Why Anders Sorensen chose to stay with the Blackhawks after Jeff Blashill took his job

After Anders Sörensen was told he wouldn’t be the Blackhawks’ next head coach, he could have gone elsewhere.

Sörensen’s resume — 56 games as the Blackhawks’ interim coach this season, three-plus seasons as an AHL head coach, and an appearance at the World Championship as an assistant coach for Sweden this year — could have landed him another job in the NHL, AHL or Sweden.

Sörensen didn’t pursue anything else, though. Disappointed he wasn’t hired as the Blackhawks’ permanent head coach, Sörensen still saw an exciting opportunity when he was offered a position as an assistant on new Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill’s staff.

“I believe in working with a group that pulls on the same rope, so to speak; I think that’s an important part for me,” Sörensen told The Athletic on Monday. “It’s probably more important than having a title at times. As long as you’re part of a group that everybody has a voice and everybody is included — someone obviously has to make the final decisions, but I think including people is a big part of it. I think Jeff seems to be doing that really well. That’s why I’m excited.”

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson broke the news to Sörensen that Blashill had been hired while Sörensen was in Europe at the World Championship.

“It was honest and direct, and that’s all you can ask for,” Sörensen said of Davidson’s communication. “Obviously, they made their decision there. For me, you obviously go in hoping for something. … But once Kyle told me that Jeff was the guy, obviously some disappointment first, but then, obviously, excitement when I heard who it was. What he stands for is something I really believe in. It made the decision a lot easier.”

Sörensen and Blashill have crossed paths throughout their careers. That began when Blashill was an assistant at Miami (Ohio) and Sörensen was with the Chicago Mission, an AAA program. Sörensen especially got to know him at an annual Notre Dame coaching clinic.

“We always met up in summers at those things,” Sörensen said. “I always held him in very high regards as a coach and a person. Got to know him through there, and he was a guy I always stayed in touch with throughout the years and picked his brain on different things. It always seemed like I came out of conversations with Jeff, whether it was over beers or just in the coaches’ setting, I always came away with something. I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, I like that,’ or he made me think. He made me think about different things. That’s something I really value.”

Blashill being the Blackhawks’ pick helped Sörensen’s decision. He and Blashill talked for a long time, too, before Sörensen accepted the position, but ultimately, Sörensen’s decision came down to what he thinks of Davidson’s rebuild plan and what he has observed with the Rockford IceHogs and Blackhawks.

“You know, I had a really strong belief in this group of players that we had, that we acquired, obviously, a lot through the draft,” Sörensen said. “These young players, I’ve seen them throughout the year in Rockford and Chicago, I really believed in this group of players. This made my decision to stay on board obviously a lot easier as well. I want to help see this through. You see other teams in the league that have gone through this, if it’s Edmonton, where they were eight, nine years ago, or Colorado before their runs there. I think those things, just excitement seeing this group through.”

The end of the Blackhawks’ season confirmed that for him, too.

“I think especially the last 10-some games here, these young guys, how their game took a stride,” Sörensen said. “Frankie (Nazar) and even (Connor Bedard’s) last six, seven, eight games, how he handled everything throughout the year and finished was super positive. You see some of those young defensemen. You see how they handled playing in this league, with that young of a group, was really impressive. Obviously, small sample, and I’m sure we’re going to hit our speed bumps throughout the season here, but to see the potential in that group was really exciting.”

Sörensen would rather be the head coach, but he pointed out some positive benefits of being an assistant. He can work in different ways with Nazar, Bedard and others.

“I think, obviously, when you’re an assistant, your role is a little different, but I think it’s an opportunity to work even closer with some of those guys one-on-one,” Sörensen said. “When you’re the head coach, there’s a lot of responsibility that goes into that. So, maybe it’s a little bit of time for just hockey when you’re an assistant, and something I’ve always enjoyed. I think the way we are and some of the other teams in the league right now, we do have to develop these young guys in the NHL. It’s not always an easy task, but I think it’s something I think we’re all up for.”

Sörensen will return, too, with the lessons he learned from coaching Sweden’s national team. He was in charge of Sweden’s power play and forwards.

“I think the one thing that keeps standing out, it’s the players’ game,” Sörensen said. “First of all, elite players are super smart, and they know a lot. A lot of times, they want honest and direct feedback. That’s something you learn throughout the season, especially in the NHL, but even here at the World Championship. I think that’s something I learned, just the importance of the relationships with the players and the people around the staff as well.

“I think I’m a much better coach today than I was a year ago, for sure. The growth probably got accelerated because of the opportunities in the NHL and obviously at the World Championship here.”

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