy Holiday. Where’s the Tylenol?

The post Along the Boards: “Enough is enough.” Blackhawks lose 7-1 to Devils appeared first on The Rink.

Great White North

The IceHogs faced a tough and historic Canadian road trip that started back on Friday when Rockford took on the Belleville Senators for the first time in AHL franchise history. It would mark the first of three games for the IceHogs against Canadian opponents on the road over the next five days. Rockford got off to a slow start against the Senators on Friday, falling behind 1–0 on a shorthanded goal in the first period and down 2–0 just 28 seconds into the second period.

Brandon Hagel (left) and Philipp Kurashev (right) try to take the puck away from Alex Formenton of the Belleville Senators on Dec. 13, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of the Belleville Senators)

The IceHogs were able to swing the game’s momentum back in their favor in the second period with Nicolas Beaudin scoring his first professional goal to make it a 2–1 game heading into the third period.

Just as the Senators opened the second period with a fast goal, the IceHogs returned the favor as John Quenneville scored his fifth goal of the season to tie the game 2–2 early in the third period. Belleville battled back though, scoring three unanswered goals to take a 5–2 win over the IceHogs in the first-ever meeting between the teams. Matt Tomkins was in net for the IceHogs, making 26 saves on 30 shots faced, seeing his record fall to 4–2–0 on the year.

Dmitry Osipov (center) protects the net for Kevin Lankinen (right) against the Toronto Marlies on Dec. 15, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of Christian Bonin / TSGphoto.com)

Following the loss in Belleville, the IceHogs remained in Ontario to take on the Toronto Marlies on Sunday. The second of two meetings between the clubs this season, the IceHogs were able to take the game on Sunday and sweep the season two-game mini series.

Rockford was backstopped by Kevin Lankinen against the Marlies. Lankinen’s last performance was a record-setting 55-save effort against the Milwaukee Admirals in a 2–1 overtime win. His action on Sunday against Toronto was much different, only facing 13 shots and making 11 saves in the 4–2 win. Lankinen’s record on the season improved to 7–3–1, as he was helped offensively by Quenneville (two goals, one assist) and Philipp Kurashev (one goal, two assists), both with three points on the night.

Collin Delia makes a save for the Rockford IceHogs against Laval Rocket on Dec. 17, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of the Laval Rocket)

Wrapping up the Canadian road trip for the IceHogs would be another two-game mini-series finale game, this time against Laval Rocket in Laval, Quebec, Canada. Unlike against the Marlies, the IceHogs dropped the first meeting this season against the Rocket back in Rockford. Looking to split the mini series, the IceHogs were quickly down in a 2–0 hole against the Rocket in the first period.

Collin Delia got the start in net against Laval, coming off back-to-back wins in his last two starts. After giving up only 13 total shots against the Marlies, the IceHogs gave up 16 shots in the first period against the Rocket, with Delia making 14 saves. Battling back, the IceHogs cut into the Rocket lead in the second period thanks to a shorthanded goal from Joseph Cramarossa, his first with the IceHogs this season.

Trailing 2–1 heading into the third period, Rockford would benefit from another player scoring their first goal with the team this season, as Dmitry Osipov tied the game with his first career AHL goal. Knotted up at 2–2, the IceHogs forced overtime and eventually went to the shootout. Delia stood tall again for the IceHogs, making stops on all five shooters he faced in the shootout, leading to Anton Wedin getting the eventual winner for Rockford.

Going 2–1–0 on the road trip, the IceHogs record improves to 16–10–1 on the year. They sit in second place in the AHL Central Division with 33 points in 27 games played, 12 points behind the first place Milwaukee Admirals. Rockford’s 27 games played are the fewest in the Central Division.

Killer pigs

The IceHogs current run since Oct. 30 has been impressive. A 14–5–1 record over their last 20 games has helped propel Rockford into their current second-place standing in the Central Division. A major component to their success, surprisingly, has been the IceHogs’ special-teams work on the penalty kill.

Collin Delia (1) celebrates with Kevin Lankinen (30) after a win over the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Once the worst unit in the AHL, the IceHogs now possess the league’s 25th-ranked penalty kill. While that is still far from stellar, Rockford been great over its last 20 games while playing a man down. The IceHogs have killed 31 of their last 33 penalties against them, including 18 straight heading into their game against Laval on Tuesday night. Paired with above-average goaltending across the board in net for the IceHogs, facing a man advantage has not been a struggle during their recent run. Rockford also sits in a tie for third in the AHL with seven shorthanded goals for this season.

And the beat goes on

While the improvements to the penalty kill have helped keep opponents off the board against the IceHogs, the loss of a few key players for Rockford has created a hole offensively. With injuries to the Chicago Blackhawks, the IceHogs have seen top minute eaters and point producers be recalled to the NHL. Losing Adam Boqvist, Dennis Gilbert, Matthew Highmore and Dylan Sikura in the last two weeks has provided a tough obstacle for the IceHogs to handle. Those four players account for a major chunk of production for Rockford and have forced head coach Derek King to play players in roles they have not been exposed to at this point in the season.

Tyler Sikura talks with Ian McCoshen during Rockford’s game against the Laval Rocket on Dec. 17, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of the Laval Rocket)

To the benefit of the IceHogs, those players have stepped up and filled the holes left by the major four players being recalled to Chicago. With an already young roster, the IceHogs’ rookie class has been on full display over the last handful of games. Players like Nicolas Beaudin, MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel and Kurashev have seen their roles in the lineup and minutes played increase and they have responded well to those assignments.

Along with increasing the minutes and responsibilities for the rookies, the IceHogs have also benefited from recalls themselves. Adding Dylan McLaughlin, Osipov, Mathew Thompson and Ben Youds from the ECHL’s Indy Fuel, the IceHogs are seeing value form the depth of the Chicago Blackhawks’ organization. Youds has four assists in four games since signing a PTO with Rockford, while Osipov has played significant minutes in the defensive lineup and tallied his first AHL goal on Tuesday night.

Colliton: "We do feel that both Boqvist and Gilbert have earned the chance to continue to take steps forward. So they need opportunity to do it."

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) December 18, 2019

Opportunities continue to loom large for the young IceHogs, as it looks like the Blackhawks may not be ready to let go of Boqvist and Gilbert from their defensive rotation anytime soon. Rockford will look for continued growth from their rookie class to continue their current run of success.

Hot Hogs

As their current form continues to push them toward the top of the AHL Central Division, the IceHogs are riding a few hot streaks along the way.

Rockford IceHogs goaltender Kevin Lankinen warms up prior to facing against the Toronto Marlies on Dec. 15, 2019. (Photograph courtesy of Christian Bonin / TSGphoto.com)

Rockford’s recent hot streaks start in net with Kevin Lankinen, who has won three of his last four starts, including setting the IceHogs’ AHL franchise record with 55 saves against the Milwaukee Admirals on Dec. 10. Lankinen leads the IceHogs with a .924 save percentage this season, which ranks seventh in the AHL. He has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of his 11 starts this season, all victories.

Philipp Kurashev of the Rockford IceHogs skates during a game in the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

As mentioned before, the IceHogs are currently leaning heavily on rookie production to keep their current pace alive. One of the rookies that has stepped up into a major role is forward Philipp Kurashev. After a slow start to the season, much like most of the Rockford rookies, Kurashev has turned a corner and is now playing top-line minutes and in all situations for the IceHogs. Kurashev has eight points in his last nine games, including a three-point night against the Toronto Marlies on Sunday. He ranks in a four-way tie for second on the team in scoring and is tied for the team lead with Brandon Hagel for rookie scoring with 13 points in 25 games played.

John Quenneville of the Rockford IceHogs carries the puck up ice during the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

But it is not all rookies, all the time for the IceHogs. Veteran leadership has played a key role in their recent successful stretch of play. Leading the way is one of the young vets of the team in John Quenneville. After missing a portion of the season early with an injury, Quenneville has slotted into a top role offensively for the IceHogs. He has 10 points in 17 games played this season and ranks third on the team in goals with seven. In his last 13 games, Quenneville has tallied nine points and is currently is riding a three-game point streak with five points over that span.

Collin Delia makes a save against the Manitoba Moose. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Finally, returning to the net, the IceHogs were hoping Collin Delia would be their sure-fire No. 1 starter from day one of the season. He was given that role but did not play up to it early on in the year. After losing ice time to Lankinen and Matt Tomkins, Delia has rebounded from his sub-par start to the year. Delia is 3–0–0 in his last three starts, having allowed just five goals over that span and stopping 96 of 101 shots faced (.951 save percentage) during that span. His record this season is 5–5–0 through 10 starts with a .892 save percentage and a 3.30 goals against average.

One last note from the vaunted Rockford IceHogs fun fact department: The IceHogs have not lost back-to-back games over their last 20 contests.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday, as they take on the Texas Stars in a home divisional matchup. Rockford lost the only matchup between the teams this season, a 7–6 shootout loss on Nov. 23 in Cedar Park, Texas. Friday’s contest is set for a 7 p.m. CST puck drop at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford.

Following Friday, the IceHogs turn around for another home game on Saturday night, hosting the Cleveland Monsters. The third of four meetings between the teams this season, Rockford dropped the first two meetings with back-to-back losses in Cleveland on Oct. 25–26. Saturday’s puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST in Rockford.

The post War Pigs report: IceHogs take two of three on Canadian road trip appeared first on The Rink.

Boqvist to stay with Blackhawks

It was speculated that the Blackhawks, given their current status in the NHL standings, might have been open to releasing both Boqvist and Dach to their respective countries to play in the upcoming World Junior Championships. Chicago allowed defenseman Henri Jokiharju to leave the team last year and play for Finland, where he went on to win a Gold Medal. But both Dach and now Boqvist will be staying with the Blackhawks through the tournament, which runs from December 26 to January 5. Chicago currently sits in 28th place in the NHL with a 12-15-6 record for 30 points through 33 games this season.

With the multitude of injuries the Blackhawks are currently dealing with, it makes sense that the team is in an ‘all hands on deck’ mode and needs both rookies to fill roles in the depleted lineup.

#Blackhawks will not be releasing Adam Boqvist to play for Sweden at the upcoming #WJC per @Trekronorse #NHL #HockeyTwitter

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 15, 2019

Boqvist, the Blackhawks’ eighth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has played in nine games with the Blackhawks this season, tallying a goal and an assist. He has also skated in 15 games with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL this season, with one goal and five assists.

The post Report: Boqvist will not be released to Team Sweden for World Junior Championships appeared first on The Rink.

Lankinen sets IceHogs AHL record

It was quite the anomaly of a game. The Rockford IceHogs welcomed the Milwaukee Admirals back to the BMO Harris Bank Center on Tuesday night for the second of back-to-back matchups between the teams. Milwaukee took the first contest on the previous Saturday night, spoiling Teddy Toss night for the IceHogs in a 5-2 defeat. Kevin Lankinen was in net for the Saturday night loss and looked for redemption in the Tuesday night rematch. It was a much different story on Tuesday night as Lankinen put in his best professional game of his career and the IceHogs put out a historically low-offensive effort.

Kevin Lankinen makes a save on Jared Tinordi (28) of the Milwaukee Admirals. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford was held to just two shots on goal in both the first and third periods against Milwaukee. Their high-octane offense put up nine shots on net in the second period, including a goal from rookie Brandon Hagel. All the while, the Admirals were able to apply pressure for 60-full minutes on the IceHogs and Lankinen, putting 56 shots on goal during regulation. Even more miraculously, Lankinen was able to stop 55 of those shots, with the only goal coming on a net-crashing scramble from Milwaukee in the third period. Thankfully for Rockford and Lankinen, Anton Wedin was able to find the back of the net in overtime on the only shot of the extra frame to give the IceHogs the 2-1 win.

In the victorious effort, Kevin Lankinen set a career-high in saves and set the IceHogs AHL record for saves in a game. He was named the game’s first star but deserved all three stars of the game. Lankinen’s record this season sits at 6-3-1, with a 2.58 GAA and a .924 save percentage which ranks fifth in the AHL among qualified goaltenders.

Climbing the ladder

Entering Thursday night, the IceHogs are in second place in the AHL Central Division behind the Milwaukee Admirals. 29 points through 24 games with a 14-9-1 record, the IceHogs have made quite the turnaround from the beginning of this season, where they started 0-3-0 for the first time in franchise history. Once sitting at the bottom of the Division standings, Rockford has rattled off a 12-4-1 record over their last 17 games since October 30.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a win over the Milwaukee Admirals on December 10, 2019. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs have found success offensively over the last 17 games, scoring 3.35 goals per game and allowing only 2.58 goals per game. Both marks are improvements over their season-long totals for goals scored and allowed per game. In the Central Division, the IceHogs have second-fewest goals (70) but have also allowed the second-fewest goals (71). Rockford ranks second in the Division in team save percentage this season with a .910-mark between Lankinen, Collin Delia and Matt Tomkins.

Coffee meets Hagel

Helping the IceHogs offensive charge is rookie forward Brandon Hagel. After a collectively and anticipatedly sluggish start from the Rockford rookie class, Hagel has started to separate himself from the rest of the first-year crowd. Hagel leads the IceHogs rookies in both goals (8) and points (13). He also ranks in the top-20 in the AHL for rookie points and is eighth in rookie goal scoring.

Brandon Hagel of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

After an eight-game stint with the IceHogs at the end of last season that saw Hagel tally his first and only professional point at the time, he came into the 2019-20 season with high expectations as a point-producer in this rookie class. After a slow start to the year with just one assist in his first six games, Hagel has found his stride since October 30. With 12 points over his last 17 games and four goals in his last six games, he is beginning to solidify himself as one of head coach Derek King’s go-to offensive options.

Add in this nugget from the vaunted Rockford IceHogs fun facts department: Hagel is one of only two rookies since October 30 to not go more than two games without a point. The IceHogs are now 6-1-1 when Hagel finds the back of the net this season. He is finding his game right when the IceHogs need it most with several high-profile players missing from the lineup.

PK Pigs

Rockford’s penalty-killing unit this season has been less than desirable. Ranking last or next to last in the AHL for much of the season, the IceHogs current 78.0 percent kill-rate ranks 29^th in the AHL. But not all is doom and gloom for the penalty-kill. Over their last 19 times on the penalty-kill, Rockford has been able to kill off 18 of those opportunities, including going 7-for-7 in their last two games against the Admirals, who have the league-leading powerplay.

Tyler Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs are in the middle of the AHL for times being short-handed this season (100), averaging 4.16 penalty kills per game. Rockford is 22^nd in the league in penalty minutes (295) and the third-fewest penalty minutes in the Central Division. Rockford also has tallied six goals while shorthanded this season, tied for third-most in the league. If the powerplay can find the same kind of successful run that the penalty-kill is currently on, the IceHogs could find themselves closing the gap between them and the Admirals at the top of the Central Division standings.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night as they head North of the border for a three-game Canadian road trip. Starting on Friday night, the IceHogs take on the Belleville Senators for a 6 p.m. CST puck drop at the CAA Arena in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. It is the first of two meetings between the teams this season and the first-ever meeting between the Senators and IceHogs franchises in AHL history.

Following Friday’s action, the IceHogs head to Toronto to take on the Marlies on Sunday afternoon. It is the second meeting between the teams this season, the IceHogs won the first meeting on November 6 in Rockford. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m. CST on Sunday at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The IceHogs finish their three-game Canadian trip against the Laval Rocket on Tuesday night. Also the second meeting between the teams this season, Rockford lost the first meeting back on October 14 in Rockford. Puck drop on Tuesday night is set for 6 p.m. CST at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, Canada.

The post War Pigs Report: Lankinen makes history, Hagel steps up appeared first on The Rink.

Stock Up

There is a lot to be excited about for this IceHogs team, especially as it currently stands. As of writing this article, Rockford is in fourth-place in the AHL Central Division with 25 points and sits in third-place based on points-percentage at a 90.4-point pace. Last season, 87 points was enough to make the Calder Cup Playoffs out of the Central Division. Rockford is also 5-1-1 in their last seven contests with key games ahead against the Central Division leading Milwaukee Admirals. With one of the youngest rosters in the AHL, the IceHogs have leaned on rookie production and solid goaltending performances to sit in their current spot.

Goaltending

Coming into the season, Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen were penciled into the number three and four spots in the Chicago Blackhawks goaltending depth chart. Lankinen was coming off a World Championship Gold Medal performance with Finland and Delia finished the 2018-19 season as one of the top goalies in the AHL. Fast-forward to this moment in time in December and Lankinen has played his way into the number three spot, followed by Matt Tomkins taking over the number four spot. Lankinen has a 5-2-1 record with a 2.48 GAA and a .924 save percentage while Tomkins sports a 4-1-0 record, 2.38 GAA and a .921 save percentage in his first substantial action in the AHL of his career.

Kevin Lankinen of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs have held all three goaltenders on their roster this season, rotating Lankinen, Delia and Tomkins based on their levels of play or short-term injury. While Delia has seen the most starts this season, it is Lankinen and Tomkins who have had the most success. With Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner holding court in Chicago, it will be interesting to see if the organization continues to hold the three goalies in Rockford or attempt to make a roster move with one of the three. For the time being, in between the pipes continues to be the most consistent bright spot for the IceHogs.

Sikura Brothers

While they are three years apart in age, the Sikura brothers are identical on the stat sheet through their time with the IceHogs this season. Both hold the team-lead in goals with eight and both hold the team-lead in points with 14. Dylan Sikura, the younger brother, having played in one fewer game than older brother Tyler Sikura, who has skated in every game for Rockford this season.

Rockford IceHogs forward Dylan Sikura. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

For Dylan this season, it has been more of the same for his role with the IceHogs. He is producing points, being a danger in the offensive zone and putting up a team-leading 86 shots, 40 more than any other teammate. Dylan and Tyler have been linemates for a decent amount of games this season, with Tyler’s workman-style of play rubbing off on Dylan as his game has grown from being a perimeter playmaker to a more two-way forward with a skilled set of hands. Whether or not his NHL future is with the Blackhawks is still up in the air as he has been passed over for call-ups so far this season, but don’t rule out Chicago recalling Dylan if they are in need of a spark offensively.

Tyler Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Tyler has enjoyed a bounce-back season with Rockford through the first 21 games this year. After posting a career-best year for the IceHogs in 2017-18, leading to his first NHL contract, he suffered a setback in production last season. His eight goals this season has already surpassed his goal total from last year and he continues to be one of the more effective two-way forwards for Rockford this season. Not to mention, Tyler has been one of the leaders of this young IceHogs roster all year, culminating in head coach Derek King naming Tyler the IceHogs’ Captain following the exit of Kris Versteeg. Knowing the person Tyler is, seeing his hard work being rewarded so early on this season is a much needed positive for the IceHogs.

Rookie Forwards

The IceHogs have one of the youngest and most inexperienced rosters in the AHL. Playing sometimes up to 10 rookies a game, the IceHogs could have had their youth hurt them to begin the year. While it was mostly an up and down start, the production of a few standout rookie forwards has put the IceHogs right in the thick of the Calder Cup playoff picture as Christmas approaches.

Brandon Hagel of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

Two of the more notable rookie forwards for the IceHogs this season are a pair of non-Chicago drafted players in Brandon Hagel and MacKenzie Entwistle. Hagel leads all rookies with 11 points on the season with Entwistle behind him with ten points on the season. Hagel is second on the team with 46 shots on goal and Entwistle leads all rookies with .56 points per game, .01 better than Hagel. Both players have been key on both the powerplay and penalty-kill teams for the IceHogs and play significant minutes at even-strength.

MacKenzie Entwistle of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Along with Hagel and Entwistle, Rockford’s rookie forwards are highlighted by Philipp Kurashev and Reese Johnson sitting third and fourth in rookie scoring, and by Tim Soderlund who has been getting more ice-time in recent games and scored his first professional goal with the IceHogs on November 30 against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Stock Level

Granted everything can’t be bright and rosy for the IceHogs. They have been benefiting from a number of different factors this season, but there have been a few areas where there hasn’t been consistency, or rather there hasn’t been much to help or hurt Rockford. Things are either even-keel or have been so far up and down that it’s hard to get a reading from them. Rookie blueliners and the veterans of the young IceHogs squad fit this category so far this season.

Rookie Defesemen

There might not have been two players with more eyes on them to begin the season with the IceHogs than rookie defensemen Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin. The two first-round draft picks by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2018 NHL Draft have been developing at a minor-rate to begin the year with Rockford. While it’s not all bad, there is less eye-popping good so far through the first 21 games of the season.

Adam Boqvist of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

For Boqvist, a player many thought could have made the Blackhawks roster out of training camp, the season has been a bit of a roller coaster. He began the year with Rockford and came out of the gate a bit slow for his lofty expectations. He scored his first professional goal on October 30, his first point of the AHL season, and was promptly recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks for a handful of games before returning to the IceHogs in mid-November. Boqvist looked like he had turned a major corner upon his return from the NHL, tallying five assists in three games following his reassignment. But in four games since then, he has been held without a point for the IceHogs with five shots on goal and a plus-two rating. He’ll continue to be a factor on the IceHogs’ powerplay unit and will be in the top-four rotation for head coach Derek King, but finding consistency at both ends of the ice is still the main focus for the former eighth overall pick.

Nicolas Beaudin of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

In the case of Nicolas Beaudin and the other rookie defensemen for the IceHogs, finding positive consistency is the focus for them to turn the corner following the first 21 games of the season. Beaudin hasn’t been factoring into too many of the highlight-reel plays for the IceHogs but has been given the opportunity to play a key role on special teams by head coach Derek King. His five assists ranks in a tie for second among rookie skaters as Boqvist, Hagel and Entwistle all have five helpers on the season, trailing Kurashev with six. Beaudin has been consistently average for Rockford as a whole this season, but he iss beginning to see an upswing in his production with all five of his points coming in his last 12 games played. The IceHogs will need him to take the next step up if they are to continue their current streak of play.

Veterans

While the theme for the IceHogs so far this season has been production from their youth, it’s the veterans that have been relatively steady in the middle for Rockford. That’s the role they’ll need to play as the team continues to stay near the top of the Central Division. While the Sikura brothers have been the standouts, players like Matthew Highmore, Jacob Nilsson and John Quenneville have been key in keeping the IceHogs afloat in tough times.

Jacob Nilsson of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Last year, Jacob Nilsson was named the IceHogs’ team MVP. It was a down year offensively for Rockford following the most successful year in the AHL in the franchise’s history in 2017-18. Nilsson has continued his steady play this season, getting key minutes at even-strength and being a contributor to the special teams play. Nilsson is a jack of all trades but master of none type of player. He can do a bit of everything, but nothing is going to blow you away. Nothing wrong with that. He’ll continue to be a leader on the team and be relied upon to show the rookies how to be successful at the professional level.

Matthew Highmore of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

While still young and in the early stages of their careers, players like Matthew Highmore and John Quenneville have played important roles for Rockford and their experience shines compared to the rest of the roster. Highmore is coming off shoulder surgery and missed nearly all of last year. He’s rejoined the IceHogs at full health and has come up big in spurts. Same goes for Quenneville after returning to the lineup after an injury kept him out for a handful of games early on this season. Highmore was called up to the Blackhawks for a short stint earlier this season and it may not be the last time he gets a call-up, but he’ll need to be consistently on the scoresheet for the IceHogs to keep seeing the level of success they have in the last few games. He ranks in a tie for second on the team in scoring with 11 points in 19 games. Quenneville has four of his five points on the season in his last six games played.

Stock Down

Finally, not to end on a downer note, but the IceHogs are not immune to some blemishes so far this season. While these are the two glaring areas that they have struggled this season, there is definitely room and ability for improvement. While earlier we said goaltending was the biggest bright spot for the IceHogs through 21 games, it’s goaltending as a whole. Excluding the play of Lankinen and Tomkins, Collin Delia is in need of finding his form from the 2018-19 season to help the IceHogs as they gun for the top spot in the AHL Central Division. Also holding Rockford back is their play on special teams, which ranks at the collective bottom of the league.

Collin Delia

Delia is a solid goaltender. That fact is hard to dispute. But his play in net has not been up to the quality that Blackhawks and IceHogs fans have seen from him since late in the 2017-18 season. Delia was a key player in getting the IceHogs to the Calder Cup Western Conference Finals in 2018 and he was a bright spot in a rather dreary 2018-19 campaign for the Blackhawks. He finished last season in the AHL with a 13-8-4 record, 2.48 GAA and a  .922 save percentage. He ranked ninth in GAA and second in save percentage in the AHL among qualified goalies. This season, he is third on the team in both categories.

Collin Delia of the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

But there is hope for Delia since his recent track record shows he is better than his current form. In his most recent outing, Delia made 37 saves on 39 shots in an IceHogs win over the Manitoba Moose. An upswing in Delia’s play would give the IceHogs potentially one of the best goaltending trios in the AHL. (Maybe the only one?)

Special Teams

Rockford’s special teams this season, without sugarcoating it, are awful. 29th in the AHL on the powerplay at 10.8 percent and dead-last in the league on the penalty-kill at a 75.6 percent kill-rate. It’s nothing new for the powerplay as they finished last season in the same 29th spot with a 14.5 percent success rate, but the penalty-kill has seen a significant drop from last year’s 10th-ranked 82.3 percent kill-rate.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Scheme may be at play here, but the more likely cause of the low numbers more likely is attributed to the inexperience of the roster. Rockford is playing the majority of their special teams time, both on the penalty-kill and on the man-advantage, with almost exclusively rookies. While the powerplay will rotate two units, a more veteran unit and an all rookie unit, it’s the rookie units that see the majority of the time in the ice while on the advantage.

The penalty-kill units are more mixed in their personnel, but while ranking in the bottom half of the AHL in times short-handed (90), there shouldn’t be the struggles that the IceHogs have endured. Rockford has six short-handed goals this season, tied for third-most in the AHL, so the skill is there across the board for the IceHogs, but it comes down to clearing bodies and giving whichever goalie is in net the best chance to be the best asset on the penalty-kill. On paper, the IceHogs are more talented than their numbers suggest. There is room for and belief in the special teams improving by the AHL All-Star break.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night as they travel to take on the Grand Rapids Griffins. Puck drop for Friday is set for 6 p.m. CST at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rockford holds a 2-2-0 record against the Griffins this season. Following Friday’s action, the IceHogs return home for a Saturday night contest against the Milwaukee Admirals. Saturday night’s game is also set for a 6 p.m. CST puck drop at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is the first meeting between the IceHogs and Admirals this season, with the teams squaring-off twelve times this year.

The post Stock Report: Rockford IceHogs after 21 games appeared first on The Rink.

One piece missing from that recipe, as of late, has been Collin Delia. After starting the season as the number three goalie in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, Delia has failed to show the form he displayed last season when he finished as one of the top goalies in the AHL. On Tuesday night, Delia would return to the Rockford net for his first start since November 15. He would make 37 saves in the effort and the IceHogs would top the Moose, 4-2.

IceHogs win physical battle over Moose

Starting a game on time is a well-known troupe in the hockey world. But cliché or not, the IceHogs started Tuesday night’s tilt against the Moose right on time. Drawing an early first period penalty, Rockford got on the board first thanks to a nice move right at the goal-crease by MacKenzie Entwistle to score his fifth of the season. In his first start in net since November 15, Collin Delia helped start the powerplay breakout for the IceHogs and recorded his first professional point with a secondary assist on the play.

MacKenzie Entwistle 1-0 goal. Breakout started by Collin Delia for his First pro point.#IceHogs #RFDvsMB #AHL pic.twitter.com/pe2BIl9FbK

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 4, 2019

Less than a minute later, the Moose were able to tie the game back up at 1-1, but the tie wouldn’t last long. Joni Tuulola scored his second goal of the year to give the IceHogs a 2-1 lead, blasting a shot from the blue line for the tally. But much like the 1-0 lead for Rockford, the 2-1 lead wouldn’t last long as the Moose battled back again in the opening period, scoring on their first powerplay chance of the game. The teams combined for 29 shots (17-12 Manitoba) and four goals in a physical first period of action.

Joni Tuulola 2-1 goal#IceHogs #RFDvsMB #AHL pic.twitter.com/9s6oyfDy8d

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 4, 2019

While the second period didn’t see the same scoring action as the first, the pace and physicality continued all the same in the middle frame. Rockford had a golden chance to break the 2-2 tie mid-way through the second period as Tuulola came out of the penalty box and had a breakaway chance, only to lose his footing and crash into Manitoba goaltender Mikhail Berdin.

Brandon Hagel 3-2 goal. Impressive effort.#IceHogs #RFDvsMB #AHL pic.twitter.com/duAhTk49lw

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 4, 2019

Rockford’s hard work on the penalty kill in the second period would later be rewarded. After killing-off their second penalty of the period, Brandon Hagel was sprung off the left-wing side and scored a beautiful forehand to backhand goal to give the IceHogs the 3-2 lead late in the second period. Hagel’s sixth goal of the season, he leads all Rockford rookies in goal-scoring this season. Rockford would hold their third lead of the game into the second intermission, looking for their ninth win of the season at home with twenty minutes left to play.

Sorry sir, the back door is closed @__deals pic.twitter.com/MKKBuoSLoc

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) December 4, 2019

Playing a major role in the IceHogs keeping the 3-2 lead alive was Delia, specifically on a mid-period powerplay chance for the Moose. Rockford was able to thwart the Manitoba attack thanks in large part to a pad save by Delia, denying the Moose a two-on-one chance. Following the penalty-kill, Tyler Sikura had a breakaway chance but could not convert, It was the third breakaway opportunity for Rockford following a penalty kill, with Hagel converting the only goal.

