On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Mired in last place in the NHL standings amid a rebuilding process, the Chicago Blackhawks dismissed coach Luke Richardson on Thursday and named Anders Sorensen interim coach.
In two-plus seasons with the Blackhawks, the 55-year-old Richardson posted a 57-118-15 record, including an 8-16-2 start to this season, in his first stint as a head coach.
Chicago posted 59 points in his first season, then regressed to 52 in 2023-24, despite having No. 1 overall pick and 2024 Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard on the roster.
"Today I made the difficult decision to move on from Luke as our head coach. We thank him for his efforts and contributions to the organization and our community," Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement.
"As we have begun to take steps forward in our rebuilding process, we felt that the results did not match our expectations for a higher level of execution this season and ultimately came to the decision that a change was necessary. We wish Luke and his family all the best moving forward."
The 49-year-old Sorensen had been the coach of the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. He will be succeeded at Rockford by Mark Eaton on an interim basis. Eaton is the Blackhawks' assistant general manager overseeing player development.
"On behalf of the entire Blackhawks organization, I'd like to thank Luke for his dedication over the past three seasons," Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said in a statement. "I fully support Kyle's decision in making this change as he continues to do what is needed to move our team forward. I have the utmost confidence in him and the rest of our Hockey Operations team as they begin their search for the next head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks."
Richardson was the Toronto Maple Leafs' first-round pick (No. 7 overall) in 1987 and posted 201 points (35 goals, 166 assists) in 1,417 games over 21 seasons. Playing for six teams, the Ottawa native also amassed 2,055 penalty minutes.
More must-reads:
- Yankees quickly pull plug on key trade-deadline acquisition
- Kyren Williams contract extension with Rams a win for both sides
- The 'MLB playoff home run leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Veteran center attempting NHL comeback
Free-agent center Adam Ruzicka turned to the KHL last season and had a solid showing in Russia with Spartak but notably hasn’t signed a new deal there yet. Spartak adviser Valeri Kamensky told Alexander Abustin of Sport-Express that the reason Ruzicka hasn’t re-signed yet is because he’s holding out hope to get another NHL opportunity. The 26-year-old was a fourth-round pick by Calgary back in 2017, going 109th overall. He spent parts of four seasons with the Flames before being claimed off waivers by Arizona in early 2024. However, a month later, Ruzicka and the Coyotes agreed on a mutual contract termination a month later, making him an unrestricted free agent. After another NHL chance didn’t materialize in short order, he ultimately signed with Spartak in late May 2024. Ruzicka was certainly productive in Russia, notching 26 goals and 19 assists in 65 regular-season games, good for fifth in team scoring. He was even better in the playoffs, picking up seven goals and five helpers in 12 postseason contests, making the most of his opportunity to play a more offensive role after being more of a depth player in the NHL. Over his four NHL seasons, Ruzicka has played in 117 games, picking up 14 goals and 26 assists. However, a good chunk of that production came in 2022-23 when he recorded 20 points in just 44 games with Calgary before his output tailed off the following year. Basically, he’s not too far removed from being a legitimate depth contributor at the top level. Kamensky acknowledged that discussions are underway with Ruzicka so if he doesn’t get another NHL look, he’ll simply re-sign. But, for now at least, it appears he’s hoping to get another chance at the top level first.
