Norwegian forward Mathis Olimb made his AHL debut against the Lake Erie Monsters at home Wednesday night. It was also his first professional game on North American soil. He missed the first portion of the season recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in a fight with fellow IceHog Kyle Beach at prospect camp this summer. Olimb skated on the third line with Brandon Bollig and Igor Makarov. He was held scoreless, with a minus-one rating and four penalty minutes.
Posts Tagged ‘Rockford IceHogs’
Jeremy Morin to make NHL debut in Atlanta
November 5th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
The Blackhawks have re-called forward Jeremy Morin from Rockford (AHL) this morning, and will suit up against the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday. Ironically, Morin will make his NHL debut against the team that selected him 45th overall in the second round of the 2009 entry draft. The Hawks acquired him in the deal that sent Dustin Byfuglien to Atlanta this summer.
In eight games with the IceHogs, Morin has three goals and an assist with a plus-one rating. He missed two games due to a lower-body injury he sustained in October, but he returned to the lineup last weekend.
Morin will be a welcome addition to the roster for a myriad of reasons. The most substantial being that Coach Quenneville won’t have to put two defenseman on the fourth line as wingers. One was already too many. Morin should also inject some life into an offense that has looked flat, and fill-in for Marian Hossa on the power-play unit. With Rockford, three of his points came on the power play.
Projected forward lines –
Brouwer – Sharp – Morin
Kopecky – Dowell – Bickell
Scott – Pisani – Skille
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Roster spots at forward still available, and two more cut
September 28th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
Yet again, another round of cuts hit Hawks’ training camp today. Forward Hugh Jessiman was assigned to Rockford (AHL) after clearing waivers, and Swedish forward Ludvig Rensfeldt was returned to Brynas J20 (SuperElite). The Blackhawks training camp roster stands at 31 players before their fourth (first un-televised) exhibition game in Pittsburgh tonight.
With four more pre-season games left, the competition for the few remaining roster spots at forward is still wide open. Ex-Oilers Fernando Pisani and Ryan Potulny have played well enough to secure roster spots, prospects Igor Makarov and Jeremy Morin are making bids to stick around, and one-time lock, Viktor Stalberg, might have played well enough to make the IceHogs.
Training camp roster as it stands –
Forwards (17) – Kyle Beach, Bryan Bickell, Dave Bolland, Troy Brouwer, Jake Dowell, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Tomas Kopecky, Igor Makarov, Jeremy Morin, Fernando Pisani, Ryan Potulny, Patrick Sharp, Jack Skille, Ben Smith, Viktor Stalberg, Jonathan Toews
Defensemen (10) – Nick Boynton, Brian Campbell, Brian Connelly, Jassen Cullimore, Jordan Hendry, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith, Nick Leddy, John Scott, Brent Seabrook
Goalies (4) – Corey Crawford, Alec Richards, Hannu Toivonen, Marty Turco
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Twelve cut by Blackhawks this weekend
September 26th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
Twelve players were cut from the Blackhawks’ training camp roster this weekend. Forwards Brandon Bollig, Chris DiDomenico, Rob Klinkhammer, Brandon Pirri and defensemen Jonathan Carlsson, Simon Danis-Pepin, Shawn Lalonde, Ivan Vishnevskiy, Ryan Stanton were assigned to Rockford. Forwards Nick Tarnasky and Ratislav Pavlikovsky were released along with fellow non-roster camp invite, defenseman Wade Brookbank.
In related news, today was the first day of the IceHogs’ training camp.
Training camp roster as it stands –
Forwards (21) – Kyle Beach, Bryan Bickell, Dave Bolland, Evan Brophey, Troy Brouwer, Jake Dowell, Marian Hossa, Hugh Jessiman, Patrick Kane, Tomas Kopecky, Igor Makarov, Jeremy Morin, Fernando Pisani, Ryan Potulny, Ludvig Rensfeldt, Patrick Sharp, Jack Skille, Ben Smith, Viktor Stalberg, Jeff Taffe, Jonathan Toews
Defensemen (10) – Nick Boynton, Brian Campbell, Brian Connelly, Jassen Cullimore, Jordan Hendry, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Duncan Keith, Nick Leddy, John Scott, Brent Seabrook
Goalies (4) – Corey Crawford, Alec Richards, Hannu Toivonen, Marty Turco
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Can the CHL keep Jeremy Morin from playing in Rockford?
