- The Chicago Blackhawks fell out of the NHL draft lottery’s pole position. Here’s where they stand with 1 game to play. Chicago Tribune
- NHL Tank Daily: Blackhawks fall behind Blue Jackets, Ducks in race for last place with unlikely win over Penguins The Athletic
- The Bedard End Game, Future Roster Thoughts, NHL Heading To Australia, and Other Blackhawks Bullets bleachernation.com
- Battle For Bedard Update: One Final Blown Opportunity Sports Mockery
- Predicting the Blackhawks’ 2023 NHL Draft picks for each of the first six spots The Athletic
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Tag Archives: Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks expected to hire Montreal Canadiens assistant Luke Richardson as coach, source confirms
Luke Richardson is expected to become the new head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, an NHL source confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
Richardson would replace interim coach Derek King, who went 27-33-10 after taking over for Jeremy Colliton 12 games into the season. Richardson, an assistant coach for the Montreal Canadiens, was offered the head-coaching job this week, sources said.
The Blackhawks are waiting on some contract details to be finalized, and the expectation is that Richardson will be formally announced as the coach next week.
Daily Faceoff first reported on Richardson’s expected hiring.
Richardson, 53, has been an assistant coach on the Canadiens’ bench for four seasons, working with three different head coaches. Before that, he was the head coach of the AHL Binghamton Senators, the top affiliate for the Ottawa Senators, from 2012 to 2016 and worked as an assistant for Ottawa and the New York Islanders.
In the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, Richardson took over the Canadiens bench when coach Dominique Ducharme entered the NHL COVID-19 protocol. He went 3-3 and guided the Canadiens past the Vegas Golden Knights to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. Ducharme returned for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, which the Canadiens lost in five games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Richardson played 21 years in the NHL as a rugged defenseman, most prominently with the Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers.
The move would leave the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets as the only teams without a head coach.
Fleury, Wild ready to chase Stanley Cup after trade from Blackhawks
Marc-Andre Fleury is the reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy, voted the NHL’s best goalie by the League’s general managers. He is not a journeyman.
Yet here he was moments after the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline on Monday, fresh off a private plane after being traded for the second time in less than a year.
Fleury being Fleury, he was smiling and focusing on the positive. Joining the Minnesota Wild means one thing above all: a shot to win the Stanley Cup.
“There’s not much that beats winning,” Fleury said. “You can ask anybody who has won. You’re always chasing that feeling, that achievement.”
This is why the Wild acquired Fleury from the Chicago Blackhawks, along with forward Tyson Jost from the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday, forward Nicolas Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday and defenseman Jacob Middleton from the San Jose Sharks on Monday.
Minnesota has made the Stanley Cup Playoffs eight times in the past nine seasons but hasn’t won a round since 2014-15. After buying out defenseman Ryan Suter and forward Zach Parise on July 13, the Wild will be squeezed under the NHL salary cap starting next season.
Now is the time to go for it.
The Wild (37-20-4) are tied with the Nashville Predators for second in the Central Division following a 3-0 win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Xcel Energy Center on Monday. Although they entered Monday third in the NHL in goals per game (3.67), they were 22nd in goals against (3.20) and 21st in 5-on-5 save percentage (.913).
[RELATED: Fleury traded to Wild by Blackhawks | 2021-22 NHL Trade Tracker]
Fleury ranks third in regular-season wins (511) and fourth in playoff wins (90) in NHL history. He won the Stanley Cup three times with the Pittsburgh Penguins, in 2009, 2016 and 2017, and led the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season in 2017-18.
Last season was the best of his NHL career statistically. He went 26-10-0 with a 1.98 goals-against average, a .928 save percentage and six shutouts, winning the Vezina for the first time. Oh, and he was in net when the Golden Knights defeated the Wild in seven games in the first round of the playoffs too.
“It’s no secret,” said Wild general manager Bill Guerin, who won the Cup with Fleury in 2009 as a trade deadline acquisition himself. “I know ‘Flower.’ I know him very well. He’s had a lot of playoff success, and I think he can help all of us. That experience is key.”
