CHICAGO, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Mike Smith was fired as general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, losing a power struggle with Coach Brian Sutter.
Smith had just begun his fourth season as the Blackhawks' GM and his third year working with Sutter.
"I've been through this," Smith said. "I'm not shocked or surprised in this business."
"The general manager and the coach were not on the same page," Blackhawks senior vice president Bob Pulford said. "As time went on here, they were just getting farther and farther apart and it became apparent that it wasn't going to work."
Pulford, the Blackhawks' former long-time coach and general manager, was given his fourth stint as GM, this time in an interim role.
The Blackhawks have been one of the worst teams in the NHL in recent seasons, making the playoffs just once since 1997.
