Derek Lalonde Would be an Excellent Choice as Head Coach of the Chicago Blackhawks
While the many available head coaching candidates are out there, one may have been a hidden treasure the Blackhawks need to investigate.
Assistant coach Derek Lalonde of the Tampa Bay Lightning who has been with Jon Cooper's staff since 2018, has to be considered.
Why? Glad you asked. Joe Smith of theathletic.com wrote this about Lalonde.
His outgoing personality and self-deprecating humor help him connect with Lightning players, as he often starts each speech with a joke. He's not shy when it comes to ribbing buddies from back home in Brasher Falls, N.Y, a town of about 1,000. He's got skills at pickleball, Wiffle ball and board games, not to mention breaking down an opponent's power play.
If the Blackhawks are interested in Lalonde, they must wait until the Lightning's season has ended. As we all know, the Tampa Bay club will begin their quest for a three-peat tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.
Lalonde has been part of the Lightning's success and he is still only 49 years old. He has been the head coach of the Minnesota Wild's AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. He was the first coach in their history to lead the team to a winning record.
His expertise in handling young players is especially an attractive attribute for the Hawks to consider for their next bench coach.
Lalonde also was awarded the ECHL Coach of the Year honor. His resume continues as he spent three years coaching the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL. He led the Gamblers to a championship in his first year as head coach.
It goes without saying that the Hawks would love to get someone like Barry Trotz as their next head coach, but that seems unlikely. At least four NHL teams are vying for Trotz to take the head coaching gig.
Under Lalonde the Hawks rebuild could continue. This hire would be very similar to when the Arizona Coyotes hired Andre Tourigny in July of 2021. His familiarity with young players and excellent resume convinced general manager Bill Armstrong that he was the best option to carry the Coyotes towards their complicated rebuild.
Lalonde has all the credentials and a long list of accomplishments. It's about time he be considered for a head coaching job. The Blackhawks need to contact him to get in line if they want to hire him.
| POLL | ||
Is Derek Lalonde a good candidate for the head coaching opening with the Blackhawks? | ||
| Yes, he seems to be a good choice | 66 | 53.7 % |
| No, they should keep looking | 29 | 23.6 % |
| Not quite sure yet | 28 | 22.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
