NHL Fans React With Disgust To Blackhawks Owner’s Heated Exchange With Reporters

• Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz has found himself in hot water yet again
• Wirtz was roundly criticized after going after multiple reporters who referenced the Kyle Beach situation at a town hall meeting
• Read more NHL news here

Last year, the Chicago Blackhawks organization found itself at the center of a firestorm after a former player sued the team for turning a blind eye to the allegations he levied against a video coach who sexually assaulted him during the franchise’s Stanley Cup run in 2010.

In October, a report was published in the wake of a lengthy independent investigation that confirmed the claims of former Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach (who made his identity public after its release). After dragging its heels for more than a decade, the franchise dismissed GM Stan Bowman and senior director of hockey operations Al MacIsaac over their handling of the situation and released a statement that stressed the franchise “implemented numerous changes and improvements within the organization.”:

That was supposed to be the topic of discussion at a town hall event the Blackhawks organized at the United Center on Wednesday night, which featured a panel that included owner Rocky Wirtz. The goal of the discussion was to highlight how the team plans to move forward, but when you consider the onus for the meeting, it’s not exactly shocking that some people might have questions about the past.

That included Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, who asked how the Blackhawks planned to prevent another similar situation from unfolding. It seemed like a pretty reasonable question, but it still managed to draw the ire of Wirtz, who delivered a fiery rebuke after it was floated.

Here’s the full segment/video. Just ridiculous from Rocky Wirtz. pic.twitter.com/9k9QxKW0gI

— Wally Maz (@WallMaz35) February 3, 2022

Here’s what he had to say via NBC Sports:

“I think the report speaks for itself. The people that were involved are no longer here. We’re not looking back at 2010, we’re looking forward. And we’re not going to talk about 2010.”

What we’re going to do today is our business. I don’t think it’s any of your business. Because I don’t think it’s your business. You don’t work for the company. If someone in the company asked that question, we’ll answer it and I think you should get on to the next subject. We’re not going to talk about Kyle Beach. We’re not going to talk about anything that happened.”

Things didn’t get any less awkward when the Chicago Tribune‘s Phil Thompson tried to follow up.

And now he goes after @_phil_thompson. Absolutely insane from Rocky Wirtz. Smh. pic.twitter.com/dMHYOHUbkQ

— Wally Maz (@WallMaz35) February 3, 2022

It’s safe to say there weren’t many people out there who sympathized with Wirtz’s plight.

Wirtz attempted to do some damage control after the event, but it’s hard to imagine it’s going to do much to repair his increasingly tarnished reputation.

Not a great look.