Fleury has had his ups and downs. He had to fight for his job in Pittsburgh and Vegas, each time ending up elsewhere. He considered retiring for family reasons after the Golden Knights traded him to the Blackhawks on July 27, then relented.
The 37-year-old has gone 19-21-5 with a 2.95 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage and four shutouts this season. Chicago (22-32-9) is seventh in the Central Division.
All of that applies here. He was a great teammate while battling with Matt Murray in Pittsburgh and Robin Lehner in Vegas, and you know he will be a great teammate while playing with Cam Talbot in Minnesota. Guerin said each goalie is expected to play a lot.
“I don’t know him so much, but he just seems like a great guy,” Fleury said of Talbot, who made 28 saves in the shutout Monday. “I have a lot of respect for him and for what he’s done, obviously. To me, I always feel like … I don’t know. I don’t like the competition between the guys. I always think we’re both part of the team and we both want to help, so I think we’ll just do whatever we can to accomplish that.”
Video: Bill Guerin joins NHL Tonight to discuss Fleury trade
Guerin said he spoke to Talbot on Sunday and Monday, and Talbot was one of the first to reach out to Fleury.
“I’m so confident in Cam Talbot as a player and as a person that this will go well,” Guerin said. “And you know what? We’re all after the same thing here, and there’s no room for … There’s no room for petty [stuff]. We’re on a team together, and we’re trying to win.”
Family is still an issue for Fleury, but he said Guerin reassured him after the trade. Minnesota is close to Chicago, so Fleury and his family will be able to see each other.
Fleury can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. Who knows what the future holds? But Fleury said he wants to play at least one more season, and he has been around long enough to know how precious these opportunities are.
Perhaps on a better team, perhaps with added snarl on the back end from Deslauriers and Middleton, he can recapture his old magic. Perhaps his happy-go-lucky attitude and championship resume can relieve pressure and increase confidence for a team trying to take the next step.
How can you squeeze your stick when Fleury’s back there winking, smiling, chirping and patting his goal posts?
“I still love playing,” Fleury said. “I still love the feeling of a win, the feeling of competing on the ice and stuff, so I’m happy to be here and have this opportunity to play a little longer this year.”
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Blackhawks postponed; Chicago Bulls also push back games due to COVID protocol
CHICAGO — Two Chicago sports teams have had to postpone upcoming games due to positive COVID tests, both on the home team and on the opponent’s.
The NBA has postponed the next three Chicago Bulls games amid a COVID-19 outbreak on the team, the Bulls said Tuesday.
But Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers was only pushed back to 7 p.m. from 2:30 p.m.
The Chicago Bulls’ team-wide COVID-19 outbreak continued to spread further when Zach LaVine and Troy Brown Jr. entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Alize Johnson was added on Monday.
Their additions, announced by the team, bring the Bulls’ total to 10 players in the league’s COVID-19 protocols since the start of the month.
SEE ALSO | Chicago Blackhawks game Monday postponed due to COVID outbreak on Calgary Flames
LaVine and Brown join DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, Javonte Green, Matt Thomas, Derrick Jones Jr., Ayo Dosunmu and Stanley Johnson as players sidelined right now. Bulls broadcasters Stacey King and Bill Wennington are also at home in isolation due to the league’s protocols. Players who enter health and safety protocols must quarantine for 10 days or until they return two negative PCR tests within a 24-hour window.
The Bulls were off Sunday and were set to host the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.
The Bulls are off to a great start this season with a 17-10 record good for third place in the Eastern Conference, despite playing the last couple games with several players sitting out because of COVID. On Saturday, the Miami Heat blew them out by 26 points.
“If you’re looking for an optimistic take on it, the Bulls can get it out of the way now and be healthier when it matters in the spring I guess,” said ESPN 1000’s Carmen DeFalco.
The Bulls say the players and coaches are all fully vaccinated and most have had the booster as well. But that has not kept 10 players from joining the current list of those who are on the COVID-protocol list, though the team says none are having serious symptoms.
“I understand what the league is doing, but we have guys that feel fine,” Bulls Coach Billy Donovan said.
