Chicago Blackhawks fire IceHogs coach Dent
Just a day after firing Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Kitchen, the Blackhawks have cut ties with the head coach of their AHL team.
Ted Dent, who spent six seasons directing the Rockford IceHogs, has been relieved of his duties, team officials announced Tuesday.
Dent's IceHogs struggled mightly this season, finishing last in their division with a 25-39-12 record. Of course, 2015-16 IceHogs standouts such as Ryan Hartman, Vinnie Hinostroza and Tanner Kero spent most or all of their seasons with the Blackhawks, and others such as Mark McNeill, Spencer Abbott and Sam Carrick were traded during the season.
On March 2, one day after the NHL trade deadline, Dent told Rockford's WREX-Ch. 13: "As an organization we're a little down right now, but that's pro hockey and that's what happens when you're not in contention. ... It's a learning lesson for our whole group that we needed to be better and we weren't.
"Chicago sort of dismantled our team. But big picture - the coaching staff and all the players - we have to be better. I really think we underachieved this year with the group we had."
Attempts to reach Dent for comment were unsuccessful.
Dent went 221-179-54 in six seasons as head coach of the IceHogs. Before that, he was the team's assistant from 2007-11.