Chicago Blackhawks settle with former player Kyle Beach, who claims he was sexually assaulted by coach

Former NHL player Kyle Beach has reached a settlement with the Chicago Blackhawks in his negligence lawsuit after accusing the team of failing to act when he reported that he had been sexually assaulted by a video coach.

“The Blackhawks hope that this resolution will bring some measure of peace and closure for Mr. Beach,” Beach’s attorney, Susan Loggans, and Blackhawks owners Rocky and Danny Wirtz said in a joint statement Wednesday night.

“As for the Blackhawks organization, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that, going forward, this team will be a beacon for professionalism, respect and integrity in our community. We remain grateful for the trust and support of the Blackhawks community, and we promise to continue working every day to earn and maintain that trust.”

The details of the settlement were not disclosed.

Kyle Beach, pictured with the TecArt Black Dragons Erfurt, settled his lawsuit against the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
Kyle Beach, pictured with the TecArt Black Dragons Erfurt, settled his lawsuit against the Blackhawks on Wednesday.


Kyle Beach, pictured with the TecArt Black Dragons Erfurt, settled his lawsuit against the Blackhawks on Wednesday. (Martin Rose/)

Beach sued the Blackhawks in May, using the name John Doe, accusing former video coach Brad Aldrich of sexually assaulting him in 2010, threatening physical and financial harm if he didn’t go along with it.

Despite initially writing off Beach’s allegations as “without merit,” the hockey team hired an outside firm to investigate. The extensive report, released in October, found that Aldrich had a “sexual encounter” with Beach on May 8 or 9, 2010 and that team employees including former team president John McDonough, former general manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville all knew on May 23, were informed about it on May 23, after Game 4 of the 2010 Western Conference Finals.

Management agreed to hold off on taking action until after the Stanley Cup Finals, according to the report. On June 10, a day after the Blackhawks beat the Flyers to win the championship, Aldrich made a sexual advance on a 22-year old intern, investigators found. Aldrich finally resigned in June and joined USA Hockey as a video coach for the U.S. Women’s National Program five months later.

Beach was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2008.
Beach was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2008.


Beach was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2008. (Claus Andersen/)

“The Blackhawks’ own sexual harassment policy— which required investigation of all reports of sexual harassment to be conducted ‘promptly and thoroughly’ — was violated,” the report reads.

“The failure to promptly and thoroughly investigate the matter and the decision to take no action from May 23 to June 14 had consequences.”

In light of the explosive report, Bowman has resigned from the Blackhawks and Quenneville has stepped down as coach of the Florida Panthers.

Aldrich was previously charged with criminal sexual assault of a high school hockey player after leaving the Blackhawks in 2010. He pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual assault and was sentenced to nine months in jail and five years of probation. The former student has also filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks.

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