The Chicago Blackhawks reached a settlement Wednesday with Kyle Beach, the former player who sued the team over its handling of sexual-assault allegations he made against former video coach Brad Aldrich.
Representatives for the team and Beach met in their first mediation session Wednesday, and a joint statement announcing the agreement followed. Beach sued the team last year, making his allegations from 2010 public.
“The parties are pleased to announce that today’s mediation resulted in a confidential settlement between the Blackhawks and Kyle Beach,” read the statement from chairman Rocky Wirtz, CEO Danny Wirtz and attorney Susan Loggans, who represented Beach.
“The Blackhawks hope that this resolution will bring some measure of peace and closure for Mr. Beach. As for the Blackhawks organization, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that, going forward, this team will be a beacon for professionalism, respect and integrity in our community. We remain grateful for the trust and support of the Blackhawks community, and we promise to continue working every day to earn and maintain that trust.”
In late October, the results of an independent investigation were released that backed up Beach’s account and said the team failed to take action following a May 23, 2010, meeting to discuss the allegations of sexual assault.
Among the members of the organization who were present were Stan Bowman, general manager at the time; then-president John McDonough; then-senior vice president Jay Blunk; and then-coach Joel Quenneville.
On the day the report was released, Bowman and vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac left the organization. Quenneville resigned days later as coach of the Florida Panthers.
The club was fined $2 million by the NHL.
A second suit is still pending. The plaintiff in that case was, at the time, a high school student whom Aldrich later was convicted of assaulting in Michigan. The Blackhawks contend they shouldn’t be a party in that lawsuit.
–Field Level Media