Who is Matt Tomkins

Matt Tomkins is a 29-year-old NHL rookie who started in the AJHL with Sherwood Park Crusaders. After playing in the AJHL for two seasons, he went off to college and played in the Big Ten Conference for Ohio State. He appeared in 67 games at OSU in four seasons and started in 58 games. His numbers are OSU were an .898 save percentage and 3.03 goals against average. Tomkins was a three-time Big Ten player of the week and was on the 2017 NCAA tournament team for Ohio State. He was taken in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by Chicago with the 199th pick. He was the second-to-last goalie taken in the draft. He was taken eight picks after the Blackhawks’ first goalie selection of the draft in Brandon Whitney. Tomkins would sign a one-year deal with the Rockford IceHogs, while Whitney never inked a deal with the Hawks.

Other notable goalies taken in that draft were: Andrei Vasilevskiy at 19, Malcolm Subban at 24,  Joonas Korpisalo at 62, Chris Driedger at 76, Matt Murray at 83, Frederik Andersen at 87, Connor Hellebuyck at 130 and Linus Ullmark at 163.

In 2017 in his first season with the IceHogs, Tomkins went 1–4–2 with a 4.07 goals against average and .871 save percentage. For the majority of the season, the IceHogs loaned Tomkins to the Indy Fuel, the ECHL affiliate of the IceHogs and Blackhawks. He went 11–9–2 in 25 games with a 3.47 goals against average and .912 save percentage. He was named ECHL goalie of the week on Dec. 12, 2017.

In 2018, Tomkins set the record for wins (29) and games played 54 and minutes (3,221) with the Fuel. He finished with a 29–19–4 record, 3.04 goals against average and .905 save percentage and two shutouts. He also ranks among the best ECHL netminders in minutes and second in saves. He appeared in eight games with the IceHogs, recording a 4.04 goals against average and .871 save percentage.

In 2019–20, Tomkins appeared in 13 games with the IceHogs, recording a 3.12 goals against average and .896 save percentage. In his last season with the IceHogs, he appeared in 15 games with a 3.21 goals against average. Once his two-year, $1.5 million dollar contract expired, Tomkins went overseas to play in the SHL. He played with Frolunda, racking up 33 games with a 2.46 goals against average and .908 save percentage. After his first season in Sweden, Tomkins was named to Canadian Olympic team, where he had .962 save percentage in his three Olympic starts. His Olympic showing helped him parlay a better contract in Sweden with Farjestad BK Karlstad.

In 2021–22, he signed with Farjestad BK Karlstad. Tomkins appeared in 32 games netting a 2.53 goals against average and .911 save percentage. This season, Tomkins had an opportunity to stay in SHL for money but decided to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning on a two-way contract.

He signed with Tampa under no false pretense; he knew he would be starting with the Syracuse Crunch in the AHL. But, an injury to Vasilevskiy gave Tomkins his chance in the NHL. He has appeared in three games this season, racking up 3.40 goals against average and .889 save percentage.

Analysis

While Tomkins was not a standout in the minor leagues, the Blackhawks’ philosophy at goalie was muddled at best. While Corey Crawford was a fixture in the net for 10 seasons, the Stan Bowman-led front office did not invest in the position to produce a successor in net. Before being removed from his post as president and general manager, Bowman drafted two goalies above the sixth round, taking Kent Simpson in the second round of 2010 and Wouter Peeters in third round of the 2016 draft. Between the two goalies, they posted one NHL appearance.

While Tomkins was in the minor leagues, he produced better numbers than former Blackhawks goalie Collin Delia at the ECHL level in 2017–18. Despite the better numbers, Tomkins was left in Indy while Delia ascended to the AHL and ultimately the NHL. When Tomkins eventually got to the AHL, he was still buried behind Kevin Lankinen and Delia. Lankinen put up a 3.03 goals against average and .909 save percentage. Tomkins had relatively similar numbers with a 3.12 goals against average and .896 save percentage.

When the Blackhawks were “rebuilding,” they decided to audition Delia, Lankinen and Subban for their new starter. Tomkins, who had similar numbers in the AHL, was not even given considered as part of the competition. The organization then set up Lankinen to play against softer opponents and be their starter in the 2020–21 season. Clearly, the front office at the time was set on Lankinen for that season.

After being excluded from the “open” goalie competition, Tomkins was not given the top spot in Rockford. Instead, he still had to battle for time with Cale Morris, Ivan Nailmov and Tom Aubrun. All three of those goalies would eventually wash out of organization and be well-traveled minor league goalies with worse numbers than Tomkins. Currently, Morris is playing in the ECHL, Nailmov is in the KHL and Aubrun is playing in France.

The bottom line is this, the Blackhawks never gave Tomkins a fair shot to start a game in the NHL for their organization. After a long road and many nights in the Residence Inn in Rockford, Tomkins has earned the right to try and beat the organization that never gave him a chance. Cooper and Lightning need to give him that chance.

The post Matt Tomkins deserves to start against the Blackhawks appeared first on The Rink.

In a recent, “Laz and Powers” podcast, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic stated, “They have done really well playing the youth with the goalies and the forwards.” Have they really done a good job of seeing just what they have with the young goalies? I would strongly argue that they have not, or they only have to a lesser degree.

The player with the most NHL experience was Malcolm Subban, who was a throw-in to the Lehner deal to even out the number of goalies on the roster. He was a former first-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins and was not able to nail down a backup role anywhere he has been. In fact, Subban became a bit of a lightning rod for hate in Vegas due to his complete lack of consistency. He was statistically one of the worst goalies in the entire NHL at the time of the Lehner trade.

The second in line was Collin Delia, maybe one of the most underappreciated players in the entire Blackhawks system. A free agent out of Merrimack University, he was a Hobey Baker nominee in 2015 with former Blackhawks Nick Schmaltz and Tyler Motte. Delia earned a contract out of prospect camp after showing some real athleticism in the summers of 2016 and 2017. He made his NHL debut in 2018, then getting his first start (and win) in the infamous Scott Foster game, and then was sacrificed to the gods of no defense with Cam Ward in 2018–19. Despite playing behind the worst defense in the entire league for 16 games, he put up a respectable .908 save percentage. Due to the surprise signing of Lehner in the summer of 2019, Delia was relegated to Rockford once again, which led to the 24-year-old being named an AHL all star for his solid play with the IceHogs.

Unfortunately, Blackhawks Head Coach Jeremy Colliton’s unreasonably short leash this January eventually banished Delia to goalie purgatory.

It is hard to believe now but, in January, Kevin Lankinen was the least experienced and third in line. He had some success in the 2018 IIHF World Championships and was also named an AHL all star in 2020, but no one had any idea if his style would translate. He had never played an NHL game. Realistically, no one could predict he would step in and play .930-plus hockey for the first third of the season. He has won the starting position and there is no debating this.

The biggest wild card (and least probable option) was Matt Tomkins. He was a draft pick way back in 2012 and has been toiling around between the AHL and ECHL since 2017. His stats have not been anything special, but one would assume that if the organization was willing to spend a decade developing a prospect, they expect the final product to be more than a marginal AHL/ECHL tweener.

Fast forward to April where the Blackhawks over-performed so well early on that they have been able to hang on to some very improbable playoffs hopes. They have learned quite a bit about the status of the kids in the organization, but Colliton seems to have cut off his nose to spite his face regarding goaltending by hitching his wagon to just Lankinen and Subban. Not that both have not played well, but could Delia or Tomkins be a solution as an NHL backup? Could they be moved for assets? No one knows because the “great communicator” stopped communicating with his goalies and just left them off on shame island.

Over-performing or not, the goal and focus of this season should never have changed from auditioning the kids that can compete at the NHL level. All of them. After the first 10 games, Delia still had better statistics than Subban and Lankinen, yet the door was slammed shut on him after two rust-filled games for no apparent reason.

Two damn games!

Two games in the first four where even Subban gave up five goals per game, as well. There is simply no justification for icing Delia out of the lineup. His save percentage was better than Subban.

Conventional wisdom and Delia’s previous NHL success should be enough to tell you that he could definitely be a serviceable option as a backup. This was supposed to be a “play the kids and see what you have got” year with forwards and defensemen, but, after Lankinen and Subban, have they done that with the goalies?

No.

It is time to see what everyone has, including the goalies. We know Lankinen has won the starting spot, and Subban has played well, but, in a transition year, you need to know what the rest have as well.

The post Net Perspective: Blackhawks’ Colliton needs to look deeper into goaltending appeared first on The Rink.

In addition, on Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks signed 2018 seventh-round pick and Colorado College standout Josiah Slavin to an entry-level contract. Slavin has reported to Rockford and will join the Hogs for the remainder of the season.

Tomkins stands out

On Saturday, the Hogs rode Tomkins and his 42 saves to victory. The Hogs tied the game 7:25 into the third period, as Matej Chalupa tallied his fourth goal of the season, with assists going to Evan Barratt and Dylan McLaughlin. In overtime, McLaughlin would end the contest 2:14 into the extra session, scoring on a 2-on-1 rush.

Hog: Goalie Matt Tomkins has 71 saves over our last two games and made a career-high 42 stops in our 2-1 OT win at Grand Rapids on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/SQD5f3HLhw

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 15, 2021

On Tuesday, Tomkins was at his best again, this time registering a career-high 46 saves in a repeat 2–1 overtime performance. McLaughlin was also a difference maker again, with his second overtime winner in as many games. He also added an assist on Gabriel Gagne’s first goal of the season in the second period. McLaughlin tallied 19 seconds into overtime to cap off four points in two games against the Griffins.

For Tomkins, this could not come at a better time for him or for the IceHogs. With an active and unpredictable goalie situation in Rockford this season, for Tomkins to prove himself at this stage of his career is essential. This is the best the 10-year pro has looked to date, and for him to establish himself as a reliable option could prove vital for the Hogs if they want to stay alive in the AHL’s Central Division. Currently 5–8–1 and fifth in the division, the odds are not in the team’s favor, but as the sport goes, a hot goalie can make a difference.

Josiah Slavin

Photograph courtesy of Jeff Osborn / The Rink

The Hawks’ signing of Slavin may seem somewhat insignificant to the average hockey fan, but it may turn out to mean a lot more than that. Slavin, the younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin, projects as a bottom-six forward, and, with his two-year entry-level deal, could eventually have an opportunity depending on what the Blackhawks decide to do with their grinding forwards. After this season, it is hard to imagine the Hawks continuing with restricted-free-agent-to-be Lucas Wallmark, who has been disappointing thus far. That leaves room for a defensive-minded winger to ultimately compete for a roster spot. Slavin brings that sandpaper element that that is much needed in an NHL lineup.

Slavin’s defensive responsibility, character and work ethic are the most important intangibles to his game. Slavin’s former assistant coach at Colorado College, Leon Hayward, echoed those sentiments.

“From a hockey perspective, the kid has a lot of detail in his game already,” Hayward told The Rink. “He has a pro stick from the defensive side of the puck.”

Hayward went on to comment on Slavin’s commitment and approach to the game.

“Any skills he’s deficient in, he’ll work his way to get better at,” Hayward said. “His work ethic is elite. He’s all dialed in. He’s already a pro.”