The Bulls say despite their vaccination status, players and coaches are tested frequently. Doctors say that is further evidence that the vaccines cannot completely prevent breakthrough cases, though they generally help prevent serious symptoms.
“The good news is the level of illness is low,” said Dr. Brian Cole, Midwest Orthopedics at Rush. “Some may be asymptomatic and would otherwise not know it other than a sensitive test.”
While the Bulls still technically have enough players on the roster not on COVID protocols, the league still chose to postpone their games this week at home against Detroit on Tuesday and Thursday in Toronto.
“It only makes sense, the only logical choice here, because it’s really sweeping through the team right now,” DeFalco said.
RELATED: Illinois COVID cases: IL reports 4,561 new cases, 23 deaths
The NBA mandates a minimum of eight players for each team before postponing a game during team outbreaks, and Chicago currently has eight players available on its roster, including its two two-way players and Alfonzo McKinnie, who signed a 10-day contract Friday.
McKinnie was signed after the Bulls were granted extra roster spots due to the league’s hardship exception and the Bulls are eligible to continue adding players by that provision. However, the team’s outbreak has been so widespread that even one of the players they signed as a hardship exception, Johnson, has already landed in the health and safety protocols.
Both White and Green have completed their mandatory 10-day isolation after a positive test last week. White returned to the team’s facility Sunday for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 1, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Because the Bulls have positive cases, their players are required to test every day. Current guidelines don’t require players on many teams to be tested daily. Players who are vaccinated — but have not received a booster — will be tested on game days beginning Friday. Unvaccinated players are required to test daily, and Johnson & Johnson vaccinated players without a booster were required to begin gameday testing earlier this month.
The NBA says 97% of its players are vaccinated, and sources told Wojnarowski more than 60% of players have received the booster.
The Blackhawks also postponed their game against the Calgary Flames Monday night after the Flames reported six players and a staff member entered the COVID protocol.
Tickets will automatically be valid for whenever the game is rescheduled.
ABC7 Chicago contributed to this report.
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Blackhawks Jujhar Khaira stretchered off ice after hit by Jacob Trouba
CHICAGO — Blackhawks winger Jujhar Khaira had to be stretchered off the ice in the second period Tuesday night after he was knocked out cold from a massive hit by defenseman Jacob Trouba in the Rangers’ 6-2 win at United Center.
The night took a turn when Trouba stonewalled Khaira, who had his head down on the play and came crashing down to the ice. Several trainers swarmed Khaira and tended to him before he had to be carried out on a stretcher.
Khaira was alert, as he raised his arm to the crowd on his way off the ice. The Blackhawks announced that Khaira was taken by ambulance to Northwestern Hospital for further testing.
Trouba was not made available after the game, but head coach Gerard Gallant said he thought it was a clean hit and acknowledged it was an unfortunate situation.
“It looked like [Trouba] stepped up and the guy had his head down bad,” Gallant said after the win. “You just hate to see somebody get hit that hurt. In my eyes it was all fairly clean. But he had his head down big-time, looking at the puck, and Troubs stepped in.
“I didn’t feel too good and I know our player didn’t feel too good, either.”
Naturally, Trouba later had to drop the gloves with Blackhawks defenseman Riley Stillman, who challenged the Rangers defenseman for knocking Khaira out of the game.
While the Rangers have acknowledged their shortcomings on faceoffs, they’ve often been able to find ways to ensure it doesn’t have any effect on the end results of games.
That trend continued on Tuesday night, with the Rangers winning just 30 of 68 battles at the dots for a 44.1 faceoff percentage. Both of the Blackhawks’ goals came off faceoff wins in the Rangers’ zone.
“They’ve been doing it longer than I’ve been here — and you’ve been talking about it longer than I’ve been here,” Gallant said. “We’re trying. It cost us two goals tonight, but you know what? We won the hockey game.”
What started as a defensive-zone faceoff loss from the Rangers ended with Chicago defenseman Erik Gustafsson sending a long shot from the top of the zone — which Blueshirts goalie Alexandar Georgiev clearly didn’t see very well — to knot the game 1-1 in the first period.
