When Coach Joel Quenneville was named the Coach of the Decade by the NHL.com staff members, it brought up some of the fondest memories of the past decade.
Winning Championships.
Not one, not two, but three Stanley Cup trophies between the 2009-2010 and the 2014-2015 seasons.
While the Chicago Blackhawks never won back-to-back trophies, their three-in-six was still dynastic.
Especially considering the technological advancements in the game of hockey – the game has never been as fast than it is today.
A Familiar Foe
Since 1990, only the Detroit Red Wings hoisted Lord Stanley as much as the Blackhawks in 1996-97, 1997-98 and finally in the 2001-02 season. Fitting that two of the Original Six are still finding ways to dominate in today’s game of hockey.
Good coaches do two things well, they win championships and they beat their arch rivals.
During his time behind the bench, Quenneville beat the Red Wings in the regular season 22 times, though Detroit managed 16 wins of their own.
In the playoff’s the Red Wings eliminated the Hawks in Q’s first season, but Q got his revenge on May 29, 2013 with a Brent Seabrook overtime winner en route to the second of three championships.
There’s nothing like Game 7 🏒
Like when Brent Seabrook helped the the @NHLBlackhawks complete the 3-1 comeback against Detroit in 2013. 🚨@NHLonNBCSports brings you TWO Game 7’s TONIGHT, starting at 6 PM with #BOSvsTOR and #SJSvsVGK! pic.twitter.com/OLPpEm7XR7
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) April 23, 2019
It’s at least worth noting that current Head Coach Jeremy Colliton is currently undefeated against the Red Wings, although since they moved to the Eastern Conference, the two teams rivalry is only renewed twice a year.
The Fall Of The Chief
Despite all of Coach Q’s success and him being beloved by the city of Chicago, the Blackhawks organization decided to sever ties on November 6, 2018.
Forget the fact that the Blackhawks made the playoffs in all but one of his full seasons – instead of Stan Bowman taking responsibility for some poor contract decisions Coach Q was forced on the dagger.
How ironic.
A first round sweep followed by missing the playoffs sucks – but Bowman was quick to pull the trigger on canning Quenneville.
Winning From Within
Following the footsteps of Coach Q in Chicago is like the Chicago Bulls trying to replace Michael Jordan with Corey Benjamin (who?) – it just ain’t going to work out. The Hawks decided to keep the next candidate in-house when they named Colliton as the 38th coach in franchise history. Colliton was the head coach for the Rockford Ice Hogs for one season. During this one season, Colliton finished 4th in the division.
Now just passing the halfway point in his first full season, the team still appears to be idling in the middle of the pack. While he may still be on the rise, there will continue to be growing pains with a team we are so used to being in win-now mode.
Dynasty Fallen
This year’s team has some promising talents but as we ring in a new decade of Blackhawks hockey we can remember the impact Coach Q had on the franchise.
2010 Stanley Cup Game 6- The Goal That Surprised Everyone (except Patrick Kane) (Mike “Doc” Emrick and Eddie Olczyk) pic.twitter.com/7KA8QQjJhb
— Ryan Michael (@Rmikes23) August 9, 2018
#OTD: Remember when the #Blackhawks made 17 seconds something you’ll never forget? That was five years ago today pic.twitter.com/DVISZx0A3K
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) June 24, 2018
2015: #NHL #ThisDayinHistory
Chicago Blackhawks 3rd #StanleyCup in 6 seasons. #Blackhawks beat the Lightning 2-0 in Game 6. The 1st Cup won on Chicago home ice since 1938. Duncan Keith Conn Smythe, Corey Crawford 5th goalie in 39 years to have a shutout in the Cup-clincher. pic.twitter.com/b4Ydv577lc— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) June 15, 2018
Don’t Be Mad It’s Over, Be Happy That It Happened
What a time, man. Personally nothing will compare to the joys of walking the streets of Chicago with over two million of our closest friends – Chelsea Dagger playing everywhere, listening to Jim Cornelison’s National Anthem live field level at Soldier Field and periodic chants of “LET’S GO BLACKHAWKS” all night long in Wrigleyville.
So take a moment and recognize Coach Q not only for being the best coach of the decade but for bringing the best damn city in the world a hockey dynasty.
Now cue the freakin’ dagger.
