For IceHogs, road to Chicago filled with turns
The distance from Rockford to Chicago is only about 100 miles, but the road from the American Hockey League to the NHL can be an awfully bumpy any young man who has dreamed of playing in the bigs since they were kids.
It's not easy to get there. And, especially with teams as loaded with talent as the Blackhawks, it's not easy to stay there.
Recalled, assigned, assigned, recalled — sometimes at a moment's notice.
Just ask Klas Dahlbeck, Phillip Danault, Adam Clendening, Joakim Nordstrom, Antti Raanta, Peter Regin or Scott Darling, the latest player to go from the Blackhawks back down to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL.
It can toy with a young man's psyche, as IceHogs' coach Ted Dent knows all too well. Because one moment you're leading the life with the big club, the next, you're back down in the minors wondering when or if you'll get another shot.
“A lot of it is psychology,” Dent said. “It's talking to the players and developing a relationship with them. The communication is huge with these guys at our level.
“They're very fragile, they overthink things for sure. It's hard for them; they're trying to live their dream and make the NHL and stay up there as an everyday player.”
Inevitably, upon returning to Rockford, some will get right back in the flow, while others will take a while to accept their fate.
“Everyone reacts differently,” Dent said. “Sometimes it can take a lot longer for certain players to get back in the groove.
“You can talk to them all you want, but it's a mindset they have to have every day. While they're here they have to have a positive attitude, try to improve their game and at the same time try and help our team win hockey games.”
One player who has been able to help Dent a great deal in that department is Nordstrom, the IceHogs' captain who earlier this week was recalled by the Hawks for the third time already this season.
“Nordy's so mature and professional,” Dent said. “He's probably the one guy that I don't have to worry about that because he can turn the switch on and off.
“If he's back in Rockford, he accepts it, no questions asked. He's our captain, he's our leader and he logs the most ice time out of our forwards. When he goes to Chicago, he does his thing up there.”
Despite dealing with an ever-changing roster and all that that entails, Dent and his staff have the IceHogs sitting comfortably atop the Midwest Division, 8 points ahead of the Chicago Wolves.
How do they do it?
“That's part of being in this league,” he said of the constant shuffling. “We just keep plugging away.
“We have a good leadership group —– that helps out a great deal.”
Dent says so far, this is about as good a team as he's had in this his fourth year behind the bench.
“We've had some great players come through Rockford over the years, but overall as a team this is one of the better teams for sure,” he said. “It's still early and we have a long way to go, though, so time will tell.”
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