Nick Moutrey would convert an empty net goal and the IceHogs came away 4-2 winners over the Moose. Delia with a vintage performance as the IceHogs win their third in-a-row. They are now 12-0-1 when scoring three or more goals in a game and are 5-0-0 when MacKenzie Entwistle scores a goal. Fun facts.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night as they travel to take on the Grand Rapids Griffins. Puck drop for Friday is set for 6 p.m. CST at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Rockford holds a 2-2-0 record against the Griffins this season. Following Friday’s action, the IceHogs return home for a Saturday night contest against the Milwaukee Admirals. Saturday night’s game is also set for a 6 p.m. CST puck drop at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is the first meeting between the IceHogs and Admirals this season, with the teams squaring-off twelve times this year.

The post Collin Delia shines as IceHogs win third in-a-row appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs take three of six points over Texas road trip

Starting on Saturday in Cedar Park against the Stars, the IceHogs’ offense was on full display in a 7-6 loss via the shootout. The six goals was the third time this season that the IceHogs have hit the 6-goal mark or better. Highlighting the effort on Saturday was a three-point breakout game for rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist. After returning to the IceHogs from the Chicago Blackhawks, Boqvist tallied three assists against the Stars, including a helper on the game-tying goal from Brandon Hagel late in the third period. John Quenneville, Anton Wedin, Alexandre Fortin, and Tyler Sikura all added multi-point efforts along with Boqvist against the Stars. Kevin Lankinen made 29 saves on 35 shots faced, but allowed two goals in the shootout in the loss.

Tyler Sikura (right) celebrates a goal with Adam Boqvist for the Rockford IceHogs. (Photo Courtesy of the San Antonio Rampage)

For a follow-up effort, Boqvist notched another multi-assist game as the IceHogs traveled to take on the San Antonio Rampage in the first of a two-game set between the teams. The Rampage took a 2-0 first period lead, forcing the IceHogs to chase the game for the final two periods of action. Mid-way through the third period, Tyler Sikura scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season to cut in to the San Antonio lead. Rockford pushed for the game-tying goal and with just three seconds to spare in regulation, Dylan Sikura tallied the equalizer and sent the game into overtime. In the extra frame, Jacob Nilsson quickly found the back of the net on a breakaway attempt to give the IceHogs the 3-2 win. Matt Tomkins made 21 saves on 23 shots faced in the overtime win, giving him a 3-1-0 record on the year with a 2.48 GAA and a .915 save percentage. Adam Boqvist had the primary assists on the Tyler Sikura goal and the game-winner from Nilsson, giving him six points through nine games played at the time. He has six points through ten games this season for the IceHogs.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the San Antonio Rampage. (Photo Courtesy of the San Antonio Rampage)

After a Monday off-day, the IceHogs and Rampage went toe-to-toe again in another tightly contested affair. The teams split the first four goals of the game, scoring one each in the first and second periods. The Rampage would get the game-winning goal in the third period and the IceHogs were unable to find the same late-game magic they had two nights before. Kevin Lankinen had the start in net and made 37 saves on 40 shots faced, seeing his record move to 4-2-1 on the year with a 2.69 GAA and a .919 save percentage.

Following the road trip, the IceHogs hold a 9-8-1 record on the year with 18 games played, the fewest in the AHL Central Division, sitting in sixth-place. Based on point-percentage, the IceHogs would be in fourth-place and Central Division playoff position. Rockford was three-for-seven on the powerplay over the road trip and 10-for-15 on the penalty-kill. For the season, the IceHogs rank 26th in the AHL in powerplay percentage (11.4) and last in the league in penalty-kill percentage (74.0).

What’s Next?

Rockford Is back in action after American Thanksgiving, playing at home on Black Friday. The contest is set for a 7 p.m. CST puck drop against the Chicago Wolves. The IceHogs have a 4-0-0 record against the Wolves this season in the Illinois Lottery Cup Rivalry series. Following Friday’s game, the IceHogs host the Grand Rapids Griffins in a 5 p.m. CST start time on Saturday. The Griffins have the advantage over the IceHogs, winning two of three games between the teams this season.

The post IceHogs break even over Texas road trip appeared first on The Rink.

All of us at The-Rink would like to thank Josh and the CLTV team for inviting Mario to represent the website on their program.

Part 1

Part 2

The post Rink On The Air: Mario Tirabassi talks Blackhawks with CLTV Sports Feed’s Josh Frydman appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs split weekend home-and-home series against Griffins

Beginning with the news of Adam Boqvist being re-assigned to the IceHogs from the Chicago Blackhawks prior to heading to Michigan, Rockford came into Friday’s contest having won five of its last six games, having to not leave the state of Illinois during that time. Rockford returned Boqvist to the lineup ahead of its Friday night game against the Griffins with Collin Delia making his seventh start in net.

The IceHogs continue to be hot or cold in their starts to games this season, this time on the wrong end of the spectrum. Down 2–0 within the first 10 minutes of action, the IceHogs cut the Griffins’ first-period lead to 2–1 thanks to Matthew Highmore tapping in a great setup pass from Philipp Kurashev late in the frame.

Rockford kept the pressure on the Griffins in the second period, outshooting Grand Rapids 13–2 in the middle frame, but one of the Griffins’ two shots found the back of the net to extend the gap to 3–1.

Rockford would again need a late-period tally to keep the game within reach, as Philip Holm scored on the power play to make it a 3–2 game heading into the third period. It would be the only power play goal on the night for the IceHogs despite having seven chances on the man advantage.

Adam Boqvist defends the front of the net in a game against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Grand Rapids Griffins)

The IceHogs were unable to mount a comeback in the final period, giving up a power play goal to extend the Griffins’ lead to 4–2 at that point before adding an empty net goal to put the game out of reach, 5–2 being the final. Boqvist did not have quite the return the IceHogs may have hoped, taking a penalty where the Griffins scored on the ensuing power play and ending the night as a -3.

Delia continued his slump to begin the season, making 19 saves on 23 shots faced against the Griffins as his record falls to 2–5–0 on the year. His 4.09 goals against average and .863 save percentage this season rank third on the team behind Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins. Delia is also seeing fewer shots per game (29.1) than Tomkins (31.7) or Lankinen (31.0) this season. The track record suggests that Delia can and will eventually rebound, but for the time being, Lankinen has taken his spot as the go-to starter for the IceHogs.

That is to say, when Lankien is healthy and good to play. The IceHogs have held three goalies on their roster all season. Tomkins’ last start was a surprise start for him, as Lankinen was out with an illness earlier in the day. He also missed six games between starts at the beginning of the year against Iowa and on Oct. 30 against San Antonio.

Nevertheless, with Lankinen healthy and in net on Saturday night, the IceHogs looked to rebound from the previous night and put on a show for the home Rockford crowd on Military Appreciation Night.

They did not disappoint.

Collin Delia (No. 1) and the IceHogs celebrates with Kevin Lankinen (No. 30) after a win over the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

While the IceHogs did not have a power play in their Saturday night contest, thanks to both Grand Rapids penalties being coincidental, Rockford was able to make the most of special teams to get the game started. Nick Moutrey intercepted a Griffins cross-ice pass while on the penalty kill and buried his second goal of the year off the turnover for a 1–0 Rockford lead. The shorthanded goal was the sixth of the year for the IceHogs, tied for the second most in the AHL this season.

Just a minute later, Kurashev gave the IceHogs a 2–0 advantage in the first period, despite being woefully outshot 17–4 through the first 20 minutes.

MacKenzie Entwistle would extend the Rockford lead to 3–0 in the second period with his third goal of the season before Grand Rapids stopped the bleeding momentarily with a late goal to make it 3–1 heading into the third period.

Brandon Hagel jumped on the Griffins just 17 seconds into the frame for his third goal of the season to make it a 4–1 margin for the IceHogs.

Evgeny Svechnikov tallied his second goal of the game for the Griffins to cut the Rockford lead in half at 4–2, but Alexandre Fortin put the nail in the coffin with his first goal of the season to ice the 5–2 win for Rockford.

Fortin, Hagel and Lucas Carlsson all had multi-point games for Rockford, with Hagel taking the rookie scoring lead for the IceHogs so far this season with seven points in 14 games played.

Lankinen stood on his head, making 42 saves on 44 shots faced as Rockford was outshot 44–20 on the night, earning the Finnish goaltender first-star-of-the-game honors. With the win, Lankinen improved his record to 4–1–0 this season, having won his last four starts. His 1.99 goals against average ranks seventh in the AHL and his .937 save percentage ranks fifth in the league among qualified goaltenders.

What’s next?

The IceHogs are off until the weekend when they travel for three games in four days deep in the heart of Texas. Starting on Saturday night, the IceHogs travel to Cedar Park to take on the Texas Stars. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CST and is the first meeting between the teams this season.

Following that, the IceHogs head to San Antonio for two games against the Rampage. Sunday afternoon is set for a 3 p.m. CST puck drop at the AT&T Center and the teams face off again on Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. CST start time. Rockford won the first meeting between the two teams earlier this season 6–2 in Rockford.

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Versteeg, IceHogs mutually terminate AHL contract

When he re-joined the Blackhawks organization for the third time in his career, Versteeg, 33, was facing a new chapter in his playing career. No longer fighting for a spot on a NHL roster, he was named captain of a young Rockford IceHogs team and thrust into the role of a mentor to the Chicago prospect system.

Versteeg played in a handful of games to begin the season, then missed the next few weeks after re-aggravating a hip injury that previously nearly ended his playing career a few seasons prior. He returned to the IceHogs lineup for two more games, but was held out of the lineup for back-to-back games against the Grand Rapids Griffins this past weekend as a healthy-scratch. Sunday morning, news broke that he and the organization were mutually parting ways.

From the Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Blackhawks on the departure:

“Earlier this week, Kris approached us about mutually terminating his contract, at which point we asked him to take another couple of days to think about it. We spoke again Saturday morning and he had come to his final decision. Since 2007, when Kris first became a member of the Blackhawks organization, he has represented us with class and professionalism. He will always be a member of our organization’s family and we wish him and his family all the best going forward.” – Chicago Blackhawks Vice President, Hockey Operations/Team Affiliates and IceHogs General Manager, Mark Bernard

In a statement from Versteeg himself, he spoke of what joining the Blackhawks back in 2007 meant to him and what the organization and city has meant to him and his family ever since.

It all started in February 2007, while I was riding a bus with the Providence Bruins. We were on our way to play the Manchester Monarchs when head coach Scott Gordon called me to come see him up at the front of the bus. Scott said “Steeger… I hate to tell you this, but we just traded you.” All I can remember about this moment was that my mind was racing. I couldn’t hear anything but my own thoughts. It was only two weeks prior that we played a team that was loaded with young, exciting, and promising talent. With so many young players I remember saying to one of my teammates after the game “I sure hope I never get traded there.” After a couple minutes I finally asked Scott and said, “to who?” Scott picked up a pen and a piece of paper then wrote…CHICAGO. The team no more than two weeks ago I was dreading at the very thought of being traded to. At this exact moment I remember looking at that paper saying to myself “this is not good!”

What I didn’t know at that moment, is that I was being traded to an organization that would not only give me my first chance, but my second and final chance. I would like to give thanks and show my sincere gratitude to John McDonough, Stan Bowman, Mark Bernard, Al MacIsaac, Jay Blunk, and of course Rocky Wirtz and the entire Wirtz Family. You brought me in that day and gave me a new home. This organization gave me everything that I have today, and for this I am grateful. I, as well, would like to thank all members of the Blackhawks/IceHogs organization from top to bottom, and most importantly… the great fans of Chicago and Rockford.

Little did I know that day when I saw Scott write CHICAGO on that piece of paper that this word would forever be written all over my heart, and soul.

Thank you for everything.

Yours Truly,
Kris Versteeg

Following the news on Sunday morning, Versteeg spoke to the local media to give his perspective in more detail on the decision to step away from the organization. Here were some of the takeaways:

In summary on his decision:

“When I got injured, I had a few weeks to assess things and see what I had envisioned for myself and what was fair to the kids on this team, what was fair to the coaching staff and to myself. I came back and was feeling good, but I couldn’t match the intensity that these kids were bringing every day. Not being able to do that is a disservice to them. Seeing kids sit out, and trying to find their way to the NHL and if I’m in there not pulling my weight or doing what I need to do, it’s not fair to them.”

What’s next for Versteeg:

“Right now, want to go play in the Spengler Cup, maybe go play with my brother a little bit and then, yeah, I’ll be done. So I know this is my last year, I’ll kind of see where it goes over the next few weeks but want to play with my brother and see where it goes from there.”

Is this a retirement:

“This is, yeah, this is pretty much, I’m done. But like I said the only way I’ll be playing anymore this year is if I get to represent Canada in the Spengler Cup and get to go play with my brother.”

Mental hurdles:

“This is more of a mental thing than physical. To be brutally honest, I was sitting on the bench looking down at the guys and I could see it in their eyes and see everything that they are putting into it and I’m not able to match that. I’m not able to put that same focus and intensity into my game. So it’s hard for me to play at the level I needed to. It’s hard to watch kids sit out for me. So the mental part was a big part of it.”

Physical hurdles:

“At the start of the year I felt great. Then in the Washington game I got hurt and it lingered for about three weeks and then finally got hurt more and I had to sit out for about three weeks. But when I got back I felt healthy, felt good, but I do look at the schedule coming up and it’s compact games every day and I don’t know with the way the league plays, with the physicality of this league, if I could physically hold up the rest of this season. With four and five games in a week sometimes, I looked at that part of the schedule and it scared me, for sure, so that played a lot into it too. There were a lot of factors that played into this whole thing.”

Any regrets coming back:

“If I didn’t come do this, I would regret it. If I didn’t come to Rockford and come to NHL camp, I would have been sitting at home and wondering, ‘What if?’ So for sure that would have been a regret. I laid it all on the line and it didn’t work out, unfortunately. But the biggest thing I got from coming back was to gain some humility. You play in the NHL for so long, you forget what the real world is like and what these guys go through. It’s crazy, you get that feeling and that sense of what it actually took to get to the NHL and you see what these kids go through and it puts a lot of things into perspective coming back.”

Hear the full exit interview from Kris Versteeg here:

Versteeg played in a total of 643 NHL games, 93 Stanley Cup playoff games, 145 AHL games, 20 Calder Cup playoffs games and 23 games overseas in the KHL and SHL. He finished his NHL career with 406 regular season and playoff points, with 139 combined regular season and playoff AHL points. Versteeg won two Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 and 2015.

The post Rockford IceHogs, Kris Versteeg mutually part ways appeared first on The Rink.

While the majority of his professional career has been away from Chicago, Versteeg has played the most games for one organization under the Blackhawks watch with Chicago, the Norfolk Admirals and the Rockford IceHogs. In the spring, Versteeg was brought back to the organization on an AHL contract. The move brought back all the old memories and his play in training camp and the preseason made some believe he was in line to return to the NHL club after all.

But, that was not the plan then, and it will not be as long as Versteeg is back with the Blackhawks’ organization. While he was once the young gun, rapping goal-scorer for the Blackhawks, now the 33-year-old winger is the captain of a young Rockford IceHogs roster, the “old guy” of the team. His purpose being less to contribute as the top option, but more to lead the youth of the organization down the developmental path that the Blackhawks’ organization hopes for them.

Versteeg’s return focuses on prospect development

After hip injuries derailed his NHL career in 2017–18 with the Calgary Flames, Versteeg contemplated retiring from the sport all together. Ultimately he recovered from those injuries and played overseas during the 2018–19 season with Avangard Omsk in the KHL and Växjö Lakers HC in the SHL, and looked to have rediscovered his game after tallying 16 points in 23 games combined between the clubs and six points in seven SHL playoff games with Växjö.

In the spring, he rejoined the Blackhawks’ organization on an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs. After showing that he truly did still have jump to his game and could skate with the pros in the NHL and AHL, Versteeg was named the captain of the IceHogs and given the clear leadership role in a locker room that the average age is 10 years younger than the Alberta native.

“It was a pretty special moment,” Versteeg said after being named the captain in October. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had a letter. I don’t expect to change who I am or anything like that, but it was a moment I’m going to remember in hockey for a long time.”

Kris Versteeg playing in the Chicago Blackhawks training camp scrimmage. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

This season has been tough for Versteeg from a health and production standpoint through the first month. He played the first four games of the year, tallying an assist in his second game with Rockford, but aggravated his lower-body hip injury against Laval Rocket and missed the next three weeks of action. He returned to the lineup on Nov. 8 against the Manitoba Moose as the IceHogs were riding a four-game win streak.

“Getting back into the lineup is really easy when the team is playing well,” Versteeg said to the media on Tuesday afternoon.

While Versteeg has been held to just one assist on the year through six games, he has remained an active part of the IceHogs’ attack.

Through six games, he has 16 shots on goal and has only gone one game without at least two shots on net, the game he left in the first period against Laval. Versteeg’s 2.67 shots per game rate is second on the team behind Dylan Sikura‘s 4.17 per game pace.

“For myself, I’m just building still,” Versteeg said of his evolving role with Rockford. “Hopefully as (the season) goes along, you start producing. But, as long as the team is winning, at this point in my career, that’s all that matters.”

He added about changing the way he plays at 33 years old.

“You have to use your head more,” Vertseeg said. “If I played the same way I used to play 12 years ago, I probably would have fought two guys last game and got kicked out. You have to be smarter. You have to realize the body isn’t what it used to be, which can be frustrating, but overall, you’re just looking at the aggressiveness and emotion that everyone has and it’s pretty refreshing to see.”

While production has not followed Versteeg so far in his small sample size of AHL work this season, his leadership role as captain to the young IceHogs has not changed and it is for the better.

“We got a great group,” Versteeg said. “When you come in and you’re around young kids again, you’re not sure what it’s going to be like. But, we got a great group and there’s a lot of untapped potential there.”

As the veteran of the locker room, Versteeg is consistently going to be relied upon by IceHogs head coach Derek King to be a second “coaching” voice in the room to help the development of the nearly a dozen rookies consistently getting ice time for Rockford this season.

Kris Versteeg of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

“It’s almost daily,” Vertseeg said of young players coming to him for advice this season. “It’s fun to try to give some information that you see to the guys and at the same time, hopefully take something from them.”

It has been over a decade since Versteeg was playing in the AHL, enduring the daily grind of bus trips, playing three games in four days and battling to make a NHL roster, any NHL roster. After playing parts of three seasons with the Providence Bruins, Norfolk Admirals and Rockford IceHogs from 2006 to 2008, Versteeg became an NHL regular starting in the 2008–09 season. Coming back to the AHL as a two-time Stanley Cup champion and veteran of almost 750 NHL games including the playoffs, he is realizing the toll it actually takes on a young player.

“You don’t realize that these guys are literally killing each other to get a shot in the NHL,” Versteeg said. “I don’t think I realized it until I was sitting on the bench next to them and made me remember what I went through to get there. For me, coming back and seeing these guys laying their bodies on the line, the intensity overall and the assertiveness they are taking has been eye-opening. It’s something that maybe if I didn’t come back to the minors, I may have never noticed.”

Will he ever be a coach?

“No,” Vertseeg shot down quickly with a smirk. “I’ll coach my kids in hockey and then I’ll be probably going into TV. I’ll be the one with the microphone next, so watch what you say about me in the paper, eh? Cause I’m going to have the microphone next!”

While his role may have changed, he is still the “Steeger.”

The post Kris Versteeg focused on helping young IceHogs development appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs split weekend games against Moose and Wolves

Rockford was riding high, having won their last four games heading into Friday night’s contest against the Manitoba Moose, who were last in the AHL Central Division at the time. With Collin Delia in net, the IceHogs outshot the Moose 41–26, but were only 1–for–3 on the penalty kill and failed to score on five powerplay chances themselves as they fell 4–0 to the Moose. Delia saw his season record fall to 2–4–0, with a 4.09 GAA and a .867 save percentage.

Rockford closed a five-game homestand with a 4–1–0 record and moved to a .500 record of 6–6–0 on the year as they prepared to go “on the road” to face the Chicago Wolves on Sunday.

Rockford set a franchise-best start against the rival Wolves, winning the first three games of the season in the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry. With a win on Sunday, Rockford could match the franchise-best marker with four-straight wins against Chicago.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Chicago Wolves. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Wolves)

Matt Tomkins got the start in net for the IceHogs, having won his previous start against the Wolves this season, making 31 saves in a win at Chicago on October 19. He entered the game with a 1–1–0 record, 3.39 GAA and a .908 save percentage in three appearances this season.

The Wolves got out to the first period lead, thanks to a power play goal late in the opening frame. It would be the third power play goal allowed by the IceHogs over their last four penalty-kill opportunities. While the IceHogs trailed the game, they dictated most of the action through the first two periods, and were rewarded in the second period with a goal from Anton Wedin, his third of the season to knot it up 1–1 in the middle period.

Click play, be stunned, rinse, repeat! pic.twitter.com/yEzSqBOPYH

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 10, 2019

Rockford continued their pressure in the third period and Lucas Carlsson provided a highlight-reel goal to give the IceHogs the 2–1 lead in the final frame. Rockford and Chicago would continue to get chippy as the third period wore on, inducing a few scrums along the way as the third period wound down. Matthew Highmore and Tyler Sikura would add an empty-net goals for the IceHogs to take a 3–1 and 4–1 lead in the final minutes and that would be the final. Rockford out-shot Chicago 38–19 and controlled the game from puck drop to the final horn.

Tomkins made 18 saves on 19 shots faced. His record moves to 2–1–0 after the 4-1 win. With the victory, the IceHogs have won all four games against the Wolves to start this season and match their longest win-streak over Chicago in AHL franchise history.

What’s Next?

The IceHogs are back in action on Friday, November 15, as they travel to West Michigan to take on the Grand Rapids Griffins. Puck drop on Friday is set for 6 p.m. CST at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Rockford lost the first meeting between the clubs back on October 12, 4–2 in Rockford.

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Jeremy Colliton went with Corey Crawford in net against Vancouver. Crawford came into the game with a career 8–5–4 record, .912 save percentage and 2.59 GAA in 18  regular season games against the Canucks. The lineup was without Dominik Kubalík for the first time this season, and Slater Koekkoek was the other healthy scratch on the night. The lines and pairings were as follows:

Brandon Saad — Jonathan Toews — Alexander Nylander

Alex DeBrincat — Dylan Strome — Patrick Kane

Drake Caggiula — Kirby Dach — Andrew Shaw

Zack Smith — David Kampf — Ryan Carpenter

Duncan Keith — Erik Gustafsson

Calvin de Haan — Brent Seabrook

Olli Maatta — Adam Boqvist

1st Period

The Blackhawks got the first five minutes of the game off on the right foot, out-shooting and out-pacing the Canucks with consistent pressure and pucks on net from every angle. Chicago surpassed their shot total from Tuesday night’s first period against the San Jose Sharks (3) within the first four minutes of action.

Chicago’s efforts were rewarded in the form of a highlight-reel goal from Alex DeBrincat 6:41 into the opening period.

UNREAL GOAL, @Brinksy97! pic.twitter.com/Z81aVsvXXR

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 8, 2019

Falling between a trio of Canucks defenders, DeBrincat threw the puck on net in desperation and it beat Jacob Markstrom for the 1–0 tally, his fifth goal of the season. With the goal, DeBrincat passed Ed Olczyk for the 5th most career even strength goals by a Blackhawks player before turning 22 years old with 52 goals, according to TSN Statscentre. 

Chicago was able to continue the early momentum, turning the tables from Tuesday and putting 15 shots on net to the Canucks’ three shots, through the first 13 minutes of the game.

Duncan Keith nearly put the Blackhawks up by two, but passed up a wide open opportunity to pass to David Kampf, who had to reach well behind him to get the puck and his shot was ultimately blocked before reaching the net.

.@shawz15er makes it 2-0 @NHLBlackhawks!

LOVE TO SEE IT (all caps necessary) pic.twitter.com/myyqzLZMHN

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 8, 2019

As the period wound down, the Blackhawks found themselves on the powerplay late. Andrew Shaw found himself some ice in the middle of the Vancouver penalty-kill and a tic-tac-toe setup from Patrick Kane and Dylan Strome gave the Blackhawks the 2–0 lead on Shaw’s third goal of the season.

The period ended with the Blackhawks on the penalty-kill and the shots on goal even at 17–17, but the score 2–0 in favor of Chicago.

2nd Period

With just over a minute of a penalty-kill left on the clock to begin the period, the Blackhawks were unable to hold the two-goal lead as the Canucks got on the board with the man-advantage on a J.T. Miller goal right on the doorstep. Miller’s seventh goal of the season made it a 2–1 game with 18:57 to play in the second period.

pic.twitter.com/0DMNCaXBoS

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 8, 2019

Arguably, there could have been a review for a kicking motion on the goal, but the puck was deemed to have gone off Miller’s stick. Just a few minutes later, Markstrom made a pair of point-blank saves on Jonathan Toews to keep Vancouver in the game early on in the second period.

Unlike the beginning of the first period, Corey Crawford was forced to make a number of high-danger saves in the second period to keep the Blackhawks one-goal lead alive to the mid-way point of the period. At one point in the game, Chicago led in shots on goal with a 14–3 lead, at the mid-way point of the game, the Canucks had taken the shots on goal lead with 27 to Chicago’s 25.

Book-ending the second period with penalties to kill, Strome took a slashing penalty with just over three minutes remaining in the period. Chicago would be able to kill off the short-handed time and head to the second intermission still holding the 2-1 lead. Shots on goal through two periods favored the Canucks by a 29–27 mark.

3rd Period

The Blackhawks took the ice in the third period to the tune of REO Speedwagon’s “Ridin’ the Storm Out.” While that it is a rocking song, not quite the energy that Chicago may want to channel with a one-goal lead at home.

Jacob Markstrom had an interesting night in between the pipes for the Canucks and nearly had an empty net chance allowed as he went on his second adventure of the game going to play the puck, but the Blackhawks were unable to convert. Drake Caggiula was able to draw a Canucks penalty near the mid-way point of the third period to try to give Chicago a bit of momentum on the powerplay, but nothing would come of it except for a scoring chance for Vancouver.

SHOWTIME on the power play! pic.twitter.com/VtiiygZc5q

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 8, 2019

Truly riding the storm out through the third period, the Blackhawks were on their heels for most of the twenty minutes of action, despite having multiple powerplay chances. But it would be Kane firing a shot from the top of the left circle on the man-advantage that would get by Markstrom and give the Blackhawks a 3–1 lead with just over five minutes to play in regulation. The powerplay tally would tie Kane with Denis Savard for fifth-most powerplay goals (101) by a Blackhawks player 30-years old or younger.

The second powerplay goal of the night marked the first multi-powerplay goal night for the Blackhawks this season. It was also Kane’s fifth goal of the season and his third point on the night. All good things.

David Kampf would get an empty-net goal to make it a 4–1 game and then the Canucks would add a 4–2 goal from ‘Shotgun’ Jake Virtanen with just over a minute to play and in the final moments of the game Brandon Saad added another empty-net goal to finally finish off Vancouver for a 5–2 win.

Brandon Saad pots an empty-net goal to give the #Blackhawks a 5-2 lead with 3 seconds to play in regulation. The over/under was set at 6. #CHIvsVAN

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) November 8, 2019

Blackhawks getting their third regulation win of the season and fifth win of the season. Crawford made 36 saves on 38 shots faced and improved his record to 2–4–1 this season with a .900 save percentage.

Plus

• With the powerplay goal in the first period, the Blackhawks have now scored at least one powerplay goal in three of the their last four games. Chicago holds a 14.6 powerplay percentage this season, good for 23rd in the NHL. Tonight marked the first time since December 9, 2018 that the Blackhawks had at least six powerplay chances in a game.

Minus

• Despite the win, it was another night where the Blackhawks were out-shot and out-chanced by their opposition. With the offense not scoring at the same clip it was last season behind career-best years from Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, Chicago will need to shore up this aspect of their game if they are going to right the ship.

Finally, some postgame fun from Patrick Kane and Andrew Shaw, messing with the local media.

Step Brothers style… Kaner and Shaw went to the interview together pic.twitter.com/okf68Yw3Dw

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) November 8, 2019

The Chicago Blackhawks are back in action on Saturday night as they travel to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Puck drop on Saturday is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. CST at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS

The post RECAP: Blackhawks ride the storm out, top Canucks 5-2 appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs hand Marlies first regulation loss of the season

IceHogs head coach Derek King made it a focal point for the team to be ready to “start the game on time,” as the saying goes. The 10:30 a.m. start time can be a tricky one for teams to get going early. For the IceHogs, they took the message and ran with it in the opening frame against the Marlies.

Rockford poured on the pressure in the first 20 minutes, outshooting Toronto 17–5 and even having a Joni Tuulola goal get waved off. The power play had two chances in the first period, but Rockford would strike out with the man advantage. Marlies goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo being forced to make a diving double-save effort on the second IceHogs power play was the highlight of the onslaught.

The second period opened with the Marlies taking a 1–0 lead on the first shot of the period just eight seconds in. Matt Read beat Kevin Lankinen for his first goal of the year. Toronto would not get to enjoy the lead much, though, as the IceHogs responded immediately with the game-tying goal coming from Reese Johnson. In just 32 seconds, the teams traded goals with Johnson tallying his third of the year on a rebound chance off a Nick Moutrey shot.

