Blackhawks Discuss Settlement with Kyle Beach’s Attorney After Aldrich Investigation

AP Photo/Winslow Townson

The Chicago Blackhawks held settlement talks Tuesday with an attorney who represents former Blackhawks player Kyle Beach, per Jay Cohen of the Associated Press.

Beach has said former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him in May 2010, as he detailed in an interview with Rick Westhead of TSN. He is suing the organization over its handling of the allegations.

“The meeting was respectful and cordial for each side,” Beach’s attorney, Susan Loggans, said of the settlement discussions. “But each side had different viewpoints. It was decided that an opportunity may exist to move forward. However, both parties will meet with their clients and meet again in the near future.”

Beach told team personnel of the allegations before senior officials met on May 23 to discuss the situation, but no action was taken for several weeks. Aldrich was later allowed to resign after the team won the 2010 Stanley Cup title.

In 2014, Aldrich was convicted of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for assaulting a high school student. Loggans also represents the person in that case in a lawsuit against the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks initially denied that Beach’s lawsuit had merit, but an independent report by Jenner & Block LLP determined the organization mishandled the situation.

The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million with commissioner Gary Bettman saying it was due to the “inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters.”

The team’s president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman and senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac stepped down, while former Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville resigned as head coach of the Florida Panthers.

“We could not be more sorry for the trauma that Kyle has had to endure,” Bettman said in a press conference Monday.

“It is clear now that our organization did not do the right thing,” the Blackhawks said in a statement.