ROCKFORD ANNOUNCES 2017 TRANING CAMP SCHEDULE & ROSTER

Rockford, Ill. - The Rockford IceHogs today announced their 2017 training camp schedule and roster. The IceHogs begin their 19th season of professional hockey, and 11th as the top affiliate of the Blackhawks, with their first official practice of the 2017-18 campaign on Sunday, Sept. 24 at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

Training Camp is scheduled to run through Monday, Oct. 2. All training camp practices will be held at the BMO Harris Bank Center, but will be closed to the public.

Fans can catch their first glimpse of the 2017-18 IceHogs when the team hosts its first preseason game against the Milwaukee Admirals on Thursday, Sept. 28 at the BMO Harris Bank Center. Puck drop for the contest is 7 p.m. and fans can attend the game free of charge. Seating for the contest will be available as general admission on a first-come, first-served basis, with doors opening at 6 p.m. (Note: season ticket holders may enter the arena 15 minutes prior to the regularly-scheduled door time).

The IceHogs then travel to Rosemont to take on the Chicago Wolves at the Triphahn Ice Arena in Hoffman Estates on Friday, Sept. 29. The second and final preseason game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

This season’s roster of camp invitees include seven players who are each under contract with Rockford’s ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel. Those players include Garret Clarke (D), Nolan Descoteaux (D), Zach Miskovic (D), Cam Reid (LW), Matt Rupert (LW), Ryan Rupert (C) and Geoff Walker. The IceHogs have also invited Alex Kromm (RW) and Jeremy Brodeur (G) to Training Camp.

In addition, the 2017-18 Training Camp Roster also features eight players under AHL contracts with Rockford for the upcoming season, including Brandon Anselmini, Tommy Olczyk, Will Pelletier, Robin Press, Darren Raddysh, Tyler Sikura, Matt Tomkins and Alex Wideman.

Additionally, the Chicago Blackhawks announced earlier today that they have assigned forwards Matthew Highmore, Matheson Iacopelli, Luke Johnson, Graham Knott and Anthony Louis, and defensemen Carl Dahlstrom and Robin Norell to the IceHogs.

Highmore, 21, helped lead the Saint John Sea Dogs to a QMJHL Championship last season and then went on to post three assists in four Memorial Cup games. He served as an alternate captain for Saint John in each of the last three seasons (2014-17) and finished his five-year QMJHL career (2012-17) with 90g-157a-247pts in 289 games, all with the Sea Dogs.

Iacopelli, 23, made his professional debut with the IceHogs last season, scoring the game-winning goal in his first contest for the Rockford in a 3-1 win over the Texas Stars. Iacopelli capped off his NCAA career with 20g-16a-36pts in 40 games for Western Michigan last season. He was drafted by Chicago in the third round (#83 overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Johnson, 23, led all IceHogs rookies with 17 points (8g-9a) last season while playing in 73 of Rockford’s 76 games. He was named the team’s Rookie of the Year for his efforts. Johnson won the National Championship with the University of North Dakota in 2015-16 before making the jump to the professional ranks.

Knott, 20, helped the Windsor Spitfires secure the 2017 Memorial Cup in May, finishing the tournament with 3g-1a-4pts in four games. He played in the CHL Top Prospects game in 2014-15, and finished his OHL career (2013-17) with 60g-99a-159pts in 250 games with Windsor and the Niagara IceDogs.

Lewis, 22, inked an ATO with Rockford on March 14 and scored the game-winning shootout goal just three days later on March 17 at Manitoba. The winger concluded his first AHL stint with 1g-2a-3pts in 13 games with the IceHogs.

Norell, 22, totaled 1g-8a-9pts and 18 penalty minutes in 65 games with Rockford during the 2016-17 season. The blueliner capped his first full campaign at the AHL level with an assist in each of his final two appearances of the season.

Dahlstrom, 22, posted 6g-5a-11pts and 16 penalty minutes in his first full campaign at the AHL level with the IceHogs. The Stockholm, Sweden native scored his first AHL goal on Oct. 22 vs. Milwaukee and later potted his first career AHL game-winning tally on Dec. 21 vs. Chicago.

To view the IceHogs Training Camp Roster, click HERE.

The Training Camp Schedule is below:

Single Game Tickets On Sale Now: The Rockford IceHogs return to action at the BMO Harris Bank Center on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m. Single game tickets for the 2017-18 season are on sale now and can be purchased through IceHogs.com, by calling (815) 968-5222, or at the BMO Harris Bank Center Box Office. Single-game ticket prices start at $9 and range to $29.