Rocky Wirtz, who played a big role in further uplifting the brand of NHL franchise Chicago Blackhawks the last couple of decades has passed away at the age of 70, according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Wirtz served as the Blackhawks' chairman and principal owner from 2007 up to the time of his death. He got the role following the death of his father, Bill Wirtz in the same year. Under his watch, the Blackhawks became one of the best teams in the NHL, with the franchise even winning Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
Among the crucial decisions made by the franchise during Rocky Wirtz's time was to make Chicago home games available on local television. That allowed Chicago fans to follow closely Blackhawks young stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, who would go on to make unforgettable memories with the team. The duo was front and center in all of the Blackhawks' aforementioned Stanley Cup victories.
Article Continues BelowIn addition, Wirtz also played a big role in the Blackhawks' incredible postseason consistency, as Chicago made the Stanley Cup Playoffs nine times in a row from 2009 up to 2017.
The last time Wirtz was seen in public was in 2022 during the press conference introducing Kyle Davidson as the Blackhawks' new general manager.
Wirtz saw the Blackhawks struggle on the ice and deal with controversies off of it over the last few seasons, but a bright future is ahead of the team following its selection of Connor Bedard as the first-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.