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The Anaheim Ducks turned some heads with the hiring of Joel Quenneville, and it wasn't for the right reasons after his role in the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks scandal. Quenneville was the head coach for the Blackhawks during the team's glory years in the early 2010s, but allegations from Kyle Beach in 2021 showed that those days might not have been so glorious.
The issue is that Beach accused former video coach Brad Aldrich of sexual assault in 2010 when the Blackhawks were marching towards the Stanley Cup. Quenneville, general manager Stan Bowman, and senior director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac didn't report the accusation at the time, and it didn't become public knowledge until 10 years later.
All three executives lost their roles in the NHL in 2021 after the accusations came into the public light. Quenneville was the head coach of the Florida Panthers at the time, but the NHL banished him until his reinstatement. Quenneville denied knowledge of the incident at the time of the accusation, but the accusations later revealed that he was present at a meeting in 2010.
Reports say Quenneville attended a meeting shortly after the Blackhawks won the 2010 Western Conference Final. He had more interest in not causing a distraction for his team on the way to the Stanley Cup and didn't take the allegations seriously. Whether it was tunnel vision for the task at hand or a lack of sensitivity about the sexual assault, it's hard to deny that Quenneville had some involvement in the subsequent cover-up, whether he realized it or not.
Considering Aldrich remained on staff, had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup after they won, and attended the banner-raising ceremony, it was clear no action was taken toward him.
Joel Quenneville hopes to prove growth
The NHL reinstated Quenneville, Boman, and MacIsaac on July 1, 2024. Bowman took a job immediately with the Edmonton Oilers, but it took Quenneville a bit longer to land a position. At the time, the NHL revealed that the men had taken action to become better people and professionals.
“These three individuals has acknowledged that and used this time away from the game to engage in activities which, not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel who are in positions of leadership.”
Quenneville echoed those sentiments in his introductory press conference with the Ducks. It's unclear whether the delay in getting a job was self-induced or a reluctance from the league to bring him back in. It likely wasn't about the quality of the candidate, as he is a three-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Blackhawks in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
“I fully understand those who question my return to the league. I know words aren't enough,” Quenneville said in his press conference. “I will demonstrate through my actions that I am a man of character. We will be a team this community can be proud of, both on and off the ice. This is my promise.”
It's one thing to say those things, and it's another to put them into action. The Ducks and their fans hope this is a successful hiring and that the coach has changed for the better. One thing is for sure: the leash for Joel Quenneville will be much shorter than with the Blackhawks, and the Ducks will deal with any transgressions swiftly.
