The new general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks will inherit a titanic task.
Not only will he have to change the image of this organization, tarnished by a sex scandal, but also to straighten out the worst team in the standings, whose best prospect in defense and a first-round pick in 2022 have just been sacrificed for a short-term solution.
Stan Bowman resigned from his post on Tuesday, throwing the blame on then-team president John McDonough. Bowman had just been promoted to GM less than a year earlier when he learned of the events in May 2010.
Club video manager Brad Aldrich had had non-consenting sex – according to the complainant – with a 20-year-old who was recalled from underage for the playoffs.
Aldrich then allegedly blackmailed this hope for the organization by threatening to damage his career if he did not accept his advances.
The player complained and management was made aware and there was a meeting at the top: President McDonough, Bowman, his assistant Kevin Cheveldayoff, now GM in Winnipeg, VP Jay Blunk and the coach Joel Quenneville.
We were in the midst of the playoffs at the time of the incident, the Hawks were going to advance to the Stanley Cup final, their first since 1992, and we chose to cover it up so as not to cause distraction.
Not only was Aldrich able to work until the end of the playoffs, but he was asked to quietly quit instead of firing him, and he was even able to participate in the celebrations surrounding the Stanley Cup conquest and do it again, this time with an intern from the organization.
The Hawks had a wolf in the fold, and not only was he able to keep his reputation intact after he left, but he was left to work elsewhere afterwards without sounding the alarm when the Cup was already won.
Yet many knew, and also the players, at least six, according to the internal report commissioned from the Jenner & Block firm by the Blackhawks.
John McDonough, fired in April 2020, was in a position of power, but Bowman, Cheveldayoff, Quenneville and Blunk knew and chose to remain silent afterwards as they violated the organization’s aggression policy sexual.
The fact that Brad Aldrich was able to work with the United States Under-18 team afterwards and at the University of Miami in Ohio, without these organizations knowing about his murky past, is downright absurd.
Stan Bowman has resigned. What will happen to Quenneville, the head coach of the current NHL team, the Florida Panthers, and Cheveldayoff, GM of the Winnipeg Jets?
They will be summoned by Gary Bettman shortly in New York. Quenneville was terse Wednesday morning at a press briefing. “I’m going to meet Gary Bettman on Thursday. I want to contribute to the process. I respect everyone here doing their job and asking questions, but I won’t offer any further comments. “
As for the next CEO in Chicago, we wish him good luck …
The feat of the day
PHOTO JOHN MINCHILLO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Andrew Mangiapane
Andrew Mangiapane scored two more goals on Tuesday and the Flames claimed a fourth victory in six games, this time over the New Jersey Devils. Mangiapane, 25, a sixth-round pick in 2015, now has seven goals in six games. He’s never got more than 18 in a season. Johnny Gaudreau also has a strong start to the year with eight assists, but Sean Monahan has still not released, he has an assist in six games to his record.
Quote of the day
It’s a big change. A change that was likely to happen. I understand.
Forward Alex DeBrincat on Stan Bowman’s departure
No tongue in cheek here …
The number of the day
PHOTO GARY A. VASQUEZ, USA TODAY SPORTS
Cam Talbot
Cam Talbot just won five consecutive games to open the season for the Minnesota Wild. He is the first since Quebecer Emmanuel Fernandez, who won his first six in 2002. The Wild are second in the Central section with a 5-1 record.