John McDonough fired

[Vegas Hawk]

Get someone new at the top and they can bring in their own people. McD did a good job but held on to the Bowmans (both of them) too long. Stan was out of his league and while I'm sure he had help with the players he signed, he made too many bad contract decisions that hampered the team in the long run.

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

Should of happened last season. Idk how anyone can look at what bowman has done especially the last few years and still sit their with a straight face and say we are on the right track. If this is what it takes to finally get a change at gm I’m all for it. Blackhawks and bulls now both are going through much needed front office clean up

 

[hawkinmontreal]

 

[Tater]

I really hope it isn't Eddie O or Cheli that takes over. This .org needs a fresh set of eyes.

 

[MassHavoc]

I do hope that Stan is the next shoe to drop honestly. This team needs a new direction and new voices in the Front Office. Stan has failed miserably in keeping this organization from a player personal standpoint as a contender. No way in hell with 19,88,2,50 on our roster should we not be a playoff team. Stan failed to keep up with the changing of the game, or did not recognize it. This was obvious in the 2015 Cup season that moving forward a team would need size, speed, and a nonstop super aggressive on the forecheck.

Factor in the boneheaded trades and misses on draft picks and the hiring of JC more than enough evidence to move on from this current t regime. Playing the hindsight game this team has looked the same under Q and JC, so Stan thinking a new voice was needed he whiffed bigtime. It was his poorly constructed roster that led to us missing the playoffs for 3 years, and looking like a rudderless ship just going in circles out.

I think where stan failed is he tried to get the best players for the dollars, and moving everything on paper, instead of making the best team under the cap. This meant he kept bringing back a lot of retreads and trying to find the next star cheap that has already been given up on by another team. These are deals that work out a low percentage of the time, but make it seem like you're a genius when one of them hits, but it's not enough because so many have missed that other spots are neglected. I can't think of a lot of deals where he brought in really good supporting cast players that maybe weren't flashy but weren't high risk and solidified a position. How many years in a row now has this team played constant pairing circus juggling the the lines constantly trying to find somethign that would stick, just to have it shuffled shortly after because of salary or something. I don't think you can count many successful teams where you can't say yeah this is their top line, or top 2 lines, and ours are as debatable as they come. Need a team builder, someone who gets the nuances of where a player is at in his career, not just a guy who looks at the $ per stat and tries to plug a hole.

 

[MassHavoc]

Also, as much as I like Eddie as a person, he's not far enough out of the woods health wise for me to want to give him the GM job. Nothing against him, but you need someone you know is going to be stable. Sure anything can happen to anyone but he has a bit of added risk to him right now should the cancer come back.

 

[Granada]

I really hope it isn't Eddie O or Cheli that takes over. This .org needs a fresh set of eyes.

If it's Chelios, I would puke. But then again, Bowman would be out -- and that would be a good thing.

I remember right when Q was fired (it was either the morning of or the day before, immediately before it was announced) -- I saw Tony O at Midway airport. We were both flying to Florida (different parts). He was seriously the nicest dude I ever met, but I digress -- anyways, I floated the rumor that instead of Q being fired, it would be Bowman fired with Chelios taking his place as GM, and he definitively said "never happen." Of course, that was then.

I wouldn't really want Eddie-O either, but again, I'll take anyone over Bowman.

Last thing: I just saw it supposed that perhaps Bowman will actually be promoted to president and the Hawks will bring in a new GM. I sincerely hope that isn't the case (because Stan would still have major input on the roster as the president).

 

[ZOMBIE@CTESPN]

Where Stan failed where to start lol

I think his biggest failures especially the last two seasons is reclamation products over his own drafted guys. It leaves the impression hey I drafted shit maybe these other teams busts are better. Here we are wanting to see the young guys and willing to see them even if they lose. Bowman wanted busts to lose with....

 

[hawkinmontreal]

Eddie O just makes a favourable environment for the vets, that’s all. This would be a bad move. He is good where he is, in the booth being an analyst.. Rocky needs to proceed with caution here, this team needs a GM and coach with hockey IQ and experience.

 

[MassHavoc]

Where Stan failed where to start lol

I think his biggest failures especially the last two seasons is reclamation products over his own drafted guys. It leaves the impression hey I drafted shit maybe these other teams busts are better. Here we are wanting to see the young guys and willing to see them even if they lose. Bowman wanted busts to lose with....

I think too you have to look at the other side of that, how many of his first round picks are still with the team.

 

[Diehardfan]

I don't think it's surprising at all. Are you John McDonough IRL? This isn't the first time you've white knighted for the Grinch. This organization was very well positioned for a resurrection after Kane was drafted... the core was in place and most of the things he did were no brainers. I will agree that he is good at marketing which is what he should stick to instead of involving himself in hockey decisions/player acquisitions. He interfered when with the Cubs also and that didn't end well for him.

