3 turning points that derailed Chicago Blackhawks' 2024-25 season ft. Luke Richardson firing

The Chicago Blackhawks had another tough season, landing them in the cellar of the Central Division. The last-place finish landed them with the third pick, one that was used on forward Anton Frondell.

Beyond the lone bright spot that was selecting Frondell, the season left the Hawks with another lost year. So, it’s worth taking a look at what went wrong for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2024-25 season.

#3 Rough start

While no one was expecting the Chicago Blackhawks to come flying out of the gate, the hope was that the team could start strong. Instead, the first month was about as tough as it can get for an NHL team.

The Blackhawks were 3-7-1 after a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks on October 31. That first month featured a four-game losing streak, leaving the club mired at the bottom of the standings.

That first month set the tone for a rough season in which the team couldn’t overcome the bad start. The Blackhawks' best effort was a three-game winning streak, which left them in a downward spiral.

#2 Trade deadline fire sale

The Chicago Blackhawks held a fire sale at the trade deadline. The Hawks dumped as many veterans as they could. Taylor Hall, Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith all went out the door.

But the biggest move was sending disgruntled blue liner Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers. The move propelled the Panthers to a Stanley Cup, while the Blackhawks landed Spencer Knight.

Following the trade deadline, the Blackhawks descended into a seven-game losing streak. That streak essentially sealed the team’s fate, sending it to another top-three lottery pick.

#1 Luke Richardson firing

The Chicago Blackhawks fired coach Luke Richardson on Dec. 6. The team gave up on Richardson, tacitly admitting the season was well on its way to becoming another lost campaign.

The club named Anders Sorensen as interim coach. Sorensen didn’t fare much better than Richardson. Sorensen's debut was a 4-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, sending the Hawks to a five-game losing streak.

The club rebounded to beat the New York Rangers, but fell into back-to-back losses. Following a three-game winning streak, the Blackhawks spiraled into another five-game skid.

After Sorensen’s first month, the Blackhawks were 13-25-2. The team’s fate was sealed. Sorensen could not right the ship, coaching the club to two five-game skids and a seven-game losing streak.

Chicago hired Jeff Blashill for this upcoming season. So, it remains to be seen if Blashill can turn things around in 2025-26.

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Edited by Nestor Quixtan