Blackhawks' Quenneville receives three-year contract extension
Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville signed a three-year contract extension that runs through the end of the 2019-20 season, the team announced on Tuesday.
Financial terms were not released for Quenneville, who has guided Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles (2010, 2013, 2015) since replacing former Blackhawk Denis Savard four games into the 2008-09 season. The 57-year-old Quenneville is in his eighth season as coach of the club, and captain Jonathan Toews couldn't be happier.
#Blackhawks announce a three-year contract extension for Head Coach Joel Quenneville! Congrats Coach!
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 12, 2016
Via Chicago Sun-Times:
"He wins a lot of games. A number of us in here have been playing for him for a long time, and had a lot of success together. ... You feel close to your teammates, but I think when your coach reaches a milestone like that, I mean that's incredible. We're happy and honored to be a part of that and obviously to have helped him to a certain degree get there."
Quenneville's 781 coaching wins rank third all-time, one behind Al Arbour for second place. He can tie the legendary New York Islanders coach on Tuesday night if Chicago emerges victorious against the Central Division-rival Nashville Predators.
A Jack Adams Award winner in 1999-2000 with the St. Louis Blues, Quenneville has posted a 343-168-69 record with the Blackhawks for a franchise-best .651 points percentage. He has spent parts of 19 years as a coach in the NHL, guiding the Colorado Avalanche, Blues and Blackhawks during that span.
