Joel Quenneville is making his return to hockey. After “nearly four years away from the game,” the second-winningest coach in NHL history has been hired as the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks.[1]
Quenneville has not coached since October 27th, 2021, just a day prior to resigning as head coach of the Florida Panthers.[2] Quenneville was forced to resign after “he was named 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.”[3]
Both Quenneville and former Blackhawks executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIssac were “banned from the NHL for nearly three years after an independent investigation concluded that the team mishandled allegations raised by former player Kyle Beach.”[4]
The NHL reinstated Quenneville on July 1st, 2024, making him eligible to seek employment for the first time following the ban.[5]
Kyle Beach came forward as “the player at the center of the investigation into sexual abuse allegations against the Chicago Blackhawks from 2010” in 2021.[6]
At the time, Beach told TSN “it’s been a . . . 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.”[7]
Stan Bowman, a Buffalo native, resigned from his position of general manager and president of hockey operations of the Blackhawks “in the wake of the findings by an outside law firm, and the NHL.”[8]
The report, which names Quenneville, was described as “both disturbing and difficult to read.”[9] Blackhawks ownership stated that “[i]t is clear that in 2010 the executives of this organization put team performance above all else” and “John Doe deserved better from the Blackhawks.”[10]
Quenneville addressed the media after being hired by the Ducks: “I fully understand and accept those who question my return to the league.”[11] “I know words aren’t enough. I will demonstrate (by) my actions that I am a man of character.”[12]
Whether or not Quenneville can live up to those words remains to be seen. What is certain is that he will have to be squeaky clean in his return to the NHL. This is likely Quenneville’s one and only chance back in the league.
[1] https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45059399/joel-quenneville-show-man-character-ducks
[2] https://www.nhl.com/news/joel-quenneville-hired-as-anaheim-ducks-coach
[3] Id.
[4] https://www.nbcsports.com/nhl/news/joel-quenneville-hired-by-anaheim-ducks-for-his-1st-head-coaching-job-since-blackhawks-abuse-scandal
[5] https://www.nhl.com/news/joel-quenneville-reinstated-by-nhl-can-resume-coaching
[6] https://www.nhl.com/news/kyle-beach-reveals-himself-as-accuser-in-blackhawks-investigation-327302872
[7] Id.
[8] https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-business-chicago-hockey-afbef9779cc690c72f4cb4b21c52afe4
[9] Id.
[10] Id.
[11] https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/45059399/joel-quenneville-show-man-character-ducks
[12] Id.
Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJZgGy6JbNX/
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