Fansided

Every current NHL franchise’s most beloved head coach

By Griffin Youngs

(Original Caption) Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman with the Stanley Cup on day of Red Wings celebratory parade in Detroit. (Photo by © Ralf-Finn Hestoft/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
(Original Caption) Detroit Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman with the Stanley Cup on day of Red Wings celebratory parade in Detroit. (Photo by © Ralf-Finn Hestoft/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 06: Joel Quenneville, head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, speaks to the press after the 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues at the United Center on April 6, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 06: Joel Quenneville, head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, speaks to the press after the 4-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues at the United Center on April 6, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Chicago Blackhawks: Joel Quenneville

Not much debate needed here, Joel Quenneville is the easy pick for most beloved coach in Chicago  Blackhawks history. Being second all time among all coaches in wins is a pretty good resume by itself, but what Quenneville has done with the Blackhawks is more than enough.

When Quenneville was hired in 2008, the Blackhawks were preparing to load up and end their ridiculous Stanley Cup drought that had spanned since 1960. With the drafting of Patrick Kane and hiring of Joel Quenneville, the Blackhawks made the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and second time 1997 in 2009.

The Blackhawks made it all the way to the Conference Finals in 2009 before getting beat by the Red Wings in five games. But that was just the beginning for what would become the closest thing this generation of hockey has seen to a dynasty.

The Quenneville led Blackhawks finished with 112 points the next season to win the Central Division for the first time since moving to the division, and prepared for a deep playoff run. Chicago beat the Predators in six games, then the Canucks in six, and swept the Sharks in the Conference Finals. The Blackhawks would then square off with the Philadelphia Flyers in a battle of teams looking to end Cup droughts. The Blackhawks bested the Flyers in six games off of Patrick Kane’s overtime Cup clincher to bring the Blackhawks their first Stanley Cup since 1960.

Joel Quenneville’s success with the Blackhawks doesn’t end there. Two years later the Blackhawks beat the Bruins for another Stanley Cup after winning the Presidents’ Trophy. Two years after that, the Blackhawks downed the Lightning for their third Stanley Cup in six years.

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