IceHogs perfecting art of the comeback

Starting on Saturday night, the IceHogs were coming off a 6–2 win over the San Antonio Rampage in a “great-right” effort from a disastrous weekend prior. It would be the first game for Rockford since the recall of rookie defenseman Adam Boqvist to the Chicago Blackhawks. Special teams would not be in favor of the IceHogs, as they allowed power play goals in the first and second periods to fall to a 2–0 hole heading into the third period.

Rockford would attempt to power their way out of the deficit, outshooting the Wild 28–21 in the second and third periods combined. Late in the final frame came the first breakthrough with Lucas Carlsson‘s first goal of the season, scoring on a slap shot from the top of the right circle. Just 28 seconds later, with Kevin Lankinen pulled, the IceHogs tied it up thanks to Tyler Sikura tipping a shot from Carlsson to tie the game at 2–2.

Sikura’s fifth of the season sent the game into overtime, where Matthew Highmore found the game-winning goal on a two-on-one break to give the IceHogs the 3–2 win in extra time.

Lankinen stopped 30 of 32 shots faced in Saturday’s contest to notch his second win of the season. Lankinen is now 2–1–0 on the year in three appearances with a 2.31 goals against average and a .926 save percentage for Rockford, leading the team in both categories.

After the thrilling overtime win over the Wild, the IceHogs turned their attention to their Illinois Lottery Cup rivals, the Chicago Wolves, on Sunday afternoon for the third meeting between the teams in the season series. Rockford came into Sunday’s contest already with two wins over the Wolves in their first two meetings of the year and had never started a season with three consecutive wins over Chicago in the Illinois Lottery Cup rivalry series history.

Much like Saturday’s start, the IceHogs were flat out of the gate and found themselves down 2–0 after 20 minutes of action. As the game approached the midway point, Rockford had surrendered a third goal before Jacob Nilsson stopped the bleeding for the moment with a rare power play goal to make it a 3–1 game in the second period. The Wolves would add a second goal in the middle frame to extend their lead to 4–1.

From that point on, the IceHogs would respond in a big way, outscoring the Wolves 6–0 on their way to a 7–4 win. MacKenzie Entwistle cut the Chicago lead in half at 4–2 just over a minute after the 4–1 goal to give the IceHogs life heading into the third period.

In the third period, that life turned into a five-goal onslaught for Rockford. Just over 10 minutes into the period, Dylan Sikura pulled the IceHogs within one, scoring the 4–3 goal while on the power play. Nearly a minute and a half later, Brandon Hagel tallied his first professional goal to tie the game up at 4–4. Another minute and a half would go by before the younger Sikura would net his second goal of the period to give the IceHogs the 5–4 lead, marking his fourth multi-goal game in his AHL career. Three minutes after that, Sikura would complete the hat trick with a goal assisted by his older brother, Tyler, to give Rockford the 6–4 lead, capping a stretch of four goals in six minutes of the third period for the IceHogs. The hat trick is the first in Sikura’s professional career and gives him the team-lead in goals with six on the year.

Reese Johnson would finish the goal frenzy for the IceHogs with a shorthanded empty-net tally to seal the win for Rockford 7–4 over Chicago, giving the IceHogs their first ever three-game win streak to begin a season over the Wolves. Collin Delia backstopped the IceHogs in the win, making 21 saves on 25 shots faced and improving his record this season to 2–3–0. The win also pulled the IceHogs to an even .500 record this season at 5–5–0 through 10 games, good for sixth in the Central Division.

Hot Hogs through 10 games

After a rough start to the 2019–20 season, the IceHogs have balanced themselves out with impressive efforts over their last three games, albeit the last two had to be pulled from behind, but wins nonetheless. Through the first 10 games of the season, these are a few players who have been driving the IceHogs.

