Blackhawks: Statement from John McDonough to fans

After the Chicago Blackhawks announced they’d be moving on from team president John McDonough, everyone has an opinion on it. Here’s McDonough’s statement.

Before we get to John McDonough’s statement to the Chicago Blackhawks‘ fans, family, etc, we need to look deep into the whole firing. A few other contributors here have made their thoughts known in other articles, where some agree with it, some don’t. I am on the side that believes it’s a positive move for the team.

I believe McDonough threw all of the blame for the team’s lack of success on Joel Quenneville to save his job. Stan Bowman did the same thing, something he should also be accountable for.

What I do like is the moves the Blackhawks are making. Rocky Wirtz said there wouldn’t be any moves in the front office going into 2020-21 and he changed his mind. He just needs to get rid of Scotty and Stan Bowman for the team to fully start to improve.

Vice President Danny Wirtz’s job is still safe, which is understandable since he is probably going to own the team someday. Danny Wirtz is currently the interim president, while they search for a replacement.

McDonough’s statement read:

"Dear Blackhawks Family and Fans,Rocky Wirtz gave me an amazing opportunity to preside over the Chicago Blackhawks 12 ½ years ago. It was the ride of a lifetime. I would like to thank Rocky, the Wirtz family, our staff, the players, the ambassadors and the fans for all they have done for the organization. I will be forever grateful to them and proud of what we accomplished together. Blackhawks fans are so incredibly passionate and loyal and are deserving of a consistent winner.I wish Danny Wirtz well in his new role, and I am confident the organization will have success in the search for a new President.My late father used a phrase sparingly but impactfully to describe those he found to be the most dignified, respectful and worthy of admiration. He would say they had “class à la mode.” That perfectly describes the Wirtz family and the Chicago Blackhawks.Good luck. I’ll always be pulling for you."

There’s a lot of respect I have for him. He’s been a big part of the Blackhawks winning three Stanley Cups in six seasons, but that was the past. Sports is a business of “what have you done lately for me?”, not “what have you done in the past?”

With that being said, it’s unknown if Stan Bowman will continue to have a job in the offseason. Right now, it looks like it until the team finds a new team president. The problem comes when you see Scotty Bowman, Stan’s father, up in the front office. He has a lot of pull with the Blackhawks, pull that has kept his son on top.

We will know more once the team selects a new president. Hopefully, he or she has their own general manager in mind.