September 14th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
If only he could walk on water. (Morin pictured above)
I came across this article a few weeks ago regarding an investigation into Jeremy Morin’s eligibility to play in the AHL this season. The issue brought up in the article is whether the CHL – made up of the OHL, WHL and QJMHL – has the authority to block the Blackhawks from assigning him to Rockford. Morin, who turned 19 on April 16, with one season in the OHL under his belt with the Kitchener Rangers, signed an entry level deal with the Atlanta Thrashers weeks before he was traded to the Blackhawks.
“The umbrella league which governs the OHL, WHL and QMJHL has an agreement in place with the NHL where players drafted out of the CHL can only play in the AHL if they turn 20 years old by Dec. 31 or have played in the CHL for four seasons.”
There appears to be a loophole within the CHL-NHL agreement. Morin was drafted by the Thrashers out of the U.S. National Team Development Program (NTDP) in the 2009 entry draft before he joined the Rangers. There is no such by law in existence between the NHL and any American developmental hockey league, such as the NDTP.
Neate Sager, of Buzz the Net, points out that Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson left the OHL at 19-years-old to play for the Hershey Bears last year. Carlson was drafted out the United States Hockey League (USHL) in 2008.
The CHL has their best interest in mind, wanting to keep players around so they have a relatively high talent level with their on-ice product. Because other players have taken the same route to the AHL, it doesn’t appear as though they can get in the way of the Blackhawks’ will. The CHL is taking issue with Morin jumping to the AHL at 19-years-old to bring light to their situation, and this could be something to include in the next version of the collective bargaining agreement.
Here comes the youth
Nick Leddy and Brandon Pirri signed entry-level contracts with the Blackhawks this summer, and will be vying for a spot on the IceHogs’ roster at 19, too. The CHL-NHL agreement that could keep Morin from playing in the AHL doesn’t have any effect on both Leddy and Pirri. They are coming from collegiate programs, but they are eligible to play in the CHL if they chose to. Leddy’s rights belong to the Tri-City Americans (WHL), and Pirri’s to the Saginaw Spirit (OHL).
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Steve Poapst joins IceHogs coaching staff as assistant
September 6th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
The Blackhawks announced the return of former NHL defenseman Steve Poapst to the organization by hiring him as an assistant with the Rockford IceHogs last week. He spent four seasons of his career (2000-2004) patrolling the blue line in Chicago, playing a total of 220 games as a Blackhawk. His tenure with the organization coincided with the onset of the 2004-05 lock-out, and played one more season between the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues before hanging up his skates for the last time in the spring of 2006.
Poapst will join head coach Bill Peters and assistant coach Ted Dent behind the bench in Rockford, and brings a strong background in player development to the coaching staff. Previously, he was the general manager and head coach of the Chicago Steel (USHL) since December 2006, and was named Coach of the Year in 2008. Poapst also runs an annual hockey development camp in the Chicago suburb of Bensenville every summer.
The addition of an assistant coach, such as Steve Poapst in Rockford, will be beneficial to the Blackhawks organization as the IceHogs transition to a team focused on player development. Their roster is projected to be stockpiled with prospects, which is a change from the journeyman laden roster in years past. Prospects like defenseman Nick Leddy and center Brandon Pirri – both left their collegiate programs after freshman year to play in Rockford this season – have room to develop before they are NHL-ready talent, and that’s a big reason why Poapst was brought into the fold.
