The forward finished his junior season ranked third on the team in scoring with 20 points (7G, 13A) through 27 games before he suffered a season-ending injury against the Wisconsin Badgers. He played a total of 93 contests in a Notre Dame sweater with 53 points (18G, 35A) produced.
One of the biggest growths he had this season was being able to play with a comfortable style and have more maturity in his game. With the added boost of confidence, he felt it help translate it onto the ice to be more successful along with the close bond with his Fighting Irish teammates.
"We just had such a good group of guys, and every day that we went to the rink, it was a great environment, it was always fun," Rolston said. "Playing with those guys, obviously, you want to do well just to make sure that that the team is doing well, and that the guys in the locker room are always happy. So, I think just working hard for them, but also, having confidence in the fact that I had a lot of college experience going into this year, and I think that helped out a lot as well."
The 6-foot-2 forward was originally selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. In April 2021, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired him
in a trade in exchange for forward Carl Soderberg
.
Although, the 2020 draft pick doesn't have a specific player he modeled his game after, he felt that he is most known for his speed. With it, he can help contribute on both sides of the puck to help his team out.
"I also feel like my shots and asset as well and I try to utilize that whenever I can," Rolston said. "With just a combination of my speed and my shot, I like to be a threat offensively and score as much as possible."
After signing his new contract, Rolston will report to the Rockford IceHogs later in the week as the team takes on the Colorado Eagles. There, he'll be reunited with former USA National Team Development Program teammate and current IceHogs defenseman Alex Vlasic.
"I've been in touch with the staff there and so they've been super welcoming so far," Rolston said. "I know some of the guys down there. I played with Alex Vlasic at the National Development Program, so I'm excited to play with him again and I'm hoping for a seamless of a transition as possible."
