Blackhawks vice president and alternate governor Daniel Wirtz will serve as interim president.
The Chicago Blackhawks relieved president and CEO John McDonough of his duties of Monday afternoon. McDonough, 66, was hired by the Blackhawks back in 2007 as president and had the role of CEO added to his title in 2011.
“Thirteen years ago, I recruited John to the Blackhawks because of his leadership, direction, and vision,” team owner Rocky Wirtz said in a statement. “He rebuilt the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision. As difficult as this was, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans.”
During McDonough’s tenure, the Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, 2015) and sold out 531 consecutive games at the United Center. The Hawks haven’t won a postseason game since 2016 though, and with the current NHL season on pause due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Wirtz believed now was a suitable time to assess the team’s future. A search for McDonough’s replacement is expected to begin immediately.
“I cannot adequately express my family’s appreciation to John for his contributions to the turnaround of the Chicago Blackhawks organization,” Daniel Wirtz said. “I take this interim role with the utmost responsibility to the team and will focus on resetting the framework for the next generation of the Chicago Blackhawks. I look forward to working with Rocky to identify our next leader.”
For more Blackhawks news and updates, follow the author (@JackBushman2) on Twitter. Make sure to check out the author’s podcast, Talkin’ Hawkey, which can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Twitter (@TalkinHawkey).
