Bruins' Taylor Hall calls out 'old boys’ club' NHL in wake of Blackhawks scandal
Taylor Hall said NHL needed to make some changes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Boston Bruins star Taylor Hall took aim at the NHL and the culture in the league in his postgame press conference following the team’s 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
Hall’s remarks came amid the fallout from the Chicago Blackhawks’ sexual assault investigation, which suggested the organization from top to bottom was unconcerned about the allegations made in 2010 during their Stanley Cup run against former video coach Brad Aldrich.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Taylor Hall of the Boston Bruins looks on during the first period of the Bruins home opener against the Dallas Stars at TD Garden on Oct. 16, 2021, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Kyle Beach came forward as the person who made the allegations and several people have stepped down following the release of the probe’s findings this week, including Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville who was the head coach during the time.
"Every culture needs to keep getting better, and hockey’s no different," Hall told reporters, via WEEI radio. "This is a game that’s a little bit of a, I guess what you would call an old boys’ club, and there’s definitely some secrecy and things that need to change. Hopefully they can. You never want to think of an incident like this, positives coming from it, because it’s been so terrible, but there needs to be changes, and unfortunately people need to be held accountable."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Taylor Hall of the Boston Bruins prepares for a faceoff against the Buffalo Sabres during an NHL game on Oct. 22, 2021, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images)
Quenneville resigned from the Panthers after a meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.
"The National Hockey League agrees with the decision tonight by Joel Quenneville to resign his duties as head coach of the Florida Panthers. In his former role as Chicago Blackhawks head coach, Mr. Quenneville was among several former members of the Club’s senior leadership group who mishandled the 2010 sexual assault claim by former player Kyle Beach against the Club’s then-video coach, Brad Aldrich. And, following a meeting with Mr. Quenneville that took place this afternoon in my office, all parties agreed that it was no longer appropriate that he continue to serve as Florida’s head coach," Bettman said.
"I admire Kyle Beach for his courage in coming forward, am appalled that he was so poorly supported upon making his initial claim and in the 11 years since, and am sorry for all he has endured.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Florida Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville looks on from the bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2021, in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Jim Rassol)
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"We thank the Panthers’ organization for working with us to ensure that a thorough process was followed. Given the result, there is no need for any further action by the NHL regarding Mr. Quenneville at this time. However, should he wish to re-enter the League in some capacity in the future, I will require a meeting with him in advance in order to determine the appropriate conditions under which such new employment might take place."