Former WBS Pens head coach Donatelli indicted on four counts of sexual assault

There is so much happening with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s hard to keep track. However, this had to happen and we are glad to share the report from Katie Strang of The Athletic that former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins head coach Clark Donatelli has been indicted on four counts of sexual assault by a Rhode Island grand jury.

Donatelli pleaded not guilty on Nov. 10. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is the American Hockey League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

When you hear the name of this predator, you immediately think about the Nov. 2018 incident in which Donatelli allegedly assaulted Erin Skalde, the wife of Penguins assistant coach Jarrod Skalde. In a report filed with the Providence (RI) Police Department this past February, Skalde alleged that Donatelli grabbed her breast and forced his hand down her pants when he and the Skaldes were out after a road game against the Providence Bruins in a cab.

Last week, it was confirmed that the Skaldes and the Penguins reached an out-of-court settlement last week as a resolution to a lawsuit brought forth against the team for retaining the services of Donatelli after the allegations were made against the coach. Donatelli stepped down from the WBS Penguins at the conclusion of the 2018-2019 season, citing personal reasons.

Terms of the settlement between the two parties were not disclosed.

Strang reports these details from the documents she obtained: the indictment against Donatelli was issued on July 26 with a warrant for his arrest following on the next day. He is set for a pre-trial hearing in December. He was released on $10,000 bond and given a no-contact order with Erin Skalde.

Donatelli took part in 35 NHL games with the Minnesota North Stars and Boston Bruins in a professional career that spanned from 1990 to 1996.

He was named head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers during the 2011-2012 season and was promoted to head coach of the WBS Penguins in 2015 when Mike Sullivan assumed the head coaching role with the NHL Penguins.

He is now dealing with the law.