Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, who already played for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, spoke Wednesday night on the results of the independent inquiry into the Brad Aldrich case as well as the public release of Kyle Beach, which was revealed to be John Doe.
Kyle Beach, the Hawks’ 2008 first-round pick, revealed in a lengthy interview with TSN’s Rick Westhead last night that he was John Doe. That it was he who was sexually assaulted by video coach Brad Alrich in 2010. That it was he, too, who felt abandoned by the leaders of the Blackhawks at the time.
In an interview, Beach said he felt “everyone in the locker room” knew what happened to him at training camp the following season. He also says he received homophobic remarks.
SCREENSHOTS OF TSN VIDEO
Kyle Beach during his interview with reporter Rick Westhead on TSN.
At the time, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were both in their third season with the club. At a press conference on Wednesday night, Toews claimed to have heard about the story for the first time during said training camp.
“I wish I had done something,” he said. That’s no excuse, in hindsight, but the truth is, many of us were only focused on just playing hockey. ”
Toews then said he was sympathetic to Beach “for what he’s been through and what he’s going through now.”
“I don’t know what to say more,” he continued. I think the guys who were in this band all wish they had done something different. ”
“Winning the Stanley Cup that year doesn’t matter. Whether we win or lose, we wish that had never happened and that the young players did not have to go through a situation like this. ”
The star striker went on to defend Stan Bowman and Al MacIsaac, who are among the group of executives who were aware of the allegations at the time and did not respond.
“They are not directly complicit in what happened, he said. It is not my role to comment on whether they wish they had reacted differently or not. I have a lot of respect for them as people. They are good people. ”
As for Patrick Kane, he indicated that the resignations of Bowman and MacIsaac during the last week were “necessary”, while calling Bowman “an incredible man who has done so much for me”.
PHOTO MARK HUMPHREY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Patrick kane
The 32-year-old forward, who was 21 in 2010, said he was spending a lot of time with Kyle Beach at the time. He was unaware, however, until Wednesday that Beach was John Doe.
“It’s really brave on the part of [Beach] to come out publicly and let his name be known to everyone after everything he’s been through. I would have liked us to do things differently at this time, to know different things. Maybe we could have helped him. ”
“I think the organization is doing everything it can to move forward in the right way. ”