Panthers coach Joel Quenneville offers to participate in review of Chicago allegations

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Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville has offered to participate in Chicago’s review of allegations by a former player who says he was sexually assaulted by a then assistant coach in 2010.

Quenneville, 62, coached Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles in over 10 seasons before being fired by the team in November 2018. He was hired by Florida in April 2019.

A former federal prosecutor has been hired by Chicago to lead what the team says is an independent investigative review of the allegations in a pair of lawsuits against the franchise. In an internal memo sent on June 28, CEO Danny Wirtz said Reid Schar and Jenner & Block LLP “have been asked to follow the facts wherever they take.”

The first complaint alleges sexual assault by former assistant coach Bradley Aldrich during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup title race, and the second was filed by a former student Aldrich was convicted of. assault in Michigan.

Making his first public comments since the lawsuits were filed, Quenneville called the allegations “clearly serious.”

“I first learned of these allegations from the media earlier this summer,” Quenneville said Tuesday in a statement provided by the Panthers. “I contacted the [Chicago NHL team]to let them know that I will support and participate in the independent review. Out of respect for everyone involved, I will not comment further while this matter is in court. “

A message was left on Tuesday seeking comments from the team. In his June 28 memo, Wirtz said the team would refrain from any further comment until the independent review and court proceedings are completed.

Former Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville watches from the bench during a game in 2018 (Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)

In his lawsuit, filed May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, the former player claims Aldrich assaulted him and the team did nothing after notifying an employee. The lawsuit also alleges that Aldrich assaulted another unidentified Chicago player. The former player who sued and claims over US $ 150,000 in damages is mentioned in the document as “John Doe”.

The eight-page lawsuit says Aldrich, then a Chicago video coach, “turned on some porn and began to masturbate in front of” the player without his consent. He says Aldrich also threatened to injure the player “physically, financially and emotionally” if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with him.

Paul Vincent, then a skills coach with the team, said he was told by two players in May 2010 of Aldrich’s inappropriate behavior. Vincent said he asked mental skills coach James Gary to follow up with players and management.

Request for police intervention refused

Vincent was called to a meeting with then-team president John McDonough, general manager Stan Bowman, hockey manager Al MacIsaac and Gary the next day. He said he asked the team to report the allegations to Chicago police, and the request was denied.

Vincent made his remarks in an interview with TSN, and he told The Associated Press in an email that he supported everything he said. He said in another email to the AP on Monday that he had not been contacted by Jenner & Block.

An attorney for Aldrich told Chicago public radio station WBEZ that his client denies the allegations in the lawsuit. In a May statement to the radio station, the organization said the allegations against the team were baseless.

After leaving Chicago, Aldrich was convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a high school student and is now on that state’s sex offender registry.

The former student Aldrich was convicted of assault filed a separate complaint against the club on May 26, saying the team provided positive references to Aldrich’s future employers despite allegations of at least one player and had taken no action to report the matter.

This costume says the student was a hockey player at Houghton High School near Hancock in 2013 when Aldrich sexually assaulted him at a season-ending rally.

Houghton Police records indicate that an investigator contacted the organization about Aldrich, but human resources manager Marie Sutera only confirmed that he was once an employee. She requested a search warrant or a subpoena for any further information regarding Aldrich.

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