Stephen Johns had to laugh when his Rockford IceHogs’ teammates jokingly welcomed him back to the team last week.

Johns could see the humor in his situation, but it wasn’t his strong feeling. Disappointment trumped everything.

The Chicago Blackhawks used Johns and his salary purely for financial purposes when they recalled him Nov. 17 and reassigned him back to Rockford the next day. The transaction allowed the Blackhawks more cap space when they placed Trevor van Riemsdyk on long-term injured reserve.

The Blackhawks used the extra money to recall two players, neither of them being Johns. He had a vague idea what the Blackhawks were doing -- he never left Rockford -- but he still took an emotional hit from the experience.

“It was a little weird,” the 22-year-old Johns said Sunday. “I didn’t really know what was going on. Kind of figured it was kind of a business transaction. You have to realize it’s part of the business, and, you know, it happens. Unfortunately, it kind of got my hopes up a little bit, but it makes me more motivated to work harder and be up there for good.”

Johns’ teammates got him to laugh a little bit after he was reassigned.

“It was a little weird, but some of the guys had some good jokes in the locker room for me,” Johns said. “It was fun. Just welcome back, some stick-taps, just some jokes. It was good, clean fun.”

Johns had dealt with some disappointment when he was assigned to Rockford out of the Blackhawks’ training camp, but he had felt it more as of late. He came to the realization recently none of it was doing him or his NHL chances any good. He needed to snap out of it.

“You climb out of those holes and you learn from it and you mature from it,” said Johns, a Blackhawks' 2010 second-round draft pick. “Being a younger player, I think I’m happy it kind of got out of the way with early. Talked to coaches, talked to some leaders, talked to some guys on the team and everyone’s gone through it. Everyone’s been in those kind of shoes. Just a learning experience and just kind of get back on track as soon as possible.”

Johns is back on the path. His focus is on developing and preparing himself for a real NHL call-up.

IceHogs coach Ted Dent has liked Johns’ play for much of the season. Johns, who is 6-foor-4 and 215 pounds, got a taste of the AHL late last season, but this is his first full season in Rockford after four years at the University of Notre Dame.

“I think he’s playing well,” Dent said. “I think he’s been consistent for much of the year. He’s had a couple of games where maybe he fought the puck a little bit. But he’s been physical, he’s gotten into a few tussles. You know he’s been on the penalty kill. He’s actually had some power-play time earlier in the year. So, he’s coming along fine.

“These three games in three days is something new for him. You don’t really have that in college hockey a lot. I think the grind of the season and the practices and the travel and the games is something new to him that he’ll just adjust to as we go.”

Johns has been working to adapt his game to the professional level. One of the major changes is trying to simplify his play. It’s something the organization has been stressing to him.

“I think just be more sound, play with more confidence and make the simple plays and make the short passes instead of looking for the difficult home-run plays,” Johns said. “Just try to keep it simple and try to be the shutdown guy, be tough in front of the net and be hard to play against.”

Johns felt no ill will toward Adam Clendening, who the Blackhawks recalled after Johns was reassigned last week. If anything, Johns hoped to join Clendening in the NHL in the future.

“Everyone’s fighting for the spot,” Johns said. “If you get your name called, you wish them the best. I wish he stays up there. I hope he does well because if you get called up, you don’t want people to hope you do bad. It kind of works both ways and hopefully it all comes around.”