"You can be by wingman any time"

-Moutrey to Reese, probably pic.twitter.com/IvjJIUzTlF

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 6, 2019

The high energy of the IceHogs would force the Marlies into taking more uncharacteristic penalties in the middle frame, and, on their fourth power play chance of the game, Rockford would cash in. Philipp Kurashev tallied his first goal of his professional career to give the IceHogs the 2–1 lead just over eight minutes into the second period. Kurashev joins Adam Boqvist, MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel, Johnson as rookies to score their first professional goals this season with the IceHogs so far. The goal marked Rockford’s third power play goal over their last two games.

See it. Watch it. Love it.

Philipp Kurashev with his first AHL goal.
Makes it 2-1 Piggies pic.twitter.com/RR3INg84wv

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 6, 2019

Rockford continued the pressure throughout the second period, despite being outshot in the frame 10–6 by Toronto. With just 15 seconds to play in the period, Toronto was called for their fourth penalty of the period and sixth of the game, giving Rockford 1:45 of power play time to begin the third period.

Unfortunately for the IceHogs, just 10 seconds into the third period, Jacob Nilsson took a penalty to erase the power play chance. While the IceHogs would kill off the abbreviated penalty, Nilsson took a second penalty just four minutes later to put Rockford down a man for the second time to open the period. Rockford would again kill off the Nilsson penalty to improve to four for four at that point of the game on the penalty kill against the Marlies’ third-ranked power play unit in the AHL.

As the clock ticked down in the third period, Rockford regained momentum and applied heavy pressure as the Marlies tried to weather the storm and try to find the equalizing goal. With the Toronto net empty, Anton Wedin forced a turnover in the defensive zone, Ian McCoshen flipped it ahead and Hagel tucked it in for the 3–1 insurance goal and sealed the win for the IceHogs. The loss is the first regulation defeat for the Marlies and gives the IceHogs a four-game win streak, improving their record to 6–5–0 on the year.

Kevin Lankinen would make 19 saves on 20 shots faced and sees his record move to 3–1–0 with a 1.99 goals against average and a .930 save percentage on the year. Rockford’s penalty-killing unit would kill all five penalties taken on the day, while the IceHogs scored one power play goal on six man-advantage opportunities.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Friday night, as they host the Manitoba Moose. Puck drop on Friday night is set for 7 p.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is the first of eight meetings between the clubs this season, with the IceHogs finishing last season with a 1–1–2 record against the Moose.

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IceHogs perfecting art of the comeback

Starting on Saturday night, the IceHogs were coming off a 6–2 win over the San Antonio Rampage in a “great-right” effort from a disastrous weekend prior. It would be the first game for Rockford since the recall of rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist to the Chicago Blackhawks. Special teams would not be in favor of the IceHogs, as they allowed power play goals in the first and second periods to fall to a 2–0 hole heading into the third period.

Rockford would attempt to power their way out of the deficit, outshooting the Wild 28–21 in the second and third periods combined. Late in the final frame came the first breakthrough with Lucas Carlsson‘s first goal of the season, scoring on a slap shot from the top of the right circle. Just 28 seconds later, with Kevin Lankinen pulled, the IceHogs tied it up thanks to Tyler Sikura tipping a shot from Carlsson to tie the game at 2–2.

Sikura’s fifth of the season sent the game into overtime, where Matthew Highmore found the game-winning goal on a two-on-one break to give the IceHogs the 3–2 win in extra time.

Lankinen stopped 30 of 32 shots faced in Saturday’s contest to notch his second win of the season. Lankinen is now 2–1–0 on the year in three appearances with a 2.31 goals against average and a .926 save percentage for Rockford, leading the team in both categories.

After the thrilling overtime win over the Wild, the IceHogs turned their attention to their Illinois Lottery Cup rivals, the Chicago Wolves, on Sunday afternoon for the third meeting between the teams in the season series. Rockford came into Sunday’s contest already with two wins over the Wolves in their first two meetings of the year and had never started a season with three consecutive wins over Chicago in the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry series history.

Much like Saturday’s start, the IceHogs were flat out of the gate and found themselves down 2–0 after 20 minutes of action. As the game approached the midway point, Rockford had surrendered a third goal before Jacob Nilsson stopped the bleeding for the moment with a rare power play goal to make it a 3–1 game in the second period. The Wolves would add a second goal in the middle frame to extend their lead to 4–1.

From that point on, the IceHogs would respond in a big way, outscoring the Wolves 6–0 on their way to a 7–4 win. MacKenzie Entwistle cut the Chicago lead in half at 4–2 just over a minute after the 4–1 goal to give the IceHogs life heading into the third period.

In the third period, that life turned into a five-goal onslaught for Rockford. Just over 10 minutes into the period, Dylan Sikura pulled the IceHogs within one, scoring the 4–3 goal while on the power play. Nearly a minute and a half later, Brandon Hagel tallied his first professional goal to tie the game up at 4–4. Another minute and a half would go by before the younger Sikura would net his second goal of the period to give the IceHogs the 5–4 lead, marking his fourth multi-goal game in his AHL career. Three minutes after that, Sikura would complete the hat trick with a goal assisted by his older brother, Tyler, to give Rockford the 6–4 lead, capping a stretch of four goals in six minutes of the third period for the IceHogs. The hat trick is the first in Sikura’s professional career and gives him the team-lead in goals with six on the year.

Reese Johnson would finish the goal frenzy for the IceHogs with a shorthanded empty-net tally to seal the win for Rockford 7–4 over Chicago, giving the IceHogs their first ever three-game win streak to begin a season over the Wolves. Collin Delia backstopped the IceHogs in the win, making 21 saves on 25 shots faced and improving his record this season to 2–3–0. The win also pulled the IceHogs to an even .500 record this season at 5–5–0 through 10 games, good for sixth in the Central Division.

Hot Hogs through 10 games

After a rough start to the 2019–20 season, the IceHogs have balanced themselves out with impressive efforts over their last three games, albeit the last two had to be pulled from behind, but wins nonetheless. Through the first 10 games of the season, these are a few players who have been driving the IceHogs.

• Dylan Sikura — Forward
  • Leads team in goals (six)
  • Leads team in points (nine)
  • Leads team in shots on goal (34)
  • First career four-point game vs. Chicago on Nov. 3

Dylan Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs carries the puck up ice. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Tyler Sikura — Forward
  • Second on the team in goals (five)
  • Tied-second on the team in points (seven)
  • Leads team in plus/minus (+4)
  • Currently on three-game point streak (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

Tyler Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs prepares for a game during warmups. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Matthew Highmore — Forward
  • Tied for second on the team in points (seven)
  • Game-winning goal vs. Wild (Nov. 2)
  • Five points in last three games (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

Matthew Highmore of the Rockford IceHogs skates with the puck against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Anton Wedin — Forward
  • Tied for second on the team in assists (four)
  • Third on the team in points (six)
  • Third on the team in shots on goal (21)
  • Recorded three assists vs. Wolves on Nov. 3 to snap five-game point drought

Anton Wedin of the Rockford IceHogs carries the puck. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• MacKenzie Entwistle — Forward
  • Tied for first on the team in rookie goals (four)
  • Tied for first on the team in rookie points (four)
  • Three points in last three games (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

MacKenzie Entwistle of the Rockford IceHogs skates up ice against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Philip Holm — Defenseman
  • Leads defensemen, tied for third on the team in points (six)
  • Leads defensemen, second on the team in shots on goal (23)
  • Currently on three-game point streak (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

Philip Holm of the Rockford IceHogs breaks out of his own zone. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday, as they host the Toronto Marlies for the first of two meetings this season. It is the first time since the 2014–15 season that the IceHogs and Marlies have faced each other, with Rockford holding an all-time series record of 8–5–3 against Toronto since joining the AHL in the 2007–08 season. Puck drop for Wednesday’s contest is set for 10:30 a.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is a ‘School Day’ game, as the start time would tell.

The post Rockford IceHogs extend win streak to three games appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs top Rampage in ‘get-right’ effort

Kevin Lankinen returned to the IceHogs’ blue paint on Wednesday night, marking his first action for Rockford since starting the regular season opening game against the Iowa Wild. Lankinen would stop 28 pucks in his first game back and earn his first win of the 2019–20 season. It would be one of many firsts on the night for the IceHogs.

Tyler Sikura opened the scoring for the IceHogs in the first period, netting his fourth of the year on a second-effort goal. Sikura’s tally tied the game 1–1 as the Rampage scored the opening goal of the game.

…sans Joe Buck's call this time pic.twitter.com/3PJHYjYPLg

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

Quickly following Sikura’s tying goal, Nick Moutrey would get his first goal of the season on a one-timer from Reese Johnson. Moutrey’s first of the year gave Rockford the 2–1 lead in the first period and would be extended to 3–1 after MacKenzie Entwistle finished a strong forechecking effort by stripping the puck away from the San Antonio defender and beating Ville Husso for the first professional goal of his career.

Sneak Thief (take two) pic.twitter.com/5LQ7QREGlI

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

Taking a 3–1 lead into the second period, the IceHogs were not done with their night of firsts. After assisting on Moutrey’s 2–1 goal, Johnson would net his own first professional goal of his career just beyond the midway point of the second period to make it a 4–1 Rockford lead.

Enjoy the facewash, Reese pic.twitter.com/bnTXGRe8Ez

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

Just about five minutes later, quite possibly the biggest breakthrough for Rockford all year came to be as Brandon Hagel made a spin pass to Adam Boqvist and he buried the 5–1 goal for his first goal as a professional. The Boqvist tally came while on the power play, making it also the first power play goal of the year for the IceHogs. They had been scoreless on 29 chances with the man advantage before Boqvist’s goal. Adding to the night of firsts, Nicolas Beaudin recorded the secondary assist on the power play goal for his first point as a professional with the IceHogs.

After the game, Boqvist spoke to getting the first one off the team’s back.

“It’s good to get the first goal,” Boqvist said. “Hadn’t scored one in eight games so hopefully now the gate is open.”

Boqvist gave credit to puck management and improved defensive zone coverage for the IceHogs’ turnaround effort.

First AHL goal for Mr. @BoqvistAdam ! pic.twitter.com/MdPgGs57Ed

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

The Rampage would cut the Rockford lead to 5–2 with a goal in the third period, but Jacob Nilsson buried an empty-net goal to make it 6–2 and would hold to the final horn. The IceHogs were able to kill off all five power play chances against them, and Lankinen made 28 saves en route to the win.

“It was like he hadn’t missed a beat,” Rockford head coach Derek King said of Lankinen after the game. “He was huge for us at the start and we seemed to settle in after he made a couple big saves for us.”

King also noted the feeling of relief after the first power play goal of the season.

“I’m more relieved for those guys,” King said. “Kind of been hard on them lately. They battled through it and I kept telling them not to grip the stick too hard; we get more chances and if we don’t score, we don’t score. But it was nice to see one go in.”

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Saturday night as they host the Iowa Wild. The second meeting between the teams this season, Iowa topped Rockford in the season-opening contest on Oct. 4. Puck drop on Saturday night is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

The post Rockford IceHogs top San Antonio Rampage on a night of firsts appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” is joined again by staff writers Ray Napientek and Juliana Nikac to talk about the current state of the Blackhawks.

• The Blackhawks are 2-4-2 after losing to the Flyers, Thursday night.
• Kirby Dach recalled from Rockford and played 3 games thus far.
• Connor Murphy injured against the Vegas Golden Knights
• Aleksi Saarela sent to Florida for Ian McCoshen
• Mario Tirabassi gives us another award-winning #Warpigs report.
• Gate, Ray and Juliana discuss the last 6 games and the state of the Blackhawks.
• We also discuss Corey Crawford, Robin Lehner, Brendan Perlini, Brandon Saad, and much more
• We wrap with the Rinkrat PuckBag segment where we discuss #HongKongClassic jerseys.

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The Rinkcast is brought to you by the Overtime Podcast Network

The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 3 – The more things change, the more they stay the same appeared first on The Rink.

Report: Blackhawks, Perlini working on trade

As the Blackhawks were getting ready to host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night, TSN’s Bob McKenzie broke news that the organization was working with forward Brendan Perlini and his agent, Darren Ferris, to find a trade partner, ending Perlini’s brief tenure in Chicago. The former first-round pick has only played in one game with the Blackhawks this season, an Oct. 12 contest against the Winnipeg Jets, with just 7:49 minutes over 11 shifts.

INSIDER TRADING: #TSNHockey Insiders discuss…

Impact players to watch for #WorldJuniors
Hall & #NJDevils, #Blackhawks & Perlini
Options for #NYR prospect Kravtsov
#ALLCAPS & Holtby/Backstrom

WATCH : https://t.co/VlKj51kOzp pic.twitter.com/IUpCi7nc7L

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) October 24, 2019

Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton has emphasized versatility in the Blackhawks’ lineup as a key factor coming into this season. Rotating players based on line chemistry or matchup is something the Blackhawks have had the ability to do so far this season—something they missed last year. Unfortunately for Perlini, the preferred rotation has rendered him a healthy scratch most nights. With the additions of Alexander Nylander, Zack Smith and now Kirby Dach to the forward corps, the 23-year-old winger has become further buried on the NHL depth chart. Perhaps a change of scenery can give Perlini an opportunity for more ice time this season.

The Blackhawks acquired Perlini from the Arizona Coyotes along with Dylan Strome in exchange for Nick Schmaltz last season. In 46 games last season with the Blackhawks, Perlini tallied 12 goals and 15 points. He has played in 200 NHL games in his career and has tallied 72 points.

The post Report: Chicago Blackhawks, Brendan Perlini working on trade appeared first on The Rink.

Murphy sent to LTIR, Gilbert recalled by Blackhawks

After leaving Tuesday night’s contest against the Golden Knights, Connor Murphy was diagnosed with a lower-body injury being called a groin injury and was said to be set up to miss “a couple of weeks” according to Blackhawks head coach Jeremy Colliton. Murphy this season has no points through six games played but has a 57.3 percent Corsi-for rating. Murphy was playing top-line minutes with Duncan Keith in the last handful of games, averaging more than 20 minutes per night in his last four games played.

Feb 10, 2018; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy (5) during a game between the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

In a corresponding move, the Blackhawks recalled defenseman Dennis Gilbert from the Rockford IceHogs. Gilbert, who began the season with Chicago and played in the regular season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers in Prague, has since played with the IceHogs for three games. He too has yet to score his first point of the year, but has played on the top-pair with the IceHogs this season when in the lineup. In his one game with the Blackhawks this season, he played 14:57 minutes and was a minus-one rating with four hits.

Dennis Gilbert of the Rockford IceHogs (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action this weekend, traveling to Cleveland to take on the Cleveland Monsters for a weekend back-to-back set of games. Friday night’s puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EDT, while Saturday’s contest is scheduled for a 1 p.m. EDT puck drop.

The Chicago Blackhawks next game is Thursday night as they take on the aforementioned Philadelphia Flyers at the United Center. Puck drop for Thursday’s game is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT in Chicago as the Blackhawks try to exact some revenge against the Flyers, who took the season opening win over Chicago on October 4 in Prague.

The post Blackhawks place Connor Murphy on LTIR, recall Dennis Gilbert appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks deal Saarela to Panthers, acquire McCoshen

The Aleksi Saarela era came to an end before it could even truly begin. Saarela was traded to the Florida Panthers for defenseman Ian McCoshen on Tuersday night after failing to make the Blackhawks’ NHL roster out of training camp and playing five games with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. Through those five games, Saarela has been under performing his usual AHL standards. After two seasons with the Charlotte Checkers and back-to-back seasons of 25 or more goals, Saarela had tallied just one assist in his time with the IceHogs. He was originally acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes, along with Calvin de Haan, in exchange for Anton Forsberg and Gustav Forsling this summer.

McCoshen will join the IceHogs from the Florida Panthers’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds. A second-round draft pick in 2013 by the Panthers, McCoshen has skated in 60 games with Florida in the NHL and 115 AHL games with Springfield. So far this season, McCoshen has tallied four assists in seven games in the AHL. He is currently on a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000 in the NHL and $250,000 in the minor leagues.

The IceHogs are back in action this weekend as they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cleveland Monsters on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s puck drop is set for 7 p.m. EDT, while Saturday is set for a 1 p.m. EDT start.

The post Blackhawks trade Aleksi Saarela for Ian McCoshen appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs notch first win of 2019-20 season

Prior to last night, the Rockford IceHogs were getting off to a much slower start than anticipated for the 2019-20 season. Coming into the year with a fresh group of highly-skilled rookies, expectations were set high for the young IceHogs. They promptly lost their first three games of the season in regulation, the first time that had happened for an IceHogs team in their short AHL history. While not sweating the sluggish start, head coach Derek King was adamant that if things didn’t turn around soon for Rockford, that changes were going to need to be made.

Luckily for the IceHogs, they were able to get the monkey off their back in game four of the regular season as they took down the Chicago Wolves in the first of 12 meetings this season, winning 3-2 and opening the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry up the right way.

The two main goals for Rockford in Friday night’s contest were to get off to a fast start and to maintain that momentum for a full 60-minute effort. They emphatically checked the first box, putting three goals on the board against the Wolves in the opening period. The second box, was penciled-in, just enough, to get the win at home.

Dyl pickle puts the boys up 1-0! pic.twitter.com/OJ6vz58Ss1

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 19, 2019

Dylan Sikura put the IceHogs ahead with the 1-0 goal early in the first period just after a Rockford powerplay had expired. The goal marked Sikura’s third in the first four games of the season. Sikura was paired with Matthew Highmore and Kirby Dach to begin the game on the top line for the IceHogs, but a hip/mid-section injury to Kris Versteeg in the first period caused the lines to be jumbled as the game went on.

Seven minutes later, while on the penalty-kill, the IceHogs were able to cause a turnover in the neutral zone with Alexandre Fortin and John Quenneville on the two-on-one rush. Fortin shot the puck on net, but Wolves goaltender Garret Sparks was able to make the initial save. After the bouncing puck found it’s way back to Fortin, he setup Quenneville at the far post for the 2-0 goal, Quenneville’s first as an IceHog this season.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Chicago Wolves. (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

While the IceHogs had to kill off six minutes of penalty time in the opening period, they were able to fend off the Wolves man-advantage. As the opening period neared a close, Rockford was able to score what would become the game-winning goal—once more in chaotic fashion. Jacob Nilsson drove the puck to the net, but was stopped by Sparks and the Wolves defense, but Anton Wedin was there to gather the loose puck and fire home the 3-0 goal, his second of the season.

The Hot Hog stays hot pic.twitter.com/C2zZ7PViHE

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 19, 2019

The IceHogs outshot the Wolves 17-4 in the first period and were outshooting opponents 39-33 in the opening period though the first four games this season. The biggest challenge for the IceHogs would not be getting off to a good start—but holding on to that good start. Second and third periods have not been the best collective efforts for Rockford so far this season, so having a large lead heading into the final 40 minutes of the game might prove helpful.

It may not have been a pretty final 40 minutes, but the IceHogs did enough to get the win. They allowed a goal to the Wolves in the second period as goaltender Collin Delia was drawn far out of his net on a cross-crease pass and Chicago was able to re-center the puck and catch Delia out of position. Rockford was outshot 27-16 in the final two periods and had to kill-off four Wolves powerplay opportunities to close out the game. Chicago tallied a powerplay goal in the third period to cut the Rockford lead to 3-2, but the defense and Delia were able to hold off the Wolves attack just enough to seal the first win of the season for Rockford. The Hog netminder made 29 saves on 31 shots to earn his first win of the season and has a .912 save-percentage this season through three starts.

Injury Updates: Boqvist took a puck to the face during morning skate and was held out tonight.

Versteeg tweaked an old hip/mid-range injury and departed tonight's contest.

Nothing serious for both and all ok per King's comments. https://t.co/BzilJmzUyN

— Joseph Zakrzewski (@JoeyZRadio) October 19, 2019

Versteeg did not play the second and third periods for the IceHogs but after the game was said to have sustained a non-serious mid/lower-body injury. Also of note was the absence of rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist from the starting lineup. According to head coach Derek King after the game, Boqvist had taken a puck to his face during the morning skate. Rockford finished the game 0-for-5 on the powerplay and 5-for-6 on the penalty-kill.

Kirby Dach recalled to Chicago Blackhawks

Shortly after both the IceHogs and Blackhawks finished their games on Friday night, Chicago recalled rookie forward Kirby Dach from Rockford to end his conditioning assignment. Dach had 14 days and a possible five games available to play while he was with the IceHogs, he only played in three of those games over a seven day period. While he didn’t tally his first professional point while with the IceHogs, Dach did show little to no rust after missing nearly a month of action due to a concussion suffered in the Traverse City rookie tournament.

Kirby Dach with the Rockford IceHogs against the Grand Rapids Griffins (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The Blackhawks seemed to want to be patient with Dach’s recovery process in Rockford, but felt he was ready in just half the projected time. He joins the Blackhawks now, but it remains to be seen if/when he’ll make his NHL debut. From there, Chicago has a nine-game window to play Dach in the NHL before they have to make a decision to either keep him with the club and burning the first year of his three-year entry-level contract, or send him back to the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL.

IceHogs need overtime heroics for Saturday sweep

With Dach out of the lineup and Boqvist and Versteeg missing a second game, the IceHogs faced the Wolves again on Saturday night with three new bodies in the lineup and a new goaltender in net. Matt Tomkins, MacKenzie Entwistle, Nick Moutrey and Reese Johnson found their way back into the Rockford lineup for the back-half of the home-and-home. Tomkins made his first AHL start for the IceHogs since April 7, 2018 against the Texas Stars. He has spent the majority of his time in the Blackhawks system with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL.

Tomkins would be tested early. Having to make two post-to-post saves within the first ten minutes of action, but he was up to the task. The IceHogs controlled most of the opening period, including a powerplay chance, but were unable to break open the scoring in the same fashion they did the night prior. That would be until Tyler Sikura got the IceHogs on the board with a tally with just over seven minutes to play in the first period. It would be Sikura’s first goal of the season and would be the fifth game in a row that the IceHogs scored the opening goal of the game.

Sikura 2 Sikura pic.twitter.com/cWtcayVHyF

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

The 1-0 lead would be short-lived as the Wolves knotted the game at 1-1 with just under five minutes to play in the opening frame. Following the Chicago goal, the IceHogs quickly regained the advantage as Dennis Gilbert was hit with a double-minor high-stick in his face. Gilbert would go to the locker room for maintenance while the IceHogs went on the powerplay to end the period.

The second period started much like the first with neither team getting too many high-quality chances. The Wolves hit a post early in the period but could not get the go-ahead goal, while Moutrey and Wedin had decent chances for Rockford to no avail.

The stalemate continued late into the period with Wolves starter Garret Sparks keeping a trio of chances out of the net as the IceHogs increased their pressure offensively. Nilsson had an open net chance from a cross-crease pass from Brandon Hagel, but couldn’t control the puck to get it on net. Rockford out-shot the Wolves in the second period and the teams would head to the third tied 1-1

JohnsonSaarelaHolm

2-1 good guys pic.twitter.com/7TeWZTpL0Y

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

The IceHogs would be pressured in their own end in the first five minutes of the third period, having trouble getting possession away from the Wolves. But it would be an opportunity on the rush that would lead to Philip Holm scoring the 2-1 goal early in the third period to give Rockford the lead. Holm’s second goal of the season, coming against his former AHL club.

Rockford was forced to defend a heavy attack late in the game from the Wolves with Chicago hitting a second goal post clean, but would not go in. A delay of game call with less than five minutes to play would come back to haunt Rockford as they gave up the game-tying goal just under a minute into the kill. The tying goal went in off a sliding Gilbert as he went to breakup a two-on-one breakaway just moments after Fortin was unable to convert on his own breakaway chance. The Wolves kept the pressure up and Rockford held for the overtime period.

SIKURA, SIKURA

3-2 OT Win for the Hogs pic.twitter.com/waM7kPDZy2

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

In the extra frame both teams would have their chances, but the IceHogs would leave it late as Joni Tuulola flipped a puck to a streaking Tyler Sikura and he buried the overtime winner behind Sparks for the 3-2 victory. Sikura’s second goal of the game, and first multi-goal game since April 7, 2018, gave Rockford a two-game sweep of Chicago in the home-and-home series.

Tyler Sikura playing with a heavy heart tonight after the loss of a family member. He responded his first multi-goal game since April ‘18. After the game, “I wanted to show something for them, came in the form of a couple goals. I’m thinking of them.” #IceHogs #RFDvsCHI #AHL

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) October 20, 2019

Matt Tomkins was named the third-star of the game, making 37 saves on 39 shots faced. Rockford out-shot the Wolves 39-33 and for the first time this season, out-shot an opponent in both the second and third periods of a single game. With the win, the IceHogs improve to 2-3-0 on the season.

What’s Next?

Following the weekend home-and-home with the Wolves, the IceHogs are not back in action until Friday, October 25 when they travel to take on the Cleveland Monsters. Rockford will be in Cleveland to take on the Monsters in back-to-back road games Friday and Saturday. Puck drop for Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time and Saturday’s puck drop is set for 1 p.m. Eastern Time. These will be the first two of four meetings this season between the IceHogs and Monsters. Rockford held a 1-3-0 record against Cleveland last year.

The post IceHogs sweep weekend series against Wolves appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks recall Dach after three conditioning games with IceHogs

Seeing his first game action since the Traverse City rookie tournament, Dach jumped into the IceHogs lineup just a week ago after being assigned to the AHL club on a conditioning assignment. On Wednesday, when speaking to the  media, Blackhawks head coach said of Dach’s timeline in the AHL, “He can only be down (in Rockford) for two weeks, so after that then it’s certainly on the radar. But I don’t think we have it down to the day.”

Dach only needed seven days to show the Blackhawks that he was up to speed. In three games with the IceHogs, Dach recorded no points, had seven shots on net and was a minus-one. 

Kirby Dach made his professional debut with the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

While with the IceHogs, Dach showed flashes of the skill-set that led him to be the third overall pick by the Blackhawks in this past June’s NHL Entry Draft. His size as an 18-year old helps his overall game, using his reach to keep pucks away from defenders and breakup plays on the defensive side of his game. At the faceoff circle, Dach showed some improvement from game one to game three, but it was clear that his abilities at the dot still have a way to go at the professional level.

If he is going to theoretically step into the third-line center position for the Blackhawks and bump David Kampf out of that spot, he is going to either have to drastically improve on faceoffs or his offensive upside needs to outshine that of Kampf’s two-way abilities early on. Dach handled the physical play at the AHL, which is especially significant after missing time due to a concussion. He didn’t shy away from the contact, but looked more to absorb the hits than be giving any out. A positive sign, all things considered.

What’s Next?

The IceHogs are back in action on Saturday night as they face the Chicago Wolves at the Allstate Arena. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Central Time.

The Chicago Blackhawks are back in action on Sunday as they play host to the Washington Capitals. Puck drop is set for 6 p.m. Central Time at the United Center. Still remains to be seen whether or not Dach will be in the lineup on Sunday to make his NHL debut with the Blackhawks.

The post Blackhawks recall Kirby Dach from IceHogs appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs not sweating 0–3–0 start

The IceHogs have yet to looked truly overmatched in a contest this season, despite the 0–3–0 start they have endured. Outscored 10–5 through the first three games, their downfall has been mainly self-induced from poor puck possession. Getting used to new teammates is one thing; getting used to nearly a dozen rookies playing together on a nightly basis is another.

The IceHogs are still adjusting to their chemistry together and lineups have shifted in each of the first three games. But, for King, it is all a part of the situation you endure as a coach in the AHL.

“It’s early; it’s just three games spread out over what feels like a year,” King said to the media on Wednesday. “We have extra bodies, so I just have to rotate guys in and out. … It’s not a perfect situation, but we’ll make it work; we’ll manage it. … It’s not just our youth. It’s everybody. We just lose focus or try different things. If the play is there, make it. If not, we need to get it back deep, get a change and live to fight another day. We’ve got away from that, after our starts in the firsts have been good.”

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs have held the first lead of each game so far this season, scoring the first goal in the second period against the Iowa Wild in the season opener and scoring in each of the opening periods against the Grand Rapids Griffins and Laval Rocket. The IceHogs have failed to extend on any of their 1–0 leads so far this season.

One of the focal points to begin the season has been the short arrival of 2019 Chicago Blackhawks top draft pick Kirby Dach to the IceHogs. Playing on a two-week conditioning stint, Dach has been given a substantial amount of ice time at five-on-five and on the Rockford power play unit. In his first action since the Traverse City rookie tournament, Dach has skated in two games for Rockford (out of a possible five during his conditioning assignment) and has yet to tally his first professional point. He is a -1 with four shots on net.

Kirby Dach made his professional debut with the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

“The thing with him is to just play his game, not somebody else’s style,” King said of Dach. “He’s a dynamic player, big body, kind of a power forward. Just play like that. He’s doing a good job of it. It’s more or less just getting him back into the groove of playing hockey games.”

King reiterated he and his young team are not panicking despite their slow start.

“It’s still early,” King said. “I’m not ready to push any panic buttons here, but they (have) got to start figuring out our system, for at least three periods. They do it for a period and a half here or there, but they have to put in a solid effort.”

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs return to action on Friday, when they take on the Chicago Wolves at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Puck drop for Friday night’s game is set for 7 p.m. CDT and is the first of 12 meetings between the Illinois Lottery Cup rivals. Rockford held a 6–5–1 record against the Wolves last season. Rockford will turn around on face the Wolves again on Saturday night, this time at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Puck drop on Saturday night is set for 7 p.m. CDT as well.

The post Rockford IceHogs not panicking over 0–3–0 start appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs allow three unanswered goals against Laval in first-ever meeting

The IceHogs were looking to get some momentum going early on against Laval, as they had only played two games so far this season a week apart. Just like the opening frame of their game on Saturday night, the IceHogs got on the board first thanks to a goal off the rush from defenseman Philip Holm. Holm’s first goal of the year with Rockford, assisted by fellow Swedish countrymen Jacob Nilsson and Anton Wedin, gave the IceHogs the first lead of the game for the third time in three games so far this season.

