NHL News: Chicago Blackhawls, Carey Price, Sponsors Not Happy and COVID Protocol
The Chicago Blackhawks fire three coaches including head coach Jeremy Colliton. Carey Price won't speak yet. Sponsors not happy with the NHL.
© David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Blackhawks let three coaches go

Adam Kimelman: Statement from the Chicago Blackhawks on their coaching changes.

“The Chicago Blackhawks have relieved Jeremy Colliton, Tomas Mitell and Sheldon Brookbank of their coaching duties and have named Derek King interim Head Coach, effective immediately. Anders Soresen will serve as Interim Head Coach of the Rockford IceHogs beginning tonight.

Marc Crawford, Jimmy Waite, Matt Meacham and Dylan Crawford will remain on the Blackhawks coaching staff in their current positions. Additionally, Chris Kunitz will remain in his role as Player Development Advisor with the Blackhawks.”

Adam Kimelman: It was three years to the day that the Jeremy Colliton had replaced Joel Quenneville behind the Blackhawks bench.

Price won’t speak yet

Stu Cowan: The Montreal Canadiens announced that goaltender Carey Price with take part in the NHL/NHLPA after-care program after he rejoins the team on Monday. He won’t speak to the media until after the doctors give the okay.

Sponsors not happy with the NHL

Rick Westhead: A marketing executive said that multiple sponsors have “put the NHL on notice” for the way they handled the Chicago Blackhawks abuse scandal. The NHL brand took a beating.

Rick Westhead: The executive said their concerns started with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly holding their press conference without suit jackets and leaning back in their chairs.

The executive said “They seemed to have no clue about respecting the gravity of the situation.”

Rick Westhead: Clarifying that what Bettman and Daly said was worse than the lack of suits/posture, but that is where it started.

NHL adjusting protocol for false positives

Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on Sports net on how the NHL is adjusting testing protocol to help solve some the issues that come up with false positives.

“But they did make one interesting protocol change to try to address the case of false positives – they have worked on a system where they can expedite the ability to test and make sure those are actual positives, and not false positives, by using what they can at the facilities, the very good tests at the facilities, instead of the tests that go to the lab and show issues. So, that was the way they decided to attack it – is there a way we can speed it up to make sure that the tests are accurate?”

The St. Louis Blues asked about getting some salary cap relief because of being shorthanded because of COVID protocol. The NHL wouldn’t give them cap relief.