Blackhawks: Why Derek King is the Right Coach moving forward

3. He Embraces the Fanbase

Derek King has won the fanbase over in less than a month, embracing his comparison to Walter White, cracking jokes all the time, and elevated the Blackhawks’ play in a short amount of time. He brings in an aura that felt like he “freed the franchise”, and it felt like a breath of fresh air when he arrived. He joked with the reporters and embraced the Walter White comparison and the fans love him for it. We love a coach who can laugh at himself (or at all, really).

Maybe it’s because Colliton was the replacement for Coach Q, but his work afterward didn’t really do him any favors. The Blackhawks did place him in a sticky situation right off the bat, but he did nothing to appeal himself to the fanbase. King looked to have learned from that mistake and immediately won over the fanbase with his personality. As much as it is needed for a coach to appeal to and earn the respect of his players, he has to appeal to the fans as well.

Conclusion

In all, Derek King allows his players to play freely and finally enjoy playing the game again. His systems are more effective AND more entertaining than Colliton’s. King also embraces the fanbase and the journalist, interacting with them. The Walter White comparison brought a loud cheer in the United Center, showing that he already has the loyalty of the fanbase in less than two weeks.

So far, he is helping this franchise meet expectations and he can only improve as he learns under Marc Crawford. This team is performing for him right now, and finding ways to further release this loaded roster is to be expected as the season continues. I personally feel like Derek King is worth taking a long look at as the permanent head coach.