This Is All On Bowman. He Has To Go

That was the statement from Stan Bowman the day he fired Joel Quenneville. This was about the playoffs and development. It was the same day that John McDonough said "I believe in Stan. I believe in this roster". Somehow Stan convinced his boss that all the issues with the team were the fault of the head coach who couldn't develop young talent (even though there was no  and the key to the future of the organization, short term and near team, was a coaching change. 

Then a year ago we got this memo

It was as if nobody would notice that the theme of this letter was very similar to the statement the day they fired Joel. 

The team was bad again, but rest assured this was all part of the plan even though the year before Stan Bowman went out and added a premium goalie, Cal de Haan, Olli Maata, and Andrew Shaw. Four veterans that you don't bring in unless you're trying to win. That failed so they changed the narrative back to rebuild. 

Then...Stan pivoted again. Win now type moves. Fleury, Seth Jones acquired for futures, Tyler Johnson in return for Seabrook's contract, Jake McCabe, and a new contract for Connor Murphy. 

After a winless start to the season Stan had the audacity to leak it to Emily Kaplan that this was still all part of the rebuilt plan

I actually feel bad for Colliton in a way. Some of the excuses he has (not that he has offered them personally) are legitimate. Others aren't, but some are. Ultimately he had a shitty hand here. He didn't hire himself. He didn't put the rosters together. He was over his head from the word go and maybe this will be a learning experience that he needed ahead of a long and successful coaching career. I hope so. I don't have anything against him. He could have a Paul Maurice type of career, as I have said many time, but at this moment the reality is that he isn't getting the most out of this current group. This isn't a coincidence

Joel is back at the top of the league. Stan and Jeremy at the bottom. 

The problem is Stan. He can't be trusted to rebuild or stick to a plan. Even if you want to place the blame on the departed John McDonough as a meddler (Stan denied that McDonough meddled when I interviewed him) do you really want a GM who can't sell or execute a plan? Do you really want the President of your organization who can't stand up for what he believes or refuses to do the right thing in more serious situations than hockey? 

People like to blame the cap for the demise of the Blackhawks. Obviously it is a factor, but over the years Stan has traded away Byfuglien, Saad, Panarin, Danault, Teravainen, Schmaltz, Saad again, Ladd, Versteeg, Bolland, Leddy, Lehner, and Patrick Sharp and has managed to turn those players into zero assets that have helped them win anything. He's been a disaster for a decade. Anyone with any sense jumped ship a LONG time ago and he's left with just Al MacIsaac by his side. Bad contracts, bad communications, poor ethics, bad ego, bad trades, and bad teams. The future isn't bright. It's actually VERY bleak. It's getting worse all the time and there's no way in hell he should be allowed to pull the lever on Jeremy. If he fires Jeremy they should be shown the door at the same time. Find some interim guy to stabilize things as Danny and Jamie look for the next coach and the next GM. If this group turns it around under new leadership behind the bench then great. If not, then the new group can hopefully get us out of the darkness. 

The game last night felt like the old days. I mean the real old days. A game where Detroit kicks the Blackhawks ass and the Detroit fans outnumber and out cheer the Hawks. Felt like 2006. We've got the wrong people in charge and we need change immediately.