Hawks Fire Denis Savard

Even before the start of what looked to be a promising season, rumor was that Chicago Blackhawks head coach Denis Savard might be on the hot seat if the team got off to a slow start -- word that was attributed to the arrival of Scotty Bowman as a special adviser in Chicago. Heck, Savard actually made a CBC list of five coaches who could be under the gun before the end of the season, but I still don't think anyone could imagine that Savard, who by all accounts was doing a good job with his young charges in Chicago, might be let go.

Put that all aside now, as the Blackhawks have given Savard one of the quickest hooks in NHL history, firing him after only four games and replacing him with ex-Blues and Avalanche head coach Joel Quenneville. Here's Chicago GM Dale Tallon, the only man who could manage to make Atlanta Thrashers GM Don Waddell look thoughtful by comparison, on the change :

"This was an extremely hard day for this organization and for me personally," Blackhawks general manager Dale 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. Joel brings us a wealth of experience and a winning track record that will have an immediate and lasting impact."

Far be it from me to question Quenneville's bona fides, but this decision stinks to high heaven.

I'm sure many of you will recall that the Blackhawks hired Quenneville over the Summer, ostensibly to scout college and pro games in and around his home in Denver. In an interview with TSN's Darren Dreger earlier this year, Tallon addressed the rumors that Savard ought to be worried:

If the Blackhawks lose four out of five games, will Denis Savard be looking over his shoulder?

Hawks general manager Dale Tallon scoffs at the suggestion.

"That's not it at all," Tallon told TSN.

"That's not why we brought him in. Joel is here to help me more than anything," Tallon added.

Tallon says Quenneville and Savard have talked and there are no issues or concerns.

For the record, the Hawks lost three of their first four, so I guess it would be unfair to call Tallon a liar.

Quenneville has been available to take over in Chicago since the second week in May when he was dismissed by the Avalanche. If there were such deep and abiding doubts about Savard, who did nothing but take over a team in complete disarray and almost very well make it to the playoffs last season, there were plenty of other opportunities to make that happen in the interim.

The way the Blackhawks have handled this, they've managed to stuff themselves into the same category of professional sports franchise as the New York Mets. You'll recall that the Mets GM Omar Minaya allowed manager Willie Randolph to twist in the wind for weeks, before letting him accompany the team on a West Coast road trip and then firing him after he actually managed to win a game -- just as the Hawks have done in the wake of the team's 4-1 win over Phoenix last night.

I don't doubt that Quenneville will do a great job with the Hawks. I'm just hoping that for the sake of the franchise, the decision winds up being worth the price of carelessly severing a relationship with one of its greatest players.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

10-16-2008 @ 2:12PM

Chris Troutman said...

This move completely vexes me. Why fire Denis Savard after only four games?

The Blackhawks should have fired the guy before the season began or at some point later in the season once they feel that the season is over and they need to start focusing on next year. But four games in?

Who knows. Maybe this will be much like the Capitals firing of Glen Hanlon for Bruce Boudreau last year. However, at least the Caps waited until they hit rock bottom, the fans were screaming for Hanlon's head and November.

10-16-2008 @ 2:41PM

Tom Fornelli said...

I'm blown away by this. It looks to me that Savard was nothing but a PR move the entire time, in line with everything else the Hawks have been doing to make the team relevant in Chicago again.

10-16-2008 @ 4:03PM

Robert Schulz said...

Rocky's first misstep!!!

10-16-2008 @ 5:37PM

MOUSE said...

I am shocked this is to fast.He is a Hawk.

10-16-2008 @ 10:28PM

steve werner said...

came as no suprise

as soon as they let Robert Lang go I knew they were in for trouble.

no veterans
no cup

10-17-2008 @ 12:05PM

Joe B. said...

Everyone's talking about how Savard's firing affects the organization or the Hawks' chances for the cup, but nobody is talking about how disruptive this is to a team that hasn't even had a chance to gel amongst themselves. Now they have to adjust to a new coach too? (at the start of a new season no less.) Really?? Was that smart?

And I wish the Blackhawks organization would stop talking about how they did this for the fans. Last I looked, the Trib poll showed a majority (89%) of the fans did not want this! This move smacks of sleaze, esp. when Savard's replacement was waiting in the wings and Savard and everyone else knew it, though Tallon lied through his teeth about it. Yes, sports teams are businesses. We hear that all the time. But if there is no loyalty, well...then there is no integrity either. Yes, the world of sports is ephemeral, but this is ridiculous.

Shame on you Blackhawks. You had me and then you lost me.

But Denis Savard is to be commended. He is clearly so much classier than Tallon, Wirtz, et al.

10-17-2008 @ 9:07AM

Brian said...

Here we go again. The ever rotating and revolving door for head coaches for the Chicago Blackhawks.

First, though, I have to commend the organization for what seems to be some good changes in fan relations; putting home games on TV, Aquiring Stan Makita and Bobby Hull for some PR work, bring back Pat Foley to announce, and adding some good young talent in an effort to put a better product on the ice. Dale Talon and Rocky Wirtz seem very aggressive in wanting to return respect to the Indian Head Sweater as one of the original six.

However, this move seems too aggressive and callous. Savard
should have been given a fair chance to better his team after proving he could do so last year. Yes, there was high hopes for this team going in, but how can anyone make an evaluation four games into the season?

The Blackhawks have seen their fan base dwindle in the shadow of the Mad House on Madison (The Sacred Chicago Stadium) to the point where I have seen more Wings and Blue Notes than Indian Heads in those stands at the United Center. So, it seems odd to me to, not only fire a fan favorite, but destabilize a team so desperate for stabilization and consistancy.

I hope, when this ship finally rights itself again, the poor choices Blackhawks management undertakes ballance out some of the strides they have made recently.

We shall see.

afushi said...

This was really terrible to do to such a good man with a lot of class!
I originally thought this had to do with the goalie situation where Savard did not want to play that loser Huet.
Now I see that it was planned over the summer. Why would Quennville leave the Avalanch to become a scout??
Tallon, Bowman, McDonough and Wirtz all had something really nasty in mind to hire this guy and keep him in the background and then suddenly fire Denis.
This was not only a slap in the face to Denis, but to all the fans as well! Beleive me, they did not do this for the fans at all. Denis was probably too much of a stand up guy for the organization. I guess they need a puppet who will give them the auto-nod and say yes sir.
I really hope they loose a lot of their fan base over this! I know I'm out!

10-17-2008 @ 9:53AM

Zappa said...

I was blown away when I heard. The firing makes no sense. Someone owes us Hwaks fans a credible explanation. Why was Savard let go? All the team has given us so far are Tallon's empty clichés. Did the players revolt? Was someone pissed that Barker got cut? Was it Savard's "defence first" approach? The goalie situation? C'mon, let's here it!

10-19-2008 @ 11:05PM

Pat said...

I love Dennis Savard, but I think it will be the right move in letting him go . The power play stunk and Dennis was supposed to be working with that unit. When he was an asst. coach he worked with it and it stunk. I also like Dale Tallon, but he will be next and Stan Bowman will be the next G.M.