With both the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs’ season coming to a close, it is reasonable to start assessing how these skaters performed this season. In this article, I will give a quick grade for individual Blackhawks and IceHogs players. This article will include a grading criteria, as well as my basis for why each player received their grade.

Feel free to object to any of my assessments. These grades are mine alone. They are not a reflection of any other member of The Rink and their assessments, nor the organization as a whole.

For further insight into my grades, please listen to the upcoming Rinkcast, recording live on March 27.

Grading criteria

Grades are based on two factors: Objective output and subjective assessment.

• • Objective output: Advanced and counting stats
  • Subjective assessment: Objective output when assessed with previous seasons outputs and preseason expectations, along with unquantifiable value to the team and teammates

Blackhawks roster grades

Criteria

• Must currently be on the Blackhawks roster
  • This excludes players traded away
• Must have played at least 25 games with the Blackhawks
  • This excludes players acquired at the trade deadline

Connor Bedard

• Grade: A-
• Season stats: 72 games played, 20 goals, 36 assists, 56 points

Positives

• Continued offensive output from rookie season
• Maintained clean bill of health

Negatives

• Noticeable cold streaks
• Self-admitted frustration with production
• Emotional outbursts leading to significant penalties

Assessment

Despite the noise surrounding Bedard’s season, his play has still shown why he was the most sought-after prospect since Connor McDavid. His offensive output this season, especially on the power play, reflects the strides taken by Bedard to improve his game from his rookie season. He is the second NHL player in the modern era to reach 40 goals and 70 assists as a teenager, joining the great Sidney Crosby.

That does not mean he is free from fault. He has nearly doubled his total penalty minutes compared to last season. A reflection of his emotional play style, Bedard will have to learn to reign it in when calls do not go his way during his career.

Tyler Bertuzzi

• Grade: C+/B-
• Season stats: 72 games played, 20 goals, 21 assists, 41 points

Positives

• When he is on, he can score and distribute in bunches
• Physicality to go along with skill

Negatives

• Extremely noticeable cold streaks
• Struggles to positively contribute to team when scoring dries up

Assessment

A difficult player to assess due to his streaky nature, Bertuzzi was brought in last summer on a four-year contract to be a net-front presence on the offensive side of the ice. He was also expected to bring a physical side to the top six while scoring 20 goals per season. Has he done that? The best answer for that would be somewhat.

The frustration comes from his lack of consistency. He will have stretches where he is a point-per-game forward and stretches where he produces less than a fourth liner. He is heavily dependent on his linemates setting him up. He does not have the ability to create for himself.

He has given Chicago a 20-goal, 40-point season, so I cannot scorn him too much, he just feels…off? Perhaps next season will be where he finds consistency with the Blackhawks.

Jason Dickinson

• Grade: D-
• Season stats: 59 games played, 7 goals, 9 assists, 15 points

Positives

• 49.5% faceoff percentage
• Still has defensive upside

Negatives

• Multiple debilitating injuries
• Massive offensive regression from last season

Assessment

The only surprise of this grading should be “how is he not an F?” It took a lot of mental pushing and shoving to not give Dickinson an F, however, a D- can be justified because of his injury struggles and defensive play.

There is not much else to say. Perhaps the last season of Dickinson’s contract can be moved to clear cap. If not, hopefully Dickinson can simply be better next season.

Ryan Donato

• Grade: A
• Season stats: 70 games played, 25 goals, 30 assists, 55 points

Positives

• Jack of all trades
• Career-high offensive output
• Contributes on any line

Negatives

• Concern about sustaining this level of play beyond this season

Assessment

The shinning star of the Blackhawks this season, Donato has had a career year. A career high in goals, assists and points, Donato found the right year to produce like a top-six forward given that he will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason with the cap rising dramatically.

The concern is obvious, was it a mistake to hold on to Donato at the deadline? I am of the opinion that keeping him and re-signing him is the correct decision, however, the possibility of overpaying Donato only for him to regress to the mean is of major concern. At only 28 years old, he should not disappear over night, but it is not an impossibility. Look no further than Philipp Kurashev as a possible reference point in that regard, but let’s hope Donato avoids that drop-off.

