Join your fellow Rinkrats below to discuss what the Blackhawks accomplished (or did not accomplish) this year as the market opened.

Player	Pos	Prev Team	New Team	Age	Ht / Wt	Term	Notes
Bowan Byram	D			25	6' 1" / 205	6x$12.5M	per Darren Dreger, official per Chicago Blackhawks
Cole Smith	W			30	6' 3" / 194	3 x $3M
Ian Cole	D			37	6' 1" / 238	1 x $4.75M
Dylan Anhorn	D			27	6" / 192	1 x $850K	AHL / 2-way
Connor Mackey	D			29	6' 2" / 201	2 x $937,500K	AHL / 2-way
Dillon Boucher	F			29	6' / 220	1 x $850K	re-sign/AHL / 2-way
Connor Mylymok	F			26	6' 1"/ 205	1 x $850K	re-sign/AHL / 2-way

These are Blackhawks trades relevant to this offseason.

Date	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
6/23/26	Louis Crevier, 1st round pick (#4) in 2026 and 2nd round pick (#45)		Bowen Byram, Jordan Greenway
6/26/26	Andre Burakovsky		2027 6th Round Pick
6/27/26	37th and 119th pink in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft		35th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft

Trade Analysis

The post Chicago Blackhawks 2026 Free Agency Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast co-host Sean Fitzgerald, and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley discuss Qualifying offers, the draft, pending free agency, and all else Blackhawks.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 41 – Post-Draft and Pre-UFA talk appeared first on The Rink.

The players that the organization selects will be listed below, with links to their prospect profiles and all their vital stats.

2026 Blackhawks NHL Entry Draft

Trades made leading up to and during the draft:

Date	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
6/23/26	Louis Crevier, 1st round pick (#4) in 2026 and 2nd round pick (#45)		Bowen Byram, Jordan Greenway
6/26/26	Andre Burakovsky		2027 6th Round Pick
6/27/26	37th and 119th pink in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft		35th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft

Trade Analysis

The Chicago Blackhawks acquire Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2026 1st round pick (#4), a 2026 2nd round pick (NYI, #45) and Louis Crevier

The post Chicago Blackhawks 2026 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell, co-host Sean Fitzgerald, prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley, and Rink co-founder Jeff Osborn discuss the Blackhawks recent trade acquisition of Bowen Byram.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 40 – Blackhawks Go Big / Acquire Bowen Byram appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell, co-host Sean Fitzgerald, prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley, and Andrew Bard are back to talk about the week leading up to the draft for the Blackhawks, recent NHL moves, what’s next in a tough trade climate for the Hawks, and final draft predictions for the Hawks from each Rinkcast member.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 39 – NMCs, RFAs, No Chi Action, and Final Draft Predictions appeared first on The Rink.

This offseason is beyond important for Chicago, and, most importantly, for Kyle Davidson. Despite his re-signing, the pressure has never been higher to swing big. The Blackhawks appear ready to move on from bottom-feeder to playoff contender. With over $40 million in projected cap space, now is the time to do so, and here are a few of my predictions for the Blackhawks 2026 offseason.

Sign Connor Bedard long term

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

“Well duh,” you’re probably saying to yourself reading this. This is the obvious priority, and should be taken care of before July 1. The more time passes without an extension, the less time the front office has to address other offseason concerns.

Move on from Andre Burakovsky

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

An addition by subtraction. It is clear that Andre Burakovsky fell out of favor with fans and head coach Jeff Blashill at the end of the season. Four points in his final 35 games is unacceptable. With a desire to add, room has to be made.

Although trading the final year of his contract is preferable, the Blackhawks may have to bite the buyout bullet. If bought out, his $5.5 million cap hit would turn into $2.5 million of cap space next season, with $1.25 million being owed to Burakovsky in the 2027-28 season.

Sell high for Ilya Mikheyev’s signing rights

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

Ilya Mikheyev proved to be a trade steal for the Blackhawks. The 31-year-old forward brought speed and penalty killing to the bottom six.

The Blackhawks saw his value and decided against trading him at the deadline. Now, with reports that Mikheyev turned down a three-year contract extension, Chicago has begun shopping his signing rights. Mikheyev hopes to cash in long term with his next contract.

Despite his value, giving term to a 31-year-old forward with a skillset predicated on speed does not make sense. Recouping value on Mikheyev should be a priority before the draft.

Decide on the backup goaltender

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawk)

An interesting battle going into next season will be the backup goaltender spot. Will it be Arvid Soderblom or Drew Commesso?

To me, the answer is becoming obvious. It should be Commesso. Statistically, Soderblom has been one of the worst NHL goalies for three seasons. It is time to give Commesso the reigns.

With that, the Blackhawks would need to figure out what to do with Soderblom. With one more year on his contract paying him $2.75 million, it would be difficult to find a trade partner willing otherwise take that on. Edmonton? Detroit? Florida? The Rangers? I highly doubt it.

Because of this, waiving Soderblom may be the solution. If claimed, the cap hit is taken off the books. If not, the Rockford IceHogs reunite with a veteran goaltender with NHL experience.

Decide on Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

There are two NHL-level left-handed defensemen on the NHL roster: Alex Vlasic and Wyatt Kaiser. With Matt Grzelcyk unlikely to be re-signed, that leaves one possible lineup spot for two unproven lefties.

Will Chicago choose to go with the upside of Kevin Korchinski? The defensive game of Ethan Del Mastro? Or will they choose to bring back both defensemen and hope one of them emerges? Time will tell, but I doubt term would be offered to both.

A  “prove it” deal makes sense for both of them. Neither has proven enough to deserve term, and if keeping one of them is the right move, a maximum of a two-year contract should be offered. If it were up to me, I would go with the upside of Korchinski over Del Mastro.

Big-fish hunt for top-six winger(s)

This is the most obvious need for the Blackhawks. With recent reports stating that the Blackhawks want to maintain a center depth chart of Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar, the need to surround these young guys with talent is apparent. There are few free agents who could fill the role, but the trade market could prove fruitful.

Jason Robertson

(Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)

The crown jewel of the trade market, pending restricted free agent (RFA) Jason Robertson is the type of winger the Blackhawks desperately need. A three-time 40-goal scorer, including 45 goals this season, Robertson would immediately bolster the top line.

The problem becomes obvious. Robertson is still under control of the Dallas Stars. The asking price shoots up when dealing in division. However, with reports coming out that Robertson is looking for at least $14 million average annual value (AAV) on his next contract, the teams that can afford to trade for and sign Robertson are few. Chicago fits the requirements.

Matthew Knies

(Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski / Imagn Images)

Significant cold water has been thrown on the Matthew Knies trade rumors since the draft lottery. With a new front office and the first overall pick in their grasps, the Toronto Maple Leafs may wish to pivot back into adding.

That being said, who knows? It has been reported by David Pagnotta that a trade nearly went down at the deadline that would have sent Knies to the Montreal Canadians for top prospect Alexander Zharovsky, two first round picks and another top prospect. Although Brad Treliving said no, maybe a similar offer, or even better one, could be presented to new Leafs general manager John Chayka.

At 23 years old and a contract that does not expire until 2031, Knies lines up perfectly with the rest of the young Blackhawk roster.

Alex Tuch

(Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski / Imagn Images)

The only unrestricted free agent (UFA) in this section, Alex Tuch allows Chicago to add to their top six without giving up draft or prospect capital.

With the Buffalo Sabres and Tuch reportedly “far apart” in negotiations, the Blackhawks should strike on July 1.

The issue with Tuch is his age. At 30 years old, Tuch may begin to fade as the rest of the young roster grows. The hope is that he does not become an anchor contract if he were to be signed to a seven-year contract. However, with 66 points this season, Tuch continues to improve his scoring touch with time. His two-way game should age well, even if his offensive skill were to dwindle.

Pavel Dorofeyev

(Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski / Imagn Images)

The Stanley Cup finalists found yet another diamond in their constant pursuit of success. The former third-round pick is coming off back-to-back regular seasons of 35+ goals. Dorofeyev has exploded onto the scene in these playoffs, greatly increasing his stock and his price.

Like with Robertson, Dorofeyev is an RFA this offseason. The constantly cap-strapped Vegas Golden Knights may need to move their prized youngster, with Chicago taking advantage. The added bonus of proven playoff success from the 25-year-old may increase the asking price, but that is nothing Chicago cannot handle.

Tomas Hertl

(Photo courtesy of David Becker / AP Photo)

More of an “if not A, then B” situation, the second Golden Knight in a row is likely a more realistic option. Vegas will do whatever it takes to retain Dorofeyev. If it becomes clear that obtaining Dorofeyev is an impossibility for Chicago, pivoting to Tomas Hertl makes some sense.

A three-time 30-goal scorer in his 13-year NHL career, Hertl remained healthy this season, playing all 82 regular season games, recording 58 points.

At 32 years old, Hertl may not be a long-term piece, but he is a top-six option. With his contract expiring after the 2029-30 season, Hertl may prove cheap to acquire. His cap hit of $6.75 million is significant, and there is plenty of risk, but the upside is there.

Jordan Kyrou

(Photo courtesy of Dennis Schneidler / Imagn Images)

Like with Robertson, acquiring Jordan Kyrou comes with the increase in asking price from the St. Louis Blues. Despite the down season, the 28-year-old winger will cost an arm and a leg.

If the returns for Brayden Schenn and Justin Faulk are any indication, the Blackhawks must be ready to pay up for Kyrou’s services. The 70-point scorer’s contract runs until the 2030-31 season.

Alexis Lafreniere

(Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)

The much-maligned former first-overall draft pick may be a quiet target of the Blackhawks. At 24 years old, Lafreniere tied a career high in points this season with 57.

Like with Knies and Robertson, his age lines up very well with the young Chicago core, and could find the potential that made him the top pick in 2019.

At a cap hit of $7.45 million through the 2031-32 season, acquiring Lafreniere would require the Rangers to completely embrace a full teardown. With the trade of Artemi Panarin at the deadline and the rumored shopping of Vincent Trocheck, perhaps the Rangers could be convinced to provide the Blackhawks a young top-six winger.

Add to the left side of the blue line

Even if the Blackhawks were to bring back both Korchinski and Del Mastro, the same issue that plagued last years roster threatens again. The roster is young, way too young. Vlasic cannot be the elder statesman at 24 years old.

The priority should not be just to add experience, but experience with talent. A Grzelcyk-like signing would not cut it for this upcoming season. A left-handed defenseman who can at least play on the second pair should be prioritized. Here are a few options:

Mario Ferraro

(Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images)

The soon-to-be UFA Mario Ferraro is reportedly projected for a contract with an AAV around $5.1 million. At 27 years old, it is fair to say that the defenseman is entering his physical prime, and the Blackahwks make sense as a team looking to add Ferraro’s talents.

After a career high in points and goals, Ferraro should immediately slot in the second pair, becoming a reliable partner for young righties like Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel.

Morgan Rielly

(Photo courtesy of Dennis Schneidler / Imagn Images)

The leader of the Maple Leafs’ defense struggled this past season. With his lowest point total in a season when he has played at least 60 games since the 2016-17 season, Rielly’s large contract is one that Toronto would like to move.

At 32 years old, Rielly’s contract runs until the 2029-30 season at a $7.5 million cap hit. Despite his previous season woes, Rielly can move the puck to the tune of 50+ assists per season. His defensive metrics have slipped with age, but his value cannot be ignored.

With some retention, Chicago could add a valuable piece to their top four.

Jeremy Lauzon

(Photo courtesy of Eli Rehmer / NHLI via Getty Images)

The third Golden Knight in this article, Jeremy Lauzon can add a physical edge to the second pairing. Coming off a Stanley Cup appearance, the cost of retaining Lauzon could be going up, to the benefit of a buyer like Chicago. The 29-year-old defenseman would slot in immediately as a subtle game-changer to the blue line.

Darnell Nurse

(Photo courtesy of Sergei Belski / Imagn Images)

One of the most maligned players in the league, Darnell Nurse is still a valuable defenseman. With recent reports that the Edmonton Oilers want to trade Nurse away, Chicago could take advantage by acquiring a top-four defenseman at the bottom of his value.

It would be a tough sell to purchase the entire contact of Nurse. Retention would be a necessity. Edmonton may be desperate to move Nurse and the four years remaining on his contract. Nurse at $9.25 million a year is rough, but Nurse at 33% retention, which comes out to roughly $6.19 million, is reasonable.

This all become a moot point if Nurse does not waive for the Blackhawks, but with recent reports that the pending divorce is mutual, it is not an impossibility.

Bowen Byram

(Photo courtesy of Marc DesRosiers / Imagn Images)

The former fourth-overall draft pick may be on the cutting block for Buffalo. With the impending free agency of Tuch, Buffalo may look to offload the final season of Byram’s contract. His $6.25 million cap hit could be easily absorbed by Chicago.

Byram brings Stanley Cup experience, and at 24 years old, there is room to improve. Byram may achieve his first-pairing potential with the Blackhawks.

Add speculative value to the bottom-six

A small priority, the Blackhawks should look to improve down the lineup. The market for players in this mold is extensive, which allows Chicago to see if they can bring someone in with low expectations but intriguing upside.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

(Photo courtesy of Marc DesRosiers / Imagn Images)

Now, before everyone freaks out, I will explain. Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been in Rod Brind’Amour’s doghouse while with the Carolina Hurricanes. With nine points in 42 regular season games, Kotkaniemi’s game has completely fallen off a cliff, remaining in the press box during Carolina’s run to the Stanley Cup.

Here is where Chicago swoops in. Kotkaniemi is a buyout candidate. The Blackhawks could see him as a bounce-back candidate.

At only 25 years old, the idea that he could return to form is not absurd. A low-risk buy who could become a 20/20 player if he can add a defensive game, what harm could a one-year contract do?

Brandon Duhaime

(Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)

Like Kotkaniemi, Brandon Duhaime lost his offensive touch this season. Despite playing all 82 regular season games for the Washington Capitals, Duhaime only managed nine points.

Never scoring more than 21 points in a season, Duhaime brings a physical, defensive game to the bottom six that would be vacated by a departing Mikheyev. A bounce back on the offensive side of the ice is reasonable. The 29-year-old still offers upside.

Victor Olofsson

(Photo courtesy of Dennis Schneidler / Imagn Images)

The well-traveled veteran Victor Olofsson is quietly a solid target for Chicago. After an underwhelming stint with the Calgary Flames after a deadline trade, questions remain as to whether he will be re-signed.

Coming off back-to-back one-year contracts, the soon-to-be-31-year-old winger has seen a dip in offensive production since his time in Buffalo, but that should not scare off Chicago in their quest for skilled depth.

Analysis

It is time to swing for the fences. Although I would argue missing the playoffs would not cause Davidson to lose his job, another season of not even sniffing them would put Davidson on the hot seat. The contract extension is a reflection that ownership trusts Davidson; it is now time to reward that trust.

Bigger expectations may lead to bigger heartbreak and frustration, but that is why teams go for it. Davidson should willingly put his feet to the fire. Risks must be taken. The prospect pool is loaded, but that will mean nothing if talent cannot be added elsewhere.

The post ANALYSIS: A few predictions of the Blackhawks’ 2026 offseason appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell, co-host Sean Fitzgerald, and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley are back for round four of Jimmy’s pre-draft prospect analysis on left-wing Ivar Stenberg.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 38 – Draft Prospect Analysis / Part 4 –Ivar Stenberg appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell, co-host Sean Fitzgerald, and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley are back for round three of Jimmy’s pre-draft prospect analysis on left-handed defenseman Carson Carels and Alberts Šmits, as well as all other things Blackhawks-hockey-related.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 37 – Draft Prospect Analysis / Part 3 – Lefty Defensemen appeared first on The Rink.

With Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell under the weather, co-host Sean Fitzgerald is joined by Rink Co-Founder Jeff Osborn, and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley for part two of Jimmy’s pre-draft prospect analysis on right-handed defenseman Chase Reid and Keaton Verhoeff, as well as to discuss the Blackhawks trade of Jack Pridham, the new NCAA proposal and how it affects college hockey, and much more.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 36 – Draft Prospect Analysis / Part 2 – Righty Defenseman appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley for part one of Jimmy’s pre-draft prospect analysis, specifically regarding center Caleb Malhotra.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 35 – Draft Prospect Analysis / Part 1 – Caleb Malhotra appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about the Blackhawks #4 overall pick in the 2026 entry draft, the abrupt availability of winger Ilya Mikheyev, what trade possibilities there may be, and a lot more.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 34 – Draft Picks, Trade Winds and the Off-season Ahead appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to watch and discuss the 2026 NHL draft lottery with instant reactions on the results. Where will the ping pong balls land for the Blackhawks? We’ll be live with the announcement and provide analysis on the Hawks’ future pick.

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley are joined by Goalie guru Jeff Osborn to discuss the goalie grades from Jimmy’s recent article featuring Blackhawk player season letter grades, as well as those who played with both Rockford and Chicago in 2025-26. They will also touch base on draft prospects, trade potentials, and unrestricted free agents that the Hawks may target in the off-season.

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How did this happen? What led to an ineffective season for the IceHogs? More importantly, can the team recover to make the playoffs next season?

The autopsy

No stranger to fights, Dillon Boucher dropped mitts with Iowa Wild defenseman Roman Schmidt on March 14. (Photo courtesy of August Marturano / Rockford IceHogs)

When assessing the IceHogs’ 2025-26 season, the most glaring flaw was their constant trips to the penalty box. Rockford led the AHL in penalty minutes with 1,239. This includes four skaters with over 100 penalty minutes. Taige Harding (105), Dillon Boucher (114), Andrew Perrott (117) and Connor Mylymok (204) paraded the penalty box with fighting majors and minor infractions.

