Dietz: Is Wirtz done with Blackhawks' housecleaning?

As this year's NHL trade deadline drew closer, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman had a difficult decision to make.

Should he leave the roster mostly intact so that Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Co. could make a run at the playoffs?

Or should he unload what he could to build for the future?

Bowman worked the phones on potential deals for Erik Gustafsson, Robin Lehner and others, but day after day no deals were announced. It wasn't until the eleventh hour that Bowman unloaded Gustafsson and Lehner - and the return was rather weak in both cases.

At that point, it was fair to wonder if chairman Rocky Wirtz and others in the organization began thinking: "Enough is enough. Perhaps it's time for a change."

Change came in a big way Monday when Wirtz released John McDonough from his duties as president and CEO. Was it McDonough who held up Bowman in the days leading up to the deadline with the hopes the Hawks could go on a winning streak to stay in the playoff picture?

Considering how inconsistent the Hawks were playing, the playoffs seemed like a pipe dream - and that's exactly what it was as coach Jeremy Colliton's squad dropped three of four after beating Calgary Feb. 15.

The third loss came Feb. 23 at Dallas, two days before the deadline.

Does all of this mean Bowman will be following McDonough out the door?

It's possible, and that could spell the end for Colliton, since rare is the GM who comes in and retains the head coach.

That could change, especially if the new GM:

• Believes Colliton has what it takes to develop the emerging talent on the Hawks and in their pipeline.

• Talks to some of the veterans and finds how much they enjoy playing for Colliton.

Longtime veteran Zack Smith told me: "Jeremy's definitely got his style and he's a guy you want to play for. He's a very positive guy, which is a nice change for a lot of guys. He obviously wants the best for you."

The Hawks are a complicated mess behind the scenes. Big egos are involved and those people don't always work that well together. Losing amplifies all of that, which in the end may have led to McDonough's ousting.

Will his departure help?

I believe it might.

The Hawks need someone to come in with fresh eyes, someone who can give an honest evaluation for every single player on the roster, in the minors and in the system.

Look what the Edmonton Oilers did last season. They canned general manager Peter Chiarelli in January 2019, and hired Ken Holland, who overhauled the roster. He brought in lesser-known vets who knew how to win and could work well with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

And boom - the Oilers became extremely dangerous.

The Hawks are in a much different situation. A new regime might come in and decide to completely blow up everything. Dump high-salary guys like Andrew Shaw, Calvin de Haan, Olli Maatta and Smith for literally nothing in an effort to start over. Trade Brandon Saad for picks and/or a can't-miss prospect. Buyouts are possible as well.

Toews and Keith may be asked if they're willing to be moved.

Everything should be on the table because staying the course likely means more mediocre seasons.

That's the equivalent of the sports abyss - a place the Hawks were in not that long ago.

Bold moves - like the one to hire McDonough 13 years ago - are what turn things around.

Get ready for a bumpy ride in the meantime.