CHICAGO – Early in the season, the Blackhawks planned to celebrate one of the most prominent members of the team’s run to three Stanley Cup championship last decade.
But in the wake of the findings in the Jenner and Block report, which outlined the team’s mishandling of sexual assault allegations made against Brad Aldrich from Kyle Beach, that event is on hold.
The team announced the decision to postpone “Marian Hossa Legacy Night,” which was scheduled to be held on November 9th, to a later date after the fallout of the report. Hossa was set to be honored before his enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 15th as part of the Class of 2020.
“After further discussion between Danny Wirtz, Jaime Faulkner and Marian, everyone agreed that this is an important time for our organization to reflect rather than celebrate,” the team said in a statement released early Monday evening ahead of their game with the Senators of the United Center. “Marian and the club’s leadership team all know we must build back our community’s trust as we ensure accountability within our organization following Kyle Beach’s courage in coming forward.
“Our new leadership team is committed to upholding our values and always working to better this organization and our game as we move forward.”
Hossa joined the Blackhawks in 2009 and was with the team through the 2017 season, when a skin condition forced him to stop playing. He was on all three Stanley Cup championship teams during the decade, scoring 186 goals and with 229 assists in 534 games in Chicago.
Since the release of the Jenner and Block report, which outlines how the Blackhawks failed to promptly report the allegations made by Beach towards Aldridge in May of 2010, general manager Stan Bowman & vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac have resigned along with former coach Joel Quenneville in Florida.
The full investigation by Jenner and Block can be read by clicking here. (Warning: Documents contain graphic descriptions).