Luke Richardson’s mentors with the Montreal Canadiens say the new Chicago Blackhawks coach has a way with young players

Former Montreal Canadiens coach Claude Julien kept coming back to the same word to describe his former assistant coach Luke Richardson: “presence.”

And Julien wasn’t just talking about the new Chicago Blackhawks coach’s demeanor.

“He’s probably going to challenge a lot of players when it comes to fitness. He’s in unbelievable shape,” Julien said about the 53-year-old Richardson, a 6-foot-3 former defenseman who would jump into drills to give a player a breather. “He works out every day — extremely hard. Sometimes you look at him and tell yourself he could still be a player.

“That’s Luke in a nutshell.”

Another of Richardson’s former Canadiens coaches, Martin St. Louis, said with a laugh: “I’m sure (Hawks) players are going to YouTube him and they’re going to see the kind of player he was, and I think he’s going to command respect right away.”

While St. Louis and Julien agree on Richardson’s physical bearing, they also see many of the same personality traits they believe make Richardson the right fit at the right time for the Hawks: composure, patience, respect and empathy.

“He’s just a very approachable, calculated guy,” St. Louis said. “He’ll relate to the young guys and prospects, and I think the guys will gravitate to him. His whole experience as a player, as a head coach in the American (Hockey) League, as an assistant coach in the NHL now, he’s got a lot of time in the game. And now going to have his own style.

“But he cares about people. He’s a very caring human and his players are going to feel that.”

Richardson said in a Hawks release Monday: “I plan to create an environment of trust with our team. With trust, relationships will form and grow, thus allowing everyone to blossom and execute their role.

“My philosophy is to be better today than we were yesterday and, to achieve that, we will need commitment and consistency.”

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He was consistent in building his NHL resume, whether he realized he was doing so or not. The Ottawa, Ontario, native played more than 1,400 games with six teams across 21 seasons.

Richardson began his coaching career as an assistant with his hometown Senators in 2008-09. In 2012 he was named coach of the AHL Binghamton Senators, who made the playoffs in the first two of his four seasons.

He led Canada to a Spengler Cup championship in December 2016 before joining the New York Islanders as an assistant for the 2017-18 season.

Julien hired Richardson that summer and had him work with defensemen and the penalty kill.

“Luke has got a lot of knowledge on the game, and one of his biggest strengths is his rapport with the players,” Julien said. “Besides being knowledgeable, he’s a very patient guy too. … He’s not a guy that will panic on the spot, but he’ll get his message across.”

The Canadiens fired Julien in February 2021 and installed Dominique Ducharme, but happenstance put an international spotlight on Richardson.

Ducharme contracted COVID-19 during the 2021 Stanley Cup semifinals, and Richardson shepherded the Habs to a series win against the Vegas Golden Knights. He also coached the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final, which the Canadiens lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Julien said Richardson’s command of the bench appeared seamless.

“With the forwards, he had the same kind of respect from them as well,” Julien said.

Ducharme got the axe in February, almost a year after Julien was fired, and St. Louis leaned on Richardson — his former teammate with the 2006-07 Lightning — when he was named as Ducharme’s replacement.

“For me it’s bittersweet,” St. Louis said of Richardson getting the Hawks job. “I’m really excited for him. He’s been in the game a long time and he’s been at it. For him to get the opportunity, he’s earned that. I hate to lose him because for me he was a good guy to jump in this with, getting the job in February.

“He’s got a quiet confidence, but he’s very calm and collected. The modern coach now has more of a calm approach about things. I think Luke is that.”

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Both St. Louis and Julien noted Richardson’s ability to be patient with young players while still holding them accountable.

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“Obviously hockey’s a game of mistakes, but they felt comfortable they would learn from their mistakes a little bit and get some coaching and reinforcement,” St. Louis said. “I don’t think Luke suffocated them.

“Sometimes people just overcoach. Luke did not do that.”

Julien added: “They’re not going to feel (he’s) one of those guys that will throw them under the bus.”

Richardson’s ability to connect with players likely will determine his longevity with the Hawks. That’s general manager Kyle Davidson’s mandate.

It was a perceived lack of response from players that led to Jeremy Colliton’s firing in November, and on paper interim coach Derek King didn’t fare a great deal better despite reviews that he was more effective addressing the room.

“He’s a really good communicator,” Julien said of Richardson, “but he’s also got that presence and that respect from the players. If you put all those things together, it should add to success, the kind of coach that you’re looking for.

“I personally think it was a good choice. In my mind, Luke deserves that shot.”