Former Chicago Blackhawks coach’s name marked out of Stanley Cup after sexual assault allegation
The name of Brad Aldrich, the former coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, has been crossed out from the team’s 2010 spot on the Stanley Cup, reports The Chicago Tribune.
TSN Reporter Ryan Rishaug shared a photo of Aldrich’s name X’d out from the Stanley Cup on his Twitter page.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) November 3, 2021
The photo shows a list of other names and marked “X’s” in bold scratching out Aldrich’s name.
A spokeswoman for the Hockey Hall of Fame confirmed that Aldrich’s name had been x’d out from the trophy as the 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning team names were being added to the Stanley Cup, reports CBS Chicago.
Rocky Wirtz, the chairman for the Blackhawks, requested that Aldrich’s name be crossed out following an independent investigation that confirmed that despite Kyle Beach reporting Aldrich had assaulted him during the 2010 playoff games, there had never been a investigation until Beach’s lawsuit, reports CBS Chicago.
Kyle Beach had previously only identified as John Doe while pressing allegations against Aldrich and the Blackhawks team, however, late last month, Beach revealed his identity.
Beach alleged that former video coach Aldrich sexually abused he, himself, and other players under threat of “physical, financial, or emotional” harm if they refused to engage in the sexual acts Aldrich demanded in 2010.
Beach previously has said that seeing Aldrich celebrate the 2010 Stanley Cup victory—while knowing what Aldrich had done recently—made Beach feel “sick.”
“I felt sick to my stomach. I reported this and I was made aware that it made it all the way up the chain of command by ‘Doc’ Gary and nothing happened. It was like his life was the same as the day before,” Beach explained. “It made me feel like I didn’t exist. It made me feel like, that I wasn’t important and … it made me feel like he was in the right and I was wrong.”
Aldrich was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a minor in 2013 and sentenced to nine months in prison in 2014.
Beach currently plays for Germany’s Black Dragons hockey team and is working towards a “process of recovery.”
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