The struggling Chicago Blackhawks have dumped head coach Trent Yawney.

Yawney, who once played for the Blackhawks, will be replaced behind the bench by another former Chicago player, Denis Savard.

The Blackhawks went 33-55-15 during Trent Yawney's two-year coaching tenure.
(Brian Kersey/Associated Press)

Yawney's sacking comes after an abysmal stretch that saw Chicago lose 12 of its last 15 games. Overall, the Blackhawks are 7-12-2 on the season.

Injuries are a big reason for Chicago's collapse. Martin Havlat, the Blackhawks' top off-season acquisition, has missed several weeks because of an ankle sprain.

"The bottom line is wins and losses, and we needed to win more," Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon said Monday. "We've had some injuries, but in spite of that, we're a better team than our record shows."

Tallon wants his club to play a more up-tempo style and believes Savard can move the Blackhawks in that direction.

Savard 'always wanted to be a head coach'

Savard, a Hall of Fame player, is excited about the opportunity, despite the unfortunate circumstances.

"I've always wanted to be a head coach," said Savard, who's been a Blackhawks assistant coach since 1997.

"We're not happy over the last few years as far as our win-loss record is concerned," Savard added. "The players have to share that responsibility. But we're looking to move forward and go in a new direction."

The Blackhawks went 33-55-15 during Yawney's two-year tenure. He's the third coach fired this season, joining Ken Hitchcock in Philadelphia and Gerard Gallant in Columbus.