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Joel Quenneville returns to run Blackhawks practice

Joel Quenneville

Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville smiles as he talks to reporters during the team’s media day Friday, Sept. 17, 2010 in Chicago. The Blackhawks will start their defense of the Stanley Cup with their first practice sold out at the United Center Saturday. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

AP

Call it a side effect of the rigors of life as an NHL coach or just too much aspirin, but Chicago Blackhawks’ coach Joel Quenneville got a scare last week. He missed a handful of games behind the team’s bench due to an ulcer that was causing gastrointestinal bleeding, but the mustachioed bench boss returned to coach the team’s practice today.

CSN Chicago’s Tracey Myers caught up with Quenneville to get his thoughts on coming back. It’s good to see the coach was in good spirits.

“I was on IR for a week. We’ll call it an upper body injury and we’re all good to go,” said Quenneville, who added he watched “every second” of all four games he missed.

The team played pretty well with assistant coach Mike Haviland in charge, going 3-1-0 during Quenneville’s hiatus. Still, the team will be glad to have Coach Q back as they are in a four-way tie for eighth place in the West at 68 points. Chicago’s next game is Thursday against the Nashville Predators.

Much like Dan Bylsma in Pittsburgh and Bruce Boudreau in Washington, the Hawks made a big leap when they changed to Quenneville. The team is 125-66-25 during his tenure.