Ex-Blackhawk John Madden Issues Statement on Beach/Aldrich

San Jose Sharks assistant coach John Madden, through the team, issued a statement today about ex-Chicago Blackhawks player Kyle Beach’s allegations that then-Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich sexually assaulted him in 2010.

Madden was a player on the 2010 Blackhawks.

“In August 2021, I was contacted by investigators from Jenner & Block regarding their investigation related to Brad Aldrich. I met with their attorneys for approximately one hour and truthfully shared any and all recollections I had from the timeframe in question. While it was important for me to participate fully and transparently in their investigation, I am not going to comment publicly on the nature of those discussions,” he said. “The allegations that have been made related to this investigation are both disturbing and heartbreaking. My hope is that Kyle and all those who have been impacted can now find some peace and closure.”

That’s not the only San Jose Sharks connection to this sordid story: Brad Aldrich is the son of long-time Sharks equipment manager Mike Aldrich.

Sharks in Jenner & Block Report

San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner was asked about how Mike Aldrich is handling everything: “I don’t want to get into anything that goes on in our four walls here. We’re a family, we’re trying to offer as much support to each other as possible in this situation, and I’ll leave it at that.”

There’s no evidence that Mike Aldrich had any involvement in his son’s alleged crimes or any subsequent cover-up. The Blackhawks, after learning of Beach’s allegations, did nothing for three weeks, then allowed Aldrich to quietly resign from the organization without further investigation.

After leaving Chicago, Brad Aldrich was convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a Houghton High School hockey player. He’s now on that state’s registry of sex offenders.

“Your heart goes out to the kid in that situation,” Boughner said. “You don’t want to see that in our game.”

He was talking about Beach, but he may as well have been talking about the 16-year-old who was traumatized in 2013 because of the Blackhawks’ negligence.

“It’s very courageous of him to put his name to this when he could have easily stayed anonymous and not come out and spoken about it like he has so openly,” Logan Couture said. “Maybe sometime down the road, it’ll save someone else going through a similar situation.”