Only a scattering of fans attended the session with the Blackhawks top brass, Marinela and I among them of course. We enjoyed them talking about team values, draft strategy, and fan experience. Stan Bowman pointed out that the deeper a young player is drafted, the more he will need development effort and time. The Blackhawks excel at this, and apparently have such a wealth of talent in the wings that even those who may be ready to break into the pros will have to wait longer.
The entry of Rocky Wirtz, after the death of his father Bill, heralded a new era of team ownership that reminds me of what Mark Cuban upon acquiring the Dallas Mavericks: improved the facilities, invested in top players, and catered to fan experience. Two Stanley Cups in four years, and clearly the Blackhawks fomented rabid interest among scores of fans. One of the executives pointed out that the team drew a sizable segment of women and girls. One lady asked, however, why the team didn't quite project a healthy image of women, alluding to the skimpy outfits of the Ice Crew and the sexy high-heeled ladies for the second intermission shoot-the-puck. A bit of an oops, I'd say.
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