Nick Foligno

• Grade: C-
• Season stats: 68 games played, 12 goals, 17 assists, 29 points

Positives

• Team leader
• Normal bottom-six output

Negatives

• Dip in production from last season
• Overpaid for what he produces

Assessment

A tough season for the captain, Foligno has shown that age has caught up with him on the ice. Although 29 points is not a death sentence for a bottom-six forward, it is clear that what he brings on the ice is limited.

He still is an effective captain, and the young players have a lot of respect for him. His outspokenness about team performance and the negative impact of former Blackhawk defenseman Seth Jones is nothing to completely right off. However, the end is near for the captain.

Philipp Kurashev

• Grade: F
• Season stats: 45 games played, 6 goals, 6 assists, 12 points

Positives

• Does not take penalties

Negatives

• Massive regression across the board from last season

Assessment

Kurashev will not be a Blackhawk next season, so why bother?

Pat Maroon

• Grade: B-
• Season stats: 62 games played, 5 goals, 13 assists, 18 points

Positives

• Relationship with young roster, especially Lukas Reichel
• Prototypical fourth-line plugger production
• Physical play

Negatives

• Nothing special on the ice
• Noticeably slow
• Bad defensive play

Assessment

A player whose off-the-ice impact far outshines his on-the-ice performance, Maroon’s last career season has been what Chicago has expected. Maroon has played the fourth-line plugger role with the ability to throw the body very well.

Off the ice, his relationship with young forwards like Reichel has shown his veteran leadership with this club. Although not quantifiable, it is a positive that has allowed the young Blackhawks to find their footing in the NHL.

Ilya Mikheyev

• Grade: B
• Season stats: 70 games played, 17 goals, 12 assists, 29 points

Positives

• Clean bill of health
• Streaky scorer
• Effective penalty killer

Negatives

• Limited upside

Assessment

A surprising treat for the Blackhawks, Mikheyev was acquired in the offseason from the Vancouver Canucks in a cap dump that netted Chicago a second-round pick. With injury concerns and a failure to meet expectations in Vancouver, the Blackhawks decided to give Mikheyev a shot. He has rewarded Chicago with a solid season.

Although his upside is limited, another season of bottom-six minutes while killing penalties is something Chicago will need going into next season.

Lukas Reichel

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 63 games played, 7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Vast improvements over last season
• Speed still an asset

Negatives

• Noticeable cold streaks
• Defensive limits
• Limited upside

Assessment

This may come as a shock to my fellow Rink members, but I have appreciated Lukas Reichel’s season. After a terrible 2023–24 season, Reichel was brought back on a two-year contract with hopes that he could put last season behind him, and for the most part, he has.

His time on the fourth line has shown bits and pieces of upside. His speed is still an asset, and has been a little better with the rest of his game. That being said, he needs to have a very good 2025–26 season if he wants to be with the team after his current contract. With the prospects who will be ready by the 2026–27 season, Reichel will need to prove, without any doubt, that he belongs. If not, Reichel will have to find a new home.

Teuvo Teravainen

• Grade: A
• Season Stats: 72 games played, 15 goals, 41 assists, 56 points

Positives

• Incredible distributor
• Power play specialist
• Avoids penalties

Negatives

• Sometimes overly pass-first

Assessment

After signing a three-year, $5.4 million per year contract with Chicago in the offseason, Teravainen continued to show the strong offensive play he developed while with the Carolina Hurricanes. A pass-first forward, his ability to create for his teammates in the offensive zone is an asset the Blackhawks will need while he is on the team.

His pass-first mentality has received scrutiny in the recent past, but so long as he can maintain his current effectiveness, that scrutiny will fall on deaf ears.

TJ Brodie

• Grade: F
• Season stats: 54 games played, 2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points

Positives

• None

Negatives

• All of them

Assessment

There is not much to say about Brodie. He is not good, and he will most likely be bought out this summer. Brodie is Kyle Davidson’s biggest free agent failure.

Alec Martinez

• Grade: C-
• Season stats: 43 games played, 5 goals, 7 assists, 12 points

Positives

• Defensively responsible
• Safe partner for young defensemen

Negatives

• Health
• Slow on his skates

Assessment

A diet version of Connor Murphy, Martinez is a bottom-pairing defenseman who does his job. He has been trusted to pair with Artyom Levshunov when he received his NHL call-up, and has shown competence with younger players.

