Joel Quenneville RESIGNS as Florida Panthers head coach over Kyle Beech sexual assault claims at Chicago Blackhawks

COACH: 'I DIDN'T KNOW' UNTIL LAST SUMMER

The coach's bowing out as the Panthers leader comes two days after Kyle Beach came forward as "John Doe", the former Chicago Blackhawks player suing the franchise for failing to act on sexual assault claims against the team's former video coach Brad Aldrich.

"I’ve suppressed this memory and buried this memory to chase my dreams and pursue the career that I loved and the game that I love of hockey," Beach said on Wednesday.

Quenneville - who coached Chicago on that winning season - and others in the Blackhawks franchise stand accused of being flatfooted when Beach courageously came forward to impart that the team's former video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him.

The head coach responded that he was out of the loop about the horrors Beach alleges until this summer, according to the Associated Press.

BEACH: BLACKHAWKS BOSSES 'KNEW'

The athlete told ESPN he felt both “relief and vindication” following an independent review that slammed the NHL team for turning a blind eye after it was alleged Aldrich sexually assaulted and harassed a player identified only as “John Doe” during the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup season in 2010.

On Tuesday, a Blackhawks’ commissioned investigation by the law firm Jenner & Block concluded that "nothing was done" by senior brass in Blackhawks' coaching and management following Beach’s reported abuse at the hands of Aldrich.

After Beach claimed he was inappropriately molested by Aldrich, he said the first person he mentioned the incident to was the team’s former skills coach Paul Vincent at a hotel in San Jose, California.

Also, Beach suspects the players in the Blackhawks locker room knew about Aldrich’s alleged actions and that "word spread pretty quick."

"Because the comments were made in the locker room, they were made on the ice, they were made around the arena with all different people of all different backgrounds -- players, staff, media in the presence," Beach said.

Coach Vincent reported the incident to some of the Blackhawks front office members. 

"I reported this and I was made aware that it made it all the way up the chain of command... and nothing happened,"; Beach said.

 "It was like [Aldrich’s] life was the same as the day before. 

“Same every day. 

“And then when they won, to see him paraded around lifting the Cup, at the parade, at the team pictures, at celebrations, it made me feel like nothing.”

WINNING RECORD

Quenneville is a storied team leader, having racked up the second most victories in NHL history.

His resignation comes with nearly three years and $15million remaining on his Panthers contract.

Assistant coach under Quenneville, Andrew Brunette has been hired to serve as the team’s interim coach as the unbeaten Panthers take to the ice in Detroit on Friday night.