Everything Else

High On The Hog: Piglet’s Progress

By Jon Fromi 2381

After hibernating for most of the summer, I’ve crawled out from under my rock to shine what will be my weekly spotlight on the Fabulous Skating Piglets of Winnebago County. Otherwise known as Chicago’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

Regardless of how things shake out with the Blackhawks roster, the ice at the BMO Harris Bank Center is going to be smothered in young ‘uns. The dearth of prospects that was more than evident last season has been rectified by a slew of signings last spring, as well as several over the summer months.

Both the Hawks and Hogs organizations have dutifully swept away pieces of the crew that limped to a franchise-worst showing in 2016-17. Coach Ted Dent is now on the staff of the OHL’s Niagra IceDogs. Longtime captain Jake Dowell is skating in Austria. Brandon Mashinter signed with the Sharks. P.C. Labrie will be a familiar face…when the Milwaukee Admirals come to Rockford.

Of last season’s AHL signings, only Robin Press (who came aboard mid-season) was brought back. I hope the IceHogs scrubbed out their locker rooms as thoroughly as they did the roster.

If you want a recap of last season’s wreckage, go back and read this. I lack the time or inclination to detail the failings of Stan Bowman in regard to assembling a decent squad last year. Safe to say that he has gone about his business a little differently in terms of setting things up in Rockford.

There are two basic strategies for setting up an AHL franchise:

A. You can load up with proven AHL veteran players, guys who are fringe NHLers due to something lacking but can dominate at the penultimate level of hockey.

B. You can load up with prospects, sprinkle in some mentoring-type veterans with NHL experience and hope everyone learns something before all is said and done.

Last season, Bowman did neither. What he did was send minimal prospects out with AHL role players. Bowman then spent the season removing egg from his face when that team couldn’t score or stop other teams from doing so.

This year, Bowman has picked a more workable model. He has inked lots of young prospects we’ve been reading about for the past few years. This group will have a lot of jelling to do, but should be vastly more entertaining to watch.

Understand that the Blackhawks have always used Rockford as a training ground rather than competing for Calder Cups. Developing prospects has been and will be the priority. There were lots of capable, experienced AHL scorers to be had this past summer. As per usual, they didn’t end up with the IceHogs. That’s not the way things work in this partnership and I have no issue with the lane the organization elects to use.

Except…

What the team seems to be lacking is that contingent of veteran leaders. Players who have logged some mileage in the NHL and can help season a young team. Usually, the Blackhawks sign a player of that type in the summer to a two-way deal knowing full well he’ll spend the season in Rockford.

Could a player like Lance Bouma, Tommy Wingles or Jordan Tootoo find his way through waivers and onto the Hogs roster? Maybe Chicago brings a veteran piece aboard this week. For now, this is a team very short on elder statesmen.

Rosters are still kind of fluid, but I feel like there enough spots decided upon to formulate what the IceHogs will send out to Cleveland to open the 2017-18 campaign Saturday night. Let’s see what kind of hand Rockford fans have been dealt this fall…

Listings will be divided into NHL and AHL contracts. AHL rosters are infinite as there is no limit to how many players they can have on them. I will work within the limits a 23-man team, but the final total could be higher. Rookies will be in italics.

 

Forward

It is this area that the new-car smell will be most prevalent. The Hogs could have as many as ten first-year players at forward when the season starts.

NHL Contracts: David Kampf, Laurent Dauphin, Kyle Baun, Luke Johnson, Matheson Iacopelli, Matthew Highmore, Nathan Noel, Anthony Louis, Graham Knott, Alexandre Fortin… and Alex DeBrincat (though its looking like he could be doing his skating at United Center).

AHL Contracts: Tyler Sikura, Radovan Bondra, William Pelletier.

AHL signings Tommy Olcyk and Alex Wideman are already with the Hogs ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel.

A lot depends on how the bottom of Chicago’s roster shakes out. DeBrincat would be welcome at the BMO any time the Hawks deem to send him here. If he makes the big club out of camp, there are still three or four players who may come down to Rockford. That list would include John Hayden and Vinnie Hinostroza, who would be solid additions to the Hogs.

Tomas Jurco, Bouma, Wingles and Tootoo would have to clear waivers before heading to Rockford. No matter how the cookie crumbles, I would think Chicago sends at least a couple of players to the AHL this week. Perhaps Pelletier and Bondra remain with Rockford as AHL forwards, with Sikura sliding to Indy.

Do the Blackhawks nab a veteran stick on this side of the puck who could provide some steady offensive push, a la Spencer Abbott last season? All signs point to no, but that may need to change if goals were as hard to come by as they were in 2016-17.

How will this group perform? Well, Iacopelli has shown to be quite the sniper from what I’ve seen so far. Baun’s not a high output offensive force, but provides work ethic around the net that should result in decent numbers. Hinostroza was a big scorer in a full campaign with the Hogs in 2015-16, provided he winds up in Rockford.

Remember, with prospects, there are no guarantees (DeBrincat included). Someone has to put the puck in the net; the fun is seeing where the scoring will develop. The first task for the baby Hogs: finish scoring plays. This was in short supply a year ago.

 

Defense

Things will be much more familiar on the blue line, with most of the Hogs Nordic Corps back for another spin around the league.

NHL Contracts: Erik Gustafsson, Ville Pokka, Viktor Svedberg, Carl Dahlstrom, Robin Norell, Luc Snuggerud.

AHL Contracts: Robin Press, Brandon Anselmini, Darren Raddysh.

If the Hawks keep eight defensemen, two of the AHL guys play in Rockford. I would guess that Press would be one of those guys.

This is a group that should benefit from a bit more hop in the forward lines. They’re better forcing the action in the offensive end. Dahlstrom’s a solid defender and Svedberg’s positioning has improved a lot in his time in Rockford. Pokka and Gustafsson should provide most of the offensive/power play spark.

Press is a big body out there; the question will be in how he defends. Snuggerud was impressive in his brief run with the team last spring and should be a regular. A defense-first veteran with some NHL miles on him would be a welcome addition, though I don’t think that’s in the cards.

 

Goalie

NHL Contracts: Jeff Glass, J.F. Berube, Colin Delia.

Rockford’s AHL signee, Matt Tomkins, is already with the Indy Fuel.

In a perfect world, this developing team would have Delia as the backup for either Glass or Berube. The Blackhawks see some potential in the former Merrimack College standout. Other AHL clubs keep three goalies on the roster, so I suppose that could happen. At this point, however, Delia likely joins Tomkins to form the tandem in goal for the Fuel.

The combo of Glass and Berube is a good as any, I suppose. Berube’s last full season in the AHL was excellent; a 2.18 goals against average and a .913 save percentage in 52 games with AHL-champs Manchester back in 2014-15. Glass is a solid AHL-level goalie (as well as veteran presence in a locker room)  and the two look to be capable of getting the job done in the crease.

 

The Forecast

October has been kind to the Hogs. Rockford is 27-15-1-3 over the last five years in the first month of the season. Even last season’s club was 4-4 to open the campaign.

How long it takes for the rookies to get up to speed in the AHL way of life will have a lot to do with how Rockford fares in the standings. The Traverse City Tournament title won by the Blackhawks prospects was a positive sign, but coming out on top of other rookies doesn’t assure success in the AHL.

New coach Jeremy Colliton’s first priority is going to be player development. As Colliton pointed out after the team’s 4-3 loss to Milwaukee to open the brief exhibition season, however, “It’s tough to learn lessons if the winning and losing doesn’t matter.”

What lessons are this year’s crop of players going to pick up over the next six months? Time’s gonna tell; I’ll try to keep you abreast of the progress in Rockford.

 

This Week

The IceHogs open the season Saturday night in Cleveland. I will report on the season debut next week, as well as spotlight some players to watch on what should be a definite roster. I’ll also spend time dissecting the Hogs schedule, toss in any numbers I crunch in the evenings and share thoughts on anything new down on the farm.

For updates and team transactions, as well as my armchair thoughts on the doings in Rockford, follow me @JonFromi on twitter if you like. I’m looking forward to another fun season covering the IceHogs; hopefully we get better results in the win column.

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Players Under The Microscope

By Jon Fromi 1547

It’s early in the offseason, but the Rockford IceHogs are going to be a very different looking group come fall.

