The NHL has announced that they will not be handing out any discipline to Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff for his role in the 2010 Brad Aldrich situation with the Chicago Blackhawks. Cheveldayoff was an assistant general manager with the Blackhawks at the time, and one of the men present in the now-infamous meeting that took place on May 23, 2010.
Commissioner Gary Bettman released the following statement:
While on some level, it would be easiest to paint everyone with any association to this terrible matter with the same broad brush, I believe that fundamental fairness requires a more in-depth analysis of the role of each person. Kevin Cheveldayoff was not a member of the Blackhawks senior leadership team in 2010, and I cannot, therefore, assign to him responsibility for the Club’s actions, or inactions. He provided a full account of his degree of involvement in the matter, which was limited exclusively to his attendance at a single meeting, and I found him to be extremely forthcoming and credible in our discussion.
The investigative report, released earlier this week, has so far been followed by the resignations of Stan Bowman, Al MacIsaac, and Joel Quenneville.
Cheveldayoff released the following statement through the Jets:
First and most importantly, I want to express my support of and empathy for Kyle Beach and all he has had to endure since 2010. He was incredibly brave coming forward to tell his story. We can all use his courage as an inspiration to do a better job of making hockey a safer space for anyone who wants to play the game.
Further, I want to express my gratitude to the National Hockey League for the opportunity to meet with Commissioner Gary Bettman, in person, and directly share my role in and recollection of events while I was Assistant GM of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010.
Cheveldayoff is returning to Winnipeg and will speak with the media on Monday.
Bettman being Bettman
I understand not being a member of senior leadership but if he knew and chose to do nothing then he too should face punishment. If the NHL was serious about making sure this never happens again they’d hold everyone who knew and did nothing accountable.
This is a tough situation
So the Assistant GM is not a senior role now?
If his teammates even heard rumors of it, as Sopel suggests, why didn’t anyone on the team demand it dealt with? Outside of the team management NOT doing their job, which is unforgivable….That was crushes me… his teammates may have known and done nothing.
He obviously couldn’t have done anything at the time but as recently as a couple of days ago, he was still denying knowledge of the situation. Now he wants to be contrite after he’s been called to the carpet?!?
He should have at least been levied a fine. Say $5000 to go to the abused victim’s fund……at least
Like torts said on ESPN last night it’s not a hockey issue it’s a sexual assault on a human …and for 7 grown men to stand by and say nothing they all should be done with hockey period……all should be done and face charges too…
Maybe the Jets ownership needs to take a look at who is representing their club.
There now a report out that the pens organization in the AHL is being sued over assault on players …and not so funny thing is that Bill Guerin was named in it ..boy the US Olympic team is doomed…..it’s now going to open all cans of worms….for every team….
This is why I said the other day that they either did very little due diligence in picking Guerin (to not know about this) or they did a a lot (and cleared him).
The AHL coach is accused of touching his assistant coaches’ wife. Messed up story, if true, and it seems to be rather credible.
Rutherford said this incident played no part in his resignation. Doesn’t mean it’s true, but if anyone would answer honestly, it would be him.
Guerin was in charge of the AHL team at the time.
Just read a Michael Russo article about this. Sounds like the Pens mostly handled it OK, but after they fired Donatelli (the AHL coach) Guerin supposedly told Skalde (asst. coach) to keep quiet about why.
Seems like Team USA could do better than “it was a less serious molestation and Guerin didn’t handle it as badly as Bowman” and just find someone else like Burke or Shero.
Also the NHLPA Donald Fehr knew about this but did nothing he should be gone also all the doctors that knew as well this is a disgrace ….I hope more players or employees come forward now.. open it up..
Weak move, but would you have expected otherwise from Bettman?
I CALL BS! Really surprising that GM Chevy is not held to account. He was the assistant GM and senior director of hockey operations at the time. He WAS “senior leadership”. He was not some intern getting the group coffee back then, he was a member of the senior leadership. He was at the May 23rd meeting where the allegations were discussed and he LIED about when he knew about the allegations. He said, “I had no knowledge of any allegations involving Mr. Aldrich until asked if I was aware of anything just prior to the conclusion of his employment with the Chicago Blackhawks.” He LIED. Why did he LIE, he knew he made a serious error. The decision to put “team chemistry” before “employee safety” was MADE at that meeting and he was part of making that decision.
Bettman paid off probably…to let him stay….but jets should think other wise….
#WhyareCollitonandCrawfordstillhere? All Chicago wants to know.
