Chicago Blackhawks general manager and president of hockey operations Stan Bowman resigned amid an investigation that revealed he was part of a group of executives who failed to respond quickly to allegations that an assistant coach allegedly sexually assaulted a player in 2010.
The Blackhawks have commissioned Jenner & Block to conduct an independent investigation following the filing of two lawsuits against the team: one alleging sexual assault by assistant coach Bradley Aldrich during the team’s journey to life. Stanley Cup in 2010 and another that of a former student of Aldrich for which he was convicted of assault in Michigan.
Aldrich left the Blackhawks after the 2009-10 season.
Team president and CEO Danny Wirtz said the report “is both disturbing and difficult to read,” and the NHL fined the team $ 2 million for having mismanaged the allegations.
Bowman said he was stepping down because he didn’t want to be a distraction for the team. “11 years ago, when I was in my first year as General Manager, I was made aware of potential inappropriate behavior by the video instructor involving a player,” he said. said in a statement released by the team. I promptly reported the matter to the then President and CEO, who vowed to handle the matter. “
“I learned this year that the inappropriate behavior involved a serious allegation of sexual assault. I relied on the direction of my superior to take the appropriate action. Looking back, knowing now that he didn’t deal with the matter quickly, I regret that I assumed he would. “
“Omission” noted
Former federal prosecutor Reid Schar, who led the investigation, said Bowman, former team president John McDonough, director of hockey operations Al MacIsaac, former executive vice president Jay Blunk and the then assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met with then coach Joel Quenneville and mental preparation manager Jim Gary to discuss allegations that assistant coach Brad Aldrich assaulted a player.
Current Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, who was director of player personnel in Chicago at the time, is not named in the report, but he was one of 139 witnesses interviewed in connection with investigation.
Schar added that the minutes of the meeting “varied considerably.”
“What is clear is that after being made aware of Aldrich’s alleged sexual harassment and misconduct with a player, no action was taken for three weeks,” said Schar.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the report “makes it clear that senior management’s handling of the alleged incident included a failure to inform the Blackhawks owners of it, both what was alleged and how it was. treaty. “
Bettman added that he would not immediately pass judgment on Quenneville and Cheveldayoff, and that he plans to meet with them about their roles in the case.
Hockey USA did not immediately comment on the status of Bowman, who serves as the team’s general manager ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Disturbing allegations
A former player claimed that Aldrich assaulted him and that the team did nothing after informing an employee. The lawsuit, which began May 7 in Cook County Court, alleges that Aldrich also assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. The former player who brought the lawsuit is claiming more than $ 150,000 in damages and is identified in the document as “John Doe”.
The eight-page lawsuit states that Aldrich, then a video coach for the Blackhawks, “showed porn and began to masturbate in front of” the player without his consent. He says Aldrich also threatened to harm him “physically, financially and emotionally” if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with him.
According to TSN, two Blackhawks players told then-skills instructor Paul Vincent in May 2010 of Aldrich’s inappropriate behavior. Vincent revealed he asked mental coach James Gary to follow up with players and management.
Vincent was called to a meeting with Bowman, McDonough, MacIsaac and Gary the next day, TSN reports, and said he asked the team to report the allegations to Chicago Police, a request which was denied.