The Chicago Blackhawks have fired team president John McDonough, ending a wildly successful run that included three Stanley Cup championships.
The surprising move comes with the NHL season on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic. And it raises questions about the direction of one of the league’s marquee franchises. McDonough had been supportive of general manager Stan Bowman despite three straight seasons of lackluster results.
Owner Rocky Wirtz says it was a difficult move, but he thinks it’s the “right decision.” The owner’s 43-year-old son Danny Wirtz is replacing McDonough on an interim basis. Danny Wirtz is a vice president with the team.
The NBA has pushed back plans that would allow teams to reopen their practice facilities for at least one week.
The NBA had decided over the weekend to have teams open their gyms for voluntary player workouts on Friday, if local and state laws made such a move permissible. But on Monday the league revised that potential opening date until May 8, at the earliest.
The NBA says the May 8 date is far from firm, warning teams that it “may push this timing back if developments warrant.”
The new Texas Rangers ballpark is among possible venues Major League Baseball could use if it decides to start the season with groups of teams in different areas.
Among the different plans looked at by Major League Baseball is to use Texas as a mid-American hub.
Having all 30 teams based in Phoenix has been examined. So has having groups of teams in Arizona, Texas and Florida.
All of those areas have climate-controlled MLB stadiums, and other nearby ballparks. The Rangers still haven’t played a game in their new stadium with a retractable roof.
The American Hockey League is “quite likely” to cancel the rest of its season because of the new coronavirus pandemic. That is according to a person with direct knowledge of league discussions who commented anonymously because the person was not authorized to discuss the plans of the NHL’s top minor league. The AHL responded by saying there’s “nothing imminent” in terms of calling off the remainder of the season. Last week, AHL President and CEO David Andrews said the league was “pivoting” to the 2020-21 season but added nothing was official.