The constant penalties led to constant penalty killing. Rockford led the league in times shorthanded at 277 times. Despite killing 79.8% of penalties, being down a skater led to 56 power-play goals against, tied for third most against in the league. It became a numbers game that the penalty killers could not overcome.

On the other side of the coin, Rockford’s power play was abysmal. Converting on only 13.1% of their power-play chances. They were second to last on the power play, only outscoring fellow Central Division foe, the Manitoba Moose (11.0%).

More times shorthanded and a less effective power play led to an obvious decline in scoring and an increase in goals against from last season. The IceHogs scored 196 goals this season, compared to 201 last season. They also gave up far more goals this season compared to last, with 245 goals against compared to 220. Going from a -19 goal differential to a -49 led to a frustrating season with no playoffs.

Looking ahead

Joey Anderson scores against the Iowa Wild on April 10. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

There are plenty of things to work on next season for head coach Jared Nightingale. His first season in the AHL was poor, but not impossible to overcome. There is little good to take from this season into next, so the best thing to do is to toss it from memory and move forward. Nightingale, a former captain of the very team he now coaches, knows how to lead young players through a professional season.

Next season’s roster will have some returning faces. Here are the players currently under contract for next season:

Forwards

• Brett Seney
• Dominic Toninato
• Paul Ludwinski
• Martin Misiak
• Gavin Hayes
• Samuel Savoie
• Jiri Felcman
• Chase Dafoe
• Jamie Engelbert
• Kevin Lombardi
• Connor Mylymok

Defense

• Taige Harding
• Jake Furlong
• Derrick Pouliot
• Cavan Fitzgerald

Goaltenders

• Stanislav Berezhnoy
• Adam Gajan

Additional talent could be on its way very soon. Sacha Boisvert, who played seven games with the Blackhawks following his season at Boston University, could bolster this roster. Like with Oliver Moore, Nick Lardis and Frank Nazar, the Blackhawks may start Boisvert in Rockford next season to allow him valuable development time.

Along with Boisvert, forwards like Marek Vanacker and AJ Spellacy are signed to their entry-level contracts. The addition of these young forwards could prove valuable to Rockford returning to the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The rest of the roster is still to be filled out. Will Rockford look to re-sign contributors like Rem Pitlick, Joey Anderson or Dmitri Kuzmin? Is team MVP Drew Commesso coming back? Will Rockford take on other unsigned Blackhawks prospects like Jack Pridham, Julius Sumpf or Ashton Cumby? Will Rockford explore the free agent market? This offseason could be one of interest and intrigue. Time will tell if the Hogs can right the ship for next season.

Final thoughts

I would like to thank the IceHogs organization for any and all contributions this season in covering the team. I would especially like to thank Dana Grey for his insight, and the team photographers for their incredible work. Their photography helped litter these articles with key moments of the Rockford IceHogs’ season. I look forward to another season of IceHogs hockey.

The post Rockin’ with Rockford: On to next season appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to discuss the contract extension of general manager Kyle Davidson, as well as Jimmy’s recent article featuring Blackhawk player season letter grades.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 31 – Blackhawks ’25-26 Player-Letter Grades Part 1 appeared first on The Rink.

Once again, free to object to any of my assessments. These grades are mine alone. They are not a reflection of any other member of The Rink and their assessments, nor the organization as a whole.

For further insight into my grades, please listen to the upcoming Rinkcast.

Grading criteria

Like last year, grades are based on two factors: Objective output and subjective assessment.

• • Objective output: Advanced and counting stats
  • Subjective assessment: Objective output when assessed with previous seasons outputs and preseason expectations, along with unquantifiable value to the team and teammates

Blackhawks roster grades

Criteria

• Must currently be on the Blackhawks’ roster
  • This excludes players traded away
• Must have played at least 25 games with the Blackhawks
  • This excludes players acquired at the trade deadline, or rookies who made their debuts late in the season (Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert)

The players are presented in point total order, with the highest-scoring Blackhawk listed first.

Connor Bedard

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: A
• Midterm grade: A
• Season stats: 69 games played, 30 goals, 45 assists, 75 points

Positives

• Career high in goals, assists and points
• Significant improvement at the dot (47.1%)

Negatives

• Scoring regressed to end the season
• Defensive woes

Assessment

What is to say about Bedard that has not been said already? A career season for the 20-year-old in the final year of his entry-level contract, Bedard looks ready for the “C” on his chest.

Of course, there are still areas to grow. His defensive metrics leave a lot to be desired. However, he was not drafted to be a Marian Hossa. Bedard is offensively skilled, and is poised for 100+ point seasons sooner rather than later.

Tyler Bertuzzi

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: A+
• Midterm grade: A+
• Season stats: 79 games played, 32 goals, 26 assists, 58 points

Positives

• Career high in goals (32)
• Led the team in power play goals (11)

Negatives

• Unsustainable shooting percentage (19.5%)

Assessment

Perhaps a surprise, but I am allowing Bertuzzi to keep his A+ grade. One of the few Blackhawks that did not disappear to end the season, Bertuzzi tallied 22 points in his final 37 games.

His shooting percentage dipped from 23.2% to 19.5% to end the season, both marks not easily replicated. Regression in shooting could be in Bertuzzi’s future. However, his consistency in the face of team-wide struggles allows him to keep his grade.

Frank Nazar

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• FInal grade: B
• Midterm grade: B-
• Season stats: 66 games played, 15 goals, 26 assists, 41 points

Positives

• Scoring touch returned near the end of the season
• Efficient center skillset

Negatives

• Extremely streaky scorer
• Jaw is a magnet for pucks

Assessment

Is it too unrealistic to ask Nazar to wear a full face mask for the remainder of his career? Despite the number of injuries, Nazar has proven himself to be an effective middle-six center at worst going forward, finding points in bunches down the stretch.

The problem, however, was his injuries. From his shoulder to his jaw being constantly bombarded with pucks, the young center could not catch a break. It affected his play. There were times where he played without snarl to avoid contact, and it prevented him from being the scoring center we have seen. A full season of health is what the doctor ordered for this upcoming season.

Ilya Mikheyev

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: B+
• Midterm grade: C+
• Season stats: 77 games played, 18 goals, 18 assists, 36 points

Positives

• The only Blackhawk with a positive plus/minus (+2)
• Strong scoring to end the season
• Career high in points (36)

Negatives

• Contract year bump in production?

Assessment

Like Bertuzzi, Mikheyev was one of the few Blackhawks to show up after the trade deadline. With 22 points in his final 37 games, Mikheyev brought the scoring, speed and defensive play from the bottom six.

The question becomes to pay or not to pay? At 31 years old, do the Blackhawks risk giving term to a veteran in his early 30s?

Teuvo Teravainen

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C-
• Midterm grade: C
• Season stats: 75 games played, 14 goals, 21 assists, 35 points

Positives

• Aggressively fine

Negatives

• Scoring dried up
• Stuck on the fourth line at times

Assessment

I described Teravainen as “aggressively fine” in my midterm grades. Now, he is bordering on aggressively mediocre. With 14 points in his final 31 games, his offensively output is essentially gone. He can still distribute the puck and play a sound defensive game, but he may find himself marooned on the bottom six, or even the fourth line, for the rest of his Blackhawks tenure.

Andre Burakovsky

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: F
• Midterm grade: A-
• Season stats: 75 games played, 11 goals, 22 assists, 33 points

Positives

• Good until the new year

Negatives

• Everything in 2026

Assessment

Harsh? Perhaps. Incorrect? Absolutely not! Burakovsky recorded four points in his last 35 games of the season. Starting the season on the first line with Bedard, he quickly dropped to the bottom six and continued his lack of production.

My strongest opinion for this offseason is that Burakovsky should not be a Blackhawk next season. A buyout seems imminent for him, and I fully agree with that move.

Ryan Donato

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C
• Midterm grade: C
• Season stats: 82 games played, 15 goals, 15 assists, 30 points

Positives

• Clean bill of health
• Still an effective two-way forward

Negatives

• Dramatic scoring drop from last season

Assessment

Another “aggressively fine” forward. Donato is who he is, a bottom-six two-way forward who shows flashes of offense, but is mostly there to make sure bad things don’t happen when he is on the ice.

The question is, was this what the Blackhawks expected when they signed him to a four-year extension in the offseason? Time will tell how his contract will age.

Ryan Greene

Ryan Greene celebrates his 12th goal of the season as the Chicago Blackhawks lost 5-1 to the Buffalo Sabres at the United Center on Monday night. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: A
• Midterm grade: B+
• Season stats: 81 games played, 12 goals, 17 assists, 29 points

Positives

• Efficient bottom-six center
• Can move up and down the lineup

Negatives

• Scoring output does not match his effectiveness

Assessment

I will admit it, I have a soft spot for Greene. His counting stats don’t jump off the screen, but he sure passes the eye test. Whether playing wing on the first line with Bedard, or centering the third line, Greene does his job.

Louis Crevier

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Season grade:  A
• Midterm grade: B+
• Season stats: 78 games played, seven goals, 18 assists, 25 points

Positives

• Best plus/minus of any Blackhawks defensemen (-2)
• Wicked shot
• Two-way game
• Pairs with anyone

Negatives

• Made me look stupid

Assessment

I must come clean. I was dead wrong about Crevier in my midterm grades. Something possessed me to say that he looked no better than a third-pairing guy. He responded by being Chicago’s best defenseman of the season. There is no denying what he did this season.

Artyom Levshunov

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C+
• Midterm grade: B+
• Season stats: 68 games played, two goals, 22 assists, 24 points

Positives

• Dynamic offensive defenseman when on his game
• Most power-play assists by a Blackhawks defenseman

Negatives

• Extremely inconsistent
• Defensive game
• Health issues

Assessment

I still believe in Arty, and will defend him from all attackers. That being said, he had a poor end to his season. With inconsistencies and an injury cutting his season short, it was not the strongest start for the former second overall pick.

Criticism will be thrown his way, but the skill is there. Time is Arty’s best ally, and next season will be another chance for him to show what he can do at the NHL level.

Alex Vlasic

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C+
• Midterm grade: B-
• Season stats: 81 games played, two goals, 19 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Solid in the defensive zone

Negatives

• Lack of offensive production
• Lapses in play

Assessment

Vlasic went from a steal of a contract to a genuine concern at times. Not known for his offensive spark, Vlasic may have been asked to do too much this season. Technically the elder statesman of the defense, Vlasic was expected to play first-pairing minutes at 24 years old. Once Connor Murphy was traded, his role expanded again.

It proved too much at times. The hope is that other defensemen will take the load off of his shoulders next season. If not, a second-pairing defenseman will once again be asked to put a mediocre defense unit on his shoulders.

Oliver Moore

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: B-
• Midterm grade: B+
• Season stats: 51 games played, five goals, 14 assists, 19 points

Positives

• Strong skater
• Effective at the dot (48.3%)

Negatives

• Lack of scoring at the NHL level
• Ended the season injured

Assessment

Moore only played nine games with the Rockford IceHogs to start the season before making his way to Chicago. His speed and faceoff ability translated well to the NHL. However, his scoring touch did not show up. With five points in his final 22 games of the season, more should be expected from Moore.

Wyatt Kaiser

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: B
• Midterm grade: B
• Season stats: 77 games played, six goals, 11 assists, 17 points

Positives

• Solid defensive play
• Secondary puck distributor

Negatives

• Defensive lapses
• Noticeably bad performances

Assessment

Not much to say about Kaiser. How he was at the midway point of the season was essentially what he was a the end. Consistent, with a few ugly games here and there.

Nick Lardis

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: A
• Midterm grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: 41 games played, 10 goals, five assists, 15 points
• IceHogs season stats: 35 games played, 18 goals, 14 assists, 32 points

Positives

• Late-season scoring spark
• Growing consistency

Negatives

• Defensive game
• Inconsistent spot in the lineup

Assessment

A season split nearly evenly between Chicago and Rockford, Lardis scored 28 goals in his first professional season. The worries that his scoring touch in Brantford would not translate have been erased.

Now it is to be determined where in the lineup Lardis settles into, if a long-term spot is meant for him.

Sam Rinzel

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C+
• Midterm grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 60 games played, four goals, 10 assists, 14 points
• IceHogs season stats: 23 games played, two goals, 12 assists, 14 points

Positives

• Strong end to the season
• Workhorse between the NHL and AHL

Negatives

• Early inconsistencies
• Defensive lapses

Assessment

After spending some more time in Rockford to hone his game, Rinzel finished the season with the Blackhawks with more success. Playing 83 professional games this season, Rinzel showed the endurance needed of an NHL defenseman.

Like with Arty, improvements are expected come next season.

Matt Grzelcyk

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C-
• Midterm grade: C+
• Season stats: 69 games, zero goals, 12 assists, 12 points

Positives

• Fine bottom-pairing guy
• Puck mover

Negatives

• No offense
• Undersized
• Ended the season injured

Assessment

The hardest part about grading Grzelcyk was finding a photograph of him. He was invisible both in a positive and a negative way. You never had to worry about Grzelcyk, but neither did the opponent. He is going to be one of those players that makes fans go, “oh yeah, he played for the Blackhawks, forgot about that.”

Landon Slaggert

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C+
• Midterm grade: C-
• Season stats: 53 games played, three goals, four assists, seven points

Positives

• Came into his own as a fourth liner as the season went on
• Decent physical game

Negatives

• Limited skillset
• Scoring output

Assessment

A player who improved as the season went on, Slaggert subtly impressed with his two-way game fortifying the fourth line. Not flashy, but not asked to be, he took off following the departure of Colton Dach. Perhaps knowing he didn’t have to fight Dach for fourth-line minutes upped his confidence and solidified his game.

Sam Lafferty

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: B
• Midterm grade: N/A
• Season stats: 29 games played, one goal, one assist, two points

Positives

• Simply did what was asked
• Positive locker room presence

Negatives

• Just a 13th forward

Assessment

An obligatory “thank you for your service” grade. Lafferty did what was asked of him, which was mostly to practice hard and sit in the press box. When asked to play, he mostly spent time on the fourth line, with the occasional cameo as a defenseman when the lineup thinned.

Finishing his career with the Blackhawks, Lafferty had a thankless job. He should be commended for it. Not many could go through a final season like his and keep his chin up.

Spencer Knight

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: A
• Midterm grade: A
• Season stats: 55 games played, 19 wins, 25 losses, 11 overtime losses, .902 save percentage, 2.82 goals against average

Positives

• Consistency
• Franchise goaltender

Negatives

• Dip in production to end the season

Assessment

It would be difficult to not give Spencer Knight an A for his season. He held the fort behind a horrid defensive unit. The 11 overtime losses is proof that he kept this team in games that they had no business being in.

Perhaps a bold take, but once this defense gets to be at least average, Vezina votes will start going Knight’s way.

Arvid Soderblom

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawk)

• Final grade: D+
• Midterm grade: D+
• Season stats: 24 games played, eight wins, 13 losses, three overtime losses, .880 save percentage, 3.80 goals against average

Positives

• Better end to the season

Negatives

• Just about everything else

Assessment

I struggle with Soderblom. I do not want to be harsh with how bad the defense is, but his play has not helped his case. When a goalie has a sub-.890 save percentage and gives up nearly four goals per game, there’s not a lot that context can do to help.

Realistically, he could find himself going through waivers in the offseason to allow Drew Commesso to take his spot behind Knight as primary backup goaltender. His days in Chicago may be numbered.

Blackhawks/IceHogs roster grades

Criteria

• At least 10 (three for goalies) games with both the Blackhawks and the IceHogs
• Grading is a cumulative grade based on performance in the NHL and AHL

Kevin Korchinski

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C+
• Midterm grade: B
• Blackhawks Season stats: 13 games played, zero goals, two assists, two points
• IceHogs Season stats: 53 games played, two goals, 24 assists, 26 points

Positives

• AHL All-Star
• Maintained output from last season

Negatives

• Still doesn’t stand out in the NHL
• Undersized
• No “big step” in production

Assessment

Korchinski is an enigma. I get the feeling that the Blackhawks don’t want to get rid of him, fearing a Gustav Forsling situation. I also get the feeling that the Blackhawks don’t know what to do with him. If re-signed, he will have to stay on the NHL roster. He will not be waiver exempt next season. If he gets a bridge contract, what will it look like?

Ethan Del Mastro

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: C
• Midterm grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 10 games played, zero goals, one assist, one point
• IceHogs season stats: 45 games played, two goals, 16 assists, 18 points

Positives

• Physical game
• IceHogs’ defenseman of the year

Negatives

• Struggles at the NHL level
• Speed and acceleration

Assessment

Like with Korchinski, Del Mastro becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. Being named the IceHogs’ defenseman of the year, perhaps there is something there. However, like with Korchinski, I get the feeling the Blackhawks are unsure of what to do with him. If re-signed, he will no longer be waiver exempt. The dilemma of whether to sign Del Mastro, Korchinksi, both or neither will be an interesting saga to track this offseason.

Drew Commesso

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: A
• Midterm grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: three games played, two wins, one loss, zero overtime losses, .918 save percentage, 2.31 goals against average
• IceHogs season stats: 36 games played, 13 wins, 19 losses, two overtime losses, one shootout loss, .903 save percentage, 3.00 goals against average

Positives

• Looked confident in his NHL appearances
• Strong AHL season

Negatives

• Stats in Rockford affected by team in front of him

Assessment

Bold prediction: Commesso starts next season as Knight’s backup. He has my seal of approval. He is ready for the NHL, and his three games with the Blackhawks this season proved it. He’s played 113 games with Rockford over three seasons, looking above average, if not great.

