Wild GM Guerin investigated after accusation of verbal abuse, assistant GM departs
File Photo: Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin (KSTP)
A bumpy season that has already included a coaching change has gotten more turbulent for the Minnesota Wild.
The team commissioned and completed two investigations into workplace conduct by general manager Bill Guerin.
A source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to KSTP Sports that Guerin was the focus of an investigation which followed an employee complaint to human resources about verbal abuse in the workplace.
The Wild provided the following statement to KSTP:
“The Minnesota Wild takes its code of conduct seriously. We recently concluded two separate investigations into alleged violations of that code of conduct, and have taken appropriate steps to address the matters raised to our attention. The club will not comment further.”
The initial report by The Athletic stated the incident took place in late November and noted Guerin was away from the team while the investigation took place. His absence included missing the Wild’s recent four-game roadtrip and an NHL Board of Governor’s meeting in Seattle.
The investigation concluded this week, and Guerin was back observing the team’s practice Friday morning at the TRIA Rink in St. Paul.
The club didn’t provide specifics on the allegations or who they involved.
The report came a day after assistant general manager Chris O’Hearn’s surprising departure from the team, which the club confirmed saying they “mutually agreed to part ways” while declining further comment on the matter.
O’Hearn has been the team’s assistant general manager since the spring of 2019 and, prior to that, spent 10 years in the same role with the Arizona Coyotes.
It’s unclear who will fill that role in-season for the team.
This all comes just two weeks after Guerin fired head coach Dean Evason and assistant coach Bob Woods amid a brutal start to the season, replacing them with John Hynes and Patrick Dwyer, respectively. Since then, the team has started to turn it around on the ice, winning six of eight games.
The team is back in action Saturday against Vancouver.