In the face of a trying 2016-17 campaign, the Blackhawks AHL affiliate looks to be setting up in a similar fashion as in previous seasons. That means getting young and learning on the job.

Decisions will have to be made as to how much turnover takes place in Rockford, with a host of free agents among this past season’s roster. Who do the Hogs re-up with? Who moves on to the next stop in their career?

A lot of these questions may well depend on the new coaching staff. With Ted Dent no longer the head man, the team could opt for a clean slate in terms of retaining veteran skaters.

I spent most of this past week taking a look at the players who finished the spring with Rockford. I submit to you my thoughts on the IceHogs roster and how those players fared over the past season.

 

NHL Forwards (That is to say, forwards on NHL one or two-way deals)

Brandon Mashinter-61 games, 15 G, 15 A, 30 P, minus-20 (UFA)

Mashinter was briefly the IceHogs captain before being called up to Chicago in 2015-16. He served as an alternate captain for much of this season. He’s a steady AHL forward capable of 15-20 goals and 30-35 points year in and year out.

Mashinter plays a simple game in the shadow of the opposing net. He’s big and more than able to play physically. He commands respect in the locker room and with coach Ted Dent. At age 28, he may have had his shot at the NHL (at least in Chicago), but certainly can be a productive veteran in Rockford for at least a few more seasons.

Trouble is, Mashinter was on a one-way deal this past campaign. It’s possible the Hawks re-sign him to a similar contract. Then again, in an expansion year, maybe Mashinter tries to put himself in position to make an NHL roster.

He’s a guy I would welcome back in a heartbeat, though I couldn’t fault Mashinter if he keeps his options open.

 

Kyle Baun-74 games, 14 G, 20 A, 34 P, minus-14 (under contract through next season)

Baun, who really had a bounce-back season after a lacerated arm kept him on the shelf for a good chunk of his rookie year. He plays a similar game to Mashinter, only he looks to be a little better passer with a bit more skill around the net.

Baun benefited from a lot of special teams action that wasn’t available to him last season. He also was a regular on the top-six. Does that continue to be the case with a deeper prospect pool?

Having signed after a college career at Colgate, the standard question tends to focus on how much better you can expect Baun to be (he turns 25 in a couple of weeks). It should be interesting to see if he can make a jump of some kind in his game.

 

Michael Latta-61 games, 5 G, 17 A, 22 P, minus-four (RFA)

Latta played in 32 games for the IceHogs, racking up three goals and 13 helpers. He came to Rockford from Ontario in exchange for Cameron Schilling.

Latta, who spent the last two previous seasons playing in the NHL, provides an experienced veteran option. He has some skill with the puck and can drop the gloves when needed. He wasn’t a standout in his time in Rockford in terms of filling the net, but he has shown goal-scoring potential in AHL stints with Milwaukee and Hershey.

He played well up the middle for the IceHogs in the last two months of the season. If the organization decides to clean house in terms of veterans, Latta could be a solid citizen on which to build next fall’s club.

 

Martin Lundberg-67 games, 9 G, 12 A, 21 P, plus-one (UFA)

Lundberg plays a steady, two-way game. As I pointed out a couple of weeks ago, he can be used on a checking or scoring line and not be terribly out of place in either role.

He wasn’t afraid to go into the corners or tussle with an opponent when he saw the need. Bringing him back would add a versatile skater to the mix in Rockford. This was Lundberg’s first season of North American hockey. He would be welcome depth for the IceHogs, but the money could be better for him in his native Sweden.

 

Luke Johnson-73 games, 8 G, 9 A, 17 P, minus-24 (signed through 2018-19)

Johnson, Chicago’s fifth-round selection in the 2013 NHL Draft, went through his rookie season with few other prospects to battle over ice time. The former North Dakota forward spent the majority of his time in the bottom six.

Scoring his first pro goal December 9 in Texas, Johnson also had an assist in what was his only multi-point game of the campaign. He scored six of his goals in the season’s last three months but wasn’t really a productive offensive player for Rockford.

Johnson did play a lot on the penalty kill; however his all-around game still has a way to go. He is going to have to compete a lot harder for minutes with a host of prospects. If Johnson can’t raise his game, he may see the press box on occasion.

 

Tyler Motte-43 games, 10 G, 6 A, 16 P, minus-19 (signed through 2018-19)

Motte made an immediate impact when he was sent down from Chicago in January-four goals in his first seven games. He went through a ten-game pointless streak from January 18 until scoring a goal February 11 against San Antonio.

A full season in Rockford from Motte might have seen him finish as one of the Hogs more productive scorers; obviously that didn’t happen.

 

Pierre-Cedric Labrie-52 games, 1 G, 7 A, 8 P, minus-12 (UFA)

I certainly wasn’t expecting to get another 20-goal season from the big man. However, what we did get was not enough from a veteran forward.

Labrie’s solitary goal came in the ultimate garbage time-the waning moments of the IceHogs final game. On his best day, it would be hard to call him fast. This past season, he seemed even slower on his skates. Maybe I never noticed Labrie ending his shifts 10-15 seconds earlier than his line mates in the past, but it happened with some frequency in 2016-17.

He has been a fan favorite in Rockford and deservedly so; he plays physical and works hard when he is on the ice. A lower-body injury kept him out of action for about a month. I suspect he was a healthy scratch on occasion as well.

Early in the season, you could make a case for some bad puck luck. However, Labrie scoring chances were few and far between the last three or four months. Injuries could also have factored into what was his least productive AHL season for the Hogs.

At 31, Labrie has some mileage on him. Could he be back in Rockford for a fourth season? I would suspect not, unless it’s on an AHL deal.

 

AHL Forwards (all of whom are UFAs)

Jake Dowell-66 games, 4 G, 11 A, 15 P, minus-10

The Hogs captain did not enjoy a repeat of last season’s career-high scoring numbers (11 G, 24 A), but wasn’t too far off from his usual offensive output.

Dowell isn’t in Rockford to score. His role is to mentor, win faceoffs, and play hard in his own end. He has worn a C on his sweater longer that any IceHogs player. Will that continue in 2017-18?

I don’t know.

Dowell is 32. His days as a legit NHL competitor are long in the rear-view mirror. After an uncertain future concerning his long-term health, Dowell and his wife had their first child this season. He also played in his 500th AHL contest.

He’s a known commodity; if the IceHogs offer him another one-year AHL deal, they know what they can expect. Does Rockford still value his leadership? Does Dowell want to continue this phase of his hockey career?

 

Jeremy Langlois-66 games, 8 G, 6 A, 14 P, minus-four

Langlois was Rockford’s most productive AHL contract by far. Like Lundberg, he could fit in in a number of areas at both ends of the ice.

In what was about a one-month stretch in the middle of the season (Jan. 27-March 3), Langlois shone brightly. In 17 games during that run, he had six goals, four helpers, and was a plus-four. Langlois saw time on special teams. For an AHL signing, he brings a lot to the table and would be a welcome addition to next year’s IceHogs.

 

Evan Mosey-41 games, 4 G, 5 A, 9 P, minus-one

The Downers Grove, Illinois native made the jump to the AHL from several seasons in lower-tier European hockey. He fared pretty well; his goals-for relative to team was fourth-highest among the Hogs regulars. This despite playing almost exclusively on the lower lines with defensive oriented line mates.

Following the season, Mosey played very well for Great Britain in the IIHF World Championships in the IB Division. He led his team with seven points (3 G, 4 A) and helped them win a gold medal. Great Britain will be promoted to the second tier of the World Championship structure.

The 28-year-old Mosey adjusted well to the step up in class and is certainly worth another AHL deal from the IceHogs.

 

Chris DeSousa-36 games, 4 G, 1 A, 5 P, minus-eight

DeSousa played the same type of game he was known for in 2015-16. The 5’9″ forward finishes checks and looks to initiate physical play.

He started the fall injured and never really got rolling the way he did the season before, when he totaled 13 points (7 G, 6 A) in 67 appearances with the Hogs.

 

Tyler Barnes-25 games, 4 G, 3 A, 7 P, minus-six

Barnes is a point-a-game producer in the ECHL who signed on with Rockford but did not finish the season with the IceHogs. He did play in a career-high 25 AHL games, splitting his time between the Hogs and the ECHL. Barnes had 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 15 games with the Indy Fuel before being loaned out in the spring to the Allen Americans. There, he totaled six goals and six helpers and helped Allen advance to the second round of the ECHL playoffs.

