NHL analyst rips into Joel Quenneville as he returns to Chicago for first time since sexual assault scandal ban

admin By admin 2025 年 10 月 20 日

Anaheim Ducks coach Joel Quenneville returned to the United Center in Chicago on Sunday for the first time since his ban in 2021. Quenneville, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, was suspended by the NHL due to his involvement in the sexual assault scandal surrounding former player Kyle Beach and ex-Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich.

As The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus pointed out, it was Quenneville’s inaction—not direct involvement—that ultimately damaged his reputation within the organization. In a lengthy op-ed published on Monday, Lazerus condemned Quenneville and others for their failure to stop Aldrich’s misconduct.

Lazerus wrote:

“The leadership of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010 was told that assistant video coach Brad Aldrich was preying on young men and decided not to do anything about it, putting the Stanley Cup first. As a result, Aldrich was free to prey on more young men—which he did, and was later convicted of criminal sexual misconduct with a minor in 2013.”

It’s important to note that Aldrich’s 2013 conviction stemmed from a separate incident. However, regarding the 2010 assault on Kyle Beach, the Chicago Sun-Times highlighted the findings of the Jenner & Block investigation released in 2021:

“The misunderstandings and callousness during that meeting ultimately enabled Aldrich to escape justice in Chicago and allegedly sexually assault at least two other people in the following years.”

This “callousness” and “misunderstandings” struck hard at Joel Quenneville, who was 67 at the time of his ban. The NHL handed Quenneville a four-year suspension for his role in the ordeal. When the allegations surfaced in 2021, Quenneville was coaching the Florida Panthers. He resigned shortly after the investigation began and remained out of the league until being reinstated in 2025.

Lazerus emphasized Quenneville’s troubling passivity during Aldrich’s misconduct, stating:

“None of those men went to the police. None of those men went to human resources. None of those men confronted Aldrich. None of those men pressed McDonough, the boss. None of those men stood up and did the right thing. Nothing can ever change that.”

The individuals singled out by Lazerus include then-Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman, former assistant GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, and team president John McDonough. Executives Al MacIsaac and Jay Blunk also failed to act as Aldrich continued his predatory behavior. Particularly, McDonough bore much of the blame for attempting to sweep the matter under the rug.

For his part, Quenneville appeared content to leave things as they were, preferring to focus solely on hockey. While that focus helped him secure three Stanley Cup titles, it came at a tremendous cost—three known victims, along with potentially others who remain unknown.

Lazerus stressed the importance of remembering the 2010 Kyle Beach incident, which directly implicates Joel Quenneville. While there may be room for forgiveness, hockey fans should never forget what truly happened.

After serving his suspension, the NHL reinstated Joel Quenneville in 2025, allowing the Anaheim Ducks to hire him once again. Quenneville appears contrite and eager to demonstrate that he has changed.

Ultimately, as Lazerus’ strong admonishment makes clear, Joel Quenneville’s legacy will always be overshadowed by his role in this horrific scandal—an incident that deserved much greater attention from those in power at the time.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/nhl/news-nhl-analyst-rips-joel-quenneville-returns-chicago-first-time-since-sexual-assault-scandal-ban

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