NHL fans outraged Joel Quenneville is still coaching Panthers
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Joel Quenneville was behind the bench for the Florida Panthers on Wednesday for their game against the Boston Bruins, and the hockey world couldn't understand why.
After an investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks' 2010 sexual assault scandal, it was announced that Quenneville — who was coaching Chicago at the time — was aware of the allegations of abuse at the time. Despite the damning revelation, Quenneville was permitted to coach the Panthers as he awaits a meeting with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday.
With Kyle Beach bravely coming forward as John Doe in the investigation and saying "there’s absolutely no way that Quenneville can deny knowing it," the hockey community was outraged that the coach was able to lead the Panthers against the Bruins.
Here's what fans, players and reporters had to say:
Gotta be honest I find it beyond bizarre Joel Quenneville is coaching in the NHL tonight
— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) October 27, 2021
How Joel Quenneville was allowed to step behind a NHL bench tonight is beyond me. Given what we've learned in the last 30 hours, there's no reason for him to be working while the league process plays out.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 27, 2021
Joel Quenneville has an in-person hearing with Gary Bettman tomorrow. When a player is suspended and has an in-person hearing, he can't play in an NHL game until the hearing is held. The same should apply to Quenneville. He should not be behind the bench for the Panthers tonight.
— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) October 27, 2021
Joel Quenneville should be forced to watch the Kyle Beach interview before he coaches his NHL team tonight.
— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) October 27, 2021
The fact that Quenneville is coaching tonight down in Florida is embarrassing and disgusting. https://t.co/753zWZQFDd
— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) October 27, 2021
Watching Kyle Beach speak during the #NHLBruins intermission is heartbreaking. I LOVE hockey. I love sports. But it’s not everything. We can’t let sports and our desire to win corrupt us as human beings.
And it’s absolutely disgusting that Joel Quenneville is coaching tonight.— Harry Kaufer - Mac10 szn (@HarryKaufer) October 27, 2021
Joel Quenneville coaching tonight is the most honest statement the NHL has ever given on how it sees survivors
— Thomas Ketko (@ThomasKetko) October 27, 2021
The NHL missed the mark again imo. Quenneville should have been suspended until he at least had his hearing with Gary Bettman. He should not be coaching tonight. We stand with Kyle Beach.
— Jamey Baskow (@JameyBaskow) October 27, 2021
If Joel Quenneville was looking for a job, his (in)actions with Chicago would immediately disqualify him. It should be no different because he currently has a job.
— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) October 27, 2021
The league has had more than a day to do the right thing and remove Joel Quenneville from tonight's game and have not yet done so.
— Jeff Mackie (@jeffmackie) October 27, 2021
The Panthers did not make Quenneville available to reporters after the Panthers' 4-1 win over the Bruins, leading to even more criticism on social media.
If the Panthers/NHL feel like he’s fit to be behind the bench, why is he not required to face the media and answer questions? https://t.co/sHDSDx4E8C
— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) October 28, 2021
A joke https://t.co/tp3qH4NRuw
— Faizal Khamisa (@SNFaizalKhamisa) October 28, 2021
Joel Quenneville is a coward and it's not at all surprising. https://t.co/Xqe5xjjTSf
— Simon Sharkey-Gotlieb (@simon_shargot) October 28, 2021
What a loser and fraud https://t.co/lLCO2zYUH8
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzNYC) October 28, 2021
Profiles in Courage https://t.co/TurGxCSpA2
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) October 28, 2021
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