IceHogs Year in Review: Brandon Bollig

                    Position: Left Wing               Shoots: Left
                    Height: 6'3"                         Birthday: January 31, 1987
                    Weight: 225                        Hometown: St. Charles, Missouri

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
55    4   0      4     -7     115     0       1       51     7.8

Brandon Bollig is one of those guys good teams need. He's someone that provides a lot of grit and character to the IceHogs.

During his first pro year, he threw his body around a lot and could normally be counted on for a good, solid hit. He also was not a stranger to dropping the gloves. He won most of his fights and provided a lot of energy for the team that way. He was fifth on the Hogs in penalty minutes with 115. Bollig was also used as a penalty killer throughout some of the season.

The undrafted Bollig signed a two year entry level contract with the Hawks on April 3, 2010, so he'll more than likely be back with the Hogs next year. His type of gritty play is something the Hawks greatly lacked this year after they traded guys like Andrew Ladd and Ben Eager due to salary cap reasons.

Bollig during warmups on November 27th against the Peoria Rivermen.

IceHogs Year in Review: Jimmy Hayes

              Position: Right Wing              Shoots: Right
              Height: 6'5"                         Birthday: November 21, 1989
              Weight: 210                        Hometown: Dorchester, Massachusetts

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
 7    0    0     0       0      2       0        0      14     0.0

Out of all the guys that joined the IceHogs at the end of the year from juniors or college, Jimmy Hayes was the first to do so. He made his Hogs debut on March 30th against the Lake Erie Monsters after coming off of winning the 2011 Hockey East Championship with Boston College. In the four post season games, he tallied 6 points (4G, 2A). In the regular season, Hayes had 33 points (21G, 12A) in 39 games.

In his seven games with the Hogs, Hayes was held scoreless. But he did show some good hockey sense. He went right to the front of the net on the power play, and as often as he could, to use his big frame to screen the goalie. He's got a good set of hands on him as well. He didn't hit as much as he could have, considering his size, but hopefully that will come with more development. He has great potential to become a dominant power forward.

The day Hayes made his AHL debut was also the day he signed an entry level contract with the Blackhawks that will kick in at the start of the 2011-12 season. Hayes, the second round (60th overall) pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2008 draft and acquired by the Hawks at last year's draft for a 2nd round pick, will more than likely spend the year in Rockford next season while he develops.

Hayes (83) at the Hawks' Prospect Camp in July 2010. (chicagoblackhawks.com)

IceHogs Year in Review: David Gilbert

                  Position: Center                  Shoots: Left
                  Height: 6'2"                        Birthday: February 9, 1991
                  Weight: 176                       Hometown: Chateauguay, Quebec

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
 5    2    1     3      +3      2      1       0       13    15.4

David Gilbert made his IceHogs season debut on April 3rd against the Texas Stars after 4 games in the QMJHL playoffs with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. He had 3 points (2G, 1A) in the four contests. This was after a great regular season where he played in 52 games, had 51 points (28G, 23A), and was +22.

In his five games with the Hogs this year, Gilbert looked good. He has good speed and a good shot. At 6'2", he's got good size to become a solid centerman in the pros. The Hawks' 7th round pick (209th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft could turn out to be a late round gem.

He scored his first two professional goals on April 10th in the final game of the season against the Chicago Wolves. The first one was at even strength and the second one was on the power play. 

Gilbert signed an entry level contract with the Blackhawks on May 31st. He'll more than likely be in Rockford for the full year next season and he will only add to the growing depth of centers that the Hawks seem to be accumulating in the system.

Gilbert in the Rookie Tournament hosted by the Maple Leafs in September 2010. (chicagoblackhawks.com)

IceHogs Year in Review: Wade Brookbank

                    Position: Defenseman            Shoots: Left
                    Height: 6'4"                         Birthday: September 29, 1977
                    Weight: 225                        Hometown: Lanigan, Saskatchewan

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
56    2   0      2     -11   143      0       0      25     8.0 

In a young IceHogs dressing room, Wade Brookbank provided some much needed veteran presence to the team.

He's a defenseman, but for much of the year he was used as a forward. He did a good job up front, providing a big body for the front of the net and physical play. If there were some injuries on the blue line, he would hop back there for a couple of games, or a period or two if an injury happened during play. The former Carolina Hurricane dropped the gloves a decent amount of times this year, too. He was third on the Hogs in penalty minutes (143) behind Kyle Hagel and Kyle Beach.

On March 19th against the Peoria Rivermen, Brookbank played in his 700th career professional game.

Brookbank's contract is up this summer. If an NHL team doesn't offer him a deal, the Hogs could look to bring him back, which would be good for a team that could be even younger next season.