The Rangers were bitten by another faceoff loss in the D zone at 7:09 of the first, when Kirby Dach netted the Blackhawks’ second goal on their fifth shot of the night.
The Rangers’ postponed Nov. 28 game against the Islanders has been rescheduled to 7p.m. on March 17 at Madison Square Garden, the NHL announced Tuesday.
Kyle Beach: Player speaks with NHL commissioner after sex abuse allegation against former Chicago Blackhawks video coach
Beach’s attorney, Susan Loggins, said Bettman expressed his “sincere regret” on what had occurred and offered Beach help during a video call Saturday, including psychological services, according to the league’s website.
Beach is scheduled to meet with the Blackhawks on Tuesday, according to The Athletic. CNN has reached out to Beach’s attorney and the Chicago Blackhawks for comment.
According to several reports, Beach also spoke via video call with Donald Fehr, executive director of the NHL Players’ Association, about the league’s substance-abuse and behavioral-health program on Saturday. CNN has reached out to the NHLPA for comment.
Beach, 31, filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Blackhawks in May.
After an independent investigation commissioned by the Blackhawks following the lawsuit, the NHL fined the team $2 million Tuesday for what the league described as “the organization’s inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response.”
On Wednesday, Beach said in an interview with Canadian sports television station TSN that his life “was changed forever.” He also expressed “a great feeling of relief and vindication” and that “it was no longer my word against everybody else’s.”
Blackhawks’ sexual abuse victim Kyle Beach meets with NHL execs: A timeline of the case and its fallout
Fallout from the Chicago Blackhawks’ sexual abuse scandal has only grown since the team’s 107-page investigation report released Tuesday, most recently with Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville resigning after a Thursday meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Quenneville — who coached Chicago to three Stanley Cup championships over 11 seasons — and five other Blackhawks senior staffers failed to take immediate action against a former video coach who sexually assaulted a player in 2010, according to the report. Former first-round pick Kyle Beach came forward as the victim on Wednesday.
Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and senior senior director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac stepped down two days before Quenneville, and Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff — Chicago’s assistant general manager in 2010 — is expected to meet with Bettman on Monday. The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million for their mishandling of the allegations. Here’s a chronological look at the case and what to expect next.
May 8-9, 2010 — The assault on Beach
Former Blackhawks center Kyle Beach and video coach Brad Aldrich engaged in a sexual encounter during the team’s Western Conference finals series against the San Jose Sharks. Aldrich told investigators the encounter was consensual, but Beach said it was “entirely non-consensual.” According to the report, Aldrich told Beach he would never play in the NHL or walk again if he didn’t “act like he enjoyed the sexual encounter.” Aldrich then forced himself upon Beach.
May 12-19, 2010 — Beach confides in skill coach
Later in the Sharks series, Beach told Blackhawks skill coach Paul Vincent about the incident with Aldrich. Vincent — according to Beach, not the investigators — reported Beach’s claims to the Blackhawks’ front office, but Aldrich kept his job through the team’s Stanley Cup run. Beach described Vincent as an “amazing man” who “tried to do everything he could do back then.” The Blackhawks’ inaction after discovering the allegations, however, made Beach “feel like I didn’t exist.”
May 23, 2010 — Blackhawks’ senior staff meeting
MacIsaac learns of the alleged sexual encounter between Aldirch and Beach from an employee. After the Blackhawks’ series-clinching win over the Sharks, MacIsaac joined president John McDonough, Bowman, executive vice president Jay Blunk, assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, Quenneville and team counselor Jim Gary to discuss the incident. Bowman recalled McDonough and Quenneville brushing the issue aside, with the former hoping to avoid bad publicity during the team’s Stanley Cup run and the latter wanting to ensure his team had no distractions.
June 10, 2010 — Aldrich assaults Blackhawks intern
A day after the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup win, Aldrich allegedly made sexual advances toward a 22-year-old team intern. Aldrich “physically grabbed” the intern during the encounter, according to the report.
