BREAKING NEWS: Stan Bowman Has Been Given A Promotion
Oh you don't fucking say!
It's like I know a thing or two. In the moment I said I was just kidding because it was awkward, but I wasn't. This, for whatever reason, was always the plan. The Blackhawks now have two silos both headed, ultimately, by Danny Wirtz who has removed his interim president title and traded it in for CEO. A little surprising that they went outside the organization to hire a President of Business Operations. I can't say I know much about her.
Jamie Faulkner's resume looks pretty good on paper. I am sure she is bright and qualified.
Her presence and "President" in her title almost make it necessary for Stan to get a promotion in title as well. If Jamie Faulkner were named President and Stan Bowman remained at his Senior Vice President level then there would be questions of who reports to who. Now there isn't. Jamie Faulkner has a silo, she will report directly to Danny. Stan has a silo, he will report directly to Danny. No confusion and hopefully…no actual changes from a functionality and responsibility stand point.
I don't think in reality this gives Stan more power. It's more about organization structure and perhaps a pissing match. I would be surprised if Stan got an additional extension with this title and I would also be surprised if he received a raise during Covid-19 uncertainty.
Internally this move makes some sense. Externally all the Blackhawks did with this announcement was piss off a bunch of people, like me, who like things to be done based on merit and merit alone. Stan has not earned a promotion. He is fortunate to have a job and a contract signed at a big number that goes deep into the future by the previous leadership regime. I hope the Blackhawks get on the right path again. Stan promised that even though he let Crawford walk away over seemingly nothing but faulty logic and a few hundred grand that the Hawks will compete. If he fails at the rebuild for the 4th straight year maybe that will be enough to fire him and then bring in new eyes and direction and split his job responsibilities between a President of Ops and a GM. That feels like a good path. For now though…doom and pain even if it isn't real
