Canadian Joel Kenneville has retired as mentor to the Florida Panthers. The NHL club parted ways with a specialist with whom the team at the start of the season shows impressive results - seven wins in seven games with a goal difference between goals scored and missed 31:13. The reason for the dismissal was an 11-year-old scandal, the results of an independent investigation of which were published this week. Former Blackhawks striker Kyle Beach has filed sexual assault charges against former Chicago coach Brad Aldrich. Kenneville at the time was the head of the club with which he won the first of three Stanley Cups in the 2009/10 season.
The statement on the official Florida website notes that the decision was made after a personal meeting between the coach and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, his deputy Bill Daily, Panthers general manager Bill Zito and club president Matthew Caldwell.
As a result, Kenneville left the post "of his own free will."
There can be no excuse for the behavior in question, Caldwell said.
“It is troubling and in clear conflict with the values that the Panthers preach and advocate.
No one should go through what Kyle Beach faced during and after his time at Chicago.
The player was simply thrown.
We consider it a brave and courageous act on his part to tell about what happened.
Following today's meeting with Commissioner Bettman at the NHL headquarters, which became part of the process that determines the next steps of the league, Joel decided to resign, and the Florida club accepted it, "Caldwell said.
After the announcement of his departure, Kenneville also issued a statement in which he repented of what happened 11 years ago.
“I want to say that I am very saddened by the pain that this young man had to endure.
My former Blackhawks team let him down, and part of the responsibility for that lies with me.
I want to think about how this could happen and take the time to find solutions, how to make hockey a safe place for everyone, ”the NHL official website quotes the coach.
What happened 11 years ago?
Why did the league fined Chicago $ 2 million, and Florida quietly said goodbye to the head coach?
In 2010, 20-year-old ice hockey player Kyle Beach played in the AHL and was called to the Blackhawks in case of a possible substitution during the Stanley Cup.
However, on May 8 and 9, he said he was sexually assaulted by Brad Aldrich, who was the team's video coach at the time.
According to the hockey player, a few days after the incident, he told another member of the coaching staff Paul Vincent about the incident. The team was then in San Jose, where they played the Western Conference final against the Sharks. An hour after the Blackhawks reached the Stanley Cup Final, team leaders held a meeting to announce what had happened. Kenneville was also present.
According to the witness of the meeting, whose words are quoted in the investigation, the leadership of "Chicago" decided to postpone the proceedings so as not to disturb the team on the eve of the most important matches.
Sanctions against Aldrich followed, but not immediately, but three weeks after what happened when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
On June 14, Chicago President John McDonagh reported the abuse to the director of human resources, and Aldrich was faced with a choice: either an investigation begins or he quits.
The specialist, of course, decided to leave quietly.
The reason for the indignation and the initiation of an independent investigation was precisely the delay of the leadership of "Chicago" and the "peaceful" solution to the conflict.
Beach resented the fact that Aldrich was celebrating the Stanley Cup victory with the rest of the team.
“I told about everything, and I was informed that Gary brought this information to the very top, but nothing followed. Nothing has changed in Aldrich's life ... He raised the Cup, was at the championship parade, took pictures with the team. I felt like no one. As if I don't exist and no one cares about me. It seemed that he was right and I was not. Everyone knew what had happened, but he was allowed to take the Stanley Cup to the school where the children study. I have no words to describe everything, ”said Beach.
Four of those present at that meeting in the NHL continued to work until this week: Kenneville, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who worked at Chicago in 2010, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and the club's vice president of ice hockey. operations of Al Makayzak, which were dismissed immediately after the publication of the results of the investigation. Two other specialists were waiting to meet with Gary Bettman. The conversation with Joel took place on Thursday and led to the resignation of the Canadian. According to the NHL commissar, this decision is absolutely correct and the league supports it.
“As head coach of Chicago, Kenneville was one of the club's top executives who failed to respond appropriately to reports of sexual assault. After today's meeting with a specialist in my office, all parties agreed that he should not continue to be the head coach of Florida. The NHL currently sees no need to take any further action against Kenneville. But if he decides to return to the league in one capacity or another, I deem it necessary to meet with him to determine the conditions under which such an appointment can take place, ”- said in a statement Bettman.
Next in line is the communication of the NHL commissioner with Cheveldayoff, but its result is obvious.
Winnipeg's general manager will likely also be asked to leave "of his own accord."
The leadership of the league, represented by Bettman, is completely on the side of the injured hockey player and does not hide sympathy for him.
“I admire Kyle Beach, who took the courage and talked about everything.
Struck by the fact that he was not supported, neither when he first reported what happened, nor in the next 11 years.
I'm sorry about what he went through, ”said the NHL Commissioner.