Hearing Luke Richardson will be the next head coach of the Chicago #Blackhawks.

Sources say Richardson and the Hawks are putting the final touches on a contract.

Quite the resume for Richardson, who played 1400+ NHL games, 8 years as NHL assistant, 4 years as AHL head coach.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 24, 2022

As a player, Richardson was the seventh overall pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1987, one pick ahead of the Blackhawks, who drafted Jimmy Waite—the team’s current goaltending coach—eighth overall. For his career, Richardson spent five seasons with Toronto, six with Edmonton, five Philadelphia, three with Columbus and one with Tampa Bay before finishing out his last two years with the Ottawa Senators. After retiring with Ottawa following the 2008–09 season, he joined their NHL coaching staff under Cory Clouston in 2009–10. Richardson was an assistant with the NHL club for three season before becoming the head coach of the Binghamton Senators of the AHL.

With Binghamton, Richardson coached future NHL star Mark Stone for two seasons from age 20 to 22 before Stone joined the Senators full time. Richardson also coached future NHL players in Ben Bishop, Cody Ceci, Jared Cowen, Andrew Hammond, Mike Hoffman, Robin Lehner and Jakob Silfverberg.

After four seasons in the AHL, Richardson left the Senators organization and joined the New York Islanders for one season as an assistant coach. After his lone season in New York, Richardson joined the Montreal Canadiens under Claude Julien. He finished last season as an assistant under Martin St. Louis.

Richardson also has one season international coaching experience, as in 2016–17, he served as an assistant for Team Canada at the Deutschland Cup before leading Team Canada at the Spengler Cup.

While this will be Richardson’s first stint as an NHL head coach, Scott Powers of The Athletic got this feedback on Richardson: “Coaching-wise, he’s a teacher and a great human,” a league source said. “I love the guy.”

Yahoo’s Arun Srinivasan got this feedback on Richardson: “Richardson has been lauded by his players as a calming influence behind the bench with a cerebral understanding of the game and excellent communication skills.”

On paper, while similar to Derek King as a former long-time NHL player, this hire seems to be the right fit for the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks are going to need a teacher with so many younger players expecting to be given chances to develop at the NHL level as the Blackhawks look to rebuild.

King

With the hiring of Richardson, former interim head coach Derek King is being told that he can explore other coaching opportunities, however, the Blackhawks are open to King joining the NHL staff if both King and Richardson can agree on it.

Front office promotions 

In addition to the hiring of Richardson, Davidson also finalized his front office staff earlier this week. Mark Eaton will remain as assistant general manager of development, while Meghan Hunter has been promoted to assistant general manager of hockey operations, Karilyn Pilch has been promoted to director of player personnel and Brian Campbell will stay on as a hockey operations advisor.

Hunter’s promotion is particularly noteworthy, as she is the fourth female assistant general manager in NHL history.

Stay tuned to The Rink for more Blackhawks news.

The post Blackhawks to hire Luke Richardson as new head coach appeared first on The Rink.

Rinkcast host Andy Campbell is joined by Rink staffers Ray Napientek, and Sean Fitzgerald to discuss the first games of the Derek King era.

• Is Derek King’s current style just what the Chicago Blackhawks need right now?
• Keys to success on the west coast road trip (Must win game one vs. Seattle?)
• An early review on Seth Jones: Is he a true number one defenseman?
• Players of concern: Jonathan Toews, Dominik Kubalik, and Philipp Kurashev.

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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Watch the entire replay of the Twitter right here:

Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 5, Episode 7 – Can the Hawks keep it rolling https://t.co/dzt0MB5Vgn

— Chicago Blackhawks Rinkcast (@TheRinkcast) November 17, 2021

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 5, Episode 7 – King in his Castle appeared first on The Rink.

In a scoreless first period, Chicago outshot the Preds 10–5.

Near the halfway point of the second period, Brandon Hagel scored his fourth goal of the year, putting the puck up and over Juuse Saros after a Seth Jones shot caromed off the end boards to the front of the net. Jonathan Toews received the secondary assist on the play.

bagel goals = pic.twitter.com/HbeekRXYBr

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 8, 2021

Less than two minutes later, Nashville tied the game when Alexandre Carrier drove to the net and tucked the puck behind Kevin Lankinen to knot the score at 1–1.

The third period showcased some great chances for both sides, but both Lankinen and Saros held firm, including a few show-stopping saves. Though the Hawks outshot the Preds 31–20 through 60 minutes, both teams earned a point and skated into the overtime frame.

In the overtime, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane connected on a nifty 2-on-1 break. Kane collected a pass from DeBrincat, kicked the puck to his stick and calmly sent a backhand pass back and “the Cat” buried it to seal the 2–1 overtime win. Lankinen not only got his first win of the season with 21 saves, but also tallied the secondary assist on the overtime winner.

THE PLAY, THE PASS, THE GOAL pic.twitter.com/yLviFIQhco

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 8, 2021

Analysis

It is hard to imagine a dramatic turnaround for the Hawks with King now at the helm, but on Sunday night, the compete level was certainly there. Through his initial comments and interviews, it is clear that King is a players’ coach. In a year of turmoil for the team both on and off the ice, he may be just the presence the players need right now. Time will tell as to the results, but based on the effort from the skaters on Sunday night, perhaps the Blackhawks will show a more inspired brand of hockey moving forward, which would certainly be a welcomed change.