Bryn Chyzyk got into two games with Rockford without making a dent in the score sheet. He played 30 games with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel (5 G, 7 A, minus-22).

 

NHL Defensemen

Eric Gustafsson-68 games, 5 G, 25 A, 30 P, minus-27 (RFA)

Like most of the blue line, Gustafsson suffered from the lack of finishers up front. With more talent at forward next season, he might be primed for huge offensive numbers.

In 2016-17, though, Gustafsson and the defensive corps were forced to fend off the attacks of opponents. It led to a lot of goals in the Rockford net.

In terms of offense, Gustafsson had a pretty decent season. He led the IceHogs with 185 shots on goal and 25 assists. Eleven of those came on the man advantage.  He played a prominent role on the Hogs power play unit, even though that group was one of the AHL’s least effective.

Like I said, re-signing Gustafsson and improving the skill at forward could result in him being a dangerous offensive weapon.

 

Ville Pokka-76 games, 6 G, 24 A, 30 P, minus-25 (RFA)

Interesting stat: Pokka did not score an even-strength goal this season. He had four on the power play, one via a 5-on-3, and a shorthanded goal. He was at his best on the power play, notching 18 of his 30 points when in that mode.

Like Gustafsson, Pokka had to play back on his heels quite a bit, limiting his effectiveness. At age 22, Pokka is still learning to be a solid defender. I don’t think he took a step back; he was a similar player as he was the past two seasons, minus a veteran partner. On the other hand, his defense is still a question mark if Pokka is to make it to the NHL.

 

Viktor Svedberg-51 games, 2 G, 9 A, 11 P, minus-seven (Signed through 2017-18)

As has often been the case with Svedberg, staying healthy was an issue this past season. He missed most of January due to injury and last played for Rockford on March 18.

When he was on the ice, Svedberg showed improvement in his defensive positioning. In a season where the defense was constantly facing odd-man rushes, you would think the 6’9″ Svedberg would be getting lit up right and left. That didn’t really happen.

Svedberg is a pretty good defender, provided he can keep an opponent at stick length and turn the play to the outside. If a skater gets inside Svedberg’s reach, good night. However, I think Svedberg is much more adept at compensating for his lack of mobility that when he first arrived in Rockford in 2013.

Svedberg could someday prove to be quite the capable defender. The question is in his durability.

 

Carl Dahlstrom-70 games, 6 G, 5 A, 11 P, minus-12 (signed through 2018-19)

In what was his first full season in Rockford, Dahlstrom showed potential at both ends of the ice. His size makes him a good candidate for an old-time defensive blue liner.

Paired with several teammates over the course of the season, Dahlstrom posted the best goals for relative to team of any of the defensive regulars. All his scoring occurred at even strength. Dahlstrom also led IceHogs defensemen with a 5.9 shooting percentage.

Bulking up his assist numbers will be an area to watch for the big Swede; at age 22, there is definitely room from improvement.

 

Robin Norell-65 games, 1 G, 8 A, 9 P, minus-21 (Signed through 2018-19)

Norell is another Swedish rookie who should be in the mix when putting together next season’s club. I wasn’t overly impressed with Norell’s game; I’m not sure what he does particularly well after watching him this season.

Ted Dent’s tendency to employ seven defensemen in the lineup gave Norell some extra time on the ice. He was most often a member of the bottom defensive pairing. He got 42 shots on goal, by far the fewest of any of the regular defensemen.

He doesn’t create a lot of offense. He’s not a physical defensive type. Norell is 22 and is signed for two more seasons. This was his first full season of North American hockey, so we should look to him being more aggressive and/or productive in his sophomore campaign.

 

Nolan Valleau-46 games, 3 G, 5 A, 8 P, minus-19 (RFA)

Valleau wasn’t used nearly as often as his rookie season, when he appeared in 62 games. In Valleau’s last 29 appearances, from December 31 to the end of the season, his offensive output was two goals and no assists.

Like Norell, Valleau was often a bottom pairing or seventh defenseman this season. I’m not sure he’s shown enough potential to garner an extension from the Blackhawks.

Technically, Hawks prospect Dillon Fournier was on the Hogs roster for the bulk of the season. He played four games in Indy, was reassigned to Rockford by the Blackhawks November 7, and never appeared in a game for the IceHogs. This was the final season of Fournier’s entry deal. Two of those seasons were lost to injury, but right now it would be fair to term the second-rounder from 2012 a bust. I would doubt Fournier receives an extension.

 

AHL Defensemen

There weren’t many of these. Jonathan Carlsson was released mid-season after spending most of his season in Indianapolis. Nick Mattson skated 63 games for the Fuel (1 G, 15 A) and just two January contests for Rockford.

Robin Press is a player I would figure to be back on an AHL deal, mostly because the organization seems to feel he has potential. After his team in the SHL found little use for him this season, Press was signed to an AHL deal with Rockford and sent to Indy for some much-needed playing time.

He got into 30 games with the Fuel, scoring two goals and adding ten assists. He got into nine games in the latter half of Rockford’s season but was pointless in that time. I never got the feeling that Press was comfortable on the ice in any of his appearances with the IceHogs.

 

NHL Goalies

Jeff Glass-20 games, 8-10-2, 2.63 goals against average, .914 save percentage (signed through 2017-18)

Glass was signed mid-season, initially on an AHL contract, and played his way to a two-year NHL deal a few weeks later. With Scott Darling’s rights now belonging to Charlotte, Glass is, on paper at least, Corey Crawford’s backup.

I cannot imagine that Chicago is content with this arrangement.

First off, Glass is likely to be the goalie exposed in the expansion draft. Secondly, he has zero NHL appearances at age 31. Is it possible that Glass is an older version of Darling? Put me in the camp that is not of that belief.

Glass, who toiled in the KHL for seven seasons before returning to AHL rinks, was solid for Rockford and could well find his way back with the Hogs as a veteran presence in net. I would have to believe that the Blackhawks will be signing a goalie with NHL experience this summer. If Glass beats that man out in training camp, so be it.

It’s quite possible that Glass has developed into a reliable goalie with NHL potential. I think he’ll have to continue to prove that for him to win a permanent spot behind Crawford.

 

Lars Johansson-39 games, 12-17-4, 2.75 goals against average, .907 save percentage (UFA)

I would imagine that an extension for Johansson depends heavily on what goes on above and below him. If Glass remains in the organization and Chicago elects to sign an experienced veteran, Johansson may find himself looking for work.

Johansson, like all the Hogs goalies, didn’t have a lot of help keeping pucks out of the net. He was up with the Hawks backing up Darling following Crawford’s appendectomy (playing zero games). Johansson was a bit shaky upon his return to the IceHogs, but was very solid the rest of the season.

Johansson turns 30 over the summer; are the Hawks confident enough in his NHL potential to re-sign him?

 

Mac Carruth-24 games, 5-11-5-3, 3.64 goals against average, .879 save percentage (UFA)

I can’t imagine a scenario that ends in Carruth being re-signed by the Blackhawks. He’s had an up-and-down run over parts of four seasons; that will likely end this summer.

From mid-January, when Glass arrived, to the end of the season, Carruth was given four starts. He was not very good in any of them. The sporadic work was clearly the writing on the wall for Carruth.

 

AHL Goalies

Rockford had former Michigan State net-minder Jake Hildebrand under contract, along with ECHL journeyman Eric Levine. As expected, neither player figured much into Rockford’s season.

Hildebrand appeared in three games for the Hogs in December while Johansson was up with Chicago. He posted a 4.58 goals against average and an .868 save percentage. In 39 games with the Indy Fuel, Hildebrand had a 3.75 goals against average and a .899 save percentage.

 

The Kids

It’s difficult to asses the slew of ATOs that arrived in the final weeks; these are players who have finished their respective seasons elsewhere and are getting their first taste of the next level. However, here are a few random thoughts:

As previously mentioned, the makeup of the IceHogs will be vastly different come fall, particularly up front. Currently, Chicago has eight players signed to entry contracts-Matheson Iacopelli, Anthony Louis, Matthew Highmore, Alexandre Fortin, Graham Knott, Nathan Noel, Alex DeBrincat, and (assuming his signs as expected) David Kampf.