IceHogs roster grades

Criteria

• Player must have played less than 10 games with the Chicago Blackhawks
• Must have played at least 48 games with the Rockford IceHogs.
• Grade is based on performance with the IceHogs, along with limited showcase with the Blackhawks
  • Performance with the Blackhawks holds less weight

Brett Seney

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: A
• 2024-25 grade: B
• Season stats: 64 games played, 16 goals, 34 assists, 50 points

Positives

• Rockford’s leading scorer
• Effective captain
• AHL All-Star

Negatives

• Second on the team in penalty minutes

Assessment

I get accused of being too much of a fan of Seney by my colleagues here at The Rink. Perhaps they are right, but Seney deserves the praise. He started this season on a line with Moore and Lardis, and as the season continued, he led this team through a tough season that will end without a playoff berth.

Dominic Toninato

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Final grade: B
• Midterm grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: eight games played, zero goals, one assist, one point
• IceHogs season stats: 52 games played, 16 goals, 27 assists, 43 points

Assessment

His performance with the Blackhawks, while bad, should not be overvalued. He signed a two-way contract with the clear intent of mostly playing with Rockford, only finding himself up with Chicago when injuries thinned the Blackhawks’ lineup.

In Rockford, he scored at will. With another year on his contract, he should give Rockford’s top six a boost in production.

Joey Anderson

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: B-
• 2024-25 grade: C-
• Season stats: 50 games played, 17 goals, 15 assists, 32 points

Positives

• Consistent middle-six production

Negatives

• Series of injuries limiting play

Assessment

After appearing in 18 NHL games last season, Anderson remained in the AHL the entire season. He performed well, with multiple injuries limiting his playing time. He provides stability when he plays, the concern is whether to bring him back following a knee injury earlier this month.

Jamie Engelbert

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: B-
• Season stats: 68 games played, nine goals, 19 assists, 28 points

Positives

• Defensive efficiency

Negatives

• Offensive output

Assessment

In his first full AHL season, Engelbert provided some defensive spark to the bottom six. Like the entrire roster, he struggled offensively.

Engelbert was extended in March, bringing him back to Rockford for the 2026-27 season.

Gavin Hayes

(Photo courtesy of Jimmy Doles / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: B+
• 2024-25 grade: C
• Season stats: 57 games played, 13 goals, 13 assists, 26 points

Positives

• Late-season scoring streak
• Improved play across the board compared to last season

Negatives

• Season-ending injury halted progress

Assessment

Once the lineup opened up following Lardis’ and Moore’s promotion, Hayes took advantage the most. His scoring after the new year gave reason to believe he could get a cup of coffee with the Blackhawks late in the season.

However, an unfortunate injury cut his season short. Without his scoring, Rockford struggled in the offensive zone, leading to a season without playoff hockey.

Samuel Savoie

(Photo courtesy of August Marturano / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: A-
• 2024-25 grade: B+
• Season stats: 60 games played, 11 goals, 14 assists, 25 points

Positives

• Improved production from last season
• Effective pest

Negatives

• Increased penalty minutes from last season

Assessment

A fan favorite in Rockford, Savoie is doing everything he can to make his NHL debut. His season production proves he has the skill to complement his pesky play.

This season, like with many IceHogs players, Savoie found himself in the penalty box more than last season. The hope is that he, like the team, can reign it in next season.

Martin Misiak

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: C+
• Season stats: 61 games played, four goals, 11 assists, 15 points

Positives

• Bottom-six output

Negatives

• Usual rookie growing pains

Assessment

Misiak’s first professional season was not much to write home about. He played well, avoided the penalty box and produced like a bottom-six forward in the AHL should. A clearer picture of who Misiak could be will be made next season.

Connor Mylymok

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: C-
• Season stats: 51 games played, three goals, seven assists, 10 points

Positives

• Loves to fight
• Willing to throw the body around

Negatives

• 202 penalty minutes
• Multiple suspensions
• Little offensive output

Assessment

Mylymok sure likes the fight. When coach Jared Nightingale needs a team protector, Mylymok makes it into the lineup. This has led to an absurd 202 penalty minutes and multiple suspensions due to passing the league’s limit on fighting majors.

Other than that, Mylymok is an old-school fourth liner with little offensive skill.

Taige Harding

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: B
• Season stats: 46 games played, three goals, six assists, nine points

Positives

• Physical presence
• Effective defensive play

Negatives

• 105 penalty minutes

Assessment

I realize Harding does not technically make the cut based on my criteria, however, the IceHogs still have two remaining regular season games on Friday and Saturday. It can be assumed that Harding will play the remaining two games, therefore becoming eligible.

Harding, like Mylymok, found himself in the penalty box a lot. Willing to drop the gloves often, Harding, at 6-foot-6, is willing to use his natural size and strength to overpower opponents. That willingness sometimes gets him in penalty trouble, but if he can control it next season, he should anchor Rockford’s defense.

Dillon Boucher

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Final grade: C
• Season stats: 51 games played, three goals, five assists

Positives

• Physical presence

Negatives

• 112 penalty minutes

Assessment

Once again, another IceHog with over 100 penalty minutes. Boucher’s first season in the AHL was defined by fights, penalties and fights.

The post ANALYSIS: Blackhawks and IceHogs player season grades appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to discuss the final week of the 2025-26 season for the Blackhawks, their top 4 locked NHL lottery draft position, and how fans are feeling about the current state of the team.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to discuss the remainder of the Blackhawks season, how the young players are progressing, more takes on off-season needs, and where they should consider focusing with their first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 29 – The Limp to the Finish Line appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to discuss a glaring need for a seasoned defenseman for 2026-27, as well as the progress of Anton Frondell, the hot play of Frank Nazar, and all else Hawks!

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 28 – The Need for Blue Line Help appeared first on The Rink.

With 11 games left in the regular season, Rockford would need to win out to possibly make the playoffs. Hope is dwindling for the Hogs, and the organization seems to know it. Recent roster moves by Rockford reflects the teams desire to solidify next season’s roster.

Transactions

Chase Dafoe was one of many players signed and re-signed to the IceHogs in recent weeks. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The first transaction made that will affect next season was the trading for Derrick Pouliot, already covered in a previous article.

On March 13, the IceHogs made two transactions that have already made an impact. First, they signed college free agent Chase Dafoe. The former captain of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, Dafoe has played four games with the Hogs, recording two goals. Dafoe is signed through the 2026-27 season.

On the same day, the IceHogs acquired forward Ryland Mosley from the Cleveland Monsters in exchange for future considerations. Mosley, 26 years old, has recorded one assist in two games with Rockford.

On March 16, Sacha Boisvert signed an entry-level contract with the Blackhawks. Making his debut on Thursday against the Philadelphia Flyers, Boisvert will remain with the NHL club for the remainder of the regular season. Like with Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore, it is reasonable to believe Boisvert could begin next season in Rockford to hone his craft.

A week later, on March 23, the IceHogs re-signed forward Jamie Engelbert to an extension. With 25 points in 60 games with Rockford, Engelbert remains with his ECHL coach for one more season.

Two days later, Jiri Felcman, a 2023 third-round pick, signed a professional tryout (PTO) with the IceHogs. With 52 games with the SC Langnau Tigers of the National League, Feldman recorded three goals and 17 assists this season. Felcman then signed his entry-level contract today, bringing him to North America for the next three seasons.

Finally, Rockford re-signed forward Kevin Lombardi through the 2026-27 season on Thursday. The 26-year-old forward has split time this season between Rockford and the Indy Fuel. In 35 games with the Hogs this season, Lombardi recorded 21 points.

Final thoughts

Rockford’s playoff chances slim, but the roster still pushes forward. (Photo courtesy of August Marturano / Rockford IceHogs)

This season may end with the IceHogs missing the playoffs. Rockford missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 seasons would be a let down. However, a lot of talent remains. Key contributors like Taige Harding, Samuel Savoie and Gavin Hayes remain under contract next season. Prospects like Marek Vanacker and AJ Spellacy, signed to their entry-level contracts, will add talent next season.

The 2025-26 season rolls on. Rockford will host the Iowa Wild on Saturday at 7 p.m. CDT.

The post Rockin’ with Rockford: Playoffs out of sight, next season on the mind appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Jimmy O’Malley, and Rink co-founder Jeff Osborn to talk about the arrival of highly touted prospect Anton Frondell, as well as the forthcoming debut of fellow rookie Sacha Boisvert and a glimpse into the summer trade rumblings that have been on the mind of many fans..

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Chicago Rinkcast co-hosts Sean Fitzgerald and Jimmy O’Malley are back in The Rinkcast studio to discuss Sasha Boisvert visa issues, Matthew Knies rumors, Nick Lardis on the fourth line, and much more.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 26 – Waiting on a Visa appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about the final moves of the trade deadline for the Blackhawks, what may be ahead in their lottery position in the draft, what is to hope for spring hockey and Troy Murray’s legacy with the organization.

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Analysis

Thompson, a former 2022 third-round pick, scored 15 points in 40 games this season with the Rockford IceHogs. His entry-level contract expires after the 2026-27 season.

Pouliot, the eighth overall pick of the 2012 NHL Draft, has scored 28 points in 52 games this season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the Rangers. His contract expires after the 2026-27 season.

A minor trade in the grand scheme of things, the justification for the trade is straightforward. According to Ben Pope, bringing in Pouliot provides Rockford with desperately needed defensive depth. With the recent trade of Connor Murphy, along with the expiring contract of Matt Grzelcyk, young defensemen like Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro may see permanent graduations to the NHL. Along with this, the contracts of Ryan Mast and Dmitri Kuzmin expire this offseason. Adding a defenseman going into next season fixes a problem before it can start.

On the other side of this deal, dealing Thompson made sense for the organization. Already at 24 years old, Thompson left little room to develop. Scoring only 15 points this season, Thompson fell short of expectations. With multiple high-end forward prospects possibly joining the organization this spring and in the fall, Thompson became expendable.

Final thoughts

Easy to overlook, minor moves like these can make the difference for AHL teams. Pouliot is a veteran with over 200 games in the NHL and a Stanley Cup championship. Pairing Pouliot with a young defenseman like Korchinski, Taige Harding or Jake Furlong for the remainder of this season could prove valuable.

For Thompson, there is hope that he can find consistency in a new environment. It became clear it would not work out with this organization, so the hope is that he could find opportunities with another rebuilding organization.

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On trade deadline day, the Chicago Blackhawks traded captain Nick Foligno to the Minnesota Wild. The Blackhawks received future considerations. No salary was retained.

Analysis

Doing right by your players. A concept some fans may not think about, but it is very important to consider. Sometimes lost in the grand scheme, but these are human beings doing a job. Fans may see assets or tools meant to bring a championship to their favorite team. The reality for these players is complicated, and difficult to maintain.

Kyle Davidson, in another player-friendly move, did right by his captain. In trading Foligno to the Wild, he gives the 38-year-old forward two opportunities. First, Foligno gets the chance to chase a Stanley Cup in his twilight. Second, Foligno gets the chance to play with his brother, Marcus Foligno.

“It feels like my mom is looking down on us and smiling today,” Foligno said on TSN following the trade.

It is not as though Foligno sprinted out of Chicago with a smile on his face. When speaking about leaving the Blackhawks, Foligno said, “I feel like I was saying goodbye to my kids.”

The trade has already affected those in the locker room. When asked about the trade, Connor Bedard said, “[Foligno] was someone that meant a lot to the group and I grew super close with. It’s sad when you lose guys and it motivates you to not be in this spot.”

Blackhawks deadline dealings

The Blackhawks made four trades this week, moving out veterans for draft capital and players under contract next season. Here is how things shaped out:

In:

• Andrew Mangiapane
• Derrick Pouliot
• 2027 first-round pick (Edmonton) (Top-12 protected)
• 2028 second-round pick (Edmonton)

Out:

• Nick Foligno
• Connor Murphy
• Jason Dickinson
• Colton Dach
• Aidan Thompson

The Blackhawks chose to retain a few expiring contracts. Notably, the Blackhawks did not trade forward Ilya Mikheyev. After reports emerged that an extension was not reached with Mikheyev, rumors swirled that Chicago would be looking to move him. Davidson addressed not trading Mikheyev in a press conference on Friday.

“I want to keep [Mikheyev] around,” Davidson said. “I really like what he brings to the team. If someone was going to approach us, they had to make it worth our while, and that certainly didn’t happen. And frankly, I’m glad I didn’t have to make a tough decision there.”

Final thoughts

With the Foligno trade, along with the Blackhawks’ other trades, Chicago achieved multiple important goals. First, they did right by their veteran players. Foligno, Murphy and Dickinson were all veteran leaders on this roster. Giving them a chance to compete for a Cup while going through the deadline was key for Davidson.

Second, the Blackhawks got incredible value for expiring contracts. A first- and second-round pick for Murphy, Dickinson and Dach was jaw-dropping. Taking advantage of the Edmonton Oilers’ desperation was to Chicago’s gain.

Last, and possibly most important, the Blackhawks opened the NHL roster wide open for their prospects. Leaving no room for debate as to who they hope to fill those spots, clearing out the roster emphasizes that goal.

Davidson strikes again. Now, it is time for the talented youth to bring this team to light.

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Make sure to bookmark this page and come back as the moves happen for up-to-the-minute analysis and breakdowns from our friends at 

Date	The-Rink Division	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
3/2/2026		Connor Murphy (50% salary retained)		2028 2nd round pick
3/4/2026		Jason Dickinson (50% salary retained) and Colton Dach		Andrew Mangiapane and 2027 1st round pick (top 12 protected)
3/6/2026		Nick Foligno		Future Consideration
3/6/2026		Aidan Thompson		Derrick Pouliot

Trade Analysis/Breakdown:

• • 
    • • • The Edmonton Oilers acquire Connor Murphy (50% retained) from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 2nd round pick.

    

    • • • The Edmonton Oilers acquire Jason Dickinson (50% retained) and Colton Dach from the Chicago Blackhawks for Andrew Mangiapane and a conditional 2027 1st round pick.

      

      • • The Chicago Blackhawks trade Nick Foligno to the Minnesota Wild for future considerations.

      

      • The Chicago Blackhawks acquire Derrick Pouliot from the New York Rangers for Aidan Thompson.

Also, be sure to follow the entire The-Rink staff on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates, as well:

The Rink Official

Chicago Divison
The Rinkcast
Jeff Osborn
Andy Campbell
Eric Andrews
Sean Fitzgerald
Jimmy O’Malley
Andrew Bard
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Matt Csakai

 

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about The Blackhawks trade of Connor Murphy and the pending trade of Jason Dickinson.

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Ryan Greene — Connor Bedard — Andre Burakovsky

Anton Frondell — Frank Nazar — Roman Kantserov

Tyler Bertuzzi — Oliver Moore — Nick Lardis

Ryan Donato — ???????? — Teuvo Teravainen

Alex Vlasic — Artyom Levshunov

Wyatt Kaiser — Louis Crevier

Ethan Del Mastro — Sam Rinzel

The “challengers”

Samuel Savoie, Landon Slaggert, Colton Dach, Kevin Korchinski

“When you start to see all this come together … the calvary’s not coming in terms of who’s going to bail this group out,” Seravalli said. “They’re going to need to figure out how to create offense and win as they’re currently constituted.”

When addressing the forward challengers and possibly adding where he left question marks on the fourth line, Seravailli said, “I don’t know that they want to get tangled up in long-term commitments, but someone like a Michael McCarron … his archetype … they need more bite.”

Addressing the defense, Seravalli explained keeping the group young.

“They’ve all kind of come together pretty quickly … the key is gonna be getting Artyom Levshunov to take the next step forward in terms of consistency.”

Reactions

Reactions to the lines on social media have been all over the place. Some have shown displeasure at the idea of Burakovsky remaining on the first line. Others have lamented about not adding significant skill, especially to the top six. Still, Seravalli’s lines may show how the Blackhawks will handle the offseason.

Analysis

It is clear by the lines that the Blackhawks may be going all in on a youth movement at the NHL. With prospects like Frondell, Kantserov and Lardis projected to start next season in with Chicago, the era of stopgap players littering the Blackhawks’ roster is over. No more will Chicago bring in players like Pat Maroon, Craig Smith and TJ Brodie. With expiring contracts possibly moved by the deadline, the youth movement may begin as soon as Friday.

With the only open spot being the fourth-line center role, and three challengers already with the organization, key roster spots are left open for young skaters. It would not be a surprise if Burakovsky is also moved this offseason to give even more space for prospects.

Along with the youth movement, it would be useless to project big-name free agent signings and trades. Some believe the Blackhawks should be looking to swing big for Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson. As intriguing as Robertson is, what use is it to project trading for Robertson? Even if Dallas were trading him this offseason, and the Blackhawks were interested in trading for him, it is of no use to assume Robertson, or any first-line winger, is going to be acquired this offseason.

Don’t stop in Chicago

Seravalli’s lines brings up an interesting idea. The youth movement should not be limited to the NHL. With how many prospects aging out of juniors, and with Sacha Boisvert coming over to the organization after Boston University’s season is over, the IceHogs could practically drown in prospects. Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM feature, I attempted to predict the IceHogs’ 2026-27 opening lineup with this idea in mind.

