Kris Versteeg Named 2019-20 Team Captain

ROCKFORD, Ill. – Rockford IceHogs head coach Derek King today announced that forward Kris Versteeg has been named the team’s captain for the 2019-20 season. Versteeg is the IceHogs’ first team captain since Jake Dowell in 2016-17.

Versteeg, 33, is entering his 14th season of professional hockey in North America in 2019-20. The veteran forward has skated in 643 career NHL games during his pro career and 139 AHL contests, including 56 games with Rockford during the 2007-08 season. Versteeg was named to the NHL All-Rookie team during his first full season in the NHL in 2008-09 and won two Stanley Cup championships during his five-season tenure with the Blackhawks. Overall, he has helped his team reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs in eight of his 11 seasons in the NHL.

The Lethbridge, Alberta native was originally selected by Boston in the fifth round (134th overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft. He has combined for 358 points (149g, 209a) in 643 career NHL games between Chicago (2007-10, 2013-15), Toronto (2010-11), Philadelphia (2010-11), Florida (2011-14), Carolina (2015-16), Los Angeles (2015-16) and Calgary (2016-18) and 127 points (46g, 81a) in 139 career AHL games between Providence (2005-07), Norfolk (2006-07) and Rockford (2007-08).

Versteeg is the 11th team captain during the IceHogs’ AHL affiliation. He joins Jim Fahey (2007-08), Tim Brent (2008-09), Dowell (2009-10, 2015-17), Garnet Exelby (2010-11), Brandon Segal (2011-12), Brian Fahey (2011-12), Martin St. Pierre (2012-13), Jared Nightingale (2013-14), Joakim Nordstrom (2014-15) and Brandon Mashinter (2015-16).

In addition to naming Versteeg captain, King also announced that forwards Matthew Highmore, Jacob Nilsson and Tyler Sikura will serve as alternate captains for the 2019-20 season.

Highmore, 23, is entering his third season with the IceHogs. He was named the team’s Rookie of the Year during the 2017-18 season and served as the Hogs’ alternate captain during the 2018-19 campaign.

Nilsson, 25, is entering his second season with Rockford. The forward was named last year’s team MVP after logging 32 points (15g, 17a) in 61 games and netting the IceHogs’ lone hat trick on the year with three goals on three shots on Jan. 6 vs. Iowa.

Sikura, 27, is entering his third season with the Hogs. He was named Rockford’s MVP of the 2017-18 season and the team’s Unsung Hero of the 2018-19 campaign. Sikura also served as an alternate captain last season.

NEXT HOME GAME: Saturday, Oct. 12 vs. Grand Rapids Griffins | 6 p.m.
The Rockford IceHogs will host their home opener for the 2019-20 season on Saturday, Oct. 12 against the Grand Rapids Griffins at 6 p.m. at the BMO Harris Bank Center. The first 4,000 fans in attendance to Rockford’s first home game of the campaign will receive a free IceHogs calendar, courtesy of Impact Networking. Call the IceHogs front office at (815) 968-5222 or visit icehogs.com to purchase tickets.