The player who made the most noise was one that is not signed with the Blackhawks. William Pelletier made an immediate impact when he came in on his ATO in terms of scoring chances. The team put up a very nice article on the Hogs website on Pelletier’s success jumping from Division III collegiate hockey to the AHL. A great coda to that story would be Chicago or Rockford signing the kid to a contract.

Add in Baun and Johnson, along with possibly others like Motte, and Rockford is going to comprised mainly of young talent, at least the way it looks right now.

On the defensive side, Luc Snuggerud made an impression as a player who can get pucks to the net. Including the rookie, Rockford has four defensemen under contract heading into next season. This group could have a very similar look, barring some moves from the front office.

It was another fun season covering the IceHogs, even if Rockford’s fortunes weren’t the most sunny. I’ll be back in a few weeks to update you on signings and re-signings that may happen. I will also send out thoughts on my twitter feed (@JonFromi) on occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything Else

Dent Vents, Gets Sent (Away)

By Jon Fromi 2087

Just last night, I was firing off tweets as to the future of Ted Dent, who just finished off his sixth season as the head coach of the Rockford IceHogs. With Mike Kitchen being given his walking papers Monday, I figured Dent, who spent eleven years in the organization, could conceivably be in line to move into a spot on the Blackhawks bench.

Based on the events of today, I would figure that to not be the case. Turns out that Dent’s sixth season as head coach of the Hogs was his last season as head coach of the Hogs.

Hawks GM Stan Bowman gave Dent his walking papers this morning in the latest move of what looks to be a thorough housecleaning. The move surprised me more than it did others; I stated just yesterday that I thought Dent had the players playing hard as the season wound down. I am sticking to that statement based on what I saw down the stretch.

That said, it looks like the writing was on the wall for a move to be made.

I hadn’t heard the tales of troubles in the locker room, though I have no reason to doubt the words of those in the know. Chris Hine of the Tribune cited some venting Dent did via social media and a text to his players that basically cried out “Don’t blame me, I just work here.”

Most of that frustration was from Bowman moving Rockford’s top three scorers at the trade deadline. This came at a time when the Hogs were starting to show some signs of improvement in what long before had become a lost season.

It’s hardly inside knowledge that Chicago management has called the shots in terms of the IceHogs. Rockford employs the same systems as the parent club, which makes sense. Dent has apparently bristled on occasion at the tinkering from above with his lineup card over the years. It seems as if things boiled over and now Dent is looking for another job.

Now, it’s completely understandable that Bowman fire a longtime coach (especially if he wasn’t fan of the rants that coach sent out on twitter) to try and flush out the staleness of an extended tenure. If locker room chemistry is an issue, maybe a change does everyone good.

If you’d like to get some new blood in the mix, now’s the time. With a plethora of new faces ready to begin their pro careers in Rockford, it might be a time for a cool change.

Dent did a more than capable job moving prospects through the system. He had a bit of a reputation around the AHL as a guy who sent players into a game for some extra orneriness, especially when his teams were down. Perhaps his most famous of these moves was sending Kyle Beach to take a center-ice faceoff with the Hogs down 6-3 to Grand Rapids, starting the Pink In The Rink Donnybrook back in 2013.

I always chuckled to myself when fans in my section would complain about Dent’s moves. The gripes should have been aimed up in the press box, at least on the night’s Bowman was in attendance.

As I said just yesterday, I can’t blame Bowman for doing his job and running the organization. One thing about his comments to the Tribune did make me raise an eyebrow:

“I think it’s true that’s a good training ground,” Bowman said. “The American League is also for players to get opportunities to succeed and fail that they might not get at this level. We want to be better there as well. There’s no doubt we’re not happy with the fact our team didn’t make the playoffs. We have to find ways up and down our organization to be better.”

If Bowman’s reasons for letting Dent go lay in not working and playing well with others, I find it hard to register a beef. However, to suggest that Dent’s hitting the bricks because he couldn’t win with the lack of speed and skill at forward that Bowman assembled for him…I respectfully disagree.

This past crop of Hogs was not a playoff team. I suspected this before opening night and it became painfully evident within a few games (yes, even when Rockford was 4-2 the first two weeks). If Bowman wants a playoff contender, fortify those prospects with some proven AHL lamp-lighters this fall.

Regardless of the justification, Dent’s exit raises endless possibilities, both on the Rockford staff as well as which players return for another go at the BMO. There were a lot of question marks after the massive egg the Hogs laid this past season. Today’s move gives the snow globe that is Rockford’s roster another couple of shakes…fer sure.

Does Bowman have Dent’s successor in his back pocket? Are other heads going to be carried out on pikes? Guess we’ll see in the coming weeks. I’ll post next week to mull the future of this year’s roster.

 

 

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Sifting Through The Ashes

By Jon Fromi 1500

The 2016-17 Rockford IceHogs were not built for success. It should come as no surprise that the team went through the worst season in its ten-year AHL history.

There is much optimism for the team that will work the BMO Harris Bank Center ice come October. Let’s face it; after the recently-completed campaign there is no option but to look to the future for hope.

(Speaking of which, take a gander at that little girl’s face as she holds hands with Michael Latta for the anthem in Rockford’s season finale. I defy you to tell me her skates touched the ice as she made her way off the rink.)

I included this to give you a warm, positive feeling heading into this post. Feel better about the last couple of days? O.K., then. Let’s get to the Hogs season wrap-up.

No Rockford team, including the last nine AHL years and eight previous seasons in the UHL, has won fewer games than the 25 the Hogs won in 2016-17. Their .408 points percentage is by far the lowest since Rockford became a Blackhawks affiliate.

Last Saturday, after the IceHogs had dropped their 22nd home game of the season, the team claimed in their post-game video that Rockford had a winning home record for the tenth-straight year. I appreciate the need to place things in a positive light, but that just isn’t the case.

The Hogs had a .513 points percentage. However, they lost 22 games at the BMO; 15 in regulation, five in Gus Macker Time and two shootouts. Rockford was 16-22 at home, a .421 winning percentage.

Using this standard, the IceHogs also had losing seasons at home in 2010-11 (19-21, .475) 2011-12 (18-20, .474). Still, this is the worst Rockford has been in its own barn.

Away from the BMO, the Hogs were abysmal. No amount of spin-doctoring can remove the stink of the road.

Scoring only 1.92 goals a contest, Rockford staggered to a 9-24-4-1 mark. That is a .237 win percentage and a .303 points percentage. The IceHogs were the AHL worst out of their home digs this past season. The road wins (9) and road losses (29) are also franchise nadirs.

Three of those nine road wins came during what would prove to be the high-water mark of the season. Rockford won in Milwaukee February 10, then came home and won four straight. The season-high five-game win streak was broken February 18, but the Hogs went to Manitoba and swept the Moose in a two-game set.

At that point, Rockford had won seven of eight and was approaching some measure of respectability. Then the IceHogs went out to California and lost to San Diego and Ontario. Rockford returned home and the bottom completely dropped out.

In the space of two days, the Blackhawks sent the Hogs top three point scorers-Abbott, Carrick (who had done a lot of the heavy lifting during the Hogs surge), and Mark McNeill-to other teams via trades. From the time of the McNeill trade shortly before Rockford’s game with Manitoba on February 28, the team went 4-13-1 the rest of the way.

The severely undermanned Hogs put on a brave face and chose not to lay down in the bulk of those games. Despite the influx of some prospects on amateur tryouts and the refusal of the team to pack it in, the last 18 games yielded a .222 win percentage to go with a .250 points percentage.

For the season, the Hogs won four straight after dropping their first two games in Cleveland to begin the season on a positive tip. They won three straight just before Christmas and had the aforementioned five-game win streak in February.

That was about it; Rockford won consecutive games on four other occasions. On the other hand, the IceHogs had losing streaks of nine, eight, seven, six, and four (three times) games over the course of the season. With the exception of two weeks in February, there wasn’t much for Hogs fans to be excited about.

How did this happen? Let me offer the following thoughts.

 

Whom Do We Sue?

If you’re the type that has to assign blame for a disastrous season in Rockford, let’s spare a few parties. This was not coach Ted Dent’s fault; Dent’s role is to develop young players and those were in short supply. The players assembled on the roster played to form for the most part. I credit Dent, along with the team leaders, for the IceHogs playing hard despite the long odds facing them on a nightly basis.

