Jeff Blashill has been hired as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, it was announced Thursday.
The veteran bench boss steps in to replace interim coach Anders Sorenson, who was promoted after the Blackhawks fired Luke Richardson early in the 2024-25 season. Sorenson was thought to be a candidate for the permanent role, and Chicago had also shown interest in University of Denver coach David Carle.
The Blackhawks ultimately landed on Blashill. The 51-year-old most recently spent three seasons as an assistant coach on Jon Cooper's staff with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He previously replaced Mike Babcock to take on his first NHL head coaching job with the Detroit Red Wings from 2015-22, attempting to guide Detroit through a lengthy rebuilding process.