Blackhawks Fire Coach Joel Quenneville, Winner Of 3 Stanley Cups

CHICAGO — The Chicago Blackhawks and Coach Joel Quenneville have parted ways. Or more accurately — and more shockingly — the NHL team fired the three-time Stanley Cup winning coach, the organization announced Tuesday.

"This was an extremely difficult decision, given our respect for Joel and all that he has brought to the Chicago Blackhawks organization the last 10 years," Blackhawks President and CEO John McDonough said in a statement. "His leadership during three Stanley Cup championships speaks for itself and there is no way to adequately express what he has meant to this organization. He will always be a significant member of the Blackhawks family."

Assistants Kevin Dineen and Ulf Samuelsson also were let go by the Blackhawks. Jeremy Colliton, the coach of the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Rockford, was named the new coach of the Blackhawks.

This season, Quenneville's squad was off to a 6-6-3 start. But the Blackhawks missed the playoffs last season after going to the postseason in nine full seasons under the coach.

Quenneville created a mini-dynasty out of the Blackhawks after coming onboard after the start of the 2008-09 season. He and the team won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

Fired Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville in 2017. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel | Getty Images)