The Blackhawks announced Monday they will be "conducting a thorough review" of assistant coach Marc Crawford amid recent allegations made "regarding his conduct with another organization."
Crawford, who was added to head coach Jeremy Colliton's staff in June, will be away from the team during the investigation and no further comment will be made by the Blackhawks until the completion of the review.
"It's an organizational decision and I know they put out a statement and I understand the decision for the review," Colliton said. "I can only speak for my time with Marc. He's been excellent and I've really enjoyed that. He's added a lot to our group and our staff and our players."
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Former NHL player Sean Avery told the New York Post over the weekend that Crawford "kicked me after a too-many-men on the ice call I took ... that left a mark" during a game in 2006-07 when the two of them were with the Los Angeles Kings.
Former Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel shared on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast last November that Crawford "kicked me, he choked me, he grabbed the back of my jersey and pulled me back" in 1999. Sopel was 22 years old at the time and Crawford was the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.
"He attacked guys personally," Sopel said.
The allegations come in the wake of former Calgary Flames head coach Bill Peters resigning after former Blackhawks prospect Akim Aliu said he used racial epithets with the Rockford IceHogs during the 2009-10 season and former Hurricanes defenseman Michal Jordan detailing the physical abuse he took from Peters in Carolina.
NHL
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