Joel Quenneville Talks on Cam and Strick Podcast: ‘I Should Have Asked More Questions’

Former Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville spoke for the first time about the the incident surrounding Kyle Beach on the Cam and Strick Podcast. The interview was candid, and also put Quenneville on the spot regarding what he did–and didn’t do–to prevent the assault from happening.

When asked about why he didn’t ask more questions about what had happened with then video coach Brad Aldrich, Quenneville said it was just the one meeting he learned of it. But he went further about it.

“I blame myself for not pursuing that further,” Quenneville told Andy Strickland.  “I should have asked more questions–I should have pushed to find out more–the seriousness of the matter. That’s on me–I own it.”

It was one of many responses on the podcast that is worth the entire listen.

🎙️Episode #285: Joel Quenneville

⁃Talking to Kyle Beach
⁃What he’d do differently
⁃Possibly coaching again
⁃Brady Tkachuk trade?
⁃Bobby Ryan comments

➕ Much more

🎧: https://t.co/usZ5iG0pKG
📺: https://t.co/tRDABxpRZk pic.twitter.com/m4TOhJ0G17

— The Cam & Strick Podcast (@CamandStrick) April 9, 2024

Joel Quenneville on the front office: ‘I Called Them The Firm’

Quenneville was asked about a number of different issues, on whether he would have fired Aldrich if he knew more about it to whether he thought he had coached his last game while the Florida Panthers were putting the finishing touches on a 7-0 start. Beyond that, though, were the telling answers about his relationship and the view of the then front office that included John McDonough and Stan Bowman.

“I knew what my job was–to stay in my own lane and do my job as a coach,” Quenneville said. “I think what I’d heard in that meeting didn’t qualify. Had I know that different thing, my lane, I would have known the time to cross it.”

But then he goes into it more regarding the front office culture.

“These guys, and I’m not blaming anybody, the upper management–I had a name for them–I called them ‘The Firm. Not in a derogatory way at all but just the way they did business. It was a matter of fact, legal business like law firm.

“You knew your job, you knew your job description, you knew your role, you knew to stay in your lane, and you knew who the bosses were.”

There’s no doubt the friction that existed between Quenneville and the front office, culminating in his firing back in 2018. Though Bowman denied it, there was plenty to refute that, stemming back to incidents as far back as 2012.

But both the firm, and Quenneville, failed to protect Beach and all involved paid for it with their jobs. Quenneville indeed sounds contrite, and the entire podcast is well worth the listen, especially with the fair and intelligent questions from Strickland that touched on just about everything from Quenneville’s time in Chicago. If preferred in video form, Cam and Strick are on YouTube, too.

What the future holds for Quenneville is anyone’s guess. But if there’s to be a chance for him to coach again in the League, this is likely the first of many times he’ll be answering for his role in what happened, what he’s learned, and how he’ll never let something like that happen again.

Find and follow Chicago Hockey Now on Facebook and Twitter

Follow Nate on Twitter

Follow Vinnie on Twitter