Sutter was just what the 'Hawks needed. (Insider).(Brian Sutter, coach of the Blackhawks)

Brian Sutter was not Blackhawks G.M. Mike Smith's first choice when he went out looking for a new coach last May. Former Panthers G.M. Bryan Murray was. But Sutter put team execs into a trance. In an interview that lasted eight hours, Sutter presented Smith and team officials with more than 200 pages of insights on the Blackhawks' depth chart, their strengths and their weaknesses.

Sutter and Smith also discussed the types of coaching systems Sutter believes in. In particular, Smith wondered if Sutter, after sometimes-contentious coaching stints in St. Louis, Boston and Calgary, would be open to teaching a style that emphasized both finesse and physical play. ...