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New York Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
John Doe vs. Blackhawks lawsuit set for trial after judge rules against team's motion
CHICAGO — A former Chicago Blackhawks player's lawsuit against the NHL franchise is set to go to trial in October after a Cook County (Ill.) Circuit Court judge ruled this week against the Blackhawks' motion for a summary judgment. The former player, under the name 'John Doe,' is suing the Blackhawks for failing to act when informed of sexual assault allegations against one of the team's former video coaches, Brad Aldrich, during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Blackhawks previously settled a case with former player Kyle Beach when similar allegations were made against Aldrich and the organization stemming from the 2010 playoffs. Advertisement The Blackhawks had previously filed for the summary judgment, arguing John Doe's claims exceeded the discovery rule's two-year statute of limitations and that he should have known of his injury by 2011 after the sexual assault was reported and Aldrich had left the Blackhawks. John Doe responded in court that his limitations were extended to October 2021, when the Blackhawks released Jenner & Block's independent report of the organization's response to the allegations made against Aldrich in 2010. The Blackhawks also replied that John Doe was relying on inadmissible evidence, including the independent report, and didn't have proof that the Blackhawks had fraudulently concealed information in 2010. In Cook County Circuit Court judge Barbara Flores' decision to deny the motion for summary judgment on Tuesday, Flores wrote that the court record included depositions of John Doe and former Blackhawks coach Paul Vincent, a partial transcript of a deposition by former Blackhawks psychologist James Gary, emails and the Jenner & Block report. Flores referenced alleged communication in those documents between John Doe, Vincent and Gary and how the Blackhawks front office was allegedly aware of the allegations in 2010. Flores wrote in the ruling: 'Taken together, the deposition testimonies alone present a number of questions of material fact that preclude summary judgment. Such questions include: (1) how many conversations occurred between Plaintiff and Gary during the time period in question; (2) the substance of the conversation(s) between Gary and Plaintiff; (3) what Gary meant when he stated on multiple occasions, as evidenced by Vincent's testimony, that he would 'take care of it,' or it was being 'handled.'' Flores also disagreed with the Blackhawks' other arguments in their motion for summary judgment. Advertisement Flores wrote: 'A reasonable trier of fact could find that Plaintiff's claims are not subject to the discovery rule because he did not have sufficient information in 2010 to discover potential claims against CBHT (Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Team) despite having awareness of the sexual harassment he claims occurred at the hands of Aldrich. Moreover, as fraudulent concealment is an exception to the discovery rule's statute of limitations, based on the evidence presented, the Court cannot determine with certainty whether the exception is applicable to Plaintiff's claims. 'When construing the pleadings in the light most favorable to the nonmovant, as it must, the Court finds that triable issues of fact exist and reasonable minds might differ in drawing inferences from those facts. Thus, Defendant's motion for summary judgment is denied.' With the case going to trial, it's possible that former Blackhawks general manager and current Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman could be compelled to testify. Bowman filed a motion to quash a subpoena in March, and the judge ruled in his favor because the subpoena was deemed to be improperly served. John Doe's attorneys, Antonio Romanucci and Jason Friedl, said in a statement in May that they could pursue another subpoena for Bowman. 'Stan Bowman is indeed still subject to a trial subpoena, and we remain committed to securing justice for our client and holding accountable those who contributed to an environment of abuse through their actions or inactions,' the statement said. An assignment call for the jury trial is set for Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. at the Cook County Circuit Court.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Joel Quenneville begins new chapter with Ducks following years away from NHL
Joel Quenneville begins new chapter with Ducks following years away from NHL (Image Source: Getty Images) Joel Quenneville is returning to the NHL. The Anaheim Ducks have brought him on as their new head coach. Joel Quenneville had been out of coaching since 2021 due to severe issues with his experience playing for the Chicago Blackhawks. The NHL suspended him, but they rescinded it in 2024. Now, the Ducks are hoping that Joel Quenneville's experience and success will lead their team to victory once more after failing to make the playoffs for seven consecutive years. Joel Quenneville receives a second opportunity with Anaheim Ducks Perhaps the greatest coach in NHL history is Joel Quenneville. Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said India foils Pakistan's attack on Jammu airport: What we know so far He coached in St. Louis, Colorado, and Florida before he assisted Chicago to win numerous giant games. However, afterwards, a player made a complaint saying that a person on the staff of the team injured him. A report mentioned that Joel Quenneville was aware of it but did nothing about it. And after that incident, he quit his position on the Florida team. The coach in question, Brad Aldrich, was permitted to continue working. That complicated things for the player, Kyle Beach. Following the publication of this report, Joel Quenneville stepped down from being employed with the Florida Panthers. The NHL suspended him and the Blackhawks were fined $2 million. Other team captains also resigned. NHL clears Joel Quenneville to coach again In 2024, the NHL indicated that Joel Quenneville was free to go back to work. The Ducks investigated his past and indicated that he had made efforts to learn from his error. Therefore, they decided to employ him. The Ducks have not appeared in the playoffs since seven years ago. They have not won a playoff game since 2017. They think that Joel Quenneville can change that. He has a history of winning and knows how to manage a team. Now, Joel Quenneville will attempt to bring Anaheim success. He still lags the all-time great Scotty Bowman in victories, but with more time on the bench, he may be able to increase his number. Also Read: As The Anaheim Ducks Enter Coaching Conversations, Joel Quenneville Sees The NHL Resurgence
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ducks hire Joel Quenneville as next head coach after 2021 resignation amid Blackhawks scandal
Content warning: This article contains alleged depictions of sexual assault. Four years after he resigned from the Florida Panthers amid a sexual-assault investigation involving his former team, Joel Quenneville is back in the NHL. Quenneville has been hired as the Anaheim Ducks' next head coach, the team announced Thursday. Advertisement The news comes less than a year after Quenneville was reinstated by the NHL following his resignation from the Panthers in 2021. Quenneville resigned as the team's head coach after the NHL launched an investigation into claims Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted a player in 2010. Quenneville served as the Blackhawks' head coach from 2008-19, when the alleged assault reportedly occurred. An independent investigation into those claims found that Quenneville — as well as multiple members of the Blackhawks' front office — were aware of the allegations against Aldrich, but declined to take action until three weeks after those allegations came to light within the organization. Prior to the independent investigation's findings, Quenneville claimed he was unaware of the alleged assault. 'Over the last two weeks, we conducted interviews with many outstanding coaching candidates, while simultaneously conducting a comprehensive review of what took place while Joel was head coach of the Blackhawks in 2010," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said. "We spoke with dozens of individuals, including advocates for positive change in hockey and leadership of the NHL, which last July officially cleared Joel to seek employment in the league. Our findings are consistent with Joel's account that he was not fully aware of the severity of what transpired in 2010. It is clear that Joel deeply regrets not following up with more questions at the time, has demonstrated meaningful personal growth and accountability, and has earned the opportunity to return to coaching." A statement from Quenneville read, in part, "In nearly four years away from the game, I have learned from my prior mistakes and realized it will be actions over words that demonstrate my commitment to being a better leader.' Advertisement The Blackhawks were in the midst of a playoff run at the time of the incidents, and team executives reportedly did not want to invite negative publicity during the postseason. The Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup that season. It was the team's first championship in nearly 50 years. The investigation also found another instance of sexual assault involving Aldrich and a player allegedly occurred during the three-week window in which members of the team knew about the allegations surrounding Aldrich, but did not report them to the Blackhawks' human resources department. At the time that report was released, Quenneville was in his third season as the Panthers' head coach. A day after the investigation's findings were released, Quenneville coached the Panthers, sparking outrage from fans and others in the hockey world. The next day, Quenneville resigned. Following Quenneville's resignation, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said he would need to meet with the coach before he could hold another job in the NHL. In July 2024, Quenneville — along with other members of the Blackhawks' front office, including general manager Stan Bowman — was reinstated by the league. Just after being reinstated, Bowman was hired as the Edmonton Oilers' general manager. Advertisement Shortly after the independent investigation findings came to light, former Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach came forward as the player who was reportedly assaulted by Aldrich. At the time, Beach — who was selected by the team in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft — claimed many within the organization were aware of the alleged abuse. Multiple former Blackhawks players and staff members said they — and the team — were aware of the reported abuse. Following the team's 2010 Stanley Cup win, the Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup in both 2013 and 2015. All three championships came under Quenneville. After a slow start to open the 2018-19 NHL season, the Blackhawks fired Quenneville. He joined the Panthers the following year and put up a 79-40 record with the franchise before his resignation. In 2014, Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in jail after reportedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old hockey player in Michigan. His name was removed from the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup in 2021.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS NHL coach implicated in sexual assault scandal 'set to make shock return to league'