There were some underachievers that I’ll point out next week when I take a closer look at the players on this season’s roster.  Just know that this team was flawed in some key areas, and for that the blame must be squarely focused on Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman.

Again, let’s not light any torches.  Bowman’s job is to win at the NHL level. The IceHogs are not run in a way that will make them perennial AHL championship contenders. Rockford feeds prospects to the parent club. The only fair criticism that can be made in terms of Bowman’s handling of the Hogs was that the cupboard was bare in terms of young players for Dent to develop.

This wasn’t a mystery going into the start of this season. This comes from my 2016-17 preview:

As of my writing this preview, I see just a few legit Hawks prospects on that list. (Luke) Johnson and (Tanner) Kero fit into that category. (Kyle) Baun has a lot to prove in order to retain the prospect tag to me, but if he’s on this list (Sam) Carrick deserves to be, too. The rest of the two-way guys are AHL depth signings.

Kero played just 28 games in Rockford, spending most of the season with Chicago along with players like Ryan Hartman, Tyler Motte, and Vinnie Hinostroza. Most of the Blackhawks top prospects were pressed into service at the NHL level. Again, that’s the goal. However, very few replacements for those departed players were signed. The ones that were-Alexandre Fortin and Graham Knott-wound up back in juniors.

 

Offense

The seeds for a low-output offensive team were there at the start of the season. Again, from my preview:

Heading into the season, there is a lot to consider. Depending on what players make the club in Chicago, there could be a real dependence on veteran scoring this season. Like the parent club, the IceHogs look to be very solid on the defensive side and in net. Most of my question marks lie in who’s going to be around to put the puck in the opposing goal.

By the end of the season, there was practically no one.

The Hogs had Spencer Abbott as their only real veteran scoring threat. At the time of his February trade, Abbott was leading the Hogs in goals (15) and points (35). In fact, those numbers would still have topped the roster in both categories despite his playing elsewhere for the last six weeks.

Rockford headed into action on opening night with one real scoring type, a lot of role players who needed scorers to clean up after, little in the way of prospects at forward and a lack of team speed at the position. Sound promising? The Hogs battled to overcome the hand they were dealt but wound up with predictably lackluster results.

Rockford was dead last in the AHL with 175 goals scored. The goal output of 2.30 per contest was the worst in team history (including the UHL days) by a wide margin. The IceHogs power play operated at a 14.3 success rate, second worst in the league to Charlotte (who made it up to their fans by making the playoffs).

Fourth in the league in shots, Rockford was unable to get the puck into high-percentage scoring areas. This was a team that had to rely on dirty goals every night. The pickings were slim; not being able to create goals in transition or by efficient passing was on constant display.

 

Defense

If you’re looking for positives here, move along. Rockford was near the bottom of the league in this category as well. However…

Here’s where I have to apologize; the last few weeks, I have been reporting inaccurately on the number of goals that Rockford has given up this season. Somehow, I plucked out a number and ran with it. I was ready to pronounce a franchise-record regarding goals allowed until I went to confirm that final total and saw my gaffe.

Rockford did not set a team mark in defensive ineptness. I offer the most sincere mea culpa to all you friendly folks who tune in here each week as well as my twitter handle.

That said, they still weren’t that good.

The Hogs surrendered (checking again) 246 goals for the season, an average of 3.24 a game. That was 26th in the 30-team AHL. With most of the organization’s defensive prospects coming back, I figured that this would be a strength of this team. The problem was that the back end was set up to push the tempo and create pressure in the offensive zone, and the forward core was not set up to make that happen.

As a result, the IceHogs blue line found themselves perpetually on its heels, facing the rushes of opponents. They did not respond well to the change of style. Rockford defenders were often prone to turnovers in the vicinity of their own net.

More speed and skill up front could quickly turn this unit around. A couple of defensive-minded players would make a difference as well.

 

Goalie

This is an area in which I have written at length several times this season, so don’t expect me to belch out another 3000-words on the topic. I will say that being the last line of defense on a team that gave up so many point-blank chances and odd-man rushes was not a position to relish.

Lars Johansson had a decent debut season in the AHL, all things considered. Jeff Glass was a pleasant surprise, playing solid in net for his 20-game stretch. Mac Carruth did not enjoy the same success he had the previous spring and didn’t get a lot of steady work in the last few months.

Depending on how the chips fall in expansion and free agency, I would expect Johansson (who will be a RFA this summer), Glass (signed through next season), or both to be back in Rockford. Carruth (a UFA) likely moves on.

 

Comportment

Rockford set another franchise mark this season; fewest penalty minutes. The Hogs were tabbed for 973 minutes, far less that last year’s 1292 and way fewer that the previous franchise low of 1159 set in 2013-14. This is an all-time mark for Rockford, UHL or AHL incarnation.

The IceHogs were sent to the box on minor infractions 299 times. That was the second-fewest in the league to Bakersfield’s 273 (dispensed in eight fewer games). The penalty kill unit gave up 49 goals, tied for eighth fewest in the league.

Rockford was in the middle of the pack with a 81.1 kill rate, but they were much better in this area after a very rough start. Trust me, keeping teams from converting man advantages was the least of the Hogs worries this season.

Despite being eighth in the AHL in fighting majors assessed, Rockford earned just 39 in 2016-17. This is by far a franchise low. This could be expected in that all fights coming out of faceoffs would result in game-misconducts, and all fights from the tenth on would be subject to suspension. Here’s my early season hypothosis:

As a result of these rule changes, I would expect to see more players on each team drop the gloves, as it will be hard to keep one designated scrapper on the ice. It surely will be something to keep an eye on early in the season.

How’d I do? Well, here’s how things turned out…

Fights were down 28 percent around the league from a year ago. That percentage went down 34 percent in Rockford. In all, 391 players were given at least one fighting major over the course of the campaign. That was down from 418 the year before, which confused me a bit until I realized that fewer fights meant fewer players scrapping.

My theory that the top pugilists would be less active was correct, though I was still surprised how striking the numbers were in this area. In the 2015-16 season, 22 players had ten or more fighting majors. Mike Liambas led the league with 20.

How many players topped the ten-fight plateau this season? Two. Ross Johnston of Bridgeport led the league with eleven. Rockford’s Michael Latta earned his tenth in Rockford’s finale last Saturday (yes, he will be suspended for the first game in the AHL season come fall).

There were nine players who got to nine fighting majors, including Liambas. No one wanted to face the vacation time required to match the work rate of previous seasons. Jake Dowell led Rockford with seven scraps (Latta earned seven of his FMs in Ontario), while Chris DeSousa and P.C. Labrie followed with six apiece.

 

Come And See The Show (Or Not)

One area that predictably took a hit in the wake of a losing season was the number of butts in the seats.

For the first time in the past five seasons, the IceHogs did not set a new attendance mark. After a record 5014 per night average in 2015-16, Rockford averaged 4328 to the 38 contests held at the BMO this past season.

Attendance was not this low since the 2011-12 campaign (4244). This year’s final tally is the sixth lowest in the ten-years Rockford has been an AHL franchise.

The front office in Rockford promoted IceHogs hockey as “a beautiful combination of violence strength violence, speed and intensity. There wasn’t much violence, thanks to the AHL’s fight restrictions. There wasn’t a lot of speed, or skill for that matter, at least until some of the youngsters showed up in the final weeks.

You know what I can’t fault? The effort. I really can’t. This team was dead in the water even before Bowman waved the white flag and gave up on the Hogs season at the end of February. I can’t say the same for the players based on what I saw down the stretch.

About those players…

I’ve rambled on far enough this week without launching into a player-by-player assessment of the IceHogs this past season. I’ll be returning, possibly as soon as next week, to take a microscope to the roster.

I promise that I might offer my two cents as to who may be around to open the 2017-18 campaign, who impressed me out of the ATOs the last few weeks, and any additional thoughts not squeezed out of my brain.

 

 

 

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Last One At The BMO, Turn Out The Lights

By Jon Fromi 1409

For the Rockford IceHogs, the 2016-17 season is now in the history books. It wasn’t memorable in terms of team success, but it’s over. For the moment, that’s the best thing I can say about the last eight months.

