The Chicago Blackhawks have received several complaints of sexual assault from players. Some of these allegations have been proven, while others are not. These allegations involve Patrick Kane, former video coach Bradley Aldrich and former student John Doe.
Despite these allegations, the Chicago Blackhawks have failed to investigate the matter.
Patrick Kane
After three months of investigation, the Buffalo area prosecutor finally closed a rape investigation against Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks. In a surprising turn of events, the prosecutor laid out a strong defense for Kane and raised doubts over the woman’s story.
The Blackhawks commissioned a report by law firm Jenner & Block, which concluded that their senior leaders did nothing to prevent the alleged sexual assault. While Kane was not aware of the alleged sexual assault until recent reports came out, he said he was unable to remember the alleged abuse of a former player by his assistant coach. In addition, he said he was unaware of the rape allegations against his former teammates and did not report them to the police.
While Kane’s lawyers were willing to negotiate on his behalf, they did not agree to a deal with the accuser. As a result, they did not agree to trade the star. However, Kane returned to Chicago and reported for training camp. Fans of the Blackhawks have been supportive of Kane despite the accusations.
Former video coach Bradley Aldrich
Former Chicago Blackhawks video coach Bradley Aldrich is accused of sexually assaulting an underage hockey player. The incident took place in May 2010 when Aldrich was employed by the team. The incident was allegedly covered up by the Hawks, who later fired Aldrich quietly. However, the Hawks continued to provide recommendation letters for Aldrich to prospective employers. He was also accused of sexually assaulting two other men, including a 16-year-old player.
The lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago by a former Blackhawks player, who alleged that Aldrich abused him and another player. The player is seeking more than $150,000 in damages. The lawsuit alleges that the Blackhawks did nothing to protect Aldrich, but the allegations against him have been denied by the team.
A lawsuit filed in May 2021 accuses the Blackhawks of failing to investigate the allegations made against Aldrich. The lawsuit alleges that the video coach, who coached at Houghton High School in Michigan, assaulted a high school hockey player. The suit also accuses the Blackhawks of not doing enough to prevent the incident. Ultimately, the Blackhawks launch an internal investigation into the allegations, appointing prominent former federal prosecutor Reid Schar to lead the investigation. Miami University also hires a Chicago-based law firm Barnes & Thornburg to investigate the allegations. The results of both investigations will be made public once they are completed.
Hockey league’s failure to investigate
There have been a number of recent incidents involving players in the NHL, including a sexual assault allegation against Chicago Blackhawks center Bobby Aldrich. The NHL failed to investigate the allegations, and Aldrich opted to resign. However, he was allowed to continue participating in Stanley Cup celebrations as he was paid over $20,000 in severance.
When learning about the alleged assault, Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville shook his head and said the team could not deal with it at this time. He said he wanted to cooperate with the investigation, but it was too late for the team to do so. He said he learned about the allegations through the media and that he had not acted immediately.
The NHL has ordered changes to its club policies and disciplinary procedures after Beach filed his lawsuit against the Blackhawks. However, the team president, John McDonough, defended the decision not to investigate the allegations because he did not want to have negative publicity during the Stanley Cup Finals. The team went on to win the Stanley Cup, and Beach, who is currently playing in Germany, said he felt vindicated by the report.