As the Hawks have shown thus far with their youth movement and surprise season, the attributes that Slavin possesses can only be seen as a positive. It will be exciting to follow his growth in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

The post Rockford IceHogs: Tomkins brilliant, Josiah Slavin signs entry-level contract appeared first on The Rink.

With the Chicago Blackhawks likely picking toward the back end of the top 10 in this year’s NHL Entry Draft, I would like to unpack why the organization needs—yes, needs—to draft Russian goaltending phenom Yaroslav Askarov.

The current situation

It is no surprise there will soon be a changing of the guard in net for the Blackhawks. Longtime goaltender Corey Crawford is quickly approaching the end of his esteemed career, with likely just another year or two left in his tank, at most. Crawford’s recent injury struggles are well documented, and the netminder could be one collision away from being finished between the pipes.

Additionally, the Blackhawks balked at the opportunity to secure the long-term outlook of the position, trading away Robin Lehner at the trade deadline rather than locking him up to a contract extension.

With Crawford’s playing days likely coming to an end in the near future, the organization will need to answer the question of who will serve as the next Blackhawk great in the crease.

In addition to Crawford, backup goaltender Malcolm Subban is set to be a free agent this offseason. Subban, acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in the Lehner deal, is 26 years old and will be a restricted free agent. The 2012 Boston first-round pick has struggled to establish himself as a legitimate NHL option, not seeing regular playing time until the 2017–18 season, playing 22 games for Vegas with a 2.68 goals against average (GAA) and a .910 save percentage.

However, since then, Subban’s numbers have steadily dropped off, posting a 3.18 GAA and a .890 save percentage in 20 appearances for the Golden Knights this season before coming to Chicago, where he saw just 70 seconds of action on March 3 against Anaheim while Crawford was momentarily pulled from the game. Though the Blackhawks could choose to bring back Subban, he likely does not factor into the team’s long-term plans between the pipes, as his limited usage while in Chicago seems to indicate, meaning the organization needs to either acquire or develop its next big-time netminder.

The Blackhawks’ history of drafting goaltenders

Of course, some could point to the Blackhawks’ failure to draft and develop quality goaltending talent as a reason to pass on Askarov. Since selecting Crawford (and Mike Brodeur) in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Chicago has picked 12 goaltenders. Those 12 netminders have combined to make just one appearance in the NHL, as Kent Simpson played just 20 minutes in a 7–3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Dec. 14, 2013, allowing two goals on seven shots faced.

However, on the contrary, of those 12 goaltenders, only three were selected in the first three rounds of a draft, with Simpson being the only second-round selectee (the last of three second-round picks that year) and none being chosen in the first round. The overwhelming majority of those 12 goaltenders could be described as the Blackhawks taking a flier to see if they might become something down the road, an unlikely proposition regardless of position as the draft progresses.

All this to say, the Blackhawks have not invested a high-end draft pick in a goaltender since Crawford, as he was the last netminder selected with one of Chicago’s first three picks in a draft.

Another important thing to note is the quality of player a team would ideally be looking for with a top-10 pick. As The Rink’s own John Jaeckel has pointed out previously, with a top-10 pick, a team should likely be hoping it can acquire a No. 1 center, a No. 1 defenseman or a No. 1 goaltender, or at worst, a future first-line winger capable of producing at a high-end level. Of course, by being at the bottom of the top 10, the likelihood of getting a No. 1 center or defenseman is not as high as it would be with a lottery pick, despite this year’s draft class widely being considered to be fairly deep. The other “No. 1” category? Bingo.

Additionally, many would argue the best draft strategy is to select the best player available, and if that player fills a need, even better. The draft is a valuable tool to restock the cupboards and develop the next great wave of talent for an organization. A team should be selecting players that improve its situation, whatever that may look like, regardless of position, timeline or nationality.

However, with the tandem Chicago was icing in net prior to the stoppage of play pretty clearly not being the long-term answer between the pipes, a thorough analysis of other goaltenders within the organization is warranted before potentially using a first-round pick on a netminder.

In the system

The Blackhawks currently have three goaltenders under contract for next season in Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen and Matt Tomkins, who split time with the Rockford IceHogs this season. While Delia and Lankinen could prove to be serviceable backups at the NHL level, neither is likely to develop into a legitimate top-end starting goaltender. Tomkins likely does not have much of a future in the NHL, at least not in Chicago, as he is rather comfortably the third-best option of that trio.

Two goaltenders currently hold a minor-league contract or a professional tryout agreement (PTO), as 24-year-old Tom Aubrun was signed out of Norwich University earlier this month while 2014 sixth-round pick Ivan Nalimov signed a PTO with the IceHogs in March just prior to the stoppage of play.

Though Aubrun, a native of Chamonix, France, has boasted impressive numbers thus far in his career, he is likely a wild card at this point, having spent the last four seasons playing at the NCAA DIII level for the Cadets. Aubrun took over the starting job as a junior in 2018–19, posting a 1.70 GAA and .929 save percentage in 28 games before dominating all season long as a senior with a GAA of 0.77 and a save percentage of .967 in 27 outings, highlighted by a remarkable nine-game shutout streak prior to the remainder of the team’s season being canceled.

While Aubrun’s gaudy numbers do warrant attention, he will need to prove himself at a higher level of play before being considered to be a legitimate NHL option down the road. Aubrun will likely spend the 2020–21 season with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.

Nalimov has been an interesting case since being selected by the Blackhawks in 2014. The Russian has bounced around in his native land, playing for seven teams since the start of the 2016–17 season with mixed results. Though Nalimov does have raw talent, he appears to be a headcase, which likely does not bode well for a chance at NHL stardom, especially at this stage of his career.

Unsigned prospects

Chicago owns the rights to three additional goaltenders on its reserve list, as Dominic Basse, Alexis Gravel and Wouter Peeters all stand without a contract in hand.

After struggling in his first season in North America in the USHL during the 2017–18 season, Peeters has since spent the majority of his time back in Europe, where he will likely remain for the rest of his career. The native of Belgium appears to be nothing more than a failed use of a third-round pick in 2016.

Like Aubrun, Basse is very much an unknown wild card at this point in time. Though possessing raw ability, the 2019 sixth-rounder is also an unproven commodity. Basse will head to Colorado College next season.

At this time, Gravel is likely the goaltender within the Blackhawks’ system with the highest ceiling, having displayed his ability well over the last four seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. Though Gravel may have the potential to become a starting goaltender at the NHL level, that is far from a guarantee. Chicago will need to make up its mind on Gravel in the near future, as the organization will lose his rights on June 1 if he is not signed prior to then.

To summarize, while any one of the netminders currently within the organization could theoretically develop into a serviceable NHL option—after all, anything can happen, as some might claim—the likelihood any of them will become elite, Stanley Cup-worthy talents is extremely slim.

Other avenues for finding the goalie of the future

Of course, the Blackhawks could opt to sign a high-end free agent goaltender. But, by passing on bringing back Lehner, that route likely is not in the cards given the team did not want to spend the required money to do so after the big Swede fell into their lap last summer.

Chicago could also attempt to trade for a goaltender of the future, as it seemed they might have in March when rumors swirled of Russian prospect Ilya Sorokin’s rights heading to the Blackhawks. However, the price to acquire a young goaltender of that calibre in a trade would be high, and the organization has not successfully swung a deal for a goalie of the future since acquiring Jocelyn Thibault in 1998.

So, where does that leave the Blackhawks in terms of finding a long-term answer in the cage? How are the majority of elite goaltenders acquired? The NHL Entry Draft. Cue Askarov.

Why Askarov?

Askarov is widely considered to be the best goaltending prospect since Carey Price in 2005. What does that indicate? Askarov is viewed as a generational type of netminder. His draft stock is higher than other touted goaltenders over the last 15 years, including Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ilya Samsonov and Spencer Knight. In fact, since Price and Tuukka Rask were selected in 2005, just 13 goaltenders have been chosen in the first round, seven of which have been since 2010.

Over the last decade, more and more teams have seemingly decided drafting a goaltender in the first round may not be worth their pick. This philosophy is evidenced by the somewhat drastic change in the number of netminders selected in the first round in the last two decades, as 22 goaltenders were selected in the first round between 2000 and 2009 compared to just seven from 2010 to 2019.

Some may also be leery of the “Russian factor,” as Askarov could theoretically never come over to play in North America. However, in recent years, the likes of Vasilevskiy, Samsonov and Igor Shesterkin have decreased that concern by showing high-end Russian goaltenders can very well make and follow through with the commitment.

Despite all this, Askarov has been considered a slam-dunk first-round pick for this year, with many proclaiming him worthy of a top-10 selection. Again, this is because of Askarov’s obvious talent and his potential to legitimately become a franchise-altering goaltender and annual Vezina Trophy candidate.

Askarov has been nothing short of sensational in nearly every stop of his young career. He has dominated in international tournaments against his age group over the past three seasons and has only come back down to earth in an average showing at the 2020 World Junior Championships, where he posted a 2.71 GAA and a .877 save percentage in five appearances. But, Askarov still had an impressive 2019–20 campaign otherwise, highlighted by a gold medal in the Gretzky Hlinka Cup and a strong showing in his first-ever KHL game for SKA St. Petersburg, a 23-save performance in a 4–2 win.

The stars align

As noted earlier, with nothing of substantial quality looming in the netminder pipeline, now is the time for the Blackhawks to break the trend and finally invest a quality draft pick in a goaltender. By filling that hole, the organization can entirely focus on other gaps in the system, knowing arguably the biggest vacancy is taken care of. And, with the best goaltending prospect in the last 15 years potentially being on the board when General Manager Stan Bowman announces Chicago’s newest draftee, the timing could not be any better.

The post Why the Chicago Blackhawks need to draft Yaroslav Askarov appeared first on The Rink.

Stock Up

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

Goaltending

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

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

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

Sikura Brothers

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

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

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

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

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

Rookie Forwards

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

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

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

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

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

Stock Level

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

Rookie Defesemen

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

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

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

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

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

Veterans

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

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

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

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

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

Stock Down

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

Collin Delia

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

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

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

Special Teams

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

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

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

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

What’s Next?

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

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

IceHogs split weekend games against Moose and Wolves

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) November 10, 2019

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

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

What’s Next?

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

The post IceHogs dominate weekend action, split games appeared first on The Rink.

IceHogs notch first win of 2019-20 season

Prior to last night, the Rockford IceHogs were getting off to a much slower start than anticipated for the 2019-20 season. Coming into the year with a fresh group of highly-skilled rookies, expectations were set high for the young IceHogs. They promptly lost their first three games of the season in regulation, the first time that had happened for an IceHogs team in their short AHL history. While not sweating the sluggish start, head coach Derek King was adamant that if things didn’t turn around soon for Rockford, that changes were going to need to be made.

Luckily for the IceHogs, they were able to get the monkey off their back in game four of the regular season as they took down the Chicago Wolves in the first of 12 meetings this season, winning 3-2 and opening the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry up the right way.

The two main goals for Rockford in Friday night’s contest were to get off to a fast start and to maintain that momentum for a full 60-minute effort. They emphatically checked the first box, putting three goals on the board against the Wolves in the opening period. The second box, was penciled-in, just enough, to get the win at home.

