Black Hawks’ Tessier Now Plays It Cooler

The name and the face may be the same but the Chicago Black Hawks have a different coach to begin the 1984-85 NHL campaign.

The press guide still lists the coach as Orval Tessier, the former NHL coach of the year. It still looked like the third-year coach standing behind the Hawks’ bench at the start of the year.

But, at least for the first two months of the season, it was a new Tessier, a calmer, more reserved 1984-85 model toiling for Chicago.

“I know when I first got here I was told I needed to be tough with this team,” Tessier says. “Now, I think a different type of approach is needed. We have professional players here.”

Last year, the stormy Tessier had a near player revolt on his hands. The tough, Patton-like disciplinary tactics of his rookie season weren’t working. A club that rose to the top of its division -- and into the Stanley Cup quarterfinals in Tessier’s first year -- had fallen on tough times.

“There was some problem in communication at times I think,” says starting goaltender Murray Bannerman, who publicly was at odds with Tessier at times last year. “I think things have improved.”

Last year, the club started slowly and got worse. Injuries hit 13 players at one time or another and Tessier’s demanding style grew in disfavor with the Hawks.

The club was eliminated in the first round by the Minnesota North Stars and Tessier had time to reflect about what his approach would be for his third campaign.

“I never saw anything like it,” Tessier reflected. “Injuries to so many players. I am sure it caused a strain on this team.”

Entering this year, Tessier also may have seen the handwriting on the wall. The club brought in Roger Neilson, a former NHL head coach, to work as an assistant. He may have been brought in to serve as a buffer between the volatile Tessier and the rest of the team.

“Roger has a lot of responsibility. He’s working with the defense and has been a big help,” Tessier says.

Tessier probably understands that if the Hawks faltered again this year on their own or if they start losing after a series of debilitating injuries, it would be easy for Chicago to turn to Neilson.

For most of the opening two months, Tessier had toned down his act. But gradually there were signs of the old Tessier coming to life, especially after the club spent the better part of November on the road.

“I can’t understand the NHL for scheduling us this way,” Tessier fumed. “We were home for two games in the entire month. That is hard on a hockey team.”

Part of the reason the Hawks had such a great wanderlust away from the Chicago Stadium was the Stadium’s owners -- the Wirtz family, which also owns the hockey team -- decided to book an ice show for two weeks that forced the Hawks away from home.

Tessier still was carrying a lower profile into late December when the club went on a losing streak. He didn’t yell or scream but his anger was clear.

“I think there were some hockey players on this team that had other things besides hockey on their minds,” Tessier said. “I am very disappointed in this. I think there are some games that we wished we would have won in December come the end of the season.”

Regardless of his public demeanor, Tessier still demands much from his players both on and off the ice. For the most part this year, he has had a lower profile criticizing his players after a loss and is much more generous with praise following a Hawk win.

Whether this will be enough to satisfy the Black Hawks’ management remains to be seen. Chicago, starved for a winner after the heartbreaking Cubs’ loss in the baseball playoffs, is ready to explode for a team that can win a championship.

The Hawks haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1961 -- 23 years without a title -- and this team doesn’t appear to have the talent to end the streak.

“What we need to do is prove it on the ice. The coach has given us a set of rules and regulations and we have to follow them,” said Chicago’s Al Secord. “If we get a lashing, we’re going to deserve it. But that isn’t the case. We have the talent on this hockey team. We’ve got to live up to that, plain and simple.”