Hawks Coach Quenneville Talks On Eve Of New Season
CHICAGO (CBS) - For the first time in nearly half a century, the Chicago Blackhawks will begin the season as the Stanley Cup champions.
On the eve of the new season, CBS 2's Rob Johnson sat down with Blackhawks Coach Joel Quenneville to ask him about the eventful summer with the Stanley Cup, the difficulty in repeating, making Chicago his home -- and that famous mustache.
"I didn't envision getting it done in two years," said Joel Quenneville.
"It" was winning the Stanley Cup, and hoisting the coveted trophy above his head in Philadelphia last June; the last time he coached a game that mattered.
The next game that matters is Thursday night, as the Blackhawks begin defense of their title.
"We got Colorado on Thursday and Detroit on Saturday, and the fun starts," said Quenneville.
Fun was what Coach Quenneville had all summer, starting with that unforgettable victory parade.
"That was over the top, that was unbelievable," he said. "We were standing on top of the bus with the family, and all you saw was people standing. It went on forever."
That fun continued as Coach Q made Stanley his constant traveling companion, 0no matter where he went in the community.
"The best thing about the cup is impromptus. When you walk in and people see the cup, the expressions on their face, that's priceless," said Quenneville. "Whether it's going to a restaurant, going to a bar, going to a hospital, walking down the street, it stops traffic. It's an amazing thing."
It got even better for the coach when the Blackhawks offered him a three-year contract extension, giving him security which is rare in the coaching fraternity.
"I'm the happiest coach in the world, being in this situation, in this environment with so many positive things to work with. It's a fun situation," he said.
But because of salary cap constraints, the Blackhawks had to part with roughly half of the team this summer, which means there are many new nameplates sprinkled throughout the locker room, to go along with the familiar stars.
Was it hard saying goodbye to so many key contributors from last year?
"It's always tough," said Quenneville.
When asked how difficult this year will be knowing that people are going to want to make a name for themselves against the Hawks every night, Quenneville said, "We gotta be ready, but I still like the ingredients we have. It's complementary with today's game. As we go along here, it'll be the process of getting there, and that's just as much fun as winning sometimes."
With that behind them, Quenneville is now looking ahead.
When asked how many more Stanley Cups he has to win until his is the most famous mustache in town, he said, "I don't know but I'd like to win again."
The Blackhawks begin their defense of the cup in Colorado Thursday night. The championship banner will be raised at the United Center on Saturday night against the Red Wings.
