On Saturday, April 18, the Rockford IceHogs took on the Texas Stars. Losing 5-1, the IceHogs finished their season with a record of 28-39-5. Rockford finished this season with their lowest point total (61) since becoming the AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks. They have missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
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.