Flooding Rockford with prospects like Marek Vanacker, AJ Spellacy and Jack Pridham reflects what Seravalli projected for Chicago. Letting expiring contracts leave and replacing them internally creates runway for key Blackhawk prospects. In back-to-back seasons, the Blackhawks started key prospects in the AHL, only for them to force their way up. Giving multiple highly-touted prospects that same opportunity next season should be a priority for this organization.

Final thoughts

It is easy to criticize projections. Honestly, I cringed seeing Burakovsky still projected on the first line next season. Still, there is logic in Seravalli’s projections. Last season, the criticism was that Chicago was one of the oldest rosters in the NHL. Now, with the chance to embrace the youth, criticism still remains. Creating internal competition and avoiding commitment to marginally skilled skaters makes sense for where the Blackhawks’ organization currently is.

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Murphy, who turns 33 years old on March 26, carries a $4.4 million AAV. Chicago is retaining half of Murphy’s contract, which expires after this season.

Analysis

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

One of the rare good trades of the Stan Bowman era with Chicago, there is a bit of irony being traded to the Oilers. Murphy is once again traded to a Bowman team.

In his time with Chicago, Murphy provided a strong defensive game. In nine seasons with the Blackhawks, Murphy skated in 547 games, recording 34 goals and 90 assists.

With Edmonton, Murphy should provide a physical game with an ability to kill penalties.

For Chicago, getting value for a skater on the wrong side of 30 years old is wise, especially with his contract expiring this offseason. A second-round pick is more than sufficient.

Final thoughts

Though many will not associate Murphy with a great era in Blackhawks hockey, he provided stability. A leader on and off the ice, the “A” on his jersey was proof of his value to this organization.

Murphy now has a chance to make the playoffs for the first time in his NHL career.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about the return of the Blackhawks NHL schedule, the rumors surrounding the possible trades of Connor Murphy and Ilya Mikheyev, and what to hope for and/or expect for the remaining weeks of the season.

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley jump on to talk about the AHL All-Star festivities, the Olympic games, and the Blackhawks ramping up for the trade deadline as well as the final stretch run.

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Skills Competition

All AHL all-stars paused to take a photo before the Skills Competition. (Photo courtesy of Brad Repplinger / AHL)

On Feb. 10, the festivities began with the Skills Competition.

Before the competition took place, IceHog all-stars took time to take answers from the media.

“Should be fun … compete … meet new guys … fun to do it with Lardis and Seens (Seney),” Korchinski said. “It’s going to be a blast playing for the home crowd.”

“I’m happy to be here,” Lardis said. “To be an all-star and to be in Rockford, pretty lucky to have it here.”

“Easy decision to join,” Seney said. “Seeing all the effort … gives people from other teams an inside look at how professional and how well-run Rockford is.”

Following player introductions and the national anthems, with the United States anthem being performed by legendary Chicago Blackhawks anthem singer Wayne Messmer, the festivities began with the puck control relay.

Two Hogs participated in this event in Seney and Lardis. In his attempt, Seney had unfortunately (and hilariously) ran into a camera man, causing him to lose his race. The hometown crowd let the cameraman know their displeasure with his interference with a chorus of boos.

However, Lardis did win his race, with some cheating. Lardis did acknowledge his cheating, but stated confidently after the Skills Competition, “if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.”

Although Lardis won his race, the Eastern Conference won three out of four races, giving them the early lead.

Korchinski and Seney later participated in the rapid fire challenge, being stonewalled by their opponent goaltenders.

Nick Lardis participating in the accuracy shooting challenge. (Photo courtesy of the AHL)

After the rapid fire challenge, Lardis participated in the accuracy shooting challenge, falling one shot short of a perfect round.

In the final competition, all three Hog all-stars competed in the breakaway relay challenge, going 0 for 3.

IceHogs all-stars Nick Lardis, Brett Seney and Kevin Korchinski at the Skills Competition. (Photo courtesy of the AHL)

Skills Competition results

Puck control relay: East wins 3-1

Fastest skater: Konsta Helenius (ROC) 13.770 seconds

Rapid fire: East

Hardest shot: Arthur Kaliyev (BEL) 104.0 miles per hour

Accuracy shooting: Jagger Firkus (CV)

Pass and score: West 6, East 5

Breakaway relay: West 6, East 5

Final results: East Wins 18-15

All-Star Challenge

Nick Lardis opened up the All-Star Challenge with a highlight-reel goal. (Photo courtesy of the AHL)

After a full day of events, including community outreach, a hall-of-fame ceremony and a press conference with the President and CEO of the AHL, Scott Howson, the All-Star Challenge somehow eclipsed the previous night’s competition.

The challenge began with player introductions, with the hometown Hogs receiving loud ovations. The loudest ovation was reserved for the anthem singer, Blackhawks anthem singer Jim Cornelison. The roar made its way to the BMO Center, with the Rockford crowd cheering throughout the entire anthem.

Following the anthems, the round robin competition began between the Central Division and the Atlantic Division. Each game consisted of two four-minute periods of 3-on-3 hockey. The Central Division decided to start the game with an opening line of Seney-Lardis-Korchinski, which received another roar from the home crowd.

The first game ended in an overtime loss for the Central, however, Lardis scored the first goal of the entire challenge, and scored in the shootout. Both goals fired up a very partisan crowd.

With the round robin standings based on games won, and goal differential, it came down to the final game of the round robin between the Central Division and the Pacific Division. Needing to win by four goals to advance to the championship, the Central pulled their goaltender twice while up 2-0 in an attempt to secure their spot. By some miracle, and a little encouragement from the hometown crowd, the Central scored twice. Winning 4-0, the championship would be determined in a final game between the Central and the Pacific.

The rematch would go in the Pacific’s favor, winning 3-1. Colorado Eagles all-star Jayson Megna won the BMO Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Challenge, preventing Korchinski from going back-to-back.

Game results

Game 1 — Central Division 1, Atlantic Division 1 (SO)
Game 2 — Pacific Division 4, North Division 1
Game 3 — Pacific Division 3, Atlantic Division 2
Game 4 — North Division 3, Central Division 2
Game 5 — Atlantic Division 4, North Division 0
Game 6 — Central Division 4, Pacific Division 0
Championship — Pacific Division 3, Central Division 1

Final thoughts

Brett Seney and Nick Lardis celebrate on the ice with their Central Division teammates following a goal. (Photo courtesy of Kirsten Stickney / AHL)

The success of the All-Star Classic could be felt from everyone. From the Rockford crowd chanting “ref you suck” twice on Wednesday night, to AHL President and CEO Howson heaping immense praise on the organization and city during his press conference, the Classic put the spotlight on Rockford, and they delivered.

“I loved the crowd, I love it here,” Korchinski said when asked about the crowd. “It’s very cool having it here.”

“Honestly, expected from these fans,” Lardis stated about Rockford’s faithful. “The support they’ve given us … it has been a lot of fun, the whole week, the whole year, it’s been unbelievable.”

If these festivities have proven anything, it is that the IceHogs organization, in every aspect, is first-class. The question is not “if” the All-Star Classic will return to the Screw City, but how soon can it return.

Season resumption

Despite the fun times the All-Star Classic presents, there is still a regular season to finish.

“Have fun tonight and right back in tomorrow,” Lardis said when asked postgame about the season. “Try to make a playoff push here; our team’s been struggling a little bit, there’s no excuse right now, it’s kinda go-time for our team to get as many points as we can.”

Go time for the IceHogs resumes on Saturday at home against the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m CST.

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Much like in November, the reasons are equally right in front of their faces, but seemingly just out of reach. Addressing these problems during the season may prove to be too difficult a task, but not impossible.

Scoring inconsistency

Gavin Hayes, like many IceHogs, has struggled to score. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

In the 18 games since my previous article, how many times have the IceHogs scored three or more goals in a game? The answer is seven. A scoring drought is affecting many members of the team.

Brett Seney has scored only one goal since the calendar flipped to 2026, that goal being on Jan. 3. When the captain and team-leading scorer records only five points in 18 games, the concerns mount.

Scoring seems to only be coming from two forwards: Rem Pitlick and Dominic Toninato. Pitlick has scored a respectable 10 points since the new year, with seven of those points being goals. Toninato, since returning from a stint with the Chicago Blackhawks on Jan. 3, has recorded 13 points, netting six goals.

The problem is everyone else. Kevin Korchinski has recorded five points with no goals since the beginning of January. Gavin Hayes has recorded only seven points in that span, and Samuel Savoie has struggled with merely four points, going scoreless in his previous five games.

When the majority of team scoring comes from two skaters, something has to give. If not, teams can focus in on Pitlick and Toninanto and completely clamp the floundering Hogs.

Defensive woes

Stanislav Berezhnoy leaves the ice after a 5-2 loss to the Iowa Wild on Feb. 6. (Photo courtesy of Bryan Holliday / Rockford IceHogs)

On the other end of the scoring spectrum, in the 18 games since my previous article, Rockford has given up three or more goals a staggering 14 times.

Is it goaltending? Is it the defensive game plan? It is hard to not say both.

Korchinski, as impressive he is as a skater and as a point-scoring defenseman, has struggled in his No. 1 defenseman role on the defensive end. Although plus/minus is an imperfect stat, a rating of -18 since the previous article is a massive concern. Mixed in with his scoring drought, being on the ice a lot when scored against should be a concern for the team.

On the goaltending side, things have not been smooth for Stanislav Berezhnoy and Drew Commesso. In seven starts since the Christmas break, Berezhnoy has recording a save percentage above .900 in two starts. For Commesso, he has recorded a sub-.870 save percentage in half of his starts in that same stretch.

The IceHogs’ defense has not done their goalies any favors, and the goalies have not found consistency — a bad combination for a young roster.

Special teams troubles

The Hogs fell 5-0 against the Texas Stars on Jan. 23, which included two power-play goals and a shorthanded goal for the Stars. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

The offensive and defensive struggles stand out most during special teams.

A power-play percentage of 13.5% is second-lowest in the division, ahead of only the Manitoba Moose at 13.2%. Like mentioned earlier, when scoring comes from only a couple of forwards, teams can hem in a power play.

On the penalty kill, a 82.6% kill rate looks impressive at first, sitting at fourth in the division. Looking closer, the realization that Rockford has allowed 31 power-play goals against should raise alarm bells. Tied for most in the division with the Chicago Wolves, the problem becomes apparent. The Hogs shoot themselves in the foot with penalties, constantly putting unnecessary pressure on themselves.

It’s not all doom and gloom

Sam Rinzel scored his first AHL goal on Jan. 13 against the Manitoba Moose. (Photo courtesy of Jordan Menard / Rockford IceHogs)

With all of this, it is hard to see a bright side to things. There still are diamonds in the rough.

The biggest diamond appears to be the development of Sam Rinzel. After being sent down to Rockford, Rinzel has recorded 13 points in 21 games. He played well enough to be brought back up to Chicago for three games in late January and early February, where he recorded one goal in three games.

Another bright spot is the three all-stars on this roster. On Jan. 15, Korchinski and Nick Lardis were named to the All-Star Classic. On Feb. 8, Seney was named an all-star. Having three members of the club make it to the All-Star Classic, which will be held in Rockford on Feb. 10 and 11, is commendable.

Final thoughts

Nick Lardis is one of three IceHogs representing Rockford at the All-Star Classic, hosted in Rockford. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

With 38 points in 47 games played, the Hogs sit four points behind the Milwaukee Admirals for fifth in the division. With five games in hand, Milwaukee holds the clear advantage, but with a victory over the Ads on Feb. 7, the Hogs have kept the door open.

It is too early to say it would take a miracle to make the playoffs, but the Hogs are in serious danger of needing one. The All-Star break gives the roster time to regroup, refresh and look to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

Rockford’s season resumes on Feb. 14 at home against Milwaukee 7 p.m. CST.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about Artyom Levshunov’s line-up scratches and development, Wyatt Kaiser’s injury and what that means for the left side of the blue-line, trade potentials, prospect watch, and an Olympic Preview.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about the Blackhawks solid play of late yet with the inability to finish off games. The Rinkcast team will also analyze the Hawks future on a position to position basis.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about the Jason Dickinson trade rumors, thoughts on the prospect pool and more.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about Jimmy’s latest article featuring the the Blackhawks’ mid-term grades.

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Chicago entered the game winning five out of its last six. Edmonton entered the game losing three out of its last five.

Connor Bedard would miss the contest with the flu.

First period

The first period was defined by high-danger chances by Edmonton. With multiple second chance opportunities and Connor McDavid hitting the crossbar, the Oilers scoring first felt inevitable.

The inevitable first goal came with just over five minutes left in the period. With open space, Evan Bouchard skated toward the net. Instead of shooting, Bouchard made a daring pass to Zach Hyman, who was battling by the net with Alex Vlasic. The puck bounced off Hyman’s stick and into the net, giving the Oilers a 1-0 lead.

That was the only goal of the period, as the Oilers outshot the Blackhawks 10-5.

Second period

It did not take long for Edmonton to extend its lead. Just 16 seconds into the second frame, Bouchard shot the puck fro seemingly an impossible angle, deflecting off Spencer Knight, giving the Oilers a 2-0 lead.

The rest of the period continued with Oiler dominance, only curtailed by Knight standing on his head. Outshot 16-12 in the period, the Blackhawks were seemingly being run out of the United Center.

Third period

It took a few periods, but some pushback finally took place. Whether it was the Blackhawks finding their groove or the Oilers taking their foot off the gas, most of the third period was controlled by Chicago.

That control finally translated to a goal when Tyler Bertuzzi shot a rebound off Connor Ingram into the net with just over five minutes to go.

big fans of this pic.twitter.com/KEiY67x1Et

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 13, 2026

As the game reached its end, Chicago pulled Knight for the extra attacker. After a faceoff win in the defensive zone, Bouchard fired the puck all the way down the ice to take a 3-1 lead.

A defeated Blackhawks squad gave up an ugly goal with less than a minute left to Leon Draisaitl, ending the game with a final score of 4-1.

Final thoughts

An example of too little, too late for Chicago. Although they outshot the Oilers 13-11 in the third period, it was clear Edmonton played a conservative game in the finals frame. Without Bedard, Chicago lacked an offensive threat that Edmonton needed to account for.

The Blackhawks continue their season on Thursday at home against the Calgary Flames at 7:30 p.m. CST.

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Once again, feel free to object to any of my assessments. These grades are mine alone. They are not a reflection of any other member of The Rink and their assessments, nor the organization as a whole.

For further insight into my grades, please listen to the upcoming Rinkcast.

Blackhawks Roster Grade

Criteria

• Must currently be on the Blackhawks roster
  • This excludes players traded away or currently with the Rockford IceHogs
• Must have played at least 20 games with the Blackhawks
  • This excludes players who have split the season between Rockford and Chicago, they will be graded separately
• All stats are as of Jan. 11

Connor Bedard

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: A
• Season stats: 33 games played, 19 goals, 27 assists, 46 points

Positives

• Leads the team in points, assists, and plus/minus
• Clear MVP of the team

Negatives

• Health concerns

Assessment

The only thing keeping Bedard from an A+ is his health. As some say, the best ability is availability, so missing nearly a month of action does affect his grade.

Even so, he has played like an Art Ross candidate. If he had remained healthy, he might be on the Canadian Olympic roster and in serious talk of winning the MVP. Bedard has officially reached superstar status.

Tyler Bertuzzi

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: A+
• Season stats: 42 games played, 23 goals, 13 assists, 36 points

Positives

• Has already matched his goal total from last season
• Produces without Bedard
• Leads team in power play goals

Negatives

• One-hit wonder?
• Unsustainable shooting percentage

Assessment

An easy A+ in my book, Bertuzzi has been the perfect net-front goal scorer for this team. There was concern that when Bedard went down with injury, Bertuzzi’s effectiveness would dry up. Instead, it reached new heights, capped by a hat trick against the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 4.

The concerns, however, are similar to ones many had about Ryan Donato last season. Shooting 23.2%, it is reasonable to believe this is not who Bertuzzi will be for the remainder of his contract. The good news is, unlike Donato, he is not doing this in a contract season. The Blackhawks have two more years of control with Bertuzzi, so further assessment of who Bertuzzi is can be made.

Andre Burakovsky

(Photo courtesy of David Banks / Imagn Images)

• Grade: A-
• Season stats: 40 games played, 10 goals, 19 assists, 29 points

Positives

• Effective lineman of Bedard
• Two-way presence

Negatives

• Loses effectiveness without Bedard
• Noticeable cold spells

Assessment

An absolute steal when acquired by Kyle Davidson, Burakovsky has proved to be a lineman that Blackhawks fans were hoping Chicago would acquire for Bedard. Already matching his 2024-25 goal total, Burakovsky has shown himself to be reliable playing top-line minutes.

However, he has proven to be a double-edged sword. Without Bedard, his effectiveness drops in the offensive zone. He can also go on cold spells that hampers the forward group. Still, his defensive play will overcome poor offensive performances, giving him an A- at this point in the season.

Artyom Levshunov

(Photo courtesy of Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images)

• Grade: B+
• Season stats: 43 games played, 2 goals, 19 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Offensive force
• Great puck control
• Transition game
• Leads team in assists on the power play

Negatives

• Maturity
• Consistency

Assessment

Perhaps my Levshunov bias is showing, but I truly believe we are seeing the emergence of a franchise defenseman this season with Levshunov. Despite a slow start to the season, Levshunov has shown the talent that warranted his selection at second overall in the 2024 Draft. Poised with the puck, aggressive with his stick and possessing a wicked shot, there’s so much to like with Levshunov.

