Hogs Prepped for Season Opener in San Jose
October 9, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Welcome to the first installment of IceHogs Weekly! A weekly newsletter to fill you in on everything IceHogs, IceHogs Weekly will get you prepped for the week ahead.
The offseason is in the rearview mirror, and the first two games of the season loom on the horizon against the San Jose Barracuda in California on Friday and Saturday.
Hockey reaches the Stateline on Saturday, Oct. 21 for the IceHogs' home opener against the Chicago Wolves.
6-2 Loss vs. Iowa (Preseason)
Recap
7-3 Loss @ Iowa (Preseason)
Recap
Friday, Oct. 13 @ San Jose
Watch - Listen
Saturday, Oct. 14 @ San Jose
Watch - Listen
Saturday, Oct. 21 vs. Chicago
Block Party - Tickets
Opening Night Block Party
The IceHogs are hosting an Opening Night Block Party presented by Hard Rock Casino-Rockford on Saturday, Oct. 21. Enjoy the food, festivities, and fun at the corner of Main and Elm St. prior to the Hogs' home opener against the Chicago Wolves.
Opening Night Tickets
Numbers to Know
David Gust led the 2022-23 IceHogs squad with 15 multi-point performances.
Defenseman Josh Healey has experience playing in the Central. Healey played two seasons with Milwaukee and one with Chicago.
Brett Seney posted a career-high 23 goals in 2022-23 and returns for his second season in Rockford in 2023-24.
The IceHogs return the team's top two scorers from 2022-23 in David Gust and Brett Seney.
As of Monday, nine former Blackhawks draft picks sit on Rockford's roster.
Based on Monday's roster, 48% of Rockford's goal scoring from the 2022-23 season is slated to return in 2023-24.
Monday's roster features eight players who will making their professional North American debut during the 2023-24 season.
Rockford's net features rookie Drew Commesso (2020 Blackhawks 2nd round pick) and second-year netminder Jaxson Stauber. Mitchell Weeks played well for Rockford last season, and also may contribute in net for the Hogs.
The IceHogs will be a young team this season. Some of the rookies to keep an eye on include Nolan Allan (D, 2021 1st round), Drew Commesso (G, 2020 2nd round), Ethan Del Mastro (D, 2021 4th round), Antti Saarela (F, 2019 4th round), and Marcel Marcel (F, 2023 5th round).
The IceHogs last played the Barracuda on Mar. 31, 2018 in Rockford, and the IceHogs won 5-3 in front of a crowd of 5,786.
Friday will be the fifth all-time regular season meeting between Rockford and San Jose. The IceHogs hold a 3-1-0-0 advantage in the series.
Player Profile
#26 Antti Saarela (F)
Saarela, 22, spent the last five seasons in Finland where he began his professional career as a teenager. A fourth-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2019, Saarela represented Team Finland at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. His brother Aleksi played five games with the IceHogs in 2019-20 and nine NHL contests later that season with the Florida Panthers.
American Hockey League Stories from October 9, 2023
- Wranglers Add Three Players - Calgary Wranglers
- Tampa Bay Lightning Assign Forward Gabriel Fortier to Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- San Diego Gulls Announce Roster Moves - San Diego Gulls
- Anders Sorensen Named to Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame - Rockford IceHogs
- Moose Reduce Roster by Five Players - Manitoba Moose
- Carolina Hurricanes Assign Defenseman Caleb Jones to Eagles - Colorado Eagles
- Bears Get Set to Raise Banner, Open Season - Hershey Bears
- Iowa Wild Announces 2023-24 AHLtv and Broadcast Schedule - Iowa Wild
- Hogs Prepped for Season Opener in San Jose - Rockford IceHogs
- Syracuse Crunch Announce Details for 30th Home Opener Presented by Upstate University Hospital - Syracuse Crunch
- WXSP-TV to Televise Nine Griffins Home Games - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Allison Added, 9 to ECHL - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Zach Aston-Reese Joins Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Blues Assign Four Players to T-Birds - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Amerks Announce Details for 2023-24 Home Opener, Presented by Kinecta Federal Credit Union - Rochester Americans
- Blackhawks Send Anderson to Rockford, Set Opening Night Roster - Rockford IceHogs
- Dallas Stars Loan Riley Damiani to Texas Stars - Texas Stars
- Wolves to Showcase Adopt-A-Dog Program - Chicago Wolves
- Monsters Announce Additions to Training Camp Roster - Cleveland Monsters
- Blackhawks Assign Phillips to Rockford - Rockford IceHogs
- Ryan McAllister Exuding Confidence, Focusing on Rounding out Game Ahead of Rookie Year - Charlotte Checkers
- Wolf Pack Loan Three to Cyclones, Release Arvanitis and Barbashev from Tryouts - Hartford Wolf Pack
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
