Report: Blackhawks to name Luke Richardson as next head coach

The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to name Luke Richardson as their next head coach, according to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.

Richardson was hired as an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens in 2018, and served under Claude Julien, Dominique Ducharme and Martin St. Louis. The 53-year-old also has previous coaching stops with the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, but this will be his first head coaching gig in the NHL.

A veteran of 1,417 NHL games, Richardson played for 21 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus, Blue Jackets Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators.

Richardson has been lauded by his players as a calming influence behind the bench with a cerebral understanding of the game and excellent communication skills. These qualities will be a major asset to a Blackhawks organization in disarray, both on and off the ice.

Chicago is trending towards a rebuild, with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews openly questioning their futures with the organization. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson previously stated that Kane and Toews would be consulted on the direction that the franchise takes, but suffice to say the team could be in for a long rebuild. And though Toews has declined into a third-line option, Kane is still one of the game’s best playmakers, with 92 points in 78 games last season.

Derek King, who was the Blackhawks interim head coach, Brad Shaw, a veteran assistant who last worked for the Vancouver Canucks, and others, were also considered for the role.

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