Even so, there are concerns. His maturity has come into question this season. Him being scratched during the home opener, and later being late to a practice and failing in a drill caused another scratching. It is fair to say that Levshunov needs to become a professional in all aspects. That will come in time, but for now, it is a concern, along with his consistency.

Frank Nazar

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: B-
• Season stats: 33 games played, 6 goals, 15 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Strong start to the season
• Effective second-line center

Negatives

• Cooled off immensely in November
• Injury concerns

Assessment

By far the hardest Blackhawk to grade, Nazar began the season looking like he could threaten Bedard for first-line center minutes. In October, he had five goals and six assists in 11 games. Since then, Nazar has managed only one goal.

Along with his cold stretch, Nazar received a jaw injury on Dec. 20 against the Ottawa Senators that has kept him out for weeks. Perhaps I am being generous in my grading, however, I would like to believe his cold streak that started in November has more to do with health than skill.

Teuvo Teravainen

(Photo courtesy of Matt Marton / AP Photos)

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 44 games played, 9 goals, 12 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Penalty killer
• No dire weakness

Negatives

• Drop in offensive effectiveness
• Moved down the lineup

Assessment

There is not much to say about Teravainen. The only thing I can say about his season is that he has been aggressively fine. He doesn’t do anything poorly, but he doesn’t do anything especially well. Perhaps shooting a higher clip will improve his grade, but until then, he may just be a guy at this point.

Ryan Donato

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 45 games played, 10 goals, 8 assists, 18 points

Positives

• Effective bottom-six production
• Two-way game

Negatives

• Mediocre offensive production
• Drop-off from last season

Assessment

After re-signing with Chicago in the offseason, Donato has shown to be a lot like Teravinen. He is, for all intents and purposes, aggressively fine. The problem is, signing a long-term extension to be aggressively fine isn’t ideal.

This is not to say he has played poorly. Donato is still an effective two-way, bottom-six forward. The issue is that last season is looking more and more like a fluke with every game.

Ryan Greene

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: B+
• Season stats: 45 games played, 5 goals, 12 assists, 17 points

Positives

• Impressive at the dot
• Mature game for his age

Negatives

• Scoring drought

Assessment

A forward I thought would start the season in Rockford, Greene has quickly proven he is an NHLer. Despite his counting stats not popping off the screen, his value is seen elsewhere. Effective at the dot, Greene looked comfortable taking first-line center reps when Bedard went down with injury.

Greene already looks to be a center good teams want on their third line. If he continues to develop at this rate, the Blackhawks may have one of the best center depth charts in the NHL.

Oliver Moore

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: B+
• Blackhawks season stats: 33 games played, 5 goals, 9 assists, 14 assists
• IceHogs season stats: 9 games, 6 goals, 3 assists, 9 points

Positives

• Incredible skater
• Emerging scoring touch

Negatives

• NHL growing pains
• Cold spells

Like with Nazar last season, Moore played his way out of Rockford very early. After only nine games in Rockford where he went a point per game, Moore received the call-up.

Moore did not light it up right away with the Blackhawks, recording just five points in his first 11 games this season. However, he has since found his footing, using his skating skills to record five points in his last six games. The hope with Moore is that he continues to find his scoring touch and solidifies his place in the top-six this season.

Ilya Mikheyev

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: C+
• Season stats: 40 games played, 8 goals, 6 assists, 14 points

Positives

• Shorthanded menace
• Effective skater

Negatives

• Drop-off in scoring
• Cold streaks

Assessment

Like with many veteran forwards on this roster, Mikheyev offers the Blackhawks a two-way game, but has struggled to light the lamp, with noticeable cold streaks. Another aggressively fine forward.

Louis Crevier

(Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)

• Grade: B+
• Season stats: 42 games played, 4 goals, 10 assists, 14 points

Positives

• Powerful shot
• Physical presence

Negatives

• Slower skater
• Maxes out as a third-pairing defenseman

Assessment

A pleasant surprise dating back to last season, Crevier has gone from seventh-round longshot to a consistent NHL defenseman with a powerful shot. With four goals, Crevier has found the offensive touch that was missing last season.

That being said, he still only appears to be a third-pairing guy. Not a bad thing, but it shows his limits as an NHL defenseman.

Matt Grzelcyk

(Photo courtesy of Mark Konezny / Imagn Images)

• Grade: C+
• Season stats: 45 games played, 0 goals, 11 assists, 11 points

Positives

• Stabilizing force
• Effective puck-mover

Negatives

• Undersized, meaning he is not a physical defenseman
• Lack of scoring

Assessment

Starting his time with Chicago on a PTO, Grzelcyk earned a one-year contract for this season. Despite his lack of scoring production, Grzelcyk has proven to be a stable partner for the young defensemen on Chicago’s roster.

The question is whether he will be re-signed, or if Grzelcyk will be a trade candidate when the deadline comes around.

Alex Vlasic

(Photo courtesy of Derek Cain / Getty Images)

• Grade: B-
• Season stats: 44 games played, 2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points

Positves

• Effective in the defensive zone
• Recent upswing in offensive production

Negatives

• Noticeably unnoticeable at times
• Slow offensive start to the season

Assessment

Still a defensively gifted defenseman, Vlasic’s offensive ability has noticeably lacked this season. With only 10 points, it is fair to want more from a defenseman recently signed to a six-year contract.

This is not to say hope is lost; far from it. It is, however, reasonable to want a lot more from Vlasic.

Jason Dickinson

(Photo courtesy of David Banks / Imagn Images)

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 32 games played, 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points

Positives

• Efficient at the dot
• Far healthier than last season

Negatives

• Offensive black hole
• Some injury concerns

Assessment

Another “aggressively fine” Blackhawk, Dickinson is finally healthy enough compared to last season to not give him a failing grade. Near 50% from the dot, Dickinson looks the part of a fourth-line center.

Wyatt Kaiser

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: B
• Season stats: 45 games played, 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points

Positives

• Plays bigger than he is
• Solid defensive game

Negatives

• Offensively inconsistent
• Noticeably bad performances

Assessment

A defenseman who I may have been too harsh to when grading last season, Kaiser has proven to be competent this season. A trusted partner of Levshunov, Kaiser plays an effective defensive game with the occasional offensive touch.

With Kaiser, however, there are still some concerns. I joked after a podcast that he is solid until someone in the media heaps praise on him, and then he puts up a stinker. He is solid when not paid attention to, that is the best way I can put it.

Connor Murphy

(Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)

• Grade: B-
• Season stats: 45 games played, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points

Positives

• Defensively trustworthy
• Defensive unit leader

Negatives

• Slow skater
• Little offensive talent

Assessment

I hate to use the term yet again, but Murphy is the only defenseman that I have graded to be given the “aggressively fine” title. Consistent in the defensive zone, healthy and an obvious leader, Murphy has been what the Blackhawks have asked of him all season.

Perhaps more can be asked of him in the offensive zone, but he does what is needed.

Colton Dach

(Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 44 games played, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points

Positives

• Physical menace

Negatives

• Minimal offensive presence
• Questionable defensive skill

Assessment

Currently sixth in the NHL in hits with 155, Dach has brought a physical presence to the forward group. Even so, there is not much else to his game. His defensive metrics are meh, and his offensive is mediocre. Not saying he is a lost cause, but there are certainly questions about his long-term outlook with the Blackhawks.

Nick Foligno

(Photo courtesy of China Wong / NHLI via Getty Images)

• Grade: C-
• Season stats: 23 games played, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points

Positives

• Consistent when on the ice

Negatives

• Little offensive impact
• Injury concerns

Assessment

Little is to be said about the captain. Foligno has not lit up any scoresheet, nor is he noticeable on the ice when he plays.

That being said, the Blackhawks went on a noticeable cold streak in December when he went down with a wrist injury. I don’t think that was a coincidence. This team needs his presence, one way or another, to play at peak form.

Spencer Knight

(Photo courtesy of Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

• Grade: A
• Season stats: 30 games played, 13 wins, 11 losses, 6 overtime losses, .910 save percentage, 2.62 goals against average

Positives

• Blossoming franchise goaltender

Negatives

• Cooled off since his strong start to the season

Assessment

Spencer Knight is clearly becoming Chicago’s franchise goalie. There is not much else to be said. He is excelling with a struggling defensive unit in front of him. Once they get better, he will only continue to rise.

Arvid Soderblom

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: D+
• Season stats: 14 games played, 5 wins, 7 loses, 1 overtime loss, .873 save percentage, 3.86 goals against average

Positives

• Strong early start to the season

Negatives

• Just about everything else

Assessment

A real struggle for the Blackhawks to figure out, Soderblom has not looked good for most of the season. Perhaps lost in the shuffle of the season, but Soderblom is looking dangerously close to his 2023-2024 form.

Blackhawks/IceHogs Roster Grades

Criteria

• At least eight games with the IceHogs and two games with the Blackhawks
• Grading is a cumulative grade based on performance in the NHL and AHL

Sam Rinzel

(Photo courtesy of Bryan Holliday / Rockford IceHogs)

• Grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 28 games played, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points
• IceHogs season stats: 12 games played, 0 goals, 7 assists, 7 points

Positives

• Puck distributor

Negatives

• Overmatched in the NHL

Assessment

It has been an unfortunate first half of the season for Rinzel. What started as a dark-horse Calder season turned into a demotion to the AHL. His confidence was noticeably shaken in the NHL, which caused a dramatic loss in ice time before being sent to Rockford.

Not all is lost for the young defenseman. Rinzel got to Rockford and started distributing the puck very efficiently, already recording seven assists. There is still plenty of time, both this season and in the future, to right the Rinzel ship.

Nick Lardis

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: 14 games played, 4 goals, 1 assist, 5 points
• IceHogs season stats: 24 games played, 13 goals, 13 assists, 26 points

Positives

• Scoring machine in the AHL
• Scoring touch translating in the NHL

Negatives

• Cold spells
• Defensive game

Assessment

Like with Moore, Lardis quickly outgrew the AHL. Once Bedard went down with injury, Lardis took full advantage. With Bedard back, Lardis was an immediate scoring winger to plug next to Bedard.

There is still a lot of growth for Lardis, especially in his defensive game, but Lardis is an easy A at this point.

Landon Slaggert

(Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)

• Grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 19 games played, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points
• IceHog season stats: 8 games played, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points

Positives

• Looks fine on an NHL fourth line
• AHL top-six forward

 Negatives

• Not particularly skilled
• No real spot on the NHL roster

Assessment

In the NHL, Slaggert is just a guy. In the AHL, he is a solid top-six forward. It may be time to seriously consider his long-term future with the Blackhawks.

Kevin Korchinski

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Grade: B
• Blackhawks season stats: 2 games played, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point
• IceHogs season stats: 32 games played, 2 goals, 17 assists, 19 points

Positives

• IceHogs’ best defenseman
• Second Blackhawks game much better than his first

Negatives

• Still undersized
• Still working on defensive game

Assessment

If his performance against the Nashville Predators on Saturday is anything to go off of, Korchinski is very close to becoming a full-time NHLer. Despite still being undersized and lacking in the defensive zone, his ability to move with and without the puck in the offensive zone shows extreme promise. By the end of this season, hope remains that he has put enough together to be in the NHL.

Dominic Toninato

(Photo courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

• Grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 5 games played, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point
• IceHogs season stats: 29 games played, 7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Competent enough when called up
• Top-six AHLer

Negatives

• Simply not a full-time NHLer

Assessment

Only graded because he technically fit the criteria, Toninato is just a guy. Nothing else needs to be said.

Ethan Del Mastro

(Photo courtesy of Jimmy Doles / Rockford IceHogs)

• Grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 2 games played, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points
• IceHogs season stats: 28 games played, 1 goal, 10 assists, 11 points

Positives

• AHL top-four defenseman

Negatives

• Not an NHL defenseman

Assessment

A tough player to grade, Del Mastro looks to be in a difficult spot. Like with Nolan Allan, Del Mastro may not have an NHL roster spot. He is a solid AHL defenseman, but serious questions should be asked about his long-term future.

Drew Commesso

(Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

• Grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: 2 games played, 1 win, 1 loss, 0 overtime losses, .917 save percentage, 2.50 goals against average
• IceHogs season stats: 19 games played, 6 wins, 11 losses, 3 overtime losses, .909 save percentage, 2.72 goals against average

Positives

• Another strong AHL season
• First NHL win and shutout

Negatives

• Limited NHL time
• Little help in Rockford

Assessment

After his first win and shutout against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, the sky is the limit for the young goaltender. His time in the AHL may be coming to an end with his strong play and the struggles of Soderblom. If his performance against Nashville is anything to go off of, he may be ready for a longer stint with the Blackhawks.

The post ANALYSIS: Blackhawks midterm grades appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Jimmy O’Malley to talk about the Blackhawks’ recent trade with the San Jose Sharks, their winning streak, Connor Bedard’s return, the emergence of Anton Frondell at the World Junior Championships, and more.

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The month of December began poorly as well, dropping their first two games of the month against the Colorado Eagles. Even with returning goaltender Laurent Brossoit for their Dec. 5 game, the veteran presence was not enough that night. However, good news would hit the IceHogs after these two games.

Young additions

Sam Rinzel in his home debut with the Rockford IceHogs on Dec. 12. (Photo courtesy of Bryan Holliday / Rockford IceHogs)

On Dec. 7, the IceHogs received two key contributors from the Chicago Blackhawks. They received defenseman Sam Rinzel and forward Landon Slaggert.

Rinzel, a highly coveted prospect for the Blackhawks, found himself in Rockford for the first time in his career following a slump in the NHL. Regarding Rinzel, Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill gave his expectations for Rinzel in his time in the AHL.

“This is a really hard league, if you start to struggle, to gain traction,” Blashill said. “So go down and get your swagger with the puck back. Then continue to improve defensively. … He’s not the strongest guy, so he’s got to learn how to defend really smart with his stick—one hand, two hands, knocking guys off balance but not getting into physical confrontations.”

Early returns have been positive for Rinzel. In his first game with Rockford on the road against the Iowa Wild on Dec. 10, Rinzel recorded two assists. He followed that performance up with another two assists against the Milwaukee Admirals on Dec. 12.

In five games with Rockford, Rinzel has recorded seven assists. It is safe to say that Rinzel has found the swagger with the puck, and Rockford is benefitting from his stellar play.

Along with Rinzel, Slaggert has paid dividends for the Hogs. With three points in five games, Slaggert has added depth scoring to a Hogs team desperate for it.

Veteran additions

Laurent Brossoit made his Rockford debut against the Colorado Eagles on Dec 5. (Photo courtesy of Ty McElroy / Rockford IceHogs)

It is not just a youth injection fueling the reinvigorated Hogs. The addition of two veteran pieces has stabilized a struggling group.

The first key addition was the already mentioned Brossoit. After spending over a year being an enigma in the Blackhawks organization, Brossoit joined the Hogs on a conditioning stint at the beginning of December. After a rocky start in Colorado that saw him end the game with a .871 save percentage, Brossoit rattled off three straight wins, raising his save percentage to a respectable .909. He even recorded an impressive goalie goal in their Dec. 12 win against the Admirals.

After his conditioning stint ended, Brossoit was called back up to Chicago, but immediately waived on Dec. 15. After passing through waivers on Dec. 16, Brossoit returned to Rockford. It is still clear that Chicago would like to move Brossoit, as noted in Ben Pope’s article on Dec. 19. Until then, Brossoit looks to improve his game and keep Rockford in a playoff spot.

Along with Brossoit, the Hogs added another veteran in a savvy move by general manager Mark Bernard. On Dec. 14, the IceHogs traded depth defenseman Tyson Feist to the Bakersfield Condors for forward Rem Pitlick.

Pitlick, a member of the Rockford IceHogs from the 2023-24 season, immediately rewarded Bernard’s gamble with a four-point performance against the Manitoba Moose on Dec. 20.

Departures

Standout rookie Nick Lardis joined the Blackhawks on Dec. 12 (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

Pieces moving in usually means pieces moving out for an AHL team. For the IceHogs, they are not exempt.

On Dec. 8, a day after Rinzel and Slaggert joined the Hogs, veteran forward Dominic Toninato got the call from the Blackhawks. With a two-way contract, Toninato was a clear call-up candidate in case the Blackhawks needed forward depth. The Hogs’ fourth highest scorer (third before the Pitlick trade), Toninato has one point in three games with the Blackhawks since his call-up.

Toninato’s departure from Rockford is expected to be short-term. The same cannot be said about Marcel Marcel. On Dec. 16, Marcel was released from his AHL contract, returning to Europe. The 2023 fifth-round pick was quickly being passed up on the depth chart, and felt it best for his career to leave the organization.

There were two significant call-ups with questions about how long they will stay with the Blackhawks. Those skaters are Ethan Del Mastro and Nick Lardis.

Lardis, Rockford’s second highest scorer, received the call-up on Dec. 12 following a shoulder injury to Connor Bedard. In four games with the Blackhawks, Lardis has recorded one goal. In a corresponding move, the Hogs recalled forward Kevin Lombardi from the Indy Fuel.

Del Mastro got the call up on Dec. 14 and has played two games with Chicago this season.

Final thoughts

Like Nolan Allan, the IceHogs are fighting their way back into contention. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

After winning three of their last five games going into the Christmas break, the Hogs have found positive momentum after a dismal November. Sitting at fourth place in the division, Rockford would make the playoffs if the season ended today.

With the new year approaching and further roster churn possible, Rockford will need to continue to find effective play from their depth. That effective play looks to continue on Saturday against the Texas Stars in Rockford at 7 p.m. CST.