Agree he should have been punished in some way. I do love the social warriors from suburbs pretending they would have done anything at the time. he was low man in the room. very few would have the guts to standup to their bosses. Also he foolishly thought upper management would do anything. The team acted way sadly 99% would. They only thing they did not do was get a non disclosure agreement . This how the very rich coverup and get keep most important thing $$$$$$
Very well said. Most of the people posting here who are standing on their virtuous soapbox would have done nothing had they been in the same situation.
Hate to break it to some folks, but these players and management that you cheer wildly for are not beacons of virtue. There’s a few here and there, but not many.
“Everyone is as morally transactional as me! You won’t convince me otherwise…”
This logic of “you would have kept quiet to keep your job, too” speech keeps missing one basic fact…keeping quiet is why all of these people are losing their jobs.
Good news, the world realized covering up sexual abuse is wrong and the invisible hand of the free market will now act accordingly, so…that talking point can be retired.
Even the people who could care less about other people being abused and wouldn’t think twice about allowing it to continue now have a SELF interest in doing the right thing. This is good.
Penn State, USA swimming, Larry Nassar, english football and even several in hockey. Theo Fleury/Sheldon Kennedy and Daniel Carcillo/Garrett Taylor for starters.
When does the free market start to “act accordingly” exactly? That talking point can’t be retired until it’s proven that it should be retired. That has yet to happen. Clearly, the world has not realized that covering up sexual abuse is wrong because this continues to happen over and over again in sports. When it stops happening, then we can talk about how things are good. They’re not and no closer to it than we were 40 years ago. People who want to do these things have the self interest in doing a better job not getting caught. That’s how criminals operate and they get their buddies to go along with it because, well, you want to win it all, don’t you? Win at all costs!
I would just add that in all those cases above, there were people who looked the other way which allowed it to happen. Graham James was actually pardoned by the Canadian Parole Board only to be arrested again three years later for several counts of sexual assault. There’s literally no reason to think this kind of stuff will stop with this incident. None at all. I hope it does, but I seriously doubt it.
You’re right sesh. We need to get rid of people who can’t adapt away from the “old boys club” model. Hopefully the next wave and generation who replace them will learn and be able to stop this. I’m sure they aren’t all bad people, but if they can’t stop this sort of thing from happening, they don’t deserve to be in high ranking roles where other people would.
I don’t deny that this change is recent, but…in case you missed it, a 3 time Cup winning GM who was also the GM of his country’s Olympic team was just fired…as was the head coach of a different team that was undefeated at the time, who also has 3 rings, was a sure fire first ballot HOF’er and had a chance to be the NHL’s all time winningest coach.
Looking across other sports, team employees have lost jobs for racism, sexually harassing reporters, drunk driving, etc. All things that would have been excused or tolerated and swept under the rug in the relatively recent past.
So, the idea that nothing has changed is inaccurate.
I don’t think being fired is a deterrent nor is hard time in jail for the perpetrator of the crimes, but jail time might be enough to dissuade those who would help him cover it up. That’s aiding and abetting which is a crime. The ones who covered it up or looked the other way are accomplices not only in what happened to Kyle, but also to the 16 year old who fell victim afterwards as a direct result of those accomplices.
When the accomplices face jail time, then I’ll go along with you. Threat of loss of your job isn’t a big enough deterrent for accomplices, but I think if Joel Quenneville or Stan Bowman knew they’d be doing hard time in prison for aiding and abetting a sexual predator, I bet that would make them think real hard before they chose that path. Why is simply resigning or being fired good enough in this case? Clearly, the threat of losing your job isn’t sufficient for would-be accessories.
Quenneville should have the door slammed in his face with no possibility of returning as well as everyone else, but he’ll be allowed back in the league when he wants to come back. How much of a punishment is that to him? How long before the other accomplices get another job in the game somewhere? You think they care about what is essentially a temporary vacation? Quite a light punishment for being complicit in completely ruining the lives of two people at the hands of a sexual predator who you helped. Hell, Quenneville has had one hell of a career already. He’s at retirement age.
I don’t see that as sufficient or much of a deterrent at all. When guys get lifetime bans instead of open doors for future jobs after things blow over as well as being charged with criminal aiding and abetting charges, then I’ll believe there has been substantial and meaningful changes.
I would just add that in the case of Cheveldayoff, it is being swept under the rug and he’s being let off the hook completely even though it seems he was just as complicit as everyone else.
One could argue that “keeping quiet” bought these individuals alot of new contracts over the course of that time. Doubt they’re giving that money back.
You are on the right side of the issue and I respect your skepticism in the wake of how these things have been handled for almost all of human history but your argument is a blender full of different eras. “If things are so different now, why did Theo Fleury get abused in the late 80’s?”
If Bowman, Quennville, etc. could go back in time, would they do things differently? I bet they would.
