NHL Informs John Doe 2's Family That League Won't Cover Counseling, Therapy Costs

The NHL informed "John Doe 2," the pseudonym given to a high school hockey player who was sexually assaulted by former Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Brad Aldrich, that the league will not cover his counseling and therapy costs.

Doe's lawyer said the NHL believes those expenses are the Blackhawks' responsibility. 

The mother of John Doe 2 recounted the severe behavioral issues and mental health trauma her son suffered after being assaulted by Aldrich in 2013. The mother said her son's behavior changed almost immediately and he began using drugs.

“‘Do you want to know why Mom? Do you want to know why I’m a loser, Mom?’ He yelled in my face in shock,” the woman said in a TSN interview. “Those horrible words came out, ‘Because I was raped, Mom.’ I just held him and screamed no, no, no.”

Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in jail in 2014 after sexually assaulting John Doe 2. His jail sentence came four years after Aldrich allegedly assaulted two Blackhawks players, one of whom has since come forward. 

Former Blackhawks winger Kyle Beach revealed he is the player suing the franchise over its mishandling of the allegations he made in 2010. According to Beach, management was made aware of the situation but did not go to the police or fire Aldrich. The Blackhawks later allowed Aldrich to resign after winning the 2010 Stanley Cup after another allegation came to light.

"The only way I could describe it was that I felt sick, I felt sick to my stomach," Beach told TSN. "I reported this and I was made aware that it made it all the way up the chain of command by ‘Doc’ (James) Gary and nothing happened. It was like his life was the same as the day before. Same every day. And then when they won, to see him paraded around lifting the Cup, at the parade, at the team pictures, at celebrations, it made me feel like nothing. It made me feel like I didn’t exist."

Aldrich continued his work in hockey after leaving the Blackhawks, working with USA Hockey, Notre Dame, Miami (Ohio) University and Houghton (Michigan) High School. It was in Houghton where Aldrich sexually assaulted the high school student.

The NHL fined the Blackhawks $2 million for "inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response" in response to Aldrich after an independent investigation. Team president Stan Bowman and director of hockey administration Al MacIsaac both resigned their posts. Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville, who was the coach of the Blackhawks during the 2009-10 season, also resigned his position.

The Blackhawks are in the midst of lawsuit settlement talks and have vowed to reach a "fair resolution."