Chicago Blackhawks fire president, CEO McDonough

CHICAGO (UPI) — The Chicago Blackhawks parted ways with President and CEO John McDonough, the team announced Monday.

McDonough, who was hired by the Blackhawks in 2007, was viewed as an important piece of the franchise’s championship-winning teams. Under McDonough, the Blackhawks won Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Before those titles, the team hadn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1961.

McDonough came to the Blackhawks after spending 24 years with Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs.

“Thirteen years ago, I recruited John to the Blackhawks because of his leadership, direction and vision,” Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz said in a statement. “John brought all of that to the table and more. His contributions went well beyond leading the team to three Stanley Cup championships. He rebuilt the front office and helped guide the organization toward a winning vision.

“As difficult as this is, we believe it was the right decision for the future of the organization and its fans.”

Rocky Wirtz’s son, Daniel, will be the team’s interim president. Daniel Wirtz currently serves as vice president of the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and have failed to reach the second round since winning the Cup in 2015. The team fired head coach Joel Quenneville, who led the team to all three championships, in 2018.

McDonough oversaw multiple aspects of the team’s business operations, including partnerships, marketing and fan experience. Since his arrival, the Blackhawks frequently ranked first in NHL attendance. Before this season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, Chicago was on a record run of 531 sellouts at home.

Reporting by Connor Grott

United Press International

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