Blackhawks to hire Jeff Blashill as head coach; Ryan Donato expected to hit free agency
Blackhawks gear up for change with Blashill hire and Donato departure (Image via: Getty Images)
The pressure is officially on in Chicago. After a turbulent 2024–25 NHL season that exposed deep flaws across the roster and behind the bench, the Chicago Blackhawks are making aggressive moves to reshape their future.
With Connor Bedard entering a crucial development phase, the franchise is desperate to build a structure that can support its rising star before frustration boils over. Now, all signs point to a major coaching change and potentially a costly roster loss as the team enters what may be its most defining offseason in years.
Jeff Blashill
to lead
Blackhawks
as
Ryan Donato
heads toward free agency
According to reports from multiple insiders, the Blackhawks are on the verge of naming Jeff Blashill their new head coach, marking a significant shift in leadership.
Blashill, who previously coached the Detroit Red Wings and most recently served as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning, is expected to become the 38th head coach in franchise history.
The move signals a clear direction from GM Kyle Davidson, who is banking on Blashill's experience with young rosters to steer this rebuild in the right direction. However, his tenure in Detroit remains controversial, highlighted by six straight seasons without a playoff appearance.
Critics argue that entrusting Bedard's growth to a coach with a mixed NHL track record is a high-risk decision that could go either way.
Meanwhile, interim coach Anders Sorensen, who earned praise for stabilizing the team late in the season, is expected to stay on as an assistant coach. While this maintains some continuity, it also raises eyebrows about whether the organization fully capitalized on his momentum and rapport with the younger core.
Adding to the uncertainty, forward Ryan Donato, one of Bedard's most reliable linemates last season is reportedly trending toward free agency. After posting a career-best 62 points (31 goals, 31 assists), Donato's strong play in a contract year has drawn interest from multiple teams. The Blackhawks, however, have yet to lock him down.
'There's still time for a deal with the Blackhawks to get done, but it feels 99.9% likely that Ryan Donato is hitting free agency,'
stated CHGO Blackhawks on X.
Also Read :
'$55 for 55' Campaign raises over $100K for Mark Scheifele's charities after passing of his father, Brad Scheifele
Letting Donato walk without compensation would be a major misstep for a rebuilding team. Worse still, insiders believe Chicago passed up chances to trade him at the deadline, potentially missing out on valuable draft capital or prospects.
Get
IPL 2025
match
schedules
,
squads
,
points table
, and live scores for
CSK
,
MI
,
RCB
,
KKR
,
SRH
,
LSG
,
DC
,
GT
,
PBKS
, and
RR
. Check the latest
IPL Orange Cap
and
Purple Cap
standings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Watch: Wedding paused for RCB as fans celebrate title win
Virat Kohli winning the IPL put a wedding ceremony on pause (Images via X/@IPL &nikchillz) Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first-ever IPL trophy secured over Punjab Kings resulted in wild celebrations across the country. While Virat Kohli breaking down in tears and the jubilant RCB contingent lifting the trophy took center stage, another moment on social media is now garnering widespread attention. RCB claimed their first IPL crown with a six-run victory over PBKS in the final. Celebrations went up a notch across the country as police even used lathis on supporters in certain areas of Bengaluru. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! However, a viral clip on social media shows how a wedding was paused to see RCB win its maiden crown. Viral visuals show how a marriage ceremony in progress, complete with bride and groom failed to be the center of attention as a large LED screen aired the final moments of the game between Punjab Kings and RCB. The camera focused on RCB's loyal warrior - Virat Kohli as his side prepared to bowl the final delivery. Needing 12 runs from the final delivery, RCB had the game in the bag ahead of the final ball. However, even as Shashank Singh cleared the boundary for a six, the audience in attendance for the wedding erupted in celebrations. Poll Are you excited for the RCB title parade? Absolutely! Maybe a little I won't attend Chants of "RCB,RCB", echoed as fans started jumping up and down in cheers. The win marks the end of an 18-year wait for a maiden crown by the RCB franchise and even more so by their biggest star - Virat Kohli. As celebrations extended into the night and with more to follow in the title parade, the win will be savored for days to come. Who's that IPL player? RCB's clinched the title with a six-run victory as they posted 190 runs on the board while batting first. Even though the score was low in comparison to the high-scoring games in Ahmedabad this season, a marvelous bowling display by the side ensured the win in the summit clash.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
