HOGS BENCH BOSS PROMOTED TO CHICAGO

Haviland moves into assistant role with the Blackhawks

Rockford, Ill.- Chicago Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon announced on Wednesday that Rockford IceHogs Head Coach Mike Haviland has been promoted to the Blackhawks and named assistant coach for the National Hockey League club.

Haviland continues his quick acceleration up the coaching ladder. After three seasons of leading the Blackhawks top affiliate in the American Hockey League, Haviland will get his first stint in the NHL. In 240 career AHL games as a head coach, Haviland amassed a record of 137-78-26, a .625 winning percentage. Haviland was given the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award following the 2006-07 with the Norfolk Admirals as the AHL’s Coach of the Year.

With the IceHogs last season, Haviland led the club into the West Division Semifinals and pushed the eventual Calder Cup Champion Chicago Wolves to seven games before bowing out. Haviland also achieved his 300th career win as a head coach last season and has a career coaching mark of 309-158-61 (.643) in seven seasons as a head coach between the AHL and ECHL.

Under Haviland’s watch, the IceHogs had 19 different players promoted to the Blackhawks in ’07-08. Of those 19 players, seven made their NHL debut. In three AHL seasons, Haviland has helped nurture 21 different players to their NHL debut.

Prior to coaching in the AHL, Haviland spent four seasons in the ECHL and led two teams to Kelly Cup Championships. The first title came in 2003 when Haviland’s Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies took home the cup, followed by Haviland’s 2005 Trenton Titans team. As a head coach, Haviland has recorded 41 or more wins in each of his seven seasons.

Season Tickets Now On Sale: The Rockford IceHogs have a variety of season ticket packages available for the 2008-09 season. To find a package that works for you, call (815) 986-6465 and speak with a season ticket sales executive.