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 profitable 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. 

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

“Right now I made the tough resolution 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 an announcement. “As now we have begun to take steps ahead in our rebuilding course of, we felt that the outcomes didn’t match our expectations for a better degree of execution this season and finally got here to the choice {that a} change was essential. We want Luke and his household all the perfect shifting ahead.”

This was imagined to be a yr wherein 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 may lead the group into the following section of the rebuild. As an alternative, the outcomes have been simply as poor because the earlier season.

The Blackhawks’ minus-18 objective 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 seek out his groove in Chicago.

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