IceHogs' Berezhnoy, Firebirds' Goyette Suspended 20 Games for PESP Violations

1. AHL issues 20-game suspensions

The American Hockey League announced Feb. 17, 2026 that Rockford IceHogs goaltender Stanislav Berezhnoy and Coachella Valley Firebirds forward David Goyette have each been suspended 20 games for violating the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substance Program (PESP). The league’s communications used identical language for both cases, making the disciplinary action official and immediate.

2. Two named prospects affected

The suspensions name Stanislav Berezhnoy of the IceHogs and David Goyette of the Firebirds by roster and affiliation, marking disciplinary hits to the Chicago Blackhawks and Seattle Kraken prospect pipelines. Both players are young prospects, Berezhnoy is reported as 22 and Goyette as 21, so the timing has outsized development consequences.

3. 20 games under the AHL/PHPA PESP

Each player received a 20-game ban under the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substance Program, a standardized penalty length repeated across AHL communications and downstream reporting. The program enforcement triggered multi-outlet coverage, reinforcing the league’s disciplinary framework for PESP violations.

4. Berezhnoy’s season-to-date numbers

Stanislav Berezhnoy’s first North American season with Rockford includes 15 AHL appearances and a 5-9-1 record, with a 3.18 goals-against average and an .888 save percentage as reported by team and media outlets. Those underlying numbers contextualize Rockford’s decision-making: the IceHogs lose a backup who has logged meaningful workload this season.

5. Berezhnoy’s role and call-up history

Berezhnoy was Rockford’s No. 2 netminder behind Drew Commesso, was called up to the Chicago Blackhawks last month but saw no game action, and is in his first season in North America. That pathway, from undrafted/overseas signing to AHL backup and NHL call-up, makes this suspension a setback for both the player’s development and the Blackhawks’ depth chart.

6. Contract language reported differently by outlets

Reporting diverges on Berezhnoy’s contract details: Chicagohockeynow describes him as signed as an undrafted free agent last summer, while Tyler Kuehl’s coverage calls it a two-year contract signed in July. Both accounts place the signing in the summer months; the discrepancy matters for roster planning and Cap/term expectations but remains unresolved in public reporting.

7. Blackhawks GM message on accountability

Chicagohockeynow quoted Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson saying Berezhnoy “did not intentionally take the substance, but he offers full accountability for the situation.” That statement frames the team position as acknowledging mistake and accountability without conceding intent, a common organizational line that affects public perception and potential internal discipline.

8. Rockford’s immediate goalie replacement plan

With Berezhnoy out nearly two months, Rockford will turn to 21-year-old Owen Flores to back up starter Drew Commesso, altering the IceHogs’ depth structure. Chicagohockeynow framed Flores as the in-house emergency answer, which immediately shifts practice reps, starter workloads, and short-term roster management.

9. Owen Flores profile and readiness

Owen Flores, Antioch, Illinois native, 21, played three seasons with the Niagara IceDogs (OHL) and had a 9-6-4 record, 2.76 GAA and .892 SV% in 19 ECHL games with the Indy Fuel before his recall; his first three AHL appearances were 1-1-1 with a 2.63 GAA and .902 SV%. Those numbers show Flores has solid minor-league form but limited AHL exposure, making his stretch of starts a consequential audition for the IceHogs and local fans.

10. Berezhnoy already served one game

League and aggregator reports note Berezhnoy had already served one game of his suspension by the announcement, with DailyFaceoff specifying he did not play in Rockford’s game against the Milwaukee Admirals this past Sunday. That immediate game-counting reduces the remaining suspension window and clarifies how the league applied the penalty in real time.

12. Goyette’s production this season

David Goyette has appeared in 47 games for Coachella Valley this season, recording three goals and seven assists for 10 points, per team and media reporting. For a second-round NHL pick, that scoring line underscores a modest offensive profile likely tied to role, usage, or developmental stage, context that the Firebirds will now navigate without him for 20 games.

13. Goyette’s draft pedigree and trajectory

Goyette is a Seattle Kraken prospect, selected 61st overall in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, and has spent his entire professional career in Coachella Valley according to reporting. That draft position and steady AHL deployment explain why the Kraken/Firebirds development track is closely watching this suspension’s effect on a near-prospect pipeline.

14. Goyette eligible to return April 10 (vs Ontario Reign)

The AHL notice and game-by-game reporting place Goyette’s eligibility to return on April 10, 2026, which DailyFaceoff links to the Firebirds’ game against the Ontario Reign. That single-day offset from Berezhnoy’s return underlines how the two suspensions span a similar calendar window but affect each club on distinct matchups and scheduling pivots.

15. Substance identity not disclosed by the league

Multiple outlets and the AHL release itself do not identify the substance(s) at issue; reporting explicitly notes the identity remains unknown in published materials. The lack of disclosure constrains public understanding, fuels speculation, and compels follow-up requests for AHL/PHPA procedural transparency.

16. Consistent league phrasing and multi-outlet coverage

The exact AHL phrasing, players “have each been suspended 20 games for violating the terms of the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substance Program”, was reproduced across TheAHL, OurSportsCentral, DailyFaceoff, Sportsnet, Chicagohockeynow and Tyler Kuehl. That uniformity made this a quick-hit announcement-style story that aggregated widely, demonstrating how league PR drives coverage on compliance issues.

17. Goyette’s NHL preseason visibility

Sportsnet’s coverage included a photo caption of Goyette appearing in a Seattle Kraken preseason game on Sept. 25, 2023, showing he’s appeared at an NHL preseason level and been on the Kraken radar. That visual link to the NHL stage amplifies the reputational stakes for the player and the prospect pool affected by the suspension.

18. Prospect enforcement signals for NHL organizations

Tyler Kuehl and other outlets framed both players as NHL prospects; suspensions like these send a clear operational signal to NHL clubs that PESP violations remove short-term depth and slow development. For parent clubs (Chicago and Seattle), the business impact includes reshuffling AHL minutes, reconsidering emergency recalls, and altering prospect timelines.

19. Cultural and social consequences around transparency

The incident highlights a cultural tension: leagues enforce PESP to protect competitive integrity but rarely disclose testing specifics, which frustrates fans and fuels social-media debate. Kyle Davidson’s attribution of accountability for Berezhnoy punctuates the human side, teams must balance transparency, player privacy, and public trust while their communities scrutinize the outcomes.

20. What to watch next, a share-worthy stat and follow-ups

Surprising stat: Berezhnoy’s .888 save percentage and 3.18 GAA in 15 AHL appearances offer a tangible measure readers can debate when judging the suspension’s developmental harm; Goyette’s 10 points in 47 games is another concrete share hook tied to prospect value. Monitor three follow-ups: whether the AHL/PHPA names the substance, whether either player appeals, and any official statements from Coachella Valley or the Seattle Kraken; local impact already includes a heightened role for Antioch native Owen Flores and altered game-day lineups that matter to ticket buyers and daily fans. Share this if you want transparency on PESP cases or to track how two NHL prospects’ absences reshape April rosters.