Next up, Chicago will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. CST puck drop.

The post RECAP: King gets first win, Hawks beat Preds 2–1 appeared first on The Rink.

Rinkcast host Andy Campbell and co-host Eric Andrews are joined by Rink staffers Ray Napientek, Sean Fitzgerald, and Andrew Bard to discuss the termination of head coach Jeremy Colliton

• With Derek King appointed as interim head coach, will the Hawks turn their season around?
• Is King the long term solution or merely a bandaid until they hire a more seasoned replacement?

Watch the entire replay of the Facebook live right here:

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https://t.co/OH0rU9jc8k

— The Rink — Chicago Blackhawks (@TheRinkChi) November 6, 2021

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Season 5, Episode 6 – Jeremy Colliton fired appeared first on The Rink.

The Blackhawks have relieved Jeremy Colliton, Tomas Mitell and Sheldon Brookbank of their coaching duties and have named Derek King Interim Head Coach, effective immediately. https://t.co/2PggeNtIY4

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 6, 2021

The move comes as Interim General Manager Kyle Davidson’s first significant decision, and Blackhawks ownership shared their support of Davidson’s choice.

“On the ice, Interim General Manager Kyle Davidson has our full confidence and autonomy to make hockey decisions, and we support him on this coaching change,” said Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz in a press release. “We appreciate all that Jeremy has brought to the Blackhawks, and we look forward to working with Derek as our interim head coach while we work to rebuild our permanent hockey operations leadership.”

Davidson noted his confidence in King, as King’s NHL playing experience, professional hockey coaching experience and familiarity with many of the young players in the organization will help him lead the team during the search for a permanent replacement.

King was hired to take Colliton’s spot as the head coach of the IceHogs on an interim basis on Nov. 6, 2018, and the interim tag was removed on April 25, 2019.

While the trio of Colliton, Brookbank and Mitell head out the door, Dylan Crawford, Marc Crawford, Matt Meacham and Jimmy Waite will remain on the team’s coaching staff. With King’s promotion to Chicago, Rockford Assistant Coach Anders Sorensen will step into the head coaching role with the IceHogs on an interim basis beginning tonight.

Colliton’s tenure with the Blackhawks was nothing short of rocky, posting an 87–92–26 record in just under three years of calendar time. Colliton was brought on as the team’s head coach in the firing of then-bench boss Joel Quenneville. Expected to serve as an innovative new voice for the franchise, Colliton largely failed to earn the trust and respect of his team, and the results clearly showed on the ice. Colliton’s poor showing behind the bench was capped by a miserable 1–9–2 start to this season.

“Our on-ice goal remains the same: To build an elite system of hockey—and we have not delivered on that,” Davidson said in the press release. “The fact is our play and competitiveness must improve. Every game, every shift. Today’s coaching changes are difficult, especially given the incredible personal connections Jeremy and others have made with our players in their development. We appreciate Jeremy’s contributions to the organization over the last three seasons, and we wish him and his family the best.”

The new-look Blackhawks will have their first chance to prove themselves under their new leader on Sunday, hosting the Nashville Predators for a 6 p.m. CST puck drop.

The post BREAKING: Blackhawks fire Jeremy Colliton appeared first on The Rink.

One-on-one with IceHogs head coach Derek King

After taking over the head coaching position early in November last season, Derek King led the IceHogs to a 29–28–7 record with him behind the bench as the boss. Missing the Calder Cup Playoffs by seven points in the AHL Central Division, the IceHogs ranked last in goals scored last season, but had the 10th-fewest goals scored against them and had both Collin Delia and Anton Forsberg finish in the top five in the league in save percentage.

The roster makeup heading into the 2019–20 season looks promising from a scoring potential standpoint and the IceHogs have Delia returning to the net as a tandem with emerging goaltender Kevin Lankinen. Signs are pointing up for the IceHogs heading into this season and King is focusing on getting his young team ready to be professionals right from the start.

On handling the first offseason knowing he will be head coach this year:

“Well, summer has been too long having missed the playoffs. But, it’s been a good opportunity to take a deep breath, step back from the game and just concentrate on preparing for next year. I was just talking with Anders (Sorensen) and we’re just ready to get back.”

On mentality heading into this season after missing playoffs:

“The big thing is going into this year and being healthy is a major key. Last year when I took over, there were like 10–12 guys who were injured and out of our lineup within the first month. So, the nice thing is you get a fresh start with a healthy squad. The mindset is, as it has always been at this level, to develop our players and get them ready for the NHL. Especially this year, you don’t know what’s going to happen up top and these guys need to be ready to step right in. With that being said, it’s nice to get these guys developed, but it’s also nice to win some hockey games.”

On balance between coaching to development and coaching to win:

“Developing guys is the higher percentage goal. I don’t know if it’s 60–40 or what, like if it’s 60 percent developing guys and 40 percent focus on winning, but it fluctuates every month at this level, because you don’t always know who or what you have. The key thing with us, especially with the younger guys, is to make sure that they have the right nutrition, the right habits and work ethic on the ice to turn into good pros for Chicago.”

