Bring back Torch!

In all seriousness, what are your thoughts on Kirk Muller?
- Chunk

Brent Sutter?

Surely a factor. The question is, "is nepotism always a bad thing"? It is theoretically a less risky hire being that you are intimately familiar with their background and history. Not to mention (in this case as basically a family owned business) he would have a high vested interest in the success of the company.

I don't know jack about Danny Wirtz, but he still has the interim tag on him and it's not like the Hawks all of a sudden have the dumbest owner in the league.
- Chunk

Here in a nutshell is why Danny Wirtz is where he is. Note: John Mc
Donough does not have a Wirtz in his name.

https://better.net/chicag...up-about-family-new-book/

Blackhawks might be okay. Probably have to change the logo.

Redskins, Indians and Eskimos probably not so much.
- BINGO!

No, they won't.

Ahh...danny wirtz.

The word is “nepotism”.
- bruceflyers

ah bruceflyers


the word is idiot.

Kevin Weekes? Please, no.

Kirk Muller? oh hell no.

Brent Sutter?
- rpeters01

John Torchetti.

Kevin Weekes? Please, no.

Kirk Muller? oh hell no.
- Elbows15

Come on! He's a.... name... or something.

Come on! He's a.... name... or something.
- Chunk

Yeah, well Screw him. I saw someone mention Botteril, too. Funny thing is none of the names mentioned have come close to achieving what Bowman has as GM.

Yeah, well Screw him. I saw someone mention Botteril, too. Funny thing is none of the names mentioned have come close to achieving what Bowman has as GM.
- Elbows15

Wasn't mine but the Botterill suggestion was a joke IIRC. The name I really liked was the Canes Exec who was in charge of a lot of their drafts.

Pretty sure he was mentioned in the Athletic or on Second City.

I have no problem keeping Bowman around at GM or in another capacity, but I wouldn't mind a fresh set of eyes to be added to the mix.

You know how this place works though and thankfully it's nowhere near as bad as it once was. You remember...when all non-Hawks were coveted and better than any of the current players at the time and as far as GM's go, the wish was for anyone but Scotty's kid.

Still cracks me up that in some corners, people can only give Stanbo grudging credit for the Cup wins in '13 and '15.

Were some of his moves no Gouda after '15? Yes, a number of them, but like you mentioned earlier, I think in '16 for sure and somewhat '17 they were still kind of in go for it mode.

I still think the Kunitz, Ward and Manning moves were generally fiscally responsible placeholder moves and the hockey people probably recognized a retool/mini rebuild was in order.

Weeks sounded interesting to me. Why not him? Just curious.

Yeah, well Screw him. I saw someone mention Botteril, too. Funny thing is none of the names mentioned have come close to achieving what Bowman has as GM.
- Elbows15

I was talking about Muller, but I guess the same can be applied to either.

Just hire Gillis and be done with it...

Wasn't mine but the Botterill suggestion was a joke IIRC. The name I really liked was the Canes Exec who was in charge of a lot of their drafts.

Pretty sure he was mentioned in the Athletic or on Second City.

I have no problem keeping Bowman around at GM or in another capacity, but I wouldn't mind a fresh set of eyes to be added to the mix.

You know how this place works though and thankfully it's nowhere near as bad as it once was. You remember...when all non-Hawks were coveted and better than any of the current players at the time and as far as GM's go, the wish was for anyone but Scotty's kid.

Still cracks me up that in some corners, people can only give Stanbo grudging credit for the Cup wins in '13 and '15.

Were some of his moves no Gouda after '15? Yes, a number of them, but like you mentioned earlier, I think in '16 for sure and somewhat '17 they were still kind of in go for it mode.

I still think the Kunitz, Ward and Manning moves were generally fiscally responsible placeholder moves and the hockey people probably recognized a retool/mini rebuild was in order.

Weeks sounded interesting to me. Why not him? Just curious.
- HawkintheD

Weekes has no experience in any form in the front office. Not just no GM experience but no experience at all. Beside that, he really isn't all that good at his job on the NHLN. Hawks don't need a GM with no experience at all. That has disaster all over it like when the Sox did it.

The Hawks have been fine at drafting so not sure they need to fix that anyway. Bowman has a couple of seasons where his mves were iffy but I feel he is back on his game. The Joki trade is still up in the air but still a ways to go on deciding that one. Joki wasn't kinda meh in Buffalo Not bad but not good either.

I was talking about Muller, but I guess the same can be applied to either.

Just hire Gillis and be done with it...
- Chunk

Muller was who the screw him was for. I would rather they move Bowman up and find a new GM than hire Gillis. Gillis has Canuck stink on him.

Weekes has no experience in any form in the front office. Not just no GM experience but no experience at all. Beside that, he really isn't all that good at his job on the NHLN. Hawks don't need a GM with no experience at all. That has disaster all over it like when the Sox did it.

The Hawks have been fine at drafting so not sure they need to fix that anyway. Bowman has a couple of seasons where his mves were iffy but I feel he is back on his game. The Joki trade is still up in the air but still a ways to go on deciding that one. Joki wasn't kinda meh in Buffalo Not bad but not good either.
- Elbows15

I think Joki and Nylander provided equal value to the teams that they were on. Joki was being pushed for a spot on the team coming out of camp, and ended doing well for himself as the year progressed. He got some extra minutes due to injuries and he was able to improve his overall game with the experience. I'm not sure if he would have fared as well on CHI or not. Nylander is not the disaster that many make him out to be. He struggled a bit at the beginning, but by the end of the year, he was playing much more responsibly defensively and was one of the better players breaking out of the zone (and he actually produced some points as well). I'm not as upset with the move now as I was when it happened.