June 14-16, 2010 — Human resources gets involved
McDonough told Blackhawks’ human resources about the allegations against Aldrich and the senior managers’ May 23 meeting on June 14. Two days later, Aldrich met with the director of human resources. Aldrich neither confirmed nor denied his role in the incident with Beach, forcing the director to give him an ultimatum: an investigation or resignation. After choosing to resign, the Blackhawks gave Aldrich a severance, playoff bonus and championship ring. Aldrich also had his name engraved on the cup, spent a day with the Stanley Cup and attended the team’s banner-raising ceremony the following season.
Fall 2012 — Aldrich assaults two at Miami (Ohio)
Aldrich sexually assaulted two men while serving as Miami (Ohio) University’s director of hockey operations. Miami found Aldrich assaulted a Miami student who worked at the rink and a summer hockey camp intern, both after inviting them to sleep on his couch. Aldrich resigned from Miami later that year.
March 2013 — Aldrich assaults high schooler
While serving as a volunteer hockey coach for a high school team in Houghton, Michigan, Aldrich allegedly sexually assaulted one of his teenage players after a post-game party. Aldrich admitted his sexual advances toward the teen to police shortly after.
September 2013 — Blackhawks HR stonewalls Houghton Police
Houghton police contacts the Blackhawks’ director of human resources for information on Aldrich. The director refused to offer any information on Alrdrich — other than his resignation — without a subpoena. Aldrich was eventually convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student.
Feb. 13, 2014 — Aldrich sentenced to jail
Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in Houghton County Jail for his sexual assault on the high school player. Upon his release, Aldrich was required to register as a sex offender, serve five years of probation and pay restitution.
May 7, 2021 — Beach files lawsuit against Blackhawks
Beach, who was then unnamed and referred to as “John Doe 1,” filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks for their failure to punish Aldrich after his alleged assault in 2010.
June 2021 — Blackhawks begin independent investigation
Chicago hired former federal prosecutor Redi Schar to conduct an “independent investigation” into Beach’s allegations. The investigation released Tuesday and found the Blackhawks violated their own sexual harassment policy by waiting three weeks before taking action (Aldrich’s forced resignation), a sharp turn from the team’s commitment to investigating such issues “promptly and thoroughly.”
“The failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter and the decision to take no action from May 23 to June 14 had consequences,” the report read. “During that period, Aldrich continued to work with and travel with the team. Aldrich engaged in an unwanted sexual advance on a Blackhawks intern—physically grabbing the intern in a sexual manner. And Aldrich continued to participate in team activities and celebrations, in the presence of John Doe. Even after the allegations were finally reported to the Director of Human Resources, still no investigation occurred, and Aldrich was permitted to resign his position and to continue participating in Stanley Cup victory events.”
Oct. 26, 2021 — Bowman and MacIsaac step down
The Blackhawks announced Bowman and MacIsaac, the lone members of the May 2010 senior meeting that remain with the team, stepped down from their respective roles. Vice president of hockey strategy and analytics Kyle Davidson took over as Chicago’s interim general manager.
“The report is both disturbing and difficult to read,” said Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz, who added the team’s senior executives didn’t take adequate action in 2010. “It speaks for itself. (Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz) and our leadership team reviewed the report and we have had important and difficult conversations about how our organization will move forward.”
Later that day, the NHL announced it was fining the Blackhawks $2 million for their “inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters related to former video coach Brad Aldrich’s employment with the Club and ultimate departure in 2010.” The NHL and Blackhawks agreed to send $1 million of the fine money to Chicago organizations dedicated to supporting or assisting survivors of sexual and other forms of abuse.
USA Hockey also announced Bowman stepped down as the team’s general manager for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Oct. 27, 2021
Beach comes forward as the “John Doe” in the Blackhawks’ sexual assault case. The 31-year-old who is currently playing in Germany told TSN “it was a day of many emotions. I cried, I smiled, I laughed, I cried some more. My girlfriend and I, we didn’t really know how to feel, we didn’t really know how to think.”