35 minutes ago
- First Post
Krunal's match-winning spell, Arshdeep's triple-strike and other key moments from RCB's victory over PBKS in IPL final
Krunal Pandya was adjudged the 'Player of the Final' for his haul of 2/17 from four overs, which played a key role in helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru restrict Punjab Kings to 184/7 after setting them 191 to win at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. read more Krunal Pandya's miserly spell, Arshdeep Singh's triple-strike in the 20th over and Shreyas Iyer's early dismissal were among the standout moments from the final of the 2025 Indian Premier League between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad. AP/Reuters Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished the 2025 Indian Premier League with a 9-0 win/loss record away from home, their latest victory coming against Punjab Kings in the final in Ahmedabad on Tuesday that finally lifted a curse. One that had prevented them from lifting the trophy for 17 long years. RCB thus became the latest entrant in the IPL champions club and it took them 18 seasons to finally become a member when franchises such as Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans lifted the trophy on debut. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And no one was more emotional at the Narendra Modi Stadium than Virat Kohli – the batting icon and former India and RCB captain who has called the Chinnaswamy his IPL home throughout his career, and was finally rewarded for his loyalty on Tuesday. After pulling off a heist for the ages last year to sneak into the playoffs at the last minute only to bow out with a defeat in the Eliminator, the Royal Challengers were the standout team this season. In Rajat Patidar's maiden season as captain, RCB narrowly missed out on the top spot at the end of the league phase thanks to PBKS' superior Net Run Rate but stamped their authority on the Shreyas Iyer-led side with a dominant 8-wicket victory in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur. And while they had stumbled in the final hurdle not once but thrice in the past, each time under a different captain including Kohli, RCB finally lived up to their favourites' tag on Tuesday with a six-run victory over PBKS, with their bowlers playing a key role in delivering the franchise and its legion of passionate supporters a first trophy. Here are some of the key moments from Tuesday's final: Kohli misses out on a fifty thanks to Omarzai Kohli was a long way off from Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan's tally of 759 runs, but would have still been hopeful of crossing the 700-run barrier for only the third time in the IPL ahead of the final, needing another 86 runs for the same. Unfortunately for the 36-year-old, he would fall seven short of what would have been his ninth fifty of the season after getting a top-edge off a short delivery, with Azmatullah Omarzai completing a fine catch off his own bowling while running to his right. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Arshdeep's brilliant final over denies RCB the 200-mark Handy contributions from captain Rajat Patidar (26 off 16), Liam Livingstone (25 off 15), Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10) as well as Romario Shepherd (17 off 9) had RCB staring at the prospect of setting a 200-plus target, with the score reading 187/6 at the end of the 19th. Arshdeep Singh, however, had other plans and highlighted just why he is among the most premier of death bowlers in the current generation, conceding just three singles while collecting three wickets – including that of a set Shepherd. Shreyas perishes for just 1 Though they lost the wicket of opener Priyansh Arya at the end of the fifth over, Punjab Kings looked fairly comfortable at 72/1 in the ninth over; it was obvious at that stage that they needed to accelerate with the asking rate starting to climb, but they had enough wickets in hand and match-winners in their batting lineup to collect the runs. Trouble, however, began after Prabhsimran and skipper Iyer were dismissed in successive overs after the 'TimeOut', and it was the latter getting caught-behind off Shepherd's bowling over a simple poke that came as a body blow to Punjab's hopes of chasing down the 191-run target that was starting to look more difficult with each passing over. Iyer, after all, had smashed an unbeaten 87 in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians just two days ago, the knock playing a key role in guiding the Punjab Kings into an IPL final for only the second time. And the kind of form that he has been in recent months, in international cricket as well as in the IPL and especially in crunch games, the RCB camp would have been eager to see his back as early in the chase as possible. