The Chicago Blackhawks have fired coach Luke Richardson, the group introduced on Thursday. Richardson was in his third season and had a only a 57-118-15 file with a successful share of .339 throughout that span.

The Blackhawks have been off to an 8-16-2 begin, placing them final within the NHL standings. That poor efficiency got here after the group spent cash to improve the roster in free company. 

Normal supervisor Kyle Davidson introduced Richardson’s firing, and he cited the group’s lack of progress on the ice as a serious purpose for the choice. Richardson, 55, was within the final 12 months of a three-year contract. 

“At this time I made the troublesome determination to maneuver on from Luke as our head coach. We thank him for his efforts and contributions to the group and our group,” Davidson stated in a press release. “As we’ve begun to take steps ahead in our rebuilding course of, we felt that the outcomes didn’t match our expectations for the next degree of execution this season and in the end got here to the choice {that a} change was mandatory. We want Luke and his household all the perfect transferring ahead.”

This was speculated to be a 12 months through which the Blackhawks took a step ahead, even when it was a small one. Connor Bedard, the 2024 Calder Trophy winner, is in his second season and Davidson tried to get extra assist across the younger star.

Chicago spent a complete of $42.2 million on Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen and Alex Martinez and hoped these veterans could lead on the group into the subsequent part of the rebuild. As a substitute, the outcomes have been simply as poor because the earlier season.

The Blackhawks’ minus-18 aim differential ranks twenty ninth within the league, and their 64 targets scored rank thirtieth. Bedard is on tempo to attain 15 targets, seven lower than his rookie marketing campaign, and Bertuzzi has but to search out his groove in Chicago.

Anders Sorensen, the coach of the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, will tackle the position of interim head coach.