Rockford IceHogs interim head coach Derek King looks on during an IceHogs game in the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

On how much contact he keeps with players over the summer regarding training:

“You have to trust these guys. They’re professional hockey players and you can’t hold their hand. Obviously, some guys come early into town and start working out and training in the Chicago area to get ready, but they’re on their own. They need to know this is pro hockey now and have to learn how to get into a routine. The big thing is teaching them the off-ice stuff to learn the right habits.”

On youth of the roster heading into 2019–20 season:

“The big thing is consistency for them. I think they’ll find out the season is a grind, but the nice thing is we have some veteran players to help lead those young guys the right way. They have to take care of their bodies, like I said the habits of eating well and making sure they are staying on top of their training.”

On veteran presence that Kris Versteeg adds to IceHogs’ roster:

“He’s won some Cups, played in the NHL for a long time and he is a skilled player, so he’ll play in a lot of situations for us. These guys can learn from him, especially the forwards can see how he handles things. We will see after camp how things go, we got some other veterans coming back for us like Tyler Sikura and we’re going to count on them to be leaders for us.”

Rockford IceHogs interim head coach Derek King watches on during an IceHogs game in the 2018–19 season. (Photograph courtesy of Texas Stars)

On naming, or not naming, a set leadership group or captain for the 2019–20 season:

“The leaders will step out; you’ll notice them from the crowd and who they are. We won’t jump the gun and say, ‘Oh this guy will be our captain’ based on age or experience or anything like that. It’ll be based on who can lead the team the right way. That’s not saying our young guys can’t be leaders.”

On having Adam Boqvist possibly available for the IceHogs this season:

“The big thing with him is that he has the skills to play the game on the big stage, but you have to get the ‘junior’ out of him. He’ll have to learn, like everyone else, how to be a good pro, be a good teammate and how to do things the right way. It’s all part of the development and we have to guide him in that area. For guys coming in from college or junior or over from Europe, the American Hockey League is a better league than you think. That’ll be a message. To get through it, you have to work hard and stay healthy. But for Adam, the skill is there, he just has to hone his game. He’ll get the ice time, but it’s all the little things that he’ll have to put together.”

The IceHogs and Blackhawks prepare for training camp to begin in Chicago on Sept. 15 with the annual Training Camp Festival. Before that, the organization’s rookies will play in the Traverse City Rookie Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, beginning on Sept. 6.

The post One-on-one: Rockford IceHogs head coach Derek King appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts “Gatekeeper” and “JJ” are joined by staff writer Ray Napientek to chat about the few things abuzz in Blackhawks speculation.

• Blackhawks potential suitors for Ilya Mikheyev
• Kris Versteeg returns to Rockford
• Derek King named Rockford head coach
• Mark Eaton discussed Hawks defensive prospects
• Just what IF the Blackhawks draft Bowen Byram?
• Kane officially a nominee for Ted Lindsay Award
• Don Granato and the Blackhawks mutually part ways
• A little Chicago Steel talk at the end
• We answer some listener and reader questions

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

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The post Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 52 – School’s out for Summer appeared first on The Rink.

Derek King named IceHogs’ head coach for 2019–20 season

In early November of the 2018–19 season, the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs underwent head coach changes as the Blackhawks fired Joel Quenneville and promoted Jeremy Colliton to the NHL head coaching position in Chicago. King then moved into the interim head coaching role with the IceHogs for the remainder of the season.

Rockford IceHogs interim head coach Derek King watches on during an IceHogs game this season. (Photograph courtesy of Texas Stars)

Under King, the IceHogs went 29–28–7 and finished in seventh-place in the AHL Central Division with 80 points, seven behind the fourth-place Grand Rapids Griffins for the final Divisional spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs. The IceHogs finished the season with the AHL’s lowest-scoring offense and the 29th ranked power play, but had the goaltending duo that put up the AHL’s best team save percentage and had the IceHogs surrendering the 10th-fewest goals last season. Rockford’s penalty kill finished the season ranked 10th in the AHL.

Similar to the outlook for Jeremy Colliton with the Blackhawks, King will benefit from having a full offseason and training camp as the IceHogs head coach to have more control over the operations of his team and continue his job developing the future of the Blackhawks’ prospect system. King is hailed as a ‘players coach’ and routinely talked last season about letting the players monitor themselves, stepping in when he felt necessary.

Prior to serving as the interim head coach this past season, King had served as an assistant coach for the Toronto Marlies from 2009–2015, an assistant coach for the Owen Sound Attack during the 2015–16 season, and an assistant coach for the Rockford IceHogs from 2016–18. King is also a veteran of 830 NHL games and 299 AHL/IHL games as a player.

The post Derek King named Rockford IceHogs’ head coach for 2019–20 season appeared first on The Rink.

Rockford IceHogs exit interviews

The Rockford IceHogs put a cap on their season with their annual end-of-the-year exit interviews. After finishing the regular season in seventh place in the AHL Central Division, the IceHogs missed the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second time in the last three years. Paired with the Chicago Blackhawks missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second year in a row, this year marks the first time since becoming the AHL affiliate of the Blackhawks that Chicago and Rockford both missed the postseason.

There are a number of reasons why there is not playoff hockey being played in Rockford this season: coaching changes, injuries, recalls and assignments of key players, etc., but the IceHogs simply could not support their stellar team defense with enough scoring on a regular basis to get them over the hump and into the Calder Cup Playoffs. The league’s best goalie group of Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Anton Forsberg were regularly let down by the league’s lowest scoring offense. Rockford finished the season with a 30–2–2 record when scoring three or more goals in a game, while on the flip side, lost 19 games this year when holding their opponents to two or fewer goals in a game.

