Blackhawks reportedly add World Champion assistant coach to complete Jeff Blashill's staff

Jeff Blashill has reportedly completed his coaching staff by hiring an assistant who helped Team USA make history at the IIHF Hockey World Championships.

The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta speculated when Blashill was hired that Mike Vellucci would be joining the staff.

According to hockey insider and Chicago Sports Network contributor Frank Seravalli, the Chicago Blackhawks are close to officially making that happen. Vellucci was recently an assistant coach for Team USA's first World Championship victory in over 92 years.

Vellucci will join former Blackhawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen and recently hired Michael Peca on the bench with Blashill. Jimmy Waite is also returning to work with the team's goaltenders.

Vellucci is an experienced assistant coach with an extensive player development background.

You have to love that he worked for Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh before coming to Chicago. While it would have been great for the Blackhawks to hire Sullivan, getting one of his assistants is a nice consolation.

Especially since Vellucci worked with the forwards and the penalty kill unit in Pittsburgh. Hopefully, Vellucci can help develop Connor Bedard into an NHL icon much like Bedard's childhood hero, Sidney Crosby. Granted, Crosby was already a Hall of Famer when Vellucci got to Pittsburgh, but having experience coaching a legend should help.

He already has a head start when it comes to working with Frank Nazar on Team USA. Nazar seemed to thrive on Team USA as he was the Americans' top point producer.

Vellucci also has had success in the AHL. He coached the Carolina Hurricanes' affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, to a Calder Cup win in 2019. He also worked in Carolina's front office.

Vellucci also coached for 13 years in the OHL. He has an extensive background in player development, and that is critical as the assistant coaches are trusted by the head coach to do a lot of the on-ice instruction.

Blashill is building a staff with extensive player development experience, but that is why he was hired in the first place. His assignment is simple--develop the baby Blackhawks into champions.

Vellucci has expertise in that area. He just needs to develop those players into Stanley Cup champions, as that is the only thing missing on his resume.

It sounds like he will fit in with the players, something that seems to be a characteristic of the entire staff.

The only way it will be known if this is a good hire, along with hiring Blashill to be the team's new head coach being a good idea, is if the young players develop into winners.