(CONTENT WARNING: Sexual Assault)
Oh, you thought this was over?
According to TSN’ Rick Westhead, the Blackhawks could be facing new lawsuits against them stemming from former video coach Brad Aldrich and his time at the University of Miami of Ohio.
A former Miami University student is among three potential plaintiffs weighing lawsuits against the Chicago Blackhawks, @rwesthead writes: https://t.co/j1SixM3xIj
Content Warning: The following article contains references to sexual assault. pic.twitter.com/HmKUvm2m8o— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) February 3, 2022
As Westhead reports, a former Miami (of Ohio) University student alleges Brad Aldrich raped him in October 2012. Aldrich used his time with the Blackhawks (2010 Stanley Cup ring, 2010 Olympic silver medal, and connections to former players) to groom him. The former student, known now as “John Doe 3,” is one of three potential plaintiffs weighing lawsuits against the Blackhawks. Christopher Cortese, a lawyer with the law firm Hurley, McKenna & Mertz in Chicago, represents all three. According to Cortese, the plaintiffs all plan to file litigation against the team.
Westhead reports that “John Doe 3” said Aldrich confided in him that he was gay and told him the Blackhawks had helped Aldrich secure a job at the Ohio school after leaving the team due to the university’s work with the “You Can Play” program. “John Doe 3,” said he met Aldrich while the two worked on the school’s hockey team during the 2011-12 season and was assaulted by Aldrich in October 2012. According to school records, Aldrich resigned from Miami University on Nov. 27, 2012.
Another potential plaintiff is a former Blackhawks player from the 2010 team known as “Black Ace 1” from the Jenner and Block investigation. While he never had sexual contact with Aldrich, according to Westhead, “Black Ace 1” received harassing text messages from Aldrich, and rumors of a sexual encounter followed the player for years.
The third potential plaintiff is former Blackhawks skills coach Paul Vincent. He alleges that the team blacklisted him after he brought the allegations from Kyle Beach and “Black Ace 1” to the attention of its senior executives in May 2010 and to report Aldrich’s alleged sexual misconduct to police.
You can read the full TSN report here to get the more intense details of the allegations from “John Doe 3” and “Black Ace 1,” as well as the burden Paul Vincent has endured since he came forward and corroborated Kyle Beach’s allegations this past summer.
This news comes less than 24 hours after Blackhawks Owner and Chairman Rocky Wirtz went on a tirade at the team’s Town Hall event when asked about what the team plans to do in the fallout of the Kyle Beach and “John Doe 2” lawsuits and settlements.
We will follow up on this development as more news unfolds.