Brent Sopel: 2010 Blackhawks Players Discussed Alleged Sexual Assault
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Former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel said his 2009-10 teammates should be “telling the truth publicly” about being aware of the allegations of sexual assault against then-video coach Brad Aldrich.
In an interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead, the retired NHL veteran said most of the players and coaches knew during the 2010 Western Conference Final that two Blackhawks players had accused Aldrich of sexual assault.
“…I’d say pretty much every player said, ‘Holy s–t’ and was shocked by it,” Sopel said. “We were all in the same dressing room. It was something that was discussed for at least two or three days. [Then head coach Joel] Quenneville was in the same office as [Aldrich]. We heard about it.”
The Blackhawks are facing two lawsuits related to Aldrich. One from a former player who says the team covered up Aldrich’s abuse and another from a former high school hockey player in Houghton, Michigan, who Aldrich abused three years later in 2013. The second lawsuit says the Blackhawks provided Aldrich with a positive reference, allowing him to remain in hockey and continue assaulting players.
Multiple members of the 2010 Blackhawks have corroborated that then-skills coach Paul Vincent met with team president John McDonough, vice president Al MacIsaac and general manager Stan Bowman ahead of the Western Conference Final in San Jose, California, to discuss calling Chicago police. The front office reportedly declined to do so. Aldrich remained with the club through a successful Stanley Cup Final run and departed the following offseason. He served nine months in prison after pleading guilty to criminal sexual conduct with the high school player in Michigan.
The NHL franchise denies the allegations and is seeking to dismiss both suits.
