Former Blackhawks coach cautiously shares more about his knowledge of disgraced video coach Brad Aldrich's sexual assault of Kyle Beach on podcast.

Former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville said on Tuesday would have fired Brad Aldrich promptly if he knew the disgraced video coach had sexually harassed and assaulted a player.

Speaking on the The Cam & Strick podcast, Quenneville reiterated that he was unaware and largely kept in the dark about claims by prospect Kyle Beach and other "Black Aces" players about Aldrich during Chicago's 2010 Stanley Cup run.

Had he been aware of details in 2010, Quenneville said on the podcast he would have terminated Aldrich even as the Blackhawks progressed in the playoffs.

"Had I known what I would find out... that made me sick, I would have had no problem getting rid of Brad," Quenneville said. "It wouldn't have made a difference with what was going to happen in the next series. It was unacceptable."

"I was equally more disturbed that he used the power of the coaching office to influence the player." 

Under Quenneville, the Blackhawks went on to defeat Philadelphia in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals to win their first of three championships over six years.

Maintains Lack Of Knowledge

Quenneville has maintained he learned the specifics of Beach's accusations only when he was head coach of the Florida Panthers and en route to meeting NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman on Oct. 28, 2021. 

Quenneville travelled to New York for a session with Bettman and several other league officials one day after guiding the Panthers to a 4-1 win over Boston and a 7-0-0 start. He resigned after the meeting and is not eligible to work again for an NHL team unless Bettman reinstates him.

Quenneville said it was only on Oct. 27 or 28 that he read the graphic details of the assault on Beach, which had been released on Oct. 26 in a report by Chicago law firm Jenner & Block then covered by media. The report had been commissioned by the Blackhawks after Beach, then identified only as John Doe, had filed a lawsuit early in 2021 against the Original Six team.

Beach, a 2010 Blackhawks first round draft pick, came forward publicly on Oct. 27, 2021.

Sticks With Story From 2010

Quenneville said on Tuesday's podcast that had been summoned to a meeting by then-Blackhawks president John McDonough in May 2010 after Beach had lodged a complaint. Quenneville recalled several people were in the room at the United Center and entered the meeting only after it started and for just several minutes.

Quenneville said there was a "divide" in the between the Blackhawks' upper and hockey management and in the team's culture. He listened to others in that meeting, but said on the podcast he felt he needed to "stay in his lane."

'What I learned was that Brad, when I say Brad, video coach, was hanging around the Rockford (AHL call-up) players, was socializing with them, sending inappropriate texts, going to bars and basically guys were being bothered by it.

"I left the meeting with understanding that they got it (taken care of)."

Quenneville said he has educated himself on spotting the signs of sexual abuse since them.

The second winningest coach in NHL history with 969 victories, Quenneville said he's casually remained in touch with the sport and people in the game.

He stopped short of saying he had been offered a job, but hinted he's talked to teams. Bettman and the NHL would need to clear him first.

"There's a process before we can get to the next step, Quenneville said. "We're still not there yet. There are some places I would have love to have gone."