Another blow to Kyle Beach as NHLPA investigation’s verdict is announced

Lost in the enormous scandal concerning the Chicago Blackhawks and their alleged cover up of a sexual abuse scandal involving video coach Brad Aldrich and former prospect Kyle Beach, is the NHLPA’s involvement and specifically the lack of action from NHLPA head Donald Fehr.

When news of the scandal broke and Beach himself expressed frustration at the fact that Fehr did nothing to help his cause, the NHLPA members initiated a third party investigation to determine exactly what happened. The results of that investigation were made public on Friday, stating that, when it comes NHLPA head Donald Fehr’s initial response to what happened to Kyle Beach in Chicago, they cannot identify any wrongdoings by Fehr or the NHLPA personnel.

Third-party investigation into NHLPA’s handling of Kyle Beach’s 2010 sexual assault allegations concludes, “We cannot identify any individual wrongdoing or institutional failures of policy or procedure by either [NHLPA director Donald] Fehr [or] NHLPA personnel.”

The announcement is shared with a 19-page report of the investigation.

In the report, agent Ross Gurney told investigators that he contacted NHLPA exec dir Don Fehr in Jan 2011 to ask that Fehr contact USA Hockey and warn the association Brad Aldrich was a sexual predator.
Fehr denies having any recollection of that call with Gurney.

TSN’s Rick Westhead reported earlier this week that the 32 player reps from the teams had a chance to review the report. They voted on whether to make it public and our sources suggest at least 18 of them have given the yes vote to make that go ahead, per insider Chris Johnston. The report was prepared independently by a law firm in Toronto, looking into Fehr’s behaviour and how he handled those allegations back in 2010.

When Kyle Beach was named as John Doe and the details of the terrible abuse came out, Fehr had apologized to the former Hawks prospect. 

This has to be tough for Kyle Beach... They failed him again.