Jeff Blashill New Head Coach of the Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks have officially announced Jeff Blashill as their new head coach, as communicated on Thursday. Blashill takes over the position following the departure of interim coach Anders Sorenson, who previously replaced Luke Richardson at the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
The franchise had also considered David Carle, coach of the University of Denver, as a possible candidate.
Blashill, 51, joins the team after serving as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning for three seasons, under the direction of Jon Cooper. Previously, Blashill coached the Detroit Red Wings from 2015 to 2022, succeeding Mike Babcock.
During his time in Detroit, Blashill attempted to guide the team through a rebuilding process. Although he managed to qualify for the playoffs in his first year, Blashill’s teams failed to surpass fifth place in the division. He was fired after the 2021-22 season, after six consecutive seasons without qualifying for the playoffs, leaving an overall record of 204-261-72.
Now, Blashill joins the Blackhawks, who are also in a rebuilding process, bringing his experience. Since Joel Quenneville’s departure in 2018, the Blackhawks have had four different head coaches in their first year: Jeremy Collition, Derek King, Richardson, and Sorenson. The organization is now looking for a new voice with experience in player development.
Throughout his career, Blashill has worked in the NCAA, USHL, and AHL. His experience under the direction of Cooper, one of the longest-tenured coaches in the NHL, is another important asset.
“Jeff is an incredibly intelligent and talented coach with over 25 years of experience in development leagues, the NHL, and the international arena,” commented General Manager Kyle Davidson. “He has thrived when he has been in a position to develop young players and has shown that he is capable of combining that with the overall success of the team, a vision and philosophy that we share for where we are today and where we see our team in the future. We couldn’t be more excited about what’s to come under Jeff’s leadership.”
Kyle Davidson
The Blackhawks haven’t participated in the postseason since 2017, and they began their restructuring in the 2021-22 season. Davidson has led the rebuild since October 2021, and the team has finished in 31st place in the league’s overall standings in the last two seasons. The franchise has focused on growth through the NHL draft, and selected Connor Bedard as the first overall pick in 2023.
