End of Season Review: Luke Richardson

PUBLICATION

Jim
April 24, 2023 (8:44 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

This Blackhawks season wasn't good, but it was expected. There was one thing that was imminent the entire season: tank for Connor Bedard. Even though they didn't meet their «goal» and finished 3rd last in the league, there was one bright spot that shined the entire season.

That bright spot was Head Coach Luke Richardson. He was the main reason the Hawks didn't finish last. But I don't blame them. They want to win and they play to win. Before he was a coach, he played over 1,000 NHL games as a defenseman.

Richardson was hired after intern coach Derek King was fired. Before King came in, Jeremy Colliton got the boot. Colliton coached the Hawks for only three years, and was fired on popular demand throughout the fans and players.

Richardson, before becoming head coach, was an Assistant Coach for the Montreal Canadians. He was well liked in Montreal, and seems to be well liked in Chicago. Since this was his first time ever being a head coach, he was testing out the waters a lot. However, he carried over a thing from Montreal. When he was an assistant, he got involved in a lot of drills. One time during practice, Caleb Jones accidentally knocked him over as they were battling in the corner for the puck.

The players made it very clear that they like him more than they like Colliton. It seems like every player who's been coached under Colliton has thrown a shot at him. Caleb Jones, a pending RFA, said that the minute Luke Richardson walked in, he set a format, while Jeremy Colliton never set one for the time he was here.

Richardson led this team to a 26-49-7 record, which was surprising considering this team had no star player after the trade deadline (except for Toews who was injured). If Luke can coach this well with a team like this, imagine what he could do with a playoff contending team. The future is bright with this coaching staff, now all Davidson has to do is give them a team to contend with.