It’s August. It’s hot. Let’s talk hockey.
The start of the NHL and AHL seasons are just under two months away and today, August 15, otherwise known as 8-1-5 day, honors the area code for the City of Rockford and the greater Central and Northern Illinois area. In honor of 8-1-5 day, let’s take a look at the 2018-19 season outlook for the Rockford IceHogs.
Cannot forget to mention, for August 15 ONLY – the Rockford IceHogs are selling tickets to the 2018-19 Season Home Opener for just $8.15! So head over the their website and get your tickets CHEAP.
Also, the 2018-19 season marks the 20th year of professional hockey in the city of Rockford. The team unveiled a logo that the IceHogs will don this year to mark the 20th season in the city.
Check it out:
IceHogs 20th Season Logo
Rockford IceHogs Roster Movement
First, looking at the action this offseason with additions and departures for the IceHogs, there hasn’t been a splash addition that has out-weighed the losses that Rockford will have to fill. Obviously, the “splash” in the AHL is not really a thing, but there are a number of players that are leaving the IceHogs and Chicago Blackhawks organization that played big parts of the 2017-18 season for the IceHogs.
Additions
- F, Terry Broadhurst
- D, Andrew Campbell
- F, Jordan Maletta
- F, Jordan Schroeder
Departures
- G, J. F. Berube
- D, Adam Clendening
- F, Chris DiDomenico
- D, Cody Franson
- F, Tanner Kero
- F, Lance Bouma
- G, Jeff Glass
Terry Broadhurst returns to the IceHogs after spending time with Chicago Wolves, three seasons in Europe, and last year with the Cleveland Monsters. In 49 games with Cleveland last season, Broadhurst posted 32 points (13G, 19A) and comes to Rockford with players like Andrew Campbell and Jordan Schroeder to bring an AHL veteran presence that the IceHogs lose without Franson, Clendening, and DiDomenico from last season. The Rockford locker room is still young and learning the pro game, so the veteran additions should provide a boost on and off the ice.
Key Players For 2018-19
With the losses of Jeff Glass in net, and the offensive output of Cody Franson, Adam Clendening, and Chris DiDomenico that meant so much to the IceHogs in the second-half of the season, Rockford will be looking to a group of familiar faces to lead the team yet again in the 2018-19 season. While a number of players will have the opportunity to play a large chunk, or the whole season, with the Chicago Blackhawks (I.e. John Hayden, Victor Ejdsell, David Kampf), these players will be keys to the IceHogs for the foreseeable future in the 2018-19 season.
Forwards
- F, Tyler Sikura
- F, Anthony Louis
- F, Matthew Highmore
Defensemen
- D, Carl Dahlstrom
- D, Darren Raddysh
- D, Blake Hillman
Goalies
- G, Collin Delia
- G, Kevin Lankinen
The most likely player to play the majority of their time with the Blackhawks out of these eight players would be Matthew Highmore. After leading the IceHogs in goals last season with a rookie-record 24 goals, Highmore showed his versatility to be a scoring threat while also having the ability to play on the penalty-kill and power-play, both at Center at on the Wing. Tyler Sikura and Anthony Louis are again going to be at the top of point-production for Rockford next season and could find themselves with stints in the NHL as well.
Anthony Louis of the Rockford IceHogs. (Courtesy: Rockford IceHogs)
Defensively, Carl Dahlstrom returns as one of the more veteran defenseman in the IceHogs system and could be a leader of a defensive core that is going to need to find some familiarity early on in the season. Blake Hillman showed a decent amount of promise in a short-stint with the Blackhawks last season and could be part of Rockford’s top-pairing on the blue-line.
In net, the IceHogs and Blackhawks are in quite the conundrum. Corey Crawford is a question mark. If he is out, Chicago has Cam Ward and Anton Forsberg, theoretically. There are some that believe Collin Delia could out-play Forsberg for the Blackhawks backup spot, if Crawford is out for an extended period of time during next season.
Collin Delia makes a save against the San Antonio Rampage. (Courtesy: Todd Reicher)
If Crawford is healthy, then Delia and Forsberg, and newly acquired net-minder Kevin Lankinen are in a log-jam for time in net. If Forsberg and Delia are the one-two in Rockford, then goaltending may automatically be the biggest strength the IceHogs have going for them in 2018-19.
Potential Late Season Additions
One of the more intriguing aspects of the IceHogs in the AHL is the ability to bring players in late in the season once the Canadian Junior, European, and NCAA seasons end in early Spring. A number of players last season joined the IceHogs, if only to practice with the team during the Calder Cup Playoffs run. In recent years, notable players like Anthony Louis, Luc Snuggerud, Victor Ejdsell, and Vince Hinostroza have joined Rockford late in the season at the conclusion of their collegiate, Junior, or European seasons. The IceHogs this year could see some very important players come through in March and April.