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Krunal chokes Punjab's scoring rate in the middle overs PBKS, however, still had enough batters for a rescue act after Iyer's dismissal, and it was important for the Royal Challengers to not waste the momentum gained after getting rid of the key threat in the opposition batting lineup. That's where left-arm finger spinner Krunal Pandya, who has been a handy option for skipper Patidar throughout the 18th season, stepped in with a miserly spell in which the former Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder conceded just 17 runs in four overs. Pandya had broken the second-wicket stand between Prabhsimran and Iyer by removing the former, and would later account for a well-set Josh Inglis – who was caught at the edge of the long on boundary while trying to smash him for a maximum, departing for 39 off 23 as a result. 'Considering the last game against MI, I personally felt that 200 was a par score. They bowled brilliantly, especially Krunal, he carries a lot of experience, he has done it over a period of time. I believe that was the turning point,' Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer said in the post-match presentation ceremony in which Pandya was adjudged the 'Player of the Final'. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shashank smashes Hazlewood for a flurry of boundaries in vain Shashank Singh – who had been retained along with Prabhsimran ahead of the mega auction – waged a lone battle towards the end of Punjab's chase, with wickets tumbling continuously at the other end and the required rate spiralling out of control. The Chhattisgarh all-rounder had brought the equation down to an improbable 29 from the last over after collecting a six and a four in the 19th off Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling. And though he did smash Josh Hazlewood for three sixes and a four in the final over to finish unbeaten on 61 off 30 balls, the big hits unfortunately came at a time when victory was already out of reach for Iyer and company. Hazlewood, after all, put all of his effort in the first two deliveries of the final over, collecting back-to-back dots, and was left with the task of just bowling four legal deliveries thereafter. And the Aussie, who has never lost a final till date, did just that to seal a historic triumph for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
Why did Connor Bedard reject Team Canada's World Championship invite — and what's really behind his surprising decision?
Connor Bedard has declined an invitation to play for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championships (Image via IMAGO/ActionPictures) Chicago Blackhawks young star Connor Bedard has opted to skip an opportunity to represent Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championships — a decision that has sparked mixed reactions among fans and insiders. While some were hoping to see Bedard extend his standout season into the international spotlight, the 19-year-old has chosen to prioritize rest and development ahead of a crucial third NHL season. Connor Bedard turns down Team Canada invite to focus on off-season training and Blackhawks goals According to a report from Scott Powers of The Athletic, Connor Bedard was indeed invited by Team Canada but 'just decided it was best to focus his offseason elsewhere.' The decision aligns with comments Bedard made during his exit interviews, where he emphasized the importance of working on his speed this summer. 'Connor Bedard won't be playing for Canada at the World Championship this year,' Powers reported on X. 'Canada actually invited him. He just decided it was best to focus his offseason elsewhere.' Bedard's second NHL season was an impressive one. He played all 82 games and came within a single point of breaking Chicago's franchise record for points by a teenager — a feat even more notable given that he missed 14 games due to injury in his rookie year. Without that setback, he likely would've shattered the mark. Despite the hype surrounding his arrival in the NHL, some observers have noted Bedard still has room to grow to fully meet the lofty expectations placed on him. But few question his long-term potential. His decision to forgo Worlds underscores a level of maturity and commitment to development not always seen in players his age. Bedard appears laser-focused on becoming the kind of franchise-altering force the Blackhawks envisioned when they selected him first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. With elite-level skill already on display and a strong offseason training regimen ahead, a breakout third year seems likely. Also Read: 'F**king cucks': Sean Avery humiliates Mitch Marner, Paul Bissonnette and Leafs Nation after playoff collapse Choosing not to wear the Team Canada jersey this time may disappoint some fans, but Bedard's message is clear: building something lasting in Chicago takes precedence. As he enters the 2025–26 season, all eyes will be on how this summer's work translates into results on the ice.
