Some people have an admirable capacity to forgive.
Look no further than former Chicago Blackhawks prospect Kyle Beach finding it in himself to have a phone conversation with former general manager Stan Bowman, who by his own admission failed Beach with his silence when Hawks senior management neglected to act on Beach’s sexual assault allegations against then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
“I know I let Kyle down,” Bowman told reporters Wednesday after his hiring as Edmonton Oilers general manager.
His road back into hockey’s good graces started with reaching out to Beach after Bowman left the Hawks. Beach didn’t respond to that first attempt to connect but months later answered Bowman’s second try.
“My goal in reaching out was to apologize and to let him know that I felt for everything that he went through,” Bowman said. “We ended up talking for probably close to 90 minutes and we covered a lot of different things. We certainly talked about 2010 and that situation, but then things shifted.”
They caught up.
Beach had become a family man and assistant men’s hockey coach at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia.
Bowman had been banished by the NHL since October 2021 for his role in the scandal until his reinstatement July 1. He spent that time working with former NHL player and sexual abuse survivor Sheldon Kennedy’s The Respect Group, learning about various forms of abuse in team culture.
Bowman said they collaborated and brought bullying, harassment and discrimination workshops to Trinity Western’s training camp in August.
Coach Ben Walter told the Tribune via email: “I thought that Stan and the group did a great job helping our players build their respect charter and our team got a lot out of it.”
Said Bowman: “We certainly reflected on the past, but I think it was more so looking ahead to how we can kind of mend fences and I could bring something of value to his team.”
He had the visage of a man changed for the better by the experience.
Certainly he looked more contrite than former Hawks coach Joel Quenneville when he folded his arms during an April podcast interview, dodging questions about the extent of his knowledge of Beach’s allegations and grousing about the length of his exile: “To be quite honest, I didn’t think I was going to miss one game.”
For Bowman’s part, he took more accountability via a team statement after his forced exit on Oct. 26, 2021:
“Eleven years ago, while serving in my first year as general manager, I was made aware of potential inappropriate behavior by a then-video coach involving a player. I promptly reported the matter to the then-President and CEO who committed to handling the matter. I learned this year that the inappropriate behavior involved a serious allegation of sexual assault. I relied on the direction of my superior that he would take appropriate action. Looking back, now knowing he did not handle the matter promptly, I regret assuming he would do so.”
This time, he didn’t deflect when asked about his role when Beach’s complaint was brought to management.
“I’m not here to relitigate the past, but I do think it’s important to start off by touching on my departure from the Blackhawks a couple seasons ago,” said Bowman, who added he had a “nice conversation” with Beach for 15 minutes Tuesday night. “I can tell you, in this room and to everyone watching — as well as something I’ve said directly to Kyle Beach — that my response was inadequate back in 2010. I didn’t handle things properly. I should’ve done more.
“That’s something I regret, and it’s something I’ve had a chance to reflect on and try to learn from.”
Bowman delved into training through The Respect Group and seemed to show a deeper understanding of the corrosive effects of silence and complicity.
“Sheldon said there’s a bystander effect,” he said. “You want to make sure that you do what you can to play a part and play an active role in those types of situations.”
That’s all well and good. I hope it’s sincere, and listening to him and watching him closely, I have no reason to believe it’s not.
The hockey community can and should forgive Bowman, based on his words and actions now and in the future, but that’s just part of the equation.
Does the punishment fit the crime?
Many fans, through social channels, have said Bowman and others involved should’ve been banned from hockey for life.
Ultimately, then-Hawks President John McDonough had final say in whether to bring the allegations to Chicago Police, and as the top authority in hockey operations and caretaker of the franchise, his failure to do so was the most heinous sin.
You can debate how much Bowman could have done as a first-year GM, but his punishment — not even reaching the third anniversary of his ban — amounted to a sabbatical.
Beach suffered in silence for 11 years before bringing a lawsuit against the team in May 2021. His career was damaged irrevocably. The culprits should’ve spent at least that amount of time as outcasts.
That ship sailed when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reinstated Bowman, Quenneville and Al MacIsaac, another former Hawks executive.
Now Bowman is entrusted with one of the jewels of the league. The Oilers took the Florida Panthers to Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final but lost 2-1.
To some, it feels as if Bowman couldn’t have landed in a cushier situation, almost like a reward.
“It’s disgusting!” one poster replied to me on X, formerly Twitter.
“Doesn’t deserve another chance. Rehabilitated or not,” another wrote.
“He kept (and promoted) a predator in his midst. He should have been banned for life. Second chance? He had many chances,” another said.
Others advocated for Bowman and Quenneville.
“I’m happy for Bowman,” one Hawks fan posted. “I hope Coach Q gets an opportunity soon as well.”
Wrote another: “I believe in second chances so I’m not outraged like most people. He also seems to have gone out of his way to put in the work to learn from his mistake.”
Oilers followers showed a similar divide.
“Fans are entitled always to their opinions,” said Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson, a former agent who has a long history with Bowman. “They have opinions about firing coaches and making trades and everything else. I think the decision to bring Stan is one that is in the best interests of the organization for a number of reasons.
“I have to respect the fans’ opinions. I think that Stan’s work over the next few years here will dictate how they respond. I think they will give him a chance.”
Bowman, 51, said he understands fans’ positions.
“I respect people’s opinion,” he said. “One thing learned over time, it’s very difficult to try to talk people into things, so I’m not going to make an argument on why they should feel a certain way. … I respect the way that they feel.
“What I would say is it’s going to be my job to try to win them over. The goal is to do it through your actions as opposed to what you’re saying. So I understand where they’re coming from and I want to earn their respect over time, and it may not come right away and that’s OK.
“I’m going to stick with it. I’m here to make a difference, not only to make this team better on the ice but to bring change and a positive environment around the whole team.”
Bowman has a duty — more than just to the team but to the sport as a whole — to do everything conceivable to help change hockey culture.
He said of his work with Kennedy: “This isn’t something that I’m not going to help out anymore. I want to give my time. I want to be devoted to that stuff.”