(Los Angeles) Heads continue to roll in the wake of the Brad Aldrich affair.
Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville has resigned from his post. His deputy, Andrew Brunette, will take over the interim.
Quenneville was head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks when the alleged assaults by Kyle Beach were reported during the 2010 playoffs. According to the investigation report released Tuesday, Quenneville was among the inner circle of executives who were aware of the issues. accusations, and who did not react.
Another such executive, Stan Bowman, also resigned as general manager of the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
“At the end of my meeting with Mr. Quenneville at my office this afternoon, all parties agreed that it was no longer appropriate for him to remain the head coach of Florida,” said the NHL commissioner , Gary Bettman, in a statement released late Thursday.
In the same statement, Bettman said he will have to meet with Quenneville if the latter wishes to find a job in the NHL “to determine the appropriate conditions.” Bettman also indicates that “no further action” is necessary on the part of the NHL in the specific case of the fallen coach.
“It goes without saying that the conduct described in the report is disturbing and inexcusable,” said Matt Caldwell, President and CEO of the Panthers. It is in direct contradiction to our values as an organization. “
Joel Quenneville spoke on the subject on Thursday. “With regret and contrition, I announce my resignation as head coach of the Florida Panthers. I want to express my sadness for the pain this young man, Kyle Beach, suffered. My old team, the Blackhawks, failed with Kyle, and I have my share of the blame. I want to think about how this happened and take the time to educate myself on how to make sure the hockey environment is safe for everyone, ”he said.
Bettman is also due to meet with Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff on Friday. The latter was assistant to the Director General and was also aware of the allegations.
The Jets played in Los Angeles Thursday night; Cheveldayoff was with the team for the trip to California, but it is not known if he was attending Thursday’s game. We will have to see if he will also resign.
Coincidentally, the Blackhawks face the Jets in Winnipeg on November 5. We can guess the circus if Cheveldayoff remained in office …
Controversy Tuesday
Quenneville was behind the Panthers bench on Wednesday despite it being known that Bettman was due to meet with him on Thursday to take stock of the situation. Many have decried his presence on social networks.
Quenneville did not meet with the media after the game. Rather, it was its CEO, Bill Zito, who did it, and he called the information “disturbing.”
Quenneville was in his third season at the helm of the Panthers. Previously, he was head coach of the Blackhawks (2008-2018), Avalanche (2005-2008) and Blues (1997-2004). He was also an assistant for the Nordiques and the Avalanche.
Quenneville is second in coaching history in the NHL, with 969 wins. He also has three Stanley Cup rings, all three with Chicago. Those numbers alone almost secured him a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame. There is reason to believe that this story could close the doors of the temple to him.