Mark Hardy Resigns

In an update to a story we covered a while back, Kings Assistant Coach Mark Hardy has been arrested, and is being charged with fourth-degree sexual abuse. It’s a disappointing and sad situation for all involved, and certainly we here at Rink Royalty hope it is resolved quickly and fairly. It’s always bad news when something like that happens, and here’s hoping we don’t have to deal with that here in LA (or anywhere else for that matter) again.

In the meantime, according to Rich Hammond, Mark Hardy’s lawyer has released the following statement:

"“Los Angeles, CA  June 11,  2010:  Mark Hardy has resigned as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings effective immediately and has voluntarily entered an alcohol treatment program.   Mark and his family would like to thank those who have offered support during this difficult time.  STATEMENT FROM MARK HARDY: “After 21 years with the Kings organization both as a player and a coach, the decision to leave the team at this time was one of the hardest of my career.  My most important priorities are my family and my recovery, and I hope the Kings’ fans will understand my decision.  We are grateful for the support and kindness that we have received through the years, especially now.”"

So the Kings will be looking for a new assistant. Some rumors have them looking at bringing O’Donnell back into the fold in a coaching role. It’s not something I’m sold on, but I wouldn’t be vehemently opposed to the idea either. We’ll have to wait and see if Lombardi and management make a move to replace Hardy before the quickly approaching draft.