The NHL announced Monday that former executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac and head coach Joel Quenneville are being considered for jobs with the league, more than two years after they resigned amid the sexual abuse scandal at the Chicago Blackhawks.
All three resigned in 2021 after an investigation found they failed to adequately respond to allegations of sexual abuse within the Blackhawks organization in 2010.
Former Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach alleged in a 2021 lawsuit that the team’s then-video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him during the 2010 season. Beach filed the lawsuit anonymously, but has since spoken publicly about his experience.
“The National Hockey League today announced that Stan Bowman, Al McIsaac and Joel Queneville are eligible for NHL employment effective immediately,” the statement reads“For more than two and a half years, these individuals have been ineligible to work for any NHL team as a result of their inadequate response when informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks player Kyle Beach had been assaulted by the club’s video coach.”
Investigation: Blackhawks executives sat silent on allegations during Stanley Cup run
The investigation found that Bowman, MacIsaac, Quenneville, former team president John McDonough and executives Jay Blunk and Kevin Cheveldayoff met to discuss the allegations after Beach reported them to the Blackhawks’ human resources department, but no action was taken until three weeks later.
The Blackhawks were in the midst of a run to the Stanley Cup championship at the time of the report. According to the investigation, MacIsaac stated that McDonough “did not want any negative publicity during the Stanley Cup Finals.”
The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million for “inadequate internal procedures” at the conclusion of the investigation. Bowman and MacIsaac were still with the Blackhawks and resigned when the investigation’s findings were released in October 2021.
Quenneville was the head coach of the Florida Panthers at the time. He resigned a few days later. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement in response to Quenneville’s firing, indicating that Quenneville would need to speak with him to consider future employment in the league.
“Given the outcome, there is no need for further action by the NHL with respect to Mr. Quenneville at this time,” Bettman’s 2021 statement said. “However, should he wish to re-enter the League in any capacity in the future, I will require a meeting with him in advance to determine the appropriate terms under which such re-employment could occur.”
In a statement Monday, the league said it was satisfied that Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville have met the standards to return to the league.
“While it is clear that their responses at the time were unacceptable, each of these three individuals acknowledged that and used their time away from the game to engage in activities that not only demonstrate genuine remorse for what occurred, but also demonstrate a heightened awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel in leadership positions,” the statement said.
“In addition, each of them has made significant progress in personal improvement through participation in numerous programs, many of which focused on the need to respond to perceived abuse in an effective and meaningful way.”
All three will be able to return to competition from July 10.
