Gary Bettman would have liked to know before. But the case was buried for 10 years. Now he can only apologize and “look ahead”.
The NHL commissioner spoke to media on Monday about allegations by player Kyle Beach that he was sexually assaulted by former Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.
Beach, a reservist at the time, gave an emotional interview to TSN reporter Rick Westhead last Wednesday, revealing his identity at the same time. An independent report on the case, produced by the firm Jenner & Block and commissioned by the NHL, only named him under the pseudonym “John Doe”.
Bettman spoke at Beach on Saturday. He told her he was “sorry for the trauma” he had to endure. “He has been courageous, especially this past week,” commented the commissioner.
How did we get there ? The incident occurred in 2010, as the Blackhawks were preparing for the Stanley Cup Final. Stan Bowman was managing director. Joel Quenneville was the head coach. They were made aware, and an internal meeting, including other staff members, took place on May 23 of that year. The decision: we were going to settle the issue after the playoffs, so as not to harm the team’s chances.
Bowman resigned last Tuesday after the report was released. Joel Quenneville left office on Thursday after meeting with Gary Bettman.
Except that another actor was present at this meeting. Kevin Cheveldayoff, assistant GM with the Blackhawks in 2010 and now general manager of the Winnipeg Jets, survived the slaughter.
“Kevin was really a minor figure in this situation,” said Bettman. […] Based on his position and limited access to information, in addition to the fact that Aldrich had subsequently left the organization, he believed the problem had been resolved by his bosses. ”
“During the investigation [de Jenner & Block], the only person who remembers Kevin being there is Kevin. Everyone else forgot or didn’t even think he was there. He had been with the Blackhawks for nine months, he was an assistant general manager, with limited responsibilities. […] He had no reason to believe that not all good things were happening. ”
Brad Aldrich later resigned from his post, but he still had time to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. He was hired by the American Hockey Federation. In 2013, he was arrested and then pleaded guilty to assaulting a minor in Michigan. The Blackhawks’ decision not to investigate Aldrich therefore weighed even more heavily in the balance.
Bettman said he offered help to Kyle Beach and his family for “as long as they need it.” But what about Brad Aldrich’s other listed victim?
“I should know more about this situation, reacted the commissioner. I am more focused on the circumstances in front of us that occurred in the NHL environment. But I wouldn’t rule out the possibility [d’offrir de l’aide]. ”
Another piece of information that came out of this press conference: the NHL had been advised by lawyers for the Blackhawks last December that a complaint – which turned out to be that of Kyle Beach – was going to fall. She had judged at the time that she did not have the “merit” to be studied. But the note received in December did not have the same tenor as the complaint that finally fell last May, according to Gary Bettman.
“What the club thought they were telling us before the complaint was filed, and what ultimately came out of the investigation, was not at all the same. ”
And now ?
Gary Bettman assures us that the NHL wants to “use all its resources to engage in a global effort to create a network of organizations” that can meet the needs of the hockey community.
“Wherever you are in the hockey ecosystem, in minors, in major junior, in college, at the amateur level, in men’s as well as women’s hockey, it is important that everyone has access to help. ”
The league wants to hire professionals to “evaluate” what it does, “not only to make sure it’s adequate, but also to make sure it’s of the best quality”.
Assistant Commissioner Bill Daly, also present at the press conference, added.
“Over the past two and a half years, when the situation with Bill Peters arose, we introduced a culture of reporting in which there is no doubt that clubs must report to us regularly if there is any inappropriate behavior within. their organization. ”
Daly also claims that the investigation of Peters, who had been accused of uttering racist slurs against player Akim Aliu in 2019, is “over”. “We are in contact with the representatives about the next steps in this file. ”
Information refuted by Akim Aliu’s representative, Ben Meiselas.
“The NHL hasn’t been in contact with us for over a year,” he said on Twitter. In addition, the investigation focused on the broader issues of racism experienced by Akim during his career, not just the actions of Bill Peters. ”
Regarding a policy on sexual assault, Bettman believes in “judging on a case-by-case basis.” “We must impose a sentence that is consistent with the facts and the circumstances,” he adds.
Despite everything, the league commissioner tries to find something positive in this marshy terrain.
“If this horrible situation can serve at least constructive ends, it would be to demonstrate that it will not be tolerated. If you have a problem in your organization and you are in a position of authority, it is in your interest to deal with it and not overlook it. Because there will be consequences. ”
To supporters who feel “disappointed, horrified by what happened”, Bettman says he was “as transparent as possible”.
“If I had known what had happened [à l’époque], all of this would have been handled differently. But we didn’t know it. ”
“We will be judged on what we do in the future. ”