Over the years, the Chicago Blackhawks have played an on going game of musical chairs when it comes to assistant coaches under Joel Quenneville. It seems like when the ‘Hawks turn in a disappointing season, the assistants are usually the ones to take the fall. But six years ago when the music stopped, Mike Haviland should’ve had a chair.
It was after the 2011-12 season when Haviland was released by the Blackhawks, ironically after two first-round defeats following the Blackhawks’ first Stanley Cup in almost 50 years. That year, the ‘Hawks special teams struggled, finishing 26th in the league on the powerplay and 27th on the penalty kill.