Colliton agrees to 2-year extension

CHICAGO ( AP) — Jeremy Colliton replaced a beloved figure with the Chicago Blackhawks. Then his first full season with the team was interrupted by a pandemic.

That’s a lot of adversity for a first-time NHL coach, but Colliton thinks it made him better at his job. He is looking forward to putting everything he learned to good use.

Colliton agreed to a twoyear contract extension Tuesday, receiving a vote of confidence from President of Hockey Operations Stan Bowman on the eve of his third season behind the bench.

“I’ve had a chance to know Jeremy for a couple of years now and, you know, really solidified that connection that we’ve had,” Bowman said. “And the way that we see the game, the direction that we’re heading and what we want to focus on in the coming years. I think he’s a great candidate to move that forward.”

Colliton took over after Joel Quenneville was fired in November 2018, becoming the 38th coach in franchise history. Quenneville led the team to three Stanley Cup titles, and Colliton stepped into a room full of players who had grown accustomed to the system and mannerisms of the former NHL defenseman.

It was a rough transition. The Blackhawks dropped 14 of his first 17 games in charge. But they started to play better at the end of his first year and then took advantage of the NHL’S expanded postseason last year, winning a four-game series against Edmonton before being eliminated by Vegas.