But let’s not beat a dead horse any longer.

Interim head coach Derek King

IceHogs head coach Derek King did pretty much as well as he could have been asked after taking over the IceHogs from Jeremy Colliton in early November. King inherited the reigns of a 6–3–3 IceHogs team on Nov. 6 and finished the season with a 35–31–10 record, a 29–28–7 record with King as head coach. As of Wednesday, King’s status with the organization is still undecided, but one would figure he managed his position well enough to be given a chance to remove the interim tag from his coaching position.

Dylan Sikura (46 games played, 17 goals, 18 assists)

One of the brightest spots for the IceHogs this season was Dylan Sikura‘s emergence as a force to reckon with at the AHL level. While his well-hyped arrival in the Blackhawks organization has not lived up to the billing at the NHL level (11 points in 38 NHL games, no goals), Sikura tied Peter Holland for the highest points per game rate for the IceHogs this season at 0.76 points per game. In his first full professional year, Sikura finished third on the team in scoring, having played nearly 20 fewer games than the other Rockford scorers in the top five. He also finished eighth in rookie goal-scoring with 17 tallies on the year. Sikura becomes a restricted free agent this summer after completing a two-year deal with the Blackhawks organization.

Jordan Schroeder (62 games played, 19 goals, 26 assists)

Veteran forward Jordan Schroeder had one of his best AHL seasons of his career in 2018–19 with the IceHogs. Finishing with a career-high 45 points, Schroeder was consistently one of the most relied-upon players for the IceHogs. Paired with Holland down the stretch of the season, Schroeder found scoring chemistry with his newly acquired teammate and it showed. Over his final 25 games of the season, Schroeder tallied 21 points, including a five-game point streak and four multi-point games. Schroeder becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his one-year deal with the Blackhawks organization. 

Henri Jokiharju (30 games played, two goals, 15 assists)

While there is some debate whether or not Henri Jokiharju actually needed to play with the Rockford IceHogs this season, it showed that his time in the AHL made an impact on him on the ice. Jokiharju finished second on the team in scoring for defensemen (excluding Darren Raddysh), having played half as many games as the leading scorer in Lucas Carlsson. Jokiharju logged heavy minutes with the iceHogs and played in all situations. His 0.57 point per game pace was the highest on the team for defensemen and his plus-7 rating was tied with Sikura for the best rating on the roster. Jokiharju will be joining Finland’s World Championships camp this Summer. Jokiharju has two years remaining on his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Luke Johnson (53 games played, 18 goals, 13 assists) 

After starting the season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Luke Johnson joined the IceHogs in late November for the remainder of the season, save for two games in December. Johnson set new AHL career-highs in goals and points this season, playing all over the lineup. One of the more consistent players on the roster this season, Johnson’s physical aspect of his game seemed unchanged as his ability to score and generate scoring chances improved from last season. Johnson becomes a restricted free agent this summer after completing his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks organization.

Collin Delia (26 games played, 13–8–4, 2.48 goals against average, 0.922 save percentage)

Along with Sikura, another major bright spot for the IceHogs and Blackhawks this season was the continued improvement and development of goaltender Collin Delia. After joining the organization last season and ascending from the ECHL Indy Fuel to the Chicago Blackhawks in one season, Delia again played major roles for both the Blackhawks and IceHogs. Finishing this season with the second-best save percentage in the AHL, Delia, along with Lankinen and Forsberg, made up the best goaltending group in the league this season based on save percentage. Many have speculated that he projects to be the future No. 1 goaltender in the Blackhawks organization and if he continues his development trajectory, he will be. Delia signed a three-year, $3 million contract extension with the Chicago Blackhawks this season, which kicks in next year.

Dennis Gilbert (63 games played, five goals, nine assists)

Winner of the team’s ‘Most Improved’ award this season, defenseman Dennis Gilbert truly came a long way from the beginning of the season. His confidence grew as the year progressed and his ice time increased. At the beginning of the year, Gilbert seemed to do little more than throw his weight around on the IceHogs’ blue line. But as they year went on, he began to open up more in the offensive zone while continuing to be a menace defensively. Gilbert ranked third on the active roster for scoring defensemen and led the team with seven fighting majors. Gilbert has two years remaining on his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Matthew Highmore (12 games played, three goals, six assists) 

The 2018–19 season could have been much different for the Rockford IceHogs had Matthew Highmore been healthy the full year. After tallying seven points over his first eight games of the year, Highmore was lost to a shoulder injury for nearly five months. He returned at the beginning of April, only to re-injure the shoulder and not finish the season on the ice for the IceHogs. Highmore had a lot of promise heading into this season, having set the AHL franchise rookie goal scoring record in 2017–18. Highmore probably would have been like Sikura was this season, up and down with the Blackhawks had he been healthy, but his games lost for the IceHogs truly had an impact across the board. Highmore has one year remaining on his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Anton Forsberg (32 games played, 15–15–2, 2.64 goals against average, 0.919 save percentage)

Much of what was said about Delia before can be repeated for Anton Forsberg this season. Consistently under-supported offensively, Forsberg took the majority of starts for the IceHogs this season after beginning the year as the backup in Chicago. His .919 save percentage finished as the fourth-best in the AHL this season. Forsberg becomes a restricted free agent this summer after completing a two-year contract with the Blackhawks he signed in the summer of 2017.