Unfortunately, he will miss the remainder of the season due to injury, a significant blow to team defense.

Connor Murphy

• Grade: B-
• Season stats: 59 games played, 1 goal, 16 assists, 17 points

Positives

• Defensive play
• Safe partner for younger defenseman

Negatives

• Offensive output
• Question marks with health

Assessment

The longest-tenured Blackhawk, Murphy has continued his consistent play this season. His “good, not great” play has given Chicago’s defensive core some stability with many moving parts. He is not going to light up a scoresheet, but he will pair with young defensemen well enough to justify his continued inclusion in the lineup.

Alex Vlasic

• Grade: B+
• Season stats: 72 games played, 4 goals, 24 assists, 28 points

Positives

• Special teams contributor
• Comfortable first-pairing defenseman
• Continued development from last season

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Noticeably poor games

Assessment

Vlasic proved to be the Blackhawks’ most effective defenseman this season, although that bar is not the highest to reach. Still, it cannot be denied that Vlasic is developing into a top-four, or even top-pairing, defenseman for the long-term future, and his contract very well could develop into one of the best in the NHL in short order.

That being said, there is still tremendous work needed to be done. Vlasic has had multiple games where he was the worst defensman on the ice. Like with Bertuzzi, consistency is the name of the game for Vlasic going into next season.

Arvid Soderblom

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 33 games played, 30 games started, 8 wins, 17 losses, .899 save percentage, 3.17 goals against average

Positives

• Dramatic improvement from last season

Negatives

• Weaknesses from last season still prevalent
• Cooled off as the season went on

Assessment

With how bad last season was for Soderblom, there was nowhere to go but up. A solid bounce-back season for Soderblom, the 25-year-old goaltender has shown that last season may have been a fluke, and with a better defensive team in front of him, Soderblom could be a solid backup goaltender.

Blackhawks/IceHogs roster grades

Criteria

• At least 10 games with both the Blackhawks and the IceHogs
• Grading is a cumulative grade based on performance in the NHL and AHL

Joey Anderson

• Grade: C-
• Blackhawks season stats: 18 games played, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point
• IceHogs season stats: 30 games played, 16 goals, 9 assists, 25 points

Positives

• Effective top-six forward in the AHL

Negatives

• Ineffective in the NHL this season

Assessment

A forward who lost his place with the Blackhawks due to his lack of production, Anderson has been effective in Rockford this season. Since joining the IceHogs, Anderson has scored at will, with over half a goal per game.

Although his time with the NHL team is done, Anderson has provided the organization with stability in the AHL, which saves his grade.

Colton Dach

• Grade: B+
• Blackhawks season stats: 25 games played, 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points
• IceHogs season stats: 33 games played, 12 goals,14 assists, 26 points

Positives

• Efficient scoring in the AHL
• Physical game that works in both the AHL and NHL

Negatives

• Struggles to score in the NHL
• Place in the NHL lineup a mystery

Assessment

A player who spent most of his AHL season on a line with Nazar, Dach’s ability to mix physicality and skill should allow him to be an effective bottom-six NHL forward in the future.

His AHL scoring output has not translated to the NHL yet, however, he is a noticeable forward in the NHL who should continue to develop. So, as long as he does not suffer the Dach injury bug, he will become a solid NHLer.

Frank Nazar

• Grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: 43 games played, 7 goals, 10 assists, 17 points
• IceHogs season stats: 21 games played, 11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points

Positives

• Dramatic development
• AHL all-star
• Penalty killer

Negatives

• NHL scoring output is not catching up with his impact

Assessment

What can be said about Nazar that has not already been said? An AHL all-star who forced his way into the NHL, Nazar’s play has been a bright spot in a frustrating season. Although his counting stats may not jump off the screen, his two-way game has continued to improve, and his time in Chicago’s top six is essentially guaranteed.