Oct. 28, 2021 — Quenneville resigns
Quenneville resigned after meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman in New York to discuss his involvement in the Blackhawks’ sexual assault case. Andrew Brunette will serve as the team’s interim head coach. Bettman said in a statement after Quenneville’s resignation that the coach wouldn’t receive any further punishment from the league — unless he tries to re-enter it.
“Should he wish to re-enter the league in some capacity in the future, I will require a meeting with him in advance in order to determine the appropriate conditions under which such new employment might take place.”
Beach also took to social media to thank fans for their “endless love and support” but admitted “my battle is really just beginning as the Blackhawks continue to attempt to destroy my case in court.” He hopes to “promote safety, as well as the health and well being of society as a whole” through his lawsuit.
Oct. 30 — Bettman speaks with Bettman, NHLPA head Donald Fehr
Bettman met with Beach to discuss how to prevent further sexual misconduct within the league. Susan Loggans, Beach’s attorney, told the AP that Bettman conveyed his “sincere regret” over Beach’s experience and offered the league’s physcological services. Beach also met with NHL players’ association executive director Donald Fehr via a video conference call later that day.
Nov. 1, 2021 — Cheveldayoff meets with Bettman
Cheveldayoff, the Winnipeg Jets’ general manager, is slated to meet Bettman on Monday. The NHL has yet to announce any punishment for Cheveldayoff.
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Blackhawks Scandal: Former Chicago coach Joel Quenneville resigns from Florida Panthers after Kyle Beach sex assault report
CHICAGO (WLS) — Former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville has resigned from his job as the head coach of the Florida Panthers in wake of the sex assault scandal.
Kyle Beach, who has come forward as the “John Doe” in the case, spoke with ABC News about the scandal.
“This is about a system that was broken,” Beach said.
RELATED | Stan Bowman out as Hawks GM, team fined $2M after sex assault probe
In a statement, Quenneville said in part, “I want to express my sorrow for the pain that this young man, Kyle Beach, has suffered. My former team – the Blackhawks — failed Kyle and I own my share of that.”
Quenneville resigned from the Panthers following a meeting Thursday afternoon with the NHL’s commissioner.
The Florida Panthers announced today that Head Coach Joel Quenneville has resigned from his role with the club.
An interim head coach announcement will be forthcoming.https://t.co/h6Bv3OVdFk
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) October 29, 2021
The Panthers organization says the decision to part ways with the legendary hockey coach was made “…in addition to new information that has recently become available.” Continuing to say, “Joel made the decision to resign and the Florida Panthers accepted that resignation.”
Earlier this week,the Blackhawks released results of an independent investigation that revealed, during the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2010, the organization waited weeks to look into allegations Beach made claiming team video coordinator Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him.
In the independent investigation by the Hawks, Beach says video coach Brad Aldrich invited him to apartment for dinner and drinks back IN 2010.
The coach allegedly told Beach he had the power to get him on the roster, and threatened Beach’s career before the assault took place. Aldrich claims the encounter was entirely consensual.
Aldrich eventually resigned and moved to Michigan where, in 2013, he was charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old hockey player.
RELATED | Chicago Blackhawks scandal: Meet attorney Reid Schar, investigator who unraveled front office
“I felt so guilty that,” Beach said. “Because I didn’t do something. That it happened to this boy. But in the same breath. And over the next month. To get to this point, I owe him the greatest thanks ever, because he also gave me the power to come forward, to tell my story, to tell my truth. This is about a system that was broken, a system that is broken.”
On Wednesday, Beach revealed he was the unnamed player named in the report. Beach then singled out top brass within the Hawks organization, including Quenneville.
“I watched the entire leadership management group enter Joel Quennville’s office to have a meeting about it,” Beach said. “It moved all the way through the chain of command. And it made it to the top and it stopped there.”
Speaking with ABC News, Beach spoke of his personal pain.
“When I needed support, the people that was I was supposed to be able to trust, and the people I was able to rely, completely left me abandoned,” Beach said.
Kevin Cheveldayoff, the former Blackhawks assistant GM who is now the GM of the Winnipeg Jets, is expected to meet with the NHL commissioner Friday.
Victims of sexual assault in Chicago can find help locally, including through the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago rape crisis hotline. That number is 1-888-293-2080.