Straight cash, Holmie pic.twitter.com/MQLNu2bi68

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 14, 2019

While they enjoyed the lead on the scoreboard, the IceHogs were doubled up on shots on goal in the opening period 14–7 by the Rocket and the trend would bleed into the second period as well. Giving up 14 shots in the first period and 16 in the second period, the IceHogs found themselves on the backs of their heels in the middle frame as Laval tallied a pair of goals coming from Alex Belzile and Lukas Vejdemo to give the Canadiens’ affiliate the 2–1 lead after two periods of action.

IceHogs goaltender Collin Delia faced 28 shots in his first start of the year on Saturday night and surpassed that shots faced total through 40 minutes in his second start of the year.

The third period started off looking like the IceHogs would build some momentum, earning their second power play of the game in the early going, but Laval would get a hooking call on Adam Boqvist while shorthanded and the IceHogs man advantage would be negated. Luckily for Rockford, Laval would take a second penalty in the period, but the IceHogs would again come up empty.

Collin Delia prepares for a shot. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford required some late-game magic to avoid the team’s first ever 0–3–0 start in the AHL franchise history, but Charles Hudon would blast home his second goal of the season to give Laval a 3–1 lead with just under five minutes to play in regulation to give the Rocket their first win of the 2019–20 season. Delia would make 40 saves on 43 shots faced against Laval; he has 64 saves on 71 shots faced through two starts this season.

It was a second professional game for Blackhawks 2019 third overall pick Kirby Dach, as he suited up for his second game of a conditioning stint with the IceHogs. After admittedly getting his nerves out in his first game, Dach looked more comfortable and saw action with Rockford’s first line with Kris Versteeg and Anton Wedin. He also saw considerable time while on the power play. Dach’s abilities offensively have been impressive, but what has been even more impressive is his commitment to working hard in his defensive zone and his ability to absorb and initiate contact.

Kirby Dach caries the puck during Monday’s game against the Laval Rocket. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

After coming off of a concussion protocol stint, there was some concerns around Dach and his health would be like once he stepped back on the ice, but so far those concerns have not mattered. Dach looks like a pro already at the AHL; whether that will translate to the NHL level still remains to be seen, but the signs are promising.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are off until Friday, when they take on the Chicago Wolves at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. Puck drop for Friday night’s game is set for 7 p.m. CDT and is the first of 12 meetings between the Illinois Lottery Cup rivals. Rockford held a 6–5–1 record against the Wolves last season. Rockford will turn around on face the Wolves again on Saturday night, this time at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. Puck drop on Saturday night is set for 7 p.m. CDT as well.

The post IceHogs drop third straight loss to start the season appeared first on The Rink.

Dach’s conditioning stint can only last a maximum of 14 days with the IceHogs, per the NHL CBA. He has a chance to play up to five games with Rockford over that 14-day period and it began on Saturday night against the Griffins.

Dach makes pro debut with IceHogs

In a game where 10 former first-round picks were dressed between the two teams, Dach was predictably noticeable very early on in his debut game, nearly getting his first goal as a pro on his second shift of the night. The IceHogs would get on the board first with a rebound goal coming from Anton Wedin midway through the first period, his first goal in his first game with Rockford.

Welcome to the AHL, Anton pic.twitter.com/lw4ePr8DS5

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 12, 2019

While the start to the first period was ideal for the IceHogs, the final five minutes saw the Griffins turn the momentum back in their favor, ending up with a game-tying goal coming from a scrum in front of Collin Delia. The period would end 1–1.

The Griffins took the momentum fully back just a minute into the second period as Delia was pulled from his net by a collision with Lucas Carlsson and Givani Smith, leaving Michael Rasmussen with an empty-net rebound goal to make it 2–1. Just two minutes later, Filip Zadina would make it 3–1 with a power play goal.

Needing a spark, Dylan Sikura fired a shot from between the circles with heavy traffic in front of Griffins goaltender Filip Larsson and it found the back of the net to make it a 3–2 game. Sikura’s second goal of the season, picking up where he left off last season as one of the top point-producers for Rockford.

Dyl pickle has us back within one! pic.twitter.com/DE0sJ6oTqe

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 13, 2019

The IceHogs used the Sikura goal to build some pressure on the Griffins in the second period and had some decent looks on their first power play of the game, but nothing came of it. Grand Rapids would capitalize on a chance off a face off late in the second period to make it a 4–2 game heading into the third.

Not helping their own cause, the IceHogs took two early penalties to begin the third period, putting themselves on a five-on-three penalty kill, but were able to kill both off. Rockford would have their own power play chance near the midway point of the third, but would not get a quality chance on it, even giving up a chance against for the Griffins off an Adam Boqvist turnover.

Rockford was unable to get much momentum back in the remainder of the final frame and would fall 4–2 to the Griffins. Delia made 24 saves on 28 shots, Sikura and Wedin were named third and first stars of the game, respectively.

Final score aside, the main attraction of the night was the debut of Dach. He played with a decent pace, given this was his first game action since playing in the Traverse City rookie tournament. IceHogs head coach Derek King gave him the opportunities to have an impact on the game, playing him on the power play and giving his line with Brandon Hagel and Nick Moutrey a hefty amount of ice time. Dach will have a few more games to play with the IceHogs before Chicago needs to make another move regarding his playing status.

To sum up his game in one sentence would be to say he is not afraid to mix things up right away and has the speed and skill to play at the pro level. But, those things were already evident. He will need to build over the next two weeks, but it is a start.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Monday afternoon as they host Laval Rocket. Puck drop for Monday’s Columbus Day matinee is set for 1 p.m. CDT. It is the first-ever meeting between the teams.

The post Kirby Dach makes pro debut in IceHogs loss appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “Double J” are joined by staff member and Chicago Steel head writer  Ray Napientek to talk about the first two games of the Blackhawks regular season.

• The Blackhawks lay an egg in Prague.
• Some roster moves happen, including Carl Dahlstrom moving to balmy Winnipeg.
• Mario Tirabassi gives us another award winning #Warpigs report.
• The three old guys talk about the Blackhawks loss to San Jose.
• We also discuss Corey Crawford, Robin Lehner, Brendan Perlini, Erik Gustafsson, Dominik Kubalik and much more
• We wrap with Rinkrat PuckBag segment.

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The Rinkcast is brought to you by the Overtime Podcast Network

The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 2 – The regular season begins appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs 2019–20 team award picks: Preseason

For reference, these are the awards that will be picked and their winners from last season.

2018–19 winners:

Most Valuable Player: Jacob Nilsson
Rookie of the Year: Dylan Sikura
Defenseman of the Year: Lucas Carlsson
Unsung Hero: William Pelletier and Tyler Sikura
Heavy Hitter Award: Andreas Martinsen
Most Improved Player: Dennis Gilbert

The 2019–20 Rockford IceHogs roster shows a ton of promise and potential. With the incoming rookie class, the addition of veteran captain Kris Versteeg and the return of a number of still young veteran players, Rockford is poised to return to the Calder Cup Playoffs if all goes according to plans and expectations. But, who will take them there? Here are my picks for the key players for the IceHogs who will take home the team awards this season, the “preseason” edition.

2019–20 award predictions

Most Valuable Player: Matthew Highmore
Dark-horse picks: Collin Delia, Kris Versteeg

Highmore burst on to the IceHogs’ scene in 2017–18, breaking the team’s AHL rookie goal-scoring record in his first year of professional hockey. His season last year was derailed by injuries after starting the year with seven points in his first eight games before suffering a shoulder injury. If it were not for the injury and the resulting surgery Highmore needed to have, he very well could have played significant time with the Blackhawks in 2018–19.

Matthew Highmore prepares for a face off during an IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of Todd Reicher)

I am hopeful for a big bounce-back year from Highmore. A hard-working player at both ends of the ice, he has the ability to also be a trigger man for what is shaping up to be a highly skilled IceHogs roster.

Additional dark horse picks include goaltender Collin Delia and captain Kris Versteeg. Delia returns as one of the top goaltenders in the AHL last season and figures, barring injuries to either Corey Crawford or Robin Lehner with the Blackhawks, that he will play the majority of the season with Rockford. Versteeg could have enough gas left in the tank to not only play the role of mentor to the young IceHogs roster, but lead the team offensively, which would be a welcomed surprise.

Rookie of the Year: Adam Boqvist
Dark-horse picks: Brandon Hagel, Philipp Kurashev

This seems like an obvious pick. Boqvist is arguably the top prospect in the entire Blackhawks organization, depending on where you rank him and Kirby Dach. Boqvist could very well end up playing more with the Blackhawks than the IceHogs this season, but if he plays a majority of the year in the AHL, Boqvist could easily be the focal point of not only the rookie IceHogs, but the entire team as a whole.

Adam Boqvist of the Chicago Blackhawks shoots a puck at the 2018 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Boqvist’s offensive prowess is the key to his game, but his time in Rockford will be used to get him up to the professional speed of the game at both ends of the ice. If he can become reliable defensively, he will be the total package defenseman the Blackhawks believe he can be.

Additional dark horse picks are Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev. Two forwards with a good amount of speed and snap to their games, both could very well challenge for the leading rookie scorer this season and may have a chance to lead the team at that.

Defenseman of the Year: Adam Boqvist
Dark-horse picks: Chad Krys, Dennis Gilbert

Trying to avoid being redundant here, but again, Boqvist is the main focus for the IceHogs blue line heading into this season. This will be the make or break for him in his first season as a professional. If Boqvist can get his defensive responsibilities and positioning down, he will be ready to contribute in the NHL with the Blackhawks and head coach Derek King and company will have done their biggest job from a development standpoint.

Chad Krys joined the IceHogs late in the 2018–19 season after spending three years at Boston University. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

This is one of the more talented blue lines for the IceHogs in recent memory. Aside from Boqvist, players like Nicolas Beaudin, Lucas Carlsson, Dennis Gilbert and Chad Krys all look to be relied on heavily for Rockford to keep goaltenders Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen‘s jobs easy. Additional dark-horse picks include the aforementioned Gilbert and Krys, as their talents can shine for Rockford on opposite ends of the ice. Gilbert, the more physical, defensive stalwart, and Krys, the mobile offense generator.

Unsung Hero: Jacob Nilsson
Dark-horse picks: MacKenzie Entwistle, Tyler Sikura

It is hard to imagine a guy who was team MVP last season going down as an unsung hero the next year. But, Jacob Nilsson is a player who does a little bit of everything for the IceHogs. He was a role player for the IceHogs last year that played on the power play and penalty kill and was relied upon to provide point production. He will likely be that player again, but there is the chance that Nilsson’s role will be buried in the lineup if the rookie class for the IceHogs pans out to be all it is being cooked up to be.

Jacob Nilsson skates in an IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

He is still a key piece to the puzzle that is the 2019–20 IceHogs and will factor into what could be their return to the Calder Cup Playoffs. Additional dark-horse picks include last year’s unsung hero Tyler Sikura and rookie MacKenzie Entwistle. Both players fit the role of guys who do a little bit of everything for the team. I will lean harder toward Entwistle than Sikura as my backup pick.

Heavy Hitter Award: Dennis Gilbert
Dark-horse picks: Reese Johnson, Joni Tuulola

No question here. Dennis Gilbert is the most physical defenseman maybe in the entire Blackhawks organization right now. A stay-at-home defender since his time at Notre Dame, Gilbert stood out as a prospect with his physical play. He brought that same style to the ice last year in his first full professional season and later in the year added a bit of offensive production to the table. He was a late training camp cut and even began the season with the Blackhawks. He and Boqvist will likely be the first two players called upon by Chicago if and when there is need on the Blackhawks blue line.

Dennis Gilbert tallied 14 points for the Rockford IceHogs in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Additional dark-horse picks include fellow defenseman Joni Tuulola and rookie forward Reese Johnson. While physicality is not the name of the game for either player like it is for Gilbert, both have shown the willingness to play heavy in the past and Johnson has a knack already for dropping the gloves when called upon.

Most Improved Player: Kevin Lankinen
Dark-horse picks: Alexandre Fortin, Nick Moutrey

One of the hardest awards to try to predict, given what defines an improvement, but I will go with the guy who will jump out and be the surprise in net this season with Kevin Lankinen. His expectations are high after a busy summer, helping Finland win the World Championships gold medal. He played third-fiddle to one of, if not the best, goalie tandems in the AHL last season behind Delia and Anton Forsberg, but Lankinen had a solid showing in his first North American season. If his summer performance for Finland and with the Blackhawks in training camp is any indication of the future, Lankinen may end up being the ‘1A-1B’ with Delia this year and help backstop Rockford to a highly successful year.

Kevin Lankinen makes a save during an IceHogs game last season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Additional dark-horse picks include Alexandre Fortin and Nick Moutrey. While Moutrey’s skillset is more limited in comparison to the rest of the IceHogs’ current lineup and will see him fighting hard to keep his minutes steady, head coach Derek King praised Moutrey’s play last season and rewarded him with consistent minutes. In the case of Fortin, it seems like the time is now or never for him to break out. He has all the speed in his game that one could ask for, but his hands have been what has held him back from becoming an NHL-regular for the Blackhawks. Dealing with injuries has not helped his case either, but if Fortin can stay healthy this year, I have hopes that he can put things together playing with more highly skilled teammates.

What’s next?

After dropping the regular season opener against the Iowa Wild last Friday, the IceHogs will have taken a full week off from hockey before jumping back onto the ice on Saturday night. The IceHogs face the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday night at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford to open the home schedule for the 2019–20 season. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CDT on Saturday.

The post Rockford IceHogs 2019-20 season award picks: Preseason appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs to be led by skilled rookie class

Entering last season, the IceHogs had a great deal of expectations based off of how the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs finished. Making the deepest run in the postseason in the team’s AHL history, paired with the promised that then-head coach Jeremy Colliton showed in his young coaching career made the IceHogs an intriguing team in the AHL. A coaching change and unexpected scoring droughts provided enough of a challenge for Rockford in 2018–19 that they missed out on making their return to the postseason.

Derek King is entering his first full season as the Rockford IceHogs’ head coach. (Photograph courtesy of the Texas Stars)

Now heading into the 2019–20 season, head coach Derek King has had a full offseason to work with the Blackhawks organization to construct depth across the board that the organization has not seen in a handful of years. With a rookie class coming to Rockford that includes both of Chicago’s 2018 first-round draft picks and the return of a two-time Stanley Cup champion, the IceHogs have the potential to make serious noise in the Western Conference. The biggest question is if they can reach their full potential.

Meet The IceHogs

Heavy on the rookies, the IceHogs have at least 10 first-year pro players who are expected to be in the mix for the opening night roster on Friday against the Iowa Wild. Here is where the roster stands as of Wednesday.

Forwards

• MacKenzie Entwistle
• Alexandre Fortin
• Brandon Hagel
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Matthew Highmore
• Reese Johnson
• Philipp Kurashev
• Dylan McLaughlin
• Nick Moutrey
• Jacob Nilsson
• Aleksi Saarela
• Dylan Sikura
• Tyler Sikura
• Tim Soderlund
• Kris Versteeg
• Anton Wedin

Defensemen

• Nicolas Beaudin
• Adam Boqvist
• Lucas Carlsson
• Philip Holm
• Dennis Gilbert
• Chad Krys
• Jack Ramsey
• Joni Tuulola

Goalies

• Collin Delia
• Kevin Lankinen
• Matt Tomkins

Roster Breakdown

Much like the 2017–18 roster, the IceHogs will be young. But, different than recent rosters, the young talent has high expectations to carry a heavy load on both the offensive and defensive side of the ice. To this point, the Blackhawks organization brought in a familiar face to lead a young locker room, as two-time Stanley Cup Champion Kris Versteeg was signed to an AHL deal this offseason. Versteeg, a former IceHog himself, was on the brink of retirement not too long ago, but has regained his health and is poised to be the veteran voice inside the Rockford room. Head coach Derek King named Versteeg captain of the IceHogs after Rockford went the past two seasons without a player wearing the ‘C’ on their sweater.

Kris Versteeg playing in the Chicago Blackhawks training camp scrimmage. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Along with Versteeg, the leadership group consists of Matthew Highmore, Tyler Sikura and last year’s Team MVP Jacob Nilsson. All three of those players will take on more than a leadership role for Rockford, as Highmore is expected to be back to full health after missing most of the 2018–19 season with a shoulder injury and produce goals, while Nilsson is a versatile option that can move around the lineup, as is Sikura. They will be the elder statesmen of a group that could see players like MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev log high-minutes and be major point-producers. Expect Dylan Sikura and new addition Aleksi Saarela to also chip in offensively and make sure that the IceHogs offense does not go cold for long stretches of the season like it did last year.

Adam Boqvist chases the puck against the Detroit Red Wings during the 2019–20 preseason. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

What can also help the offense not go cold is the amount of offensive firepower the IceHogs will have coming from the blue line this season. Rookies Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Chad Krys are poised to be the focal points within the defensive rotation for Rockford to generate chances from the back end. With the top two selections from the 2018 Blackhawks draft class joining the fray, Rockford’s defensive structure will have a good amount of puck mobility and foot speed to work with to create breakout chances in transition.

The IceHogs will not be able to sustain a total run-and-gun offensive attack, though. Defensemen like Lucas Carlsson, Dennis Gilbert and Philip Holm will serve as safety valves to offset the attacking defenders. The focus will be on 2018 eighth overall pick Adam Boqvist this season. His timeline with the IceHogs is unknown, as he is assumed to be the first choice of the Blackhawks to be recalled to the NHL if Chicago suffers any setbacks on their own blue line. But, whether Boqvist stays in Rockford for three weeks or the full season, there is enough talent for the team’s success to not hinge on just one player.

Rockford IceHogs goaltender Kevin Lankinen prepares for a shot. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Finally, looking between the pipes for the IceHogs, it is a duo of familiar faces, as Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen return from strong seasons in 2018–19. Delia is coming off of a year in which he finished second in the AHL in save percentage (.922) and ninth in the league in goals against (2.48). He will likely begin the season in the starter role, but Lankinen may get the season-opening start with Delia still in Europe with the Blackhawks. For Lankinen, a solid 2018–19 season (19 starts, 2.50 GAA, .910 save percentage) rolled into a starting job for Team Finland at the World Championships. Lankinen was a brick wall for Finland and helped them secure the gold medal. Lankinen will push Delia for starting time, and much like last season, the IceHogs could benefit from having two potential top-10 goaltenders in the entire AHL.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs open their 2019–20 regular season on the road against the Iowa Wild at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday night. Iowa finished last season third in the AHL Central Division with 87 points and were eliminated in the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs by the Chicago Wolves. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CDT.

Let’s do that AHL hockey.

The post Previewing the Rockford IceHogs’ 2019–20 season appeared first on The Rink.

Welcomed news to all of the Chicago Blackhawks community, the team locked up star forward Alex DeBrincat to a three-year contract extension on Thursday, just over 24 hours before the team drops the puck for the 2019–20 season. DeBrincat, 21, has been an offensive catalyst for the Blackhawks since taking the ice in Chicago in 2017. The second-round pick from 2016 has 128 points through his first 164 NHL games with Chicago, topping the 40-goal mark last season with 41 tallies. He has not missed a game in his first two seasons in Chicago.

Breakdown: Year 1, $5.1 million (includes some SB money); Year 2, $5.1 million (all salary); Year 3, $9 million (all salary) https://t.co/wfvQIb78HJ

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) October 3, 2019

With DeBrincat’s deal extending through the 2022–23 season, he will remain a restricted free agent once the contract ends.

The Cat is BACK!

Alex DeBrincat has signed a 3-year contract extension that runs through the 2022-23 season, with an AAV of $6,400,000. #Purr #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/rF4ztP9YON

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 3, 2019

At $6.4 million AAV for three years, the deal is heavily favored by the team as they try to navigate signing both DeBrincat and his friend, center Dylan Strome, to long-term deals. Former teammates with the Erie Otters in the OHL, DeBrincat and Strome were reunited midway through last season and paired on the second line together. After an underwhelming start to his professional career with the Coyotes organization, Strome broke out for 51 points in his 58 games with the Blackhawks.

As the Kane and Toews era of the Blackhawks begins to turn the corner, Chicago is hoping that DeBrincat and Strome can be the next focal points of the organization up front to lead the team for years to come. Signing DeBrincat now gives the Blackhawks that window of opportunity.

The post BREAKING: Alex DeBrincat signs three-year extension with Blackhawks appeared first on The Rink.

Versteeg named IceHogs captain

Entering his 15th season as a professional, Versteeg is the eldest statesman on a young Rockford roster that will see nearly a dozen players making their first full-year debuts in professional hockey. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, Versteeg played with the IceHogs during the 2007–08 season, skating in 56 games and tallying 49 points.

: "To go through all I've gone through and come to a moment like this, it's pretty emotional."

FW Kris Versteeg on being named team captain ahead of 2019-20 season. pic.twitter.com/eqczQE7HV6

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 2, 2019

Versteeg will serve as the 11th IceHogs captain in the AHL franchise history, the first since Jake Dowell wore the ‘C’ in 2016–17. The alternate captain group consists of a trio of veteran IceHogs forwards who have all worn the ‘A’ previously for Rockford. Highmore, Nilsson and Sikura will be relied on to lead the young roster, along with Versteeg, as the IceHogs look to capture the potential of their rookies and return to the Calder Cup Playoffs after missing the postseason last year.

The post Derek King names Kris Versteeg newest Rockford IceHogs captain appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com host “Gatekeeper” is joined by staff members Mario Tirabassi, Aaron Goldschmidt, Eric Andrews, Juliana Nikac and Ron Luce to talk in-depth about Blackhawks prospects.

• The Blackhawks sit at 2-1-1 with two preseason and an exhibition game remaining.
• Roster is not finalized but is starting to shape up.
• We take a long look at the six prospect tiers and why the writers rated players the way they have.
• Don’t miss the hot takes.
• We wrap with Rinkrat PuckBag segment.

Please subscribe, rate this episode, and even write us a review. Reviews will be read on the air.

Also, Please help spread the word to more #RinkRats and visit our sponsor www.PUCKHCKY.com. Use the discount code “THERINK” for 10% off all orders.

The Rinkcast is brought to you by the Overtime Podcast Network

The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 3, Episode 1 – Prospect tier wrap special appeared first on The Rink.

Prior to the puck dropping on Oct. 4 for the beginning of the AHL season, the Rockford IceHogs are heading into the new year with a new look, which was unveiled earlier this month.

In a press release, the IceHogs broke down all the improvements and new features coming to their team website.

Here is the new promo video for the updated IceHogs.com site:

From the IceHogs:

“Fans can visit the new site at the original URL of IceHogs.com from either desktop or mobile devices.

Powered by Eden Creative, the IceHogs’ new site is the premium destination for all team news, stats, roster updates and promotions. An updated layout promises to provide new features that will enhance the user experience, as well as boost the quality of the existing features.”

New features include:

• Seamless navigation between team and league news and stats, all IceHogs multimedia outlets, scheduling and ticket options and much more
• A streamlined ticket buying process
• Updated roster pages with complete individual player statistics
• Links to the player’s social media pages
• The ability to effortlessly stay up to date on all IceHogs events happening on the ice and in the community
• An overhauled fan zone section that will allow for better interaction with the club

The IceHogs open the 2019–20 season on the road against the Iowa Wild on Oct. 4. Rockford opens their home schedule on Oct. 12 against the Grand Rapids Griffins at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

The post Rockford IceHogs unveil new team website appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks trim training camp roster down to 30

The Blackhawks opening night roster is coming into a clear view as the regular season inches closer. With the roster moves over the weekend and Monday included, here are the players who have been sent to the Rockford IceHogs, or back to their Junior teams.

The following players were re-assigned:

• Nicolas Beaudin
• Lucas Carlsson
• MacKenzie Entwistle
• Alexandre Fortin
• Alexis Gravel
• Brandon Hagel
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Matthew Highmore
• Philip Holm
• Reese Johnson
• Chad Krys
• Graham Knott
• Philipp Kurashev
• Kevin Lankinen
• Dylan McLaughlin
• Jacob Nilsson
• Nathan Noel
• Jack Ramsey
• Jake Ryczek
• Dylan Sikura
• Tyler Sikura
• Tim Soderlund
• Matt Tomkins
• Joni Tuulola
• Kris Versteeg

Brandon Hagel at the Traverse City rookie tournament. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

Chicago is left with 17 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goalies in camp. The regular season opens in Prague, Czech republic against the Flyers in 11 days.

The Blackhawks are back in action on Wednesday night as they host the Washington Capitals for their fifth preseason game and final home contest until the regular season home opener against the San Jose Sharks on October 10. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday night.

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Can’t remember, not important.

I was feeling good, young, care free wheeling and dealing, and that is when I was rear ended making a right turn. The radio shut off, my sunglasses fell into my lap and my heart jumped out of my chest. I had made a right turn from the center lane of traffic and did not see a van in my blind spot as I made the move. I was slammed into, but luckily both cars were not damaged extensively and the other driver and myself were unharmed.

Why am I telling this story?

Well, it equates to what Adam Boqvist‘s career feels like at this moment in time. He has all the confidence in the world on the ice, and has immense talent with the puck on his stick. He is currently vibing out. As is much of the Chicago Blackhawks’ fan community on his skills and the highlights he has provided this summer through prospect camp, Traverse City and his action with the Blackhawks during the preseason.

All for good reason, too. Boqvist possesses tremendous offensive talent as a defensman. At just 19 years old, his skillset is enviable by a larger portion of NHL players at his position. But like myself driving down Roosevelt Road and the van in my blind spot, Boqvist has much more to learn about the NHL game, what it takes to succeed through his development and come out with all of your important parts in one piece. I had much to learn about driving responsibly.

Blackhawks first practice group
Beaudin
Boqvist
Carlsson
Delia
Entwistle
Fortin
Hakkarainen
Highmore
Holm
Johnson
Knott
Krys
Kurashev
Lankinen
McLaughlin
Noel
Nilsson
Ramsey
Ryczek
Saarela
D. Sikura
T. Sikura
Soderlund
Tomkins
Tuulola
Versteeg

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 19, 2019

After the opening three games of the Blackhawks preseason, head coach Jeremy Colliton worked with the training camp roster in two groups and Boqvist was listed in the above group, populated entirely with players one would safely assume were going to the Rockford IceHogs. Just mere hours after providing the highlight of the night at the United Center against the Detroit Red Wings/Grand Rapids Griffins, Boqvist was placed with the minor leaguers.

And that is where he needs to be.

Return on investment

The Blackhawks defensive group heading into the 2019–20 season is pretty much locked up. Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Olli Maatta, Erik Gustafsson, Connor Murphy, Slater Koekkoek, Carl Dahlstrom and a now nearly healthy Calvin de Haan leave very little wiggle room on the blue line. None of the eight players here are waivers exempt and that makes it a difficult decision to roll the dice on leaving Boqvist with the NHL club. The Blackhawks made the decision to leave Boqvist behind, for the time being, with the Rockford IceHogs. Has he shown enough to knock any of those players out of contention for their spot? Offensively, yes, but as a whole, his game and himself still need development time.

Just casually watching this play until the end of time pic.twitter.com/Yh9gmec4uk

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 19, 2019

It is in the best interest for the Blackhawks on their investment in Boqvist as the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft to make sure he is physically and mentally ready to play a full 82 game schedule in the NHL and play heavy minutes. It is more than likely that once Boqvist does stick with the Blackhawks in the NHL lineup, he will be relied on to play near or above the 20 minute threshold and see time on special teams with the power play units. With Gustafsson on the final year of his current contract and well more than likely expecting a raise this offseason, the Blackhawks could very well save a ton of money and not lose any production from letting Gustafsson go if Boqvist is ready to take his place, and then some, at the NHL level.

Could he do it now, making the jump from playing in the OHL with the London Knights to the NHL full time? Perhaps. Would it go well? That is still a crapshoot.

Adam Boqvist (right) talks with Ian Mitchell (left) at Chicago Blackhawks’ development camp. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

His size benefits him in certain aspects of his game, like his mobility with the puck on his stick. But it also is a concern in the bigger, faster world of the NHL. Boqvist has dealt with concussions in his past and the game is much different when men are flying around at 20 miles per hour on the ice. It is something he can learn at the AHL level.

While the AHL and NHL are different speeds themselves, the AHL still provides an environment where Boqvist can adjust to the professional game speed playing against older, more experienced competition. He will need to learn to avoid the unnecessary contact as well as give his body time to catch up to his skill development and be able to endured the next level of physicality in the game.

Get the ‘junior’ out of him

There is no crystal ball to see just how long Boqvist would need before he becomes the NHL ready defenseman the Blackhawks want him to be, but the tools are there. Offensively, one cannot rave about Boqvist enough. Defensively though, the same cannot be said. He has been spotty when it comes to his defensive responsibilities this summer, but working with Brain Campbell this past year in London did a lot to help him develop his game in his own end and it showed on the ice. The improvements are there, but they are not there consistently. He will always be the offense first threat from the blue line, but he cannot be all gas all the time for the Blackhawks. They already had that experience with Gustafsson last season and while it provided a spark offensively, the risk reward aspect of a player like that ultimately ends up burning you too often.

Chicago needs Boqvist to do the burning against the opposition, not his own defensive partner. Time will tell on his development, but Colliton and IceHogs head coach Derek King have raved enough about Boqvist to know what they have in the Swedish prospect.

