Chicago Blackhawks Farm Report: New Faces Gather in Rockford at Season's End

The AHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Rockford IceHogs, are approaching the end of another campaign. The postseason still seems to be a reach, though Rockford is among a host of teams fighting for a playoff spot.

Whether the IceHogs get in or not, there are a lot of new faces getting their first taste of professional hockey.

2011 first-round pick Mark McNeill made his pro debut on March 23rd after finishing his season in the WHL. Joining him this past weekend was fellow first-round pick Phillip Danault, who skated in Rockford's games on Saturday and Sunday.

Rockford also signed Chicago's 2010 second-round pick, goalie Kent Simpson to an amateur tryout agreement Saturday. Simpson didn't look as if he would see much action with the IceHogs, but Carter Hutton's status after Sunday's dust up in Milwaukee could change Simpson's fortunes.

The two new forwards looked decidedly different in their pro debuts. McNeill was largely invisible in last weekend's action. He seemed a bit tentative, which is understandable as he is just 19 and getting his first taste of pro hockey other than training camp.

The 19-year-old Danault, on the other hand, impressed fans with his speed and willingness to go get the puck in the corners. Head coach Ted Dent made Danault one of his shooters in Saturday's shootout loss to San Antonio. His attempt was stopped, but the young center impressed in his first action as a pro.

With McNeill and Danault with Rockford, the Ice Hogs now boast five first-round picks on its current roster. The others are Kyle Beach (2008), Philip Paradis (2009 by Carolina) and Rostislav Olesz (2004 by Florida). 2009 'Hawks first-rounder Dylan Olsen was with Rockford for half of this season.

Beach Makes a Promising Return to Action

Beach, who missed 57 games with a shoulder injury, has two goals and two assists in six games since returning to the ice on March 23rd. Beach is in better shape than he was before the injury and seems to have worked hard in rehabbing the shoulder.

While Beach was out of commission, he managed to stay busy. He spent a little time in the radio booth and also added coaching to his resume. The Blackhawks' team website has a nice feature on how Beach spent a lot of his down time here.

Beach has been physical and hasn't been afraid to chirp to opposing players. He has been effective so far. Despite his agitating approach, Beach was not one of four IceHogs ejected from Sunday's game with the Admirals.

Is Beach showing signs of the maturity needed to make the step to the NHL? His limited action in 2011-12 suggests a good start. I would not be surprised to see Beach up in the playoffs as a Black Ace.

Olesz's Season Possibly Over

Olesz was one of the hottest players in Rockford going into Sunday's game, with two goals in each of the previous two nights. Unfortunately, his season may be finished.

Rockford's highest-salary player injured his right knee late in the first period in Milwaukee. As it stands, Olesz had 17 goals and 24 assists in 50 games. He had a rating of plus-seven for the IceHogs.

Other Newcomers Make An Impact

Defenseman Connor Goggin, who signed an amateur try-out contract with Rockford, has impressed with his willingness to deliver the big hit. The 6'2", 180-pounder out of Dartmouth isn't going to add a lot of offense at this point, but definitely finishes a check. With a shortage of blueliners in Rockford and a need to get bigger, the Glen Ellyn, Illinois product could wind up in Rockford next season.

Recent 'Hawks signing Terry Broadhurst has also had an impact in his short stint with the IceHogs. He has a pair of assists in his four games and has also found the net twice in shootouts.

I'll update this report when the AHL announces any suspensions stemming from Sunday's melee with the Milwaukee Admirals.

UPDATE-Tuesday afternoon, the AHL announced three game suspensions for Rob Flick and Shawn Lalonde for their parts in Sunday's brawl. Coach Ted Dent will be fined. The full league release can be found here.