Chicago Blackhawks
Insider Links Richardson Firing to Bedard’s Team Canada Drama
One insider believes Luke Richardson firing had a lot to do with Connor Bedard being disappointed at not making Team Canada.
Luke Richardson wanted that chance to prove his worth as an NHL coach, but he’s not going to get the chance to do so after being fired by the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Richardson might ultimately wind up with another coaching job, but his run with the Blackhawks could make it difficult to earn the trust of another organization, especially given the finger-pointing that is going on in relation to his work with Connor Bedard.
Elliotte Friedman spoke about the firing on Friday’s 32 Thoughts podcast and noted that while Richardson didn’t have a lot to work with in terms of a playoff-caliber team, things have not gone according to plan for the Blackhawks. Friedman noted:
“…the Blackhawks see that Bedard is struggling, the team cannot create offense, and they had to do something. Like, even though nobody in their right mind thought the Blackhawks were going to be a playoff team, this isn’t going as well as they hoped. This is going worse than they hoped, and they had to do something, and I think that’s what this is about.”
Interestingly, Friedman suggested that wasn’t all this was about. He also tied the timing of the firing to the announcement of the 4 Nations Team Canada roster.
Related: 4 Nations Face-Off: Why No Connor Bedard on Team Canada?
Was Bedard’s Disappointment Over a Bad Season and Missing Team Canada the Nail in Richardson’s Coaching Coffin?
He explained the timing of this provides a clue of why this happened now. Specifically, a lot of the criticism of Connor Bedard being frustrated and disappointed and struggling, then ultimately being passed over for Team Canada, did Richardson in.
The Blackhawks didn’t like that people were starting to doubt Bedard as a prospect and future star, and Friedman noted, “I really think it is recency bias, in the sense that you know you’re a great rookie season last year he won the Rookie of the Year, everybody expects improvement.” Because Bedard was struggling and things in Chicago were stagnating, GM Kyle Davidson had to make a move.
Friedman said it didn’t help that everyone was praising Macklin Celebrini because he is off to such a great start, and he’s breathed some life into the San Jose Sharks after their terrible start.
Friedman added that at the beginning of the year, everyone talked about Bedard and whether he should make Team Canada. He was on a lot of lists and all of a sudden, people were talking about Celebrini. “I was looking at it and saying Celebrini should be at least in the conversation. Like, I don’t know that I would I would have put Celebrini on my team, but I think they should have talked about him.” The Blackhawks probably didn’t like that either.
Friedman says now, it’s not that people see Bedard’s omission from Team Canada as a snub, but this year hasn’t gone well for him, and he just got passed like some other guys did. A lot of great players didn’t make the team. Still, Bedard didn’t get selected and he was clearly disappointed. Friedman noted:
“I look at the fact that this happened the day after the Canadian team and all the other teams were announced, and I have to tell you, Kyle, I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
“I’m not saying that Luke Richardson got fired because Connor Bedard didn’t make Team Canada… But, I think if you look at the overall picture I think Luke Richardson loses his job at this time because the Blackhawks see that Bedard is struggling, the team cannot create offense, and they had to do something.”
Next: Rangers Play Hardball with Trouba: Career with Team Likely Over