Victor Ejdsell (61 games played, 12 goals, 17 assists)

It is hard to label Victor Ejdsell‘s 2018–19 season a complete disappointment, but the expectations on him heading into the year certainly did not help his cause. Many, including myself, felt Ejdsell had a better than 50–50 chance of making the Chicago Blackhawks’ NHL roster coming out of training camp. He did not, nor did he receive a recall to the Blackhawks all season. Ejdsell dealt with injuries at times this year and only recently had found his stride within the offense. He still can show flashes of the scoring and playmaking ability that made him an intriguing prospect for the organization, but putting it all together consistently remains his issue. Ejdsell becomes a restricted free agent this summer after completing his two-year entry-level contract that he signed with the Nashville Predators in May of 2017.

Andrew Campbell (64 games played, three goals, five assists)

While there was little chance he would suit up for the Chicago Blackhawks this season, Andrew Campbell did everything asked and expected of him for the Rockford IceHogs this season. As he mentions in his exit interview, there is more to be measured that just numbers for his success this season. He was named a playing captain for the AHL Western Conference at the AHL All Star weekend this year, a testament to his longevity and leadership at the AHL level. Campbell served as a sort of assistant coach for the IceHogs this season, providing a veteran leadership presence for a young locker room. Campbell becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his one-year contract with the Blackhawks organization.

Alexandre Fortin (47 games played, six goals, six assists)

After a quick two-game stint with the IceHogs to begin the year, Alexandre Fortin joined the Blackhawks for a generous portion of the season, skating in 24 games at the NHL level, before rejoining the IceHogs for the remainder of the season. At multiple points over the two years that Fortin has spent with the Blackhawks and IceHogs organizations, he as shown the abilities to be a dangerous speedster who can create space and scoring chances with his feet. His downfall is his ability to actually finish those chances. Over the final 21 games of the season, Fortin tallied just three points. The abilities are there, but putting them together needs to be the next step for Fortin. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Andreas Martinsen (38 games played, three goals, eight assists)

Another forward who played a good portion of his 2018–19 season with the Chicago Blackhawks before coming to the Rockford IceHogs, Andreas Martinsen was exactly as expected in his time with the IceHogs: a physical player who can now and again contribute offensively and provide a veteran presence in the locker room, same as his role last season with the IceHogs. The problem is that he has more than likely reached his ceiling with the Blackhawks and IceHogs organizations. Martinsen becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his one-year contract with the Blackhawks.

Tyler Sikura (50 games played, seven goals, 12 assists)

Similar to the season of Victor Ejdsell, Tyler Sikura‘s 2018–19 campaign was a let down. After playing his first full season in the AHL last year and finishing second in the team in goals and third in points in 2017–18, the elder Sikura failed to reach that productivity this season. Hampered by injuries for a while this year, Tyler was now and again the net-front presence he was last season, but did not reach his same ice time nor did he have the same opportunities on the power play that he had last year. Like Martinsen, Tyler has more than likely also reached his ceiling with the IceHogs organization. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his one-year contract with the Blackhawks.

William Pelletier (41 games played, seven goals, 10 assists)

Rockford’s 2018–19 ‘Man of the Year,’ William Pelletier bounced back from missing nearly half of the season due to injury to provide jump and energy into the lineup late in the season. Pelletier’s highlight of the year came from scoring back-to-back goals just 13 seconds apart against the San Antonio Rampage on April 2 to spark an epic comeback win. Unfortunately, those were his final two points of the season. Pelletier plays above his 5-foot-7 frame and can provide a bit of offense at the AHL level. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his one-year AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs.

Terry Broadhurst (40 games played, four goals, eight assists)

Hampered by injuries this season, Terry Broadhurst‘s return to the IceHogs did not really live up to what both he or the team maybe would have hoped for. Broadhurst started hot with five points in his first eight games with the IceHogs, but tallied just seven more points over his other 32 games played this season. At 30 years old, it is unclear what the next step will be for Broadhurst in his playing career, as he becomes an unrestricted free agent after completing his one-year contract with the Rockford IceHogs.

Blake Hillman (54 games played, one goal, three assists)

In and out of the lineup for a portion of the season, Blake Hillman seemed to stall in his development in his first full professional season. After joining the organization late last season, Hillman looked like he might be in line for a shot at the NHL roster entering last summer. He never took that next step. Inconsistent with the puck on his stick, Hillman still has a lot of hockey ahead of him and could be brought back into the mix next season. He becomes a restricted free agent this summer after completing his two-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Nathan Noel (46 games played, two goals, four assists) 

It is hard to get a true read on Nathan Noel. He has dealt with injuries the last two seasons with the IceHogs, but when healthy, he looks the part of a decent depth AHL player. He mixes speed, physicality and a good touch with the puck on his stick at times, but cannot find it consistently. He has one year remaining on his entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Josh McArdle (19 games played, one goal, two assists)

The first Rockford-area native to play for the IceHogs, Josh McArdle was a solid ECHL call-up for Rockford this season. He was able to step in during a thin stretch of the season for the iceHogs when they were dealing with injuries to the blue line. He played 33 games with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL this season, his first full professional season. McArdle becomes an unrestricted free agent after completing his one-year contract with the Rockford IceHogs.

