An amended sexual assault lawsuit against former Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Brad Aldrich contains new allegations that Aldrich threatened a former player with a souvenir baseball bat before forcing nonconsensual sex, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Why it matters: Aldrich, who worked as an assistant high school hockey coach after leaving the Blackhawks, was convicted on criminal sexual conduct charges involving a student in 2013, per AP. The unnamed player sued the team earlier this year, alleging a pattern of inaction that enabled Aldrich to continue his behavior for years and later abuse the student.
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Details: The amended suit alleges that Aldrich “repeatedly invited young [Blackhawks] interns” to his private apartment, and that team employees “were aware of this behavior and found it to be quite unusual.”
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In May 2010, the former player — named in the suit as John Doe — was at Aldrich’s place for coaching advice when Aldrich turned on pornography and began to masturbate in front of him, the lawsuit alleges.
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Brandishing a bat and blocking the only exit from the apartment, Aldrich allegedly threatened the player with financial ruin and a destroyed career if he did not give into Aldrich’s demands of nonconsensual sex.
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The former player, who is seeking more than $150,000 in damages, also accuses Aldrich of assaulting another unidentified Blackhawks player.
Two Blackhawks players reported Aldrich’s misconduct to then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May 2010, according to TSN.
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Leadership allegedly took no action.
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Meanwhile, other Blackhawks players used homophobic language to repeatedly harass the victim while coaches were present, per the lawsuit.
Worth noting: The former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting filed a separate lawsuit against the Blackhawks in May, claiming the team gave Houghton High School a “positive review and/or employment verification” of Aldrich despite allegations from at least one player.
What they’re saying: “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,” Susan Loggans, who represents both plaintiffs, told AP.
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An attorney for Aldrich told WBEZ that his client denies the allegations.
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“The reaction whenever you hear allegations like that are concerning. But my first reaction is, ‘Tell me the facts,'” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman later said in an interview with WBEZ.
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The Blackhawks said in a statement to the radio station that the allegations against the team “lack merit.” Its media office did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment.
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