Independent investigation could hurt Kyle Beach

NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr recommended Monday that the union hire outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation into its role in the Kyle Beach-Chicago Blackhawks scandal.

However, according to TSN’s Rick Westhead who broke the story months and months ago, this could unfortunately hurt and not help Beach. He understands that there is a question of credibility and accountability, though it could be a significant issue for Beach.

On the air of TSN with James Duthie and Darren Dreger, Westhead explained how players from the Association believe they are doing right by Kyle Beach to demand an investigation. But there is also a part of it that could hurt Beach:

“That means questioning Kyle, asking him to go back to the worst moment of his life and relive it. And again if the investigator is credible, you can’t just take what he says for granted. You have to push and push and challenge him, and I’m not sure that the PA and its members understand that if Kyle is to be questioned that will lead to more triggering for him.”

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past week, Beach, a former 11th overall pick of the Blackhawks in 2008, alleges that the team’s former video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him during the 2010 season. Furthermore Beach contends that he notified then Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman and head coach Joel Quenneville of the alleged abuse and neither took action. Bowman resigned last week and Quenneville, who was with the Florida Panthers organization most recently, was effectively forced to resign as a result of these findings.

Beach also revealed in the interview in which he revealed himself on TSN with Westhead that the NHLPA was made aware of the situation, but nothing was done.

“I know I reported every single detail to an individual at the NHLPA, who I was put in contact with after,” Beach told Westhead last week. “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.”

In response to the interview, Fehr released a statement acknowledging that the association should have done more to protect Beach.

“Kyle Beach has been through a horrific experience and has shown true courage in telling his story. There is no doubt that the system failed to support him in his time of need, and we are part of that system,” Fehr said.

Fehr admitted it : the system failed and so, he should not represent that system of players protection anymore. Spare Beach the pain of having to relive the same incident over and over and get him hired into the system to be better and help others!