The comment coming from my discussion with King last month continues to stick out when watching Boqvist play: “You have to get the ‘junior’ out of him.”

It could be a year, it could be two years, it could be two months. Whatever the timeline ends up being for Boqvist on his development stage, the Blackhawks must know they cannot rush him. What helps is the position defensively that they put themselves in heading into this season after a dismal 2018–19 campaign. The offseason moves bought Chicago time on Boqvist and it could very well pay off royally for the next decade or so. At least that is the hope.

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Blackhawks assign Gravel; heads back to Halifax Mooseheads

An intriguing prospect in net for Chicago, Gravel played well throughout the summer and impressed during prospect camp and the Traverse City rookie tournament. In two appearances for the Blackhawks rookies in Traverse City, Gravel won both games and posted a .915 save percentage in those two contests.

Halifax Mooseheads goaltender Alexis Gravel stands in the net. (Photograph courtesy of the Halifax Mooseheads)

While Gravel did not see action during any of the Blackhawks’ preseason games, he will return to the Mooseheads as the No. 1 option in net and has an opportunity to be in the mix for Team Canada at this year’s World Junior Championships. Gravel is entering his fourth season with Halifax and is coming off his best season in juniors in 2018–19. Last season, Gravel backstopped the Mooseheads to the best record in the QMJHL Eastern Conference and led them to the QMJHL Finals and the Memorial Cup Final as the tournament hosts. Gravel posted career highs in save percentage (.913) and goals against average (2.49) with Halifax last season.

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Parts of the series

Introduction

Tiers one and two

Tier three

Tier four

Tier five

Tier six

Complete tier listings with our panel’s original average tier ratings (* represents a unanimous rating from the panel)

Tier one

Adam Boqvist (1*)
Kirby Dach (1*)

Tier two

Ian Mitchell (1.833)
Nicolas Beaudin (2.333)

Tier three

Alex Vlasic (2.833)
Alex Nylander (3)
Dominik Kubalik (3.167)
Philipp Kurashev (3.167)
Chad Krys (3.333)
Jake Wise (3.5)
Alexis Gravel (4)

Tier four

Evan Barratt (3.5)
MacKenzie Entwistle (3.667)
Aleksi Saarela (3.833)
Josiah Slavin (3.833)
Dennis Gilbert (4)
Matthew Highmore (4)
Kevin Lankinen (4)
Niklas Nordgren (4)
John Quenneville (4*)
Michal Teply (4)
Lucas Carlsson (4.167)
Tim Soderlund (4.167)
Alexandre Fortin (4.333)

Tier five

Brandon Hagel (4.333)
Antti Saarela (4.333)
Dominic Basse (4.5)
Artur Kayumov (4.5)
Josh Ess (4.667)
Jakub Galvas (4.833)
Mikael Hakkarainen (4.833)
Reese Johnson (4.833)
Cole Moberg (4.833)
Andrei Altybarmakyan (5.167)
Ivan Nalimov (5.167)
Joni Tuulola (5.167)

Tier six

Mathias From (5.333)
Roope Laavainen (5.333)
Ryan Shea (5.333)
Parker Foo (5.5)
Jake Ryczek (5.5)
Nathan Noel (5.667)
Graham Knott (5.833)

Note: Our panel discovered at a later date Jack Ramsey had been omitted from the series and agreed Ramsey falls into tier six.

The post RECAP: The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers appeared first on The Rink.

Our series concludes today with tiers two and one, defined as a prospect seen as a top six forward, No. 2 or 3 defenseman or starting goaltender or a prospect seen as a first line forward, top pairing defenseman or elite goaltender, respectively.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Tier one
Adam Boqvist (1)
Boqvist rocketed to the top of the Blackhawks’ top prospects list by being drafted eighth overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. The talented Swedish defenseman entered the organization as arguably the best draftee to come to Chicago since the Blackhawks selected Patrick Kane in 2007. Boqvist also became the best defensive prospect to join the organization in over 15 years. With Chicago stockpiling defensemen through the draft in the last few years, Boqvist headlines the group, as his offensive flair makes him instantly stand out on the ice. Despite questions surrounding his defensive ability and long term health, the dynamic 6-foot, 181 pound blue line phenom has progressed nicely since being selected last summer. Boqvist posted 20 goals and 40 assists in 54 regular season games with the London Knights before exploding for 10 goals in 11 postseason contests. Boqvist is expected to make the jump to the professional game this season, though that may be primarily with the Rockford IceHogs instead of the Blackhawks. Either way, Chicago fans could very well get a look at Boqvist at some point in 2019–20 if injuries require a replacement on the back end. Whether Boqvist’s chance for prime playing time comes at some point this season or beginning in 2020–21, he should become a prominent staple of the Blackhawks’ blue line for the foreseeable future.

Adam Boqvist skates at the 2018 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Kirby Dach (1)
Another welcome addition to Chicago’s organization, Dach instantly became the best forward prospect the Blackhawks have added in the draft since selecting Kane. Not only does Dach boast impressive offensive skill, but his size—measuring in at 6-foot-4 and 198 pounds at just 18 years of age—is also something the Chicago forward prospect pool has sorely lacked in recent years. While some considered Dach to be a bit of a surprise pick at the time, he has done nothing but impress since then with strong showings at the Blackhawks’ prospect camp, the Team Canada World Juniors Summer Showcase and the recent Traverse City Rookie Tournament. Though Dach could get a nine game look with Chicago at the beginning of the season, his status for the rest of the season remains to be seen. While it could be argued the best place for his development might be Rockford, the CHL’s transfer agreement does not allow that, meaning Dach will either have to spend the entire season with the Blackhawks or return to the Saskatoon Blades. Sustaining a concussion in the final game of the Traverse City tournament may put Dach a couple steps back since he has yet to participate in any of the Blackhawks’ training camp sessions. Regardless, it is evident that Dach will play a huge role for the organization in the future, as his total package offers a combination of skill, size, desire and leadership Chicago has not seen in quite some time. Both Dach and Boqvist joined John Quenneville as the only three players our panel voted unanimously on.

Kirby Dach skates at the 2019 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of Dave Reginek / NHLI via Getty Images)

Tier two
Ian Mitchell (1.833)
Mitchell was a bit of an unknown in the hockey world when Chicago selected him in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft out of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. However, in the time since, Mitchell has done nothing short of show the Blackhawks got a steal, impressing in his first two seasons at the University of Denver. Though the 5-foot-11, 174 pound blue liner is viewed as an offensive defenseman, his defensive game has also developed nicely since being drafted, with some viewing him as more of a two way defenseman with high offensive upside as opposed to merely an offensively minded blue liner. In 80 total games with the Pioneers, Mitchell has racked up 57 points and a plus minus rating of 35. The St. Albert, Alberta, native will return to Denver to captain the Pioneers in 2019–20, but is expected to sign his entry level contract with the Blackhawks and forgo his senior season. Whether Mitchell makes his NHL debut late this season or in 2020–21, he has made it known he wants to make the jump straight to the NHL without any time in Rockford. Regardless of when he debuts, Mitchell should develop into a valuable part of Chicago’s back end for the foreseeable future.

Ian Mitchell will captain the University of Denver in the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of University of Denver Athletics)

Nicolas Beaudin (2.333)
Beaudin was a bit of a surprising pick to many when Chicago picked him 27th overall in 2018 after choosing Boqvist at No. 8. Then viewed as another offensively minded defenseman, Beaudin has transformed his game into being a legitimate two way option capable of chipping in offensively as well as being reliable in his own end. His efforts to focus on improving defensively showed last season. After combining for a plus minus rating of 8 over his first two full seasons with Drummondville, Beaudin exploded for a rating of 60 in 2018–19 while still posting over a point per game offensively. Initially appearing to be just another offensive defenseman in Chicago’s system, Beaudin has quickly justified his draft position by establishing himself as the top two way blue line prospect in the Blackhawks’ system. Being left handed helps Beaudin’s chances to play big minutes down the road, as both Boqvist and Mitchell play the right side. The Chateauguay, Quebec, native enters the first year of his entry level contract this season and will likely spend it learning the pro game in Rockford on what is expected to be a stacked IceHogs blue line. While Beaudin, who measures in exactly the same as Mitchell in both height and weight, will probably need at least this season to be prepared for full time NHL action, he should be another valuable piece in Chicago for the foreseeable future, as his two way game should help balance out Boqvist and Mitchell’s offensive styles of play. One panelist summed up Beaudin well by saying, “Entering the draft, Beaudin was a clear cut offensive minded blue liner, but after joining an organization with players such as Ian Mitchell, Adam Boqvist and (at the time) Henri Jokiharju, there was doubt that Beaudin could be shipped. He now looks like the defenseman that every team needs but no one talks about: A quiet (in a positive way) player who makes the smart play before the flashy play.”

Nicolas Beaudin skates at the 2019 Traverse City Rookie Tournament. (Photograph courtesy of Dave Reginek / NHLI via Getty Images)

The-Rink thanks you for tuning in for our Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part five appeared first on The Rink.

Dach, de Haan and Kurashev dealing with injuries to begin Blackhawks camp

As training camp opened on Friday at the Fifth Third Bank arena, the Blackhawks announced some long awaited injury updates regarding the players at training camp and the players that were hurt in the Traverse City prospect tournament.

Full release here:

MEDICAL UPDATE: Forward Kirby Dach (concussion protocol) is out of the lineup.

Forward Philipp Kurashev (left knee/shoulder contusion) will not practice today.

Defenseman Calvin de Haan (groin strain/shoulder surgery recovery) is expected to be out of the lineup 2-3 weeks.

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 13, 2019

Dach is being held out of practice as a result of concussion protocol. He took a big hit in the seventh place game of the rookie tournament on Tuesday and was kept out of action for precautionary purposes.

Kurashev was also injured in the seventh-place game on Tuesday, but his injury is listed as “left knee/shoulder contusion.” The team stated that the 19 year old former 2018 fourth round draft pick will not practice Friday.

Meanwhile, de Haan has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and also has a groin strain. He is expected to be out of the lineup 2–3 weeks, but the team hoped to have him in the lineup for the season opener.

The Blackhawks continue training camp this weekend and hos the annual Training Camp Festival on Sunday at the United Center. Following Sunday’s team scrimmage, Chicago opens the preseason as they travel to take on the Washington Capitals.

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Predicting the Rockford IceHogs’ opening roster

This season is a little different for Chicago, given that opening night for them will be in Prague, essentially splitting the team into a travelling roster and a domestic roster for the final week and a half of camp. With that in mind, the roster picture for the Rockford IceHogs will be made more clear than in previous year, so here’s my attempt to predict the opening night roster for the 2019–20 Rockford IceHogs.

* = Blackhawks roster player
** = Fuel roster player

IceHogs forwards

• MacKenzie Entwistle
• Alexandre Fortin
• Brandon Hagel
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Matthew Highmore
• Reese Johnson
• Graham Knott
• Philipp Kurashev
• Dylan McLaughlin
• Jacob Nilsson
• Nathan Noel
• John Quenneville
• Aleksi Saarela
• Dylan Sikura
• Tyler Sikura 
• Tim Soderlund
• Kris Versteeg
• Anton Wedin

Non-roster forwards

• Liam Coughlin **
• Dominik Kubalík *
• Nick Moutrey **
• Alexander Nylander *
• Mathew Thompson **

The depth of the forwards group that will be in Blackhawks training camp, outside of the players that are essential locks to play with the Blackhawks (i.e. top six forwards), is very intriguing. Arguments can be made that players like Dominik Kubalík, Alexander Nylander, John Quenneville and Dylan Sikura could all start the year either in Rockford or Chicago. Lineup versatility will be a major key to success for both NHL and AHL clubs this season.

The way I see it, Kubalík and Nylander will be given enough chances in camp and the preseason to show they can contribute at an NHL level. Outside of that, Rockford’s forwards group will be rife with young talented players like MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev and they will benefit from being led by veterans like Matthew Highmore, Tyler Sikura and Kris Versteeg.

IceHogs defensemen

• Nicolas Beaudin
• Adam Boqvist
• Lucas Carlsson
• Carl Dahlstrom
• Philip Holm
• Dennis Gilbert
• Chad Krys
• Joni Tuulola

Non-roster defensemen

• Slater Koekkoek *
• Josh McArdle **
• Dmitry Osipov **
• Jack Ramsey **
• Jake Ryczek **

On the blue line, the only real question to be answered is if Adam Boqvist makes enough of a push in the preseason to make players like Carl Dahlstrom or Slater Koekkoek both start in the AHL. Both players are non-waivers exempt, so for Chicago to take the waiver wire risk, Boqvist would have to make it truly worth their time.

I see Chicago giving him the ice time and opportunities to do so, but that one, if not both, of Dahlstrom and Koekkoek start with the Blackhawks. If it is one or the other, my money is on Dahlstrom beginning the year with the IceHogs and leading a young group of defensemen.

IceHogs goalies

• Collin Delia
• Kevin Lankinen

Non-roster goalies

• Chase Marchand **
• Matt Tomkins **

Undoubtedly, goaltending is the easiest position to predict heading into training camp. With the offseason addition of Robin Lehner, the Blackhawks solidified their top two goaltending spots to begin the 2019–20 season. Collin Delia was thought to be the penciled in backup to Corey Crawford prior to the free agent signing of Lehner. Rockford will no doubt benefit from having Delia back in the fold and the emergence of Kevin Lankinen with his performance over the summer in the World Championships with Finland, Rockford’s one two punch in net could very well rival that of Chicago’s at the NHL level. Matt Tomkins would be my guess at this moment in time to get the corresponding call up to the AHL if either Delia or Lankinen gets a call from Chicago.

Training camp opens on Friday for the Blackhawks, with the annual Training Camp Festival taking place Sunday at the United Center. Following that, the Blackhawks open preseason game action on the road against the Washington Capitals.

The post Predicting the Rockford IceHogs’ 2019–20 roster appeared first on The Rink.

Kirby Dach, Chicago’s top draft pick in the 2019 draft, started the scoring burying a shot past Wild goaltender Dereck Baribeau. Defenseman Adam Boqvist assisted on the goal.

Kirby Dach with authority to give the #HawksProspects a 1-0 lead off the rush. Entwistle with the assist. https://t.co/XkEF8QGl6D pic.twitter.com/Ctoq66DYSo

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

A few moments later, forward Riley McKay beat Baribeau to extend the Chicago lead to 2–0. McKay would also add a fight to his game resume after he dropped the gloves with forward Drake Pilon. McKay’s goal was assisted by forward Sean Josling.

Josling picks the pocket of a defenseman behind the goal and Riley McKay capitalizes on the loose puck. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/6FoiWr932N

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Dach would leave the game after taking an awkward fall into the boards after taking a hit from Wild forward Darian Pilon. Pilon went off to the penalty box for boarding on the play.

The nasty boarding penalty that sent Kirby Dach to the locker room. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/AiNSwgm8KL

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Forward MacKenzie Entwistle extended the Chicago lead to 3–0. The power play goal ended the scoring in the first period. Defenseman Nicolas Beaudin assisted on the tally.

Entwistle adds the third, Beaudin centered it off the boards. #Blackhawks flying nowm 3-1. pic.twitter.com/GwtYIp6eAM

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 6, 2019

The Blackhawks would add to their injured players when Boqvist, forward Phillipp Kurashev and forward Mikael Hakkarainen all left the ice in the second period of play.

Early in the third period, Chicago extended their lead to 4–0 when forward Tim Soderlund beat Baribeau after a nice give-and-go with forward Michal Teply.

Tim Soderlund with the intercept in his own zone and finishes a give-and-go with Michal Teply to give the #HawksProspects a 4-0 lead early in the third. Second of the tournament for the 2017 fourth rounder. pic.twitter.com/YMMKHaELrW

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Forward Dylan McLaughlin beat Baribeau for Chicago’s fifth goal of the game when he beat the 6-foot-6 goaltender short side. Josling picked up his second assist of the game on the goal.

Cross-ice feed from Sean Josling and Dylan McLaughlin roofs it from a difficult angle for a 5-0 lead. Second assist on the afternoon for free-agent Josling. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/eAOUto0gQQ

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

The third Chicago goal of the period extended their lead to 6–0 after Teply scored his first of the game. Soderlund assisted on the play.

Soderlund and Teply team up again to take a 6-0 lead. Former does the leg work to find the latter. #HawksProspects pic.twitter.com/mCGYsIxNsj

— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) September 10, 2019

Minnesota finally figured out Chicago goaltender Alexis Gravel with just over two minutes left to play in the game when forward Connor Dewar scored. Gravel finished the game with 27 saves in the contest.

With the victory, Chicago finished the tournament in seventh place following a record of 2–2. However, the organization will keep a close eye on the four Blackhawks players that left the game early due to suspected injuries. Early reports indicate the injuries are not serious.

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Blackhawks announce 2019 training camp roster

Chicago heads into the 2019–20 season after back to back seasons without postseason hockey at the United Center. The first step in making sure it does not become three years in a row is getting the finer things tuned during training camp and the preseason. Chicago is inviting 55 players to camp this year, highlighted by top rookie prospects Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach, as well as newcomers Alexander Nylander and Robin Lehner.

Here are the 32 forwards invited to camp:

The Chicago Blackhawks’ forwards for 2019 training camp.

Here are the 17 defensemen and six goalies invited to camp:

The Chicago Blackhawks’ defensemen and goalies for 2019 training camp.

Training camp opens on Friday, Sept. 13 with the annual Training Camp Festival taking place on Sunday, Sept. 15 at the United Center. Chicago opens the preseason schedule the next night on the road against the Washington Capitals.

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Patrick Kane ready to yet again join elite Blackhawks company

Following his career best season last year, Kane is just 62 points shy of reaching 1,000 for his career. Barring any injuries or a drastic decrease in production, he should hit that mark sometime this season. If he does, Kane will become the fourth player in Blackhawks history to reach 1,000 points with the organization, joining Denis Savard (1,061), Bobby Hull (1,153) and Stan Mikita (1,467).

With another season of 100 points or more, Kane could also join Savard and Jeremy Roenick as the only three Blackhawks players to post three or more seasons reaching the century mark in points. If he is able to reach 100 points or more in 2019–20 as a follow up to his 110 point campaign last season, he can join Savard and Roenick again as the only three players to post back-to-back 100 point seasons.

Feb 20, 2019; Detroit, MI, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (88) and defenseman Duncan Keith (2) wait for the face off during the second period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. (Photograph courtesy of Raj Mehta / USA TODAY Sports)

Finally, at the risk of this becoming even more of a Kane gushfest, Kane and his Blackhawks partner in crime, Jonathan Toews, could become the 11th and 12th players to record 20 or more goals in each of their first 13 NHL seasons. Kane and Toews are currently two of three active players to reach 20 or more goals in each of their first 12 seasons, joining Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, who has reached 20 or more goals in each of his 14 NHL seasons.

After leading the Blackhawks in scoring for the fifth time in the last seven years, Kane will once again be relied upon as the offensive catalyst for the Blackhawks in 2019–20. If he can reach the 100 point plateau, etching himself deeper among the all time franchise greats, Kane could also be leading the Blackhawks back to the postseason after a two year absence.

The post Patrick Kane on verge of historic 2019–20 season, again appeared first on The Rink.

Our series continues today with tier three, defined as a prospect seen as a middle six forward, second pairing defenseman or backup goalie.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Alex Vlasic (2.833)

The cousin of San Jose’s Marc-Edouard Vlasic, the Wilmette, Illinois, native was selected by his hometown team in the second round this June. Vlasic boasts a massive frame for someone his age being listed at 6-foot-6 and 198 pounds. Vlasic has shown an ability to use his size to his advantage, especially in terms of breaking up plays with his reach and blocking shots. As part of the high powered US National Team Development Program over the past two years, Vlasic was relied on more so as a defensive defenseman. However, the big blue liner does have the ability to chip in from the back end thanks to his good vision and slap shot. Vlasic will head to Boston University to join the Terriers, where he will likely spend at least a couple of years before turning pro. Vlasic, who some considered to be a bit of a steal at the draft, could slot into Chicago’s top four in the future if he can develop into a bonafide shutdown defenseman. While he has a bigger frame than former Blackhawk Niklas Hjalmarsson, Vlasic could be the long awaited replacement for the three-time Stanley Cup champion.

The Blackhawks selected Wilmette, Illinois, native Alex Vlasic in the second round in 2019. Vlasic will play at Boston University in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of Hickling Images)

Alex Nylander (3)

Nylander, who is the brother of William Nylander of Toronto and son of former Blackhawk Michael Nylander, was acquired by Chicago earlier this summer from Buffalo in exchange for 2017 first round pick Henri Jokiharju. Alex was the eighth overall selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft and has spent the majority of his time since then playing for the Rochester Americans in the AHL. The Calgary-born Swede possesses an undeniable amount of offensive skill and flair, but has been surrounded with questions about his intensity and desire. Nylander joins a growing list of recent reclamation projects for Stan Bowman, who hopes the Nylander experiment will turn out more like Dylan Strome than David Rundblad. Nylander’s style is clearly suited for a top six role, but, if he is unable to put his game together, could end up being more like Dylan Sikura has been recently in not quite being able to handle the top six load but also not fitting in as a bottom six player. Though the Blackhawks have a wealth of young talent on the back end, Nylander will need to prove his services were worth jettisoning Jokiharju, who seems primed for a lengthy career as a top four NHL defenseman.

Chicago acquired Alex Nylander from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Henri Jokiharju this summer. (Photograph courtesy of the NHL)

Dominik Kubalik (3.167)

Kubalik joins Chicago’s organization for 2019–20 after being acquired in January from Los Angeles in exchange for a fifth round pick. Originally a 2013 seventh round pick of the Kings, Kubalik tore up the Swiss National League in 2018–19, leading the league with 57 points in 50 games. The Czech Republic native will look to translate his production to North America, where he has not played since 2013–14 in the Ontario Hockey League. Kubalik has been a mainstay on Czech teams at international tournaments, including representing his country in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The 6-foot-2, 179-pound winger also enjoyed a breakout showing at the 2019 World Championships, scoring six goals and adding six assists in 10 games. Kubalik, who is on a one year contract with the Blackhawks, is expected to be in Chicago’s lineup this season. While he could become a standout player if he is able to produce as he did in Switzerland, Kubalik will likely be more along the lines of this year’s Dominik Kahun if he pans out, being someone who can play up and down the lineup and contribute offensively in a supporting role.

Dominik Kubalik will make his North American professional debut in 2019–20 after dominating the Swiss National League in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of Getty Images)

Philipp Kurashev (3.167)

Kurashev has been a pleasant surprise thus far in his development, quickly rising up the ranks in Chicago’s system. The Blackhawks drafted Kurashev in the fourth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and the Switzerland native has since done nothing but impress regardless of the level of play. In 59 games for the Quebec Remparts, he scored 29 goals and added 36 helpers for career best marks in both goals and points in his junior career. Kurashev particularly stood out on the international stage, with the World Junior Championships highlighting his showings for his country. A regular for Swiss national teams, Kurashev lit it up to lead the tournament with six goals in seven games and finished with seven points. Following his junior season coming to a close, Kurashev made the jump to Rockford, where he played three games for the IceHogs. Kurashev is expected to return to Rockford’s lineup for 2019–20, where he will likely be among the team’s go-to offensive weapons. Though Kurashev has not yet proven himself professionally, his development is trending in the right direction and it appears he could have a successful middle six role in the NHL down the road.

Philipp Kurashev will play in his first full professional season in 2019–20 after finishing last season with the Rockford IceHogs. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Chad Krys (3.333)

Like a couple of other players already covered in the series, Krys may be a player who would best be suited by moving to another organization. The offensive defenseman was once at the top of Chicago’s blue line prospects, but has since dropped down the list with the drafting of other high end defensemen who excel offensively. Drafted in the second round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Krys spent three seasons playing at Boston University to continue his development. In his time as a Terrier, the Connecticut native posted 58 points in 105 games, including 20 points in 30 games last season as an alternate captain. Upon finishing his collegiate season, Krys signed with the Blackhawks and joined the Rockford IceHogs, playing nine games while tallying four assists. The 5-foot-11, 185 pound defender boasts strong skating and passing abilities, but would likely need to be paired with a reliable partner at the NHL level to cover for his defensive deficiencies. The majority of our panel believes Krys will become an everyday NHL player, but, as mentioned previously, his path would likely be easier in another organization. Krys will return to Rockford for the 2019–20 season on a stacked IceHogs blue line.

Chad Krys joined the IceHogs late in the 2018–19 season after spending three years at Boston University. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Jake Wise (3.5)

Wise is among the Blackhawks’ most intriguing forward prospects both because of his skill but also because of a seeming mystique around him. The Naples, Florida, native has missed time with injuries in each of his last two seasons—2017–18 with the US National Team Development Program and 2018–19 at Boston University—which has prevented him from showing what he is capable of when at full health. Once considered a potential first round pick option in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Chicago scooped up Wise in the third round. Wise is hard to miss on the ice for that reason: He is good at making defenders miss. He uses his speed and high end stickhandling to elude defenders in tight spaces. Additionally, Wise is responsible defensively, which will help his cause as he moves up the ranks. While our panel was a bit mixed on Wise, his talent is undeniable, and, if he can stay healthy and progress in his development, could turn into a draft day steal in a middle six type of role in the future. The 5-foot-10 centerman will return to the Terriers for 2019–20.

Jake Wise will return to Boston University for 2019–20 looking to put together a full season after playing just 12 games last year. (Photograph courtesy of Boston University Athletics)

Alexis Gravel (4)

Gravel’s initial vote rating indicates a spot in the fourth tier, but upon reconsidering our tiers in terms of goaltenders, our panel decided Gravel was better suited for tier three, as the group believes Gravel will be in NHL blue paint in the future. Once considered a top goaltending prospect for the 2018 draft class, the Blackhawks snagged the German native in the sixth round after a somewhat disappointing 2017–18 season with the Halifax Mooseheads. However, Gravel has done nothing but impress since being drafted, putting together a breakout 2018–19 campaign with Halifax, posting a goals against average of 2.49 and save percentage of .913, both of which were career best marks. Gravel then upped his game in the postseason, recording a .917 save percentage in 23 games, guiding his squad to second place finishes in both the QMJHL’s President’s Cup and the Memorial Cup. Boasting massive size in the goal at 6-foot-3 and 218 pounds, Gravel is still quick and tracks pucks well in addition to being technically sound. Though still relatively early in his progression, Gravel looks as though he could be among the better goaltenders the Blackhawks have drafted and developed in the 21st century. The right handed netminder will return to the Mooseheads in 2019–20.

Alexis Gravel will return to the Halifax Mooseheads for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Vincent Ethier/CHL Images)

Stay tuned as The-Rink progresses up the ladder in its Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part four appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks announce rookie tournament roster

After taking home the tournament championship in 2017, the Blackhawks rookies hope to reclaim their crown after falling short last season. Headlined by 2018 and 2019 top overall draft picks Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach, the Blackhawks’ rookies drop the puck in Traverse City on Sept. 6.

Here are the Blackhawks’ rookie forwards:

The Chicago Blackhawks’ rookie forwards for the Traverse City tournament.

Here are the Blackhawks’ rookie defensemen and goalies:

The Chicago Blackhawks’ rookie defensemen and goalies for the Traverse City tournament.

Chicago has invited five players that are not in the organizational system with forwards Cole Purboo, Sean Josling, Riley McKay, Isaac Nurse and goaltender Nick Kossoff. Defenseman Dennis Gilbert is the only player with more than double-digit professional games under his belt.

When and where?

The Blackhawks head to Traverse City, Michigan, on Sept. 6 through Sept. 10 for the annual rookie tournament. They will be competing against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Chicago’s schedule for the tournament looks like this:

• Friday, Sept 6 vs Red Wings (6 p.m. CT)
• Saturday, Sept 7 vs Maple Leafs (2 p.m. CT)
• Monday, Sept 9 vs Blues (4:30 p.m. CT)
• Tuesday, Sept 10 TBD

The Chicago rookie class won the 2017 tournament championship, highlighted by current Blackhawks Alex DeBrincat and David Kampf.

The post UPDATE: Blackhawks release 2019 Traverse City tournament roster appeared first on The Rink.

Kane rated as best Blackhawks player in NHL20

Kane, the NHL10 cover athlete (also NHL16 but, not really…) continues his reign as one of the top 10 players in the EA NHL franchise realm, coming in as the sixth highest rated player in NHL20. His 97 rating for deking is the highest in the game.

Showtime! @88pkane is #6 on the #NHL20Top50! Patty Kane has the silkiest mitts in #NHL20 with a 97 rating in Deking and should carry the puck on a string in any lineup. @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/cj6U6uAVAo

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) September 2, 2019

Following a career high year in assists (66), points (110) and time on ice (22:29) during 2018–19, Kane looks to continue to be the focal point for the Blackhawks’ offense as he enters his 13th season in Chicago.

For an interesting look as to how EA Sports comes up with their NHL ratings, here is a video from Sportsnet giving some insight

NHL20 is set for release on Sept. 13 on PS4 and Xbox One platforms.

The post Patrick Kane highest rated Chicago Blackhawks player in NHL20 appeared first on The Rink.

Our series continues today with tier four, defined as a prospect seen as a bottom-six or extra forward, third-pairing or extra defenseman or fringe goalie.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Evan Barratt (3.5)

The 2017 third-round pick was one of the players our panel had the hardest time coming to a consensus on. Some felt Barratt is capable of converting his offensive firepower at the collegiate level to the professional ranks for a middle-six role, while some felt he will be nothing more than a serviceable depth piece in the NHL. Either way, Barratt brings a combination of skill and sandpaper the Blackhawks could use in their lineup down the road. The Bristol, Pennsylvania, native will return to Penn State in 2019–20, where he ignited for 43 points in 32 games last season.