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Quenneville resigns as Panthers coach, named in Blackhawks investigation
Joel Quenneville resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers on Thursday after being implicated in an independent investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks for allegations by former player Kyle Beach of sexual assault by then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
Quenneville coached the Blackhawks for 11 seasons beginning in 2008 and won the Stanley Cup with them in 2010, 2013 and 2015 before being fired Nov. 6, 2018. The 63-year-old was in his third season with the Panthers.
“The National Hockey League agrees with the decision tonight by Joel Quenneville to resign his duties as head coach of the Florida Panthers,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “In his former role as Chicago Blackhawks head coach, Mr. Quenneville was among several former members of the Club’s senior leadership group who mishandled the 2010 sexual assault claim by former player Kyle Beach against the Club’s then-video coach, Brad Aldrich. And, following a meeting with Mr. Quenneville that took place this afternoon in my office, all parties agreed that it was no longer appropriate that he continue to serve as Florida’s head coach.
“I admire Kyle Beach for his courage in coming forward, am appalled that he was so poorly supported upon making his initial claim and in the 11 years since, and am sorry for all he has endured.
“We thank the Panthers’ organization for working with us to ensure that a thorough process was followed. Given the result, there is no need for any further action by the NHL regarding Mr. Quenneville at this time. However, should he wish to re-enter the League in some capacity in the future, I will require a meeting with him in advance in order to determine the appropriate conditions under which such new employment might take place.”
The Panthers said an interim coach announcement is forthcoming.
“After the release of the Jenner & Block investigative report on Tuesday afternoon, we have continued to diligently review the information within that report, in addition to new information that has recently become available,” Panthers president and CEO Matt Caldwell said in a statement. “It should go without saying that the conduct described in that report is troubling and inexcusable. It stands in direct contrast to our values as an organization and what the Florida Panthers stand for. No one should ever have to endure what Kyle Beach experienced during, and long after, his time in Chicago. Quite simply, he was failed. We praise his bravery and courage in coming forward.
“Following a meeting today with Commissioner Bettman at National Hockey League offices, which was part of the league’s process to decide how to move forward, Joel made the decision to resign and the Florida Panthers accepted that resignation.”
Reid Schar, a former federal prosecutor and partner at Jenner & Block LLP, released the findings of his firm’s independent investigation into the allegations Tuesday, and the NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million “for the organization’s inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters related” to the alleged encounter. Commissioner Bettman also announced he wanted to meet with Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who was Blackhawks assistant GM at the time.
Quenneville issued a statement following the Panthers announcement.
“With deep regret and contrition, I announce my resignation as head coach of the Florida Panthers,” Quenneville said. “I want to express my sorrow for the pain this young man, Kyle Beach, has suffered. My former team the Blackhawks failed Kyle and I own my share of that. I want to reflect on how all of this happened and take the time to educate myself on ensuring hockey spaces ae safe for everyone.”
According to Schar’s findings, Quenneville was among six individuals then with Blackhawks senior management who met May 23, 2010, to discuss the alleged sexual assault, which occurred May 8 or 9, 2010. Also present to hear a report from mental skills coach and team counselor Jim Gary, who had spoken with Beach, were then-Blackhawks president John McDonough, then-senior vice president Jay Blunk, then-GM Stan Bowman, then-senior director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac, and Cheveldayoff.
The meeting took place within an hour of Chicago defeating the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Final to advance to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.
“One witness recalled that during the meeting, Mr. McDonough and coach Quenneville made comments about the challenge of getting to the Stanley Cup Final and a desire to focus on the team and the playoffs,” Schar said. “What is clear is, after being informed of Aldrich’s alleged sexual harassment and misconduct with the player, no action was taken for three weeks.”
Quenneville and Cheveldayoff were the only individuals who attended that meeting who were working in the NHL after Bowman resigned and MacIsaac was let go by the Blackhawks on Tuesday. McDonough was fired by Chicago on April 27, 2020. Blunk and Gary left the Blackhawks this offseason.
