The NHL season is almost upon us. That means the weather is getting colder, leaves are falling off trees and coaches are ever closer to getting the proverbial axe. Last year, it took only four games for the Chicago Blackhawks to fire Dennis Savard. The Penguins let Michel Therrien go with 25 games left in the season and it was just what the doctor ordered. The team went 18-3-4 under Dan Bylsma the rest of the season on their way to a Stanley Cup victory. Here, I'll be taking a look at the coaches most likely to end up like Savard -- coaches who are starting the season on the hot seat.
There have been some huge stories during the NHL offseason. Many of them have involved the Chicago Blackhawks.
With that in mind, FanHouse recently caught up with Comcast SportsNet Chicago analyst Ed Olczyk -- perhaps better known for his work as a main analyst for Versus and NBC -- to get his take on all the changes happening in the Windy City. Olczyk was born in Illinois, played part of his career for the Blackhawks, and still has some very strong feelings about the team, not to mention the state of affairs in the NHL.
It was hardly a disaster for the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Sure, two of their best players, captain Nicklas Lidstrom and Hart Trophy finalist Pavel Datsyuk, had to sit out with injuries. But the Red Wings have always been greater than the sum of their parts, and their 6-1 stomping of the Blackhawks proved that yet again.
If the Red Wings are going to end the Western Conference Finals in Game 5 Wednesday night, they'll have to do it without Lidstrom and Datsyuk again.
After watching his team get thumped on its home ice, 6-1 on Sunday afternoon, Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville sounded off in the postgame press conference, berating the officiating crew of Marc Joannette and Kevin Pollock for issuing Matt Walker a roughing penalty at the end of the first period, leading to Detroit's third goal of the game.
Quenneville called it the worst call in the history of sports, and essentially used it as an excuse for his team not showing up in the second and third periods. As punishment for his rant, the NHL announced on Monday that Quenneville will be fined $10,000.
Following Niklas Kronwall's hit on Martin Havlat Friday night, there's been plenty of discussion about the officiating in the Western Conference final. Actually, there's always a lot of discussion about officiating in the NHL, and following Detroit's 6-1 dismantling of Chicago on Sunday afternoon, Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville sounded off, blaming the referees for ruining a good hockey game. Seriously.
That sound you're hearing is Red Wings fans laughing out loud.
CHICAGO -- They are a mind-numbing machine, really, almost monotonous in their dominance, discipline and staying power. Sport in the 21st century isn't conducive to a dynasty lasting a dozen years, but the winged-wheel jersey and slimy octopus of the Detroit Red Wings have been lodged in our consciousness since 1997, good for four Stanley Cups and maybe a fifth next month.
I don't have to beat you over the head with numbers. A team that goes down 3-0 in a best-of-seven is pretty much cooked.
This is especially true when you're playing a team more than capable of winning the Stanley Cup. Chicago faced this reality Friday night, and you have to tip your hat to them for how they responded to adversity. The adversity and pressure increased tenfold when the Blackhawks blew a 3-0 lead.
It's not exactly a national secret that hockey teams tend to go through coaching changes about as often as a high school kid goes through a change of clothes (speaking on personal experience, that's about once per year). As we begin the conference finals, it's probably worth pointing out that three of the four teams taking part -- the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks -- experienced a change behind the bench during the regular season.
A series billed as youth versus experience got its start Sunday, with the experience controlling most of the 60 minutes. Detroit's mix of amazing skill and unending will was more than enough to hold off Chicago at Joe Louis Arena. The opening game of the Western Conference Finals wasn't a blowout, but there was not much of a feeling Chicago could break through in this one.
Red Wings 5, Blackhawks 2: Recap | Box Score Red Wings lead series 1-0
The Western Conference Finals brings us one of the classic Original Six rivalries in the NHL, as Detroit and Chicago square off with a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals on the line. The Red Wings are looking to become the first team to repeat as champions since they did it during the 1997 and 1998 seasons, while Chicago is looking to return to the finals for the first time since 1992.
The NHL season is almost upon us. That means the weather is getting colder, leaves are falling off trees and coaches are ever closer to getting the proverbial axe. Last year, it took only four games for the Chicago Blackhawks to fire Dennis Savard. The Penguins let Michel Therrien go with 25 games left in the season and it was just what the doctor ordered. The team went 18-3-4 under Dan Bylsma the rest of the season on their way to a Stanley Cup victory. Here, I'll be taking a look at the coaches most likely to end up like Savard -- coaches who are starting the season on the hot seat.
There have been some huge stories during the NHL offseason. Many of them have involved the 
It was hardly a disaster for the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Sure, two of their best players, captain 
After watching his team get thumped on its home ice, 6-1 on Sunday afternoon, Chicago Blackhawks head coach 
Following 
CHICAGO -- They are a mind-numbing machine, really, almost monotonous in their dominance, discipline and staying power. Sport in the 21st century isn't conducive to a dynasty lasting a dozen years, but the winged-wheel jersey and slimy octopus of the 
I don't have to beat you over the head with numbers. A team that goes down 3-0 in a best-of-seven is pretty much cooked. 