Dmitry Osipov (Eight games played, zero goals, two assists)

A big-bodied defenseman like Dmitry Osipov was missing from the IceHogs roster for the majority of the season. While Gilbert and Campbell both weigh in at over 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Gilbert was the only true physical presence in the defensive group for Rockford. Osipov, coming in at 6-foot-4 and 234 pounds, provided a physical element that King wanted more of in his lineup. Osipov played in 66 games with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL this season, totaling 13 points. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his contract with the Indy Fuel.

Reese Johnson (Six games played, zero goals, four assists)

A late-season signing from the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL, Reese Johnson stepped into the IceHogs’ lineup late in the season alongside his Red Deer teammate Brandon Hagel and made an immediate impact. Johnson showed flashes of playmaking skill and a high motor in his small sample of AHL play. He looks to be a part of the IceHogs’ lineup next season as he begins he three-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks.

Brandon Hagel (Eight games played, zero goals, one assist)

Speaking of Hagel, the WHL’s fourth-leading scorer this season joined the IceHogs late in the year after signing as a junior free agent in October. While he only tallied one assist in his eight games with Rockford, Hagel’s scoring ability should make him a key figure for the organization to keep an eye on going into next season. He begins a three-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks next season.

Philipp Kurashev (Three games played, zero points)

Another late-season addition for the IceHogs this year was QMJHL standout Philipp Kurashev. After leading the Quebec Remparts in scoring this season, Kurashev joined the IceHogs for their final three games of the season. While not tallying a point in those three games, Kurashev’s 125 points over the last two seasons with Quebec, paired with him showcasing his abilities at the World Juniors this past January, make him an exciting prospect for the Blackhawks and IceHogs heading into the summer. He begins a three-year entry-level contract with the Blackhawks next season.

The IceHogs’ 20th anniversary season did not end with another run at the Calder Cup, but it was far from unsuccessful.

https://twitter.com/goicehogs/status/1118597418000560128

For the depth of the Chicago Blackhawks organization, the IceHogs have plenty of players to be excited about for the future and be encouraged for how many of them are progressing in their careers.

What’s next?

A giant thank goes out to the great media and communications staff with the Rockford IceHogs for providing all the videos of the exit interviews.

The Calder Cup Playoffs begin this week, but not for the IceHogs. Stay tuned to The-Rink for more news and analysis on the Chicago Blackhawks organization, top to bottom, as the spring and summer roll along.

The post Rockford IceHogs 2018–19 season exit interviews appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs Take Five Of Six Points Over The Weekend

For the third time this season, the IceHogs faced a three games in three nights stretch of their schedule. With a road game against the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday night, followed by back-to-back home games against the Texas Stars and Griffins again, on Saturday and Sunday nights in Rockford. It was a hotly contested stretch as all three games were decided by one goal and two of them went to overtime.

IceHogs def. Griffins, 3-2 (OT)

On Friday night in Grand Rapids, the IceHogs topped the Griffins 3-2 in overtime to mark their third win in a four-game stretch, all coming by a 3-2 score in overtime. Behind Collin Delia’s 26 saves on 28 shots faced and Luke Johnson‘s two-goal performance, the IceHogs came out on top to begin the weekend’s slate.

Johnson opened the game’s scoring in the first period with a powerplay goal and closed it with the overtime winner, also on the powerplay. Johnson’s fourth goal of the season not only gave Rockford the win but also the first two-powerplay goal night since October 20 for the IceHogs. He also led the team in shots on goal with five, but the IceHogs were out-shot 28-22 by the Griffins, including being out-shot 14-4 in the first period.

Stars def. IceHogs, 3-2 (OT)

Following Friday’s win, the IceHogs returned home to take on the Texas Stars. Saturday also marked the AHL debut for defenseman Jan Rutta, who had cleared waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday afternoon.

The Rockford IceHogs celebrate a goal against the Texas Stars. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

With Anton Forsberg in net, the IceHogs again went to overtime for the second game in-a-row, but this time fell on the wrong side of a 3-2 finish as the Stars found the winner in the extra frame. Forsberg made 49 saves on 52 shots faced and was named the first star of the game, despite the loss. The Stars took an early second period lead but Rockford answered late in the middle frame with a powerplay goal from Jordan Schroeder. The third period would see the IceHogs take a 2-1 lead after Lucas Carlsson found the back of the net for the third time this season, but the Stars would tie the game just three minutes later and force overtime, where they would find the winner from Adam Mascherin.

The IceHogs were again woefully out-shot by the Stars 52-34, including being out-shot 15-7 in the first period and 5-1 in overtime. Forsberg’s overtime loss moved his record to 5-3-1 on the season, but his 49-save performance improved his save-percentage for the season to 0.917.

IceHogs def. Griffins, 2-1

The IceHogs closed the weekend on Sunday, taking on the Griffins for the second time in three days. Much like the first outing on Friday, it would be another one-goal game that would come out in favor of the IceHogs. The narrative of the weekend continued with the IceHogs being out-shot by Grand Rapids 38-29, 16-9 in the first period, but Collin Delia shut the door on the Griffins again making 37 saves. Over the weekend, the IceHogs were out-shot in three first periods by a 45-20 margin.

