Blackhawks' coaching search about to kick into high gear

The last time Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson hired a full-time coach — Luke Richardson during the 2022 offseason — the deal wasn’t done until late June.

This offseason, Davidson hopes to have a coach in place sooner.

“I remember I was calling around for permission [to interview] candidates at the [draft] combine,” he said Thursday. “That’s too far down the road for me. I would like to get a much quicker start than I did last time around.”

The Hawks waited to begin their formal search because the pool of candidates — including other NHL teams’ assistant coaches and AHL and college teams’ head coaches — expands greatly once the season ends. No formal interviews have been conducted.

Now that the regular season has ended, the search will kick into high gear. Interim coach Anders Sorensen is officially a candidate, but he’s probably a long shot after going 17-30-9 — even though Davidson praised him for doing an admirable job managing a “team in transition” after getting thrown into the fire in December.

University of Denver coach David Carle has generated tons of buzz leaguewide all year, and Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Tuesday that Carle is “at the very top” of the Hawks’ wish list. But there’s no guarantee Carle will leave Denver, and he will have many NHL suitors if he does, so the Hawks would have to make a handsome offer to land him.

Davidson predictably named no names Thursday (besides Sorensen), but he did clarify that NHL coaching experience won’t be a prerequisite — even though the Hawks’ last four coaches (including interims) were all first-time NHL coaches, and none worked out too well.

“That’s something we’ve discussed a lot, and I believe there is value in that, but we’ve probably come to the conclusion [that] it’s not the end-all, be-all,” Davidson said. “It is certainly a feather in a candidate’s cap, but it’s not necessarily something we would consider mandatory if another candidate didn’t have that but felt like a good fit for us.”

Sorensen staying

Sorensen described the season as a “learning experience” in terms of navigating the NHL’s tighter time constraints, greater pressures, bigger personalities and more diversified responsibilities compared to coaching in the AHL.

He mentioned there was an “undercurrent that people don’t know about” that contributed to some bad stretches of play. He might have been referring to the fact that some veteran players were unhappy about so many prospects coming in midseason and taking their jobs and/or playing time, but he didn’t clarify specifically.

Regardless of how the coaching search plays out, Sorensen will remain part of the Hawks’ organization, Davidson said.

Sorensen echoed that sentiment. The most likely scenario probably involves him returning to Rockford, where he did an excellent job the last few years.

“I want to be here,” Sorensen said. “I’m not a guy that’s going to be like, ‘I have to do this or that.’ I’m a team-oriented person. I want to help the organization. I want to help these young players take the next steps in their careers.”

Donato negotiating

Pending free agent Ryan Donato clarified that he and the Hawks did get close to a contract agreement around the trade deadline. The team reportedly offered a three-year contract with a salary-cap hit of around $4 million.

“It didn’t get done, but I wouldn’t say there’s a hurdle or anything like that,” Davidson said. “Once you get past the deadline, everyone takes a little breather, and then you’re near the end of the season. I think things will pick up now that we’re through the year.”

With well-established mutual interest from both sides, it would be surprising if Donato — who’s seeking some longer-term stability for his new family — made it all the way to July unsigned.

James walking

Davidson confirmed that forward prospect Dominic James, who opened eyes with an impressive senior season at Minnesota-Duluth, doesn't plan to sign with the Hawks. He can become a free agent by waiting for his draft rights to expire in August.

"The door is still very much open with us, but that's up to him and his representatives to decide the best path for him," Davidson said. "We think we've got a pretty [expletive] good opportunity here for a young player and a willingness to not only develop but give significant playing time to young players. That's been shown a lot over the last year or two. ... But they get one career, and they've got to do what's best for them."

The reasons behind James' change of heart — after he raved about the Hawks in February — remain a mystery.

Injury updates

Forward Jason Dickinson, who suffered a season-ending left wrist injury March 22, was wearing a cast on his wrist that he hopes to get removed in about three weeks. At that point, he'll be able to determine his offseason training plan.

Forward prospect Nick Lardis suffered a knee injury Monday in the OHL playoffs that sounds potentially significant. Davidson said Lardis is seeing another doctor in the coming days.

Davidson said he's hopeful that goalie Laurent Brossoit, who missed the season after two meniscus surgeries, might be healthy next season and able to compete for a roster spot during training camp. But it's too early to know for sure.