Kyle Beach comes forward as victim in Blackhawks scandal, spills everything in interview

In a 25 minute long interview with TSN's Rick Westhead that was, quite frankly, very tough to watch at times, pro hockey player Kyle Beach came forward as the victim in the Chicago Blackhawks sexual assault scandal and ensuing lawsuit. Beach was an 11th overall pick of the Blackhawks in 2008. During the team's Stanley Cup run in 2010, he was called up to the main roster as a "Black Ace", someone who could step in and fill a role when a key player got injured. Beach would end up never playing a game in the NHL and has been playing overseas for the last several years. There's a lot to unpack in this interview. I'll try to summarize the most pertinent parts.

"Yesterday was a day of many emotions," said Beach when asked how he reacted to the finding of an independent report into the Blackhawks handling of his allegations against former video coach Brad Aldrich. "I cried, I smiled, I laughed, I cried some more and my girlfriend and I – we didn't know how to feel. We didn't know how to think, we just held each other and supported each other. She's been my rock from the very beginning of this process and I'm very fortunate to have her here and to be able to lean on her, rely on her to help on those tough days – I don't think that I or we could have imagined what would have come out of yesterday's press conference. And following it, just a great feeling of relief and vindication, and it was no longer my word against everybody else's."

Beach recalled getting called up to the main team in 2010, was asked about the days following the assault by Aldrich.

"To be honest, I was scared mostly. I was fearful. I had my career threatened. I felt alone and dark. Sorry, it's tough to recall these moments. I felt like I was alone and there was nothing I could do and nobody I could turn to for help. And I didn't know what to do as a 20-year-old. I would never dream, or you could never imagine being put in this situation by somebody who's supposed to be there to help you and to make you a better hockey player and a better person and continue to build your career. Just scared and alone with no idea what to do."

Beach recounted taking his concerns to Blackhawks management, and having nothing come of it. Alrich would remain with the team and celebrated with them after winning the Stanley Cup in 2010.

"And then when they won, to see him (Aldrich) 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. It made me feel like, that I wasn't important andit made me feel like he was in the right and I was wrong."

Beach also recounts that Jim Gary, the Blackhawks' mental skills coach and councillor at the time, told him the assault was his own fault.

"And that's also what 'Doc' Gary told me, that it was my fault because I put myself in that situation," said Beach.

Things got really emotional when Beach was asked about the player that Aldrich went on to assault in Michigan after leaving Chicago and getting a letter of recommendation from the team. Beach said he wasn't even aware of it until Googling Aldrich's name. Beach then broke down in tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't do more, when I could, to make sure it didn't happen to him. To protect him," said Beach. "But I also wanted to say thank you to him. Because when I decided, after a teammate asked me about it when I was playing overseas, and I decided to Google Brad Aldrich's name and that's when I found out about the Michigan individual, the Michigan team. And because of what happened to him, it gave me the power and the sense of urgency to take action, to make sure it didn't happen to anybody else. So, I'm sorry, and I thank you. And I hope at some point down the road, if he's open to it, I would love to meet him. Because unfortunately, we share something in common – it's going to be a part of us for the rest of our lives."

Asked about former Blackhawks and current Florida Panthers coach Joel Quenneville's continued insistence that he didn't know anything about the allegations, Beach said there's no way that can be true.

"As a human being, I cannot believe that, and I cannot accept that. I've witnessed meetings, right after I reported it to James Gary, that were held in Joel Quenneville's office. There's absolutely no way that he can deny knowing it ," said Beach.

Beach also said the head of the NHLPA, the union representing players, was told about the incident 11 years ago, and nothing was done. He said Donald Fehr needs to be held to the same standard as everyone else involved.

"I believe two different people talked to Don Fehr. And for him to turn his back on the players when his one job is to protect the players at all costs, I don't know how that can be your leader. I don't know how he can be in charge. If that's what he's going to do when a player comes to you and tells you something, whether it be abuse, whether it be drugs, whether it be anything, you're supposed to have the players' backs and they definitely didn't have mine."

You can watch the full interview that includes many more details below.

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