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Pirri entry-level deal official with Blackhawks
August 31st, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
The news broke last week that prospect Brandon Pirri signed an entry-level deal with the Blackhawks, but it wasn’t officially announced by the organization till this morning. He finished his freshman year with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 2009-10 with 11 goals and 32 assists (43 points) in 39 games at the collegiate level. Pirri’s contract is worth $1,945,000 over three years – a $648,333 salary-cap hit. He is no longer eligible to play for RPI.
The 19-year-old center will likely join a talented Rockford IceHogs’ roster this fall, but can opt to play in the CHL where the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) hold his rights. Pirri’s decision sign a professional deal with the Blackhawks this summer comes on the heels of Jerry D’Amigo – his line mate at RPI – signing his own entry-level deal with the Maple Leafs.
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An Antti Niemi puff piece
June 8th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
Antti Niemi (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
A little over two years ago, then general manager Dale Tallon signed Antti Niemi, a 24-year old Finnish netminder, as an unrestricted free agent. That summer Cristobal Huet signed a lucrative four-year deal to help carry the goaltending with the oft injured Nikolai Khabibulin for the Blackhawks, so Antti Niemi was reassigned to Rockford, Illinois to play for the IceHogs, their AHL affiliate. It may not have been and ideal situation for Neimi, but the year he spent in Rockford getting acclimated to the North American style of ice hockey was beneficial to his development.
Khabibulin was not re-signed in the off-season, leaving an opening for Niemi to start the 2009-10 season in Chicago as Huet’s backup. He beat out Corey Crawford in training camp and shutout the Florida Panthers in his first start of the season. The Blackhawks’ brass never looked back.
Head coach Joel Quenneville became more confident with Niemi as the season progressed, and flirted with the idea of handing him the No. 1 job as Huet struggled down the stretch. On March 28th, Quenneville was tired of making subtle advances, and he went all-in. Antti Niemi was the guy the Blackhawks were going to battle with in the post-season, and Cristobal Huet was to ride the pine for the second year in a row. He has played all of 19 minutes and 56 seconds in relief of Niemi in the first game of the conference semi-final series against the Canucks since the move was made.
Niemi has been everything the Blackhawks needed him to be in the post-season. He boasts a 15-6 playoff record, and is one win away from hoisting the Stanley Cup in his rookie year. That is one win away from having his name mentioned in the same breath as Cam Ward (2006), Patrick Roy (1986) and Ken Dryden (1971) as other goalies who have taken their teams to the Promised Land in their rookie seasons. All three players mentioned won the Conn Smythe (post-season MVP) that season, and Antti Niemi is one of the Blackhawks in the running for the award this year.
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Corey Crawford recalled by Blackhawks
April 24th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
The Rockford IceHogs run for the Calder Cup ended last night at the hands of the Dallas Stars. In the best of seven series the IceHogs were swept in four games. Today the Blackhawks recalled goaltender Corey Crawford now that his AHL season is over. In forty-five games Crawford had a record of 24-16-2 a goals-against average of 2.67 and a .909 save percentage. The netminder played one game with the Blackhawks in a losing effort to the Anaheim Ducks where he game let in three goals.
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Danis-Pepin To Join Rockford, Gilbert Released
April 13th, 2010 by Leigh Michael Dengis
The Rockford IceHogs made a few minor moves yesterday. Defenseman Simon Danis-Pepin was recalled from the Toledo Walleye whose playoff run ended last weekend to the Charlotte Checkers in four games. Danis-Pepin scored one goal and had three assists in the Walleye post-season. He split time between Toledo and Rockford in the regular season, and could make an appearance in an IceHogs sweater when their post-season begins this Friday, the sixteenth. Non-roster forward Derek Nesbitt will join him on the Mega Bus ride to beautiful city of Rockford.
In related news – I can only assume – the IceHogs released center David Gilbert from his amateur try-out agreement. Since joining the Rockford on April 1st, Gilbert on laced up the skates for one game – he recorded an assist and a plus/minus of +2. Gilbert should return to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan for his final year of eligibility in the QMJHL this fall. In case you were wondering, his rights are still owned by the Blackhawks.
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