Chicago Blackhawks' Pres. John McDonough Shows True Colors

(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)

In fact, abiding the job descriptions would lead one to believe that it was Stan Bowman, not Tallon, that should have been responsible for the letters getting out on time.

But Bowman does things in the way McDonough wants them to be done, so it's Tallon that's now a "Special Assistant" or whatever they're calling his golden parachute.

When I broke the news on Bleacher Report early this morning that Tallon had been relieved of his duties, I thought I understood why the move was being made. The Bowmans have a great track record of handling the salary cap, and they were making a move to experience.

Just like the Hawks did in replacing another team and fan favorite, Hall of Famer Denis Savard, just four games into last season with Joel Quenneville, they were now making a move to put the right experience in place for the future.

But the press conference conducted Tuesday afternoon led me to believe that this had very little to do with the move.

McDonough needed to make a change because he doesn't like Tallon, and wants "his guy" in the position of General Manager moving forward.

This is a dangerous slope for any front office to face, but especially one in a situation like the Blackhawks are now. To have a hand-selected group of people in place that "agree" on almost everything, there isn't the checks and balances any business needs to succeed.

So now the unenviable task of Stan Bowman is to try his best to continue the job Tallon had started in the shadow of a marketing man who wants to sell, sell, sell.

Tuesday's press conference did as much to cement the legacy of Tallon as it did to tarnish McDonough's street cred with the fans, and made the hill Stan Bowman now has to climb look twice as steep.

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