The Chicago Blackhawks have reached a settlement in a second lawsuit filed by a former player, who alleged negligence in the handling of sexual assault allegations against then-video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 in Cook County Court, Illinois, identified the plaintiff as “John Doe”, a reserve player during the Blackhawks’ run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010. The lawsuit detailed 15 counts of negligence. The accusation stated that Aldrich, using his position as a coach, harassed and sexually assaulted Doe. The lawsuit accused the Blackhawks of “absolute indifference and/or conscious disregard for the safety of their employees” by failing to take action against Aldrich’s actions, resulting in damages and suffering for Doe. Both parties issued statements confirming the agreement, although the terms were not disclosed. Doe is the second former 2010 Blackhawks player to sue and reach a settlement with the team. Previously, Kyle Beach filed a similar lawsuit, alleging sexual assault by Aldrich and that the team’s management delayed action until after the Stanley Cup, reaching a settlement in 2021. In 2010, the Blackhawks allowed Aldrich to resign. In 2013, Aldrich pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct with a 16-year-old high school hockey player, serving a prison sentence and being registered as a sex offender. Before the agreement, a trial date had been set for John Doe’s lawsuit on October 27. Beach’s complaint led to an independent review by the law firm Jenner & Block, in which Doe participated as “Black Ace 1”. This investigation resulted in a $2 million fine for the Blackhawks by the NHL, due to their “inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response”. Stan Bowman, former president of hockey operations and general manager of the Blackhawks, and Al MacIsaac, senior director of hockey administration, resigned in October 2021. Joel Quenneville, coach of the Blackhawks in 2010, resigned as coach of the Florida Panthers in October 2021. The three executives were reinstated by the NHL in July 2024.
Bowman was hired by the Edmonton Oilers as general manager in July 2024. Quenneville was named coach of the Anaheim Ducks in May 2025.While it is clear that, at the time, their responses were unacceptable, each of these three individuals has acknowledged that and has used their time away from the game to engage in activities that not only demonstrate sincere remorse for what happened, but also evidence a greater awareness of the responsibilities of all NHL personnel, particularly personnel in leadership positions.
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