FEATURE: Forsling's play going under the radar

Just how good has Chicago Blackhawks defensive prospect Gustav Forsling been for the surging Rockford IceHogs?
"He's been really good," said head coach Jeremy Colliton.

"I don't know what his numbers are and I don't really care," said Colliton. "It's just more so how he's defending, excellent gaps, and not allowing teams to attack off the rush, moving the puck clean and under control. He's been a big part of our success."
That certainly sounds impressive, so why such little publicity?
"It's just the nature of media, I guess, that the guys who are scoring the goals get typically the most press," said Colliton. "Obviously, (goaltender Collin) Delia is getting his fair share but I think one of our strengths as a group is we've got depth up and down our lineup and that includes Forsling, who has done a great job for us just giving us quality minutes. For a lot of our young guys, playing this deep into the playoffs is good for them and the future."
When developing a young defenseman there is no exact, 100-percent fail-proof recipe, but two ingredients are pretty standard: playing time and patience.
For Forsling, a 2014 fifth-round pick acquired via trade in 2015, playing time hasn't been hard to come by in these playoffs - he's earned it.
"I feel like I'm doing a great job defensively," said Forsling. "I've been taking great steps and feel like they can rely on me back there. I'm happy with how I'm playing."

Add Senior Director of Minor League Affiliations Mark Bernard to the growing list of those happy with Forsling's play.
"Gus has played fantastic, I think, for us," Bernard said. "Sometimes we forget he's just 21 years-old. If you look around the National Hockey League, there's not a lot of 21 year-olds playing as defensemen. We're thrilled with his development and his progress. He continues to get better, and just like our other players, playing in these high-level games is only going to benefit him. We're very happy with the progress he's made."
Thrown into the NHL frying pan early in his career, it is easy to forget he hasn't had the same seasoning afforded to other young prospects. It's seasoning he's getting now through a long - and hopefully longer still - postseason run. However, Forsling is appreciative of his time in the NHL as it gave him a bar to reach for.
"I think it was good for me," he said. "I know what it takes now. I've seen the guys and how they work up there. It's been a great experience and something I bring down here in my game."
Although under the radar outside the dressing room, Forsling is the opposite inside.
"'Goose' has been great for us," said Rockford forward Matthew Highmore. "You can't say enough about his skating ability. You can tell over the last few weeks and especially in the playoffs that his ability to move the puck has been excellent. 'Goose' continues to work hard and push every day and we are lucky to have him on our team."
As his confidence builds and his play continues to tick upward, Forsling remains focused on what got him to this point and what he eventually hopes gets him back to the NHL.
"I'm going to have to show up every night and be a reliable guy," he said. "Just be there every night, do the same job every night. That's what I have to work on."