Landon Slaggert

• Grade: B
• Blackhawks season stats: 23 games played, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points
• IceHogs season stats: 39 games played, 10 goals, 15 assists, 25 points

Positives

• Top-six forward in his first AHL season
• Effective two-way game

Negatives

• Same as Dach

Assessment

A lot of what I said about Dach can be said about Slaggert, minus the injury concern. Slaggert has shown strong offensive output in the AHL, but has struggled to score in the NHL this season. Slaggert should become an effective bottom-six NHL forward, as long as his development is not stunted.

Nolan Allan

• Grade: B-
• Blackhawks season stats: 43 games played, 1 goal, 7 assists, 8 points
• IceHogs season stats: 11 games played, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points

Positives

• Continued development from last season
• Positive play on both sides of the ice

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Limited skillset

Assessment

A former first-round pick, Allan’s first season in Chicago was a pleasant surprise to many, especially Andrew Bard, president of the “Nolan Allan Fan Club.” With expectations low, Allan showed upside as a bottom-pairing defenseman on the Blackhawks.

In his protected role in the NHL, Allan showed professional competence, and in the AHL, he showed the ability to play first-pairing minutes. Time will tell where Allan fits with the Blackhawks’ defensive scheme, but his first season was a positive start.

Louis Crevier

• Grade: B-
• Blackhawks season stats: 30 games played, 3 goals, 1 assist, 4 points
• IceHogs season stats: 15 games played, 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points

Positives

• Dramatic improvement from last season
• Uses size efficiently
• Improved defensive game

Negatives

• Offensive output
• Cannot be trusted with NHL top-four minutes

Assessment

Similar to Reichel and Soderblom, Crevier put last season’s performance in the rearview mirror. Crevier has used his size and strength effectively this season, and has gone from AHL fodder to a possible long-term piece.

That is not to say there are no glaring issues. His upside is not eye-opening, and with other prospects in his skill range, he could get flexed out by other prospects soon.

Ethan Del Mastro

• Grade: B-
• Blackhawks season stats: 21 games played, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points
• IceHogs season stats: 42 games played, 0 goals, 8 assists, 8 points

Positives

• Physical defenseman
• Responsible in the defensive zone

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Rookie mistakes

Assessment

Similar to Crevier, Del Mastro is a physical defenseman who looks best on the third pairing. He, like with Allan and Crevier, will need to develop beyond his physical, defense-first play style if he wishes to be a long-term staple on the Blackhawks.

Wyatt Kaiser

• Grade: F
• Blackhawks Season stats: 48 games played, 4 goals, 3 assists, 7 points
• IceHogs Season stats: 17 games played, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points

Positives

• Sometimes looks better than last season

Negatives

• Everything

Assessment

Wyatt Kaiser is just TJ Brodie but a decade younger and a little faster.

IceHogs roster grades

Criteria

• Player must have played less than 10 games with the Chicago Blackhawks
• Must have played at least 30 games with the Rockford IceHogs
  • Athanasiou exempt due to injury
• Grade is based on performance with the IceHogs, along with limited showcase with the Blackhawks
  • Performance with the Blackhawks holds less weight

Andreas Athanasiou

• Grade: B
• Blackhawks season stats: 8 games played, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point
• IceHogs season stats: 24 games played, 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points

Positives

• Speed translates very well in the AHL
• Effective goal scorer
• Effective on the power play

Negatives

• Defensive game
• Health
• Poor showing with the Blackhawks

Assessment

Like with Joey Anderson, Athanasiou failed to maintain a spot with the Blackhawks this season. This, along with a wrist injury, put a damper on Athanasiou’s last season with the organization. However, in his limited time with Rockford this season, Athanasiou has scored at nearly a point-per-game rate. His speed translated immediately in the AHL, and he should continue to produce during the playoff push.

Jackson Cates

• Grade: C+
• Season stats: 54 games played, 7 goals, 6 assists, 13 points

Positives

• Prototypical bottom-six center
• Defensive game

Negatives

• Scoring output

Assessment

There is not much to write about Cates. Despite his recent hat trick, his value comes from his defensive game. Effective as a bottom-six forward, he has allowed young forward prospects to find their game as they make their professional debuts.