The post Rockin’ with Rockford: Roster churn appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast co-host Sean Fitzgerald is joined by Rink Staff members Jimmy O’Malley and co-founder Jeff Osborn, who are back in the Rinkcast studio to discuss the Blackhawks’ last two losses and future road trip. They will discuss Laurent Brossoit, the lack of goal scoring, and other NHL news.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by Rink Staff members Jeff Osborn, and  Jimmy O’Malley, in the Rinkcast studio to discuss the Blackhawks’ recent road woes and, Sam Rinzel’s demotion, some goalie talk with the guru and a brief preview of their game against the New York Rangers.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 15 – Time to Panic? appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks had lost five of their last six games, but were coming off a strong comeback against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday at the United Center.

First period

It was a “blink and you’ll miss it” beginning to the game. The Golden Knights took the early lead after Ivan Barbashev banked a pass off Wyatt Kaiser 27 seconds into the game.

The lead did not last even a minute. After an effective neutral-zone transition, Frank Nazar found Oliver Moore, who buried a laser above Carter Hart’s right arm to tie the game less than two minutes into the contest.

early equalizer pic.twitter.com/2U5MKr3LRg

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 3, 2025

The remainder of the period contained no goals. Despite this, the Blackhawks got on the power play twice, only managing one combined shot.

The Blackhawks noticeably took control of the game in the second half of the period, leaving Vegas without a shot in the last 7:45 of the period.

The period ended tied at 1-1, with both teams managing eight shots on goal.

Second period

A far more frantic period than the first, both teams netted a goal this period.

The first goal of the period went Chicago’s way. Taking advantage of Hart’s misplay of the puck, Tyler Bertuzzi made an aggressive play to take a 2–1 lead.

ope just gonna sneak past ya there pic.twitter.com/ckFaolbPRn

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 3, 2025

Following Bertuzzi’s goal, Vegas challenged for offside. That challenge failed, leading Chicago to the power play. That power play was quickly ended by a hooking call on Nazar. Both penalties were eventually killed.

Near the end of the period, Golden Knights defenseman Ben Hutton took a shot that bounced off Chicago defenseman Matt Grzelyck, tying the game and giving Vegas their second goal off of a Blackhawks defenseman.

The period ended at a 2-2 tie, with shots of goal tied at 17.

Third period

The third period gave Connor Bedard one of his best goals of the season. After a breakout pass from Andre Burakovsky, Bedard danced around a Vegas defender and sniped a shot over Hart’s right shoulder to take a 3-2 lead.

ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh my goodness pic.twitter.com/jwIzJUJtF1

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 3, 2025

As the game picked up near the end, the Golden Knights refused to go out quietly. On a strong rush to the net, Vegas rookie Braeden Bowman followed his own shot up to tie the game at 3-3, which would hold for the remainder of regulation.

Overtime

It was a classic overtime with chances back and forth. The highlights came from both teams’ goaltenders, especially Hart, who saved six shots in the overtime.

After five minutes of overtime, neither team scored. A shootout would decide the game.

Shootout

The Blackhawks shot first in the shootout, with Teuvo Teravainen being stood up by Hart.

Vegas’s first shooter, Pavel Dorofeyev, succeeded on his attempt on a deceiving backhand on Spencer Knight.

Bedard followed Dorofeyev’s attempt with a beautiful shootout goal, outlasting Hart’s patience.

The next four shooters failed to convert, leaving Shea Theodore the chance to walk it off for Vegas. Like Dorofeyev, he placed a backhand shot passed Knight to end the game. Final score, 4-3 Vegas.

Final thoughts

It was an unfortunate game of unfortunate bounces. Vegas’s first two goals deflected off Blackhawks defensemen. A game where Chicago seemed to control play got away from them at the end.

Notably, the Blackhawks went 0 for 5 on the power play. Chicago never looked comfortable on the power play, with Vegas hounding the puck holder and breaking up neutral-zone entries.

Chicago will look to get back in the win column on Thursday when they take on the Los Angeles Kings at 9 p.m. CST.

The post RECAP: No dice for Chicago in shootout loss in Vegas appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by Rink Staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and  Jimmy O’Malley, in the Rinkcast studio to discuss the streaky Blackhawks re-entering the win column ahead of a four-game road trip, the possible implications of activating goaltender Laurent Brossoit, and the status/future of the Hawks’ defensive core.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by Rink Staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and  Jimmy O’Malley, in the Rinkcast studio to discuss the Blackhawks’ recent skid of three straight games, the importance of André Burakovsky in the line-up, questions around NHL officiating, and prospect Mason West’s big weekend.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by Rink Staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and  Jimmy O’Malley, in the Rinkcast studio to discuss the Blackhawks’ recent winning streak, Connor Bedard’s Olympic candidacy, the important growth of the young player, and how high the 2025-26 team can climb.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 12 – Red hot Hawks! appeared first on The Rink.

Will these Hogs flip the script? How will the winning ways return? To find out, it would help to investigate what has transpired this last month.

The investigation

Oliver Moore played his last game with Rockford on Nov. 2 against Grand Rapids before his call-up on Nov. 3. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

The most obvious place to look for why Rockford has slipped is their offensive output. In October, the Hogs averaged 3.625 goals per game. That rate has slipped to a mere 1.75 goals per game in November. In this month, the IceHogs have scored more two goals once, which was in their lone November victory against the Iowa Wild on Nov. 9.

Why has the scoring dried up? The simple answer is Oliver Moore. On Nov. 3, Moore, after six goals in nine AHL games to start the season, was called up to the Chicago Blackhawks. Even now, no member of the Hogs has matched his team-leading nine goals, despite being with the Blackhawks for most of November.

His absence is missed most by his linemates. Captain Brett Seney and Nick Lardis, although still effective, no longer benefit from Moore’s intense speed and shot on their wing.

Besides the top six, the rest of the forward group and the defense have struggled to give Rockford offense. Four of the Hogs’ regular defensemen, Kevin Korchinski, Ryan Mast, Taige Harding and Nolan Allan, have yet to score a goal this season. Along with the defense, only four forwards on the current roster have recorded four or more goals on the season. Those forwards being Seney, Lardis, Dominic Toninato and Aidan Thompson.

“It’s a percentage thing,” Thompson said on Tuesday regarding scoring. ” [We have to] continue to have a little bit more high-quality chances.”

Those high-quality chances have been hard to come by, especially on the power play. Scoring at a 10% rate, Rockford’s power play ranks third from the bottom in the AHL.

The positives

Despite the tough stretch, Drew Commesso continues to shine, giving up only two goals in an overtime loss against the Milwaukee Admirals on Nov. 7. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

With only one win in the month of November, it may be hard to find positives. Despite the tough month, there are positives that deserve a spotlight.

One positive that remains for the Hogs is the goaltending. Despite the losses, goaltenders Drew Commesso and Stanislav Berezhnoy continue to keep the Hogs in games.

Commesso, in his 11 starts this season, has recorded an outstanding .921 save percentage, while limiting opponents to a 2.39 goals against average (GAA).

Berezhnoy is not far behind Commesso in effectiveness. In four starts this season, Berezhnoy has recorded an astonishing .915 save percentage and a 2.74 GAA.

Another positive that deserves a spotlight are two left-handed defensemen, Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro.

Despite not recording a goal so far this season, Korchinski leads the Hogs’ defensemen in points. With 10 assists in 15 games so far, Korchinski has improved his ability to distribute the puck and be a force in the offensive zone.

Like Korchinski, Del Mastro has proved effective in the offensive zone. The only Hogs defenseman with a goal, Del Mastro currently has seven points on the season. Del Mastro also leads Rockford defensemen in plus/minus with +6. His two-way style of play has allowed Rockford to remain in the league’s top 10 in penalty kill, recording a mark of 83.9%.

The verdict

Despite the tough stretch, head coach Jared Nightingale looks to keep his roster focused. (Photo courtesy of Nathan Vestal / Rockford IceHogs)

“Process over outcome, it’s easy to say, it’s hard when you’re in the middle of it,” said head coach Jared Nightingale to the media on Tuesday about managing a losing stretch with this young team. “I do like the morale of our group … guys aren’t satisfied, we want to win hockey games … we’re constantly trying to show the guys the positive and teach along the way.”

It has not been perfect. The difficulty with having a young AHL roster full of prospects is when one of them shines, they get rewarded with a call up to Chicago. Life without Moore has proven difficult. His output masked a lot of early struggles with this young roster.

Even so, the problem is identifiable, and workable. Right now, the negatives are outweighing the positives. At the very least, positives still exist. With time, the Hogs can find a new way to get scoring from their entire roster. Once they do, the winning ways will return.

In the Central Division, there is no place to hide. The divisional gauntlet continues at home on Wednesday against the Grand Rapids Griffins.

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Chicago Rinkcast host Andy Campbell and co-host Sean Fitzgerald are joined by staff member Jimmy O’Malley, back in the Rinkcast studio to discuss the Blackhawks’ hot week with Bleacher Nation lead Hawks writer Tab Bamford.

• Are the Blackhawks for real?
• Blackhawks goaltending (Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom)
• The “Killer Bs” line
• Are Connor Bedard / Macklin Celebrini the next Sidney Crosby / Alexander Ovechkin?
• Artyom Levshunov’s growth

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Chicago Rinkcast Co-Host Sean Fitzgerald is joined by staff members Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, and Andrew Bard to talk about the latest Blackhawks slump, the previous night’s loss to the Seattle Kraken, and the call-up of Oliver Moore.

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Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell , staff members Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, and Sean Fitzgerald discuss the Blackhawks’ trade of Lukas Reichel, their recent 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, the injury bug, a preview of the Tuesday match-up vs. the Ottawa Senators and what to look for on their upcoming road-trip.

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Reichel, selected 17th overall back in 2020, has recorded 58 points in 174 career NHL games. He currently has one year left on his contract, paying him $1.2 million. Chicago did not retain salary.

Analysis

When Reichel was drafted, many scouts and analysts considered it a reach. Many mock drafts had Reichel as an early second-round, maybe late first-round pick. Selecting him at 17 shocked many. At the time of the draft, media members like Scott Wheeler and Chris Peters complimented Reichel for his offensive skillset, but worried if his defensive game would develop enough to help him excel. Many considered him a safe middle-six forward prospect.

After spending his draft year in Germany, Reichel came overseas to start the 2021-2022 season with the Rockford IceHogs. He exploded in the AHL, putting up 57 points in 56 games. In 11 NHL games that season, he recorded one assist.

Reichel grabbed a lot of attention the following season. After the trade deadline that sent Blackhawks icon Patrick Kane away, many settled into a tank. During the tank, Reichel shined, scoring 15 points in 23 NHL games. This performance gave some fans belief that Reichel could develop beyond his draft expectations.

Unfortunately, Reichel never recaptured the magic. Since the 2022-23 season, Reichel has recorded 42 points in 140 NHL games.

Why did Reichel never repeat what was seen after the 2023 trade deadline? Some hypothesized that it was the coaching of Luke Richardson and Anders Sorensen. Where he played in the lineup, if he played at all and his linemates were consistent suspects in the case of Reichel.

However, the solution may be less exciting. Reichel shot at a 16.7% rate in 2022-23. Simply, he scored at an unsustainable rate. Reichel benefitted from the rest of the league still trying to figure him out. Once the league made adjustments, Reichel’s effectiveness dried up.

(Photo courtesy of Corey Sznajder/X)

Further proof of Reichel’s stagnation is in his analytical profile. Although the chart above is only from this season, the same trends can be seen in previous seasons’ charts. He showed great speed and an impressive ability to enter the offensive zone with possession. However, additional skillsets failed to emerge. Once it became apparent to the Blackhawks that further development may not happen, they found a trade partner.

Final thoughts

(Photo courtesy of @JFreshHockey/X)

Here’s the thing about potential. At some point, teams run out of time to see if players can reach it. The difficulty in assessing young players is when to decide if he has more to unlock, or if he is who he is.

With only one year left on his “prove it” contract, Chicago assessed that Reichel did not prove enough. When the summer of 2026 would come around, it would become harder for Chicago to justify keeping Reichel when other forward prospects make it to the NHL.

The trade does not come as a surprise to both player and team. As reported by Pierre LeBrun on X, Reichel had asked for a trade. Reichel’s agent came out saying things were not contentious, even complimenting Kyle Davidson’s professionalism during the process.

If Reichel unlocks a new gear and plays his way into another NHL contract, good for him. Unfortunately, his time in Chicago had run out. A popular teammate, and Blackhawks social media star, is now a Canuck.

The post ANALYSIS: Lukas Reichel traded to Vancouver appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell , staff members Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard discuss the Blackhawks’ winning ways through the first seven games of the season, what players have been pleasant surprises, and when will we see more young guns coming to the big club.

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As the 2025-26 moves along Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell , Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard discuss the Blackhawks’ first three games, the impact of their top two centers, thoughts about the rookies, a preview of the contest versus the Utah Mammoth, and the curious possibility of a second straight healthy scratch of defenseman, Artyom Levshunov.

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 7 – The future is “almost” now appeared first on The Rink.

Rockford began the season both as the youngest roster in the AHL and its least experienced, according to Elite Prospects. Mixed in with a first-time AHL head coach, many were prepared for some learning curves. The young IceHogs bucked that narrative against divisional foes right out of the gate.

Opening night

The Rockford IceHogs came out strong in their home opener. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

After an impressive block party to get the season started, the Hogs hosted the division rival Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday. Milwaukee, who eliminated Rockford in the playoffs last season, looked to continue their spoiling ways in the season opener.

It was Rockford who struck first. With 4-on-4 hockey being played, Kevin Korchinski found captain Brett Seney, who shot a one-timer into the net.

“A little more ice to work with,” Seney said. “[Oliver Moore] made a great play in the middle … [Korch] made a great pass and I was just trying to get something on net.”

Something just feels right about Cap netting the 1st goal of the season pic.twitter.com/gXiH0PZutX

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 12, 2025

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Despite taking the early lead, the Ads responded with less than four minutes to go in the frame. The score was 1-1 after the first period, and would remain tied through the second.

In the third period, Milwaukee took a 2-1 lead with 13 minutes left in the contest.

With time winding down, Rockford pulled goaltender Drew Commesso for the extra attacker. This proved effective. With 1:50 left in regulation, forward Jackson Cates deflected an Aidan Thompson shot to tie the game and force overtime.

In overtime, Rockford possessed the puck effectively, which led to Samuel Savoie’s game-winning goal.

“I saw a shooting lane,” Savoie said plainly after the game. “And I had to shoot it.”

6⃣ 7⃣ pic.twitter.com/OhTAbnlukN

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 12, 2025

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The impressive opening-night victory could not have been achieved without the efforts of Commesso, who recorded 35 saves against a potent Admirals lineup.

Game two

The IceHogs had little time to celebrate their opening-night victory. Rockford immediately traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, to take on the Iowa Wild. The Wild, another division rival, was looking for their first win after dropping their season opener against the Chicago Wolves.

Unfortunately for the Wild, the Hogs denied them of their first victory.

The game was a rout. Rockford netted three first-period goals by Dillon Boucher, Moore and Jamie Engelbert. With their goals, Boucher has his first career AHL goal, and Moore has his first professional goal.

KACHOW

Oliver Moore’s got speed as he scores his 1st pro goal!! pic.twitter.com/c0m1l1lMsW

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 12, 2025

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In the second period, Moore recorded his second goal of the night, assisted by goaltender Stanislav Berezhnoy, marking the goaltender’s first AHL point.

Sniper sniper sniper https://t.co/lakwiZd48i pic.twitter.com/uoszBzlaIr

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 12, 2025

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Iowa did cut the lead back down to three with a Tyler Pitlick goal, but that deficit would not last the period. Fourth-liner Connor Mylymok recorded his first career AHL goal to take a 4-1 lead into the final frame.

In the third period, Pitlick once again cut the deficit back to three. That would be the end of Iowa’s scoring for the game, but not for Rockford. On a power play, Dominic Toninato scored to make it 6-2. Nick Lardis assisted on Toninato’s goal, giving Lardis his first career AHL point.

Analysis

Captain Brett Seney leaves the ice with Samuel Savoie and goaltender Drew Commesso after an overtime victory against the Milwaukee Admirals. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

Early returns on the young roster are promising. Despite the lack of experience, the team plays a mature game.

Moore, who many thought would start the season with the Chicago Blackhawks, has recorded three points in two games, tied with Boucher and Seney for team lead. Along with Moore, Lardis has been a positive for the IceHogs at only 20 years old.

When asked about sharing a line with these two forwards on opening night, the captain had praise.

“I thought they were great … as the game got going, we started to simplify things,” Seney said. “We’re still getting to kinda know each others games … they both have a ton of skill … as they kinda get used to the pace and the way the AHL is they’ll keep getting better.”

It is not just the young forwards who have impressed. The defensemen have shined in their ability to clear the crease and be strong on the puck. Ethan Del Mastro, who started the season with the Chicago Blackhawks before being sent to Rockford before the season opener, currently leads the Hogs in plus-minus and has recorded two assists. Along with Del Mastro, Korchinski has shown strides in his ability to distribute the puck and be a terror in the offensive zone.

When asked about early returns, head coach Jared Nightingale seemed pleased, but saw room to grow.

“It’s just the start,” Nightingale said. “Teams get better and better as the year goes … our play away from the puck [needs to improve].”

Final thoughts

Forward prospect Oliver Moore has shined early in Rockford. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

Early returns have shown promise for this young Hogs team. Like with their NHL counterparts, they rely heavily on the development of their young skaters, while surrounding them with veterans. It is one thing to win back-to-back games, it is another to sustain on-ice success and player development over an entire season. That is the goal in Rockford, and a strong start helps.

