The Chicago Blackhawks are doubling down on Stan Bowman, elevating him to president of hockey operations in a front-office reorganization.
Bowman had been general manager and will retain that title as well.
The Blackhawks split the duties of the previous president John McDonough, who was fired in April. Bowman will handle the hockey side, and the team announced the hiring of Jaime Faulkner as president of business operations. She will handle fan experience and development of new revenue streams.
Many questioned whether Bowman would be retained after McDonough left since he was the one who hired him in 2009. After winning three Stanley Cups in 2010, ’13 and ’15, the Blackhawks have struggled. Before slipping into the expanded playoffs this season, Chicago had missed the postseason the previous two years.
Getting the team back to competitiveness has been hampered by some of the long-term contracts Bowman gave out.
Bowman appears to have gotten a vote of confidence from Danny Wirtz. The son of Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz stepped in as interim president after McDonough was let go. In the current reorganization, he becomes CEO of the team.