NHL Front Office Moves: Penguins CEO David Morehouse out, Blackhawks hire Jeff Greenberg as AGM
The Daily Goal Horn
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Pittsburgh Penguins president/chief executive officer David Morehouse left his post Wednesday after 16 years with the club.
During Morehouse’s time in charge, the Penguins won three Stanley Cups. His exit comes less than a year after previous owners Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux sold the team to Fenway Sports Group.
Penguins CEO David Morehouse steps down
“I want to thank Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux for taking a chance on me in 2007 and giving this Pittsburgh kid the dream of a lifetime to run his hometown hockey team,” Morehouse said in a statement. “During those 16 years I’ve been lucky enough that this never felt like a ‘job.’ It always felt like a partnership — with ownership, players, coaches, staff, and Pittsburgh fans. We had some incredible times together, including three Stanley Cups and watching Pittsburgh turn into a true hockey town.”
Morehouse added, “I’m confident that the Penguins’ future is in good hands with Fenway Sports Group. The new ownership group prioritizes winning and that has always been the philosophy of the Pittsburgh Penguins. They have experience running successful franchises and we have some of the best staff in sports already in place. Together, the legacy of the Penguins is sure to continue.”
Fenway Sports Group principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner said in a joint statement, “As a leader of the Penguins franchise for nearly a decade and a half, David presided over an era that is formidable in every way. We are grateful for the leadership he has provided throughout this remarkable period, overseeing the construction of a new arena, record sell-outs, and Stanley Cup championships.
“David has been instrumental in making the Penguins one of the most successful franchises in the NHL and we are thankful for the immense time, energy, and love he has poured into the organization.”
Morehouse first joined the Penguins in 2004 as a consultant regarding their new arena. He became club president three years later, ahead of the team’s championship runs in 2009, 2016 and 2017, and he added the CEO title in 2010.
The Penguins have sold out all 633 of their home games since February 2007, and they are headed to the postseason for the 16th consecutive year, the longest current run among teams in the NHL, NBA, NHL and MLB.
With Morehouse’s exit, Brian Burke and Kevin Acklin will run the Penguins’ front office.
Blackhawks hire Jeff Greenberg as AGM
The Chicago Blackhawks named Cubs assistant general manager Jeff Greenberg as their associate GM on Thursday.
Greenberg, 36, has worked for the Cubs since 2012, when he started as an intern. He worked with them in a variety of front office roles, including director of baseball operations, before being promoted to assistant GM in 2020.
Greenberg, who will begin with the Blackhawks on May 9, was a finalist for the team’s general manager position. Kyle Davidson, 33, was named to that role in March.
Chicago was in search of a replacement for Stan Bowman, the longtime general manager who resigned early this season due to his role in the franchise’s mishandling of the Kyle Beach sexual abuse case in 2010.
Per the Blackhawks, Greenberg will oversee the strategic systems and processes that will fuel the team’s hockey operations group. Greenberg will join fellow associate general manager Norm Maciver, 57, and Davidson as what the team labeled the Blackhawks’ “core brain trust.”
“Jeff will be both an architect and connector of the hockey operations group, ensuring that we’re always at the forefront of professional sports,” Davidson said. “He reached out to congratulate me after I was named general manager, and we connected instantly over our parallel paths, shared love for hockey and vision for this sport’s future. I’m excited for our fans to see what he, alongside Norm, can bring as key voices at the table — a table that will continue to grow with other leaders we will add to the team.”
The Blackhawks (28-42-11, 67 points) have been eliminated from postseason contention for the second straight season and fourth time in five years. They will visit the Buffalo Sabres in their season finale on Friday.
“What I’ve learned about the Blackhawks is they’re serious about using this rebuilding period to not only set this franchise up to be the best in hockey, but the best in all of sports moving forward,” Greenberg said. “There couldn’t be a more exciting time to get in on the ground floor of this journey and pursue every possible solution to put this team back on the path to winning hockey.”
–Field Level Media