Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault lawsuit overview:
- Who: The National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks are facing a sexual assault lawsuit from an anonymous former player identified as John Doe.
- Why: The team is accuse of not reporting or investigating sexual assault allegations from multiple players against a coach during its 2010 Stanley Cup championship run and instead protecting the coach and allowing him to resign in quiet with severance pay.
- Where: The Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault lawsuit was filed in Cook County, Illinois court.
The National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawks are facing a sexual assault lawsuit from an anonymous former player identified as John Doe claiming the team hid allegations against a former coach and instead allowed him to resign in quiet with severance pay.
The lawsuit is the second former player to come forward accusing the coach of sexual misconduct during the Blackhawks’ 2010 Stanley Cup title run.
Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich is accused of inappropriately touching players on the Blackhawks’ reserve Black Aces roster who are prospective players available if a player on the main Blackhawks roster has an injury, suspension or other reason that prevents them from playing.
Aldrich began by attempting to get players to watch pornographic movies with him, then later attempted to join the players in having sex and groped the players, the Chicago Blackhawks lawsuit claims.
Blackhawks leadership elected to not report allegations to police or investigate, lawsuit claims
Aldrich also sent a text message with a photo of his genitals to the player, the lawsuit claims.
Instead of investigating the allegations, informing police or notifying the accusers that there were multiple allegations against Aldrich, team leadership instead did nothing, the lawsuit claims.
“President McDonough, Senior Director of Hockey Administration MacIsaac, General Manager Bowman, Executive Vice President Blunk, Assistant General Manager Cheveldayoff, Dr. Gary, and Head Coach Quenneville elected to place the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup ambitions ahead of player safety, including JOHN DOE’s, and suppressed any investigation or other action that may affect “team chemistry” in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Finals,” the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault lawsuit says.
U.S. Soccer announced early this year its plans to implement all 12 of the recommendations former U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates made following her independent investigation into allegations of past abusive behavior and sexual misconduct in women’s professional soccer.
Do you believe the Chicago Blackhawks should be punished for their actions related to sexual assault allegations from players? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Jason J. Friedl of Romanucci and Blandin LLC.
The Blackhawks sexual assault lawsuit is Doe v. Chicago Blackhawk Hockey Team Inc., Case No. 2023L011202, in the Circuit Court for Cook County, Illinois.
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