The Predators shook up their coaching staff Tuesday, adding former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson as an assistant to replace Todd Richards.
A former NHL coach himself, Richards had spent the last five seasons with Nashville, as he was originally hired by former Preds coach John Hynes in 2020 and remained on the staff under Andrew Brunette.
Richardson, meanwhile, joins current Nashville assistants Derek MacKenzie, Darby Hendrickson and goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok on Brunette’s staff.
The 56-year-old Richardson played 21 seasons in the NHL, with the 6-3, 214-pound defenseman known for his stay-at-home, rugged style of play.
In the 1,417 games in which he competed (12th-most among defensemen in NHL history) from 1987-2009, Richardson totaled 201 points (35 goals, 166 assists) and 2,055 penalty minutes. He piled up over 100 penalty minutes in 12 of his first 15 seasons in the league.
Richardson was fired by the Blackhawks last December after guiding Chicago to a 57-118-15 record over three seasons, including an 8-16-2 mark to start the 2024-25 season.
He previously had served as an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens (2018-22), New York Islanders (2017-18) and Ottawa Senators (2008-12). Richardson was also head coach of the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Senators from 2012-16, leading that team to a 153-120-17-14 record and two playoff berths.
“Luke brings a wealth of NHL experience as both a player and coach to our staff,” Predators General Manager Barry Trotz said in a release.
“With that experience, we believe he will be a valuable new voice and set of eyes — not just for our defensemen, but for our coaching staff. 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.
“At the same time, I want to thank Todd Richards for his contributions to the Predators over the past five seasons and wish him well in his next endeavor.”
The Predators were woeful defensively in 2024-25, surrendering a franchise record 274 goals. Nashville allowed 3.34 goals against per game, which ranked 27th among the NHL’s 32 teams.
The Preds played their final 25 games without top blueliner Roman Josi, as the team captain was unable to return from a concussion.
Josi recently revealed he was diagnosed with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), a nervous system condition that can impact blood circulation. However, Josi said he expects to play the 2025-26 season.
Assuming the Preds re-sign Justin Barron, a pending restricted free agent, the top seven defensemen for the coming season will be Josi, Brady Skjei, Jérémy Lauzon, Nick Blankenburg, Adam Wilsby, Jordan Oesterle and Andreas Englund.