The IceHogs’ season continues on Friday at home against the Texas Stars at 7 p.m. CDT.

The post Rockin’ with Rockford: Strong first steps appeared first on The Rink.

As the 2025-26 moves along Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell , Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, Sean Fitzgerald, and a late add of The Rink co-founder Jeff Osborn discuss the roster, predictions, and what to be hopeful for the coming season. After final roster moves, The Chicago Blackhawks open up their 2025-26 season in Miami against the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers on Tuesday!

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 6 – The 2025-2026 Opening Week! appeared first on The Rink.

As the 2025-26 moves along Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell , Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard discuss the Blackhawks recent roster moves, what may be coming and the what Kevin Korchinski’s recent demotion may or may not mean for his career..

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 9 Episode 5 – Preseason bubbles set to burst appeared first on The Rink.

Following the Blackhawks’ 3-2 preseason loss at Detroit, Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell , Jimmy O’Malley ESQ, Sean Fitzgerald and Jeff Osborn discuss what to hope for during the 2025-26 season, and raise concerns, as well.

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KNIGHT TIME IN CHICAGO pic.twitter.com/gaVJNNkS87

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 13, 2025

When asked about extending Knight, General Manager Kyle Davidson had glowing remarks.

“After joining the team in March, Spencer quickly cemented himself as a crucial piece of our future,” Davidson said. “A talented, young goaltender, he brings athleticism, sound positioning and a calm demeanor to his game, and we’re excited to watch Spencer continue to flourish in Chicago for the new four seasons.”

With this new deal, Knight becomes the 17th-highest paid goaltender based on cap hit. He slots comfortably between $5.85-million Logan Thompson and $5.4-million Elvis Merzlikins.

The former 13th overall pick had extremely impressive underlying metrics during his time split between Chicago and the Florida Panthers. Among goalies with at least 30 games played last season, Knight was even with goaltenders like Jake Oettinger in goals saved above expected per 60, while sitting ahead of goalies like Jordan Binnington, Sergei Bobrovsky and Jacob Markstrom. Having statistics like this while being behind one of the youngest and, let’s face it, one of the worst defensive cores in the league, is commendable.

Although the sample size is relatively small, Knight is only 24 years old. Signing Knight to a contract that gives him a longer leash while the rest of the young roster improves alongside him is a smart bet by Davidson. Like with the Frank Nazar extension, Davidson is betting on excess value created by a skyrocketing salary cap and player development.

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Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley ESQ are joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard to talk about the Blackhawks upcoming rookie camp, the curious case of Wyatt Kaiser, a look at what’s in store for the Rockford IceHogs and more.

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New man behind the bench

Jared Nightingale was named as the Rockford IceHogs’ new head coach this summer. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Shortly after the season ended, Rockford hired their new head coach. On May 30, Jared Nightingale was named the head coach of the IceHogs. Nightingale takes the job from interim coach Mark Eaton. Nightingale, a former captain of the IceHogs, returns to Rockford after serving as the head coach and director of hockey operations for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays. With the Stingrays, Nightingale led the team to a 52-15-5 record, setting a single-season record for points and wins. He led the Stingrays to the Brabham Cup and won the ECHL Coach of the Year award.

A leader both as a player and as a coach, Nightingale looks to bring familiarity and experience to a young Hogs roster.

Saying goodbye

IceHogs’ all-star Cole Guttman left the organization in free agency. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford’s roster saw a lot of change in the summer, but no change was more impactful than the loss of the team’s leading scorer, as Cole Guttman, who led the Hogs with 57 points in the 2024-25 regular season, signed with the Los Angeles Kings in the offseason.

Guttman was not the only loss to the top six. Trade acquisition Aku Raty signed a two-year deal with Karpat in Finland. In 15 regular season games with the Hogs, Raty scored six points.

Along with Raty, forward Zach Sanford signed with HC Lugano of the Swiss league. Sanford was second on the team in regular-season points with 43.

It is not just the Hogs’ first- and second-highest scorers leaving, but fourth-highest scorer Gerry Mayhew has not re-signed and remains an unrestricted free agent. Along with Mayhew, restricted free agent Jalen Luypen did not receive a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.

In all, the Hogs have seen a combined 155 regular-season points leave in the offseason. Rockford will need to replace an extensive amount of forward talent going into next season.

Saying hello (or welcome back)

Cavan Fitzgerald (No. 20) returns to provide the defense with veteran leadership. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

All is not lost for the IceHogs, as key pieces were brought back or acquired during the offseason.

The biggest re-signing was the captain. Forward Brett Seney re-upped with Rockford on a two-year deal. Seney, 29, looks to continue leading this young team toward the playoffs. Coming off a 39-point season, Seney looks to regain the scoring touch he had in previous years.

Along with Seney, Rockford re-signed left-handed defenseman Cavan Fitzgerald. Originally brought in last season on a PTO, Fitzgerald proved valuable as a defensive anchor for the young defensive unit Rockford deployed last season. With a young chorus of defensemen like Kevin Korchinski, Nolan Allan, Taige Harding and newly acquired Ryan Mast, Fitzgerald looks to continue his veteran leadership with the Hogs for the next two seasons.

To add to the forward depth, the Blackhawks signed former Manitoba Moose captain Dominic Toninato to a two-way contract. Toninato, 31, tallied 36 points in 60 games in the AHL last season. With 189 career NHL games, Toninato provides Rockford with NHL experience and leadership. Time will tell if he spends more time in the NHL than in the AHL this season.

There were many other skaters brought back or signed for the upcoming season. However, it would take too long to provide details on all of them. What follows is a list of players re-signed or signed to one-year contracts.

Jackson Cates (F) (re-signed)
Marcel Marcel (F) (re-signed)
Kevin Lombardi (F) (re-signed)
Ryan Gagnier (F) re-signed)
Dillon Boucher (F)
Harrison Israel (F)
Jamie Engelbert (F)
Connor Mylymok (F)
Joe Carrol (F)
Andrew Perrott (D)
Jeremie Bucheler (D)
Tyson Feist (D)
Owen Flores (G)

Season outlook

Aidan Thompson looks to build upon his short time with Rockford last season. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Last season, Rockford was the launching point for a few skaters now with the Chicago Blackhawks. Players like Frank Nazar, Ethan Del Mastro, Landon Slaggert and Artyom Levshunov utilized their time with Rockford to become regular NHLers by the end of the season.

The trend looks to continue this season. Chicago has emphasized Rockford as an important stage for prospects getting into the professional game. When asked about his time in Rockford, Aidan Thompson praised his short time with Rockford last season.

“That’s one thing the coaching staff and the program does so well is preparing you for the next level, and I think it went really smoothly,” Thompson said.

“I have nothing but good things to say … they’ve been great so far in the process … we get treated so well just as prospects and coming into the program.”

When further asked about the difference between the college game and the professional game, Thompson emphasized the age and size of the opposition.

“Guys are a lot stronger, they have a lot more years of development … a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger,” Thompson said.

Thompson, who only has four AHL games to his name, looks ready to take advantage of a wide-open depth chart.

Thompson is not the only prospect looking for Rockford roster spots. Prospects like Harding, Ryan Greene and Nick Lardis look to join a roster filled with young skaters looking to make their way to the Blackhawks.

Final thoughts

Colton Dach, Frank Nazar and Landon Slaggert started last season with Rockford before establishing themselves with the Blackhawks as the season went on. (Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The IceHogs, like their NHL counterparts, sees their young players as their lifeblood. Rockford wants their roster teeming with youth, and want to provide them with a lot of runway. Bringing in a 41-year-old coach emphasizes this thinking. Rockford is a garden, and every garden needs the right amount of care to encourage growth.

IceHogs color commentator Dana Grey lent his thoughts on the upcoming season.

“These are really exciting times in both the IceHogs and Blackhawks organizations,” Grey said. “Two fresh faces behind both benches and a plethora of young talent that is [champing] at the bit to take the next steps. I can’t wait to see games back at the BMO Center and get this season going.”

Grey reflects the belief around the organization. Rockford is the land of opportunity; the garden in which young players can dig their roots and grow.

The chance for growth begins on Oct. 11 when the IceHogs’ regular season starts at home against Milwaukee.

The post Rockin’ with Rockford: 2025-26 season preview appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley ESQ are joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard to preview the 2025-26 season with Blackhawks training camp on the horizon.

Draft pick talk
Acquisitions
RFA signings
Opening night roster
Centennial season expectations
Other notable league news
Prospects we’ll learn about in camp and players that will have a breakout season
and more!

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Join your fellow Rinkrats below to discuss what the Blackhawks accomplished (or did not accomplish) this year as the market opened.

Player	Pos	Prev Team	New Team	Age	Ht / Wt	Term	Notes
Dominic Toninato	F			31	6’2” / 202	2 x $850k	Two-way contract

These are Blackhawks trades relevant to this offseason.

Date	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
6/13/25	Victor Soderstrom		Ryan Mast and a 2025 7th round pick
6/21/25	Joe Veleno		Andre Burakovsky
7/1/25	2026 sixth-round pick		Sam Lafferty

Trade Analysis

• The Boston Bruins acquired Victor Soderstrom from the Chicago Blackhawks for Ryan Mast and a 2025 7th round pick

The Boston Bruins acquired Victor Soderstrom from the Chicago Blackhawks for Ryan Mast and a 2025 7th round pick

• The Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Joe Veleno

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken for Joseph Veleno

• Chicago Blackhawks acquire Sam Lafferty from Buffalo for a 2026 sixth-round pick

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Sam Lafferty from the Buffalo Sabres for a 2026 6th round pick

The post Chicago Blackhawks 2025 Real-Time Free Agency Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

This offseason may not be as exciting as some fans believe. Although not stated outright, it seems that the Blackhawks will not be big-fish hunting for forwards like Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser and Nikolaj Ehlers. Even so, the Blackhawks may look to improve around the edges. Here is what I predict for the Blackhawks’ 2025 offseason.

Decide on restricted free agents

(Photo courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Going into this offseason, the Blackhawks have multiple restricted free agents (RFAs) needing a new deal. The most notable RFAs are Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, Arvid Soderblom and Philipp Kurashev. Of these four, Chicago looks to be retaining three.

The three retained are Crevier, Kaiser and Soderblom.

Crevier, a 2020 seventh-round success story, made strides during the 2024-25 season. Despite Chicago drowning in defensive prospects, a tall, right-handed defenseman like Crevier is hard to find. Crevier earned his spot on this roster, and should solidify the bottom-pairing and provide depth for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Kaiser, a 22-year-old left-handed defenseman, showed promise at times during the 2024-25 season. Despite frustrations, he has shown enough to deserve re-signing.

Soderblom, a 25-year-old goaltender, improved this season after a disastrous 2023-24 season. With Laurent Brossoit’s health seemingly up in the air, re-signing Soderblom keeps the backup goaltender position secure. Could carrying three goalies become a problem? Yes, but better safe than sorry.

For an RFA like Kurashev, it is clear to see why he is not being given a qualifying offer.

Kurashev had a horrific 2024-25 season. There were times were he did not even look like an AHL-caliber forward. Letting him go should be pretty easy for the Blackhawks.

Other RFAs, like Antti Saarela, Aku Raty and Jalen Luypen, will not receive qualifying offers.

Sign a competent, second/third-pairing left-handed defenseman

With the sting of T.J. Brodie, the idea of signing another left-handed defenseman over the age of 30 may scare some Blackhawks fans. However, looking at the Blackhawks’ defense core, one thing becomes very clear. It is young, almost too young for its own good. The only defenseman over the age of 25 is Connor Murphy.

Murphy, going into the last year of his contract, with injury concerns, should not be the only veteran defenseman on this roster. Chicago needs a competent partner for the young guys breaking into the league. Here are a few options the Blackhawks could explore.

Brian Dumoulin

(Photo courtesy of Joe Sargent / NHLI via Getty Images)

One of my favorite free agents this summer, Brian Dumoulin provides competent defensive play to this young core.

Dumoulin, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins, split his 2024-25 season with the Anaheim Ducks and New Jersey Devils. Coming off of a two-year, $6.3 million contract, Dumoulin could fit well opposite Artyom Levshunov, essentially babysitting the young prospect during his first full season in the NHL.

Realistically, Chicago could bring in Dumoulin on a two-year, $6.5 million contract. Dumoulin turns 34 in September, so providing him term and a pay raise at this point in his career could be a selling point.

Nate Schmidt

(Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)

Although Nate Schmidt may stay with the Florida Panthers, he, like Dumoulin, brings championship pedigree and a defensive mindset to this young group.

Coming off a contract that only paid him $800,000, dangling a pay raise of around $1.5 million per year could rip Schmidt away from the champion Panthers.

Schmidt, like Dumoulin, also turns 34 this summer. At that age, Chicago should max out at a two-year deal if they choose to offer Schmidt a contract.

Matt Grzelcyk

(Photo courtesy of Joe Sargent / NHLI via Getty Images)

More of a puck-moving defenseman than a defensive defenseman, Matt Grzelcyk can give that bottom pairing a jolt on offense. With how hard it was for Blackhawks defensemen to score all season, Grzelcyk could change that.

Grzelcky, at 31 years old and coming off of a contract that paid him $2.75 million per year, could prove to be difficult to sign. Unlike Schmidt and Dumoulin, Grzelcyk does not have a ring. He may be looking to Cup chase with his next contract, which would mean an overpayment by Chicago would be necessary to bring him in.

Acquire bottom-six depth while gaining draft capital

After trading away Evander Kane, the Edmonton Oilers may still be looking to move money out. With the need to re-sign Evan Bouchard this summer, and with concerns elsewhere on the roster, an overpaid forward like Viktor Arvidsson could be moved.

Here’s where Chicago comes in. With forward prospects still needing some time to develop away from the NHL, taking on Arvidsson’s $4 million contract for one year could prove to be a slam dunk. With Edmonton’s desperation to make room, Chicago could also pilfer some draft capital in this deal.

Arvidsson is a forward I had mentioned in my previous prediction article as a target for the Blackhawks. His 2024-25 season was underwhelming. A season after back surgery, Arvidsson only netted 27 points in 67 regular season games. He proved useful during Edmonton’s playoff run, scoring seven points in 15 playoff games. Despite this, paying $4 million for a 30-point scorer is not ideal for the Oilers.

Here is how this deal could work out:

Sign a depth forward to buy prospects time

(Photo courtesy of Bill Wippert / NHLI via Getty Images)

The last move would be the least exciting. As mentioned earlier, the Blackhawks have a ton of prospects on the precipice of not just making their NHL debuts, but sticking around for the season.

With that being said, the Blackhawks still need some NHL-ready depth to sit in the press box ready to step in during an injury or after a trade. Doing this makes sure Chicago does not have to call someone up after the trade deadline or after an injury if they do not want to.

Here is a quick list of options Chicago could offer one-year deals to:

• Curtis Lazar
• Colin White
• Derek Ryan
• Michael Eyssimont
• Luke Glendening
• Tyson Jost
• Steven Lorentz
• Logan Brown
• Vinni Lettieri

They are not the most exciting of forwards, but 13th forwards are not meant to be.

Analysis

It is hard to predict big splashes for Chicago this season. Perhaps Kyle Davidson is keeping things close to the chest, and on July 1 the collective minds of Blackhawks fans explodes at a Marner signing. But, as time goes on, and with more media members throwing cold water on the hot stoves, it may be time to hunker down and accept smaller moves.

Here is how these hypothetical moves could shape Chicago’s roster going into the 2025-26 season:

With this, the Blackhawks can start the season with prospects like Oliver Moore, Riley Greene, Samuel Savoie, Kevin Korchinski and Nolan Allan in Rockford. Doing so allows these young players to break into the professional game without being overwhelmed by the speed of the NHL.

Moves like these give Chicago the most important thing: options. They have the option to put prospects where they want. They have the option to move guys out with only one year left on their contracts. Options, and the chance to see more young skaters at the NHL level, are two valuable commodities Chicago has with these moves.

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First round

The first round, as it has been since Kyle Davidson was hired, was busy. With the third overall pick, the Blackhawks selected Swedish center Anton Frondell.

Frondell, the best European prospect in this draft, shows a lot of promise in his two-way game. When asked if the Blackhawks were “getting their own Barkov,” Frondell’s answer was simple: “Yeah.”

Based on comments from Davidson, Frondell will likely remain with Djurgårdens in Sweden for the 2025-26 season.

With their second first-round selection, the Blackhawks selected forward Vaclav Nestrasil. Nestrasil, who spent his 2024-25 season with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL, plays a tough-nosed game and uses his 6-foot-6 frame to good use.

Nestrasil is committed to the University of Massachusetts Amherst next season.

With their third and final pick of the first round, Chicago traded up with the Carolina Hurricanes to acquired the 29th overall pick. With this pick, the Blackhawks selected forward Mason West. West, currently a 17-year-old with Edina High School, is a physical specimen. West stands at 6-foot-6 and weighs 218 pounds.

A multi-sport athlete, West will play one last season of high school football before taking his talents to Michigan State University.

Third round

After trading both of their second-round picks to draft West, Chicago had to wait until the third round to make a pick. With the 67th overall pick, Chicago drafted another forward in Nathan Behm.

Behm brings size and a scoring touch to the prospect pool. The 6-foot-2 forward scored a career-high 31 goals during the 2024-25 season.

Fourth round

With the first of two fourth-round selections, Chicago drafted forward Julius Sumpf.

