Clark Donatelli

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Clark Donatelli
Born (1965-11-22) November 22, 1965 (age 58)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for Minnesota North Stars
Boston Bruins
National team  United States
NHL Draft 98th overall, 1984
New York Rangers
Playing career 1989–1996

John Clark Donatelli (born November 22, 1965) is an American former professional ice hockey player and is the former head coach of the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Donatelli was a long-time minor league player in the American Hockey League (AHL) and International Hockey League (IHL). He played 35 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Internationally Donatelli played for the American national team at several World Championships, the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics.

Playing career[edit]

Donatelli was drafted in the fifth round, 98th overall, in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. After three seasons with Boston University and one with the U.S. national team, Donatelli made his NHL debut with the Minnesota North Stars during the 1989–90 season.

Donatelli played a full season with the International Hockey League's San Diego Gulls in 1990–91, and joined the NHL's Boston Bruins briefly in the 1991–92 season. After several seasons in the IHL and American Hockey League, as well as one in Roller Hockey International with the San Diego Barracudas, Donatelli retired in 1996.

Coaching career[edit]

After retiring, Donatelli took up coaching and eventually was named head coach of the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL during the 2011–12 season. During the 2015–16 season, the Nailers' American Hockey League affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins promoted him as the interim head coach as their head coach, Mike Sullivan, had been promoted to Pittsburgh Penguins. He became the permanent head coach of the WBS Penguins after the season ended. On June 28, 2019, it was announced that Donatelli had resigned from his position as head coach of the WBS Penguins due to personal reasons, including alleged sexual assault of Erin Skalde, the wife of his assistant coach Jarrod Skalde.[1] Donatelli had a record of 154–94–20–9 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, leading the Penguins to three Calder Cup Playoff appearances and a regular season title in 2016–17.[1]

Sexual assault allegation[edit]

In a lawsuit filed on November 3, 2020, former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' assistant coach Jarrod Skalde alleged that Donatelli, who was his boss at the time, sexually assaulted his wife Erin during a team road trip in Providence, Rhode Island on November 11, 2018. According to the lawsuit, Donatelli pulled Erin closer and called her "sexy" in a restaurant after her husband left for the bathroom. When asked to stop, Donatelli allegedly instead reached under her clothing and began touching her breasts. On the car ride home, Donatelli insisted that Jarrod sit in the front seat while he sat in the back with Erin. Donatelli then allegedly began touching her breasts again, while also reaching into her pants to touch her vagina. After his wife told him what had happened, Jarrod Skalde confronted his boss on May 15, 2019, according to the lawsuit. Donatelli claimed he was too drunk to remember what he had done, but later apologized to the Skaldes for his behaviour. According to the lawsuit, "Donatelli pledged to Mr. and Mrs. Skalde that he would change his ways, seek help, and come forward to the Penguins' assistant general manager Billy Guerin about what he had done." Donatelli subsequently failed to honour his promise to tell Guerin about the incident, and Jarrod Skalde then reported the sexual assault to Guerin himself during the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in Vancouver.[2]

According to the lawsuit, at no time did the Penguins' organization ever contact Erin to interview her about the assault, and no apology or expression of remorse or support was ever offered to the Skaldes. Guerin later informed Jarrod Skalde that the story needed to be suppressed, saying the allegation "has to stay quiet and can't be let out". The lawsuit further alleges that an investigation revealed "countless other episodes of inappropriate conduct by Mr. Donatelli, sexual and otherwise, which apparently the Penguins were aware of but did little or nothing to stop." Subsequently, a separate investigation was launched into Guerin's attempts to cover up the sexual assault.[2]

Career statistics[edit]

Regular season and playoffs[edit]

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1980–81 Moses Brown School HSRI
1981–82 Moses Brown School HSRI
1982–83 Moses Brown School HSRI
1983–84 Stratford Cullitons MWJHL 38 41 49 90 46
1984–85 Boston University HE 40 17 18 35 46
1985–86 Boston University HE 43 28 34 62 30
1986–87 Boston University HE 37 15 23 38 46
1987–88 United States National Team Intl 50 11 27 38 26
1989–90 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 27 8 9 17 47 4 0 2 2 12
1989–90 Minnesota North Stars NHL 25 3 3 6 17
1990–91 San Diego Gulls IHL 46 17 10 27 45
1991–92 United States National Team Intl 42 13 25 38 50
1991–92 Boston Bruins NHL 10 0 1 1 22 2 0 0 0 0
1992–93 Providence Bruins AHL 57 12 14 26 40 4 2 1 3 2
1993–94 San Diego Gulls IHL 50 11 32 43 54 9 0 1 1 23
1994–95 San Diego Gulls IHL 70 22 25 47 48 5 0 1 1 6
1995–96 Los Angeles Ice Dogs IHL 22 1 3 4 12
1995–96 Detroit Vipers IHL 36 0 12 12 40 11 0 2 2 2
IHL totals 251 59 91 150 246 29 0 6 6 43
NHL totals 35 3 4 7 39 2 0 0 0 0

International[edit]

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
1984 United States WJC 7 1 2 3 6
1985 United States WJC 7 2 3 5 12
1985 United States WC 10 3 1 4 12
1986 United States WC 10 3 3 6 8
1987 United States WC 9 1 2 3 6
1988 United States OLY 6 1 2 3 6
1992 United States OLY 8 2 1 3 6
Junior totals 14 3 5 8 18
Senior totals 43 10 9 19 38

Awards and honors[edit]

Award Year
All-Hockey East Rookie Team 1984–85 [3]
Hockey East All-Tournament Team 1985 [4]
All-Hockey East Second team 1985–86 [5]
AHCA East Second-Team All-American 1985–86 [6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "MIKE VELLUCCI NAMED PENGUINS HEAD COACH". WBS Penguins. June 28, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Westhead, Rick (22 October 2021). "U.S. Center for SafeSport opens investigation into Wild GM Guerin, source says". tsn.ca. The Sports Network. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Hockey East All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  4. ^ "2013-14 Hockey East Media Guide". Hockey East. Retrieved 2014-05-19.
  5. ^ "Hockey East All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  6. ^ "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.

External links[edit]