Dyl pickle puts the boys up 1-0! pic.twitter.com/OJ6vz58Ss1

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 19, 2019

Dylan Sikura put the IceHogs ahead with the 1-0 goal early in the first period just after a Rockford powerplay had expired. The goal marked Sikura’s third in the first four games of the season. Sikura was paired with Matthew Highmore and Kirby Dach to begin the game on the top line for the IceHogs, but a hip/mid-section injury to Kris Versteeg in the first period caused the lines to be jumbled as the game went on.

Seven minutes later, while on the penalty-kill, the IceHogs were able to cause a turnover in the neutral zone with Alexandre Fortin and John Quenneville on the two-on-one rush. Fortin shot the puck on net, but Wolves goaltender Garret Sparks was able to make the initial save. After the bouncing puck found it’s way back to Fortin, he setup Quenneville at the far post for the 2-0 goal, Quenneville’s first as an IceHog this season.

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

While the IceHogs had to kill off six minutes of penalty time in the opening period, they were able to fend off the Wolves man-advantage. As the opening period neared a close, Rockford was able to score what would become the game-winning goal—once more in chaotic fashion. Jacob Nilsson drove the puck to the net, but was stopped by Sparks and the Wolves defense, but Anton Wedin was there to gather the loose puck and fire home the 3-0 goal, his second of the season.

The Hot Hog stays hot pic.twitter.com/C2zZ7PViHE

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 19, 2019

The IceHogs outshot the Wolves 17-4 in the first period and were outshooting opponents 39-33 in the opening period though the first four games this season. The biggest challenge for the IceHogs would not be getting off to a good start—but holding on to that good start. Second and third periods have not been the best collective efforts for Rockford so far this season, so having a large lead heading into the final 40 minutes of the game might prove helpful.

It may not have been a pretty final 40 minutes, but the IceHogs did enough to get the win. They allowed a goal to the Wolves in the second period as goaltender Collin Delia was drawn far out of his net on a cross-crease pass and Chicago was able to re-center the puck and catch Delia out of position. Rockford was outshot 27-16 in the final two periods and had to kill-off four Wolves powerplay opportunities to close out the game. Chicago tallied a powerplay goal in the third period to cut the Rockford lead to 3-2, but the defense and Delia were able to hold off the Wolves attack just enough to seal the first win of the season for Rockford. The Hog netminder made 29 saves on 31 shots to earn his first win of the season and has a .912 save-percentage this season through three starts.

Injury Updates: Boqvist took a puck to the face during morning skate and was held out tonight.

Versteeg tweaked an old hip/mid-range injury and departed tonight's contest.

Nothing serious for both and all ok per King's comments. https://t.co/BzilJmzUyN

— Joseph Zakrzewski (@JoeyZRadio) October 19, 2019

Versteeg did not play the second and third periods for the IceHogs but after the game was said to have sustained a non-serious mid/lower-body injury. Also of note was the absence of rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist from the starting lineup. According to head coach Derek King after the game, Boqvist had taken a puck to his face during the morning skate. Rockford finished the game 0-for-5 on the powerplay and 5-for-6 on the penalty-kill.

Kirby Dach recalled to Chicago Blackhawks

Shortly after both the IceHogs and Blackhawks finished their games on Friday night, Chicago recalled rookie forward Kirby Dach from Rockford to end his conditioning assignment. Dach had 14 days and a possible five games available to play while he was with the IceHogs, he only played in three of those games over a seven day period. While he didn’t tally his first professional point while with the IceHogs, Dach did show little to no rust after missing nearly a month of action due to a concussion suffered in the Traverse City rookie tournament.

Kirby Dach with the Rockford IceHogs against the Grand Rapids Griffins (Photo Courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

The Blackhawks seemed to want to be patient with Dach’s recovery process in Rockford, but felt he was ready in just half the projected time. He joins the Blackhawks now, but it remains to be seen if/when he’ll make his NHL debut. From there, Chicago has a nine-game window to play Dach in the NHL before they have to make a decision to either keep him with the club and burning the first year of his three-year entry-level contract, or send him back to the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL.

IceHogs need overtime heroics for Saturday sweep

With Dach out of the lineup and Boqvist and Versteeg missing a second game, the IceHogs faced the Wolves again on Saturday night with three new bodies in the lineup and a new goaltender in net. Matt Tomkins, MacKenzie Entwistle, Nick Moutrey and Reese Johnson found their way back into the Rockford lineup for the back-half of the home-and-home. Tomkins made his first AHL start for the IceHogs since April 7, 2018 against the Texas Stars. He has spent the majority of his time in the Blackhawks system with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL.

Tomkins would be tested early. Having to make two post-to-post saves within the first ten minutes of action, but he was up to the task. The IceHogs controlled most of the opening period, including a powerplay chance, but were unable to break open the scoring in the same fashion they did the night prior. That would be until Tyler Sikura got the IceHogs on the board with a tally with just over seven minutes to play in the first period. It would be Sikura’s first goal of the season and would be the fifth game in a row that the IceHogs scored the opening goal of the game.

Sikura 2 Sikura pic.twitter.com/cWtcayVHyF

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

The 1-0 lead would be short-lived as the Wolves knotted the game at 1-1 with just under five minutes to play in the opening frame. Following the Chicago goal, the IceHogs quickly regained the advantage as Dennis Gilbert was hit with a double-minor high-stick in his face. Gilbert would go to the locker room for maintenance while the IceHogs went on the powerplay to end the period.

The second period started much like the first with neither team getting too many high-quality chances. The Wolves hit a post early in the period but could not get the go-ahead goal, while Moutrey and Wedin had decent chances for Rockford to no avail.

The stalemate continued late into the period with Wolves starter Garret Sparks keeping a trio of chances out of the net as the IceHogs increased their pressure offensively. Nilsson had an open net chance from a cross-crease pass from Brandon Hagel, but couldn’t control the puck to get it on net. Rockford out-shot the Wolves in the second period and the teams would head to the third tied 1-1

JohnsonSaarelaHolm

2-1 good guys pic.twitter.com/7TeWZTpL0Y

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

The IceHogs would be pressured in their own end in the first five minutes of the third period, having trouble getting possession away from the Wolves. But it would be an opportunity on the rush that would lead to Philip Holm scoring the 2-1 goal early in the third period to give Rockford the lead. Holm’s second goal of the season, coming against his former AHL club.

Rockford was forced to defend a heavy attack late in the game from the Wolves with Chicago hitting a second goal post clean, but would not go in. A delay of game call with less than five minutes to play would come back to haunt Rockford as they gave up the game-tying goal just under a minute into the kill. The tying goal went in off a sliding Gilbert as he went to breakup a two-on-one breakaway just moments after Fortin was unable to convert on his own breakaway chance. The Wolves kept the pressure up and Rockford held for the overtime period.

SIKURA, SIKURA

3-2 OT Win for the Hogs pic.twitter.com/waM7kPDZy2

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 20, 2019

In the extra frame both teams would have their chances, but the IceHogs would leave it late as Joni Tuulola flipped a puck to a streaking Tyler Sikura and he buried the overtime winner behind Sparks for the 3-2 victory. Sikura’s second goal of the game, and first multi-goal game since April 7, 2018, gave Rockford a two-game sweep of Chicago in the home-and-home series.

Tyler Sikura playing with a heavy heart tonight after the loss of a family member. He responded his first multi-goal game since April ‘18. After the game, “I wanted to show something for them, came in the form of a couple goals. I’m thinking of them.” #IceHogs #RFDvsCHI #AHL

— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) October 20, 2019

Matt Tomkins was named the third-star of the game, making 37 saves on 39 shots faced. Rockford out-shot the Wolves 39-33 and for the first time this season, out-shot an opponent in both the second and third periods of a single game. With the win, the IceHogs improve to 2-3-0 on the season.

What’s Next?

Following the weekend home-and-home with the Wolves, the IceHogs are not back in action until Friday, October 25 when they travel to take on the Cleveland Monsters. Rockford will be in Cleveland to take on the Monsters in back-to-back road games Friday and Saturday. Puck drop for Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time and Saturday’s puck drop is set for 1 p.m. Eastern Time. These will be the first two of four meetings this season between the IceHogs and Monsters. Rockford held a 1-3-0 record against Cleveland last year.

The post IceHogs sweep weekend series against Wolves appeared first on The Rink.

Grading The Rockford IceHogs: Goalies

The Rockford IceHogs have a lot of work ahead of them if they are going to make a run to a Calder Cup Playoffs spot. What they have going for them is the ability to stop pucks. As mentioned yesterday in the Defensemen grades piece, the IceHogs rank 10th in the AHL in goals allowed. Boasting a collective 2.66 GAA and a 0.916 save-percentage among the three goalies to have played for Rockford this season, the IceHogs have a chance to get at least a point on a nightly basis just by who they put into net.

While Collin Delia was recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks when we was at the top of the league in GAA and save-percentage, Anton Forsberg and Kevin Lankinen have stepped up their games and are giving the IceHogs their best heading into the back-half of the season.

Incompletes (Less than 10 AHL games played)

• None

IceHogs Goalies Report Cards

• Collin Delia (17 GP, 7-5-4, 2.34 GAA, 0.933 Save%)
  • As stated before, Delia was at the top of the AHL this season in GAA and save-percentage at the time that the Blackhawks recalled him to replace an injured Corey Crawford. The 2018-19 version of Delia has been in the works for just over a year as his development with the IceHogs last season was a rough around the edges piece of coal, now turned (possibly) into the next Blackhawks diamond in net. Grade: A

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

• Anton Forsberg (19 GP, 9-9-1, 2.68 GAA, 0.917 Save%)
  • Forsberg has not had the best of times in the Blackhawks organization. Originally brought in to be the backup option behind Corey Crawford last season, Forsberg wasn’t able to lock down the spot or take over as the starter when Crawford went down last season. Fast forward to this season and yet again, Forsberg is passed over. His time with the organization is no doubt limited, but for what he has done in Rockford this season, with limited goal support, he has put them not far from playoff contention. Grade: B

Rockford IceHogs goaltender Anton Forsberg. (Courtesy: San Antonio Rampage)

• Kevin Lankinen (11 GP, 3-5-3, 2.50 GAA, 0.907 Save%)
  • While the wins and losses record isn’t very appealing, those numbers don’t tell the full story of Lankinen’s time with the IceHogs this season. Much like Delia last season, Lankinen’s development has been accelerated due to injury and he has adapted nicely. With minimal goal support in most games (3 regulation losses when allow 2 goals or fewer), Lankinen looks to have solidified a place with the organization for the near future. Grade: B

Kevin Lankinen makes a save against the San Antonio Rampage. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)

• Indy Fuel – Matt Tomkins (ECHL: 33 GP, 18-11-3, 2.95 GAA, 0.911 Save%)
  • From The-Rink Indy Fuel Writer Evan Miller: “Tomkins has improved greatly this season and has become a stud on the back-end for the Fuel. Although he has some inconsistencies to overcome, he has the potential to go a long way in the Blackhawks organization.” Grade: A-

Matt Tomkins / © Whiteshark Photography

I felt the need to add Tomkins into the mix since his season with the Indy Fuel has been going extremely well, despite not receiving a recall to the IceHogs yet this season. While the injury status of Corey Crawford and the expiring contract of Cam Ward at the end of this season make Chicago’s organizational depth at goalie a bit of a cloudy outlook, the performances from Tomkins, Lankinen, and most notably Collin Delia give hope that if replacements in net are needed right away, the IceHogs and Blackhawks have capable players in-house.

