The Blackhawks will soon have a permanent, established face to initiate and shape their rebuild.
The team finished the interview phase of their general manager search Thursday, announcing that the advisory committee involved in the search had “concluded its evaluation” and “provided input to leadership” before “moving to the next step of the process.”
Just three finalists remain in the running, per sources and numerous reports. They are current Hawks interim GM Kyle Davidson, Lightning director of hockey operations Mathieu Darche and Cubs assistant GM Jeff Greenberg.
The three other candidates the Hawks interviewed — Hurricanes assistant GM Eric Tulsky, failed former Bruins and Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli and former Canadiens assistant GM Scott Mellanby — are out of the running. Raptors vice president of basketball operations Teresa Resch, who was also reportedly considered for the job, never received an official interview.
A final decision is expected within the next week or so, giving the permanent GM time to settle in and ramp up conversations ahead of the March 21 trade deadline.
This story will be updated.