Brookbank playing for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2008. (carolinahurricanes.com)

IceHogs Year in Review: Kyle Hagel

                       Position: Left Wing               Shoots: Left
                       Height: 6'0"                         Birthday: January 21, 1985
                       Weight: 205                        Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
77    5   8     13    -11    245      0       0       75     6.7

When it comes to Kyle Hagel, there's no better team guy in the world. He'd do anything to help his team out. Off the ice, he's one of the absolute nicest guys. He's very involved in the community as well. He's a part of Hockey Players for Kids, or HP4K, and he set up a reading program called "Stick to Reading" at Kishwaukee Elementary School in January. He was also named the Hogs' Man of the Year and the team's Unsung Hero during the Hogs' Team Awards on April 9th.

On the ice, the former Princeton Tiger is a fearless competitor. He was used a lot this year as a penalty killer and was very effective. He also finished every check and wasn't afraid to dig in the corners for pucks. He provided the team with a lot of grit.

To say Hagel wasn't afraid to drop the gloves is an understatement. Hagel was the team's penalty minute leader-fifth overall in the AHL- and he was tied for the lead in the AHL with 31 fighting majors with Devin DiDiomete of the Connecticut Whale. During most of his fights, Hagel fought guys that were bigger than him, and he won 99% of his bouts. Some of his most memorable fights were against Adam Huxley of the Chicago Wolves. Both guys would just drop absolute bombs on each other continuously. It also seemed like every time the I-90 rivals met, the fans in either the MetroCentre or the Allstate Arena could count on a Hagel-Huxley go-around.

Unfortunately for the Hogs, Hagel signed a two way contract with the St. Louis Blues on May 9th, so he won't be back next season. Hopefully he'll have a shot to stick with the Blues all year next year because there isn't a more deserving guy to be in the NHL than Hagel. 

Hagel in a game on November 27th against the Peoria Rivermen.

IceHogs Year in Review: Kyle Beach

                Position: Left Wing              Shoots: Right
                Height: 6'3"                        Birthday: January 13, 1990
                Weight: 210                       Hometown: Kelowna, British Columbia

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
71     16  20   36     -24    163     6        0      164    9.8

Kyle Beach's first full year pro was a definite learning year for him. Early on in the first couple of months in the season, he would let his temper get the best of him. He dropped the gloves a lot, tried to fill an enforcer role that wasn't really his, and would yap at the officials a lot if something didn't go his way. About halfway though the season though, he calmed down a bit, didn't drop the gloves as much, and complained less. Occasionally though, he still said something to the officials.

His skating also improved over the course of the year. During the second half, Blackhawks skating coach Paul Vincent was down in Rockford for a bit, and Beach spent some time talking with him, so that had to have helped. He still needs to work on that some more, though.

Fans made a lot out of his -24 plus/minus rating, and they have a right to. Especially early on in the season, he didn't look very good defensively. Towards the end of the year, he did make a better effort at playing D, but that part of his game needs to improve. When he was on a line with Jeff Taffe his overall game picked up as well, but that was the case with many guys when they were put on his line.

Beach is probably still a year away from making the Hawks, although he was one of the last cuts at Training Camp this season and his grit was something the big club lacked this year. He needs some more time in Rockford to develop and maintain a complete game before being thrown into the NHL fire full time. But with some improvement and when in need for a gritty, fourth line body, he could easily be a call up next year.

Beach lining up for a draw in a game against the Lake Erie Monsters on November 24th.

Beach fighting Phil McRae of the Peoria Rivermen on November 27th.

IceHogs Year in Review: Philippe Paradis

                      Position: Left Wing              Shoots: Left
                      Height: 6'2"                        Birthday: January 2, 1991
                      Weight: 212                       Hometown: Normandin, Quebec

2010-11 Stats
GP   G   A   PTS   +/-   PIM   PPG   SHG   SOG   S%
 4     1   0     1          -2      2        0       0        6     16.7 

After playing 59 games (23G-30A-53Pts) in the regular season and five games in the playoffs (1G-1A-2Pts) with the Prince Edward Island Rocket of the QMJHL, Philippe Paradis was called up by the IceHogs for the end of the regular season. His first game in a Hogs sweater was on April 5th at San Antonio.

During his four games with the club, Paradis looked pretty good. He showed that he has great speed and that he's not afraid to get his nose dirty and throw his body around a bit.

The Carolina Hurricanes' first round (27th overall) draft pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft scored a big goal, the first of his pro career, on April 9th in the Hogs' 4-2 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins. It was set up by Chris DiDomenico and it turned out to be the game winner. Both Paradis and DiDomenico came over to the Chicago organization from the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Kris Versteeg trade on June 30, 2010.

Paradis had signed a three year entry level contract with the Leafs on April 21, 2010 before he was traded, so he should be apart of another young group in Rockford for next season.

Paradis at the Rookie Tournament in Toronto on September 12th. (from chicagoblackhawks.com)