Forwards
- F, Mackenzie Entwistle
- F, Mathias From
- F, Jack Ramsey
- F, Liam Coughlin
- F, Fredrik Olofsson
- F, Beau Starrett
- F, John Dahlstrom
Defensemen
- D, Adam Boqvist
- D, Chad Krys
- D, Ryan Shea
- D, Jake Ryczek
There were some small talks that 2018 Chicago Blackhawks 1st round pick Adam Boqvist COULD join the IceHogs whenever his season with the London Knights ends. But that could end up not happening before the IceHogs season ends, with Boqvist and Brady Tkachuk joining the Knights and potentially making them contenders for a deep postseason run in the Ontario Hockey League.
But, it’s fun to speculate, right?
Outside of Boqvist, the Blackhawks have a number of NCAA players that have their College career coming to an end this Spring. Defenseman Chad Krys with Boston University could be playing late into the Spring, but players like Fredrik Olofsson, Beau Starrett, and Jack Ramsey will all graduate this Spring from their respective colleges and could find themselves with opportunities with the IceHogs to show what they can do at the pro levels.
photo credit: Jeff Osborn/The-Rink
As for Krys, the possibility of him returning to Boston for his Senior season may be a step in the wrong direction, as far as the Blackhawks community goes. A second-round pick in 2016, Krys was once thought to be the next big defensive prospect in the system, but his development has not been on the path that Chicago has wanted. If he makes the jump from the NCAA to the professional level, proving himself, albeit in a small sample size, at the AHL level could do wonders for his future with the organization moving forward.
Year Two For Head Coach Jeremy Colliton
Another key spoke in the wheel of the 2018-19 Rockford IceHogs season is how the second year goes from Head Coach Jeremy Colliton. Joining the IceHogs last season after coaching Mora IK in the Swedish League for three seasons, Colliton had a difficult road ahead in Rockford after the IceHogs’ 2016-17 season of disappointment. Colliton had a standout season behind the bench in his first year in Rockford, leading the team back to the Calder Cup Playoffs and going deeper into the postseason than any other IceHogs team since joining the AHL in 2007-08.
Colliton’s exit interview at the conclusion of the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs:
There have been talks around the Blackahwks fan community that Colliton should be the successor to Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach Joel Quenneville and should replace him THIS season if the Blackhawks under-perform.
While that COULD be possible, it likely would take a historically bad start to the season to have the organization make that drastic of a change in the middle of the season. Right or wrong, Quenneville has earned himself the benefit of the doubt to the end of this season. If the 2018-19 Blackhawks season and the 2018-19 IceHogs season go the same as their 2017-18 seasons, then Colliton would have to be the first name brought up to replace Quenneville after a potentially second-straight season of drafting in the lottery for Chicago.
No doubt there is still a lot to prove for Colliton behind the bench, but the expectations are high for him in the 2018-19 season.
Games To Watch In 2018-19
October 13 – Texas Stars at Rockford IceHogs
The IceHogs open the season against the same team that ended their 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs run. The Texas Stars and IceHogs fought a hard six-game series in the Western Conference Finals last season that ultimately saw Texas move on to the Calder Cup Final before falling to the Toronto Marlies. Rockford will be looking for a bit of revenge early on against the defending Western Conference champions.
October 19 – Rockford IceHogs at Tucson Roadrunners
The IceHogs travel to Arizona to take on the Tucson Roadrunners for the first time in franchise history early in the season. The Road Runners came into existence in the 2016-17 season in the AHL and face the IceHogs four times during the 2018-19 season.The first time that the Road Runners come to the BMO Harris Bank Center is on February 8.
December 31 – Rockford IceHogs at Grand Rapids Griffins
The IceHogs will ring in the New Year on the road this season as they will be in Grand Rapids taking on Central Division foe the Griffins. Last season, the IceHogs were off on New Year’s Eve, with a road game in Chicago the night before.
March 17 through April 14 – 13-Game Division Stretch
The IceHogs play their final 13 games of the 2018-19 season against Central Division opponents. Included in that 13-game stretch are five contests against the Milwaukee Admirals and playing four of the final five games of the season on the road. Last year, the final stretch of the season was crucial to the IceHogs qualifying for the Calder Cup Playoffs and next season is setting up to be just as critical.
What’s Next?
The Blackhawks will participate in the Traverse City Rookie Tournament in Michigan from September 8-12, leading into their training camp the next week.
Preseason hockey begins on September 18 with the Blackhawks taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets, in Columbus.
The Chicago Blackhawks regular season begins on October 4 against the Ottawa Senators, in Ottawa.
The Rockford IceHogs regular season begins on October 5 against the Cleveland Monsters, in Cleveland.
…
Is it October yet?