The NHL lifted its ban on longtime coach Joel Quenneville and executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac on Monday, clearing the way for their return to the league more than two years after they were punished in the fallout from the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal.
Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville can sign contracts with an NHL team after July 10.
“For more than the last two and a half years, these individuals have been ineligible to work for any NHL team as a result of their inadequate response upon being informed in 2010 of allegations that Blackhawks’ player Kyle Beach had been assaulted by the club’s video coach,” the league said, “While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals ... has acknowledged that and used his time away from the game to engage in activities which not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence greater awareness of the responsibilities that all NHL personnel have, particularly personnel who are in positions of leadership.”
The scandal rocked the Blackhawks in October 2021 and had ripple effects across the league.
An independent investigation commissioned by the Blackhawks concluded that team officials mishandled allegations raised by Beach during the team's Stanley Cup run in 2010. Quenneville, the former Chicago coach and second on the all-time wins list to Scotty Bowman, resigned from his job as coach of the Florida Panthers.
Stan Bowman, Scotty's son and Chicago's general manager and hockey operations president, left his job as did top team executive MacIsaac. The league said each since “has made significant strides in personal improvement by participating in myriad programs, many of which focused on the imperative of responding in effective and meaningful ways to address alleged acts of abuse.”
Only one team, the Edmonton Oilers, has a current GM vacancy, after Ken Holland's contract was not renewed following a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. CEO of hockey operations Jeff Jackson on Monday was asked about Bowman as a candidate and said he has not really though about it.
“I mean, Stan’s obviously a long time GM, successful, and the NHL reinstated all three of the guys today,” Jackson said on a video call with reporters. “I’m running a bit on fumes here because of the schedule with the playoffs and then the draft, then free agency, so I haven’t given any of it any thought, to be honest. I’ve got to sort of decompress for a couple days, and then I’ve got to move forward with my GM search. To be honest, I can’t comment right now.”
The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million in the wake of the investigation, which was launched in response to two lawsuits filed against the franchise: one by a player identified as John Doe alleging sexual assault by then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010 and another filed by a former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting in Michigan.
The report found no evidence that CEO Danny Wirtz or his father, Rocky, who owns the team, were aware of the allegations before the lawsuits. But the younger Wirtz said it was clear team executives had “put team performance above all else.”
Among other things, the scathing report found that in June 2010, after the team had won the Cup, Aldrich was given the option of resigning or being part of an investigation. Aldrich signed a separation agreement and no investigation was conducted. Aldrich received a severance and a playoff bonus, according to the report, and he was paid a salary “for several months.” He hosted the Stanley Cup for a day in his hometown.
The Blackhawks and Beach reached an undisclosed settlement in December 2021. The AP does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they come forward publicly, as Beach did.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
FILE - Chicago Blackhawks senior vice president and general manager Stan Bowman attends the NHL hockey team's convention in Chicago, July 26, 2029. The NHL has reinstated executives Bowman and Al MacIsaac and coach Joel Quenneville. They are able to seek employment around the league effective immediately. Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville were banned from the league in October 2021 for their roles in the Blackhawks' mishandling of a video coach sexually assaulting a player in 2010. (AP Photo/Amr Alfiky, File)
FILE - Florida Panthers head coach and former Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville responds to a question during his first visit back to Chicago as a head coach before an NHL hockey game between the Blackhawks and the Panthers, Jan. 21, 2020. The NHL has reinstated executives Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac and coach Quenneville. They are able to seek employment around the league effective immediately. Bowman, MacIsaac and Quenneville were banned from the league in October 2021 for their roles in the Blackhawks' mishandling of a video coach sexually assaulting a player in 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
TORONTO (AP) — Jose Altuve hit a tiebreaking single in a four-run seventh inning, Yordan Alvarez homered for the third straight game and the Houston Astros beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-2 on Wednesday night for their 11th win in 13 games.
Houston’s Yainer Diaz reached base four times and drove in three as the Astros handed the struggling Blue Jays their 11th loss in 15.
Alvarez twisted his left ankle taking an awkward swing on his ground ball to second base that ended the first inning, but Houston’s designated hitter reached base in his next four plate appearances.
“I just got tangled up with my feet,” Alvarez said through a translator. “Right now it’s a little bit tight. I think what helped me is I use high cleats. They’re tight around the ankle so they didn’t allow it to rotate too much.”
Houston manager Joe Espada was relieved that Alvarez wasn’t badly hurt.
“I’m holding my breath and I’m like ‘Oh, jeez,’” manager Joe Espada said. “Then all of a sudden he goes and has another stellar performance. He’s just a really good hitter.”
Alvarez doubled home a run in the third, led off the sixth with a solo homer, came around to score after being intentionally walked in the seventh, and capped his night with an RBI double in the eighth. He finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
“Yordan is really good, obviously,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “He’s hitting balls all over the place.”
Alvarez has seven home runs in 13 career games in Toronto. It's the third time he's homered in three straight games.
“I made an adjustment the first day I got here and I definitely do feel the difference at the plate,” he said.
Right-hander Tayler Scott (5-2) got the win despite allowing a game-tying single to the only batter he faced. Bryan Abreu worked a perfect seventh, Bryan King pitched the eighth and Rafael Montero finished.
Toronto’s Bo Bichette struck out on a pitch that hit him in the ninth.
Bichette opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the first but Alvarez tied it with a two-out double in the third.
Alvarez gave Houston a 2-1 edge with a leadoff homer off Yusei Kikuchi in the sixth, his 19th, but Daulton Varsho tied it with a two-out single off Scott in the bottom half. Varsho went too far past first base and was thrown out to end the rally.
Chas McCormick reached on a fielding error by Blue Jays right-hander Zach Pop (0-3) to begin the seventh, and pinch-hitter Jon Singleton followed with a double. Altuve broke the 2-all tie with an RBI single.
“They took advantage of some mistakes,” Schneider said.
Pop left after Alex Bregman lined out, but Jose Cuas didn’t retire any of the four batters he faced, walking Alvarez intentionally before allowing Diaz’s two-run single on his first pitch.
“If they’re going to pitch around Yordan, Diaz needs to show discipline to get good pitches to hit and get big hits, and he’s capable of doing that,” Espada said. “That’s exactly what he’s doing.”
Cuas exited after hitting Jake Meyers and Jeremy Peña with consecutive pitches to bring home a fourth run.
Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco, who no-hit the Blue Jays on April 1, allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Kikuchi allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He is winless in four starts.
ROSTER MOVES
Toronto put INF Justin Turner on the paternity list and recalled OF Steward Berroa from Triple-A Buffalo.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck) is playing catch every other day, manager Joe Espada said. There is no timetable for Verlander’s return.
Blue Jays: RHP Jordan Romano will be sidelined for at least six weeks after surgery for an impingement in his right elbow, manager John Schneider said. It’s not clear whether the two-time All-Star will return this season.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (7-6, 3.24 ERA) is scheduled to pitch against Astros LHP Framber Valdez (6-5, 4.11) in Thursday afternoon’s series finale.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) wears City Connect spikes against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho (25) hits an RBI single against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, top, forces out Toronto Blue Jays' Brian Serven (15) and throws to first base to complete the double play during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros' Chas McCormick (20) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Zach Pop (56) works against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, center, forces out Toronto Blue Jays' Brian Serven (15) and throws to first base to complete the double play during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros pitcher Tayler Scott (50) works against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Toronto Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho (25) hits a double against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. (Jon Blacker/The Canadian Press via AP)