Despite being implicated as a major player in the cover up of the sexual assault of one of his former players, Joel Quenneville will be returning to the National Hockey League as a coach. Quenneville, who has been out of work since 2021, is set to be announced as the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks per multiple reports. The Ducks recently fired head coach Greg Cronin after he spent two seasons behind the bench. Per ESPN's Emily Kaplan, the Ducks were interesting in hiring University of Denver head coach David Carle before he extended his contract with the school. Former NHL coaches Rich Tocchet and Jay Woodcroft were also considered. Quenneville is most well-known for being the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, where he won three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. But it was during that first title run in 2010 where Quenneville knowingly covered up the sexual assault of a player, Kyle Beach, at the hands of video analyst Brad Aldrich. An investigation conducted by the NHL found that Quenneville and other members of the Blackhawks front office were made aware of the allegations prior to the Stanley Cup Final. In particular, Quenneville was concerned that addressing the sexual assault would be a 'distraction' to the team. On May 7, 2021, a former Blackhawks player - initially filing as John Doe, later revealed as Beach - accused Aldrich of sexually assaulting him during the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Beach also alleged that Aldrich physically, emotionally, and financially threatened him. A month's long investigation by the law firm Jenner & Block found that executives - including Quenneville, general manager Stan Bowman, and VP of Hockey Operations Al MacIsaac - held a meeting after sweeping the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Finals to address the claims. However, the executives decided to not address the claims until after the Stanley Cup Finals. The report found that the matter was never discussed again. Aldrich was given the option of resigning or being fired by the Blackhawks' human resources director if the claims were true. Aldrich chose to resign and was still allowed to participate in celebrations after the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup Final. Aldrich went on to work for the University of Notre Dame and Miami University in Ohio before serving as a high school assistant coach in Houghton, Michigan. He was accused of sexual assault at Miami University and was later convicted of having sexual contact with a minor at the high school job. Aldrich served nine months in prison and was required to register as a sex offender in the state of Michigan. In October of 2021, Kyle Beach gave an interview on SportsCentre in Canada and confirmed that he was John Doe - detailing his experiences with the Blackhawks. After the investigation was completed, Bowman and MacIsaac resigned from their positions within the team on October 26, 2021. Quenneville, who was the head coach of the Florida Panthers at the time, also resigned from his post two days later. The Blackhawks were fined $2million by the NHL after the completion of the investigation. Beach and the Blackhawks reached a confidential settlement in December of 2021. In November of 2023, another anonymous former Blackhawks prospect filed a negligence lawsuit against the Blackhawks for suppressing his complaints of sexual harassment and threats of physical violence from Aldrich during the 2010 playoffs. Last July, the NHL reinstated Quenneville, Bowman, and MacIsaac - allowing all three of them to be employed by a team if they chose to do so. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman noted that the three men showed 'sincere remorse' for their 'unacceptable' response to the allegations. Weeks after that decision, Bowman was hired to be the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers. According to ESPN, the Ducks did 'an extensive look into Quenneville's role' in the scandal over the course of 'several weeks' - including speaking to Beach 'other advocacy groups that Quenneville had formed relationships with.' Ultimately, the team believed the coach 'had continued to put in the necessary work to understand how to reform the mistakes from 2010,' sources told the outlet. Quenneville is the second-winningest coach in NHL history - owning 969 wins across time with the St. Louis Blues and two stints with the Colorado Avalanche in addition to his time behind the bench with the Blackhawks and Panthers. Prior to his coaching days, Quenneville played 13 NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Colorado Rockies (hockey team), the New Jersey Devils, the Hartford Whalers, and the Washington Capitals. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek was a teammate of Quenneville's in Hartford for one season.
