On Thursday afternoon, the AHL All-Star rosters were announced for all four divisions. For the Rockford IceHogs, that mean that goaltender Collin Delia, currently playing with the Chicago Blackhawks would be joining teammate Andrew Campbell on the Central Division roster. It is the first AHL All-Star nominations for both players.
Collin Delia Named To AHL All-Star Roster
Two different paths to the AHL All-Star game, but two well-deserved honors for Collin Delia and Andrew Campbell this season. For what has been an up and down year for the IceHogs, there have been at least two constants with the play from Delia in net, and the on and off the ice professionalism and leadership ability of Campbell.
For Delia, entering his second season with the IceHogs has been much different from entering his first with the organization. This time last year, Delia had just four starts to his name in the AHL, a 1-3-0 record with a 3.33 GAA, and a 0.838 save-percentage. Also, his time with the Indy Fuel wasn’t any better and the prospect from Rancho Cucamonga was looking more and more like a project, than a future NHL starter. Fast forward one year and Delia has turned into one of the top net-minders in the AHL and is looking more and more like a regular spot with the Blackhawks is in his near future.
This season for Delia, while playing behind the second-lowest scoring offense in the AHL, he has a 7-5-4 record with a 2.34 GAA and a 0.933 save-percentage. His GAA ranks 4th in the AHL among qualified goalies and his save-percentage is the best in the league, albeit he has not played for the IceHogs in the AHL since December 16, a 37-save performance in a 2-1 Rockford win.
Collin Delia is all smiles for the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Kate Dibildox)
There in-lies the issue with Delia being named to the AHL Central Division All-Star roster. He has not played with the team since mid-December and with the way he has played with the Blackhawks since being recalled, paired with the uncertainty behind the health of Corey Crawford, it appears Delia will not be heading back to the AHL anytime soon. In his four starts with the Blackhawks, Delia has a 3-0-1 record with a 1.98 GAA and a 0.952 save-percentage, coming off a 47-save performance in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Islanders on Thursday night.
Much like last season for the IceHogs around this time of year when defenseman Erik Gustafsson and forward Vince Hinostroza were named to the AHL All-Star game but were playing with the Blackhawks, a replacement will more than likely be needed.
Enter Anton Forsberg.
Last season, two players from the IceHogs were named in place of Gustafsson and Hinostroza as Matthew Highmore and Carl Dahlstrom took their places. If Delia isn’t going to be back in the AHL by the time the All-Star weekend rolls around, then Forsberg would take his place.
Rockford IceHogs goaltender Anton Forsberg. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)
The tenure with the Blackhawks organization for Forsberg has been an odd one. Last season he was brought in to be the backup to Corey Crawford, but once Crawford went down to injury, Forsberg’s play was inconsistent and he couldn’t hold the NHL net away from the likes of Delia, Jeff Glass, and J.F. Berube. Forsberg then came into this season with a still inactive Crawford and Cam Ward to battle for ice-time in net, ultimately losing out to the former Stanley Cup winner in Ward and returning to Rockford to split time with Delia.
He has racked up a 7-5-1 record with a 2.82 GAA and a 0.911 save-percentage with the IceHogs this season and if Delia doesn’t play in the AHL All-Star weekend, the replacement nomination could be a bit of a consolation prize for Forsberg in his time with the organization.
What’s Next?
The IceHogs return to action on Friday night as they travel to Iowa to take on the Iowa Wild in the first of a home-and-home series. Puck drop for Friday night’s game is set for 7pm CT at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. After that, the IceHogs return home to face the Wild on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop on Sunday is set for 4pm CT at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. The IceHogs hold a 1-2-1 record against the Wild this season.