Rockford, IL - The Rockford IceHogs introduced Head Coach Jared Nightingale to the Rockford community and media on Thursday at the downtown Embassy Suites.

General Manager, Mark Bernard, presented the former IceHogs captain with a jersey while overlooking the Rock River.

Nightingale returns to the Rockford bench, having previously served as an assistant coach for the IceHogs from 2021-24.

Nightingale, 42, most recently served as Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays during the 2024-25 campaign. He posted a 52-15-5 record in his one season with the team, establishing new franchise records for most points (109) and wins (52) in a single season. Nightingale won the John Brophy Award as ECHL Coach of the Year as the Stingrays secured the Brabham Cup awarded to the team with the best regular-season record, the team’s first since 1997.