Analyzing the Rockford IceHogs' opening night roster

The Rockford IceHogs open their 2026-27 season at the BMO Center on Oct. 3 against the Milwaukee Admirals. On Oct. 2, the team announced their opening right roster.

This season will be important not only because of some of the rookies and veterans on the team, but also because of what happened last season.

They finished last in the Central Division with a 28-39-5 record and 61 points on the season. It was an incredibly disappointing first year as head coach for Jared Nightingale, filled with lots of call-ups and injuries that the team never overcame. Assistant coach Rob Klinkhammer parted ways with the IceHogs after four seasons, but assistant coach Josh MacNevin is back for his third season.

Rockford is carrying 15 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goalies to start the year. If they can perform at the level they’re capable of, the IceHogs could make it back into the playoffs.

The IceHogs have an exciting group of forwards

The IceHogs had 196 goals last year, which was their lowest full-season output since the 2018-19 season. They were led by Nick Lardis with 18 goals, followed by Joey Anderson and Brett Seney with 17, and Rem Pitlick and Dominic Toninato with 16.

Seney and Toninato are back with the IceHogs this season as two of the veterans of the forward group along with Landon Slaggert, who got assigned on Monday from the Blackhawks.

Paul Ludwinski looks to take a step forward after a season-ending left knee injury three games into last season. Dillon Boucher and Connor Mylymok enter this year with NHL contracts after impressing the Blackhawks last year.

Sacha Boisvert, Jiri Felcman, A.J. Spellacy, and Marek Vanacker are starting their first full pro seasons, with all of them having impressive numbers as prospects last year. There might be a lot of young guys, but the veterans on the roster definitely know how to put up points in the AHL.

A changed defense could help the team

Last year, the IceHogs allowed 245 goals, which was the most since the 2016-17 season. That’s 3.4 goals a game, which is pretty hard to overcome. In response, they overhauled the defense into an impressive group that can hopefully keep fewer goals from going in the net.

The Blackhawks signed Dylan Anhorn and Connor Mackey to NHL contracts on July 1 during the first day of free agency. Both have definite experience in the AHL, with Mackey having played NHL games. Ashton Cumby was signed to an AHL deal, with toughness playing a huge part of his game.

Cavan Fitzgerald is back for his third season, more than likely being an assistant captain for the third straight year. Derrick Pouliot will begin his first full season with the IceHogs after being acquired for Aidan Thompson at last year’s trade deadline.

This group of defensemen is filled with experienced veterans, something last year’s team sorely lacked.

A young goalie tandem can impress in a huge way

The IceHogs are carrying three goalies to start the year. Stanislav Berezhnoy and Drew Commesso are back for their second and fourth seasons, while Adam Gajan joins for his first full season. Berezhnoy is on the final year of his entry-level contract, with last year being a rough one.

He had a 5-10-1 record with an .886 save percentage amidst a 20 game suspension forcing the Blackhawks to sign Olivier Rodrigue. Commesso got a new two-year contract over the summer, so it means the Blackhawks still see something in him. He still has to perform well so he can play some games for them.

Gajan only played one game with the IceHogs last season after coming over from the NCAA, and he’s the youngest goalie out of the three at 22 years old.

He’s starting out as the third-string goalie, but if he does well, he can rise up the depth chart. The IceHogs have a young goalie tandem filled with plenty of potential for success.