• If you missed Tuesday’s Forwards group, you can find the grades here.
• If you missed yesterday’s Defensemen group, you can find the grades here.
• And if you missed today’s Chicago Blackhawks assignment of Henri Jokiharju to the IceHogs, you can find that story here.  

What’s Next?

The Rockford IceHogs return to action following the AHL All-Star break on Friday, February 1 as they host the Chicago Wolves in another installment of the Illinois Lottery Cup Rivalry this season. Following Friday night’s game in Rockford, the IceHogs travel North to Milwaukee to take on the Admirals on Saturday night.

Puck drop on Friday at the BMO Harris Bank Center is scheduled for 7pm CT. The IceHogs hold a 4-3-1 record against the Wolves this season. On Saturday night, puck drop is scheduled for 7pm CT at the UW-Panther Arena in Milwaukee. The IceHogs hold a 3-2-1 record against the Admirals this season.

The post Rockford IceHogs Mid-Term Grades: Goalies appeared first on The Rink.

Kaden Fulcher got the start in goal for the Walleye on Friday. It was the first time that the Fuel had faced the 20-year-old netminder. Fulcher came into the game with a 7-2-1 record with a 2.74 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

FUEL STARTING LINEUP

Matt Rupert – Ryan Rupert – Logan Nelson

Zach Miskovic – Josh McArdle

Matt Tomkins

The Walleye got off to a fast start in Indy as defenseman Ryan Obuchowski buried his second of the year on a nice feed from TJ Hensick. That goal came just 42 seconds after the opening puck drop.

Less than a minute later, Mathew Thompson got it right back for the Fuel for his fifth goal of the season. Defensemen Alex Brooks and Neil Manning got the helpers on Thompson’s first goal back from an injury.

The Rupert twins joined the first period goal scoring party next less than two minutes after the Thompson goal. Ryan Rupert ripped his fifth of the season home on a pass from his twin brother, Matt Rupert.

Kevin Dufour’s 11^th of the season came on a breakaway pass from Thompson. The puck squeezed through Fulcher’s pads to make it 3-1 8:49 into the game.

Greg Wolfe got one back for the Walleye as he tallied his eighth of the season on a one-timer from Hensick.

Kevin Tansey capitalized on a Fuel turnover and evened the game up for Toledo as the 25-year-old wired home his sixth of the season while falling to the ice.

The most impressive play of the night, though, was not recorded on the scoresheet. Fuel winger Kevin Dufour chased the puck down from the opposite blue line to beat out Kelly Cup winning defenseman Matt Register to negate a sure-fire icing call.

The Walleye caught fire late in the third period, however, as they scored three goals in a matter of 1:54, including a penalty shot from AJ Jenks and an empty netter by Hensick. Dufour answered back with 54 seconds to make it 6-5 Toledo but the last-minute comeback fell short as the Walleye took their first game in Indy in the 2018-19 season.

Quotebook

• Thompson on his return from a minor injury: “It was good. [We] got a lot of chances. [Olivier Labelle] and [Dufour] definitely helped me out. We were able to get a lot of offensive zone time, which makes the game easy. It was only two games, so I didn’t feel too rusty or anything. It was easy to bounce back.”
• Thompson on his line mate Dufour’s speed: “He’s got next-level speed. It makes the game easy for me. You can put the pucks in certain areas and certain spots and you know he’s going to win those races. It makes the game easier for everyone around him and certainly easier for himself. He utilizes it well and he definitely did tonight.”
• Fuel head coach Bernie John on Tomkins’ play and the lack of help he has had: “None of that is on Tomkins. It’s all on everybody else. We’re not playing well defensively and we’re not doing the right things. We’re just getting away from our game. We make ourselves defend so much. We have the puck and instead of getting it to our forwards and getting it out, we want to try to make an extra D-to-D pass and then there’s a fumble and something happens along the boards or a bad bounce and now we’re defending in our zone and now we have to play in our zone for another 30-40 seconds. That’s not the way we play. We play pucks north and we just got to get it through [the players’] minds that that’s the way we play.”

By The Numbers

• 4 – Number of points for Thompson on Friday against Toledo
• 12 – Shots on goal for the Fuel after two periods
• 2 – Number of goals for Dufour and Thompson

The post RECAP: Fuel’s Third Period Breakdown Leads to Devastating 6-5 Loss to Walleye appeared first on The Rink.

Tomkins has led the Fuel to a 3-1 record so far this year, all over divisional opponents, including two this past weekend against the Cincinnati Cyclones and the Toledo Walleye.

SAVE OF THE WEEK (powered by @IPLPower) – The Goalie of the Week gave us plenty to choose from over the weekend, but how could you not pick a breakaway in overtime? pic.twitter.com/UiuhI4M4UU

— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) October 23, 2018

The 24-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta, finished the week with a 1.92 goals-against-average and a .947 save percentage.

In four games so far this year, Tomkins has recorded a 2.47 goals-against-average and a .926 save percentage while facing the 10th-most shots against per game (34.00).

Matt Tomkins with a big stop to keep @IndyFuel tied with @ToledoWalleye at 2 midway through the third period pic.twitter.com/YDuEh87sYo

— ECHL (@ECHL) October 21, 2018

The Fuel and IceHogs are in a bit of a logjam currently goaltender-wise. Check out Mario Tirabassi’s article on the goaltending situation here.

The post Fuel’s Matt Tomkins Named ECHL Goaltender of the Week appeared first on The Rink.

In those three games, the Fuel have averaged just over four goals per game. Despite averaging four goals per game, the Fuel are averaging only 24 shots per game.

“Even if you listen to the NHL guys, it’s not all about shots,” Indy Fuel Head Coach Bernie John said. “It’s about getting grade-A chances and we’re getting grade-A chances. Do we want more shots? Yes, we want more shots. We want to get pucks to the net, put pressure on goaltenders to make saves and on teams to defend but we like our chances when we get the right grade-A’s.”

It’s not just forwards that are scoring for the Fuel either. Rookie defenseman Robert Powers has four points in three games for Indy, which puts him tied for second in defenseman points and tied for third among rookie scorers in the ECHL. The offensive defenseman has found himself in on the rush while doing his job defensively to allow goaltender Matt Tomkins to play his game.

Tomkins has looked greatly improved since last season, most notably putting up a 39-save performance in their Friday night victory and earning the first star of the game. Tomkins wasn’t quite ready to take all the credit for his performance, though.

“Yeah, that was huge,” Tomkins said when asked about how his defense contributed to his performance. “Obviously, we were on our heels a little bit to start the game there but once we got rolling it was good.”

The first period has not been the Fuel’s friend to start the season. In their first three games, the club has been outscored 4-3 and outshot 32-22 in the opening frame.

“[It’s been] two games in a row where we’ve laid an egg a little bit in the first period and then we come back [in] the second and third and it’s more of an even game and it’s a little bit better,” John said.

The Fuel’s power play has been far from stellar as well, but their penalty kill has proved to be a key reason for their recent success. The power play has gone 3-for-15 (20.0%), with all three goals coming in their 8-4 rout over the Kalamazoo Wings. The penalty kill, on the other hand, has gone 17-for-19 (89.5), which is second behind many teams that have yet to allow a power-play goal.

The Fuel have even started to see an edge to their game that they haven’t seen in previous years. Big bodies, such as Anthony Collins, Connor Moynihan, and Dmitry Osipov were brought in to protect some of their young studs.

“We’ve got a couple of big boys, we got a lot of guys who like to stand up for the team, and that’s huge because it gives us other guys that are a little softer some extra space,” Fuel forward Josh Shalla said.

The Fuel take on the Toledo Walleye (1-1-0-0) Saturday night at Indiana Farmers Coliseum for another Central Division matchup at 7:35 PM.

The post What’s Been Clicking: Indy Fuel Continue Hot Start to Season appeared first on The Rink.

The 22-year-old netminder attended Minnesota State University, where he backstopped their team for three seasons. Most recently, as a junior in 2017-18, he boasted a 6-3 record with two shutouts, 2.57 goals against average, and a .895 save percentage.

Kyle Hayton got the starting call for the Fort Wayne Komets on Friday but ended up splitting time with two-time Kelly Cup Championship winner Lukas Hafner. Hayton came to Fort Wayne following a stellar college career at St. Lawrence University and the University of Wisconsin. The Denver, Colorado native was a Hobey Baker nominee and named the ECAC Goaltender of the Year in 2016-17.

Hafner’s ECHL career began in 2015-16 when he played five games with Alaska, coming straight out of Western Michigan University. The 26-year-old most recently won a Kelly Cup with the Colorado Eagles last year.

FUEL STARTING LINEUP

Josh Shalla–Quentin Shore–Radovan Bondra

Neil Manning–Alex Brooks

Pawloski

It is possible that Fuel head coach Bernie John told his players to come out of the gates swinging. Fuel forward Anthony Collins took that message to heart and started swinging his fists with Chase Stewart just three minutes into the period for the first fight of the Fuel’s season.

Shortly after a Komets penalty expired, the Fuel found the back of the net for the first time in the 2018-19 season just under 13 minutes into the game. 13-year veteran Olivier Labelle was able to bury a backdoor pass from Ryan McGrath to give the Fuel a 1-0 lead.

Less than three minutes later, the Fuel’s powerplay struck twine on a strike from Shalla. The 27-year-old winger is the Fuel’s all-time leading goal scorer, netting 50 goals in 90 games with the club.

The Komets quickly struck back, though, as Charley Graaskamp cleaned up a rebound from a Kevin Gibson point shot to cut the Fuel’s lead in half and end the first-period scoring.

The Komets struck first early in the middle frame, as Taylor Crunk buried one past Pawloski. The play was set up by defenseman Jeff King as he dangled past the Fuel defense to feed Crunk in the goalmouth.

The power play success did not bleed over into the second period. After a slashing penalty called on the Komets, the Fuel’s power-play unit saw themselves chasing the Komets’ penalty kill all over the ice until Shalla took a penalty of his own 50 seconds into the man advantage.

Back and forth play continued, with a bit of an aggressive edge occurring in the third period by both teams. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in regulation, though, to break the 2-2 tie. This tie commenced 3-on-3 overtime at Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

The best look of the overtime period came from Shalla who dangled between a Komet defender’s legs but was unable to corral the puck after. After some solid chances from both teams in the five-minute period, the final buzzer sounded to send the two teams to a shootout.

The Komets struck first in the shootout, as defenseman Ryan Lowney was able to put the puck through Pawloski’s five-hole to give the Komets a 1-0 shootout lead after the second round.

After a goal from Shore for the Fuel, Justin Hodgman ripped a slap shot past Pawloski to seal a 3-2 comeback victory for the Komets.