Rockford IceHogs defenseman Lucas Carlsson scores the eventual game-winning goal against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

Rockford opened the scoring in the third period as Lucas Carlsson tallied his second goal in as many games, giving the IceHogs the 1-0 lead. Jordan Schroeder would add his second goal in as many games as well, totaling six on the year, to extend the Rockford lead to 2-0 before the Griffins got one on the board with just under 10 seconds to play in regulation to deny Delia his first shutout of the season.

Delia’s two wins and 63 saves on 66 shots faced over the weekend improved his record this season to 7-5-4, with a GAA of 2.34 and save-percentage of 0.933. His GAA is tied for the third-best in the AHL and save-percentage is the best in the league among qualified goalies.

One more stat for the road:

Rockford’s last seven wins have all been one-goal games. 16 of their 29 games this season have been decided by one-goal. Rockford holds a 8-2-6 record this season in one-goal games.

Jan Rutta Makes His Rockford Debut

Last Thursday, the Chicago Blackhawks placed defenseman Jan Rutta on waiver to be sent to the AHL. On Friday, Rutta cleared waivers and was sent to the IceHogs, although he did not join the team for Friday’s game in Grand Rapids. Instead, Rutta was in the lineup on Saturday night against the Texas Stars. Rutta was paired on the top-line with Lucas Carlsson for both games he played over the weekend.

Jumping right into the thick of the lineup, Rutta saw ice-time on both the powerplay and penalty-kill for the IceHogs. He did not record a point in either game he played in, but recorded six shots on goal and was a plus-one rating.

Rockford IceHogs defenseman Jan Rutta makes his team debut on December 15. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

Prior to the 2017-18 season, Rutta joined Chicago as a free agent after playing four seasons with Piráti Chomutov in the Czech professional league. In 23 games this season with the Blackhawks, Rutta has tallied six points (2 G, 4 A) and has been in and out of the regular rotation. Not what the Blackhawks would want to see from a player they gave a $2.25M contract to this summer.

In 57 games last season with Chicago, Rutta totaled 20 points (6 G, 14 A) and looked to have a somewhat promising future as a member of the Blackhawks’ blue-line, but the price-tag on him has set standards too high for him to reach with his play this season.

IceHogs interim head coach Derek King, speaking with the media following Rutta’s team debut on Saturday, was very candid in his evaluation of Rutta and the “plan” for him to get back into the NHL, where King feels Rutta belongs.

#IceHogs HC Derek King on Jan Rutta: "He settled in. You can see he is an #NHL player. We're gonna take advantage of having him here & hopefully his play will open some eyes, maybe with another team, & he'll get outta here & be where he should be, in the NHL."#AHL#Blackhawks

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 16, 2018

#IceHogs HC Derek King on the plan for Jan Rutta in RFD: "I'll take him for the whole year if he's going to play like he did in the 2nd & 3rd period. I'm not sure what the plans are. Maybe CHI will being him back up, maybe a scout will see he fits their team."#AHL#Blackhawks

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 16, 2018

Speaking after the game, Rutta also added what this season has been like in Chicago and what he hopes to accomplish with the IceHogs.

Jan Rutta on his mindset coming to the #IceHogs from the #Blackhawks: "It wasn't a good start to the year. I'm here to work, looking forward to the work & you never know what's going to happen. Just wanna help the team & get better as a player & we'll see."#RFDvsTEX#AHL

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) December 16, 2018

It would seem that the goal for Rutta may be short-term with the IceHogs as he may be looking to find an NHL job elsewhere as the Blackhawks look at other options on defense from within their own system. That, or the Blackhawks might be giving him the Cody Franson treatment from last season. Only time will tell.

Blackhawks Recall Delia, Crawford To IR, Lankinen Joins IceHogs

On Sunday night, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford exited the game against the San Jose Sharks after a collision in net. Dylan Strome had nowhere to go defending against Evander Kane and Logan Couture on a breakout chance and ran into Crawford, forcing the goalie to bear the brunt of the collision and hit the back of his head against the goal-post on his way down to the ice. Crawford immediately left the game after the hit and head coach Jeremy Colliton confirmed that Crawford would be placed in concussion protocol following the game.

Corey Crawford leaves the game after this nasty collision. pic.twitter.com/WCKD7Mgczh

— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) December 17, 2018

As all Blackhawks fans know, Crawford missed ten months of action last season and over the Summer due to a concussion he suffered in December of last season. It was hit or miss for month about when or even if Crawford would return to the Blackhawks. He joined the team much earlier than most expected, and was doing his best to back-stop the woeful play in front of him with Chicago.

Late on Monday afternoon, the Blackhawks placed Crawford on injured-reserve, recalled Collin Delia to Chicago, and also brought Kevin Lankinen from the Indy Fuel of the ECHL to the Rockford IceHogs.

Now, a bad Blackhawks season has gotten all that much worse.

For Crawford, the most important aspect of this situation is his health. Brain injuries are becoming more and more serious to deal with, given the advancements in medical technology, diagnosis, and treatment. To have  to deal with two concussions in a 12-month span is nothing to scoff at, especially if one took ten months to recover from. Crawford is and always will be a cornerstone of the Blackhawks’ last decade of success and everyone hopes for a speedy and full recovery for him.

