Q&A: Get to Know Head Coach Luke Richardson

You've heard all the tangible accolades of Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson when it comes to his playing and coaching career, but what about away from the rink?
Here are the hard-hitting questions to really know what makes him tick.

LUKE RICHARDSON LINKS
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Q: So, who was your favorite hockey player or athlete growing up?
RICHARDSON: I pretty much love all sports, but my favorite hockey player was probably kind of a tie between…I liked Borje Salming, who played in Toronto, which I had a chance to play two years with because he played a long time. I was lucky. And Larry Robinson, who was another big defenseman, and I've had a chance to meet him, and it's been a thrill. He actually grew up close to my hometown, so that was kind of fun.
Q: What was or what would be your go-to goal celebration?
RICHARDSON: There weren't a lot of them, so my go-to goal celebration was probably pretty simple. It was actually finding my teammates to celebrate with them because I just liked to keep it humble.
Q: What is your best hockey memory, playing or coaching?
RICHARDSON: For coaching, it was probably two playoffs ago when I had an interim head coaching gig for a while because of COVID, which benefited me for sure. And I coached the semifinals of the playoffs and we won two games the last out of the last three to go to the Stanley Cup Final, so I was the head coach of the team that ended up winning the game to get to the Stanley Cup Finals, which was pretty thrilling.
As a player. I always go back and it's ironic that I'm here, because it was my first NHL game, and I was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was in the Chicago Stadium in 1987, and I'll never forget when the organ started to play, and Chicago fans started cheering. It was probably the most chilling thing I've ever heard to this day in sports anywhere.

Q: Now for the real gritty stuff. What is your all-time favorite movie?
RICHARDSON: I've had a few, so to narrow down probably three of them, if I could, it'd be Dances With Wolves (1990), I'm a big Kevin Costner fan. I love that one. Field of Dreams (1989), was always a real good-feeling movie at the end. And I think lately, I wasn't a huge Queen fan growing up, but I love music, so Bohemian Rhapsody (2018). I've probably seen it 15 times.
Q: Following up on that, are you going to go see the new Elvis movie?
RICHARDSON: I love Elvis, I'm a big Elvis fan. I can't wait to see that.
Q: Favorite TV show growing up?
RICHARDSON: Growing up…as a kid, I probably loved The Flintstones. If I go to my next stage of my life, I loved Cheers. And ironically, my daughter lives in Boston. But my favorite TV show of all time is Seinfeld.
Q: How about go-to hype song?
RICHARDSON: I'm a heavy metal guy. So, Metallica is right at the top of the list and so it would probably be "Enter Sandman."
Q: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
RICHARDSON: Chicken parm.
Q: If you could coach any other sport, what would it be and why?
RICHARDSON: I'm stuck in my own sport all the time. But you know what? I guess football because it's physical like hockey, and the specifics in it, where you're coaching in a certain area, so I'd have to go with football.
Q: First concert you ever went to?
RICHARDSON: My first concert ever went to I think was April Wine, which is a Canadian rock band.
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Chicago or one you're most excited to try?
RICHARDSON: Carmine's is probably my favorite restaurant, and I used to go and eat dinners there when I'd come visit with Tony Esposito. And we used to have great conversations and he was always really good to me; it was a thrill. But there's so many ones that I'm so looking forward to trying. It's just such a culinary city that I can't wait to try more.
Q: If you could have dinner with one person in history, who would it be and why?
RICHARDSON: Elvis Presley, just because he's an iconic person in all aspects, you know? He just seemed like a big-hearted person that we lost way too early.
Q: If you could live in any TV show or movie universe, what would it be and why?
RICHARDSON: I guess I like the Jason Bourne movies. I like the other movies [I mentioned earlier] better, but I think if I can be Jason Bourne, then I'd be Jason Bourne.