Rockford wrapped up its season at home in what was announced as a sellout BMO audience. Some folks who bought tickets to the finale opted to sit this one out, though there still was a hefty crowd of IceHogs fans who wanted to send off a team who kept on plugging away for the bulk of the 76-game schedule.

It wasn’t pretty at the end. Rockford suffered a pair of blowouts to conclude a frustrating season. Saturday’s game was a sad affair that saw the league’s second-worst offensive team, the Iowa Wild, put up a five-spot on the Hogs (guess who the AHL’s worst offensive club was?) in the first two periods.

With what amounted to 20 minutes of garbage time awaiting us, I commented to the folks in my section (the ones who got out of the BMO before a torrential rainstorm kept people from checking out at the second intermission) that if the final score was 5-1 and the one Rockford goal came from the stick of P.C. Labrie, a lot of the fans wouldn’t mind so very much.

Several minutes into the most final of final periods, Jake Dowell got to a loose puck and skated it out of his zone. As he crossed the blue line, he spotted a teammate skating behind the Wild defense. Dowell quickly slid the puck through neutral territory and onto the stick of…Labrie, who had gone all season without knowing the feeling of sending a biscuit into a basket.

The assembled throng poised on the brink of ecstasy as the big forward faced his destiny, as well as Iowa goalie Steve Michalek. A simple flip over Michalek’s blocker allowed the crowd to release a season’s worth of frustrations into one glorious outpouring of joy.

Rookie William Pelletier took a touch pass from Brandon Mashinter into the offensive zone and beat Michalek from the dot to make it 5-2 in favor of Iowa. One Michael Latta fight (for which I assume he’ll be suspended next season) later and the game came to an end and it was time to leave. So we did.

Before the game, the IceHogs presented their annual team awards. I spent a bit of time speculating on possible recipients; below is a comparison of how that hardware was distributed.

 

IceHogs Defenseman Of The Year

Team Pick-Eric Gustafsson (68 games, 5 G, 25 A, 30 P, minus-27)
My Pick-Carl Dahlstrom (70 games, 6 G, 5 A, 11 P, minus-12)

Why go with Dahlstrom as opposed to Gustafsson or Ville Pokka? To me, it’s simple; I went with the defensemen most likely to defend effectively.

I’m not knocking what Pokka and Gustafsson did on the offensive end, but one of the major problems of this IceHogs team this season was the lack of shut-down types on the blue line. Rockford’s back end is largely set up to push the puck into the offensive zone; the lack of speed up front prevented that from happening. With the defense on its heels most nights, it led to a record amount of pucks in the Hogs net.

Pokka and Gustafsson are much better players when they are moving forward and looking to get scoring plays started. They were also a combined minus-52 between them. This was the first season that Pokka wasn’t partnered with an offensive monster (T.J. Brennan) or a solid defender (Cameron Schilling) most of the way, and it exposed some defensive flaws.

Gustafsson led the Hogs in assists (25) but also had a team-worst minus-27 rating. He was prone to very inconsistent play in his own end and still has much to learn defensively.

Viktor Svedberg played in just 51 games this season, but was very respectable in this area. His positioning has really improved in his time with the IceHogs. However, Dahlstrom has been the team’s most steady defender over the entirety of the campaign, and that’s how I’m going to interpret this award.

 

IceHogs Rookie Of The Year

Team Pick-Luke Johnson (see below)
My Pick-Luke Johnson (73 games, 8 G, 9 A, 17 P, minus-24)

To me, this award came down to the two players who were with the IceHogs for the bulk of the season-Johnson and Robin Norell.

Both Tyler Motte (43 games) and Gustav Forsling (30 games) started the year with Chicago and played a good chunk of time for the Blackhawks. Johnson seldom got out of Rockford’s bottom six for most of the season and accounted for just three assists in his first 20 games with the Hogs.

Getting his first AHL goal December 20, Johnson played hard at both ends and has been one of the more steady presences in the lineup. Of late, he has been part of a pretty effective line with Brandon Mashinter and William Pelletier.

Johnson’s rookie season wasn’t the stuff of dreams. He did come in at an opportune time; with the dearth of prospects on the roster he was able to get lots of ice time. Next year, the minutes may be harder to earn, but Johnson at least has a head start on the young guns.

 

IceHogs Unsung Hero

Team Pick-Martin Lundberg (see below)
My Pick-Martin Lundberg (67 games, 9 G, 12 A, 21 P, plus-one)

Lundberg is the type of guy I would love to see back with a role in next season’s club. He spent the majority of 2016-17 as a penalty killer and defensive stopper. However, he has the skill to compliment a scoring line as well. Lundberg was Rockford’s handyman this season, capable of fitting in with whatever grouping Ted Dent saw fit for him on a given evening.

Fourth on the current Hogs in goals and the only positive rating among the regulars, Lundberg also inserted himself in a couple of scraps along the way. He was also tied for the team lead with two game-winning goals.

 

IceHogs Most Improved Player

Team Pick-Kyle Baun (74 games, 14 G, 20 A, 34 P, minus-14)
My Pick-Johnson, Baun, or Robin Norell

I ultimately penciled in Norell for this award, assuming that the team wouldn’t double up on anybody and had already slotted Johnson and Baun into other awards. However, it would be hard not to recognize Baun based on his rocky start with the Hogs in his rookie campaign.

Here’s the thing; I could probably make a case for Baun for Most Improved and MVP as well as where I placed him on my list. Of the Rockford players remaining in town by season’s end, Baun was one player who stood out.

I was hoping that the free-agent signing from Colgate would be healthy and able to sweep aside what was a pretty forgettable rookie season. I felt like he had a lot to prove in 2016-17. Mission accomplished; Baun earned my respect with his sophomore performance.

Baun (who was also presented with the team’s top scorer award) appeared in 74 games this season, second to only Pokka, who again was the only Hogs player to play in every game. He made an impact at both ends of the ice, earning time on both special teams after rarely drawing such duties last season.

It’s hard to say where Baun slots into the organization’s plans moving forward. Baun is a heady player who earns his living around the net from an offensive standpoint. He should at least be in the mix to make the roster in Chicago.

 

IceHogs Heavy Hitter

Team Pick-Chris DeSousa (36 games, 4 G, 1 A, 5 P, minus-eight)
My Pick-Kyle Baun (74 games, 14 G, 20 A, 34 P, minus-12)

This is where I placed Baun; he dealt some of the biggest impacts of the season. He also laid into guys on a pretty consistent basis. Most importantly, his physical style paid off in the form of points throughout the season.

DeSousa? Well, he attempted to play the same up-tempo, forechecking style that served him well last season. The trouble is that it wasn’t nearly as effective when he wasn’t skating with Mike Liambas, who spent this season in Milwaukee.

He also didn’t get anywhere close to the ice time in which to make things happen. DeSousa missed the first couple of weeks with an injury and just never seemed to get a steady foothold in the lineup. With the AHL’s new fighting rules putting the kibosh on designated scrappers (I’ll get to that next week), Hogs coach Ted Dent often used Evan Mosey on the fourth line in lieu of DeSousa.

This isn’t a knock on what DeSousa brought to the team (including six fighting majors) or on his effort this season. The feisty winger played hard when he was in the lineup. That just didn’t happen enough for him in Rockford.

 

IceHogs Most Valuable Player

Team Pick-Brandon Mashinter (see below)
My Pick-Brandon Mashinter (61 games, 15 G, 15 A, 30 P, minus-20)

In any other year, Mashinter would have secured his place in the order of things with another 15-goal, 30-point type of season for which he can be counted on in the AHL. He would be an excellent complimentary player who leads by example, cleans up around the net, and handles the occasional physical disagreement.

Mashinter did all of those things this season, as has been the case in parts of four seasons in Rockford while wearing an “A” on that big sweater of his. He hit the 15-goal/30 point plateau for the fifth time in seven full AHL seasons despite missing almost a month due to an injury. He dropped the gloves on four occasions. He posted a hat trick back on November 12 and had two other multi-goal efforts.

Two of those team-leading 15 goals were of the game-winning variety. In fact, in the 25 games won by the IceHogs, Mashinter united rubber and twine a dozen times, leading to eight Rockford victories.

