In November, the Chicago Blackhawks fired then-coach Joel Quenneville in the middle of his 11th season, ending the longest tenure in the NHL. Quenneville led the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups, and his contract runs through next year, so he doesn't have to rush back to the game.
That doesn't mean he isn't going to. In an interview with WGN TV, Quenneville talked about both his future and his present, along with what his future plans may be and his reaction to being fired.
"I think in our business there's not too many surprises anymore," Quenneville said. "I was privileged to be in Chicago for 10 years. It's part of the business, I understand all that. I know when I exited other places, the bitterness, the animosity was at a different level. And here the memories were so special and so good, and the people here were so special to me and my family that it was tough."
Quenneville went on to thank the fans before talking about his plans moving forward.
"It's been a while now since we've been behind the bench, so I think there's an appetite as we go along here to get back into the game," he said. "I try to not watch as much Blackhawks as I used to, but I watch most of the games. It's been a great race and it's going to be fun to see how it all plays out.
"We're in no hurry right now. We'll see how things transpire in the offseason. We'll have to think about it and we'll see."
Quenneville will likely be an addition for a team in need of experience behind the bench, should he decide to return.
