The Chicago Blackhawks' decision to fire assistant coach Mike Kitchen reportedly didn't sit well with Joel Quenneville.
Kitchen's firing was not orchestrated by the head coach, who was upset by the move, multiple league sources told Chris Hine of the Chicago Tribune.
The team didn't include a statement from Quenneville in the news release announcing Kitchen's dismissal.
Related: Blackhawks fire assistant coach Kitchen after playoff sweep
Kitchen's firing is expected to cause more conflict between Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman, wrote Hine. The two Blackhawks staffers engaged in a power struggle over personnel back in 2012 that was alleviated by the pair of subsequent titles.
Bowman likely fired Kitchen to reassert authority over the organization's personnel and to send everyone, including Quenneville, a message, according to the report.
The GM said Saturday that changes were coming, but the head coach was not going to be let go at this juncture, following a first-round sweep at the hands of the Nashville Predators.
Kitchen was fired Monday after seven seasons with the Blackhawks that began when he was reunited with Quenneville in the summer of 2010.
The two men are "best friends," according to the report, and their time working together dates back to 1998-2003 with the St. Louis Blues.
They also played together with the Colorado Rockies and New Jersey Devils from 1979-83.
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