Report: Blackhawks sink even lower with latest development in Kyle Beach lawsuit

The ongoing negotiations between the Chicago Blackhawks and former prospect Kyle Beach continue to make headlines across the sports world.

Beach, of course, revealed himself to be John Doe from the Blackhawks' sexual abuse scandal during a one on one interview with TSN's Rick Westhead last month. Beach maintains that he was sexually assaulted by then Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich and that the Blackhawks' executive staff led by Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville. Bowman and Quenneville, of course, have both been forced to resign from their positions with the Blackhawks and the Florida Panthers, respectively, in absolute disgrace.

The Blackhawks have accepted responsibility for their role in Aldrich's abuse of Beach and have been having ongoing legal negotiations with Beach's lawyers in order to reach a settlement. Or... at least they had been. TSN investigative reporter Rick Westhead reports that the team has made a motion in court today to have Beach's case dismissed, citing "statute of limitations."

From Westhead's most recent column for TSN:

“Mr. Beach argues that his failure to timely file this lawsuit is excused because he repressed memories of the assault, but this claim cannot toll the statute of limitations,” the Blackhawks wrote in their motion.

“Despite the passage of more than a decade since the alleged sexual assault and repeated instances in which he dealt with consequences from the incident, Mr. Beach argues that his claims are timely because he repressed memories relating to the sexual assault until July 2019, when his memories ‘were revived by learning that Aldrich had been arrested and sentenced in a subsequent sexual assault case,’” the team wrote.

"Mr. Beach knew immediately in May 2010 that he had been assaulted; that the assault was wrongful; and that he had been harmed by it. He cannot toll the statute of limitations by claiming repressed memory."

At this point you have to wonder what the Blackhawks have to gain by dragging this case through the mud and airing their dirty laundry for everyone to see? Simply strike a fair deal in private negotiations and seal the records... this kind of stuff is done in corporate litigation everyday, yet it seems to not be an option for the Blackhawks. What gives?