Really? If you can't see through your hate that he transformed what ESPN called "the worst franchise in pro sports" into one of the best that sells out every game.....then you should really dump the blinders you're wearing. I agree that he's not a hockey guy, he's not even a baseball guy....he's a business guy. The next time you tune in a Hawk home game on TV, think about why it's there for you....and don't tell me it's because they had a good team. They've had good teams before while we sat around listening to them on the radio. He did exactly what Rocky hired him to do....rebuild the franchise.

I'm sure he's only the first to be launched.....Bowman was his guy, Colliton was Bowman's guy. McD is only the first link in the chain, the others will follow. His biggest mistake was hiring, then standing by a guy who was in over his head....over paying players by miscalculating future Cap prognostications, questionable draft picks and trades. It's a pretty good bet that sharing the last name with an NHL legend is probably the only reason he didn't get dumped a couple years ago.

That's what happens in sports. Even a lengthy run of sellouts can't save you anymore.....no matter what you do, the bottomline is always winning and losing. But bear this in mind, whoever steps in to run the show here will be running it off a strong foundation that wasn't here before McDonough arrived.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

@JayZawaski670
·
1h

Sources tell me that at least four NHL teams have reached out to Eddie Olczyk about potential hockey ops leadership roles over the last 16 months, including PHI, who filled their position internally. It's believed Olczyk would be very interested in the Chicago job if offered.

I'm not advocating for Eddie O, interesting.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Really? If you can't see through your hate that he transformed what ESPN called "the worst franchise in pro sports" into one of the best that sells out every game.....then you should really dump the blinders you're wearing. I agree that he's not a hockey guy, he's not even a baseball guy....he's a business guy. The next time you tune in a Hawk home game on TV, think about why it's there for you....and don't tell me it's because they had a good team. They've had good teams before while we sat around listening to them on the radio. He did exactly what Rocky hired him to do....rebuild the franchise.

I'm sure he's only the first to be launched.....Bowman was his guy, Colliton was Bowman's guy. McD is only the first link in the chain, the others will follow. His biggest mistake was hiring, then standing by a guy who was in over his head....over paying players by miscalculating future Cap prognostications, questionable draft picks and trades. It's a pretty good bet that sharing the last name with an NHL legend is probably the only reason he didn't get dumped a couple years ago.

That's what happens in sports. Even a lengthy run of sellouts can't save you anymore.....no matter what you do, the bottomline is always winning and losing. But bear this in mind, whoever steps in to run the show here will be running it off a strong foundation that wasn't here before McDonough arrived.

@ Diehardfan AKA "the Grinch"

The core was in place before as some call him or you McDick were hired. You tout him as the Hawks resurrectionist, but there is no way in hell that without those core players you would have had any success. When the Hawks drafted Kane a lot of Hawks fans knew this team was going to be a force (me included) and put our names on the season ticket list. I got on the list pretty early and chose club level center ice and I still have them so your comment towards me aboot watching on tv...BWAAA HAAAA . That was the beginning, a waiting list thru the roof with a very high renewal rate that didn't allow that list to get any smaller.

Your comment aboot "them having good teams before" they did but not in the same class as this core. They were an extremely hot commodity that everyone wanted a piece of. Any hire other than the Grinch would have also been a success. If you put together a team like that "they will come...lol" the Grinch, he came, after the hot commodity was in place. He didn't build it, the hockey branes that put those players in Chicago did.

 

[Diehardfan]

@ Diehardfan AKA "the Grinch"
View attachment 5376View attachment 5377
The core was in place before as some call him or you McDick were hired. You tout him as the Hawks resurrectionist, but there is no way in hell that without those core players you would have had any success. When the Hawks drafted Kane a lot of Hawks fans knew this team was going to be a force (me included) and put our names on the season ticket list. I got on the list pretty early and chose club level center ice and I still have them so your comment towards me aboot watching on tv...BWAAA HAAAA . That was the beginning, a waiting list thru the roof with a very high renewal rate that didn't allow that list to get any smaller.

Your comment aboot "them having good teams before" they did but not in the same class as this core. They were an extremely hot commodity that everyone wanted a piece of. Any hire other than the Grinch would have also been a success. If you put together a team like that "they will come...lol" the Grinch, he came, after the hot commodity was in place. He didn't build it, the hockey branes that put those players in Chicago did.

Cute. The the trouble is that as cute as your work is....nobody gives a ****. It's an obscure sports forum....no one cares what you say and no one cares what I say. Guy must have stiffed you or something at a bar or on ur season tickets. You don't like him.....fine. I do like him....fine.

You hated him but kept being a fan anyway, didn't you? I'll keep watching now that he's gone.

Big fucking deal......here or gone, doesn't change a thing.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Cute. The the trouble is that as cute as your work is....nobody gives a ****. It's an obscure sports forum....no one cares what you say and no one cares what I say. Guy must have stiffed you or something at a bar or on ur season tickets. You don't like him.....fine. I do like him....fine.

You hated him but kept being a fan anyway, didn't you? I'll keep watching now that he's gone.

Big fucking deal......here or gone, doesn't change a thing.

I don't remember saying I hate him, I just don't see him as deserving the praise for rebuilding the Blackhawks.

