Rocky Wirtz, the owner of the Chicago Blackhawks who won three Stanley Cup championships and also ran the team during one of the biggest scandals in the National Hockey League, has unexpectedly died. He was 70 years old.
In a release Tuesday night, the Blackhawks organization announced the death of Wirtz, describing it as a “sudden passing.” No other details were given by the franchise.
Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL, stated in a release that the league was “deeply saddened” by the news.
“Devoted to family and the Chicago Blackhawks, Rocky was a native son of Chicago and an accomplished businessman,” said Bettman. “Rocky took over control of the Blackhawks in 2007 and almost immediately restored the passion and following of this storied, Original Six franchise.”
We are deeply saddened to join the Wirtz Family in mourning the sudden passing of our Chairman W. Rockwell “Rocky” Wirtz today at the age of 70. pic.twitter.com/WA58pXWl9M
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) July 26, 2023
2 years old when his grandfather, Arthur, bought the Blackhawks in 1954, Rocky Wirtz became the owner of the team in 2007 when his father, William, passed away.
When Wirtz took over the team as chairman, he helped the franchise re-establish relationships with some of their best former players. Wirtz is also credited with putting Blackhawks games back on local television, and Chicago also had a long sellout streak under his leadership.
Wirtz won three Stanley Cup titles as Blackhawks owner — 2010, 2013 and 2015. (RELATED: REPORT: LeBron James’ Son Bronny Collapses After Suffering Cardiac Arrest)
However, Wirtz’s run as Blackhawks owner was tainted when it was found out by a law firm that the franchise horribly mishandled allegations by a player who claimed that an assistant coach sexually assaulted him during their 2010 Stanley Cup run.