Rockford IceHogs Season Preview Part 1: Returning Stars

As the Blackhawks organization heads into the 2023-24 season, all eyes will fittingly be on rookie sensation Connor Bedard, and for good reason. When it was announced that Chicago had won the NHL Draft Lottery a month before he was selected, everyone knew the path of the team’s rebuild had been completely altered with the addition of its superstar.

However, it’s been proven time and time again that it isn’t possible to win a Stanley Cup with just one player. Great teams work to build around their superstars, helping them shoulder the workload in the team’s quest for a championship.

The Blackhawks have taken this message to heart throughout the recent rebuild, which saw them tear everything to the ground before starting from scratch, building through the prospect pool. Chicago is beginning to see the fruits of its efforts, as former AHL stars Lukas Reichel, Isaak Phillips, Alex Vlasic, and Arvid Soderblom will look to make their mark with the big club in the coming season.

As the IceHogs get ready to begin their season this fall, the team boasts a healthy combination of returning talent and young players with high upside. A few stars that were with the Blackhawks/IceHogs last season are expected to be on the roster this year, where they’ll hope to take the next step and eventually crack the NHL roster.

Cole Guttman

Let’s be honest: Cole Guttman deserves a spot on this year’s NHL roster. He was one of the best forwards on the IceHogs last season, which earned him a callup to fill in for Jonathan Toews for 14 games, scoring six points with prolific play on an offense without much firepower. He ended his season with the IceHogs at 0.77 points per game, earning Rookie of the Year honors for the team.

With a handful of offseason acquisitions on the front lines, however, Guttman will likely be pushed down to Rockford for at least the beginning of the season. With his entry-level deal still in place until the end of this season, he’s a primary candidate to relieve the Blackhawks of their overcrowding woes at forward. Nevertheless, Guttman is poised for an even bigger season in the IceHogs sweater.

Joey Anderson

Having been drafted in 2016, it isn’t easy to label Anderson a “high-upside prospect” at the age of 25. However, he still feels like he has quite a bit to offer the Blackhawks in the future. After being acquired before this year’s trade deadline, Anderson was eventually signed to a one-year, two-way deal, which seems to indicate that he’ll be headed to Rockford this fall. He was solid in 24 games with the big club last year, and while his experience can help out a young IceHogs room, he should be able to produce at a high level in the AHL. He’ll still have an opportunity to be called up or re-signed if his play meets expectations.

Wyatt Kaiser

Kaiser doesn’t necessarily count as a “returning IceHog” considering he spent all his time with the Blackhawks last season, but for the purposes of this list, he’s a star returning to the program for another year. He burned a year of his entry-level contract in 15 games last season, but put on a strong showing nonetheless. Despite his high level of play, Kaiser may slide off the roster if the decision is made to bring 2022 seventh-overall pick Kevin Korchinski to the NHL club full-time. In that case, he has the tools needed to be a superstar defenseman in Rockford. The transition should be very comfortable for him, and Kaiser can use his blazing speed and passing prowess to embarrass lower-level opponents.

While Part 2 of the IceHogs season preview will feature brand-new prospects, it’s important to recognize that the best play may come from players that were with the club last year. Three returning players in particular have opportunities to excel with Rockford and potentially be called up to help out the big club.