The Athletic Damning report of conduct by Michigan hockey coach - what's the effect on Sabres' prospects

[Diaspora]

Michigan men’s hockey coach accused of berating staff, misleading recruits and retaliating against team captain

One finding from the investigation into the program detailed 'pervasive fears among both student athletes and staff members of retaliation.'

theathletic.com

This article goes into lengthy detail of questionable conduct by Michigan coach Mel Pearson.

I don't see how this couldn't have had some kind of effect on our prospects who have gone through that program, and some kind of carryover effect into how they will relate to their teammates and organizational management. Depending on how our leadership handles it, it could work for or against the team's success.

Nobody can know for sure what it means. But we can speculate. It's not giving me a good feeling.

Click to read more...

 

[Diaspora]

From the article:

In the survey and the investigative report, the latter of which was compiled at the behest of the university by law firm WilmerHale, several individuals said that they believed that Pearson forced Strauss Mann, a 2021 team captain and starting goaltender, to leave the program. A summary of the survey stated that several respondents believed Mann was ousted in “retaliation for trying to address and improve the team’s culture.” At least three athletic department employees also shared that viewpoint with WilmerHale investigators, who in their findings wrote that they did not find Pearson’s account of his interactions with Mann credible.

Both the summary and the WilmerHale report also state that players and staff worried they would face retribution if they spoke out about wrongdoing.

The WilmerHale probe was prompted by complaints made by Steve Shields, the team’s former director of player development. Shields played 10 seasons in the NHL and was a goaltender at Michigan from 1990-94, when Pearson was an assistant coach. Shields was also a goalie coach at Michigan Tech from 2011-13, serving under Pearson, the head coach. Shields was a volunteer goalie coach at Michigan from 2015-17, and then transitioned into player development under Pearson, who was hired before the 2017-18 season.

In September 2021, Shields filed a complaint to Michigan’s Equity, Civil Rights and Title IX Office. According to the WilmerHale report, Shields alleged in the complaint that he was terminated from his volunteer position in retaliation for reporting a number of concerns about how Pearson ran the program. (Shields declined to comment for this story.)

 

[Fjordy]

Does bad culture somehow affect players in the future? If the coach is an ass, it does not mean that Power will be an ass.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Pearson will be gone, people will apologize, everyone will have long moved on by the time next season starts. No impact on any sabres prospects.

 

[Diaspora]

Pearson will be gone, people will apologize, everyone will have long moved on by the time next season starts. No impact on any sabres prospects.

I think this has to have an effect on how Portillo is treating negotiations with the team right now. You know there's got to be some trust issues here.

Does bad culture somehow affect players in the future? If the coach is an ass, it does not mean that Power will be an ass.

Of course not. But it might affect how he deals with management going forward. What does he expect management to do? How does he expect the coaching staff to respond if he's got concerns? This could have an impact.

He could be grateful to be in a better place. But it's still an impact.

 

[old kummelweck]

The title ix stuff has me scratching my head. Title IX deals with sex-based discrimination. I read early articles where the complaintant was at least one woman. I never read it was Shields until this latest round of press.

 

[Reddawg]

I think this has to have an effect on how Portillo is treating negotiations with the team right now. You know there's got to be some trust issues here.

I don't really see why. The Sabres' preference is for Portillo to sign now and the player is the one making the decision to go back. If he's willingly re-inserting himself into a toxic situation at Michigan, that's on him.

 

[Fjordy]

Of course not. But it might affect how he deals with management going forward. What does he expect management to do? How does he expect the coaching staff to respond if he's got concerns? This could have an impact.

He could be grateful to be in a better place. But it's still an impact.

I don’t see a problem in this, of course it’s bad that he was next to such a coach, but he has his own head on his shoulders, bad culture all the time, but the players cope with this and then they get into a good culture and everything is fine with them.

 

[Ace]

I think this has to have an effect on how Portillo is treating negotiations with the team right now. You know there's got to be some trust issues here.

yeah it means Portillo would rather return to the cesspool laid out in that article than have signed with the Sabres.

thats what happened.

 

[Fjordy]

yeah it means Portillo would rather return to the cesspool laid out in that article than have signed with the Sabres.

thats what happened.

