The NHL Players Association plans to open an independent investigation into how it handled sexual assault allegations made by a Chicago Blackhawks prospect against a former assistant coach in 2010.
The NHLPA released a statement on Monday indicating that Executive Director Donald Fehr recommended that an investigation be conducted by an outside legal advisor to examine the union’s response to the “Kyle Beach affair”.
The statement said the 32-member executive board is voting on the issue, although no timetable for the vote has been released.
Beach is the player at the center of the allegations against former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich.
A report released by the NHL last week showed Fehr was contacted twice about Aldrich-related allegations, including by a Beach confidant, but Fehr told investigators he did not recall the ‘one or the other conversation.
Fehr said in a statement that there was “no doubt” that there was a system breach at Beach and that “we are part of this system.”