Thoughts: Jeff Blashill is the Blackhawks' New Head Coach

Thursday, May 22, 2025: The Chicago Blackhawks now have their 42nd head coach in franchise history. Jeff Blashill earns his second head coaching stint in the NHL after getting his first chance with the dreaded Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons from 2015 to 2022. What does this mean for the present, the fit, and the future?

This piece is not entirely analytical. I have a numbers-focused brain, but this piece is meant to be the raw thoughts that I'm kicking around in my head on a Thursday night and Friday morning in late May. 

Jeff Blashill was not on my bingo card as a name for Chicago Blackhawks head coach. In fairness, I spent the early part of the offseason doing candle rituals for David Carle to be the next bench boss in the Windy City. Instead, Carle returns to the University of Denver on a lucrative extension and Blashill gets the gig.

Mike Sullivan was snatched up quickly, Carle returned to college, and Anders Sorensen's title was up for a change from "interim" to simply, "head coach." 

In the end, one of Jon Cooper's assistants, and good friends, gets the job that, well, could have been Cooper's. 

Close But No Cigar?

As Carle's name left the conversation of candidate names, another highly-respected coach had a chance, albeit distant, of becoming available. Insert Jon Cooper in the Blackhawks' conversation. 

The idea could've been, and likely was, completely fan-driven, but Cooper would've been the splash addition to take an ascending Blackhawks team to the playoffs, as he did with a young Tampa Bay Lightning team once upon a time. 

Nonetheless, despite Tampa Bay's underwhelming season by their standards, Cooper kept his job. Perhaps Kyle Davidson liked Cooper. If you like the style, why not pivot toward a friend and respected colleague of his?

All of this is speculation, so take it for what it is. We'll never actually know Davidson's thoughts on Cooper, or how the team ended up with Blashill. 

Regardless, Blashill spent three seasons as Cooper's assistant, who he worked with dating back to their USHL days. So maybe there is smoke to the idea?

History in Detroit

Jeff Blashill was hired as Red Wings coach entering the 2015-16 season. He took over an aging squad. Aging legends such as Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Niklas Kronwall, and Brad Richards were on their way out of the league, setting Blashill up for failure. 

There was one playoff appearance in that first season, but the Red Wings never reached the point where he was considered a successful coach in Detroit. Now, he's worked as a direct assistant to Cooper for a few years, gained some knowledge, gained some accountability, as Chris Chelios noted in his remarks about the coach, and be ready for another go at it. 

Notably, Blashill crossed paths with current Blackhawk Tyler Bertuzzi, and could utilize him as a player to set an example for what Blashill expects. Like it or not, Bertuzzi getting four years means the front office wants him here for the long run, he can be a magnetizing player. He's the guy that Blashill can use to create the environment and culture he wants. 

What's On Tap Next?

With Blashill, an approach of curiosity is how I will handle the next few months and even the first few games of the season. Getting mad over spilled milk doesn't feel like the right move. Had Kyle Davidson dipped into the pool of the "old and overused" coaches, then I'd be upset. However, giving a guy who has experience with young players a second chance as a head coach in the NHL is not a miss. 

Every respectable hockey name is a fan of the hiring. Now, no one is calling it a slam dunk, but they are saying that it is a strong hire. Frankly, most of the negativity is coming from the fanbase and the accounts with no picture on X rather than those in and around the sport. 

Now, we wait. Fans won't get a real taste of Blashill in action until the preseason launches in late September. Even then, we really need a 10-20 game sample to know what Blashill is all about, especially with this group of Blackhawks youngsters. 

Until then, the focus now shifts to the NHL Draft and free agency. Then, fans will really have a feel for what the team will look like come the fall.