The IceHogs signed defenseman Josh McArdle on a one-year AHL contract through the 2018-19 season. He is the first alumnus of Rockford’s youth hockey program to sign with Rockford.

McArdle, 24, just completed his senior season at Brown University, where he served as the team’s captain and collected two goals and four assists. The 6-1, 194-pound defenseman from Roscoe earned Honorable Mention All-Ivy honors after tallying five assists with a career-high 32 penalty minutes in 29 games as a junior. He finished his college career tied for eighth all-time among Browns defensemen with his 120 career games played. He tallied 25 points (4g, 21a) with 96 penalty minutes during his collegiate career.

Following the conclusion of his senior season, McArdle made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Worcester Railers on March 7 and notched two assists in 10 total ECHL games.

McArdle originally began his hockey career in Rockford through the “Learn to Skate” program at the Rockford Park District. He worked his way up through the Junior IceHogs program, skating under current coaches Scott Burfoot, Tim Mattila and Don Walker. McArdle was a four-time honor roll student at Hononegah High School, and skated for the Madison Capitals (2009-10) and Team Illinois (2010-11) in the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (Minor Midget). He also played for two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Tri-City Storm, totaling eight points (1g, 7a) and 52 penalty minutes in 64 games from 2011-13.

The defenseman then skated for the Nanaimo Clippers in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) during his final season in Juniors in 2013-14.