Following Kyle Beach, another member of the 2009-2010 Chicago Blackhawks is suing the team, claiming he was the victim of sexual assault by the team’s then assistant coach, Brad Aldrich.
The player in question, who uses the fictitious name “John Doe” to protect his anonymity, claims Aldrich “harassed, threatened and assaulted” him but that the Blackhawks swept the matter under the rug to protect the club’s playoff run, according to According to reports from the Chicago Tribune, this year will take place.
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As a reminder, Chicago won the Stanley Cup at the end of that season.
The law firm of Romanucci & Blandin is handling the case, defending the former Black Aces member, who did not attend the team’s games but trained with the club during the playoffs. The Hawks are formally accused of negligence in the lawsuit filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court.
“We have a concrete mission in mind, which is to ensure that the Blackhawks remain accountable for the changes they have promised to make to prevent this sexual abuse,” Romanucci said in comments to the American daily.
In a press release to the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois-based club assured that it was taking these allegations very seriously, but would refrain from commenting given the ongoing legal proceedings.
“We have been transformed by what happened and have implemented many positive improvements across our organization to ensure the safety and well-being of our players and staff. This includes a complete rebuild of the leadership team with employees who embody our values and bring appropriate expertise in critical areas of compliance and human resources, a comprehensive mental health program, and new reporting mechanisms and training for all employees.”
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In 2021, Beach also took the group to court, accusing Aldrich of the same behavior. When the affair came to light, the National Hockey League (NHL) conducted an investigation that resulted in a $2 million fine for the Chicago team. Several members of the organization subsequently left their positions following this story.
Beach and the Blackhawks subsequently reached an amicable agreement.