What We Learned

• Brett Welychka had a fantastic game after being sent down from Rockford. He has unlimited potential and could be a top AHL player or depth NHL player in the next couple of years with the right development.
• Pawloski had a great game, stopping 25 of 27 Fort Wayne shots. He will be a solid backup behind Matt Tomkins when he is here and can also be a great starter in the rotation or if Tomkins gets recalled to the IceHogs.
• Kevin Dufour was a great offseason acquisition from the Wichita Thunder. He is a solid second line winger who can create odd-man rushes.
• Robert Powers is still raw. It is just one preseason game, after all, but in the small sample size we have, Powers didn’t play up to potential. He missed a couple of passes and needs to work on his puck control but a lot of that has to do with the chemistry of the team right now. His development will come with time.
• Not sold just yet on Shore. The Fuel acquired him late in the offseason. He had his moments for sure, ending his first game with the club with an assist, five shots on goal, and the lone shootout goal for Indy. He still has room for growth, but something about his game just didn’t click. Like the situation with Powers, it is still a very small sample size, limited chemistry, and it was just the first game of the season.
• Labelle and Bondra bring an intensity to the game that the Fuel need. When Matt Rupert and Ryan Rupert enter the lineup, it will be interesting to see how they mold with the playing styles of Labelle and Bondra. Along with an aggressive behavior on the ice, all four are capable of scoring, with Bondra and the Ruperts putting a little more emphasis on defense.

The post RECAP: Fuel debut new-look roster, fall 3-2 to Komets appeared first on The Rink.

Anton Forsberg will not be in the lineup tonight. He was injured at morning skate. Collin Delia will fly in to be tonight’s backup goalie. #Blackhawks

— Eric Lear (@BHTVeric) October 4, 2018

Corey Crawford was able to handle the backup goalie duties for the morning skate, but still is not ready to be activated from injured reserve.  As a result, Collin Delia was recalled from the AHL and will hop on a flight from Cleveland Ohio, where he was preparing to open the AHL season against the Cleveland Monsters, Friday.

Barring some kind of flight issues, he should be there in time to meet the Blackhawks in Ottawa for tonight’s season opening game.

To fill the spot left by Delia’s departure, the Rockford Icehogs will recall goaltender Matt Tomkins from the Indy Fuel to back up Kevin Lankinen.

Matt Tomkins to be recalled by the @goicehogs ahead of tomorrow’s @IndyFuel preseason game against the Fort Wayne Komets.

— Evan Miller (@evanfmiller) October 4, 2018

The Blackhawks open their season tonight in Ottawa at 6:30PM Central on WGN. The Rockford Icehogs and Indy Fuel both open their seasons tomorrow, October 5, in Cleveland and Indianapolis respectively.

The post REPORT: Forsberg Hurt at Morning Skate, Delia Recalled appeared first on The Rink.

According to an agreement between ECHL and all its parent clubs, teams must provide housing to all their players. The Indy Fuel have done just that with fully furnished apartments for members of the club. The apartments sit right next to the Fuel Tank at Fishers, an ice rink owned by an affiliate company of the team. Despite the recently renovated rink being feet away from the player’s housing, Fuel President Larry McQueary told The-Rink that practices would continue to take place at the home of the team, Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

When asked about how these apartments would attract players to Indy, McQueary replied, “They’re brand new. No one else has new housing right now in the league. They can walk directly next door to work out, do a little stick and puck, it’s all right there.”

Apparently, the apartments were attractive enough to bring back forwards Logan Nelson and Mathew Thompson for their second seasons with the Fuel.

Logan Nelson

Nelson came to the Fuel in a mid-season trade with the Fort Wayne Komets that saw defenseman Anthony Cortese get sent up the interstate from Indy to Fort Wayne. The Rogers, MN native played in 21 games with Indy, tallying seven goals and 19 points, but boasts a fantastic defensive game as well.

“We brought him in last year to be a two-way guy,” Fuel assistant coach Ryan McGinnis said, “He plays a 200-foot game and a brand of hockey that we like.”

Nelson brings three seasons of ECHL hockey to the Fuel, his seventh different team in that span. With that experience comes leadership and that is exactly Nelson brings.

“He brings a good component to the locker room, which the guys like, and that helps at this level tremendously. If you can bring in enough locker room character guys like himself, the rest will take care of itself.”

It’s also worth noting that Nelson left Game 1 of the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in Toledo with an injury. The 24-year-old never returned to the playoff series. According to McGinnis, “he is rehabbing” and “taking care of himself.”

Mathew Thompson

Bernie John and his staff brought in some key components to the team this season, but none of them overshadowed the signing of Adrian College captain Mathew Thompson. The Fuel brought the rookie in to close out the regular season and he sure did stand out.

Thompson suited up in seven games with Indy and netted two goals and six points, while also enjoying a +4 rating. The 2017-18 NCAA Division III Player of the Year also played in all four playoff games with Indy, scoring the first home playoff goal in the team’s four-year history. Along with that goal, Thompson added an assist to his playoff stat line.

When asked how much he thinks Thompson is going to help the team this coming season, McGinnis replied, “I think he’s going to help tremendously. We were able to get a good look at him last year in his seven-game sample during the regular season and that was enough for us. We’re glad to have him and he’ll add some great depth to our team.”

The Goaltending Situation

As of right now, the Fuel have no goaltender for the upcoming season. Standout rookie goaltender Etienne Marcoux signed with the Laval Rocket of the AHL this offseason and Matt Tomkins signed an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs, Indy’s AHL affiliate. Tomkins is currently the frontrunner for the starting job with Indy, but the backup position is still up in the air.

“When you get contracted players like [Marcoux and Tomkins] who are affiliated with Rockford and Laval, first and foremost it runs through them,” McGinnis said. “If we see them, we don’t know that. It’s going to be up to Rockford and Laval and their situations. You usually get guys like that at the end of the summer.”

The Chicago Blackhawks, the Fuel’s NHL affiliate, just announced the signing of goaltender Cam Ward, which would then push someone down to the Fuel through Rockford, barring any more roster moves.

The post Catching up with the Indy Fuel: Housing and the Upcoming Season appeared first on The Rink.

In one of the more memorable season’s in Rockford IceHogs AHL history, the team accomplished a tremendous amount together and individually in the 2017-18 season. To note a few:

• Furthest run in the Calder Cup Playoffs, including deepest postseason run since 2007 Colonial Cup win (UHL).
• Chris DiDomenico sets franchise record for postseason point total (18 points, 13 games)
• Matthew Highmore sets franchise rookie goal-scoring record (24 goals)
• Adam Clendening sets franchise all-time assists and points record for a defenseman (122 assists, 148 points)
• Carl Dahlstrom becomes 100th IceHogs player to reach the NHL
• Vince Hinostroza and Erik Gustafsson named AHL All-Stars, replaced by Matthew Highmore and Carl Dahlstrom at AHL All-Star Classic

Rockford IceHogs Exit Interviews

(Key: Regular Season Stats / Calder Cup Playoff Stats)

Head Coach Jeremy Colliton

In his first season coaching in North America, Colliton led the Rockford IceHogs back to the Calder Cup Playoffs after a last-place finish in the Central Division last season. At just 33-years old, Colliton is already proving his worth to the Chicago Blackhawks organization and maybe, just maybe, a possible replacement for Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville in the near future.

Cody Franson, Defenseman – 37 GP, 9 G, 19 A / 13 GP, 6 G, 7 A

Cody Franson‘s 2017-18 season did not go as planned. He signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, expecting to be a top-six defenseman for the NHL club. Those plans changed mid-way through the season and he finished the year with the IceHogs. One of the leading point scorers in the regular season and playoffs, Franson made the most of his stint in Rockford and helped propel the IceHogs offensively and defensively.

Adam Clendening, Defenseman – (38 GP, 4 G, 26 A / 13 GP, 1 G, 13 A)

Much like Franson, Adam Clendening did not expect his 2017-18 season to wind up with the Rockford IceHogs. Acquired via trade with the Arizona Coyotes, Clendening re-joined the IceHogs late in the season and made his reunion count. Leading all Rockford defensemen in points in the regular season and playoffs, Clendening was a big part of the trio of veteran players that led the IceHogs through the Calder Cup Playoffs alongside Franson and Chris DiDomenico.

Chris DiDomenico, Forward – (22 GP, 8 G, 15 A / 13 GP, 7 G, 11 A)

Rounding out the trio of players who all joined the IceHogs late in the year, but had some of the biggest impacts in their time with the team, Chris DiDomenico also found his 2017-18 season come to a close with the IceHogs via a trade. Late in the season, DiDomenico  joined Rockford and immediately made his presence known on the ice and in the locker room. Head Coach Jeremy Colliton praised DiDomenico’s contributions to the roster mentally and physically, saying he brought the feeling to the group that on any given night, they should come away winners. Over his last 35 games combined, DiDomenico put up 41 points.

Jeff Glass, Goaltender – (28 GP, 15-9-2, 2.82 GAA, .904 SV% / 3 GP, 2-1, 1.48 GAA, .955 SV%)

What a ride the 2017-18 season was for goaltender Jeff Glass. A journeyman net-minder, who has played the majority of his career in the KHL, becomes the starting goalie for the Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Blackhawks at different points of the season. At 32-years old, Glass made his NHL debut with Chicago and tallied three wins in the big league. With Rockford, Glass continued to lead the IceHogs through tough stretches of the season and graciously took a back seat at the beginning of the Calder Cup Playoffs to Collin Delia. When called back upon in the postseason, Glass gave the IceHogs every chance to complete an improbable comeback, before ultimately coming up just two wins short of the Calder Cup Final.

Collin Delia, Goaltender – (28 GP, 17-7-4, 2.72 GAA, .900 SV% / 10 GP, 7-3, 2.34 GAA, .924 SV%)

Speaking of wild rides this season, Collin Delia had one of the more unbelievable start to finishes this year for the IceHogs. Starting the year with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL, making his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks, and leading the Rockford IceHogs into the Calder Cup Playoffs, Delia was the most improved player from day one. Having a stretch from early January to the end of the regular season, Delia lost just a handful of games, with the majority of those losses coming in overtime or the shootout. It goes without saying that the IceHogs would not have been in the position they were in the final six weeks of the season without Delia. Oh, and he was named the Rockford IceHogs Man of the Year.

Lance Bouma, Forward – (20 GP, 7 G, 7 A / 13 GP, 1 G, 1 A)

Lance Bouma found himself in similar shoes as Cody Franson did with the Chicago Blackhawks this season. Signing a one-year contract, Bouma started the year as a regular in the Blackhawks’ lineup, but as the year progressed his play wasn’t what Chicago needed and the opportunity to give players with more of a future with the organization arose. Thus, Bouma headed to Rockford and made the most of his situation, providing a physical presence on the ice and a leadership quality in the locker room.

Tanner Kero, Forward – (36 GP, 8 G, 12 A / 12 GP, 0 G, 3 A)

Tanner Kero dealt with injuries on and off this season, which was a factor in him having a less-than-stellar outing with the Chicago Blackhawks this year. Being one of the players on the fence between the NHL and AHL in the organization, Kero saw his spot as a bottom-six center with Chicago go to David Kampf and found himself with the IceHogs. Once healthy, he was a consistent presence for Rockford during the regular season and Calder Cup Playoffs.

