An Illinois state court judge in Chicago has rejected the Blackhawks’ motion to "dismiss a negligence lawsuit filed by a former player who alleges he was sexually assaulted during the 2009-10 Stanley Cup season and playoffs by former team video coach Brad Aldrich," according to Rick Westhead of TSN.ca. The lawsuit was filed Nov. 2 in Cook County Court in Chicago, nearly two years after former Blackhawks player Kyle Beach settled his own litigation with the franchise over “similar claims about Aldrich's behavior." The former player, who is referred to in court documents as “John Doe,” was called up to the Blackhawks during the 2009-10 season and playoffs. The Blackhawks in their filing wrote the player “filed his lawsuit 13 years after he was allegedly assaulted by Aldrich,” but the statute of limitations for personal injury claims in Illinois is two years. The player’s lawyers argued that the limitations period was "moot because the player didn’t learn until more recently about the behind-the-scenes actions of Blackhawks officials in 2010.” According to court documents, the plaintiff and the Blackhawks face a deadline of May 2 to "turn over relevant documents to one another." Subpoenas must be "issued before July 2 and depositions completed by Nov. 4" (TSN.ca, 3/25).
