Jan. 13--Tuesday was the day Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville could tie former Islanders coach Al Arbour for second place on the NHL's all-time wins list with 782. Next on the list? Hawks senior adviser Scotty Bowman, father of Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman, at 1,244.
"If (Quenneville) broke his record, it means that we've got a lot of wins in us," Stan Bowman said.
Quenneville will at least have a few more seasons to chip away at Bowman's record.
The Hawks inked Quenneville to a three-year extension that runs through the 2020 season, the team announced, giving Quenneville more time to build on his three Stanley Cup championships and five Western Conference finals appearances since he took the job in 2008.
"Well, in your wildest dreams you wouldn't have expected what happened here to happen ..." Quenneville said. "It's a tremendous group to work with, knowing your leaders have that type of character you hope to have on your team. They send the right message and you couldn't ask for a better situation to be in as a coach."
Locking up Quenneville is another box the Hawks have checked off to ensure they will be among the league's top teams for the next few seasons.
Financial terms of Quenneville's deal were not immediately available, but given his track record it is not far-fetched to think Quenneville received a significant pay raise over the reported $2.75 million per season he was making. Leafs coach Mike Babcock signed a deal worth $50 million over eight seasons in May, a deal that shock waves throughout the league.
"That's not really the focus, is whether one contract impacts another," GM Bowman said. "We like what we have here and we want to keep it going. Joel's played a big role in where we are and we're looking for that to continue. ... We've had a great relationship. We've worked really well together. We always have and I'm sure we will continue to do so."
At 57, Quenneville still hasn't lost the edge or hunger for the game that he has had throughout his days as a player and coach. When asked Sunday what his favorite part of coaching was, he said, succinctly: "Winning the game and seeing our players getting better."
Those players were happy to see Quenneville get rewarded with a new contract.
"I think it's awesome," captain Jonathan Toews said. "You've seen ... players that have been big parts of the Cup runs we've had get rewarded and have that security as far as a contract goes. I think we're all happy to see Q rewarded in that sense. I think we're getting, you know it's funny to say, but more comfortable with his coaching and his style as the years go by."
That's because Quenneville, despite the crusty exterior and furrowed brow he may sport behind the bench, can still be a players coach. It's a style he has adapted over the years. Quenneville rarely practices during busy stretches of games on the schedule, something that may not have happened at the beginning of his coaching career. And he allows his veterans the space to be leaders.
"Coming in here when we were at a young age, I think he taught a lot of us a specific way to play without giving away any creativity or freedom," Patrick Kane said. "It doesn't ever seem he's up for the coach of the year award, and we all feel in here that he can be there every year."