John Hayden, Forward – (24 GP, 5 G, 12 A / 13 GP, 3 G, 0 A)

One of the younger players that plays on that same NHL/AHL fence for the Chicago Blackhawks organization, John Hayden could have taken his assignments to the Rockford IceHogs this season as a negative. But, to Hayden’s credit, he played well and understood that his time with the IceHogs this season was to give him time to develop his game. Playing with Chicago, Hayden’s game started to deviate from size and skill, to size and slam. Hayden has more to offer than just a big-bodied player and with Rockford, Hayden was able to play more meaningful minutes and find his skill-set at the pro level. A restricted free agent this summer, the Blackhawks will more than likely sign Hayden and make him a part of the bottom-six in Chicago next season.

Tyler Sikura, Forward – (74 GP, 23 G, 16 A / 13 GP, 5 G, 1 A)

Next to Collin Delia, Tyler Sikura was one of the most improved players over the course of the season. In his first full-year in the AHL, Sikura scored 23 goals (2nd on the team) and earned himself his first NHL deal with the Chicago Blackhawks. Sikura can find himself in a position battle for a bottom-six forward spot with Chicago next year as he showed that he has a scoring touch around the net for the IceHogs and can play physical when called upon.

Andreas Martinsen, Forward – (64 GP, 12 G, 16 A / 13 GP, 2 G, 3 A)

Joining the IceHogs right as the 2017-18 season began, Andreas Martinsen was brought in to the organization to help lead a young locker room early on. Far from a grizzled veteran, Martinsen brought some NHL experience to a locker room in Rockford that started the year with nearly a dozen players making their first year pro debuts. Martinsen was a leader on and off the ice for the IceHogs and provided consistent physical play throughout the year and into the Calder Cup Playoffs. Martinsen was also able to get a few NHL games under his belt with the Blackhawks late in the NHL season.

David Kampf, Forward – (33 GP, 7 G, 11 A / 13 GP, 1 G, 0 A)

David Kampf came into the Chicago Blackhawks organization with a ton of question marks surrounding him. A free agent signing from Europe, the 23-year old Czech Center joined the IceHogs out of training camp and was a player that head coach Jeremy Colliton gave a large amount of ice-time to. It worked in Kampf’s favor as he was recalled to the Blackhawks mid-way through the season and would only re-join the IceHogs with a few games remaining in the regular season. While only scoring one playoff point, Kampf created a ton of offensive chances. He’ll figure to be in the mix for a bottom-six position with Chicago next year.

Carl Dahlstrom, Defenseman – (64 GP, 3 G, 25 A / 13 GP, 3 G, 6 A)

The 2017-18 season narrative of the Rockford IceHogs continued to be young talent making huge improvements all season, and for defenseman Carl Dahlstrom, that narrative rang true. A sizable defender, Dahlstrom more than doubled his point production from last season in fewer games played. Named an AHL All-Star replacement for Erik Gustafsson, Dahlstrom also made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks during the 2017-18 campaign and will figure to challenge for a spot on Chicago’s blue-line next season.

Gustav Forsling, Defenseman – (18 GP, 2 G, 3 A / 13 GP, 1 G, 4 A)

One of the more interesting defenseman in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, Gustav Forsling had a difficult 2017-18 season. Bouncing between the Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs, Forsling dealt with injuries that hindered his season. But, when healthy, Forsling showed flashes of why the Blackhawks still have a ton of faith that he will be able to play the role of a defenseman who can jump into the offense and produce points in the NHL. At 21-years old (turning 22 in mid-June), Forsling still has room for development, but figures to be in the mix for a spot on Chicago’s blue-line next season.

Robin Norell, Defenseman – (63 GP, 2 G, 5 A / No Playoff Stats)

Robin Norell had an odd 2017-18 season. As a defenseman, Norell played solid on both ends of the ice for the IceHogs, but ultimately found himself dressing for more games as a forward than a defender. Once the latter half of the season rolled around, and the Rockford blue-line took shape, Norell saw his spot in the lineup go away and he did not dress for the Calder Cup Playoffs. He’ll more than likely figure to be a part of the IceHogs defensive core again next season.

Viktor Svedberg, Defenseman – (73 GP, 6 G, 18 A / 13 GP, 0 G, 5 A)  

A stalwart in the Rockford IceHogs organization for the last few years, Viktor Svedberg had arguably his best season of his career in 2017-18. His highest point total in his AHL career (24 points), Svedberg had a decent shot with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2015-16 season, playing in 24 NHL games, but it seems as if the organization may have moved on from the towering Swedish defenseman. An unrestricted free agent this summer, it will be interesting to see if the Blackhawks bring Svedberg back, as he has become an integrated part of the Rockford organization, but may not have an NHL future with Chicago.

Matt Tomkins, Goaltender – (8 GP, 1-4-2, 4.04 GAA, .871 SV%) / (No Playoff Stats)

Another goalie for the IceHogs who did a fair share of bouncing around this season was Matt Tomkins. While largely only playing in a backup role with the IceHogs, Tomkins was another first-year pro who made his debut with Rockford this season. Tomkins figures to be a starting option in net for the ECHL Indy Fuel next season, but could be a challenger for some AHL time too.

Victor Ejdsell, Forward – (5 GP, 0 G, 1 A) / (13 GP, 7 G, 5 A)

Acquired in the Ryan Hartman trade with the Nashville Predators, Victor Ejdsell came into the Chicago Blackhawks organization late in the year and quickly took the sting away from the Hartman deal for many fans. A big-bodied forward, Ejdsell played a handful of game with the Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs once he arrived in North America and showed flashes of quick hands and a powerful shot from the wings. Ejdsell was a huge factor for the IceHogs in the Calder Cup Playoffs, scoring two overtime goals over the 13-game run. Ejdsell should get a chance with the Blackhawks early on next season.

Henrik Samuelsson, Forward – (25 GP, 9 G, 3 A) / (4 GP, 0 G, 0 A)

Henrik Samuelsson joined the IceHogs late in the season from the ECHL Idaho Steelheads and jumped right into the lineup in a way. Scoring a goal in each of his first three games, Samuelsson is a former-first round pick making his way back to the top leagues of North America. A big-bodied forward, Samuelsson was scratched to start the Calder Cup Playoffs for the IceHogs, but found his way back into the lineup later in the postseason. Samuelsson signed an extension into next season and should factor into the Rockford lineup as a regular.

Graham Knott, Forward – (70 GP, 4 G, 5 A) / (No Playoff Stats)

Another first-year pro making his debut with the Rockford IceHogs this season, Graham Knott had an underwhelming first year. Nine points in 70 games played for the former second-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks, Knott played a fourth-line role all season for Rockford before being scratched for the Calder Cup Playoffs. Another large-bodied forward, Knott will need to improve his strength and skating over the summer, but will have a spot with the IceHogs next season.

Darren Raddysh, Defenseman – (66 GP, 5 G, 17 A) / (9 GP, 0 G, 2 A)

Making his professional debut with the Rockford IceHogs this season, Darren Raddysh played his way into and NHL contract with the Chicago Blackhawks while in the midst of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Raddysh was a regular in the IceHogs defensive core, but was a scratch for the final few games of the postseason. He’ll be a factor in the Rockford blue-line again next season, maybe with an outside chance at making his NHL debut in 2018-19.

Luke Johnson, Forward – (73 GP, 13 G, 17 A) / (13 GP, 4 G, 4 A)

Luke Johnson made a huge leap from the 2016-17 to 2017-18 season. Playing in 73 games again this season, Johnson doubled his point production from last season and saw his on and off-ice responsibilities increase under head coach Jeremy Colliton. Johnson should be a key player for the IceHogs next season and could even make his NHL debut with the Blackhawks next season if Chicago gets bitten with injuries.

Nathan Noel, Forward – (17 GP, 1 G, 0 A) / (No Playoff Stats)

Nathan Noel had a tough season in his first year as a pro. Dealing with injuries and playing on the fence between the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL and the Indy Fuel in the ECHL, Noel made the most of his time with Rockford but left more to be desired. Next season should provide more opportunities for Noel at the AHL level, but he’ll need an impressive summer.

Matheson Iacopelli, Forward – (50 GP, 11 G, 8 A) / (No Playoff Stats)

One of the more interesting cases for the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs organizations, Matheson Iacopelli has the skill-set to be a regular contributor at the AHL level and his shot has been said to be NHL quality. But, for some reason, although scoring at a 0.40 point per game pace over his 58 AHL games, Iacopelli was scratched and even sent to the Indy Fuel in the ECHL late in the season. In 10 games with Indy, Iacopelli scored 10 points (9 G, 1 A) and was quickly brought back to Rockford, but didn’t see any action in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He’ll factor into the IceHogs lineup next season, but wouldn’t hurt to have a standout summer.

Matthew Highmore, Forward – (64 GP, 24 G, 19 A) / (13 GP, 2 G, 7 A)

One of the more impressive first-year players with the Rockford IceHogs this season, Matthew Highmore went from undrafted free agent signing out of the QMJHL, to Rockford’s top goal-scorer in 2017-18. Setting the rookie goal-scoring record with 24 goals in 63 games, Highmore took over the production role, alongside Anthony Louis, when Vince Hinostroza left Rockford for his permanent stay with the Blackhawks early in the season. The Chicago Blackhawks took a flyer on Highmore and it has already paid off in one year for both organizations. He made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks late this season, including his first NHL goal, and will again be looked at as an option for the Blackhawks next season.

Anthony Louis, Forward – (70 GP, 14 G, 44 A) / (9 GP, 0 G, 5 A)

As mentioned above, Anthony Louis was one of the key players for the Rockford IceHogs all season. The 2017-18 points leader for Rockford, Louis emerged as one of the go-to players after Vince Hinostroza was recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks. In his first full year in the AHL, Louis showed that he has the speed and vision to create for his teammates offensively. He’ll need more time in the AHL to round out his game and will undoubtedly be one of the key players for the IceHogs next season.

Alex Fortin, Forward – (53 GP, 4 G, 21 A) / (1 GP, 0 G, 0 A)

Alexandre Fortin, by all accounts, had a fine first professional year in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs. Outside of dealing with injuries, Fortin made his pro debut and did well in the role he was given by head coach Jeremy Colliton. The problem comes with the expectations that Fortin came into the Chicago Blackhawks organization with. He was a free agent signing and had a monster summer showing, enough to make some people believe he was NHL-ready. But Fortin’s first full pro season left something to be desired. If Fortin can have another decent showing over the summer, he’ll be a regular again in the IceHogs lineup and could potentially get his NHL shot in 2018-19.

William Pelletier, Forward – (69 GP, 14 G, 15A) / (13 GP, 2 G, 0 A)

Guess what? Another first-year pro! William Pelletier made a few appearances late last season for the Rockford IceHogs, but the 2017-18 season was his first full season in the AHL. A former Division III standout at Norwich University, Pelletier is another “water-bug” type of player in the Chicago Blackhawks system that has excelled with the IceHogs. Like Hinostorza and Anthony Louis, Pelletier uses his quick feet and playmaking ability to create offensive chances for his linemates and has an ability for finding open space to find his shot. Over his 77 career games with Rockford, Pelletier is playing at a .47 point per game pace and will be a regular for the IceHogs next season.

