The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t going very far with their current roster. While Connor Bedard is a spectacle to watch and the team manages occasional wins, their NHL season seems headed to the gutters. Looking ahead to the future, Chicago has turned its focus to finding a head coach for the 2025-26 campaign. Although interim coach Anders Sorensen has shown flashes of hope, the Hawks believe there might be a better option available in the market.
Chicago is coming off an impressive 3-1 win over an always challenging Colorado Avalanche side. The Blackhawks have won two of their first three games on 2025, but had finished 2024 with a five-game losing skid. It seems Sorensen’s team is characterized for its constant peaks and valleys.
However, Sorensen has made it clear from the get-go, his main objective is setting the base for the future, and that means developing the young talents on the team. He’s had some success, as Bedard is 16th in the NHL in scoring since the interim coach’s appointment (18 points in 15 games). Sorensen called up 2022 first-round selection Frank Nazar, who scored his first goal of the season against Colorado.
Despite these positive signs from the interim coach Sorensen, along with the 6-9-0 record since taking over behind the bench, the Blackhawks are rumored to be nearing in on a decorated coach, who could help take Bedard and company to the next level.
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks warms up prior to the 2024 NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
David Carle has emerged as one of the most sought-after coaches in hockey, thanks to Team USA’s back-to-back gold medals at the World Juniors. Beyond his international success, Carle has also guided the Denver Pioneers to two NCAA Division I national championships in 2022 and 2024.
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Carle and the Pioneers are on the hunt for a back-to-back, but the coach could be looking to make the jump into the NHL next season. The Blackhawks are keeping a close eye on him, according to insider Elliotte Friedman.
Past experiences
As head coach of the Team USA juniors, Carle has gotten to know some of the best talents in the league and coached them through their development at the international stage. Nazar has been under his guidance, and the two could be reunited in Chicago.
As rumors link Carle with a potential NHL coaching entry, Nazar spoke about the head coach that led him to a gold medal during the 2024 World Juniors in Sweden.
“He helped me a lot in that little bit of time,” Frank Nazar stated, via CHGO Sports. “I felt like I came out of that tournament with a lot more confidence and a lot more understanding of the game. [Carle] is a winner. Everywhere he goes, he’s won, at the highest levels, too.”
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks arrives inside Wrigley Field prior to the 2024 NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Winds of change
Based off Nazar’s statement it seems like a fever dream for Chicago to land the coach, since the Blackhawks are still a couple years back in their rebuild. However, it doesn’t hurt to dream. Just thinking about what Carle could do for Bedard’s Blackhawks gives fans goosebumps.
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While others believe Chicago is looking for an experienced head coach to succeed Sorensen, one that’s been in the league for some time, that’s not to say the Blackhawks may shake things up and sign a first-year coach.
