(TW: sexual assault, sexual harassment)
I’ll be sincere, I actually thought the Kyle Seashore lawsuit in opposition to the Blackhawks again in 2021 — and all the following experiences revealed in regards to the rot that festered beneath the Hawks’ legendary Stanley Cup runs from 2010-2015 — would see followers saying, “sufficient.” Possibly I shouldn’t have. It hadn’t occurred with the unhealthy habits by among the star gamers throughout that point, which everybody in Chicago appeared to have a narrative about. It didn’t occur when followers harassed journalists and compelled a girl accusing a participant of sexual assault to flee her hometown. However certainly, certainly, an impartial report detailing how the Hawks coated up the alleged sexual assault of one in all their AHL gamers by an assistant coach — that needed to be the ultimate straw for Blackhawks followers. Proper?
If the variety of followers flocking to the United Middle to observe high draft choose Connor Bedard and fortunately posting pics of their youngsters in Hawks jerseys on social media is any indication, it was not the ultimate straw. However now, simply two years after the daming “Kyle Seashore Report” was launched — and the Hawks and Seashore reached a confidential settlement — the Hawks discover themselves on the receiving finish of one other lawsuit from a participant, additionally claiming that he was sexually assaulted by former Hawks assistant coach Brad Aldrich.
Based on the Chicago Tribune, “A former member of the Chicago Blackhawks’ “Black Aces” squad and teammate of Kyle Seashore has alleged in a lawsuit that former video coach Brad Aldrich ‘groomed, harassed, threatened and assaulted’ him throughout the 2009-10 season and that the Hawks suppressed his grievance to guard their Stanley Cup championship run.”
The grievance, filed below the title John Doe in Cook dinner County Circuit Courtroom on Thursday, contained some really horrific allegations, together with that, “Aldrich sneaked into the bed room whereas John Doe and (a) lady have been having intercourse and tried to insert himself into the encounter, making his presence first identified by taking part in with John Doe’s toes at nighttime,” that Aldrich despatched Doe “a textual content message with an image of Coach Aldrich’s penis (which Doe allegedly confirmed to then-team President John McDonough’s secretary, and that, “On a number of events … Aldrich approached John Doe from behind, grabbed him in a hugging gesture, and floor his penis in opposition to John Doe’s again and buttocks via his garments.”
The lawsuit additional alleges that the Blackhawks group confirmed “utter indifference and/or acutely aware disregard for the security of its workers.”
The unknown participant’s attorneys have confirmed to the Tribune that their shopper was beforehand known as “Black Ace 1” in an impartial report (the report), commissioned by the Blackhawks and undertaken by the legislation agency Jenner & Block.
The allegations in Doe’s lawsuit echo Seashore’s claims. The report discovered that “president of hockey operations and common supervisor Stan Bowman and senior vp of hockey operations Al MacIsaac met with John McDonough, Jay Blunk, Kevin Cheveldayoff, Joel Quenneville and James Gary in Could 2010 to debate the allegations. No motion was taken for 3 weeks, after the Blackhawks gained and celebrated the 2010 Stanley Cup.” Seashore additionally claimed that his teammates started utilizing homophobic slurs in opposition to him after his report of Aldrich’s assault unfold.
Aldrich resigned from the staff in 2010, however nonetheless obtained a severance and playoff bonus, in line with the Seashore report, and his title was inscribed on the Stanley Cup together with the remainder of the coaches. It wasn’t till 2021 that the Blackhawks requested it’s eliminated. There are many pics circulating on the web of Aldrich hoisting the 2010 Stanley Cup, properly after the group was conscious of Seashore’s allegations. After which there’s the truth that Aldrich’s departure was dealt with so quietly, that he went on to educate at a Michigan highschool, the place Aldrich was promptly accused of assaulting a highschool participant in 2013. He spent 9 months in jail and stays on the state’s intercourse offender registry. Maybe, had the Hawks taken Seashore’s claims extra significantly, they may have prevented Aldrich assaulting anybody else.
After the Seashore report, the Hawks did and mentioned all the suitable issues, together with penning a letter to followers in October of 2021 about all of the methods the staff would try to be higher. “What we do off the ice is equally as necessary as something we do on it,” the letter mentioned. “Our possession and management groups are dedicated to making sure that the Blackhawks adhere to the best moral, skilled, and athletic requirements.” That letter, and the feelings inside it, have been virtually fully obliterated by Hawks proprietor Rocky Wirtz simply 4 months later, when he scolded a reporter at a town-hall assembly for asking about Seashore. “We’re not going to speak about Kyle Seashore,” Wirtz angrily mentioned. “We’re not going to speak about something that occurred. Now we’re shifting on. What extra do I’ve to say?”
Wirtz handed away in July 0f 2023, and his son, Danny, is now the chairman and CEO of the group. However the query lingers, in mild of the brand new lawsuit, of whether or not issues even have modified within the Blackhawks’ locker room, or whether or not the staff is solely ready for the followers to forgive them, once more, to allow them to put all of it within the rearview mirror. The staff’s response this time round will probably be telling. And so will that of its followers.
Should you or somebody you’re keen on has been the sufferer of sexual assault, name the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 Free. Confidential. 24/7.
