Ducks place GM Murray on leave amid probe of his conduct

Anaheim Ducks executive vice president and general manager Bob Murray listens during an NHL hockey news conference at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on June 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Anaheim Ducks placed executive vice president and general manager Bob Murray on leave Tuesday amid an ongoing investigation into his conduct.

The Ducks said in a statement they recently became aware of accusations of improper professional conduct against Murray, who is the third-longest-tenured general manager in the NHL.

The team did not specify the behavior Murray is accused of.

"After internal review, we enlisted (law firm) Sheppard Mullin to perform an independent investigation. Upon recommendation from their initial findings, we have decided to place Bob on administrative leave pending final results," the statement said.

Assistant general manager Jeff Solomon will assume Murray's duties on an interim basis.

Murray played 15 NHL seasons from 1975-90, all for the Chicago Blackhawks. He was a senior vice president with the Ducks when the team won the Stanley Cup in 2007. He was named the NHL's General Manager of the Year in 2014 after Anaheim tied Boston for most wins in the league with 54.

The Ducks reached the playoffs in nine of Murray's first 11 seasons as GM, but they have missed the postseason the past three years, tying for the longest streak in franchise history. He was the interim coach for the final two months of the 2018-19 season after Randy Carlyle was fired with 26 games remaining.

Professional conduct has come under more scrutiny in the league since last month, when the Blackhawks were fined $2 million for their handling of sexual assault allegations in 2010.

A report detailing the team's response to the allegations led to the resignation of general manager Stan Bowman and Florida coach Joel Quenneville, who was Chicago's coach when Kyle Beach said he was sexually assaulted by then-Blackhawks assistant Brad Aldrich.