2004 Post on the Chicago Blackhawks Coaching Situation

Following the end of this season, the Chicago Blackhawks have at least one and perhaps two important decision(s) to make. Should Coach Brian Sutter, whose contract expires at the end of this season, be rehired? If not, then who should his successor be?

In this writer's opinion, renewing Sutter's contract is the best option. Sutter knows the team and is totally committed to hockey on a 24/7 basis. True, this season's record has been one of the worst in Blackhawks history since Arthur Wirtz bought the club in 1954. However, this was caused by team management's decision to blow up the team and the resulting flurry of trades combined with constantly sending players up and down the Hawks system has resulted in a constantly changing roster. Pretty difficult to win under those circumstances. However, unlike the Bulls, the Hawks have never quit and have kept on trying under Sutter's firm hand. Another reason to retain Sutter is that he has finally found a way to keep Tyler Arnason fully motivated and playing solid hockey. Under a new coach, there is the possiblity that Arnason will revert to his old apathetic self and slack off. Perhaps the best reason is that in between Brian Sutter's tenure (2001-) and that of his brother Darryl (1992-1995), the Hawks coaches were a muddle of mediocrity and given the state of Hawks management, its all too possible that a born loser will be Sutter's successor. 

However, if the Hawks do drop Sutter, there is a path that it should not take. This is hiring the coach of the Hawks primary minor league affiliate the Norfolk Admirals, Trent Yawney. Yawney is a minor league coach whose teams have been quite successful in the regular season, but not in the postseason. The minor league postseason is rather more intense than the regular season in much the same way that the NHL regular season is more intense than the minor league regular season. If a coach can't make it in the postseason at the minor league level, then its a sure sign that he can't make it in a NHL regular season.

Now, if the Admirals were to succeed in winning the American Hockey League championship this season, then that would be proof positive that he's the man that the Hawks need as head coach. Until then, Yawney's just another minor league coach and as such unfit to coach the Blackhawks. 

Instead, the Hawks should consider hiring one of the assistant coaches, such as fan favorite Denis Savard, or someone who's a proven head coach at either the NHL or college levels. One example is the head coach of the University of North Dakota, Dean Blais, who as the UND athletic department website put it, "The winningest active coach in NCAA Division I hockey." If the Hawks choose to take a post-Sutter road, it should be with a coach who is capable of bringing the young Hawks into contention for the NHL Central Division.