NHL defends disciplinary decisions in Chicago Blackhawks scandal

Commissioner Gary Bettman is defending the NHL’s decisions and discipline meted out following an investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks’ handling of sexual assault allegations in 2010.

The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million USD for “the organization’s inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response” to Kyle Beach’s allegations against Brad Aldrich during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2010.

“People can and have debated the amount of the fine, but it was substantial by any measure and acknowledges that the organization failed to act appropriately,” Bettman said on Nov. 1. “Also, the fine sends, as intended, a message to all clubs as to how I view their organizational responsibilities.”

He stood by decisions to let Joel Quenneville coach one more game and not discipline Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff based on his limited role in Chicago’s front office at the time. Quenneville resigned as Florida Panthers coach after meeting with Bettman last week.

In his first public comments since the report detailing the Blackhawks investigation was released, Bettman said he did not want anyone to think he was prejudging Quenneville, who was Chicago’s coach when allegations surfaced that Aldrich sexually assaulted B.C.-born prospect Beach 11 years ago.

pic.twitter.com/XkWRWaLnBE

— Kyle Beach (@KBeachy12) October 28, 2021

Asked if Quenneville was given any kind of ultimatum, Bettman said, “Joel ultimately included that the most sensible course of action was for him to resign.”

Cheveldayoff is the only person in Blackhawks management at the time who still works for an NHL club. Cheveldayoff was present at a meeting about Beach’s allegations in May 2010, but Bettman said the former assistant GM “was such a minor player in this” and “had no responsibility for” the organization’s mishandling of the situation.

Cheveldayoff was scheduled to address reporters Monday, though that was pushed back by the Jets because owner Mark Chipman suffered a bout of vertigo over the weekend and insisted on being there for the news conference.

The NHL Players’ Association has an executive board meeting scheduled for later Monday to discuss how Beach’s allegations were handled.

“I’ve suppressed this memory and buried this memory to chase my dreams and pursue the career that I loved and the game that I love of hockey,” Beach said during an interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead in October.

“I know I reported every single detail to an individual at the NHLPA, who I was put in contact with after,” Beach continued during the interview, his first since coming out as John Doe.

“I believe two different people talked to (NHLPA head) Don Fehr. And for him to turn his back on the players when his one job is to protect the players at all costs, I don’t know how that can be your leader. I don’t know how he can be in charge.”

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Fehr signed on as an NHLPA adviser in the summer of 2010 after Aldrich resigned rather than face a Blackhawks investigation. Fehr was named NHLPA executive director in December of that year.

Bettman says he personally apologized to Beach over the weekend.

“I am sorry for what he has been through and thought he has been courageous — especially this past week. We discussed the path forward with him involved in efforts to confront abuse. We also offered to him and his family our resources for counselling,” the NHL executive recalled, adding he was horrified by the revelations made on TSN last month.

“It was emotional, I was distressed, and I knew that he had obviously been suffering just by watching him, and I wanted to make sure that we continued to be focused on how to deal with what was now in front of us,” he said. “And I was sorry, as a personal matter, that anybody, particularly him, had to go through what he was discussing.”

Bettman says had the full details been available in 2011, “everything would have been handled differently.”

In a statement last week, Fehr said the person Beach spoke with was a program doctor at the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, which while confidential he added should have resulted in further action because of its severity.

“The fact that it did not was a serious failure,” Fehr said. “There is no doubt that the system failed to support him in his time of need, and we are part of that system.”