While it is only the end of May, that doesn’t mean it is not a good time to start speculating what the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs 2019–20 rosters might look like. It is not like there is any playoff hockey to talk about anyway. With the Blackhawks still in flux as far as 2019–20 goes, the IceHogs have been active already this offseason, building their roster for next year. Here is the first early edition of what the Rockford IceHogs’ 2019–20 AHL roster may look like.
IceHogs roster: Signed through 2019–20
Top to bottom for all three positions, here is the running list of players that are already signed on for the 2019–20 season or beyond for the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs. AHL-only contracts specified for the players who are only eligible to play for the IceHogs or the ECHL’s Indy Fuel, without signing a contract with the Blackhawks.
Forwards
- Kris Versteeg
- AHL contract
- Nathan Noel
- Jacob Nilsson
- Nick Moutrey
- AHL contract
- Dylan McLaughlin
- AHL contract
- Graham Knott
- Reese Johnson
- Mathew Thompson
- AHL contract
- Philipp Kurashev
- Matthew Highmore
- Mackenzie Entwistle
- Tim Soderlund
- Jack Ramsey
- AHL contract
- Liam Coughlin
- AHL contract
- Brandon Hagel
- Mikael Hakkarainen
- Alexandre Fortin
- Anton Wedin
- Dominik Kubalík
Defensemen
- Nicolas Beaudin
- Adam Boqvist
- Chad Krys
- Lucas Carlsson
- Henri Jokiharju
- Joni Tuulola
- Dennis Gilbert
- Josh McArdle
- AHL contract
- Dmitry Osipov
- AHL contract
Goalies
- Collin Delia
- Kevin Lankinen
- Chase Marchand
- AHL contract
- Matt Tomkins
- AHL contract
Of the players already signed for the upcoming 2019–20 season, there are a few that will most likely begin the season in Chicago with the Blackhawks. Collin Delia, Henri Jokiharju and Dominik Kubalík have a chance to make the NHL roster out of camp as it stands now.
Adam Boqvist skates during a preseason game last fall. (Photograph courtesy of Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
A wildcard in the group is 2018 draft pick Adam Boqvist, who is eligible to play in the AHL in the 2019–20 season if he does not make the Blackhawks’ roster out of training camp. The defensive group is already crowded, and this is before the NHL Entry Draft in June, where Chicago may select top defenseman Bowen Byram, who some believe could be NHL-ready right out of the gate.
Another name to look out for is goaltender Kevin Lankinen. After a decent rookie season in the AHL, Lankinen burst onto the Blackhawks scene with his performance in net for Team Finland at the IIHF World Championships. Lankinen put up a 1.50 goals against average and a .942 save percentage in the tournament on his way to winning the gold medal alongside Jokiharju.
Kevin Lankinen celebrates with the IIHF World Championship Trophy after Team Finland’s 3–1 win over Team Canada in the gold medal game. (Photograph courtesy of Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)
If the Blackhawks do not add anymore goaltenders that could play at the NHL level, Lankinen looks ready to shoulder the load for the IceHogs and could even push Delia for the Blackhawks’ backup role. One thing for certain is that the 2019–20 roster for the IceHogs already is shaping up to be a youthful group.
IceHogs roster: Already gone
Not everyone fits into the future plans of the Rockford IceHogs, or reversely, the IceHogs do not always fit into every players’ future plans. For Rockford, there are already a trio of players from the 2018–19 squad who will not be re-signing with the club, let alone any North American team.
- Viktor Ejdsell — Farjestad BK (Sweden)
- 2018–19 with IceHogs: 61 games, 12 goals, 17 assists
- Peter Holland — Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)
- 2018–19 with IceHogs: 21 games, seven goals, nine assists
- 2018–19 total: 73 games, 27 goals, 38 assists
- Jordan Schroeder — Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
- 2018–19 with IceHogs: 62 games, 19 goals, 26 assists
Peter Holland lines up for a face off during an IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)
These three players leaving already puts a big hole in the carried-over offensive production from last year’s IceHogs squad. Holland and Schroeder were producers for Rockford late in the season as they pushed for a Calder Cup Playoff spot, and Ejdsell showed flashes in 2018–19 of the player he was supposed to be, but could not produce on a consistent basis. The IceHogs have already added a number of promising offensive talents, so the level of production left from these players should be filled and possibly even exceeded in 2019–20.
IceHogs roster: Unsigned
While there is a larger number of players left unsigned that would more likely be in play for the Blackhawks, here is the list of remaining players left unsigned that are likely in play for the IceHogs and the Indy Fuel.
Unrestricted free agents
- Radovan Bondra
- Terry Broadhurst
- Andrew Campbell
- Brandon Davidson
- Andreas Martinsen
- Connor Moynihan
- William Pelletier
- Tyler Sikura
Restricted free agents
- Anton Forsberg
- Blake Hillman
- Luke Johnson
- Anthony Louis
- Dylan Sikura
- Spencer Watson
This is where the IceHogs and Blackhawks roster construction gets interesting and dicey. Obviously the organization will have cap room to use this offseason, but they are not going to be spending a ton to keep these unrestricted and restricted free agents around. Most of this group does not have much of NHL futures with the Blackhawks outside of perhaps Dylan Sikura, Forsberg or Johnson.
Cap space and the 50-player roster limit in mind, it would not be surprising to see most of the unrestricted players in the group remain unsigned. Pelletier could still receive another AHL contract this summer after missing a large portion of the season due to injury. For players like Martinsen and Tyler Sikura, their place in the organization is getting buried and younger, more promising talent has already been added who could fill their roles with the Blackhawks and IceHogs.
Anthony Louis skates during an IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Rockford IceHogs)
In the restricted free agent pool of players, there is enough to like for the Blackhawks to bring back players who will challenge for NHL ice time but more than likely end up playing major roles for the IceHogs in 2019–20. Hillman, Johnson and Louis can and should all play leading roles for the IceHogs to begin the season, should they be re-signed.
Dylan Sikura skates with the puck during an IceHogs game. (Photograph courtesy of the Texas Stars)
Same goes for Dylan Sikura if re-signed. Sikura came into the Blackhawks with high hopes of jumping into the NHL roster and being a reliable middle-six forward. While he was able to get 33 games with Chicago this season, he played the majority of his first full professional season with the IceHogs. His time in Rockford showed that he has the abilities to produce and be a playmaker, but at the AHL level for now. In 46 games with the IceHogs, Sikura tallied 35 points, but is still looking for his first career NHL goal after tallying just eight assists in his time with Chicago in 2018–19. If the Blackhawks believe his future trajectory includes the ability to crack their NHL roster, it is a no-brainer to keep the younger Sikura around.
The Blackhawks could bring back Forsberg in net to make sure they have an abundance of depth at the goalie position, but with the recent emergence of Lankinen and Chicago’s perceived investment in Delia, his spot with the organization might be getting buried. If not re-signed, Forsberg could surely land with another NHL team and have a legitimate shot at their backup role.
This IceHogs roster will begin to take more shape as the summer roles along. The next edition will provide an even more clear picture as the NHL Entry Draft will have already taken place and the restricted free agent window will have opened. As the summer progresses, so will this list. Keep tuned in for edition 2.0 later in June.