Chicago Blackhawks Face A 2nd Lawsuit That Alleges The Team Mishandled 2010 Sexual Assault Claims

Blackhawks lawsuit
Fans arrive at United Center before a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues, Tuesday, April 19, 2016, in Chicago. A second lawsuit was filed against the team alleging the team mishandled sexual assault claims from 2010. Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press
Blackhawks lawsuit
Fans arrive at United Center before a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series between the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues, Tuesday, April 19, 2016, in Chicago. A second lawsuit was filed against the team alleging the team mishandled sexual assault claims from 2010. Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press

Chicago Blackhawks Face A 2nd Lawsuit That Alleges The Team Mishandled 2010 Sexual Assault Claims

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A second lawsuit has been filed against the Chicago Blackhawks alleging the team mishandled sexual assault complaints against an assistant coach before the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup victory.

Last month, WBEZ first reported that a former player, known as John Doe 1, was suing the team for ignoring his claims that a video coach sexually assaulted him. He claims the coach also assaulted a second player, though there is just one plaintiff listed on court documents.

Last week, an anonymous plaintiff going by the moniker John Doe 2 filed a separate complaint in Cook County circuit court against the National Hockey League franchise, alleging the Blackhawks “provided positive references to future employers” of the coach, and that the team took no action to penalize or report the assistant coach to other hockey associations once the alleged assault had occurred.

The lawsuit filed by John Doe 2 states that he played hockey for Houghton High School in Michigan in 2013 and alleges he was sexually assaulted by Brad Aldrich, the former Blackhawks video coach, in March of that year at an end-of-season gathering. Aldrich had been helping coach the team at that time, according to the complaint.

That same year, Aldrich pleaded guilty to criminal sexual conduct of a student in Michigan and is now a registered sex offender in that state. The attorney for John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, Susan Loggans, confirmed to WBEZ that John Doe 2 is the same student that Aldrich admitted to committing criminal sexual conduct against.

The complaint alleges that at the end-of-season party, Aldrich “provided alcohol to the then minor plaintiff and performed oral sex on the plaintiff without his consent.”

“Had the Blackhawks accurately reported what had occurred with John Doe 1, then Aldrich would never have been allowed to be in a position where he could molest other people, including minors,” Loggans told WBEZ on Wednesday. “These events are traumatizing and lifelong.”

The Blackhawks declined to comment on the new lawsuit.

Aldrich did not respond to a request for comment. 

Previously, an attorney who said he represents Aldrich told WBEZ that Aldrich denies the allegations brought against him in the lawsuit from the anonymous former Blackhawks player. Aldrich has not been criminally charged related to those allegations.

In that lawsuit, the former player alleged that in May 2010, the coach “turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of” the Blackhawks player without the player’s consent.

The lawsuit also described “inappropriate text messages” from the coach to the player and threats to “physically, financially and emotionally” harm the player if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with the coach.

In that case, the Blackhawks questioned the legitimacy of the lawsuit.

“The Chicago Blackhawks take the allegations asserted by a former player very seriously,” said Adam Rogowin, the Blackhawks vice president for communications. “Based on our investigation, we believe the allegations against the organization lack merit and we are confident the team will be absolved of any wrongdoing.”

Tony Arnold covers Illinois politics for WBEZ. Follow him @tonyjarnold.