The Rockford IceHogs and Chicago Blackhawks organization’s both benefited from the contributions of second-year forward John Hayden this past season. Starting the year in Chicago and making a handful or trips between the NHL and AHL clubs, Hayden was a key member of the IceHogs down the stretch of the 2017-18 season and played a large role in the success of the team in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Blackhawks Organization Invests In John Hayden
Hayden began the season with the Chicago Blackhawks, playing primarily in a fourth-line role on the wing. Hayden failed to crack the 15-minute mark for time on ice all season, but was able to rack up 13 points (4G, 9A) in 47 games with the Blackhawks.
His time with Chicago was split during the season, though, as Hayden would make two stints with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. In early January, Hayden was assigned to Rockford for a 22-game stretch from January 10 to March 3. Over that time, Hayden tallied 14 points (5G, 9A) and was able to play more meaningful minutes in a top-six winger role for the IceHogs.
Hayden returned to the Blackhawks for the remainder of the month of March, before returning to the IceHogs in April right before the beginning of the Calder Cup Playoffs. In his 24 regular season games with Rockford, Hayden tallied a total of 17 points.
John Hayden of the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)
Heading into the Calder Cup Playoffs, Hayden continued in his role playing in the top-six forward group for the IceHogs, handling a spot on the powerplay as well. He tallied 3 goals in 13 games in the postseason, including the eventual game-winner in Game One against the Manitoba Moose in the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
Final Season Grade: B
Hayden began the season with a ton of promise to be a full-time NHL player for the Blackhawks after making an impact in his first taste of the big league at the end of the 2016-17 season and into the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs for Chicago. While his full-time NHL status didn’t come to fruition, his time in the AHL with the IceHogs this season gave Hayden the ice-time he needed to find his game outside of being a big-body bruiser in the NHL and helped the IceHogs in their run during the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Future Outlook
The Chicago Blackhawks organization saw the development that Hayden enjoyed from his time with the IceHogs this season and still sees the potential that he has at the NHL level. The club signed Hayden to a two-year contract extension through the 2019-2020 season with a $750,000 annual cap hit this summer. The deal is a one-way deal so he will make the $750,000 no matter if he is in the NHL or AHL, but it feels like the Blackhawks have plans for Hayden to be an NHL regular during the 2018-19 season.
He has the ability to be a scoring threat at the NHL level, along with being a physical presence on the ice. At 23-years old, Hayden should slot into a bottom-six wing position for the Blackhawks to begin next season and could be a piece to the future.