The Chicago Blackhawks have made significant changes to their coaching staff, firing head coach Jeremy Colliton and assistant coaches Tomas Mithell and Sheldon Brookbank. This decision comes amid the team’s historically poor start to the season and amidst ongoing fallout from a sexual assault scandal that has rocked the organization.
Derek King, the head coach of the Rockford IceHogs, will step in as interim head coach, with other assistant coaches maintaining their roles. The Blackhawks leadership acknowledged the difficult period the organization has been through and expressed a commitment to earning back the trust of fans and the community.
The team’s decision to part ways with Colliton comes exactly three years after his hiring to replace former head coach Joel Quenneville. The Blackhawks are off to their worst start in franchise history, with only one win in their first 12 games of the season.
The coaching shake-up follows an independent investigation into the mishandling of sexual assault allegations made in 2010 against former video coach Brad Aldrich. The investigation revealed that Blackhawks executives failed to immediately report the incident, violating the team’s own policy on sexual harassment.
Former player Kyle Beach, who identified himself as the victim in the lawsuit related to the assault, spoke out about the homophobic slurs and lack of support he experienced from teammates and staff.
The Blackhawks have faced significant consequences as a result of the scandal, including the retirement of long-time general manager Stan Bowman and a $2 million fine from the NHL. The team issued apologies and committed to upholding high standards moving forward.
While the Blackhawks did not respond to requests for additional comment, the organization continues to grapple with the fallout from the scandal while striving to rebuild its reputation and regain the trust of fans.
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