NEWSLETTER
Yesterday was a wild day in the Chicago Blackhawks news cycle and it’s not going to get any easier as we head into the NHL Entry Draft weekend, starting today. Hold on to your butts, because I have a feeling things are only going to get crazier as the next couple of hours pass us by.
• The biggest news of yesterday came in the afternoon, just before the NHL revealed the 2021-22 season schedule. Phil Thompson of the Chicago Tribune and Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times both dropped hammers in the Blackhawks sexual assault, abuse, and harassment lawsuits and allegations against them.
A warning, if you have not read the reports yet, there are graphic details regarding the incidents that could be triggering to some.
According to reports & amended documents, the former #Blackhawks player involved in the alleged incidents from 2010 says Brad Aldrich forced himself on the player & threatened his career, while teammates bullied him about the alleged incidents
(TW // SA) https://t.co/7waOSt8qlz— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) July 23, 2021
• This continues to get worse and worse as more details emerge from the cases. The Blackhawks want this to be swept under the rug and forgotten about, but the tireless efforts of a handful of journalists are keeping the story alive and front-and-center in the Blackhawks world. This should not be kept away from the public eye.
• Blackhawks President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Stan Bowman spoke to the media for the first and likely only time for a long time yesterday. He touched on a multitude of topics, but started off the media availability talking about the lawsuits and allegations.
Stan Bowman Speaks: No Comment On Allegations, Toews Update, Keith Trade, Offseason Plans, Morehttps://t.co/6zCWtrR1Us
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) July 22, 2021
• He did not comment on the allegations and lawsuits against the team and former video coach Brad Aldrich, of which Bowman is connected to from the alleged meeting between Paul Vincent and the Blackhawks front office in May of 2010.
Stan Bowman: "I do not condone or tolerate harassment or assault of any type. The Blackhawks have engaged an outside legal firm to conduct an investigation…for now, I have to respect the litigation and pending review. I'm not going to be able to make any comments about that."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) July 22, 2021
• While he said next to nothing about the allegations and investigations, he did say that he would be cooperating with the “independent review” being done by the law firm of Jenner and Block.
Stan Bowman on the Jenner & Block investigation: "The review itself is something that I do plan to participate in. I'm going to give it my full cooperation." Can't say whether it'll be made public or not.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) July 22, 2021
• TSN’s Rick Westhead, who has been one of the journalists in front of the story, was in the media availability yesterday but did not have an opportunity to have his questions answered. Here are those questions…
I'm using an older version of Zoom and not in a position to immediately update so I didn't have ability to "raise hand" to ask a question. However, the Blackhawks asked media for questions before the media call and I did submit four.
None were addressed or answered.
My questions: pic.twitter.com/iMxLDeX5TC— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 22, 2021
• Westhead this morning talked about the Blackhawks corporate sponsors and their lack of communication regarding the Blackhawks and the lawsuits against the team.
Why? A few advertising consultants in Chicago explained the abuse scandal still isn't a major news story in America's 3rd largest media market and CHI corporate partners simply won't react unless they're forced to. From Blackhawks sponsor package: pic.twitter.com/DJ4g6YFYe8
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 23, 2021
• They are right. This should be the biggest story in the hockey world, but it is not being covered as such. Therefore, in a town dominated by the Cubs and the Bears, who you can always find things to talk about online, on TV, on sports radio, at the office, etc. Without the story being blasted across local channels, it has to be picked up by outside news sources like WBEZ and Canadian media like Westhead and TSN.
• That is NOT to discredit the work that people like Thompson, Pope, Scott Powers, Mark Lazerus, Katie Strang, and others have done on this story. It is a criticism on the outlets that have a wider reach locally that have failed to give this story the run in the city of Chicago that it should be having.
• We heard from Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergervin ahead of the Stanley Cup Final and his comments on the situation in Chicago. He was part of the Blackhawks front office in 2010, but says he had no knowledge of the allegations at the time. Also part of the Blachawks front office at the time is current Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. Yesterday, he made his first statement on the allegations.
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has released a statement concerning the abuse allegations re. Brad Aldrich. pic.twitter.com/Oe1mVKjCuT
— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) July 22, 2021
• Again, some people say they knew nothing. Some say those people are lying and everyone knew everything. And some say, there’s a mixture of when and who knew what and when. This story will continue to be a dark cloud hanging over the Blackhawks organization now, and well beyond the conclusion of the legal process.
• In matters within the organization outside of the lawsuits, late last night there were reports coming from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that the Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets are nearing a trade for Seth Jones. The caveat being that the Blackhawks are not going to make a deal that involves Kirby Dach or Alex DeBrincat.
Report: The Blackhawks and Blue Jackets Are Working on a Seth Jones Deal *Without* Kirby Dach or Alex DeBrincathttps://t.co/9zVmbzZOef pic.twitter.com/3U41FoA3eH
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) July 23, 2021
• Chicago is reportedly trying to get creative in their trade package to land the 26-year-old defenseman without using either of their two biggest future pieces to the rebuild puzzle. A possible trade scenario could involve the Blackhawks trading their 2022 first-round pick, along with Philipp Kurashev, Nicolas Beaudin, and Ian Mitchell. It is also possible the Blackhawks could use 2020 first-round pick Lukas Reichel in a deal. We’ll see how it plays out today since it is Day One of the NHL Entry Draft and things tend to get wild on Day One.
• Speaking of the draft, if you missed it yesterday, here is the full mock draft that I did for the Blackhawks if I was in charge of picking players this year.
Let’s Do Our Own Blackhawks Mock Draft: Drafting the Goalie of the Future, Getting Bigger, Dach’s Brother, Morehttps://t.co/PTyVsqzBT8
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) July 22, 2021
• Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.
• Also happening yesterday was the release of the full, 82-game schedule for the Blackhawks. You can find it here, with a couple of key dates to keep in mind…
Here is the #Blackhawks 2021-22 schedule and some key dates to mark on your calendars https://t.co/9Y7icR9god
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 22, 2021
• The schedule released by the NHL last night has a Winter Olympic break built into it, pending the NHL’s possible involvement in the Beijing Winter Olympics. One of the hurdles to the league participating in the Olympics has been insurance on the players. But ESPN’s Emily Kaplan has a positive development on that topic…
As I said on @sportcenter, positive developments on NHL players & Olympics participation.
They've found a provider for COVID insurance for players. Still need to work through some details; dialogue between NHL, NHLPA & IOC ongoing
But as of today, things are looking optimistic.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) July 22, 2021
• While the NHL schedule was released yesterday night, the AHL schedule will be released this afternoon. Keep an eye out for the Rockford IceHogs schedule release last today!
After the #Blackhawks schedule was released tonight, the #IceHogs schedule will be released tomorrow at noon CT #AHL https://t.co/PTFFdNwpDK
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) July 22, 2021
• That will do it for today. Enjoy your TGIF Friday and we will see you tonight for the first round of the NHL Entry Draft!
