The 2024-25 NHL season hasn’t been kind to the Chicago Blackhawks—nor to star Connor Bedard. The young phenom aimed to build on his Calder Trophy-winning rookie campaign but has instead run into an almost impenetrable wall. Looking ahead to the upcoming season, fans in The Windy City may have already pinpointed a potential coach for Bedard and the Blackhawks, someone to take the reins after interim coach Anders Sorensen.
The Blackhawks are dragging a 2-7-1 record over their last ten NHL outings, with the organization mired in a pit after consecutive disheartening seasons. Fans in Chi-town are eager for the sun to shine on the Blackhawks again, and while the team’s rebuild has shown signs of hope, it will take more consistency than the fits and starts on display so far.
Perhaps next season. It sounds like a cliché, and it even feels that way as the fans sense the words rolling off their tongues, but they cannot dare lose hope. At the moment, that’s all Chicago has when it comes to the Blackhawks. There’s Bedard’s Calder Trophy, impressive showings from rookie Artyom Levshunov, Frank Nazar’s impact, and the trade for Spencer Knight—yet, that’s about it.
The void is filled with hope, and after every lopsided loss, that hope seems to lose strength, becoming vague stubbornness rather than unshakable belief. It could change with one quick, yet cautious decision: naming the head coach for the 2025-26 season.
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks looks on prior to the game against the Vancouver Canucks at the United Center on October 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Anders Sorensen is not the answer this roster needs, and even the interim coach knows that. The coaching carousel is relentless, and while many fans are frustrated with the NHL’s tendency to recycle managers, it may be time for the Blackhawks to bring in a seasoned veteran to turn things around.
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Potential coach for Bedard, Blackhawks
John Tortorella has been fired by the Philadelphia Flyers after a three-year tenure in the City of Brotherly Love. While immediately pursuing a head coach who lost his job isn’t the best look for the Blackhawks, there’s a reason for the saying: one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Shortly after Tortorella’s departure from Philadelphia was confirmed, several figures around the Blackhawks began linking his name to the organization. Of course, for this to happen, several pieces would need to fall into place, as Tortorella’s system differs greatly from Sorensen’s. The stars in Chicago would also have to adjust to a much harder, more gritty style of play.
It may be time to say ‘so long’ to cheeky zone entries, embrace the dump-and-chase philosophy, and brace for impact as Chicago transforms into a tough nut to crack for opposing teams.
Head coach John Tortorella of the Philadelphia Flyers checks out the stadium prior to practice and the Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium on February 16, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Dickinson’s statement
If Tortorella winds up joining the Blackhawks, alternate captain Jason Dickinson would need to deliver masterclasses in manifestation and team leadership. Dickinson recently echoed a message that closely mirrors Tortorella’s philosophy, practically outlining the recipe for success in Chicago.
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“We’ve got to get into a gritty match that we’re blocking every shot, we’re getting into bodies, forechecking, and turning pucks over: making it miserable,” Dickinson stated on March 18. “It’s not gonna be fun to win hockey games that way, but winning hockey games is a whole lot more fun than this, so I don’t care how we do it. I just wanna win.”
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The jury is still out on Tortorella among fans in Chicago. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks must focus on their upcoming matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights, aiming to end the season on a stronger note after a soul-crushing campaign.