Luc Snuggerud, Defenseman – (40 GP, 5 G, 12 A) / (No Playoff Stats)

Another player hinder by the injury big this season, Luc Snuggerud made his pro debut in his first full year in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs this season. When healthy, Snuggerud was a regular part of the Rockford defensive core and showed the ability to play effectively at both ends of the ice. While healthy at the end of the season, Snuggerud was edged out in the defensive rotation and did not dress for any games in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Over his 53 career games with the IceHogs, Snuggerud is producing at a .42 point per game pace which is great from a defenseman. With a solid showing this summer, Snuggerud will be a regular part of the Rockford defensive lineup next season.

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.

As the 2017-18 season comes to an official close for the Rockford IceHogs, it goes without saying that this squad came together under familiar circumstances with a rookie head coach being paired with so many first-year pros. The locker room gelled and added the right veteran pieces to produce some AHL magic and create a renewed vigor in the Rockford hockey community. Adam Clendening’s statement that this group was the most fun group he has ever played with spoke volumes to what Jeremy Colliton, the coach staff, and management did to rebuild the IceHogs from their disappointing 2016-17 run.

While the Chicago Blackhawks regulars have had their spring to relax and recover from last season, the IceHogs have been going through a tough Calder Cup Playoffs run. For most players, the offseason will be short as Summer Prospect Camp gets underway in the latter half of July, leading into the Rookie Showcase in Traverse City before Training Camp in late August. While the additions of new free agent and draft pick signings will re-shape the look of the IceHogs for the 2018-19 season, the organization is back on the right track and provides a hopeful look into the future of the Chicago Blackhawks.

The post Rockford IceHogs 2017-18 Season Exit Interviews appeared first on The Rink.

First of all, According to the ECHL rulebook, a team may not have more than four veterans on its roster at any time during the season. The ECHL website states that “A veteran shall mean a player, other than a goaltender, who has played in at least 260 regular season games of professional hockey.”

The Fuel currently have five players that meet that veteran threshold on the active roster: captain Michael Neal, defenseman Zach Miskovic, and forwards Josh Shalla, Ryan Rupert, and Darian Dziurzynski. Of the five players, four of them finished in the top five on the team in points.

At 32 years old, Miskovic might have seen his last season with the Fuel. The ECHL veteran has played the most games in a Fuel sweater in club history (186). In those 186 games, he has registered 55 points. The point total is not bad for a defenseman, but he is not producing like the Fuel need.

Miskovic seems to be far past his prime and unable to keep up with the speed of today’s ECHL game. In the three seasons that Miskovic has played with the Fuel, he has also had a -32 rating. A reasonable progression for Miskovic to continue his association with the Fuel might be a move behind the bench as an assistant coach.

Strengthening the defensive core is also something the Fuel could concentrate on in their long offseason. Defense has always been a weakness of the team and bringing in a solid offensive defenseman would be great. One of the best defenseman in team history, Robin Press, will most likely see more time with Rockford than he does with Indy next season. That would leave the team with only Brandon Anselmini, which would be fine, but he’s not the type of player you build your defense around.

Bringing in a legitimate goal scorer is something the Fuel have yet to do in their four-year history. Former Adrian College captain Mathew Thompson might be a player who would be worth bringing back for next season. He showed great potential after being brought in at the tail end of this past season. Thompson’s speed, skill, and a hint of physicality comprise just the type of skill set Indy has missed. Playing him along side Shalla and Dziurzynski could be a lethal option for the Fuel next season—if they all return.

Goaltending will also be an issue for the Fuel going forward. Unexpected breakout Etienne Marcoux may end up in the AHL with a team like the Chicago Wolves next season.  Based on his outstanding performance between the pipes in Indy, teams will take a look at him as a potential backup. Matt Tomkins might be back for another season, but it should be a priority for the team to find a backup goaltender over the offseason.  The Fuel’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, have an abundance of goaltenders now with four on their active roster.

Something that differentiates the rest of the remaining teams in the playoffs from the Fuel are smart decisions in their own end, and not turning the puck over. In the defensive end, the Fuel seem to struggle with execution, such as making one simple pass to get it out of the zone or having the confidence skate the puck out past the blue line.

All too often, the defense either just ices the puck or blatantly turns it over in the slot. Focusing on these details early on in training camp and the preseason should help the Fuel get out to an early lead in the standings.

If the Fuel continue to make smart decisions in the front office and make the moves that will help the team in the long run, they could build on the playoffs this season make a deep run in the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The post Armchair GM: Indy Fuel Offseason Edition appeared first on The Rink.

To the surprise of many, that expertise is not complaining and fighting with meatballs on Twitter, but goaltenders and goaltending.

It may be more of an obsession than an area of expertise, but I digress.

I laid out my opinion of how the Blackhawks goaltending situation would play out. Of course, I could not have predicted Corey Crawford would be out for the season after December 23rd, but I think the season played out much like I predicted.

Below is a piece I wrote the day they signed Collin Delia to a contract. I figured that it would be a good time to look back to see how things shook out.

First, some love for The-Rink and Hostile Legend Collin Delia, who was named the AHL player of the week, just last week:

The Blackhawks announced this morning that they had finalized a deal to bring former Merrimack junior goalie Collin Delia in to the Blackhawks organization and goalie fold.

As one might expect, I was absolutely delighted to hear this, because I have been singing the song of Delia for about 12 months. Last summer, when he was coming off a visit to the Ducks prospect camp, he caught my goalie eye. Even though he went back to Merrimack for his Junior season, he attended Capitals camp this summer, as well, and was invited back to Blackhawks camp.

Seeing a free agent two years in a row, in the same team’s camp is rare. NHL organizations were taking a long hard look at this California kid, and with the house cleaning the Blackhawks performed this spring/summer another solid goalie in the pipeline is never a bad problem to have.

Ever since I saw Delia play during the prospect camp of 2016, I was intrigued with his style and very calm demeanor. He was coming off an injury plagued sophomore season, that saw his stats dip, after an impressive freshman nine game look the season before. Even though he didn’t miss much time, his goals against went up by over a goal a game and his save percentage went down by .050, as a result. Just watching Delia play, though, it was hard to not be impressed.

He has decent size at 6’2″ and roughly 200lbs, but he’s no physical giant like Scott Darling. The first thing that really caught my eye, though, was his smooth fluid movement sliding side to side. Look, it’s not easy to master sliding side to side on ice without some little imperfections, but Delia looked to have his weight distribution locked in. He makes it look so simple, which takes exceptional bio-mechanics to accomplish. Not only does he move very smooth, but his natural reflexes were on display both this year and last, more specifically, his glove hand. Delia has a low compact stance, which allows him to explode in any direction quick and efficiently, and he’s also very flexible.

He came back this summer healthier, and better overall, after getting back on track with a very respectable 2.15 goals against average and .927 save percentage, while being named Hockey East Third Team All-Star and the league’s Stop It Goaltending Champion. It is easy to see why Blackhawks goalie specialists Jimmy Waite, and Peter Aubry were licking their lips. He came into prospect camp and stole the spotlight from camp vet and former draft pick Matt Tomkins, which led GM Stan Bowman to personally pull Delia aside to acknowledge his great week at camp.

Now on to the predictions:

With Friday’s signing, the Blackhawks now have six goalies under their umbrella in one fashion or another. Delia will, most likely, attend the Traverse City Rookie tournament with the Blackhawks rookies, later this summer. He will also attend the pro training camp in September, when all but Corey Crawford’s starting job could be up for grabs.

Goalie Matt Tomkins signed an AHL deal just before prospect camp, but with JF Berube and Jeff Glass signed to NHL deals, Tomkins looks to be all but Indy bound. This leaves Delia on the cusp of Rockford and Indy. Anything can happen, and given Jeff Glass’ age, Delia could push for a backup spot in Rockford with strong training camps.

Peripherally, I am still not sold on Anton Forsberg as Crawford’s backup, and JF Berube could surprise people, as well. Most likely, the depth will play out with Crawford/Forsberg in Chicago, with Berube/Glass in Rockford and Delia/Tomkins in Indy. Don’t be surprised of you see Berube and/or Delia make some waves and force the Blackhawks to make some more complicated decisions, though.

Not too shabby, if I say so myself.

In all honesty, I was just making guesses based on my personal evaluation of the goalies I had seen. With Corey Crawford’s injury and uncertain future, the Blackhawks may be forced into some uncomfortable positions.

Like the back of a Volkswagen?

I honestly think Corey Crawford will be back next season, but the organization will have to assume that he will, again, spend some time in injured reserve at some point. He has not been healthy for an entire season in years and he is coming off of a pretty significant bout of post concussion syndrome, according to reports.

VERDICT – Until a doctor tells us otherwise, we have to assume Crawford will be back healthy in the fall.

Anton Forsberg has had a rough year. He started off absolutely on fire, but has not yet shown he can be handed the net. It is probably a bit too early to be cutting bait on a 25 year old goalie.  They have him signed for another year at a very affordable cap number so they will ride this one out, unless someone comes calling with a deal they cannot pass up. Highly unlikely.

VERDICT – Back for one more year and possibly competes with Berube for the backup spot once again.

The way they have fumble and butchered the fragile confidence of Anton Forsberg, bringing back Jean-Francois Berube seems like an affordable foregone conclusion, but Stan Bowman is not always interested in what is most logical. With a thin corp of free agent goalies this year, building on all of the time and development you put into Berube, already, would seem plausible.

VERDICT – He battled a pretty bad injury and fought his way back. As of late, he has been the more consistent of the two current Blackhawks goalies. Give him another affordable deal, and have him compete with Forsberg again. At the very least, he will be a solid starter in Rockford with Collin Delia.

Jeff Glass will be an unrestricted free agent and, based on the depth chart, he should be left to sign elsewhere. He served his purpose and they got all they could out of the guy. If the team stops playing sentimental favorites and actually let Jeff Glass go, maybe they can bring him into the organisation as a goaltending scout or coach instead of mucking up the roster with 32 year old dead weight.

This would open up a spot for Bowman to sign another depth goalie, if they feel that they need to.

VERDICT – Let him go. This franchise does not need to get any older, and Delia has shown that he can take that next step. He was a warrior and hung in there as expansion draft bait, but bid him adieu

Collin Delia has shown that he can be, at the very least, an AHL backup. He is signed and will be back next season. He could very well push to be that number three guy, especially if they do something silly, like letting both Glass and Berube go. If that were to happen, Delia would be one Corey Crawford or Anton Forsberg injury away from making his NHL debut.

VERDICT – He will be back, and The-Rink will be on that bandwagon.

Behind Delia, Matt Tomkins has been playing pretty well, between Rockford and Indy. He is on an expiring AHL deal, but has done nothing to think that he is undesirable to this franchise. I would guess they will bring him back for another year.

VERDICT – Bring the kid back. He has hung in there and grown over the last year. If he wants to stay with the Blackhawks, he has earned the right to come back.

