'Hawks assistant coach Crawford to go on leave

The Blackhawks didn't provide any details Monday about what they are examining, but former National Hockey League forward Sean Avery recently told the New York Post that Crawford kicked him after he was whistled for a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty when he played for Crawford with the Los Angeles Kings during the 2006-07 season. Brent Sopel, a member of the 2010 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks team, told the popular Spittin' Chiclets podcast previous year that Crawford regularly berated him verbally, and that he "kicked me, choked me".

While the Blackhawks didn't specify the conduct or organization in question, Sean Avery accused the 58-year-old Crawford of kicking him in a New York Post article published over the weekend.

After Chicago announced its probe, Avery posted on Twitter that Crawford "was a demanding coach who would actually fight for his players".

"He didn't have me serve it, we got scored on, and he let me have it", Avery told the New York Post in comments published November 30.

Avery added: "You know how I stand at the end of the bench? He came down and gave me [a butt] kick that left a mark".

The Post traced the game in question to December 23, 2006, when the bench minor led to a second-period Nashville goal, its sixth in a 7-0 win.

Avery's accusations don't mark the first time a player has come forward regarding Crawford's conduct.

"He kicked me, he choked me, he grabbed the back of my jersey and pulled me back".

"He said, 'You're awful, you do nothing".