• Dylan Sikura — Forward
  • Leads team in goals (six)
  • Leads team in points (nine)
  • Leads team in shots on goal (34)
  • First career four-point game vs. Chicago on Nov. 3

Dylan Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs carries the puck up ice. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Tyler Sikura — Forward
  • Second on the team in goals (five)
  • Tied-second on the team in points (seven)
  • Leads team in plus/minus (+4)
  • Currently on three-game point streak (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

Tyler Sikura of the Rockford IceHogs prepares for a game during warmups. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Matthew Highmore — Forward
  • Tied for second on the team in points (seven)
  • Game-winning goal vs. Wild (Nov. 2)
  • Five points in last three games (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

Matthew Highmore of the Rockford IceHogs skates with the puck against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Anton Wedin — Forward
  • Tied for second on the team in assists (four)
  • Third on the team in points (six)
  • Third on the team in shots on goal (21)
  • Recorded three assists vs. Wolves on Nov. 3 to snap five-game point drought

Anton Wedin of the Rockford IceHogs carries the puck. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• MacKenzie Entwistle — Forward
  • Tied for first on the team in rookie goals (four)
  • Tied for first on the team in rookie points (four)
  • Three points in last three games (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

MacKenzie Entwistle of the Rockford IceHogs skates up ice against the Chicago Wolves. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

• Philip Holm — Defenseman
  • Leads defensemen, tied for third on the team in points (six)
  • Leads defensemen, second on the team in shots on goal (23)
  • Currently on three-game point streak (Oct. 30–Nov. 3)

Philip Holm of the Rockford IceHogs breaks out of his own zone. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Wednesday, as they host the Toronto Marlies for the first of two meetings this season. It is the first time since the 2014–15 season that the IceHogs and Marlies have faced each other, with Rockford holding an all-time series record of 8–5–3 against Toronto since joining the AHL in the 2007–08 season. Puck drop for Wednesday’s contest is set for 10:30 a.m. CST at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford. It is a ‘School Day’ game, as the start time would tell.

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IceHogs top Rampage in ‘get-right’ effort

Kevin Lankinen returned to the IceHogs’ blue paint on Wednesday night, marking his first action for Rockford since starting the regular season opening game against the Iowa Wild. Lankinen would stop 28 pucks in his first game back and earn his first win of the 2019–20 season. It would be one of many firsts on the night for the IceHogs.

Tyler Sikura opened the scoring for the IceHogs in the first period, netting his fourth of the year on a second-effort goal. Sikura’s tally tied the game 1–1 as the Rampage scored the opening goal of the game.

…sans Joe Buck's call this time pic.twitter.com/3PJHYjYPLg

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

Quickly following Sikura’s tying goal, Nick Moutrey would get his first goal of the season on a one-timer from Reese Johnson. Moutrey’s first of the year gave Rockford the 2–1 lead in the first period and would be extended to 3–1 after MacKenzie Entwistle finished a strong forechecking effort by stripping the puck away from the San Antonio defender and beating Ville Husso for the first professional goal of his career.

Sneak Thief (take two) pic.twitter.com/5LQ7QREGlI

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

Taking a 3–1 lead into the second period, the IceHogs were not done with their night of firsts. After assisting on Moutrey’s 2–1 goal, Johnson would net his own first professional goal of his career just beyond the midway point of the second period to make it a 4–1 Rockford lead.

Enjoy the facewash, Reese pic.twitter.com/bnTXGRe8Ez

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

Just about five minutes later, quite possibly the biggest breakthrough for Rockford all year came to be as Brandon Hagel made a spin pass to Adam Boqvist and he buried the 5–1 goal for his first goal as a professional. The Boqvist tally came while on the power play, making it also the first power play goal of the year for the IceHogs. They had been scoreless on 29 chances with the man advantage before Boqvist’s goal. Adding to the night of firsts, Nicolas Beaudin recorded the secondary assist on the power play goal for his first point as a professional with the IceHogs.

After the game, Boqvist spoke to getting the first one off the team’s back.

“It’s good to get the first goal,” Boqvist said. “Hadn’t scored one in eight games so hopefully now the gate is open.”

Boqvist gave credit to puck management and improved defensive zone coverage for the IceHogs’ turnaround effort.

First AHL goal for Mr. @BoqvistAdam ! pic.twitter.com/MdPgGs57Ed

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) October 31, 2019

The Rampage would cut the Rockford lead to 5–2 with a goal in the third period, but Jacob Nilsson buried an empty-net goal to make it 6–2 and would hold to the final horn. The IceHogs were able to kill off all five power play chances against them, and Lankinen made 28 saves en route to the win.

“It was like he hadn’t missed a beat,” Rockford head coach Derek King said of Lankinen after the game. “He was huge for us at the start and we seemed to settle in after he made a couple big saves for us.”

