The last four men to coach the Blackhawks — two interims, two full-time — have all been first-time NHL head coaches.
Given none of the four were exactly successful, it stands to reason that Hawks general manager Kyle Davidson will likely prioritize candidates with prior NHL experience in his 2025 coaching search.
The emergence of University of Denver coach David Carle as the hottest up-and-coming name in the hockey coaching community, however, could change the equation.
The Hawks will have to consider how large a risk they’re willing to take this time around and how heavily they’ll weigh experience vs. upside in the search.
It’s not dissimilar from the Bears’ situation, although the Hawks’ decisions are far less imminent. Davidson has said current interim coach Anders Sorensen will remain in place through the end of this season.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned last week that the Hawks — as the lone NHL team without a permanent coach at the moment — are in a unique position to shoot their shot at Carle right now, before anyone else can. Carle will likely want to finish out the NCAA season before leaving — if he does at all — but he could theoretically reach a verbal agreement at any time and then physically sign a contract in the spring.
Carle has skyrocketed his stock by coaching the U.S. to back-to-back gold medals at the world junior championships and coaching Denver to two national championships in the last three years. It’s a stunningly impressive resume for the 35-year-old Alaska native, who just keeps winning.
He’s also familiar with a handful of Hawks prospects, including Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel and Gavin Hayes from the U.S. junior teams and Aidan Thompson at Denver currently.
The Hawks have history working with Carle dating back to former top prospect Ian Mitchell’s three years at Denver. Mitchell described Carle’s communication skills as a particular strength. Hawks amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey said at the 2022 draft that the organization’s “good relationship” with Carle influenced their decision to pick Thompson in the third round that year.
“Carle has a negotiator’s true power: the ability to say no,” Friedman wrote, noting the Blues and Devils talked to him last summer. “He’s got as much security as you can get in a place he loves. He’s seen how some of his peers who left the NCAA for the NHL were handled, and will leave not only for financial security but somewhere he believes he has a legitimate shot to win.”
On the other hand, Jeremy Colliton had an impressive resume of winning at various levels when the Hawks hired him as a 32-year-old in 2017, and Luke Richardson was seen as one of the hottest up-and-coming coaching names when the Hawks hired him in 2022. Evidently, success elsewhere does not guarantee success as an NHL head coach.
That’s why the Hawks might prefer somebody who has succeeded in the NHL before. And there are some guys like that available, although they also lost enough at some point to get fired from their previous gigs.
Jay Woodcroft recently posted a 79-41-13 record over parts of three seasons with the Oilers. Gerard Gallant, the grouchy former Blue Jackets, Panthers, Golden Knights and Rangers coach, touts a 369-262-74 career record. Bruce Boudreau, the beloved but aging former Capitals, Ducks, Wild and Canucks coach, has a 617-342-128 career record.
The Hawks could alternatively try poaching a current NHL assistant coach or AHL head coach. Davidson implied during his news conference after firing Richardson that he’s eyeing some people in that category. Penguins assistant David Quinn and Hershey Bears (AHL) head coach Todd Nelson are two examples.
Sorensen is a candidate, as well, but the Hawks will have to improve substantially during the next three months for him to have a strong case.