Report: Blackhawks to name Ulf Samuelsson assistant coach

Joel Quenneville is reportedly reuniting with a former teammate.

The Chicago Blackhawks will name Ulf Samuelsson assistant coach to fill the vacancy created by Mike Kitchen's firing, a source told Arizona Sports' Craig Morgan.

Samuelsson was seen as the leading candidate for the role, the Chicago Tribune's Chris Kuc reported last month.

The former NHL defenseman served as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes' AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, this past season, guiding them to a 39-29-7-1 record and a first-round appearance in the Calder Cup playoffs.

He was an assistant coach with the New York Rangers from 2013-16 and associate coach of the then-Phoenix Coyotes from 2006-11.

Kitchen was fired after the Blackhawks were swept out of the first round by the Nashville Predators in April. The move was reportedly made to send a message to Quenneville and didn't sit well with the head coach, who spent seven years with his former assistant in Chicago and several more in St. Louis.

Samuelsson played five seasons with Quenneville as members of the Hartford Whalers from 1985-86 to 1989-90.