Report: Blackhawks fire long-time coach

There it is. The first change of the offseason for Stan Bowman.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Report: Blackhawks fire long-time coach
Keystone Press

Just four days after the Chicago Blackhawks suffered a stunning first round defeat at the hands of the Nashville Predators, general manager Stan Bowman has held true to his promise of making changes. The team announced this morning that they’ve relieved long-time associate coach Mike Kitchen of his coaching duties.


When asked to remark on the firing, Bowman replied, "We believe this decision is best for our organization moving forward." Kitchen joined Joel Quenneville’s coaching staff in Chicago in 2010 and has been a big part of the team’s Stanley Cup victories in 2012-13 and 2014-15. Kitchen and Quenneville have a long history of working together, not only with the Hawks but also from 1998-2003 with the St Louis Blues. 

It remains to be seen what further changes come from the Hawks management group, but it’s clear that some more work will be needed. The team’s defense looked slow and overwhelmed with the speed of the Predators forecheck. If the team hopes to regain its status as Stanley Cup contender.