Being the farm team for an NHL organization isn’t always easy. Outside of a few fringe guys who might be signed to minor league deals, most of your players are technically signed to an NHL team that ultimately makes the big decisions.
The Rockford IceHogs have seen the pros and cons of this arrangement over the years. Sometimes, the IceHogs get to host a first-round talent like Teuvo Teravainen or Nick Schmaltz for a few months, giving the fine people of northern Illinois something to get excited about other than the No. 1 Mexican restaurant in town.