NHL reinstates Bowman, Quenneville after being banned for his role in Blackhawks assault scandal

NHL lifted ban on longtime coach Joel Quenneville and executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac on Monday, paving the way for their return to the league more than two years after they were punished in the fallout from the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.

Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville could sign contracts with an NHL team after July 10.

“For more than the past two and a half years, these individuals have been ineligible to work for any NHL team as a result of their inadequate response to being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks player Kyle Beach were assaulted by the club’s video coach,” the league said, “While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals… recognized this and used their time away from the game to engage in activities that not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence a greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, especially those in leadership positions.”

The scandal rocked the Blackhawks in October 2021 and had repercussions across the league.

An independent investigation commissioned by the Blackhawks concluded that team officials mishandled allegations raised by Beach during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2010. Quenneville, Chicago’s former coach and second on the all-time wins list, Scotty Bowmanresigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers.

Stan Bowman, Scotty’s son and Chicago’s general manager and president of hockey operations, has stepped down, as has the team’s top executive, MacIsaac. The league said it has since “made significant strides in personal improvement by participating in a multitude of programs, many of which focus on the imperative of responding effectively and meaningfully to address alleged acts of abuse.”

Only one team, the Edmonton Oilers, has a current GM vacancy after Ken Holland’s contract was not renewed following a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Hockey operations CEO Jeff Jackson was asked Monday about Bowman as a candidate and said he hadn’t really thought about it.

“I mean, Stan is obviously a long-time, successful GM, and the NHL reinstated all three guys today,” Jackson said on a video call with reporters. “I’m a little nervous here because of the schedule with the playoffs and then the draft, then free agency, so I haven’t thought about any of that, to be honest. I have to decompress for a few days, and then I have to move on with my GM search. To be honest, I can’t comment right now.”

The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million following the investigation, which was launched in response to two lawsuits filed against the franchise: one by a player identified as John Doe alleging sexual assault by then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010 and another filed by a former student Aldrich was convicted of assault in Michigan.

The report found no evidence that CEO Danny Wirtz or his father, Rocky, who owns the team, were aware of the allegations before the lawsuits. But the younger Wirtz said it was clear that team executives “put team performance above all else.”

Among other things, the damning report found that in June 2010, after the team won the World Cup, Aldrich was given the option of resigning or taking part in an investigation. Aldrich signed a separation agreement and no investigation was conducted. Aldrich received severance pay and a playoff bonus, according to the report, and was paid a salary “for several months.” He hosted the Stanley Cup for one day in his hometown.

The Blackhawks and Beach reached an undisclosed settlement in December 2021. The AP typically does not identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Beach has done.