I know that I’ve made this general statement about Mashinter more times that we’d all care to hear concerning his place in professional hockey. In a season where the IceHogs jettisoned it’s three top scorers with six weeks remaining, the guy that operates in that fifteen feet around the cage gets a little extra recognition. Even on a team as bad as Rockford.

 

Some, But Not All, Of The Recaps

Wednesday, April 12-Milwaukee 2, Rockford 1

Milwaukee’s first goal came midway through the first period when Vladislav Kamenev managed to thread the needle between Lars Johansson and the left post. At the 15:47 mark, Ads forward Yakov Trenin made an incredible spin move to reign in a Mike Liambas pass in front of the Hogs crease. Maneuvering as if defenseman Erik Gustafsson was nowhere to be seen, Trenin flipped a backhand shot into the upper right corner of the net to give Milwaukee a 2-0 advantage at the intermission.

Rockford settled down and played hard the rest of the game. As has been the case all too often this season, the Hogs just weren’t able to create enough offense to catch the Admirals.

Tyler Motte put back a rebound of a Kyle Baun attempt to draw Rockford to within a goal of the lead at 11:50 of the final period. That was as close as things got as the IceHogs were not up to the task of tying the contest.

Lines (Starters in italics)

Radovan Bondra-Jake Dowell (C)-Anthony Louis

Tyler Motte-Jeremy Langlois-Kyle Baun

Brandon Mashinter (A)-William Pelletier-Luke Johnson

Matheson Iacoppelli-Michael Latta (A)

Luc Snuggerud-Ville Pokka

Erik Gustafsson-Robin Press

Nolan Valleau-Carl Dahlstrom

Robin Norell

Lars Johansson

 

Friday, April 14-Milwaukee 6, Rockford 2 

The IceHogs saw their lineup shrink before the second shift of the evening. Rockford coach Ted Dent had listed Anthony Louis twice on his official lineup card. As a result, Michael Latta was not listed in the official Hogs lineup. Latta was sent from the ice, ending his night before it started.

Milwaukee took the lead on the power play 5:01 into the proceedings. The goal came when Frederick Gaudreau skated to the left dot and sent the puck to the back of the net over the shoulder of Hogs goalie Mac Carruth.

The Admirals advantage was doubled at the 14:41 mark, after Carruth sent away a shot from the right circle by Vladislav Kamenev. The rebound found the stick of Justin Kirkland, who drove home the goal before Carruth could slide back into position, giving Milwaukee a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

The IceHogs fell behind 3-0 just 2:17 into the middle frame when a centering feed by Sam Girard hit the skate of Hogs defenseman Nolan Valleau and into the net. Valleau would get Rockford on the board a few minutes later. Shooting from the outside hash marks on the left halfboards, Valleau banked the puck off the far post and into the cage to cut the lead to 3-1 5:01 into the period.

Some rapid puck movement resulted in a Matt White tally at the 9:32 mark made it a 4-1  Ads lead. However, Rockford answered just over a minute later. Luc Snuggerud, shooting from a similar spot that resulted in Valleau’s goal, picked up his first pro goal when the puck glanced off of a Milwaukee skater and past Admirals goalie Marek Mazanec.

Down 4-2, Rockford had a pair of power play opportunities to get back in the contest. The first came and went without a serious chance. The second resulted in a shorthanded goal by Milwaukee’s Adam Pardy 17:43 into the middle frame. The late score put the Hogs down 5-2 after 40 minutes.

The third period was uneventful for Rockford, with the Admirals getting an even half-dozen on a Trevor Smith goal at the 3:54 mark.

Lines (Starters in italics)-Michael Latta was omitted from the lineup card and did not play.

Tyler Motte-Jeremy Langlois-Kyle Baun

Matheson Iacopelli-William Pelletier-Anthony Louis

Brandon Mashinter (A)-Luke Johnson-Radovan Bondra

Pierre-Cedric Labrie (A)-Jake Dowell

Luc Snuggerud-Ville Pokka

Eirk Gustafsson-Carl Dahlstorm

Nolan Valleau-Robin Norell

Mac Carruth

Power Play (0-2, surrendered a shorthanded goal)

Motte-Langlois-Baun-Gustafsson-Pokka

Iacopelli-Pelletier-Louis-Snuggerud-Valleau

Mashinter-Dowell-Bondra-Gustafsson-Pokka

Penalty Kill (Milwaukee was 1-1)

Motte-Dowell-Pokka-Dahlstrom

 

Wrapping Things Up

Next post, I will try and reflect on the season that was in Rockford. There’s lots to cover, but I will try to touch all the bases.

 

 

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Bringing Up Goalies

By Jon Fromi 1887

The Rockford IceHogs currently have a plethora of net-minders as their season winds down next week. Taking a look at the list of goalies in town really got me in a pondering mood.

In one corner, we have Lars Johansson, brought from across the ocean as a potential future backup in Chicago. Across the way, we have Mac Carruth, a 2010 draft pick who’s days could well be numbered after spending parts of four seasons with the Hogs.

The plot thickened back in January when Jeff Glass was brought in on an AHL deal to compete for crease time. The new kid (literally)  is 18-year-old Wouter Peeters, last summer’s third-round selection of the Blackhawks, having his tires kicked on an ATO.

Peeters was in Rockford solely to practice with the IceHogs and get a close-up look from the organization; Rockford released him from his tryout Sunday morning. Still, four goalies on the roster gave me pause to think. What may we expect from this youngster in terms of an NHL future? For that matter, what lies ahead for the rest of this motley crew?

Corey Crawford is 32. Deal with it. At some point Chicago will have to find it’s next great (or even good) goaltender. Will it come through nabbing a late blooming prospect or via the draft?

Everything Else

High On The Hog: Impressive Debuts

By Jon Fromi 1393

The Rockford IceHogs picked up a pair of wins this weekend thanks to the play of their two newest players. The Hogs signed a couple of skaters to ATOs this week; both had an impressive debut weekend.

The headline signing was that of the Blackhawks 2014 third-round selection Matheson Iacopelli, who signed his amateur tryout on the heels of his signing an entry-level contract with Chicago. The 6’2″ forward has big offensive upside and showed a bit of it in his first game with Rockford.

Iacopelli displayed a big shot several times over his first two games, most effectively on what was the game-winner over the Texas Stars Friday night. As advertised, Iacopelli showed a knack for getting into scoring areas.

Also as advertised, he showed that he still has refining to do on the defensive end. The Stars lone goal came in the second period Saturday when Iacopelli was a bit too casual covering the front of the net. This allowed Colin Campbell to squeeze by him for a tip-in.

Iacopelli, who leaves Western Michigan after two years, had 20 goals and 16 assists in 40 games with the Broncos this past season. He spent most of the weekend skating with Michael Latta and Evan Mosey.

Also signing an ATO with the IceHogs on Thursday was free-agent center William Pelletier, who was the First Star of Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins. In his second game with the team, Pelletier had a two-goal, four-point night.

Pelletier, 24, just finished his college career at Division III Norwich University by winning a national championship with the Cadets. In 83 collegiate games, Pelletier scored 126 points (53 G, 73 A). That includes a senior season of 18 goals and 28 helpers.

The 5’7″ speedster is looking to secure employment next season. Based on what I saw this weekend, the guy can play. Pelletier was noticeable on the ice in Friday’s win despite not breaking into the scoring column. He generated several chances for Brandon Mashinter and Luke Johnson against Texas before lighting it up with those same line mates against the Griffins.

One weekend does not a season make. Still, it was good to see some offensive capability on a team starving for it on a nightly basis. Many of these ATOs are going to form the nucleus of the 2017-18 IceHogs. As expected, it would appear that squad will be a younger group than the one that came before it.

 

A Slice Of The BMO

Often, the BMO’s public address announcer will recognize returning players or point out a milestone to the fans. There was reason for such announcements during both home games this weekend. The execution just wasn’t on point.

Friday saw the return of Mark McNeill, who spent several seasons with Rockford and was traded just a few weeks ago, to his old stomping ground. This could hardly have escaped the team; McNeill started the game for Texas and took the opening faceoff.

One would expect that a recently traded player would get at least a cursory shoutout. Eventually, McNeill received a nice bit of acknowledgement from announcer Chris Toltzman. The timing could have been better; the announcement came late in the third period as McNeill was lining up for a crucial offensive-zone faceoff with his team down a goal. (If you speculated that there were Rockford fans who went online to pout about McNeill not backing out of the draw so he could wave to them, you would be absolutely correct.)

