NEWSLETTER
You cannot fully erase the 2010 Blackhawks Stanley Cup Championship. We all watched, experienced, and cheered for that team. Those memories and stories don’t go away. But in light of the sexual assault investigation findings by Jenner and Block, and Kyle Beach coming forward as “John Doe 1,” there’s much more than a financial settlement that needs to be done for the Blackhawks to “make right” by Beach and the hockey world.
One step on the long journey of the team making amends is having former video coach Brad Aldrich’s name removed from that 2010 Stanley Cup team engraving. On Friday, the Blackhawks asked the Hockey Hall of Fame to remove Aldrich’s name by “X-ing out” the original engraving. The request was accepted by the NHL and the HHOF and on Sunday, while engraving the 2021 Tampa Bay Lightning onto the Cup, Aldrich’s name was etched over.
Can confirm that Brad Aldrich's name has been x'ed out on the Stanley Cup. Was done on Sunday when the Lightning names were being added.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) November 3, 2021
The Blackhawks and Beach’s representation have begun the process of reaching a settlement, having their first meeting yesterday. While the legal process is still ongoing, Chicago appears focused, in the public eye, on making things right for Beach. Getting Aldrich’s name off the Cup is a small step, it’s a bare minimum step, but it’s a step forward.
Removing Aldrich’s name, providing a settlement, removing those front office members and coaches involved from the NHL, and changing the way in which the organization talks about and “celebrates” the 2010 Stanley Cup team are all part of a long list of tasks the Blackhawks face to regain trust from its fanbase and from the hockey community. It may take years for that to happen and it’s likely they never do regain that trust from some. Which is completely fair.
