Chicago Blackhawks farm system: Most improved Rockford IceHogs players since January

The Rockford IceHogs have been off to a strong start since the beginning of 2024.

Every part of the team has contributed to the outstanding 22-11-3 record following December. There has been no lack of scoring from every line of offense. The back end has been consistent since the departure of Wyatt Kaiser, to Chicago. Goaltending has been consistent throughout 2024, with Jaxson Stauber taking over the franchise record for the longest winning streak by any IceHogs goalie in the history of the franchise, at eight straight wins. Drew Commesso has been just as hot, with a .912 SV% in the new year.

Having a 34-24-7 record thus far, Rockford is third in the Central Division, trailing only Grand Rapids for second by five points. Theoretically, the IceHogs could clinch the second spot, however, they will have to win the last seven games for 14 points, and Grand Rapids would need to lose their last six remaining games.

While second and third place face-off in the second round of the playoffs no matter what (top three Central are excluded from the first round), what's the big deal with second and third? What's at stake, is home-ice advantage. Something the IceHogs would gladly appreciate with the advantage of playing in front of the Rockford faithful.

With IceHogs having seven games remaining in the 2023-2024 regular season, Rockford must bring the New Year's momentum into the playoffs for a deep postseason run for the men in red. For the fans who remember last season, it came down to the final day of the regular season for the Hogs to clinch the final spot in the playoffs. It's a whole new story this year as the Hogs clinched with nine games remaining in the year.

Although it's a well-rounded IceHogs team, let's look into the most improved players since January.

Brett Seney

Coming from Toronto two seasons ago, it was evident Seney was looking for a top spot to play in. As Rockford's top wing playing alongside Cole Guttman and Sem Pitlick, Seney is one of the most consistent players in the 815. Last season, Seney tallied 54 points in 59 games. This season, it was a little different with the slow start to the 2023-2024 contest.

Seney posted 21 points in the first 29 games of the 2023 calendar first half. However, the reason he is on this list is his outstanding 35 points in 34 games since January. Being a point-per-game player, he is exactly what the team is looking for to opt for a deep postseason run. It's evident at 28, Seney will be fighting for a consistent NHL roster spot within the next few years. Having signed a one-year deal last March (for the 23-24 season), it will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks organization does in terms of Seney for the following year. If he stays around, do his numbers justify a bottom 6 role with Chicago?

To look in-depth at how Seney's points have contributed to the IceHogs' success, two main areas stick out. Out of his 21 goals so far, more than half (11) have been on the power play. This has been crucial for the IceHogs' special teams' success this year which is tied for the league's sixth-best power-play percentage. Furthermore, the second key is his shot percentage, which is the highest it's ever been at 17.2%. For reference, the highest NHL shooting percentage amount for all active players is 18.37%, by Brayden Point. In short, almost one in five shots Seney takes, ends up in the back of the net.

Cole Guttman

The 25-year-old California native, who fittingly acquired the nickname "Goal Guttman", is second on our list. Guttman has been the top center on the IceHogs for the past two seasons, since coming from the University of Denver. We saw a promising stint with the Blackhawks out of Guttman last season, with four goals and two assists in 14 games during the 2022-2023 campaign. Much like Seney, Guttman's contract is up at the end of the season. Due to his play, it's evident an extension will be worked out for the coming years.

What makes Guttman so special is his noticeably fast skating used in full-on tight turns. This leads him to the ideal passing option from the corner out to the slot, the middle of the ice slowing the defender down in his tracks on the initial turn. Starting the year in Chicago with four goals and four assists in 27 games, it's evident Guttman's days in the Stateline are limited. Cole is on the list for the fact that he has 31 PTS in 27 games skated in since the new year.

Starting his AHL year with nine points in 12 games before heading up to Chicago for his November-January stint, Guttman saw more time in Chicago than Rockford to start the season. However, coming back to the Stateline mid-January earned him the March AHL Player of the Month with 22 points in 12 games. His time with the Blackhawks has shown how well he can play at both levels in the NHL and American League. With Guttman picking up the pace since January (31 PTS), he ranks second on our list.