Don Granato had previously worked with former Blackhawks head coach, Joel Quenneville, in St. Louis. Granato would take over as assistant coach in 2017, after the firing of Mike Kitchen, and it’s safe to say things didn’t work out. Whether this move was a Jeremy Colliton decision, an upper management decision, or both, it needed to happen. The Blackhawks have missed the playoffs the last two seasons and it was time to go in a new direction.
The Blackhawks’ rebuild now also includes the coaching staff. With Don Granato gone, Jeremy Colliton now has the opportunity to handpick another assistant coach — this has to be music to his ears.