BOLLAND TO JOIN VERSTEEG IN NHL YOUNGSTARS GAME

Versteeg, Bolland to become first two former IceHogs to display talents in NHL All-Star Classic festivities

Former Rockford IceHogs center Dave Bolland was named as a member of the Sophomore team in Saturday's YoungStars exhibition game, the National Hockey League announced on Wednesday.

In the game, Bolland will join former IceHogs winger and NHL leading rookie scorer Kris Versteeg, who is competing on the freshman squad.

Bolland, who has scored eight goals with 17 assists and played to a +14 rating for the Chicago Blackhawks, will replace Boston’s Milan Lucic on the sophomore team. A native of Mimico, Ontario, Bolland split time between the Blackhawks and IceHogs in 2007-08 before making the Chicago team out of training camp this season.

In 2007-08, he played in 16 games in Rockford, notching six goals and four assists. He scored the first goal in IceHogs AHL history on Oct. 6, 2007 against the Quad City Flames and became the first ever skater to be recalled to the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 25, 2007.

Versteeg is in his first full season with the Chicago Blackhawks after splitting time between Chicago and Rockford in 2007-08. The Lethbridge, Alberta native has 13 goals and 23 assists, while going +16 in 43 games with the Blackhawks in 2008-09.

Next Home Game: Friday, Jan. 23 vs. Iowa Chops. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. The IceHogs open a two game home stand before a lengthy road trip when Iowa comes to town. The IceHogs welcome Blackhawks legend Denis Savard to the game and the first 2,000 fans to the game will receive an IceHogs 10th Anniversary poster courtesy of Pepsi, Speedway Auto Mall, Johnson Press, Rasmussen College and Stanley Steemer.