Luke Richardson to make his Chicago Blackhawks coaching debut against the reigning champion Colorado Avalanche

For the second season in a row, the Chicago Blackhawks will open their season on the road against the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche.

Only this time, the teams find themselves at opposite ends of the spectrum from just a year ago.

The Avalanche are Stanley Cup champions. The Hawks are on the ground floor of a rebuild.

When the puck drops at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Ball Arena in Denver, the Hawks could be even more outmatched than when they lost 4-2 at the same venue on Oct. 13, 2021.

The season-opening loss spiraled into a 1-9-2 start that culminated in Jeremy Colliton’s firing. Derek King replaced Colliton as interim coach for the rest of the season.

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The Hawks’ opener will mark the NHL coaching debut of Luke Richardson, who was hired June 27.

It won’t be easy sledding for Richardson, who’ll play his first three games on the road as the Hawks jaunt from Denver to Las Vegas (Golden Knights) to San Jose, Calif., (Sharks) in the first four days of the season. The Hawks traveled for their first three games last year.

After the opening trip, the Hawks get a five-day break before the home opener against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 21 at the United Center. The homestand continues with games against the Seattle Kraken, Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers.

The Hawks host their season finale against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 13.