Evan Barratt will return to Penn State for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Penn State Athletics)

MacKenzie Entwistle (3.667)

Since being acquired in the infamous trade that saw Marian Hossa’s contract dealt to Arizona, Entwistle has established himself as one of the Blackhawks’ most solidified prospects in terms of their future role. The 2017 third-round pick of the Coyotes has embraced the idea of being a bottom-six player at the NHL level and has adjusted his game to suit that role. After winning back-to-back OHL championships on the Hamilton Bulldogs and Guelph Storm and enjoying a breakout showing at the World Junior Championships, Entwistle will turn pro in 2019–20 to join what will likely be a youthful Rockford IceHogs lineup.

Guelph Storm forward MacKenzie Entwistle (left) battles for a puck at the Memorial Cup. (Photograph courtesy of Vincent Ethier / CHL Images)

Aleksi Saarela (3.833)

Saarela joins the Blackhawk organization this season after spending the last two in Carolina’s system. Originally a 2015 third-round pick of the New York Rangers, Saarela was part of the trade that saw Eric Staal leave the Hurricanes at the 2016 trade deadline. Since then, Saarela has spent the majority of his time playing for the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL, where he and his team won the Calder Cup last season. Saarela’s big shot helped him score 30 goals in 2018–19, but he likely will not reach a level like that in the NHL. If Saarela wants to have a lengthy NHL career, it will likely need to be in a depth role. Saarela will be given a chance to crack Chicago’s opening night lineup, but is more likely to start the season in Rockford to adjust to the Blackhawks’ system.

Aleksi Saarela joins the Blackhawks organization for 2019–20 after winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers. (Photograph courtesy of Patrick Gorski / Icon Sportswire

Josiah Slavin (3.833)

Slavin was another polarizing player among our panel members. With votes as high as tier two, he clearly is a player who has quickly grabbed the attention of some panelists despite being a seventh-round pick in 2018. Slavin’s rise in the USHL over the last two seasons and showings at the Blackhawks’ development camps have led some to feel he has the tools needed to be a legitimate contributor at the NHL level, playing a simple, but effective, pro-style game. Slavin, who is the younger brother of Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin, possesses a strong work ethic and displays leadership on and off the ice, which have helped his development thus far. The Erie, Colorado, native will head to play at Colorado College, where he will likely spend at least two years before turning pro. While he still has some developing to do, Slavin could very well turn out to be a diamond in the rough and have a successful NHL career, whether as a middle-six player or a depth option.

Josiah Slavin heads to Colorado College after splitting the 2018–19 season between Lincoln and Chicago in the USHL. (Photograph courtesy of Brad Repplinger)

Dennis Gilbert (4)

Gilbert is a perfect representation of a few players who our panel feels can be a solid NHL player, just likely not in a Blackhawk sweater. The Notre Dame product provides the physicality Chicago’s blue line pipeline lacks, but very well might not have a clear path to NHL ice time with all of the other young defensemen in the system who have higher upsides. Drafted in the third round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Gilbert turned pro in 2018–19 after three seasons with the Fighting Irish. The Buffalo, New York, native played in 63 games for Rockford, where he racked up 14 points, to go along with one game for the Blackhawks. Our panel was in full agreement Gilbert has the tools to be a reliable and rugged stay-at-home defenseman in the NHL, but most felt that would be elsewhere.

Dennis Gilbert tallied 14 points for the Rockford IceHogs in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Matthew Highmore (4)

Highmore is a bit of an interesting player in the group because of his circumstances. Most of our panel feels he has the tools needed to be an everyday bottom-six center in the NHL. However, injuries have hampered Highmore thus far in his career, washing out the majority of his 2018–19 season. The undrafted free agent signing played in 13 games for the Blackhawks in 2017–18, but managed just 12 games in 2018–19, all with Rockford. Despite his injury issues, Highmore has proven to be an effective scorer at the AHL level, posting 52 points in 76 games over two seasons with the IceHogs. Hopes are 2019–20 can be a fresh start for Highmore, but he will need to earn a spot in Chicago, as there is a slew of other players who could very well beat him out for depth roster spots.

Matthew Highmore enters 2019–20 looking to rebound from his injury-shortened 2018–19 campaign. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Kevin Lankinen (4)

The undrafted free agent signing came over to play in North America for the first time in 2018–19, splitting time with Indy in the ECHL and Rockford in the AHL. While he posted decent numbers with the IceHogs (2.50 goals against average and a .910 save percentage in 19 games), Lankinen took the world by storm for his native Finland in the World Championships, backstopping the Finns to the gold medal with sparkling numbers of a 1.50 goals against average and a .942 save percentage. His efforts quickly caught the attention of many in the Blackhawks’ fanbase, but he needs to show that ability on a consistent basis for an extended period of time for our panel to place him in a higher tier. Lankinen is expected to return to Rockford for 2019–20, where he will get a chance to show if he is truly the lights-out goaltender he was at the World Championships or if his heroics were just a flash in the pan.

The 2019–20 season will give Kevin Lankinen an opportunity to show if his heroic performance at the 2019 World Championships was his true self or just a flash in the pan. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Niklas Nordgren (4)

The 2018 third-round pick of the Blackhawks is an intriguing prospect because of his ability to score. However, his size is a bit of a question mark, as is his skating, which will definitely need to be improved if he wants to translate his production to the game’s highest level. Unlike the majority of prospects in the system, Nordgren has been limited in his participation in prospect camp over the past two summers, as he was injured early in the 2018 camp before being an off-ice participant in 2019. Nordgren has split time between HIFK’s main Liiga men’s team and the organization’s U20 team over the last two seasons. The Helsinki native tallied 26 points in 28 games between the two teams in 2018–19 and will return to HIFK for 2019–20. Nordgren’s development will be worth keeping an eye on, as he could become a scoring threat in the NHL if he pans out.

Niklas Nordgren combined for 26 points in 28 games in the HIFK organization in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of AOP)

John Quenneville (4)

The cousin of longtime Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, John was one of three prospects to receive an identical rating from each member of our panel. Acquired earlier this summer in exchange for John Hayden, Quenneville will enter camp looking to earn a full-time job in the NHL for the first time. The 2014 first-round pick of New Jersey played in 33 games for the Devils in his time with the organization, spending the majority of that time playing for the Albany Devils in the AHL. After racking up 39 points in 37 AHL games last season, Quenneville appears ready to take the next step, but might have a hard time grabbing a roster spot in Chicago. Regardless, Quenneville should be able to be a decent depth piece at the NHL level in the future.

John Quenneville joins the Blackhawks organization after being acquired from New Jersey this summer. (Photograph courtesy of Ed Mulholland / USA TODAY Sports

Michal Teply (4)

Teply will be another intriguing prospect to keep an eye on as his career progresses. Selected in the fourth round this June by the Blackhawks, the noted playmaker will come to North America to join the Winnipeg Ice for 2019–20 after being chosen fourth overall by the Ice in the CHL Import Draft. The Czech Republic product posted 21 points in various Czech leagues in 2018–19 before racking up six points in four playoff games for the Bili Tygri Liberec U19 team. Teply has been a mainstay on the Czech Republic’s international teams growing up, representing his country in various tournaments in each of the past three seasons. The big-bodied winger will need to work on his skating and adjust to the North American game, but, if he can do those things, seems like he can be a depth contributor in the NHL.

Michal Teply will head to North America for 2019–20 to play for the Winnipeg Ice. (Photograph courtesy of the IIHF)

Lucas Carlsson (4.167)

The 2016 fourth-rounder made the transition to North America in 2018–19, playing 69 games with Rockford and tallying 33 points, after a lengthy career in the Brynas organization in Sweden. While generally known to be an offensive defenseman, Carlsson is capable of holding his own in his own end. Of course, being part of an impressive blue line pipeline in the Chicago system, Carlsson might have a hard time cracking the Blackhawks’ lineup in the future. Multiple members of our panel believe he has the tools needed to be a regular depth defenseman in the NHL, but would likely only be able to realize that potential in a different organization. As one panelist noted, Carlsson feels a bit like Ville Pokka in the sense he might be too good for the AHL but never be able to make it in the NHL given the situation he is in. The Swede is expected to return to a stacked blue line in Rockford in 2019–20.

Lucas Carlsson posted 33 points for Rockford in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Tim Soderlund (4.167)

Soderlund’s skill set lends itself to a bottom-six role, which is likely what he would need to be in order to have an NHL career. While Soderlund has looked good at both ends in his time playing in Sweden’s SHL over the last three seasons, he has not stood out much at Chicago’s prospect camps since being selected in the fourth round in 2017, though that is not an end-all, be-all setting. Soderlund will join Rockford for 2019–20, where he will get his first taste of the North American game. Sometimes compared to fellow Swede Viktor Arvidsson, Blackhawks fans should be cautiously optimistic about Soderlund’s future. If he can translate his game to North America, he should have a chance to establish himself as a reliable depth player capable of chipping in offensively from time to time.

After spending his whole career in Sweden, Tim Soderlund will come to North America for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Ola Westerberg / Bildbyrån)

Alexandre Fortin (4.333)

Once the “golden boy” of the Blackhawks’ prospect camps, Fortin has a well-known story that has led him to the professional ranks. Unfortunately for Fortin, it sometimes seems like he just is not getting the opportunity he needs to establish himself at the NHL level. After struggling with injuries in his first professional season in 2017–18, the undrafted free agent signing split time between Chicago and Rockford in 2018–19, posting consistent numbers at both levels. Fortin tallied three goals and three assists in 24 games for the Blackhawks and doubled his totals in 47 games with the IceHogs. Fortin has speed to burn, but the rest of his game will need to catch up to his feet in order to put it all together. Though there is still time for Fortin to earn himself a regular NHL job, he might be passed over for other options as time progresses. Fortin is another player who may be better off starting fresh in another organization to get the most out of his career moving forward.

Alexandre Fortin will look to grab a full-time roster spot in Chicago in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Stay tuned as The-Rink progresses up the ladder in its Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part three appeared first on The Rink.

Nicolas Beaudin

Kirby Dach (right) and Nicolas Beaudin (left) battle at Chicago Blackhawks’ development camp. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

Often an afterthought in the Blackhawks’ 2018 draft class, Nicolas Beaudin should not be left in the shadow of Boqvist for very long. In his last two seasons in the QMJHL with the Drummondville Voltiguers, Beaudin tallied 125 points in 122 regular season games, while also posting 19 points in 26 QMJHL playoff games. Beaudin was also named a QMJHL Second Team All-Star in both of his last two seasons with Drummondville. Seeing a decent improvement in his ability to defend in his own zone, on top of his already advanced offensive abilities, he is a top candidate to get significant minutes for the IceHogs defensive core. In a small sample of work, Beaudin and Boqvist were paired together in prospect camp, with Beaudin working as a defensive cover for the more free-wheeling Boqvist. That pairing could become a regularity for the IceHogs early in the season.

Brandon Hagel

Brandon Hagel played in eight games for the Rockford IceHogs at the end of the 2018–19 season after scoring 102 points with Red Deer in the Western Hockey League. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The MVP of the prospect camp scrimmage last month, Brandon Hagel has a lot of promising flash. He uses a good combination of speed and snap on the offensive side of the ice to create scoring chances for him and his teammates. He got a taste of the AHL last season after posting a career-high 102 points in his final WHL season with the Red Deer Rebels. He will likely get a chance to play some power play minutes for the IceHogs and could pair well with longtime Red Deer teammate Reese Johnson in a middle-six forward role with Rockford.

MacKenzie Entwistle

Mackenzie Entwistle carries the puck at the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect camp in 2018. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

On and off the ice, MacKenzie Entwistle seems more than ready for the jump to the professional ranks. After back-to-back OHL championships with the Hamilton Bulldogs and Guelph Storm, Entwistle makes the move to the Rockford IceHogs having a generous amount of praise being placed upon him this summer from Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and head coaches Jeremy Colliton and Derek King. His commitment to playing a two-way game paired with his favorable size as a forward make Entwistle an intriguing rookie to watch this season. He will likely get some looks on both the power play and penalty kill for the IceHogs, but may stick more in a penalty-kill role, given the high-end offensive skill depth that Rockford could rotate on the man advantage.

Philipp Kurashev

Philipp Kurashev will play his first full professional season this year after wrapping up his junior career with the Quebec Remparts. (Photograph courtesy of the Quebec Remparts)

Speaking of offensive skill depth, the IceHogs got a small taste of what forward Philipp Kurashev brings to the table late last season. While he did not get on the scoresheet in his first three professional games, Kurashev showed a small sample of what made him a prolific option for the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL. Kurashev’s shot is his best attribute and has started to pair it well with improvements to his skating ability and vision on the ice. A decent-sized forward at 6-foot-1 and just under 200 pounds, Kurashev is a likely candidate to lead IceHogs rookies in scoring this season.

Chad Krys

Chad Krys makes a pass during an IceHogs game late last season. (Photograph courtesy of the Milwaukee Admirals)

Finally, bookending the list with another defenseman is Chad Krys. He joined the IceHogs late last season and was thrust right into significant minutes for Rockford as they attempted to push for a Calder Cup Playoffs spot. While the IceHogs fell short, Krys tallied four assists in nine games and will likely return to be a top minutes-eater for the IceHogs this season. One of the more seasoned of the rookies on the roster, Krys has improved his all-around play over his three-year NCAA career with Boston University after being a top offensive threat when he was drafted in 2016 by the Blackhawks. Do not be surprised if Krys sees time on both the power play and penalty kill for Rockford to begin the season.

The post Five IceHogs rookie breakout candidates not named Adam Boqvist appeared first on The Rink.

Jonathan Toews remains one of the top pivots in NHL20

Chicago Blackhawks captain and NHL11 and NHL16 cover athlete Jonathan Toews continues his dominance as one of the top centers in the NHL for another year in NHL20. Checking in as the 42nd-highest-rated player in the game, Toews garners an 88 overall rating heading into the 2019–20 season.

Captain of the @NHLBlackhawks @JonathanToews is coming off the highest point total of his career and earns the #42 spot! #NHL20 #NHL20Top50 pic.twitter.com/QZ2Y0bEtUJ

— EA SPORTS NHL (@EASPORTSNHL) August 27, 2019

Toews is coming off of his career-best statistical season after posting highs in goals (35), assists (46), points (81) and time on ice (21:00) during his first complete 82-game season since the 2008–09 campaign.

Jonathan Toews NHL20 attributes breakdown (Via EA Sports)

For an interesting look as to how EA Sports comes up with their NHL ratings, here’s a video from Sportsnet giving some insight

NHL20 is set for release on Sept. 13 for PS4 and Xbox One platforms.

The post Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews’ NHL20 rating revealed appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs roster: Signed through 2019–20

Top to bottom for all three positions, here is the running list of players that are already signed on for the 2019–20 season or beyond for the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs. AHL-only contracts are specified for the players who are only eligible to play for the IceHogs or the ECHL’s Indy Fuel without signing a contract with the Blackhawks.

Forwards

• Liam Coughlin
  • AHL contract
• Mackenzie Entwistle
• Alexandre Fortin
• Brandon Hagel
• Matthew Highmore
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Reese Johnson
• Graham Knott
• Dominik Kubalík
• Philipp Kurashev
• Dylan McLaughlin
  • AHL contract
• Nick Moutrey
  • AHL contract
• Jacob Nilsson
• Nathan Noel
• Alexander Nylander
  • Acquired from Buffalo Sabres
• John Quenneville
  • Acquired from New Jersey Devils
• Jack Ramsey
  • AHL contract
• Aleksi Saarela
  • Acquired from Carolina Hurricanes
• Dylan Sikura
• Tyler Sikura
  • AHL contract
• Tim Soderlund
• Mathew Thompson
  • AHL contract
• Kris Versteeg
  • AHL contract
• Spencer Watson
  • ECHL contract
• Anton Wedin

Defensemen

• Nicolas Beaudin
• Adam Boqvist
• Lucas Carlsson
• Carl Dahlstrom
• Philip Holm
• Dennis Gilbert
• Slater Koekkoek
• Chad Krys
• Josh McArdle
  • AHL contract
• Dmitry Osipov
  • AHL contract
• Jake Ryczek
  • AHL contract
• Joni Tuulola

Goalies

• Collin Delia
• Kevin Lankinen
• Chase Marchand
  • AHL contract
• Matt Tomkins
  • AHL contract

Since the last edition of this roster breakdown, there have been just a few minor additions to the organizational roster. Forward Spencer Watson was signed by the Indy Fuel of the ECHL after a baker’s dozen of games with the organization. Watson is a depth player who will more than likely play the entire season with the Fuel, barring major injury issues with the IceHogs.

Additionally, on the back end, the IceHogs signed defenseman Jake Ryczek to an AHL deal and the Blackhawks signed Swedish defenseman Philip Holm to a two-way deal.

Newly signed defenseman Philip Holm skates in an international game with Sweden. (Photograph courtesy of the IIHF)

The additions of Ryczek and Holm add more depth to the bottom section of the Blackhawks’ organizational chart. Ryczek will most likely begin the year with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL, unless he makes significant strides during the Blackhawks’ and IceHogs’ camps. As for Holm, his time in North America during his career has been short. Just one season in the NHL/AHL during 2017–18 with the Vancouver Canucks and Vegas Golden Knights organizations, playing mostly in the AHL with the Utica Comets and Chicago Wolves. Last season, Holm played for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL and was named a KHL All Star. He will push for time in the NHL, but will most likely file in line with the IceHogs once the season begins.

IceHogs roster: Already gone

Not everyone fits into the future plans of the Rockford IceHogs, or reversely, the IceHogs do not always fit into every players’ future plans. For Rockford, there are already a few players from the 2018–19 squad who will not be re-signing with the club, let alone any North American team.

• Radovan Bondra — HC Slovan Bratislava (KHL)
  • 2018–19 with Fuel: 66 games, 10 goals, 25 assists
• Brandon Davidson — Calgary Flames
  • 2018–19 with Blackhawks: 10 games, one assist
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: six games, one goal
• Victor Ejdsell — Farjestad BK (Sweden)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 61 games, 12 goals, 17 assists
• Anton Forsberg — Carolina Hurricanes
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 32 games, 15–15–2, 2.64 goals against average, .919 save percentage
• Blake Hillman — Toledo Walleye (ECHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 54 games, one goals, three assists
• Peter Holland — Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 21 games, seven goals, nine assists
  • 2018–19 total: 73 games, 27 goals, 38 assists
• Luke Johnson — Minnesota Wild
  • 2018–19 with Blackhawks: 15 games, one assist
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 53 games, 18 goals, 13 assists
• Anthony Louis — Charlotte Checkers (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 74 games, 12 goals, 22 assists
• Andreas Martinsen — Anaheim Ducks
  • 2018–19 with Blackhawks: 24 games, one goal, three assists
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 38 games, three goals, eight assists
• Connor Moynihan — Tulsa Oilers (ECHL)
  • 2018–19 with Fuel: 52 games, six goals, eight assists
• William Pelletier — Laval Rocket (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 41 games, seven goals, 10 assists
• Jordan Schroeder — Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 62 games, 19 goals, 26 assists
• Brett Welychka — Esbjerg Energy (Denmark)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 18 games, 0 points, -4

Since the latest installment, the IceHogs have seen three more players sign elsewhere, as ECHL-level players Radovan Bondra and Connor Moynihan moved on from the organization and Anthony Louis signed with 2019 Calder Cup champion Charlotte Checkers.

Anthony Louis leaves the Rockford IceHogs to join the Charlotte Checkers in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the Milwaukee Admirals)

Already touched on once in this series, but I will say it again: Losing Anthony Louis is a bummer for the IceHogs and the Blackhawks’ organization. A great player off the ice for the IceHogs’ community, Louis was undersized and at times over-relied on in Rockford. Last year, Louis was expected to be one of the top point producers and although he ranked third in points, it was a lowly 34 points. A former sixth-round pick by the Blackhawks, he will move on to a Checkers squad coming off winning the Calder Cup last year and will be reunited with former IceHogs teammate Anton Forsberg in Charlotte.

IceHogs roster: Unsigned

While there is a larger number of players left unsigned that would more likely be in play for the Blackhawks, here is the list of remaining players left unsigned that are likely in play for the IceHogs and the Indy Fuel.

Unrestricted free agents

• Terry Broadhurst
• Andrew Campbell

With most NHL training camps beginning in the next two to three weeks, it is looking more likely that Broadhurst and Campbell will be PTO or ATO candidates as they look for new homes to play in the 2019–20 season. Also, playing overseas may be an option, as Boradhurst has played two season in Sweden and Finland in his career. It is nearly a guarantee that neither player will return to the Blackhawks’ organization.

The post Early edition: Rockford IceHogs 2019–20 roster 4.0 appeared first on The Rink.

EA Sports reveals Kirby Dach’s NHL20 rating

Following the reveals of top overall draft pick Jack Hughes and second overall pick Kaapo Kakko, the developers were set to reveal third overall pick Dach’s first look in the game. While Hughes was revealed in his New Jersey Devils sweater and Kakko in his New York Rangers sweater, Dach was revealed in his WHL Saskatoon Blades sweater. With the Blackhawks rumored to have new tweaks to their collars, the game probably was not allowed to reveal the new look for Chicago just yet.

So on Saturday, on Dach’s Instagram page, he revealed his NHL20 look:

#Blackhawks Kirby Dach rated 76 overall in @EASPORTSNHL (also, not pictured in #NHL sweater, while Hughes and Kakko were) @kdach77 pic.twitter.com/5GoVBndqQB

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) August 24, 2019

76 overall.

Six overall points behind top pick Hughes and five overall points behind Kakko. It is an improvement for Dach from his latest NHL19 rating, which he finished in the latest roster update at 75 overall. A little disappointing, given the drop off from the top two picks and the minimal improvement from the end of the year. But after a 73-point season in the WHL, in the eyes of the developers, Dach had not done enough to jump off the page and into the high 70s or even touch 80 overall.

Obviously, this is just the first roster reveal. There will be at least one, maybe two roster updates for NHL20 by the time the NHL regular season begins. By that time, Dach could show off more of his development through training camp and the preseason and improve his rating by the time the Blackhawks drop the puck on the regular season.

The post Blackhawks rookie Kirby Dach gets NHL20 rating revealed appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks’ new collars have finally been revealed

At the annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase, Blackhawks defenseman Adam Boqvist was snapped in his new Blackhawks sweater.

Behold the new collar:

There you have it #Blackhawks fans: The new collars.
(Photo from @TomGulittiNHL) pic.twitter.com/ovbo3jeRp8

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) August 25, 2019

The change had been rumored for months and months by Icethetics:

Taking a look at the updated #Blackhawks jerseys for 2019-20 on the blog. Nothing earth-shattering, but we do now have images of the new collar designs. (Stick tap to @ReaganKingIsles for the road jersey.)

BLOG: https://t.co/J6q7awojnu pic.twitter.com/n9SltbqUM3

— icethetics (@icethetics) August 24, 2019

Standing next to his brother, Jesper Boqvist of the New Jersey Devils, Adam was photographed by the NHLPA and by Tom Gulitti in the new Blackhawks sweaters. The change in the collar sees the end of the “Pilgrim Collar” and the dawn of a new, scaled-back collar. It is a minor change to a minor sweater detail that has cause major waves among the Blackhawks’ fan community.

Later, the Upper Deck showed Kirby Dach wearing the new digs:

Kirby Dach of the Chicago Blackhawks shows off some of his cardboard at the #NHLPARookieShowcase pic.twitter.com/GhpZVEgDP1

— Upper Deck Hockey (@UpperDeckHockey) August 25, 2019

A few reactions:

pic.twitter.com/Mm8kX1MwJm

— Chris Scheiber (@scheib43) August 25, 2019

https://twitter.com/rojohi/status/1165643549595099136

pic.twitter.com/QXeCX620U8

— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile.bsky.social) (@PuckinHostile) August 25, 2019

Just bring back the classic one

— Shawn (@ShawnycashH) August 25, 2019

So yes, mixed reaction is one way to describe the reviews that the new collars have garnered online. While the team has yet to officially announce the changes, this picture confirms the months of speculation behind the change. It is expected they will wear the new sweaters in the preseason; if not, by puck drop of the regular season on Oct. 4.

The post Chicago Blackhawks’ new collars finally revealed appeared first on The Rink.

Our series continues today with tier five, defined as a prospect seen as a fringe forward, fringe defenseman or AHL goalie with a chance to play in the NHL.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Brandon Hagel (4.333)
The majority of our panel agreed Hagel would be a fringe NHL player who has the capabilities needed to contribute in a depth role, but one member felt Hagel’s upside could be as high as a middle-six role. The most valuable player of the Blackhawks’ development camp scrimmage possesses a variety of skills in his game, but will need to fine tune them to get to the next level. Hagel will likely spend the 2019–20 season with the Rockford IceHogs after a breakout 2018–19 campaign with the Red Deer Rebels.

Brandon Hagel played in eight games for the Rockford IceHogs at the end of the 2018–19 season after scoring 102 points with Red Deer in the Western Hockey League. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Antti Saarela (4.333)
The 2019 fourth-round pick will be a project, but showed flashes of his ability in development camp. The younger brother of fellow Blackhawk prospect Aleksi Saarela possesses a good shot, but will need to improve his skating to be effective in the NHL. Saarela will stay in Finland for the 2019–20 season, where he will join Ilves after spending his entire career thus far with Lukko.

Antti Saarela will join Ilves for the 2019–20 season after spending all of his career with Lukko in Finland. (Photograph courtesy of Lansi Suomi)

Dominic Basse (4.5)
Basse adds impressive size to the Blackhawks’ prospect pool in the blue paint, measuring 6-foot-6 at just 18 years of age. Basse dominated in 2018–19 for the Selects Hockey Academy 18U team, compiling a 1.91 goals against average and .924 save percentage in 42 games played. The Colorado College commit has not yet announced his plans on where he will play in 2019–20, but perhaps the most likely scenario would see him join the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL, as the Phantoms hold his USHL rights. Basse will be an interesting project to keep an eye on in the future.

Dominic Basse provides the Blackhawks’ system with size at the goaltender position. (Photograph courtesy of Colorado College)

Artur Kayumov (4.5)
Kayumov is among the most polarizing prospects in the Blackhawks’ system. A skilled and passionate left winger, Kayumov has yet to break out in his time playing in the KHL in his native Russia, tallying just 13 points in 46 games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2018–19. Despite this, his skill set would likely allow him to be a contributor in the NHL, though this looks less and less likely with each passing season for the 2016 second-round pick. Kayumov will return to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl for 2019–20.

Artur Kayumov will stay in Russia for yet another season in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

Josh Ess (4.667)
Ess has made strides since being selected in the seventh round in 2017. In his time since being drafted, Ess has established himself as a steady presence on Wisconsin’s blue line. The Minnesota native moves the puck well, but needs to keep working on his overall game to have a chance at playing in the NHL. Even if Ess can take the next step in his development with a big year for what is expected to be a potent Badger lineup in 2019–20, he would need to jump over a slew of other young defensemen in the system to don the Indian head down the road.

Josh Ess posted career-high totals of five goals, eight assists and 13 points as a sophomore at Wisconsin in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the University of Wisconsin)

Jakub Galvas (4.833)
Galvas is known as a puck-moving defenseman, something the Blackhawks have plenty of in their system. Despite having others ahead of him on the organizational depth chart, Galvas could break through for NHL playing time if he rounds out his game. The 2017 fifth-rounder has become a mainstay on international tournament teams for his native Czech Republic, including a pair of appearances in the World Junior Championships. A longtime member of the HC Olomouc organization, Galvas will head to Finland to play for Jukurit for the next step of his development.

Jakub Galvas will leave the Czech Republic to play in Finland for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Miroslav Chaloupka / CTK Photo)

Mikael Hakkarainen (4.833)
Hakkarainen dominated the USHL last season, tallying 19 goals and 28 assists in 42 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks after leaving Providence College following just one game at the beginning of the season. With little left to prove at the junior level, the 2018 fifth-rounder will turn pro to likely join the Rockford IceHogs for the 2019–20 season. At times, the Finn looks like he has a promising future in a depth role, but he will need to transfer his scoring ability at the junior level to the pro ranks—or adjust his style of play—in order to earn a regular NHL spot.

Mikael Hakkarainen will join the Rockford IceHogs for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Justin Berl / Getty Images)

Reese Johnson (4.833)
After spending the majority of the 2018–19 season as the captain for the Red Deer Rebels, Johnson finished the year in Rockford. Johnson improved his offensive numbers in his final year playing juniors, nearing a point-per-game pace with 27 goals and 26 assists in 67 games. The undrafted free agent signing then posted four assists in his six games with the IceHogs. Though Johnson finally started showing his offensive ability last season, he will likely be relied on as a more defensive forward should he make it to the NHL. Johnson will return to Rockford for the 2019–20 campaign.

Reese Johnson joined the Rockford IceHogs late in the 2018–19 season after playing for Red Deer of the Western Hockey League. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Cole Moberg (4.833)
The 2019 seventh-round pick broke out in a big way for a bad Prince George Cougars team in 2018–19, blowing away his previous career-high marks with 13 goals, 27 assists and 40 points. Our panel was relatively split on the 6-foot-3 defender, as some felt he could become a regular bottom-pairing option in the NHL down the road, while some feel it is too early in his development to project a ceiling of that nature. Moberg will return to the Cougars for 2019–20, where he will be relied upon as a leader on and off the ice for Prince George.

