Anders Sorensen Earns Plenty of Praise After Challenging Season

As the Chicago Blackhawks head into the summer, general manager Kyle Davidson’s most significant move will be hiring the next head coach. He has to get this right because NHL general managers rarely get the luxury of hiring a third head coach. While it’s nearly a foregone conclusion that Anders Sorensen will not get the full-time job, he still got plenty of praise after the season concluded.

“It was a tough spot to come into,” Davidson said. “It was a team that was obviously struggling; that’s why we made the coaching change. Also, it was a team in transition. We had an extremely veteran roster at the beginning of the year. It didn’t click. It didn’t work. As the season went on, there was a transition to much younger players.

“That transition in itself is not easy for any coach, but especially for one coming in partway through. That’s something he did quite well. We saw some ups and downs during his time. But we really finished off strong. The young players found their footing towards the end. That’s a credit to him. He did a really nice job in a tough spot.”

Anders Sorensen vs Luke Richardson

The Blackhawks were 8-16-2 when Davidson fired Luke Richardson and named Sorensen interim head coach. They went 17-30-9 over the last 56 games of the season.  There was a slight improvement in results, as the Blackhawks had a .346 point percentage under Richardson and .413 with Sorensen behind the bench. If you remove the 4-1-1 finish, those point percentages will be nearly identical.

The biggest difference between the two coaches was that Richardson ran a defense-first 1-2-2 system, while Sorensen used a more offensively aggressive 2-1-2. In Richardson’s 26 games, the Blackhawks averaged 2.42 goals per game while allowing 3.15. Their offense improved slightly under Sorensen with 2.88 goals per game, but the defense took a step back, giving up 3.75 goals per game. The Blackhawks went from trying to win every game 2-1 to trying to win 5-4. Neither strategy worked for this roster.

However, the young players don’t make the progress they did under Sorensen if Richardson is here for the entire season. He was too stubborn in his defense-first mindset to take the training wheels off and let the kids run free. Connor Bedard hinted at that with his praise of Sorensen.

“We have a great relationship,” he said. “We talked one-on-one for a good amount. I think with coaches, a lot of Xs and Os, which it has to be, but he also helped with the offensive side of the game with me, which was nice. Just having that balance of not always getting ripped about the D-zone, it’s maybe talking about the fun stuff, too. I thought he was great.”

Rookies & Veterans Appreciate the Job Done

Frank Nazar started his first professional season with Sorensen as his head coach in Rockford. A week after the coaching change, Nazar headed to Chicago and never looked back. By the end of the season, the 21-year-old forward not only cemented his spot in the NHL but also became one of the best players on the team.

Nazar commended Sorensen for having to make the same adjustments he had when he moved from the AHL to the NHL for the first time.

“No one really knows what to expect, and he did a good job of coming in and figuring things out,” he said. “I think once he felt confident playing his style and what he’s preaching, I thought it went really well. He did a great job of coming in and sorting things out. Showing us the details and video to try and help us be predictable and try to be a better team that way. No one’s perfect, but he did a great job.”

Captain Nick Foligno has seen it all during his NHL career. He’s played with all types of coaches and players, so he knows Sorensen was not given an easy task this season.

“I really enjoyed Anders,” he said. “It’s a hard position to come into when you’re coming in halfway, first time coaching in the NHL. I thought he handled himself well. He’s a great communicator. He and I talked a lot. There are a lot of things you’re trying to fix, do, and even learn about yourself. I’m sure he’d probably admit that, too. So, it was nice that we were able to help each other. I appreciated that he respected me enough to have those conversations, and we could work together and find solutions for this team. We enjoyed our time with Anders. I think he made us a better team. I think he did a great job.” 

This wasn’t an easy season for Foligno. He was the captain of a veteran team that was supposed to have a room full of guys who knew how to play “the right way.” Instead, that group led the team down more often than not. As the roster got younger, you could see a jump in his step, and he was having fun again on the ice. It’s no secret that the feeling in the locker room changed when that veteran core was swapped out for the younger group.

“There were bad stretches throughout the year, and there were different reasons for that,” Sorensen said. “I think there’s a lot of undercurrent that people don’t know about, that goes behind the scenes, that nobody’s going to talk about.”

What’s Next for Anders Sorensen?

When Sorensen was given the interim job in December, Davidson said he would likely remain with the organization beyond the season. The Blackhawks general manager confirmed that on Thursday when discussing the upcoming coaching search. Sorensen made it clear that he is willing to do whatever the organization wants from him.

“I want to be here,” he said. “I’m not a guy that’s going to be like, ‘I have to do this or that.’ I’m a team-oriented person. I want to help the organization. I want to help these young players take the next steps in their careers.”

Sorensen’s in-game coaching left a lot to be desired, but there is no denying that he has done a great job developing young talent. He started his coaching career as a skills coach, so he’s used to working individually with players. Sorensen deserves to stay with the organization if he doesn’t get the head coaching job. Whether it’s back to Rockford or staying on as an assistant in Chicago, he is a valuable member of the development process.