Former Chicago Blackhawks Player Sues Team Alleging Sexual Assault: Report

An anonymous former Chicago Blackhawks prospect has filed a lawsuit against the organization alleging sexual assault by former video coach Brad Aldrich, according to The Chicago Tribune.

The anonymous player was teammates with Kyle Beach, who also filed a lawsuit against the organization in 2021, alleging that he was sexually assaulted by Aldrich during the team's 2010 Stanley Cup title run.

The NHL ultimately fined Chicago $2 million in October 2021 for "the organization's inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response," and the team reached a confidential settlement with Beach that December.

Beach's allegations also resulted in the resignations of manager Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville in 2021. Both had been part of the regime that led the franchise to three Stanley Cup championships from 2009 to 2015.

The new plaintiff played on the Black Aces — a team of prospects who were brought up to travel with the team during the playoffs in case of injuries — according to The Chicago Tribune. The plaintiff alleges the incident, like Beach's, occurred during the team's 2009-10 season, and that the team suppressed his complaint to protect their Stanley Cup championship run.

The Blackhawks released a statement to The Chicago Tribune, addressing the allegations

“We’ve changed as a result of what happened and implemented numerous positive improvements throughout our organization to ensure the safety and well-being of our players and employees. This includes completely rebuilding the leadership team with personnel who demonstrate our values and bring the right subject matter expertise in the critical areas of compliance and human resources, an expansive mental health program, and new reporting mechanisms and training for all employees," the statement read.

"Until we learn more about this pending litigation, we will refrain from commenting with any additional specifics."