Joel Quenneville returned to hockey on Thursday with a message of regret. He acknowledged his mistakes and took full responsibility for his role in the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.
The second-winningest coach in NHL history, claimed to be a changed man after nearly four years away from the sport. Upon taking the coaching job with the Anaheim Ducks, he vowed to continue educating himself about abuse, expand his work with victims, and create a safe and blameless work environment with his new team.
Quenneville is also aware that this is not enough to satisfy a significant portion of hockey fans who believe that his recognized inaction during the Blackhawks scandal should have ended his career for good.
I fully understand and accept those who question my return to the league. I know that words are not enough. I will demonstrate with my actions that I am a man of character.
Joel Quenneville
Ducks owner Henry Samueli and general manager Pat Verbeek firmly backed the 66-year-old Quenneville when they introduced him as coach of a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in seven years and is yearning for the success Quenneville typically orchestrates.
He won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and led 20 teams to the playoffs over a quarter-century with four NHL clubs, becoming the most consistent winner of his era.
While Quenneville’s record on the ice was remarkable, his behavior off it in 2010 ultimately led to his resignation from the Florida Panthers in October 2021 and a lengthy league ban, a ban that many feel should be permanent.
I own my mistakes. While I wholeheartedly believed the matter was handled by management, I take full responsibility for not following up and asking more questions. That is entirely on me. Over nearly four years, I have taken time to reflect, listen to experts and advocates, and educate myself on the realities of abuse, trauma, and how to be a better leader. I hope others can learn from my inaction.
Joel Quenneville
Quenneville and Blackhawks executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac were suspended by the NHL for nearly three years after an independent investigation concluded that the team mishandled allegations raised by former player Kyle Beach against video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s first Stanley Cup run. The trio was reinstated last July, and Bowman became general manager of the Edmonton Oilers three weeks later.
After an investigation and an evaluation process that lasted several days and included communication with Beach and other advocacy and sexual assault victim groups, the Ducks’ owners ultimately supported the decision made by Verbeek, Quenneville’s teammate in New Jersey and Hartford more than three decades ago.
Samueli and his wife, Susan, and their daughter, Jillian, spoke extensively with Quenneville. Henry Samueli said he is “absolutely convinced that Joel is a very good person”.
I think the four years Joel spent away from hockey have given him the opportunity to learn a lot. In my opinion, he will be a model coach for dealing with situations like this. I think he will be a mentor for other coaches in the league who can go to him and talk to him. “How do you handle situations like that? What do you do?” And they will trust him, because he’s old school who has changed. The fact that he comes from an old school hockey culture, but has now transitioned and learned what it means to operate in 2025, not in 1980 or whatever, I think that will make a big difference in how he operates.
Henry Samueli
Quenneville said he understands how severely his reputation and career were damaged by his role in handling the accusations against Aldrich by the Blackhawks. He stayed out of hockey for another season after his ban ended, but he became increasingly eager to continue his career last winter as he watched games every night and stayed very informed about the league.
I thought I had some work to do to grow as a person. As far as doing work on the road, I felt like I had progressed to an area where the education I had had put me in a position where I know I can share some of these lessons and these experiences as well.
Joel Quenneville
Many people with firsthand knowledge of Quenneville’s attempts to change himself supported his desire to return. Quenneville said he has spoken with Beach several times recently, including Thursday morning.
He has formed learning friendships with advocates, including Chris Jensen, the former University of Wisconsin player and Maple Leafs recruit who was abused by a coach as a teenager.
I think most of the athletes who have played for him would argue that this guy has helped me become better. He brings all that experience, and now he has an additional perspective on how to be available to help people deal with emotional injuries. I think he’s in a much better position to succeed.
Chris Jensen
The Ducks’ charitable foundation already participates in charitable and philanthropic work in support of sexual abuse survivors, and Samueli hopes Quenneville will support those efforts.
I am very sure that Joel will be a star when it comes to working with those organizations.
Henry Samueli
Before his ban, Quenneville spent part of 25 NHL seasons behind the benches of St. Louis, Colorado, Chicago, and Florida, and most notably led the Blackhawks to championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. His 969 career wins are the second-most in NHL history, behind only Scotty Bowman’s 1244.
Quenneville takes over a team with the third-longest active playoff drought in the NHL. Anaheim finished sixth in the Pacific Division this season with a 35-37-10 record after being in the bottom two for the previous four years.
He replaces Greg Cronin, who was surprisingly fired by Verbeek after leading the Ducks to a 21-point improvement in his second season.
Quenneville inherits an Anaheim team with a deep pool of young talent, and was immediately impressed by its roster when he saw it in person during Anaheim’s trip to Tampa Bay last January. He also coached Ducks captain Radko Gudas and forward Frank Vatrano in Florida.
One of the best coaches I’ve had, and I always tell people that. As a person, he’s also a great person. That’s what always attracts me to Q. I’m a big supporter of him, and I’m glad he’s here.
Frank Vatrano
