Former Blackhawks Coach Quenneville Resigns From Panthers Job

CHICAGO — Two days after an explosive report implicated Chicago Blackhawks officials in their handling of sexual assault allegations against a former video coach that his current bosses called "troubling and inexcusable," Joel Quenneville has resigned his job with the Florida Panthers.

The Panthers announced the move Thursday night after Quenneville, who guided the Hawks to three Stanley Cup championships between 2010 and 2015, met with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Thursday in New York.

On Wednesday, Quenneville told reporters he would be meeting with NHL officials, but said he could not comment further. Earlier this summer, after a former Hawks prospect — now identified as Kyle Beach – filed a lawsuit against the team, the Panthers issued a statement in which Quenneville said he had only learned of the allegations this summer "through the media."

Asked Wednesday if he was sticking by that statement following the release of a 107-page report outlining the findings of an independent investigation by Chicago law firm Jenner & Block that indicated Quenneville was among Blackhawks officials who discussed Beach's allegations in 2010, Quenneville said he was, but again declined comment.

Thursday, that changed.

"I want to express my sorrow for the pain this young man, Kyle Beach, has suffered," Quenneville said. "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 some time to educate myself on ensuring hockey spaces are safe for everyone."

Panthers officials were stern in their comments after the third-year Panthers coach offered to resign after meeting with Bettman and other officials.

“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 Matthew Caldwell said in the statement issued by the team. “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.”

In the Jenner and Block report, investigators detailed how Quenneville, along with then-general manager Stan Bowman, team President John McDonough and others met to discuss the allegations that the player who was known in the lawsuit as "John Doe" until Wednesday had brought against former video coach Brad Aldrich. The executives decided to postpone looking into the claims until after the Stanley Cup Final, which the Hawks won, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers.

Three weeks after that meeting, the allegations were turned over to the Hawks' human resources department. Aldrich was given the chance to either participate in an internal investigation or resign. He resigned, and no inquiry was ever conducted until earlier this year, when the Hawks commissioned Jenner & Block to complete the investigation.

"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 b former player Kyle Beach against the Club's then-video coach, Brad Aldrich," Bettman said in a statement Thursday night. "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."

Bettman said that before Quenneville can work in the NHL again, he would need to meet with the Commissioner ahead of time to "determine the appropriate conditions under which such new employment might take place." After the resignations of Bowman and Quenneville, the lone former Blackhawks executive from the 2010 team still employed is former assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, the current general manager of the Winnipeg Jets.

In an emotional 25-minute interview with Canadian network TSN Wednesday night, Beach said that he endured years of feeling alone after the Hawks failed to act following his allegations that the assault took place. Asked about the team's handling of the matter, Beach named Bowman and Quenneville as having known when it happened.

"Stan Bowman has quoted Joel Quenneville saying — and this is not a quote, this is my words — saying that the playoffs, the Stanley Cup playoffs and trying to win a Stanley Cup, was more important than sexual assault," Beach said in the TSN interview. "And I can’t believe that. As a human being, I cannot believe that, and I cannot accept that. I’ve witnessed meetings, right after I reported it to (former Hawks mental skills coach) James Gary, that were held in Joel Quenneville’s office. There’s absolutely no way that he can deny knowing it, and there’s absolutely no way that Stan Bowman would make up a quote like that, to somebody who served his organization and his team so well."