On Saturday, the Chicago Blackhawks fired coach Jeremy Colliton.
The team was stuck in a 1-9-2 slump and Kyle Davidson, interim general manager, made the decision to name Derek King interim coach.
Chicago has lost two consecutive games since their first win and has conceded a league-high 47 goals.
This decision comes just days after another puzzling effort, a loss of 5-1 to the Winnipeg Jets. Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves in his first season, but allowed some questionable goals against a weak defense.
Colliton stated that the loss had been difficult for the players because of the long stretch they've been through. "We have had some great performances that we haven’t been rewarded for and it weighs upon you. There is no excuse. If you put on the performance we gave tonight, it's impossible to lose. We can only move on to the next round with more energy, compete at a higher level and do a better work.
King was promoted from AHL Rockford and will make his debut at United Center on Sunday against the Nashville Predators.
Former NHL forward Colliton, 36 was in his fourth season and was the first year of a two year contract extension. He was also let go by Sheldon Brookbank and Tomas Mitell, his assistant coaches.
The latest chapter in a difficult stretch for one of the NHL's most iconic franchises is Colliton's resignation.
On Oct. 26, the Blackhawks released a report that revealed that senior Blackhawks leaders largely ignored allegations by Kyle Beach that Brad Aldrich, assistant coach, had sexually assaulted Kyle Beach in the 2010 Stanley Cup run. Aldrich claimed that the encounter was consensual.
The report led to Stan Bowman, Chicago's general manger and president of hockey operations, being forced to resign and the NHL imposing a $2 million fine on the team. Joel Quenneville was the Blackhawks' coach during the alleged assault. He resigned as the coach of the Florida Panthers.
Colliton's poor on-ice performance was the reason for his firing. Quenneville was fired in November 2018 and Colliton became the 38th coach in franchise history. In his 10+ years of service, Quenneville saw Chicago win three Stanley Cups.
Colliton was already coaching at Rockford when Colliton got the job. COVID-19 disrupted Colliton's second and third seasons as a Blackhawks coach.
In 2020, he led Chicago to the postseason. He won a four-game series against Edmonton and was then eliminated by Vegas. Last season, the Blackhawks were without their captain Jonathan Toews. They remained in playoff contention but lost to Vegas with a record of 24-25-7.
Colliton was excited to see a regular training camp and schedule for the fourth season. In three July trades, the Blackhawks acquired Tyler Johnson, defenseman Seth Jones and forward Fleury. They also signed Jake McCabe in free agency, another veteran defenseman.
After a slow start, which included defensive and offensive issues, Colliton was freed. When Colliton was introduced to the team before their first home game, fans cheered and booed him. The team lost 6-3 to Detroit on October 24th, marking the end of its 535-game sellout streak.
Chicago's early problems were exacerbated by stints in NHL's COVID-19 protocol, where Patrick Kane, Riley Stillman and Jujhar Khaira, along with a few members of Colliton’s coaching staff, were involved.
The New York Islanders selected Colliton, 6'2", in the second round 2003 draft. In 57 NHL games, Colliton had three goals and three assists -- all with New York.
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