King also noted the feeling of relief after the first power play goal of the season.

“I’m more relieved for those guys,” King said. “Kind of been hard on them lately. They battled through it and I kept telling them not to grip the stick too hard; we get more chances and if we don’t score, we don’t score. But it was nice to see one go in.”

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Saturday night as they host the Iowa Wild. The second meeting between the teams this season, Iowa topped Rockford in the season-opening contest on Oct. 4. Puck drop on Saturday night is scheduled for 6 p.m. CDT at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

The post Rockford IceHogs top San Antonio Rampage on a night of firsts appeared first on The Rink.

Parts of the series

Introduction

Tiers one and two

Tier three

Tier four

Tier five

Tier six

Complete tier listings with our panel’s original average tier ratings (* represents a unanimous rating from the panel)

Tier one

Adam Boqvist (1*)
Kirby Dach (1*)

Tier two

Ian Mitchell (1.833)
Nicolas Beaudin (2.333)

Tier three

Alex Vlasic (2.833)
Alex Nylander (3)
Dominik Kubalik (3.167)
Philipp Kurashev (3.167)
Chad Krys (3.333)
Jake Wise (3.5)
Alexis Gravel (4)

Tier four

Evan Barratt (3.5)
MacKenzie Entwistle (3.667)
Aleksi Saarela (3.833)
Josiah Slavin (3.833)
Dennis Gilbert (4)
Matthew Highmore (4)
Kevin Lankinen (4)
Niklas Nordgren (4)
John Quenneville (4*)
Michal Teply (4)
Lucas Carlsson (4.167)
Tim Soderlund (4.167)
Alexandre Fortin (4.333)

Tier five

Brandon Hagel (4.333)
Antti Saarela (4.333)
Dominic Basse (4.5)
Artur Kayumov (4.5)
Josh Ess (4.667)
Jakub Galvas (4.833)
Mikael Hakkarainen (4.833)
Reese Johnson (4.833)
Cole Moberg (4.833)
Andrei Altybarmakyan (5.167)
Ivan Nalimov (5.167)
Joni Tuulola (5.167)

Tier six

Mathias From (5.333)
Roope Laavainen (5.333)
Ryan Shea (5.333)
Parker Foo (5.5)
Jake Ryczek (5.5)
Nathan Noel (5.667)
Graham Knott (5.833)

Note: Our panel discovered at a later date Jack Ramsey had been omitted from the series and agreed Ramsey falls into tier six.

The post RECAP: The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers appeared first on The Rink.

Our series continues today with tier five, defined as a prospect seen as a fringe forward, fringe defenseman or AHL goalie with a chance to play in the NHL.

As explained in the introduction piece, each eligible prospect in the system was rated by our staff panel before ultimately being debated to agree on a tier. Each prospect’s original rating average is listed in parentheses after their name, along with a brief synopsis of why they fell in the tier they did.

Players are listed in order of original rating average, with any ties being sorted alphabetically by last name.

Brandon Hagel (4.333)
The majority of our panel agreed Hagel would be a fringe NHL player who has the capabilities needed to contribute in a depth role, but one member felt Hagel’s upside could be as high as a middle-six role. The most valuable player of the Blackhawks’ development camp scrimmage possesses a variety of skills in his game, but will need to fine tune them to get to the next level. Hagel will likely spend the 2019–20 season with the Rockford IceHogs after a breakout 2018–19 campaign with the Red Deer Rebels.

Brandon Hagel played in eight games for the Rockford IceHogs at the end of the 2018–19 season after scoring 102 points with Red Deer in the Western Hockey League. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Antti Saarela (4.333)
The 2019 fourth-round pick will be a project, but showed flashes of his ability in development camp. The younger brother of fellow Blackhawk prospect Aleksi Saarela possesses a good shot, but will need to improve his skating to be effective in the NHL. Saarela will stay in Finland for the 2019–20 season, where he will join Ilves after spending his entire career thus far with Lukko.