Lastly, the Blackhawks still hold the rights to Russian goalie Ivan Nalimov and former draft pick Wouter Peeters. Nalimov is under contract for one more year with Salavat Yulaev in the KHL and Peeters has been struggling in the USHL, so neither is an option for 2018-19.

VERDICT – Do not even bother with either of these guys until, at least, next spring. At the earliest.

If Crawford is back and they are as confident in Delia as I am, then the Hawks should probably sign another young free agent goalie to develop, possibly out of development camp.  You could also see them acquire an unfamiliar name in a low level deal at the draft.  Someone like Elmhurst native Garret Sparks comes to mind.

Meet Wally (Garret) Sparks

If Crawford is not back, they will be in trouble anyway. They could go one of two routes:

• Try and poach a young RFA, like Robin Lehner, Petr Mrazek or Philipp Grubauer. This is a rare occurrence, because NHL General Managers are cowards, but still plausible.
• Sign an NHL level vet to some in and hold down the net until Crawford can eventually come back. Someone like Cam Ward, Jaroslav Halak, or Jonathan Bernier. You may cringe at those names, but if you can get them at reasonable prices they may be able to stop the ship from completely sinking just long enough to straighten out this Crawford ordeal.

The post Revisiting Blackhawks Goaltending – Seven Months Later appeared first on The Rink.

On top of the action-packed weekend, Rockford will be without goaltender Jeff Glass and forward David Kampf after they were recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. Additionally, the IceHogs recalled goaltender Matt Tomkins from the Indy Fuel to split time with Collin Delia in net.

Entering Thursday’s action, the IceHogs sit in second place in the AHL Central Division with a 17-11-2 record (36 pts, .600 pt%) and trail the Manitoba Moose for the division lead. In the AHL Western Conference, Rockford ranks fourth behind the Manitoba Moose, Stockton Heat, and Texas Stars.

Thursday and Friday: IceHogs vs Wild

Thursday night, the IceHogs begin the three game stretch in Iowa taking on the Wild. It marks the seventh game between the teams this season with Rockford holding a 3-2-1 record over the Wild. Iowa sits just behind the IceHogs in third place in the Central Division with a 14-9-8 record (36 pts, .598 pt%).

The weekend’s action will have a new face joining Iowa as Zach Parise begins a conditioning stint with the Wild. Parise is recovering from a back injury that has forced him out of action all season. It will be Parise’s first AHL action since the NHL’s lockout season in 2004-05 where he played 73 games with the Albany River Rats, scoring 58 points (18G, 40A).

#mnwild expected to assign Zach Parise to @iawild for a conditioning stint, a huge step in his return from injury → https://t.co/Q2Csh7fvm0 pic.twitter.com/keni6yzPLo

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 27, 2017

Special teams will be a big focus during the home-and-home with the Wild as they enter the weekend with the AHL’s fifth-ranked powerplay unit (20.4 percent) and the league’s top penalty-kill (88.6 percent) compared to the IceHogs’ 22nd ranked penalty-kill (80.6 percent) and league-worst powerplay unit (11.1 percent). Rockford has scored just four powerplay goals since Oct. 28 and have gone without a powerplay goal in their last 22 opportunities.

Puck drop for both games on Thursday and Friday night are scheduled for 7pm CT.

Saturday: IceHogs vs Wolves

After the back-to-back with the Iowa Wild, the IceHogs turn their attention to the Chicago Wolves and another installment of the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry to close out the 2017 calendar year. In five meetings this season, Rockford holds a 2-2-1 record against the Wolves. Chicago sits in fifth place in the Central Division with a 13-12-6 record (32 pts, .516 pt%).

The previous five meetings between the teams have been consistently physical and have been played tightly with each team scoring 14 goals against the other with the IceHogs having a 15th goal credited in a shootout win. The sixth installment of this year’s rivalry should be no different.

With the losses of Glass and Kampf, the IceHogs will need players like Tomas Jurco and Matthew Highmore to lead to offensive charge and Delia and Tomkins to pickup where Glass left off in net. It will be a challenge for the goaltenders as Delia has just one game of AHL experience under his belt and Tomkins will be making his first trip up to the AHL after spending four years in net for Ohio State.

Puck drop for Saturday night’s game in Chicago is scheduled for 7pm CT.

IceHogs Close The Book On 2017

2017 has been an odd year for the Rockford IceHogs as they are a completely different team in look and feel than when the calendar year started. Ted Dent, Spencer Abbott, Mark McNeill, Kyle Baun, and Brandon Mashinter, to name a few, began 2017 with Rockford. As 2017 comes to a close, none of those players are around and Jeremy Colliton was brought in to replace Dent as Head Coach. In fact, only 13 players who played with the IceHogs last season out of 39 that suited up, are with the club to begin the 2017-18 season or were with the team at some point to begin the new season.

The end of the 2016-17 season saw the IceHogs finish last in the AHL Central Division and 27th out of 30 teams in the league overall. There was a large roster turnover, a change in coaching, and a change in philosophy. It has all worked so far in the 2017 portion of the 2017-18 season. Rockford has skated 10 rookies this season, with five of them scoring double-digits in points at this point in the season, led by an undrafted free agent signing in Matthew Highmore. The IceHogs are younger, faster, more highly skilled and for the first time in a while, have a bright future building up for the Blackhawks organization as a whole.

The post Preview: IceHogs Close 2017 With Three Games In Three Nights appeared first on The Rink.

Blackhawks Lose Crawford For Second Time This Month

This marks the second time this season that Crawford has been placed on injured reserve this month. Back on Dec. 1, the Blackhawks placed Crawford on injured reserve and recalled J.F. Berube from the IceHogs. He returned to the Blackhawks shortly after and in seven appearances during the month of December, Crawford is 6-1-0 with a .923 save percentage. In his last appearance against the New Jersey Devils, Crawford allowed three goals on seven shots faced and was pulled after just 13:22 minutes of play.

Blackhawks backup Anton Forsberg figures to get the majority of action while Crawford is out. Forsberg this season is 1-4-3 in 11 appearances for the Blackhawks this season with a 3.13 GAA and .909 save percentage. While serving as the Blackhawks starter earlier this month, Forsberg went 0-2-1.

Heading to Chicago from Rockford as goaltender Jeff Glass and forward David Kampf. Glass has been the IceHogs starter since J.F. Berube went down with an injury earlier this month. This season, Glass is 10-4-2 with a 2.60 GAA and .917 save percentage for the IceHogs and has started their last nine straight games. Glass has yet to make his NHL regular season debut after being a third-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in 2004.

David Kampf will also be joining Glass as IceHogs heading to Chicago. Kampf is playing in his first year of North American professional hockey with Rockford after playing with Chomutov Pirati of the Czech Pro League from 2012-2016. In 30 games with the IceHogs this season, Kampf has 17 points (7G, 10A) and is second in rookie scoring on the team.

Finally, with the IceHogs losing Glass to the Blackhawks and with Berube already out with an injury, the IceHogs recalled goaltender Matt Tomkins from the Indy Fuel. Tomkins rejoins his Fuel teammate from the beginning of the year, Collin Delia, in-between the pipes as they will now split time in net for the IceHogs. Delia has made one appearance for the IceHogs this season, a loss in November in which he gave up four goals on 16 shots faced. Tomkins this season with the Fuel is 4-3-0 in eight appearances, with a 2.73 GAA and .931 save percentage.

The Blackhawks return to action after the Holiday break on Thursday, taking on the Vancouver Canucks in the first of four straight road games. The IceHogs are on the road on Thursday as well, beginning a three games in three days stretch to close out the 2017 calendar year.

The post Breaking: Corey Crawford Placed On Injured Reserve appeared first on The Rink.

With opening night less than a week away, the Blackhawks are down to some tough decisions with their roster. We talked at length about the options on Tuesday night’s Shoutcast, but there are some real questions. I’m going to break down some of the upcoming roster decisions or at least try to lay them out in a logical manor. This doesn’t mean Joel Quenneville decide to use the logical method. First, we look at my favorites, the goalies, which is the only position that is seemingly locked down.

Corey Crawford is the clear and unquestioned number one. He had has his injury bugs each year, but he is still a top 10 goalie in this league. We can all expect another injury at some point this year. It is inevitable. Crawford will continue his solid, unspectacular performance, and continue to be overlooked, as well as under rated. He won’t truly be appreciated until the Cup window is secured shut and this generation of players are retired. It is a shame that the guy gets so much angst from fans that don’t truly understand the intricacies of the position, but it is the nature of the sport and Chicago.

Sneaky offseason acquisition Anton Forsberg will back up Corey Crawford. Before camp began, I honestly thought that Jean-Francois Berube had a solid chance to challenge Forsberg for the backup job, but Berube had a pretty rusty performance against the Blue Jackets. This opened the door wide open for Forsberg. All he needs to do is be solid tonight in Detroit, and the race is officially over. Forsberg really impressed me in his opening game vs the Blue Jackets. He was big in net, quick in the crease, and composed. His reflexes are very good for a big guy. I am now aboard the Forsberg train. If he can keep this up, he’ll be a perfectly fine replacement for Scott Darling.

My dark horse this camp was Jean-Francois Berube, and he simply just didn’t deliver in his one opportunity. His first goal against was more the lack of support from his team, but he got a piece of the Ryan Murray shot. The last two goals against were pretty sloppy. There is no excuse to be giving up a goal off the end boards, from virtually behind the net, like he did to Lucas Sedlak. The third goal was a weak backhand less than a minute later by Oliver Bjorkstrand, that was actually defended alright by Brent Seabrook, which softly went 5-hole. He will be fine in Rockford, if he sneaks through waivers, and “should be” the number one guy there, but Jeff Glass is a former teammate of new coach Jeremy Colliton, so that could affect the game distribution. If Crawford or Forsberg get hurt, Berube is a fine option as well.

Jeff Glass is just a veteran depth guy that can be a leader in the locker room for the kids and provide some valuable consistent experience in the Icehogs backup role. If Glass ends up being counted on for more than a leadership role, then there are real problems.

First year pro (and Puckin Hostile favorite), Collin Delia doesn’t figure into the pro team’s plans this year, or even maybe next, but this will be an important season for him to earn a reputation and gather some crucial experience. Expect him to probably start the season in Indy, with the Fuel, and share time with Matt Tomkins. If Delia can have a solid season in Indy, we could see him get some time in Rockford as the season progresses. He has the potential and certainly has the talent. The fanboy in me wants to see Delia get some Rockford time and wow the pants off everyone, but the pragmatist in me says that isn’t realiztec to expect.

Matt Tomkins is signed to an AHL deal and will eventually end up in Indy with Delia. While I was certainly fine with Jake Hildebrand and Eric Levine in the ECHL last year, Delia and Tomkins are an upgrade to the depth of the organization. Hildebrand was just alright as the primary netminder in Indy, but was overmatched in the few times he actually saw the ice in Rockford. He today signed a tryout with the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL. Levine was a temporary solution to the thin goaltending depth in the organization, as was Jeff Glass, and wasn’t even all that good in Indy.

The post Blackhawks Preseason Roster Breakdown: Goalies appeared first on The Rink.