NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators filled out their coaching staff Tuesday by hiring former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson as an assistant.
Richardson joins Darby Hendrickson, Derek MacKenzie and goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok on coach Andrew Brunette’s staff. General manager Barry Trotz said Richardson brings a wealth of NHL experience as both a player and a coach.
“We believe he will be a valuable new voice and set of eyes — not just for our defensemen, but for our coaching staff,” Trotz said in a release announcing the move. “His strong character, leadership, perspective as a former NHL head coach and ability to connect with both young and veteran players will elevate our team on and off the ice.”
Richardson replaces Todd Richards, who had been with Nashville since October 2020. Richardson coached the Blackhawks before being fired last Dec. 5, early in his third season in charge in Chicago. He coached Connor Bedard and defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic.
He also has been an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators. Richardson played 1,417 games as a defenseman in 21 NHL seasons.
Nashville’s assistant coaches all played in the NHL and compiled a combined 3,656 regular-season games in their careers on the ice.
The 2025-26 season will Brunette’s third as Nashville’s coach. The Predators went 30-44 with eight overtime losses this past season to finish seventh in the Western Conference’s Central Division and miss the playoffs. A year earlier, the Predators were 47-30 with five OT losses, finished fourth in the division and lost in the first round of the playoffs.