2019 seventh-round pick Cole Moberg was among the few bright spots for the Prince George Cougars in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Prince George Cougars)

Andrei Altybarmakyan (5.167)
Another wildcard within the Blackhawks’ system, Altybarmakyan boasts an impressive offensive skill set. However, the 2017 third-rounder has yet to put it together in the KHL, posting just six points in 38 games last season with HK Sochi. Of course, the Russian factor is also in effect here, as Altybarmakyan may very well never play in North America. Even if Altybarmakyan does play in North America, he would likely need to prove he can be somewhat reliable defensively to earn a chance at regular NHL ice time.

Andrei Altybarmakyan will stay in Russia for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the KHL)

Ivan Nalimov (5.167)
Another Russian with dwindling likelihood of playing in North America, Nalimov has been the ultimate hit-or-miss goaltender in the KHL. At times looking like a legitimate NHL goaltender while resembling a headcase piece of Swiss cheese at others, the 2014 sixth-round pick will enter his sixth KHL season in 2019–20 with his sixth team. While Nalimov has expressed an interest to come play in North America in the past, the Blackhawks have not reciprocated the desire. It appears likely at this point Nalimov will not have a future in the NHL unless his rights are dealt and another team gives him a chance.

Among the more intriguing prospects in the Blackhawks’ system, Ivan Nalimov will join his sixth team in the KHL for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Kunlun Redstar)

Joni Tuulola (5.167)
Tuulola played his first full season of North American hockey for the IceHogs in 2018–19, posting four goals and 10 assists in 52 games. The 2015 sixth-round selection has generally been a defense-first blueliner, but has shown an ability to chip in offensively as well. However, with as many offensive defensemen as the Blackhawks have in their system already, Tuulola will need to focus on being rock-solid in his own end if he wants a chance to play in the NHL. Tuulola will return to Rockford’s defensive core for the 2019–20 season.

Joni Tuulola will return to Rockford for 2019–20 after posting four goals and 10 assists for the IceHogs in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Stay tuned as The-Rink progresses up the ladder in its Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part two appeared first on The Rink.

One-on-one with IceHogs head coach Derek King

After taking over the head coaching position early in November last season, Derek King led the IceHogs to a 29–28–7 record with him behind the bench as the boss. Missing the Calder Cup Playoffs by seven points in the AHL Central Division, the IceHogs ranked last in goals scored last season, but had the 10th-fewest goals scored against them and had both Collin Delia and Anton Forsberg finish in the top five in the league in save percentage.

The roster makeup heading into the 2019–20 season looks promising from a scoring potential standpoint and the IceHogs have Delia returning to the net as a tandem with emerging goaltender Kevin Lankinen. Signs are pointing up for the IceHogs heading into this season and King is focusing on getting his young team ready to be professionals right from the start.

On handling the first offseason knowing he will be head coach this year:

“Well, summer has been too long having missed the playoffs. But, it’s been a good opportunity to take a deep breath, step back from the game and just concentrate on preparing for next year. I was just talking with Anders (Sorensen) and we’re just ready to get back.”

On mentality heading into this season after missing playoffs:

“The big thing is going into this year and being healthy is a major key. Last year when I took over, there were like 10–12 guys who were injured and out of our lineup within the first month. So, the nice thing is you get a fresh start with a healthy squad. The mindset is, as it has always been at this level, to develop our players and get them ready for the NHL. Especially this year, you don’t know what’s going to happen up top and these guys need to be ready to step right in. With that being said, it’s nice to get these guys developed, but it’s also nice to win some hockey games.”

On balance between coaching to development and coaching to win:

“Developing guys is the higher percentage goal. I don’t know if it’s 60–40 or what, like if it’s 60 percent developing guys and 40 percent focus on winning, but it fluctuates every month at this level, because you don’t always know who or what you have. The key thing with us, especially with the younger guys, is to make sure that they have the right nutrition, the right habits and work ethic on the ice to turn into good pros for Chicago.”

Rockford IceHogs interim head coach Derek King looks on during an IceHogs game in the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

On how much contact he keeps with players over the summer regarding training:

“You have to trust these guys. They’re professional hockey players and you can’t hold their hand. Obviously, some guys come early into town and start working out and training in the Chicago area to get ready, but they’re on their own. They need to know this is pro hockey now and have to learn how to get into a routine. The big thing is teaching them the off-ice stuff to learn the right habits.”

On youth of the roster heading into 2019–20 season:

“The big thing is consistency for them. I think they’ll find out the season is a grind, but the nice thing is we have some veteran players to help lead those young guys the right way. They have to take care of their bodies, like I said the habits of eating well and making sure they are staying on top of their training.”

On veteran presence that Kris Versteeg adds to IceHogs’ roster:

“He’s won some Cups, played in the NHL for a long time and he is a skilled player, so he’ll play in a lot of situations for us. These guys can learn from him, especially the forwards can see how he handles things. We will see after camp how things go, we got some other veterans coming back for us like Tyler Sikura and we’re going to count on them to be leaders for us.”

Rockford IceHogs interim head coach Derek King watches on during an IceHogs game in the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of Texas Stars)

On naming, or not naming, a set leadership group or captain for the 2019–20 season:

“The leaders will step out; you’ll notice them from the crowd and who they are. We won’t jump the gun and say, ‘Oh this guy will be our captain’ based on age or experience or anything like that. It’ll be based on who can lead the team the right way. That’s not saying our young guys can’t be leaders.”

On having Adam Boqvist possibly available for the IceHogs this season:

“The big thing with him is that he has the skills to play the game on the big stage, but you have to get the ‘junior’ out of him. He’ll have to learn, like everyone else, how to be a good pro, be a good teammate and how to do things the right way. It’s all part of the development and we have to guide him in that area. For guys coming in from college or junior or over from Europe, the American Hockey League is a better league than you think. That’ll be a message. To get through it, you have to work hard and stay healthy. But for Adam, the skill is there, he just has to hone his game. He’ll get the ice time, but it’s all the little things that he’ll have to put together.”

The IceHogs and Blackhawks prepare for training camp to begin in Chicago on Sept. 15 with the annual Training Camp Festival. Before that, the organization’s rookies will play in the Traverse City Rookie Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, beginning on Sept. 6.

The post One-on-one: Rockford IceHogs head coach Derek King appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs to face Wolves on Chicago’s inaugural Pride Night

While it is not customary that The-Rink focuses on the Chicago Wolves, this is a different case.

I try not to get too “political” when it comes to writing on this site, but the “political issue” of LGBTQ+ rights has nothing to do with politics, but rather human rights and basic human decency toward your fellow man and woman. The AHL and NHL have done an alright job of making it known that the LGBTQ+ community has a home within the sport, but the culture of the sport needs to catch up as a whole. This is another step toward achieving that from the Wolves. I will step down from my soapbox now.

From the Chicago Wolves on Pride Night:

October marks National Coming Out Month and, to support the LGBTQ+ community, $5 from each ticket purchased specifically for Pride Night will go to Center on Halsted in Chicago—the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ+ community center that helps more than 1,000 people each day.

Molly Pinta, a 13-year-old from Buffalo Grove, (Illinois), will be recognized before the game as a Hometown Hero. Together with her parents, Molly founded the Pinta Pride Project that created Buffalo Grove’s inaugural pride parade and brought together more than 80 groups and 1,800 marchers on June 2. Molly also served as the youngest Grand Marshal in Chicago Pride Parade history on June 30.

The Wolves and IceHogs have a long history in the AHL as fierce rivals in the Illinois Lottery Cup Rivalry series. Chicago and Rockford will square off 12 times this year, with the first matchup of the year coming on Oct. 18 in Rockford. The second matchup of the year, the second night of a back-to-back, will be the Oct. 19 Pride Night in Chicago.

The post IceHogs to face Wolves for Chicago’s first Pride Night on Oct. 19 appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks sign Holm for 2019–20 season

The Chicago Blackhawks’ depth at defenseman is a mish-mash of high-level prospects and mid-to-low-level NHL players. The addition of Holm seemingly only muddles the waters of the depth pool.

At 27 years old, Holm has bounced around Europe in his professional career with one stop in North America during the 2017–18 season. From 2011–2017, Holm played in the Swedish SHL and Allsvenskan leagues with Djurgårdens IF and Växjö Lakers HC. Skating in 197 SHL games and 90 Allsvenskan games, he tallied 61 points and finished the 2016–17 season with the SHL’s best plus-minus rating with Växjö.

Defenseman Philip Holm skates in an international game with Sweden. (Photograph courtesy of the IIHF)

Holm, who clocks in at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, was part of the 2017 Swedish World Championship squad that took home the gold medal. Following that, he made the jump to North America to play with the Vancouver Canucks. He skated in just one game in the NHL with Vancouver, playing the rest of the season with the Utica Comets in the AHL before being dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights and finishing the 2017–18 season with the Chicago Wolves. Holm’s 2017–18 AHL season totaled 63 games played with 38 points tallied.

Last season, Holm transitioned to the KHL in Russia, playing for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. In his only KHL season, Holm played in 61 regular season games with 29 points and seven KHL playoff games with five points, as his club was eliminated in the first round. Holm was named a KHL All Star last season.

The Blackhawks open training camp on Sunday, Sept. 15 at the United Center with their annual Training Camp Festival. Look for Holm to make his team debut then.

The post Blackhawks sign Philip Holm to one-year, two-way contract appeared first on The Rink.

Our series kicks off today with tier six, defined as a prospect seen as an organizational depth player or goalie with little to no chance to play in the NHL.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Mathias From (5.333)
To some, From feels like he could be a fourth-liner in the NHL. Others believe he will never even set foot on professional North American ice. From has shown skill in the Blackhawks’ development camps he has attended, but not enough to put himself in a higher tier. A fifth-round pick in 2016, From tallied 16 points in 45 games last season with AIK in Sweden. The Denmark native will join Blackhawks 2014 fourth-round pick Fredrik Olofsson on MODO for the 2019–20 season.

Mathias From scored 16 points in 45 games for AIK last season. (Photograph courtesy of Sportbibeln)

Roope Laavainen (5.333)
Laavainen is an intriguing piece within the prospect pool because the organization seems to think he can be a player moving forward. While one member of our panel felt similarly, thinking Laavainen could be a bottom-pairing NHL defenseman in the future, the majority did not see anything to justify a spot on a higher tier. The 2017 fourth-rounder will return to play with HPK in Finland this season.

Roope Laavainen will return to play for HPK in Finland this season. (Photograph courtesy of Jukka Rautio/Kuva Europhoto)

Ryan Shea (5.333)
The 2015 fourth-rounder has been a steady presence for Northeastern University in his three seasons with the Huskies, the first two of which he played with Dylan Sikura. Shea will return to Northeastern for his senior season, where he will captain the Huskies. Should the Blackhawks choose to sign Shea in the future, he would likely have to jump a number of other young defensemen in the system for a shot at playing in the NHL.

Ryan Shea will captain Northeastern University this season. (Photograph courtesy of Northeastern University)

Parker Foo (5.5)
The Blackhawks are likely hoping Foo can follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Spencer, in becoming a good-looking prospect who had success at the collegiate level, but until further notice, the 2017 fifth-rounder might have nothing more than a future in the minor leagues. Foo will return to Union College this fall for his junior season after posting 15 points in 35 games as a sophomore with the Dutchmen.

Parker Foo will return to Union College for his junior season with the Dutchmen. (Photograph courtesy of Robert Morris University)

Jake Ryczek (5.5)
Ryczek will turn pro this season after spending two years playing for the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL. While he could still develop into a serviceable player, 2019 first-round pick Kirby Dach did nothing to help Ryczek’s cause at this year’s development camp, making the 2016 seventh-rounder look more like a pylon than a future NHL defenseman. Ryczek would also have to jump over a glut of other young defensemen to get his shot at the NHL level, which seems unlikely.

Jake Ryczek will turn pro this season after spending two years with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. (Photograph courtesy of Katie Whitty)

Nathan Noel (5.667)
A fourth-round pick in 2016, Noel has struggled to put up numbers since turning pro in 2017, scoring just seven goals and adding 11 assists in 84 games split between the Rockford IceHogs and Indy Fuel. At this point, Noel, who struggled to stay healthy last season, will likely be nothing more than a depth player in the minors.

Nathan Noel will enter his third professional season with the Blackhawks’ organization this fall. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Graham Knott (5.833)
Needless to say, Knott looks to be among the biggest disappointments in the Blackhawks’ prospect pool since Kyle Beach. Originally a second-round pick in 2015, Knott has scored just eight goals in 126 professional games over two seasons with the Rockford IceHogs. Short of a miraculous turnaround, it would be safe to write off any chance of Knott making it to the NHL moving forward.

Graham Knott posted four goals and nine assists last season with the Rockford IceHogs. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Stay tuned as The-Rink progresses up the ladder in its prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part one appeared first on The Rink.

After another season of hockey, the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and July’s development camp for the Blackhawks, The-Rink has assessed where each prospect in the system stands in terms of their ability to make an impact moving forward.

Many outlets piece together a prospect rankings list to show who may be next in line for NHL stardom. However, The-Rink believes a mere rankings list proves inadequate of truly judging a prospect’s ability to make a mark at the game’s highest level. As such, The-Rink has developed a system of placing prospects into tiers based on their potential.

To be clear, this project has been a group effort. Six of The-Rink’s staff members most in tune with prospects—Eric Andrews, Aaron Goldschmidt, Ron Luce, Ray Napientek, Juliana Nikac and Mario Tirabassi—poured many hours of thought, discussion and compromise into the development of the tiers.

The process began with determining which players would be eligible. After some debate, The-Rink settled on skaters 24 and under with 40 or less NHL games played and goaltenders with 10 or less NHL games played.

From there, tiers needed to be established to place the eligible prospects in. Again, after some debate, The-Rink decided on six different tiers, ranging from high-end NHL players to minor league depth players. The complete list of tiers is as follows:

Tier one = First-line forward, top-pairing defenseman, elite goalie

Tier two = Top-six forward, No. 2 or 3 defenseman, starting goalie

Tier three = Middle-six forward, second-pairing defenseman, backup goalie

Tier four = Bottom-six forward, third-pairing defenseman, fringe goalie

Tier five = Fringe forward, fringe defenseman, AHL goalie with a chance to play in the NHL

Tier six = Organizational depth player or goalie with little to no chance to play in the NHL

The six staff members involved in the project then placed the prospects into the tiers they felt were most appropriate. Of course, each staffer’s ratings varied, resulting in the necessity to debate where players belonged. In fact, just three players received an identical rating from each of the six staffers involved—those players will be denoted when their tier is released. The final tiers reflect the agreed-upon consensus following a debate about each player.

In the coming weeks, The-Rink will be unveiling its prospect tiers along with a brief synopsis of each player and why they fell into the tier they did, starting with tier six and building up to tier one.

Stay tuned to see how each prospect fared in The-Rink’s prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post Introducing The-Rink’s prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” step back into the dusty Rink podcast studio to discuss the prospect camp and the Blackhawks fan convention with staff writers Mario Tirabassi and Aaron Goldschmidt.

• Blackhawks traded Artem Anisimov to Ottawa for Zack Smith
• Thoughts on Development camp
• Fan convention came and went.
• Chris Kunitz retires and joins the Blackhawks player development staff
• New jersey leak?
• Ian Mitchell corner, Brent Seabrook’s trial, Gus’s garage, Sekac street.
• We are only scratching the surface.  Many good things and guests to come!!!!
• We wrap with The-Rink #RinkratPuckBag segment.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 56 – Gus bus to Camp Colliton appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs roster: Signed through 2019–20

Top to bottom for all three positions, here is the running list of players that are already signed on for the 2019–20 season or beyond for the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs. AHL-only contracts are specified for the players who are only eligible to play for the IceHogs or the ECHL’s Indy Fuel without signing a contract with the Blackhawks.

Forwards

• Liam Coughlin
  • AHL contract
• Mackenzie Entwistle
• Alexandre Fortin
• Brandon Hagel
• Matthew Highmore
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Reese Johnson
• Graham Knott
• Dominik Kubalík
• Philipp Kurashev
• Dylan McLaughlin
  • AHL contract
• Nick Moutrey
  • AHL contract
• Jacob Nilsson
• Nathan Noel
• Alexander Nylander
  • Acquired from Buffalo Sabres
• John Quenneville
  • Acquired from New Jersey Devils
• Jack Ramsey
  • AHL contract
• Aleksi Saarela
  • Acquired from Carolina Hurricanes
• Dylan Sikura
• Tyler Sikura
  • AHL Contract
• Tim Soderlund
• Mathew Thompson
  • AHL contract
• Kris Versteeg
  • AHL contract
• Anton Wedin

Defensemen

• Nicolas Beaudin
• Adam Boqvist
• Lucas Carlsson
• Carl Dahlstrom
• Dennis Gilbert
• Slater Koekkoek
• Chad Krys
• Josh McArdle
  • AHL contract
• Dmitry Osipov
  • AHL contract
• Joni Tuulola

Goalies

• Collin Delia
• Kevin Lankinen
• Chase Marchand
  • AHL contract
• Matt Tomkins
  • AHL contract

First and foremost, the biggest move affecting the roster of already signed players was the Alexander Nylander-for-Henri Jokiharju trade. Still a head-scratcher for many, the trade dealt Jokiharju to Buffalo in exchange for Nylander, one for one. In his first full professional season, Jokiharju began the year with the Chicago Blackhawks, skating in 38 NHL games before heading to the IceHogs to play in 30 AHL games. He won a World Junior Championship gold medal in between his time with the two teams and combined for 29 pro points in his 68 pro games in the NHL and AHL last year, all as a teenager.

In exchange for Jokiharju, the Blackhawks acquired Nylander, son of former Blackhawks forward Michael Nylander and younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander. Alex, a former 2016 first round draft pick by the Sabres, has had trouble consistently finding NHL ice time since making his professional debut in 2016–17. Nylander has played in just 19 games with the Sabres at the NHL level since 2016–17, while playing in 165 AHL games with the Rochester Americans. Last season, Nylander had two assists and two goals in 12 NHL games with Buffalo while skating in 49 games with Rochester and tallying 31 points.

The Blackhawks made the Nylander-Jokiharju trade not from a point of strength, but in reverse of what the organization needs. They let go of a good, young defenseman who had half an NHL season under his belt for a young, streaky forward having a hard time making the NHL on an arguably bad Buffalo team. Again, it is a head-scratcher.

Alexander Nylander handles the puck at Chicago Blackhawks development camp. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

From his performance in the Blackhawks’ development camp, Nylander looks highly skilled in drills and his physical gifts with the puck on his stick are clearly there. When it came to the team scrimmage at the end of camp, Nylander’s defensive engagement and play away from the puck left much to be desired, even in an inter-squad practice game. He could very well just have been spent after a quick turnaround from the trade just days prior to camp, but if his performance does not improve in front of the Blackhawks’ brass during training camp, Nylander will continue to find trouble cracking an NHL roster already full of decent bottom-six and middle-line forward options.

This brings about other revelations coming out of development camp. Mainly, the IceHogs are going to be stacked with young, skilled forwards that all could give the Blackhawks something to consider going into and heading out from training camp later in September. Along with the addition of Nylander to the fold, players like MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel (development camp scrimmage MVP) and Philipp Kurashev all made positive impacts during camp; most notably from my vantage point was Kurashev.

Philipp Kurashev skates at Chicago Blackhawks development camp. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

With pro-level size and speed in his game, Kurashev brings a little bit of everything to the table with a high-end ability to put the puck right where it needs to be for his teammates. His goal-scoring ability is the highlight of his game, but his ability to make plays happen with and without the puck make him an intriguing prospect in the Blackhawks’ system.

1v1 battle Hagel (white) vs Kurashev (red) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/2znG0g5Tlb

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 18, 2019

Finally, looking at the defensive depth after the Jokiharju trade, Rockford still has a deep talent pool on their blue line. It is looking very likely that Adam Boqvist will be the last defenseman that the Blackhawks will make a roster decision about in training camp, and he should be. His skills defensively have slowly crept up nearly to the level as his offense over the last year since being drafted by the Blackhawks and his confidence seems through the roof. If Chicago ultimately decides he should begin the year in the AHL with the IceHogs, he may not be there too long.

Aside from Boqvist, Nicolas Beaudin looked ready for the professional ranks in development camp, as did Chad Krys. Both will be offense generators for the IceHogs while Lucas Carlsson, Dennis Gilbert and Joni Tuulola return to provide defensively minded approaches to the IceHogs defensive group.

IceHogs roster: Already gone

Not everyone fits into the future plans of the Rockford IceHogs, or reversely, the IceHogs do not always fit into every players’ future plans. For Rockford, there are already a few players from the 2018–19 squad who will not be re-signing with the club, let alone any North American team.

• Viktor Ejdsell — Farjestad BK (Sweden)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 61 games, 12 goals, 17 assists
• Anton Forsberg – Carolina Hurricanes
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 32 games, 15–15–2, 2.64 goals against average, .919 save percentage
• Peter Holland — Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 21 games, seven goals, nine assists
  • 2018–19 total: 73 games, 27 goals, 38 assists
• Jordan Schroeder — Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 62 games, 19 goals, 26 assists
• Brett Welychka — Esbjerg Energy (Denmark)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 18 games, 0 points, -4
• Brandon Davidson — Calgary Flames
  • 2018–19 with Blackhawks: 10 games, one assist
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: six games, one goal
• Blake Hillman — Toledo Walleye (ECHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 54 games, one goals, three assists
• Luke Johnson — Minnesota Wild
  • 2018–19 with Blackhawks: 15 games, one assist
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 53 games, 18 goals, 13 assists
• Andreas Martinsen — Anaheim Ducks
  • 2018–19 with Blackhawks: 24 games, one goal, three assists
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 38 games, three goals, eight assists
• William Pelletier — Laval Rocket (AHL)
  • 2018–19 with IceHogs: 41 games, seven goals, 10 assists

After the opening of free agency and the restricted free agent qualifying periods, a number of unsigned IceHogs were left out. One came back to the IceHogs with Tyler Sikura re-signing on an AHL contract with Rockford. Among the players not returning to the team were a few surprises, most notably Luke Johnson.

Luke Johnson battles for a puck in a game against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Johnson has been a key contributor for the IceHogs at both ends of the ice for the last three seasons. He was a favorite of Joel Quenneville’s in the Chicago bottom-six forward rotation, but had trouble sticking in the lineup once Jeremy Colliton took the reigns. Johnson is a quality AHL forward (78 points in 199 AHL games) who should have a better-than-not chance of cracking the Minnesota Wild roster. If not, he will get to see plenty of his former team as the Iowa Wild and the IceHogs come together eight times during the 2019–20 regular season.

IceHogs roster: Unsigned

While there is a larger number of players left unsigned that would more likely be in play for the Blackhawks, here is the list of remaining players left unsigned that are likely in play for the IceHogs and the Indy Fuel.

Unrestricted free agents

• Radovan Bondra
• Terry Broadhurst
• Andrew Campbell
• Anthony Louis 
• Connor Moynihan
• Spencer Watson 

The pool of players still left unsigned from the 2018–19 Rockford IceHogs has thinned considerably since the last installment of the roster breakdown. The most notable name still left in the free agent pool is forward Anthony Louis, a veteran of 157 AHL games with 87 career AHL points with Rockford.

Anthony Louis celebrates a goal against the Milwaukee Admirals. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Louis spent the last two seasons with the IceHogs as an offensive energy forward who has decent playmaking abilities. His stature at 5-foot-7 and just around 160 pounds makes his NHL prospects difficult. He has good—but not great—speed and is good—but not great—on the puck. He will provide a spark in an AHL role, but to crack an NHL roster, he will have to be in the right situation and take a major step this summer. It appears his time in the Blackhawks’ organization may be over.

The post Early edition: Rockford IceHogs 2019–20 roster 3.0 appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp comes to a close

As the scrimmage started, it was evident in team play that players like Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Philipp Kurashev have a higher level to their game than most. Also making waves early on in the day were forwards Brandon Hagel and Josiah Slavin, who teamed up for a pair of goals in the first period of play.

The highlight of the day came early in the first period, and it came in dramatic fashion from Boqvist.

.@BoqvistAdam #Blackhawks @BarDown @GoLondonKnights pic.twitter.com/lJffmwpDU2

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

That highlight is going to hold a lot of people over for hockey content for the summer. Boqvist was paired with Beaudin on the red team for the scrimmage and their play off of each other generated a lot of pace and offensive chances for their squad.

Not to be outdone in the first period, 2019 third overall selection Kirby Dach made his impression on the scrimmage late in the period, finishing off a breakaway chance on goaltender Alexis Gravel.

.@kdach77 with another nice finish up close #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xOgyGFgzjP

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

And then, Dach did this to Jake Ryczek, the day after Ryczek signed an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs.

IT’S KIRBY’S DREAMLAND @kdach77 #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xkcCpsl0sq

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) July 19, 2019

Yeah, he is going to be pretty decent.

Throughout the week of development camp, more players stood out on their own than in years past for development camp. From top to bottom, the roster of players in camp show that the Blackhawks’ prospect system has a level of depth to it, at all positions, which it has lacked in recent years. Notably, the 2018 and 2019 draft classes have shown a decent amount of promise across the board. From Boqvist and Dach to Slavin and Gravel, there is a lot to be excited about in the future of the Blackhawks’ organization.

This concludes #Blackhawks development camp. pic.twitter.com/wmUwRMlvUn

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 19, 2019

Quoteables

Kirby Dach on his biggest takeaway from the week:

“Learning a lot off the ice about what it takes to be a pro in the game: How to handle myself with the way I eat and cook, stuff surrounding that. The game has become a lifestyle. You can’t just show up at the rink and have things happen. You have to do the right things away from the rink.”

Dach on making an impact on the Blackhawks’ staff:

“Any time you step on the ice, you want to leave an impression on them and make the decision hard on management to send me back. But, that is out of my control. The only thing I can control is myself and my actions.”

Mark Eaton (Director of Player Development) on what he looks for from players off the ice:

“Interaction is big; just to see the guys that are engaged in the process. They have all stated what they want to improve on in their developments and a lot of it is off-ice skills like time management, sleep management, mental skills. Those are things we try to give them information on throughout the week and they’ve shown a willingness to absorb that kind of information.”

Eaton on Boqvist and making the next step to the professional game:

“I think it’s going to be an experience thing: Getting experience, whether it’s at the NHL or AHL, whatever that next step is for him. You saw some of the things he could do out there today, but it’s more finding out for himself what moves or skills will work at whatever level he is playing, when it’s against bigger, stronger and faster guys. I’ve always said he is underrated on the defensive side of his game. He has some great qualities defensively; he’s such a smart player, and it’s not just one sided with him.”

Eaton on Dach’s week:

“He’s such a strong kid; you saw he was able to chase down a guy (Teply) and lift his stick and take the puck away; just already the strength in him and the frame he has left to grow into. He’s an exciting player, a great kid, he fit into the group and showed a willingness and eagerness to do what he needs to get to the next level.”

Brandon Hagel on first experience in Blackhawks camp:

“It was good to be here, good to meet everyone and put names to faces. Gave me a bit more confidence going into camp. … I feel like I was able to stick to my game and use my speed—one of my biggest assets—and build off of the other skilled players in camp.”

Hagel on going through the development process with former Red Deer teammate Reese Johnson:

“It’s pretty cool. Not many people get to come with their best friend that they have played with the last four years. Having him here obviously gives you more of a comfort level; you’re with one of the people you’ve know for a long time and you’re getting to meet new people together and makes it easier as it goes on.”

Boqvist on making an impression on the Blackhawks’ staff in camp:

“The only thing I can do is be myself. I can’t be Patrick Kane or Duncan Keith or anyone. I have to be myself and play good.”

Boqvist on his comfort level going through a second development camp:

“You know the stuff now. You’re not that nervous out there; you’re just excited to get back and show them that you are one year better and older. (I am) just trying to be confident out there and play my game.”

Boqvist on if he will watch his highlights from the scrimmage:

“Yeah, probably not. Probably just go back and have a nap. (Laughs) I’m pretty tired, so just want to have some rest.”

You and me both, Adam.

What’s next?

For the Blackhawks’ community, the 12th annual Chicago Blackhawks Convention will be held from July 26–28, 2019, at the Hilton Chicago. Following that, the Traverse City rookie tournament will take place sometime in the first two weeks of August, when most of the players who were featured this week will compete together in Traverse City, Michigan.

Keep it locked into The-Rink all summer as the 2019–20 season inches closer and closer.

The post Blackhawks development camp wraps up with futures game appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp: Day four takeaways

The highlights of camp have been as expected. Kirby Dach has begun to showcase exactly why the Blackhawks felt that he was the best option with the third overall pick in this June’s NHL Entry Draft. His size and skill makes him one of the more prolific in camp with the puck on his stick. What has emerged in camp so far for Dach is his competitiveness and his physical game. He is not overly heavy in his defensive play, but he uses his frame and body weight to muscle players in puck battles. He is making a strong case for Chicago to reconsider possibly sending him back to the WHL.

Boqvist and Vlasic (red) vs Nylander and Dach (white)#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/aPBN80w6d3

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 18, 2019

Along with Dach, fellow 2019 draft pick Alex Vlasic has shown that he is potentially going to make a couple teams upset they did not grab him late in the first round. Vlasic’s size and defenisve skill in his own end are his promising features, while his foot speed and skating have been and seem to always be the question around him. So far in this camp, there has been little to suggest that his agility for being 6-foot-6 should be an issue at this period of time. His frame allows him to play with confidence at this level and should increase as his time in the NCAA progresses at Boston University.

