Sjögren’s spell appears to have ended before it ever truly settled.
Those numbers matter because they show this was not just a philosophical change. Chicago’s season had drifted into damage-limitation territory. When results are that poor, ownership usually looks for a spark. The problem for the Stars is that repeated short-term fixes rarely create a long-term identity.
The bigger concern is not simply one dismissal. It is the pattern.
Reports suggest Báez becomes the fifth separate interim head coach the club has used since the post-2021 fallout that reshaped the organisation. That kind of churn makes it difficult to build a consistent playing style, harder to develop players, and almost impossible to create trust over time.
The reported return of Lorne Donaldson in an interim technical role points to a club trying to steady itself quickly. It may help in the short term. But it also highlights how often Chicago have had to reach for temporary answers.
Báez at least appears to bring continuity.
For now, the Stars do not need a grand reinvention. They need calm, structure and a reason to think next season can look different. The next storyline is obvious: whether this interim move becomes a bridge to stability, or just another stop in a long-running search for it.