Former Blackhawks Player Sues, Alleging Sexual Assault By Coach

CHICAGO — A member of the 2010 Stanley Cup championship Chicago Blackhawks has filed suit against the franchise, saying that he –along with one of his teammates – was sexually assaulted by a member of the team’s coaching staff before the Hawks captured their first championship since 1961.

The lawsuit

WBEZ Radio was the first to report the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, in May 2010, the coach “turned on porn and began to masturbate” in front of the player without his consent. The lawsuit also alleges that the coach threatened to injure (the player)…physically, financially and emotionally” if the player did not engage in sexual activity with the coach in text messages sent to the player.

The lawsuit maintains that the team was aware of the allegations made by the player before Aldrich reportedly sexually assaulted one of his teammates.

The player is now seeking damages from the team in excess of $150,000. His attorney, Susan Loggans, told WBEZ that her client has had his life ruined over the incident.

“This entire man’s life has been destroyed,” Loggans told the station. “I mean, he was not able to function within the NHL context and…this has really ruined…his professional career. These professional athletes have to function at the top of their game at all times in order to be competitive, and these things are really debilitating.”

In the lawsuit, "John Doe" said that he suppressed the memory of the interactions with the former coach until he saw that Aldrich had been convicted of sexual assault in an unrelated matter in Michigan.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in jail in Michigan in 2014 for having sexual contact with a player while he was serving as an assistant coach with Houghton High School hockey team.

It was then that the player became aware of his injuries and damages, the lawsuit states.

Aldrich, who is no longer with the organization, was hired by the team in 2008 by former coach Joel Quenneville and also served in a similar capacity with the U.S. Olympic hockey program, WBEZ reported. Now 38, Aldrich has denied the allegations through his attorney.

In a statement, the Blackhawks said:

“The Chicago Blackhawks take the allegations asserted by a former player very seriously. 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. As this is a pending litigation matter, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”