When the season ended in early May, that same question crossed IceHogs fans alike. What will the 2024-2025 IceHogs roster look like? Will we be able to rely on Pitlick for a timely play? Stauber for a big-time save? The roster will for sure look different from this past season. New faces will fill the BMO center. A young team in search of finding what it takes to make it to the next level. We'll cover scenarios that can happen, to ultimately figure out the face of the IceHogs roster for next season.
Fans can breathe a sigh of relief due to the fact that Brett Seney and Zach Sanford inked one-year extensions to remain within the Blackhawks organization next season. While it does not exactly mean they will play for the IceHogs, they very well could end up back with the team. The alternate captain has played a combined 127 regular-season games for Rockford in the past two seasons. Posting 46 goals and 71 assists for 117 points. Sanford on the other hand, was claimed off waivers by the Blackhawks on January 6th, 2024. Playing for the Arizona Coyotes and Blackhawks in the NHL, Sanford put up zero goals though having six assists in 29 games. With the Coyotes AHL affiliate, Sanford had one goal and three assists for four points in 16 games. With Rockford, he turned up the pace for three goals and three assists tallying six points in just thirteen regular season games.
(From here on out, we're going to look at the roster from offense; to defense, to goaltending.) From the offensive standpoint, here's who we'll call safe to return with Rockford next season. With Brett Seney earning a contract with the Blackhawks next season, the fact that it is a two-way deal indicates he should be returning to the state line. Along with Seney, Zach Sanford signed a two-way extension running through next season. It is anticipated the 29-year-old will return as a depth forward to Rockford next season. Antti Saarela will also be back with the IceHogs, with one year left on his entry-level contract. Colton Dach is an exciting rookie on Chicago's radar. To say he will be back with the IceHogs next season is not a surprise. Nor is the fact that he could get an NHL shot sometime this next season. Ryder Rolston also will be back with the Hogs next season. He has two years remaining on his three-year, entry-level contract. Orland Park IL native David Gust should be back with Rockford to start the incoming season. Jalen Luypen will be back for another season of IceHogs hockey. We got a taste of what Paul Ludwinski can bring to the table for Rockford in five regular season games last season. He most likely will spend the 2024-2025 campaign with Rockford.
Among the remaining forwards, we anticipate the following to earn new contracts with Rockford for next season. Michal Teply could return as a depth offense-man. Mike Hardman has become one of the longest tenured players in the Blackhawks Organization. He could very well be back next year. At than a point-per-game, Cole Guttman has proved himself at the AHL level. It's anticipated he will sign a deal with the Blackhawks. Rem Pitlick sure left his mark in Rockford. The Ottawa native surely has earned himself time in the NHL next season. Expect a contract with the hawks to be made sometime this offseason.
Say goodbye to Brandon Baddock, Anders Bjork, Luke Philp, Jackson Cates, Logan Nijhoff, and Bryce Kindopp. That is my take, however any of those forwards can surely sign contracts with the IceHogs for next season. Time will tell what happens to these IceHogs players.
The IceHogs defense will look quite different next season if players are not re-signed. Nolan Allan could very well start the season either at the NHL or American League level. Wyatt Kaiser, who at the end of the season turned into a modern-day Andrew Shaw, could also start at either level. Louis Crevier is a RFA who could have a valuable role within the IceHogs team if re-signed. Other than those three, Issak Phillips, Josh Healey, Filiilp Roos, Josh Maniscalco, and Austin Strand are projected to be let go. If this does indeed happen, the IceHogs blue-liners will have plenty of new faces for the 2024-2025 campaign.
We saved the best for last. The goaltending spots for Rockford can end up going in multiple ways due to varying scenario's. The first and most common is that net-minder Jaxson Stauber is re-signed with the Blackhawks, and at least starts the season in the AHL. If his play picks up where he left off the last half of the 2023-2024 season, he could very well become Petr Mrazek's backup. In that scenario Arvid Soderblom would most likely be traded, and a veteran goaltender that is ok with spending time in the American league based on Stauber's play, would be signed. Affecting Rockford that they would get that veteran goaltender to partner in some way with Drew Commesso. In another scenario, Stauber proves himself as the backup (if re-signed) and backs up Petr Mrazek from training camp in September. In that case, we could see Commesso and possibly Mitchell Weeks as Rockfords goaltenders. Plenty of moving parts, at different roads the Blackhawks organization could take.
Our mailbag has been filled through DM's latley as I have been figuring out my plan for next season. To answer that question which has been frequent, although I won't have the time I did last season, I will be covering the IceHogs in some capacity. I'll keep everyone posted via @apelle50 on Twitter (X) on the plan for the incoming season. A specific question has come from Pete on Twitter (X). He asks, "What is your idea of the perfect roster spending? Also, do you think light pads or dark pads help a goalie more/less?" To answer the first question, ideally I want 35% on the top line. 25% on the rest of the forwards. That's 60% on offense. Defense deserves 20%. The top D-pairing with 10%. The final 20% on goaltenders. I'm a firm believer that you need good goaltending depth. We can eventually have Adam Gajan as our starter. What if he falls awkwardly in practice, the day before game one of the Stanley Cup Final? You need a backup to rely on, even a good third guy. (To have your question answered, submit via Twitter (X), or by website on IceHogsnetwork.com).
Great article and thanks for your insight.