The IceHogs whiffed on another opportunity the following evening. P.C. Labrie had been named Rockford’s nominee for the league’s Man Of The Year Award, as I mentioned in an update to my post last week. Labrie was a scratch Friday but was in the lineup for Saturday’s game with Grand Rapids. Alas, Labrie was not recognized for his recent honor during any of the media stoppages throughout the contest.

Perhaps the team was waiting to make an announcement at a later game; surely he’ll be recognized at the Hogs final home game April 15 when a slew of other team award winners will be on display. It was a bit surprising that with ample opportunity to recognize a fan favorite, the IceHogs chose not to do so.

 

Recaps

Tuesday, March 28-Iowa 4, Rockford 0

The Hogs losing streak reached four games as they were shutout for the second straight contest. Iowa got a hat trick from newly signed forward Luke Kunin to pick up the win.

Kunin’s first two goals came early in the opening period. Iowa took a 1-0 lead 3:o2 into the game when a stretch pass from Nick Seeler started a 2-on-1 that ended with Kunin gaining entrance to the Hogs back door via a pass and return with Sam Anas.

At 8:44, Kunin picked off a pass attempt by Ville Pokka and started into the Rockford zone with numbers. Maxime Fortunus got off a shot in the high slot area, which was redirected by the rookie past Hogs goalie Mac Carruth.

Rockford had six shots at the power play throughout the evening to get a puck past Iowa starter Alex Stalock. Each was unsuccessful. Stalock stopped a breakaway attempt by Jeremy Langlois late in the second period that might have gotten the Hogs back into the game.

Instead, Alex Tuch slammed the door on Rockford early in the final period, driving to the net and backhanding the puck into the upper corner of Carruth’s net. Kunin completed the hat trick with an empty netter with 1:16 remaining.

Lines (Starters in italics)

Martin Lundberg-Vinnie Hinostroza-Kyle Baun

Brandon Mashinter (A)-Jeremy Langlois-Anthony Louis

Tyler Motte-Michael Latta-Luke Johnson

Pierre-Cedric Labrie (A)-Jake Dowell (C)-Chris DeSousa

Erik Gustafsson-Ville Pokka

Gustav Forsling-Luc Snuggerud

Nolan Valleau-Robin Norell

Mac Carruth

Power Play (0-6)

Hinostroza-Mashinter-Langlois-Gustafsson-Pokka

Baun-Lundberg-Latta-Forsling-Snuggerud

Penalty Kill (Iowa was 0-2)

Dowell-Lundberg-Gustafsson-Pokka

Motte-Labrie-Forsling-Snuggerud

Baun-Johnson-Valleau-Norell

 

Friday, March 31-Rockford 3, Texas 1

The IceHogs broke their losing streak, thanks in part to Matheson Iacopelli, who potted the game-winner in his first game in Rockford.

Texas scored first when Caleb Herbert converted on a penalty shot 8:17 into the first period. The IceHogs evened things up on the power play 35 seconds into the middle frame.

Brandon Mashinter took a big whack at the puck from the top of the right circle. The shot caught the top far side corner of the Stars net for the equalizer. Rockford dominated the action in the second period but was unable to get another puck past Texas goalie Justin Peters.

The key sequence in the contest occurred midway through the final period. Iacopelli’s first pro twine-tickler was set up in masterful fashion by Michael Latta. Latta received a pass from Evan Mosey, who had won a battle for the puck in the left corner of the Stars zone. Unable to get off a shot at the left post, Latta dropped a pass back to Iacopelli in the slot. The rookie knew just what to do with it, and Rockford led 2-1 at the 9:21 mark.

A delay of game penalty gave Texas a late power play and a chance to tie. The Stars called their timeout and pulled Peters for a two-man advantage. However, Jake Dowell got to a loose puck and converted on the empty-net opportunity to wrap up the contest with 22 seconds left.

Tyler Motte left the game early in the opening period after being hit with a puck. Bleeding profusely as he skated off, Motte did not return to action.

Iacopelli, Johansson, and Mashinter were voted the game’s three stars.

Lines (Starters in italics)

Brandon Mashinter (A)-William Pelletier-Luke Johnson

Tyler Motte-Jeremy Langlois-Anthony Louis

Martin Lundberg-Jake Dowell (C)-Kyle Baun

Matheson Iacopelli-Michael Latta (A)-Evan Mosey

Gustav Forsling-Ville Pokka

Erik Gustafsson-Luc Snuggerud

Carl Dahlstrom-Robin Norell

Lars Johansson

Power Play (1-4)

Mashinter-Pelletier-Baun-Gustafsson-Pokka

Iacopelli-Johnson-Louis-Forsling-Snuggerud

Penalty Kill (Stars were 0-1, Dowell scored a shorthanded empty-netter)

Dowell-Lundberg-Forsling-Pokka

 

Saturday, April 1-Rockford 4, Grand Rapids 1

Saturday, two goals from William Pelletier helped propel the Hogs to a rare victory over the Central Division leaders. In fact, Pelletier figured in all four tallies as Rockford won its second in a row.

Midway through the first period, Brandon Mashinter traded passes with Pelletier coming into the Grand Rapids zone. Mashinter then found Kyle Baun in the high slot. Baun stuck the biscuit into the upper corner of the Griffins net at 8:31 for a 1-0 IceHogs lead.

Less than three minutes later, Pelletier found himself in front of the net on a Rockford power play. His redirect of Erik Gustafsson’s shot zipped past Griffins goalie Eddie Pasquale and settled into the net. 11:20 into the game, the Hogs held a 2-0 advantage.

The Griffins cut the lead to 2-1 midway through the second period on a Colin Campbell goal. However, Pelletier’s line got right back to work. Mashinter got hold of a loose puck in the Grand Rapids zone and found Pelletier alone in the slot. Taking plenty of time to line up his shot, Pelletier beat Pasquale and made it 3-1 IceHogs at the 14:03 mark.

At 16:23, Luke Johnson got in on the fun. Pelletier got control of the puck in the corner of his defensive zone and sent it behind the net to Luc Snuggerud. The rookie defenseman brought the puck up the right side and sent a long pass that Johnson hauled in before crossing the blue line and firing past Pasquale.

The third period got physical as the Griffins attempted to cut into the lead. Martin Lundberg was the recipient of a big hit by Dominik Shine. Jeremy Langlois took offense and engaged the Griffins forward. Lundberg skated to the dressing room and did not return.

A few minutes later, another altercation resulted in 10 minute misconduct penalties for Dylan McIlrath and Mitch Callahan of Grand Rapids, along with P.C. Labrie and Michael Latta of the Hogs. Despite being a bit short on the bench, Rockford closed out the Griffins.

For his four-point evening, Pelletier was named the game’s First Star. Mashinter, who had three helpers, was the Second Star. Jeff Glass stopped 36 of 37 Griffins shots to nab Third Star honors.

Lines (Starters in italics)

Brandon Mashinter (A)-William Pelletier-Luke Johnson

Martin Lundberg-Jake Dowell (C)-Kyle Baun

Pierre-Cedric Labrie (A)-Jeremy Langlois-Anthony Louis

Matheson Iacopelli-Michael Latta-Evan Mosey

Gustav Forsling-Ville Pokka

Luc Snuggerud-Erik Gustafsson

Carl Dahlstrom-Robin Norell

Jeff Glass

Power Play (1-3)

Mashinter-Pelletier-Baun-Pokka-Gustafsson

Langlois-Louis-Latta-Forsling-Snuggerud

Penalty Kill (Grand Rapids was 0-3)

Latta-Lundberg-Pokka-Dahlstrom

Baun-Langlois-Snuggerud-Gustafsson

Dowell-Johnson-Forsling-Norell

 

Suitcase Week

Rockford will be on the road this week, starting in Iowa Thursday night. The Hogs then visit Milwaukee on Saturday night before finishing their season series with the Chicago Wolves Sunday afternoon.

Occasionally I have a lucid thought concerning the IceHogs; follow me @JonFromi on twitter for your chance to view it when it pops up.

 

 

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One area Rockford should not be short in is the crease. By my count, there should be four candidates for the job of guarding the net. Apparently three guys weren’t enough for the IceHogs. Or…maybe someone is on his way out.