Kyle Beach on Wednesday came forward as "John Doe," the former Chicago Blackhawks player who filed a lawsuit against the team for mishandling his sexual assault allegations against Brad Aldrich, who was the team's video coordinator at the time of the incident.
On Thursday, Sharks assistant coach John Madden, who played 79 games for the Blackhawks in that 2009-10 season, responded by calling the allegations "disturbing and heartbreaking."
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Beach revealed himself during an emotional interview with The Sports Network. Jenner & Block law firm investigated the allegations, which was commissioned by the Blackhawks. The report became public Tuesday and stated "nothing was done" by senior leaders of the Blackhawks' coaching and management after Beach reported Aldrich had sexually assaulted and harassed him in 2010.
Madden played 13 years in the NHL. The 2009-10 season was his only with the Blackhawks.
Beach, who now is 31 years old and plays professionally in Germany, was taken by the Blackhawks with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. He never played a game in the NHL.
On May 13, 2021, an unnamed former player filed a lawsuit alleging Aldrich had sexually assaulted him during an off-ice incident. We now know that player to be Beach.
San Jose Sharks
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Beach said the first person he told of the incident was Chicago's then skills coach Paul Vincent. He told Vincent at the team hotel in San Jose during the 2010 playoffs. Vincent reported it to members of the Blackhawks front office, but Aldrich was allowed to stay with the team throughout their championship run before being given an ultimatum and resigned.
Madden joined San Jose's staff in September of 2020. The Sharks (4-2-0) play at Chicago on Nov. 28.