Clark Donatelli

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

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

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. 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

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

Regular season and playoffs

				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

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

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

1. "MIKE VELLUCCI NAMED PENGUINS HEAD COACH". WBS Penguins. June 28, 2019.
2. 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

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database