Blackhawks president: Quenneville, Bowman will return next season

Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Stan Bowman will both return for the 2018-19 season, team president John McDonough said, according to Eric Lear of Blackhawks TV.

"We're not tethered to the past," McDonough said, according to Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. "This has been a very disappointing year and our expectations are incredibly high. We're not going to deviate from those expectations. But I believe both Stan and Joel are the guys that are going to bring this back."

Quenneville's job was rumored to be in jeopardy with the Blackhawks set to miss the playoffs for the first time during his 10-year tenor with the club. One knock against Quenneville has been the notion he couldn't coach young players, but McDonough feels that is no longer the case.

"I know at one point, that was kind of a knock on Joel, that he wasn't proficient at coaching young players," McDonough said. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

Quenneville is still under contract for two more seasons in which he will earn $12 million.

As for Bowman, the announcement means he will return for his 10th season as the club's GM after being promoted from assistant GM in July 2009.

With 76 points this season, the Blackhawks currently sit 17 points back of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference.