Chicago Blackhawks' GM search beginning to take shape

The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to fill a general manager position amid more controversy after chairman Rocky Wirtz’s public outburst when asked about the Kyle Beach sexual assault scandal. Recently Peter Chiarelli’s name surfaced as a potential candidate. The longtime NHL executive hasn’t been in charge of an NHL team since he left the Edmonton Oilers in early 2019 and has a checkered past in terms of successful moves, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet explained why he thinks the Blackhawks could be interested on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast:

"If you’re only thinking of hiring a GM–let’s say for example that Kyle Davidson is your choice and he’s your GM. Now the question becomes do you need someone above him to manage up. To say that, after what happened on Wednesday night, you simply need a more experienced hand somewhere in your organization."

Friedman went on to mention Ed Olczyk – who was recently announced as part of an advisory committee for the team during the hiring process–as a potential candidate for a role in the organization.

On the other hand, it appears as though the Blackhawks will also consider some rather inexperienced candidates as well. Scott Powers of The Athletic reported today that the team will interview Scott Mellanby for the position. Mellanby, certainly not short of playing experience after nearly 1,500 regular-season games, has never been an NHL general manager previously. He resigned his position as assistant GM with the Montreal Canadiens last year, an organization he had been with since 2012.

Another name that is on the Blackhawks’ list and will raise some eyebrows is Eric Tulsky, according to Friedman. The Carolina Hurricanes assistant GM is generally regarded as one of the brightest up-and-coming executives in the game and is credited for many of the moves that have turned his organization into a perennial Stanley Cup contender. Tulsky is certainly not someone you would call experienced, though, having only sat in the AGM role for a little over a year.

With Chiarelli on one end and Tulsky on the other, the Blackhawks’ list of candidates run the gamut in terms of NHL front offices. They also indicated recently that they would look outside of hockey in their search, though it is not clear if that has produced any interviews to this point. Davidson, currently serving as interim GM has already done his, and Powers writes that the team is expected to meet with at least five people.