Stan Bowman’s 12-year reign as the Blackhawks’ general manager and hockey operations president is over.
Bowman and right-hand man Al MacIsaac, formerly the two most powerful people in the Hawks’ hockey operations, were forced out Tuesday.
Their departures headline an organizational overhaul enacted after releasing the results of an investigation into the handling of allegations that former video coach Bradley Aldrich sexually assaulted two players shortly before the 2010 Stanley Cup championship.
Kyle Davidson, formerly the Hawks’ vice president of hockey strategy and analytics, will take over as interim general manager while the Hawks begin a search for a permanent replacement, CEO Danny Wirtz said in a Zoom meeting alongside Hawks chairman Rocky Wirtz.
“Rocky and I appreciate Stan’s dedication to the Blackhawks and his many years of work for the team,” Danny Wirtz said. “However, we and he ultimately accept that — in his first year as general manager — he made a mistake, alongside our other senior executives at the time, and did not take adequate action.”
“The team needs to focus on its future, and my continued participation would be a distraction,” Stan Bowman said as part of a statement. “I am deeply grateful to the Blackhawks for the chance to manage the team; to the players for their dedication; and to the fans for their tremendous support over the years. It has been an honor.”
The NHL announced Tuesday they have fined the Hawks $2 million for their handling of the incident.
Wirtz said he has told team lawyers to seek settlements in two negligence lawsuits related to Aldrich that were filed against the team earlier this year and brought the allegations into the public eye.
Susan Loggans, the lawyer representing Doe and pursuing both lawsuits, told the Sun-Times she is also open to settlement discussions but skeptical of the Hawks’ intentions, calling on the team to first withdraw their pending motions to dismiss in both cases.
In the lawsuits, the former Hawks player (identified as John Doe) — a prospect called up to accompany the team during the playoffs — alleged Aldrich threatened him with a baseball bat to have sex, then later ejaculated on him.
“Although nothing can truly change the detriment to my life over the past decade — because of the actions of one man inside the Blackhawks organization — I am very grateful to have the truth be recognized, and I look forward to continuing the long journey to recovery,” Doe said in a statement to the Sun-Times.
“I know I am not the only victim in this world of sexual abuse, and I hope my story can inspire change within the NHL and around the world.”
Reid Schar, a former U.S. attorney who headed the investigation conducted by the Chicago law firm Jenner & Block, said his team interviewed 139 witnesses over the past four months.
The investigation determined Bowman, MacIsaac and numerous other members of the Hawks’ organizational leadership at the time — president John McDonough, executive vice president Jay Blunk, assistant general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and coach Joel Quenneville — all discussed the Aldrich allegations during a May 23, 2010, meeting.
But no action was taken for three weeks “so as not to disturb team chemistry,” the investigation found. During that time, Aldrich continued his coaching duties through the Hawks’ June 9 Stanley Cup championship and — during a victory party on June 10 — made an unwanted sexual advance on a 22-year-old intern.
McDonough finally informed the Hawks’ human resources department about Aldrich’s assault on June 14, the investigation found, leading to Aldrich’s resignation on June 16.
McDonough and Blunk have already left the Hawks, but Cheveldayoff is now the Winnipeg Jets’ GM and Quenneville the Florida Panthers’ coach. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement he will meet with Cheveldayoff and Quenneville to discuss their futures in those roles.
After Aldrich left the Blackhawks, lawsuits allege the team provided references that allowed Aldrich to get jobs at Miami University in Ohio, and a high school in Houghton, Mich. In legal filings, the Blackhawks denied providing positive references for Aldrich.
An investigation by Miami University found that Aldrich sexually assaulted a summer hockey camp intern and and undergraduate at the school. Miami conducted a pre-hiring background check on Aldrich, according to a university report, because Aldrich had no criminal convictions or arrests. Aldrich had worked at University of Notre Dame immediately after leaving the Blackhawks, and Miami’s coach said he received “favorable information” on Aldrich from Notre Dame.
After leaving Miami, Aldrich allegedly assaulted a 16-year-old at Houghton High School, where he was a volunteer with the hockey team. Aldrich pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, and received a 9-month sentence.
Bowman served as GM during a dynastic period for the Hawks. After eight years in the organization, Bowman took over as GM in 2009 and oversaw all three of the team’s Cup titles.
This story will be updated.
