Not many people are talking about the fact that the Chicago Blackhawks’ biggest priority this offseason doesn’t involve an impact player joining the organization. While the front office will be hyper-focused on another important draft where the team holds multiple first-round draft choices, getting the right man behind the bench is massive for the young talent on the active roster.
The front office made the decision to relieve Luke Richardson of his duties as head coach in December and promoted Anders Soresensen from Rockford to serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season. Chicago is looking for their first legitimate bench boss since three-time Stanley Cup champion Joel Quenneville was fired in 2018.
There will be plenty of candidates that general manager Kyle Davidson reviews through the interview process this summer. An important aspect to this hire is all about how the candidates will impact the players on a daily basis like most coaches do. Having input from the team’s young core about what type of leader they are looking for should be taken into consideration as well.
Alex Vlasic gives his top traits for next Chicago Blackhawks head coach
Alex Vlasic is quickly becoming an established member of Chicago’s young defensive group despite being just 23 years old. He is currently in his second full NHL season and already knows exactly the type of leader this team needs entering next season.
“Me personally, I think most players would agree that you want a coach who is going to hold the team accountable for their play on the ice,” Vlasic said. “If you look across the league at the good teams, the good coaches, it kind of seems like that’s a trait that they all share.”
The Blackhawks have a history of sustained success that they have strayed away from over the last seven years or so. While not many individuals in the building were around for the last cup run, there are people around the team who know what it takes to get back to the top of the hockey world, and having a championship-caliber coach who holds his players accountable is a must.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a budding defensive core led by Vlasic
Vlasic acknowledges that some of the things that the current coaching staff does works for his development and would love for his film sessions to remain consistent no matter who takes over behind the bench.
“I like learning in a way where there’s a little bit of good and a little bit of bad,” Vlasic said. “If we are doing some video stuff, which we are really good at, the coaches will show a clip of you doing something not well or something that they want you to do. Then, there might be another time in the game where you do it well and they’ll reinforce the idea so you’re constantly thinking about it and you’re not just getting hammered with negativity.”
For a rebuilding team like the Blackhawks, not being driven down with constant negativity when reviewing film is valuable for the young pieces on the roster. Having a staff that will be patient with growth on the team while still holding each individual to a similar standard will be a balance that the new head coach will need to find quickly into camp this upcoming season.
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