Luke Richardson has been a breath of fresh air behind the bench for Blackhawks fans this season after dealing with Jeremy Colliton after the surprise firing of longtime coach Joel Quenneville. Richardson has helped this young Blackhawks group believe in themselves and has instilled a full 60 minute mindset in the process.
Richardson is well respected and demands a lot from his players, which is a far cry from what Blackhawks fans were unfortunately becoming accustomed to with the previous regime. Richardson recently met with reporters and revealed why he likes Chicago and what makes the city standout from the other hockey cities he has been a part of.
Richardson stated, "I know Chicago is a huge city and it's fast-moving, but compared to New York, Philly and Boston, which I've spent a lot of time in, it's a totally different thing. It's a more welcoming community. I've really enjoyed living here."
It's always good to see when players and coaches speak highly of Chicago, but Richardson's comments feel like they carry a little more weight this time around. The Blackhawks are entering a critical period of hockey from the business and operations side as the rebuild carries on. Pretty soon, the Blackhawks will need to pitch free agents on the city and organization. Having people like Richardson around will only help the cause.
