The Chicago Blackhawks knew they’d need a replacement after ex-assistant GM Marc Bergevin took the reins in Montreal.
It didn’t take long to find their guy.
Today, the ‘Hawks announced Director of Player Personnel Norm Maciver has been promoted to serve as GM Stan Bowman’s right-hand man. Maciver, 47, has been with the ‘Hawks for the last five years -- prior to working with Chicago, he’d served as the assistant coach in Boston under bench boss Mike Sullivan.
“Norm has proven to be a valuable asset to our hockey operations over the past five years, so we are excited to be able to elevate him to this role,” Bowman said in a statement posted on the team website. “He has an excellent handle on the players within our organization, from recent draft picks to veterans, and a great eye for talent evaluating.”
A journeyman NHL blueliner (stops in New York, Hartford, Edmonton, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg and Phoenix), Maciver promises to have his hands full this summer.
The draft is just over a month away and the ‘Hawks have a number of free agent decisions to make. A number of veteran UFAs -- Andrew Brunette, Brendan Morrison, Jamal Mayers, Sean O’Donnell, Sami Lepisto and Johnny Oduya -- could be retained on the cheap or be jettisoned in favor of younger players on entry-level deals.