Cole Guttman

• Grade: A
• Season stats: 62 games played, 21 goals, 32 assists, 53 points

Positives

• AHL all-star
• Effective scorer
• Leads team in goals, assists and points

Negatives

• Defensive game

Assessment

A long-tenured member of the organization, Guttman has scored at will this season. Making the AHL all-star game as Nazar’s replacement, he is Rockford’s most talented offensive forward. He should be the Hogs’ first option for the rest of the season, and during the playoffs, despite his defensive limits.

Gavin Hayes

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 40 games played, 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points

Positives

• Avoids penalties (only 4 penalty minutes).
• Defensive side improved as season went on

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Health

Assessment

An intriguing prospect currently with Rockford, Hayes is a responsible skater who avoids penalties and does not turn the puck over. Despite missing time with a significant shoulder injury, Hayes continues to develop well this season. The hope for Hayes is that the scoring touch that intrigued Chicago when he was drafted will be found soon, and it has flashed up at times this season, just not consistently.

Paul Ludwinski

• Grade: C-
• Season stats: 55 games played, 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points

Positives

• Still developing
• Decent shot
• Decent enough fourth-line center

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Consistency

Assessment

Ludwinski can be put into the same bucket as Hayes. He is a young forward in his first professional season struggling to find consistency, but has shown flashes as a responsible fourth-line center with room to improve.

Jalen Luypen

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 46 games played, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points

Positives

• Responsible skater
• Solid defensive game

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Limited upside

Assessment

Like with Cates, Luypen is another bottom-six forward who struggles to score, but maintains a defensive game that warrants playing time.

Marcel Marcel

• Grade: D+
• Season stats: 39 games played, 4 goals, 8 assists, 12 points

Positives

• Physical game
• Has scoring upside when not in a cold streak

Negative

• In and out of the lineup
• Can go cold
• Leads the team in penalty minutes with 50 despite playing in only 39 games

Assessment

It has been a tough season for Marcel with the IceHogs. Having been scratched often, Marcel has struggled to maintain a lineup spot due to his spotty play and tendency to take penalties.

Gerry Mayhew

• Grade: B
• Season stats: 47 games played, 13 goals, 16 assists, 29 points

Positives

• Offensive output
• Special teams contributor
• “The Mayor”

Negatives

• Can be streaky

Assessment

Very lovingly referred to as “The Mayor,” Mayhew is yet another veteran forward brought in to provide an offensive boost. An admittedly streaky player, Mayhew distributes effectively while taking smart shots toward the net.

Zach Sanford

• Grade: A
• Season stats: 62 games played, 15 goals, 21 assists, 36 points

Positives

• Two-way game
• Exploded in production after Dach, Nazar and Slaggert left

Negatives

• Slow start to the season
• Penalty magnet

Assessment

A Stanley Cup champion, Sanford has been on a hot streak throughout the month of March. A strong two-way forward, Sanford has rewarded Chicago’s decision to promote Nazar by immediately taking the second-line center spot in Rockford for himself. Despite his tendency to take penalties, Sanford has kept the forward group stable.

Samuel Savoie

• Grade: B+
• Season stats: 62 games played, 7 goals, 14 assists, 21 points

Positives

• Locker room favorite
• Defensive anchor
• Gets under the opposition’s skin

Negatives

• Scoring output
• Defensive positioning

Assessment

A social media darling for Rockford, Savoie is an intriguing prospect in the Blackhawks’ system. A scrappy forward with an in-your-face mentality, Savoie could develop into the next Andrew Shaw. Though that is never a guarantee, this season has been a special one for Savoie. Having provided the Hogs with a two-way game that the bottom six desperately needs, Savoie has shown his worth despite not lighting the lamp often.

Brett Seney

• Grade: B
• Season stats: 54 games played, 9 goals, 27 assists, 36 points

Positives

• Effective captain
• Two-way game
• Offensive contributor

Negatives

• Penalty magnet
• Goal scoring

Assessment

Another two-way veteran forward who leads the IceHogs, Seney has captained Rockford through a season full of call-ups and players getting their feet wet in professional hockey. Like with Sanford, his penalty minutes are worrisome, but his ability to distribute the puck on offense offsets his downside.

