Rockford IceHogs Updates: McNeill An All-Star, Johns Hurt, Hartman Suspended
A few updates to stories out of Rockford in recent days:
- Forward Mark McNeill replaced Joakim Nordstrom in the AHL All-Star Game; Nordstrom is currently on the Blackhawks roster. Defenseman TJ Brennan was named a starter.
- Defenseman Stephen Johns, who recently returned from a concussion issue, suffered a lower body issue over the weekend and is expected to miss 2-3 weeks.
- Forward Ryan Hartman was suspended one game by the AHL for high sticking incident.
Johns just can’t buy a break
Looked like a sprained ankle to me but not sure …
Hof-you seem to have the pulse of the farm team-who makes it first and who will have more to offer at the pro level? (for the Hawks)
Ross or Hartman
I saw them both at the Aud. in Kitchener during their OHL days
Any thoughts or update on Clendening? Seems to have fallen off the map and I can’t tell if it’s his play or others have simply passed him?
Word is Justin Holl has been the best defenseman for Indy, playing the pp, pk and top 2 minutes even strength.
Why not call him up to Rockford and see if he can impress for the time Johns is out instead of playing Cumiskey and Miskovic ?
A few thoughts on Rockford …
Ross and Hartman are the same type of team first, gritty effort players. Both slightly undersized but can be 3rd or 4th line types. I’d say Ross is slightly ahead of Hartman based mainly on experience as it’s Ross’ 2nd year in the league. Ross also has a better 200 foot game as of now (experience factor).
Clendening in my view is having a bit of a down year, they are working with him on his defensive game and he is thinking defense first more this year. Playing a little tentative when I’ve seen him – he has talent and it’s a question whether or not he puts it all together. I don’t know if he’s completely healthy either – he’s been dinged up a few times – the 2nd half is big for him. I do think he’s a trade candidate but just speculating.
Justin Holl in Indy – the brass always liked him as a person at the Prospect Camps over the years and did him a solid by getting him into Indy. Right now they’re just letting him play and gain confidence. And he’s doing just that. Still a minus player but almost everyone is on that team. I think they will let him play the year out in Indy and reevaluate him in a few months. He certainly hasn’t hurt himself by his play this year but he never really developed in college.
Stephen Johns – yeah he’s had some tough luck this year. He’s got talent but he’ll need lots of playing time to acclimate to the pro game, especially the speed.
Thanks Hofmeister. I saw Clendening play once last season for Rockford and I thought he jumped in the offense a lot leaving his partner on an island multiple times. Now Clendening did generate some offense, but sometimes it was at the obvious expense of defense. Kind of glad he would focus more on defense since that would be his primary responsibility in the NHL.