NEWSLETTER
The Blackhawks rebuild is taking a big step forward in the 2023-24 season. Yes, Connor Bedard will be with the Blackhawks and his presence in the organization changes the trajectory of the rebuild. But we all need to keep in mind that it takes more than one player to win in the National Hockey League.
Which is what makes the coming season in Rockford incredibly important to the timeline for the Blackhawks’ return to being competitive.
A number of players will be professional rookies in Rockford this season, making them the first wave of prospects who could make an impact on the NHL roster around Bedard and Lukas Reichel. What makes many of these players intriguing to consider in the short and long-term plans of the Blackhawks is that many of them were drafted or acquired by the previous front office. So they’ll need to continue earning their spot(s) with Kyle Davidson’s group.
Up front, Jalen Luypen appeared in three postseason games for the IceHogs last year but will be making the jump to pro for the full season. A lot of people in the organization have talked about his energy and effort since he signed his entry-level contract, even though a WHL postseason-ending injury from the 2022 playoffs delayed the start of his ’22-23 season.
Luypen could be a terrific story if he continues turning heads and makes his way to the NHL roster. The Blackhawks selected him in the seventh round (No. 216 overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Joining Luypen as first-time professionals at forward for the IceHogs will be Colton Dach, Ryder Rolston and the man so nice they named him twice, Marcel Marcel. Dach had a brutal, injury-plagued 2022-23 season that included multiple concussions and the shoulder injury at the World Juniors, but he could be a really good power forward for Rockford. Rolston played three years at Notre Dame; he was acquired in a trade with the Avs in 2021.
Marcel will be an interesting player to watch because he’ll be the first forward drafted by Davidson’s front office to join the IceHogs — even if it’s on an AHL contract. He was selected by the Blackhawks in the fifth round this summer.
The forwards joining the IceHogs will be interesting. But I’m excited about the defensemen making the jump to the pro ranks this season.
There’s a chance Wyatt Kaiser spends a full season in Rockford after burning the first season of his ELC with the Blackhawks last year. He might have shown well enough to get a look at the NHL level as well; that might depend on what the Hawks do with Kevin Korchinski.
Two defensemen I’m really high on — Ethan Del Mastro and Nolan Allan — will be in Rockford this season. They both played well for Canada at the World Juniors last winter; Del Mastro was an assistant captain. Both were captains of their junior teams before they were traded mid-season as well. So there’s leadership with each of them, but also a lot of ability.
Again, all three defensemen were drafted by the front office before Davidson. But Davidson has invested the overwhelming majority of his draft capital in forwards because there are good defensemen coming — including Korchinski, Kaiser, Del Mastro and Allan. As I’ve noted previously, I will also be watching to see if/who plays their off-side; all of these guys are left-handed, but the Blackhawks need someone to play the right side.
In net, we’ll finally get to see Drew Commesso as a professional this season. He’ll split duties with Jaxson Stauber this season, who was also a college goaltender. Stauber played well in his brief NHL action last season, so there will be competition for the crease in Rockford. That’s good for both players.
After the IceHogs had a good group of older AHL veterans on the roster last season around players like Reichel, Isaak Phillips and Alex Vlasic, this season could see almost half of the Rockford roster be in their first or second professional season. The youth movement in the organization is taking a big step forward, and it begins with these players heading to the AHL for the first time.
