Another former Blackhawks player sues team over mishandling of sexual abuse

A second former player in the Chicago Blackhawks organization has filed a lawsuit against the team, alleging that it mishandled claims of sexual abuse levied against a video coach during the 2009-10 NHL season.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Cook County, Illinois by a plaintiff identified only as John Doe. It comes a little more than two years after another player, Kyle Beach, publicly alleged that he had been sexually assaulted by the same coach, Brad Aldrich, during the team’s run to the 2010 Stanley Cup.

In a news conference on Monday, attorneys representing Doe stated that Beach’s courage to speak out about his experience in 2021 inspired their client to do the same. They also mentioned that Beach would likely be called to testify in this new case, further adding to the weight of the allegations.

“This case is a prime example of institutional negligence at its worst,” commented attorney Antonio Romanucci. He described it as a situation where a culture of prioritizing winning at any cost allowed a predatory coach to abuse players, fully aware that he would face no consequences.

In response to the allegations, the Blackhawks released a statement affirming that they take all workplace misconduct allegations seriously. The team claimed to have made organizational changes since Beach came forward in 2021, including the complete rebuilding of the leadership team, an expanded mental health program, and enhanced reporting mechanisms and training for employees. However, the team refrained from commenting further until more details about the lawsuit surface.

The recently filed lawsuit accuses Aldrich of “grooming, harassing, threatening, and assaulting” Doe during the 2009-10 season. Doe, like Beach, was a minor-league player in Chicago’s organization and part of the “Black Aces,” a group of prospects available to play for the NHL team when needed. The lawsuit highlights instances of Aldrich’s overt and aggressive sexual behavior towards Doe, including rubbing his feet while being intimate with a woman and sending explicit pictures. Doe claims that he reported the photo to the Blackhawks’ team president at the time, but no action was taken.

Doe’s claims coincide with Beach’s allegations, which became public in 2021. A team-commissioned investigation conducted that year revealed that Blackhawks executives were aware of the claims against Aldrich but failed to take action for three weeks after being notified. Aldrich, who claimed that his encounter with Beach was consensual, was allowed to resign at the end of the season.

The investigation resulted in the departure of several Blackhawks executives, a $2 million fine for the organization, and a lawsuit by Beach. The two parties reached a settlement in December 2021.

Doe’s lawsuit consists of six claims, including negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. He is seeking a jury trial and more than $300,000 in compensatory damages.

Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blackhawks sued by second former player over sexual abuse claims