It's time for hockey again in Rockford and Chicago as the AHL and NHL seasons kick off this week.
The Chicago Blackhawks had the second-worst record in the NHL last year, and while they stayed busy in the offseason, it's still going to take some time for this team to be back in contention.
The IceHogs, Rockford's AHL affiliate of the Hawks, bowed out in the first round of the playoffs last year, and they have their short-term work cut out for them as well, especially with the ever-rotating roster that comes along with the AHL.
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"You're always trying to win," last year's Hogs' MVP Brett Seney said this week. "Last year we made some great strides... Now it's about taking that next step."
The Hawks kickstarted their season with a loss to the new Utah franchise on Tuesday. The Hogs open inside the BMO Harris Bank Center in Rockford against Grand Rapids this Saturday.
Here are three things to look forward to:
Another sticky goalie situation
After Arvid Söderblom, a former star in Rockford, was not good in goal for the Hawks last year, that was one position that the organization attempted to shore up in the offseason. They signed veteran netminder Laurent Brossoit, which appeared to at least be a nice bandaid.
However, Brossoit underwent meniscus knee surgery just before training camp kicked in, and the timetable for his return is still not known. That meant Söderblom was back up in the NHL. He is expected to get his first start this weekend, most likely Friday.
Right now, Rockford is planning on using Drew Commesso and Mitchell Weeks. Commesso, who had a 2.65 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage for the Hogs last year, is touted as another Rockford goalie who should go on to NHL greatness. But he's not there yet.
Commesso was 18-16-4-2 for Rockford last year.
Rockford is full of talent
Many are saying that the Hawks should be better this year for two main reasons: the depth they built in free agency; and the talent level on the Hogs' roster.
It starts with defenseman Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan and forwards Colton Dach, Frank Nazar and Landon Slaggert. They could all either get their NHL breaks (or another one) this year or could star for the Hogs.
Seney looks primed and ready to make a push for the NHL, and even star-in-the-making Isaak Phillips was just assigned back to Rockford on Thursday. Phillips split time between Rockford and Chicago last year.
"As we know, in this league," Hogs head coach Anders Sorensen said, "things change quickly."
Lukas Reichel not in Rockford, not on the ice
Reichel, one of the top players for the Hogs for two seasons before he made the move to the Hawks last year, has yet to make his season debut. Which raises more questions than answers.
Reichel, who was drafted 17th overall in 2020, was scratched from the Hawks' lineup before their 5-2 loss on Tuesday. He played on the top line with Connor Bedard for much of the preseason, but did not produce.
He is expected to be a key piece to the Hawks' future. If he ends up back in Rockford, that will be a bad sign for both him and the organization.
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @JayTaft . Sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com . Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star .
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Top 3 things to watch for as Rockford IceHogs follow Chicago Blackhawks into hockey season
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