Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland talks to players on the bench at the United Center on February 16, 2011. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO (CBS) – Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland, who traded special teams duties with fellow assistant Mike Kitchen during the season, has been relieved of his coaching duties.
Haviland has been an assistant coach for the Blackhawks for four seasons under head coach Joel Quenneville, was also the head coach of the team’s minor league teams in Norfolk (2005-07) and Rockford (07-08).
The Blackhawks’ power play and penalty kill units both ranked among the worst in the league this past season, and those struggles were seen as a main reason the team could not get past the first round of the playoffs.
There also had been rumors recently that Quenneville might be leaving to coach the Montreal Canadiens, but GM Stan Bowman has said he expects the head coach to return next season. Quenneville is under contract through the 2013-14 season.
