Sexual Abuse Allegations against former Blackhawks Video Coach (Brad Aldrich)

[LawMan]

https://www.tsn.ca/chicago-blackhawk...lice-1.1656229

This story is bad and a bad look for the Blackhawks on many levels.

The Allegations [Unproven]
-2 players from the 2010 Blackhawks (unnamed) allege that video coach Brad Aldrich got them drunk and sexually assaulted them.
- Another coach shared this with the Blackhawks higher-ups who refused to report it to the police.
- Pleas to report to the police were unanswered.
-at least one player was convinced the assault was the player's fault.

Nothing happens and then after the Cup Win Aldrich leaves the team. The Blackhawks allegedly gave him a positive recommendation. Aldrich ended up coaching at Miami University and then a High School Hockey team in Michigan.

in October 2013 Aldrich was charged and convicted of criminal sexual conduct over an incident with a 17-year-old player

Both the unnamed former Blackhawk player and the victim of Aldrich in Michigan (the 17-year-old HS player) have sued the Blackhawks.

Brutal if true. Heads Should Roll.

[tweetdrivr]

Oh man that's really f'd up. Yes, heads should roll bigtime. If you're a fan of this team let them know - this team looks like it's run by scum bags. May be time to find a new team. If they had the opportunity to stop this guy and they didn't and even sent him on with a positive rec...just wow.

[tweetdrivr]

Just been reading up. This makes the Coyotes and their shenanigans look like a joke. If the NHL has any decency at all they'll come down on this team so hard they'll have to fold. Seriously. This is absolutely disgusting.

[doulos]

Blackhawks better be careful here. They might have to forfeit a first round draft pick if the league gets really really mad at them.

[PenguinHunter]

Blackhawks better be careful here. They might have to forfeit a first round draft pick if the league gets really really mad at them.

They should have to give up multiple first round picks for something like this.

But they will likely get off because it wasn't a direct violation of something in the NHL RuleBook.

What a joke!

[doulos]

They should have to give up multiple first round picks for something like this.

But they will likely get off because it wasn't a direct violation of something in the NHL RuleBook.

What a joke!

Well, I was being a little tongue in cheek. As if sexual abuse can just be handwaved away with a draft pick. It would be a typical NHL type move though.

[The Comish]

Not sure why team officials find it so difficult to do the right thing and protect their players. The cover up/lack of action is bad and only enabled the predator to continue victimizing young people.

[Grapes]

Not sure why team officials find it so difficult to do the right thing and protect their players. The cover up/lack of action is bad and only enabled the predator to continue victimizing young people.

^ Totally. I just don’t understand how in this day and age anyone can justify “enabling a predator” especially if an opportunity was available to stop it from continuing. It just blows my mind. Wow !

[Feenom]

Sad to hear this happened and that he was highly recommended to coach younger kids/adults. The people who allowed this to happen need to be put behind bars, these are lives that have been affected and yes heads need a rollin’.

[2014olympicgold]

More info has come out.

I think it was the media director saying that this was a known secret in the Blackhawks organization. Members of the CBH that aren't there anymore that were in prominent roles that haven't commented yet and def knew if the media director knew about hockey operation "secrets":

Marc Bergevin
Joel Quennville
Kevin Cheveldayoff

This isn't going to go away and Stan Bowman needs to be fired. This coupled with the Akim Aliu (same time) stuff coming out shows the NHL needs to do something here in a 3rd party HR department where players can contact them, kind of like the "rehab" program where you can call in anonymously.

[tweetdrivr]

New update on the Athletic if you subscribe...

https://theathletic.com/2672134/2021...shared_article

[Daydream Nation]

I would have responded to this initially but I have been very sick with pneumonia and last week at this time I was in a bad place. Anyways, without question this is morally reprehensible behavior. It does not surprise me considering that John McDonough was ultra-concerned with the image of the Blackhawks when he was in charge. A cover-up is exactly in his nature. To think that this incident was buried and then the coach was given glowing recommendations and then went to a high school and abused more young men is absolutely disgusting.

Personally, I have been distancing myself as a Hawks fan over the last few years. The team is just not interesting, I had cut the cord so I wasn't getting their games on the local RSN, and I found other teams (Toronto, Carolina, and Vancouver) more enjoyable to watch. But I'm done with the Hawks. I'll never spend another dollar going to see one of their games and the little team swag that I wear is getting thrown away. This is just too much. I want to represent my NHL fandom so I'll probably get myself a Wings or Leaf hat to show my support to the league. Hell, I might even go to a Chicago Steel game or two to watch some prospects. I'll always have my memories of the 3 Cups but the Hawks are pretty much dead to me.

[Pengwin7]

I'm a subscriber to theathletic, just going to post two paragraphs that well represent the magnitude of this story:

The former player who spoke with The Athletic, who was not one of the two players who disclosed Aldrich’s alleged assault to Vincent, said he recently Googled the official team photo from the morning of the parade, and sure enough, Aldrich is in it.

“That doesn’t bother me, that they let him take pictures with the Cup,” the 2010 Blackhawks player said. “What bothers me is they fired him, but they didn’t take it to the cops. … They let him get a job with a U-18 team. They let him go work with minors. They let this happen.”

[TrailerParkFlyers]

I'm a subscriber to theathletic, just going to post two paragraphs that well represent the magnitude of this story:

The former player who spoke with The Athletic, who was not one of the two players who disclosed Aldrich’s alleged assault to Vincent, said he recently Googled the official team photo from the morning of the parade, and sure enough, Aldrich is in it.

“That doesn’t bother me, that they let him take pictures with the Cup,” the 2010 Blackhawks player said. “What bothers me is they fired him, but they didn’t take it to the cops. … They let him get a job with a U-18 team. They let him go work with minors. They let this happen.”

Unfortunately, as we have seen time and time again, the first response of people in charge is to protect the institution rather than the victim. It isn't right but that is what most people in charge do - Catholic Church, Penn State, BBC, CBC etc. The list is endless. It is very sad.

[Invictus]

Unfortunately, as we have seen time and time again, the first response of people in charge is to protect the institution rather than the victim. It isn't right but that is what most people in charge do - Catholic Church, Penn State, BBC, CBC etc. The list is endless. It is very sad.

If they want to protected their image then they should have turned these allegations over to the authorities immediately. Standing up to such behaviour shows strength in good character and should not tarnish CBH image. If I was an owner I'd be proud of my team for exposing and handling this responsibly.

Instead it wasn't and now its just shit storm with more people abused that could of been prevented.