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Denis Savard .. head Coach of the Blackhawks Canned today ...
After 4 games into the season??? WOW!!! Not too sure about that move ...
After 4 games into the season??? WOW!!! Not too sure about that move ...
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Blackhawks fire Savard after 4 games, hire Quenneville
By Pierre LeBrun
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: October 16, 2008, 2:54 PM ET
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The Chicago Blackhawks fired head coach Denis Savard just four games into the season on Thursday, replacing him with NHL coaching veteran Joel Quenneville.
Savard
The team canceled its Thursday practice and scheduled an afternoon news conference for 5:30 p.m. ET.
"I'm disappointed but I guess it's the nature of the business," Savard said from his Chicago home Thursday.
"I know I was doing a good job, I'm dedicated to my work. Obviously they felt they had to make a change, so what can you do."
Savard, who was in the last year of his contract, was told he'd been fired Thursday morning by general manager Dale Tallon.
"I knew I had to do well this year. We talked this summer and I was aware of that," Savard said.
The dismissal came hours after the team won its first game by beating Phoenix 4-1. The Blackhawks are now run by owner Rocky Wirtz, and the combination of a slow start and a big public relations push may have led to Savard's abrupt ouster.
Wirtz took over the team following the death of his father, Bill Wirtz, a little more than a year ago. Since then, he has hired former Chicago Cubs president and marketing guru John McDonough as president. The team has mended fences with former stars such as Bobby Hull, made sure that home games are televised -- something Bill Wirtz was opposed to -- and allowed Tallon to spend in the free-agent market.
In a prepared statement, the team said firing Savard -- one of the franchise's greatest players -- was not easy.
"This was an extremely hard day for this organization and for me personally," Tallon said. "Denis is forever a part of our organization. We made a tough decision that we strongly feel is the right one as we continue to evaluate our team and create a championship caliber organization that can sustain success."
Quenneville, according to Tallon, "brings us a wealth of experience and a winning track record that will have an immediate and lasting impact."
Quenneville, who had been working as a scout for the Blackhawks, coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2005 through 2008 and led the St. Louis Blues for seven seasons (1996-2004). He has a 438-283-118 career record, including a 44-31-7 mark in Colorado last season.
Led by sophomore stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, the Blackhawks have high hopes to make it into the playoffs this season. They lost their first three games before finally winning Wednesday night.
"They promised to bring a Stanley Cup here, and they felt maybe I wasn't their guy. It's very well understood," said Savard.
"The only thing I can say is that last year I thought I did a heck of a job with our young kids," added Savard. "Eight to 10 rookies in our lineup. We had a bit of a slow start this year but I thought the team was on the right track. I guess it goes with the territory. As a coach you're judged on wins and losses."
Savard posted a 65-66-16 record in parts of three seasons as coach of the Blackhawks. Last season, Savard led Chicago to its first 40-win season since 2001-02. The Blackhawks went 40-34-8 but still missed the playoffs. -
Strange move IMO...SOBER SINCE MARCH 28TH OF 2007!!!Comment
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wow that is quickComment
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I agree. he did pretty well with a very young team last season and I thought after last nights game they were on the right track this seasonOriginally posted by Spark View Post
p.s...This new hockey interest of yours has me a little worriedComment
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Now that is when Hockey was HockeyComment
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Which is worse I wonder, getting canned 4 games in, or getting yanked with a week or so to go? RE: Ned Yost and Claude Julien a few years ago when NJ had the best record in hockey, I believe, at the time.Comment
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Rocky Wirtz is a goof. He only cares about PR: putting the games on local TV, hiring back the popular former play by play man, running ads in the paper kissing up to the fans, etc.
I can just see him panicking over four measly games.
To decide Savard is the right guy and change your mind after five percent of the season is a sign of very bad management and executive leadership.Comment
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I am not sure I understand the concern....they fire Savard for a guy that has a winning percentage of .590 I believe.
This is Scotty Bowman's move pure and simple.
Savard knew the writing was on the wall over the summer, and the Blackhawks organization have done a great job of getting the fans back. Starting 1-3 isn't what they needed.
I'm ok with it.Comment
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Originally posted by TheRook View Post
Then why didn't they can Savard before the season started????
If Cubs fan would learn anything....LOL....it's that championships in baseball are won in September and October not April and May and Stanley Cups are won in May June not October and November. Organizations that panic are never succesful.Comment
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No Head Coach's job is safe, or remotely close to it, IMO, in any friggin sport........
What do they want----winning, takes time.....Money doesn't always do it, ask Steinbrenner......
Reminds me of Coach Bum Phillips, who took the Houston Texans, a pitiful ass team, and brought em to the playoffs 3 straight years.....got knoecked out early in each playoff, but nonetheless got there...
What did Houston do....FIRED HIM....the GM said he wanted em to go to the SUPER BOWL....go figure
Half the problem in all sports, is not the Coach, but the GM.....IMO
Don't make me go Cajun on your Ass!Comment
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