The Hockey Hall of Fame says that it has removed former Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich’s name from the Stanley Cup in the wake of a sexual assault investigation involving a former team prospect.
A spokesperson for the Hall of Fame confirmed to NBC 5 that Aldrich’s name has been crossed out with a series of “X’s,” effectively removing his engraved name from the trophy.
The news comes after the Blackhawks sent the Hall a letter last week asking for Aldrich’s name to be removed from the Stanley Cup.
“I am humbly requesting that the Hockey Hall of Fame consider ‘x-ing’ out his name on the Stanley Cup,” team chairman Rocky Wirtz said. “While nothing can undo what he did, leaving his name on the most prestigious trophy in sports seems profoundly wrong.”
Aldrich’s name was removed amid the ongoing fallout over the release of a report by the Blackhawks that detailed how the organization had failed to properly investigate sexual assault allegations levied by former first-round pick Kyle Beach against Aldrich in May 2010.
Beach alleges that Aldrich sexually assaulted him in an apartment during that season’s Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite bringing the allegations to the team, Beach says that the team failed to investigate, and Aldrich was allowed to continue in his role as video coach for the Blackhawks through their Stanley Cup Final victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Aldrich’s name was engraved on the Cup, he was allowed to host the trophy for a day in his hometown, and he received a championship ring from the team, according to the report. He also was present at the team’s banner-raising ceremony at the United Center in Oct. 2010, despite having been forced to resign by the team after more allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced.
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Beach has filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks over their handling of the Aldrich manner, and several high-profile executives and coaches, including former GM Stan Bowman and former head coach Joel Quenneville, have been forced to resign their positions in the wake of the scandal.
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Aldrich is not the first person to have their name removed from the Stanley Cup. The league also removed Basil Pocklington’s name after the 1983-84 season. Pocklington was the father of the Edmonton Oilers’ owner, and was listed on the Cup despite having no official affiliation with the team.
