Joel Quenneville Returns to the United Center After Suspension
The Anaheim Ducks coach, Joel Quenneville, returned to the United Center on Sunday night, marking his first visit since he was suspended from the NHL in October 2021. The suspension was due to his handling of an accusation of sexual assault by a former Chicago Blackhawks player in 2010. Quenneville, 67, has had a promising start with the Ducks, with a record of 2-2-1, almost four years after being forced to resign as coach of the Florida Panthers. His NHL suspension lasted almost three years.Quenneville’s return to professional hockey comes after a long period. He is the second-winningest coach in NHL history, with 971 career wins, surpassed only by Scotty Bowman’s 1,244. The suspension of Quenneville came as a result of an independent investigation commissioned by the Blackhawks, which revealed the mishandling of accusations by Kyle Beach, the first pick of the 2008 draft, against video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup. Former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman and assistant general manager Al MacIsaac also resigned and were banned from the NHL. Both were reinstated by the league in July 2024. Bowman became the general manager of the Edmonton Oilers three weeks later. In May, the Ducks hired Quenneville to replace Greg Cronin. Quenneville has spent 25 seasons in the NHL, coaching the St. Louis, Colorado, Chicago, and Florida. He was at the helm of the Blackhawks for more than 10 years, guiding them to championships in 2010, 2013, and 2015. The Blackhawks fired Quenneville in November 2018. Subsequently, he joined the Panthers for the 2019-20 season. In January 2020, Quenneville returned to the United Center with Florida, where he received a video tribute and an ovation from the fans. He was on the Panthers’ bench at the stadium four times during the 2020-21 season, but without the presence of fans. Quenneville seemed unsure about how he would be received by the United Center fans this time.I am grateful to be back in the game. I’m excited to be back here in Chicago.
Joel Quenneville
The fans’ reaction was mixed. Announcer Gene Honda announced Quenneville’s name in a routine introduction as the visiting team’s coach, and the response was divided between applause and boos. The Ducks conducted background checks and spoke with Beach before hiring Quenneville, who has accepted responsibility for his role in the mishandling of the allegations and has participated in educational activities to deepen his understanding of sexual assault scenarios. With Anaheim, Quenneville took over a team with the third-longest active playoff streak in the NHL. The Ducks finished sixth in the Pacific Division last season, with a record of 35-37-10, after being in the bottom two for the previous four years.The memories we had here were all very positive. I’m happy to be back in that building and hear the excited crowd, and the crowds seem to have been good so far this year.
Joel Quenneville