Antti Saarela will join Ilves for the 2019–20 season after spending all of his career with Lukko in Finland. (Photograph courtesy of Lansi Suomi)

Dominic Basse (4.5)
Basse adds impressive size to the Blackhawks’ prospect pool in the blue paint, measuring 6-foot-6 at just 18 years of age. Basse dominated in 2018–19 for the Selects Hockey Academy 18U team, compiling a 1.91 goals against average and .924 save percentage in 42 games played. The Colorado College commit has not yet announced his plans on where he will play in 2019–20, but perhaps the most likely scenario would see him join the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL, as the Phantoms hold his USHL rights. Basse will be an interesting project to keep an eye on in the future.

Dominic Basse provides the Blackhawks’ system with size at the goaltender position. (Photograph courtesy of Colorado College)

Artur Kayumov (4.5)
Kayumov is among the most polarizing prospects in the Blackhawks’ system. A skilled and passionate left winger, Kayumov has yet to break out in his time playing in the KHL in his native Russia, tallying just 13 points in 46 games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in 2018–19. Despite this, his skill set would likely allow him to be a contributor in the NHL, though this looks less and less likely with each passing season for the 2016 second-round pick. Kayumov will return to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl for 2019–20.

Artur Kayumov will stay in Russia for yet another season in 2019–20. (Photograph courtesy of the Chicago Blackhawks)

Josh Ess (4.667)
Ess has made strides since being selected in the seventh round in 2017. In his time since being drafted, Ess has established himself as a steady presence on Wisconsin’s blue line. The Minnesota native moves the puck well, but needs to keep working on his overall game to have a chance at playing in the NHL. Even if Ess can take the next step in his development with a big year for what is expected to be a potent Badger lineup in 2019–20, he would need to jump over a slew of other young defensemen in the system to don the Indian head down the road.

Josh Ess posted career-high totals of five goals, eight assists and 13 points as a sophomore at Wisconsin in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the University of Wisconsin)

Jakub Galvas (4.833)
Galvas is known as a puck-moving defenseman, something the Blackhawks have plenty of in their system. Despite having others ahead of him on the organizational depth chart, Galvas could break through for NHL playing time if he rounds out his game. The 2017 fifth-rounder has become a mainstay on international tournament teams for his native Czech Republic, including a pair of appearances in the World Junior Championships. A longtime member of the HC Olomouc organization, Galvas will head to Finland to play for Jukurit for the next step of his development.

Jakub Galvas will leave the Czech Republic to play in Finland for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Miroslav Chaloupka / CTK Photo)

Mikael Hakkarainen (4.833)
Hakkarainen dominated the USHL last season, tallying 19 goals and 28 assists in 42 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks after leaving Providence College following just one game at the beginning of the season. With little left to prove at the junior level, the 2018 fifth-rounder will turn pro to likely join the Rockford IceHogs for the 2019–20 season. At times, the Finn looks like he has a promising future in a depth role, but he will need to transfer his scoring ability at the junior level to the pro ranks—or adjust his style of play—in order to earn a regular NHL spot.

Mikael Hakkarainen will join the Rockford IceHogs for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Justin Berl / Getty Images)

Reese Johnson (4.833)
After spending the majority of the 2018–19 season as the captain for the Red Deer Rebels, Johnson finished the year in Rockford. Johnson improved his offensive numbers in his final year playing juniors, nearing a point-per-game pace with 27 goals and 26 assists in 67 games. The undrafted free agent signing then posted four assists in his six games with the IceHogs. Though Johnson finally started showing his offensive ability last season, he will likely be relied on as a more defensive forward should he make it to the NHL. Johnson will return to Rockford for the 2019–20 campaign.

Reese Johnson joined the Rockford IceHogs late in the 2018–19 season after playing for Red Deer of the Western Hockey League. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Cole Moberg (4.833)
The 2019 seventh-round pick broke out in a big way for a bad Prince George Cougars team in 2018–19, blowing away his previous career-high marks with 13 goals, 27 assists and 40 points. Our panel was relatively split on the 6-foot-3 defender, as some felt he could become a regular bottom-pairing option in the NHL down the road, while some feel it is too early in his development to project a ceiling of that nature. Moberg will return to the Cougars for 2019–20, where he will be relied upon as a leader on and off the ice for Prince George.

