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A sudden turn of events and the Chicago Blackhawks announce another new head coach
Photo credit: Rockford IceHogs
The Chicago Blackhawks organization announced that they've hired a new head coach for the Rockford IceHogs, their AHL affiliate team.
After the Blackhawks named Jeff Blashill as their head coach and confirmed Anders Sorensen and Michael Peca would be his assistants, another important role was left to be filled by management: the AHL head coach.
In breaking news, the organization announced that they found the man for the job.
Blackhawks Bring Back Jared Nightingale As AHL Head Coach
The Rockford IceHogs announced in an official press release that Jared Nightingale will be head coach for the next season, while Rob Klinkhammer and Josh MacNevin will return as his assistants.
Blackhawks' general manager Kyle Davidson made the following statement:
"Jared did a phenomenal job with South Carolina this past season in his first campaign as a head coach. A natural leader, Jared's confidence and direction behind the bench have produced a coaching style that is perfectly suited to help develop and advance our young prospects in Rockford. His familiarity with the organization and our players is an incomparable asset and we're excited to see Jared succeed in this role moving forward."
Nightingale served as the IceHogs' assistant coach between 2021-2024 and led the team to three straight playoff runs. He was also captain of the team in 2013-14, his only season in Rockford as a player.
Last season, he worked as head coach and director of hockey operations for the South Carolina Stingrays in the ECHL, where he broke franchise records for both the most wins and most points in a season with a 52-15-5 record.
With his knowledge of the organization and his experience, he's a perfect fit for the job. The IceHogs should remain a strong team next year, despite a few players being expected to make the NHL roster, with Colton Dach, Ethan Del Mastro, and Drew Commesso leading the charge in the AHL.
| POLL | ||
MAI 30 | 250 ANSWERS A sudden turn of events and the Chicago Blackhawks announce another new head coach Do you think the Chicago Blackhawks made the right call by hiring Jared Nightingale as the Rockford IceHogs? | ||
| Yes | 186 | 74.4 % |
| No | 64 | 25.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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