What will Rockford's crease look like this season? Masters answers below:
Rockford's Drew Commesso is in the net against Grand Rapids. Credit: Todd Reicher/ Rockford IceHogs
By Jack Masters @Hogthoughts IceInsider.com IceHogs Analyst
ROCKFORD--After it was announced that newly-signed Blackhawks goaltender Laurent Brossoit would miss 5-7 weeks with a meniscus injury, the eye now turns to Arvid Soderblom to cover the backup duties in Chicago. This leaves a trickle effect throughout the organization. How does that shake things up in Rockford? Let's dive in under the hood and have a look.
How It Was Supposed To Look
After the Hawks signed Brossoit, it left one option for Arvid Soderblom: another go-around at the big orange box in Rockford. With Arvid sharing starts with prospect Drew Commesso and Mitchell Weeks and his 3-2/ 2.80 GAA last season set to be the third man, the Icehogs rounded things off by signing rookie Ben Gaudreau to head to Indy. Rockford had a solid lineup in net and the plan was clear; Ideally, Commesso gets a 50/50 split with Soderblom. Drew has continued development and Arvid has a shot at building his confidence after a horrid year in the NHL last season. But not so fast. The injury bug has struck before the puck has even dropped. Assumedly, this moves everyone up a spot.
The time frame for Brossoit puts him in a spot to return in or around the first week of the season, but to give Rockford wiggle room ( and for the sake of me writing this, as well as the obvious worries a meniscus injury brings to the projectability of a goalie) let's say he's out for a few weeks into the season.
Rockford's Options In Net
Drew Commesso - The obvious number 1, this gives Drew an excellent opportunity to get the majority of starts in Rockford while Brossoit is out. It's no secret Chicago likes what they see in Commesso. After Kyle Davidson took over, the majority of Stan Bowman-era prospects were purged. But not Drew, he stuck around and shined in his rookie season to the tune of a 2.65 GAA, 18-16-4 record, and a .906 save %. Drew leading the charge brings obvious confidence to Icehogs fans. Blackhawks fans should be excited about the development opportunity the number one role brings for a young player like Commesso.
Some of the Icehogs fans who saw Arvid Soderbloms struggles in the 2022-2023 AHL season would probably want Drew in the net even after Arvid returns to Rockford.
Mitchell Weeks - Rockford's ol' reliable, he'd most certainly return to the backup role he has shined in while relieving for injuries to Stauber last season as well as Petr Mrazek and Soderblom in 22/23. Sporting a 2.75 GAA and a 15-10-6 record in Indy, Rockford would have no reservations about putting Weeks in the net. Weeks in relief last year for the injured Jaxson Stauber shined with a three-game stretch in which he went 3-0-0 as well as a shutout on January 12th.
Benjamin Gaudreau - A true wild card, I'm not sure what to expect from the rookie if he were to appear at the AHL level. He'd most certainly slot into the number-one role in Indy and if he appeared in Rockford's net it would be due to a minimum of two injuries. 21 years old, he backstopped Erie to a 20-11-2 record as well as a .890 save % in a high-scoring OHL. Not overly eye-popping so safe to say he's a bit of a wild card in terms of his projections at the AHL level. If Rockford suffered 2 injuries in net or a combo of injuries between Chicago and Rockford, expect to see a more experienced goalie signed to a possible PTO. (Shoutout Mitch Gillam on his PTO shutout in 2022.)
Who's In Indy?
With Mitchell Weeks on an AHL deal and into his third season, I'd expect him to spend the bulk of his time in Rockford as the third man. He’s definitely earned the right to avoid the four-hour drive to Indianapolis. Ben Gaudreau figures to slot in for a full year in Indy as a rookie behind a packed Hawks goaltending depth chart. Besides those two Indy has Peyton Jones on the 24/25 roster. The 28 year old is heading into his 5th pro season. He split the 23/24 season between the Iowa Wild and their ECHL affiliate putting up a 3.26 GAA in 33 starts. If Rockford or Chicago has a combination of injuries that puts them deeper than Gaudreau on the depth chart, look for Rockford to pen Jones to a PTO to fill in as they’ve done in the past. (Again, shoutout Mitch Gilliam.)
Overall this is one of the deeper goaltending rooms Rockford has had in awhile. A good mix of a veteran goaltender in Soderblom and a prospect in Commesso with a vet-AHL’er in Weeks and good options behind them, Rockford should have no worries in net. We’ll keep an eye on the Brossoit injury but if his time table holds, expect to see Commesso and Weeks holding down the fort for a week or so until Soderblom returns.
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