Cowboys' problem with Micah Parsons may hand Steelers a franchise QB
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most-talked-about NFL organizations throughout the course of the 2025 offseason. One of the biggest headlines that was attached to the franchise involved a rare May trade that sent George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Many expected the wide receiver to be dealt before or during the NFL Draft, but after a move didn't occur, it was believed that he would play out the final year of his rookie contract in the Steel City. Now, he is teaming up with CeeDee Lamb in the NFC, and a duo has been formed that could be very dangerous. Unfortunately for fans of the Cowboys, the two wide receivers have not been the talk of Dallas' training camp. Team owner Jerry Jones is playing hardball with edge-rusher Micah Parsons, and the talented defender recently requested a trade. The decision not to pay Parsons yet has left Jones under intense scrutiny, given the fact that the pass-rusher is one of the league's best. Jones' recent comments also show how dysfunctional the situation has become. In a recent appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," respected analyst Dan Orlovsky found a way to relate Parsons' situation to quarterback Dak Prescott, insinuating that if Jones does indeed trade Parsons, Prescott's Super Bowl window in Dallas would close. "If they trade [Parsons], and I don't think they do, if they trade him, it declares the Dak Prescott era over," Orlovsky said. "This team has no shot of winning a Super Bowl without Micah Parsons. No shot, and if you're doing it, it's to acquire a ton of first-round picks, so you have the ammunition to go get an Arch Manning of the future." The Steelers are set to have 12 draft picks in 2026, which gives the front office plenty of options when it comes to bringing in the next franchise quarterback. Instead of drafting one, however, could an available Prescott be a target for general manager Omar Khan? Orlovsky believes trading Parsons away would upset the Cowboys' best players. "There's no way that you can go to your locker room with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, some of the first-round picks you have on your offensive line, Trevon Diggs, and go, 'Hey, go beat Philadelphia when you don't have Micah Parsons. Go beat the Rams when you don't have Micah Parsons.' Your locker room will sit there and go like, 'Oh, well you've obviously moved on, so we're going to start our process of moving on as well.'" Any team interested in acquiring Prescott would have to take a long look at his contract. Some of the cap hits are astronomical in the coming years, but Khan is known to be a guru when it comes to the finances in deals. There's no reason to believe that he couldn't make something work for Prescott if a trade were to happen during the 2026 offseason. Fans in Dallas shouldn't be panicking just yet, but there were already some rumors about Prescott's long-term position with the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason. Certain reports were eventually debunked because it was quite literally impossible for Jones to entertain the idea of dealing Prescott after the franchise altered the quarterback's contract. Prescott has a no-trade clause, but that can always be waived, especially if he is upset about how Jones moves forward. If the Cowboys trade Parsons and pick up a plethora of draft capital, and then go on to invest in a first-round signal-caller, Prescott may be requesting to be traded as well. That's a long way away from happening, but the Steelers immediately come to mind as a team that would likely be interested. The Steelers' best-case scenario would be the emergence of Will Howard It's not easy to make a name for oneself in the NFL, and it's even tougher for players like Will Howard who were drafted in the sixth round. Pittsburgh will be in the quarterback market once again in 2026 if Aaron Rodgers is serious about retirement, so it would be a fantastic development if Howard solidifies himself as the next starter in the Steel City.
Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
Kevin Love is eyeing a return to his roots. The five-time NBA All-Star big man Love has a preferred destination on the buyout market, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported on Tuesday. Love would like to end up in Los Angeles. Now 36 years old, Love spent the last two-and-a-half seasons with the Miami Heat. He averaged just 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds over 10.9 minutes per game in 2024-25 but still managed to shoot 35.8 percent from three on the year. Earlier this summer however, the Heat traded Love to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team blockbuster deal. Now Love, a 17-year NBA veteran, is pursuing a contract buyout from the rebuilding Jazz. Though he is a native of Lake Oswego, Oregon, Love played his college ball in Los Angeles at UCLA. He also has ties to both L.A. teams — he won an NBA championship with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 and was also coached on that team by Tyronn Lue, who is now head coach of the L.A. Clippers. Both the Lakers and Clippers are currently sitting at 14 guaranteed contracts each. While they still have spots for two-way and Exhibit 10 players, that means the Lakers and Clippers are both down to their final open roster spot. The ex-rebounding leader Love still has some value, though probably more so as a jokester than as a contributing rotation piece. While Love clearly wants a homecoming to Los Angeles, he may have some convincing to do for either the Lakers or the Clippers to give him that final open roster spot.
Steelers rookie QB Will Howard's chances to make 53-man roster take hit with disappointing update
Sixth-round pick Will Howard faces an uphill battle to make the Pittsburgh Steelers' 53-man roster before Week 1. Howard suffered a hand injury midway through Tuesday's practice. Per multiple reports, the issue happened during a center-quarterback exchange on a snap, causing the quarterback to leave practice early. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Howard suffered a bone fracture in his right (throwing) hand. He will miss the preseason. "Steelers rookie QB Will Howard, who banged his throwing hand in practice, suffered a fractured small bone in his hand, sources say," Rapoport posted on X. "He’s having additional tests, but it’s likely no surgery is required. He’s expected to miss at least 3 weeks, but more info coming... "Will Howard has been impressing at camp, but now out the rest of the preseason. More reps for Mason Rudolph and added opportunity for Skylar Thompson." Howard was having a strong showing as QB3 at training camp this summer. However, the quarterback — coming off a national championship run at Ohio State last season — needed to continue his streak in Pittsburgh's three preseason games in August. Howard was born and raised in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and attended Downingtown West High School. The 23-year-old is considered a "fan favorite" as a native of the Steelers' home state. Unfortunately for Howard, he'll have to wait before he can be on the field again to learn from starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers and gain experience playing in live reps during games. The issue could force Pittsburgh to place the rookie on the practice squad, if they want to take the risk of him going to another team on the waiver wire.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
