The Chicago Blackhawks have announced that GM Stan Bowman has stepped down from his position with the team effective immediately. Bowman, the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman, had been with the team for 20+ years and was named General Manager in 2009.
For the time being Kyle Davidson will serve as interim GM.
The move comes in the wake of sexual assault allegations levied against former trainer Bradley Aldrich. While the allegations have yet to be proven in court, reports suggest that Blackhawks team officials may have been aware of the incidents prior to them becoming public this year.
Bowman was the architect behind the Blackhawks run of 3 Stanley Cups in 2009-10, 2012-13, and 2014-15. The allegations, coupled with Chicago’s slow start to the year (0-5-1 thus far) led many to believe that the writing was on the wall, and that the Blackhawks front office may be in need of a full reset.
In a statement posted to the Blackhawks website regarding the alleged incidents, the team says “It is clear the organization and its executives at that time did not live up to our own standards or values in handling these disturbing incidents. We deeply regret the harm caused to John Doe and the other individuals who were affected and the failure to promptly respond. As an organization, we extend our profound apologies to the individuals who suffered from these experiences. We must — and will — do better.”
The full statement can be found below:
This is a developing story.