Cheveldayoff is scheduled to meet with Commissioner Bettman within days.
Quenneville is second in coaching wins in NHL history, behind Scotty Bowman (1,244), with a record of 969-572-150 with 77 ties in 25 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Blackhawks and Panthers. Florida qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of its first two seasons under Quenneville and is 7-0-0 this season.
Beach on Wednesday came forward as the player at the center of the investigation into the allegations against Aldrich and the Blackhawks. The No. 11 pick of the 2008 NHL Draft, Beach, now 31, never played in the NHL. He was 20 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
“It’s a big step for me, my process of recovery, as I process the events that happened and as I truly deal with the underlying issues that I have from them,” Beach said. “For me, I wanted to come forward and put my name on this. To be honest, it’s already out there. The details were pretty accurate in the report, and it’s been figured out. More than that, I’ve been a survivor, I am a survivor. And I know I’m not alone.”
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Blackhawks Issue Statement After Kyle Beach Reveals He is ‘John Doe 1’ in Sexual Assault Lawsuit – NBC Chicago
In the hours after former prospect Kyle Beach revealed that he had been the player who had filed a lawsuit against the team following an alleged sexual assault in 2010, the Chicago Blackhawks have released a statement commending the player for his bravery, and apologizing for their role in the incident.
In the statement, the Blackhawks’ organization says that it was responsible for its “failure to promptly” respond to Beach’s allegations when he brought them to members of management following the 2010 incident.
Here is the team’s full statement:
“First, we would like to acknowledge and commend Kyle Beach’s courage in coming forward. As an organization, the Chicago Blackhawks reiterate our deepest apologies to him for what he has gone through, and for the organization’s failure to promptly respond when he bravely brought this matter to light in 2010. It was inexcusable for the then-executives of the Blackhawks organization to delay taking action regarding the reported sexual misconduct. No playoff game or championship is more important than protecting our players and staff from predatory behavior.
“The Blackhawks have implemented numerous changes and improvements within the organization, including hiring a new leadership team that is committed to winning championships while adhering to the highest ethical, professional and athletic standards.”
On Tuesday, the legal firm hired by the team to conduct an investigation into the organization’s handling of the incident was released, revealing many new damning details and ultimately leading to the departure of both President GM Stan Bowman and executive Al MacIsaac from the club.
In the report, lawyers detailed the allegations from “John Doe,” revealed Wednesday to be 2008 first round draft pick Kyle Beach. Beach alleges that former video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him at his apartment during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Aldrich allegedly threatening to destroy Beach’s career if he didn’t “pretend to enjoy” the assault.
Aldrich has denied the allegations, saying that the encounter was consensual.
In the weeks after the assault, Beach informed several members of the organization, including former mental skills coach Jim Gary. A closed-door meeting was held that involved Gray, Bowman, MacIsaac, former President and CEO John McDonough, and former head coach Joel Quenneville, and no further action was taken at the time.
A short time later, the Blackhawks the Philadelphia Flyers to capture their first Stanley Cup championship in 49 years. Aldrich was allowed to continue in his role as video coach during that series, and participated in the victory celebration and parade after the title.
Aldrich resigned his position on June 16, 2010 after a meeting with the Blackhawks’ director of Human Relations and the team’s outside counsel. In that meeting, Aldrich was reportedly told that he would either have to step down or be the subject of a further investigation, and he opted to quit his position.
On Wednesday, Beach revealed himself as “John Doe 1” in an interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead.
“I wanted to come forward and to put my name on this because it’s already out there,” he said in the interview. “The details were pretty accurate in the report, and it’s been figured out, but more than that, I’ve been a survivor. I am a survivor, and I know I’m not the only one. I buried this for 11 years, and it’s destroyed me from the inside out, and I want everybody to know in the sports world and in the world that you’re not alone.”
Beach has since filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks, alleging that the team failed to act after he came forward with his allegations. He also alleges that teammates knew about the incident, and taunted him using homophobic language.
That case, along with a separate lawsuit against the Blackhawks filed by a former youth hockey player who was also allegedly assaulted by Aldrich, remain pending.