Blackhawks Owner Calls For Controversial Name To Be Removed From Stanley Cup

The Chicago Blackhawks have been dealing with an ongoing abuse involving coaches sexually abusing players and the franchise covering it up. The Florida Panthers recently fired Joel Quenneville who was with the Blackhawks at the time when Kyle Beach first told Chicago staff about the incident.

A report by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reveals that Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz wants to take drastic steps to remove the franchise from the ugly scandal. In a letter to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Wirtz asks to consider “x-ing out” the name of former video coach Brad Aldrich.

Aldrich was the coach accused of the initial attack on Kyle Beach back in 2010. He was also accused of assaulting an intern and a further two student employees while working at Miami University of Ohio. He was sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a high school hockey player in 2014.

Wirtz said that it’s not unprecedented to remove a name from the Stanley Cup. He called Aldrich’s behavior unforgivable. The Edmonton Oilers previously removed the name of the owner’s father, Basil Pocklington, who had nothing to do with the team but was included on the engraving, in 1984.

“Names have been engraved and then changed for years. Taking a stand on the unforgivable behavior of Aldrich should include erasing his name from the Cup.”

There is no word on whether or not the change will be made. Out of respect for the victims and players who had nothing to do with Aldrich’s abhorrent acts, it seems like a slam dunk. The incident parallels the Penn State football scandal in which coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted of sexually assaulting multiple children. Penn State removed a statue of iconic football coach Joe Paterno in the wake of the scandal.

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