Sumpf, a German forward, spent his 2024-25 season with the Moncton Wildcats. Like Behm, Sumpf recorded a career high in goals with 26 last season.

With their second fourth-round pick, Chicago drafted Brantford Bulldog forward Parker Holmes.

Holmes, a teammate of fellow Blackhawks prospects Nick Lardis and Marek Vanacker, tallied only one goal in 21 games with the Bulldogs.

Sixth round

In the sixth round, Chicago broke the streak of drafting forwards, taking defenseman Ashton Cumby.

Cumby, who played his 2024-25 season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, is a physical, defense-first skater. Despite being defense-first, Cumby recorded a career high in goals, assists and points this season.

Seventh round

With their final pick in the draft, Chicago drafted Russian goaltender Ilya Kanarsky.

Kanarsky, a 20-year-old goalie currently playing in the MHL, had a record of 22–8–1 with a .938 save percentage and a 2.24 goals against average in 34 regular season games during the 2024-25 season.

Analysis

With the 2025 NHL Draft being considered not as deep compared to previous seasons, the Blackhawks took gambles on two traits: size and upside. Davidson emphasized this thinking when explaining to the media his choice to trade up for West.

Time will tell with a lot of these picks. Project picks take time, and the Blackhawks chose multiple projects in this draft. There are no winners or losers of the draft immediately after the draft, so time will tell. Patience will be a virtue with these young men, maybe more so than in previous drafts.

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VERY LONG EPISODE ALERT! 5 Hours

Chicago Rinkcast guest host and prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley ESQ is joined by staff members Eric Andrews, Jeff Osborn and Sean Fitzgerald to watch the first round of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft, where they drafted Anton Frondell, Vaclav Nestrasil, and traded up to take Mason West.

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Check out Rink prospect guru Jimmy O’Malley and Rink staffers for a LIVE reaction podcast:

The players that the organization selects will be listed below, with links to their prospect profiles and all their vital stats.

2025 Blackhawks NHL Entry Draft

Chicago Blackhawks Draft Picks

Trades made leading to and during the draft:

Date	Outgoing Player/Pick	Opposite Team	Player/Pick Received
6/13/25	Victor Soderstrom		Ryan Mast and a 2025 7th round pick
6/21/25	Joe Veleno		Andre Burakovsky
7/1/25	2026 sixth-round pick		Sam Lafferty

Trade Analysis

• The Boston Bruins acquired Victor Soderstrom from the Chicago Blackhawks for Ryan Mast and a 2025 7th round pick

The Boston Bruins acquired Victor Soderstrom from the Chicago Blackhawks for Ryan Mast and a 2025 7th round pick

• The Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Joe Veleno

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken for Joseph Veleno

• The Chicago Blackhawks acquired a 2025 1st round pick (#29) from the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2025 2nd round pick (#34), a 2025 2nd round pick (#62), a 2027 5th round pick

The Chicago Blackhawks acquired a 2025 1st round pick (#29) from the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2025 2nd round pick (#34), a 2025 2nd round pick (#62), a 2027 5th round pick

The post Chicago Blackhawks 2025 Upper Deck NHL Entry Draft Tracker appeared first on The Rink.

Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Andrew Bard and Jimmy O’Malley ESQ to discuss the Blackhawks recent moves including the acquisition of Andre Burakovsky, the buyout of TJ Brodie, Jonathan Toews to Winnipeg, and an in-depth look at draft prospect Michael Misa.

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Forward Ryan Donato has re-signed with Chicago. The deal is a four-year, $16 million contract at $4 million AAV.

Donato’s Blackhawks tenure

Donato signed his first Blackhawks contract in the summer of 2023, signing a two-year, $4 million contract at $2 million AAV. In his first season with the club, Donato notched 12 goals and 18 assists in 78 games during the 2023–24 season.

His second season with the club was a breakout for Donato. With 31 goals and 31 assists in 80 games, Donato logged career highs across the board. He led the team in goals and finished second on the team in points.

In two seasons, Donato played 158 out of a possible 164 games. In that time, Donato has scored 43 goals and recorded 49 assists.

Analysis

It was clear since the trade deadline how much the Blackhawks valued Donato. After refusing to trade him, re-signing Donato became a priority for Chicago.

The key for Chicago was to not become desperate in negotiations. With a massive amount of cap space, and many young skaters finishing their entry-level contracts soon, every dollar was important.

The key for Donato was a place to stay. Donato and his agent emphasized wanting to find his hockey home.

With this contract, both sides come out a winner. Chicago kept a productive middle-six forward who, although he may not replicate his previous season’s output, should continue to produce at his contract value. Donato got the term he was looking for, along with a pay raise from his previous deal.

With no more unrestricted free agents left to sign, Chicago can now spend the rest of the offseason preparing for the draft, prioritizing their restricted free agents and writing up offers for potential additions beginning July 1.

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Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell, staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Andrew Bard and Jimmy O’Malley ESQ are joined by hockey analyst Jonny Lazarus (from @NHL, @DailyFaceoff, @BR_OpenIce, and @NESN) to talk about the upcoming draft and where Blackhawks possible target James Hagens may land.

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Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Andrew Bard and Jimmy O’Malley ESQ discuss the Blackhawks expansion plans for Fifth Third Arena, a look into the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals, another possible UFA target, what the future may hold for Jonathan Toews and a breakdown of draft prospect Anton Frondell.

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Chicago Rinkcast Host Andy Campbell is joined by staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Andrew Bard and Jimmy O’Malley ESQ discuss Jeff Blashill’s first press conference as head coach of the Blackhawks, Frank Nazar and Alex Vlasic winning gold at the World Championships, talk about UFA to be Sam Bennett and take a closer look at potential draft target Porter Martone.

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General Manager Kyle Davidson had this to say about Blashill in a press release from the organization:

“Jeff is an incredibly smart and talented coach who boasts more than 25 years of coaching experience across developmental leagues, the NHL and the world stage. He’s thrived when in a position to develop young players and has shown he’s capable of blending that into overall team success, a vision and philosophy we share for where we are today and where we see our team in the future. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come under Jeff’s direction.”

Along with hiring Blashill, David Pagnotta reported that Anders Sorensen will remain with the organization as an assistant coach and that current New York Rangers assistant coach Michael Peca will be joining Blashill’s staff as an assistant coach. Pagnotta also stated that current Pittsburgh Penguin assistant Mike Velluci may also be joining the staff.

Blashill’s amateur coaching career

Blashill has a long and intriguing coaching career. His career began with the Ferris State University Bulldogs as an assistant coach in 1999. After three seasons with Ferris State, he joined Miami (OH) University as an assistant.

After nearly a decade as a college-level assistant, Blashill became the head coach of the Indiana Ice in 2008. The Ice, a junior team in the USHL, won the Clark Cup in Blashill’s first year with the team.

Two years later, Blashill became the head coach of the Western Michigan University Broncos. In his one season with the Broncos, Blashill led WMU to a top-four finish in the CCHA, the CCHA championship game and the 2011 NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey tournament. Blashill was named the 2011 USCHO Coach of the Year, Inside College Hockey Coach of the Year and College Hockey News Coach of the Year.

Blashill’s professional coaching career

Following one season with Western Michigan, Blashill accepted an assistant coaching position with the Detroit Red Wings in 2011.

The next year, Blashill became the Grand Rapid Griffins’ head coach. In his three seasons coaching the Griffins, he led the team to three straight seasons of 40+ wins, the Calder Cup in 2013 and the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award in 2014.

After his success in the AHL, Blashill was named the Red Wings’ head coach heading into the 2015-16 season. Despite making the playoffs in his first season, the Red Wings failed to make the playoffs during the rest of his tenure, leading to him being let go after the 2021-22 season.

After leaving the Red Wings’ organization, Blashill joined Jon Copper’s staff in Tampa Bay, where he served as an assistant for the past three seasons.

Analysis

After months of speculation regarding David Carle, the hiring of Blashill may feel underwhelming to some Blackhawks fans. Even so, there is reason to be optimistic about Blashill. Some point to his Red Wings tenure as reason for concern, but there is nuance to his time with the Red Wings. At the time of his promotion, Ken Holland was desperate to keep the playoff streak alive. This meant handing out bloated contracts to veteran depth pieces and marginally skilled roster fillers.

After making the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, Holland re-signed 30-year-old Darren Helm to a six-year, $19.25 million contract. He then signed 32-year-old Frans Nielson five-year, $31.5 million contract, along with 33-year-old Thomas Vanek to a one-year, $2.6 million contract.

It did not end there. Holland continued his 2016 offseason spree by signing Luke Clendening to a four-year, $7.2 million contract and Danny DeKeyser to a six-year, $30 million contract.

Even after missing the 2017 playoffs, Holland did not stop spending. On the first day of 2017 free agency, Holland immediately signed 34-year-old Trevor Daley to a three-year, $9.5 million contract.

With these signings, it is clear Blashill, who spent most of his coaching career teaching players coming up in their careers, was expected to immediately compete with an old, slow roster. Blashill was a square peg in a round hole in Detroit.

There has also been criticism regarding Blashill’s time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Some point to  the Lightning not making it beyond the first round as a mark against Blashill. This, like with his Detroit tenure, requires some nuance.

By the time Blashill joined Cooper’s staff, the Lightning were coming off three-straight Stanley Cup Final appearances. Roster turnover, and general exhaustion, was expected.

In his time with the Lightning, Blashill was in charge of defensive structure and the power play. In the 2024-25 season, Tampa had the fifth-highest power play goal percentage, the sixth highest penalty kill percentage and had the fourth-lowest goals allowed in the NHL. Based on the numbers, Blashill has shown effectiveness, despite the mediocre bottom-six and third pairing.

Final thoughts

The question remains, is this a good hire or a bad one? It is neither. Basing how a head coach will perform on his past experience is impossible. Many head coaches failed their first time around. For proof, look at the resumes of Mike Sullivan, Bruce Cassidy and Scott Arniel. All three of these coaches failed their first time around. Now, they are considered some of the best head coaches in the league. Time will tell with Blashill, but there is reason to believe in his ability to lead this young Blackhawks team.

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Andrew Bard and Jimmy O’Malley ESQ discuss the pending hire of Jeff Blashill as their new head coach and dissect what the Hawks may do with the #3 overall pick in this year’s NHL entry draft.

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Game One

The IceHogs celebrate following Colton Dach’s overtime game-winning goal. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

The first two games stunned many, with the Hogs looking to pull off the upset. In Game One, with Rockford down by two going into the final frame, the Hogs stormed back with two third-period goals by Paul Ludwinski and Gerry Mayhew. Overtime would not last long. Just 12 seconds into overtime, a returning Colton Dach scored, giving Rockford the series lead.

Game Two

Aidan Thompson shined in Game Two in Milwaukee. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

Game Two was Rockford’s shining performance this postseason. With a hat trick from Joey Anderson, the Hogs routed the Admirals 6–1. This game also included Aidan Thompson’s first professional goal late in the third period. With a 2–0 series lead with chances to eliminate Milwaukee at home, it felt guaranteed to be an upset for Rockford. Unfortunately, it would not come to pass.

Game Three

The Admirals were in the face of many Hogs skaters, including Jalen Luypen, during Game Three. (Photo courtesy of Jimmy Doles / Rockford IceHogs)

All momentum Rockford gained in the first two games felt sapped out during Game Three. Milwaukee came in desperate and determined. The young IceHogs roster looked outmatched at every turn, with seemingly no answer for anything the Admirals threw at them. Milwaukee’s aggressive play on the puck carrier in Rockford’s zone led to panicked play and bad turnovers.

By the third period, goalie Drew Commesso was pulled after giving up five goals in the first two frames. The frustration of their first loss of the playoffs showed in the third period, with multiple altercation between skaters taking place, leading to Kevin Korchinski leaving the ice with a game misconduct. Losing 6–2, the Hogs still had the chance to finish off the Admirals on home ice in Game Four.

Game Four

IceHogs on the ice celebrate Thompson’s first period goal, his second professional playoff goal. (Photo courtesy of Jimmy Doles / Rockford IceHogs)

Game Four started off far better than Game Three did for Rockford. Rockford scored twice in the first. With a 2–1 lead, the Hogs faltered in the second, giving up the lead and going into the third down 3–2. Despite outshooting Milwaukee 11–4 in the final frame, it was not enough.

Admirals goaltender Matthew Murray blanked Rockford when it mattered most, and the series would come down to a win-or-go-home Game Five in Milwaukee.

Game Five

Joey Anderson celebrates his game-tying goal in the third period, leading to overtime. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

When it mattered most, Rockford put up a good fight, but it was not enough. Despite outshooting Milwaukee in the first period 15–5, the Admirals led going into the second frame.

The Hogs learned from Game Four’s second-period performance, because they came out strong in the second. Veteran forward Zach Sanford scored twice within eight minutes to take a 2–1 lead. Milwaukee would eventually tie it back up after a bad turnover created a goal for Fedor Svechkov.

It looked as though Rockford would keep the game tied, however, Admirals forward Jesse Ylonen had other plans. With just over a minute left in the second, he put the Admirals back on top.

The third period looked dire at first. Neither team could muster any sort of offense, and Milwaukee’s defensive wall looked impenetrable. Still, Rockford did not relent. With eight minutes left, Anderson knotted it back up at 3–3. It would remain 3–3 going into overtime.

Unfortunately, the bad penalties that plagued Rockford since Game Three showed up right away in overtime. Sanford, with two goals in the game, took a delay-of-game penalty 22 seconds into overtime. Overtime penalties on the road usually lead to disaster, and this proved to be true. Just over a minute after the penalty, Svechkov once again found the back of the net, ending the game, 4–3. Just like that, Rockford’s season was over.

Series overview

Despite the series loss, this young IceHogs team has a lot to look forward to. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

If any IceHogs fan had been told that they would sweep the Wolves and take the Admirals the distance, they would have been impressed. However, a reverse sweep is difficult to swallow, even when Rockford was a heavy underdog. It takes a lot to beat a team like Milwaukee. This young Hogs roster got a crash course in what it takes to take down a good team with their backs against the wall.

This is not to say the Hogs got complacent; far from it. This series showed what needs to be done if Rockford wants to take the next level. Bad penalties and Milwaukee’s ability to frustrate Hogs skaters led to this outcome. Rockford will need to learn to play disciplined when frustrated, and not falter against pressure.

It is also important to point out the positives. The first should be how impressive it is that Rockford got this far. Being the fifth and final seed in the stacked Central Division, and being worst team in the playoffs based on season point total, the expectations were low. Taking on the Wolves could have been the end, considering how dominant Chicago was against Rockford all season. Sweeping them convincingly was shocking. Despite the loss to the Admirals, the final two games of the series were one-goal contests. The Hogs played competitively against a team that could have demolished them in a clean sweep. The loss hurts, but competing with this young roster was impressive.

Another positive point is how well the young Hogs skaters played in their first taste of professional playoff hockey. Samuel Savoie sticks out the most, with two goals and six points in seven playoff games. Finishing closely behind him, Thompson had two goals and two assists during the Hogs’ playoff run. Korchinski also managed two goals and two assists during these playoffs.

To go along with the previously mentioned prospects, others like Nolan Allan had four assists during the playoffs, Ludwinski had a goal and an assist, Artyom Levshunov had a overtime goal against the Wolves, and Gavin Hayes had two assists during the playoffs.

For a roster so young, and, on paper, so overmatched, they impressed many across the hockey landscape. Although disappointing now, a playoff run like this only helps the organization.

Final thoughts

I would like to thank members of the Rockford IceHogs organization for allowing myself and The Rink to cover the IceHogs during this season. Members of the organization, like Dana Grey and Nicholas Lalpuis, have granted me access to postgame interviews and provided me press credentials to multiple Hogs games throughout the regular and postseason. Dana Grey has even lent his insights to our podcast, the Rinkcast, throughout the season, which we are incredibly grateful for.

I would like to also thank the photographers and social media staff of the Rockford IceHogs. Their efforts, including pictures taken during games, were utilized for IceHog articles on The Rink.

I, along with the rest of the team, look forward to continuing our relationship with the Rockford IceHogs in the coming seasons.

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Chicago Rinkcast staff members Sean Fitzgerald, Andrew Bard and Jimmy O’Malley ESQ are live from the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery for instant reactions to where the ping-pong balls fall for our beloved Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks are guaranteed a pick in the top four and have a 13.5% chance to land the first overall pick:

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First period

Joey Anderson’s first period goal set the tone for the Hogs. (Photo courtesy of Kristin Ostrowski / Rockford IceHogs)

With an energetic home crowd, the Hogs came out firing.

A Rockford shot rang off the pipe, setting off the horn and stopping play a minute in. After review, the call of “no goal” was confirmed.

It was not a mistake the next time the horn sounded. Just over two minutes into the first, Joey Anderson sent the home crowd into a frenzy. Anderson’s goal started a small melee behind the Wolves’ net, sending Nolan Allan and Dominic Franco to the box with matching two-minute penalties.

After both men returned to the ice, Rockford continued the early momentum. Finding himself alone in front of the net, Kevin Korchinski tapped in Zach Sanford’s pass to double the lead with 14:16 left in the first.

When asked postgame about getting off to a hot start, head coach Mark Eaton emphasized setting the tone Rockford wanted.

“Make them weather our storm; we knew they were going to be a desperate team … we were able to get on them early and manage pucks well,” said Eaton.

The early 2–0 lead could have been undone by Levshunov’s double minor for high-sticking. Instead, the Hogs held tight.

The period ended at 2–0, with Rockford holding the shots advantage at 10–9.

Second period