The Chicago Blackhawks hired Tampa Bay Lightning assistant Jeff Blashill as their new head coach on Thursday.

Blashill replaces Anders Sorensen, who was Chicago’s interim coach after the December firing of Luke Richardson.

Blashill, 51, will begin his second stint as a head coach in the NHL. He posted a 204-261-72 record in seven seasons with the Detroit Red Wings (2015-22).

“Jeff is an incredibly smart and talented coach who boasts more than 25 years of coaching experience across developmental leagues, the NHL and the world stage,” general manager Kyle Davidson said in a news release. “He’s thrived when in a position to develop young players and has shown he’s capable of blending that into overall team success, a vision and philosophy we share for where we are today and where we see our team in the future. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come under Jeff’s direction.”

He will be the 42nd head coach in franchise history.

Blashill, a Michigan native, began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ferris State, in 1998-99. He subsequently filled a variety of roles, including as a head coach in the American Hockey League and as the head coach of Team USA three times at the IIHF World Championships, leading the team to a bronze medal in 2018, before landing with the Red Wings.

He spent the past three seasons on Jon Cooper’s staff with the Lightning, with the team making the playoffs each season.

The Blackhawks have two first-round picks — Nos. 3 and 25 — in the 2025 NHL Draft, which begins June 27 in Los Angeles.

Richardson, 56, was dismissed while in his third season with Chicago on Dec. 5. He went 57-118-15 with the Blackhawks before being replaced by Sorensen, who guided the team to a 17-30-9 record.

Chicago has missed the playoffs in seven of the past eight seasons and hasn’t won a postseason series since lifting the Stanley Cup in 2015.

–Field Level Media