Muller was who the screw him was for. I would rather they move Bowman up and find a new GM than hire Gillis. Gillis has Canuck stink on him.
- Elbows15

Ah, gotcha. I have no idea about who would be a good Pres of Hockey Ops. A new GM would have to have quite the resume to qualify as an upgrade over Stan. Not saying he is the end all-be all, but I'm not replacing him with someone else's assistant GM. Then again, I'm not in charge of an NHL team.

If they split the “suit positions” into business ops and hockey ops:

What would the head of hockey operations do that the general manager doesn’t do - other than hiring the GM?

Doesn’t all of what would be considered “hockey operations” fall under Bowman now - hiring and managing scouts, hiring and managing coaches, procuring players through drafts, trades, FA signing, resigning players, player development....

Are we saying it’s really a two-person job? What would go to the president of hockey ops?

I think Stan done a adequate job ,two rings come on . Maybe he would not mind a promotion not so much of the day to day grind some more money perks ! .Mentoring a new GM .Now who would fill that role is the question .I like Hunter but don't know if that would be a good fit . If they give the President job to Rocky kid is Stan going to feel slighted

John Torchetti.
- Chunk

I meant Darryl Sutter got confused with Sutter's.

Weekes has no experience in any form in the front office. Not just no GM experience but no experience at all. Beside that, he really isn't all that good at his job on the NHLN. Hawks don't need a GM with no experience at all. That has disaster all over it like when the Sox did it.

The Hawks have been fine at drafting so not sure they need to fix that anyway. Bowman has a couple of seasons where his mves were iffy but I feel he is back on his game. The Joki trade is still up in the air but still a ways to go on deciding that one. Joki wasn't kinda meh in Buffalo Not bad but not good either.
- Elbows15

Sounds like we're in agreement there but this was the guy I was thinking of from Carolina...

Darren Yorke (Hurricanes, Director of Player Personnel)
Yorke is in his 11th season with the Hurricanes, and second as director of player personnel. He started as a video scout (2009-17) and manager of scouting (2017-18) before taking on his current role. He’s in charge of the team’s amateur scouting and draft, which has been highly-rated by draft analysts the past few years.

Yorke would bring a new, open mindset with a track record of success developing young talent to Chicago’s rebuilding organization.

Don't know him other than this blurb from Second City, but I thought he sounded like an interesting candidate. Some of the others mentioned in the piece were Ron Hextall, Mark Hunter, Bill Zito and Mike Gillis.

It may not be uncharted territory at all - but more like a familial return to form.

And I hope I'm wrong, but there wasn't all that much in the book Breakaway to indicate much other than a family rift put Rocky in the position where he has been ... I don't know that I read much to suggest that all parties accepted that it was over - and that despite that the book seemingly relied on one side of this talking to the author.

Does his son know anything about hockey or marketing hockey? I mean I know that McD didn't know all that much about hockey, but you couldn't say that about the marketing side of things ...

so what am I saying? Seems like it is all about turning inward, and in the past that hasn't been that great of a sign.

Please not a bird, there will be a bird screech at every stoppage...
- riozzo

Why do you still have a facepalm of the best logo in sports man? Come on dude. It's not funny

As mentioned things (Times) they are a changin. I’d hate to see the logo be changed, I like the logo, I feel it is honourable and classy, but ... I say that from my perspective and not from a Native one.

My daughter teaches at a native community, Kashechewan, on the western bank of James Bay. My daughter is extremely, almost militantly, Politically left of Center and she hated the Blackhawk logo. After a few months in the community she noticed Every sports team in the community used the Hawk logo on different coloured jerseys. The natives told her they found the logo was in good taste and they were proud of it. My daughter has now changed her view about the logo.

With all the changes in society it won’t surprise me if the logo is dropped.
- paulr

No good sir...we are not accepting a logo change

RE: D Wirtz


I just heard Burkie on Sirius ripping Pegula multiple hires of inexperienced GMs/coaches/ front office guy and as much he likes the new one, he doesn't have more than three years experience training for the job.
So all these "name candidates" are nice thoughts but nothing takes the place of hiring someone who will fit with the managerial folks in place, fill the gap with strong experience in the area needed, and isn't the "show."

...and how many guys like that are around, especially when a post season is looming...
I never thought about John McDonaugh as some great guru or guy who brings things together.
and I just think the firing just fit the no hockey expanse and there was no rush to replace him permanently until the other teams seasons are over and they can talk to candidates in those organizations.

So long as Rocky is running the team, it's all good. Bowman isn't going anywhere. McDonough equals yawn

So long as Rocky is running the team, it's all good. Bowman isn't going anywhere. McDonough equals yawn
- BetweenTheDots

You are correct in my opinion. There is no way ownership is getting rid of Scotty Bowman

You are correct in my opinion. There is no way ownership is getting rid of Scotty Bowman
- just69sayin

Maybe they'll make Savard the GM