Colin Felix

• Grade: C
• Season stats: 31 games played, 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points

Positives

• Team fighter
• Energy defenseman

Negatives

• Slow skater
• Offensive output
• Leads defensemen in penalty minutes (mostly because of fights)

Assessment

A plug-and-play defenseman, Felix often finds himself in the lineup when physicality is required. An impressive fighter, he has brought energy to a young Rockford team that needed a player who could drop the gloves and defend his teammates going into this season. Felix knows his role with Rockford and fills it well.

Cavan Fitzgerald

• Grade: A-
• Season stats: 54 games played, 6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points

Positives

• Defensive core leader
• Locker room presence
• Defensively responsible
• Effective in all zones

Negatives

• Scoring output

Assessment

A leader for Rockford, Fitzgerald has provided the IceHogs with stable defensive play throughout the season. A player Eaton has trusted pairing Artyom Levshunov with through most of the season, Fitzgerald has fit in well in Rockford’s top four.

Kevin Korchinski

• Grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: 9 games played, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points
• IceHogs season stats: 54 games played, 3 goals, 24 assists, 27 points

Positive

• AHL all-star, all-star MVP
• Impressive NHL stint
• Improvements across the board

Negatives

• Goal scoring
• Penalty magnet

Assessment

With all of the hype focused on Levshunov, the development of Korchinski may escape some eyes. That is unfortunate, because Korchinski has exploded onto the scene this year with Rockford. An all-star who took home the game’s MVP award, Korchinski looks like a completely new defenseman compared to what Blackhawks fans saw last season.

This is not to say that there is not room to improve. With 50 penalty minutes on the season, Korchinski needs to tighten up his game. There is also need to improve his scoring ability if he wants to be an effective offensive defenseman in the NHL. That being said, he should be ready for the NHL next season, and his nine-game stint back in December proved as much. Korchinski was recalled to the Blackhawks today and will likely finish the regular season with the Hawks before returning to Rockford for the postseason.

Artyom Levshunov

• Grade: A
• Blackhawks season stats: 8 games played, 0 goals, 4 assists, 4 points
• IceHogs season stats: 50 games played, 5 goals, 17 assists, 22 points

Positives

• Strong skater
• Effective with the puck
• Tremendous passer
• Offensive IQ

Negatives

• Penalty magnet in the AHL
• Slow start to the season due to an injury
• Careless plays when at the end of his shift

Assessment

Levshunov’s season has been one of the most intriguing prospect seasons in recent Blackhawks history. After missing all of training camp and a few weeks of the AHL season due to a foot injury, Levshunov came out of the gate rough. Essentially learning on the fly, Levshunov was baptized by fire early in his first professional season. Though it may be a coincidence, his play started to improve once Mark Eaton was named interim head coach of the IceHogs. A former NHL defenseman, Eaton’s coaching and experience must have taken effect on Levshunov.

Since December, the strengths of Levshunov have shined dramatically. He is a sneaky-fast skater, he is great with the puck and can find his teammates anywhere on the ice. His improvements warranted a call-up to the NHL. In his short time in the NHL, Levshunov has been good. Not just for a 19-year-old with zero expectations good, I mean a good NHL defenseman.

The future is incredibly bright for Levshunov, and it is certainly reasonable to believe that Levshunov can make the Blackhawks’ 2025–26 opening night roster.

Drew Commesso

• Grade: A
• IceHogs season stats: 33 games played, 14 wins, 13 losses, 4 overtime losses, .911 save percentage, 2.55 goals against average, 4 shutouts
• Blackhawks season stats: 2 games played, 1 game started, 0 wins, 1 loss, .846 save percentage, 3.36 goals against average

Positives

• Strong stretch since returning from injury
• Fundamentally sound
• Denies low-percentage shots

Negatives

• Needs to work on penalty/shootout shots
• Health

Assessment

If I had given out grades back in January, Commesso would have received a C+. Spending most of the season with a sub-.900 save percentage and sustaining an injury in mid-February, concerns were mounting among fans about his game. This outlook on Commesso changed dramatically. In nine games following his return, Commesso had a .954 save percentage, and has catapulted Rockford into a guaranteed playoff spot. With his recent play, a longer look in the NHL next season seems possible.