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Chicago Blackhawks Goalie Prospect Adam Gajan Shines In Rockford IceHogs Debut
TL;DR
Adam Gajan made his AHL debut with the Rockford IceHogs, recording 36 saves despite a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Wolves. The second-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft has had a notable year, including a pro contract and participation in the Winter Olympics.
On Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks were idle. Their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, however, was not. Rockford was at the Allstate Arena to take on the Chicago Wolves for Sunday night hockey.
Rockford was defeated in regulation by a score of 4-2, but the story of the game was their newest goaltender, Adam Gajan.
Gajan was a second-round pick, 35th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft. He has had a very interesting year, which included his first pro contract a couple of weeks ago.
This was the first pro game for Gajan, making his AHL debut with Rockford. Although his team lost, he gave them a chance to win by making 36 saves on 39 shots.
The IceHogs are the third team that Gajan has played for this season. He was one of the NCAA's top goaltenders with the University of Minnesota Duluth, and he was also a part of Team Slovakia at the Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina. He didn't see any game action there, but it was a great learning experience in the early stages of his development.
With Gajan making this start, he became the 7th goalie to play for Rockford this season, which sets a team record. Even for an AHL team, where there is a lot of movement between the NHL and ECHL, that's a lot of goalies.
Next season, the Blackhawks are projected to have Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, Drew Commesso, and Adam Gajan in the mix for different roles. For a kid like Gajan still developing, this was a great start to begin his ascention within the organization that drafted him.
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Q&A
What were Adam Gajan's statistics in his AHL debut with the Rockford IceHogs?
In his AHL debut, Adam Gajan made 36 saves on 39 shots despite the IceHogs losing 4-2.
What is Adam Gajan's background before joining the Rockford IceHogs?
Before joining the Rockford IceHogs, Adam Gajan was a standout goaltender at the University of Minnesota Duluth and represented Team Slovakia at the Winter Olympics.
When was Adam Gajan drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks?
Adam Gajan was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round, 35th overall, during the 2023 NHL Draft.