2019 seventh-round pick Cole Moberg was among the few bright spots for the Prince George Cougars in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Prince George Cougars)

Andrei Altybarmakyan (5.167)
Another wildcard within the Blackhawks’ system, Altybarmakyan boasts an impressive offensive skill set. However, the 2017 third-rounder has yet to put it together in the KHL, posting just six points in 38 games last season with HK Sochi. Of course, the Russian factor is also in effect here, as Altybarmakyan may very well never play in North America. Even if Altybarmakyan does play in North America, he would likely need to prove he can be somewhat reliable defensively to earn a chance at regular NHL ice time.

Andrei Altybarmakyan will stay in Russia for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of the KHL)

Ivan Nalimov (5.167)
Another Russian with dwindling likelihood of playing in North America, Nalimov has been the ultimate hit-or-miss goaltender in the KHL. At times looking like a legitimate NHL goaltender while resembling a headcase piece of Swiss cheese at others, the 2014 sixth-round pick will enter his sixth KHL season in 2019–20 with his sixth team. While Nalimov has expressed an interest to come play in North America in the past, the Blackhawks have not reciprocated the desire. It appears likely at this point Nalimov will not have a future in the NHL unless his rights are dealt and another team gives him a chance.

Among the more intriguing prospects in the Blackhawks’ system, Ivan Nalimov will join his sixth team in the KHL for the 2019–20 season. (Photograph courtesy of Kunlun Redstar)

Joni Tuulola (5.167)
Tuulola played his first full season of North American hockey for the IceHogs in 2018–19, posting four goals and 10 assists in 52 games. The 2015 sixth-round selection has generally been a defense-first blueliner, but has shown an ability to chip in offensively as well. However, with as many offensive defensemen as the Blackhawks have in their system already, Tuulola will need to focus on being rock-solid in his own end if he wants a chance to play in the NHL. Tuulola will return to Rockford’s defensive core for the 2019–20 season.

Joni Tuulola will return to Rockford for 2019–20 after posting four goals and 10 assists for the IceHogs in 2018–19. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)

Stay tuned as The-Rink progresses up the ladder in its Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers.

The post The-Rink’s Blackhawks prospect pyramid: Blood, sweat and tiers, part two appeared first on The Rink.

Rockford IceHogs exit interviews

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

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

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

Interim head coach Derek King

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Philipp Kurashev (Three games played, zero points)

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

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

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

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

What’s next?

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

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

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

IceHogs complete comeback in overtime vs. Milwaukee

On a night where the physicality was turned up and Dmitry Osipov and even Collin Delia got into tussles, the IceHogs were able to keep their heads about them enough to come away with a win in their AHL-leading 26th game that went into the extra period of play.

The IceHogs got off to a fast start just 40 seconds into the game, as Luke Johnson ripped home his 17th goal of the season off a face-off won by Reese Johnson, now known as the “No Tears Line” (Johnson and Johnson products, get it?). Luke Johnson tied his AHL season-high in points with 30 on the game’s opening goal. From there, the Admirals would score three unanswered goals from Cole Schneider, Anthony Richard and a second-period goal from Justin Kirkland to give Milwaukee a 3–1 lead midway through the contest.

Looking for life in the second period, Anthony Louis won a board battle and Lucas Carlsson was able to skate the puck in between the circles and score his ninth goal of the season to cut the Milwaukee lead to 3–2. Carlsson’s first goal since Feb. 9 pulled the IceHogs within striking distance heading into the third period.

In the final period of regulation, the IceHogs grabbed control of the pace of play, out-shooting the Admirals 12–4 and finding the game’s equalizing goal from Sikura with 15:22 to play. Sikura’s 16th goal of the season was enough to tie the game and force overtime for the 26th time this season for Rockford.

In the extra period, the IceHogs again controlled the pace of play, continuing to cycle in and out of their offensive zone nearly at will against Milwaukee. With just over 90 seconds remaining, Sikura found space in the Admirals’ zone and fired home his 17th goal of the season and second of the game for the 4–3 overtime-winner.

Sikura, along with Reese Johnson and Carlsson all tallied multi-point nights for the IceHogs while Delia made 14 saves on 17 shots as his record improved to 13–8–4 this season. Delia has won six of his last eight starts for the IceHogs since March 1.

Since returning to the IceHogs on April 2, Sikura has five points in four games, including two multi-goal games. With 35 points in 44 games, Sikura ranks third on the IceHogs in scoring and his 0.80 points per game pace is tied with Peter Holland for the team lead.

