BLACKHAWKS BANTER 6

In the midst of a “re-build” season, the Chicago Blackhawks management refused to handle anymore losses.  On Saturday November 6, head coach Jeremy Colliton was relieved of his coaching duties and replaced by interim Derek King.  King spent the last several seasons behind the bench with Chicago’s AHL (American Hockey League) affiliate team in Rockford, IL where he had opportunities to develop players for the main squad.  A day after his “call up” King was thrown into the United Center in front of nearly seventeen thousand fans who were desperate for a win, and a hopeless, unconfident, team that was just barely breathing.  We will never know what happened in the locker room that Sunday afternoon, but it seemed like a switch flipped for the twenty two man roster.  For the first time all season the Blackhawks won a game.  It felt like a miracle to anyone who witnessed it.  Emotions filled the United Center, some laughed, some cried tears of joy, and everyone sand the “Chelsea Dagger”.   In his post game interview, King credited the win to his partner Marc Crawford who’s been behind the bench through the horrendous start.  Crawford put together a scouting report, but ultimately left the rookie NHL coach to make the big calls.  His debut left hockey fans in awe as the Blackhawks gained momentum and took two points in their next three games. Several players noted that they want to win for him.  It is obvious that Derek King was immediately respected by his players, although he acknowledged that some have more milestones and accomplishments than himself.  Defenseman Riley Stillman noted that King says things the way they are rather than sugarcoating and avoiding thoughts.  We’ve also seen a more consistent lineups with the coaching change, consequently resulting in more wins. As the rest of the season unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the team bounces back from their poor start.