 

[anotheridiot]

I thought McDonuts was fine in the marketing side, the sales side, the named president of everything about business in the organization. I just seemed like he finally slid himself into the hockey side, when he gave the word of confidence in what Stans were doing. I dont think any of us cared who was in that position until we found out he was included in personnel decisions and not just running the business.

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

I thought McDonuts was fine in the marketing side, the sales side, the named president of everything about business in the organization. I just seemed like he finally slid himself into the hockey side, when he gave the word of confidence in what Stans were doing. I dont think any of us cared who was in that position until we found out he was included in personnel decisions and not just running the business.

Exactly

 

[Granada]

Like most things, the truth is in the middle with McD. He did some good things and some bad things, but I feel like, many of the bad things are rumored.

Anyone can feel free to add to these, but here are the things off the top of my head:

Good: televising home games again, bringing Foley back, bringing all the legends back, all the outdoor games, the 2017 NHL Draft in Chicago -- you really can't argue these aren't good things.

Bad: having a hand in ousting Tallon (supposedly)/Quenneville, treating his staff like garbage, trying to control player personnel and moves, encouraging big splash moves simply for marketing purposes (although one of those was supposedly Hossa).

In all honesty, I was pretty neutral of McDonough -- I didn't hate him, I didn't love him, and I really don't care that he's gone now -- but it's not like he didn't do some good things at least. He jumped on at the right time -- yes -- but you can say the same thing about Scotty, Stan and even Joel.

 

[LordKOTL]

Really? If you can't see through your hate that he transformed what ESPN called "the worst franchise in pro sports" into one of the best that sells out every game.....then you should really dump the blinders you're wearing. I agree that he's not a hockey guy, he's not even a baseball guy....he's a business guy. The next time you tune in a Hawk home game on TV, think about why it's there for you....and don't tell me it's because they had a good team. They've had good teams before while we sat around listening to them on the radio. He did exactly what Rocky hired him to do....rebuild the franchise.

I'm sure he's only the first to be launched.....Bowman was his guy, Colliton was Bowman's guy. McD is only the first link in the chain, the others will follow. His biggest mistake was hiring, then standing by a guy who was in over his head....over paying players by miscalculating future Cap prognostications, questionable draft picks and trades. It's a pretty good bet that sharing the last name with an NHL legend is probably the only reason he didn't get dumped a couple years ago.

That's what happens in sports. Even a lengthy run of sellouts can't save you anymore.....no matter what you do, the bottomline is always winning and losing. But bear this in mind, whoever steps in to run the show here will be running it off a strong foundation that wasn't here before McDonough arrived.

I think Rocky was the catalyst to that. He saw what his father/Pullford were doing and and wanted to rectify it...so he brought in McD because that's his game..a Marketer. If I recall correctly the team started airing home game before McD got hired on...but I could be mistaken.

McD may have done an admirable job at marketing the team, but I think there's a disconnect as to what it takes to keep the Cubbies going and the 'hawks going, and McD was failing at it. He botched up the aftermath of 2017 and ran it like "this is fine." That might work for a franchise like the Cubs, but it didn't work for the 'hawks. Q was let go too late, Stan should have been let go at the same time as Q and he should have embrace the, "This team is in a rebuild/transition to the next gen" instead of "everything's fine, pay no attention to the entropy around you."

I think as someone who grew the name recognition of the 'hawks, he did an outstanding job, but they need different personnel for the succession plan. McD could have done it if he had the proper experts and deferred to them, but he didn't.

And in the same vein the same argument could be made with the on-ice product: McD & Stan had the foundation of the on-ice 'hawk personnel that Smith and Tallon provided. Imagine, if you will, McD trying to market the ABC line.

 

[Granada]

I think Rocky was the catalyst to that. He saw what his father/Pullford were doing and and wanted to rectify it...so he brought in McD because that's his game..a Marketer. If I recall correctly the team started airing home game before McD got hired on...but I could be mistaken.

McD may have done an admirable job at marketing the team, but I think there's a disconnect as to what it takes to keep the Cubbies going and the 'hawks going, and McD was failing at it. He botched up the aftermath of 2017 and ran it like "this is fine." That might work for a franchise like the Cubs, but it didn't work for the 'hawks. Q was let go too late, Stan should have been let go at the same time as Q and he should have embrace the, "This team is in a rebuild/transition to the next gen" instead of "everything's fine, pay no attention to the entropy around you."

I think as someone who grew the name recognition of the 'hawks, he did an outstanding job, but they need different personnel for the succession plan. McD could have done it if he had the proper experts and deferred to them, but he didn't.

And in the same vein the same argument could be made with the on-ice product: McD & Stan had the foundation of the on-ice 'hawk personnel that Smith and Tallon provided. Imagine, if you will, McD trying to market the ABC line.

They didn't air all home games until McD took over -- fairly certain of it. Before he took over, the Hawks were slowly (and I mean, slowly) televising a couple home games one season, a couple the next. I remember it being big news: "Whoa, the Hawks are televising ELEVEN home games this year instead of the seven they aired last year!!!" etc.