Finally, two notes to finish the thrilling win. First, with the 4–3 overtime win, the IceHogs record this season when scoring three or more goals in a game improved to 30–2–2. Secondly, on a sour note, Matthew Highmore took a big hit in the first period and did not return to the game from then on. He suffered a shoulder injury in early November that required surgery and had just returned to the IceHogs lineup at the beginning of April. After the game, interim head coach Derek King said Highmore bruised up his shoulder but would be fine.

Calder Cup Playoff race

With the win on Tuesday night, the IceHogs move within one-point of a Calder Cup Playoff spot. Milwaukee earned a point to move to 84 points, which is also the maximum amount of points that the IceHogs could reach with two games remaining.

1. x- Chicago Wolves (73 games played) – 43–21–9 – 95 points (at Iowa, vs. Manitoba, vs. Manitoba)
2. Grand Rapids Griffins (73 games played) – 38–24–11 – 87 points (vs. Iowa, vs. Manitoba, at Milwaukee)
3. Milwaukee Admirals (74 games played) – 34–24–16 – 84 points (vs. Grand Rapids, at Rockford)
4. Manitoba Moose (73 games played) – 37–29–7 – 81 points (at Grand Rapids, at Chicago, at Chicago)
5. Iowa Wild (73 games played) – 34–26–13 – 81 points (at Grand Rapids, vs. Chicago, vs. Rockford)
6. Texas Stars (73 games played) – 36–29–8 – 80 pts (vs. San Antonio, at San Antonio, vs. San Antonio)
7. Rockford IceHogs (74 games played) – 35–29–10 – 80 pts (at Iowa, vs. Milwaukee)
8. e – San Antonio Rampage (73 games played) – 29–37–7 – 65 pts (at Texas, vs. Texas, at Texas)

x = Clinched Playoff Spot
e = Eliminated From Playoff Spot
(Remaining Games)

The Iowa Wild, Texas Stars and Manitoba Moose will all play at least one game before the IceHogs take the ice again, with the Wild and Stars playing twice. Rockford will pull for those three teams hopefully coming away with no points over those games to keep their playoff chances as high as possible in the Central Division.

What’s next?

The Rockford IceHogs are back in action on Saturday night, as they travel to take on the Iowa Wild, then return home for their season finale against the Milwaukee Admirals on Sunday night. Saturday’s puck drop is set for 6 p.m. Central Time at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Rockford this season holds a 4–4–1 record against the Wild in their nine previous meetings. Sunday’s puck drop at the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford is also set for 6 p.m. Central Time against the Admirals. Rockford this season holds a 5–5–1 record over the Admirals in their previous 11 meetings.

The post IceHogs keep playoff hopes alive with win over Admirals appeared first on The Rink.

Johnson missed most of the 2015-16 season and all of 2016-17 with a serious shoulder injury, but has battled back to returned to form. Last season, in 72 games, he put up 39 points (23G, 16A) and has already put up 45 points (22G, 23A) in 62 games this season. He is second in scoring on the Red Dear team behind Blackhawks prospect Brandon Hagel, who was also signed as a free agent October 30th.

Of his 22 assists this season, 18 of them are primary assists, which would suggest he has good play making ability at the pivot position.  It remains to be seen whether the Blackhawks intend on using him at center or on the right wing.

Johnson signed a 3-year entry-level contract worth $925,000 per season and will stay in Red Deer with the Rebels for the remainder of the season but, as Mario / Aaron / Ron mentioned yesterday, he could potentially find his way to Rockford once his Western Hockey League season commences.

The post Who is New Blackhawks Prospect Reese Johnson? appeared first on The Rink.

The-Rink.com co-hosts Jeff “Gatekeeper” Osborn and John “Double J” Jaeckel are joined by The-Rink NCAA expert Aaron “A-A-Ron” Goldschmidt and convene to talk about the Blackhawks west coast road trip.

• Once again, we start off with the positives (we know, we’re shocked too)
• What happened on the road trip?
• Suddenly the mainstream media is reporting some very familiar sentiments
• John has some Blackhawks rumors!!
• The NBCSN poll.
• Evan Miller gives us an indy report
• Ward hurt, Delia recalled
• We wrap up by answering some listener and reader questions

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

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The post The Blackhawks Rinkcast – Episode 46 – Fading Slowly Away appeared first on The Rink.