Will the next Bowman make the same choice as the last Bowman or will he learn from Bowman and make a different choice? Not much to gain by covering up any longer. This is now clear.
Quennville will never coach another NHL game. Mike Babcock yelled at players and he’ll probably never coach again. Quennville is done. He was coaching a totally different team that is a Cup contender and was undefeated and they still dropped him like a brick because society’s views on these things has changed that much that fast.
Also, as morally and ethically repugnant as what the Hawks management did…what specific law did they break? Can’t just toss people in jail for being bad people. Need actual laws on the books.
Employment laws…power relationship between supervisor and subordinate. You must be self-employed in a one man operation.
That is a bunch of bs to say people wouldn’t stand up to management! How do u know they would or wouldn’t? You People that say “soapbox warrior” and are basically internet trolls are just showing your own true colors! Gutless cowards! Instead of attacking people on this website how bout you go write to “Dear Abby” about your personal issues in life.
As far as this bs with Chevy not being in a senior management position is bs. Bettman yet again is disgracing the NHL moniker and needs to be held accountable for his lack of action towards this heinous situation! Winnipeg will do the right thing soon hopefully because the PR nightmare from this is about to get UGLY! All people in the wrong will have their time in the NHL cut short soon. Karma exists and it will find them soon enough.
It has to be projection. I don’t know why anybody would die on that hill. Are we really at a point where we think the majority of people in this world aren’t decent people who do the right things?
I also don’t get who exactly these guys would be standing up to. Almost any of them could’ve have just dealt with it lol. From the report it just seemed like nobody really cared since they were winning hockey games. Is it really “fake virtue” to understand what is wrong with that? Why is that the biggest problem for some people here. Every time there’s people who do bad things, it’s the people calling them out for it who some folks have a problem with? Every single time. It’s honestly tiring, but that speaks more about them than anybody else.
How do we know most people would look the other way? Because we witness it over and over during everyday life. But your dimwitted reponse is to call people trolls for pointing that out. SMH.
Can you provide an example where people look the other way in everyday life? It’s hard for me to come up with any that even come close to covering up a sexual assault.
I mean, this kind of “looking the other way” on stuff like this happens within families that don’t want to tear the family apart and don’t say anything or call the victim a liar. This is way more common than people may think. Fact is there’s lots of people that have a great deal of trouble processing this information especially one or both parents who don’t want to believe they failed to protect their children to this extent and/or don’t want to believe someone they love or respect in the family would ever do something like that. I’ve heard of so many of these instances in the lives of others over the years and it even happened within my own family.
So, it’s not hard to see how it could happen in large corporations like this where people aren’t blood family could look the other way all the same. It’s a human failing, but in the latter case, I don’t think we come down hard enough on people involved in these situations. Let’s not pretend this kind of stuff doesn’t happen on a regular basis all over the world, though. From regular people to large businesses, you’ll find people more interested in covering it up than dealing with it.
As one isolated example in a far away land, look at Japan where over 95% of such cases aren’t even reported because people want to avoid the embarrassment of talking about rape and sexual assault. Public opinion there tends to sway towards always blaming the victim entirely rather than the attacker.
@Khabib McGregor – Do you watch any news? A woman not far from where I live in PA was raped on a public transportation train right in front of dozens of passengers and no one intervened. A large man punched a small woman in the face on the NY subway system and no one intervened. A cross dressing teenager raped a girl in the Louden County VA school system and was moved to a different school where he proceeded to assault another girl, all while the school board kept it hush, hush.
Do you want more examples?
The reason courage is esteemed is because we see so little of it.
I’ll take your examples, even though these are all just “trust me bro” things that may or may not have happened. Do these things happen? Undoubtably. But you can’t just take something isolated, and then apply it to literally every person in the world. Do you come across a rape everyday? Do I? Of course not. To act as though everybody would turn a blind eye in that situation because you’ve seen a couple people on the news do it is ridiculous. Have you also watched when similar things have happened and people have stepped in? Cause I’ve sure seen those stories.
Maybe im misunderstanding your point, but it seems like you’re implying people aren’t allowed to criticize these guys who turned a blind eye because we theoretically might also turn one in that situation? That’s an awfully dangerous assumption based on almost nothing that you can actually base it on except an odd news report that has nothing to do with any of us.
Hey NHL: WRONG!
I dont much like Bettman and how he’s handled this, but that this guy is the only one NOT disciplined wouldnt seem to be a reasonable thing for Bettman to do without cause. call it bribery, but I dont think he’s worth bribing Bettman to keep if you’re the Jets, and unless he has some deep pockets of his own then I dont think it’s likely at all.