Maybe for a guy, studying is more important than hockey, who knows.

 

[Diaspora]

The title ix stuff has me scratching my head. Title IX deals with sex-based discrimination. I read early articles where the complaintant was at least one woman. I never read it was Shields until this latest round of press.

Yeah, me too. You think, "Well, they're treating the women on staff badly. That's not right." But does that really affect the players? Then you hear the whole thing about Strauss Mann leaving the team (without an NHL contract) and you think to yourself maybe there's something else going on here.

Then I'm thinking about our guys that were in the middle of that situation, and what their experience tells them in relation to how Adams is trying to build the team.

I really don't care about how Michigan's program runs and weather their coach is a maniac or not (I mean, I care, but I don't care). I'm trying to tease out what the effect may be, if any, on the Sabres' ability to build team chemistry and win going forward.

 

[old kummelweck]

Yeah, me too. You think, "Well, they're treating the women on staff badly. That's not right." But does that really affect the players? Then you hear the whole thing about Strauss Mann leaving the team (without an NHL contract) and you think to yourself maybe there's something else going on here.

Then I'm thinking about our guys that were in the middle of that situation, and what their experience tells them in relation to how Adams is trying to build the team.

I really don't care about how Michigan's program runs and weather their coach is a maniac or not (I mean, I care, but I don't care). I'm trying to tease out what the effect may be, if any, on the Sabres' ability to build team chemistry and win going forward.

That's not what I am scratching my head about. The current reporting is about Shields, but why is he filing Title IX complaints. What I had read a few month ago was a woman trainer/health professional/staff member did not have the same access to locker room and players that the same men trainers had, and the coach is responsible to rectify this situation, and did not.

 

[Diaspora]

That's not what I am scratching my head about. The current reporting is about Shields, but why is he filing Title IX complaints. What I had read a few month ago was a woman trainer/health professional/staff member did not have the same access to locker room and players that the same men trainers had, and the coach is responsible to rectify this situation, and did not.

My understanding was that Shields was acting as a whistleblower -- the complaints about losing his volunteer position didn't get traction.

 

[Diaspora]

That's not what I am scratching my head about. The current reporting is about Shields, but why is he filing Title IX complaints. What I had read a few month ago was a woman trainer/health professional/staff member did not have the same access to locker room and players that the same men trainers had, and the coach is responsible to rectify this situation, and did not.

The article said that Shields doesn't see himself as being a fighter.

Shields told the officer that none of his statements could have been reasonably interpreted as threatening or aggressive in nature and that “it is not in his nature to fight people, nor has it ever been.”

Checks out.

 

[Deep Blue Metallic]

Pearson sounds like a vindictive shithead, but let's have some perspective.

You ever work for a guy like that? You turn out okay?

Sucks for Strauss Mann, but I have zero concern about Power being tainted, and less about a guy we might never sign.

 

[Dingo44]

Pearson sounds like a vindictive shithead, but let's have some perspective.

You ever work for a guy like that? You turn out okay?

Sucks for Strauss Mann, but I have zero concern about Power being tainted, and less about a guy we might never sign.

I agree. Not sure what the worry is here - Portillo is about getting his degree, and Power has already left. Nothing to really care about unless you're a Michigan hockey fan.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[dotcommunism]

The title ix stuff has me scratching my head. Title IX deals with sex-based discrimination. I read early articles where the complaintant was at least one woman. I never read it was Shields until this latest round of press.

I have not read the article, but what has been excerpted does not state that there was a Title IX complaint. What it states is that Shields filed a complaint with Michigan's "Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office". Title IX related issues are part of that office's domain, but there are several other issues that the office handles as well.

 

[Chainshot]

Easy. Find a new AD and a new coach.

 

[Jim Bob]

Easy. Find a new AD and a new coach.

You would think...

 

[old kummelweck]

I have not read the article, but what has been excerpted does not state that there was a Title IX complaint. What it states is that Shields filed a complaint with Michigan's "Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office". Title IX related issues are part of that office's domain, but there are several other issues that the office handles as well.

OK, makes sense. I posted in the last thread a link to a Title IX complaint by a female employee, so there is probably that issue as well. I'll see if I can dig up the article.

 

[Gras]

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

Surprised it took them so long.

 

[joshjull]