CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks and General Manager Mike Keenan parted company abruptly Friday, apparently amid a power struggle.
The Blackhawks called an early morning news conference to make the announcement that senior vice president Bob Pulford would reassume the GM duties he held prior to Keenan's arrival in Chicago in 1988. Keenan was not present.
Club owner Bill Wirtz said Keenan was leaving, in part because he wanted to coach again. He also said, however, Keenan wanted more authority as GM that the club was unwilling to give, and that Keenan would be paid for the full year.
'I wish to announce today that Mike Keenan will be leaving the organization,' Wirtz said at Chicago Stadium. 'Mike decided he wanted to coach again as one of the reasons for delaying the signing of a contract that we offered him.'
Wirtz said he had struck a handshake agreement with Keenan only three weeks ago on a five-year, $2 million contract to remain as general manager.
'Mike came back to the Blackhawks and rejected this offer,' Wirtz said. 'Mike wanted more authority than the Blackhawks have traditionally given anyone who has held the position of general manager. Keenan continued to express second thoughts about giving up coaching.'
Keenan, hired as coach of the Blackhawks on June 9, 1988, directed the organization last season to its first Stanley Cup finals appearance since 1973. He took on the additional role as GM last season but was forced to relinquish his head coaching duties to make way for Darryl Sutter this past offseason.
'This is not a Darryl Sutter-Mike Keenan controversy, as some are suggesting,' Sutter said.
Wirtz revealed for the first time Friday the club had offered Keenan a three- to four-year deal to remain as coach and general manager during the offseason, but Keenan wanted only a year-year deal. The club then bumped Keenan upstairs and promoted Sutter.
Since then, Keenan left open the possibility he might accept a head coaching position if one was offered him. Speculation immediately focused on the coaching vacancy in St. Louis. Sutter's brother, Brian, was fired as the Blues coach during the offseason, and his replacement, Bob Plager, resigned Oct. 29. Assistant general manager Bob Berry has been acting as interim coach since.
Blues president Jack Quinn issued a statement Friday afternoon, denying the club was poised to name Keenan to any post.
'The rumors are totally unfounded,' Quinn said. 'We have not had any conversations with Mike Keenan or his representatives.'
Wirtz said the club would continue to pay Keenan 'his full salary and benefits' through this season, 'even though they are not required to do so under the terms of his contract.' He also said the club would allow Keenan to pursue other coaching and GM options immediately.
In his four seasons in Chicago, Keenan resurrected the struggling franchise to three Final Four appearances, including the Stanley Cup finals last season. With his iron-fisted approach to coaching, however, Keenan, 43, made many enemies among the players, fans, media and within the organization.
After advancing to the Finals but being swept by Pittsburgh last season, the Blackhawks have struggled through the early part of this season under Sutter. A 1-0 victory over Toronto Thursday night left their record at 5-6-3, fourth place in the Norris Division.
Keenan was not immediately available for comment. The club said he would hold his own news conference at 10 a.m. Monday at a downtown hotel.