The reality for the organization now on the ice is that a giant hole is left on a roster that already is at the bottom of the league. Backup goaltender Cam Ward will undoubtedly get the majority of starts moving forward, but with the Blackhawks recalling Delia, they may just give the second-year pro an extended NHL opportunity after making his debut last season.

Rockford IceHogs goaltender Collin Delia makes a save against the Grand Rapids Griffins. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

For Collin Delia, the Blackhawks avoid any waiver-wire hassle moving him between the NHL and AHL as he is waivers-exempt. Delia made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks last season, playing in two games and coming away with a 1-1-0 record, 3.96 GAA and a 0.889 save-percentage. Far from the numbers he has put up this year with a 7-5-4 record, 2.34 GAA and a 0.933 save-percentage with the IceHogs. Keep in mind that he, along with Forsberg, have been playing behind the second-lowest scoring offense in the AHL.

Rockford IceHogs goaltender Anton Forsberg. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

Anton Forsberg remains in Rockford for the time being. Forsberg has a 5-3-1 record in Rockford this year with a 2.62 GAA and a 0.917 save-percentage. He’ll undoubtedly get the majority of starts over Lankinen, who is 4-2-0 with a 3.18 GAA and a 0.893 save-percentage with the Indy Fuel this season, started the year in Rockford and has a 1-2-1 AHL record with a 2.69 GAA and a 0.889 save-percentage in four games with the IceHogs.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday night as they close a three-game homestand when they host the Milwaukee Admirals. Puck drop is set for 7pm CT at the BMO Harris Bank Center for the fifth meeting between the teams this season. Following that, the IceHogs are on the road against the Chicago Wolves on Friday, Dec. 21. Puck drop at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont is set for 7pm CT and will also be the fifth meeting between the Illinois Lottery Cup Rivals this year.

The IceHogs sit in fifth-place in the AHL Central Division with a 13-10-6 record and 32 points in the standings. Both rank behind the Admirals (1st, 37 points) and the Wolves (4th, 33 points).

The post IceHogs Win Two Of Three, Delia Recalled appeared first on The Rink.

New King Of The Castle

If you have been living under a rock the last 30 hours, the Chicago Blackhawks made the decision to fire head coach Joel Quenneville after 11 years behind the bench. Quenneville helped lead the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups in his tenure and recorded the second-most wins as a coach in Blackhawks franchise history. With the removal of Quenneville, Chicago announced that Rockford IceHogs head coach Jeremy Colliton would take his place.

Colliton, at 33-years old, becomes the youngest current coach in the NHL, making his NHL coaching debut on Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. He amassed a 46-31-11 record at the AHL level with Rockford in his time behind the bench. The move left the IceHogs without a head coach, and that is where Derek King comes into play.

King, an assistant coach with the IceHogs for the last two seasons, made his head coaching debut on Wednesday against the Iowa Wild. After playing 14 seasons (830 games) in the NHL, King began his coaching career in the 2009-2010 season with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL. King spent six seasons with the Marlies as an assistant/associate coach before continuing his career as an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Attack in the Ontario Hockey League for the 2015-16 season before joining the IceHogs.

King, along with assistant coach Sheldon Brookbank, take control of the IceHogs and have to manage the high-expectations on the team after the work that the two helped build with Colliton over the last season and change.

The expectations continued on Wednesday morning against the Iowa Wild in King’s head coaching debut.

Rockford IceHogs Fall To Iowa Wild

A rare morning puck drop signaled the third game in-a-row between the Iowa Wild and the Rockford iceHogs in less than a week’s time. Having taken three of four points against the Wild in the previous two meetings and on a four-game points streak, the IceHogs were looking to keep their hot-stretch of play going.

They would not.

The Rockford IceHogs pregame before taking on the Iowa Wild. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

Collin Delia would get the start in net for the IceHogs opposite Kaapo Kahkonen for the Wild. The two dueled in the Nov. 3 game between the teams in which the Wild were able to come away winners, 2-1, in the shootout. Wednesday’s game would be another contest that would be just as tight between the two goaltenders, but the Wild were able to stifle the Rockford offense.

Collin Delia makes a save against the Iowa Wild. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

The Wild got on the board first in the first period thanks to a powerplay goal from Sam Anas, his first goal of the year. In the second period, the Iowa added to their lead as Matt Read banged in a goal past Delia, Read’s first goal of the season. Iowa killed off five powerplay chances against the, with the IceHogs threatening on only one chance in the third period. Rockford pulled Delia late and Cal O’Reilly netted an empty-net goal to seal the game for Iowa. Rockford shutout for the first time this season with Kahkonen making 28 saves on all 28 shots faced. Delia with a 25-save performance, facing 27 shots on net, sees his record fall to 4-2-2 this season.

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs are off until the weekend when they will have back-to-back road games against AHL Central Division foes.

On Friday, the IceHogs travel to take on the Milwaukee Admirals in Milwaukee. The IceHogs and Admirals battled a week ago in Milwaukee, a 3-2 overtime win for Rockford. Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7:00pm CT at the Panther Arena.

On Saturday, the IceHogs head to Rosemont to take on the Chicago Wolves. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00pm CT at the Allstate Arena. Saturday marks the first Illinois Lottery Cup Rivalry game between Rockford and Chicago this season.

The post Rockford IceHogs Fall In First Game Under Derek King appeared first on The Rink.