Alexander Nylander continues to look out of place at camp. He is too good to be here. Having played three professional seasons already in the NHL and AHL for the Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Americans, Nylander is going to press for NHL ice time with the Blackhawks. His pace on offense and quick release make him a possibility to be a third-line scoring option right off the bat for Chicago.

Adam Boqvist looks the part of an NHL player. His confidence has increased in his game from last year to this year at this point and it shows on the ice. He is no longer hesitant in his own zone and has started to challenge more plays defensively. Adding to the continued growth of his offensive skill set, once Boqvist finds his legs at the professional level, there should be no doubt that he will be able to step into the Blackhawks lineup sooner rather than later.

Nicolas Beaudin defensive camera iso#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/df1saxVzNN

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 18, 2019

As for Nicolas Beaudin, he began focusing more on his defensive game coming into this last season and the work he put in paid off in Drummondville. While his production on the scoresheet went down, his play defensively began to take a corner and he was used more in all situations in for the Voltigeurs. Now making the jump to the professional level, once Beaudin becomes comfortable with the pace and physicality of the game at the professional level, much like Boqvist, he could see himself in the Blackhawks’ defensive group within his entry-level deal.

1v1 battle Hagel (white) vs Kurashev (red) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/2znG0g5Tlb

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 18, 2019

One of the more under-the-radar forwards at camp this week has been Philipp Kurashev. Coming out of Quebec in the QMJHL this past season, Kurashev has a great first step to his game and plays with a pace and shiftiness that will drive defenders crazy. Pair that with a high-level release on his shot and he could find himself in a top-line role for the IceHogs this season, be it at wing or at center. His showing at the World Junior Championships and World Championships with Switzerland put him on the map and his play continues to impress through development camp.

Daily one-on-one: MacKenzie Entwistle

On Wednesday, Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman had a ton of praise to heap onto prospects like Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach and Ian Mitchell this week in camp, just to name a few. But, another player he mentioned was forward MacKenzie Entwistle. Bowman parised the two-time OHL champion for being the kind of player who embraces his role and knows his path to the NHL at such a young age. At just 20 years old, having his birthday on the Sunday before development camp, Entwistle already has the front office on notice. His play this season in his first year as a professional will give the organization a chance to better see where he fits into their NHL plans.

On back-to-back long seasons in the OHL:

“It’s obviously been a short summer again, but as a player, you want to have those kinds of seasons. Playing as long as you can and, for me, winning two championships in two years is pretty special and something a lot of guys do not get to do. The summer has been nice; I’ve had a little bit of time to rest, but I’m happy to be here now.”

Plans for his day with the J. Ross Robertson Cup (OHL Championship):

“I’m going to wait until I get back to Toronto and then most likely going to bring it up to my family’s cottage and spend time with family, take a couple pictures. Nothing too crazy planned.”

On difference between last year’s development camp after being traded, to this summer’s camp:

“Getting traded as a young player, I didn’t really know what to expect. First thing that went through my mind was, ‘What did I do? What did I do wrong?’ But, Stan welcomed me here with open arms and I remember the first call I had with him, he told me ‘You did nothing wrong. We just really liked you as a young player and that’s why we traded for you.’ As a young player, hearing that from the GM was pretty special. It’s definitely easier coming back to the second camp. Last year, I came in with an open mind and tried to learn as much as I could, meeting new players and coaches. It was kind of tough, but now I know a lot of the players and it makes it easier and is a weight off your shoulders.”

Mackenzie Entwistle wheeling and dealing#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/0fbPBapmiS

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 18, 2019

On transition from junior hockey to the professional level:

“I think I’m ready. As a player, I just want to keep taking those strides in developing as a player and as a person. Playing in juniors and at the World Junior level helped me a lot, as did going on a run last year with Guelph. I got to play with guys like Nick Suzuki and Isaac Ratcliffe and I learned a lot from them and from the coaching staff and I thought I grew a ton. I’ve put on some weight and I feel good out there and feel ready for the pro level.”

On Bowman’s praise of him being aware of his role and path to the NHL:

“As a player, I don’t see myself necessarily starting as a top-six guy or getting relied on for major points. With the World Junior team I had the same mentality and I got kind of put in that same role and I enjoyed it; I thrived in it. Obviously as an older guy in juniors, my role is a little bit different, having the experience a bit more. But for me, if I’m going to succeed at the next level, I’m going to be a third or fourth line guy who kills penalties and is reliable in the defensive zone. I don’t want to just say that; obviously, I want to keep growing my game and become a better offensive player and put up numbers. I want to keep growing as a player and as a person.”

On working to become a more well-rounded player:

“Going pro, everyone is bigger, faster, stronger. When you get to this level, you see guys in the NHL who play their role and do it the best to their ability and that’s why they get the money they do. You have face off guys and guys who kill penalties at big moments and power play guys who are the best at their craft. So, everybody has something, a little bit different role on the team. For me, that’s something that I’m trying to perfect and keep getting better at as I get older and keep learning more.”

Tomorrow will conclude the Chicago Blackhawks’ development camp week. Friday’s full-team scrimmage will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Fifth Third Bank Ice Arena, pitting Team A versus Team B.

More tomorrow on The-Rink!

The post Chicago Blackhawks development camp: Day four takeaways appeared first on The Rink.

Beaudin working on two-way abilities ahead of pro debut

Coming into his second development camp with the Blackhawks, Beaudin looked smooth in his skating and had a great pace to his play as he went through drills. It is very evident when watching him that his mobility and his play with the puck on his stick are his biggest strengths.

Coming in at 6 feet and just about 180 pounds, Beaudin is on the smaller side of what you would like to see from NHL-level defensemen. While there have been plenty of successful players at that size, there is always a challenge to overcome the increasing physicality of the league, especially for a player like Beaudin, making his professional debut this year, likely with the Rockford IceHogs to start, after playing three and a half seasons with the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the QMJHL.

Nicolas Beaudin blueline drill #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/eHNeq5D50E

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

“I feel like I am a more complete player now,” Beaudin said on Tuesday. “Last year, I was like, ‘Wow,’ coming into a big organization and this year I am more on the job. I know what to do.”

Making the jump to the professional ranks for Beaudin will be tricky. His game in the QMJHL was very offensively minded when he was drafted by the Blackhawks, able to produce on the power play and at even strength. But, last year, while he saw a dip in his production on the scoresheet, Beaudin was more focused on becoming a more well-rounded defenseman.

“Last year, I was more of an offensive defenseman,” Beaudin said. “This year, I feel like more of a two-way, more complete player. I’m a smooth skater, but I can work on moving my feet quicker.”

After 244 QMJHL games and 187 points (playoffs included), Beaudin will make his professional debut in 2019–20. The likelihood that he makes the Blackhawks roster out of camp is very slim, so he will get his first crack in the AHL with the IceHogs. Along with Beaudin, Boqvist and Chad Krys, who are also in camp this week, also appear set to begin the season in the AHL with Rockford.

2018 1st Rd pick Nicolas Beaudin with the skating and the stickhandling #Blackhawks #IceHogs pic.twitter.com/Ii1gi02zTE

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

On Wednesday afternoon before the prospects took the ice for the full-team session, General Manager Stan Bowman spoke to the media about the first two days of camp. When addressing the defensive group of prospects, Bowman had high praise for the trio of Beaudin, Boqvist and Ian Mitchell. In regards to Beaudin, Bowman made it clear that the ability to play up to the physical level of the pro game and to be well-rounded in his abilities should be his main focus.

“He’s a smaller defenseman, so the challenge is going to be the defending part,” Bowman said. “We like his two-way ability; he was probably the top defenseman in the QMJHL last year. He was on a good team and played a lot of minutes and played all situations. You’re trying to find your niche as a defenseman and I think the biggest thing is don’t get away from what you do well. He’s a pretty smart player; he’s got some creativity to his game. He’s not a high-risk player, but he’s got the ability to play offense as well as be defending and learning at his size how to play against bigger players, have a good stick, use his feet and his brain to defend, all the attributes you want a player in the NHL to have. So, it’s not one thing with Beaudin; it’s becoming an all-around defenseman.”

Friday’s full-team scrimmage will be the first showing for many of the prospects in camp to see how they have progressed year over year. For Beaudin, if his ability to create plays at a high pace and make sound defensive plays in his own end shows, he can make his case to no longer be the ‘throw-in’ when discussing the future of Chicago defense.

The post Nicolas Beaudin becoming well-rounded ahead of pro debut season appeared first on The Rink.

Colliton, entering his first full NHL season as the Blackhawks’ head coach, has a much different vantage point of camp this summer compared to last and Bowman has made moves that seemingly have improved the Blackhawks on paper heading into 2019–20. Wednesday, they gave their thoughts on where the current group of prospects fit into Chicago’s future.

Bowman, Colliton weigh in on development camp

Bowman entered the media room to address development camp. For the first time in a while, the Blackhawks have more than a small handful of players that have high ceilings and high potential at the next level. For Bowman, he made sure to single out at least four players continuously throughout his 20-minute scrum: Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach, Ian Mitchell and Alexander Nylander.

Big surprise, right?

For Bowman, development camp is more of an opportunity for the players participating than it is for full evaluations from the coaching staff.

“The big thing for us is to watch these kids, how much they can absorb,” Bowman said. “We’re throwing a lot of information. These are long days for them to have seminars in the morning then they come over and do on-ice work, then they do off-ice work and at the beginning of the week we have a cooking demo for them to learn how to prepare food. So, at the end of the day, it’s a full day for them. So, it’s really for them to grow their games; it’s not so much for us to watch the evaluation.”

As far as players standing out, a few comments made by Bowman on the main four players give an idea of where the organization feels the four are at currently.

“He had a good introduction last year,” Bowman said of Boqvist. “In training camp I thought he fared pretty well, got in some exhibition games. He’s taken a big step, he had a big season. … He really got his game going from November on. I think it started a little bit slow, but for him it was just adjusting to North America and becoming used to the schedule, the pace of the play, smaller ice rink, living in North America is different than Sweden. I think he just seems more comfortable when I talk to him here; he’s a happy-go-lucky guy, but he’s taken that next step.”

Puck battle drills with Alex Nylander (white) and Adam Boqvist (red) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/n1pfAAUPKz

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

“He’s an impressive kid,” Bowman said of Mitchell. “He’s going to be the captain at Denver (University) for a reason. He’s an articulate guy; he’s very team-oriented. You got to give him credit. He feels like there’s unfinished business and I think he’s committed to the team and committed to his teammates. He wants to lead that team and he wants to be, in his words, a difference-maker every night. I thought he had a great season last year and selfishly we think he’s ready to be a pro. … I remember talking to him at the end of the (2017) camp and I said, ‘You really opened our eyes with how far ahead you are relative to some of the other guys there.’ He was the youngest guy there at the camp and he was noticeable. Then, he comes back last year and he takes (a) step forward and here we are now. He’s very noticeable in these drills: just his quickness, how alert he is. He’s got offensive skills, but he also competes defensively. I think what we’re looking for him to do is build on that and become a dominant player like he wants to be. Yeah, we would love to have him as a pro right now, but I think he’s going to be a pro pretty soon. So, let him focus on his path. He has to believe in what he’s doing and it’s not for us to try to talk him in and out of things. Wherever he is, we’re going to support him. But, he’s ready to be a pro right now.”

Denver’s Ian Mitchell #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xiyXz9dRZW

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

“It’s hard not to notice his skill level,” Bowman said of Dach. “He’s a big guy, but he’s got really soft hands; he’s got that long reach and he’s got a quick stick. He’s pretty tricky with the puck, he’s got the ability to hold it out so that guys can’t poke it away and if they try to get it he can pull it through and he’s got quick hands. And I think that’s what you notice. He skates well for a big guy. … These are all things that we liked about him when we drafted him, but when you get him here and put him up against guys that are a couple years older, he’s able to do some special things with the puck, so he’s got all the excitement to be on the ice, he’s a competitive kid, he’s focused, but he’s enjoying himself and he’s got a combination of attributes that we wish everybody had.”

“It was a great sign that he was eager to come,” Bowman said of Nylander. “It was pretty short notice when I talked to him the day of the trade and said, ‘We’d love to have you in Chicago if you can make it work.’ I think he did have a vacation plan, but he canceled that to come here, and that shows his desire to acclimate with our group right away. … His enthusiasm to be part of the group and he wants to get better—he’s very strong, but when you meet him off the ice, he just looks more developed than all these guys. He’s a big kid—he’s almost 200 pounds—so his physical strength is there. Now, it’s just trying to put it all together.”

Slavin (white) battles with Dach (red) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/TjY9zsx1cg

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 17, 2019

Bowman also made note of players like Mackenzie Entwistle and his willingness to embrace his role and the skills set that will create his path to the NHL.

As more of a two-way player, Bowman stated he was impressed that Entwistle at a young age (just turning 20 years old the Sunday before camp) understood what he needed to do to be his best version. Bowman also mentioned the skating abilities of 2019 second round pick Alex Vlasic and how he has kept up to pace, even as being one of the youngest and biggest players in camp.

The buzz word of both Bowman and Colliton to the media was ‘versatility’ when discussing the moves that have been made this summer. Both made the point that the roster is much different than what it looked like at the end of last season.

“We’ve really increased the depth in our group, everywhere…I think we have more versatility to our team; we have guys—we have defenders who can play either side, we have guys who want to kill penalties and defend and take that role, we have forwards who can play different positions, kill penalties, play against good players, so we feel that’s what we were missing to our team,” Colliton said, piggy-backing off Bowman’s comments on Tuesday. “I think we’ve added a little bit of physicality and an edge, which we need to have that dimension. We have to win games in different ways, and I think if you compare the roster now to the one we ended with or the one we had when I first came in November, I think we can win in different ways and we’re prepared to have an excellent season, hopefully.”

Colliton expanded on the versatility of the roster’s current outlook.

“We want to be flexible with how we can build our lineup according to who we’re playing and being able to handle certain matchups,” Colliton said. “I’d like to be a little less reliant on certain players who can only play against the other team’s top players. We’d like to use more of our group. We want to have a flow to the team where we can play at a high pace and put pressure on teams over a 60-minute period, and you need depth in your roster. … We want to have more of the group able to play against anyone, and feel like we’re going to come out on the positive end of it. And, I think, not everyone’s going to have their best game every night. So, when you have players who can play left or right or center or left defense or right defense, then we can play the guys who are going. And the lineup isn’t as static. I think we made some major headway there.”

The Chicago Blackhawks signed goaltender Robin Lehner to a one-year, $5 million contract on July 1.

Another key focus of the roster turnover from last year to this upcoming season is the addition in net of goaltender Robin Lehner. The move came as a surprise to many in the Blackhawks’ fanbase, as it would have seemed penciled in that Corey Crawford and Collin Delia would be the defacto starter and backup heading into the summer. But, with the addition of a quality netminder like Lehner, there comes the question of workload in net and who may be the true starter.

“There’s going to be competition, certainly,” Colliton said of the goaltending situation. “But, I think you look at the teams that have had success; there has been a share, some sort of split. … Those games that maybe the traditionally the backup is playing, we need to win those, too. So now, whoever is in the net, we’re going to get an extremely high level of performance. And if we happen to be unlucky with injuries, we have some protection there, too.”

With Crawford reaching an older age, on top of his recent injury history, one could make the judgement that the split Colliton is referring to may be closer to 50-50 than most would have expected coming into the 2019–20 season.

Colliton made a point to dismiss any rumors that may have circulated that he was ‘anti-Jokiharju’ when the trade to acquire Nylander was announced by the team.

Henri Jokiharju skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on Jan. 14, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Blackhawks 8–5. (Photograph courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

“I only offer my assessment of the players and, ultimately, it’s Stan that makes the call,” Colliton said. “I think there’s this idea that I’m down on Henri. Not at all. I mean he played half a season as a teenager in the NHL. Probably in a perfect world we wouldn’t have had to put him in that position, where he could have been in Rockford and able to really be playing the role that hopefully he can play down the road as being a top-pair D, trying to get to that level. … When you look at our group…we have some really good defensemen coming up. They’re a little bit smaller, a little more tilted toward the offensive side of the game. (Bowman) had an opportunity to add a guy like Nylander and felt like that was the route to go.”

The roster turnover this season in Chicago could rival some AHL-level teams with the amount of new faces joining the fold and the amount of roster spots that are seemingly available for the taking. If development camp is any indication, the players who are making their next steps closer to, or on the way into, the professional ranks in the near future are not going to be handed anything.

“We want it to be difficult to make the team,” Colliton said. “For a young player, it shouldn’t be easy. They are going to have to perform at a really high level to push someone out and that’s exactly what we want. Maybe they show that they can play at our level, but it’s still not our best roster. They can go to Rockford and continue to develop. … If we do end up with an injury or we need to shake things up, we have someone who can step in and make a difference. So that’s huge. Even among the veteran guys, we have some really good players here. There’s going to be competition for—whether it’s a roster spot or ice time or roles—I think all the great teams, they have that.”

The post Stan Bowman, Jeremy Colliton address Blackhawks camp on day three appeared first on The Rink.

Alex Vlasic taking his time with development

Through the first two days of the Blackhawks’ development camp, Vlasic has looked as advertised when he was selected in the second round. Coming into camp at 6-foot-6 and 200 pounds, he skates well for a player of his age and size. Vlasic is never going to ‘wow’ you with lightning-fast feet, but he understands the progression of his agility will be one of the keys to his success through the NCAA and into the NHL.

“It’s going to be tougher for me to move my feet faster, or as fast as the smaller players,” Vlasic said. “But, I think I do a good job of it. I work on it a lot, so if I continue to progress how it has been going, I should be fine.”

Alex Vlasic blueline drill#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/klTvYzyWpS

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

For Vlasic, mobility is the foremost key to his game. He has the physical tools already at 18 years old. Playing a shutdown style on the blueline for the U.S. National Team Development Program the last two seasons has given him the ability to see how his game stacks up against faster, more skilled players.

Over the last two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program, Vlasic has had to practice against forwards like Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield, Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Oliver Wahlstrom, Joel Farabee and fellow Blackhawks prospect Jake Wise. He has also competed against and has been paired with defenders like Cam York, K’Andre Miller, Bode Wilde, Ty Emberson and Mattias Samuelsson. Eleven of those players have been selected within the top 50 draft picks of the last two NHL draft classes. And those are just his teammates.

“Our team last year had a ton of success,” Vlasic said. “We had eight first round picks, or something like that, so a ton of those guys are just as good or better than some of the guys I’ll ever play against. So, to be able to experience that, it’s a good preparation for what it might be like for me in the future.”

Alex Vlasic defends on Kirby Dach, Reese Johnson, and Alexander Nylander #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/5997J1KqNZ

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

Vlasic also raved about getting to play against fellow 2019 NHL draft pick Kirby Dach so far in the first two days of camp, saying that one does not get the chance every day to play against a player of that caliber. With the first two picks of the 2019 draft compared to the first two picks of the 2018 draft by the Blackhawks on a physical level, Dach and Vlasic are near monsters compared to Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin. General Manager Stan Bowman made a shift this summer to develop players that not only had speed and skill, but also size.

Vlasic’s defensive responsibility to his game and his large frame make him a blueliner that most teams would envy. If his development over the next few seasons goes according to his and the Blackhawks’ hopes and plans, Vlasic might end up peaking as a Colton Parayko, Brandon Carlo or Tyler Myers type of player who can eat heavy minutes, play physically and be an effective penalty killer.

2019 2nd Rd pick from Wilmette, Alex Vlasic #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/fl3FiPcVd7

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

As for the immediate future, Vlasic has no plans to rush into the NHL.

“I’ve been at Boston (University) for about two weeks already doing summer classes, so I’ll definitely go there for two years or so,” Vlasic said. “Maybe two or three years and then figure out what I’m going to do from there.”

If there’s anything that Vlasic can take forward from camp about the NCAA experience and specifically about Boston University, he has some help from former and fellow Terriers Chad Krys and Jake Wise, respectively, who are both in camp this week with Vlasic.

“I’ve been friends with Wisey for one or two years now,” Vlasic said. “He played with the U.S. Development Program with me. I’ve been chatting it up with Chad Krys as well, an ex-BU player here in camp, so it’s been pretty comfortable for me.”

The post Alex Vlasic not planning to rush his development appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp: Day two takeaways

Day two opened with the highlight group of Team A taking the ice first. Alexis Gravel, a 2018 sixth round pick for the Blackhawks was in net for Team A after missing yesterday’s session. Gravel had a breakout season last year with the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL, helping the Mooseheads to an appearance in the QMJHL Finals and the Memorial Cup Final, which was held in Halifax. Gravel is the most senior of the goalies in camp this week as far as Blackhawks development camp appearances with two. He will return to Halifax this season for what looks to be his final year of junior hockey.

Deliberate side to side movement as well as returning upright from low saves. Good drill to get the hips and legs warm. https://t.co/bGuzcDI4FG

— Puckin Hostile (@PuckinHostile.bsky.social) (@PuckinHostile) July 16, 2019

Off the ice, the Blackhawks made a long-anticipated trade during the first session, trading Artem Anisimov to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Zack Smith. The move is not a huge upgrade on paper as far as production and usage goes, but will save the Blackhawks $1.3 million in cap space for the next two seasons.

“He’s a versatile player,” said Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman on acquiring Smith. “He’s played wing and center, which we like. He plays with an edge. He has some years in the past where he has scored a lot. The thing we like about him is his versatility.”

Bowman added that he believes that Smith brings a competitiveness and edge that the Blackhawks lacked last season. Smith has played 612 NHL games in his career, all with the Senators.

Getting back to the action on the ice at development camp, missing from Team A’s workout was Jake Wise, who skated in a non-contact sweater the day prior. Instead, Wise skated with Team B for day two. Forwards Kirby Dach, Philipp Kurashev and Alexander Nylander were again standouts during the session. Dach showed more of his agile skating ability for a player of his frame, which is a promising sign early on in his development. Kurashev and Nylander’s speed and accuracy with the puck were on display for the second day in a row, as was Brandon Hagel’s. The depth of the forward group in the prospect system was lacking heading into this summer, and so far, through the draft, trades and offseason development, looks to have become one of the strengths of the farm system for Chicago.

A skating and shooting drill#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/sFUPulNgKg

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

Defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Adam Boqvist and Alex Vlasic again were focal points of the early session. Vlasic’s ability to skate well for his size, much like with Dach, was on display and should bode well for a player who hopes to be on the trajectory of a pre-2016 Brent Seabrook type of player. Chad Krys put on a decent shooting display that get a number of “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd at the Fifth Third Ice Arena as well.

Alex Vlasic blueline drill#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/klTvYzyWpS

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

Following the first session, Ian Mitchell met with Blackhawks media and was again asked about his plans as it pertained to playing for Denver University this year. He reiterated his intentions to return to school for his junior season and then sign with the Blackhawks once the Pioneers’ season is finished.

Ian Mitchell after Day 2 of development camp reiterates his intentions to return to Denver for his Junior season and sign with the #Blackhawks following the conclusion of his #NCAA year

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

Beaudin and Vlasic also spoke with the media following day two of camp. Both spoke on their abilities to get by the initial jitters of coming into camp for the first time. Beaudin, in his second development camp, says he feels that his game has progressed from being an offensive-style defenseman to a more complete, two-way player on the blueline. He added that his best strength is his skating, but that he can always work on being quicker.

Speaking of skating, Vlasic spoke about his abilities to play at the top-tier pace. For a 6-foot-6 defenseman in an ever-quickening game, he knows that his skating is going to be something he will always have to work on. Vlasic also stated that he plans on heading to Boston University for at least two years and then will figure out his direction from there.

Daily one-on-one: Josiah Slavin

Following the conclusion of day two of Blackhawks development camp, we were able to catch up with Blackhawks prospect Josiah Slavin. A seventh round pick for Chicago in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Slavin is headed for Colorado College this fall after completing three seasons in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars and Chicago Steel.

On the difference between his first camp last year and being prepared for his second camp:

“It’s a different mindset this year compared to last year. I’m mentally prepared for it this time, so it feels good to be out skating with the guys again.”

Is the biggest difference from last year just knowing what to expect?

“Yeah, last year I had no idea what to expect going into it. I knew it was going to be hard but I didn’t know how hard it would be. So, going into camp and knowing what to expect makes it more enjoyable and easier to just have fun out there.”

On going through a trade last year from Lincoln to “Chicago”:

“I came downtown once, visited the area and did some shopping, but Geneva is not really Chicago. It’s a little bit away; it’s quite different. But, being in Chicago was awesome and being with the Steel trying to win the Clark Cup was a great experience.”

Slavin and Olson (red) vs Ess and Saarela (white) #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/B11dooQgjJ

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 16, 2019

On being named captain in Lincoln and maturing as a player:

“At the junior level, you are just beginning to develop your leadership skills and develop as a leader. So being named captain was awesome and I definitely grew a lot as a player and as a person. It was challenging at times, but it also had its perks.”

On moving on to Colorado College next season:

“I’m just going to try to go out and do my thing and work hard. I know it’s going to be harder than the USHL. It’s a big jump, but I’m going to do what I can and control what I can and work hard.”

Older brother Jaccob Slavin (Carolina) also played for the Steel and attended Colorado College, what advice has he given you through your career?

“He’s been through it all. He’s been giving me pointers here and there and helping me focus on the right things, making sure I’m doing the right things off the ice.”

On the Blackhawks’ expectations for him in camp:

“They’re always giving us direction and pointers about what we are doing out there: What we’re doing well, what we need to work on. So, it’s always good to have them there to help us throughout camp.”

On what he is specifically working on to improve this summer:

“I’m not the prettiest skater, so I always need to work on that. You can never have too perfect of a stride, so just focusing on that. I have speed, but I just need to keep working on the prettiness of it.”

More tomorrow on The-Rink!

The post Chicago Blackhawks development camp: Day two takeaways appeared first on The Rink.

Welcome to the Chicago Blackhawks

In a crowded youth hockey locker room, Dach spoke with the Chicago media about his introduction to the team and the pressure that comes with being the third overall pick in the draft.

“It was good to get on the ice, get the goosebumps out of the way and put some faces to names,” Dach said of getting on the ice for day one of camp.

For him, there are a few familiar faces in camp with fellow WHL players Brandon Hagel, Reese Johnson, Cole Moberg and Kyle Olson.

Being the third overall pick in one of the deeper drafts in recent memory, Dach is not worried about the external pressures that come from being selected so high.

“The only pressure is going to come from myself,” Dach said. “I know how good of a player I can be and I need to work every day to strive for that excellence.”

Dach and Krys in a drill, Zakarias Skog with a sick save #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/IYFTSiax2C

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

For an 18-year-old making his first trip to a new city as arguably the premier prospect, Dach’s introduction to Chicago has been a bit humbling for him. On Sunday night, a steak dinner at Chicago Cut was the highlight for Dach, though he was able to navigate the city without much fanfare.

“We weren’t recognized too much. Not that big yet,” Dach laughed off, perhaps showing a bit of his own self-confidence knowing he is not that big in Chicago “yet.”

Added to the introduction to his new surroundings was meeting a few of the veteran players on the Blackhawks roster.

On Monday, before camp got underway, Dach met Chicago captain Jonathan Toews and was a bit star-struck.

“I got a bit tongue-twisted meeting him,” Dach said. “He’s a guy I looked up to when I was growing up, so it’s awesome to be around those kinds of guys and to learn from them.”

Before too long, Dach could see himself in the same lineup as Toews.

Kirby Dach skates with the puck#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/8QV629FzZk

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 15, 2019

While he may be putting pressure on himself to perform directly out of the gate for the Blackhawks, it was made known that, at least for the time being, the team has not placed heavy expectations on the St. Albert, Alberta, native to be on the NHL roster for day one of the regular season.

“We haven’t touched base about my place this year,” Dach said. “I’m just focused on having a good camp and from that aspect, taking it day by day and just enjoying camp.”

Dach, who turned 18 in January, is eligible to return to the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL this season, but is not eligible to play for the Rockford IceHogs. While he may not have much more room for development in the WHL, if the Blackhawks do not see any benefit pushing Dach to the NHL before he is ready, he will have at least one more season of junior hockey ahead of him.

For now, Dach is focused on development camp and preparing himself for the year ahead, wherever he will be. At the end of the month he will be joining Team Canada for their summer selection camp.

Worried about burning out? Dach had a chuckle.

“I’m still pretty young, I don’t burn out that quick.”

The post Kirby Dach settling into new city and organization appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks development camp: Day one takeaways

The Blackhawks enter the development camp week having made a number of roster moves, both popular and unpopular among the fanbase, to shake up the group that finished six points out of the Western Conference postseason picture. With the changes made on paper, the NHL roster seems to be filling out quickly. But, General Manager Stan Bowman has made it seem that more moves may still be ahead as the summer continues. With the possibility of roster spots opening up to potential prospects, development camp has its share of intrigue around notable players like Adam Boqvist, Kirby Dach and Ian Mitchell.

The roster for camp is split into two teams, usually staying the same throughout the week. Heading into day one, here is how the Blackhawks divided up the roster into two teams:

Team A

• Kirby Dach
• Mackenzie Entwistle
• Brandon Hagel
• Mikael Hakkarainen
• Reese Johnson
• Philipp Kurashev
• Alexander Nylander
• Tim Soderlund
  • Did not skate on day one
• Jake Wise
• Nicolas Beaudin
• Adam Boqvist
• Jakub Galvas
• Chad Krys
• Ian Mitchell
• Alex Vlasic
• Dominic Basse
• Alexis Gravel
• Zackarias Skog
• Dominik Kubalik
  • Off-ice only