In wake of the Chicago Blackhawks’ sexual abuse scandal, former head coach Joel Quenneville has resigned as bench boss from the Florida Panthers.
Earlier this week, an independent investigation by Jenner and Block revealed that Chicago Blackhawks senior leadership had done nothing regarding former player Kyle Beach alleging that video coach Brad Aldrich sexually abused him in 2010. It was revealed in the investigation that head coach Joel Quenneville had knowledge of the allegations.
On Thursday night, Quenneville announced his resignation as head coach of the Florida Panthers. This comes hours after meeting with commissioner Gary Bettman in New York. Andrew Brunette will serve as the team’s interim head coach.
Quenneville released a statement, which can be read below courtesy of TSN NHL insider Chris Johnston.
This story will be updated with additional information.
NHL releases statement on Joel Quenneville’s resignation
Bettman, who met with Quenneville earlier in the day, released a statement shortly after the resignation became official. You can read it below in the NHL Public Relations Department’s tweet.
Quenneville had denied ever knowing of the allegations made by Beach, saying that he learned about it through the media back in July. Beach recently said in an interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead that there was “absolutely no way that he did not know about it.”
In the Jenner and Block report, Quenneville was in attendance for a meeting back on May 23, 2010 regarding the allegations during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. Stan Bowman, who recently resigned as the team’s general manager, recalled that the head coach shook his head upon learning of the allegations and said that “it was hard for the team to get to where they were, and they could not deal with this issue now.”
Quenneville was coaching the Panthers on Wednesday night for their game against the Boston Bruins, despite the release of the investigation.